By: Siyyid Muhammad Tabib-i Manshadi
That same day, Muhammad-i Kalantar sent some of his men to arrest Aqa Yadullah, who was a son of Aqa Mirza Husayn. The boy, who was no more than twelve years old, was taken to the home of the Kalantar so he may also be put to death. In the ensuing gathering which this servant was also present, I told Muhammad-i Kalantar that the boy is a minor and religious laws are not applicable to him. In order to ensure his freedom, I suggested to the Kalantar to collect some money as a price for his liberty. He accepted my request, and the mother of the child was called. Upon collecting a sum, he allowed the boy to leave.
Again on that same day, the mob after killing Mirza Husayn, went to another neighborhood in the outskirts of Manshad known as Kuzh. At that time one of the believers, Aqa Ali- Muhammad, was hiding from the hands of the bloodthirsty crowd in the home of another Baha'i. Four men entered the house, located Aqa Ali-Muhammad and took him outside. One of the gunmen aimed his gun toward Aqa Ali-Muhammad's head and fired. He immediately fell to the ground at which time the rest of the crowd stoned him to death. At that moment, severely injured and breathing his last breath, a man approached him. This heartless individual opened Aqa Ali- Muhammad's mouth, filled it with sand and soil, then kicked him until he was dead. A rope was tied to his feet and he was dragged and paraded to the front door of Shattir-Hasan's home, the believer who was killed earlier at the hand of the same people. His body was left there until night time, when one of the believers gathered his remains and buried it in backyard of the same house where it remains to this day. Aqa Ali-Muhammad was forty-five years old at the time of martyrdom.
The next day, Thursday, two hours before noon, four men entered the home of Khadijih-Sultan, an elderly Baha'i woman, mother of the martyr Aqa Ghulam-Rida. They took her to the home of Muhammad-i Kalantar and requested his permission to kill her. He instructed them to take her away, thereby signalling his consent. The men took her to the top of a building in the town's center and pushed her off from the roof. The women of Manshad gathered around her body and first removed her chador and vale, after which her remains was stoned by men and women alike. Khadijih-Sultan, who was later buried in her own home, was sixty-five years old at time of her death.
The next day, Aqa Siyyid Javad, who had taken refuge in his home. One of the men from the killing mob learned of his whereabouts and went to his house, capturing Aqa Siyyid Javad and brought him out. His three young daughters who were only nine, seven and five years old, began to weep and plea with the man to leave their father alone. They even begged to be killed in place of their father. The daughters, tears pouring from their eyes, were circling the man and holding tight to their dear father. Determined to take Aqa Javad's life, the man ignored all the children's pleas and cries and used his club and kicks to separate the daughters from their father and with violently slapping them hard he forced them to let go of their father. An eager crowd having gathered and watching the whole incident, Aqa Siyyid Javad was dragged outside, tied with a rope, and with bare feet and head was taken to the home of Muhammad-i Kalantar. At that moment, when they brought Aqa Siyyid Javad, I happen to be visiting the Kalantar. Aqa Javad's countenance seemed to glow with joy and extreme happiness and certitude. He was radiating a heavenly smile as he entered the room. He was not speaking with anyone and seemed immersed in the ecstasy of his eminent martyrdom and eternal union with his Beloved. The crowd told the Kalantar that they had captured this Baha'i and with the wave of his hand the Kalantar signaled his approval for him to be taken away and be killed. The mob paraded the Siyyid to the town square. One of them fired a bullet whose immense pressure destroyed his head. Others join in by firing their guns at him and engaging in their ritual stoning, cursing and defaming of the body. Later, his remains was dropped into a well. It was an hour before noon when Aqa Siyyid Javad drank the cup of martyrdom. He was forty years old.
(to be continued)
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Translated by, and reprinted with permission of Ahang Rabbani.
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