Look Well at Me
Lady Blomfield, The Chosen Highway, (1940), George Ronald · Read original
When in Bahá'í history
A retelling based on The Chosen Highway by Lady Blomfield (George Ronald), with details from Nabíl's The Dawn-Breakers. The lines in quotation marks are verbatim from The Chosen Highway. Read the full text for the original account.
Mullá Ḥusayn of Bushrúyih was one of the foremost disciples of Siyyid Káẓim. Before his death Siyyid Káẓim had told his students to spend forty days in prayer and fasting, and then to scatter far and wide in search of the Promised One and, having found Him, to let all the world know.
Mullá Ḥusayn's search brought him to Shíráz. Nabíl records that on the 22nd of May 1844, a few hours before sunset, as he walked outside the gate of the city, a Youth wearing a green turban came towards him, greeted him with loving welcome and invited him to His home.
Lady Blomfield tells what followed. Mullá Ḥusayn explained that he was seeking his master, and he took from his wallet a tablet, written in the form of a five-pointed star, describing the signs by which he would know Him. His host listened gravely as he recounted them. Then He took off His green turban and said:
Look well at me, do I not show these signs?
"That is a very high claim," Mullá Ḥusayn replied.
His host then reminded him of an evening long before at the table of Siyyid Káẓim, who had spoken of the chapter of the Qur'án that tells the story of Joseph. Siyyid Káẓim had told them to remember that discussion, saying that one day the reason for his words would be made clear. There and then the Báb wrote a detailed commentary on the "Mystery of Joseph," revealing the hidden meaning of the story, and handed it to His visitor. Nabíl records that He revealed its first chapter, the Súrih of Mulk, with incredible rapidity.
As Mullá Ḥusayn read, Lady Blomfield writes, "his eyes were opened, and he became greatly perturbed and overcome, and excited." He wanted to rush out and proclaim the news to the world. The Báb held him back:
Restrain thine enthusiasm for awhile, my friend, it is not yet the time to give forth the tidings. Be patient! Wait! Wait until eighteen persons of insight shall of themselves separately, through inner guidance, have recognized me.
The host was Siyyid 'Alí-Muḥammad, the Báb, and Mullá Ḥusayn was the first to believe in Him. He was named the Bábu'l-Báb, which Lady Blomfield renders "The-gate-leading-to-the-Gate." Lady Blomfield notes that 'Abdu'l-Bahá was born in Tihrán on the same day that the Báb declared His mission.
This account is retold for the Bahá'í Story Library in our own words. The quoted lines are verbatim from The Chosen Highway (Lady Blomfield, George Ronald). See the source for the complete account.
Cite this story
Blomfield, L.. (1940). *The Chosen Highway*. George Ronald. https://bahai-library.com/blomfield_chosen_highway
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