This distinguished man was one of the greatest of all the Bab's companions
and all the loved ones of Baha'u'llah. When he lived under Islam, he was
already famed for his purity and holiness of life. He was talented and
highly accomplished in many directions. He was the leader and spiritual
exemplar of the entire population of Najaf-Abad, and the eminent of that
area showed him unbounded respect. When he spoke out, his was the deciding
opinion; when he passed judgment, it took effect; for he was known to all
as the standard, and the authority of last resort.
He had no sooner learned of the Bab's Declaration than he cried out from
the depths of his heart, "O our Lord! we have indeed heard the voice of
one that called. He called us to the Faith--'Believe ye on your Lord'--and
we have believed."(87) He rid himself of all impeding veils; his doubts
dispelled, he began to extol and glorify the Beauty promised from of old.
In his own home, and at Isfahan, he became notorious for declaring far and
wide that the advent of the long-desired One had come to pass. By the
hypocrites, he was mocked, cursed and tormented. As for the people, "the
mass, as a snake in the grass," who had worshiped him before, now rose up
to do him harm. Every day brought on a fresh cruelty, a new torment from
his oppressors. He endured it all, and went on teaching with great
eloquence. He remained staunch, unmoved, as their wrath increased. In his
hands he held out a full cup of Divine glad tidings, offering to all who
came that heady draught of the knowledge of God. He was utterly without
fear, knew nothing of danger, and swiftly followed the holy path of the
Lord.
After the attempt on the _Sh_ah, however, there was no shelter anywhere;
no evening, no morning, without intense affliction. And since his staying
on in Najaf-Abad at such a time was a great danger to the believers, he
left there and traveled to 'Iraq. It was during the period when the
Blessed Beauty was in Kurdistan, when He had gone into seclusion and was
living in the cave on Sar-Galu, that Jinab-i-Zayn arrived in Ba_gh_dad.
But his hopes were dashed, his heart grieved, for all was silence: there
was no word of the Cause of God, no name nor fame of it; there were no
gatherings, no call was being raised. Yahya, terror stricken, had vanished
into some dark hiding place. Torpid, flaccid, he had made himself
invisible. Try as he might, Jinab-i-Zayn could find not one soul. He met
on a single occasion with His Eminence Kalim. But it was a period when
great caution was being exercised by the believers, and he went on to
Karbila. He spent some time there, and occupied himself with copying out
the Writings, after which he returned home to Najaf-Abad. Here the foul
persecutions and attacks of his relentless enemies could hardly be
endured.
But when the Trump had been sounded a second time,(88) he was restored to
life. To the tidings of Baha'u'llah's advent his soul replied; to the drum
beat, "Am I not your Lord?" his heart drummed back: "Yea, verily!"(89)
Eloquently, he taught again, using both rational and historical proofs to
establish that He Whom God Shall Manifest--the Promised One of the Bab--had
indeed appeared. He was like refreshing waters to those who thirsted, and
to seekers, a clear answer from the Concourse on high. In his writing and
speaking, he was first among the righteous, in his elucidations and
commentaries a mighty sign of God.
In Persia his life was in imminent peril; and since remaining at
Najaf-Abad would have stirred up the agitators and brought on riots, he
hastened away to Adrianople, seeking sanctuary with God, and crying out as
he went, "Lord, Lord, here am I!" Wearing the lover's pilgrim dress, he
reached the Mecca of his longing. For some time he tarried there, in the
presence of Baha'u'llah, after which he was commanded to leave, with
Jinab-i-Mirza Ja'far-i-Yazdi, and promulgate the Faith. He returned to
Persia and began to teach most eloquently, so that the glad tidings of the
Lord's advent resounded to the high heavens. In the company of Mirza
Ja'far he traveled everywhere, through cities flourishing and ruined,
spreading the good news that the Blessed Beauty was now manifest.
Once again, he returned to 'Iraq, where he was the center of every
gathering, and rejoiced his hearers. At all times, he gave wise counsel;
at all times he was consumed with the love of God.
When the believers were taken prisoner in 'Iraq and banished to Mosul,
Jinab-i-Zayn became their chief. He remained for some time in Mosul, a
consolation to the rest, working to solve their many problems. He would
kindle love in people's hearts, and make them kind to one another. Later
he asked for permission to attend upon Baha'u'llah; when this was granted
he arrived at the Prison and had the honor of entering the presence of his
Well-Beloved. He then busied himself with writing down the sacred verses,
and encouraging the friends. He was love itself to the emigrants, and
warmed the travelers' hearts. He never rested for a moment, and received
new grace and bounty every day, meanwhile taking down the Baha'i
Scriptures with faultless care.
From his early years till his last breath, this eminent man never failed
in service to the Manifestation. After the ascension he was consumed with
such grieving, such constant tears and anguish, that as the days passed
by, he wasted away. He remained faithful to the Covenant, and was a close
companion to this servant of the Light of the World, but he longed to rise
out of this life, and awaited his departure from day to day. At last,
serene and happy, rejoicing in the tidings of the Kingdom, he soared away
to that mysterious land. There he was loosed from every sorrow, and in the
gathering-place of splendors he was immersed in light.
Unto him be salutations and praise from the luminous Realm, and the glory
of the All-Glorious from the Concourse on high, and great joy in that
Kingdom which endures forever. May God provide him with an exalted station
in the Abha Paradise.