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

CHAPTER XXIV

Page 527, Note I

Zanjan is the capital of the district of Ehamsih. “_I_§_l_ramsih is a small province to the east of Kaflan-Kfih or Mountain of the Tiger, between ‘Iráq and Adhirbáyján. Its capital, Zanjan, is a beautiful city surrounded by an embattled wall fortified with towers like all Persian cities. The inhabitants are of the Turkish race and the Persian language is seldom spoken, unless it be by government employees. The surrounding country is studded with villages which are fairly prosperous. Powerful tribes visit them, especially in the winter and spring.” (Ibid., p. 191.)

Page 529, Note 2,

“There lived in that city a mujtahid called Mullá Muhammad-‘Aliy—iZanjani. He was a native of Mazindaran and studied under a celebrated master. Dignified with the title of &arifu’l-‘Ulamé, Mul;1ammad—‘Ali

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had concentrated his attention on dogmatic theology and jurisprudence, and had become famous. The Muhammadans affirm that, in his function as mujtahid, he showed himself restless and turbulent. No question ever seemed to him either sufficiently studied or properly solved. His repeated fatvas disconcerted the conscience and confused the practices of the faithful. Eager for change, he was neither tolerant in discussion nor moderate in debate. Sometimes he would unduly prolong the fast of Ramadan for reasons which no one had advanced before; sometimes he would alter the ritual of prayer in quite a novel way. He became obnoxious to the peaceful and odious to the traditionalists. But it is also admitted that he counted many followers who considered him a saint, prized his zeal, and put their faith in him. An impartial judge could recognize in him one of the Muhammadans who are only so in appearance, but urged on by a living faith and an abundant religious zeal for which they are eager to find a scope. His misfortune was that he found, or tlzouglzt he found, a natural use for his powers in the overthrow of traditions whose minor significance did not justify such a disturbance.” (Comte de Gobineau’s “Les Religions et les Philosophies dans l’Asie Centrale,” pp. 191-192.)

Page 529, Note 4

“Among the ‘Ulamás of the city was a man called Aghfind Mullá ‘Abdu’r-Rahim renowned for his piety. He had a son who lived in Najaf and at Karbila where he attended the lectures of the celebrated Sharifu’l‘Ulaméy-i-Mézindaréni. This young man was of a restless nature and rather impatient with the narrowness of Shi‘ism.” (A. L. M. Nicolas’ “Siyyid ‘Ali-Muhammad dit le Báb,” p. 332.)

Page 530, Note I “On his way back from the Holy Land he stopped at Hamadzin where the citizens welcomed him cordially and entreated him to remain.” (A. L.

M. Nicolas’ “Siyyid ‘Ali-Muhammad dit le Báb,” p. 336.)

Page 530, Note 2

“All the ‘Ulamás of the city called on him and left concerned over the few words which he had spoken and which revealed quite a novel turn of mind. Indeed the attitude of the newcomer very quickly proved to these pious men that their conjectures were well founded.” (Ibid.)

Page 530, Note 3 “There was a caravansary of the days of Sháh-‘Abbas which had gradually become a sighih-l_<hz’mih: in order to prevent a breach of the Shiite 63

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law a certain Mullá Dfist-Muhammad who made his residence there, would bless the transitory union between the male visitors to the place and the inmates. Huj j atu’l-Islam, such was the title which our hero had assumed, ordered the institution to be closed, gave in marriage the greater number of these women and secured employment for the others in respectable families. He also caused a wine dealer to be whipped and his house to be torn down.” (Ibid., pp. 332-333.)

Page 530, Note 4

“But this was the limit of his activity. Always troubled with the problems raised by a religion founded upon l_1adi;l_1_s which were frequently contradictory, he perplexed the conscience of the faithful by peculiar fatvas which upset old traditions. Thus he restored the hadifl according to which Muhammad would have said: ‘The month of Ramada’.n,is always full.’ Without investigating the origin of that tradition, without enquiring whether those who had related it were worthy of faith, he commanded that it should be literally obeyed, thus inducing his hearers to fast on the day of F itr which is held to be a grievous sin. He also permitted that prostrations be made at prayer time by resting the head upon a crystal stone. All these innovations won for him a large number of partisans who admired his science and his activity; but they displeased the official clergy whose

‘hatred, further augmented by anxiety, soon knew no bounds.” (Ibid.,

p- 333-)

