Muhammad-Taqí came from the village of Manshad. When still
young, he learned of the Faith of God. In holy ecstasy, his mind turned
Heavenward, and his heart was flooded with light. Divine grace descended upon
him; the summons of God so enraptured him that he threw the peace of Manshad to
the winds. Leaving his kinsfolk and children, he set out over mountains and
desert plains, passed from one halting-place to the next, came to the seashore,
crossed over the sea and at last reached the city of Haifa. From there he
hastened on to Akká and entered the presence of Bahá’u’lláh.
In the early days he opened a small shop in Haifa and
carried on some trifling business. God’s blessing descended upon it, and it
prospered. That little corner became the haven of the pilgrims. When they
arrived, and again at their departure, they were guests of the high-minded and
generous Muhammad-Taqí. He also helped to manage the affairs of the believers,
and would get together their means of travel. He proved unfailingly reliable,
loyal, worthy of trust. Ultimately he became the intermediary through whom
Tablets could be sent away and mail from the believers could come in. He
performed this service with perfect dependability, accomplishing it in a most
pleasing way, scrupulously despatching and receiving the correspondence at all
times. Trusted by everyone, he became known in many parts of the world, and
received unnumbered bounties from Bahá’u’lláh.
- ‘Abdu’l-Baha (‘Memorials of the
Faithful’)
