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to pull others down with themselves. The first group of the Bábís who traveled from Karbalá’ to Isfáhán was a mixture of these.
On their way to Isfáhán, this Karbalá’ Bábí group meet Mullá Husayn, his brother and his nephew, who were on their way to Karbalá’. Being made aware of the new instructions from the Báb, Mullá Husayn and his companions now turned and began to travel to Isfáhán. The Karbalá’ Bábí group asked Mullá Husayn if they could follow him. The love and respect that the group showed towards Mullá Husayn fanned the flame of envy in the heart of some of the group, who considered themselves highly learned and wished for leadership. Nabíl records that some of these power-seeking individuals tried to poison the minds of the other believers towards Mullá Husayn, by using carefully worded but disparaging remarks about him. This upset the faithful believers, who reported these incidents to Mullá Husayn, who then counselled them to show forbearance towards these lost souls. Nabíl records: “Mulla Husayn’s association with the loyal companions 32ACT4 of the Báb greatly added to their zeal and enthusiasm. They were edified by his example and were lost in admiration for the brilliant qualities of mind and heart which distinguished so eminent a fellow-disciple.” 33ACT4
The journey to Isfáhán continued.
Isfáhán to Shíráz
At the outskirts of Isfáhán, Mullá Husayn made the Bábí group break up and enter the city in small numbers, so as not to attract the attention of the public. A few days after their arrival in Isfáhán, word reached the group of the incident of the Báb and the governor in Shíráz, and that all manner of interaction with the Báb had been forbidden. The situation in Shíráz was seen as being quite dangerous for the followers of the Báb. Mullá Husayn, however, was quite undaunted by this news. He set aside his mullá robes and turban and put on the clothes of horsemen from a particular region of Khurásán [his home province], and together with his brother and nephew set out secretly for Shíráz. Only a few of the Bábís gathered in Isfáhán knew about this.
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