Page 532, Note I

“Hujjat came and, by his courtesy and his captivating personality, soon won over all those who came in contact with him, even His Majesty. One day, so the story goes, he was in the palace of the §l;e’1h with several of his colleagues, when one of them, an ‘Ulamé of Kaflén, brought out a document and besought the king to sign it. It was a royal decree granting certain stipends. I:Iujjat rose up and bitterly denounced a clergy who begged pensions from the government. He had recourse to the hadi_t_l'_1_s and to the Qur’án to show how shameful was such a practice which had originated with the Bani-Umayyih. His colleagues were beside themselves with anger, but the Sháh, pleased with such frankness, presented our hero with a staff and a ring and authorized him to return to Zanj an.” (A. L. M. Nicolas’ “Siyyid ‘Ali-Muhammad dit le Báb," pp. 373-374.)

Page 532, Note 2 “The inhabitants of Zanjén came in crowds to meet him and offered sacrifices of oxen, chickens and sheep. Twelve children, each twelve years

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of age, with red kerchiefs about their necks to show their readiness to sacrifice their all, were in the center of the cortege. It proved a triumphal

entry.” (Ibid., p. 334.)

Page 532, Note 3

“He transformed his disciples into models of virtue and temperance; henceforth the men quenched their thirst at the fountains of spiritual life. They fasted during three months, lengthened their prayers by adding to them daily the invocation of ]a‘far—i-Tayyar, performing once a day their ablutions with the water of the Qur (legal measure of purity) and finally on Fridays they crowded the Mosques.” (Ibid., p. 334.)

Page 533, Note‘ I

“Finally, he uttered in a clear voice the Friday prayer which must be said instead of the habitual daily one said when the Imam comes. He then expounded several sayings of the Báb and concluded thus: ‘The goal for which the world has been striving is now here, free from veils and obstacles. The sun of Truth has risen and the lights of imagination and imitation have been extinguished. Fix your eyes upon the Báb, not upon me, the least of his slaves. My wisdom compared to his is as an unlighted candle to the sun at midday. Know God by God and the sun by its rays. So, today has appeared the S2'1hibu’z-Zaman. The Sultan of Possibilities is living.’ Needless to say, these words made a deep impression upon the audience. Nearly all accepted this message and conversed among themselves regarding the true nature of the Báb.” (Ibid., p. 335.)

Page 533, Note 2

“The conversion of Mulla Muhammad-‘Ali and his numerous partisans had in fact exhausted the patience of the Imam-Jum‘ih and of §haygl;u’lIslam. They wrote indignant letters to His Majesty who in reply gave orders for the arrest of the offender.” (Ibid., p. 336.)

Page 539, Note I

“He was in Tihrzin until the day when, after the death of Muhammad Sháh, Na’1sir’d-Din Mirza now N2isiri’d-Din §_h_a'th, appointed as governor of Zanj an, one of his uncles, Amir Arslzin _I§_l_1_a'1n Majdu’d-Dawlih, who was Ifliq Aghasi of the palace.” (A. L. M. Nicolas’ “Siyyid ‘Ali-Muhammad dit le Báb,” p. 337.) Page 540, Note I “He made a triumphant entry into his native city. Now that he was a Bábi, to his old friends were added the believers in the new doctrine. A

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large number of men,‘ rich and respected, soldiers, merchants, even Mullais came to meet him, at a distance of one or two stations away, and conducted him home, not as an exile who returns, not as a suppliant who asks only rest, not even as a rival strong enough to demand respect, but he entered as a master.” (Comte de Gobineau’s “Les Religions et les Philosophies dans l’Asie Centrale,” p. 193.)

“The author of ‘N a’1sik_h_u’t-Tavérikl_1_’ himself acknowledged that a goodly number of citizens of Zanj an, and among them high officials, traveled the distance of two stations to meet him. He was received like a conqueror and many heads of sheep were sacrificed in his honor. None of his opponents dared ask him why he had left Ṭihrán and had returned to Zanjan; but Islam was severely tried as the Zanjénis did not hesitate to preach throughout the city the new doctrine. The Muhammadan writer points out that all the Zanjénis were simple-minded and so fell easily into the snare; but contradicting himself he declares that only the knaves, greedy for worldly possessions, and the impious ones gathered round the new leader. However they were quite numerous and, according to his story, about fifteen thousand, which seems rather an exaggerated estimate.” (A. L. M. Nicolas’ “Siyyid ‘Ali-Muhammad dit le Báb,”

pp- 337-338.)

