The Epistle of the Báb to Muḥammad Sháh Revealed at Síyáh-Dihán

Abstract: Revealed sometime around April in 1847 C.E., during the Báb’s solemn passage to the remote fortress of Máh-Kú under royal escort, this Epistle was composed in the village of Síyáh-Dihán (present-day Takestān) and entrusted to Muḥammad Beyk for delivery. Though uncertainty surrounds the identity of its intended recipient — some attributing it to Muḥammad Sháh Qájár, others to his Prime Minister, Ḥájí Mírzá Áqásí — it stands as a luminous testament to the Báb’s divine authority and the transcendent power of His Revelation. One passage, appealing to royal duty and familial compassion, appears to address the sovereign directly: “It beseemeth not thy station to neglect consideration for the hearts of thy kindred…” Nevertheless, the extant text yields no definitive internal evidence. It is conceivable that two distinct Epistles were revealed during the Báb’s brief halt in the village, each directed to one of these figures. Regardless of its precise destination, the majesty and moral force of this missive remain undiminished, bearing witness to the loftiness of the Báb’s station and the transformative potency of His Cause. What follows is a provisional English translation rendered with the utmost reverence. The original text is published in ‘Ahd-i A‘lá, p. 262.