“At such a time, a firm believer is known!" – a story told by ‘Abdu’l-Baha

Mirza Ghorban Ali, who was one of the Seven Martyrs, a man of great piety and learning, was a strong Bábi, but he was very fearful and timid. He was so fearful of being known as a Bábi that when he met the friends in the streets he would not look at them. He shunned their association. Yet the enemies found him out somehow, and brought him into the prison house. As he was well known among the military class for his wisdom and devotion, two of these influential officers went to Mirza Taqi Khan, the Prime Minister, and interceded for him.

When the Prime Minister found out that such important men were interceding for him, he became very lenient and told them to bring him to him so that he might recant. This Prime Minister was such a domineering and blood-thirsty man that the army was in constant fear of him, so that when he was reviewing the army if he just turned his eyes upon one of the soldiers he would tremble and shake with fear.

Finally these two officers took Mirza Ghorban Ali to the Prime Minister, and they were so happy in the thought that he would be released before long. When he came before the Prime Minister, the Prime Minister looked at him and said: 'These friends of yours have interceded for you. Are you ready to repudiate Ali Muhammad (the Báb)?' Mirza Ghorban Ali, looking around, saw the executioner about fifteen feet from him, standing, and then he turned to the Minister and asked: 'Whom shall I repudiate, Ali or Muhammad?' (Muhammed being the Prophet and Ali His son-in-law, they are considered the Holy Ones in the Muhammadan world. The name of the Báb is composed of these two.) The Prime Minister became so angry that he ordered the executioners to take him away and kill him, and he left the presence of the Prime Minister with serene face and a heavenly smile on his countenance. At such a time, a firm believer is known!" 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha (Words of ‘Abdu’l-Baha to a group of Baha’is at ‘Abdu’l-Baha’s residence, Dublin, New Hampshire, 31 July, 1912; Star of the West, vol. 3, no. 11, September 27, 1912)

The sterling faithfulness of Isfandiyar – recalled by ‘Abdu’l-Baha

My grandfather had many colored maids and servants. When the Blessed Perfection became the head of the family He liberated all of them, and gave them permission to leave or stay, but if they desired to remain it would, of course, be in a different manner. However, all of them, revelling in their newfound freedom preferred to leave, except Isfandiyar, who remained in the household and continued to serve us with proverbial faithfulness and chastity.

Then when Bahá'u'lláh became known as a Bábí, and He was teaching many people, the populace rose against Him, and with the tacit consent of the government, our house was pillaged and ransacked. My Father was put into prison and we were persecuted on all sides. For days the rabble in their fanatical fury and rage threw stones into our house, broke the windows and damaged everything. At that time I was probably six or seven years old. Everybody had left us, and our family then consisted of my mother, my sister (the Greatest Holy Leaf) and Aqa Mussa.[Bahá’u’lláh’s faithful brother] Fearing that the stones thrown into the house might hit one of us, my mother set out and rented a small house in an entirely different quarter of the city, and for fear of recognition she carried us safely to our new, humble quarters by night.

On the other hand, the enemies of my father, who had poisoned the mind of the Shah by saying that He harbored secret plans against the throne, were convinced that Isfandiyar was the guardian of all the secret plans of Bahá'u'lláh. Therefore, they imagined that if once they laid their hands on Isfandiyar they would force out of him everything, and then be able to substantiate their vague accusations with these solid facts. Hence they commissioned one hundred and fifty policemen to find him and bring him before them. Isfandiyar had a chum with whom he passed most of his time. At first they tried to get hold of his chum, thus he might divulge the hiding-place of Isfandiyar, but they failed in their purpose.