Táríkh-i-Jadíd / Táríkh-i Badí‘-i Bayání
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| kashfí. This is the knowledge of the mystics, saints, and Súfís.
224 ‘llm-i-kasbí or rasmí. This is the knowledge of divines, doctors, and scholars. 226 At the present rate of exchange less than £7. 227 [although in his later days the fees paid to him for his lectures enabled him to live on a somewhat more liberal scale.] 228 The Russian pood is equivalent to about 36 lbs. 229 i.e. the war of A.H. 1237 (A.D. 1822). It was in May of that year that ‘Abbás Mírzá the Ná’ibu’s-Saltana marched from Tabríz against the Turks. 230 Háfiz, ed. Rosenzweig-Schwannau, vol. i, p. 474, first couplet. 231 Kur’án, l, 29. 232 ‘Alí ibn Abí Tálib, the first Imám. 233 The tenth day of Muharram, on which the battle of Kerbelá was concluded, and the martyrdom of Imám Huseyn and his companions consummated. 234 A.D. 1826. The date is left blank in the MS., and is supplied by myself from the Násikhu’t-Tawáríkh, in which, under the year A.H. 1241, a full account of the rash folly of the mullás in provoking the war will be found. See also Watson's History of Persia from the beginning of the Nineteenth Century till the year 1858, pp. 208-209; and my Traveller's Narrative, pp. 118-119, and n. 3 on the former page. 235 [At all events it is best for us to cease from this discourse, and to narrate in detail the history of His Supreme Holiness (may the life of all Contingent Being be his sacrifice!). And our sole object is to set forth the truth of the matter.] 236 A.D. 1845. See my Traveller's Narrative, pp. 251-252, where I have striven to fix the dates of this and other events connected with the earlier portion of the Báb's mission as nearly as possible. 237 The discovery of this passage on ff. 86b-87a of the Paris MS. (Suppl. Pers. 1071) first led me to suspect that it might contain the actual text of Hájí Mírzá Jání's history. The merchant whose narrative is quoted is there described as a "fellow country man" of the author of the history (###). A marginal note added in another hand gives his name as Hájí Muhammad Rizá, the son of Hájí Rahím the velvet-maker (###), and states that he lived for twelve years after his conversion, suffered much at the hands of the unbelievers, was repeatedly imprisoned, and finally died in the year A.H. 1274 (A.D. 1857-8). Subh-i-Ezel, whom I questioned on the subject, wrote to me that the person intended was probably Hájí Muhammad Rizá of Isfahán, merchant, who died in prison about the year A.H. 1270. It was given out by his gaolers that he had committed suicide by strangling himself. 238 i.e. the Mahdí. 239 Concerning the "Guardians" (###), see Traveller's Narrative, vol. ii, pp. 303-4. 240 See Kazem-Beg's last article on the Bábís in the Journal Asiatique for December 1866, pp. 486-488, especially lines 8 and 9 on the last page. 241 See pp. 40-42 supra. 242 The chief of the modern Sheykhí school. See my Traveller's Narrative, vol. ii, pp. 241-244. 243 Áká Seyyid Jawád of Kerbelá, a prominent member of the clergy at Kirmán, was himself a Bábí. When the schism between Subh-i-Ezel and Behá’u’lláh took place, he followed the former. To his care were many of Subh-i-Ezel's books and papers entrusted. (See Traveller's Narrative, p. 342, n. 2.) He was, as I have lately learned, the author of both volumes of the Hasht Bihist. (See my Traveller's Narrative, vol. ii, pp. 351-364; and my Catalogue and Description of 27 Bábí Manuscripts in the J.R.A.S. for 1892, pp. 680-697.) The comparative strength of the Ezelís at Kirmán is probably largely due to his influence. He died about 1884. 244 For this and what follows cf. Traveller's Narrative, pp. 5-6. 245 Cf. the account of the Báb's execution at p. 321 of my Traveller's Narrative. The shab-kuláh, or night-cap, serves also by day as a basis for the turban, which is wound round it. The removal of the turban is a mark of disrespect. 246 This is the ecclesiastical method of inflicting castigation (hadd). The bastinado on the soles of the feet is the form of punishment generally resorted to by governors and civilians. 247 Probably the same garden to which the Níríz captives were brought, as described at p. 126 supra. It adjoins the governor's palace, and in it is situated the summer-house called Kuláh-i-Fírangí. 