Episode V: From Dusk to Divinity

Dramatis personae, historical tales woven with supernatural intricacies and larger-than-life characters. There’s something so intoxicating about these epic sagas, which sometimes sound more like legend than reality, isn’t there?

Today’s story is one of those historical moments when belief, destiny, and action intersect in a profound way. It’s a narrative of faith and transformation that underlines the inception of the Babi faith, a pivotal moment in the religious history of Persia, which would eventually give birth to the Bahá’í Faith.

We find ourselves in the tumultuous times of the early 19th century Persia. The spiritual leader, Siyyid Kazim, has just passed away, creating a power vacuum, a void that his adversaries are all too eager to fill. They’re thirsty for leadership, ready to step up and assert their claims. But their ambitions are met with resistance from a group of steadfast disciples, who’ve been thrown into a period of uncertainty by the death of their beloved teacher. They cling to the promise Siyyid Kazim had made to them - that a new spiritual leader would arise.

And this is where Mulla Husayn-i-Bushru’i steps into the frame. A faithful student of Siyyid Kazim, Mulla Husayn, returns to the city of Karbila, rallying the despondent followers with a message of vigilance and commitment to their sacred quest. He lives near the house that Siyyid Kazim once occupied, and for three days, he meets with mourners, hearing their expressions of sorrow and distress.

Mulla Husayn embarks on an urgent mission to rally his fellow disciples to follow Siyyid Kazim’s final instructions: to leave their homes, scatter far and wide, and dedicate themselves fully to the pursuit of their faith’s promised one. Siyyid Kazim’s guidance wasn’t vague—he was clear that they needed to seek with a pure heart and single-minded dedication. And yet, many disciples offer excuses, opting for comfort and familiarity over the arduous spiritual journey ahead.

Seeing the folly of his efforts, Mulla Husayn himself sets out from Karbila for Najaf, seeking to prepare himself through solitude and prayer. His brother and nephew accompany him, observing the same rigorous regime of prayer, fasting, and reflection. This period of spiritual preparation, however, is abruptly interrupted by the arrival of Mulla Aliy-i-Bastami, a fellow disciple of Siyyid Kazim.

After completing his forty days of seclusion and worship, Mulla Husayn sets out for the city of Bushihr, on the Persian Gulf. He arrives in the city, the very atmosphere of which has been imbued with a sense of holiness, possibly a signal of the divine presence he’s been searching for. But it isn’t in Bushihr where he finds his answer. Drawn north, he travels to the city of Shiraz.

Picture this, my friends, that night… a night that would become one to etch its way into the annals of history, forever known as a turning point in the course of human events. This was the eve preceding the fifth day of Jamadiyu’l-Avval, in the year 1260 A.H., a date which will not be forgotten, a date that would herald the dawn of a new spiritual awakening.

As Mulla Husayn approaches the gate of Shiraz, he encounters a Youth, a radiant figure in a green turban, who greets him as if they’re lifelong friends. Mulla Husayn follows the Youth to a modest house, where he’s welcomed with an extraordinary display of hospitality. The Youth assists Mulla Husayn in washing away the dust of travel, shares a refreshing drink, and even prepares tea for him.

This radiant Youth, his warm welcome, his tender care, all strike Mulla Husayn in a profound way.

It’s the hour after sunset, the world bathed in a gilded hue, the anticipation in the air, a sense of great change about to unfold. Our youthful Host begins a conversation, a conversation that would change the course of history. A direct and profound query: “Whom, after Siyyid Kazim, do you regard as his successor and your leader?” The answer, in earnest, brought forth from years of devotion and quest: a mission, a journey across Persia, a pursuit of knowledge, a quest for a promised Beloved.

What unfolds between these two men, it’s the stuff of legends. The Host presents a shocking declaration, his words filled with conviction and power, resonate through the room: “Behold, all these signs are manifest in Me!” He is the Promised One, the successor to their departed teacher Siyyid Kazim, and he has the signs to prove it. The lofty standards, the remarkable knowledge, the illustrious descent—all this and more, he claims, are manifest in him. This was a declaration, a proclamation of an identity that carried not just personal significance, but the weight of the spiritual heritage of thousands of years.

In the face of this claim, skepticism and trepidation seep in, causing an internal struggle within our truth-seeker. The claimant’s holiness, His knowledge - it is vaster than a sea, immeasurably surpassing what was thought to be known. There’s fear, there’s regret, a whirlpool of emotions… yet also a beacon of hope, a possibility of a resolution to the tension of the quest.

