The Chosen Highway/‘Abdu’l-Bahá in ‘Akká

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CHAPTER III

‘Abdu’l-Baha in ‘Akka

The time came when Baha’u’llah went to live at Bahji, and the Master, my mother, my aunt, and my three sisters lived in the larger house at ‘Akka.

Baha’u’llah for some time had rarely received any but the Baha'i friends, to whom He gave audience nearly every afternoon. His arrangements were very regular.

I remember that Nabil, the historian, was received every Tuesday.

The Master, by making all arrangements, doing all the business, seeing applicants and pilgrims, planning interviews at stated hours, protected His Father from every troublesome detail, and made it possible for Him to lead a peaceful life, with leisure in which to write His Tablets and to formulate laws and instructions for the world of the future.

The Master occupied Himself with the affairs and interests of the people of the place, all outside news being brought to Him by the Governor and the Mufti.

Every week the Master went to Bahji, carrying all the news which would be of interest to Baha’u’llah.

He would tell him particularly of the affairs of the Persian pilgrims, many of whom had settled in ‘Akka, keeping shops of various kinds, carrying on their several trades and professions. A number of these devoted disciples, rich and great in their own land, had sacrificed everything, their property and their positions, barely escaping with their lives, and were now working humbly for their daily bread, joyful to be near Him Whom they looked upon as the Great Manifestation of God. And thus they lived their beautiful and happy lives.

The Master would tell Baha’u’lla4h how Christians came to ask explanation of difficult sayings in the Bible. Or again, how Muslims came with questions of Qur’an perplexities. He would

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tell how people in trouble would come for advice and help.

Baha’u’llah always wished to know what answers were given by the Master.

“Khayli Khub, very good, Aqa,” He would say.

The Master would also tell news from different countries far and near, related in the newspapers, which the Governor used to bring for discussion and explanation.

The life of the Master in ‘Akka was full of work for others’ good.

He would rise very early, take tea, then go forth to His selfimposed labours of love. Often He would return very late in the evening, having had no rest and no food.

He would go first to the Biruni, a large reception room, which had been hired, on the opposite side of the street to our house. We often used to watch from our windows, the people crowding there to ask for help from the Master.

A man who wished to take a shop must ask advice from Him. Another would request a letter of introduction, or recommendation for some government post. Again, it would be a poor woman whose husband had been falsely accused, or had been taken for a soldier, whilst she and the children were left to starve. One would tell Him of children who were ill-treated, or of a woman beaten by husband or brother.

‘Abbas Effendi would send a competent person with these poor people to state the case to the judge at the Court House, so that they might have justice.

The Birtni also received other guests; it came to be looked upon as a centre of interest.

The Mufti, the Governor, Shaykhs, and officials of the Court came singly or in groups to call on the Master at the Birtni. Here they would be offered a specially delicious make of “qahviyi-khanigi”’ (coffee). Sipping this, they would talk over all the news, appealing for explanations, advice, or comment, to the Master, Whom they grew to look upon as learned, wise, full of compassion, practical help, and counsel for all.

When the Court rose the judge invariably came to the Biruni, where he would speak of any complicated case, sure that ‘Abbas Effendi would solve the problem, however difficult. In this way He was often able to steer the course of law,

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preventing the triumph of the tyrant, and bringing comfort to the oppressed.

Some days He hardly saw His own family, so hard pressed was He by those who crowded to the Biruni for some kind of help.

The many sick people, Baha’i and others, were His constant care; whenever they wished to see Him, He went.

One poor old couple, who were ill in bed for a month, had twenty visits from the Master during that time.

To every sick person He sent each day a servant to ask “Did you sleep? How are you? Do you need anything?” All their needs He supplied.

Never did He neglect anything but His own rest, His own food; the poor were always His first care.

All sweets, fruits, and cakes which had been sent to Him He would take to the Biruini for the friends, whom He made very happy.

The Arabs called Him the “Lord of Generosity.”

To this day, if anybody be hospitable he is praised thus:

‘“His house is like the Biruni, the home of ‘Abbas Effendi.”

As there was no hospital in ‘Akka, the Master paid a doctor, Nikolaki Bey, a regular salary to look after the very poor. This doctor was asked not to say who was responsible for this, ‘“His right hand was not to know what His left wrought.”

But for those other things the poor needed when they were ill, numberless, various, always to the Master did they turn their eyes.

One instance—a poor, crippled woman named Na‘um used to come every week for alms; one day a man came running:

“Oh! Master, that poor Na‘im has measles. She is lying by the hot room of the Hammam; everybody is keeping away from her. What can be done about her?”

