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

[Page 53]

TRANSLATION OF FRENCH FOOT-NOTES

CHAPTER XXII

Page 467, Note I

“Carried away by his zeal and overflowing with the love of God, he was eager to reveal to Persia the glory and joy of the one eternal Truth. ‘To love and to conceal one’s secret is impossible,’ says the poet; so our Siyyid began to preach openly in the Mosques, in the streets, in the bazaars, on the public squares, in a word, wherever he could find listeners. Such an enthusiasm brought forth fruit and the conversions were numerous and sincere. The Mullas, deeply troubled, violently denounced the sacrilege to the governor of the city.” (A. L. M. Nicolas’ “Siyyid ‘Ali-Muhammad dit le Báb,” p. 390.)

Page 475, Note 2 “When Aqé. Kha’rn had verified the disappearance of the rebel, he gave a sigh of relief. Besides, he felt that to pursue the fugitives would involve some peril and that, therefore, it would be infinitely more practical, more beneficial, more profitable and less dangerous to torture the Babis, or those presumed to be Bábis——provided that they were wealthy—who had remained in the city. He sought out the most prosperous, ordered their execution, and confiscated their possessions, avenging thus his outraged religion, a matter perhaps of little concern to him, and filling his coffers, which pleased him immensely.” (A. L. M. Nicolas’ “Siyyid ‘Ali-Muhammad dit le Báb,” p. 391.)

Page 477, Note I *

“The Nayrizis welcomed Siyyid Yaḥyá with the greatest enthusiasm. Barely two days after his arrival, a large number came to see him by night out of fear of the government, says the F airs-Namih, and offered their services, for they hated their rulers. Others, mostly residents of the district of Qhinér-Sfikhtih, were converted in great numbers. Their example was contagious and soon the Babis could count, in their midst, the tullabs of Qhinar-S1’1l_gh_tih who numbered about one hundred, their chief Haji §h_ayl5h ‘Abdu’l-‘Ali, father of the wife of Siyyid Yaḥyá, the late Akhfind Mullá. ‘Abdu’l-Husayn, an aged gentleman well versed in religious literature, Aghfind Mullá. Baqir, Pis_l;-naméz of the district, Mulla ‘Ali Katib, another Mulla ‘Ali with his four brothers, and the kad-Lhuda, and the Rig-Safid, and other citizens from the quarter called ‘Bazar’, such as the late Mashhadi Mirza Husayn called Qutb, with all of his family and his relatives, Mina’. Abu’l-Qasim who was the nephew of the governor, Hájí Muhammad 53

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Taqi surnamed Ayyfib and his son-in-law Mirza I:Iusayn and many others from the quarter of the Siyyids, and the son of Mirza Nawra, and Mini ‘Ali-Ridé, son of Mirza I,-Iusayn, and the son of Hájí ‘Ali, etc., etc. All were converted, some at night in deadly fear, others openly and fearlessly.” (A. L. M. Nicolas’ “Siyyid ‘Ali-Muhammad dit le Báb,” p. 393.)

Page 478-479, Note 2

“He ascended the pulpit and cried out: ‘Am I not he whom you have always considered your shepherd and your guide? Have you not always depended on my teaching for the direction of your conscience in the path of salvation? Am I not he whose words of counsel you have always obeyed? What has happened that you should treat me as though I were your enemy and the enemy of your religion? What lawful deeds have I forbidden? What illicit action have I permitted? With what impiety can you charge me? Have I ever led you into error? And behold! That because I have told you the truth, because I have loyally sought to instruct you, I am oppressed and persecuted! My heart burns with love for you and you persecute me! Remember! Remember well, whosoever saddens me, saddens my ancestor Muhammad, the glorious Prophet, and whosoever helps me, helps him also. In the name of all that is sacred to you let all those who love the Prophet follow me!’.” (A. L. M. Nicolas’ “Siyyid ‘Ali-Muhammad dit le Báb,” p. 395.)

Page 48 5, Note I

The author of N a'1si_li1_u’t-Tavéri_l_<_l_; afl-irms without the least sorrow that the imperial troops were poorly trained and not at all eager to fight, so, with no thought of attacking, they established a camp which they hastened to fortify immediately.” (A. L. M. Nicolas’ “Siyyid ‘AliMuhammad dit le Báb,” p. 401.)

Page 488, Note I

“Although the losses were almost even this time, the imperial troops were none-the-less frightened; things were dragging on and might moreover end in the general confusion of the Mussulmans, so they resolved to resort to deceit.” (A. L. M. Nicolas’ “Siyyid ‘Ali-Muhammad dit le Báb,”

P- 403-)

Page 494, Note I “He took hold of the green belt of Yaḥyá, symbol of his holy ancestry, tied it in a knot about his neck and began to drag him on the ground.

