Translation of French Foot-Notes of the Dawn-Breakers/Chapter I

[Page 1]

CHAPTER I

Page 1, Note 3

Siyyid Káẓim, in his book entitled "Dalílu’l-Mutaḥ-ayyirín,” writes as follows:

“Our master, one night, saw the Imám Ḥasan; upon him may the blessing of God rest! His Holiness put in his mouth his blessed tongue. From the adorable saliva of His Holiness he drew forth the sciences and the assistance of God. To the taste it was sweeter even than honey, more perfumed than the musk. It was also quite warm. When he came to himself and wakened from his dream, he inwardly radiated the light of divine contemplation; his soul overflowed with the blessings of God and became entirely severed from everything save God.

“His faith, his trust in God and his resignation to the Will of the Most High grew apace. Because of a great love and an ardent desire which arose in his heart, he forgot to eat or to clothe himself except barely enough to sustain life.” (A. L. M. Nicolas’ “Essai sur le Shaykhisme,” I, p. 6.)

Page 4, Note 2

“In the country of Fárs, there is a Mosque in the center of which rises a structure similar to the Ka‘bih, (Masjid-i-Jum‘ih). It was built only as a sign indicating the Manifestation of the Will of God through the erection of the house in that land. (Allusion to the new Mecca, i.e., the house of the Báb in Shíráz.) Blessed be he who worships God in that land; truly we, too, worshipped God there, and prayed for him who had erected that building.” (“Le Bayán Persan,” vol. 2, p. 151.)

Page 5, Note 2

“The news of his arrival caused a great stir and certain ‘Ulamás among the most celebrated received him with reverence. They accorded him great consideration and the inhabitants of the town did likewise. All of the ‘Ulamás came to see him. It was well known that he was the most learned among the most learned.” (A. L. M. Nicolas’ “Essai sur le Shaykhisme,” p. 18.)

[Page 2] Pages 5-7, Note 3

A. L. M. Nicolas, in his book “Essai sur le Shaykhisme,” pp. 19-20, refers to a second letter addressed by the Sháh to Shaykh Aḥmad:

“The Sháh, forewarned, wrote again telling him that evidently it was his duty, his, the King’s, to go out of his way to come to Yazd to see the illustrious and holy person whose feet were a blessing to the province upon whose soil they had trodden, but because of political reasons of high importance he could not, at this moment, leave the capital. Besides it was necessary, he said, in case of change of residence, to bring with him a force of at least ten thousand men, and, as the town of Yazd was too small to support such a large population, the arrival of so many troops would most certainly occasion a famine. ‘You would not wish such a calamity to occur, I am quite certain, and I think therefore that, although I am of very small importance compared to you, you will consent, nevertheless to come to me.’”

Page 12, Note 1

“The Sháh felt his good will and respect for the Shaykh grow increasingly from day to day. He felt obliged to obey him and would have considered it an act of blasphemy to oppose him. However, at this time, a succession of earthquakes occurred in Rayy and many were destroyed.

“The Sháh had a dream in which it was revealed to him that, if Shaykh Aḥmad had not been there, the entire city would have been destroyed and all the inhabitants killed. He awakened terrified and his faith in the Shaykh grew apace.” (A. L. M. Nicolas’ “Essai sur le Shaykhisme,” I, p. 21.)

Page 13, Note 2

“Kirmánsháh awaited him with great impatience. The Prince Governor Muḥammad-‘Ali Mírzá had sent the entire town to meet him and they had erected tents in which to receive him at Cháh-Qílán. The Prince went even beyond to the Taj-Abéd which lies four farsakhs distant from the town.” (A. L. M. Nicolas’ “Essai sur le Shaykhisme,” I, p. 30.)

Page 16, Note I

A. L. M. Nicolas, in his preface to “Essai sur le Shaykhisme,” I, quotes the following as having been spoken by Shaykh Aḥmad regarding Siyyid Káẓim: “There is only Siyyid Káẓim-i-Rashtí who understands my objective and no one but him understands it. . . . Seek the science after me from Siyyid Káẓim-i-Rashtí who has acquired it directly from me, who[Page 3] learned it from the Imáms, who learned it from the Prophet to whom God had given it. . . . He is the only one who understands me!”

Pages 17-18, Note 2

The Báb, Himself, refers to this passage and confirms it in the “Dalá’il-i-Sab‘ih”: “The words of the revered Shaykh Aḥmad-i-Aḥsá’í are well known. They contain numerous allusions to the subject of the Manifestation. For example, he has written with his own hand to Siyyid Káẓim-i-Rashtí: ‘Just as it is necessary in order to build a house to have suitable ground, so also for this Manifestation must the moment be propitious. But here one cannot give an answer clearly foretelling the moment. Soon we shall know it with certainty.’ That which you have heard so often yourself from Siyyid Káẓim, is not that an explanation? Did he not reiterate every minute—‘You do not wish then that I should go away so that God may appear?’” (“The Book of the Seven Proofs,” translated by A. L. M. Nicolas, p. 58.) “There is also the anecdote referring to Shaykh Aḥmad-i-Aḥsá’í on his way to Mecca. It has been proven that this anecdote is authentic and hence there is something which is certain. The disciples of the deceased have related the sayings which they have heard and also certain personages were mentioned such as Mullá ‘Abdu’l-Kháliq and Murtaḍa-Qulí. Mullá ‘Abdu’l-Kháliq relates that the Shaykh said to them one day: ‘Pray that you may not be present at the beginning of the Manifestation and of the Return, as there will be many civil wars.’ He added: ‘If any one of you should still be living at that time, he shall see strange things between the years sixty and sixty-seven. And what strange thing can be more strange than the very Being of the Manifestation? You will be there and you will witness another extraordinary event; that is to say, God, in order to bring about the victory of the Manifestation, will raise up a Being who will speak his own thoughts without ever having been instructed by anyone.”’ (Ibid., pp. 59-60.)

Page 18, Note 3

“His body was carried to Medina where it was buried in the Cemetery Baqí, behind the walls of the cupola of the Prophet, on the south side, under the drain spout of Miḥráb. They say that there also is to be found the tomb of Fáṭimih facing that of Baytu’l-Ḥazan.” (A. L. M. Nicolas’ “Essai sur le Shaykhisme,” I, pp. 60-61.) '

“The death of Shaykh Aḥmad put an end for a few days to the conflict, and the anger seemed appeased. Moreover it was at this time that Islám received a terrible blow and that its power was broken. The Russian Emperor defeated the Moslem nations and most of the provinces, inhabited[Page 4] by the Moslem peoples, fell into the hands of the Russian armies.” (A. L. M. Nicolas’ “Essai sur le Shaykhisme,” II, p. 5.)

“On the other hand, it was thought that Shaykh Aḥmad being now dead, his doctrine would definitely disappear with him. Peace lasted for nearly two years; but the Muhammadans returned quickly to their former sentiments as soon as they saw that the light of the doctrine of the deceased still radiated over the world, thanks to Siyyid Káẓim-i-Rashtí, the best, the most faithful disciple of Shaykh Aḥmad, and his successor.” (Ibid., pp. 5-6.)