Síyáh-Chál
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The Síyáh-Chál (
pronunciation; FA: سیاه چال) is the name of the dungeon in which Bahá’u’lláh was incarcerated for some months in Tehran, from August to December 1852. Its name, in English, means "The Black Pit". It was originally built as a reservoir, storing water for the public baths nearby. There were several flights of stairs leading down to it, and no windows.
At the time of Bahá’u’lláh's imprisonment, He and approximately one hundred and fifty others (mostly criminals) were imprisoned there. Bahá’u’lláh and the other Bábís were chained together, in two rows, facing one another. There was no sanitation, and little food. Each day, the guards would come and call out the name of one prisoner who was to be executed. The prisoner would embrace all of His fellows, and be led away in ecstasy to his death. Afterwards, the executioner himself would come to tell Bahá’u’lláh the exact circumstances of this particular martyrdom.
It was while in this dungeon that Bahá’u’lláh had a vision of a "Maid of Heaven" and heard a voice ringing in His ears, announcing that He was the Promised One.
While He was imprisoned there, His son, Abbas (later known as ‘Abdu’l-Bahá) came to visit Him. The Blessed Beauty was brought to the surface, for His son to see Him. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá saw the spiritual change in His father's station, and fell at His feet.
