Chapter 3
Baha'u'llah
and the New Era:
Chapter
Three: Baha'u'llah:1
The Glory of God
O
thou who art waiting, tarry no longer, for He is come. Behold His Tabernacle and
His Glory dwelling therein. It is the Ancient Glory, with a new Manifestation.
-- BAHA'U'LLAH.
Birth
and Early Life
Mirza Husayn Ali, Who afterwards assumed the title of
Baha'u'llah (i.e. Glory of God), was the eldest son
of Mirza Abbas of Nur, a Vazir or Minister of State.
His family was wealthy and distinguished, many of its
members having occupied important positions in the Government
and in the Civil and Military Services of Persia. He
was born in Tihran (Teheran), the capital city of Persia,
between dawn and sunrise on the 12th of November, 1817.2
He never attended school or college, and what little
teaching He received was given at home. Nevertheless,
even as a child He showed wonderful wisdom and knowledge.
While He was still a youth His father died, leaving
Him responsible for the care of His younger brothers
and sisters, and for the management of the extensive
family estates.
On
one occasion Abdu'l-Baha, the eldest son of Baha'u'llah, related to the writer
the following particulars about His Father's early days: -- From
childhood He was extremely kind and generous. He was a great lover of outdoor
life, most of His time being spent in the garden or the fields. He had an extraordinary
power of attraction, which was felt by all. People always crowded around Him.
Ministers and people of the Court would surround Him, and the children also were
devoted to Him. When He was only thirteen of fourteen years old He became renowned
for His learning. He would converse on any subject and solve any problem presented
to Him. In large gatherings He would discuss matters with the Ulama (leading mullas)
and would explain intricate religious questions. All of them used to listen to
Him with the greatest interest.
When Baha'u'llah was twenty-two years old, His father died, and the Government
wished Him to succeed to His father's position in the Ministry, as was customary
in Persia, but Baha'u'llah did not accept the offer. Then the Prime Minister said:
"Leave him to himself. Such a position is unworthy of him. He has some higher
aim in view. I cannot understand him, but I am convinced that he is destined for
some lofty career. His thought are not like ours. Let him alone."
Imprisoned
as Babi
When the
Bab declared His mission in 1844, Baha'u'llah, Who was then in His twenty-seventh
year, boldly espoused the Cause of the new Faith, of which He soon became recognized
as one of the most powerful and fearless exponents. He
had already twice suffered imprisonment for the Cause, and on one occasion had
undergone the torture of the bastinado, when in August 1852, an event occurred
fraught with terrible consequences for the Babis. One of the Bab's followers,
a youth named Sadiq, had been so affected by the martyrdom of his beloved Master,
of which he was an eyewitness, that his mind became deranged, and, in revenge,
he waylaid the Shah and fired a pistol at him. Instead of using a bullet, however,
he charged his weapon with small shot, and although a few pellets struck the Shah,
no serious harm was done. The youth dragged the Shah from his horse, but was promptly
seized by the attendants of his Majesty and put to death on the spot. The whole
body of Babis was unjustly held responsible for the
deed, and frightful massacres ensued. Eighty of them were forthwith put to death
in Tihran with the most revolting tortures. Many others were seized and put into
prisons, among them being Baha'u'llah. He afterwards wrote: -- By
the righteousness of God! We were in no wise connected with that evil deed, and
Our innocence was indisputably established by the tribunals. Nevertheless, they
apprehended Us, and from Niyavaran, which was then the residence of His Majesty,
conducted Us, on foot and in chains, with bared head and bare feet, to the dungeon
of Tihran. A brutal man, accompanying Us on horseback, snatched off Our hat, whilst
We were being hurried along by a troop of executioners and officials. We were
consigned for four months to a place foul beyond comparison. As to the dungeon
in which this Wronged One and other similarly wronged were confined, a dark and
narrow pit were preferable. Upon Our arrival We were first conducted along a pitch-black
corridor, from whence We descended three steep flights of stairs to the place
of confinement assigned to Us. The dungeon was wrapped in thick darkness, and
Our fellow-prisoners numbered nearly a hundred and fifty souls: thieves, assassins
and highwaymen. Though crowded, it had no other outlet than the passage by which
We entered. No pen can depict that place, nor any tongue describe its loathsome
smell. Most of these men had neither clothes nor bedding to lie on. God alone
knoweth what befell Us in that most foul-smelling and gloomy place! Day
and night, while confined in that dungeon, We meditated upon the deeds, the condition,
and the conduct of the Babis, wondering what could have led a people so high-minded,
so noble, and of such intelligence, to perpetrate such an audacious and outrageous
act against the person of His Majesty. This Wronged One, thereupon, decided to
arise, after His release from prison, and undertake, with the utmost vigor, the
task of regenerating this people. One night, in a dream these exalted words were
heard on every side: "Verily, We shall render Thee victorious by Thyself and by
Thy Pen. Grieve Thou not for that which hath befallen Thee, neither be Thou afraid,
for Thou art in safety. Erelong will God raise up the treasures of the earth --
men who will aid Thee through Thyself and through Thy Name, wherewith God hath
revived the hearts of such as have recognized Him." -- Epistle to the Son of the
Wolf, pp. 20-21.
Exile to Baghdad
This terrible
imprisonment lasted four months, but Baha'u'llah and His companions remained zealous
and enthusiastic, in the greatest of happiness. Almost every day one or more of
them was tortured or put to death and the others reminded that their turn might
come next. When the executioners came to fetch one of the friends, the one whose
name was called would literally dance with joy, kiss the hands of Baha'u'llah,
embrace the rest of his fellow believers and then hasten with glad eagerness to
the place of martyrdom. It
was conclusively proved that Baha'u'llah had no share in the plot against the
Shah, and the Russian Minister testified to the purity of His character. He was,
moreover, so ill that it was thought He would die. Instead, therefore, of sentencing
Him to death, the Shah ordered that He should be exiled to Iraq-i-'Arab, in Mesopotamia;
and thither, a fortnight later, Baha'u'llah set out, accompanied by His family
and a number of other believers. They suffered terribly from cold and other hardships
on the long winter journey and arrived in Baghdad in a state of almost utter destitution.
