The small town of Nayriz in southern Iran was the scene of a dramatic episode in the history of the Bab. In 1850, the great cleric Vahid and his companions entered the fort to defend themselves against the onslaught of local troops.
Excitement about the Bab’s Message had been spreading throughout Persia so the King, who was interested in spiritual questions, asked one his most trusted clerics to go and investigate the new claims and report directly back to him. The King wanted an honest assessment of the Bab.
Vahid arrived in Shiraz having decided on difficult questions that would challenge the Bab. The new Babis warned him not to be proud in his knowledge.
The Bab warmly welcomed Vahid who asked Him questions for two hours. His profound answers left Vahid embarrassed who dismissed himself, saying he would return another day. At the next interview, Vahid completely forgot the questions he had prepared only to find the Bab answering them.
For the third interview, Vahid decided to test the Bab by expecting Him to explain certain Holy verses without him bringing these up but when he entered His Presence, a great fear came into him. The Bab gently guided him to sit down and offered to answer whatever he wished. Vahid could not utter a word. The Bab proceeded to write a commentary on the holy verses Vahid had secretly. He was overcome because he realized that the Bab was the Promised One of God:
“He who had firmly resolved to confute the arguments of an obscure siyyid of Shiraz, to induce Him to abandon His ideas, and to conduct Him to Tihran as an evidence of the ascendancy he had achieved over Him, was made to feel, as he himself later acknowledged, as "lowly as the dust beneath His feet." Even Husayn Khan, who had been Vahid's host during his stay in Shiraz, was compelled to write to the Shah and express the conviction that his Majesty's illustrious delegate had become a Babi.”
(Shoghi Effendi, God Passes By)