Part 15

These principles are boldly interpreted and applied by the Bahais to the subject under discussion. Sayid Kamil, a Bahai of Shiraz, said to Professor Browne[555] with a look of supreme surprise, "You surely cannot pretend to deny that a prophet, who is an incarnation of the Universal Intelligence, has a right to inflict death, openly or _secretly_, on those who stubbornly opposed him. A prophet is no more to be blamed for removing an obdurate opponent that a surgeon for an amputation of a gangrenous limb." This opinion prevailed among the Bahais. At Yezd they said,[556] "A divine messenger has as much right to kill and compel as a surgeon to amputate." The Bahai missionaries maintained[557] that, "A prophet has a right to slay if he knows it necessary; if he sees that the slaughter of a few will prevent many from going astray, he is justified in commanding such slaughter. No one can question his right to destroy the bodies of a few that the souls of many may live." A Bahai acquaintance of Doctor Frame, of Resht, told him[558] "without any appearance of shame, that he paid so much to have a persecutor removed."

8. In connection with all the above facts, it must be kept in mind that "_religious assassination has been freely practiced since the beginning of Islam_, and that the prophet Mohammed gave it the sanction of his example on numerous occasions." Professor Browne,[559] who thus emphasizes this fact, and gives instances from the Moslem biographies of Mohammed, points out its bearing on our judgment regarding the assassinations alleged against the Bahais, and concludes, "In Asia a different standard of morality prevails in this matter." Certain facts regarding the Imams revealed in the dark annals of Islam show what historical precedents the Babis and Bahais had back of them. Consider the deaths of the twelve Imams. Ali was[560] assassinated with a dagger, Husain killed after battle, nine other Imams were _poisoned_, and the last one mysteriously disappeared.

To sum up. Our investigation has led to the conclusion that the Bahais were guilty of these assassinations as charged. The evidence is both direct and circumstantial, with names and places. Some of the witnesses are still living. Some have given their testimony in writing, some in conversation with Europeans, who have reported it accurately to the world. The environment in which they lived, and the historical and theological traditions on which they fed, strengthen the direct proofs.

The answer to these charges by Mirza Abul Fazl in his "Brilliant Proof"[561] is, that we should hear both sides, and that it is not right to accept the witness of enemies against the Bahais, which is as that of Protestants against the Catholics and _vice-versa_. Our reply is, that both sides have been heard, and examined, and that some of the most damaging testimony is from Bahais themselves. It should be noted that the testimony is altogether from the followers of the Bab, of various kinds and not from Moslem writers. Mr. Phelps, like many Bahai writers, would ignore the charges. He says,[562] "I do not think that it would be time well employed to advert to them in detail." He pronounces them "incredible" and "flatly in contradiction to the spirit, lives and teachings of Baha Ullah and his successor," and destined "quickly to fade away and be forgotten, if left to themselves." No indeed! Lovers of truth will not overlook and forget such a record. They will judge Bahais by their deeds, not by their professions.

The conclusions of Professor Browne, who was undoubtedly a favourably-inclined judge, who investigated impartially and heard the testimony on both sides, has the greatest weight in determining the judgment of the world.[563] In the "Traveller's Narrative," his first volume on Babism and Bahaism, he states that it is only with great reluctance and solely in the interest of truth, that he sets down these grave accusations against the Bahais, and adds,[564] "If they are true, of what use are the noblest and most humane utterances, if they are associated with such deeds? If they are false, further investigation will, without doubt, conclusively prove their falsity." In the "New History," which was published two years later, after further investigation and calm deliberation, he wrote,[565] "At first not a few prominent Babis,[566] including even several 'Letters of the Living' and personal friends of the Bab, adhered faithfully to Subh-i-Azal. One by one these disappeared, most of them as, I fear, _cannot be doubted, by foul play on the part of too zealous Bahais_."

FOOTNOTES:

[494] "Bahai Proofs," p. 12.

[495] "The Modern Social Religion," p. 167.

[496] Phelps, pp. 19-20.

