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brother had become ardent disciples of Siyyid Kazim and had moved to Karbalá’ to be with Siyyid Kazim. After some time, Siyyid Kazim had told ‘Abdu’l-Karím to leave Karbalá’ and go back to his hometown of Qazvín and stay there until he heard news of the Promised One. Siyyid Kazim’s parting words to him had been: “Rest assured, O ‘Abdu’l-Karím, you are of those who, in the Day of His Revelation, will arise for the triumph of His Cause. You will, I hope remember me on that blessed Day.” 36ACT4 So ‘Abdu’l-Karím and his brother 37ACT4 returned to Qazvín. On the eve of the day of ‘Arafih of 1255 AH [eve of 13 February 1840] while in deep prayer, ‘Abdu’l-Karím had a vision:
There appeared before me a bird, white as the snow, which hovered above my head and alighted upon the twig of a tree beside me. In accents of indescribable sweetness, that bird voiced these words: “Are you seeking the Manifestation, O Abdu’l-Karim? Lo, the year ’60.” 38ACT4 Immediately after, the bird flew away and vanished.
‘Abdu’l-Karím adds:
The mystery of those words greatly agitated me. The memory of the beauty of that vision lingered long in my mind. I seemed to have tasted all the delights of Paradise. My joy was irrepressible. The mystic message of that bird had penetrated my soul and was continually on my lips. I revolved it constantly in my mind. I shared it with no one, fearing lest its sweetness forsake me. 39ACT4
Mullá ‘Abdu’l-Karím’s faith was fully confirmed by the actualization of his remarkable vision that evening in Shíráz with the Báb. Mullá ‘Abdu’l-Karím will remain in Shíráz and become a transcriber of the Writings of the Báb for Him. He will accompany the Báb as one of His three amanuenses [secretaries] in several places. 40ACT4 He will become Nabíl’s close friend in the future,41ACT4 be named Mírzá Ahmad
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