As soon as His health permitted, Baha'u'llah began to
teach inquirers and to encourage and exhort the believers,
and soon peace and happiness reigned among the Babis.1
This, however, was short-lived. Baha'u'llah's half brother,
Mirza Yahya, also
known as Subh-i-Azal, arrived in Baghdad, and soon afterwards
differences, secretly instigated by him, began to grow,
just as similar divisions had arisen among the disciples
of Christ. These differences (which later, in Adrianople,
became open and violent) were very painful to Baha'u'llah,
Whose whole aim in life was the promotion of unity among
the people of the world.
Two Years in the Wilderness
About a
year after coming to Baghdad, He departed alone into the wilderness of Sulaymaniyyih,
taking with Him nothing but a change of clothes. Regarding this period He write
in the Book of Iqan as follows: -- In
the early days of Our arrival in this land, when We discerned the signs of impending
events, We decided, wilderness, and there, separated and alone, led for two years
a life of complete solitude. From Our eyes there rained tears of anguish, and
in Our bleeding heart there surged an ocean of agonizing pain. Many a night We
had no food for sustenance, and many a day Our body found no rest. by Him Who
hath My being between His hands! nothwithstanding these showers of afflictions
and unceasing calamities, Our soul was wrapt in blissful joy, and Our whole being
evinced an ineffable gladness. For in Our solitude We were unaware of the harm
or benefit, the health or ailment, of any soul. Alone, We communed with Our spirit,
oblivious of the world and all that is therein. We knew not, however, that the
mesh of divine destiny exceedeth the vastest of mortal conceptions, and the dart
of His decree transcendeth the boldest of human designs. None can escape the snares
He setteth, and no soul can find release except through submission to His will.
By the righteousness of God! Our withdrawal contemplated no return, and Our separation
hoped for no reunion. The one object of Our retirement was to avoid becoming a
subject of discord among the faithful, a source of disturbance unto Our companions,
the means of injury to any soul, or the cause of sorrow to any heart. Beyond these,
We cherished no other intention, and apart from them, We had no end in view. And
yet, each person schemed after his own desire, and pursued his own idle fancy,
until the hour when, from the Mystic Source, there came the summons bidding Us
return whence We came. Surrendering Our will to His, We submitted to His injunction.
What
pen can recount the things We beheld upon Our return! Two years have elapsed during
which Our enemies have ceaselessly and assiduously contrived to exterminate Us,
whereunto all witness. -- Kitab-i-Iqan, pp. 250-252.
Opposition
of Mullas\
After His
return from this retirement, His fame became greater than ever and people flocked
to Bahdad from far and near to see Him and hear His teachings. Jews, Christians
and Zoroastrians, as well as Muhammadans, became interested in the new message.
The Mullas (Muhammadan doctors), however, took up a hostile attitude and persistently
plotted to effect His overthrow. On a certain occasion they sent one of their
number to interview Him and submit to Him certain questions. The envoy found the
answers of Baha'u'llah so convincing and His wisdom so amazing, although evidently
not acquired by study, that he was obliged to confess that in knowledge and understanding
Baha'u'llah was peerless. In order, however, that the Mullas who had sent him
should be satisfied as to the reality of Baha'u'llah's Prophethood, he asked that
some miracle should be produced as proof. Baha'u'llah expressed His willingness
to accept the suggestion on certain conditions, declaring that if the Mullas would
agree regarding some miracle to be performed, and would sign and seal a document
to the effect that on performance of this miracle they would confess the validity
of His mission and cease to oppose Him,
He would furnish the desired proof or else stand convicted of imposture. Had the
aim of the Mullas been to get at the truth, surely here was their opportunity;
but their intention was far otherwise. Rightly or wrongly, they meant to secure
a decision in their own favor. They feared the truth and fled from the daring
challenge. This discomfiture, however, only spurred them on to devise fresh plots
for the eradication of the oppressed sect. The Consul General of Persia in Baghdad
came to their assistance and sent repeated messages to the Shah to the effect
that Baha'u'llah was injuring the Muhammadan religion more than ever, still exerting
a malign influence on Persia, and that He ought therefore to be banished to some
more distant place. It
was characteristic of Baha'u'llah that, at this crisis, when at the instigation
of the Muhammadan Mullas the Persian and Turkish Governments were combining their
efforts to eradicate the Movement, He remained calm and serene, encouraging and
inspiring His followers and writing imperishable words of consolation and guidance.
Abdu'l-Baha relates how the Hidden Words were written at this time. Baha'u'llah
would often go for a walk along the bank of the Tigris. He would come back looking
very happy and write down those lyric gems of wise counsel which have brought
help and healing to thousands of aching and troubled hearts. For years, only a
few manuscript copies of the Hidden Words were in existence, and these had to
be carefully concealed lest they should fall into the hands of the enemies that
abounded, but now this little volume is probably the best known of all Baha'u'llah's
works, and is read in every quarter of the globe. The Book of Iqan is another
well-known work of Baha'u'llah's written about the same period, towards the end
of His sojourn at Baghdad (1862-1863 A.D.)
Declaration at Ridvan1
near Baghdad
After much negotiation, at the request of the Persian Government, an order was
issued by the Turkish Government
summoning Baha'u'llah to Constantinople. On receipt of this new His followers
were in consternation. They besieged the house of their beloved Leader to such
an extent that the family encamped in the Garden of Najib Pasha outside the town
for twelve days, while the caravan was being prepared for the long journey. It
was during these twelve days (April 22 to May 3, 1863, i.e. nineteen years after
the Bab's Declaration) that Baha'u'llah announced to several of His followers
the glad tidings that He was the One Whose coming had been foretold by the Bab
-- the Chosen of God, the Promised One of all the Prophets. The Garden where this
memorable Declaration took place has become known to Bahá'ís as the "Garden of
Ridvan," and the days Baha'u'llah spent there are commemorated in the "Feast of
Ridvan," which is held annually on the anniversary of those twelve days. During
those days Baha'u'llah, instead of being sad or depressed, showed the greatest
joy, dignity and power. His followers became happy and enthusiastic, and great
crowds came to pay their respects to Him. All the notables of Baghdad, even the
Governor himself, came to honor the departing prisoner.
