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Opposition of Mullás |
After His return from this retirement, His fame became
greater than ever and people flocked to Baghdád from far and
near to see Him and hear His teachings. Jews, Christians and
Zoroastrians, as well as Muḥammadans, became interested in
the new message. The Mullás (Muḥammadan doctors), however,
took up a hostile attitude and persistently plotted to effect
His overthrow. On a certain occasion they sent one of their
number to interview Him and submit to Him certain questions.
The envoy found the answers of Bahá’u’lláh so convincing and
His wisdom so amazing, although evidently not acquired by
study, that he was obliged to confess that in knowledge and
understanding Bahá’u’lláh was peerless. In order, however,
that the Mullás who had sent him should be satisfied as to the
reality of Bahá’u’lláh’s Prophethood, he asked that some miracle
should be produced as proof. Bahá’u’lláh expressed His
willingness to accept the suggestion on certain conditions,
declaring that if the Mullás would agree regarding some
miracle to be performed, and would sign and seal a document
to the effect that on performance of this miracle they would
confess the validity of His mission and cease to oppose Him,
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He would furnish the desired proof or else stand convicted of
imposture. Had the aim of the Mullás been to get at the truth,
surely here was their opportunity; but their intention was far
otherwise. Rightly or wrongly, they meant to secure a decision
in their own favor. They feared the truth and fled from the
daring challenge. This discomfiture, however, only spurred
them on to devise fresh plots for the eradication of the oppressed
sect. The Consul General of Persia in Baghdád came
to their assistance and sent repeated messages to the Sháh to
the effect that Bahá’u’lláh was injuring the Muḥammadan religion
more than ever, still exerting a malign influence on
Persia, and that He ought therefore to be banished to some
more distant place.
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It was characteristic of Bahá’u’lláh that, at this crisis,
when at the instigation of the Muḥammadan Mullás the Persian
and Turkish Governments were combining their efforts to
eradicate the Movement, He remained calm and serene, encouraging
and inspiring His followers and writing imperishable
words of consolation and guidance. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá relates how
the Hidden Words were written at this time. Bahá’u’lláh would
often go for a walk along the bank of the Tigris. He would
come back looking very happy and write down those lyric
gems of wise counsel which have brought help and healing to
thousands of aching and troubled hearts. For years, only a
few manuscript copies of the Hidden Words were in existence,
and these had to be carefully concealed lest they should fall
into the hands of the enemies that abounded, but now this
little volume is probably the best known of all Bahá’u’lláh’s
works, and is read in every quarter of the globe. The Book of
Íqán is another well-known work of Bahá’u’lláh’s written about
the same period, towards the end of His sojourn at Baghdád
(1862–1863 A.D.)
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