“In the course of that journey, He [the Báb] is reported to have revealed several Tablets addressed to the leading ‘ulamás in Qazvín”

According to Samandar (manuscript, pp. 45), the Báb tarried in the village of Síyáh-Dihán, in the neighbourhood of Qazvín, on His way to Ádhirbayján. In the course of that journey, He is reported to have revealed several Tablets addressed to the leading ‘ulamás in Qazvín among whom were the following: Hájí Mullá ‘Abdu’l-Vahháb, Hájí Mullá Sáliḥ, Hájí Mullá Taqí, and Ḥájí Siyyid Taqí. These Tablets were conveyed to their recipients through Ḥájí Mullá Aḥmad-i-Ibdal. Several believers, among whom were the two sons of Hájí Mullá ‘Abdu’l-Vahháb were able to meet the Báb during the night He spent in that village. It is from this village that the Báb is reported to have addressed His epistle to Hájí Mírzá Aqásí. 

(Footnotes to chapter 12 provided by Shoghi Effendi)

The Báb ““wrote a letter, in the course of the journey, to the Prime Minister”

According to “A Traveller’s Narrative” (p. 16), the Báb “wrote a letter, in the course of the journey, to the Prime Minister, saying: ‘You summoned me from Isfáhán to meet the doctors and for the attainment of a decisive settlement. What has happened now that this excellent intention has been changed for Máh-Kúh and Tabríz?’” 

(Footnotes to chapter 12 provided by Shoghi Effendi)

The Báb proceeded to Tabriz accompanied by two of His followers

The Báb was accordingly ordered to proceed to Tabríz.  The same escort, under the command of Muḥammad Big, attended Him on His journey to the northwestern province of Ádhirbayján. He was allowed to select one companion and one attendant from among His followers to be with Him during His sojourn in that province. He selected Siyyid Husayn-i-Yazdí and Siyyid Hasan, his brother. He refused to expend on Himself the funds provided by the government for the expense of that journey. All the allowances that were given by the State He bestowed upon the poor and needy, and devoted to His own private needs the money which He, as a merchant, had earned in Búshihr and Shíráz. As orders had been given to avoid entering the towns in the course of the journey to Tabríz, a number of the believers of Qazvín, informed of the approach of their beloved Leader, set out for the village of Síyáh-Dihán and were there able to meet Him. 

- Nabil  (‘The Dawn-Breakers, chapter 12)

Reasons that prompted Hájí Mírzá Aqásí not to allow the Báb to go to Tihran

According to Mírzá Abu’l-Fadl, Hájí Mírzá Aqásí sought, by his reference to the rebellion of Muhammad Hasan Khán, the Salar, in Khurásán, and the revolt of Áqá Khán-i-Isma’ílí, in Kirmán, to induce the sovereign to abandon the project of summoning the Báb to the capital, and to send Him instead to the remote province of Ádhirbayján.

Fearing that the presence of the Báb in Tihrán would occasion new disturbances (there were plenty of them due to his whims and his poor administration), he altered his plans and the escort, charged to take the Báb from Isfáhán to Tihrán, received, when about thirty kilometers from the city, the order to take the prisoner directly to Máh-Kú. This town, in the mind of the prime minister, would offer nothing to the impostor because its inhabitants, out of gratitude for the favors and protection they had received from him, would take steps to suppress any disturbances which might break out.” (Journal Asiatique, 1866, tome 7, p. 356.)

(Footnotes to chapter 12 of The Dawn-Breakers provided by Shoghi Effendi)

Additional historical information about Hájí Mírzá Aqásí by European diplomats in Persia

Gobineau writes regarding his fall: “Hájí Mírzá Aqásí, robbed of the power which he had constantly ridiculed, had retired to Karbilá and he spent his remaining days playing tricks on the Mullás and scoffing even at the holy martyrs.” (“Les Religions et les Philosophies dans l’Asie Centrale,” p. 160.) 

