In the whole range of Bahá'u'lláh's Writings, the Kitáb-i-Íqán (The Book of Certitude) has most importance, with the exception of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas (The Most Holy Book). It was revealed in Baghdad about two years before His Declaration, in honour of Háji Mirza Siyyid Muhammad, the Báb's maternal uncle.
The Báb had three maternal uncles. The first to embrace His Faith was Háji Mirza Siyyid Ali, known as Khal-i-A'zam (the Greatest Uncle). It was he who cared for the Báb and, after the passing of His father, was responsible for bringing Him up.
Háji Mirza Siyyid Ali became aware of the spiritual qualities and superhuman powers which his Nephew manifested from an early age. He readily recognized the station of the Báb and became an ardent believer as soon as he became acquainted with His claims. Indeed, next to the Letters of the Living, he was the first person in Shiraz to acknowledge the divine origin of the Message of the Báb. From then on he devoted his life entirely to the promotion of the newly-born Faith and the protection of its youthful Founder. A few months before the martyrdom of the Báb, he was arrested and, upon refusing to recant his faith, was publicly martyred. He is one of the Seven Martyrs of Tihran.
The eldest uncle, Háji Mirza Siyyid Muhammad, although fully aware of the outstanding qualities of his Nephew, was not converted to His Faith until he met Bahá'u'lláh in Baghdad and received the Kitáb-i-Íqán in answer to his questions. The third uncle was Háji Mirza Hasan-'Ali.
For some years Háji Mirza Siyyid Muhammad carried out his business as a merchant away from home, in Bushihr (Bushire), in association with his brother Háji Mirza Siyyid Ali and his Nephew the Báb. When these two left for Shiraz he continued to work on his own and was still in Bushihr when the Báb declared His Mission to His first disciples. Later, when the Báb made His pilgrimage to Mecca, He travelled by way of Bushihr where He stayed at the home of Háji Mirza Siyyid Muhammad. He returned there some months later while journeying back to Shiraz. It was during these visits that Háji Mirza Siyyid Muhammad witnessed a transformation of spirit in the Báb and wrote about it to his own mother and sister (the mother of the Báb) in these words:
“...His eminence Jinab-i-Háji [1] has safely arrived and I am pleased to spend my time in His presence. It seems advisable that He should stay in Bushihr for a short while; but please rest assured that soon He will depart for home... Truly, His bountiful soul is the source of felicity for the people of this world, and the next. He brings honour to us all…”
Yet in spite of these remarks and of his unfailing admiration and respect for the Báb, Háji Mirza Siyyid Muhammad did not recognize His station for many years and remained uncommitted to His Cause.
In the meantime, the martyrdoms of the Báb and His illustrious uncle in 1850 brought immense grief and shock to all the members of the family. The Báb's mother, Fatimih-Bagum, could no longer bear to live in her home in Shiraz and took up residence in far-off Iraq, in the city of Karbila, to be near the Shrine of Imam Husayn. Until the time Bahá'u'lláh arrived in Iraq after His imprisonment in the Siyah-Chal, and established contact with her, she remained unaware of the significance of the Message of the Báb. It was Bahá'u'lláh Who arranged for Háji Siyyid Javad-i-Karbila'i, [2] one of the distinguished early disciples of the Báb, accompanied by a devoted believer, the wife of a certain Shaykh Abdu'l-Majid-i-Shirazi, to meet with the mother of the Báb and demonstrate to her the truth of the Mission of her illustrious Son. This contact established by Bahá'u'lláh brought forth a wonderful response. Her soul was quickened and the glory of the new Faith of God founded by the Báb was unveiled before her eyes. Later she recognized the station of Bahá'u'lláh, embraced His Faith and remained steadfast till the end of her life.
Although several of the Báb's kinsmen, including His wife, had accepted the Faith during the early days of His ministry, and thousands of His followers had laid down their lives in His path, nevertheless Háji Mirza Siyyid Muhammad was not absolutely convinced that the Báb, his Nephew, could be the Promised One of Islam. Several believers tried to dispel his doubts but their efforts did not win him over.
