The Chosen Highway/Letter from Lady Blomfield to Her Daughter

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PART IV

VARIOUS DOCUMENTS [Page 230]THE CHOSEN HIGHWAY

LETTER FROM SiTARiIg KuANnumM To Her DaucutTer Parvin (Mrs. Bastz Haiti). House or BawA’v’LLAn, ‘AKKA

and May, 1922.

I came here yesterday by train—Diyé Khanum, Tuba Khanum, Ruha Khanun, with their three little boys (Riyad, Fu’ad, and Hasan), and a few servants made up our party.

It is impossible to convey in any words the interest of this visit.

Ruha Khanum and I went to the Barracks, and saw the very courteous Military Governor, a British officer in khaki, who himself arranged to conduct our party, when the rest should arrive, over all parts of the ancient fortress castle, the prison dwelling of Baha’u’llah, ‘Abbas Effendi, Their families, and the seventy devoted disciples, who would not consent to be separated from Him, whom they hailed as their Lord, as ‘““Him Whom God should make Manifest,” but followed Him into exile, prison, or death.

In the afternoon Mihrangiz Khanum, Shoghi Effendi’s younger sister, and I sallied forth, guided by the son of an old believer, Aq4 Ridd Qannad, who had been with his Master throughout the terrible early days; this Persian Baha’i took us to see the Khan. This was an inn, where the pilgrims used to stay in that time, when, at length, rules being a little relaxed, and the believers having discovered where their Beloved One was imprisoned, made long, arduous journeys, hoping to see Him. Here we came to the long, stone-floored room, where the friends used to spread out their bedding and rest, also the rows of little rooms where families encamped. There was a room where a school for little children was afterwards arranged —poor little scholars—from early morning till sunset in an airless room, with dull studies, nothing interesting, nothing amusing; no breaks now and then for play! Such scanty, tasteless scraps called dinner!

After the Ascension of Baha’u’llah there was also a room set apart for the little girls, who were, if possible, in a worse case than even the boys.

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The Khan is a wonderfully picturesque building, built round a large court-yard, with rows of rounded arches and columns on three sides.

Here the Master’s custom was to assemble all the poor, especially the children, of ‘Akka, on Feast Days, both Christian and Muslim, also on the anniversary of the Sultan’s coronation. Here He regaled them with sweets, cakes, fruit, and tea. He had the middle fountain filled with sharbat, which was a great treat. After this, we went through the narrow, winding streets of this unique historic town to the great mosque. There we met a polite Shaykh, who had become a devoted friend of ‘Abbas Effendi; he turned back with us, and showed us the little room where the Master used to retreat, when He wished to meditate in peace and quiet.

It was here that the Pasha of Yaman lived and died in exile. Of him more in another place.

Then the Shaykh took us into the mosque—impressive in its silent and reverent atmosphere. He pointed out a small alcove apart, where the Master always prayed.

Upon the wall, in an honourable place, hung a wonderful, intricately-written prayer, from the pen of the famous Mishkin Qalam; it is conspicuously signed ‘Mishkin Qalam, who am Baha’i.”

Other treasures were shown to us: six pen-written sacred books, presented to the mosque by ‘Abbas Effendi. Some others, marvellously illustrated with pen drawings (from India). Also many precious volumes, containing some thousands of the Hadiths (traditional utterances of Muhammad).

Standing about were numbers of Muslim religious students, charming-looking youths, who courteously greeted us.

Here was the large court-yard where the poor congregated every Friday to receive alms, and make their various appeals to their “Beloved Father of the Poor,” ‘Abbas Effendi.

Everybody said ‘Oh, what a loss to the world. He was Comforter, Protector, and Benefactor to all!”

‘Abdu’l-Baha lived forty years of His sanctified life in this fortress town, obeying the precepts of the following Tablet in‘an absolutely perfect manner.

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TABLET OF BAHA’U’LLAH

“Be generous when thou hast possessions.

“Be thankful if all be taken from thee.

“Be just to the dependents, reward them plenteously for their work.

“Show a smiling countenance to all.

“Be a treasure to the poor.

“Give good counsel to the wealthy.

