Bahá'u'lláh's Declaration (Ridván) - Sources
This document provides the original source accounts for the story of Bahá'u'llah's declaration in the Garden of Ridvan.

The story of the Bahá'u'lláh's great announcement in plain english using these accounts, is here:
http://www.paintdrawer.co.uk/david/folders/Spirituality/005=Collections/holydays.htm

Latest Version of this document:
http://www.paintdrawer.co.uk/david/folders/Research/Bahai/Baha%27u%27llah/Declaration%20of%20Baha%27u%27llah%20(Sources).rtf

All comments appreciated - http://www.paintdrawer.co.uk/david/Email.php

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Contents
Contents
18?? - My Memories of Bahá'u'lláh (Ustád Muhammad-'Alíy-i- Salmání)
1886 - Travellers Narrative (Abdu'l-Bahá)
xxxx - Memorials of the Faithful (Abdu'l-Bahá)
1890 - Nabil's Narrative Vol 2 (Nabil-i-Zarandi)
1903 - Life and Teaching of Abbas Effendi / Master in Akka (Myron Phelps)
1923 - Bahá'u'lláh and the New Era (Esslemont)
1925 - Ashchi (Aqa Husayn Ashchi)
1932 (pre) - Haifa Talks with Lorel and Keith
1940 - Chosen Highway : Munirih Khanum (Lady Blomfield)
1940 - Chosen Highway: Mirza Asadu'llah Kashani and Siyyid 'Ali Yazdi (Lady Blomfield)
1944 - God Passes By (Shoghi Effendi)
1963 - Bahá'u'lláh (Balyuzi)
1971 - 'Abdu'l-Bahá The Centre of the Covenant of Bahá'u'lláh (H M Balyuzi)
197? - Adib Taherzadeh's Summary
1972 - Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh: Baghdad 1853-63 (Adib Taherzadeh)
1972 - Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh: Baghdad 1853-63 (Adib Taherzadeh)
1972 - Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh: Adrianople, 1863-1868 (Adib Taherzadeh)
1973 - A Flame of Fire (A. Q. Faizi) (3rd Print)
1980 - King of Glory (H M Balyuzi)
1999 - The Child of the Covenant (Adib Taherzadeh)
1873 - Kitab-i-Aqdas
1873 - Aqdas Notes
Baha'u'llah via Khadimu'llah regarding Ridvan (Tr. Juan Cole)
Tablet of Job (Lawh-i-Ayyub)
Tablet of the Branch
Tablet to Napolean III
Tablet in the handwriting of Mirza Aqa Jan
Comment on Khadimu'llah passage
Tablet of the Feast of the Ridwan
Divine Springtime is Come
The Wondrous Maiden / Houri of Wonder (Hur-i 'Ujab)
Gleanings CLI (Release yourselves, O nightingales)
x Lawh-i-Bágh-i-Ridván (Late Akka)
Surih of Patience/Job (Surih-i-Sabr, Lawh-i-Ayyub)
SWA P111 #73 (Lady wishing to celebrate Ridvan)
PUP 18 Apr 1912 (History Talk)
Encylopedia Article (John Walbridge)
Sacred Acts, Sacred Space, Sacred Time (Walbridge)
recherche.bahai-studien.de
Calendrical and Geo Info
Other

18?? - My Memories of Bahá'u'lláh (Ustád Muhammad-'Alíy-i- Salmání)
In Baghdad
<13>
The year of my arrival in Baghdad was one year before the Blessed Beauty departed from the city [in 1863], and He had not yet made an explicit declaration of His Mission. He would say whatever the Manifestation of God would say, but in all He uttered there was no: "I am He!
<p20>
Journey Anticipated
Another time, when I was about to make use of the rubbing mitt, Baha'u'llah said, "Ustad Muhammad-'Ali, we have in mind to take a long journey. What do you say to that?"
I bowed. And that day went by.
Government House
Two days later, He said He was about to go to Government House. This terrified me. I went and fastened on a dagger, concealed a couple of pistols about me, and left for the seat of government to see what was happening. I went over the bridge and walked past the confectionary shop to Siyyid Husayn of Isfahan -- and there I saw Aqay-i Kalim. He called to me, and I asked him what was going on. He replied that Baha'u'llah had been summoned. Not much time passed before the Blessed Beauty returned, and we learned that orders had come from Istanbul to Baghdad, that Baha'u'llah should proceed to wherever He might desire, away from Baghdad; the choice was to be His, that is, within the Ottoman territory.
It became widely known that Haji Mirza Husayn Khán [Persian ambassador to Istanbul] was behind proposal. He had said, "Because of the proximity of Baghdad to Persian soil, the Cause of Baha is constantly progressing."
Namiq Pasha had sent the following message to Baha'u'llah: "This decree has already been received here ten or twelve times, but I did not tell you of it, and my reply to it was: 'Baha'u'llah has lived in Baghdad twelve years,(6) and up to now no fault has ever been found in Him.'"
Meeting at Mosque
Baha'u'llah had said to the messenger, "Tell Namiq Pasha that I will not come to the Government House, but I will come to the mosque in its vicinity. I will meet there with whoever wishes to address me."
Baha'u'llah went to the mosque, and the deputy of Namiq Pasha appeared and said, "Namiq had desired to come to You himself, but he was ashamed to, and sent me in his place." He then recited the particulars of the decree.
The Beloved said, "I will go to Istanbul." And they approved.
Afterward, thinking of journey, Baha'u'llah said, "I will go alone." But the Household wept and insisted and begged. He finally agreed that they should accompany Him, and He named those who were to stay behind. One night Mirza Muhammad Quli came in and told me "He says that you must be among the ones who go with Him."
Ridvan Garden
After some days, Bahá'u'lláh proceeded to a garden outside the city, and there His tent was pitched. This was the garden of Najíb Páshá [later known as the Garden of Ridván] and it was here in this garden that He openly declared His Mission. That is, He spoke of the manifestation of the Exalted One, the Báb, saying that He was the Qá'im, that the Cause was His Cause--and at the same time, with certain intimations, He also declared His own Mission. During the twelve days of His sojourn in that garden, every morning and every afternoon He would speak of the Báb's Cause and declare His own.
Journey to Istanbul
Then came the last day. There was a Turk, a Sunni, who owned pack mules, and he took charge of our baggage. Some eight or nine howdahs were closed up.... The Master was on horseback, and it was he who undertook to watch over the animals. Mirza Muhammad-'Ali was also on horseback, as well as a number of other believers, besides several who came along on foot.
I was the one in charge of supplies. That is, when anyone needed some article, I would give it to him and see to it that it was returned. A number of the friends accompanied us to the first few stopping places and then went back, for Baha'u'llah had said that anyone following along on this journey without permission would come to no good.
Retinue
Some of us who were members of His retinue were these: myself, Muhammad-'Ali Khayyatbashi, the Tailor, of Kashan; Mirza Aqa (who had no permission and came to a bad end); Najaf-'Ali, who came through my interceding for him; Aqa Muhammad-'Ali, the Tobacconist, from Isfahan; 'Abdu'l-Ghaffar; Aqa Muhammad-Sadiq of Isfahan; Mirza Aqa Jan. And Aqay-Kalim; Mirza Muhammad-Quli; His Holiness the Master; Mirza Muhammad-'Ali; Siyyid Muhammad of Isfahan; Haji Mirza Ahmad of Kashan, who was the brother of Haji Mirza <p26> Jani and who, because of the quarrel which he had carried on in Baghdad with the kinfolk of Mirza Buzurg Khan-i Ilichi was in mortal danger, and if left behind would have perished. Also, there was Aqa Muhammad-'Ali Sabbagh, the Dyer, of Yazd; Aqa Muhammad-Hasan Musafir-Khanihi of Qum; and Aqa Husayn Ashchi, the Porridge Cook, who was a child and was accepted as an attendant around the house. And there was Ahmad, the son of Mirza Yahya.(8)
On the point of departure, Baha'u'llah had said, "Whoever accompanies us on this journey without permission shall come to no good." Nevertheless some of these individuals left with Him anyhow.
Security
At every stopping place, for security along the road, we were given a mounted escort, five or six guards, who would come along with us. One night when we made camp, a package was missing from the tent of Baha'u'llah. Someone had stolen it and run off. We looked everywhere, but couldn't find it.
Bathing, Crowds
Most of the stopping places were along the Tigris, and most days the Master would go bathing in the river. At each encampment the crowds would come out to meet us and watch, for it was widely known that "the leader of the Babis" was on His way to Istanbul. And as a rule, when we neared the campsite the guards would ride on ahead and beat the drums so that the populace would congregate for their visit. As soon as they had gathered, Baha'u'llah would teach them the Faith.
Azal
In Baghdad, Mirza Yahya [Azal] would always stay in the house, and the rare occasions when he came out, <p27> he would arrange things so that no one was aware of it. When Baha'u'llah was about to leave the city, He told Azal: "Say where you would want to go. I will provide a servant for you, so you will be safe."
Azal had answered, "My Lord, wherever You go, I will go too." And he thought it prudent to add; "But send me on ahead. Let me go first, so that I will not be seen in your company."
An Arab, a person named Za'i, [Zahir in God Passes By] a shrewd man and a believer, was appointed to accompany Azal. And Za'i, along with Azal, left Baghdad ahead of the others, in such a way that nobody found out about it. All the way to Mosul, which is approximately ten stopping places from Baghdad, there was not a trace of Azal to be seen.
Mosul 3 Days - Azal, Crowds
In Mosul, we pitched the Blessed Beauty's tent along the Tigris. Here we noted that, hidden off in a corner to one side, there was a little tent with a raised flap, and that a minuscule individual with a long beard was living in it. Za'i was with this person. Purely by guessing, some realized that the tent-dweller had to be Azal.
Most of the people of Mosul flocked to Baha'u'llah, and He was loving and kind to them. In Mosul He attended the public bath, and I served Him. He remained three days in this city. As for Azal, not one of the believers really knew him. In Mosul, he came to Baha'u'llah to complain about Za'i. "He doesn't show me any respect," Azal said. "He's too independent. Too free and easy."
Za'i replied to the charge by saying to Baha'u'llah in Arabic: "Lord I beg You, keep this little fellow curtained off somewhere, and don't let him out. People might see him and lose their faith."
Well, Baha'u'llah gave Za'i some money, and he returned to Baghdad. There was a Kashi by the name of Baqir, and Baha'u'llah requested him to serve Mirza Yahya. Accordingly, Baqir went with Yahya, who never at any time traveled as one of our caravan.
Mosul to Mardin - Mules Stolen and Returned
To make a long story short, we left Mosul and after a number of days arrived at Kirkuk. (There were ten stopping places between Mosul and Kirkuk.) Along the way, we came to Mardin, a place on the slope of a high mountain where we were to stay overnight. That night, two mules were stolen from another caravan which was coming along with ours. The owner of the mules complained to Baha'u'llah, who told him: "I will stay on here until your animals are found." He then went into the town of Mardin and told them: "This man's animals must be found. I will remain in this place until they are." The mules turned up. Baha'u'llah remained three days in Mardin.
Mardin to Kirkuk
In Kirkuk, at an earlier date, there had been a dervish in honor of whom the Tablet called The Seven Valleys was revealed.(9) By the time we reached Kirkuk that dervish was dead, but he had a son named Shaykh-'Ali who present himself to Baha'u'llah with many expressions of devotion. In most places the people would come and would ask questions and receive answers.
Diyarbakir
Some days later we arrived at Diyarbakir. (There were ten stopping places between Diyarbakir and Kirkuk.) At Diyarbakir, on the banks of the Tigris, we made camp in a garden, and here (as was usual) Baha'u'llah would not go into the city. <p29>
Azal
Everywhere, Mirza Yahya was shadowing us, and little by little some the believers recognized him, but I still did not. In Diyarbakir, it was arranged that the party should go by way of Samsun. Of the remaining stops along the way, there was Irbil, where He stayed one day, and following this, we reached Sivas and stopped on the bank of the Tigris. At this place we had to carry all our possessions over the river.
River Crossing at Sivas and Azal
I went to the Master and said, "There's a lot of noise and bustle on that side of the river, and no one over there to take delivery of our things. If I may be permitted, I will cross over ahead of time and be there to receive our baggage." And the Master approved.
When I got into the boat, there was one other passenger sitting there. It was Azal, but I failed to recognize him. He said, "Where are you from?" (He would speak very roughly, and it was hateful to hear him.)
I said, "From Isfahan."
He said, "Why did you get in this boat? Who gave you permission?"
I said, "I am here by permission of a great Personage."
He said, "Now that you have come here without anyone's leave, what would you do if I gave you two or three blows with my club?" (He had a cudgel in his hand.)
I said, "If I were a mild-mannered person I would forgive you. But if I come to any harm from that club, I will take it away from you and give you such a thrashing that you will forget all about how brave you were."
This infuriated him. Anyhow, he said nothing more, and the boat reached the other side. I took delivery of our belongings and determined where to pitch the tent of Baha'u'llah, and He arrived. Baha'u'llah stayed here two days.
Some Attendees
There was a Mir Muhammad of Kazirun who had two or three pack animals and this Mir Muhammad came along, too. He was a man in poor health, short in stature, and short on patience.
Bathing
As I said, at most of the stopping places the Master would go bathing in the river. For example, at this particular place He told me that I, too, should get out of my clothes. I excused myself, saying, "I have a cold."
He said, "Very well, then..."
Mirza Aqa Jan...would also strip, on occasion, and sit off in a c somewhere and bathe....For this journey Azal had changed his name to Mirza 'Ali.
Cold and Lack of Food
It was extremely cold in Sivas. There was scarcity here also, and one could find neither hay nor oats. The Master bought a wheat field and divided up the crop among the animals. Baha'u'llah attended the public bath and I served Him. After the bathing and the application of hair coloring and henna, we returned to camp.
Azal, Food, Manners and Money
On occasion, Mirza Yahya might enter the family quarters of Baha'u'llah, but in such a way as to be seen by no one. His dinner would be brought to him from the andarun. I was told that once when he had eaten tas-kabab [a meat dish] with onions, he said to those around him, "This is an excellent tas-kabab. I like the lemons in it." What he was doing was, he was...saying to the others, "I ate those onions by accident: I took them for lemons." [the Bab forbade onions; Baha'u'llah permitted them] Anyway, his evening meal was prepared in the andarun of Baha'u'llah, and they would always set aside an extra plate of it and give it to his wife to serve to him the next morning. Really, he ate more than enough for two. I had only recently learned who he was, and I knew him now.