Of course, our seeker is not immediately swayed. He’s a man of logic and skepticism. He knows the stakes, the monumental power that the Promised One is said to wield. He’d penned a treatise, you see, a document exploring the mysterious teachings of Shaykh Ahmad and Siyyid Kazim. Only he who could unravel these mysteries, he’d decided, could be the Promised One. And then, there was the ultimate challenge—a commentary on the Surih of Joseph, something Siyyid Kazim himself had deemed beyond his capabilities.

But then, the unexpected happens. The Host, with a glance at the treatise and the vibrant vigour that comes with conviction, unravels every mystery, resolves every problem. He expounds truths neither found in the teachings of Shaykh Ahmad and Siyyid Kazim nor the reported sayings of the imams of the Faith. This revelation is an avalanche of knowledge and insight, shaking the very foundations of our seeker’s beliefs.

The standards, the tests of truth that our seeker had set for himself, suddenly seemed within reach. His gaze was turned to a treatise he had authored, a dense work filled with mysteries, and a request for a revelation: a unique commentary on the Surih of Joseph. These tasks, daunting as they were, were willingly undertaken by the Host, His pen dancing across the page with a vigour and charm that revealed, unraveled, and illuminated the depths of meaning hidden within those words.

Imagine a revelation flowing like a mighty river, each verse punctuating the silence of the night, resonating with a celestial harmony that overpowered, enchanted, and mesmerized. A moment stretched into eternity, a night like no other, where the sacred was made tangible and the divine imprinted on the mortal realm.

Our Host, undeterred by the passage of time, takes up His pen once again and begins to reveal the commentary on the Surih of Joseph, a task of immense spiritual significance. His voice, gentle yet authoritative, accompanies His writing, stirring the air with an ethereal harmony that shakes the foundations of the known world.

It’s not over, though. With a sweeping force, the Host reveals the entire Surih of Mulk, the first chapter of His commentary on the Surih of Joseph, with a fluidity and speed that leaves our seeker speechless. The hour is late, but the Host, aware of the visible turmoil in his guest, invites him to stay for dinner, offering him a sanctuary in the storm of revelation he has unleashed. So, they eat, the Host, the seeker, and an Ethiopian servant whose devotion is so palpable, so transformative, it leaves a lasting impression on our seeker.

This night, this profound, pivotal night, is now heralded as “one of the greatest and most significant of all festivals.” A night where our seeker found his heart’s desire, drank from the sealed wine of divine utterance, and stood witness to an event that would change the course of human history.

The evening slips into morning, and our seeker finds himself enchanted by the Host’s voice, which echoes through the house, at times majestic as he reveals verses of the Qayyumu’l-Asma’, at other times gentle and ethereal as he utters prayers. The experience is transcendent, leaving our seeker feeling as if he were dwelling in Paradise.

And then the bombshell. The Host declares: “I am the Bab, the Gate of God, and thou art the Babu’l-Bab, the gate of that Gate.” And with this, our seeker is entrusted with a mission. He is to join 17 others in acknowledging the Bab unasked, uninvited, and then, when the time comes, accompany Him on His pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina, where the Message of God will be delivered to the Sharif of Mecca.

Mulla Husayn is left reeling by a profound spiritual awakening. How many among us can claim to have felt a divine revelation? A truth so staggering, it redefines the very meaning of existence?

Now possessed of an extraordinary power and strength that has transcended the boundaries of human resilience and courage. The world, in all its vastness, appears to have condensed into a mere handful of dust within his grasp. He has become a vessel for a divine message so potent; he stands ready to withstand the onslaught of the world.

Indeed, he seems to have become the very personification of the voice of Gabriel, the heavenly messenger, calling out to all of humanity with an urgent plea. He implores them to awaken, for the morning light has dawned, the day of salvation is at hand. The Promised One, the much-anticipated Redeemer, has arrived.

The effect of this revelation is electrifying. This is more than just faith. It’s an invigorating force, a transformation, a revolution in the making. Our seeker, once timid and hesitant, feels an exhilarating surge of courage, the conviction that he could face the world and its potentates single-handedly. This knowledge, this divine revelation, it’s not just transformative, it’s empowering.

It’s a seismic event intended to shake the very foundation of religious belief across the globe. This revelation, this divine truth, becomes his singular, unerring mission: to spread the word of the arrival of the promised One, to open the eyes of the world to the light of this revelation.

And so, with this newfound strength and sense of purpose, our seeker ventures into the world, carrying the knowledge of an extraordinary revelation, one that would go on to shape the course of history, and birth a new religious movement.

Mulla Husayn, now imbued with a divine mandate, must navigate a treacherous maze of suspicion, disbelief, and outright hostility. But his faith, solidified by this life-altering revelation, provides him with a beacon, a guiding light cutting through the shadows of adversity.

It’s an archetypal journey, a hero’s quest that resonates across millennia, across cultures. From the prophets of old to modern day whistleblowers, individuals who have received a transformative truth, and who feel compelled to spread it, always face formidable challenges.

