A believer recalls meeting Hujjat [Mullá Muhammad-‘Alí]

“‘I met him [Mullá Muhammad-‘Alí],’ says Mírzá Jání, ‘in Tihrán, in the house of Mahmúd Khán, the kalantar, where he was confined because of his devotion to His Holiness. He said: ‘I was a mullá, so proud and masterful that I would abase myself to no one, not even the late Hájí Siyyid Báqir Rasht, who was regarded as the ‘Proof of Islám’ and the most learned of doctors. My doctrines being after the Akhbari school, I differed in certain questions with the mass of the clergy. People complained of me, and Muhammad Sháh summoned me to Tihrán. I came, and he perused my books and informed himself of their purport. I asked him to summon the siyyid [i.e. Siyyid Báqir of Rasht] also, that we might dispute. At first he intended to do so, but afterwards, having considered the mischief which might result, suspended the proposed discussion. To be brief, notwithstanding all this self-sufficiency, as soon as news of the Manifestation of His Holiness reached me, and I had perused a small page of the verses of that Point of the Furqán, I became as one beside himself, and involuntarily, yet with full option, confessed the truth of His claim, and became His devoted slave; for I beheld in Him the most noble of the Prophet’s miracles, and, had I rejected it, I should have rejected the truth of the religion of Islám.”’” 

(Hájí Mírzá Jání’s History: Appendix 2 of “Taríkh-i-Jadíd,” pp. 349–50; footnotes to chapter 9 included by Shoghi Effendi)

Hujjat’s reaction after perusing a page from the copy of the Qayyúmu’l-Asmá that his disciple messenger had brought back

With the approval of the Báb, he returned to Zanján. He arrived at a time when all the leading ‘ulamás of the city had assembled in the presence of Hujjat. As soon as he appeared, Hujjat enquired whether he believed in, or rejected, the new Revelation. Mullá Iskandar submitted the writings of the Báb which he had brought with him, and asserted that whatever should be the verdict of his master, the same would he deem it his obligation to follow. “What!” angrily exclaimed Hujjat. “But for the presence of this distinguished company; I would have chastised you severely. How dare you consider matters of belief to be dependent upon the approbation or rejection of others?” Receiving from the hand of his messenger the copy of the Qayyúmu’l-Asmá, he, as soon as he had perused a page of that book, fell prostrate upon the ground and exclaimed “I bear witness that these words which I have read proceed from the same Source as that of the Qur’án. Whoso has recognised the truth of that sacred Book must needs testify to the Divine origin of these words, and must needs submit to the precepts inculcated by their Author. I take you, members of this assembly, as my witnesses: I pledge such allegiance to the Author of this Revelation that should He ever pronounce the night to be the day, and declare the sun to be a shadow, I would unreservedly submit to His judgment, and would regard His verdict as the voice of Truth. Whoso denies Him, him will I regard as the repudiator of God Himself.” With these words he terminated the proceedings of that gathering. 

(Chapter 9, ‘The Dawn-Breakers’) 

Hujjat sent his trusted disciple to Shiraz to “conduct a minute and independent enquiry” about the Cause of the Báb

As soon as the Call from Shíráz reached his ears, Hujjat deputed one of his disciples, Mullá Iskandar, in whom he reposed the fullest confidence, to enquire into the whole matter and to report to him the result of his investigations. Utterly indifferent to the praise and censure of his countrymen, whose integrity he suspected and whose judgment he disdained, he sent his delegate to Shíráz with explicit instructions to conduct a minute and independent enquiry. Mullá Iskandar attained the presence of the Báb and felt immediately the regenerating power of His influence. He tarried forty days in Shíráz, during which time he imbibed the principles of the Faith and acquired, according to his capacity, a knowledge of the measure of its glory. 

(Chapter 9, ‘The Dawn-Breakers’)