MullaHusayn
From Bahai9
Mulla Husayn (1813 - Feb. 2, 1849)
Mulla Husayn is one of the foremost Babi heroes. His accomplishments include being the first person to whom the Bab first declared his mission, teaching Baha'u'llah the Babi Faith, spreading the message of the Bab to most major cities in Persia, and dying a martyr at the Siege of Fort Shaykh Tabarsi. From 1841 until his death in 1949 Husayn did not maintain a home, traveling the entire time meeting the needs of the Babi Faith.
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Childhood (1813-1825)
Mulla Husayn was born and raised in Bushruyih. His father Haji Mulla Abdu'llah was a dyer and shop owner. His mother was a poetess - a rarity in a society in which women were rarely educated. Husayn attended primary school in Bushruyih until 1825.
Seminary Studies (1825-1831)
Mulla Husayn left for the Madrisihy-i Mirza Ja'far seminary school in Mashhad in 1825. While there he became attracted to unorthodox ideas and became a follower of the Shaykhi school. After venturing to Tehran and returning to Bushruyih for a brief period, Husayn left for Karbila to study under Siyyid Kazim.
Route: Mashhad, Tehran, Bushruyih, Karbala
Siyyid Kazim's Tutelage (1831-1841)
Mulla Husayn studied under Siyyid Kazim, the successor to Shaykh Ahmad and the leader of the Shaykhi school in Karbila for nine years. While in Karbila Husayn twice met the Bab but did not at the time become aware of the Bab's station.
The First Mission (1841-1844)
After studying for several years in Karbala under Siyyid Kazim, Kazim chose Husayn to undertake a journey to Isfahan to explain the Shaykhi teachings to Siyyid Muhammad-Baqir, a leading clergyman in Isfahan who needed clarification of certain Shaykhi ideas before he would lend his support. Husayn succedded at the task brilliantly. Not much is known about Husayn's First Mission, and scholars debate whether the trip required two or four years. After a seven month stay in Isfahan, Husayn wandered about Iran a bit, presenting Shaykhi teachings to clergymen wherever he went. After Isfahan, Husayn traveled to Mashhad, and possbily to Shiraz and back to Isfahan a second time. Husayn also visited his family in Bushruyih. Husayn returned to Karbala on January 22, 1844.
The Second Mission (Jan-Feb 1844 - May 22, 1844)
Siyyid Kazim died about 2 months before Husayn's return to Karbala, and upon hearing the news Husayn started a period of mourning. Kazim's dying wish was for his disciples to spread across the land in search of the Promised One, but only Husayn rose to the challenge. No one know for sure how Husayn decided where to look in his quest for the Promised One. On the evening of May 22, 1844, almost immediately upon reaching the city, Husayn's quest ended when he encountered the man who would become known as the Bab. After spending the entire evening and most of the next morning talking with the Bab, the Promised One, Husayn knew his quest was at an end.
Route: Karbala (a.January 22, 1844), Najaf, Basra (departed on boat), Bushir (arrived on boat), Shiraz (a. May 22, 1844)
The Third Mission
After all the Letters of the Living found the Bab, he gave each a mission to perform. Mulla Husayn's mission was to spread the teachings of the Bab to several cities in Persia, with Mashhad as the final stop, until the Bab returned from pilgrimage. While in Tehran Husayn sent a message, as instructed by the Bab, to the man who one day would become known as Baha'u'llah, the prophet-founder of the Baha'i Faith. Upon receiving the letter Baha'u'llah imediately became a Babi. The Bab also instructed Husayn to request an audience with the Shah, but this ended in failure.
Route: Shiraz, Isfahan, Kashan, Qum, Tehran, Mashhad, Isfahan, Shiraz
The Fourth Mission
By now, Mulla Husayn was very well known in Shiraz and the Shirazi leadership felt his presence could bring civil unrest. To avoid this, the Bab sent Husayn back to Mashhad on another teaching mission. This mission was cut short when the head of the local rebellion attempted to use Husayn to get the Babi's to back the rebellion.
Route: Isfahan, Yazd, Mashhad
The Fifth Mission
To avoid entanglement in the Mashhad rebellion, Husayn undertook a pilgrimage to Mah-Ku where the Bab was now imprisoned. He passed through Tehran and met Baha'u'llah there for the first time. Husayn then passed through Qazvin and met Tahirih for the first time. Husayn spent nine days at Mah-Ku with the Bab, the last time they were to meet.
Route: Tehran, Qazvin, Tabriz (a.March 21, 1848), Mah-Ku (d.March 30, 1848)
The Sixth Mission
In Mah-Ku the Bab instructed Husayn to travel to Barfurush to discover a "hidden secret" there. On the way to Barfurush Husayn visited Baha'u'llah a second time. In Barfurush the "hidden treasure" turned out to be Quddus (another Letter of the Living), whose exalted station Husayn recognized as above his own. Also while in Barfurush, Husayn, at Quddus' instruction, encountered the Sa'idu'l-'Ulama', a leading Barfurush clergyman. As a result of this encounter the Sa'idu'l-'Ulama' became a mortal enemy of the Bab'is. After Barfurush Husayn proceeded to Mashhad for the final time to construct the Babiyyih, the first Babi worship and teaching center, and to continue his teaching work there.
Route: Tabriz, Tehran, Barfurush, Mashhad
The Seventh Mission (- Feb. 2, 1849)
The fears Mashhadian leaders had for the presence of Husayn in their city caused civil unrest, and so Husayn agreed to go on pilgrimage to Karbala. Just as he was about to leave, Husayn received word from the Bab to go back to Barfurush, hoisting the Black Standard (a black flag, to fulfill an Islamic prophecy) along the way and teaching at every stop. Husayn and his band incited the Sa'idu'l-'Ulama' even further, and eventually Husayn and the Bab'is, 313 in all, took refuge at Fort Shaykh Tabasri on Oct. 12, 1848. On Feb. 2, 1849 Mulla Husayn was snipered when his horse became entangled in a tent rope. He died a few hours later and was buried within the Fort.
Route: Barfurush (a.October 10, 1848), Fort Shaykh Tabarsi(a. Oct. 12, 1848)
a. arrival date d. departure date
