Chapter 2

"He is a Babi," was the answer. "God forbid!" cried the man from _Sh_u_sh_tar. "I know him well. _Kh_ajih Muhammad-'Ali is a God-fearing Muslim, a _Sh_i'ih, a devout follower of the Imam 'Ali." With this he gave the farra_sh_ a sum of money and Salman was freed.

They went into the shop and the merchant began to ask Salman how he was faring. Salman told him: "I am not _Kh_ajih Muhammad-'Ali."

The man from _Sh_u_sh_tar was dumbfounded. "You look exactly like him!" he exclaimed. "You two are identical. However, since you are not he, give me back the money I paid the farra_sh_."

Salman immediately handed him the money, left, went out through the city gate and made for Hindiyan.

When Baha'u'llah arrived in 'Iraq, the first messenger to reach His holy presence was Salman, who then returned with Tablets addressed to the friends in Hindiyan. Once each year, this blessed individual would set out on foot to see his Well-Beloved, after which he would retrace his steps, carrying Tablets to many cities, Isfahan, _Sh_iraz, Ka_sh_an, Tihran, and the rest.

From the year 69 until the ascension of Baha'u'llah in 1309 A.H.,(7) Salman would arrive once a year, bringing letters, leaving with the Tablets, faithfully delivering each one to him for whom it was intended. Every single year throughout that long period, he came on foot from Persia to 'Iraq, or to Adrianople, or to the Most Great Prison at Akka; came with the greatest eagerness and love, and then went back again.

He had remarkable powers of endurance. He traveled on foot, as a rule eating nothing but onions and bread; and in all that time, he moved about in such a way that he was never once held up and never once lost a letter or a Tablet. Every letter was safely delivered; every Tablet reached its intended recipient. Over and over again, in Isfahan, he was subjected to severe trials, but he remained patient and thankful under all conditions, and earned from non-Baha'is the title of "the Babis' Angel Gabriel."

Throughout his entire life, Salman rendered this momentous service to the Cause of God, becoming the means of its spread and contributing to the happiness of the believers, annually bringing Divine glad tidings to the cities and villages of Persia. He was close to the heart of Baha'u'llah, Who looked upon him with especial favor and grace. Among the Holy Scriptures, there are Tablets revealed in his name.

After the ascension of Baha'u'llah, Salman remained faithful to the Covenant, serving the Cause with all his powers. Then, as before, he would come to the Most Great Prison every year, delivering mail from the believers, and returning with the answers to Persia. At last, in _Sh_iraz, he winged his way to the Kingdom of glory.

From the dawn of history until the present day, there has never been a messenger so worthy of trust; there has never been a courier to compare with Salman. He has left respected survivors in Isfahan who, because of the troubles in Persia, are presently in distress. It is certain that the friends will see to their needs. Upon him be the glory of God, the All-Glorious; unto him be salutations and praise.

MIRZA MUHAMMAD-'ALI, THE AFNAN

In the days of Baha'u'llah, during the worst times in the Most Great Prison, they would not permit any of the friends either to leave the Fortress or to come in from the outside. "Skew-Cap"(8) and the Siyyid(9) lived by the second gate of the city, and watched there at all times, day and night. Whenever they spied a Baha'i traveler they would hurry away to the Governor and tell him that the traveler was bringing in letters and would carry the answers back. The Governor would then arrest the traveler, seize his papers, jail him, and drive him out. This became an established custom with the authorities and went on for a long time--indeed, for nine years until, little by little, the practice was abandoned.

It was at such a period that the Afnan, Haji Mirza Muhammad-'Ali--that great bough of the Holy Tree(10)--journeyed to Akka, coming from India to Egypt, and from Egypt to Marseilles. One day I was up on the roof of the caravanserai. Some of the friends were with me and I was walking up and down. It was sunset. At that moment, glancing at the distant seashore, I observed that a carriage was approaching. "Gentlemen," I said, "I feel that a holy being is in that carriage." It was still far away, hardly within sight.

"Let us go to the gate," I told them. "Although they will not allow us to pass through, we can stand there till he comes." I took one or two people with me and we left.

