Seven Visits to the Báb in Tabríz

It was June of 1847. An immense crowd of people thronged the gate of the city of Tabriz to witness the very first time that the Báb entered their city. Some were merely curious, while others were earnestly trying to find out if the Báb were in truth such a wondrous figure as they had been told. Still others were moved by their faith and devotion, and sought to attain His presence so they could assure Him of their loyalty.

As He walked along the streets, the cries of welcome rang out on every side. The great majority of those who saw Him shouted aloud: "God is most great!" They cheered Him on His way.

So great was the clamor which His arrival had raised that a crier was sent out among the people to warn them of the danger of continuing this behavior.

"Whosoever shall make any attempt to approach the Siyyid-i-Báb," went forth the cry, "or seek to meet him, all his possessions shall forthwith be seized and he himself condemned to perpetual imprisonment."

The Báb spent the first night in the home of Muhammad Big, who had escorted Him on the journey to Tabriz. From there He was transferred to a room in the Citadel (the Ark), a fortress-like structure, and then subsequently moved to one of the chief houses in that city, which had been reserved for His confinement. A detachment of soldiers stood guard at the entrance of His house. The soldiers were given rigid orders by their superiors not to let anyone come in contact with the Báb. Yet, as the Báb Himself later explained, they were in reality a protection against the onrush of the multitude who thronged about the house, and they were powerless to prevent those whom He desired to meet from attaining His presence.

The Báb stayed in Tabriz for about forty days. On the day after His arrival, one of His devoted followers, Haji 'Ali-Askar, felt strongly the desire to see Him. 'Ali-Askar’s friends, however, tried to discourage him.

"Don't you know that such a foolish attempt on your part will not only involve the loss of your possessions, but will also endanger your very life?"

"I am going," he said.

He refused to heed their counsel, and made his way to the house where the Báb was imprisoned. Nothing could keep 'Ali-Askar from the presence of the Báb, even if it meant giving up his life.

In the days past, he had journeyed many miles with Mulla Husayn, the first follower of the Báb, accompanying him from Shiraz to Mashhad and visiting many towns along the way. Time after time, 'Ali-Askar would lament to Mulla Husayn his failure to meet the Báb in Shiraz. This was a source of great sorrow to 'Ali-Askar.

"Grieve not," Mulla Husayn told him. "The Almighty is no doubt able to compensate you in Tabriz for the loss you have sustained in Shiraz." Mulla Husayn spoke very confidently. "Not once," he said, "but seven times, can He enable you to partake of the joy of His presence, in return for the one visit which you have missed."

Now that the Báb was in Tabriz, 'Ali-Askar would allow nothing to keep them apart. As he approached the door of the house in which the Báb was confined, he was immediately arrested along with the friend who accompanied him, a merchant of the city named Haji Muhammad-Taqiy-i-Milani.

At that moment Siyyid Hasan, who was coming out from the presence of the Báb, intervened with a message from the Báb to the guards: "Suffer these visitors to enter, inasmuch as I Myself have invited them to meet Me."

This message silenced the guards at once. 'Ali-Askar and his friend were ushered into the Báb's presence. He made them welcome, and they tarried with Him for about two hours. He entrusted 'Ali-Askar with two cornelian ringstones, to have verses carved on them and bring them back to Him. He assured them that whenever they wished to visit Him, no one would bar their way.

'Ali-Askar said, "Several times I ventured to go to Him in order to ascertain His wish regarding certain details connected with the commission with which He had entrusted me. Not once did I encounter the slightest opposition on the part of those who were guarding the entrance of His house.

"Not until the time of my visit to the Báb in Tabriz, when, despite adverse circumstances, I was, on several occasions, admitted into His presence, did I recall those words of Mulla Husayn and marvel at his remarkable foresight. How great was my surprise when, on my seventh visit to the Báb, I heard Him speak these words: 'Praise be to God, who has enabled you to complete the number of your visits and who has extended to you His loving protection.'"

Source: Adapted from ‘Release the Sun’, by William Sears; Nabil’s Dawn-Breakers, pp. 238–242; and ‘A Traveller's Narrative’, p. 16

Collected from bahaistories.com (Subject: mulla-husayn).

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