Inquiry and Revelation:

Abstract: Among the extant writings of the Báb is a brief yet significant Epistle addressed to Mullá ʿAbdu’l-Jalíl-i Urūmiyyihí, a learned Shaykhí interlocutor. From Mullá ʿAbdu’l-Jalíl’s accompanying letter, it is evident that he had submitted a series of theological questions to the Báb, focusing particularly on the doctrine of the "Eightfold Vertical Chain" (Silsilat al-Thamāniyyah al-Ṭūliyyah) and the relationship between the Báb and the two central figures of Shaykhism: Shaykh Aḥmad al-Aḥsā’í and Siyyid Kāẓim Rashtí. The Báb’s response, though concise, is luminously phrased and doctrinally weighty. He affirms the roles of Shaykh Aḥmad and Siyyid Kāẓim as divinely guided precursors, while simultaneously asserting the transcendent character of His own mission. Through elevated language and carefully chosen theological allusions, He situates Himself both within and beyond the Shaykhí framework, offering insight into the metaphysical order of divine guidance and succession.