At the city gate I called to the guard, privately gave him something and said: "A carriage is coming in and I think it is bringing one of our friends. When it reaches here, do not hold it up, and do not refer the matter to the Governor." He put out a chair for me and I sat down.

By this time the sun had set. They had shut the main gate, too, but the little door was open. The gatekeeper stayed outside, the carriage drew up, the gentleman had arrived. What a radiant face he had! He was nothing but light from head to foot. Just to look at that face made one happy; he was so confident, so assured, so rooted in his faith, and his expression so joyous. He was truly a blessed being. He was a man who made progress day by day, who added, every day, to his certitude and faith, his luminous quality, his ardent love. He made extraordinary progress during the few days that he spent in the Most Great Prison. The point is that when his carriage had come only part of the way from Haifa to Akka, one could already perceive his spirit, his light.

After he had received the endless bounties showered on him by Baha'u'llah, he was given leave to go, and he traveled to China. There, over a considerable period, he spent his days mindful of God and in a manner conformable to Divine good pleasure. Later he went on to India, where he died.

The other revered Afnan and the friends in India felt it advisable to send his blessed remains to 'Iraq, ostensibly to Najaf, to be buried near the Holy City; for the Muslims had refused to let him lie in their graveyard, and his body had been lodged in a temporary repository for safekeeping. Aqa Siyyid Asadu'llah, who was in Bombay at the time, was deputized to transport the remains with all due reverence to 'Iraq. There were hostile Persians on the steamship and these people, once they reached Bu_sh_ihr, reported that the coffin of Mirza Muhammad-'Ali the Babi was being carried to Najaf for burial in the Vale of Peace, near the sacred precincts of the Shrine, and that such a thing was intolerable. They tried to take his blessed remains off the ship, but they failed; see what the hidden Divine decrees can bring about.

His body came as far as Basra. And since that was a period when the friends had to remain in concealment, Siyyid Asadu'llah was obliged to proceed as if he were going on with the burial in Najaf, meanwhile hoping in one way or another to effect the interment near Ba_gh_dad. Because, although Najaf is a holy city and always shall be, still the friends had chosen another place. God, therefore, stirred up our enemies to prevent the Najaf burial. They swarmed in, attacking the quarantine station to lay hold of the body and either bury it in Basra or throw it into the sea or out on the desert sands.

The case took on such importance that in the end it proved impossible to bring the remains to Najaf, and Siyyid Asadu'llah had to carry them on to Ba_gh_dad. Here, too, there was no burial place where the Afnan's body would be safe from molestation at enemy hands. Finally the Siyyid decided to carry it to the shrine of Persia's Salman the Pure,(11) about five farsa_kh_s out of Ba_gh_dad, and bury it in Ctesiphon, close to the grave of Salman, beside the palace of the Sasaniyan kings. The body was taken there and that trust of God was, with all reverence, laid down in a safe resting-place by the palace of Naw_sh_iravan.

And this was destiny, that after a lapse of thirteen hundred years, from the time when the throne city of Persia's ancient kings was trampled down, and no trace of it was left, except for rubble and hills of sand, and the very palace roof itself had cracked and split so that half of it toppled to the ground--this edifice should win back the kingly pomp and splendor of its former days. It is indeed a mighty arch. The width of its entry-way is fifty-two paces and it towers very high.

Thus did God's grace and favor encompass the Persians of an age long gone, in order that their ruined capital should be rebuilt and flourish once again. To this end, with the help of God, events were brought about which led to the Afnan's being buried here; and there is no doubt that a proud city will rise up on this site. I wrote many letters about it, until at last the holy dust could be laid to rest in this place. Siyyid Asadu'llah would write me from Basra and I would answer him. One of the public functionaries there was completely devoted to us, and I directed him to do all he could. Siyyid Asadu'llah informed me from Ba_gh_dad that he was at his wits' end, and had no idea where he could consign this body to the grave. "Wherever I might bury it," he wrote, "they will dig it up again."

