WHEN Qurratu'l-'Ayn was a child there was in Persia a very celebrated mulla, Shaykh Ahmad Ahsai. So great a scholar was he that throughout all the Muhammadan world he had no peer. Shaykh Ahmad Ahsai was the first divine to attack certain established beliefs prevalent among the Muslims, one of which was that Muhammad in his living, physical body departed from this earth and ascended into heaven, a belief similar to that held by many Christians with regard to the Christ. There were other Muhammadans who in their hearts disbelieved this teaching, but Shaykh Ahmad was the first who had the courage to publicly declare against it.
Another Muhammadan doctrine was that of the resurrection of the body. Shaykh Ahmad taught his students that the physical body cannot go to heaven, that it will not rise but will disintegrate; while the spirit will be taken up and will dwell in the presence of God. He explained that it was the spirit of Muhammad, not his body, which ascended.
Again, the Shaykh taught that God always sends teachers to His people, to lead them to His Kingdom, and that this divine bounty had not ceased.
The Muhammadans believed that there was one—who had been hidden for a thousand years—who would appear suddenly, a great teacher. Shaykh Ahmad said that the Promised One would not come that way; he would be manifest shortly but would be born in the natural way. This teaching of the Shaykh was of utmost importance to the Muslims, because for a thousand years they had been looking for this person who they believed had been in hiding for that period. And now the Shaykh said he would be born, and would appear very shortly.
Although strictly forbidden by the mullás, these teachings found many adherents, until thousands of people became followers of Shaykh Ahmad. They were popularly known as "Shaykhi," and by many of the mullas were called atheists.
At last the teachings of Shaykh Ahmad were carried to Qazvin, the home of Qurratu'l-'Ayn and her relatives. Her father and her eldest uncle, both of whom were mullás, opposed the Shaykh. But her two younger uncles believed him and secretly became his followers. Qurratu'l-'Ayn's father and uncle had many discussions about the Shaykh, calling him, in private, "Kafir", which means, "Turned away from God and not of the Muhammadan religion." Qurratu'l-'Ayn. then between thirteen and fourteen years of age, listened to these conversations. and said, "The Shaykh is right and my father and uncle are wrong." She secured the books and writings of the Shaykh and read them constantly. Whereupon her father and uncle said to her, "Read our books. Read our writings. We know better than he."
Shaykh Ahmad Ahsai went from Karbala to Khorassan and thence to Tihran where he met Shah Fathe Ali who so honored him that he offered to share with him his throne. But the Shaykh refused, and left for Karbala, on his journey passing through Qazvin.
After the death of Shaykh Ahmad Ahsai, his disciple Siyyid Kazim, carried forward his teachings, constantly telling his disciples and students that soon, within a few years, the Promised One would appear. Through the assistance of her younger uncle, who believed in Shaykh Ahmad and Siyyid Kazim, Qurratu'l-'Ayn and able to correspond with Siyyid Kazim and secure his writings. She watched eagerly for the Promised One, and often told her younger uncle that unless the new order appeared and the Muhammadan religion was changed the condition of women in the East would become much worse. She would say, "Will a day come when new laws and revelations will be revealed, and shall I be one of the first to follow those teachings and give my life for my sisters?"
Her longing for the coming of the great Teacher and the new era became so strong that at last she besought her uncle, her father and her husband for permission to make a pilgrimage to Karbala. She knew that there she would be able to meet Siyyid Kazim. Through the efforts of her younger uncle this permission was at last granted and she set out upon her wonderful journey, accompanied by this uncle. What were her sorrow and disappointment to hear, three days before her arrival in Karbala, the news of the death of Siyyid Kazim! However, she soon remembered that the Siyyid had left glad tidings of the One to come, and who would come quickly, and her heart was again filled with happiness. She journeyed on to Karbala and there visited the family of the Siyyid, who gave her access to many of the Siyyid's unpublished writings, some of which were not even finished. As she read she exclaimed, "Behold, how much the Shaykh and the Siyyid have left us. They have left us a sea of writings."
There was no one to take the place of Siyyid Kazim and teach his students. So Qurratu'l-'Ayn came forward and announced that she would take this place, would teach his followers just what the Siyyid had taught and impart to them his knowledge.
This caused much discussion among the Siyyid's followers. Then thirty-two of the students said, "We will go and hear her once or twice. If we are satisfied we will advise the others to come, and she will teach them."
It was extremely dangerous and difficult for Qurratu'l-'Ayn to teach men and for them to come to hear her for in those days—and even at the present time in many places—women were kept veiled and in utmost seclusion. But Qurratu'l-'Ayn overcame all difficulties, had a curtain arranged in the room, and behind this sat and taught those thirty-two students who came to hear her. They soon recognized her as the one who could best teach them and saw that she was greater than all the divines in Karbala. For more than a year she taught these students, and all the time she wept and prayed that when the Promised One came she might recognize him. And she urged the people to watch for him and obey Him who was shortly to come into the world.
When Mullá Husayn-i-Bushrú'i visited the Báb and became convinced that he was the Promised One, he told the news to Mullá 'Ali Bastami, who likewise became a follower of the Báb, the second disciple. Mullá 'Ali Bastami then went to Karbala, and there announced the great tidings that the New Light had arisen. When Qurratu'l-'Ayn heard this news she summoned him to her presence and asked, "What proofs have you, and where is he?" Mullá 'Ali gave her some of the writings and prayers of the Báb. She took them, and straightway became a believer. The following day when her pupils came for their lesson she announced the glad tidings that the long-expected time was at hand, saying, "All the promises given by the Shaykh and the Siyyid have come to pass. The Promised One is on earth today!"
(Star of the West/Volume 14, Page 269)
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