Two of the Seven Martyrs of Ṭihrán

*A retelling for children, based on **Bahá'í Chronicles**, "Haji Muhammad-Taqiy-i-Kirmani and Siyyid Murtada," which draws on Nabíl's **The Dawn-Breakers**.*

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Ḥájí Muḥammad-Taqí was one of the leading merchants of Kirmán. While he was in Shíráz, getting ready to go on pilgrimage to Karbilá, his close friend Ḥájí Mírzá Siyyid 'Alí, the uncle of the Báb, taught him about the Báb, and he became a believer.

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The Báb was then a prisoner in the castle of Chihríq, and His uncle was planning to travel there to visit Him. Ḥájí Muḥammad-Taqí asked to go too. The uncle told him to go ahead with his pilgrimage to Karbilá and to wait there for a letter saying whether he should come. Later the uncle wrote from Ṭihrán and asked him to join him there.

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At Káẓimayn, near Baghdad, Ḥájí Muḥammad-Taqí met an old acquaintance, Siyyid Ḥusayn of Turshíz, a respected religious scholar. They travelled to Ṭihrán together, and on the way Siyyid Ḥusayn became a follower of the Báb through him.

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In 1850 fourteen believers were arrested in Ṭihrán. They were told they would be put to death unless they gave up their faith. Seven refused, and they are remembered as the Seven Martyrs of Ṭihrán. The Báb's uncle was the first of them, Siyyid Ḥusayn the fourth, Ḥájí Muḥammad-Taqí the fifth and Siyyid Murtaḍá the sixth.

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When Ḥájí Muḥammad-Taqí was led out, his friend Siyyid Ḥusayn had just been killed. Ḥájí Muḥammad-Taqí called out that he was impatient to join his beloved Ḥusayn. "To live after him is a torture I cannot endure," he said.

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At once Siyyid Murtaḍá, one of the well-known merchants of Zanján, hurried forward. He threw himself over Ḥájí Muḥammad-Taqí and pleaded to be allowed to die first. He spoke of his own brother, who had fought side by side with Mullá Ḥusayn and had also given his life, and the people watching marvelled at how strong his faith was.

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Then the seventh prisoner, Muḥammad-Ḥusayn of Marághih, also rushed forward and asked to die before the others. Nabíl wrote that the crowd was astonished at how eager they were to go before one another. In the end the three were put to death together, at the same moment.

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*This is a retelling for children. For the fuller account, see ["Haji Muhammad-Taqiy-i-Kirmani and Siyyid Murtada"](/stories/bc-haji-muhammad-taqiy-i-kirmani-and-siyyid-murtada).*

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