The Chosen Highway/Siyyid ‘Alí Yazdí
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THE SPOKEN CHRONICLES
Toxtp By Sryyip ‘ALi Yazpi
When I was a boy of fourteen (A.D. 1858) I remember a Babi, a doctor named Radiu’r-Ruh; he had been in the presence of Jamal-i-Mubarak during each of the sojourns in Baghdad.
Radiu’r-Ruh created a profound sensation by going into a mosque on the day of mourning, the day of the commemoration of the martyrdom of Husayn.
He cried aloud:
“Oh, people! Ye are waiting for the Imam. But He has come! He is here! He is here!”
Hethenchanted “Godisgreatest. Muhammad is His Prophet.”
The people said, ‘““Why that chant on our day of mourning, O Radiu’r-Ruh?”
‘‘Because the Promised One is here! You wait and wait, and know it not.”
I remember seeing him as he rode off, carrying a flag over his shoulder; Baha’u’llah had sent him to teach in Persia.
He came to the village of Manshad, where he held meetings, with great caution, because of danger to everybody who was present, as well as to himself. I found out that there were meetings, that my father went in with others. I heard chanting when I listened; sometimes, when I watched them coming out, I saw that they had been weeping.
I ardently desired to know what it all meant.
One day I knocked at the door of Radiu’r-Ruh; he looked with surprise when I said: ‘‘What is happening? I want to know the meaning of all this; what are you doing—what?”
“My child, it cannot be told to you.”
“But I want to know, I must know.”
“If you know, and tell what you know, you will cause my death, that of your father, and of many, many others.”
“T will tell nothing; only let me know, I promise to tell nothing.”
“Very good,” said Radiu’r-Ruh. “You shall know.”
He taught me, and, my eyes being opened, I saw what he said was the truth, and I believed.
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THE CHOSEN HIGHWAY
Ten days before his death, Radiu’r-Ruh came again to our village. He read a Tablet from Baha’u’llah.
“Human life without the spirit is absolutely of no importance —the spiritual life is the only real life.”
The doctor Radiu’r-Ruh kissed this Tablet; to him it was a missive of command from on High.
- My stay in this world is now very short; it behoves me to
make ready.” He sent last messages to his family with various directions and requests.
When he was therefore prepared for his end, he was summoned to a village near by, where he was received by a fellow-doctor; this man offered him tea into which he had put strychnine.
In a few hours this fearless “Waiting Servant,” this faithful disciple, rendered up that human life, which was to him of no importance, to attain, by being steadfast unto death, “the spiritual life, the only real life.” _
With his latest breath, in agony, he sang praises to God the Beloved, in that He had accepted the sacrifice of his life.
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