Mullá 'Alíy-i-Bastámí

Who is Mullá 'Alíy-i-Bastámí?

Mullá 'Alí-i-Bastámí was the fourth Letter of the Living in the Bábí movement. He is also probably the first and one of the best known martyrs of the early Bábí period.

According to Bahá'í tradition, Mullá 'Alí met Mullá Husayn after the latter had discovered the Báb and realised that he had discovered something. After three days of prayer and meditation, he had a vision and this was enough to convince Mullá Husayn to show Mullá 'Alí to the Báb. Mullá 'Alí accepted the Báb as the "promised one" on their first meeting.

The Báb gave him the very specific mission of leaving Persia and travelling to the holy Shi'a city of Najaf in modern day Iraq. It was here he was to announce the Báb's mission to Shaykh Muhammad Hasan, a senior member of the Shi'a clergy. He was imprisoned for heresy, and in January 1846, he was sentenced to hard labour in Istanbul's docks. He died in prison later that year and is claimed to be the first Bábi martyr.

Bábis and Bahá'ís believe that it was his effort and sacrifice that paved the way for the Báb's "dramatic" pilgrimage where he made his first public appearance as the Báb.