In 1266 A.H. [1849-1850] the trusted messenger, Shaykh
Salmán, first heard the summons of God, and his heart leapt for joy. He was
then in Hindíyán. Irresistibly attracted, he walked all the way to Tihrán, where
with ardent love he secretly joined the believers. On a certain day he was
passing through the bázár with Áqá Muhammad Taqíy-i-Káshání, and the
farráshes followed him and discovered where he lived. The next day,
police and farráshes came looking for him and took him to the chief of
police.
“Who are you?” the chief asked.
“I am from Hindíyán,” replied Salmán. “I have come to Tihrán
and am on my way to Khurásán, for a pilgrimage to the Shrine of Imám Ridá.”
“What were you doing yesterday,” the chief asked, “with that
man in the white robe?”
Salmán answered, “I had sold him an ‘abá the day before, and
yesterday he was to pay me.”
“You are a stranger here,” the chief said. “How could you
trust him?”
“A money-changer guaranteed the payment,” Salmán replied. He
had in mind the respected believer, Áqá Muhammad-i-Sarraf (money-changer).
The chief turned to one of his farráshes and said,
“Take him to the money-changer’s and look into it.”
