Mulla Muhammad Ali Zanjani was born in 1227. His father, Mulla Abdul Rahim Zanjani was one of the scholars of Zanjan city. He was of the students of Saeedul Ulama Mazandarani. He finished his education in Karbala city and came back to Iran.

     In Zanjan city, he issued surprising fatwas very much (such as sperm is clean. Bowing down on crystal is allowable. Being fast successively in three lunar months of Rajab, Sha’ban and Ramadan is permissible, supererogatory prayer and Ja’far Tayyar’s prayer are obligatory and etc.); so that the jurisconsult of Zanjan city, wrote a written complaint to Muhammad Shah and complained against him. He was called up to Tehran city. He was restricted in Muhammad Khan Kalantar’s house. Ali Muhammad Bab sent a letter for him and invited him to his faith. He accepted, too.

     After his father’s death, Hojjat went to Zanjan city and taught for 17 years. Because he was a man of greedy of honors, he assigned himself to be attached to Bab and to usurp the position of Friday Prayer leader.

     As Nabil Zarandi writes on page 550:

     “They prayed the Friday prayer in the mosque and people followed him (That is people followed Hojjat). The prayer leader opposed the Excellency Hojjat that this is my right to pray Cos I am the Friday prayer leader. My ancestors were all prayer leaders and the king has issued the order in this regard. Why do you pray the Friday prayer? The Excellency Hojjat answered back: You have been ordered by the king to be the prayer leader; but I have been ordered by Imam of the time. Nobody can deprive me of the right. If a person resists, I’ll defend too.”

     While, there weren’t the Friday prayer and the prayer leader job in Babism.[1]

     He wanted to make himself famous because he wasn’t a famous one. So, he resorted to the tradition: “the lunar month of Ramadan is thirty days and it never decreases at all.” He wrote a book called ”Reyhanat-al-Sodour“ in this field in 1259 and sent it to Muhammad Shah. This issue caused lot of commons to follow him.

     Babis and Baha’is have introduced Mulla Muhammad Ali Zanjani as one of the famous Shiite clergymen. If Nabil Zarandi’s writing regarding Hojjat Zanjani is paid attention, it can be understood that he hadn’t believed in Imam of the time (P.H.) at all. In his trial assembly in Tehran city, he formally claimed and stated: “The Household that is one of precious things left by the holy prophet (P.H.) has been disappeared and isn’t among us…[2]”. Also, investigating his behaviors and method of relationships with Babism movement indicate that he didn’t believe in Bab’s claims and he just exploited them to achieve his aims.[3] Our evidence is that: The Tabarsi fort riot happened when he was in Tehran city; but he didn’t join the fort disciples and according to the Baha’i historians he just regretted. However, he escaped towards Zanjan city immediately when he was endangered. If he could exit Tehran city, he must have gone to Mazandaran city to help other Babis since Bab had ordered: It is obligatory for all of the faithful to help the Excellency Qoddous in Mazandaran city; because Qoddous and his disciples have been surrounded by the enemy troops…[4] How could it be possible for him to return to Zanjan city if exiting was impossible? Anyway, the stewards of the government didn’t reprove him because he belonged to clergymen and scholars. He became one of Bab’s claimants when he arrived at Zanjan city. He said: “Because Bab hasn’t dominated all over the world, people aren’t charged with a duty. The Almighty God doesn’t punish anybody for his/her sin.” He considered his slogan as God is the greatest and he was saying God is the greatest instead of saying hello. Some of people from Zanjan city accepted his words and nearly 15000 people followed him.

     These fans were commons whose hearts and minds were free from Ali Muhammad Bab’s claims, Babism and Qaemism.

     Meantime, the commonplace and side events in the form of the main and complex issues caused the later adventures in Zanjan city.

     “… Two kids were quarrelling. One of them was one the followers of Hojjat’s son. The ruler of Zanjan city ordered immediately for the mentioned kid to be imprisoned… The disciples referred to the ruler and asked him to make the kid free and to receive the money they collected. Nevertheless, the ruler of Zanjan city didn’t accept… The Excellency Hojjat wrote a letter for the ruler and said the immature kid wasn’t responsible…  The ruler didn’t pay attention to Hojjat’s letter… Hojjat wrote a letter again and had the Mirza Jalil who was an influential person give the letter to the ruler… When he arrived at the governor’s seat, the gatekeepers didn’t let him enter. Mir Jalil got furious… He used his sword to hunch them aside. He went to the ruler and asked for the freedom of the kid. The ruler of Zanjan city obeyed absolutely and make the kid free.[5]”