Háji Mirza Habibu'llah, an Afnan who was one of the custodians of the House of the Báb in Shiraz, has recorded the following account by his father, Aqa Mirza Nuru'd-Din, a follower of the Báb, of a series of discussions which he held with Háji Mirza Siyyid Muhammad. These discussions appear to have been the turning-point in the spiritual life of the Báb's uncle:
“...During the initial stages of our discussions Háji Mirza Siyyid Muhammad maintained a negative attitude and would repudiate any proof or argument that I put forward. These discussions lasted for several meetings. Once when I was talking with great fervour and conviction about the Faith, he turned to me in astonishment and exclaimed:
‘Are you really saying that my nephew is the promised Qá'im?' When I reaffirmed my belief that He was, Háji Mirza Siyyid Muhammad became perplexed and expressed his view that this was all very strange. He then began to meditate and was lost in thought. Seeing him in this reflective mood, I could not prevent myself from laughing. He asked my reason for laughing, but as it would reflect badly upon him I was reluctant to tell. However, he insisted, so I told him: 'Your view that your nephew cannot be the promised Qá'im is similar to the objection which Abu-Lahab [3] had. He also said "how could it be possible for my nephew to become a prophet?" But Muhammad was the true Prophet of God. Now it is up to you to investigate this Cause. You must be very proud that this Sun of Truth has dawned from your family and its Light shone forth from your home. Do not hold back from it and be not surprised. For God is able to make of your nephew the Promised One of Islam. Be assured that the hands of God are never tied.'
“Háji Mirza Siyyid Muhammad was moved by these words. He said: 'This is an irrefutable answer. Now what shall I do?' I suggested to him that he might go as a pilgrim to the holy Shrines [4] in Iraq, where he could also visit his sister (the mother of the Báb) who had been living there since the martyrdom of her son, then go to Baghdad, attain the presence of Bahá'u'lláh, ask his questions of Him and put forward his difficulties. I urged him to persevere in his search and to rely upon God. I expressed the hope that the veils which now prevented him from seeing the truth might be lifted from his eyes and that he might attain to the true Faith of God... He agreed to my suggestion and said that he felt in his heart that this was the right course to take.”
Háji Mirza Siyyid Muhammad thereupon wrote a letter to his youngest brother Háji Mirza Hasan-'Ali, who was a merchant in Yazd, acquainted him with his plans to visit the Shrines and their sister, and invited him to join him in the journey. Háji Mirza Hasan-'Ali accepted and asked his brother to wait until he joined him in Shiraz.
They both travelled to Iraq via Bushihr. Háji Mirza Siyyid Muhammad, however, did not intimate the real purpose of his journey to his brother until they arrived in Baghdad. There he informed him that his primary object in travelling to Iraq was to investigate the authenticity of the Faith and then to visit the Shrines and the mother of the Báb. He invited his brother to remain in Baghdad for a short period so that they both could attain the presence of Bahá'u'lláh and afterwards proceed to visit the Shrines.
On hearing this Háji Mirza Hasan-'Ali became angry and, although his junior in age, he spoke harshly to his brother. He warned that under no circumstances would he become a partner in these matters and that he did not wish to hear about the Faith. On that day he left Baghdad.
When this happened, Háji Mirza Siyyid Muhammad decided to accompany his brother to the Shrines. It was on his return to Baghdad that he was taken to the house of Bahá'u'lláh where he attained His presence alone. This was in the year 1278 A.H. (A.D. 1862).
Bahá'u'lláh's amanuensis, Mirza Aqa Jan, has described the circumstances which led to the revelation of the Kitáb-i-Íqán, in a Tablet addressed to Shaykh Abdu'l-Majid-i-Shirazi. He says that one day Háji Siyyid Javad-i-Karbila'i went to Bahá'u'lláh and informed Him that the two uncles of the Báb, having visited the holy Shrines in Najaf and Karbila, were now in Baghdad and would be returning home soon. Having ascertained from Háji Siyyid Javad that he had not discussed the Faith with them, Bahá'u'lláh lovingly admonished him for not being engaged in the teaching of the Cause. He then instructed him to invite the two brothers to come to His presence.
The next day Háji Siyyid Javad arrived with the uncle of the Báb, Háji Mirza Siyyid Muhammad. The youngest brother did not come. The utterances of Bahá'u'lláh uplifted and overwhelmed the Báb's uncle as he sat in His presence. At the end he begged Bahá'u'lláh to clarify the truth of the Báb's Message, bearing in mind that, in his view, some of the traditions of Islam concerning the promised Qá'im were apparently not fulfilled by his Nephew. To this Bahá'u'lláh readily consented. He bade him go home and, after careful consideration, make a list of all the questions which had puzzled him and all the traditions which had bred doubts in his mind, and to bring these to Him.
The following day Háji Mirza Siyyid Muhammad arrived with his questions. He worded them under four headings, namely:
1. The Day of Resurrection. Is there to be corporeal resurrection? The world is replete with injustice. How are the just to be requited and the unjust punished?