Constantinople and
Adrianople
The journey to Constantinople lasted between three and
four months, the party consisting of Baha'u'llah with
members of His family and twenty-six disciples. Arrived
in Constantinople they found themselves prisoners in
a small house in which they were very much overcrowded.
Later they got somewhat better quarters, but after four
months they were again moved on, this time to Adrianople.
The journey to Adrianople, although it lasted but a
few days, was the most terrible they had yet undertaken.
Snow fell heavily most of the time, and as they were
destitute of proper clothing and food, their sufferings
were extreme. For the first winter in Adrianople, Baha'u'llah
and His family, numbering twelve persons, were accommodated
in a small house of three rooms, comfortless and vermin
infested. In the spring they were given a more comfortable
abode. They remained in Adrianople over four and a half
years. Here Baha'u'llah resumed His teaching and gathered
about Him a large following. He publicly announced His
mission and was enthusiastically accepted by the majority
of the Babis, who were known thereafter as Bahá'ís.
A minority, however, under the leadership of Baha'u'llah's
half brother, Mirza Yahya, become violently opposed
to Him and joined with their former enemies, the Shi'ihs,
in plotting for His overthrow. Great troubles ensued,
and at last the Turkish Government banished both Babis
and Bahá'ís from Adrianople, exiling Baha'u'llah
and His followers to Akka, in Palestine, where they
arrived (according to Nabil)1
on August 31, 1868, while Mirza Yahya and his party
were sent to Cyprus.
Letters
to Kings
About this time Baha'u'llah wrote His famous letter
to the Sultan of Turkey, many of the crowned heads of
Europe, the Pope, and the Shah of Persia. Later, in
His Kitab-i-Aqdas2
He addressed other sovereigns, the rulers and Presidents
of America, the leaders of religion in general and the
generality of mankind. To all, He announced His mission
and called upon them to bend their energies to the establishment
of true religion, just government and international
peace. In His letter to the Shah He powerfully pleaded
the cause of the oppressed Babs and asked to be brought
face to face with those who had instigated their persecution.
Needless to say, this request was not complied with;
Badi', the young and devoted Bahá'í who
delivered the letter of Baha'u'llah, was seized and
martyred with fearful tortures, hot bricks being pressed
on his flesh!
In
the same letter Baha'u'llah gives a most moving account of His own sufferings
and longings: O
King, I have seen in the way of God what no eye hath seen and no ear hath heard.
Friends have disclaimed me; ways are straitened unto me; the pool of safety is
dried up; the plain of ease is [scorched] yellow. How many calamities have descended,
and how many will descend! I walk advancing toward the Mighty, the Bounteous,
while behind me glides the serpent. My eyes rain down tears until my bed is drenched;
but my sorrow is not for myself. By God, my head longeth for the spears for the
love of its Lord, and I never pass by a tree but my heart addresseth it [saying],
"O would that thou wert cut down in my name and my body were crucified upon thee
in the way of my Lord;" yea, because I see mankind going astray in their intoxication,
and they know it not: they have exalted their lusts, and put aside their God,
as though they took the command of God for a mockery, a sport, and a plaything;
and they think that they do well, and that they are harboured in the citadel of
security. The matter is not as they suppose: to-morrow they shall see what they
[now] deny.
We are about to shift from this most remote place of banishment [Adrianople] unto
the prison of Acre. And, according to what they say, it is assuredly the most
desolate of the cities of the world, the most unsightly of them in appearance,
the most detestable in climate, and the foulest in water; it is as though it were
the metropolis of the owl; there is not heard from its regions aught save the
sound of its hooting. And in it they intend to imprison the servant, and to shut
in our faces the doors of leniency and take away from us the good things of the
life of the world during what remaineth of our days. By God, though weariness
should weaken me, and hunger should destroy me, though my couch should be made
of the hard rock and my associates of the beasts of the desert, I will not blench,
but will be patient, as the resolute and determined are patient, in the strength
of God, the King of Pre-existence, the Creator of the nations; and under all circumstances
I give thanks unto God. And we hope of His graciousness (exalted is He) ... that
He will render [all men's] faces sincere toward Him, the Mighty,
the Bounteous. Verily He answereth him who prayeth unto Him, and is near unto
him who calleth on Him. And we ask Him to make this dark calamity a buckler for
the body of His saints, and to protect them thereby from sharp swords and piercing
blades. Through affliction hath His light shone and His praise been bright unceasingly:
this hath been His method through past ages and bygone times. A Traveller's Narrative
(Episode of the Bab), pp. 145-147.
Imprisonment
in Akka
At that time Akka (Acre) was a prison city to which
the worst criminals were sent from all parts of the
Turkish Empire. On arriving there, after a miserable
sea journey, Baha'u'llah and His followers, about eighty
to eighty-four in number, including men, women and children,
were imprisoned in the army barracks. The place was
dirty and cheerless in the extreme. There were no beds
or comforts of any sort. The food supplied was wretched
and inadequate, so much so that after a time the prisoners
begged to be allowed to buy their food for themselves.
