The Chosen Highway/Letter from Lady Blomfield to Her Daughter
PART IV[edit]
VARIOUS DOCUMENTS[edit]
LETTER FROM SITÁRIH KHÁNUM TO HER DAUGHTER PARVÍN (MRS. BASIL HALL). HOUSE OF BAHÁ’U’LLÁH, ‘AKKÁ[edit]
2nd May, 1922.
I came here yesterday by train—Díyá Khánum, Túbá Khánum, Rúḥá Khánum, with their three little boys (Ríyád, Fu’ád, and Hasan), and a few servants made up our party.
It is impossible to convey in any words the interest of this visit. Rúhá Khánum 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 Bahá’u’lláh, ‘Abbás 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 Mihrangíz Khánum, Shoghi Effendi's younger sister, and I sallied forth, guided by the son of an old believer, Aqá Ridá Qannád, who had been with his Master throughout the terrible early days; this Persian Bahá’í took us to see the Khán. 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 Bahá’u’lláh 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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VARIOUS DOCUMENTS[edit]
The Khán 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 ‘Akká, on Feast Days, both Christian and Muslim, also on the anniversary of the Sultán'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 ‘Abbás 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 Páshá 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 Bahá’í."
Other treasures were shown to us: six pen-written sacred books, presented to the mosque by ‘Abbás Effendi. Some others, marvellously illustrated with pen drawings (from India). Also many precious volumes, containing some thousands of the Hadiths (traditional utterances of Muḥammad).
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," ‘Abbás Effendi.
Everybody said "Oh, what a loss to the world. He was Comforter, Protector, and Benefactor to all!"
‘Abdu’l-Bahá 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 BAHÁ’U’LLÁH[edit]
"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 Bahá’u’lláh lived for about five years.
This house is spoken of as the large house-the house of ‘Abbúd, the Christian merchant.
Next to this house is the small house, where in one room Bahá’u’lláh lived for twelve years-eight years of which was spent without once going out, even across the street to the Bírúní!
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 Khán.)
One room, the best, was always kept sacred to Bahá’u’lláh.
The family, Asíyih Khánum, 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 ‘Abbás
Effendi when the door was opened through to a room of the
larger house. This is next to the smaller house where ‘Abbás
Effendi brought His bride, and where all His children were born.
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VARIOUS DOCUMENTS[edit]
The incident of the opening of the door has already been described in various accounts of this time.
This is the house where the Kitáb-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 Bahá’u’lláh and the Master.*
I am sleeping in the room of Ásíyih Khánum. 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 Bahá’u’lláh, where the American pilgrims first stayed, and where all the grandchildren of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá 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, ‘Abbás 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!
2nd May[edit]
This morning the Holy Mother and Khánum arrived, having motored over from Haifa; also Rúhangíz, sister of Shoghi Effendi, and Aqá Mírzá Hádí-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. Aqá Husayn, the cook, who had been with Bahá’u’lláh at Baghdád, 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 Bahá’u’lláh, and the Holy Mother, wife of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, 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 Bahá’u’lláh written to a friend in Persia, and from a talk by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá 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 which is also wet with tears!
There was the little room on the ground-floor, where Bahá’u’lláh stayed for a time, when He, with His family, arrived in ‘Akká. 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, ‘Abbás 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.
A LETTER FROM MRS. THORNBURGH-CROPPER TO LADY BLOMFIELD SENT AS A CONTRIBUTION TO "THE CHOSEN HIGHWAY"[edit]
Early in 1898 I received a letter from Mrs. Phoebe Hearst, my life-long friend, from California, telling me of a wonderful new religious teaching with which she had come into touch. She said that she felt that it would be of great interest to me, and that when she came to London, she would tell me all about it.
A short time later I was searching in the encyclopædia for some information about King David, about whom I had had an argument. In turning over the pages, my eye was caught by a name, “Báb.” I read on after the name, and found it to be the history of a messenger of God Who had been martyred in Persia, after bringing a new interpretation of truth to the Muslims. There was something in this story of a martyr for His faith that so moved me that I went to the British Museum