oceed to _Sh_iraz and
personally investigate this matter.(5)

When the above-mentioned Siyyid arrived at _Sh_iraz he interviewed the Bab
three times. In the first and second conferences questioning and answering
took place; in the third conference he requested a commentary on the Surih
called Kaw_th_ar(6) , and when the Bab, without thought or reflection,
wrote an elaborate commentary on the Kaw_th_ar in his presence, the
above-mentioned Siyyid was charmed and enraptured with Him, and
straightway, without consideration for the future or anxiety about the
results of this affection, hastened to Burujird to his father Siyyid
Ja'far, known as Ka_sh_fi, and acquainted him with the matter. And,
although he was wise and prudent and was wont to have regard to the
requirements of the time, he wrote without fear or care a detailed account
of his observations to Mirza Lutf-'Ali the chamberlain in order that the
latter might submit it to the notice of the late king, while he himself
journeyed to all parts of Persia, and in every town and station summoned
the people from the pulpit-tops in such wise that other learned doctors
decided that he must be mad, accounting it a sure case of bewitchment.

Now when the news of the decisions of the doctors and the outcry and
clamor of the lawyers reached Zanjan, Mulla Muhammad-'Ali the divine, who
was a man of mark possessed of penetrating speech, sent one of those on
whom he could rely to _Sh_iraz to investigate this matter. This person,
having acquainted himself with the details of these occurrences in such
wise as was necessary and proper, returned with some [of the Bab's]
writings. When the divine heard how matters were and had made himself
acquainted with the writings, notwithstanding that he was a man expert in
knowledge and noted for profound research, he went mad and became crazed
as was predestined: he gathered up his books in the lecture-room saying,
"The season of spring and wine has arrived," and uttered this sentence:
"Search for knowledge after reaching the known is culpable." Then from the
summit of the pulpit he summoned and directed all his disciples [to
embrace the doctrine], and wrote to the Bab his own declaration and
confession.

The Bab in His reply signified to him the obligation of congregational
prayer.

Although the doctors of Zanjan arose with heart and soul to exhort and
admonish the people they could effect nothing. Finally they were compelled
to go to Tihran a