     So, the Babis wanted to give a bride to the ruler to make an accused person free; but the ruler didn’t accept. Immediately, Hojjat sent a cutthroat to threaten the ruler to make the kid free. Later on, the ruler had to send more cutthroats to arrest Hojjat; maybe, because he was despised or the kid’s family forced him or for every reason. Hojja’s cutthroats fought with the governmental agents. This was an onset for Zanjan events.[6]

     The event started by “Muhammad Ali Hojjat” and made Zanjan city unusual and stressful. When the event was announced to the king, Amir the great suggested the king to send an efficient and capable man to be the ruler of Zanjan city to alleviate Mulla Muhammad Ali’s sedition. However, the king sent his cousin Amir arsalan Khan, Mojd-al-Doleh there but it took several months to control the sedition since he was incompetent.

     Amir Arsalan ordered for Mulla Muhammad Ali to be taken to the caliphate.

     It is written in the book “Bab’s sedition”:

     After receiving the verdict, Mulla Muhammad Ali tried to protect himself. Whenever he wanted to go to the mosque, he went with a crowd. One day, one of Mulla Muhammad Ali’s followers quarrelled with the court agents and Majduddowleh ordered him to be imprisoned. Mulla Muhammad Ali sent a message to say the man was of his relatives.

     Amir Arsalan Khan said: “Being supported by such seditious and wicked people isn’t allowable.” Mulla Muhammad Ali turned furious and issued an order bring the imprisoned person forcefully. When Amir Arsalan was informed, he got ready to fight. Thus, Mulla Ali Muhammad’s companions got ready to fight and sent those who had turned against his religion out of the city. They plundered houses and markets and made them fire. They built rifle-pit around themselves. Mulla Muhammad Ali brought glad tiding to bestow governing of the states to his relatives and made them cheerful.

     On Friday, 5th of the lunar month of Rajab fourty people of both sides were injured. Asadullah who was  Majd-al-Doleh’s Georgian slave suffered from five wounds in the battlefield and Asadullah who was Amir Dadash’s niece and Seyyed Hassan Sheikhul Islam’s son was shot and killed. In Mulla Muhammad Ali’s legion, a man called Agha Fath Ali Sheikhi was arrested. Maj-al-Doleh murdered Agha Fath Ali Sheikhi based on Agha Seyyed Muhammad and Mirza Abul Qasem Mojtahed’s decrees.

     The next day, Mulla Muhammad Ali ordered Mirza Reza Sardar and Mir Saleh Sarhang to conquer Al;I Mardan fort which was a secure place of refuge in Zanjan city. They rushed and open the fort gate and built a firm rifle-pit. After conquering the fort, Mulla Muhammad Ali ordered Mir Saleh Sarhang bravely to rush and kill Majd-al-Doleh Amir Arsalan or to arrest. On Sunday morning, Mir Saleh and his companion attacked to Majd-al-Doleh’s house. On other side, Muhammad Taqi Khan, the artillery colonel, Ali Naqi Kahn, Nasrullah Khan’s son and Mahdi Khan Khamse’i and Boyouk Khan Posht Kouhi along with Majd-al-Doleh’s troops defended. They fought severely. Suddenly, Abdullah Beyk shot and killed Mir Saleh Sarhang. The Babi troops were afraid and returned without achieving their goals. In the battle, twenty people of Majd-al-Doleh troops were injured. Several days later, they quitted fighting.

     On the lunar month of Rajab, 20, according to the order, Sadrudduleh, Hajj Muhammad Hussein Khan Isfahani’s great great grandson entered into Zanjan city from Soltanieh.

     On the lunar month of Sha’ban, 5, Seyyed Ali Sarhang Firouz Kouhi, Shahbaz Khan Maraqeh along with two hundred horsemen, Kazem Khan who was Muhammad Baqer Khan’s brother that is the head of Afshar and Mahmoud Khan Khouee along with 50 artillerymen entered into the city and built a refle-pit against Mirza Farajullah and Muhammad Wali Khan’s fort and got ready to fight. On the lunar month of Sha’ban, 20, Mirza Sotan Qourkhanehchi and Abdullah Soltan undermined towards Mashhadi piris’ rifle-pit and Majd-al-Doleh, Mozaffaruddoleh, Mirza Ibrahim Khan, Sadruddoleh, Shahbaz Khan, Muhammad Taqi Khan, Seyyed Ali Kahn and other heads and legionaries attacked that legion. Hassan Ali Khan, Boyouk Kahn Taromi Poshtkouhi’s paternal uncle was group of people injured; so the rifle-pit was conquered. Once again, they quitted fighting for several days and both sides were busy protecting themselves. When it lasted for a long time, the envoys of the government commissioned Mostafa Khan Amir Touman, the commander-in-chief’s brother. He was the brigadier-general of the 16th crops of Shaqaqi. When Mostafa Khan arrived, a troop of the legion decided firmly to rush to Mirza Farajullah’s rifle-pit. They dug a burrow towards his rifle-pit. At the night of the lunar month of Ramadan, 15, an hour before down, Mahdi Khan along with Abhar Roud partisan, Abdullah Khan who was Soleyman Khan’s son with Aryadi partisan, the 16th crops, Moqaddam horsemen, Khamseh horsemen and Angouran partisan became ready to rush. Mirza Soltan and Abdullah Soltan undermined Mirza Farajullah’s rifle-pit and made fire. Twenty Babis were killed under the ground and several Babis were arrested.

