The Báb and His First Teacher

*A retelling for children, based on **The Dawn-Breakers** (Nabíl's Narrative), Chapter III.*

1 / 7

When the Báb was a child in the city of Shíráz, people knew Him by His name, Siyyid 'Alí-Muḥammad. He was being brought up by His uncle, Ḥájí Mírzá Siyyid 'Alí, who sent Him to a teacher named Shaykh 'Ábid. Shaykh 'Ábid was a good and learned man.

2 / 7

One day the teacher asked the Báb to recite the first words of the Qur'án: *Bismi'lláhi'r-Raḥmáni'r-Raḥím*, which means "In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate." The Báb waited. Unless He was told what the words meant, He said, He would not say them.

3 / 7

The teacher pretended that he did not know what they meant. Then the Báb said that He knew, and that, if His teacher would allow Him, He would explain them. He explained the meaning of each of the holy words so well that Shaykh 'Ábid was amazed. He had never read or heard an explanation like it.

4 / 7

Shaykh 'Ábid took the child back to His uncle. This child, he said, should not be treated like other children. He should be kept at home and cared for lovingly, because He did not need teachers like him.

5 / 7

The uncle told the Báb to follow the example of the other pupils, to be quiet and to listen to His teacher, and he sent Him back to school. But day after day the Báb kept showing a wisdom that His teacher said he could not describe. In the end His uncle took Him out of the school to work with him in his own trade.

6 / 7

*This is a retelling for children. For the fuller account, see ["The Teacher Who Had Nothing to Teach Him"](/stories/db-bab-childhood-teacher).*

7 / 7