At last, praised be God, it was laid down in the very spot to which time and again the Blessed Beauty had repaired; in that place honored by His footsteps, where He had revealed Tablets, where the believers of Ba_gh_dad had been in His company; that very place where the Most Great Name was wont to stroll. How did this come about? It was due to the Afnan's purity of heart. Lacking this, all those ways and means could never have been brought to bear. Verily, God is the Mover of heaven and earth.

I loved the Afnan very much. Because of him, I rejoiced. I wrote a long Visitation Tablet for him and sent it with other papers to Persia. His burial site is one of the holy places where a magnificent Ma_sh_riqu'l-A_dh_kar must be raised up. If possible, the actual arch of the royal palace should be restored and become the House of Worship. The auxiliary buildings of the House of Worship should likewise be erected there: the hospital, the schools and university, the elementary school, the refuge for the poor and indigent; also the haven for orphans and the helpless, and the travelers' hospice.

Gracious God! That royal edifice was once splendidly decked forth and fair. But there are spiders' webs today, where hung the curtains of gold brocade, and where the king's drums beat and his musicians played, the only sound is the harsh cries of kites and crows. "This is verily the capital of the owl's realm, where thou wilt hear no sound, save only the echo of his repeated calls." That is how the barracks were, when we came to Akka. There were a few trees inside the walls, and on their branches, as well as up on the battlements, the owls cried all night long. How disquieting is the hoot of an owl; how it saddens the heart.

From earliest youth until he grew helpless and old, that sacred bough of the Holy Tree, with his smiling face, shone out like a lamp in the midst of all. Then he leapt and soared to undying glory, and plunged into the ocean of light. Upon him be the breathings of his Lord, the All-Merciful. Upon him, lapped in the waters of grace and forgiveness, be the mercy and favor of God.

HAJI MIRZA HASAN, THE AFNAN

Among the most eminent of those who left their homeland to join Baha'u'llah was Mirza Hasan, the great Afnan, who during the latter days won the honor of emigrating and of receiving the favor and companionship of his Lord. The Afnan, related to the Bab, was specifically named by the Supreme Pen as an offshoot of the Holy Tree. When still a small child, he received his portion of bounty from the Bab, and showed forth an extraordinary attachment to that dazzling Beauty. Not yet adolescent, he frequented the society of the learned, and began to study sciences and arts. He reflected day and night on the most abstruse of spiritual questions, and gazed in wonderment at the mighty signs of God as written in the Book of Life. He became thoroughly versed even in such material sciences as mathematics, geometry, and geography; in brief, he was well grounded in many fields, thoroughly conversant with the thought of ancient and modern times.

A merchant by profession, he spent only a short period of the day and evening at his business, devoting most of his time to discussion and research. He was truly erudite, a great credit to the Cause of God amongst leading men of learning. With a few concise phrases, he could solve perplexing questions. His speech was laconic, but in itself a kind of miracle.

Although he first became a believer in the days of the Bab, it was during the days of Baha'u'llah that he caught fire. Then his love of God burned away every obstructing veil and idle thought. He did all he could to spread the Faith of God, becoming known far and wide for his ardent love of Baha'u'llah.

I am lost, O Love, possessed and dazed, Love's fool am I, in all the earth. They call me first among the crazed, Though I once came first for wit and worth...

After the ascension of the Bab, he had the high honor of serving and watching over the revered and saintly consort of the blessed Lord. He was in Persia, mourning his separation from Baha'u'llah, when his distinguished son became, by marriage, a member of the Holy Household. At this, the Afnan rejoiced. He left Persia and hastened to the sheltering favor of his Well-Beloved. He was a man amazing to behold, his face so luminous that even those who were not believers used to say that a heavenly light shone from his forehead.

He went away for a time and sojourned in Beirut, where he met the noted scholar, _Kh_ajih Findik. This personage warmly praised the erudition of the great Afnan in various circles, affirming that an individual of such wide and diverse learning was rare throughout the East. Later on, the Afnan returned to the Holy Land, settling near the Mansion of Bahji and directing all his thoughts toward aspects of human culture. Much of the time he would occupy himself with uncovering the secrets of the heavens, contemplating in their detail the movements of the stars. He had a telescope with which he would make his observations every night. He lived a happy life, carefree and light of heart. In the neighborhood of Baha'u'llah his days were blissful, his nights bright as the first morning in spring.