[497] Pages 178-181.

[498] "Trav.'s Narr.," pp. 356-358.

[499] "Bahai Proofs," p. 51.

[500] Manuscript "Life of Beha Ullah," p. 20.

[501] Professor Browne, afterwards in Persia, found the attitude of the Bahais towards the Azalis "unjust and intolerant" and reprimanded them for "their violence and unfairness." They cursed and reviled in the presence of Professor Browne ("A Year Among the Persians," pp. 525-530).

[502] "New Hist.," p. 200, Note 4.

[503] _Jour. Roy. As. Soc._, 1892, p. 296, by Professor Browne. Also "Trav.'s Narr.," p. 359.

[504] "Trav.'s Narr.," p. 369.

[505] Phelps, "Life of Abbas Effendi," pp. 40-44.

[506] "Brilliant Proof," p. 11.

[507] Chicago Edition, pp. 20-23; and "Trav.'s Narr.," pp. 368, 369.

[508] Phelps, _Ibid._, p. 40.

[509] "Trav.'s Narr.," p. 359.

[510] Phelps, p. 39.

[511] Phelps, p. 38.

[512] "Trav.'s Narr.," p, 361.

[513] _Ibid._, p. 362.

[514] "Trav.'s Narr.," p. 361.

[515] _Ibid._, p. 361.

[516] _Ibid._, p. 371.

[517] "A Year Among the Persians," pp. 513-517.

[518] Possibly he counts those who afterwards left their allegiance to Baha.

[519] "Haifa, etc.," p. 107; "Trav.'s Narr.," p. 370.

[520] Phelps, p. 75.

[521] _Jour. Roy. As. Soc._, 1889, p. 519; "Trav.'s Narr.," pp. 94, 370.

[522] "Brigham Young," by Cannon, p. 271. "Brigham failed to punish or even condemn those criminals who served him too well."

[523] Manuscript, pp. 41-48.

[524] "Trav.'s Narr.," p. 362.

[525] "Trav.'s Narr.," p. 359; _Jour. Roy. As. Soc._, 1889, p. 519; 1892, pp. 995-996.

[526] "Trav.'s Narr.," p. 363.

[527] _Ibid._, p. 332. Also "New Hist.," p. 391.

[528] "Trav.'s Narr.," p. 363.

[529] _Ibid._, pp. 357, 365.

[530] "Religions et Philosophies dans l'Asie Centrale," pp. 277-278.

[531] _Jour. Roy. As. Soc._, 1889, p. 996.

[532] Page xxiii.

[533] "A Year Among the Persians," p. 530.

[534] The Bab asked his fellow prisoner to kill him ("Mirza Jani," p. xlvii.).

[535] "New Hist.," pp. 274, 275; "Trav.'s Narr.," pp. 198, 199, 311.

[536] The "Kasas-ul-Ulema," the Shiah history, says, "Certain Babis, stung by his words, fell upon him early one morning as he was praying in the mosque, and with knives and daggers inflicted on him eight wounds from which he died two days later" ("Trav.'s Narr.," p. 198).

[537] Pages 61, 62.

[538] "New Hist.," pp. 82, 278.

[539] "New Hist.," p. 115 and note, p. 411.

[540] _Ibid._, p. 73; "Trav.'s Narr.," p. 178.

[541] _Ibid._, p. 323.

[542] "The Brilliant Proof," p. 11.

[543] "Trav.'s Narr.," pp. 100-101.

[544] Phelps, p. 50.

[545] Manuscript Life, p. 36.

[546] Compare "History by Mirza Jani," p. xvi.

[547] "Notes taken at Acca," by Mrs. C. True, p. 27.

[548] "Trav.'s Narr.," pp. 357-358.

[549] "Facts for Behaists," p. 42.

[550] "Oriental Rose," p. 186.

[551] "Fifty-three Years in Syria," pp. 637, 605.

