Claimants to The Office of He Whom God Will Make Manifest
Baha's Claim
The Allegation of Subh-i-Azal's Serving As A Screen
Mirza Jawad's Account
4. The Allegation of Subh-i-Azal's Serving As A Screen
Subh-i-Azal's serving as a screen behind which Baha sought shelter to work with impunity devoid of historical foundation.
4.5 Mirza Jawad's Account
Says Mirza Jawad in his Historical Epitome of 1904, Materials for the study of the BÂBi Religion by Prof. Browne, PP. 19-20:
"Now as for the circumstances of Mirza Yahya [Subh-i-Azal], who has been mentioned before, the facts are that His Holiness Our Master [i.e. Baha], during the days of the sojourn in Iran enjoyed great celebrity and supreme importance in this matter with the ministry of state and notables of the people, the eyes of all being directed towards him. Then there came before him one of the leaders of the community, named Mulla Abd-al-Karim of Qazwin and entrusted Mirza Ahmad, accompanied by his [Baha's] brother Aqa Mirza Musa, and represented to him that the hatred and malevolence of the doctors and lawyers exceeded all that could be imagined, while the hatred of the Prime Minister Mirza Taqi Khan also was fierce and his influence great. In these circumstances His Holiness Our Master was in great peril, and consequently it was necessary that the regards of these persons should be directed towards some other persons. And since, for curious considerations, they did not deem it expedient to appoint a stranger, Mirza Yahya [Subh-i-Azal] was chosen to this end, and His Holiness Our Master Baha wrote letters to His Holiness the Harbinger ‘The First Point' [i.e. the Primal Point] about Mirza Yahya, his brother above-mentioned, to which answers were duly issued; and His Holiness Our Master begun to instruct him, and his name became celebrated [as a leader of the sect]."
According to Mirza Jawad of Qazwin the originators of the "Mighty Plan of wondrous efficacy" or the 'Great Design' was neither the BÂB nor Baha. They were "Aqa Mirza Musa" Baha's full brother, surnamed Kalim (the interlocutor because he talked with God, Baha, and allegedly "Mulla Abd-al Karim of Qazwin," who represented to Baha objects and reasons of the "plan", to which Baha gained his blessing, and "His Holiness Our Master Baha wrote letters to His Holiness the Harbinger "The First Point" about Mirza Yahya [Subh-i Azal], to which answers were duly issued." No documentary evidence is adduced by Mirza Jawad.
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