Ismu’lláhu’l-Aṣdaq

Mulla Sadiq-i-Muqaddas
Born	Mollā Ṣādeq Ḵorāsāni Mashhad
Died	1889 Hamadan
Title(s)	Hand of the Cause
Appointed by	‘Abdu’l-Bahá posthumously
Children	Ibn-i-Asdaq

Mulla Sádiq-i-Muqaddas was a student of Siyyid Kázim Rashtí who met The Báb in 1843. He met Bahá'u'lláh in 1860 and later accepted the Bahá’í Faith. He was called 'Muqaddas' (the holy one) from a young age due to his piety and character when studying Islam in Mashhad. Later in his life the title Ismu’lláhu’l-Aṣdaq, meaning 'The Name of God, The Most Truthful', was bestowed upon him by Bahá’u’lláh. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá wrote the following in Memorials of the Faithful in which he also posthumously named Sádiq a Hand of the Cause:

"He was like a surging sea, a falcon that soared high. His visage shone, his tongue was eloquent, his strength and steadfastness astounding. When he opened his lips to teach, the proofs would stream out; when he chanted or prayed, his eyes shed tears like a spring cloud. His face was luminous, his life spiritual, his knowledge both acquired and innate; and celestial was his ardor, his detachment from the world, his righteousness, his piety and fear of God."

Background

Mullá Sádiq was born in Mashhad, where he received a clerical education. He moved to Karbala to continue his education, and studied under Siyyid Káẓim, the leader of the Shaykhí movement which taught that the appearance of the Promised One was imminent. He became a Mujtahid in 1843, and met ʿAli Muhammad Shirāzi (The Báb) in the same year.

Becoming a Bábi

After becoming a Mujtahid Mullá Sádiq-i-Muqaddas was instructed to move to Isfahan by Sayyid Kazim. After Sayyid Kazim's death Mulla Husayn instructed the Shaykhí's to seek out the Promised One that Sayyid Kazim had spoken of, and traveled to Shiraz where he met with the Báb. After leaving Shiraz Mulla Husayn visited Sádiq in Isfahan, and Sádiq asked him to disclose the name of the promised Manifestation. Mulla Husayn refused to do so, as the Báb had forbidden him from revealing His identity, but did tell Mulla Sádiq that 'The door of His grace ... is never closed before the face of him who seeks to find Him.’

Mulla Sádiq remembered ʿAli Muhammad Shirāzi while meditating in his room, and Mulla Husayn confirmed that He was the promised Manifestation. Mulla Husayn instructed Sádiq to keep the Báb's identity secret and asked him to travel to Kirman to inform the Shaykhí leader Hájí Mírzá Karím Khán of the advent of a new Revelation, and to then proceed Shiraz and tell the people of that city.

Teaching the Bábi Faith

Shiraz

Karím Khán rejected the message of the Báb and Sádiq travelled to Shiraz. He began giving public sermons and was soon regularly speaking to a large congregation. Quddús arrived in the city and gave him a copy of the Khasá’il-i-Sab‘ih, a Tablet revealed by the Báb, and informed him that the provisions of the Khasá’il-i-Sab‘ih were to be put into effect which included adding the words “I bear witness that He whose name is ‘Alí-Qabl-i-Muhammad is the servant of the Baqíyyatu’lláh.” to the adhán. When Mullá Sádiq spoke these words when leading a congregation in prayer the religious clergy of Shiraz accused him of blasphemy resulting in civil unrest.

Husayn Khán [not the Governor of Shiraz by the same name] of Mazindaran had Mullá Sádiq and Quddús arrested. While questioning them Husayn Khán said:

“Tell me ... if you are aware of the opening passage of the Qayyúmu’l-Asmá wherein the Siyyid-i-Báb addresses the rulers and kings of the earth in these terms: ‘Divest yourselves of the robe of sovereignty, for He who is the King in truth, hath been made manifest! The Kingdom is God’s, the Most Exalted. Thus hath the Pen of the Most High decreed!’ If this be true, it must necessarily apply to my sovereign, Muhammad Sháh, of the Qájár dynasty, whom I represent as the chief magistrate of this province. Must Muhammad Sháh, according to this behest, lay down his crown and abandon his sovereignty? Must I, too, abdicate my power and relinquish my position?”

To which Mullá Sádiq replied

“When once the truth of the Revelation announced by the Author of these words shall have been definitely established, the truth of whatsoever has fallen from His lips will likewise be vindicated. If these words be the Word of God, the abdication of Muhammad Sháh and his like can matter but little. It can in no wise turn aside the Divine purpose, nor alter the sovereignty of the almighty and eternal King.”

Husayn Khán ordered that Mullá Sádiq and Quddús be stripped, whipped, their beards burned and that a cord be passed through their noses. They were led through the streets by these cords and expelled from Shiraz.