The Master immediately engaged a woman to care for her; took a room, put comfortable bedding (His own) into it, called the doctor, sent food and everything she needed. He went to see that she had every attention, and when she died in peace and comfort, He it was Who arranged her simple funeral, paying all charges.

Another instance out of many:

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A notoriously bad man, calling himself a Christian, being about to die, sent to pray ‘Abbas Effendi to come to him: “O Master, I have been a wicked man. Forgive me all my sins and mistakes and help me, I pray; my wife will be so alone, my family will oppress her, and if not prevented, will rob her of all her sustenance. I beg of you, Master, to protect her and guide her when I am gone.”

The promise was given—the man died in peace, his mind at rest, knowing that his poor wife would be helped and protected.

Another call to ‘Abbas Effendi came in this way:

‘Abdu’llah Pasha Dili of San‘a, a city in the province of Yemen, Arabia, had been banished to ‘Akka, with only one old servant to attend him. He lived in one room in the Mosque. Now ‘Abbas Effendi had a room near his, to which He would retire for quiet meditation and prayer, whenever He could spare any time from His multitudinous works of ministration.

The Master was very kind to the poor, lonely, exiled Pasha, who one day being struck with illness, felt his death drawing near, and prayed that the Master would come to him.

“O ‘Abbas Effendi, I have a secret, I want your help. One daughter only is left to me of all my family; I know not where she is now; her husband is not kind to her. You, and you only, can I trust.

“T have here (my servant is out of hearing?) a bag of gold, 70,000 piastre (£700). This sum I wish my dear daughter to have, after deducting 500 piastres for my funeral. I do not wish this money to get into the hands of that cruel man, her husband.”

The Master agreed to endeavour to find this lady, and to have the bag of gold given into her own hands.

The next day the Pasha died at peace.

A witness from the Court being sent for to count the gold, the receipt was signed.

The Master chose certain of the Pasha’s few belongings for the daughter, and gave the rest to the old servant. He then arranged an honourable funeral, befitting the station of the Pasha, defraying all expenses Himself, so that the bag of gold might not be lessened.

The state allowance to the exiled Pasha was owing. This the

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Governor paid, after much insistence, and it was added to the daughter’s gold.

Then to arrange to get the gold safely taken to San‘a. A difficult task in those lawless days!

Now there was a dervish, named Muhammad-‘Ali, a devoted disciple, whose joy it was to serve his Master in toilsome and dangerous journeys. This servant was entrusted with the mission of safely conveying the bag of gold and her father’s belongings to the daughter of the exiled Pasha.

The dervish, Muhammad-‘Ali, set forth on his quest, being furnished with minute instructions for seeking the lady, and with sufficient money for his long, laborious journey.

In five months he returned to ‘Akka. He had reached San‘a and, though encompassed with difficulties and risk, had achieved his task, escaping the cruelty and avarice (which had been feared by the Pasha) of the husband. He had succeeded in delivering the bag of gold, and the little treasures of her father, into the beloved daughter’s own hands. All was accomplished, and this faithful messenger returned, bringing a receipt from the lady, signed and witnessed by the Vali of San‘a.

It would be impossible to write even a small part of the many compassionate acts of love and charity wrought by the Master; all His life was spent in ministering service to every unhappy creature who came to Him, and in being the devoted son to His Father.

When my little sister, Ruh-Angiz Astyih, arrived, there was some disappointment that she was not a boy.

Baha’u’llah said “I will love her more than all the rest; you must not wish that she had been a boy.”

Little Ruh-Angiz loved Baha’u’llah very fervently. When He had passed from earth she was full of sadness:

“J want to go through that same door to Heaven; didn’t He go through it?”

“No thank you,” she would say, “I do not wish for anything. I would like best of all to go to Him.”

So often she spoke of the other world, that she seemed to grow nearer and nearer to it. The next year she passed from earth to the Heaven where she wished to be.

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The Master hardly saw the dear child in her illness. His time was so constantly taken up by the needs of the poor, that only His tired moments were spared to His own family from His incessant work for all in trouble. Indeed, my mother and sisters tried to conceal their difficulties and trials, not wishing to add to the heavy burden of others’ griefs, which were so constantly borne by Him.

At this period the pilgrims who came to ‘Akka were taken care of at the Khan (the inn). Mirza Muhammad cooked their food. They seldom had more than soup and rice, sometimes a ‘‘pulau’’ (stewed rice, with a little meat, and some herbs and vegetables) was provided as a great treat.

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