The Merchant Who Had No Teacher

*A retelling based on chapter 8, "The Báb," of **Some Answered Questions**, the table talks of 'Abdu'l-Bahá collected by Laura Clifford Barney. Words in quotation marks are 'Abdu'l-Bahá's, from that chapter.*

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When 'Abdu'l-Bahá spoke about the Báb in the talks later published as Some Answered Questions, He began with the Báb's youth and with a fact that the people of Shíráz could confirm.

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The Báb, He said, stood forth to proclaim His Cause "at a youthful age, that is to say, when He had reached the twenty-fifth year of His blessed life." He went on, "It was universally admitted by the Shí'ís that He had never studied in any school and had not acquired knowledge from any teacher; all the people of Shíráz bear witness to this. Nevertheless, He suddenly appeared before the people, endowed with the most complete erudition. Although He was but a merchant, He confounded all the 'ulamá of Persia."

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The 'ulamá were the learned clergy of Islam. 'Abdu'l-Bahá continued that the Báb, "all alone, in a way which is beyond imagination," upheld His Cause in Persia.

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The great personages of the State, nearly all the clergy and the public men rose to destroy Him, but "He alone withstood them and moved the whole of Persia." Many of the 'ulamá, public men and others "joyfully sacrificed their lives in His Cause." He changed the thoughts, morals, customs and conditions of the people, and He "announced the glad tidings of the manifestation of the Sun of Bahá to His followers and prepared them to believe."

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'Abdu'l-Bahá drew His conclusion from these facts. "The appearance of such wonderful signs and great results; the effects produced upon the minds of the people, and upon the prevailing ideas; the establishment of the foundations of progress; and the organization of the principles of success and prosperity by a young merchant, constitute the greatest proof that He was a perfect Educator. A just person will never hesitate to believe this."

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*This is a retelling. For the fuller account, see **Some Answered Questions** by 'Abdu'l-Bahá.*

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