“This shrewd man had gained such power over the late Sháh that one could truly say that the minister was the real sovereign; he could not therefore survive the loss of his good fortune. At the death of Muhammad Sháh, he had disappeared and had gone to Karbilá where, under the protection of the sainted Imám, even a state criminal could find an inviolable asylum. He was soon overcome by gnawing grief which, more than his remorse; shortened his life.” (Journal Asiatique, 1866, tome 7, pp. 367–36; Footnotes to chapter 12 of The Dawn-Breakers provided by Shoghi Effendi)

“Hájí Mírzá Aqásí, the half crazy old Prime Minister, had the whole administration in his hands, and obtained complete control over the Sháh. The misgovernment of the country grew worse and worse, while the people starved, and cursed the Qájár dynasty.... The condition of the province was deplorable and every man with any pretension to talent or patriotism was driven into exile by the old haji, who was sedulously collecting wealth for himself at Tihrán, at the expense of the wretched country. The governorships of provinces were sold to the highest bidders, who oppressed the people in a fearful manner.” (C. R. Markham’s “A General Sketch of the History of Persia,” pp. 486–7; Footnotes to chapter 12 of The Dawn-Breakers provided by Shoghi Effendi)

“The state of Persia, however, was not satisfactory; for Hájí Mírzá Aqásí, who had been its virtual ruler for thirteen years, ‘was utterly ignorant of statesmanship or of military science, yet too vain to receive instruction and too jealous to admit of a coadjutor; brutal in his language; insolent in his demeanour; indolent in his habits; he brought the exchequer to the verge of bankruptcy and the country to the brink of revolution. The pay of the army was generally from three to five years in arrears. ‘The cavalry of the tribes was a almost annihilated.’ Such—to adopt the weighty words of Rawlinson—was the condition of Persia in the middle of the nineteenth century.” (P. M. Sykes’ “A History of Persia,” vol. 2, pp. 439–40; Footnotes to chapter 12 of The Dawn-Breakers provided by Shoghi Effendi)

The fall of Hájí Mírzá Aqásí “two years after he had issued his decree condemning the Báb to a cruel incarceration in the inhospitable mountains of Ádhirbayján”

The numerous properties which he forcibly seized from the humble and law-abiding subjects of the Sháh, the costly furnitures with which he embellished them, the vast expenditures of labour and treasure which he ordered for their improvement—all were irretrievably lost two years after he had issued his decree condemning the Báb to a cruel incarceration in the inhospitable mountains of Ádhirbayján. All his possessions were confiscated by the State. He himself was disgraced by his sovereign, was ignominiously expelled from Tihrán, and fell a prey to disease and poverty. Bereft of hope and sunk in misery, he languished in Karbilá until the hour of his death.  

- Nabil  (‘The Dawn-Breakers, chapter 12)

By “his incessant intrigues” Hájí Mírzá Aqásí withheld “from his king and country the incomparable benefits of a Divine Revelation which alone had the power to deliver the land from the appalling state of degradation into which it had fallen”

How stupendous was his mistake, how grievous his blunder! Little did he realise, at that moment, that by his incessant intrigues he was withholding from his king and country the incomparable benefits of a Divine Revelation which alone had the power to deliver the land from the appalling state of degradation into which it had fallen. By his act that short-sighted minister did not only withhold from Muhammad Sháh the supreme instrument with which he could have rehabilitated a fast-declining empire, but also deprived him of that spiritual Agency which could have enabled him to establish his undisputed ascendancy over the peoples and nations of the earth. By his folly, his extravagance and perfidious counsels, he undermined the foundations of the State, lowered its prestige, sapped the loyalty of his subjects, and plunged them into an abyss of misery. Incapable of being admonished by the example of his predecessors, he contemptuously ignored the demands and interests of the people, pursued, with unremitting zeal, his designs for personal aggrandisement, and by his profligacy and extravagance involved his country in ruinous wars with its neighbours. Sa’d-i-Ma’adh, who was neither of royal blood nor invested with authority, attained, through the uprightness of his conduct and his unsparing devotion to the Cause of Muhammad, so exalted a station that to the present day the chiefs and rulers of Islám have continued to reverence his memory and to praise his virtues; whereas Buzurg-Mihr, the ablest, the wisest and most experienced administrator among the vazírs of Nushiravan-i-’Adil, in spite of his commanding position, eventually was publicly disgraced, was thrown into a pit, and became the object of the contempt and the ridicule of the people. He bewailed his plight and wept so bitterly that he finally lost his sight. Neither the example of the former nor the fate of the latter seemed to have awakened that self-confident minister to the perils of his own position. He persisted in his thoughts until he too forfeited his rank, lost his riches,  and sank into abasement and shame. 

