The Chosen Highway/Story of Mírzá Aḥmad told to Sitárih Khánum
VARIOUS DOCUMENTS[edit]
STORY OF MÍRZÁ AHMAD (ELDEST SON OF SUBH-I-AZAL) AT THE PILGRIM HOUSE, HAIFA, TOLD TO SITÁRIH KHÁNUM[edit]
Translated by Mírzá Aflátún
As Şubḥ-i-Azal (the half-brother and enemy of Bahá’u’lláh) grew older, his eldest son, Mírzá Aḥmad, left Cyprus, to take up a post in a Constantinople bank.
Two of his brothers joined him for a time. The elder of these came to ‘Akká a year or two after the Passing of Bahá’u’lláh, desiring to become a Bahá’í. Soon afterwards the younger brother came to ‘Akká, also wishing to become a Bahá’í. He stayed about seven months, during which time the Master was very kind to him.
Early in the year 1921 a grandson of Subh-i-Azal, who had been employed under the British Government in the "Censor" department, wrote to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá saying:
"I am very pleased to have become aware that I have so distinguished a cousin. Will you permit me to visit you?"
He came, his visit lasted some time. He told the Master that his eldest uncle, Mírzá Aḥmad, remembered Bahá’u’lláh being very kind to him as a child in Baghdád; he asked that the Master would permit him to come to visit Him.
He, himself, told the writer in Haifa in 1922 of the great joy it gave to come into the presence of the Master, after fifty-three years!
"All the bitterness of my life was turned into sweetness," said Mírzá Aḥmad.
"How glad you must be that you came in time to see the Master."
"Indeed yes, I used to wonder why the families should be separated through (as I thought) a difference in the Teaching."
"When did you become aware of the truth of the matter?"
"Not until my nephew told me."
"How did your nephew know?"
"It was in this wise: My nephew was engaged in the Censor's"
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office during the war. He came across many letters concerning ‘Abbás Effendi, and began to realize something of His station from the reverent wording of the letters addressed to Him.
“It was with great joy that my nephew realized, in the person of this wonderful and holy Personage, the cousin of his father. When the Master’s letter came, in answer to one of my nephew, he brought it to me to translate, he not being able to read the Persian language.
“By this letter I began to understand the truth and to deplore the ignorance in which I had lived for so long.
“I lived in Constantinople for fifteen years engaged in banking work.
“I did not frequent the society of Persians, for I knew they would shun me because I was the son of Ṣubḥ-i-Azal, the half-brother of Bahá’u’lláh.
“My father had the unfortunate habit of frequently marrying!”