ahhaf
Mirza Muhammad-Quli
Ustad Baqir and Ustad Ahmad
Muhammad Hana-Sab
Haji Faraju'llah Tafrishi
Aqa Ibrahim-i-Isfahani and His Brothers
Aqa Muhammad-Ibrahim
Zaynu'l-Abidin Yazdi
Haji Mulla Mihdiy-i-Yazdi
Haji Muhammad Khan
Aqa Muhammad-Ibrahim Amir
Mirza Mihdiy-i-Kashani
Mishkin-Qalam
Ustad 'Ali-Akbar-i-Najjar
Shaykh 'Ali-Akbar-i-Mazgani
Mirza Muhammad, the Servant at the Travelers' Hospice
Mirza Muhammad-i-Vakil
Haji Muhammad-Riday-i-Shirazi
Husayn Effendi Tabrizi
Jamshid-i-Gurji
Haji Ja'far-i-Tabrizi and His Brothers
Haji Mirza Muhammad-Taqi, the Afnan
'Abdu'llah Baghdadi
Muhammad-Mustafa Baghdadi
Sulayman Khan-i-Tunukabani
'Abdu'r-Rahman, the Coppersmith
Muhammad-Ibrahim-i-Tabrizi
Muhammad-'Aliy-i-Ardikani
Haji Aqay-i-Tabrizi
Qulam-'Aliy-i-Najjar
Mirza Mustafa Naraqi
Zaynu'l-Muqarrabin
Azim-i-Tafrishi
Mirza Ja'far-i-Yazdi
Husayn-Aqay-i-Tabrizi
Haji 'Ali-'Askar-i-Tabrizi
Aqa 'Aliy-i-Qazvini
Abu'l-Qasim of Sultan-Abad
Aqa Faraj
Shamsu'd-Duha
Tahirih

NABIL-I-AKBAR

There was, in the city of Najaf, among the disciples of the widely known
mujtahid, _Sh_ay_kh_ Murtada, a man without likeness or peer. His name was
Aqa Muhammad-i-Qa'ini, and later on he would receive, from the
Manifestation, the title of Nabil-i-Akbar.(1) This eminent soul became the
leading member of the mujtahid's company of disciples. Singled out from
among them all, he alone was given the rank of mujtahid--for the late
_Sh_ay_kh_ Murtada was never wont to confer this degree.

He excelled not only in theology but in other branches of knowledge, such
as the humanities, the philosophy of the Illuminati, the teachings of the
mystics and of the _Sh_ay_kh_i School. He was a universal man, in himself
alone a convincing proof. When his eyes were opened to the light of Divine
guidance, and he breathed in the fragrances of Heaven, he became a flame
of God. Then his heart leapt within him, and in an ecstasy of joy and
love, he roared out like leviathan in the deep.

With praises showered upon him, he received his new rank from the
mujtahid. He then left Najaf and came to Ba_gh_dad, and here he was
honored with meeting Baha'u'llah. Here he beheld the light that blazed on
Sinai in the Holy Tree. Soon he was in such a state that he could rest
neither day nor night.

One day, on the floor of the outer apartments reserved for the men, the
honored Nabil was reverently kneeling in the presence of Baha'u'llah. At
that moment Ha