- Nabil  (‘The Dawn-Breakers, chapter 12)

Additional reasons that caused Hájí Mírzá Aqásí not to allow the Báb to come to Tihran

According to Mírzá Abu’l-Fadl, Hájí Mírzá Aqásí sought, by his reference to the rebellion of Muhammad Ḥasan Khán, the Salar, in Khurásán, and the revolt of Áqá Khán-i-Isma’ílí, in Kirmán, to induce the sovereign to abandon the project of summoning the Báb to the capital, and to send Him instead to the remote province of Ádhirbayján. 

- Shoghi Effendi  (Footnotes to chapter 12 of 'The Dawn-Breakers')

The reason Hájí Mírzá Aqásí chose Mah-Ku as a destination for the Báb

“Nevertheless, on this occasion, his expectations did not materialize. Fearing that the presence of the Báb in Tihrán would occasion new disturbances (there were plenty of them due to his whims and his poor administration), he altered his plans and the escort, charged to take the Báb from Isfáhán to Tihrán, received, when about thirty kilometers from the city, the order to take the prisoner directly to Máh-Kú. This town, in the mind of the prime minister, would offer nothing to the impostor because its inhabitants, out of gratitude for the favors and protection they had received from him, would take steps to suppress any disturbances which might break out.” 

(Journal Asiatique, 1866, tome 7, p. 356; Footnotes to chapter 12 of The Dawn-Breakers provided by Shoghi Effendi)

Hájí Mírzá Aqásí was afraid that “the promise which the Báb had given to the sovereign that He would cure him of his illness” would happen “were he to allow Him to be received in Tihrán”

According to Hájí Mu’inu’s-Saltanih’s narrative (p. 129), the chief motive which actuated Hájí Mírzá Aqásí to urge Muhammad Sháh to order the banishment of the Báb to Ádhirbayján was the fear lest the promise which the Báb had given to the sovereign that He would cure him of his illness, were he to allow Him to be received in Tihrán, should be fulfilled. He felt sure that should the Báb be able to effect such a cure, the Sháh would fall under the influence of his Prisoner and would cease to confer upon his prime minister the honours and benefits which he exclusively enjoyed. 

- Shoghi Effendi  (Footnotes to chapter 12 of 'The Dawn-Breakers')

An account that shows the real motive of Hájí Mírzá Aqásí for not allowing the Báb to meet the Sháh

“An anecdote shows the real motive of the prime minister in the suggestions he made to the Sháh concerning the Báb. The Prince Farhád Mírzá, still young, was the pupil of Hájí Mírzá Aqásí. The latter related the following story: 

“When His Majesty, after consulting the prime minister, had written to the Báb to betake himself to Máh-Kú, we went with Hájí Mírzá Aqásí to spend a few days at Yáft-Ábád, in the neighborhood of Tihrán, in the park which he had created there. I was very desirous of questioning my master regarding the recent happenings but I feared to do so publicly. One day, while I was walking with him in the garden and he was in a good humor, I made bold to ask him: "Hájí, why have you sent the Báb to Máh-Kú?” He replied,—“You are still too young to understand certain things, but know that had he come to Ṭihrán. you and I would not be, at this moment, walking free from care in this cool shade.”’” 

