Those who attained the presence of Bahá’u’lláh and heard Him
expound the Message proclaimed by the Báb were so much impressed by the
earnestness of His appeal that they forthwith arose to disseminate that same
Message among the people of Núr and to extol the virtues of its distinguished
Promoter. 
Alarmed, he [Baha’u’llah’s uncle] sought the aid of the mujtahid of Núr, Mullá
Muhammad, and appealed to him to lend him immediate assistance. “O vicegerent
of the Prophet of God!” he said. “Behold what has befallen the Faith. A youth,
a layman, attired in the garb of nobility, has come to Núr, has invaded the
strongholds of orthodoxy, and disrupted the holy Faith of Islám. Arise, and
resist his onslaught. Whoever attains his presence falls immediately under his
spell, and is enthralled by the power of his utterance. I know not whether he
is a sorcerer, or whether he mixes with his tea some mysterious substance that
makes every man who drinks the tea fall a victim to its charm.” The mujtahid,
notwithstanding his own lack of comprehension, was able to realise the folly of
such remarks. Jestingly he observed: “Have you not partaken of his tea, or
heard him address his companions?” “I have,” he replied, “but, thanks to your
loving protection, I have remained immune from the effect of his mysterious
power.” The mujtahid, finding himself unequal to the task of arousing the
populace against Bahá’u’lláh, and of combating directly the ideas which so
powerful an opponent was fearlessly spreading, contented himself with a written
statement in which he declared: “O Azíz, be not afraid, no one will dare molest
you.” In writing this, the mujtahid had, through a grammatical error, so
perverted the purport of his statement, that those who read it among the
notables of the village of Tákúr were scandalised by its meaning, and vilified
both the bearer and the author of that statement.
None dared to contend with His [Bahá’u’lláh's] views except His uncle Azíz,
who ventured to oppose Him, challenging His statements and aspersing their
truth. When those who heard him sought to silence this opponent and to injure
him, Bahá’u’lláh intervened in his behalf, and advised them to leave him in the
hands of God.
His [Bahá’u’lláh’s] speech was like a ‘rushing torrent’ and
his clearness in exposition brought the most learned divines to his feet.”
When, in the year ’60, [1844] Bahá’u’lláh arrived in Núr, He
discovered that the celebrated mujtahid who on His previous visit had wielded
such immense power had passed away. The vast number of his devotees had shrunk
into a mere handful of dejected disciples who, under the leadership of his
successor, Mullá Muhammad, were striving to uphold the traditions of their
departed leader. The enthusiasm which greeted Bahá’u’lláh’s arrival sharply
contrasted with the gloom that had settled upon the remnants of that once
flourishing community. A large number of the officials and notables in that
neighbourhood called upon Him and, with every mark of affection and respect,
accorded Him a befitting welcome. They were eager, in view of the social
position He occupied, to learn from Him all the news regarding the life of the
Sháh, the activities of his ministers, and the affairs of his government. To
their enquiries Bahá’u’lláh replied with extreme indifference, and seemed to
reveal very little interest or concern. With persuasive eloquence He pleaded
the cause of the new Revelation, and directed their attention to the
immeasurable benefits which it was destined to confer upon their country. Those who heard Him marvelled at the keen
interest which a man of His position and age evinced for truths which primarily
concerned the divines and theologians of Islám. They felt powerless to
challenge the soundness of His arguments or to belittle the Cause which He so
ably expounded. They admired the loftiness of His enthusiasm and the profundity
of His thoughts, and were deeply impressed by His detachment and
self-effacement.
“In my second dream,” the mujtahid continued, “I found
myself in a place where I beheld around me a number of coffers, each of which,
it was stated, belonged to Bahá’u’lláh. As I opened them, I found them to be
filled with books. Every word and letter recorded in these books was set with
the most exquisite jewels. Their radiance dazzled me. I was so overpowered by
their brilliance that I awoke suddenly from my dream.”
Later on, when Bahá’u’lláh had departed, [from Tehran for
Mazindaran] the mujtahid related to his disciples two of his recent dreams, the
circumstances of which he believed were of the utmost significance. “In my
first dream,” he said, “I was standing in the midst of a vast concourse of
people, all of whom seemed to be pointing to a certain house in which they said
the Sáhibu’z-Zamán dwelt. Frantic with joy, I hastened in my dream to attain
His presence. When I reached the house, I was, to my great surprise, refused
admittance. ‘The promised Qá’im,’ I was informed, ‘is engaged in private
conversation with another Person. Access to them is strictly forbidden.’ From
the guards who were standing beside the door, I gathered that that Person was
none other than Bahá’u’lláh.