[552] Doctor Kheiralla believes that assassination is to be feared at the present time. He told me that a prominent follower of M. Mohammed Ali had been poisoned at Jiddah. Doctor Pease said to me, "Until now Doctor Kheiralla is afraid of assassination. A Bahai told me, 'We want only one thing from Kheiralla, _i. e._, the translation of the "Kitab-ul-Akdas," then we will get rid of him.'" When Hasan Khorasani came to Chicago, Kheiralla was warned from Syria to beware of him and he put himself under special police protection.

[553] Chicago Edition, 1908, pp. 11-14.

[554] "Answered Questions," by Barney, pp. 199-201.

[555] "Trav.'s Narr.," p. 372; "A Year in Persia," p. 328.

[556] _Ibid._, p. 406.

[557] "A Year in Persia," p. 306.

[558] _Moslem World_, 1912, p. 237.

[559] "Trav.'s Narr.," pp. 371-373.

[560] _Ibid._, p. 296.

[561] A Reply to Rev. P. Z. Easton's article in the _Evangelical Christendom_.

[562] "Life of Abbas Effendi," p. 43.

[563] Mr. A. J. Stenstrand, of Chicago, was convinced by the facts. He wrote, "When I studied the Babi history and read about the terrible cruelty and assassinations which the followers of Beha perpetrated upon Subh-i-Azal's supporters which made no resistance, this broke the backbone of my Behai faith." In conversation he told me that Doctor Kheiralla had informed the Chicago assembly that the account of the assassinations as narrated by Professor Browne was true and that the Manifestation had a right to slay them."

[564] Page 364.

[565] "New Hist.," p. xxiii.

[566] One of these was the author of "Hasht Behesht." If the Bahais had the longer dagger, the Azalis did not lack the bitter pen. Professor Browne translates from this work as follows, "The misleadings of black darkness brought me into the city of blood (Acca). I met Abbas Effendi, the whisperer of evil thoughts, one of the manifestations of infidelity. Afterwards I saw the rest of the Wicked One's followers. Their words and arguments consist of a farrago of names, baseless stories, calumnies, falsehoods and lies, and not one of them had any knowledge of the first principles of the religion of the 'Bayan.' They are all devoid of knowledge, ignorant, short-sighted, of common capacity, hoodwinked, people of darkness, spurned of nature, hypocrites, corrupters of texts, blind imitators. God hath taken away from them His light and hath left them in the darkness of the Wicked One and hath destroyed them in the abysses of vain imaginings." He was admitted to audience with Baha and narrates, "When I came there and looked upon the Arch-Idol, that Greatest Talisman, that personified Revolt, that rebellious Lucifer, the envious Iblis, I saw a form upon the throne and heard the lowing of the Calf (Baha--Golden Calf). Then did I see how the light of the Most Great Name shone on Ahriman the accursed, and how the fingers of the demon wore the ring. (Alluding to the theft of Solomon's ring by the demon.) For they had written the name Baha-ul-Abha on divers writings and called it 'the Most Great Name.' Thereat there came to my mind the verse of Hafiz:

Efficient is the name divine: be of good cheer, O heart! The div becomes not Solomon by guile and cunning art."

XI

The Quarrel over the Succession

The confusion, the reaction, and the spiritual division usually attendant upon a prophet's death were in this case happily averted (!?).--_Holley, a Bahai, "The Modern Social Religion," p. 169._

The last schism and the bitterness to which it gave rise lead me to inquire, where is the compelling and constraining power which they regard as the essential and incontrovertible sign of the divine word as in the text, "Associate with all religions with spirituality and fragrance," when they can show such bitter animosity against those of their own household.--_Professor Browne._

Whosoever claimeth a mission before the completion of a full thousand years from this manifestation is a lying impostor; whosoever interpreteth or explaineth this text different from what is obviously revealed, is bereft of the Spirit of God and His mercy.--"_Kitab-ul-Akdas._"

The claims of Bahais in regard to the conduct of Abdul Baha must be further considered. Mr. Phelps describes him as a man "who proves that self can be utterly forgotten: that all-embracing love can be substituted for egotism: the recorded love of Buddha and Christ may indeed be realized." M. Asad Ullah writes: "He sees the Moslem, the Christian and the Bahai, all with one eye,--he is equally kind to all." Mr. Sprague affirms: "Abdul Baha manifests universal love in every word and act." Mr. Chase says: "Bahaism does bring men into loving unity with each other." Abdul Baha said in his address at Denver, Col., "All other nations ... inquire as to the character of this love. What love exists among the Bahais! What unity obtains among these Bahais! What agreement there is among these Bahais! All envy it."[567] Again let the light of history shine forth and these claims be justified or refuted by the facts.