Page 540, Note 2

“Majdu’d-Dawlih, governor of the city, a cruel, heartless and severe man, enraged at the news of -the return of so troublesome a person as Hujjat, ordered that Muhammad Bik be whipped and that the tongue of Karbilá’i Vali be cut out.” (Ibid., p. 337.)

Page 542, Note 2 “At the spectacle, the Muhammadans took flight and the wounded

man was cared for by the aunt of Mir Saléh in her own house.” (A. L. M. Nicolas’ “Siyyid ‘Ali-Muhammad dit le Báb,” p. 341.)

Page 543, Note 9.

“The governor and the ‘Ulamás wrote to His Majesty reports in which their fear and perplexity were revealed. The §héh, hardly rid of the war in Mazindarén and enraged at the thought of another sedition in another section of his empire, urged also by his son Sadr-i-A‘zam and by the 'Ulam2'1s who had declared a holy war, gave orders to kill the Babis and plunder their possessions. It was on Friday the third of Rajab that the order came to Zanja’m.” (Ibid., pp. 341-342.)

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Page 544, Note I

“All was bewildering confusion. The Muhammadans were frantically running to and fro, looking for their wives, their children or their belongings. They came and went crazed, aghast, weeping over what they had to abandon. Families were separated, fathers thrusting back their sons, wives their husbands, children their mothers. Whole houses remained deserted, so great was the haste, and the governor sent soldiers to the neighboring villages to secure new recruits for the holy war.” (A. L. M. Nicolas’ “Siyyid ‘Ali-Muhammad dit le Báb,” p. 342.)

Page 544., Note 2

“The Bábis, on the other hand, were not passive. They were organizing for their own protection. Hujjat was exhorting them never to attack but always to defend themselves. ‘Brothers,’ he would say to them, ‘do not be ashamed of me. Do not believe that because you are the companions of the Séhibu’z-Zamén you are to conquer the world by the sword. I take God as witness; they will kill you, they will burn you, they will send your heads from town to town. The only victory in store for you is to sacrifice yourselves, your wives and your possessions. God has always decreed that in every age the blood of the believers is to be the oil of the lamp of religion. You have learned of the tortures endured by the saintly martyrs of Mézindarén. They were put to death because they afl-irmed that the promised Mihdi had come. I say to you, whosoever has not the strength to bear such torture, let him go over to the other side for we will have to endure martyrdom. Is not our master in their power ?”’ (Ibid.,

109- 342-343-)

Page 545, Note I

“Picture to yourself a Persian city. The streets are narrow, of a width of four or five or eight feet at the most. The surface unpaved has so many holes that one must proceed cautiously to avoid breaking one’s legs. The houses, with no windows opening on the street, present on both sides unbroken walls, generally about fifteen feet high and topped with a terrace without a railing, sometimes crowned by a bala-_I_{_hanih or ‘open pavilion which is usually an indication of a wealthy house. All that is of adobe or bricks baked in the sun. The uprights are of bricks baked in the kiln. This type, of venerable antiquity and in use even before historical times in the ancient cities of Mesopotamia, has many advantages: it is inexpensive, it is sanitary, it adapts itself to modest or pretentious plans; it can be a cottage or a palace entirely covered with mosaics, brilliant paintings and gold ornaments. But, as is always the case in this world, so many advan 67

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tages are offset by the ease with which such dwellings crumble to pieces. Cannon balls are not needed, the rain is quite sufficient to demolish them. Thus we can visualize these famous sites covered, according to tradition, with immense cities of which nothing remains but ruins of temples and palaces and mounds scattered over the plains.

“In a few years whole districts vanish without leaving a trace, if the houses are not kept in repair. As all the cities of Persia are constructed after the same plan and of the same material, it is easy to visualize Zanjan

v with her crenellated walls with high towers, her crooked streets unpaved

and full of ruts. In the midst of these rose a formidable citadel called ‘Chateau d"Ali-Mardan K}_1_an.”’ (Comte de Gobineau’s “Les Religions et les Philosophies dans 1’Asie Centrale,” pp. 197-198.)

