There are two Tablets each bearing the name of Ahmad: one in Persian and the other in Arabic. [revealed by Baha'u'llah to two different individuals] The latter is the one used throughout the Baha'i world, which the beloved Guardian characterized as being imbued with a special potency. The Persian Tablet is quite a long one and is written to Ahmad of Kashan. Selections from this Persian Tablet appear in the Gleanings.Ahmad of Kashan was a brother of Haji Mirza Jani, the first one to embrace the Báb's Faith in Kashan and in whose house the Báb sojourned some days and who was finally martyred in Tihran. Haji Mirza Jani had three brothers. One was never moved by his brother's faith, no matter how much the latter endeavored to teach him. He remained a Muslim and died as such. The second was called Ismai'l, entitled by Baha'u'llah Dhabib (sacrificed) and also Anis (companion); the third one who went to Baghdad was called Ahmad. He remained with the Ancient Beauty and had the honor to be amongst those who were chosen by Him as one of the companions in His exile to Istanbul. But unfortunately in the storms of tests and trials this Ahmad departed from the right path and sided with Azal. He then caused much suffering for the Blessed Beauty, His family and friends. In order to warn this man against such evil deeds and the detrimental consequences for the nascent Faith, Baha'u'llah sent him this long Persian Tablet full of exhortations, elucidations of the divine power and advice as to how a true seeker should act and behave. Ahmad remained heedless, unmoved and unchanged, but when he found out that he could no more live in Turkey, he returned to 'Iraq where he found his old associates and resumed his iniquitous life with them. One of his worst habits was to insult people and curse them in the most bitter and vile language. In one of his disputes with his evil friends, he lashed them with his sharp tongue and the victims, to get rid of him, killed him one night.
Ahmad begins his search
As to the Ahmad in whose honor the well-known Tablet is revealed, he was born in Yazd (circa 1805) to a very noble and rich family. His father and uncles were the chieftains of the town, but Ahmad even at the age of fourteen showed a great inclination towards mysticism and endeavored to find new paths to truth. When he was fifteen, he had already started his investigations during which he heard from some of the people that there are saints or holy men who know special prayers which if read and repeated so many times and in accordance with certain rituals would definitely enable the reader to behold the countenance of the Promised Qa'im (The Messiah of Muslims).