Azal's wife quarreled with her traveling companion, who rode on the other side of her howdah, so they transferred her to the howdah of Mirza Muhammad Quli's wife, who changed places with her. I was in charge of the howdah of Azal's wife. Every morning I would observe that Baqir, Azal's servant, would come up, take that container of extra food from Azal's wife, and carry it to Azal, who would eat as he rode along on his horse. One day I was famished, and it so happened that when baqir came by for Azal's food, I wrested it away from him and began eating it myself. Azal saw all this from a distance. He rushed at me, attacking me from his horse, and I threw away the container of food and ran off. He was in a towering rage. And he lost face with everybody, most of all with me. I could see that he was of no account: greatness did not set well on him at all.
He was harsh too, and foul mouthed; very much of a miser, too. In Harput [Kharput], the Blessed Beauty sent for a little Isfahan gaz - a sort of nougat - which had been brought along, and divided it among all the travelers, sending three fine pieces to Azal. It happened that Azal had just eaten (this was in the afternoon), and he had decided to adopt a regimen for his health. There was an Ustad Muhammad-Baqir of Kashan - brother of the champion, Pahlavan Rida, who died in the storehouse - the jail - of Nasiri'd-Din Shah. He was a good man, and he had another brother, Muhammad-Isma'il. Baqir and his brother were both tailors, but on this journey they were in charge of serving tea. Azal called out to Aqa Muhammad-Baqir and ordered him to "Take care of those nougats."
This man...wrapped the nougats in paper and put the package under his arm. I knew what he was doing, but I said nothing. Anyhow, because of the heat, the three large pieces of nougat stuck together and melted into a single lump. An hour later Ustad Baqir came to me and said, "Those nougats of His Holiness Azal are all stuck together. What shall I do?"
I told him, "His Eminence doesn't care about such things. Let's you and me and your brother divide this among us, and eat it up."
Another hour or so went by and then Azal sent for his nougats. Ustad Baqir presented himself, quaking in his shoes, and said, "Sir, the nougats all melted together and I was ashamed to offer them to you in that condition, so I and my brother and Ustad Muhammad-'Ali divided them up, and we ate them."
Azal was enraged and berated the man very harshly. "You are nothing but a traitor," he shouted. "You are all thieves! And you don't really believe in the Bab!" He kept on that way for quite a while, in one stopping place after another, muttering and grumbling, still mourning his nougats.
In Harput the Blessed Beauty proceeded to the public bath, and Azal went along, too. Baha'u'llah said to me, "Apply the henna for me, and then go and take care of Azal." I made use of the henna as bidden, and went over to Azal.
He told me, "Shave my boy's head." At this time his son was twelve or thirteen years old [the custom for adult men to shave their heads bald]. I answered, "No. I will return to Baha'u'llah, and if He says to shave the boy's head, then I will shave it."
Azal was furious. I went and asked Baha'u'llah, and He said, "No. Do not shave the child's head." To make a long story short, I didn't. I finished attending to Azal, and left him.
Then the Purest Branch, Baha'u'llah's son, who was then fourteen or fifteen, came and and I forgot everything else. He was truly the brother of 'Abdu'l-Baha, extremely modest and self-effacing. Mirza Muhammad-'Ali there too, and Aqay-i Kalim, and Mirza Muhammad-Quli, and that Majdu'd-Din. The Purest Branch said to me, "This journey has taught us many things. For example, Azal believed that everyone would be subservient to him, and yet he now sees that such is not the case."
Samsun - Animals and their Charges
Finally, we got to Samsun. As we went along, two or three persons had charge of the animals and served as grooms - that is, to the animals of the holy Household. One was Darvish Sidq-'Ali, known as Gul-i Mawla [the Master's Rose] and he is so named in a Tablet; one was Aqa Siyyid Husayn of Kashan. And the third was Haji Ibrahim, likewise of Kashan. At this place we reached the Black Sea.
There was a chief inspector who had come to Samsun on other business, and with great ceremony he entertained Baha'u'llah. Also, a Tablet was revealed here, called the Tablet of the Howdah.(10) Baha'u'llah remained two or three days in Samsun, until the ship arrived. Those in charge of the pack animals were dismissed here, with generous gifts of money, but the horses belonging to the Household were brought along. There was also a horse from the pasha of Baghdad, which he was sending to Istanbul, and this animal too was loaded on the ship. <p37>
1886 - Travellers Narrative (Abdu'l-Bahá)
xxxx - Memorials of the Faithful (Abdu'l-Bahá)
Baghdad to Constantinople
<34>
Bahá'u'lláh and His retinue then left Baghdad, the "Abode of Peace," for Constantinople, the "City of Islam." After His departure, Nabil put on the dress of a dervish, and set out on foot, catching up with the convoy along the way. In Constantinople he was directed to return to Persia and there teach the Cause of God; also to travel throughout the country, and acquaint the believers in its cities and villages with all that had taken place.
Adrianople
When this mission was accomplished, and the drums of "Am I not your Lord?" were rolling out -- for it was the "year eighty" [1863] --  34  Nabil hurried to Adrianople, crying as he went, "Yea verily Thou art! Yea verily!" and "Lord, Lord, here am I!"
He entered Bahá'u'lláh's presence and drank of the red wine of allegiance and homage. He was then given specific orders to travel everywhere, and in every region to raise the call that God was now made manifest: to spread the blissful tidings that the Sun of Truth had risen. He was truly on fire, driven by restive love. With great fervor he would pass through a country, bringing this best of all messages and reviving the hearts. He flamed like a torch in every company, he was the star of every assemblage, to all who came he held out the intoxicating cup.
Akka
He journeyed as to the beat of drums and at last he reached the 'Akká fortress.
<57>
He found himself a corner to  58  live in, close beside the house of the Blessed Beauty, and mornings and evenings would enter the presence of Bahá'u'lláh. For a time he was supremely happy.
Baghdad to Constantinople, Adrianople
When Bahá'u'lláh and His retinue left Baghdad for Constantinople, Aqa Muhammad-'Ali was of that company, and fevered with the love of God. We reached Constantinople; and since the Government obliged us to settle in Adrianople we left Muhammad-'Ali in the Turkish capital to assist the believers as they came and went through that city. We then went on to Adrianople. This man remained alone and he suffered intense distress for he had no friend nor companion nor anyone to care for him.
After two years of this he came on to Adrianople, seeking a haven in the loving-kindness of Bahá'u'lláh. He went to work as a peddler, and when the great rebellion [1] began and the oppressors drove the friends to the extreme of adversity, he too was among the prisoners and was exiled with us to the fortress at 'Akká.
[1 The rebellion of Mirza Yahya, who had been named provisional chief of the Bábí community. The Báb had never appointed a successor or viceregent, instead referring His disciples to the imminent advent of His Promised One. In the interim a virtual unknown was, for security reasons, made the ostensible leader. Following His declaration in 1863 as the Promised One of the Báb, Bahá'u'lláh withdrew for a time, in Adrianople, to allow the exiles a free choice as between Him and this unworthy half brother, whose crimes and follies had threatened to destroy the infant Faith. Terrified at being challenged to face Bahá'u'lláh in a public debate, Mirza Yahya refused, and was completely discredited. As Bahá'í history has repeatedly demonstrated, this crisis too, however grievous, resulted in still greater victories for the Faith -- including the rallying of prominent disciples to Bahá'u'lláh, and the global proclamation of Bahá'u'lláh's mission, in His Tablets to the Pope and Kings. Cf. God Passes By, p. 28, Chapter X and passim.
<132>
He was the leader, among all the friends in Iraq, and after the great separation, when the convoy of the Beloved left for Constantinople, he remained loyal and staunch, and withstood the foe. He girded himself for service and openly, publicly, observed by all, taught the Faith.
As soon as Bahá'u'lláh's declaration that He was "He Whom God Shall Manifest" had become known far and wide, Muhammad-Mustafa -- being among those souls who had become believers prior to this Declaration, and before the call was raised -- cried out: "Verily, we believe!" Because, even before this Declaration, the very light itself pierced through the veils that had closed off the peoples of the world, so that every seeing eye beheld the splendor, and every longing soul could look upon its Well-Beloved.
1890 - Nabil's Narrative Vol 2 (Nabil-i-Zarandi)
(See God Passes By; also quoted in Adib Taherzadeh, Revelation of Baha'u'llah v 1, p. 275)
1903 - Life and Teaching of Abbas Effendi / Master in Akka (Myron Phelps)
(Quoted in Days of Ridvan)
<p51>
Info
In December 1902, Myron Phelps, an American Lawyer, journeyed to Akka to investigate the Baha'i teachings. There he met Abdu'l-Baha and was able, through intermediaries, to interview the Greatest Holy Leaf, Abdu'l-Baha's sister. The following is her account of Baha'u'llah's declaration in Baghdad:
Baghdad, Governor
"The Governor of Baghdad at this time was a relative of my father [Baha'u'llah], but his enemy on account of differences in religious opinion and family misunderstandings*. This man, rendered uncomfortable by the sight of my father's increasing fame and influence, exerted himself to effect his removal from Baghdad. He caused representations to be made to the Shah of Persia that, whereas Bahá'u'lláh had been driven out of Persia because of the harm threatened by his presence to the Muhammadan religion in
* This information may not be accurate. See The Master in Akka, p. 149, n. 7; God Passes By, pp. 131, 142, 149-50; Baha'u'llah: The King of Gloiy, pp. 480, 482-83.-ED.

<p52>
that country, now he was injuring the religion even more in Baghdad, and still exerting his evil influence in Persia; and that therefore he ought to be removed to a place at a greater distance from that country, and one where he could do less harm.
Order of Exile
"These representations and suggestions he sent repeatedly to the Court of Persia, until at length the shah was moved to use his influence with the Sultan of Turkey to have the Bábis transferred from Baghdad to Constantinople. An order to this effect was at length made by the sultan.
"When this news came to us, from which we inferred that my father would again be made a prisoner, we were thrown into consternation, fearing another separation. He was summoned before the magistrates. My brother imperiously declared that he would go in his stead; but this our father overruled, and went himself. Great numbers of his followers had assembled about our house, and these witnessed his departure with many demonstrations of grief, feeling that it was possible that he might not return.
"The magistrates expressed great sorrow to my father; they said that they respected and loved him, that they had not instigated the order, but that they were powerless to suspend or modify it, and must proceed with its execution. My father remained in conference with them nearly all day, but could do nothing to avert the catastrophe. When he <p53> returned, he told us that we must prepare to set out for Constantinople in two weeks.
Reaction of Followers
"This report was like a death-knell to his followers, who were still gathered about the house. Many of them were Arabs; their fierce natures rebelled and they gave way to violent remonstrances. They implored the Blessed Perfection not to desert them. 'You are our shepherd,' they said; 'without you we must die.'
Decision for Garden, Reactions
"The next day they so overran the house that we could not prepare for the journey. Then the Blessed Perfection proposed to go with 'Abbas Effendi to the garden of one of our friends and live there in a tent till the time of departure, that the family might be able to proceed with the packing. This remark was repeated and misunderstood, and the rumour circulated among the believers that the Blessed Perfection was to be taken away alone. Then they came pouring in by hundreds, so wild with grief that they could not be pacified; and when my father started to leave the house with my brother they threw themselves upon the ground before him. One man who had an only child, which had come to him late in his life, <p54> stripped the clothes from the child's body and placing it at my father's feet cried, 'Naked I give you my child, my precious child, to do with as you will; only promise not to leave us in distress. Without you we cannot live.'
Ridvan Garden
"Then, as the only way in which to soothe his followers, the Blessed Perfection took all his family to the garden, leaving to friends the preparation of his household goods for the journey. Here we pitched tents and lived in them for two weeks. The tents made, as it were, a little village, that of my father, which, he occupied alone, in the centre.
"Four days before the caravan was to set out, the Blessed Perfection called 'Abbás Effendi into his tent and told him that he himself was the one whose coming had been promised by the Báb — the Chosen of God, the Centre of the Covenant. A little later, and before leaving the garden, he selected from among his disciples four others, to whom he made the same declaration. He further said to these five that for the present he enjoined upon them secrecy as to this communication, as the time had not come for a public declaration; but that there were reasons which caused him to deem it necessary to make it at that time to a few whom he could trust. These reasons he did not state; but they are to my mind suggested by the subsequent events which I shall narrate farther on and which I think he at that time anticipated, and in view of which he felt that he needed special protection. <p55>
"Many of the Blessed Perfection's followers decided to abandon Baghdad also, and accompany him in his wanderings. When the caravan started, our company numbered about seventy-five persons. All the young men, and others who could ride, were mounted on horses. The women and the Blessed Perfection were furnished wagons. We were accompanied by a military escort. This journey took place in 1863, about eleven years after our arrival in Baghdad.
"From the time when the declaration was made to him at Baghdad, Abbas Effendi seemed to constitute himself the special attendant, servant, and body-guard of his father. He guarded him day and night on this
<p41>
journey, riding by his wagon and watching near his tent. He thus had little sleep, and, being young, became extremely weary. His horse was Arab and very fine, and so wild and spirited that no other man could mount him, but under my brother's hand as gentle and docile as a lamb. In order to get a little rest, he adopted the plan of riding swiftly a considerable distance ahead of the caravan, when, dismounting and causing his horse to lie down, he would throw himself on the ground and place his head on his horse's neck. So he would sleep until the cavalcade came up, when his horse would awake him by a kick and he would remount.
"The march to Constantinople occupied four months [left Baghdad 3 May 1863, arrived Constantinople 16 Aug 1863]. Much of the weather vas inclement and during many whole days we were without proper food. In our company were many small children, upon whom and the women the journey was very hard. On one occasion during a long and cold march, my brother having obtained some bread, rice, and milk, my father made up with his own hands a sort of pudding by boiling these together with a little sugar, which was then distributed to all. The preparation of this food was a reminiscence of my father's two-years' sojourn in the mountains, where he was dependent on what might be given him, and this dish - which he sometimes made for himself - was the only warm food he had.
<p42>
"Such times as these were moments of pleasure; but there was always present a feeling of apprehension - as though a sword were hanging over our heads.
"Arrived in Constantinople we found ourselves prisoners.12 We were put into a small house, the men below and the women above. My father and his family were given two rooms. The weather was very cold and damp, and we had no fires or proper clothing. Because of the crowding the atmosphere was foul. We petitioned for better quarters, and were given another house, which was to some extent an improvement.
