irih
answered, "The late _Sh_ay_kh_ was a true scholar of God, and I have
learned an infinity of spiritual truths from reading his books.
Furthermore, he bases whatever he says on the traditions of the Holy
Imams. You call yourself a mystic knower and a man of God, you consider
your respected uncle to be a scholar as well, and most pious--yet in
neither of you do I find a trace of those qualities!"

For some time, she carried on heated discussions with her father, debating
such questions as the Resurrection and the Day of Judgment, the
Night-Ascent of Muhammad to Heaven, the Promise and the Threat, and the
Advent of the Promised One.(119) Lacking arguments, her father would
resort to curses and abuse. Then one night, in support of her contention,
Tahirih quoted a holy tradition from the Imam Ja'far-i-Sadiq;(120) and
since it confirmed what she was saying, her father burst out laughing,
mocking the tradition. Tahirih said, "Oh my father, these are the words of
the Holy Imam. How can you mock and deny them?"

From that time on, she ceased to debate and contend with her father.
Meanwhile she entered into secret correspondence with Siyyid Kazim,
regarding the solution of complex theological problems, and thus it came
about that the Siyyid conferred on her the name "Solace of the Eyes"
(Qurratu'l-'Ayn); as for the title Tahirih ("The Pure One"), it was first
associated with her in Bada_sh_t, and was subsequently approved by the
Bab, and recorded in Tablets.

Tahirih had caught fire. She set out for Karbila, hoping to meet Siyyid
Kazim, but she arrived too late: ten days before she reached that city, he
passed away. Not long before his death the Siyyid had shared with his
disciples the good news that the promised Advent was at hand. "Go forth,"
he repeatedly told them, "and seek out your Lord." Thus the most
distinguished of his followers gathered for retirement and prayer, for
fasts and vigils, in the Masjid-i-Kufih, while some awaited the Advent in
Karbila. Among these was Tahirih, fasting by day, practicing religious
disciplines, and spending the night in vigils, and chanting prayers. One
night when it was getting along toward dawn she laid her head on her
pillow, lost all awareness of this earthly life, and dreamed a dream; in
her vision a youth, a Siyyid, wearing a black cloak and a green turban,
appeared to her in the heavens; he was standing in the air, reciting
verses and praying with his hands upraised. At once, sh