Page 547, Note 2

“On the fourth day, the Muhammadans saw with great joy $adru’dDawlih, grandson of I,-Iaji Muhammad-Husayn Khan of Iṣfahán, enter their section of the city coming from Sultaniyyih, at the head of the tribe of Khamsih, For several days thereafter, reinforcements arrived in great numbers. First of all, Siyyid ‘Ali Khan and §l_1_ahbar Khan, one from Firfiz-Kfih, the other from Maraghih, with two hundred horsemen from their respective tribes. After them came Muhammad-‘Ali Khan-i-_ShahSun with two hundred mounted afflars; fifty artillerymen with two field guns and two mortars, so that the governor was provided with as much assistance as he could have wished and surrounded with a goodly number of military Chieftains, among whom were several who were famous throughout the country.” (Comtede Gobineau’s “Les Religions et les Philosophies dans l’Asie Centrale,” 198-199.)

“One of the most terrible encounters related in the journal of the siege, is the one which took place on the fifth of Ramadan. Mustafa Khan, Qajar, with the fifteenth regiment of fihigaghi; Sadru’d-Dawlih with his horsemen of _Ifl1_amsih; Siyyid ‘Ali Khan of Firfiz-Kfih with his own regiment; ,Mul_1ammad Aqa, colonel, with the regiment of Nasir called the royal regiment; Muhammad-‘Ali’ Khan with the Afshar cavalry; Major Nabi Big with his cavalry and a troop made up of loyal citizens of Zanj an; all these men at dawn attacked the fortifications of the Babis. The resistance of the Babis was magnificent but disastrous. They saw their best leaders fall, one after another, leaders brave and true, saints who could not be replaced: Nfir-‘Ali the hunter; Bal_<_l_:sh-‘Ali the carpenter; Khudadad and F athu’llah Big, all indispensable to the attainment of victory. They all fell, some in the morning and others in the evening.” (Comte de Gobineau’s “Les Religions et les Philosophies dans l’Asie Centrale,” p. 200.)

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“I have seen at Zanjén the ruins of that fierce encounter; whole sections of the city have not yet been rebuilt and probably never will be. Some of those who took part in the tragedy have related to me upon the very spot certain incidents: the Ba’.bis ascended and descended the terraces while carrying their cannon with them. Sometimes the earthen floor, not very firm, gave way and they had to raise the heavy gun again by dint of man power and had to prop the ground up with beams. When the enemy approached the crowd surrounded the guns with enthusiasm, all arms extended to lift them up and, when the carriers fell under the bullets of the assailants, a hundred comrades vied with each other for the honor of replacing them. Assuredly this was true faith!” (Ibid., pp. 2oo—2oI.)

Page 556, Note I

According to Gobineau (p. 202), ‘Aziz Khan was “general-in-chief of the troops of fiihirbayjan and then first aide-de-camp of the king. He was passing through Zanjan, on his way to Tiflis, to congratulate the grand duke, heir apparent of Russia, on the occasion of his arrival in Caucasia.”

Page 557, Note 2

“Muhammad Khan, then Bigliyirbigi and Mir-panj, or general of the division, today become Amir—T1’1mé.n, joined the troops already engaged in this city; he brought them three thousand men of the regiments of _S_lliga'.ghi and certain regiments of the guards with six cannon and two mortars. Almost at the same time Qasim Lhfin arrived from the frontier of Karabagh, entering Zanjan from another quarter, and the major Arslan Egan with cavalry from K_l_1_irgh_é.n, and ‘Ali-Akbar, captain of _K_h_uy, arrived with infantry. For each one had received orders from the king and they were all hastening to comply.” (Comte de Gobineau’s “Les Religions et les Philosophies dans l’Asie Centrale,” p. 201.)

Page 564, Note I

“Decidedly the situation was becoming critical for the Muhammadans and it looked as though they would never overcome such a tenacious resistance. Moreover, why take so much trouble? Why endanger uselessly the lives,—not of the soldiers, mere cannon fodder they,—but those of the officers and the generals? Why expose oneself daily to ridicule and to defeat? Why not follow the example of Shayl_g_l_1_ Tabarsi? Why not

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resort to deceit? Why not make the most sacred promises, even though it might later become necessary to massacre those gullibles who had put their trust in them?” (A. L. M. Nicolas’ “Siyyid ‘Ali-Muhammad dit le Bab,” p. 350.) .

Page 568, Note I

“Finally the threats of the court, the encouragement and the reinforcements arrived so fast, there was such a disproportion as to soldiers and supplies between the Babis and their adversaries that the outcome became both evident and imminent.” (Comte de Gobineau’s “Les Religions et les Philosophies dans l’Asie Centrale,” p. 203.)