But then came the Beloved's departure from this world. The Afnan's peace was shattered, his joy was changed to grief. The Supreme Affliction was upon us, separation consumed us, the once bright days turned black as night, and all those roses of other hours were dust and rubble now. He lived on for a little while, his heart smoldering, his eyes shedding their tears. But he could not bear the longing for his Well-Beloved, and in a little while his soul gave up this life and fled to the eternal one; passed into the Heaven of abiding reunion and was immersed beneath an ocean of light. Upon him be most great mercy, plenteous bounty, and every blessing, as the ages and cycles roll on. His honored tomb is in Akka at the Man_sh_iyyih.

MUHAMMAD-'ALIY-I-ISFAHANI

Muhammad-'Ali of Isfahan was among the earliest of believers, guided to the Faith from its very beginning. He was one of the mystics; his house was a gathering place for them, and the philosophers. Noble, high-minded, he was one of Isfahan's most respected citizens, and served as a host and sanctuary for every stranger, rich or poor. He had verve, an excellent disposition, was forbearing, affable, generous, a boon companion; and it was known throughout the city that he enjoyed a good time.

Then he was led to embrace the Faith and caught fire from the Sinaitic Tree. His house became a teaching center, dedicated to the glory of God. Day and night the believers flocked there, as to a lamp lit by heavenly love. Over a long period, the sacred verses were chanted in that house and the clear proofs set forth. Although this was widely known, Muhammad-'Ali was not molested, because he was a kinsman of the Imam-Jum'ih of Isfahan. Finally, however, things came to such a pass that the Imam-Jum'ih himself sent him away, telling him: "I can protect you no longer. You are in grave danger. The best thing for you is to leave here, and go on a journey."

He left his home then, went to 'Iraq, and entered the presence of the world's Desired One. He spent some time there, progressing every day; he had little to live on, but was happy and content. A man of excellent disposition, he was congenial to believers and others alike.

When Baha'u'llah and His retinue left Ba_gh_dad for Constantinople, Muhammad-'Ali was in His company, and continued on with Him to the Land of Mystery, Adrianople. Not one to be inconstant, he maintained his characteristic immutability of heart. Whatever happened, he remained the same. In Adrianople as well, his days passed happily, under the protection of Baha'u'llah. He would carry on some business which, however trifling, would bring in surprisingly abundant returns.

From Adrianople, Muhammad-'Ali accompanied Baha'u'llah to the fortress of Akka, was put in jail there, and was numbered among Baha'u'llah's fellow captives for the rest of his life, achieving that greatest of all distinctions, to be in prison with the Blessed Beauty.

He spent his days in utter bliss. Here, too, he carried on a small business, which occupied him from morning till noon. In the afternoons he would take his samovar, wrap it in a dark-colored pouch made from a saddlebag, and go off somewhere to a garden or meadow, or out in a field, and have his tea. Sometimes he would be found at the farm of Mazra'ih, or again in the Ridvan Garden; or, at the Mansion, he would have the honor of attending upon Baha'u'llah.

Muhammad-'Ali would carefully consider every blessing that came his way. "How delicious my tea is today," he would comment. "What perfume, what color! How lovely this meadow is, and the flowers so bright!" He used to say that everything, even air and water, had its own special fragrance. For him the days passed in indescribable delight. Even kings were not so happy as this old man, the people said. "He is completely free of the world," they would declare. "He lives in joy." It also happened that his food was of the very best, and that his home was situated in the very best part of Akka. Gracious God! Here he was, a prisoner, and yet experiencing comfort, peace and joy.

Muhammad-'Ali was past eighty when he finally departed to eternal light. He had been the recipient of many Tablets from Baha'u'llah, and of endless bounty, under all conditions. Upon him be the glory of God the Most Glorious. Upon him be myriads of heavenly blessings; may God favor him with gladness forever and ever. His luminous grave is in Akka.