- A. L. M. Nicolas  (“Siyyid ‘Alí-Muḥammad dit le Báb,” pp. 243–244; Footnotes to chapter 12 of The Dawn-Breakers provided by Shoghi Effendi)

Some historical information about Hájí Mírzá Aqásí

According to Hidáyat in the “Majma’u’l-Fusaha’,” the name of Hájí Mírzá Aqásí was Abbás-‘Alí. He was the son of Mírzá Muslim, one of the well-known divines of Íraván. His son, Abbás-‘Alí, was a pupil, while in Karbilá, of Fahkru’d-Dín ‘Abdu’s-Samad-i-Hamadání. From Karbilá he proceeded to Hamadán, visited Ádhirbayján, and from there undertook a pilgrimage to Mecca. Returning, in circumstances of extreme poverty, to Ádhirbayján, he succeeded in gradually improving his position, and was made the tutor of the children of Mírzá Músá Khán, the brother of the late Mírzá Abu’l-Qásim, the Qá’im-Maqám. Muhammad Mírzá, to whom he had announced his eventual accession to the throne of Persia, was greatly devoted to him. He eventually was appointed his prime minister, and retired after the death of the monarch to Karbilá, where he died in Ramadán, 1265 A.H. (Notes of Mírzá Abu’l-Fadl.) 

According to Hájí Mu’inu’s-Saltanih’s narrative (p. 220), Hájí Mírzá Aqásí was born in Máh-Kú, where his parents had been residing after their departure from Íraván, in the Caucasus. “Hájí Mírzá Aqásí, native of Íraván, attained unlimited influence over his weak-minded master, formerly his tutor, and professed Súfí doctrine. A quizzical old gentleman, with a long nose, whose countenance betokened the oddity and self-sufficiency of his character.” (C. R. Markham’s “A General Sketch of the History of Persia” p. 473.) 

“As for the Hájí, he was a very special kind of god. It was not absolutely certain that he did himself believe that of which the Sháh was convinced. In any case, he preferred the same general principles as the King and he had taught them to him in good faith. He could nevertheless be a fool; jesting was the policy, the rule of his conduct and of his life. He pretended to take nothing seriously, not even himself. 

“‘I am not a prime minister,’ he often said, especially to those whom he mistreated; ‘I am an old Mullá of humble birth and without merit and, if I find myself in this high office, it is because it is the wish of the King.’ 

“He never referred to his sons without calling them ‘sons of hussies and sons of dogs.’ It is in these terms that he enquired of them or sent them orders by his officers, when they were away. His greatest delight was to pass in review units of cavalry in which he would assemble, in their most gorgeous trappings, all the nomad Khans of Persia. When these warlike tribes were gathered in the valley, the Hájí would appear, dressed like a beggar, with a threadbare and shapeless cap, a sword dangling awkwardly at his side and riding a small donkey. Then he would draw up the horsemen about him, call them fools, make fun of their attire, show their worthlessness, and then send them home with presents; for his sarcasm was always tempered with generosity.” (Comte de Gobineau’s “Les Religions et les Philosophies dans l’Asie Centrale,” pp. 132–133.) 

(Footnotes to chapter 12 of The Dawn-Breakers provided by Shoghi Effendi)

The Prime Minister Hájí Mírzá Aqásí is responsible for such a communication from the Sháh to the Báb

Muhammad Sháh and Hájí Mírzá Aqásí

Hájí Mírzá Aqásí was no doubt responsible for having induced Muhammad Sháh to address such a communication to the Báb. He was actuated solely by a sense of fear lest the contemplated interview should rob him of his position of unquestioned pre-eminence in the affairs of the State and should lead eventually to his overthrow from power. He entertained no feelings of malice or resentment toward the Báb. He finally succeeded in persuading his sovereign to transfer so dreaded an opponent to a remote and sequestered corner of his realm, and was thus able to relieve his mind of a thought that continually obsessed him. 

