Table of Contents
that he was not returning. It is reported that Muhammad ShĂĄh at a state function had said to his Grand VazĂr, HĂĄjĂ MĂrzĂĄ ĂqĂĄsĂ: âWe have been lately informed that Siyyid YahyĂĄy-i-DĂĄrĂĄbĂ has become a BĂĄbĂ. If this be true, it behooves us to cease belittling the cause of that siyyid.â 101ACT4
Husayn Khan, on his part, who had been hoping to have the ShĂĄhâs permission to censure VahĂd, received the following imperial command: âIt is strictly forbidden to any one of our subjects to utter such words as would tend to detract from the exalted rank of Siyyid YahyĂĄy-i-DĂĄrĂĄbĂ. He is of noble lineage, a man of great learning, of perfect and consummate virtue. He will under no circumstances incline his ear to any cause unless he believes it to be conducive to the advancement of the best interests of our realm and to the well-being of the Faith of Islam.â 102ACT4
The above protected VahĂd for a little while, but behind the scenes Husayn KhĂĄn and others did everything they could to undermine VahĂd.
VahĂdâs Family and his Next Steps
When VahĂd met the BĂĄb in ShĂrĂĄz in 1846, he was not just celebrated for his learning throughout the land and had a large network of admirers, but already had established two family households. VahĂd had settled in Yazd in the 1830âs and married his first wife. In 1840, he had taken a second wife [very customary in that period] in NayrĂz. His second wife was the daughter of the pre-eminent religious scholar of NayrĂz . So VahĂd had a strong base in Yazd as well as in NayrĂz. Coming from DĂĄrĂĄb, VahĂd also had a home and strong following there. VahĂd had several well-to-do brothers, and his very famous father, although old, was still alive in 1846. VahĂd and his family therefore had wealth, learning and high social status.
195 / 803