Table of Contents
by Bahá’u’lláh, 42ACT4 and remain steadfast and firm to the end of his days, when he is martyred in Tihrán .43ACT4
The First Group to come to Shíráz: The three who don’t make it
To return to the three of this first group who don’t make it through all the crossings of the Bridge, they were: Mullá Javád of Baraghán ,Mírzá Ibráhím of Shíráz
and Mullá ‘Abdu’l-‘Alí of Harát . The last one was a very well-known highly learned Islamic jurist. He had learned about the Báb during Mullá Husayn’s first visit to Isfáhán after the Declaration of the Báb 44ACT4. After this meeting with the Báb in Shíráz, he meets the Báb later again in Isfáhán and expresses incredible praise for the Báb 45ACT4, but eventually turns away. All three in later years join hands with Karím Khán 46ACT4 the self-appointed leader of the Shaykhí’s and engage in vehemently denouncing the Báb. Soon after this their first meeting with the Báb in Shíráz, the path these three are taking emerges. During their stay in Shíráz, they start planting seeds of doubt in the mind of the other Bábí’s in particular about Mullá Husayn. Their spreading of lies and rumours is in all matters, such that even the non-Bábí’s in the city get upset with them, and eventually all three are expelled from the city of Shíráz by the civil authorities. Such acts unfortunately added to the suspicion and fears of the local population against the Bábís.
A Small but Regular Stream
After Mullá Husayn and the first Karbalá’ Bábí group arrive, a small but regular stream of individuals from other provinces who had been taught by the Letters of the Living or heard about the Báb and His claims through other sources begin to flow into Shíráz. Either individually or in groups of two or three they met the Báb. They were all transformed. Many of these individuals will end up playing significant roles in various ways in the future in spreading the Cause of not just the Báb but also that of Bahá’u’lláh. Several of these individuals were among the most learned of the religious scholars of their respective provinces, if not the land. Nabíl tells the stories of several of them. 47ACT4 In the next section, we will tell the story of one of them, who will end up with the title of Vahíd.
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