The call to awaken humanity, to rouse them from their spiritual slumber, is not a clarion call that’s typically met with open arms. The stakes are high, and the potential for backlash is severe. But Mulla Husayn stands undaunted, fortified by the divine knowledge he has been gifted.

So what will be the fate of our protagonist as he ventures forth with this revolutionary message? Will he succeed in his divinely ordained mission, or will he become yet another casualty in humanity’s seemingly endless war between tradition and progress? The answer to these questions, my friends, lies ahead.

Later, we’ll explore how Mulla Husayn begins to share his revelation, how he navigates the turbulence of societal norms, and the reaction he receives from those who are either uplifted or threatened by his message.

This tale, my friends, is not a tale of mere historical and religious significance. It is a tale that transcends time, reaching into our very souls, pushing us to question, to seek, to aspire to greater knowledge. It is a tale of a quest, a pursuit of truth, and an encounter with the divine. It is a tale that shows us the capacity of the human spirit to yearn for truth, to endure in its pursuit, and to stand in awe in the face of revelation.

This story, this unforgettable night, is a testament to the journey each of us undertakes, in our unique ways, to understand the mysteries of existence and to comprehend the divine. A testament to the longing that drives us, the passion that fuels us, and the glorious moment of understanding when we, too, can say: “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!”

Indeed, it was a night that transcended time, a night that brought forth a new light, an epoch that embarked upon a profound spiritual journey. It was the start of a Movement, a Faith that would span continents, a Faith that would inspire millions.

As dawn breaks over the city of Shiraz, our hero, Mulla Husayn, leaves the modest house. He steps out into the world with a message for mankind, a revelation that would shatter illusions and reveal a new dawn of spiritual understanding.

The streets of Shiraz, usually bustling with early morning trade, take on a divine glow in the eyes of our protagonist. He walks past the grand bazaar, through the labyrinthine lanes, past the glittering shrines and the opulent palaces, his heart ablaze with a newfound purpose, a divine mission.

His path is not an easy one, though. He’s met with skepticism, hostility, even outright anger from some. The proclamation of a new spiritual leader, a new divine revelation, is met with resistance from those rooted in tradition, from those afraid of change.

But Mulla Husayn is not deterred. He continues his mission, sharing the divine message he’s been entrusted with. His conviction, his faith, and his unshakeable belief in the divine revelation he has received fuels his resolve, enabling him to face the mounting challenges with courage and fortitude.

One by one, through his unwavering dedication and sheer faith, he manages to win over people, helping them see the divine light he himself had been privileged to witness. Among the masses, he finds the other 17 “Letters of the Living,” each acknowledging the Bab unasked, uninvited. They, like him, are endowed with an intense spirituality and readiness to share this divine message with the world. Together, they form a strong nucleus around the Bab, ready to brave any storm to propagate this new faith.

In this final scene of today’s tale, we find Mulla Husayn, no longer the desolate disciple, mourning his spiritual teacher, but the harbinger of a new dawn, the pioneer of a revolutionary spiritual movement. The once quiet and unassuming disciple had transformed into an inspiring leader, a beacon of divine light in a world plunged into spiritual darkness.

And so, as the sun sets on the city of Shiraz, we leave Mulla Husayn standing firm and resolute in his mission, ready to bring a spiritual awakening to the world. A disciple turned messenger, a man turned legend. His story is a testament to the transformative power of faith and belief, a testament to the divine power of revelation.

As we draw the curtains on today’s episode, remember, my friends, that every one of us has a Mulla Husayn within us. A person who seeks truth, who yearns for knowledge, who strives for understanding. It is that Mulla Husayn who embarks on a quest for truth, a journey of discovery, a pilgrimage to the divine.

And with this, we bid farewell to our hero for today. His story, however, is not over. His legacy lives on, in the Faith that he helped establish, in the millions of believers who find solace in its teachings, in the divine message that continues to inspire and guide.

Indeed, this tale of faith and transformation reminds us of the power of belief, the strength of conviction, and the immense potential within each one of us to seek truth, to seek understanding, to seek the divine. As we venture forth on our own spiritual journeys, may we always remember the tale of Mulla Husayn, may we always be inspired by his unwavering faith, and may we always strive to seek our own understanding, our own truth, our own connection with the divine.

That’s all for today, my friends. Until we meet again, let us keep our minds open, our hearts ready to receive, and our spirits high.

This concludes the fifth episode of The Dawning Light. As always, I’m Danilo Stern-Sapad, and I thank you for your time.

If you have any corrections, suggestions, questions, or other constructive feedback, please contact me.

I value your input and am committed to ensuring both the accuracy and reverence of The Dawning Light.