2. The twelfth Imam was born at a certain time and lives on. There are traditions, all supporting the belief. How can this be explained?
3. Interpretation of holy texts. This Cause does not seem to conform with beliefs held throughout the years. One cannot ignore the literal meaning of holy texts and scripture. How can this be explained?
4. Certain events, according to the traditions that have come down from the Imams, must occur at the advent of the Qá’im. Some of these are mentioned. But none of these has happened. How can this be explained?
This was the gist of the questions presented to Bahá’u’lláh, by the uncle of the Báb.
Within the span of two days and two nights the Kitáb-i-Íqán, a lengthy epistle (of over two hundred pages) dealing with all his questions, was revealed by Bahá'u'lláh. In the early days this book was known as Risaliy-i-Khal (Epistle to the Uncle) but later Bahá'u'lláh designated it as the Kitáb-i-Íqán.
Among the papers which are preserved in the family of the Afnan are the questions which Háji Mirza Siyyid Muhammad presented to Bahá'u'lláh. They are written on two sheets in his own hand and are under four headings, all dealing with the coming of the promised Qá'im. The sincerity of the uncle of the Báb in seeking the truth is evident in his questions. Repeatedly he begs Bahá'u'lláh to dispel his doubts so that his heart may be assured and he may acquire absolute faith and certitude in the Cause of the Báb.
Háji Mirza Siyyid Muhammad was so affected by meeting Bahá'u'lláh that he immediately wrote a letter to His son, Háji Mirza Muhammad-Taqi, in which he said:
“...I attained the presence of His Honour Baha (may peace be upon Him) and I wish you could have been present! He treated me with the utmost affection and favour and graciously asked me to stay for the night. It is an absolute truth that deprivation from His bounteous presence is a grievous loss. May God bestow upon me the privilege of attaining His presence perpetually...”
The Kitáb-i-Íqán dispelled every doubt that Háji Mirza Siyyid Muhammad had harboured in his mind. As a result of reading this book he reached the stage of certitude and recognized the station of the Báb. In his will, written some years later, he declared his faith, acknowledged the authenticity of the Messages of the Báb and Bahá'u'lláh and identified himself as a follower of these twin Manifestations of God.
As to Háji Mirza Siyyid Hasan-'Ali, the youngest uncle of the Báb, he returned to Yazd without meeting Bahá'u'lláh. Some years later, however, through the devoted efforts of his wife's brother, he too accepted the Faith and remained steadfast throughout his life.
Indeed, all the family of the Báb including His mother, His wife, His uncles and their children (designated as Afnan) embraced the Faith. This was actually prophesied by the Báb Himself, for He had said that God through His bounty would guide all His family to recognize the truth of His Cause.
The original copy of the Kitáb-i-Íqán, which Háji Mirza Siyyid Muhammad received, was transcribed by 'Abdu'l-Bahá Who was then eighteen years of age. In the margins of a few pages Bahá'u'lláh has, in His own hand, made some corrections and towards the end of the book has written this passage:
Amidst them all, We stand, life in hand, wholly resigned to His will; that perchance, through God's loving kindness and His grace, this revealed and manifest Letter[Bahá'u'lláh] may lay down His life as a sacrifice in the path of the Primal Point,[ The Báb] the most exalted Word. By Him at Whose bidding the Spirit hath spoken, but for this yearning of Our soul, We would not, for one moment, have tarried any longer in this city. 'Sufficient Witness is God unto Us.'
For many years this original copy of the Kitáb-i-Íqán remained with the family of Háji Mirza Siyyid Muhammad, until in 1948 his great-granddaughter Fatimih Khanum-i-Afnan presented it to Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian of the Faith. It reached him a few years later and was placed in the Bahá'í International Archives Building on Mount Carmel, Haifa
[1] The Báb was referred to as Háji because of His pilgrimage to Mecca.
[2] An eminent divine of great learning who became a devoted follower of the Báb in the first year of His Declaration, and later recognized the station of Bahá'u'lláh and embraced His Faith.
[3] An uncle of Muhammad who refused to acknowledge His Prophethood and was hostile to Him.
[4] Some of the Imams of Shí'ah Islam, including Imam Husayn, are buried in Karbila, Najaf, Kazimayn and Samarra.
(Adapted from ‘The Revelation of Baha'u'llah vol. 1’, by Adib dib Taherzadeh, and ‘Baha’u’llah, The King of Glory’, by Hand of the Cause Balyuzi)