"While we were here the Blessed Perfection was advised by persons of prominence who came to see him to appeal to the sultan, state his case, and demand justice, in accordance with the Turkish custom. To these suggestions he replied that he was a man whose only concern was the spiritual welfare of men; that he had never interfered in any way with worldly affairs, nor should he ever do so, even in his own behalf; that the sultan had commanded his presence in Constantinople, and for that reason alone he had come; that in like manner he should in the future comply with the wishes of the sultan; that he saw no reason why he, a spiritual man, should initiate the trouble, argument, and commotion incident to an appeal; and that if the government wished to investigate the truth of the matter, it would itself institute an inquiry.
"I have heard that these words were repeated to the
<p47>
sultan and did not please him, perhaps because a different construction had been put upon them by the narrator than the meaning which the Blessed Perfection intended to convey. However that may be, it being a matter about which I cannot speak with certainty, my father was not called upon to appear at any inquiry. An order was, however, made, about two months after our arrival in Constantinople, directing our transfer to Adrianople [Edirne] a town in eastern European Turkey of notoriously bad climate, to which criminals were often sent.13
"Before we set out a threat was made of separating us - of sending the Blessed Perfection to one place, his family to another, and his followers elsewhere. This overwhelmed us with apprehension, which hung over us and tormented us during the whole of the journey and long after. The dread of this or of the execution of my father was the greatest of our trials - a horrible fear of unknown danger always menacing us. Such threats were frequently repeated after this time also. Had it not been for them we could have borne our sufferings with greater resignation; but these kept us always in a heart-sickening suspense.
"The journey to Adrianople, although occupying but nine days, was the most terrible experience of travel we had thus far had.14 It was the beginning of winter, and very cold; heavy snow fell most of the time; and destitute as we were of proper clothing or food, it was a miracle that we survived it. We arrived at Adrianople
<p48>
all sick - even the young and strong. My brother again had his feet frozen on this journey.
"Our family, numbering eleven persons, was lodged in a house of three rooms just outside the city of Adrianople.15 It was like a prison; without comforts and surrounded by a guard of soldiers. Our only food was the prison fare allowed us, which was unsuitable for the children and the sick.
"That winter was a period of intense suffering, due to cold, hunger, and, above all, to the torments of vermin, with which the house was swarming. These made even the days horrible, and the nights still more so. When they were so intolerable that it was impossible to sleep, my brother would light a lamp (which somewhat intimidated the vermin) and by singing and laughing seek to restore the spirits of the family.
"In the spring, on the appeal of the Blessed Perfection to the governor, we were removed to somewhat more comfortable quarters within the city. Our family was given the second story of a house, of which some of the believers occupied the ground floor.16
"We remained for five years in Adrianople [12 December 1863-12 August 1868]. The Blessed Perfection resumed his teaching and gathered about him a large following. We were very poor and always in great privation, but had become so inured to suffering that we should have lived in tolerable contentment had it not been for two things - the feeling of
1923 - Bahá'u'lláh and the New Era (Esslemont)
Summons to Constantinople
After much negotiation, at the request of the Persian Government, an order was issued by the Turkish Government summoning Baha'u'llah to Constantinople. On receipt of this news His followers were in consternation.
Ridvan Garden
They besieged the house of their beloved Leader to such an extent that the family encamped in the Garden of Najib Pasha outside the town for twelve days, while the caravan was being prepared for the long journey. It was during these twelve days (April 22 to May 3, 1863, i.e. nineteen years after the Bab's Declaration) that Baha'u'llah announced to several of His followers the glad tidings that He was the One Whose coming had been foretold by the Bab - the Chosen of God, the Promised One of all the Prophets. The Garden where this memorable Declaration took place has become known to Baha'is as the "Garden of Ridvan," and the days Baha'u'llah spent there are commemorated in the "Feast of Ridvan," which is held annually on the anniversary of those twelve days. During those days Baha'u'llah, instead of being sad or depressed, showed the greatest joy, dignity and power. His followers became happy and enthusiastic, and great crowds came to pay their respects to Him. All the notables of Baghdad, even the Governor himself, came to honor the departing prisoner.
To Constantinople and Adrianople
The journey to Constantinople lasted between three and four months, the party consisting of Baha'u'llah with members of His family and twenty-six disciples. Arrived in Constantinople they found themselves prisoners in a small house in which they were very much overcrowded. Later they got somewhat better quarters, but after four months they were again moved on, this time to Adrianople. The journey to Adrianople, although it lasted but a few days, was the most terrible they had yet undertaken. Snow fell heavily most of the time, and as they were destitute of proper clothing and food, their sufferings were extreme. For the first winter in Adrianople, Baha'u'llah and His family, numbering twelve persons, were accommodated in a small house of three rooms, comfortless and vermin infested. In the spring they were given a more comfortable abode. They remained in Adrianople over four and a half years. Here Baha'u'llah resumed His teaching and gathered about Him a large following. He publicly announced His mission and was enthusiastically accepted by the majority of the Babis, who were known thereafter as Baha'is. A minority, however, under the leadership of Baha'u'llah's half brother, Mirza Yahya, become violently opposed to Him and joined with their former enemies, the Shi'ihs, in plotting for His overthrow. Great troubles ensued, and at last the Turkish Government banished both Babis and Baha'is from Adrianople, exiling Baha'u'llah and His followers to Akka, in Palestine, where they arrived (according to Nabil) on August 31, 1868, while Mirza Yahya and his party were sent to Cyprus.
Abdu'l-Baha
<53>
He [Abdu'l-Bahá] never attended any school or college, His only teacher being His father. His favorite recreation was horseback riding, which He keenly enjoyed.
After Bahá'u'lláh's Declaration in the Garden outside Baghdad, Abdu'l-Bahá's devotion to His father became greater than ever. On the long journey to Constantinople He guarded Bahá'u'lláh night and day, riding by His wagon and watching near His tent. As far as possible He relieved His father of all domestic cares and responsibilities, becoming the mainstay and comfort of the entire family.
During the years spent in Adrianople, 'Abdu'l-Bahá endeared Himself to everyone. He taught much, and became generally known as the "Master." At 'Akká, when nearly all the party were ill with typhoid, malaria, and dysentery, He washed the patients, nursed them, fed them, watched with them, taking no rest, until utterly exhausted, He Himself took dysentery, and for about a month remained in a dangerous condition. In 'Akká, as in Adrianople, all classes, from the Governor to the most wretched beggar, learned to love and respect Him.
1925 - Ashchi (Aqa Husayn Ashchi)
Translated Ahang Rabbani - http://ahang.rabbani.googlepages.com
Baha'u'llah's Banishment from Tihran and the Role of the Russian Government
And the reasons for His blessed departure and travels in exile are recorded in important histories. At the conclusion of His incarceration in the Most Great Prison [Siyáh-Chál], the Ancient Beauty and the Most Great Name [Bahá'u'lláh], accompanied by Iranian guards and watchmen appointed by the Russian Consulate in Tihran, left for Baghdad, and in the utmost health and wellbeing ascended the throne of majesty [in Baghdad].
Russian Pessure in Siyah-Chal
During that period, the Russian Consul exerted great might and influence in support of the Blessed Beauty. He attained the presence of Iran's monarch and spoke sternly in support and protection of the Ancient Beauty, "If a hair is lost from His sacred Head, Iran's future will be in ruins, the flames of war will rage, and they will burn even the stones and the bricks!" The reason for this [protest] was that some of Bahá'u'lláh's relatives worked in the Russian Consulate.
Mírzá Musá Chased
One day, Á[qá] Mírzá Musá Kalím entered the [Russian] Consulate. [However, on his way to the Consulate], the enemies had chased after him, intending to injure him. When Á[qá] Mírzá Musá reached the Consulate's entrance, those chasing after him robbed him of his 'abá. When the [Russian] Consul heard of this incident and learned that the Blessed Beauty was persecuted and subjected to utmost cruelty and ill-treatments in the prison, he immediately mounted the steed of action. He went before the Shah of Iran and insisted on the urgent release of that Sanctified Being [Bahá'u'lláh].
Removal to Baghdad
It was then that the Blessed Beauty was removed from prison and, by instructions of the government of Iran, journeyed to Baghdad. For this reason, the Russians appointed two guards so that no harm would come to the Ancient Beauty en route.
The Consul had secured an agreement from the government [to the effect that] "Upon reaching Baghdad, the Blessed Beauty would write me a letter expressing His approval of the manner and services of the Iranian guards, so that I would be assured [that they did not mistreat Bahá'u'lláh along the way]". Therefore, the Iranian authorities had given firm instructions to the guards, and the journey was conducted in the utmost joy, delight and ease until they reached their destination [Baghdad].
In truth, under such circumstances, this great service was rendered by the subjects of the mighty and distinguished Russian government. It was the authorities of the esteemed Russian government who won the choice trophy in the field of service in protection of the Divine Temple [Bahá'u'lláh], and placed this jeweled crown on her head. For the rest of eternity Russia could proudly say to the whole of humanity that she was able to win such a service, and was confirmed and sustained in this exertion. Of certainly, the authorities of the distinguished Russian government and the servants of that celestial monarchy will perceive in succeeding epochs and ages the great honor placed [on that country], and will protect the young tree that they planted in the highest celestial paradise from the whims of the world's ill-intentioned. With the water of recognition and firm conviction, they will nurture the tree planted in the wondrous heaven, until it bears luscious fruits, and many would take shelter beneath its shadow and dwell within its protection.
The author, within his own abilities and limitations, wishes to express his thanks and gratitude for the cherished service rendered in the path of humanity by that distinguished government and nation, and their benevolence to these wronged ones of the earth. On every occasion, she [i.e. the Russian government] has protected the divine friends from the onslaught of the wicked, has sheltered God's party, and the entire government has investigated and comprehended the depth of truthfulness, trustworthiness and well-wishing of the people of Bahá, and provided humanitarian support and means for the propagation [of the Cause] in that land. Through divine bounties and clemencies, I cherish the hope for that luminous land to spread the feast of sustenance for the entire horizon of humanity and, through the confirmations of divine bounties, to transform the surface of the earth into a radiant paradise. "And this is not possible except by God, the Almighty."
Bahá'u'lláh in Baghdad
At any event, in the Abode of Peace [Baghdad] the Ancient Beauty spoke for twelve years, to the old and young, of the ascendancy and sovereignty of the Divine Cause. The prestige and might of His blessed Person became evident unto all, in such wise that fear and trepidation of His sacred Self quivered in every heart.
At that time, there were no more than forty believers, and according to the testimony of 'Abdu'l-Bahá – may the spirits of both worlds be a sacrifice to His services – the most courageous among them was Áqá Asadu'lláh Misgar ["the coppersmith"], brother of Khalí Mansúr Káshání, upon whom rest God's Mercy. The influence of the Blessed Word was most evident, and as manifest as the majesty, greatness and sovereignty of a monarch.
Decision to Remove Bahá'u'lláh from Baghdad
Through diverse routes, news [of Bahá'u'lláh's ascendancy in Baghdad] had reached Tihran, where several meetings and gatherings were held to consult on the issue of the Ancient Beauty's removal from Baghdad. The greatness and prestige of the blessed Cause were mentioned before Iran's monarch, Násiri'd-Dín Shah, either through the Consulate in Baghdad, or by prominent personages, such as princes or khans who had visited Baghdad and had attained the blessed Presence [of Bahá'u'lláh] and had then returned to Tihran and informed the government. The authorities in Iran recognized that [Baha'u'llah's] influence was like the sun at noontime, and it greatly added to their envy and caused them to be deeply perturbed.
Since the senseless objective of these people was to quench this Cause and extinguish its vigorous flame through the removal of the Ancient Beauty from Tihran to Baghdad, and since they saw that the flames of the divine fire burnt more brightly in Baghdad, they decided to send the Blessed Beauty elsewhere. As Baghdad was a crossroads of Iranian pilgrims, fear seized the authorities that because of this, heralds of the field of mystical sovereignty would pursue those pilgrims, and aid the thirsty fish of the sea of certitude to reach the shore of spiritual life, and the gazelles of the wilderness of unity to be gathered and allowed to dwell in the Kingdom and attain the great bounty of everlasting life.
Therefore, Iran's monarch, the illustrious Nasiri'd-Dín Shah, asked the Ottoman monarch, 'Abdu'l-'Azíz Khán, to relocate the Blessed Beauty from Baghdad to another location – a spot that would be far from the coming and going of Iranians – and to extinguish this divine flame. In complete agreement, the Ottoman Sultan and the Shah of Iran made a pact. 'Abdu'l-'Azíz Khán sent a telegraph to the Valí of Baghdad, Námiq Páshá, instructing that the Blessed Beauty <p.15> should be moved with the utmost dignity from Baghdad to Istanbul.
The Valí of Baghdad was a distinguished and wise man, and completely humble and submissive before the Sanctified Presence [of Bahá'u'lláh]. Consequently, Námiq Páshá sent a message to Bahá'u'lláh, "I wish to attain Your sanctified presence to submit a particular matter." This news [i.e. Bahá'u'lláh's new banishment], however, spread [throughout the city] before the Valí could present it to the Sacred Presence. The Ancient Beauty told the Valí's messenger, "Very well; we will meet in the Baytu'lláh[13]," and as such, granted permission for this meeting and fixed its date and time.
When Bahá'u'lláh arrived at the mosque, the Valí was present already. He stated, "The Sultan of Iran, Nasiri'd-Dín Shah, has asked Sultan 'Abdu'l-'Azíz Khán to transfer your honored residence from Baghdad to somewhere else, and the Ottoman monarch assented to this request. As such, an official communication has been received that in whatever way meets with Your august approval and by whatever means You may wish, You, our esteemed Guest [i.e. Bahá'u'lláh], should be relocated to Istanbul."[14]
With utmost resignation and acquiescence, the Ancient Beauty consented. The decision to take the journey was entirely with Bahá'u'lláh and of His will.
Plans to Leave Baghdad
By the divine will and confirmations, the necessary supplies for the journey were arrayed, and a message was sent to the Valí: "We are ready." At Baha'u'llah's instructions, such provisions as a kajavih ["howdah"] and multiple tents were prepared, and the manner of His departure, with the greatest majesty, dignity, might and brilliance, became evident in fulfillment of the sacred verse, "That will be the day of Resurrection."[15]
Departure for the Ridvan Garden
When the appointed date arrived, Bahá'u'lláh emerged from the andarún[16] in the afternoon and, before leaving [the city], took His residence in the Garden of Najíb Páshá, outside of Mu'azzam City-gate, located about ten minutes distance from Baghdad – a distance similar to that of 'Akká from the Garden of Ridván[17], perhaps less. Those who were entrusted to assist with this move, transferred all the provisions and raised the tabernacle of God's mighty sovereignty in the midst of the Garden, and firmly planted the ropes of all tents throughout the Garden.