During the first few days the children were crying continually,
and sleep was almost impossible. Malaria, dysentery
and other diseases soon broke out, and everyone in the
company fell sick, with the exception of two. Three
succumbed to their sickness, and the sufferings of the
survivors were indescribable.1
This rigorous imprisonment lasted for over two years, during which time none of
the Bahá'ís were allowed outside the prison door, except four men, carefully guarded,
who went out daily to buy food. During
the imprisonment in the barracks, visitors were rigidly excluded. Several of the
Bahá'ís of Persia came all the way on foot for the purpose of seeing their beloved
leader, but
were refused admittance within the city walls. They used to got to a place on
the plain outside the third moat, from which they could see the windows of Baha'u'llah's
quarters. He would show Himself to them at one of the windows and after gazing
on Him from afar, they would weep and return to their homes, fired with new zeal
for sacrifice and service. Restrictions
Relaxed At
last the imprisonment was mitigated. A mobilization of Turkish troops occurred
and the barracks were required for soldiers. Baha'u'llah His family were transferred
to a house by themselves and the rest of the party were accommodated in a caravanserai
in the town. Baha'u'llah was confined for seven more years in this house. In a
small room near that in which He was imprisoned, thirteen of His household, including
both sexes, had to accommodate themselves as best they could! In the earlier part
of their stay in this house they suffered greatly from insufficiency of accommodation,
inadequate food supply and lack of the ordinary conveniences of life. After a
time, however, a few additional rooms were placed at their disposal and they were
able to live in comparative comfort. From the time Baha'u'llah and His companions
left the barracks, visitors were allowed to see them, and gradually the severe
restrictions imposed by the Imperial firmans were more and more left in abeyance,
although now and then reimposed for a time. Prison
Gates Opened
Even when the imprisonment was at its worst, the Bahá'ís were not dismayed, and
their serene confidence was never shaken. While in the barracks at Akka, Baha'u'llah
wrote to some friends, "Fear not. These doors shall be opened. My tent shall be
pitched on Mount Carmel, and the utmost joy shall be realized." This declaration
was a great source of consolation to His followers, and in due course it was literally
fulfilled. The story of how the prison doors were opened had best be told
in the words of Abdu'l-Baha, as translated by His grandson, Shoghi Effendi: --
Baha'u'llah
loved the beauty and verdure of the country. One day
He passed the remark: "I have not gazed on verdure for
nine years. The country is the world of the soul, the
city is the world of bodies." When I heard indirectly
of this saying I realized that He was longing for the
country, and I was sure that whatever I could do towards
the carrying out of His wish would be successful. There
was in Akka at that time a man called Muhammad Pasha
Safwat, who was very much opposed to us. He had a palace
called Mazra'ih, about four miles north of the city,
a lovely place, surrounded by gardens and with a stream
of running water. I went and called on this Pasha at
his home. I said: "Pasha, you have left the palace empty,
and are living in Akka." He replied: "I am an invalid
and cannot leave the city. If I go there it is lonely
and I am cut off from my friends." I said: "While you
are not living there and the place is empty, let it
to us." He was amazed at the proposal, but soon consented.
I got the house at a very low rent, about five pounds
per annum, paid him for five years and made a contract.
I sent laborers to repair the place and put the garden
in order and had a bath built. I also had a carriage
prepared for the use of the Blessed Beauty.1
One day I determined to go and see the place for myself.
Notwithstanding the repeated injunctions given in successive
firmans that we were on no account to pass the limits
of the city walls, I walked out through the City Gate.
Gendarmes were on guard, but they made no objection,
so I proceeded straight to the palace. The next day
I again went out, with some friends and officials, unmolested
and unopposed, although the guards and sentinels stood
on both sides of the city gates. Another day I arranged
a banquet, spread a table under the pine trees of Bahji,
and gathered round
it the notables and officials of the town. In the evening
we all returned to the town together.
One
day I went to the Holy Presence of the Blessed Beauty and said: "the palace at
Mazra'ih is ready for You, and a carriage to drive You there." (At that time there
were no carriages in Akka or Haifa.) He refused to go, saying: "I am a prisoner."
Later I requested Him again, but got the same answer. I went so far as to ask
Him a third time, but He still said "No!" and I did not dare to insist further.
There was, however, in Akka a certain Muhammadan Shaykh, a well-known man with
considerable influence, who loved Baha'u'llah and was greatly favored by Him.
I called this Shaykh and explained the position to him. I said, "You are daring.
Go tonight to His Holy Presence, fall on your knees before Him, take hold of His
hands and do not let go until He promises to leave the city!" He was an Arab.
... He went directly to Baha'u'llah and sat down close to His knees. He took hold
of the hands of the Blessed Beauty and kissed them and asked: "Why do you not
leave the city?" He said: "I am a prisoner." The haykh replied: "God forbid! Who
has the power to make you a prisoner? You have kept yourself in prison. It was
your own will to be imprisoned, and now I beg you to come out and go to the palace.
It is beautiful and verdant. The trees are lovely, and the oranges like balls
of fire!" As often as the Blessed Beauty said: "I am a prisoner, it cannot be,"
the Shaykh took His hands and kissed them. For a whole hour he kept on pleading.
At last Baha'u'llah said, "Khayli khub (very good)" and the Shaykh's patience
and persistence were rewarded. He came to me with great joy to give the glad news
of His Holiness's consent. In spite of the strict firman of Abdu'l-'Aziz which
prohibited my meeting or having any intercourse with the Blessed Perfection, I
took the carriage the next day and drove with Him to the palace. No one made any
objection. I left Him there and returned myself to the city. For
two years He remained in that charming and
lovely spot. Then it was decided to remove to another place, at Bahji. It so happened
than an epidemic disease had broken out at Bahji, and the proprietor of the house
fled away in distress, with all his family, ready to offer the house free of charge
to any applicant. We took the house at a very low rent, and there the doors of
majesty and true sovereignty were flung wide open. Baha'u'llah was nominally a
prisoner (for the drastic firmans of Sultan `Abdu'l-'Aziz were never repealed),
yet in reality He showed forth such nobility and dignity in His life and bearing
that He was reverenced by all, and the Rulers of Palestine envied His influence
and power. Governors and Mutasarrifs, generals and local officials, would humbly
request the honor of attaining His presence -- a request to which He seldom acceded.
On
one occasion a Governor of the city implored this favor on the ground of his being
ordered by higher authorities to visit, with a certain general, the Blessed Perfection.