“Be careful to answer the appeal of the unhappy.

“Be not deaf to the cry of the needy.

“Fulfil thine every promise.

“Be not full of words at the gatherings together.

“Be just in thy commands.

“Be humble in thy dealings with mankind.

“Be not arrogant when in power, neither cast down when the power is no longer thine.”

I am writing this on the balcony outside the room where Baha’u’llah lived for about five years.

This house is spoken of as the large house—the house of ‘Abbud, the Christian merchant.

Next to this house is the small house, where in one room Baha’u’llah lived for twelve years—eight years of which was spent without once going out, even across the street to the Biruni!

In this house were four rooms only! For the pilgrims and for the family! (The men pilgrims who were single, and the families, were accommodated at the Khan.)

One room, the best, was always kept sacred to Baha’u’llah. The family, Astyih Khdnum, the Most Exalted Leaf, their daughter, and the Master surrounded their Beloved with all the devoted care that was possible.

In one of the rooms thirteen persons, pilgrims and the ladies, sometimes slept. A shelf was there, on which an agile pilgrim would repose, and on one occasion rolled off!

This plan was for those days before the marriage of ‘Abbas Effendi—when the door was opened through to a room of the larger house. This is next to the smaller house where ‘Abbas Effendi brought His bride, and where all His children were born.

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The incident of the opening of the door has already been described in various accounts of this time.

This is the house where the Kitab-i-Aqdas, the Most Holy Book, and many Tablets of sublime beauty were written. It was also this house which was one day surrounded with soldiers sent to arrest Baha’u’llah and the Master.*

I am sleeping in the room of Asiyih Khdnum. I was conscious all night of its benign atmosphere!

After visiting the mosque, we went to see the house, taken four years after the Ascension of Baha’u’llah, where the American pilgrims first stayed, and where all the grandchildren of ‘Abdu’l-Baha were born. In this house, guarded by Turkish sentinels, the Master was imprisoned for seven years, because of false accusations. One of the Sisters in charge spoke English: ‘Yes, ‘Abbas Effendi was a good friend to all. He came to see me, and gave fifty pounds to this hospital. He was a kind friend to my uncle and to me.” This house is now a military hospital—British!

end May:

This morning the Holy Mother and Khanum arrived, having motored over from Haifa; also Ruhangiz, sister of Shoghi Effendi, and Aqa Mirz4 Hadi—rows of guests were already sitting here.

It was not very easy for us to leave, but all were anxious to visit the barracks, and the kind Captain would be expecting us. We were a party of nine ladies. Aqd Husayn, the cook, who had been with Baha’u’ll4h at Baghdad, and who had determined to accompany us, came to tell us reliable details about all the places, and scenes, of the captivity.

How could I convey the impression of this visit? The Saint Sister, daughter of Baha’u’ll4h, and the Holy Mother, wife of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, as they stood looking at the little, bare rooms, where their (and our) Beloved Ones were imprisoned! One imagined in what an intimate, poignantly heart-rending flood of memories they walked, as they gazed with grief-filled eyes upon this barrack building, the home for many years of those

• The story of the events which culminated in this deplorable occurrence are

related in another chapter, partly from a Tablet of Bahd’u’ll4h written to a friend in Persia, and from a talk by ‘Abdu’l-Bah4 on the subject, some of the details being given by the Most Exalted Leaf.

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Two—destined to be the Great Educators of the world, West as well as East, that world whicii is also wet with tears!

There was the little room on the ground-floor, where Baha’u’llah stayed for a time, when He, with His family, arrived in ‘Akka. This room is being carefully preserved untouched.

Close by is the vault-like room where the rest of the family, and the seventy “Faithful Ones” who accompanied them, were shut in for those first appalling days. All fell sick with typhoid but two, ‘Abbas Effendi and one man, who, therefore, was able to help Him. The Master nursed them, cooked for them, and Himself divided out the portions—seeing to it that none were neglected nor forgotten.

The Greatest Holy Leaf, her eyes charged with memories, was with us while we listened. She had been there in that terrible time, and was sick of that same fever, from the effects of which she has occasionally suffered all through her life.

• * *