The illustrious Shaykh [Ahmad] began to invite the people to
anticipate the advent of God’s revelation and the blazing of the Fire of Sinai.
He proclaimed, in his writings and in his lessons, that the dawn was fast
approaching and that the appearance of the promised Manifestation was imminent.
Thus did he seek to instil receptivity in the hearts of the people and admonish
them to await day and night the advent of the divine Manifestation. He became
most renowned for his knowledge and perfections, not only in Persia but
throughout the Shí‘ih world. He was mentioned at every gathering and was sought
after by all.
During his lifetime he trained and instructed Siyyid Káẓim-i-Rashtí,
and before he died he appointed him as his successor. Siyyid Káẓim followed in
the footsteps of the illustrious Shaykh and occupied himself night and day with
elucidating the inner truths and meanings and in disseminating the secrets and
mysteries of the Qur’án. He so imbued the people with anticipation for the
coming Revelation that his disciples, in their eagerness, forsook all patience
and repose and dispersed in every direction until they found the Promised One.
- ‘Abdu’l-Baha (From a talk, new resources prepared by the Baha’i World Center,
2019; Online Baha’i Reference Library)
