Mullá Sádiq was not the only one who was beaten by the crowds in the days surrounding this episode. Nabíl records other Bábí teachers in Yazd who around that time were persecuted even more fiercely.
But for the intervention of Mírzá Ahmad and his uncle, they would all have been killed. However, in due time, we will see that no amount of protection from these few good people is sufficient and many Bábís will be killed not only in Yazd but throughout the land.
Hujjat-i-Zanjání
Hujjat was born in 1812/1813
to an esteemed family in Zanján, a town in the northwestern region of Írán. His given name was Mullá Muhammad-‘Alí
, but he is known as Hujjat because the Báb later entitled him
Hujjat [means Proof/Testimony].
Hujjat’s father was one of the leading
mujtahids [a person learned in Islamic law] of Zanján, highly respected for his learning, his piety and force of character. Hujjat had taken after his father, who recognized the abilities of his son from his earliest days and sent him
to Najaf to study Islamic law. While Hujjat’s keen intelligence and strength of character earned the admiration of his friends, his outspokenness and fiery ardor also made many adversaries. Because of this, Hujjat’s father advised him not to return to Zanján, where his enemies were conspiring against him. Following his father’s advice, Hujjat established his residence in Hamadán
, where he married and lived for a few years. However, when the news of his father’s death reached him, he decided to return to his hometown, Zanján.