Baha Ullah died at Acca in May, 1892, in his seventy-fifth year. The death of the father was the signal for a bitter quarrel among his sons. The occasion was the succession to the leadership. The cause, no doubt, lay partly in that jealousy which results from a polygamous household. This polygamy was the occasion of misfortune even at the time, for the Persian consul at Bagdad, named Mirza Buzurk Khan Kasvini, had desired to wed one of the women and vented his disappointment on the Bahai community by making accusation against them before the Persian and Turkish Governments.[568]

Baha Ullah had twelve children. The four sons who grew to manhood received "great swelling" titles. Abbas was entitled "The Greatest (Azam) Branch of God" and regarded as the "return" of Jesus; Mohammed Ali, "The Mightiest (Akbar) Branch of God" and the "return" of Mohammed; Ziah Ullah, "The Purest Branch and as Abraham" (died 1898); Badi Ullah, "The Most Luminous Branch and as Moses."

Abbas Effendi was the son of Aseyeh. The other three were sons of Ayesha or Madh Ulya. Abbas Effendi claimed the succession, basing his right and title on the Will of Baha, called the Kitab-il-Ahd and on previous declarations. His right was disputed by the other brothers. I have a manuscript by a lifelong Bahai which gives the following account: "Nine days after the 'ascension' of Baha, Abbas Effendi desired nine of the chief men to come to the house of Mohammed Ali Effendi. He opened the will. It was in Baha's own handwriting and two pages long. The nine men saw it. On the second page, over a part of the writing, Abbas had put a blue paper that it might not be read, and he refused to have it read. On the same day, the whole congregation (men) gathered to the palace of Baha. Mirza Majd-i-Din (Abbas' sister's son) rose and read the will up to the blue paper. Later the women were called to the Kasr Bahja and the will was again read, but the concealed portion was not made known. It was evident that it was for his own selfish purposes that Abbas concealed it, because the future authority did not pertain to him. From Persia and India many wrote, saying: 'Show the last portion; it is the writing of His Holiness.' He refused. To this day it is concealed."

Abbas assumed authority as the Supreme Ruler of the new dispensation, the Centre of the Covenant, and the Infallible Interpreter of its teachings. His claim is clearly set forth in a Tablet[569] wherein, speaking in the third person, he declares: "All Bahais must obey the Centre of the Covenant and must not _deviate one hair's breadth_ from obedience to Him." "He should be looked upon as authority by all." "Obedience and submission must be shown Him and the face turned to Him completely." He was given such titles as[570] "His Holiness the Master," "Our Lord," "The Centre of the Cause of God," "Dawning Place of the Divine Light," "Dayspring of the Light of the Covenant." Indeed his first Apostles to Persia bore the message, "I am the Manifestation of God. My paps are full of the milk of Godhead. Whosoever will, let him come and suck freely."

His claims to headship were strenuously opposed by his brothers and some of the nearest disciples. A bitter quarrel began as a consequence and has raged to the present time. Letters were sent by each party to the Persian Bahais, involving them in the quarrel. Mohammed Ali composed a book, called the "Ityan-i-Dallil," presenting proofs of the invalidity of Abbas' claims, from the writings of Baha. They charge[571] Abbas with concealing and annulling Baha's will, perverting his teachings, changing the writings of Baha, publishing expurgated and interpolated editions of them, and attempting to suppress the authorized Bombay editions. Specifically they accuse him of publishing a Lawh-i-Beirut, a Tablet in which Abbas is greatly exalted, and attributing it to Baha, though it is spurious; that he has inserted verses into letters written in the hand of Baha's amanuensis and published them as genuine; has omitted verses from the "Tablet of Command"; made up the "Treasure Tablet" from parts of several others; appropriated to himself Tablets pertaining to Mirza Mohammed Ali; and commanded to destroy all Tablets of Baha which have not his (Abbas') seal upon them.[572]