The request being granted, the general, who was a very corpulent individual, a
European, was so impressed by the majestic presence of Baha'u'llah that he remained
kneeling on the ground near the door. Such was the diffidence of both visitors
that it was only after repeated invitations from Baha'u'llah that they were induced
to smoke the narguileh (hubble-bubble pipe) offered to them. Even then they only
touched it with their lips, and then, putting it aside, folded their arms and
sat in an attitude of such humility and respect as to astonish all those who were
present. The
loving reverence of friends, the consideration and respect that were shown by
all officials and notables, the inflow of pilgrims and seekers after truth, the
spirit of devotion and service that was manifest all around, the majestic and
kingly countenance of the Blessed Perfection, the effectiveness of His command,
the number of His zealous devotees-all bore witness to the fact that Baha'u'llah
was in reality no prisoner, but a King of Kings. Two despotic sovereigns were
against Him, two
powerful autocratic rulers, yet, even when confined in their own prisons, He addressed
them in very austere terms, like a king addressing his subjects. Afterwards, in
spite of severe firmans, He lived at Bahji like a prince. Often He would say:
"Verily, verily, the most wretched prison has been converted into a Paradise of
Eden."
Surely, such a thing has not been witnessed since the creation of the world. Life
at Bahji
Having
in His earlier years of hardship shown how to glorify God in a state of poverty
and ignominy, Baha'u'llah in His later years at Bahji showed how to glorify God
in a state of honor and affluence. The offering of hundreds of thousands of devoted
followers placed at His disposal large funds which He was called upon to administer.
Although His life at Bahji has been described as truly regal, in the highest sense
of the word, yet it must not be imagined that it was characterized by material
splendor or extravagance. The Blessed Perfection and His family lived in very
simple and modest fashion, and expenditure on selfish luxury was a think unknown
in that household. Near His home the believers prepared a beautiful garden called
Ridvan, in which He often spent many consecutive days or even weeks, sleeping
at night in a little cottage in the garden. Occasionally He went further afield.
He made several visits to Akka and Haifa, and on more than one occasion pitched
His tent on Mount Carmel, as He had predicted when imprisoned in the barracks
at Akka. The time of Baha'u'llah was spent for the most part in prayer and meditation,
in writing the Sacred Books, revealing Tablets, and in spiritual education of
the friends. In order to give Him entire freedom for this great work, Abdu'l-Baha
undertook the arrangement of all other affairs, even meeting the Mullas, poets,
and members of the Government. All of these were delighted and happy through meeting
Abdu'l-Baha, and entirely satisfied with His explanation and talks, and although
they had not met Baha'u'llah Himself, they became full of friendly feeling towards
Him,
through their acquaintanceship with His son, for Abdu'l-Baha's attitude caused
them to understand the station of His father. The
distinguished orientalist, the late Professor Edward G. Browne, of the University
of Cambridge, visited Baha'u'llah at Bahji in the year 1890, and recorded his
impressions as follows: -- ...
my conductor paused for a moment while I removed my shoes. Then, with a quick
movement of the hand, he withdrew, and, as I passed, replaced the curtain; and
I found myself in a large apartment, along the upper end of which ran a low divan,
while on the side opposite to the door were placed two or three chairs. Though
I dimly suspected whither I was going and whom I was to behold (for no distinct
intimation had been given to me), a second or two elapsed ere, with a throb of
wonder and awe, I became definitely conscious that the room was not untenanted.
In the corner where the divan met the wall sat a wondrous and venerable figure,
crowned with a felt head-dress of the kind called taj by dervishes (but of unusual
height and make), round the base of which was wound a small white turban. The
face of him on whom I gazed I can never forget, though I cannot describe it. Those
piercing eyes seemed to read one's very soul; power and authority sat on that
ample brow; while the deep lines on the forehead and face implied an age which
the jet-black hair and beard flowing down in indistinguishable luxuriance almost
to the waist seemed to belie. No need to ask in whose presence I stood, as I bowed
myself before one who is the object of a devotion and love which kings might envy
and emperors sigh for in vain!
A mild dignified voice bade me be seated, and then continued: -- "Praise be to
God that thou has attained! ... Thou has come to see a prisoner and an exile.
... We desire but the good of the world and happiness of the nations; yet they
deem us a stirrer up of strife and sedition worthy of bondage and banishment.
... That all nations should become one in faith and all men as brothers; that
the bonds of affection and unity between the sons of men should be strengthened;
that diversity of religion should cease, and differences of race be annulled --
what harm is there in this? ... Yet so it shall be; these fruitless strifes, these
ruinous wars shall pass away, and the `Most Great Peace' shall come. ... Do not
you in Europe need this also? Is not this that which Christ foretold? ... Yet
do we see your kings and rulers lavishing their treasures more freely on means
for the destruction of the human race than on that which would conduce to the
happiness of mankind. ... These strifes and this bloodshed and discord must cease,
and all men be as one kindred and one family. ... Let not a man glory in this,
that he loves his country; let him rather glory in this, that he loves his kind.
..." Such,
so far as I can recall them, were the words which, besides many others, I heard
from Beha. Let those who read them consider well with themselves whether such
doctrines merit death and bonds, and whether the world is more likely gain or
lose by their diffusion. -- Introduction to A Traveller's Narrative (Episode of
the Bab), pp. xxxix-xl.
