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dusty and travel-ragged clothes, Mullá Husayn made his way to the front of the assemblage near the podium. There, without fear or hesitation, Mullá Husayn interrupted Siyyid Muhammad Báqir, and in a loud voice said: “Hearken, O Siyyid, to my words, for response to my plea will ensure the safety of the Faith of the Prophet of God, and refusal to consider my message will cause it grievous injury.”78ACT1 The assembly was shocked at Mullá Husayn’s behaviour and immediately rose up against him. Siyyid Muhammad Báqir, however, was touched by this youth’s sincerity. He stopped his students and asked Mullá Husayn to continue.
Mullá Husayn asked the Siyyid if he had any questions about Shaykh Ahmad and Siyyid Kázim’s teachings. Then, to the astonishment of his audience, without hesitation Mullá Husayn responded to each question with cogent and convincing arguments. They continued until sundown and the call to prayer when the Siyyid invited Mullá Husayn to return the next day for further discussion. This simply dressed dust-covered youth had amazed everyone by his knowledge and insight. By the day’s end, Siyyid Muhammad Báqir was convinced. He immediately wrote a declaration which acknowledged that the teachings of Shaykh Ahmad and Siyyid Kázim about Islam were profound and correct. As well, he paid tribute to Mullá Husayn’s character and knowledge. Siyyid Muhammad Báqir signed his declaration and gave it to Mullá Husayn to take back to his teacher.79ACT1
As soon as Mullá Husayn departed, the Siyyid had one of his trusted attendants follow him to find out where he was staying. The attendant watched Mullá Husayn as he entered a simple madrasa80ACT1 dorm that had no furniture, only a worn-out mat. He observed Mullá Husayn praying and then going to sleep on the thin floor mat covered only by his ‘abá (cloak).
78 Dawn-Breakers Chapter 2, p20
79 The Báb refers to this incident in the Dalá’il-i-Sab‘ih [the “Seven Proofs”] which was revealed when the Báb when He was incarcerated in Máh-Kú. The Báb praising Mullá Husayn writes in this tablet [provisional translation]: “When he came to Isfáhán, the urchins of the town cried out as he passed, ‘Ah! Ah! A ragged student has arrived!’ But behold! This man by his proofs and arguments convinced a Siyyid, one known for his proven scientific knowledge, Muhammad Báqir. Truly that is one of the proofs of this manifestation … …” Dawn-Breakers Chapter 2, p23, footnote 5.
80madrasa [in Arabic] and madrisih [in Fársí] means “school” but meant religious school in the 1800s.
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