At that time the Garden was filled with red roses, colorful flowers, divers tulips and green and verdant trees. With the utmost refinement, purity and gracefulness, a pool of water was situated in the middle of [Bahá'u'lláh's] tent; and outside, everywhere streams of water flowed in all directions. Every believer was thoroughly devoted to ensuring utmost order and grace in all affairs in such wise that the Garden had never seen such beauty in all its days.
At the time of [Bahá'u'lláh's] departure from Baghdad, people gathered from all corners. The Bahá'í ladies had congregated by the afternoon in the House's courtyard and were wailing and crying, and were casting their young babes at the Blessed Beauty's feet in such wise that it would take Him several minutes for each step. Each person was bidden farewell and with His blessed hands He would caress and sooth them a way that is indescribable. In truth, each step witnessed a thousand renewals.
When thou stroll with such beauty and height,
Each step will cause a myriad of resurrections.
What else can I say? In this manner, when the Ancient Beauty stepped outside [of the inner apartments], the people rushed forward from all directions. He descended the steps from the courtyard of the Blessed House into the narrow street before it joined the main road. The entire area was thronged with people, both believers and otherwise, in such a way that movement was not possible. Friends could not be distinguished from strangers. The sound of lamentation and grief was raised in all directions. Suckling babes were cast under His feet – indeed, it would take half an hour for His foot to reach the ground. Everyone was crying. The Iranians were saying, "O God, we have been orphaned! We are dying! Our bright days have turned dark!" Their howling and weeping had reached the highest pitch. And the Arab friends, whether believers or otherwise, similarly were crying and sobbing, "O Master, O Siyyid! What are we to do when separated from Thee, O our Master?" Wailing, crying and lamentation reached the highest pinnacles.
The Garden of Ridvan
From the direction of Jámi' Mu'azzam [the Sublime Mosque], the Blessed Beauty made His way with the utmost difficulty to the waiting boat which conveyed Him to the Garden of Najíb Páshá. It was late afternoon when the Garden was honored by His footsteps.
On that first day of Ridván festivities, He manifested [His station] to the world as a brilliant sun. Bahá'u'lláh stayed in the Garden for twelve days and during the entire period, the eminent rulers, 'ulamá and jurists attained His blessed presence in a raised tabernacle and asked complex questions and received conclusive replies which resolved their perplexities. Some of the friends were engaged [in service] and those whose residence was in Baghdad would come during the day and return home at night, and yet return to the Garden the next morning. This lowly one was among those servants [in the Garden] who was engaged in carrying out whatever he was instructed.
When the twelfth day concluded, Bahá'u'lláh announced that He would leave on the afternoon of the thirteenth day. This news reached Baghdad. The Valí and government authorities came, bid farewell and returned.
I heard that it was remarked by the Valí, "According to solar reckoning, the hour of departure coincides with a [zodiac] sign which is not propitious for departure. That is, according to popular saying, it is an ominous hour." Through this comment, he had thought that perchance the Blessed Beauty would forego His departure. In wondering about this, he had ordered that a cannon should be fired at the moment that the Ancient Beauty mounted His steed so he could determine the zodiacal sign for that instant. When the cannon roar signaled the blessed departure [of Bahá'u'lláh], he calculated the horoscope for that moment and noticed that sun had moved beyond the limit of that zodiacal sign, thereby rendering that moment, and the journey, auspicious and favorable. Through this, he grew more confident and assured that the Ancient Beauty was not oblivious of anything – a fact that added to his wonderment and increased his astonishment over the sovereignty of the Blessed Person.
In short, the afternoon of departure arrived. What am I to say?
When the pen wanted to describe this mood,
The pen broke and the paper was torn[18]
Departure from Ridván Garden
The believers who were to stay behind in Baghdad were weeping and wailing in such wise that from their lamentation most believers who were to depart with Bahá'u'lláh began to sob and cry as well, as were the denizens of the Exalted Tabernacle,[19] from whose eyes tears poured forth and the sound of weeping and wailing filled the air. In truth, each one like "a mother grieving over a lost son lamented and sobbed" to the highest pinnacles of heaven. The nonbelievers, including, the 'ulamá, jurists, rulers and commoners – in short, every person who was present – were all crying and weeping as well.
Amidst all this, the Arabian horse was brought, which caused a great outpouring of grief. It is evident what condition must have overcome His blessed Person [of Bahá'u'lláh]. The lamentation and anguish of the divine friends and the sorrow and mourning of the people were such that "No one knows those circumstances <p.20> save His own Self, the All-Informed, the All-knowing."
When His blessed foot reached the stirrup, the Arabian stallion bent his knees and lowered himself, which caused the people to lament even louder. To the Arabian horse, Bahá'u'lláh said, "O Steed! Even you have perceived that the Temple of God is about to mount you!" In truth, this remark burnt the hearts in such a way that everyone became unconscious of himself. The Ancient Beauty showered all with His words of consolation and waved farewell to all. When the steed moved, everyone shouted, "God is most Glorious! Upon Him rest Majesty and Splendor, and thus has the Resurrection come to pass and its pre-conditions! And that Hour which all servants were awaiting has come to pass. The whole of the earth are but His handful, and the heavens were rolled up in His right hand: Glory be to Him! High is He above the Partners they attribute to Him!"[20] Each would tell the other and would speak of the mysteries of this Manifestation. "If ye did not see the Resurrection, behold it now!"
The Journey to Istanbul
From the beginning of the journey until the very end, 'Abdu'l-Bahá was in the blessed presence [of Bahá'u'lláh]. When the Ancient Beauty and the Most Great Name [Bahá'u'lláh] placed His feet in the stirrup, the Most Mighty Branch ['Abdu'l-Bahá] also mounted His steed. The world was wonderstruck by that might and splendor when the seat of divine sovereignty was forced to be a wanderer and the confirmations and affirmations of the victorious host of the denizens of the Concourse rushed forth to surround the Ancient Beauty on this journey. "Exalted, immeasurably exalted, is His majestic gait; exalted, immeasurably exalted, is His beauteous carriage; sublime, infinitely sublime, is His power and divine sovereignty; high, immensely high, is his might and dominion. The angels cry out: to Whom does dominion and sovereignty belong? The Divine Responder from the Unseen Beyond proclaims: Dominion belongeth to God, the Single, the All-subduing! Praised be our Lord, the All-Glorious!"[21]
Behind [Bahá'u'lláh] were the following believers on mounts: Á[qá] Mírzá Muhammad-Qulí; Áqá Muhammad-'Alí Isfahání; Áqá Muhammad-'Alí Sabbágh; Áqá 'Abdu'l-Ghaffár Isfahání; Hájí Mírzá Ahmad Káshání; Siyyid Muhammad Isfahání (the latter two later became opponents [of Bahá'u'lláh]); Áqá Muhammad-Báqir Qahvih-Chí; Ustád Báqir Khayyát, in whose hands were the tasks of the samovar and the tea; and Áqá Muhammad-Sádiq Bázár-Harájí, the brother of Dádásh Ibrahím and Dádásh 'Alí, who until their last day resided under the divine canopy [i.e. were with Bahá'u'lláh]. Dádásh Ibrahím passed away in Haifa, and Dádásh 'Alí ascended to the eternal realm in 'Akká.
The caravan and kajavih always set out before Bahá'u'lláh departed. The Holy Household would then proceed along with some of the believers. The government had assigned a special Yuz-Bashi[22] with several cavalrymen under his command to provide protection for Bahá'u'lláh until He reached Istanbul.
After His departure from Baghdad, at a distance of two hours, Bahá'u'lláh [and the entourage] arrived at a garden known as Faríját. There was no room or building there, so the believers' tents were pitched outside the garden. The party tarried there for about two days and two nights. During these two days, some of the friends from Baghdad came and visited, and attained [Bahá'u'lláh's] presence.
The caravan then moved from that location [to another place] of which I do not recall the name. Bahá'u'lláh's tabernacle[23] was raised near the Tigris River[24], and approximately two nights were spent there.
It was there that the honored Á[qá] Muhammad-Hasan, the son of the martyr in the divine path Áqá 'Abdu'r-Rasul – upon him be the Glory of God, the Most Glorious – was summoned [by Bahá'u'lláh] since his lamentation and wailing over his separation from the Ancient Beauty had reached His ears. He was permitted to join the party, and was with the immigrants until Edirne. In Edirne, he stayed for three years. Also, his sister, the mother of Áqá 'Abdu's-Samad, joined the Household, because the blessed daughter[25] was pleased with her.
Through an inscrutable wisdom, Áqá 'Alí was summoned from Baghdad by a telegram. After he attained the presence [of Bahá'u'lláh] and partook of that immense bounty, Áqá 'Alí and his wife, [who was] the mother of Áqá 'Abdu's-Samad, together with Áqá Muhammad-Hasan, Áqá Shaykh Salmán and Ustád 'Abdu'l-Karím Isfahání, returned to Baghdad as result of His [Bahá'ú'lláh's] blessed instruction.
In short, [Bahá'u'lláh's] sacred tabernacle was removed from the shore of the Tigris River, and the Ancient Beauty commenced His journey, until the caravan reached a location that was called Kafrí, near the road to Sulaymaniyyih. For about one night, or perhaps two, the traveling party stayed at Kafrí.
Whenever we were about one hour from our destination, this lowly one and the honored Amír Nayrízí[26] would quickly lead the mules carrying [Bahá'ú'lláh's] blessed tent [to that spot] so it would be ready and prepared upon His arrival. When the Ancient Beauty arrived, the tent would be ready and He would ascend the throne of sovereignty within the tabernacle.
In every location, upon reaching our destination [for the evening] and raising the tents, the people in the surrounding region, both authorities and ordinary citizens, would come to welcome us, expressing respect and admiration. Before the Ancient Beauty's arrival, the Yuz-Bashi would send official communications to nearby locations, stating, "An honored Guest, Who is a distinguished Personage, will arrive among you. Prepare to meet and welcome Him." Therefore, in every place, the Mutisarrif or the Qa'im-Maqam, and the governor, local nobility, 'ulamá, jurists and the majority of people would all gather. At night, he would assemble a large number from among nearby inhabitants to surround His blessed tent and guard and protect it until the morning hours. They would stay awake for this purpose and admonish each other to ensure none failed in his protective duty. As such, the Blessed Beauty, the Holy Household and the divine friends would all be able to sleep comfortably through the night.
During the journey, whenever the Blessed Beauty would ride in the kajavih, the Master ['Abdu'l-Bahá] would ride the Arabian horse: sometimes riding behind the kajavih, at times on the right, or the left or in the midst of the caravan. With a glance, He would survey everything. Necessary instructions for the order and progress of the caravan were issued solely by the Most Mighty Branch ['Abdu'l-Bahá]. Sometimes during the journey, the Blessed Beauty would summon the Master and would converse with Him.
When we were an hour distant from our destination [each night], the Ancient Beauty would emerge from the kajavih and mount the Arabian horse, and the Master ['Abdu'l-Bahá] would be seated in the kajavih of the Ancient Beauty and the Greatest Name. Such was the way from our departure from Baghdad until our arrival in Istanbul.
In some villages, the inhabitants or the nobles would send gifts. This occurred in places where there was a governor, like a Mutisarrif or a Qá'im-Maqám. In most instances, the believers would purchase necessary provisions, such as meat, oil and other things, in the villages.
Siyyid Husayn Káshí
En route, most of time Siyyid Husayn Káshí would cause situations that would bring joy, delight and laughter to the Ancient Beauty. Námiq Pasha had sent a horse as a gift for his son in Istanbul, and this horse was entrusted to the care and attention of Áqá Siyyid Husayn Káshí. He was admonished <p.25> to ensure that the horse of Námiq Pasha entrusted to him would not sustain any injuries and would arrive safely for his son in Istanbul.
One day, Áqá Siyyid Husayn Káshí entered the blessed tabernacle [of Bahá'u'lláh] and stated, "The Master gives barley to all horses, but He does not give any barley or hay to my horse." The Ancient Beauty summoned the Master. As 'Abdu'l-Bahá approached the tent, Á[qá] Siyyid Husayn Káshí ran away and quickly exited the tent. The Ancient Beauty laughed, "Why do you flee? Come here!" However, he ran further into the wilderness.
In short, the Ancient Beauty told the Master, "He had come complaining of You; that You withhold barley and hay from his horse. And now that You have come, he has run away."
He often performed such humorous acts before the Blessed Presence. For instance, when the Blessed Beauty mounted His Arabian horse, he would dance in front of it and mimic various gestures that would bring joy, delight and laughter to Bahá'u'lláh. He was with the blessed caravan until Istanbul. At the time of [the group's] departure from Istanbul for Edirne, he was dismissed together with some friends who had joined them along the way.
After he was dismissed, he made all the believers take an oath that, "Whenever mention is made of me in the presence of the Ancient Beauty, remind Him of some of my deeds, so they may bring a smile to His Blessed Self."
Travel Conditions
We were saying that two nights were spent in Kafrí and I was engaged in service. Many people came and attained the Presence [of Bahá'u'lláh] and asked question and received replies. Bahá'u'lláh [and the caravan] left Kafrí.
At times, we journeyed at night. This was especially the case when our destination was far and the heat of day would have caused harm. Therefore, we would rest during the day and travel at night. Sometimes we would reach our destination by morning, and at times before noon. When our destination was not far, we traveled under the sun and rested at night.
Some of the friends held to kajavahs as they walked, and at night would fall sleep along the way. While they were walking, they would dream that a brook was in their path, and like someone who is awakened and attempts to jump a brook, they would jump, fall and wake up.
One night I was very sleepy and decided to ride hard a little [and sleep along the path ahead] while the caravan was catching up. I went ahead and slept on the road, and when the caravan came, I woke up and joined it. However, I was actually still sleep, and because of that, lost my way and fell into a ditch. The travelers had thought that I was awake but perchance I had taken a different route than the caravan – otherwise, if they had known I was sleep, they would have called and awaken me.
At any rate, I slept in that same ditch until morning. When I woke up, I realized that morning had arrived and sun was high in the sky. I began to cry and weep and took to the road. I saw someone coming towards me. When he came near, I recognized him as the attendant of a person who had joined the caravan and was on his way to Istanbul. He, too, had fallen sleep. Together we proceeded and reached the summit of a hill. From afar, the tents appeared like a camp. Utmost joy and felicity came over us. With great haste, I ran to the divine tabernacle [i.e. Bahá'u'lláh's tent] and prostrated myself in thanksgiving. They had recently arrived [at that location], and had not been aware that I had been left behind on the road.
Several similar incidents occurred. The Ancient Beauty would send riders in all four directions to find the missing person and return him to the caravan.