Ascension
Thus
simply and serenely did Baha'u'llah pass the evening of His life on earth until,
after an attack of fever, He passed away on the 29th of May, 1892, at the age
of seventy-five. Among the last Tablets He revealed was His Will and Testament,
which He wrote with His own hand and duly signed and sealed. Nine days after His
death the seals were broken by His eldest son, in the presence of members of the
family and a few friends, and the contents of the short but remarkable document
were made known. By this will Abdu'l-Baha was constituted His father's representative
and the expounder of His teachings, and the family and relatives of Baha'u'llah
and all
believers were instructed to turn to Him and obey Him. By this arrangement sectarianism
and division were provided against and the unity of the Cause assured. Prophethood
of Baha'u'llah
It
is important to have clear ideas of Baha'u'llah's Prophethood. His utterances,
like those of other divine "Manifestations," may be divided into two classes,
in one of which He writes or speaks simply as a man who has been charged by God
with a message to His fellows, while in the other class the words purport to be
the direct utterance of God Himself. He
writes in the Book of Iqan: -- We
have already in the foregoing pages assigned two stations unto each of the Luminaries
arising from the Daysprings of eternal holiness. One of these stations, the station
of essential unity, We have already explained. "No distinction do We make between
any of them." [Qur'an 2:136] The other is the station of distinction, and pertaineth
to the world of creation and to be the limitations thereof. In this respect, each
Manifestation of God hath a distinct individuality, a definitely prescribed mission,
a predestined Revelation, and specially designated limitations. Each one of them
is known by a different name, is characterized by a special attribute, fulfils
a definite Mission, and is entrusted with a particular Revelation. Even as He
saith: "Some of the Apostles We have caused to excel the others. To some God hath
spoken, some He hath raise and exalted. And to Jesus, Son of Mary, We gave manifest
signs, and We strengthen Him with the Holy Spirit." [Qur'an 2:253] ... Thus,
viewed from the standpoint of their oneness and sublime detachment, the attributes
of Godhead, Divinity, Supreme Singleness, and Inmost Essence, have been and are
applicable to those Essences of being, inasmuch as they all abide on the throne
of divine Revelation, and are established upon the seat of divine Concealment.
Through
their appearance the Revelation of God is made manifest, and by their countenance
the Beauty of God is revealed. Thus it is that the accents of God Himself have
been heard uttered by these Manifestations of the divine Being. Viewed
in the light of their second station -- the station of distinction, differentiation,
temporal limitations, characteristics and standards, -- they manifest absolute
servitude, utter destitution and complete self-effacement. Even as He saith: "I
am the servant of God. I am but a man like you." ...
Were any of the all-embracing Manifestations of God to declare: "I am God!" He
verily speaketh the truth, and no doubt attacheth thereto. For it hath been repeatedly
demonstrated that through their Revelation, their attributes and names, the Revelation
of God, His name and His attributes, are made manifest in the world. Thus, He
hath revealed: "Those shafts were God's, not Thine!" [Qur'an 8:17] And also He
saith: "In truth, they who plighted fealty unto thee, really plighted that fealty
unto God." [Qur'an 48:10] And were any of them to voice the utterance: "I am the
Messenger of God," He also speaketh the truth, the indubitable truth. Even as
He saith: "Muhammad is not the father of any man among you, but He is the Messenger
of God." Viewed in this light, they are all but Messengers of that ideal King,
that unchangeable Essence. And were they all to proclaim: "I am the Seal of Prophets,"
they verily utter but the truth, beyond the faintest shadow of doubt. For they
are all but one person, one soul, one spirit, one being, one revelation. They
are all the manifestation of the "Beginning" and the "End," the "First" and the
"Last," the "Seen" and "Hidden" -- all of which pertain to Him Who is the innermost
Spirit of Spirits and eternal Essence of Essences. And were they to say: "We are
the servants of God," [Qur'an 33:40] this also is a manifest and indisputable
fact. For they have been made manifest in the uttermost state of servitude, a
servitude the like of which
no man can possibly attain. Thus in moments in which these Essences of being were
deeply immersed beneath the oceans of ancient and everlasting holiness, or when
they soared to the loftiest summits of divine mysteries, they claimed their utterance
to be the Voice of divinity, the Call of God Himself. Were the eye of discernment
to be opened, it would recognize that in this very state, they have considered
themselves utterly effaced and non-existent in the face of Him Whom is the All-Pervading,
the incorruptible. Methinks, they have regarded themselves as utter nothingness,
and deemed their mention in that Court an act of blasphemy. For the slightest
whisperings of self, within such a Court, is an evidence of self-assertion and
independent existence. In the eyes of them that have attained unto that Court,
such a suggestion is itself a grievous transgression. How much more grievous would
it be, were aught else to be mentioned in that Presence, were man's heart, his
tongue, his mind, or his soul, to be busied with anyone but the Well-Beloved,
were his eyes to behold any countenance other than His beauty, were his ear to
be inclined to any melody but His voice, and were his feet to tread any way but
His way. In
this day the breeze of God is wafted, and His Spirit hath pervaded all things.
Such is the outpouring of His grace that the pen is stilled and the tongue is
speechless. By
virtue of this station, they have claimed for themselves the Voice of Divinity
and the like, whilst by virtue of their station of Messengership, they have declared
themselves the Messengers of God. In every instance they have voiced an utterance
that would conform to the requirements of the occasion, and have ascribed all
these declarations to Themselves, declarations ranging from the divine Revelation
to the realm of creation, and from the domain of Divinity even unto the domain
of earthly existence. Thus it is that whatsoever be their utterance, whether it
pertain to the realm of Divinity, Lordship, Prophethood, Messengership, Guardianship,
Apostelship or Servitude, all is true, beyond the shadow of a
doubt. Therefore, these sayings which We have quoted in support of Our argument
must be attentively considered, that the divergent utterances of the Manifestations
of the Unseen and Daysprings of Holiness may cease to agitate the soul and perplex
the mind. -- Kitab-i-Iqan, 176-181.
When Baha'u'llah speaks as a man, the station He
claims for Himself is that of utter humility, of "annihilation in God." What distinguishes
the Manifestation, in His human personality, from other men is the completeness
of His self-abnegation as well as the perfection of His powers. Under all circumstances
He is able to say, as did Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, "nevertheless not
my will, but thine, be done." Thus in His epistle to the Shah, Baha'u'llah says:
-- O
king! I was but a man like others, asleep upon My couch, when lo, the breezes
of the All-Glorious were wafted over Me, and taught Me the knowledge of all that
hath been. This thing is not from Me, but from One Who is Almighty and All-Knowing.