     Nazar Ali Khan Aryadi was shot and killed and 50 soldiers were injured. Shahbaz Khan was injured by Shirkhan’s sword and died after eight days. Eventually, Mirza Farajullah’s rifle-pit was conquered and the Babi group went into other rifle-pits. Mirza Taqi Khan Amir Nezam sent Muhammad Agha Hajji Yosof Khan the colonel of Naseriyeh corps and Qasem Beyk, the special shooter from Tehran caliphate to Zanjan city and ordered him to arrest and take Mulla Muhammad Ali and his companions to Tehran caliphate; otherwise, he would be punished.

     On the lunar month of Ramadan, 25, Mansour’s corps fought with a group of people from Zanjan city. The two legions fought till next day down. Among the Babi troops, Nour Ali Shekarchi, Bakhsh Ali Najjar Bashi, Khodadad, Fathullah Beik and Farajullah Beyk who were of the brave Babi troops were killed and 50 legionaries were killed, too.

     Eventually, Mulla Muhammad Ali realized that his companion have become weak; so he was forced to order for the market of Zanjan city to be made fire. When the legionaries particularly the people of Zanjan city observed the circumstance, they quitted fighting and started putting out the fire. The Babis returned and started providing legion and rifle-pit again.

     On the lunar month of Shawwal, 8, according to the king of Iran’s order, Muhammad Khan Amir Tuman with 3000 Shoqaqi’s soldiers along with special corps and six cannons and two mortar-Shells accompanied by Qasem Khan who was Fazl- Ali Khan Qarebaqi’s nephew and Aslan Khan Yavar Kharaqani and Ali Akbar Soltan Khouee entered in Zanjan city. When they arrived, he ordered Naserieh soldiers to rush from Golshan quarter and Shqaqi 16th corps to rush from the other side. The Naseriyeh corps were so quick that made the Babis blundered.

     Mulla Muhammad Ali issued an order to distribute money and things among Amir Tuman’s legion. Naseriyeh corps were busy taking properties. The Babis found an opportunity to attack and kill twenty soldiers and to keep the legion away from their rifle-pit.

     At that time, Mulla Muhammad Ali and his companions possessed fourty strong rifle-pits in which there were many groups. They connected the houses located at the back of rifle-pits according to Mulla Muhammad Ali’s order in order for his companions to see each other.

     Muhammad Khan Amir Tuman wanted to temporize, to ease the sedition and to prevent bloodshed. The other day, he decided to compromise; but it was vain.

     At that time, the commander of the army adjutant and was commissioned in the Iranian embassy to felicitate the arrival of the Russian government prince entered Zanjan city along with Mirza Hassan Khan, the minister, who was Mirza Taqi Khan’s, the commander, brother who had come to Tabriz city from Tehran. They wanted to compromise. They freed several companions of Mulla Muhammad Ali who had been imprisoned in the battlefield. They temporized with Mulla Muhammad Ali; but it was vain. Fighting started again. Naseriyeh, Mokhberan and 16th Shaqaqi corps decided to attack. Mokhberan corps captured Mulla Wali’s rifle-pit. Five people were killed under the burrow and Abdul Baqi Zanjan’s son was caught. The commander of the army ordered him to be killed. The 16th Shaqaqi corps were negligent to help Naseriyeh ones. The commander orderdd Abutaleb Khan to be lashed to die. If Amir Asalan Kahn didn’t intercede, he will be surely killed. The commander also deposed Sadruduleh and appointed Farrokh Khan, Yahya Khan Tabrizi’s son as the brigadier-general of Khamseh cavalry instead of Mostafa Khan Qajar. On Zulqa’deh, 4th, Farrokh Kahn entered Zanjan city.

