Letters of the Living-5 – Dawn Breakers

The next Fourteen Letters of the Living

After Mullá ‘Alí’s recognition of the Báb, his twelve companions and Mullá Husayn’s two companions (his brother and nephew), each in his turn, and by his own unaided efforts, sought and found his Beloved. Some in sleep, others in waking, a few while in prayer, and still others in moments of contemplation. All experienced the light of Divine Revelation and were led to recognise the power of its glory. After the manner of Mullá ‘Alí, Mullá Husayn accompanied each one of them to the presence of the Bab, and each declared by Him to be a “Letter of the Living”.

Táhirih – the 17^th Letter of the Living

One of Mulla Ali’s companions was Táhirih’s cousin/brother-in-law, Mírzá Muhammad-’Alíy-i-Qazvíní

. He was the one to whom she had entrusted her sealed letter and asked that he present it to the Qá’im on her behalf when he found Him. Upon recognizing the Báb, Mírzá Muhammad-’Alíy-i-Qazvíní fulfilled his trust and delivered Táhirih’s letter to Him. The Báb accepted the letter and immediately declared her to be one of the Letters of the Living.

Note: What had prompted Táhirih’s letter to the Báb was a dream she had upon arriving in Karbalá’ after the passing of Siyyid Kázim. In that dream, a Youth, a Siyyid, wearing a black cloak and a green turban, appeared to her in the heavens. He had upraised hands and was reciting certain verses, one of which she wrote down when she awakened. Later, when she received a copy of the Qayyúmu’l-Asmá’

, she discovered that it contained the same verse she had heard the Báb chanting in her dream.

Quddús – the 18^th Letter of the Living

As to the arrival of the last of the Letters of the Living, Nabíl relates the following:

One night, in the course of His conversation with Mullá Husayn, the Báb spoke these words: “Seventeen Letters have thus far enlisted under the standard of the Faith of God. There remains one more to complete the number. These Letters of the Living shall arise to proclaim My Cause and to establish My Faith. To-morrow night the remaining Letter will arrive and will complete the number of My chosen disciples.”

⁴⁴ Dawn-Breakers Chapter 3, p69

⁴⁵ Dawn-Breakers Chapter 3, p81-82 and p81 footnote 2

⁴⁶ Dawn-Breakers Chapter 3, p69

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