Table of Contents
However, asking for fair business practice did not take away from the Báb’s immense generosity and charity which were such that He, in His own words referring to Himself, would not “choose to act ungenerously towards the meanest and most helpless of creatures.”83ACT2
As to His piety and devotion to God, the Báb spent so many hours in direct sunlight in the oppressive summer heat in Búshihr praying on the roof deck, that some neighbors thought He must be a sun-worshipper.84ACT2
The Báb lived in Búshihr for about five years before going to the ‘Atabát. It was during His eleven month 85ACT2 stay in the ‘‘Atabát that He met Siyyid Kázim 86ACT2. Then, at the urging of His mother, the Báb returned to Shíráz towards the end of 1841 or early 1842. Soon thereafter He married Khadíjih Bagum.87ACT2
Marriage 88ACT2
Khadíjih-Sultan Bagum was born in 1822 in Shíráz and was therefore three years younger than the Báb. She was related to the Báb through the Báb’s mother’s side of the family (she was a cousin of the Bab’s mother). Khadíjih Bagum had one sister and two brothers. Both brothers initially were hostile to the Báb when He declared His Mission, but eventually became firm believers in both the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh. Many years later, the son of one brother and the grandson of the other brother each married one of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s daughters, and one of these became the parents of Shoghí Effendí.
Khadíjih Bagum’s parents’ house was next door to the Báb’s middle uncle’s house, where the Báb grew up after His father died. So as children, being so close in age, they were often playmates. Khadíjih Bagum always felt a special bond with the Báb.
When the Báb was working in Búshihr, Khadíjih Bagum, then about thirteen years old, had a dream in which she saw Him wearing a green cloak, around which were inscribed verses from the Qur’án. Radiant light emanated from His Person. She realized then that the Báb was special, although in her own words: “… I never imagined He was the Qa’im.” 90ACT2
86 / 803