One time the honored Áqá Muhammad-Ridá Qannád Shírází – upon him rest the Glory of God, the Most Glorious – fell sleep en route. When he woke up, greatly perplexed and agitated, he somehow found his way to the caravan and entered the divine tabernacle of clemencies. Bahá'u'lláh spoke kindly and lovingly to him. He would repeatedly say, "When I saw the blessed tabernacle, it was as though they had given me the entire world!"
The other thing that occurred often was that most of the friends who were riding would fall off their horses. The honored Áqá Muhammad-'Alí Sabbágh had sworn that he would not fall off and had forced his eyes open with both hands. Nevertheless, we found that he had fallen from his horse at one time, had placed his hands on eyes and yielded himself to slumber. They woke him up, and he was bewildered.
This story was often told by 'Abdu'l-Bahá, and His point was to emphasize firmness and constancy in God's Covenant and Testament, and that divine tests are ever-present. It is observed very often that individuals consider themselves steadfast, steady and faithful, but when overcome with negligence, they find themselves bereft of divine bounties. Therefore, a person must at all times supplicate and implore the Almighty, the Self-Sufficient God, for spiritual bounties and celestial blessings to be bestowed upon him, and that he may be immune from the harm of ego and self-indulgence.
Stay in Mosul
At any rate, from Kafrí to Mosul the roads did not have names. Sometimes along the way, we would hear Bahá'u'lláh's blessed melody.[27] Some of His sanctified utterances were recorded, but most were not.
Eventually we reach Mosul Hadbá'[28], and our tents and the tabernacle [of Bahá'u'lláh] were pitched near the city by the river Euphrates. The eminent citizens of Mosul, such as the Mutasarrif, the Mufti, the Qadi [judge] and several government authorities, came to welcome [Bahá'u'lláh]. When they learned [of our arrival], the concourse of the 'ulamá and the jurists came to welcome Him as well.
We tarried there for about twelve days. Each day, government officials would come and attain the presence [of Bahá'u'lláh]. Most of the people were met by 'Abdu'l-Bahá, Who provided conclusive replies to their questions. Some of the scholars and the 'ulamá presented very elaborate queries to the Blessed Beauty and received sufficient and complete answers, which deepened their wonder. In various gatherings and assemblies, they loosened their tongues to give praise and glorification [of Bahá'u'lláh]. Thus, the grandeur and splendor of His Blessed Person became evident everywhere. "Unto Him were all heads bowed and [in His presence] were all voices silent."[29]
In Mosul, two other events occurred that there is no time now to recount – over all else, the remembrance of the Friend is the choicest.
At any event, tents and the tabernacle were removed from Mosul. We traveled from Mosul for six stops until we reached a village whose name and particulars I once knew, but these have now been erased from my memory. In that village, a Damascene muleteer joined the blessed caravan. For his protection and safety, he was urged to camp with the caravan at night, as there was a danger of highwaymen and thieves. However, this man did not accept and stayed outside [the circle of] the caravan. His mules were stolen in the middle of night.
In the morning, we prepared to leave. The manner of departure was thus: At first, the luggage, tabernacle and tents would be sent <p.30> ahead. The kajavihs of the Household would be readied, and they would take their places therein. There was a small kajavih exclusive to the Blessed Beauty which would be readied as well. When His blessed tabernacle was dismantled, He would take seat in that kajavih. After the luggage and tents were sent ahead, then the kajavih of the Household would disembark and thereupon the kajavih of the Ancient Beauty would be brought for Him. There was a small stepladder that was used by the Blessed Beauty to ascend into the kajavih.
[On that morning,] as soon as His blessed foot reached the stepladder, the Damascene mule driver who had joined en route and whose mules were stolen, came forth and grabbed the helm of Bahá'u'lláh's garment and threw himself at His blessed feet, stating, "My mules were stolen last night, and I beseech You to help me regain them."
The Ancient Beauty commanded, "Return the kajavihs and call forth the Yuz-Bashí." When the Yuz-Bashi arrived, Bahá'u'lláh said to the Master, "Tell the Yuz-Bashi that he must locate the three mules belonging to this man." He responded, "[I swear to do so] on my eye!" Immediately, he sent for the village Kahya, that is, the Mukhtar [the headman], and when he arrived and heard that the three mules were stolen, he stated, "We repeatedly implored this muleteer to enter the circle of tents at night and be with other people, but he refused. He was told that this place had many thieves. We are not at fault. At a time pregnant with terror, 'Umar Pasha, the Valí of Baghdad was passing through this area and had a load of silk. However, with a battalion of soldiers, he could not recover his goods and the silk remained gone. As such, how am I to find these mules?"
The Ancient Beauty stated, "The influence of 'Umar Pasha was limited to his own sphere and did not exceed those bounds. However, My command must be fulfilled. Until now, I have not uttered a command that has not been fulfilled. Consequently, the Mukhtar yielded. At that time, in a distance of two hours were fortifications on the top of the mountain called Mardin, which was a town occupied by nobles.
Bahá'u'lláh ordered the Yuz-Bashí, "Place this Mukhtar before you on your steed and go towards Mardin, and We will come from behind." The Yuz-Bashí carried out His blessed instructions: he placed the Mukhtar, with tied hands, before him on his horse, and proceeded in haste towards Mardin. The Blessed Beauty ordered all the kajavihs and the Household to advance towards Mardin and the Ancient Beauty also went forward to Mardin. The luggage and the tabernacle were sent beforehand to Diyar-Bakr, where the tabernacle was raised in anticipation of His blessed arrival.
At any event, near Mardin, outside of the [town's] gate, was a large orchard. As the caravan was on the move, Bahá'u'lláh ordered all to enter the orchard, and He entered as well. From ancient times, this garden had been known as Bagh Firdaws ["the Garden of Paradise"]. However, none of us knew the name of the Garden, nor that it was called Bagh Firdaws. We tarried in that orchard for eight days.
The Pashá, Tabúr Áqásí, the Qadí, the Muftí and all the town's dignitaries came forth to welcome [Bahá'u'lláh]. After they had attained His presence, and had asked questions and received replies, the Blessed Beauty remarked to them, "The reason for Our coming to this location is that three mules have been stolen from this Damascene muleteer. These three mules must be found."
Once more, the Mukhtar and the noblemen offered excuses, saying, "This place has many thieves and to find the mules will be very difficult. We are willing, however, to pay for the mules." Bahá'u'lláh did not accept, stating, "Even if each of you were to offer one hundred lira, I would not accept. If you are unable [to find the mules], then I will telegraph Istanbul and will seek their intervention. The choice is yours."
Thereupon, when they realized that they had no choice, they sent mounted men with strict instructions to search intensely in every direction. When the equestrians saw that the Ancient Beauty was placing great importance on this matter, they departed on their mission with great purpose and determination. They covered a distance of eight days in four and found the three missing mules, returning them forthwith. They swore that they had found the three animals by the shore of the Araxes River, which was eight days journey. They had traversed this eight days distance in four.
The Damascene muleteer came forth and kissed Bahá'u'lláh's feet and received his mules. Tabúr Áqásí, who was the commander of the riders, stated, "I took this matter most seriously and did this and that." Bahá'u'lláh said, "Give him a fine, jeweled sword," which was given to him. Then the Mutisarrif came and said, "I, too, served this objective." He too was given an expensive silk shawl. The Muftí came and was given the choicest sweets, which he ate. An illuminated Qur'an was given to him as a gift as well. Then the Qadí and some of the officials each came and received a reward and tasted this bestowal. Noticing this generosity to others[30], the mule driver asked for the expense of these eight days and he was given two sheep, barley and hay for his mules that were reacquired through these blessed bounties. In sum, the gifts and charities of Bahá'u'lláh to various citizens exceeded the cost of the mules.
Final March to Istanbul
After the conclusion of these affairs, the Singular Beauty, the Master of the Day of Judgment[31], departed from Mardin and proceeded to Diyar-Bakr[32]. The tabernacle and the tents were already prepared. He stayed at Diyar-Bakr for almost eight days. The Pasha there was deeply fond of Bahá'u'lláh. Along with all the government officials, he would come each day and they all would attain the blessed Presence.
In Diyar-Bakr, the Sun of Godhead shone forth brilliantly from the horizon of Divine Might and burnt away every veil, destroyed every trace of vain imaginings and caused the night-bird of old traditions to flee from the shining brilliance of this Sun! Gradually, the divine friends were awakening from the slumber of negligence and beheld the Sun shining over a cloudless horizon. The Ancient Beauty proclaimed most resonantly the Might [of His Revelation], eliminating the word of negation and the letters of reversal and established the beginning of affirmation.
From there, we departed for the Port of Kharput.[33] The Pasha of that town had attained the blessed Presence in Sulaymaniyyih and cherished deep affection [for Bahá'u'lláh]. We remained there about four days. Each day, the Pasha would come and attain His presence. He would send rice and oil. Since it was warm, he would frequently send ice. Many gates of joy and felicity were thrown open at that location.
From there, we traveled, stage by stage, until the caravan and the caravan-master [Bahá'u'lláh] arrived in Samsun, the port of Istanbul. We boarded a ferry, which carried us to Istanbul.
Notes
[1] Since derivatives of Bahá are used, this appears to be a salutation to Bahá'u'lláh.
[2] A reference to the Báb.
[3] Áshchí was on his deathbed and unable to write the narrative himself.
[4] As noted earlier, if Áshchí was indeed 80 years of age in 1925 when he narrated this text and assuming that his reported age is based on lunar reckoning (which would be equivalent to 78 years of age by a solar calendar), then he must have arrived in Baghdad around 1860.
[5] Amr khayr is a Persian expression for a marriage proposal.
[6] As noted in the Foreword, every 5th page of the original text is marked in the present translation for ease of reference.
[7] Áshchí appears to have been unaware that it was 'Abdu'l-Bahá's aunt 'Izziyyih Khánum, who had sided with Mirza Yahyá Subh Azal, (Bahá'u'lláh's half-brother and rival for leadership of the Bábi community), who was the main instigator of the rejection of the marriage.
[8] The present translator is not certain what event this refers to, but it may have to do with Mishkin-Qalam's protests at the Ottoman royal court referred to later in this narrative.
[9] A redundant sentence has not been translated.
[10] The present translator is uncertain of the correct reading of this name.
[11] This verse echoes a similar phrase in 'Abdu'l-Bahá, Makátíb, vol. 8, p. 80, and appears to be based on Qur'an 26:79.
[12] An alternative, though less likely, reading of this phrase might be that Javáhirí had bequeathed the caravansary (as opposed to his entire wealth).
[13] Literally, the House of God, it is a reference to mosques.
[14] A variation of this event is given by 'Abdu'l-Bahá Who was in a better position to know the exact events (cited in H.M. Balyuzi, 'Abdu'l-Bahá: The Centre of the Covenant, p. 16):
The third day after Ramadan when, in observance of the festival, my uncle and I called on the Pasha, he expressed his eagerness to meet Him [Bahá'u'lláh]. The Pasha, however, wanted the meeting to be at his own house. He [Bahá'u'lláh] replied that He did not wish to go to the Governorate, but if the Pasha desired to meet Him, the meeting could take place in the mosque. He went to the mosque, as did the Pasha, but on entering it the Pasha turned back and went away. Later he sent his own vizier to Bahá'u'lláh's presence, with letters from the Sadr-i-A'zam (prime minister), and also this message: 'I came to the mosque, but was ashamed to broach such matters at the first encounter.' The vizier gave an account of all that had transpired. Then he said: 'What the Pasha asked to know was this -- whether you preferred not to leave. Should it be so, if you will write and inform the Sadr-i-A'zam, we shall forward your letter to him. But if you should desire to leave, that would be your own choice.' He [Bahá'u'lláh] replied: 'If the Government displays proper respect, I will choose, for certain reasons, to reside awhile in those regions.' Then the Pasha sent Him this message: 'I shall carry out your wishes and do what you say.'
[15] Qur'an 50:42. The full verse reads, "The day when they will hear a (mighty) Blast in (very) truth: that will be the day of Resurrection."
[16] The inner section of a house.
[17] A garden outside of 'Akká and acquired much later by Bahá'u'lláh, when He lived in Bahji, and named by Him after His name for the Najibiyyih Garden outside of Baghdad.
[18] A variation of Rumi's poem, "When speech wanted to describe this mood, Every pen broke and every paper was torn;" Rumi, Mathnaví, Fourth edition, Tehran: Javidan Publication, 1978, p. 12.
[19] A likely reference to Bahá'u'lláh's family who were traveling with Him.
[20] Modification of Qur'an 39:67
[21] The section in quotation is in Arabic.
[22] Captain, commander of a hundred men.
[23] The original text refers to Bahá'u'lláh's tent as sarápardih in counter-distinction from other tents. To maintain this distinction, the term tabernacle is used employed for this reference.
[24] The original text refers to the Baghdad River.
[25] Bint-i Mubarak (lit, the blessed daughter) is a reference to Bahá'u'lláh's daughter, mostly likely, Bahiyyih Khanum, known as the Greatest Holy Leaf.
[26] A survivor of the 1853 Nayriz upheaval, he devoted his life to the service of Bahá'u'lláh in the Holy Land. For his biography see Ahang Rabbani, The Bábís of Nayriz: History and Documents; Houston: eBook; 2007, available at: http://ahang.rabbani.googlepages.com/
[27] From the context and expression, it appears that Áshchí is referring to revelation of divine verses by Bahá'ú'lláh.
[28] The name of the city in Arabic means, the "linking point." Mosul has other Arabic names such as Um Al-Rabi'ain [The City of Two Springs], because autumn and spring are alike there. It is also named Al-Faiha (The Paradise), Al-Khadhra (The Green), and Al-Hadba (The Humped). The Assyrians called the city by its ancient name of Nineveh.
[29] This Arabic expression also appears in the writings of Shoghi Effendi: Tawqi'at Mubarakih (1922-1926); Tehran: 129BE, p. 295.
[30] The present translator is uncertain that he has understood the original phrase correctly.
[31] Qur'an 1:4; a title often used for Bahá'u'lláh.
[32] Today it is better known as Diyarbakir.
[33] There are discrepancies between Áshchí's account and the outline of Bahá'u'lláh's journey provided in God Passes By, p. 155.
