Why Persecution Spread the Faith

*A retelling based on **A Traveler's Narrative**, 'Abdu'l-Bahá's history of the Báb and His followers. The passages in quotation marks are 'Abdu'l-Bahá's own words in the English translation of that book.*

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'Abdu'l-Bahá's *A Traveler's Narrative* comes back several times to one observation: the harder the authorities of Persia tried to put down the new Faith, the more widely it became known.

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The first instance comes early in the book. When the Báb returned from His pilgrimage to Mecca and news of His arrival at Búshihr reached Shíráz, most of the city's divines denounced Him. They induced Ḥusayn Khán, the governor of Fárs, to punish three of His followers: Mullá Ṣádiq Muqaddas, Mírzá Muḥammad-'Alí of Bárfurúsh and Mullá 'Alí-Akbar of Ardistán. Mullá Ṣádiq was beaten, the beards of all three were burnt, and they were led by halters through the streets and bazaars.

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'Abdu'l-Bahá comments that the divines "thought that violence and interference would cause extinction and silence and lead to suppression and oblivion; whereas interference in matters of conscience causes stability and firmness and attracts the attention of men's sight and souls." The punishment, He writes, "caused notoriety, and most men fell to making inquiry."

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The same thing happened after the Báb had been taken to Ádharbáyján and, at the request of the divines of that province, confined in the castle of Chihríq. In spite of the rulings of the divines and the "beatings, banishments, and imprisonments" ordered by governors, 'Abdu'l-Bahá writes, "this sect was daily on the increase, and the discussion and disputation was such that in meetings and assemblies in all parts of Persia there was no conversation but on this topic."

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His fullest statement follows His account of the Báb's martyrdom. In the Islamic years 1266 and 1267 (1849–1851) the Bábís were hunted throughout Persia; anyone suspected, in whatever hamlet he lived, was put to the sword. More than four thousand were killed, and many women and children were left without protector or helper. 'Abdu'l-Bahá places the responsibility on the Prime Minister, Mírzá Taqí Khán, who "imagined that by the enactment of a crushing punishment this sect would be dispersed and disappear."

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The opposite happened. "The flame rose higher and the contagion became swifter: the affair waxed grave and the report thereof reached other climes. At first it was confined to Persia: later it spread to the rest of the world. Quaking and affliction resulted in constancy and stability, and grievous pains and punishment caused acceptance and attraction."

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He traces how this came about: "The very events produced an impression; impression led to investigation; and investigation resulted in increase." What had once been regarded as commonplace now "acquired a grave importance in men's eyes," and people from many parts of the world set out for Persia to look into it. "Through the ill-considered policy of the Minister this edifice became fortified and strengthened, and these foundations firm and solid."

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Then He states the principle behind it: "For it hath been proved by experience in the world that in the case of such matters of conscience laceration causeth healing; censure produceth increased diligence; prohibition induceth eagerness; and intimidation createth avidity. The root is hidden in the very heart, while the branch is apparent and evident. When one branch is cut off other branches grow."

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He sets this beside the experience of Europe, where many religious movements had appeared but, "noninterference and absence of bigotry having deprived them of importance, in a little while they became effaced and dispelled." In Persia it was persecution itself that made the Faith known.

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*This is a retelling. For the full account, see **A Traveler's Narrative** by 'Abdu'l-Bahá.*

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