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campaign of misinformation about the Báb and His Message, which was highly encouraged by Hájí Mírzá Áqásí, the Grand Vazír of the Sháh.
The Grand Vazír, was very apprehensive about the influence of the Báb and His Teachings. He wielded immense influence over the Sháh, and in reality, it was the Grand Vazír who ran the country. He had also amassed a huge amount of wealth for himself. The Grand Vazír knew that the Sháh had a friendship with and trusted the Mu’tamid. He was afraid that because of the Mu’tamid, the Sháh may agree to meet with the Báb and he knew such a meeting could well mean the end of his power and control. So, the Grand Vazír began to take steps to prevent the rise in the Báb’s influence and at all costs to prevent a meeting with the Sháh. He began lavishing favours on various ‘ulamá in Isfáhán and instructed them to find ways to decrease the number of visitors meeting the Báb and work to undermine His Person and His Message. He also wrote to the Imám-Jum’ih and reprimanded him saying:
As soon as the Mu’tamid became aware of all these developments, he decided to take steps to secure the safety of the Báb. He began by inviting the Báb to his home. He also invited the leading ‘ulamá of Isfáhán to come and meet the Báb and present their questions. Because many of them by now were fearful of facing the Báb, only a few of the most hard-headed and blind of them accepted the invitation. This meeting at the Mu’tamid’s house naturally did not go as the Mu’tamid had hoped. The ‘ulamá who came turned a blind eye and deaf ear to the Báb. Even though the Báb’s answers to their questions were lucid and deeper than anything previously taught or understood, they would not accept them. They began to argue with the Báb. When the Mu’tamid saw this, he immediately stepped in, ended the meeting and sent everyone away. He then confided to the Imám-Jum’ih: