The Persian city of Shíráz is in the evening on May 22, 1844, the 4th of Jamádí al-Awwal, 1260 A.H. The air is peaceful in the evening as dusk descends upon the winding streets and casts its long evening shadows, just another night for most people. However, that is all about to change when two men meet.
One of them is Siyyid ʿAlí-Muhammad, a young merchant. He is well-known in Shíráz for his kind demeanor, integrity in business dealings, and unique spiritual presence. People respect him, though many find his detachment from worldly gain puzzling for someone in business.
The other is Mullá Ḥusayn, a devoted scholar from the Shaykhí school of Shí‘ah Islam. He isn’t passing through Shíráz by chance. He’s on a mission, searching for the Promised One foretold by his teacher, Siyyid Kázim. That teacher, among other things, gave a specific sign to look for: when the Promised One appears, He will reveal, without being asked, a commentary on the Súrih of Joseph, a chapter of the Qur’án rich in meaning for seekers of divine truth.
That clue had lodged deep in Mullá Ḥusayn’s mind. As he traveled in search of this figure, it wasn’t just about finding a wise man or a holy presence. It had to be Him — and this was the sign he was watching for.
That evening, he meets the young merchant. And the young merchant invites him into His home and, over the course of several hours, engages him in conversation. Mullá Ḥusayn poses theological and scriptural questions, trying to assess the man before him. The responses are clear, profound, and immediate. Then, with clarity and conviction, the Báb declares: “I am, I am, I am the Promised One.”
There’s no hesitation, no riddles. The Báb speaks plainly, identifying Himself as the One for whom not only Mullá Ḥusayn has been searching, but the world.
Suddenly it happens. Without being asked, the Báb begins to reveal a powerful commentary on the Súrih of Joseph, known as the Tafsír-i-Súriy-i-Yúsuf. For Mullá Ḥusayn, it’s the final confirmation. This isn’t just a gifted soul. This is the One his teacher had prepared him to recognize.
By the time the call to dawn prayer echoes across Shíráz on the morning of May 23, Mullá Ḥusayn is the first to believe, the first “Letter of the Living,” and the Báb’s mission has begun.
Reflecting on that night, the one that quietly turned the course of history, Mullá Ḥusayn would later speak not with the tone of a scholar, but as someone who had been utterly transformed.
“This Revelation, so suddenly and impetuously thrust upon me, came as a thunderbolt… the knowledge of His Revelation had galvanised my being. I felt possessed of such courage and power that were the world, all its peoples and its potentates, to rise against me, I would, alone and undaunted, withstand their onslaught. The universe seemed but a handful of dust in my grasp. I seemed to be the Voice of Gabriel personified, calling unto all mankind: “Awake, for lo! the morning Light has broken. Arise, for His Cause is made manifest. The portal of His grace is open wide; enter therein, O peoples of the world! For He who is your promised One is come!”
What makes this moment so striking isn’t any grand display. There are no crowds, no throngs of people, no earthquakes, no lightning bolts in the sky. Just two men alone in a quiet room. But from that silence, a spiritual revolution begins.
For more information on the Baha’i Faith visit Bahai.us.