     Meantime, Farrokh Khan was informed of his father, Yahya Khan’s death. After mourning, he fought courageously. At that time, Ali Khan who was the commander of the 4th corps of Tabriz and Hassan Ali Khan, the minister plenipotentiary of the Iranian government who was the brigadier-general of Garous corps of that time and Muhammad Morad Kahn Bayat with Zarand corps arrived the city and surrounded.

     They left a path open in the city for those who regretted and wanted to escape.

     A great war happened. Mulla Muhammad Ali’s male and female companions fought. They misleadingly hid properties in great supply in their houses. When the soldiers followed them into the houses, they suddenly took the guns out of the burrows and killed the soldiers.

     It was surprising thatthere was a 16-years-old girl in Mulla Muhammad Ali’s rifle-pit. She was arming Mulla Ali Muhammad’s companion guns agilely. To sum up, at the middle of the battle, Farrokh Kahn, Yahya Khan’s son received an order from Mirza Taqi Khan, the commander an order from concerning being satisfactory with Farrokh Khan. Reading the letter, Farrokh Khan got so cheerful and decided to serve more noticeably. At the night of the lunar month of Zulhajjeh, 16, Mulla Muhammad Ali’s several companions came to Farrokh Khan and said cunningly: we know a way from Qazvin gate to achieve Mulla Muhammad Ali’s house easily. We will leave him along with one hundred companions with you on the condition that you hide the secret.

     Farrokh Khan was deceived. He headed off towards the Babis’ rifle-pit along with one hundred horsemen. The Babis were aware of the way. They made several rifle-pits empty to take Farrokh Khan and his companions in order for them not to have any opportunity to escape. Suddenly, Mulla Muhammad Ali’s companions came out from four sides and shot them. They captured Farrokh Khan along with 12 horsemen. Major Ismaeel and minor Ismaeel who were first Babis and had escaped and been refuged to Majd-al-Doleh were along with Farrokh Khan. They were captured, too. All of them were taken to Mulla Muhammad Ali. The horsemen’s head were cut. It is written in the books Nikola and Kawakeb-al-Dorriyeh: “Let E’tezad-al-Saltaneh and other historians’ narrations are the same. However, the Babis say that Major Ismaeel and minor Ismaeel were propelled because they were stone-hearted. For this reason, they wanted to hand over Mulla Muhammad Ali to Farrokh Khan. Nevertheless, at the middle of the way they were appeared because it was moonlit. A woman killed Farrokh Kahn with their maternal uncle Nour Ali Babi.

     It has been said that most people were trading when they rested. When one of the fort soldiers gave a piece of meat to one of Babis, the person wanted to pay. Then he threw Ismaeel’s dismembered head in his presence.”

     Mulla Muhammad Ali said to major Ismaeel and minor Ismaeel angrily: “A person who turns against God, God will punish him/her.” Next, he cursed Farrokh Khan and ordered for fire to be burnt and for some pieces of irons to be caused to glow. They put the hot pieces of irons on his body and slaughtered him. Then, he cut major Ismaeel and minor Ismaeel and Farrokh Khan’s heads and threw into the battlefield. At that battle, Baba Khan Yavar and several other people from the corps dignitaries were killed. After that, Mulla Muhammad Ali ordered for their dead bodies to be made fire.

     When the king of Iran was informed of Farrokh Khan’s murder, he ordered Bab Beyk Yavar to head off towards Zanjan city with 18 cannons. After Baba Beyk Yavar entered into Zanjan city, all the legionaries surrounded Mulla Muhammad Ali’s house.

     First, Garous corps rushed Ali Morad Kahn Fort and conquered it. Then, the forth corps captured Agha Aziz’s house near Mulla Muhammad Ali’s one and took each windfalls plundered and collected there.

     Khasseh corps rushed the stone caravanserai from Hamadan city gate. At that war, 20 companions of Mulla Muhammad Ali were captured. Their heads were cut next to Zolfaqar Khan’s fort according to Majd-al-Dolleh’s order. After this conquest, Mulla Muhammad Ali’s legion got weak. Mulla Muhmmad Ali’s several companions escaped via Qazvin gate to Tehran city and then to Dizaj, Zanjan. The people of Dizaj city united and took then to Zanjan city. Majd-al-Doleh killed Fath Ali Shekarchi and Najaf Qoli Ahangar and imprisoned the others . They dominated Mulla Muhammad Ali, too.

     After that event, Mulla Muhammad Ali was straitened. He fought along with his companions.

