e taught with an eloquent tongue.

As Tahirih became celebrated throughout Karbila, and the Cause of His
Supreme Holiness, the Bab, spread all over Persia, the latter-day 'ulamas
arose to deny, to heap scorn upon, and to destroy it. They issued a fatva
or judgment that called for a general massacre. Tahirih was one of those
designated by the evil 'ulamas of the city as an unbeliever, and they
mistakenly thought her to be in the home of _Sh_amsu'd-Duha. They broke
into _Sh_ams's house, hemmed her in, abused and vilified her, and
inflicted grievous bodily harm. They dragged her out of the house and
through the streets to the bazar; they beat her with clubs; they stoned
her, they denounced her in foul language, repeatedly assaulting her. While
this was going on, Haji Siyyid Mihdi, the father of her distinguished
husband, reached the scene. "This woman is not Tahirih!" he shouted at
them. But he had no witness to prove it,(110) and the farra_sh_es, the
police and the mob would not let up. Then, through the uproar, a voice
screamed out: "They have arrested Qurratu'l-'Ayn!" At this, the people
abandoned _Sh_amsu'd-Duha.

Guards were placed at the door of Tahirih's house and no one was allowed
to enter or leave, while the authorities waited for instructions from
Ba_gh_dad and Constantinople. As the interval of waiting lengthened out,
Tahirih asked for permission to leave for Ba_gh_dad. "Let us go there
ourselves," she told them. "We are resigned to everything. Whatever
happens to us is the best that can happen, and the most pleasing." With
government permission, Tahirih, the Leaf of Paradise, her mother and
_Sh_amsu'd-Duha all left Karbila and traveled to Ba_gh_dad, but the
snake-like mass of the populace followed them for some distance, stoning
them from a little way off.

When they reached Ba_gh_dad they went to live at the house of _Sh_ay_kh_
Muhammad-i-_Sh_ibl, the father of Muhammad-Mustafa; and since many crowded
the doors there was an uproar throughout that quarter, so that Tahirih
transferred her residence elsewhere, to a lodging of her own, where she
continually taught the Faith, and proclaimed the Word of God. Here the
'ulamas, _sh_ay_kh_s and others would come to listen to her, asking their
questions and receiving her replies, and she was soon remarkably well
known throughout Ba_gh_dad, expounding as she would the most recondite and
subtle of theological themes.

When word of this reached the government authoriti