Table of Contents
The Báb’s answers did not matter to these supposedly learned ones who were present that day. The blind do not see, no matter how strong the light. Another person now put this question to the Báb:
To which tense does the word ishtartanna belong?
At this point, the Báb only responded with this verse from the Qur’án:
Far be the glory of thy Lord, the Lord of all greatness, from what they impute to Him, and peace be upon His Apostles! And praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.
Immediately after, He arose and, without asking for permission, left the gathering.
41ACT7
The Báb is punished with the bastinado
With the Báb’s abrupt departure, the officials and ‘ulamá debated what to do. There were some who had some degree of basic decency and honour, and they voiced that the Báb was being treated badly and not listened to, and the line of questioning pursued was not important. However, the others, led by Mullá Muhammad-i-Mámáqání vehemently pushed the agenda of close-mindedness, warning that unless the Báb and His Message were controlled, all the officials and ‘ulamá would lose their power. Fear, greed and love of power won that day in those darkened hearts. It was agreed that the Báb should be brought to the house of the senior mullá of Tabríz, the Shaykhu’l-Islám . The person who held that position was Mírzá ‘Alí-Asghar, who was notoriously cruel and sordid, and much feared and hated by the people of Tabríz. The Báb was brought to his house to be punished by the governor’s guard. However, when the time came, the governor’s guard refused to do so, saying that this was a religious case and not a civil case. So, the Shaykhu’l-Islám took it upon himself to personally with his own hands inflict the bastinado [whipping of soles of the feet] upon the Báb’s feet eleven times.
42ACT7 , 43ACT7
320 / 803