Page 569, Note I

“The regiment of Karrfis under the command of the chief of the tribe, Hasan-‘Ali Khan (today minister to Paris), took the fort of ‘Ali-Mardan 1{_han; the fourth regiment broke into the house of Aqé ‘Aziz, one of the strongholds of the city, and burnt it to the ground; the regiment of guards blew up the hotel located near the Harnadan gate and, though it lost one captain and several soldiers, nevertheless it remained in possession of the place.” (Ibid., p. 203.)

Pages 575-576, Note I

“Then Muhammad L{_l_1_én Bigliyirbigi, Amir Arslan _I§_l_I_an and the other commanders, although they had guaranteed on their honor to spare the lives of the Babis, assembled them in front of their troops to the accompaniment of drums and trumpets and ordered one hundred men, chosen from the different regiments, to take the prisoners and place them in a row. The command was then given to pierce them with bayonets, which was done. Then the leaders of the Babis, Sulayman the shoemaker and Haji Kazim Giltfighi were blown to pieces from the mouths of mortars. This type of execution invented in Asia, but practised also by the English troops during the revolt in India, with the refinement with which European science and intelligence invest everything they do, consists in tying the victim to the mouth of the cannon loaded with powder. When the explosion takes place, the victim is torn to pieces, the size of the pieces depending upon the amount of powder used.

“The execution over, the captives were sorted again. They set aside Mirza Rida, lieutenant of Mulla Muhammad-‘Ali, and on all those of high standing or importance they placed chains about their necks and shackles

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on their hands and feet. They then decided to disregard the royal command and to take them to Tihran in order to augment their triumph. As for the few unfortunates who were left and whose life or death was of no importance to anyone, they were abandoned and the victorious army returned to the capital, dragging with them their prisoners, who Walked ahead of the horses of the victorious generals.

“Upon their arrival in Tihran, "the Amir Nizam, prime minister,

. found it necessary to make an example of this new execution and Mirzá.

Rida, Haji Muhammad-‘Ali and Haji Muhsin were condemned to have their veins slashed open. The three victims learned the news without

‘ betraying the least emotion; they declared, nevertheless, that the lack of

good faith, of which the authorities had been guilty, was not one of those crimes that the Almighty could be satisfied with punishing in the ordinary way; He would demand a punishment more impressive and striking for the persecutors of His saints. Consequently, they foretold that the prime minister would very soon suffer the same death that he was inflicting upon them.

“I have heard this prophecy referred to and I do not doubt for an instant that they who informed me of it, were firmly convinced of its truth. I must however state here that when I was told about it, four years had elapsed since the Amir-Nizam was thus put to death by royal edict. The only thing I can affirm therefore is that I was given assurance that the prophecy had really been made by the martyrs of Zanjén.” (Comte de Gobineau’s “Les Religions et les Philosophies dans l’Asie Centrale,”

pp. 207-209.)

Page 577, Note I

“After the execution, the spectators invaded the field of death, some searching for the body of a friend in order to bury it, others moved only by morbid curiosity. It is said that a Muhammadan, named Vali-Mul_1ammad, came upon the body of one of his neighbors and, noticing that he was not quite dead, he called to him and said, ‘I am your neighbor Vali-Muhammad. If you need anything call on me.’ The other indicated that he was thirsty. Immediately the Muhammadan fetched a large stone and returning to his neighbor, said, ‘Open your mouth, I bring you Water.’ As the dying man complied he crushed his head with the stone.

“At last, the Bigliyirbigi started for Ṭihrán, taking with him forty-four prisoners among whom were the son of Mirzá. Rida, Hájí Muhammad-‘Ali and Hájí Muhsin the surgeon. These three were put to death after their arrival, the others were doomed to rot in prison.” (A. L. M. Nicolas’ “Siyyid ‘A1i—Muhammad dit le Báb,” p. 363.)

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“It was not enough for them to have gained the victory, they had even to insult the bodies of their enemies. They were eager to question the Ba'.bis but, no matter how great the torture with which they threatened them, the Babis refused to speak. They poured boiling oil upon the head of flqa Din-Muhammad, but he remained silent. Finally, the Sardér had the son of the deceased chief brought before him. This child was but seven years of age, his name was fiqa Husayn and, through clever threats and insidious flattery, they succeeded in making him speak.” (Ibid., p. 361.)