Some believers who attained the presence of Bahá'u'lláh had reached such a lofty station that allowed them to see a glimpse of that inner light which was concealed within His person. They were dazzled by it and could no longer bear to stand in the darkness of this world.
One such believer was Siyyid Isma'il of Zavarih surnamed Dhabih (Sacrifice) by Bahá'u'lláh. He was a devout man highly esteemed for his piety and rectitude of conduct, his learning and knowledge. He was converted to the Faith in the early days of the Báb's ministry, attained His presence in the house of the Imam-Jum'ih of Isfahan, and was present when the Báb revealed a commentary on the Surih of V'al-'Asr. The rapidity with which the Báb penned that lengthy epistle and the power of His utterance as He chanted some of its passages, in the presence of a number of distinguished divines, captured the imagination of Dhabih, who became one of His devoted followers.
Over a decade later, Dhabih came to Baghdad and attained the presence of Bahá'u'lláh. In that city he stayed with a believer whose home was in the same neighbourhood as Bahá'u'lláh's house. This man, Aqa Muhammad-Rida, had invited Bahá'u'lláh to his home, begging Him for the inestimable privilege of acting as His host. Bahá'u'lláh accepted his invitation and a few days later, in the afternoon, honoured Aqa Muhammad-Rida by going to his house.
In the Kitáb-i-Badi', revealed a few years later in Adrianople, Bahá'u'lláh Himself has described His meeting with Dhabih on that occasion. As was customary at that time of day, their host had provided several trays of various fruits and sweetmeats. Dhabih was invited by Bahá'u'lláh to partake of the food but he begged most humbly and earnestly to receive instead, through Bahá'u'lláh's bounty, a portion of spiritual food from the unseen treasury of His divine knowledge. Favourable to his plea, Bahá'u'lláh summoned Dhabih to sit before Him and hearken to His words -- words of incomparable power and awe which were filled with spiritual significance and which, according to Bahá'u'lláh's testimony, no one is capable of describing.
By hearing the utterances of Bahá'u'lláh on that day, Dhabih was transformed and worlds of spirit were opened before his eyes. After this meeting he remained in a state of spiritual intoxication, wholly devoted to Bahá'u'lláh, his love for Him intensifying with the passing of each day.
In order to pay homage to his Lord and to express his inner feelings of humility and self-effacement towards Him, Dhabih took upon himself the task of sweeping the approaches to the house of Bahá'u'lláh at the hour of dawn. In those days one of the duties of a servant in any household was to sweep a small portion of the path leading to the entrance of the house. As a token of humility and lowliness, however, Dhabih would, instead of using a brush, unwind his green turban, the ensign of his holy lineage, and with it would sweep the approaches of the house of Bahá'u'lláh. He would then place in the fold of his cloak the dust on which the feet of his Beloved had trodden and, unwilling that others should tread on it, would carry it all the way to the river to throw it into its waters.
The story of Dhabih is that of a passionate lover. The object of his adoration was Bahá'u'lláh, Who had ignited within his breast the fire of the love of God, a fire so intense that it began to consume his whole being. Eventually he reached a state where he would neither eat nor drink. For forty days he abstained from food. Unable, at last, to check the crushing force of love which pressed upon his soul, he came one day, at the hour of dawn, to the house of Bahá'u'lláh and for the last time swept its approaches with his turban. After performing this task, he paid a visit to the home of Aqa Muhammad-Rida where he met some of the friends for the last time. Later he obtained a razor, went to the bank of the Tigris and there turning his face towards the house of Bahá'u'lláh, took his life by cutting his throat.
Bahá'u'lláh has extolled Dhabih as the 'King and Beloved of Martyrs'. He is reported to have said that 'No blood has, till now, been poured upon the earth as pure as the blood he shed'.
(Adapted from ‘The Revelation of Baha'u'llah’ by Adib Taherzadeh, vol. 1)
It should be noted that Dhabih took his own life because he
was intoxicated by the wine of the presence of Bahá'u'lláh, Who had enabled him
to witness the glory of the spiritual worlds of God. This cannot be compared
with ordinary suicide, nor can this episode be taken to mean that Bahá'í belief
condones the taking of one's own life. On the contrary, suicide is strongly
condemned in the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh and is clearly against His Teachings.