Yazd

After being expelled from Shiraz Sádiq was a guest of The Báb for ten days. He was then sent to Yazd and lived there for two months before publicly announcing, "Whoever has not met the emissary of Babu'llahu'l-A'zam (The Most Great Báb) and has not heard him, let him come on Friday to the mosque of Musalla and listen to the tidings which he brings you.". On that Friday he spoke to a large crowd at the mosque. He was again accused of blasphemy, and the crowd attacked him, beating him and taking his sandals and turban. Fortunately Siyyid Husayn-i-Azghandi, a respected religious figure in Yazd, was able to calm the crowd and allow Mullá Sádiq to escape.

Kirman, Khurásán & Mazindaran

After fleeing Yazd Mullá Sádiq took an epistle signed by the Báb to Hájí Mírzá Karím Khán in Kirman. Khán challenged him to a public debate, which took place in the Bazaar of the city. This debate became heated and Kháns followers attacked Sádiq, armed with knives. Government officials intervened and Sádiq was arrested. The Governor of Kirman kept Sádiq under house arrest in his own home for seventy days, after which Sádiq traveled to Khurásán to join Mulla Husayn, teaching the Babi Faith en route. The Governor of Kirman gave Sádiq an armed escort which accompanied him on his journey.

When Sádiq arrived in Khurásán he made his way to the camp of Mulla Husayn's company and joined them on their journey to Mazindaran. His brother Mirza Muhammad-Hasan, who had left his home the night before his wedding to join Mulla Husayn's company, was killed shortly before the company arrived at the Shrine of Shaykh Tabarsi. The company became besieged at the Shrine, which lead to the Battle of Fort Tabarsi.

After the Battle of Fort Tarbasi

Mullá Sádiq was one of very few Bábi's who survived the Battle at Fort Tabarsi, and he was imprisoned by the enemy forces commanded by Prince Mihdi-Quli Mirza. Husayn Khan, the Governor of Shiraz, demanded that Mullá Sádiq and another Bábi, Lutf-'Ali Mirza, be taken to Shiraz.

The two Bábis were presented to the religious authorities of many towns while being taken to Shiraz and discussed the Qur'an and Traditions with them. The authorities all stated that the Bábis should not be put to death and Husayn Khan's own family also said that they should not be put to death after they had arrived in Shiraz. Husayn Khan told Prince Mihdi-Quli Mirza that he would not execute the Bábis.

The two Bábi's befriended a shepherd named 'Avad-Muhammad while imprisoned in Shiraz, and he helped them escape to Miyami on foot. They then traveled from Miyami to Mashhad.

After the Martyrdom of The Báb

In 1860 Mullá Sádiq met with Bahá'u'lláh in Baghdád. During this time Nabil-i-Akbar also visited Baghdád, and noted that Mullá Sádiq showed great respect for Bahá'u'lláh, going as far as to prostrate himself at Bahá'u'lláh's feet. While in Baghdád Sádiq taught a prince who was the grandson of Fath-‘Alí Sháh about the Bábi religion.

Mullá Sádiq remained in Iraq for fourteen months before returning to Mashhad. He was arrested in 1861 and sent to Tehran where he was imprisoned for twenty-eight months in the Síyáh-Chál. He refused to be released unless his fellow prisoners were also released.

While imprisoned he converted many of the other prisoners to the Bábi religion, and also converted the prisons physician, Hakím Masíh, who treated his son Ibn-i-Asdaq for two months. Hakim Masih later accepted Bahá'u'lláh and was the first Bahá'í of Jewish descent. Sádiq taught the Bahá'í Faith in Tehran for a time after being released, and then traveled to Khurásán to teach the Faith. He returned to Tehran three years later to help keep the remains of The Báb hidden.

Later Years

Once the remains of The Báb were secured he traveled to Yazd where he converted some of the Báb's relatives to the Bahá’í Faith, and then traveled to Khurásán, teaching the Bahá’í Faith across the entire province. In 1874 he traveled to 'Akka to meet with Bahá'u'lláh at His request and lived there for four months, after which he returned to Iran where he lived until he passed away in Hamadan.

He was posthumously named a Hand of the Cause by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá for his service to the Faith, which included bringing the message of Bahá'u'lláh to some relatives of The Báb, transcribing and distributing the Kitáb-i-Badí', bringing the first person of Jewish descent to the Faith, and helping to keep the remains of The Báb hidden.

Family

His father was a cleric and a noble named Mirzā Esmāʿil Ḵorāsāni. He had two younger brothers, both of whom accompanied him to Tabarsi. The younger brother (22 years of age) was martyred by Khusraw's men en route to Tabarsi.

His son Ibn-i-Asdaq was named a Hand of the Cause by Bahá'u'lláh.

References

• "ḴORĀSĀNI, MOLLĀ ṢĀDEQ (d. 1874), teacher, defender and promulgator of the Babi-Bahai faiths". Encyclopaedia Iranica. Encyclopaedia Iranica. Retrieved 16 October 2016.