system the letters of the Arabic alphabet are assigned numerical values. The Arabic letters h ح and y ي, which compose the Arabic singular adjective meaning "living" in the phrase Letters of the Living, add up to 18, and therefore the phrase Letters of the Living refers to the number 18. There is a similar symbolism about the numerical value of the corresponding Hebrew word in Judaism. The Báb referred to the 18 Letters of the Living, along with himself, as the first Váḥid of the Bayán Dispensation. In the Abjad numerical value of the word Wáḥid (واحد) is 19. The word Wáḥid means "One". The Báb used this term as a reference to God and his Manifestations. The Letters The Letters are listed here in the order given by Nabíl in The Dawn-Breakers, and supported by Qatíl al-Karbalá'í except where indicated: Mullá Hụsayn First Letter of the Living, present at the night of the Declaration of the Báb celebrated as a holy day by Baháʼís, and who died at Battle of Fort Tabarsi. Muḥammad-Ḥasan Bus͟hrú'í Muḥammad-Ḥasan Bus͟hrú'í was the second Letter of the Living, and the brother of Mullá Husayn. He, his sons, Muḥammad-Báqir Bus͟hrú'í, and Mullá Ḥusayn travelled to Shiraz in search of the Qá'im; where the Báb revealed his message. He was killed during the Battle of Fort Tabarsi. Bábís consider him a martyr. Muḥammad-Báqir Bus͟hrú'í Muḥammad-Báqir Bus͟hrú'í was the third Letter of the Living, and the nephew of Mullá Husayn. He and Muḥammad-Ḥasan Bus͟hrú'í (his father) travelled with his uncle Mullá Ḥusayn to Shiraz in search of the Qá'im where the Báb revealed his message. He was killed in the fighting at the Battle of Fort Tabarsi. Bábís consider him a martyr. Mullá ʻAlí Basṭámí This first Bábí martyr. Mullá K͟hudá-Bak͟hs͟h Qúc͟hání Later named Mullá ʻAlí(*) "He died a natural death, but his son Mashiyyatu'llah later met with martyrdom in his youth." (H.M. Balyuzi, The Bab - The Herald of the Day of Days, p. 27) Mullá Ḥasan Bajistání Mullá Ḥasan Bajistání was the sixth Letter of the Living. Siyyid Ḥusayn Yazdí Siyyid Ḥusayn Yazdí was the seventh Letter of the Living. He is known as the Báb's amanuensis who shared his imprisonment in Maku and then Chihriq. In the story of the Báb's execution, he is the secretary that the Báb spoke to before being taken away to be shot. Siyyid Ḥusayn Yazdí was executed