     At that event, Hajj Ahmad Shaneh Saz and Hajj Abdullah Khabbaz who hoped to be appointed as Egypt and Hijaz governors were shot and killed. Meantime, Mulla Muhammad Ali was shot on his arm. His companions picked him up and took home to cure. They continue fighting.

     After a week, Mulla Muhammad Ali said: “I will be killed due to the injury. Don’t be distressed after my death. Fight with enemy. I’ll be restored to after fourty days.”

     Necessarily, he was buried with his cloth. His sword was put next to him. Several injured people died, too. After Mulla Muhammad Ali’s death, one of his relatives called Din Muhammad took over Babis’ leadership. Mulla Muhammad Ali died on the lunar of Rabiul-Avval, 5, 1267 A.H.; nineteen days after being shot. Din Muhammad buried him in his room night. He destroyed the room, then to hide the issue.

     Mulla Muhammad Ali’s several companions wrote a letter for Majd-al-Dolleh and Amir Tuman concerning the issue that if you gave quarter, they would join his legion and quit fighting. He assured them and took them to his legion. They said: Mulla Muhammad Ali has died and been buried in his house.

     Majd-al-Dolleh, Amir Tuman and the army heads went to his house and found his burial site with the help of Hasit, Hojjat’s seven-year-old kid. They took the corpse out of the ground, fastened his legs with rope and turned it round the alley and bazar playing drum and bugle. They took the plundered properties hidden in the house as spoils.

     After three days, they alerted the soldiers. Majd-al-Dolleh ordered some of Mulla Muhammad Ali’s relatives to be taken to the caliphate to be murdered.

     Hojjat himself confesses that the mere aim is to capture him and all bloodshed is prevented by his surrendering; but he prevented to be surrendered. He forces people to revolt and to kill thousands of people by the name of Bab and Imam of the time.

     Nabil narrates the story:

     Page 565:

     “They forced the city ruler to order the barker to announce the citizen that everybody who obeys Hojjat and joins him, he will be in danger… Everybody must separate from Hojjat and his companions and be under the king’s support.”

     Page 566:

     “The Excellency Hojjat sat on the pulpit and addressed people with a loud voice and said: The divine power separated righ from wrong today… The mere aim of the rulers and scholars of Zanjan city is to capture me and kill. They have no aim but this. They just eager to kill me. They will leave you alone… Everybody who likes his soul and likes not to be killed in the faith path should seize the opportunity and leave here.”

     Pay attention, Hojjat could be surrendered or escape and live in a place anonymously; but he used his opportunity and position and kill them ruthlessly.

     E’ateza-al-Saltaneh writes: “When I was in Zanjan city and compiled the book “Falak-al-Sa’adat” I heard one of the people from Zanjan city said: The legion of Islam was afraid of Babism one so much that one night there were two thousand people in one the rifle-pits arranged by wood and pipe. When a cat was crossing on the pipes, these two thousand people thought it is Babism legion. All of them escaped and the rifle-pit was empty for 3 days. Next, they figured out it was a cat and returned. I also heard that Mulla Muhammad Ali was skillful and experienced in war tricks and campaign. He ordered for the wall which had separated him from the legion of Islam to thin by millstone in order to be destroyed by a slight movement. Then, he destroyed the wall and shot the legion. I also heard that Mirza Taqi Khan said: “If Mulla Muhammad Ali turned against the religion, I would appoint him as the head of legion. Because there was nobody like him in war tricks and campaign.”

     They were also saying they were making cannons by mortar and brass which were similar to the European ones. Also, Mirza Abul Qasem Mojtahed Zanjani said: If the Babism group wanted to kill the scholars, they could succeed. For instance, one night I was invited in one of my friends’ house which was located at the last parish of Zanjan city far from the Babis. At the middle of the night I came out to perform my ablutions again. I heard the voice “Allah is the greatest” I figured out they are Babis. Suddenly, two people came into the house and said to me to quit those activities. They weren’t agents; otherwise they could kill me if they liked. I was afraid; so I pretended concordance. Then, as long as the Babi were there, I didn’t go to any party.

     Mulla Muhammad Ali was born in 1227 A.H. and he was fourty when he died. He had married twice: one of his wives’ name was Soltan from Hamadan city. They had five daughters and a son. His second wife’s name was Khadijeh from Zanjan city who was killed by cannon along with her kid. After Zanjan riot ended, Soltan and her children were imprisoned in Muhammad Khan Kalantar’s house in Tehran city and then were sent to Shiraz city along with Mozaffar-al-Doleh.