Muhammad Big - a dramatic reading or one-man play
My name is Muhammad Big and I was the one responsible for taking the Bab, the Light of God, to the ends of the earth, to the horrible prison, Máh Kú. At first, I was not a believer, just a soldier in charge of a group of guards. But events along the journey changed my mind and then my heart. We were proceeding to Mílán, a village near Tabriz which is on the road to Máh Kú, where many of the inhabitants came to see His Holiness, and were filled with wonder at the majesty and dignity of that Lord of Mankind. In the morning, as we were setting out from Mílán, an old woman brought a scald-headed child, whose head was so covered with scab that it was white down to the neck, and entreated His Holiness to heal him. The guards would have forbidden her, but His Holiness prevented them and called the child to Him. He then drew a handkerchief over its head and repeated certain words; which He had no sooner done than the child was healed. And in that place about 200 persons believed and underwent a true and sincere conversion....and I was one of them.
On leaving Mílán, while we were on the road, His Holiness suddenly urged his horse into so swift a gallop that all the horseman composing of our escort were filled with amazement, seeing that His steed was the leanest of all. We galloped after Him as hard as we could, but were unable to catch up with Him, though the horsemen were filled with apprehension lest He should affect His own escape. Presently he reined in His horse of His own accord, and, as soon as we came up to Him, He said with a smile, ‘Were I desirous of escaping, you could not prevent me.’ And indeed it was even as He said; had He desired in the least degree to escape, none could have prevented Him, and under all circumstances He showed Himself endowed with more than human strength. For example, we were all practiced horsemen, well-used to travel, yet, by reason of the cold and our weariness, we were at times hardly able to stay on our saddles. While He, on the other hand, during all this period showed no sign of faintness or weariness, but, from the time when He mounted till he alighted at the end of the stage, would not so much as change His posture or even shift His seat. As I came to believe in Him, I no longer wanted the responsibility of taking this Holy One to the prison of Máh Kú, and my task was a great burden to me. Grief stricken, I went to the Bab and asked to be forgiven. I said, “The journey from Isfahan has been long and arduous. I have failed to do my duty and to serve You as I ought. I crave Your forgiveness, and pray You to vouchsafe me Your blessings.” To this the Bab replied, “Be assured, I account you a member of My fold. They who embrace My Cause will eternally bless and glorify you, will extol your conduct and exalt your name.”
I was truly blessed to have known the Báb!