By: Siyyid Muhammad Tabib-i Manshadi
On the first day of the troubles, a group of Baha'is had taken refuge in the nearby mountains on the eastern side of the town. A certain Rajab-Ali who previously frequented the Baha'i gatherings and on occasions expressed his allegiance to the Faith and been friendly towards the believers, learned of their hiding place in the mountains. He immediately went to visit them and, as the believers trusted him, inquired about the events of recent days, asking further about the friends who had been murdered, their families and their own household and relatives who were left behind. Rajab-Ali told the Baha'is about the martyrdoms and the general disastrous condition of the believers in town. When the group asked what was to come, Rajab-Ali told them that on that day a group of gunmen had entered the town for the purpose of massacring the Baha'is and plundering their possessions. He also mentioned that is was anticipated that the following day, a few hundred townspeople will circle this hill, killing all the Baha'is who had taken refuge there. On hearing this, since they trusted this man, the believers became greatly perturbed. These refugees decided that in the middle of the night, they will descend from the hill and each traveling in a separate direction. Little did they know that Rajab-Ali was void of any spiritual qualities and was totally insincere. When they dispersed in the dead of the night, Aqa Ali-Akbar had a bad fall and broke his leg. Shattir-Hasan was also severely injured when a rock rolled over his foot. As a result, these two brothers were obliged to remain in the hills and could not disperse with others. Meanwhile, Rajab-Ali upon leaving the group, went directly to the home of the notorious Muhammad-i Kalantar, giving him a complete report of the plans of the Baha'is and the condition of the two brothers. The next morning, on the third day of the massacres, Muhammad-i Kalantar dispatched a several gunmen to the hills with instructions to find and kill the two brothers. A very large number of bloodthirsty enemies of the Faith also accompanied these evil men. Meanwhile, Shattir-Hasan, despite of his injuries, had came down the hill early at dawn to fetch some water for his brother who was in great pain. He was by a small stream when spotted by the mob. Circling him, they ascertained whereabouts of his brother. Shattir Hasan was forced to tell the group that last night while running a rock had fallen on him and cut his foot which was bleeding badly and if they follow the bloodtrail it would lead to his brother, Aqa Ali-Akbar. A number remained with him to ensure that he would not go anywhere. The rest followed the blood trail until they reached the top of the hill and saw Aqa Ali-Akbar who was very weak and could not move. When he was spotted, one of the gunmen shot him, only to be followed by a volley of subsequent bullets. After killing him, they left the body and came back down to join the rest by the water. Shattir-Hasan had some sugar candy with him which he distributed among the mob and assassins. Then he took off his outer garments and divided them among the mob. Having as such prepared himself for his martyrdom, asked if he could drink some water before they killed him. Granting him permission, Shattir Hasan replied: "Though I know you won't allow me time to drink, but I will make an attempt." As soon as he had taken a few steps towards the stream, seventeen of the gunmen shot him in the back. This was followed by round after round. In all, three volleys of shots, for a total of fifty-one bullets, pierced his beloved body. After the martyrdom, his body was left laying there by the water. Later that evening, a few of the friends placed his body in a wooden coffin and, bringing it back to Manshad, they hid the coffin in his own home for four months until it was safe to bury it in a nearby place. He was sixty years old at the time of martyrdom. Forty days after the martyrdom of Aqa Ali-Akbar, nine of the believers returned to the hills and located his body. They also placed his body in a casket and buried it in his own home in Manshad. He was Fifty-six years old at the time of his martyrdom. On Tuesday, the mob learned of the hiding place of Ali-Akbar Ibn-i Hasan, who had taken refuge in the house of his son-in-law, Ghulam-Rida. About one hour before noon, the mob rushed to the house, located Jinab-i Ali-Akbar and dragged him outside to the streets. As everyone watched and cheered, one of the gunmen shot him. This was followed by a sever blow to the head with a heavy club -- carried by one of them for this very purpose -- rendering him unconscious. The rest of the crowd at that time set upon him, stoning, clubbing and firing at him. His body then was thrown over a nearby bridge to the underpassing river and until that evening remained floating in the water when a few of the believers pulled his body out and buried him in a nearby place. Jinab-i Ali-Akbar was fifty years old at the time of martyrdom. The next morning, the crowd had learned of yet another Baha'i in hiding. This time it was Aqa Mirza Husayn, who had been hiding in the northern hills, known as Mountains of Murghistan. Around noon time, two men went up to the hills, locating and capturing Mirza Husayn. It was two hours before noon when he was brought back to Manshad and taken to the home of Muhammad-Rabi'. After asking for water, the aformentioned Muhammad-Sadiq Na`im-Abadi unsheathed a large knife, and saying: "Drink this," he then stabbed Mirza Husayn with his knife. The man then turned to the mob gathered around them saying: "O people, I had vowed to drink the blood of these Babis. Now watch me fulfill my vow." He then pulled the knife out of the body, licking all the blood off the knife. He then signaled the mob to shoot Aqa Mirza Husayn which the crazed gunmen were happy to obliged. Not being satisfied with that, the mob then circled his remains and stoned and clubbed him. After killing him in that fashion, his feet were tied by a rope and dragged in the streets of Manshad until they reached the martyr's home and there they deposited his remains. That evening, his wife took the body and quietly buried it in a nearby garden belonging to Aqa Mirza Husayn, where it remains to this day. He was sixty years old at the time of martyrdom.
(to be continued)
Previous part of Martyrs of Manshad
Next part of Martyrs of Manshad
Table of Contents for Martyrs of Manshad
Translated by, and reprinted with permission of Ahang Rabbani.
This page formatted to HTML and maintained by Al Prosser
now from West Des Moines, Iowa USA.
Drop Al a line at
alprosser19@yahoo.com with any comments.
Back to Al's Home Page