- Nabil  (‘The Dawn-Breakers, chapter 12)

Gobineau describes the broad content of the letter that the Báb had sent to the Sháh “craving audience to set forth the truth of His condition”

According to “A Traveller’s Narrative” (p. 14), [by ‘Abdu’l-Baha] the Báb “forwarded a letter to the Royal Presence craving audience to set forth the truth of His condition, expecting this to be a means for the attainment of great advantages.” Regarding this letter, Gobineau writes as follows: “‘Alí-Muhammad wrote personally to the Court and his letter and the accusations of his adversaries all arrived at the same time. Without assuming an aggressive attitude toward the king, but trusting on the contrary to his authority and justice, he represented to them that the depravity of the clergy in Persia had been well known for many years; that not only morals were thereby corrupted and the well-being of the nation affected, but that religion itself, poisoned by the sins of so many, was in great danger and was about to disappear leaving the people in perilous darkness. “As for himself, called by God, in virtue of a special mission, to prevent such an evil, he had already begun to apprise the people of Fárs that the true doctrine had made evident and rapid progress; that all its adversaries had been confounded and were now powerless and universally despised; but that this was only a beginning. 

“The Báb, confident of the magnanimity of the king, requested the permission to come to the capital with his principal disciples and there hold conferences with all the Mullás of the Empire, in the presence of the Sovereign, the nobles and the people, convinced that he would shame them by exposing their faithlessness. He would accept beforehand the judgment of the king and, in case of failure, was ready to sacrifice his head and that of each one of his followers.” 

- Comte de Gobineau  (“Les Religions et les Philosophies dans l’Asie Centrale,” p. 124.; footnotes to chapter 12 of The Dawn-Breakers provided by Shoghi Effendi)

French chargé d'affaires in Tihran Comte de Gobineau describes Muhammad Sháh

Muhammad Sháh

“Muhammad Sháh,” writes Gobineau, “was a prince of peculiar temperament, a type often seen in Asia but not often discovered or understood by Europeans. Although he reigned during a period when political practices were rather harsh, he was kind and patient and his tolerance extended even to the discords of his harem which were of such a nature as normally to cause grave annoyance; for, even in the days of Fath-‘Alí Sháh, the laisser-aller, the whims and fancies were never carried to such an extreme. The following words which our 18th century might recognize as its own are attributed to him: ‘Why are you not more discreet, Madam? I do not wish to hinder you from enjoying yourself.’ 

“But, in his case, it was not affected indifference, but fatigue and boredom. His health had always been wretched; seriously ill with gout, he was hardly ever free from pain. His disposition naturally weak, had become very melancholy and, as he craved love and could not find it in his family either with his wives or children, he had centered all his affection upon the aged Mullá, his tutor. He had made of him his only friend, his confidant, then his first and all-powerful minister, even his god! Brought up by this idol with very irreverent sentiments toward Islám, he was equally as indifferent toward the dogmas of the Prophet as toward the Prophet himself. He cared little for the Imáms and, if he had any regard for ‘Alí, it is because the Persian mind is wont to identify this venerable personage with the nation itself. 

“But in brief, Muhammad Sháh was no better Muhammadan than he was Christian or Jew. He believed that the Divine Essence incarnates Itself in the Sages with all Its power, and, as he considered Hájí Mírzá Aqásí a Sage par excellence, he felt certain that he was God and he would piously ask him to perform miracles. Often he said to his officers with earnestness and conviction, ‘The Hájí has promised me a miracle for tonight, you shall see!’ As long as the character of the Hájí was not involved, Muhammad Sháh was completely indifferent regarding the success or failure of this or that religious doctrine; he was rather pleased to witness the conflict of opinions which were proof to him of the universal blindness.” 