248 Cf. Traveller's Narrative, pp. 5-6. 249 Mahár is the leading-rope attached to the nose of a camel. It is not clear whether the noses of the Bábí missionaries were pierced, or whether the ropes were attached in some other manner, as, for instance, round their necks. 250 [[At this time Huseyn Khán the governor 251 i.e. the Bábís. 252 Suppl. Pers. 1071, f. 87b et seq. From this point onwards the correspondence between the Paris MS. history and the Táríkh-i-Jadíd is very close. 253 Kur’án, vi, 121. 254 Sept, 23rd, A.D. 1845. See Traveller's Narrative, vol. ii, pp. 10-11, and 262. 255 [scaled the wall of] 256 See my Traveller's Narrative, pp. 2 and 6, and Note B at end. 257 This person I have in my translation generally designated "the governor" (Sáhib-ikhtiyár), by which title he is generally mentioned in L., nor have I deemed it necessary to note every place where C. substitutes his name, Huseyn Khán, or his other title, Nísámu’d-Dawla. 258 [[and brought them to the house of Huseyn Khán Nizámu’d-Dawla]] 259 [[So likewise he inflicted many stripes on Jenáb-i-Kuddús, Mukaddas-i-Khurásáni, and Mullá ‘Alí Akbar of Ardistán, caused them to be led through the bazaars with leading-ropes, and expelled them from the city.]] 260 Dárúgha. 261 Suppl. Pers. 1071, f. 88a. [ This passage, omitted in C., is found in Suppl. Pers. 1071, f. 88a. 262 [[in company with Áká Muhammad Huseyn of Ardistán, who was one of his disciples,]] 263 Suppl. Pers. 1071, f. 88a. 264 Suppl. Pers. 1071, f. 88a, l. 9. 265 Much-pích (###). I am indebted to my friend Mírzá Huseyn-Kulí Khán for the explanation of this word. 266 Suppl. Pers. 1071, f. 89a. 267 C., by an obvious error on the part of the copyist, omits the words enclosed in brackets, so that its text gives no meaning. 268 Suppl. Pers. 1071, f. 90a. 269 Cf. Kazem-Beg, i, p. 352 and n. 2; and Traveller's Narrative, vol. ii, pp. 263-4. 270 Kur’án, ciii. See my Catalogue and Description of 27 Bábí Manuscripts in the J. R. A. S. for 1892, pp. 637-640. 271 Kur’án, cviii. See my Catalogue &c., pp. 643-8. 272 Suppl. Pers. 1071, f. 91a. 273 Cf. Kur’án, ii, 21. 274 Suppl. Pers. 1071, f. 92a. Cf. my Traveller's Narrative, vol. ii, p. 13, n. 2. 275 A tradition describing the attributes of God's saints is here quoted from the Lawh-i-Fátima (see my Traveller's Narrative, p. 123, n. 1), but the text is so corrupt that I have been compelled to omit it. 276 Hájí Mírzá Jání's history (Suppl. Pers. 1071, f. 92b-93a) here inserts an account of the miraculous transmutation of a metal pipe-cover (sar-púsh-i-kalyán) into gold at the Báb's touch, and adds that the Báb foretold Minúchihr Khán's death 19 days before it took place to two of his disciples, one of these being Áká Seyyid Yahyá of Dáráb, who was then in Yezd. Then follows the author's narrative of his meeting with Áká Seyyid Yahyá, and the account given by him of his conversion. (See p. 113 supra.) 277 Suppl. Pers. 1071, f. 95a. 278 [[six]] 279 C. omits these words, which enable us (provisionally) to identify the Zabíh previously cited in the account of the siege of Zanján (p. 139 supra) with Hájí Mírzá Isma‘íl, concerning whom see my Traveller's Narrative, vol. ii, p. 332. 280 [three] 281 [three] 282 I include in the body of the text the additional particulars given by L. merely as a matter of convenience, for all that Hájí Mírzá Jání actually says about the Báb's stay at Káshán (Suppl. Pers. 1071, f. 96a) is as follows:- ### "And he [i.e. the Báb] ### did not again eat food save only in Káshán. And in Káshán he abode two days and two nights. Wondrous and marvellous signs were shewn by that Sun of Truth. A full description of these would form a book by itself." It is the last sentence to which allusion seems to be made in C. 283 i.e. Mullá Sheykh ‘Alí. 284 i.e. Mullá Sheykh ‘Alí. 285 Compare a similar experience of Mullá Huseyn's, p. 36, supra. 286 ### 287 [[he has omitted all mention of the events of those two days and nights during which the Báb was in Káshán, lest it should result in prolixity. And during those two days and nights they repeatedly entreated His Holiness to flee, saying, 'It is now possible,]] 288 A quotation from the Masnaví is here omitted. 