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| Province of Mázindarán |
Shaykh Ahmad, having thus committed his disciples to the
care of Siyyid Kázim, left for Khurásán. There he tarried awhile, in the close
vicinity of the holy shrine of the Imám Ridá in Mashhad. Within its precincts
he pursued with undiminished zest the course of his labours. By resolving the
intricacies that agitated the minds of the seekers, he continued to prepare the
way for the advent of the coming Manifestation. In that city he became
increasingly conscious that the Day which was to witness the birth of the
promised One could not be far distant. The promised hour, he felt, was fast
approaching. From the direction of Núr, in the province of Mázindarán, he was
able to perceive the first glimmerings that heralded the dawn of the promised
Dispensation. To him the Revelation foreshadowed in these following traditional
utterances was at hand: “Ere long shall ye behold the countenance of your Lord
resplendent as the moon in its full glory. And yet, ye shall fail to unite in
acknowledging His truth and embracing His Faith.” And “One of the most mighty
signs that shall signalise the advent of the promised Hour is this: ‘A woman
shall give birth to One who shall be her Lord.’”
(Chapter 1, ‘The
Dawn-Breakers)