- Comte de Gobineau  (“Les Religions et les Philosophies dans l’Asie Centrale,’ pp. 131–132.; footnotes to chapter 12 of The Dawn-Breakers provided by Shoghi Effendi)

1847: The Báb received a letter from Muhammad Sháh instructing Him to proceed to Máh-Kú promising for a meeting later

For a fortnight the Báb tarried in that spot. The tranquillity which He enjoyed amidst those lovely surroundings was rudely disturbed by the receipt of a letter which Muhammad Sháh himself addressed to the Báb and which was composed in these terms:

“Much as we desire to meet you, we find ourself unable, in view of our immediate departure from our capital, to receive you befittingly in Tihrán. We have signified our desire that you be conducted to Máh-Kú, and have issued the necessary instructions to ‘Alí Khán, the warden of the castle, to treat you with respect and consideration. It is our hope and intention to summon you to this place upon our return to the seat of our government, at which time we shall definitely pronounce our judgment. We trust that we have caused you no disappointment, and that you will at no time hesitate to inform us in case any grievances befall you. We fain would hope that you will continue to pray for our well-being and for the prosperity of our realm.” (Dated Rabí’u’th-Thání, 1263 A.H.)[ March 19-April 17, 1847 A.D] 

- Nabil  (‘The Dawn-Breakers, chapter 12)

circa 1930s: Views of the Village of Kulayn

 

(The Dawn-Breakers)

The Báb remained in the village of Kulayn for twenty days

According to “A Traveller’s Narrative” (p. 14), the Báb remained in the village of Kulayn for a period of twenty days. 

(Footnotes to chapter 12 provided by Shoghi Effendi)

The incident when the guards thought the Báb had escaped

I have heard Mullá ‘Abdu’l-Karím recount the following incident:

“My companions and I were fast asleep in the vicinity of the tent of the Báb when the trampling of horsemen suddenly awakened us. We were soon informed that the tent of the Báb was vacant and that those who had gone out in search of Him had failed to find Him. We heard Muhammad Big [the leader of the mounted escort] remonstrate with the guards. ‘Why feel disturbed?’ he pleaded. ‘Are not His magnanimity and nobleness of soul sufficiently established in your eyes to convince you that He will never, for the sake of His own safety, consent to involve others in embarrassment? He, no doubt, must have retired, in the silence of this moonlit night, to a place where He can seek undisturbed communion with God. He will unquestionably return to His tent. He will never desert us.’

In his eagerness to reassure his colleagues, Muhammad Big set out on foot along the road leading to Tihrán. I, too, with my companions, followed him. Shortly after, the rest of the guards were seen, each on horseback, marching behind us. We had covered about a maydán [approximately less than 2 miles] when, by the dim light of the early dawn, we discerned in the distance the lonely figure of the Báb. He was coming towards us from the direction of Tihrán. ‘Did you believe Me to have escaped?’ were His words to Muhammad Big as He approached him. ‘Far be it from me,’ was the instant reply as he flung himself at the feet of the Báb, ‘to entertain such thoughts.’ Muhammad Big was too much awed by the serene majesty which that radiant face revealed that morning to venture any further remark. A look of confidence had settled upon His countenance, His words were invested with such transcendent power, that a feeling of profound reverence wrapped our very souls. No one dared to question Him as to the cause of so remarkable a change in His speech and demeanour. Nor did He Himself choose to allay our curiosity and wonder.” 

- Nabil  (‘The Dawn-Breakers, chapter 12)

The effects of Bahá’u’lláh’s message: “It dispelled the gloom that had settled upon His heart, and imbued His soul with the certainty of victory”

That message, received at an hour of uncertainty and suspense, imparted solace and strength to the Báb. It dispelled the gloom that had settled upon His heart, and imbued His soul with the certainty of victory. The sadness which had long lingered upon His face, and which the perils of His captivity had served to aggravate, visibly diminished. He no longer shed those tears of anguish which had streamed so profusely from His eyes ever since the days of His arrest and departure from Shíráz. The cry “Beloved, My Well-Beloved,” which in His bitter grief and loneliness He was wont to utter, gave way to expressions of thanksgiving and praise, of hope and triumph. The exultation which glowed upon His face never forsook Him until the day when the news of the great disaster which befell the heroes of Shaykh Tabarsí again beclouded the radiance of His countenance and dimmed the joy of His heart. 

