Table of Contents
Your faith must be immovable as the rock, must weather every storm and survive every calamity. … You are the first to leave the House of God, and to suffer for His sake. If you be slain in His path, remember that great will be your reward, and goodly the gift which will be bestowed upon you.
120ACT2
As soon as these words were uttered, Mullá ‘Alíy-i-Bastámí jumped on his feet, bade his farewell and set out on his mission. Just as the Bab had prophesied Mullá ‘Alíy-i-Bastámí will become the first Bábí to suffer persecution for the Cause of God. 121ACT2 He will also become the first Bábi to be martyred; although his martyrdom will occur in Constantinople [Ottoman empire] and not on Persian soil. 122ACT2
The other fourteen were assigned by the Báb to their own native province as the field of their work. At dawn the next day, they all left Shíráz, each resolved to carry out their sacred mission. Táhirih, who is in Karbalá’, received her instructions in a letter delivered to her by Mírzá Muhammad-’Alíy-i-Qazvíní her cousin/brother-in-law who was now also a Letter of the Living. 123ACT2
The remaining two Letters of the Living, the first and the last, Mullá Husayn and Quddús, were directed to different paths. The Báb had previously indicated that He planned to go on pilgrimage to Mecca and Medína and that He would take one of the Letters of the Living with Him. Mullá Husayn had hoped it would be him but the Báb chose Quddús instead. He consoled Mullá Husayn with these words and instructions:
Grieve not that you have not been chosen to accompany Me on My pilgrimage to Hijáz. I shall, instead, direct your steps to that city which enshrines a Mystery of such transcendent holiness as neither Hijáz nor
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