While the situation was steadily deteriorating in the
provinces, the bitter hostility of the people of Shíráz was rapidly moving
towards a climax. Ḥusayn Khán, vindictive, relentless, exasperated by the
reports of his sleepless agents that his Captive’s power and fame were hourly
growing, decided to take immediate action. It is even reported that his
accomplice, Hájí Mírzá Áqásí, had ordered him to kill secretly the would-be
disrupter of the state and the wrecker of its established religion. By order of
the governor the chief constable, ‘Abdu’l-Ḥamíd Khán, scaled, in the dead of
night, the wall and entered the house of Hájí Mírzá Siyyid ‘Alí, where the Báb
was confined, arrested Him, and confiscated all His books and documents.
- Shoghi Effendi (Chapter 1, ‘God Passes By’)