Per contra the party of Abbas accused his brothers of intemperance and profligacy[573] and of heresy, covenant-breaking and fraud. Mr. Hadad reported M. Mohammed Ali and Badi Ullah as "being profligate and wanton, frequenting wine shops and being spendthrifts." Mr. Getsinger said he had seen Badi Ullah in the street intoxicated and being helped home by two servants, that he and his brother had taken and pawned the effects of Baha, rugs, hand-bags, etc., and a pearl rosary belonging to Baha which was valued at $10,000 (!) and had squandered the money." Abbas said to Mrs. Grundy,[574] "Mohammed Ali has appropriated many papers and tablets written by the Blessed Perfection (Baha). It is possible for these writings to be altered, as the meanings in Persian are greatly changed by a single dot here and there. Before His Ascension, the Blessed Perfection said to me, 'I have given you all the papers.' He put them in two satchels and sent them to me. After His Ascension, Mohammed Ali said, 'You had better give me the two satchels to take care of.' He took them away and never returned them." He said that Mohammed Ali deceives, "for the Will was also written by Mohammed Ali's own hand from dictation of the Blessed Perfection. By violating the Covenant (Will) he has become a _fallen_ branch. All the beautiful blossoms upon the Tree of Life were destroyed by Mohammed Ali."

Abbas proceeded to the use of boycott and anathema. He[575] ordered that no one of the Acca community should send any letters anywhere without first showing them to him, and commanded the Bahais in Persia not to receive any letters that were not sealed by him, but to send them back to him, and that in writing to Acca they should send their letters open. These restrictions on freedom gave great offense. Abbas also prohibited his followers from associating with his brothers and their followers, strictly ordering them "not to sit, meet, speak or correspond with them, not even to trade or associate with them in any profession."[576] Khadim reports that "once in his own house, Abbas rose up and furiously attacked" his stepmother, who, in return, reviled him and fled from the house, wailing. "At the sacred tomb he used cruelly to treat the brothers and sisters."[577] "On one occasion he repeatedly struck his youngest (half) sister in the presence of her little ones and many believers," scolding her "with a loud voice, uttering many harsh words."[578] On another occasion he "insulted and beat Khadim (Mirza Aga Jan, Baha's amanuensis) at the sacred place" and afterwards "ordered his followers to imprison and cruelly beat him, which they did."[579] He sent adrift Abdul Gaffar Ispahani, called Abdullah, one of the first believers on Baha, in such destitute condition that he died of hunger and was buried in a potter's field at Damascus.[580]

"Alas! Alas!" exclaims Mirza Aga Jan, "Abbas Effendi has caused his followers to display such vehemence of hatred and rancour, the like of which has never been shown by barbarous nations, and even by the most ignorant tribes."[581] Of Abbas, Mrs. Templeton[582] writes: "His pride, alas, is great.... He seems to be blinded.... With regard to business matters Abbas Effendi has not been just to his brothers, who have suffered a good deal in consequence."[583]

Abbas Effendi cut off the living of his stepmothers, brothers and their dependents. Baha Ullah and his household had a stipend from the Turkish Government, as Azal and the Babis in Cyprus had, and it was not an ungenerous allowance.[584]

"The family had an income from the Government, as well as a revenue from three villages."[585] "These funds Abbas Effendi appropriated and with these made his charitable gifts (?) leaving the forty dependents of the younger brothers to live as best they could."[586] This excluding the protesters from their share of the income and offerings embittered the strife, at the same time weakening their ability to propagate their contention. Bitterness and enmity increased; recriminations and accusations inflamed the passions of both sides.