The autobiography of a Baha’i proselytizer

Monday, 01 July 2019 04:31 Written by  font size decrease font size decrease font size increase font size increase font size

Bahaismiran:

Massihullah Rahmani has mentioned the name of Mirza Yahya Zanjani in his memoirs. He has been Mr. Rahmani’s guest for several days in Zarg village to proselytize.

He said: The Excellency Mirza Massihullah! My biography is detailed. My father Mirza Majid sent me to school in childhood. I studied the holy Quran, Sa’di’s books, Boustan and Golestan and the book Heydari attack. As the old traditions of the previous schools, those who wanted their kids to be much more educated, they were encouraging their kids to continue other stages of learning. I went to the presence of another master. I learned the books “Nasabul Sabiyan”[1] and “Amthaleh”[2] and copperplate, Nasta’liq and Naskh handwritings. I was busy studying by 14 years of age. Meanwhile, my father, Mirza Majid was a poor man. He was earning a living working in a small shop next to Zanjan market (selling tobacco). So, I became the shop assistant in a cafe’

Of course, due to the intercourses of vagrant people into the cafe’ (especially a group of carters, I became immoral to such an extent that I can’t narrate it here. Meantime, my father died. All his wealth and the shop accessories were divided between my two sisters and me. My share was 35 Tumans which was spent by me for my unworthy friends. I left the café and started robbery and pickpocketing with my unworthy friends. Eventually, I was arrested: one night my friends suggested to rob one of the haberdasheries of Zanjan city. Of course, we possessed keys to do this. We opened the door and all of us who were three entered. We closed the door. We put valuable things into gunnies. At once, we figured out that the shop door had been locked from the other side. After a while, the door was opened and five policemen entered. They closed our hands and took us to police station. We were imprisoned for six months.

After 6 months, we got free. I worked in one of the caravanserais of Zanjan city assisted by my paternal uncle, Mirza Abdul Rahman. I was fired because three packs of hedysarum had been robbed at night and they considered me guilty.

When I was fired, I couldn’t be in Zanjan city anymore. I went to Hamadan city to work at one of the Iran mines. My job was attracted by one of the mine lords called Bemanullah Yazdani. He said: where are you from? I said: I am from Zanjan city. He said: Bravo! Bravo! He said: Are you learned? I said: a bit. He asked: Are you married? I said: No. He said: come to our house tonight. I said: Ok.

 

How I turned to Baha’ism and became a proselytizer:

The first part of the night when my watching finished when went off towards the lord’s house. He took me to a place where there were many men and women at night. An old man stood and gave speech about Baha’ism for them. In brief, after several sessions they deceived me and made me formally Baha’i[3]. They taught me the method of proselytizing gradually to become skillful. So that, several nights when the proselytizer were coming late, I myself proselytize Baha’ism. After eleven months, Mr. Bemanullah Yazdani made his daughter get married with me according called Rouh Angiz to the Baha’i contract.

After a while, I got one of the proselytizers supported by the Excellency Bemanullah. They issued my proselytizing order. I have been a proselytizer for 23 years. I have traveled to Ardakan, Taft, Yazd, Shiraz, Isfahan, Najaf Abad, Neyshabour, Kashmar, Torbat Heydariyeh, Ferdows, Zarg Boshrouyeh. At that moment, he asked: Do you proselytize based on your belief or on earning a living?

Mirza Yahya laughed loudly and said: Mr. Rahmani, it is surprizing! I narrated my biography for you at first. I love proselytizing like cheating. Of course, proselytizing is easier than it. Everybody respects me when I arrived each city. They give me the best lunch and dinner.

 


[1] It is a small Arabic to Persian dictionary.

[2] It is the syntax of Arabic verbs which the scholars of religious sciences read it.

[3] It means that a person who becomes Baha’i will receive Baha’i ID card. It is called Tasjil.

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