“Mashhad is the greatest place of pilgrimage in all Persia,
Karbilá being, as everyone knows in Ottoman territory. It is in Mashhad that
the holy shrine of the Imám Riḍá
is located. I shall not enlarge upon the hundreds of miracles that have taken
place and still take place at this shrine; it is enough to know that every year
thousands of pilgrims visit the tomb and return home only after the shrewd
exploiters of that productive business have separated them from their last
penny. The stream of gold flows on and on for the benefit of the greedy
officials; but these officials need the cooperation of many partners to catch
their innumerable dupes in their nets. This is, without doubt, the best
organized industry in Persia. If one half of the city derives its living from
the Mosque, the other half is likewise keenly interested in the great concourse
of pilgrims. The merchants, the restaurant and hotel keepers, even the young
women who find among the visitors an abundant supply of ‘husbands for a day’!
Mashhad 1858
“All these people were naturally allied against a missionary whose teachings were threatening their livelihood. To denounce these abuses in any other city was tolerable but it was quite improper to denounce them where everyone of every class was thriving upon them. The Imám Mihdí had undoubtedly the right to come but he certainly was a public nuisance. It may have been very thrilling to undertake with him the conquest of the world, but there was fatigue, risk and danger in the enterprise while now they were enjoying perfect peace in a fine city where one could earn a living with ease and security.”
- A. L. M. Nicolas (“Siyyid ‘Alí-Muhammad dit le Báb,” pp. pp. 258–259; footnotes provided by Shoghi Effendi)
