The following was written by David Marrick in 2008:
This is the story of the final days of the Báb, who appeared in Persia in 1844 to challenge and reform the corruption of the land, and introduce to the world the appearance of Bahá'u'lláh and a new world Faith. Imprisoned in the Castle of Chihriq, he was conveyed to Tabriz for arraignment, back to the castle prison and again to Tabriz, meeting His death there in 1850. Suspended in mid-air with a disciple, He was executed by a detachment of soldiers in full view of thousands of people.
The story begins with the vision of Anis, promising him a death alongside the Báb...
Anis' Vision
Two years before His martyrdom and whilst imprisoned in the Castle of Chihriq, the Báb's message was spreading in that foremost of cities, Tabriz. There, a youth named Anis had the greatest fortune to hear it, and from that moment on he was overtaken with a longing to sacrifice himself for the message of the Báb. His stepfather, a notable of the city, deplored his state and the trouble it brought his honour, and forcefully confined the young Anis to his house. He placed a watch over him so that Anis could not leave the city to meet the Báb, and he languished in this confinement, tears continually raining from his eyes.
In due course the Báb was brought to this very city where, before the 15-year-old Crown Prince and his panel, instead of recanting, the Báb announced His station publicly and was beaten and returned to the Castle of Chihriq.
One day as Anis languished in despair in his confinement, he was in deep communion with the Báb, and the Báb appeared before him, in a vision of indescribable beauty, power and majesty. From that day on, this vision forever in his heart, Anis' became constantly filled with serenity and joy. In the vision, the Báb had told him how He would Himself be suspended before the eyes of the multitude in that same city and fall to the fire of the enemy, and that none but Anis would be chosen to share His martyrdom. "Rest assured," were the Báb's closing words, "that this promise which I give you shall be fulfilled."
One of his stepfather's relatives who was a follower of the Báb was able to persuade Anis to be patient and keep everything close within his heart, and in doing this he arranged for Anis' freedom.
In Chihriq
The Báb continued to be in prison within the Castle, at work and prayer, unalterably gentle. The King of Persia passed away, and was succeeded by the Crown Prince, who being so young relied entirely upon his new Prime Minister, who was most hostile to the Báb.
The Báb, seeing His fate approach, gathered together all His letters, documents, seals and other private possessions into a chest, and entrusted them with the key and a letter to one of the Letters of the Living for taking to one of His secretaries, urging the utmost confidentiality and care. That Living Letter after much journeying caught up with the secretary in his rented house. When he opened the chest they found among its items a spotless scroll of blue paper, of the most delicate texture that caused everyone to marvel, for on it the Báb had written, in the shape of a man-shaped star, hundreds of derivatives of the word "Bahá", so finely written that they appeared like a single wash of ink as no calligraphist might ever hope to rival. Everything was carefully returned to the chest, and following the Báb's instruction, His secretary pressed on to the capital Tihran and delivered them to Bahá'u'lláh.
The land was in turmoil from the unjust treatment and persecution of the imprisoned Báb and His followers, and the Prime Minister, rather than see justice pursued, further deepened the darkness by scheming relentlessly how to destroy the Báb, planning to lead the Báb publicly across the land to the capital, humiliating Him everywhere, and making Him look a fool; but fearing the Báb would transform it all into a triumph, he decided instead to move Him away to Tabriz with a view towards His execution, although knowing the Báb had been in prison He was entirely innocent of any crime.
Tabriz - In the Prince's Hands
So the Prime Minister, with scarcely anyone daring to protest, requested the Prince governing Tabriz to transfer the Báb to his city, which was the second capital of the realm, a journey of 180 km. The Prince was kind-hearted, and brought the Báb over with respectful escort and arranged for His accommodation with one of his friends, expecting He was going to be asked to release Him home.
In three days, however, the Prime Minister's own brother arrived revealing further requests for the Governor to have the Báb assessed before the clergy. The Prince tried to arrange this meeting, but the clergy shrank from meeting the Báb, instead demanding His death, and the Prince was instead forced to arrange that same evening a meeting of his own to examine the Báb, composed of city notables in a poor position to examine the religious niceties at hand. Only the Báb's secretary was allowed to accompany Him, and the Báb was brought to the meeting in a disrespectful fashion, but the Prince went out of his way to seat Him in a position of honour. Questions and tests of a religious nature and inquiry about the upheavals in the land were made, but the meeting became heated with so many members opposed to the Báb and wishing Him to die. The Prince at its conclusion sent the Báb away home to His lodging and seeing how it was clearly going to end refused to have any more involvement with the matter, and handed the Báb's situation to the Prime Minister's brother. The official decree for the Báb's execution, the Prince told him, was a vile act which he would not perform.
