On being informed, upon their arrival in Tákúr, that
Bahá’u’lláh had departed for His winter resort, the representatives of Mullá
Muhammad decided to leave for that place. When they arrived, they found
Bahá’u’lláh engaged in revealing a commentary on the opening Súrih of the
Qur’án, entitled “The Seven Verses of Repetition.” As they sat and listened to
His discourse, the loftiness of the theme, the persuasive eloquence which
characterised its presentation, as well as the extraordinary manner of its
delivery, profoundly impressed them. Mullá Abbás, unable to contain himself,
arose from his seat and, urged by an impulse he could not resist, walked back
and stood still beside the door in an attitude of reverent submissiveness. The
charm of the discourse to which he was listening had fascinated him. “You
behold my condition,” he told his companion as he stood trembling with emotion
and with eyes full of tears. “I am powerless to question Bahá’u’lláh. The
questions I had planned to ask Him have vanished suddenly from my memory. You
are free either to proceed with your enquiry or to return alone to our teacher
and inform him of the state in which I find myself. Tell him from me that Abbás
can never again return to him. He can no longer forsake this threshold.” Mírzá
Abu’l-Qásim was likewise moved to follow the example of his companion. “I have
ceased to recognise my teacher,” was his reply. “This very moment, I have vowed
to God to dedicate the remaining days of my life to the service of Bahá’u’lláh,
my true and only Master.”
(Chapter 5, ‘The Dawn-Breakers’)