54 [Page 55]TRANSLATION OF FRENCH FOOT-NOTES

Then came Safar whose brother §_11_a‘ban had fallen during the war, then Aqa Jan, son of ‘Ali-Asgl_1ar _I§'._l_1an, brother of Zaynu’l-‘Abidin Khan, and the Muhammadans, aroused by the scene, stoned and beat to death the unfortunate man. They then severed the head, tore off the skin, stuffed it with straw and sent that trophy to Shíráz!” (A. L. M. Nicolas’ “Siyyid ‘Ali-Muhammad dit le Báb,” p. 406.)

Page 49 5, Note 2

Bahá’u’lláh refers to him as “that unique and peerless figure of his age.” (The “Kitab-i-Tqan,” p. 188) “The Báb, in the ‘Dala’il-i—Sab‘ih,’ refers to him in the following terms: ‘Behold again the number of the name of God (Siyyid Yaḥyá)! This man was living a holy, peaceful life in such a way that no one could deny his talents or his sanctity, all admired his greatness in the sciences and the heights he had attained in philosophy. Refer to the commentary of the S1’1ratu’l-Kaw_t_l_;ar (Qur’án: S. I08) and to the other treatises written for him, which prove how high a place he occupies in the sight of God !”’ (“Le Livre des Sept Preuves,” translated by A. L. M. Nicolas, pp. 54-5 5.)

Pages 4.9 5-496, Note 3

. . . “This day was a féte day, so an eye witness tells us. The inhabitants were scattered about through the countryside, bringing with them their food and many among them drinking, on the sly, whole bottles of wine. The air was filled with musical strains, the songs of musicians, the screaming and laughter of the lewd women. The bazaars were adorned with flags——joy was general. Suddenly there was absolute silence. They saw coming thirty-two camels, each carrying an unfortunate prisoner, a woman ora child, bound and thrown crosswise over the saddle like a bundle. All around them were soldiers carrying long lances and upon each lance was impaled the head of a Babi who had been slain at Nayriz. The hideousness of the sight deeply affected the holiday population of Slgiraz and they returned, saddened, to their dwellings.

“The horrible caravan passed through the bazaars and continued to the palace of the governor. This personage was in his garden where he had gathered in his kiosk (called Kulah-i—Farangi) the rich, the eminent citizens of Shíráz. The music ceased, the dancing stopped and Mul_1ammad-‘AliKhan as well as Mirza Na‘im, two small tribal chiefs who had taken part in the campaign, came to tell of their brave deeds and to name one by one the prisoners.” (A. L. M. Nicolas’ “Siyyid ‘Ali-Muhammad dit le Báb,”

13- 407.)

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Page 496, Note I

“It would seem, alas, that all this bloodshed would have been sufficient to appease the hatred and the lust of the Muhammadans. Not at all! Mirzá. Zaynu’l-‘Abidin _1g_ndn, finding himself threatened with a desire for revenge on those he had betrayed and vanquished, gave neither truce nor rest to the surviving ones of the sect. His hatred knew no bounds and it was to last as long as he lived. It was actually the very poor that had been sent to _S_}_1_irziz, the rich had been kept back. Zaynu’l-‘Abidin Khan had entrusted them to a guard who was ordered to walk them through the city beating them as they went. The people of Nayriz were greatly entertained that time. They hung the Babis by four nails and everyone came to gloat over their anguish. They placed burning weeds under the nails of these unfortunate martyrs, they branded them with hot irons, they deprived them of bread and water, they cut holes through their noses, and running through them a cord they led them as one would a bear!” (Ibid., p. 408.)

Page 498, Note I . “Aqa Siyyid ]a‘far-i-Yazdi saw the executioners burn his turban and

then they took him from door to door making him beg for money.” (A. L. M. Nicolas’ “Siyyid ‘Ali-Muhammad dit le Báb,” p. 408.)

Page 499, Note I

“Aqé Siyyid Abú—Ta’1lib, who was very wealthy, was bound with chains and sent by the governor of Nayriz to Ma‘dan, and there poisoned by Haji Mirza Nasir, the same man who had ordered the Báb to kiss the hand of §l_;ay_lgh Abfi-Turab. Two Bzibi women, rather than be taken prisoners, threw themselves in a well and perished. Some Bábis, eager to see Mirza Zaynu’l-‘Abidin K_ha'1n punished, started for Tihran to protest to his Majesty against the atrocities which had been committed. They were but two or three stations away from the capital and, after the fatigue of the journey, were enjoying a little rest, when a caravan of Shírázi people went by and recognized them. They were all arrested except Zaynu’l—‘Abidin who succeeded in reaching Tihran. The others were taken to §l_1_iraz where the Prince immediately ordered them executed, and so these men, Karbila’1’i Abu’l-I,-Iasan, a dealer in crockery, Aqé §_l_1_aykh‘ Heidi, uncle of the wife of Vahid, Mirza ‘Ali and Abu’l-Qasim—ibn-i-Haji-Zaynai, Akbar-ibn—i—‘15ibid, Mirza Hasan and his brother Mirzá Bába all died for their faith at this time. (Ibid., pp. 408-409.)