A Traveler's Narrative
page 6
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that city. The great majority of the doctors set themselves to
repudiate Him, decreeing slaughter and destruction, and they
induced Husayn Khán Ajúdán-báshí, who was the governor of
Fárs, to inflict a beating on the Báb's's missionaries, that is on
Mullá Sádiq Muqaddas; then, having burnt his moustaches
and beard together with those of Mírzá Muhammad-`Alí of
Barfurúsh and Mullá `Alí-Akbar of Ardistán, they put halters
on all the three and led them round the streets and bazaars.
Now since the doctors of Persia have no administrative
capacity, they thought that violence and interference would
cause extinction and silence and lead to suppression and
oblivion; whereas interference in matters of conscience causes
stability and firmness and attracts the attention of men's sight
and souls; which fact has received experimental proof many
times and often. So this punishment caused notoriety, and
most men fell to making inquiry.
The governor of Fárs, acting according to that which the
doctors deemed expedient, sent several horsemen, caused the
Báb to be brought before him, censured and blamed Him in
the presence of the doctors and scholars, and loosed his tongue
in the demand for reparation. And when the Báb returned his
censure and withstood him greatly, at a sign from the president
they struck Him a violent blow, insulting and contemning
Him, in such wise that His turban fell from His head and the
mark of the blow was apparent on His face. At the conclusion
of the meeting they decided to take counsel, and, on receiving
bail and surety from His maternal uncle Hájí Siyyid `Alí, sent
Him to His house forbidding Him to hold intercourse with
relations or strangers.
One day they summoned Him to the mosque urging and
constraining Him to recant, but He discoursed from the pulpit
in such wise as to silence and subdue those present and to
stablish and strengthen His followers. It was then supposed
that He claimed to be the medium of grace from His Highness
the Lord of the Age (upon Him be peace); but afterwards it
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