The Epistle of the Báb to Mullá Asadu’lláh Qazvíní

Abstract: Presented herein is a provisional English translation of a luminous Arabic Epistle revealed by the Báb in reply to ten questions submitted by Mullá Asadulláh Qazvíní — an eminent theologian of Qazvín who, having first opposed the new Revelation, was ultimately transformed by the power of the Báb’s words into one of its ardent champions.

Revealed within the fortress of Máku on the fifteenth of Jumádá al-Ūlá, 1263 A.H. (29 March 1847 C.E.), this Epistle stands among the most profound testimonies to the majesty of the Báb’s exposition and the radiance of His servitude. In it, the Báb elucidates with incomparable clarity the divine mystery of servitude (ʿubúdiyyat) as the axis of all revelation — the perfect harmony between the sovereignty of the Manifestation and His lowliness before the Creator. He defines knowledge, deeds, and miracles not as outward attainments but as reflections of His inward certitude and divine detachment, affirming that His revealed verses constitute His supreme proof. Through His penetrating responses to the ten questions, the Báb unveils the paradox of the Manifestation’s station: exaltation concealed in humility, power revealed through submission, and divinity mirrored in servitude.

Preserved in Ẓuhūr al-Ḥaqq, vol. 3, pp. 13–16, this Epistle shines as a peerless exposition of divine knowledge and self-effacing majesty.