Dawn Breakers

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      Section Eight: Quddús’ Martyrdom

      16 May 1849: Quddús’ Martyrdom

      No sooner had the Prince and his men left, than the ‘ulamá and people of Bárfurúsh led by the blood-thirsty >Sa’ídu’l-‘Ulamá, fell upon Quddús. They stripped him of his clothes; the green turban which the Báb had bestowed upon him was befouled; barefooted, bareheaded, and loaded with chains, he was paraded through the streets, followed and scorned by the entire population of the town; he was execrated and spat upon by the howling mob; he was assailed with the knives and axes of the scum of its female inhabitants; his body was pierced and mutilated, and eventually it was delivered to the flames!110_ACT9
      Bárfurúsh was Quddús’ hometown, where he had grown up and was well known. 111_ACT9 It was also in its Sabzih-Maydán
      [Green field/square] where he himself had prophesied he would one day be martyred. 112_ACT9

      Nabíl records:

      Amidst his torments, Quddús was heard whispering forgiveness to his foes. “Forgive, O my God,” he cried, “the trespasses of this people. Deal with them in Thy mercy, for they know not what we already have discovered and cherish. I have striven to show them the path that leads to their salvation; behold how they have risen to overwhelm and kill me! Show them, O God, the way of Truth, and turn their ignorance into faith.” 

      In his hour of agony, the Siyyid-i-Qumí, who had so treacherously deserted the fort, was seen passing by his side. Observing his helplessness, he smote him in the face. “You claimed,” he cried in haughty scorn, “that your voice was the voice of God. If you speak the truth, burst your bonds asunder and free yourself from the hands of your enemies.” Quddús looked steadfastly into his face, sighed deeply, and said: “May God requite you for your deed, inasmuch as you have helped to add to the measure of my afflictions.”

      Approaching the Sabzih-Maydán, he raised his voice and said: “Would that my mother were with me, and could see with her own eyes the splendour of

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