A Traveler's Narrative
page 93
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on the wane in Persia, and clamor and strife have ceased;
although [still] on rare occasions certain of the official doctors
do, for their own personal and private advantage, stir up the
common folk, raise a hue and cry, and, by their importunity
and pertinacity, molest one or two individuals of this sect, as
happened ten or twelve years ago in Isfahán. For there were
amongst the inhabitants of Isfahán two brothers, Siyyids of
Tabátabá, Siyyid Hasan and Siyyid Husayn, celebrated in those
parts for piety, trustworthiness, and nobility; men of wealth,
engaged in commerce, behaving towards all men with perfect
kindliness and courtesy. And to all outward appearance no
one had observed in either of these two brothers any swerving
from what was best, much less any conduct or behavior which
could deserve torment or punishment; for, as is related, they
were admitted by all [preeminent] in all praiseworthy and
laudable qualities, while their deeds and actions were like
exhortations and admonitions. These had transacted business
with Mír Muhammad Husayn the Imám-Jum'ih of Isfahán;
and when they came to make up their accounts it appeared
that the sum of eighteen thousand tumans was due to them.
They [therefore] broke off [further] transactions, prepared a
bond for this sum, and desired it to be sealed. This thing was
grievous to the Imám-Jum'ih, so that he came to the stage of
anger and enmity. Finding himself in debt, and having no
recourse but to pay, he raised clamor and outcry saying "These
two brothers are Bábís and deserve severe punishment from
the king." A crowd at once attacked their house, plundered
and pillaged all their goods, distressed and terrified their wives
and children, and seized and despoiled all their possessions.
Then, fearing that they might refer the punishment to the step
of the king's throne and loose their tongues in demand of
redress, he [i.e., the Imám-Jum'ih] fell to thinking how to
compass their death and destroy them. He therefore persuaded
certain of the doctors to cooperate with him, and they pronounced
sentence of death. Afterwards they arrested those two
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