A Day in the Blessed Presence of the Beloved Báb at the Fortress of Mákú:

Abstract: The present study offers a careful examination of a luminous letter composed by Mullá ʿAbdu’l-Karím Qazvíní during the period of the Báb’s confinement in the Fortress of Mákú (May 1847–April 1848). This epistle, addressed to Ḥájí Mírzá Siyyid ʿAlí, the venerable uncle of the Báb, stands as a singular witness to the inner life, comportment, and resplendent presence of the Blessed Báb amidst the seclusion of His incarceration. The missive recounts, with vivid clarity, the comportment and devotion of those privileged to behold Him — among them Mullá ʿAbdu’l-Karím Qazvíní himself, Shaykh ʿAlí Turshízí (Ázím), Áqá Muḥammad Ḥusyan Ardistání, Shaykh Ḥassan Zunúzí, Áqá Siyyid Husyan-i Katib, his brother Siyyid Ḥassan, and Hají Muḥammad-Ṭaqí Mílání — and the luminous manner in which He maintained His bond with His family and devoted followers. Beyond mere narration, the letter conveys the profound impression of the Cause upon all who encountered the Blessed Presence, offering solace and reassurance to those distanced from this new and unfamiliar land. This study presents a provisional English rendering of the text, based upon the typed Persian edition published in ‘Ahd-i A‘lá (pp. 277–279), with the aim of preserving both the spiritual majesty of the original and the historical richness of its testimony.