And He bade Me lift up My voice between earth and heaven, and for this there befell
Me what hath caused the tears of every man of understanding to flow. The learning
current amongst men I studied not; their schools I entered not. ... This is but
a leaf which the winds of the will of thy Lord, the Almighty, the All-Praised
have stirred. Can it be still when the tempestuous winds are blowing? Nay, by
Him Who is the Lord of all Names and Attributes! They move it as they list. The
evanescent is as nothing before Him Who is the Ever-Abiding. His all-compelling
summons hath reached Me, and caused Me to speak His praise amidst all people.
I was indeed as one dead when His behest was uttered. The hand of the will of
thy Lord, the Compassionate, the Merciful, transformed Me. Can any one speak forth
of his own accord that for which all men, both high and low, will protest against
him? Nay, by Him Who taught the Pen the eternal mysteries, save him whom the grace
of the Almighty, the All-Powerful, hath
strengthened. -- Lawh-i-Sultan (Tablet to the King of Persia), as quoted in The
Promised Day Is Come, pp. 40-41.
As Jesus washed His disciples' feet, so Baha'u'llah used sometimes to cook food
and perform other lowly offices for His followers. He was a servant of the servants,
and gloried only in servitude, content to sleep on a bare floor if need be, to
live on bread and water, or even, at times, on what He called "the divine nourishment,
that is to say, hunger!" His perfect humility was seen in His profound reverence
for nature, for human nature, and especially for the saints, prophets and martyrs.
To Him, all things spoke of God, from the meanest to the greatest. His
human personality had been chosen by God to become the Divine Mouthpiece and Pen.
It was not of His own will that He had assumed this position of unparalleled difficulty
and hardship. As Jesus said: "Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from
me," so Baha'u'llah said: "Had another exponent or speaker been found, We would
not have made Ourself an object of censure, derision and calumnies on the part
of the people" (Tablet of Ishraqat). But the divine call was clear and imperative
and He obeyed. God's will became His will, and God's pleasure, His pleasure; and
with "radiant acquiescence" He declared: -- "Verily I say: Whatever befalleth
in the path of God is the beloved of the soul and the desire of the heart. Deadly
poison in His path is pure honey, and every tribulation a draught of crystal water."
-- Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 17. At
other times, as we have mentioned, Baha'u'llah speaks "from the station of Deity."
In these utterances His human personality is so completely subservient that it
is left out of account altogether. Through Him God addresses His creatures proclaiming
His love for them, teaching them His attributes, making known His will, announcing
His laws for their guidance and pleading for their love, their allegiance and
service. In
the Writings of Baha'u'llah, the utterance frequently changes from one of these
forms to another. Sometimes it is
evidently the man who is discoursing, then without a break the writing continues
as if God were speaking in the first person. Even when speaking as a man, however,
Baha'u'llah speaks as God's messenger, as a living example of entire devotion
to God's will. His whole life is actuated by the Holy Spirit. Hence no hard and
fast line can be drawn between the human and divine elements in His life or teachings.
God tells Him: --
Say: "Naught is seen in my temple but the Temple
of God, and in my beauty but His Beauty, and in my being but His Being, and in
myself but Himself, and in my movement but His Movement, and in my acquiescence
but His Acquiescence, and in my pen but His Pen, the Precious, the Extolled."
Say:
"There hath not been in my soul but the Truth, and in myself naught could be seen
but God." -- Suratu'l-Haykal.
His Mission
Baha'u'llah's mission in the world is to bring about Unity -- Unity of all mankind
in and through God. He says: -- "Of the Tree of Knowledge the All-glorious fruit
is this exalted word: Of one Tree are all ye the fruits and of one Bough the leaves.
Let not man glory in this that he loves his country, but let him rather glory
in this that he loves his kind."
Previous Prophets have heralded an age of peace on earth, goodwill among men,
and have given Their lives to hasten its advent, but each and all of Them have
plainly declared that this blessed consummation would be reached only after the
"Coming of the Lord" in the latter days, when the wicked would be judged and righteous
rewarded. Zoroaster
foretold three thousand years of conflict before the advent of Shah Bahram, the
world-savior, Who would overcome Ahrman the spirit of evil, and establish a reign
of righteousness and peace. Moses
foretold a long period of exile, persecution and oppression for the children of
Israel, before the Lord of Hosts
would appear to gather them from all the nations, to destroy the oppressors and
establish His Kingdom upon earth. Christ
said: "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace,
but a sword" (Matt. x, 34), and He predicted a period of wars and rumors of wars,
of tribulations and afflictions that would continue till the coming of the Son
of Man "in the glory of the Father."
Muhammad declared that, because of their wrongdoings, Allah had put enmity and
hatred among both Jews and Christians that would last until the Day of Resurrection,
when He would appear to judge them all. Baha'u'llah,
on the other hand, announces that He is the Promised One of all these Prophets
-- the Divine Manifestation in Whose era the reign of peace will actually be established.
This statement is unprecedented and unique, yet it fits in wonderfully with the
signs of the times, and with the prophecies of all the great Prophets. Baha'u'llah
revealed with incomparable clearness and comprehensiveness the means for bringing
about peace and unity amongst mankind. It
is true that, since the advent of Baha'u'llah, there have been, until now, war
and destruction on an unprecedented scale, but this is just what all the prophets
have said would happen at the dawn of the "great and terrible Day of the Lord,"
and is, therefore, but a confirmation of the view that the "Coming of the Lord"
is not only at hand, but is already an accomplished fact. According to the parable
of Christ, the Lord of the Vineyard must miserably destroy the wicked husbandmen
before He gives the Vineyard to others who will render Him the fruits in their
seasons. Does not this mean that at the coming of the Lord dire destruction awaits
those despotic governments, avaricious and intolerant priests, mullas, or tyrannical
leaders who through the centuries have, like wicked husbandmen, misruled the earth
and misappropriated its fruits?
There may be terrible events, and unparalleled calamities yet awhile on the earth,
but Baha'u'llah assures us that erelong, these fruitless strifes, these ruinous
wars shall pass away, and the `Most Great Peace' shall come." War and strife have
become so intolerable
in their destructiveness that mankind must find deliverance from them or perish.
