the
Companion on high. Aqa Muhammad-Baqir and Aqa Muhammad-Isma'il, the Tailor

These were two brothers who, in the path of God, captives along with the
rest, were shut in the Akka fortress. They were brothers of the late
Pahlavan Rida. They left Persia and emigrated to Adrianople, hastening to
the loving-kindness of Baha'u'llah; and under His protection, they came to
Akka.

Pahlavan Rida--God's mercy and blessings and splendors be upon him; praise
and salutations be unto him--was a man to outward seeming untutored, devoid
of learning. He was a tradesman, and like the others who came in at the
start, he cast everything away out of love for God, attaining in one leap
the highest reaches of knowledge. He is of those from the earlier time. So
eloquent did he suddenly become that the people of Ka_sh_an were
astounded. For example this man, to all appearances unschooled, betook
himself to Haji Muhammad-Karim _Kh_an in Ka_sh_an and propounded this
question:

"Sir, are you the Fourth Pillar? I am a man who thirsts after spiritual
truth and I yearn to know of the Fourth Pillar."(96)

Since a number of political and military leaders were present, the Haji
replied: "Perish the thought! I shun all those who consider me the Fourth
Pillar. Never have I made such a claim. Whoever says I have, speaks
falsehood; may God's curse be on him!"

A few days later Pahlavan Rida again sought out the Haji and told him:
"Sir, I have just finished your book, Ir_sh_adu'l-'Avam (Guidance unto the
Ignorant); I have read it from cover to cover; in it you say that one is
obligated to know the Fourth Pillar or Fourth Support; indeed, you account
him a fellow knight of the Lord of the Age.(97) Therefore I long to
recognize and know him. I am certain that you are informed of him. Show
him to me, I beg of you."

The Haji was wrathful. He said: "The Fourth Pillar is no figment. He is a
being plainly visible to all. Like me, he has a turban on his head, he
wears an 'aba, and carries a cane in his hand." Pahlavan Rida smiled at
him. "Meaning no discourtesy," he said, "there is, then, a contradiction
in Your Honor's teaching. First you say one thing, then you say another."

Furious, the Haji replied: "I am busy now. Let us discuss this matter some
other time. Today I must ask to be excused."

The point is that Rida, a man considered to be unlettered, was able, in an
argument, to best such an erudite "Fourth Pillar." In the phrase of
Allamiy-i-Hilli,