In the Prime Minister's Brother's Hands
The Prime Minister's brother was about to arrange the Báb's immediate murder but instead, thinking a public execution would be much better and in view of the clergy's official condemnation still remaining to be obtained and a want of his own authority, reported back to the Prime Minister, a long distance which would take a week for the reply.
During this time, the Báb sent out Anis and several others with letters to the clergy of the city. One of these, treating the letter with contempt, led to a great disturbance as they defended the Báb, and the Prince had to put Anis and his companions in prison for a while to preserve the peace.
The reply from the Prime Minister came through, entrusting his brother with obtaining the formal condemnation and a public execution. The brother tried to communicate this to the Prince, but the Prince would not meet him and released Anis and his companions from their cell.
The Báb was led out by the brother to transfer Him to the barracks nearby, when Anis, still haggard and dishevelled from his recent release from prison, rushed into the crowd gathering around and forced his way through, breathless with excitement. Disregarding all personal peril, he flung himself at the feet of the Báb and seized the hem of His garment, passionately imploring Him to let him always be at His side. Two other companions, one also from the cell, unable to contain themselves, rushed forward, declaring their loyalty to the Báb. They were all seized and confined with the Báb in the barracks, and a large number of soldiers were placed on their guard.
In the Barracks
During their stay in the barracks, which lasted up to several days, Anis' brother continued to try to draw Anis away from the Báb so that he might return home and receive back his wife and family. Anis wrote back that he was content to die, entrusting his family to God.
On the final night before the execution, far from being downcast, the face of the Báb was aglow with joy. Unmoved by the storm raging all around Him and conscious of approaching victory, He conversed with His companions in utmost gaiety and cheerfulness.
'Tomorrow,' said the Báb to His companions, 'will be the day of My martyrdom. Would that one of you might now arise, and with his own hands end My life; I prefer to be slain by the hand of a friend, than by that of the enemy.'
Tears rained from everyone's eyes; they each made their excuses, and remained silent, for no one wished to do such a thing. But Anis sprang to his feet and announced that the Báb had requested it, and he would obey Him. The companions prevented him from achieving this. The Báb however smiled approvingly and praised Anis' devotion. He requested everyone should disown Him, so that they would be released to convey to His followers everything they knew. Anis, unable to be separated, fell at the Báb's feet and entreated the Báb to be allowed to lay down his life with Him. After much persistence, the Báb permitted Anis' request. "This same youth," the Báb consented, "will suffer with Me in martyrdom: Him will I choose to share with Me its crown. Truly, Anis will be with Us in Paradise."
The Final Morning
At sunrise on the fateful morning, the brother ordered the chief hand to conduct the Báb into the presence of the city's religious leaders and gain their condemnation. As the chief hand carried this through, he interrupted the Báb during a confidential conversation with His secretary; the Báb turned, and warned him severely: "Not until I have told him all that I wish to say, can any earthly power silence Me. I shall not be deterred from fulfilling, to the last word, My intention."
The Báb, His secretary and Anis were taken to several of the houses of the leading clergy, who attempted to induce them individually to deny their Faith or face death, and quickly issued their written demands for the Báb's death. Following this, they were taken to the government house for the final civil authorisation for the plans to proceed, and from there through the city in a parade to the barracks Square for execution.
Insults, blows and brutalities bursting out with extreme violence rained down on them for hours. The Báb walked unalterably firm, and Anis brazenly stood steadfast beside Him through this agonising and tiring ordeal, whilst the others, exhausted by long endurance, followed their instructions and renounced the Báb so that the His message could continue and were returned to the barracks. Seeing their success, Anis' young wife and little children were brought before him, hoping the rain of their tears and entreaties might conquer his resolution; but Anis remained steadfast, declaring his faith in the most forthright manner.
The Báb and Anis, in iron chains, collars clamped around their necks and barefoot, the Báb without cloak or turban, were dragged to execution by a cord with violence and taunts, stones and mud cast at them through all the teeming streets and bazaars of the city.
At length our exhausted heroes arrived at the barracks, and Anis was put back in the cell whilst the Báb was led to execution. Anis however was not content to be there, and at great insistence was brought outside to join the Báb.
The colonel was greatly moved by the godly behaviour of the Báb, and was seized with fear that he might be performing an act that would condemn him before God. "Enable me to free myself from the obligation to shed your blood," he requested the Báb. The Báb however bade him continue with his instructions, and assured him that if he were sincere the Almighty would be able to deliver him from his perplexity.
Martyrdom of the Bab