289 Suppl. Pers. 1071, f. 96a Khánlik is there described as "near Kinár-i-gird". 290 [Mákú] 291 L. here inserts some verses from Masnaví. 292 Chief postman or courier. This narrative occurs on f. 96b et seq. of Suppl. Pers. 1071, and corresponds almost word for word with that here given. 293 C. omits this passage, which, however, occurs in Hájí Mírzá Jání (Suppl. Pers. 1071, f. 96b). 294 [outside the town of] 295 C., by an evident slip, omits these words. 296 This incident, omitted in C., has been already related somewhat more clearly and circumstantially in connection with the siege of Zanján. See pp. 13-8 supra. 297 L. omits, probably by a mere slip resulting from homœoteleuton. 298 [and let him press his suit urgently, and threaten him with God's vengeance]. 299 i.e. Hájí Mírzá Ákásí. 300 This passage, which differs somewhat in the two texts, I have slightly modified in my translation. The text of L., which is the more explicit, runs as follows:- "###"... &c. Hájí Mírzá Jání's version, substantially identical with that here given, occurs on ff. 100b-101a of Suppl. Pers. 1071. 301 C. has the absurd and obviously erroneous reading "twelve thousand". 302 [why do you say what you should not say?] 303 A sweetmeat made from the manna yielded by the tamarisk. The best quality is manufactured at Isfahán. 304 See p. 221 supra. 305 See pp. 96 and 216-7 supra. 306 See p. 218 supra. 307 Kur’án, xxiii, 34, 36. 308 A well known traditional saying of Muhammad. Three couplets from the Masnaví which follow here are omitted. 309 [[death]] 310 [[who was a noble]] 311 MuIlá Fathu’lláh of Kum, one of the three Bábís who made the attempt on the Shah's life. 312 See the account of the "Seven Martyrs" given a little further on, where this verse is, with much greater probability, placed in the mouth of Mírzá Kurbán-‘Alí the dervish. For an account of Suleymán Khán's martyrdom, see my Traveller's Narrative, vol. ii, pp. 332-334, where the verses recited by him at his execution are given. 313 These two couplets are from the Masnaví, and will be found on p. 101 of ‘Alá’ud-Dawla's Teherán edition, ll. 26 and 27. C. adds two more, which appear to be improvised for the occasion. These are as follows:- ###. 314 Kur’án, ii, 282. 315 Kur’án, lxxxix, 28, 29. 316 [Muhammad] 317 L. adds, "commonly known as Kashfí (the expounder)", but this is an error, the title in question belonging to Seyyid Yahyá's father Seyyid Ja‘far. See my Traveller's Narrative, vol. ii, pp. 7, 8, 183, and 254; and p. 111 supra. 318 Both MSS. have ###. 319 C. ###; L. ###. 320 [[of Kan]] 321 C. here inserts the name of Mullá ‘Abdu’l-Khálik of Yezd. 322 Kurratu’l-Ayn's uncle. See my Traveller's Narrative, vol. ii, pp. 197, 310. 323 [[His Reverence Mullá Muhammad Sádík]] 324 ###. 325 ###. 326 The title ### or ### is added after Zabíh, but as I am uncertain as to the true reading I omit it. 327 As before, both MSS. have ###. Mullá Muhammad of Mahallát has been already mentioned. 328 i.e. Mullá Sheykh ‘Alí. L. adds "of Khurásán". C. here inserts "Áká Mírzá ‘Abdu’l-Wahháb of Turshíz", who would seem to be identical with the "Mírzá ‘Abdu’l-Wahháb of Khurásán" before mentioned in L. 329 Hazrat-i-Nukta-i-Úlá, one of the titles of the Báb. 330 Here follows a page or so of eulogies on the afore-mentioned martyrs, which, as it does but repeat what has been already said, I omit. 331 Three couplets from the Masnaví are here omitted. 332 This passage is also quoted in the Íkan as occurring in one of the Commentaries written by the Báb, and will be found in the description of that work published by Baron Rosen in vol. iii of the Collections Scientifiques de l'Institut des Langues Orientales; pp. 43-44. The text as there given, however, differs slightly from that which is here translated. 333 Kur’án, xxix, 69. 334 The imperfect St Petersburg MS. of the Táríkh-i-Jadíd ends abruptly here. See vol. vi of Baron Rosen's Collections Scientifiques de l'Institut de Langues Orientales, p. 244, and my Traveller's Narrative, vol. ii, p. 192, n. 1. 335 Of the four couplets here quoted I translate only the first two. The verses will be found at p. 252 of ‘Alá’u’d-Dawla's Teherán edition of the Masnaví, l. 20 et seq. 336 This is certainly a mistake. The Báb seems to have remained at Mákú for only six months. See my Traveller's Narrative, vol. ii, p. 277. 