"The
fullness of time" has come and with it the Promised Deliverer! His
Writings
The Writings of Baha'u'llah are most comprehensive in their range, dealing with
every phase of human life, individual and social, with things material and things
spiritual, with the interpretation of ancient and modern scriptures, and with
prophetic anticipations of both the near and distant future.
The
range and accuracy of His knowledge was amazing. He
could quote and expound the Scriptures of the various
religions with which He correspondents or questions
were familiar, in convincing the authoritative manner,
although apparently He had never had the ordinary means
of access to many of the books referred to. He declares,
in Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, that He had never
read the Bayan, although in His own Writings He shows
the most perfect knowledge and understanding of the
Bab's Revelation. (The Bab, as we have seen, declared
that His Revelation, the Bayan, was inspired by and
emanated from "Him Whom God shall make Manifest"!) With
the single exception of a visit from Professor Edward
Granville Browne, to whom in the year 1890 He accorded
four interviews, each lasting twenty to thirty minutes,
He had no opportunities of intercourse with enlightened
Western thinkers, yet His Writings show a complete grasp
of the social, political and religious problems of the
Western World, and even His enemies had to admit that
His wisdom and knowledge were incomparable. The well-known
circumstances of His long imprisonment render it impossible
to doubt that the wealth of knowledge shown in His Writings
must have been acquired from some spiritual source,
quite independent of the usual means of study or instruction
and the help of books or teachers.1
Sometimes
He wrote in modern Persian, the ordinary language of His fellow countrymen, which
is largely admixed with Arabic. At other times, as when addressing learned Zoroastrians,
He wrote in the purest classical Persian. He also wrote with equal fluency in
Arabic, sometimes in very simple language, sometimes in classical style somewhat
similar to that of the Qur'an. His perfect mastery of these different languages
and styles was remarkable because of His entire lack of literary education. In
some of His Writings the way of holiness is pointed out in such simple terms that
"the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein" (Isaiah xxv, 8). In others
there is a wealth of poetic imagery, profound philosophy and allusions to Muhammadan,
Zoroastrian and other scriptures, or to Persian and Arabic literature and legends,
such as only the poet, the philosopher or the scholar can adequately appreciate.
Still others deal with advanced stages of the spiritual life and are to be understood
only by those who have already passed through the earlier stages. His works are
like a bountiful table provided with foods and delicacies suited to the needs
and tastes of all who are genuine truth seekers. It
is because of this that His Cause had effect among the learned and culture, spiritual
poets and well-known writers. Even some of the leaders of the Sufis and of other
sets, and some of the political ministers who were writers, were attracted by
His words, for they exceeded those of all other writers in sweetness and depth
of spiritual meaning.
The Bahá'í Spirit
From His place
of confinement in distant Akka, Baha'u'llah stirred His native land of Persia
to its depths; and not only Persia; He stirred and is stirring the world. The
spirit that animated Him and His followers was unfailingly gentle, courteous and
patient, yet it was a force of astonishing vitality and transcendent power. It
achieved the seemingly impossible. It changed human nature. Men who yielded to
its influence became new creatures. They were filled with a love, a faith, and
enthusiasm, compared with which earthly joys and sorrows
were but as dust in the balance. They were ready to face lifelong suffering or
violent death with perfect equanimity, nay, with radiant joy, in the strength
of fearless dependence on God.
Most wonderful of all, their hearts were so brimming over with the joy of a new
life as to leave no room for thoughts of bitterness or vindictiveness against
their oppressors. They entirely abandoned the use of violence in self-defense,
and instead of bemoaning their fate, they considered themselves the most fortunate
of men in being privileged to receive this new and glorious Revelation and to
spend their lives or shed their blood testifying to its truth. Well might their
hearts sing with joy, for they believed that God, the Supreme, the Eternal, the
Beloved, had spoken to them through human lips, had called them to be His servants
and friends, had come to establish His Kingdom upon earth and to bring the priceless
boon of Peace to a warworn, strife-stricken world.
Such was the faith inspired by Baha'u'llah. He announced His own mission, as the
Bab had foretold that He would, and, thanks to the devoted labors of His great
Forerunner, there were thousands ready to acclaim His Advent -- thousands who
had shaken off superstitions and prejudices, and were waiting with pure hearts
and open minds for the Manifestation of God's Promised Glory. Poverty and chains,
sordid circumstances and outward ignominy could not hide from them the Spiritual
Glory of their Lord -- nay, these dark earthly surroundings only served to enhance
the brilliance of His real Splendor.
Footnotes:
Page
23:
1.
Pronounced with the accent on the second and fourth syllables, the first syllable
being almost mute and both l's distinctly sounded. [back]
2. 2nd of Muharram, 1233 A.H. [back]
Page 26:
1.
This was early in the year 1853, or nine years after the Bab's Declaration, thus
fulfilling certain prophecies of the Bab concerning "the year nine." [back]
Page 29:
1.
Pronounced Rizwan. [back]
Page 31:
1.
Author of an early history of the Faith, The Dawn-Breakers, Nabil was a participant
in some of the scenes he describes and was personally acquainted with many of
the early believers. [back]
2. The Aqdas,
Kitab-i-Aqdas, The Book of Aqdas, and The Most Holy Book all refer to the same
book. [back]
Page 33:
1.
In order to bury two of those who died, Baha'u'llah gave His own carpet to be
sold for the expenses of their burial, but instead of using this money for that
purpose the soldiers appropriate it, and thrust the bodies into a hole in the
ground. [back]
Page 35:
1.
Jamal-i-Mubarak (lit. Blessed Beauty) was a title frequently applied to Baha'u'llah
by His followers and friends. [back]
Page 48:
1.
When asked whether Baha'u'llah had made a special study of Western writings and
founded His teachings in accordance with them Abdu'l-Baha said that the books
of Baha'u'llah, written and printed as long ago as the 1870's, contained the ideals
now so familiar to the West, although at that time these ideas had not been printed
or thought of in the West. [back]
|
Site Map
