The Báb rebuked the Attendant for his interruption and held fast to His secretary’s hand.
“Not until I have said to him all those things that I wish to say," the Báb warned the Attendant, "can any earthly power silence Me. Though all the world be armed against Me, yet shall they be powerless to deter Me from fulfilling, to the last word my intension."
The Attendant was amazed at such boldness and effrontery in a mere prisoner. He insisted that the Báb accompany him. The barracks doors were opened and the Báb was brought into the courtyard, His conversation left unfinished.
To the people of Tabriz, the Báb was no longer triumphant. The campaign of united opposition by church and state was having its effect. The Báb was now a humbled prisoner. The crowd filled the streets and people climbed on each other's shoulders the better to see this man who was still so much talked about.
Just as Jesus had entered Jerusalem hailed on all sides and with palms strewn in His path only to be mocked and reviled in that same Jerusalem within the week, in like manner the glory that had attended the Báb's first visit to Tabriz was forgotten now. This time the crowd, restless and excitable, flung insulting words at the Báb. They pursued Him as He was led through the streets. They broke through the guards and struck Him in the face. When seme missile hurled from the crowd would reach its mark the guards and the crowd would burst into laughter.
As soon as the Chief Attendant secured the death-warrant, he delivered the Báb into the hands of Sam Khan who was in charge of the Armenian regiment which had been ordered to execute Him. Sam Khan had' found himself increasingly affected by the behavior of his captive. He was seized with great fear lest his action should bring upon him the wrath of God. He approached the Báb and spoke to Him.
"I profess the Christian faith," he explained, "and entertain no ill will against you. If your cause be the cause of truth, enable me to free myself from the obligation to shed your blood."
"Follow your instructions," the Báb replied, "and if your intention be sincere, the Almighty is surely able to relieve you from your perplexity.”
Sam Khan ordered his men to drive a nail into the pillar that lay between the doors of the barracks. To the nail they made fast the ropes from which the áab and His companion, Muhammad Ali, were to bs separately suspended.
The Báb remained silent, His pale handsome face framed by a black beard and small moustache. His appearance and His refined manners, His white and delicate hands, His simple but neat garments, all seemed out of place in the midst of this scene of violence.
Muhammad Ali begged Sam Khan to place him in such a manner that his body would shield that of the Báb. He was eventually suspended so that his head rested upon the breast of his Master.
About ten thousand people had crowded onto the roofs of the adjoining houses, all eager to witness the spectacle, yet all willing to change at the least sign from the Báb. As the crowd that had passed by on Golgotha, reviling Him, wagging their heads and saying, "save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross," so , too , did the people of Tabriz mock the Báb and jeer at His impotence.
As soon as the Báb and His companion were fastened to the post, the regiment of soldiers ranged itself into three files. Sam Khan could delay the command no longer. He ordered his men to fire. In turn, each of the files opened fire upon them until the whole detachment had discharged its volley of bullets.
The smoke from the firing of the seven hundred and fifty old-style rifles was such as to turn the light of the noonday sun into darkness. As soon as the cloud of smoke had cleared away, the crowd looked upon a scene which reason could scarcely accept. Standing before them, alive and unhurt, was the companion of the Báb, Muhammad 'Ali. The Báb Himself had vanished from their sight. The cords with which they had been suspended were torn into pieces by the bullets, yet their bodies had escaped the volleys.
The soldiers tried to quiet the crowd. The Chief Attendant began a frantic search for the Báb. He found Him seated in the same room which He had occupied the night before. The Báb was completing the conversation which had been interrupted that morning by the Chief Attendant.
"I have finished my conversation with my secretary," the Báb told the Attendant. "Now you may proceed to fulfill your intention."
The Attendant was too much shaken to resume. He remembered the words the Báb had spoken that morning: "Though all the world be armed against Me, yet shall they be powerless to deter Me from fulfilling, to the last word, My intention."
The Attendant refused to continue. He left the scene and resigned his post.
Meanwhile, in the courtyard the soldiers, in order to quell the excitement of the crowd, showed the cords which had been severed by the bullets. The seven hundred and fifty musket balls had shattered the ropes into fragments and freed the two, nothing more.
L. M. Nicolas, a European scholar, wrote of this episode, "It was a thing unique in the annals of the history of humanity. The volley severed their bonds and delivered them without a scratch." M. C. Huart, a French writer, stated, "It was a real miracle... they were freed without a scratch."
Sam Khan was likewise stunned. He recalled the words the Báb had addressed to him: "If your intention be sincere, the Almighty is surely able to relieve you from your perplexity." He ordered his regiment to leave the barracks square immediately. He told the authorities that he would refuse ever again to associate himself and his regiment with any act that would involve the least injury to the Báb, even though his refusal should entail the loss of his own life.
After the departure of Sam Khan, the Colonel of the bodyguard volunteered to carry out the order for the execution. A second time the Báb and His companion were lashed to the fatal post while the firing squad formed in line before them. As they prepared to fire the final volley, the Báb spoke His last words to the gazing multitude.
"Had you believed in Me, O Wayward generation," He said, "everyone of you would have followed the example of this youth, who stood in rank above most of you, and willingly would have sacrificed himself in My path. The day will come when you will have recognized Me; that day I shall no longer be with you."
The regiment discharged the volley. The Báb and His companion gave up their lives as the bullets shattered their bodies. As Jesus had expired on the cross so that men might be called back to God, the Báb breathed His last against the barracks wall in the city of Tabriz.
The martyrdom of the Báb took place at noon on Sunday, July 9, 1850, thirty years from the time of his birth in Shiraz.
- William Sears (‘The Martyr-Prophet of a World Faith’)