1932 (pre) - Haifa Talks with Lorel and Keith
(Florence Evaline "Loral" Schopflocher and Keith Ransom-Kehler, Hand of the Cause of God)
Document : http://bahai-library.com/pilgrims/haifa.talks.html
Three Declarations (1852-3, 1863, 1864-8)
He [Bahá'u'lláh] declared Himself three times, first as the Bab predicted in certain odes written in 1852-53, where the Bab makes veiled references to Baha'u'llah's station as the Supreme Manifestation. You will remember in "The Son of the Wolf" how Baha'u'llah speaks of His first intimation that he is the Promised One. It was as if fire ran through His veins and He was consumed with a power that overmastered Him. The second declaration was to a few friends when He was leaving Baghdad, according to the Bab's second date, in 1863. Then in Adrianople between 1864 and 1868 He proclaimed it to the world in His epistles to the Kings.
On Preparation for Manifestation
In "Some Answered Questions" we learn that the Manifestation was chosen from birth but was not conscious of it till the time His Mission approached. Many fought against it at first. But all Manifestations went thru this long struggle of preparation, such as Moses in the Burning Bush, Jesus in the wilderness, Buddha under the Bod tree, and Baha'u'llah in the mountains of suliy [sic] who spent a longer time than others because His preparation was greatest. Baha'u'llah spent two years in the mountains alone. He also went to leave Subi-azel free to try to establish his cause. I assign preparation for His ministry as one of the reasons for His self-imposed exile. The greatness of Baha'u'llah's Manifestation is shown by His having a Manifestation for the forerunner, but He is greater than the Bab for He came for the whole world. We must never give out the impression that one Manifestation of God was greater in power or wisdom than another. They are only greater in what they manifest.
1940 - Chosen Highway : Munirih Khanum (Lady Blomfield)
Summons to Court House
The ever-active enemies, fearing the growing influence of Baha'u'llah, petitioned that He, with His disciples, should be again exiled.
The Governor of Baghdad requested Baha'u'llah to attend at the Court House, to hear a Farman read, which had been sent by the Sultan. The Governor was loath to inform Baha'u'llah of the decree, being unwilling that any discourtesy should be shown to the kingly exile, for Whom he himself felt a profound reverence.
The reply came:
"My mission is not with the rulers of this world, neither with their statesmen, nor their officials. For what reason, therefore, should I enter their Court House?"
The Governor was bewildered, and knew not what to do in his perplexity. At length, he said within himself:
Meeting at the Mosque
"If I invite Him to the mosque, He will surely come, for is it not the House of God? In the holy place the Farman can be read to Him."
Baha'u'llah consented to go to the mosque, where the decree was announced to Him, that He and His family were to be exiled from Baghdad to an unknown destination.
The family and the friends were very sad at this new uprooting.
The preparations for the journey were extremely difficult.
Ridvan Garden
The Master, as He was now called, shielded His adored Father in all ways that lay in His power from undesirable intruders, from the world's insistence, and from those who merely wanted idly to see and to hear something new.
He made the arrangements for the Beloved One to go to the Ridvan, there to abide until the family should have been able to make preparations for the departure.
Proclamation to Abdu'l-Baha
Whilst He tarried in the Ridvan, the appointed time had arrived for the momentous proclamation.
Baha'u'llah confided to the eldest son, 'Abbas, the Master, that He Himself was "He Whom God shall make Manifest," heralded by the Forerunner, the Bab.
As the Master heard the soul-stirring words, and realized that His own beloved Father was He Who should educate mankind in universal conceptions, abolish prejudices, bring unity and the most Great Peace into the distracted world, establish the Kingdom of God upon this sad earth, by making religion again a healing spring for all woes of the world, He understood why the Manifestation had once again become the cause of evil men's hatred and malignant persecution.
As these things were pondered by the Master, His mind, well-endowed with a peculiar receptiveness that was inborn, and strengthened by the education given to Him by His Father, saw, as in a radiant vision, the world of the future, when the divine Message, having become known and comprehended by "men of goodwill," would change the heart of the world, and the Kingdom where God's will shall be done on earth - for which we have been praying for nigh two thousand years - would be established.
Henceforth a new joy and increased devotion to His Father, Baha'u'llah (The Glory of God) took possession of Him. He consecrated Himself, body and soul and spirit, to the sacred work of the Baha'i Cause, spreading abroad the new message of Love and Justice, that message which His Holiness the Lord Christ had brought to man, and which mad had grown to disregard, forgetting his loyalty to the Lord of Compassion, and, as of old, worshipping the Golden Calf.
Departure to Constantinople
And now the preparations being completed, they set forth on their journey of exile to an unknown destination.
Baha'u'llah, the Master, and the ladies of the family rode horses and mules, and some were in Kasjafihs, a sort of erection (of the most jolting description) on the back of a mule, and the rest rode horses and mules.
They were escorted by some Turkish soldiers, who behaved very respectfully to the exiles, although they were prisoners. So great was the influence of the majestic personality of Baha'u'llah, that it affected all who came within its lines of force. Discourtesy shrank abashed from His Presence.
At length the tedious journey by land from Baghdad to Constantinople was accomplished - that being the "unknown destination."
Many were attracted to Baha'u'llah at Constantinople, and again the enemy, fearing anew His influence, plotted the further exile to Adrianople.
Azal
The account of the sojourn in this place, and the intrigues of another type of enemy, Baha'u'llah's half-brother, Subh-i-Azal, are written in another place.
Henceforth, His bitterest and most unscrupulous foe was "of His own kindred, and His own Father's house."
Consumed with the burning flame of jealousy, as soon as Baha'u'llah sent the Tablet of Declaration to this half-brother, acquainting him with the proclamation of His station as the Chosen One, every mischief which wounded vanity, joined with cunning and ruthless hatred, could devise was plotted and carried out.
1940 - Chosen Highway: Mirza Asadu'llah Kashani and Siyyid 'Ali Yazdi (Lady Blomfield)
THE SPOKEN CHRONICLES of Mirza Asadu'llah Kashani, and Siyyid 'Ali Yazdi
One never-to-be-forgotten day Baha'u'llah came to the pilgrim house, and said to us "Aftabam! Aftabam! Dar Amadam--I am the Sun! I am the Sun! I have arisen!"
As we heard these blessed words, it seemed as though all the happiness of the whole world had come to live in our hearts. As we looked upon His shining face, we were in an ecstasy--beside ourselves with joy. Our hearts were flaming within us![24]
[24 This incident did not, apparently, convey to Mirza Asadu'llah that Baha'u'llah was "He Whom God shall make Manifest."--Ed.]
So enraptured were we, so high our hearts were beating that we could hardly sleep for thinking "In the morning! In the morning we are coming again into His Presence!"
We seemed to be living in an air of spiritual enchantment, of soul-stirring joy.
I can find no words to tell you of what our delight was.
Nothing on earth was of any importance, of any meaning, but that His Holy Presence was here with us.
A friend, being given a piece of bread by Baha'u'llah, asked "Give me spiritual food I implore." Some words were spoken to him, we knew not what. The friend became so excited and unbalanced that he committed suicide.
Baha'u'llah then said:
"How much better had he made other use of his enthusiasm; if he had gone to Persia to teach the Cause, rather than to uselessly take his own life!"
One day, when He was walking in the garden, we heard Him say:
"No leaf, no flower, no fruit, no bark.
"All wonder why the gardener cultivates me, this tree."
This, I heard, was a quotation from His poems.
There was in the neighbourhood of Baghdad the holy shrine of an Imam; at Kazimayn. The friends used to follow Baha'u'llah at a distance, as he rode on a donkey to visit this shrine.
We were alert and ready to protect our Beloved should an enemy attack Him.
On some occasions the Persian Consul, and others of the Shi'ah sect, were at the shrine when Baha'u'llah arrived; they agitated themselves vastly, and were much perplexed, not comprehending the majesty in the personality of the wonderful visitor.
* * *
I was told that this Mirza Asadu'llah Kashani was a self-constituted guard, and hid a formidable weapon under his 'aba, as he followed the Beloved Master about in those days of danger, although Baha'u'llah had made a law that nobody was to carry arms!
* * * 
Ridvan Garden
Whilst Baha'u'llah was encamped in the Ridvan, there was much wind for some days.
His tent swayed; we thought it might be blown down, therefore we took it in turns to sit and hold the tent ropes so that it might be steady; night and day we held the ropes, so glad, in this way, to be near our Glorious Lord.
All the city came, friends and others, to see Him leave for the Ridvan. There was a great crowd. Weeping women pressed forward and laid their babes and young children at His feet. He tenderly raised those infants, one by one, blessing them, gently and lovingly replacing them in their sorrowing mothers' arms, and charging them to bring up those dear flowers of humanity to serve God in steadfast faith and truth.
What a soul-stirring day!
Men threw themselves in His path; if only His blessed feet might touch them as He passed.
Across the River
Our Beloved One got into a boat to cross the river, the people pressing round Him waiting, not to lose one of the remaining chances of being in His Presence.
At length the boat put off, and we watched it with sorrowing hearts.
Then we were aware of an extraordinary exhilaration, some marvellous exaltation in the atmosphere of that day.
The reason for this phenomenon we were in due time to learn. When we had seen that the boat was on the other side of the river, we started off to walk to the Ridvan, where we set up His tent, and five or six others for the friends. I helped Mirza Muhammad Baqir to cook, and to make tea for the friends.
The family of Baha'u'llah joined Him in the Ridvan on the ninth day; and on the twelfth day, in the afternoon, they went from us, under the escort of Turkish soldiers to an unknown destination.
Departure from Ridvan
Although Baha'u'llah had commanded the friends not to follow them, I was so loath to let Him go out of my sight, that I ran after them for three hours.
He saw me, and getting down from His horse, waited for me, telling me with His beautiful voice, full of love and kindness, to go back to Baghdad, and, with the friends to set about our work, not slothfully, but with energy:
"Be not overcome with sorrow - I am leaving friends I love in Baghdad. I will surely send to them tidings of our welfare. Be steadfast in your service to God, who doeth whatsoever He willeth. Live in such peace as will be permitted to you."
We watched them disappear into the darkness with sinking hearts, for their enemies were powerful and cruel! And we knew not where they were being taken.
An unknown destination!
Weeping bitterly, we turned our faces towards Baghdad, determining to live according to His command.
We had not been, at that time, informed of the great event of the "Declaration," that our revered and beloved Baha'u'llah was He Who should come - "He Whom God shall make Manifest" - but we again felt that unspeakable joy, which surged within us, overcoming our bitter sorrow, with a great and mysterious radiancy.
Governor Offers His Service
Before the departure, the Governor of Baghdad had come to offer his services. "Is there not anything I can do?"
Baha'u'llah replied:
"One thing I ask of thee - protect the friends after I am gone.
This only I wish from thee."
The Governor respected the wish of Baha'u'llah, and protected the friends at Baghdad, particularly on one occasion which led to our migrating to Mosul:
It happened in this way:
A year after the departure of the Holy One, the days of the "Feast of the Ridvan," which we were keeping with all the joy of our souls, coincided with the Muharram, the days of mourning for the martyrdom of Husayn and his friends.
The Shi'ites, being angry that we were not joining the mourning, attacked us. One Baha'i friend was killed, and several wounded, amongst whom was Badi', whose marvellous martyrdom was to take place later on.
The Vali (Governor of Baghdad), hearing of the tumult, gathered us into the Governorate for protection from the fury of the mob. He said to us:
"There are many places in the Turkish Empire; if you would be in safety, it is well to choose where to go."
So we knew that we must leave Baghdad.
"Go in two groups--one the week after the starting of the other--I will send a soldier to protect each of you whilst you sell some of your goods; pack up others and make preparations for the journey."
Some of the friends, and I with them, chose to go to Mosul, situated between Baghdad and Aleppo.
A number of soldiers were sent with us for our protection, and indeed they were needed, for, in all the towns and villages through which we went, the people stoned us, spat upon us, yelling execrations, crying "Accursed Babis!"
At length our journey ending, we were promptly locked into an inn--none allowed to go out, none to enter. This was for our protection, so furious were the people!
Thus we remained until the second party arrived.
Remembering the request of Baha'u'llah, the Governor of Baghdad had sent word to the Vali of Mosul, requesting him to protect and provide shelter for the Babis. He accordingly had several houses placed at our service, which, though not comfortable, still gave us shelter.
There were about an hundred of us in all, men, women, and children.
As soon as possible we set about our various trades; I to that of coppersmith, and, on the whole, the people were not very unfriendly.
Learning the Meaning of Ridvan
Before we left Baghdad a Tablet arrived, brought by one of the friends, from Adrianople, telling us of the welfare of Baha'u'llah, of the declaration in the Ridvan, and of the more public proclamation at Adrianople; so that we started on our toilsome journey with our hearts lightened of the terrible anxiety in which we lived, not knowing the fate of the Holy Family.
Now we were upheld by a preoccupation of the spirit, so that outside privations, stonings, cursings, scorn, and all other ill-usages, seemed to us of small importance as we remembered the joy of that day at the Ridvan, and now knew the sublime reason of that sacred atmosphere.
As we chanted our prayers of praise unto God that the Holy One was safe, that the Great Light which should come into the world had not been "blown out by contrary winds," we were full of happiness, for ourselves and for all humanity.
Time went on at Mosul; we were always hoping for further news.
One day a Tablet arrived by post, which, under the prevailing conditions, seemed marvellous, indeed miraculous.
This Tablet brought the tidings that our revered Beloved One, with His Family, were at 'Akka.
* * *
As soon as we knew that the Beloved Ones were at 'Akka, I started off with a Persian Baha'i, who, having escaped from Dahaji, had joined the band of exiles at Mosul. We determined to make our way to 'Akka. We walked six or seven hours a day, and coming to Aleppo we rested; thence we walked to Damascus.
Oh, how happy we were as we walked, each step bringing us <p126> nearer to the presence of Jamal-i-Mubarak and Sarkar-i-Aqa.
Sometimes we sheltered for a night in the tent of a Bedouin, who welcomed us with unfailing kind hospitality; again we slept under the stars, with stones for our pillows, always with songs of joy in our hearts, because of our destination.
That preoccupation of the Spirit, as in our journey from Baghdad to Mosul, upheld us, and made all hardships so unimportant that we forgot them.
At length we came to Damascus, where, finding a friend from my native village, also a coppersmith, I tarried with him for ten days.
Then we started off again over the beautiful snowy Lebanon mountains, where the hospitable Bedouins were as ever our friends, and so we came to Beirut, where we rested for a week.
And now the last part of our pilgrimage from Beirut to 'Akka. I disguised myself as a dervish. Very seldom did I think it wise to ask to be directed, therefore we often wandered out of our way.
Our exaltation grew. Oh, the loveliness of the land through which we walked, the fragrance of the orange groves, the beauty of the many coloured flowers which carpeted the plains!
We stayed one night in the town of Sidon, surrounded with its luxuriant fruit trees, the scent of which is so delicious; then a night at Tyre. As we walked the "Ladder of Tyre" we saw 'Akka in the distance, shining in the sun, and there, in that place were our Beloved Ones.
Great was the caution needed. We arrived separately.
My disguise allowed me to enter the city unquestioned. I wandered about in perplexity, for I did not dare to ask for information as to the abode of the Holy Ones. Fatigue was beginning to overwhelm me.
At length I went to the mosque, where I found a Shaykh who lived near by. I discovered that he was a Baha'i; "Allah'u'Abha." When he knew of my journey and of my aim, he said
"Stay here with me, the Master will come when it is evening time."
I waited, breathless with anticipation.
Then from the mosque came our beloved Master!
He was young then and very beautiful.
<p127>
"Ahval-i-Shuma? Marhaba! Marhaba! Khayli Khush amadid." ("How are you? Welcome! Welcome! Your coming gives me most great pleasure and delight.")
His loving-kindness restored my soul. I was ready to sacrifice my life to once hear His "Marhaba!"
"How tired you must be after that long, long, toilsome journey. I will send one of the friends to you in the morning."
So I rested in ecstatic peace, having achieved the desire of my heart.
In the morning 'Aqa Faraj came and took me to the Khan (inn) where four or five friends were staying. This was, of course, very secretly and cautiously arranged because of the threatened grave danger, at this time never absent from any suspected of being Baha'is. I rested quietly at the Khan, recovering from the physical fatigues of the journey.
After fifteen days, I was commanded to fetch my mother and my younger brother from Aleppo, where they were awaiting directions, having journeyed from Mosul, sometimes by steamer, and sometimes riding on mules.
How glad I was that my dear ones were to come into the presence of Jamal-i-Mub'arak and the Master, Sarkar-i-Aqa! I joyfully departed on my errand, walking to Haifa, thence by boat to Alexandretta, thence to Aleppo. Returning with my family the same way, we arrived at Haifa. There we heard that my mother would be received into the holy household, to her extreme delight. My brother and I, however, were to remain at Haifa, not being suffered to go inside the town of 'Akka.
We therefore remained at Haifa, working at our trade of coppersmith. We opened a little shop. I went round to the houses, selling things that we had made.
My brother and I prospered at our work.
We used frequently to walk over by way of the sea, wading through the brook Kishon to 'Akka.
We would stand in a certain place, without the wall of the prison, and watch a particular window; sometimes we had the joy of seeing the hand of Baha'u'llah waving a greeting to us. We would then walk back to Haifa, delighted to have had our reward.
<p128>
How we prayed that the Blessed One might have His freedom. It was heartbreaking to think of Him being imprisoned in the pestilential atmosphere of that most unhealthy town.
After some time, when rules were less strict, the Master asked me to come and live in 'Akka.
In these days Jamal-i-Mubarak was at liberty to walk freely about the town, and to live in His own hired house.
Our happiness was great when He would come to the Khan to speak to the friends, or when we were invited to the house of His Holiness, where He would receive us with such divine loving-kindness, and wonderful words of gladness and joy, that our hearts and souls were wrapt in an indescribable atmosphere of purity and peace.
No words could possibly convey to you the majesty and glory of His Presence. It is needless to attempt to do so; if only my spirit could speak. But you have known Sarka-i-Aqa, you can understand something of what those days were to us.
* * *
The sincerity and simplicity of this dear old man seemed to make themselves felt in other ways than by the mere words. It might well be that his spirit was speaking; but it was a never-to-be-forgotten experience--one saw the scenes and breathed the atmosphere of the spirit which he described.
Sakinih-Sultan Khanum told me other details of this time:
My husband, Jinabi-Zayn, was exiled from Tihran for being a Babi. We came to join these, whose happiness it was to live near Baha'u'llah at Baghdad. When He was taken away for "an unknown destination," we were of those who were bidden to remain.
At length, the time arrived when we were all to be driven forth. Jinabi-Zayn, who was a very learned man, incurred the especially malicious fury of the mob, which, in spite of the protection of the Governor, and incited by the fanatics, took every opportunity of injuring us.
They seized him, and scourged him severely. He, however, in company with a friend, escaped from Baghdad.
The infuriated mob seized all our belongings, so that we were able to save very few necessaries for the journey.
As we left the city, the people, filled with the hatred of bigotry, danced before us beating drums, and with other clashing noises the din was terrible. Those that went before and those who followed after, shouted, yelled curses, and stoned us.
Thus we were driven forth in a headlong flight, the stones wounding many of us; the soldiers, who were supposed to protect us, being powerless to do so in the face of such unbridled fury.
As we fled, we lost many of our belongings, which we had with difficulty saved out of our looted and wrecked homes.
Many fell and were kicked and otherwise hurt, my poor sister had a knife stuck through her arm; a lady, riding on a mule, with her baby in the takht-i-ravan (similar to a howdah) found that, in the confusion of the flight, the dear infant had gone!
At her entreaty, friends went back and found the sweet, wee girl, lying unhurt on the road; she was smiling, having been protected by her voluminous swaddling clothes.
We suffered much on this journey, both from hunger and thirst, having succeeded in bringing very little food with us in the turmoil of our departure.
The villages through which we passed were filled with bitter enemies, who reviled us, spat upon us, stoned us, rushed at us with sticks, yelling "Let the infidels die of hunger and thirst, let them die."
When we arrived at Mosul, the people of the town behaved in the same unfriendly manner, so that our condition was deplorable.
However, being locked into the Khan (the inn) to save us from injury from the people, the Vali, at the request of the Governor of Baghdad, had some food and water taken to us.
Eventually my husband and his friend arrived in so terrible a plight that we were aghast, and despaired for their lives.
Having escaped from Baghdad, they lost their way in the wilderness. So filled with malignity were the people they encountered, that they dared not ask their way, nor for food nor for water. Their sufferings were beyond description; driven by hunger and appalling thirst to venture near a village, the people rushed out to kill them, and they had to turn and flee for their lives.
Mosul
Then, with strength almost gone, they reached Mosul.
They were brought to the Khan.
Five days they had struggled on without a drop of water; their tongues were badly swollen; they seemed about to die! We gave them what care we could, and they recovered.
The exiles at Mosul began to call my husband the "Father of the Exiles."
He was not able to do much to mitigate their misery, for all our belongings had been taken from us.
News had been taken to the "King of the Martyred" at Isfahan, explaining the plight of the Babis at Mosul. He, with his usual kindness and generosity, promptly sent corn and other help to them, conditions thereby being vastly improved.
Stray fugitives, escaping from the threatened death in Persia, joined us from time to time, until we were about one hundred and eighty persons.
These exiles gradually made their way to 'Akka and to Haifa.
1944 - God Passes By (Shoghi Effendi)
Baha'u'llah's Banishment to Iraq
<127> CHAPTER VIII Baha'u'llah's Banishment to Iraq (Continued)
The return of Baha'u'llah from Sulaymaniyyih to Baghdad marks a turning point of the utmost significance in the history of the first Baha'i century. The tide of the fortunes of the Faith, having reached its lowest ebb, was now beginning to surge back, and was destined to roll on, steadily and mightily, to a new high water-mark, associated this time with the Declaration of His Mission, on the eve of His banishment to Constantinople. With His return to Baghdad a firm anchorage was now being established, an anchorage such as the Faith had never known in its history. Never before, except during the first three years of its life, could that Faith claim to have possessed a fixed and accessible center to which its adherents could turn for guidance, and from which they could derive continuous and unobstructed inspiration. No less than half of the Bab's short-lived ministry was spent on the remotest border of His native country, where He was concealed and virtually cut off from the vast majority of His disciples. The period immediately after His martyrdom was marked by a confusion that was even more deplorable than the isolation caused by His enforced captivity. Nor when the Revelation which He had foretold made its appearance was it succeeded by an immediate declaration that could enable the members of a distracted community to rally round the person of their expected Deliverer.
The prolonged self-concealment of Mirza Yahya, the center provisionally appointed pending the manifestation of the Promised One; the nine months' absence of Baha'u'llah from His native land, while on a visit to Karbila, followed swiftly by His imprisonment in the Siyah-Chal, by His banishment to Iraq, and afterwards by His retirement to Kurdistan--all combined to prolong the phase of instability and suspense through which the Babi community had to pass.
Now at last, in spite of Baha'u'llah's reluctance to unravel the mystery surrounding His own position, the Babis found themselves able to center both their hopes and their movements round One Whom they believed (whatever their views as to His station) capable of insuring the stability and integrity of their Faith. The orientation <P128> which the Faith had thus acquired and the fixity of the center towards which it now gravitated continued, in one form or another, to be its outstanding features, of which it was never again to be deprived.
The Faith of the Bab, as already observed, had, in consequence of the successive and formidable blows it had received, reached the verge of extinction. Nor was the momentous Revelation vouchsafed to Baha'u'llah in the Siyah-Chal productive at once of any tangible results of a nature that would exercise a stabilizing influence on a well-nigh disrupted community. Baha'u'llah's unexpected banishment had been a further blow to its members, who had learned to place their reliance upon Him. Mirza Yahya's seclusion and inactivity further accelerated the process of disintegration that had set in. Baha'u'llah's prolonged retirement to Kurdistan seemed to have set the seal on its complete dissolution.
Now, however, the tide that had ebbed in so alarming a measure was turning, bearing with it, as it rose to flood point, those inestimable benefits that were to herald the announcement of the Revelation already secretly disclosed to Baha'u'llah.
During the seven years that elapsed between the resumption of His labors and the declaration of His prophetic mission--years to which we now direct our attention--it would be no exaggeration to say that the Baha'i community, under the name and in the shape of a re-arisen Babi community was born and was slowly taking shape, though its Creator still appeared in the guise of, and continued to labor as, one of the foremost disciples of the Bab. It was a period during which the prestige of the community's nominal head steadily faded from the scene, paling before the rising splendor of Him Who was its actual Leader and Deliverer. It was a period in the course of which the first fruits of an exile, endowed with incalculable potentialities, ripened and were garnered. It was a period that will go down in history as one during which the prestige of a recreated community was immensely enhanced, its morals entirely reformed, its recognition of Him who rehabilitated its fortunes enthusiastically affirmed, its literature enormously enriched, and its victories over its new adversaries universally acknowledged.
The prestige of the community, and particularly that of Baha'u'llah, now began from its first inception in Kurdistan to mount in a steadily rising crescendo. Baha'u'llah had scarcely gathered up again the reins of the authority he had relinquished when the devout admirers He had left behind in Sulaymaniyyih started to flock to Baghdad, with the name of "Darvish Muhammad" on their lips, and the "house <P129> of Mirza Musa the Babi" as their goal. Astonished at the sight of so many ulamas and Sufis of Kurdish origin, of both the Qadiriyyih and Khalidiyyih Orders, thronging the house of Baha'u'llah, and impelled by racial and sectarian rivalry, the religious leaders of the city, such as the renowned Ibn-i-Alusi, the Mufti of Baghdad, together with Shaykh Abdu's-Salam, Shaykh Abdu'l-Qadir and Siyyid Dawudi, began to seek His presence, and, having obtained completely satisfying answers to their several queries, enrolled themselves among the band of His earliest admirers. The unqualified recognition by these outstanding leaders of those traits that distinguished the character and conduct of Baha'u'llah stimulated the curiosity, and later evoked the unstinted praise, of a great many observers of less conspicuous position, among whom figured poets, mystics and notables, who either resided in, or visited, the city. Government officials, foremost among whom were Abdu'llah Pasha and his lieutenant Mahmud Aqa, and Mulla Ali Mardan, a Kurd well-known in those circles, were gradually brought into contact with Him, and lent their share in noising abroad His fast-spreading fame. Nor could those distinguished Persians, who either lived in Baghdad and its environs or visited as pilgrims the holy places, remain impervious to the spell of His charm. Princes of the royal blood, amongst whom were such personages as the Na'ibu'l-Iyalih, the Shuja'u'd-Dawlih, the Sayfu'd-Dawlih, and Zaynu'l-Abidin Khan, the Fakhru'd-Dawlih, were, likewise, irresistibly drawn into the ever-widening circle of His associates and acquaintances.
Those who, during Baha'u'llah's two years' absence from Baghdad, had so persistently reviled and loudly derided His companions and kindred were, by now, for the most part, silenced. Not an inconsiderable number among them feigned respect and esteem for Him, a few claimed to be His defenders and supporters, while others professed to share His beliefs, and actually joined the ranks of the community to which He belonged. Such was the extent of the reaction that had set in that one of them was even heard to boast that, as far back as the year 1250 A.H.--a decade before the Bab's Declaration--he had already perceived and embraced the truth of His Faith!
Within a few years after Baha'u'llah's return from Sulaymaniyyih the situation had been completely reversed. The house of Sulayman-i-Ghannam, on which the official designation of the Bayt-i-Azam (the Most Great House) was later conferred, known, at that time, as the house of Mirza Musa, the Babi, an extremely modest residence, <P130> situated in the Karkh quarter, in the neighborhood of the western bank of the river, to which Baha'u'llah's family had moved prior to His return from Kurdistan, had now become the focal center of a great number of seekers, visitors and pilgrims, including Kurds, Persians, Arabs and Turks, and derived from the Muslim, the Jewish and Christian Faiths. It had, moreover, become a veritable sanctuary to which the victims of the injustice of the official representative of the Persian government were wont to flee, in the hope of securing redress for the wrongs they had suffered.
Influx of Persian Babis
At the same time an influx of Persian Babis, whose sole object was to attain the presence of Baha'u'llah, swelled the stream of visitors that poured through His hospitable doors. Carrying back, on their return to their native country, innumerable testimonies, both oral and written, to His steadily rising power and glory, they could not fail to contribute, in a vast measure, to the expansion and progress of a newly-reborn Faith. Four of the Bab's cousins and His maternal uncle, Haji Mirza Siyyid Muhammad; a grand-daughter of Fath-'Ali Shah and fervent admirer of Tahirih, surnamed Varaqatu'r-Ridvan; the erudite Mulla Muhammad-i-Qa'ini, surnamed Nabil-i-Akbar; the already famous Mulla Sadiq-i-Khurasani, surnamed Ismu'llahu'l-Asdaq, who with Quddus had been ignominiously persecuted in Shiraz; Mulla Baqir, one of the Letters of the Living; Siyyid Asadu'llah, surnamed Dayyan; the revered Siyyid Javad-i-Karbila'i; Mirza Muhammad-Hasan and Mirza Muhammad-Husayn, later immortalized by the titles of Sultanu'sh-Shuhada and Mahbubu'sh-Shuhada (King of Martyrs and Beloved of Martyrs) respectively; Mirza Muhammad-'Aliy-i-Nahri, whose daughter, at a later date, was joined in wedlock to Abdu'l-Baha; the immortal Siyyid Isma'il-i-Zavari'i; Haji Shaykh Muhammad, surnamed Nabil by the Bab; the accomplished Mirza Aqay-i-Munir, surnamed Ismu'llahu'l-Munib; the long-suffering Haji Muhammad-Taqi, surnamed Ayyub; Mulla Zaynu'l-Abidin, surnamed Zaynu'l-Muqarrabin, who had ranked as a highly esteemed mujtahid--all these were numbered among the visitors and fellow-disciples who crossed His threshold, caught a glimpse of the splendor of His majesty, and communicated far and wide the creative influences instilled into them through their contact with His spirit. Mulla Muhammad-i-Zarandi, surnamed Nabil-i-Azam, who may well rank as His Poet-Laureate, His chronicler and His indefatigable disciple, had already joined the exiles, and had launched out on his long and arduous series of journeys to Persia in furtherance of the Cause of his Beloved.