'ABDU'S-SALIH, THE GARDENER

Among those who emigrated and were companions in the Most Great Prison was Aqa 'Abdu's-Salih. This excellent soul, a child of early believers, came from Isfahan. His noble-hearted father died, and this child grew up an orphan. There was none to rear or care for him and he was the prey of anyone who chose to do him harm. At last he became adolescent, and older now, sought out his Well-Beloved. He emigrated to the Most Great Prison and here, at the Ridvan, achieved the honor of being appointed gardener. At this task he was second to none. In his faith, too, he was staunch, loyal, worthy of trust; as to his character, he was an embodiment of the sacred verse, "Of a noble nature art thou."(12) That is how he won the distinction of being gardener at the Ridvan, and of thus receiving the greatest bounty of all: almost daily, he entered the presence of Baha'u'llah.

For the Most Great Name was held prisoner and confined nine years in the fortress-town of Akka; and at all times, both in the barracks and afterward, from without the house, the police and farra_sh_es had Him under constant guard. The Blessed Beauty lived in a very small house, and He never set foot outside that narrow lodging, because His oppressors kept continual watch at the door. When, however, nine years had elapsed, the fixed and predetermined length of days was over; and at that time, against the rancorous will of the tyrant, 'Abdu'l-Hamid, and all his minions, Baha'u'llah proceeded out of the fortress with authority and might, and in a kingly mansion beyond the city, made His home.

Although the policy of Sultan 'Abdu'l-Hamid was harsher than ever; although he constantly insisted on his Captive's strict confinement--still, the Blessed Beauty now lived, as everyone knows, with all power and glory. Some of the time Baha'u'llah would spend at the Mansion, and again, at the farm village of Mazra'ih; for a while He would sojourn in Haifa, and occasionally His tent would be pitched on the heights of Mount Carmel. Friends from everywhere presented themselves and gained an audience. The people and the government authorities witnessed it all, yet no one so much as breathed a word. And this is one of Baha'u'llah's greatest miracles: that He, a captive, surrounded Himself with panoply and He wielded power. The prison changed into a palace, the jail itself became a Garden of Eden. Such a thing has not occurred in history before; no former age has seen its like: that a man confined to a prison should move about with authority and might; that one in chains should carry the fame of the Cause of God to the high heavens, should win splendid victories in both East and West, and should, by His almighty pen, subdue the world. Such is the distinguishing feature of this supreme Theophany.

One day the government leaders, pillars of the country, the city's 'ulamas, leading mystics and intellectuals came out to the Mansion. The Blessed Beauty paid them no attention whatever. They were not admitted to His presence, nor did He inquire after any of them. I sat down with them and kept them company for some hours, after which they returned whence they had come. Although the royal farman specifically decreed that Baha'u'llah was to be held in solitary confinement within the Akka fortress, in a cell, under perpetual guard; that He was never to set foot outside; that He was never even to see any of the believers--notwithstanding such a farman, such a drastic order, His tent was raised in majesty on the heights of Mount Carmel. What greater display of power could there be than this, that from the very prison, the banner of the Lord was raised aloft, and rippled out for all the world to see! Praised be the Possessor of such majesty and might; praised be He, weaponed with the power and the glory; praised be He, Who defeated His foes when He lay captive in the Akka prison!

To resume: 'Abdu's-Salih lived under a fortunate star, for he regularly came into the presence of Baha'u'llah. He enjoyed the distinction of serving as gardener for many years, and he was at all times loyal, true, and strong in faith. He was humble in the presence of every one of the believers; in all that time he never hurt nor offended any one. And at the last he left his garden and hastened to the encompassing mercy of God.

The Ancient Beauty was well pleased with 'Abdu's-Salih, and after his ascension revealed a Visitation Tablet in his honor, also delivering an address concerning him, which was taken down and published together with other Scriptures.

Upon him be the glory of the All-Glorious! Upon him be God's gentleness and favor in the Exalted Realm.

USTAD ISMA'IL