The Sifter of Wheat

By Bob Rosenkranz

A few years back I met Vahid.  When I asked him where he came from, he shared, “My heritage goes back to the Sifter of Wheat – Ja’far.” I knew of Ja’far for I had read about this honored man in the Baha’i sacred books. Ja’far had a heart like Peter in the Bible. Peter—a simple fisherman—upon hearing the word of Christ, left his fishing and aided the Lord of his age. Centuries later, Ja’far, a humble wheat sifter, did the same.

Unlike his sifter forefather, Vahid is an educated professional, raised in America. He tells of his forefather with an air of reverence and humility:

More than a century ago the young sifter threw wheat into the air with his sieve. Catching the heavier wheat he watched the lighter chaff float away. Sifting wheat was a menial job and labor intensive. A more educated person might not have taken such work. Yet, for Ja’far, sifting the good from the bad was in his heart as well as his occupation. He watched the chaff fly as he skillfully caught the wheat in his sieve while simultaneously preparing to toss it again…separating the best from the least. In one of those tosses he heard someone say the name of a new Divine Teacher who brought the latest word from God. The name was “the Báb.” Immediately Ja’far left the wheat. He became the first follower of the Báb in Isfahan. He had sifted the greatest truth from the entire population of Isfahan with the sieve of his heart. And so Ja’far spent the short remainder of his life serving his lord the Bab. Ja’far’s life ended as he protected his people and his faith in a defensive battle at the Fort of Shayk Tabarsi.

Vahid stressed that it was important to learn two things from this story. First a soul without any formal education can recognize the Lord of the Age. And second as we embrace God’s Perfect Reflection on earth, we become descendants of such pure souls as Ja’far.

To Baha’is, the Báb is the first of the twin Perfect Reflections of God promised in all the sacred books. He was the Forerunner of Bahá'u'lláh, the Messenger of God for this age.  Both have been prophesized in all religions. “Baha’i” means follower of Baha’u’llah.