Haji Muhammad-Baqir and the Test of Gold

In what appears to be the account of his first audience with Bahá’u’lláh in Adrianople, Haji Mirza Haydar-'Ali recalls that Bahá’u’lláh asked him about the state of the believers in the towns he had passed through. Afterwards Bahá’u’lláh sent someone to whom he could recount the conditions of the believers. He reported all he knew about each person, including Haji Muhammad-Baqir, who was at that time a well-known merchant, foremost among the believers in faith, certitude and enthusiasm, and was serving the Cause with devotion and self-sacrifice.

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The messenger left and after some minutes returned with an exalted Tablet which had been revealed in honour of the Haji. He stated, on behalf of Bahá’u’lláh: 'This man attained the presence of Bahá’u’lláh in Baghdad. There he wrote a letter to Him and begged for wealth and prosperity. In answer, this exalted and wonderful Tablet was revealed for him.

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In it Bahá’u’lláh stated that his request would be granted and that the doors of prosperity and wealth would be opened for him from every direction. He warned him, however, to be on his guard and not to allow riches to become a barrier and make him heedless.

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'Now you are here to attain the presence of Bahá’u’lláh and in the future you will witness that this man will be overtaken with fear to such an extent that he will renounce God and His Cause. Not long after, he will make substantial losses, following which he will write a letter to Bahá’u’lláh and repent.

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God will then turn his losses into profit and he will become again highly successful in his business and will emerge as the foremost merchant in Constantinople and Tabriz. However, this time he will wax prouder than before, more heedless and deprived... This time he will lose all his possessions, will be unable to continue trading and will become helpless in arranging his affairs.

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It is then that he will repent and return, and will be content to live as a poor man. He will spend the days of his life in the service of the Cause of God. His end will be blessed and he will receive great confirmations from God.' The messenger then said to Haji Mirza Haydar-'Ali: 'Remember all these things, for they will come to pass, and you shall witness them.'

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Taherzadeh relates how it all came to pass. Haji Muhammad-Baqir recanted his faith before the Persian Ambassador in Constantinople, lost his possessions when the price of cotton fell, repented, and saw his wealth increase tenfold; then, foremost among the merchants of Constantinople, he forsook the Cause again, until he once more lost all his possessions and repented. After this incident, Haji Muhammad-Baqir lived the remainder of his life in the uttermost poverty. He grew strong in his faith and devoted his time to the service of the Cause.

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