Table of Contents
Section Three: The Third Wave of Attacks and Mullá Husayn’s Martyrdom [February 1849]
The routing of the Prince’s army at Fort Shaykh Tabarsí was on 21 December 1848. About three to four weeks before this, Bahá’u’lláh, faithful to His promise to Mullá Husayn, had set out from Núr for Fort Shaykh Tabarsí.
December 1848: Bahá’u’lláh is imprisoned and bastinadoed in Ámul
The routes leading to Fort Shaykh Tabarsí were heavily patrolled by soldiers. When Bahá’u’lláh with His few companions got closer to the fort, they were spotted and arrested. 26_ACT9 They were redirected and brought to the town of Ámul. As soon as they were arrested, Bahá’u’lláh gave a signal to the companions in His party to secretly throw away all the Writings of the Báb they had on them. This unfortunately was not obeyed by all of them. At Ámul, they were interrogated by a gathering of the ‘ulamá, who upon searching found the Writings of the Báb. In spite of losing the discussion that ensued with Bahá’u’lláh, the gathered ‘ulamá demanded a death sentence for the Bábís. Unlike the ‘ulamá, the acting governor of Ámul had high regard for Bahá’u’lláh and wished to protect Him. He therefore convinced the ‘ulamá of Ámul to punish the prisoners by bastinado now and then send them to the capital, to the Sháh, to decide their ultimate fate. When they took the other Bábís to bastinado them, Bahá’u’lláh stepped in saying:
None of these men are guilty of any crime. If you insist on inflicting your punishment. I offer Myself as a willing Victim of your chastisement 27_ACT9
As this was the only way to save the lives of Bahá’u’lláh and His companions, the acting governor agreed to this. Bahá’u’lláh was bastinadoed, and together with His companions imprisoned in one of the rooms of the masjid [mosque] of Ámul.
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