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Years ago, Mullá ‘Abdu’l-Karím and his 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 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, which he described as follows:
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.”
Immediately after, the bird flew away and vanished.39ACT4
‘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] through the years ahead.40ACT4 He will become Nabíl’s close and trusted friend in the future.41ACT4 He will be named Mírzá Ahmad by Bahá’u’lláh [which is why he is also known as Mírzá Ahmad-i-Kátib (Mírzá Ahmad the scribe)].42ACT4 He will remain steadfast and firm to the end of his days, when he is martyred in Tihrán in 1852 [he and his brother will be imprisoned in the Síyáh-Chál prison with Bahá’u’lláh, and together with his brother will be among the martyrs of that imprisonment].43ACT4
[For a more detailed account of Mullá ‘Abdu’l-Karím’s life see Portraits: Mullá ‘Abdu’l-Karím-i-Qazvíní].
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