| A shopkeeper of S̲h̲íráz who, as a youth,
dreamed of the appearance of the Imám 'Alí. With him in the dream
was MulIá 'Ally-i-Bastámí, one of the Letters of the Living who was
sent to Iraq. On awakening, 'Abdu'l-Vahháb saw Mullá 'Ally-i-Bastámi passing and followed him. Mullá 'Alí tried to persuade the
young man to return to his shop but to no avail. 'Abdu'l-Vahháb's
father overtook them, ordered his son to return home and beat Mullá
'Alí. On their return to Shiráz, 'Abdu'l-Vahháb related his dream to his
father, who was overcome with regret for his actions. Later 'Abdu'l-Vahháb moved to Káẓimayn near Bag̲h̲dád where in 1851 he encountered Bahá'u'lláh who was visiting the sacred shrines there. His dearest
wish was now to travel back to Iran in the company of Bahá'u'lláh, but
Bahá'u'lláh persuaded him to stay where he was and gave him money
to enlarge and extend his trade. 'Abdu'l-Vahháb followed Bahá'u'lláh
to Ṭihrán, where he was caught up in the persecution of the Bábis that
followed the attempt on the life of the S̲h̲áh. Found giving praise to his
Lord in the market-place, he was thrown into the Síyáh-C̲h̲ál and
chained to Bahá'u'lláh. One night he dreamed that he was soaring into
a space of infinite vastness and beauty. Bahá'u'lláh told him that that day he would sacrifice himself for the Cause. In the morning the gaoler
called for 'Abdu'l-Vahháb. He threw off his chains, sprang to his feet
and embraced each of his fellow prisoners. Because he had no shoes,
Bahá'u'lláh gave him His own. 'Abdu'l-Vahháb kissed the knees of
Bahá'u'lláh, then sang and danced all the way to his execution. His
executioner later returned to the cell praising the spirit 'Abdu'l-Vahháb
had shown at the hour of his death.3 |