- Nabil  (‘The Dawn-Breakers, chapter 12)

April 1, 1847: The Báb received “a sealed letter together with certain gifts” from Bahá’u’lláh

On the fourteenth day of the month of Rabí’u’th-Thání, [April 1, 1847] the twelfth day after Naw-Rúz, Mullá Mihdíy-i-Khú’í and Mullá Muḥammad-Mihdíy-i-Kandí arrived from Tihrán. The latter, who had been closely associated with Bahá’u’lláh in Tihrán, had been commissioned by Him to present to the Báb a sealed letter together with certain gifts which, as soon as they were delivered into His hands, provoked in His soul sentiments of unusual delight. His face glowed with joy as He overwhelmed the bearer with marks of His gratitude and favour. 

- Nabil  (‘The Dawn-Breakers, chapter 12) 

March 31, 1847: The Báb was joined by four of His followers

He was joined two days after by Siyyid Husayn-i-Yazdí, Siyyid Hasan, his brother; Mullá ‘Abdu’l-Karím, and Shaykh Hasan-i-Zunúzí, all of whom were invited to lodge in the immediate surroundings of His tent. 

- Nabil  (‘The Dawn-Breakers, chapter 12)

March 29, 1847: A special tent was pitched for the Báb at the village of Kulayn

Muhammad Big was commanded, in view of the unsuitability of the houses in that village, to pitch a special tent for the Báb and keep the escort in its neighbourhood pending the receipt of further instructions. On the morning of the ninth day after Naw-Rúz, the eleventh day of the month of Rabí’u’th-Thání, in the year 1263 A.H., [March 29, 1847] in the immediate vicinity of that village, which belonged to Hájí Mírzá Aqásí, a tent which had served for his own use whenever he visited that place was erected for the Báb, on the slopes of a hill pleasantly situated amid wide stretches of orchards and smiling meadows. The peacefulness of that spot, the luxuriance of its vegetation, and the unceasing murmur of its streams greatly pleased the Báb. 

- Nabil  (‘The Dawn-Breakers, chapter 12) 

The Báb and His mounted escort reached the fortress of Kinár-Gird, about 28 miles south of the capital

circa 1935 Ruins of the Fortress of Kinar-Gird

After a march of two days from that village, they arrived, on the afternoon of the eighth day after Naw-Rúz, at the fortress of Kinár-Gird, [1] which lies six farsangs to the south of Tihrán. They were planning to reach the capital on the ensuing day, and had decided to spend the night in the neighbourhood of that fortress, when a messenger unexpectedly arrived from Tihrán, bearing a written order from Hájí Mírzá Aqásí to Muhammad Big. That message instructed him to proceed immediately with the Báb to the village of Kulayn, where Shaykh-i-Kulayní, Muḥammad-ibn-i-Ya’qub, the author of the Usul-i-Káfí, who was born in that place, had been laid to rest with his father, and whose shrines are greatly honoured by the people of that neighbourhood. 

- Nabil  (‘The Dawn-Breakers, chapter 12)

[1] A station on the old Isfáhán road, distant about 28 miles from Tihrán.

The Báb received a warm and spontaneous reception at the village of Qumrud

circa 1935 Village of Qumrud

Proceeding by a route that skirted the northern end of the city of Qum, they halted at the village of Qumrud, which was owned by a relative of Muḥammad Big, and the inhabitants of which all belonged to the sect of the ‘Alíyu’lláhí. At the invitation of the headman of the village, the Báb tarried one night in that place and was touched by the warmth and spontaneity of the reception which those simple folk had accorded Him. Ere He resumed His journey, He invoked the blessings of the Almighty in their behalf and cheered their hearts with assurances of His appreciation and love. 

- Nabil  (‘The Dawn-Breakers, chapter 12)