Portraits – Page 42 – Dawn Breakers

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Zavárih: Áqá Siyyid Ismá’íl-i-Zavári’í

Áqá Siyyid Ismá’íl was from Zavárih, a small township near Isfahán. He was a learned man and a master of calligraphy and is usually known by the title of Dhabíh (meaning sacrifice). The reason why he is known by this title will become clear below. He should not be confused with Hájí Muhammad-Ismá’il-i-Káshání who was given the title of Dhabíh by Bahá’u’lláh. Hájí Muhammad-Ismá’il-i-Káshání was one the brothers of Háji Mirzá Jání of Káshán.

Áqá Siyyid Ismá’íl-i-Zavári’í was one the early Bábís and instrumental in teaching the Faith to Nabíl-i-Zarandí. Nabíl tells the story of how he was taught by Áqá Siyyid Ismá’íl in Dawn-Breakers Chapter 21, p437-439. Several years later, Áqá Siyyid Ismá’íl went to Baghdád to meet Bahá’u’lláh and he immediately recognized the station of Bahá’u’lláh. His living quarters were close to the residence of Bahá’u’lláh. Áqá Siyyid Ismá’íl-i-Zavári’í is famous for sweeping the doorway in front of Bahá’u’lláh’s House in Baghdád and collecting the dust in his ‘abá (cloak) and taking them to the river Tigris where he disposed the dust. He did this because he said the earth and dust that had been touched by Bahá’u’lláh’s blessed feet should not touched by anything unclean. One day, early in the morning, he was observed leaving Baghdád and going towards Kázimayn. There by the roadside, facing the direction of the House of Bahá’u’lláh, he slit his own throat and died. Bahá’u’lláh extolled him as the “Beloved and the Pride of the Martyrs”.

Áqá Siyyid Ismá’íl-i-Zavári’í’s story is told in Balyuzi Bahá’u’lláh: King of Glory Chapter 22, p132-134. The following account is extracted from those pages:

Nabíl was once again back in Baghdád. Bahá’u’lláh told him then to go over a manuscript of the Qayyúmu’l-Asmá’ which Áqá Siyyid Ismá’íl-i-Zavári’í had been copying, to ensure that all was correct. Siyyid Ismá’íl had come from Írán with high hopes and had attained the presence of Bahá’u’lláh. He found all that he expected, all that he craved. He was of noble descent, a learned man and a master of calligraphy. … Nabíl says that it took them eighteen days. When the task was completed, he asked Siyyid Ismá’íl to tell him of his experience. Nabíl knew that Siyyid Ismá’íl went out, every night around midnight, and with his turban swept the street where the house of Bahá’u’lláh was situated, gathering up all the sweepings in his ‘abá (cloak) to