337 Khutba-i-kahriyya. 338 i.e. the Imám Mahdí. 339 It seems hardly possible that what is ordinarily called Turkistán can be here intended. The term probably denotes in this case the Turkish-speaking provinces of Persia, that is to say, Ázarbaiján and its dependencies. Cf. my Traveller's Narrative, vol. ii, p. 89, n. 2. 340 Suppl. Pers. 1071, f. 153b et seq. 341 The text has Arámina (Armenians), a term often loosely applied by Musulmán Persians to other Oriental Christians, such as the Nestorians of Urúmiyya, who are probably intended here. Compare M. Mochenin's memoir, quoted by Kazem-Beg (i, p. 371), and Traveller's Narrative, vol. ii, p. 276. 342 Kur’án, vi, 76, 77, 78. 343 Huseyn ibn Mansúr-i-Halláj (the wool-carder), called also Abú’l-Mughíth, who was born at Beyza in Fárs, and, after a life spent in teaching the most exalted mysticism, was put to death for crying out in one of his raptures "I am the Truth" (i.e. God), by command of the Muhammadan doctors of religion. His execution took place at Baghdad on the 24th of Zí’l-Ka‘da, A.H. 309 (March 26th, A.D. 922). 344 These verses will be found on p. 484 of ‘Alá’u’d-Dawla's Teherán edition of the Masnaví, lines 10 and 11. L. substitutes another quotation of three couplets from the same poem. C. adds another verse occurring a few lines lower, which I omit. It is commonly believed in the East that rubies and cornelians are slowly formed from common pebbles by the action of the sun. Thus the well-known verse: ### "It needs ages ere one primitive stone can, by the action of the sun, become a ruby in Badakhshán or a cornelian in Yaman." 345 The name of the order is uncertain, this reading being a conjecture of mine. L. has apparently ### and C. ###, the word being indistinctly written in both cases. 346 [for seven is the number of action] 347 See pp. 198-9 supra. 348 [In spite of his blindness, if he wanted any passage found in the Kur’án, and if the seeker failed to find it quickly, he would take the Kur’án from him, open it, find the verse, and give it back to him; or he would himself repeat it.] 349 ###, the opposite of ###, i.e. one who does not utter revelations. Cf. de Sacy's Religion des Druses, vol. i, pp. ciii, n. 1; and civ, n. 1. 350 ###. 351 C. omits this remarkable passage, which is very probably an interpolation by some ardent Behá’í scribe. It is rather corrupt, but I believe that the above translation correctly represents its general sense. 352 [[the defenders of the Castle; but, since it was otherwise ordained, he failed to accomplish his design]]. 353 Kur’án, ii, 88; lxii, 6. 354 [[A full account of the circumstances of Seyyid Basír and the manner of his martyrdom would here result in undue prolixity. Should fortune favour us we will, please God, insert it in the second volume.]] 355 Suppl. Pers. 1071, f. 156a, et seq. 356 Kur’án, ix, 32. 357 The snuffing of a candle is often compared by the Persians to decapitation. 358 Literally "by killing". "To kill a candle" is the ordinary expression in Persian for "to put out a candle." The writer means to say that just as a candle burns the brighter for being "beheaded" (snuffed) and lasts the longer for being "killed" (extinguished), so it is with the persecuted faith of the Báb. 359 See Gobineau, pp. 180-4; and Traveller's Narrative, vol. ii, pp. 176, 189, 212, and 312. 360 Ketmán, the word applied especially to the concealment of religious opinions dictated by prudential motives, also called takiya. See Gobineau, Religions et Philosophies dans l'Asie Centrale, pp. 15-21. 361 Hasan 362 they 363 Their execution took place either in the Meydán-i-Sabz or the Meydán-i-Sháh. See my Traveller's Narrative, vol. ii, p. 213, n.1. 364 [having recourse to prudential concealment, and] 365 [[He would not consent. When]] 366 i.e. Ishmael (Isma‘íl) the son of Abraham. According to the Muhammadan belief it was he, not Isaac, whom Abraham was commanded to offer up. The singular appositeness of these verses which Mullá Isma‘íl addresses to his namesake and prototype of old will not escape the reader. The Persian original will be found at p. 213, vol. ii, of my Traveller's Narrative. |