The “torrid conditions” of Búshihr “did not deter the Báb” from “His devotions on Fridays”

Mullá Muhammad-i-Zarandí, Nabil-i-A'zam, lays particular stress on the Báb's strict regard for His devotions on Fridays. Even the torrid conditions of Búshihr, he states, did not deter the Báb. Writers of such histories as the Násikhut-Tavárikh hostile to the Báb, have alleged that long exposure to the severe heat of the sun in that seaport, while engaged in prayers, affected His mind. They have gone on to assert that it was this derangement of mind which led Him to make extravagant claims. But Hájí Mírzá Jání of Káshán refutes any suggestion that the Báb deliberately practised austerities, or that He found Himself a ‘murshid' (spiritual guide) to direct Him along such lines. 

- Hand of the Cause Balyuzi ('The Báb - The Herald of the Day of Days')

The Báb’s Writings while in Búshihr

A.-L.-M. Nicolas maintains that the Báb was also engaged in writing and composing, during this period of His sojourn in Búshihr. He mentions a treatise, the Risáliy-i-Fighíyyih, having come from the pen of the Báb during those years. His statement is corroborated by Hájí Mírzá Habibu’lláh’s narrative:

"One day in Egypt during the time when Mírzá Abu’l- Fadl was occupied with writing his book, the Fara’id, we came to talk about the early years of the Báb, prior to His declaration, and the period when He was engaged in trading. Mírzá Abu’l-Fadl related the following to me:

'I myself heard the late Hájí Siyyid Javád-i-Karbilá’í say that when the Báb was pursuing the career of a merchant in Buúshihr, he... because of his friendship with the uncles of the Báb used to stay with them whenever he visited either Shiráz or Bushihr. One day Hájí Mírzá Siyyid Muhammad came to him with a request. "Give some good counsel to my nephew ...tell Him not to write certain things which can only arouse the jealousy of some people: these people cannot bear to see a young merchant of little schooling show such erudition, they feel envious." Háji Mirzá Siyyid Muhammad had been very insistent that Hájí Siyyid Javád should counsel the Báb to desist from writing. Hájí Siyyid Javád had however replied with these lines of verse: ‘The fair of face cannot put up with the veil; Shut him in, and out of the window will he show his visage,’ and had added: ‘We are earth-bound and He is celestial. Our counsel is of no use to Him.’” 

- Hand of the Cause Balyuzi ('The Báb - The Herald of the Day of Days')