<P131>
Other Zuhirs Seek Baha'u'llah
Even those who, in their folly and temerity had, in Baghdad, in Karbila, in Qum, in Kashan, in Tabriz and in Tihran, arrogated to themselves the rights, and assumed the title of "Him Whom God shall make manifest" were for the most part instinctively led to seek His presence, confess their error and supplicate His forgiveness.
Fugitives Seek Baha
As time went on, fugitives, driven by the ever-present fear of persecution, sought, with their wives and children, the relative security afforded them by close proximity to One who had already become the rallying point for the members of a sorely-vexed community. Persians of high eminence, living in exile, rejecting, in the face of the mounting prestige of Baha'u'llah, the dictates of moderation and prudence, sat, forgetful of their pride, at His feet, and imbibed, each according to his capacity, a measure of His spirit and wisdom. 
Ambitious Ones
Some of the more ambitious among them, such as Abbas Mirza, a son of Muhammad Shah, the Vazir-Nizam, and Mirza Malkam Khan, as well as certain functionaries of foreign governments, attempted, in their short-sightedness, to secure His support and assistance for the furtherance of the designs they cherished, designs which He unhesitatingly and severely condemned.
Britain
Nor was the then representative of the British government, Colonel Sir Arnold Burrows Kemball, consul-general in Baghdad, insensible of the position which Baha'u'llah now occupied. Entering into friendly correspondence with Him, he, as testified by Baha'u'llah Himself, offered Him the protection of British citizenship, called on Him in person, and undertook to transmit to Queen Victoria any communication He might wish to forward to her. He even expressed his readiness to arrange for the transfer of His residence to India, or to any place agreeable to Him. This suggestion Baha'u'llah declined, choosing to abide in the dominions of the Sultan of Turkey.
Baghdad Governor, Namiq-Pasha
And finally, during the last year of His sojourn in Baghdad the governor Namiq-Pasha, impressed by the many signs of esteem and veneration in which He was held, called upon Him to pay his personal tribute to One Who had already achieved so conspicuous a victory over the hearts and souls of those who had met Him. So profound was the respect the governor entertained for Him, Whom he regarded as one of the Lights of the Age, that it was not until the end of three months, during which he had received five successive commands from Ali Pasha, that he could bring himself to inform Baha'u'llah that it was the wish of the Turkish government that He should proceed to the capital. On one occasion, when Abdu'l-Baha and Aqay-i-Kalim had been delegated by Baha'u'llah to visit him, he entertained them <P132> with such elaborate ceremonial that the Deputy-Governor stated that so far as he knew no notable of the city had ever been accorded by any governor so warm and courteous a reception. So struck, indeed, had the Sultan Abdu'l-Majid been by the favorable reports received about Baha'u'llah from successive governors of Baghdad (this is the personal testimony given by the Governor's deputy to Baha'u'llah himself) that he consistently refused to countenance the requests of the Persian government either to deliver Him to their representative or to order His expulsion from Turkish territory.
Far-Reaching Admiration
On no previous occasion, since the inception of the Faith, not even during the days when the Bab in Isfahan, in Tabriz and in Chihriq was acclaimed by the ovations of an enthusiastic populace, had any of its exponents risen to such high eminence in the public mind, or exercised over so diversified a circle of admirers an influence so far reaching and so potent. Yet unprecedented as was the sway which Baha'u'llah held while, in that primitive age of the Faith, He was dwelling in Baghdad, its range at that time was modest when compared with the magnitude of the fame which, at the close of that same age, and through the immediate inspiration of the Center of His Covenant, the Faith acquired in both the European and American continents.
Character Transformation, Verses
The ascendancy achieved by Baha'u'llah was nowhere better demonstrated than in His ability to broaden the outlook and transform the character of the community to which He belonged. Though Himself nominally a Babi, though the provisions of the Bayan were still regarded as binding and inviolable, He was able to inculcate a standard which, while not incompatible with its tenets, was ethically superior to the loftiest principles which the Babi Dispensation had established. The salutary and fundamental truths advocated by the Bab, that had either been obscured, neglected or misrepresented, were moreover elucidated by Baha'u'llah, reaffirmed and instilled afresh into the corporate life of the community, and into the souls of the individuals who comprised it. The dissociation of the Babi Faith from every form of political activity and from all secret associations and factions; the emphasis placed on the principle of non-violence; the necessity of strict obedience to established authority; the ban imposed on all forms of sedition, on back-biting, retaliation, and dispute; the stress laid on godliness, kindliness, humility and piety, on honesty and truthfulness, chastity and fidelity, on justice, toleration, sociability, amity and concord, on the acquisition of arts and sciences, on self-sacrifice and detachment, on patience, steadfastness <P133> and resignation to the will of God--all these constitute the salient features of a code of ethical conduct to which the books, treatises and epistles, revealed during those years, by the indefatigable pen of Baha'u'llah, unmistakably bear witness.
"By the aid of God and His divine grace and mercy," He Himself has written with reference to the character and consequences of His own labors during that period, "We revealed, as a copious rain, Our verses, and sent them to various parts of the world. We exhorted all men, and particularly this people, through Our wise counsels and loving admonitions, and forbade them to engage in sedition, quarrels, disputes or conflict. As a result of this, and by the grace of God, waywardness and folly were changed into piety and understanding, and weapons of war converted into instruments of peace." "Baha'u'llah," Abdu'l-Baha affirmed, "after His return (from Sulaymaniyyih) made such strenuous efforts in educating and training this community, in reforming its manners, in regulating its affairs and in rehabilitating its fortunes, that in a short while all these troubles and mischiefs were quenched, and the utmost peace and tranquillity reigned in men's hearts." And again: "When these fundamentals were established in the hearts of this people, they everywhere acted in such wise that, in the estimation of those in authority, they became famous for the integrity of their character, the steadfastness of their hearts, the purity of their motives, the praiseworthiness of their deeds, and the excellence of their conduct."
The exalted character of the teachings of Baha'u'llah propounded during that period is perhaps best illustrated by the following statement made by Him in those days to an official who had reported to Him that, because of the devotion to His person which an evildoer had professed, he had hesitated to inflict upon that criminal the punishment he deserved: "Tell him, no one in this world can claim any relationship to Me except those who, in all their deeds and in their conduct, follow My example, in such wise that all the peoples of the earth would be powerless to prevent them from doing and saying that which is meet and seemly." "This brother of Mine," He further declared to that official, "this Mirza Musa, who is from the same mother and father as Myself, and who from his earliest childhood has kept Me company, should he perpetrate an act contrary to the interests of either the state or religion, and his guilt be established in your sight, I would be pleased and appreciate your action were you to bind his hands and cast him into the river to drown, and refuse to consider the intercession of any one on his behalf." In another <P134> connection He, wishing to stress His strong condemnation of all acts of violence, had written: "It would be more acceptable in My sight for a person to harm one of My own sons or relatives rather than inflict injury upon any soul."
Companions Efforts at Virtue
"Most of those who surrounded Baha'u'llah," wrote Nabil, describing the spirit that animated the reformed Babi community in Baghdad, "exercised such care in sanctifying and purifying their souls, that they would suffer no word to cross their lips that might not conform to the will of God, nor would they take a single step that might be contrary to His good-pleasure." "Each one," he relates, "had entered into a pact with one of his fellow-disciples, in which they agreed to admonish one another, and, if necessary, chastise one another with a number of blows on the soles of the feet, proportioning the number of strokes to the gravity of the offense against the lofty standards they had sworn to observe." Describing the fervor of their zeal, he states that "not until the offender had suffered the punishment he had solicited, would he consent to either eat or drink."
Companions Zeal
The complete transformation which the written and spoken word of Baha'u'llah had effected in the outlook and character of His companions was equalled by the burning devotion which His love had kindled in their souls. A passionate zeal and fervor, that rivalled the enthusiasm that had glowed so fiercely in the breasts of the Bab's disciples in their moments of greatest exaltation, had now seized the hearts of the exiles of Baghdad and galvanized their entire beings. "So inebriated," Nabil, describing the fecundity of this tremendously dynamic spiritual revival, has written, "so carried away was every one by the sweet savors of the Morn of Divine Revelation that, methinks, out of every thorn sprang forth heaps of blossoms, and every seed yielded innumerable harvests." "The room of the Most Great House," that same chronicler has recorded, "set apart for the reception of Baha'u'llah's visitors, though dilapidated, and having long since outgrown its usefulness, vied, through having been trodden by the blessed footsteps of the Well Beloved, with the Most Exalted Paradise. Low-roofed, it yet seemed to reach to the stars, and though it boasted but a single couch, fashioned from the branches of palms, whereon He Who is the King of Names was wont to sit, it drew to itself, even as a loadstone, the hearts of the princes."
Reproducing the Room
It was this same reception room which, in spite of its rude simplicity, had so charmed the Shuja'u'd-Dawlih that he had expressed to his fellow-princes his intention of building a duplicate of it in his home in Kazimayn. "He may well succeed," Baha'u'llah is reported <P135> to have smilingly remarked when apprized of this intention, "in reproducing outwardly the exact counterpart of this low-roofed room made of mud and straw with its diminutive garden. What of his ability to open onto it the spiritual doors leading to the hidden worlds of God?" "I know not how to explain it," another prince, Zaynu'l-Abidin Khan, the Fakhru'd-Dawlih, describing the atmosphere which pervaded that reception-room, had affirmed, "were all the sorrows of the world to be crowded into my heart they would, I feel, all vanish, when in the presence of Baha'u'llah. It is as if I had entered Paradise itself."
Feasts and Eagerness
The joyous feasts which these companions, despite their extremely modest earnings, continually offered in honor of their Beloved; the gatherings, lasting far into the night, in which they loudly celebrated, with prayers, poetry and song, the praises of the Bab, of Quddus and of Baha'u'llah; the fasts they observed; the vigils they kept; the dreams and visions which fired their souls, and which they recounted to each other with feelings of unbounded enthusiasm; the eagerness with which those who served Baha'u'llah performed His errands, waited upon His needs, and carried heavy skins of water for His ablutions and other domestic purposes; the acts of imprudence which, in moments of rapture, they occasionally committed; the expressions of wonder and admiration which their words and acts evoked in a populace that had seldom witnessed such demonstrations of religious transport and personal devotion--these, and many others, will forever remain associated with the history of that immortal period, intervening between the birth hour of Baha'u'llah's Revelation and its announcement on the eve of His departure from Iraq.
The Anecdotes
Numerous and striking are the anecdotes which have been recounted by those whom duty, accident, or inclination had, in the course of these poignant years, brought into direct contact with Baha'u'llah. Many and moving are the testimonies of bystanders who were privileged to gaze on His countenance, observe His gait, or overhear His remarks, as He moved through the lanes and streets of the city, or paced the banks of the river; of the worshippers who watched Him pray in their mosques; of the mendicant, the sick, the aged, and the unfortunate whom He succored, healed, supported and comforted; of the visitors, from the haughtiest prince to the meanest beggar, who crossed His threshold and sat at His feet; of the merchant, the artisan, and the shopkeeper who waited upon Him and supplied His daily needs; of His devotees who had perceived the signs of His hidden glory; of His adversaries who were confounded <P136> or disarmed by the power of His utterance and the warmth of His love; of the priests and laymen, the noble and learned, who besought Him with the intention of either challenging His authority, or testing His knowledge, or investigating His claims, or confessing their shortcomings, or declaring their conversion to the Cause He had espoused.
Dhabih (the Sacrifice) - Courtyard Sweeper and Razor
From such a treasury of precious memories it will suffice my purpose to cite but a single instance, that of one of His ardent lovers, a native of Zavarih, Siyyid Isma'il by name, surnamed Dhabih (the Sacrifice), formerly a noted divine, taciturn, meditative and wholly severed from every earthly tie, whose self-appointed task, on which he prided himself, was to sweep the approaches of the house in which Baha'u'llah was dwelling. Unwinding his green turban, the ensign of his holy lineage, from his head, he would, at the hour of dawn, gather up, with infinite patience, the rubble which the footsteps of his Beloved had trodden, would blow the dust from the crannies of the wall adjacent to the door of that house, would collect the sweepings in the folds of his own cloak, and, scorning to cast his burden for the feet of others to tread upon, would carry it as far as the banks of the river and throw it into its waters. Unable, at length, to contain the ocean of love that surged within his soul, he, after having denied himself for forty days both sleep and sustenance, and rendering for the last time the service so dear to his heart, betook himself, one day, to the banks of the river, on the road to Kazimayn, performed his ablutions, lay down on his back, with his face turned towards Baghdad, severed his throat with a razor, laid the razor upon his breast, and expired. (1275 A.H.)
Nor was he the only one who had meditated such an act and was determined to carry it out. Others were ready to follow suit, had not Baha'u'llah promptly intervened, and ordered the refugees living in Baghdad to return immediately to their native land. Nor could the authorities, when it was definitely established that Dhabih had died by his own hand, remain indifferent to a Cause whose Leader could inspire so rare a devotion in, and hold such absolute sway over, the hearts of His lovers. Apprized of the apprehensions that episode had evoked in certain quarters in Baghdad, Baha'u'llah is reported to have remarked: "Siyyid Isma'il was possessed of such power and might that were he to be confronted by all the peoples of the earth, he would, without doubt, be able to establish his ascendancy over them." "No blood," He is reported to have said with reference to this same Dhabih, whom He extolled as "King and <P137> Beloved of Martyrs," "has, till now, been poured upon the earth as pure as the blood he shed."
General Intoxication
"So intoxicated were those who had quaffed from the cup of Baha'u'llah's presence," is yet another testimony from the pen of Nabil, who was himself an eye-witness of most of these stirring episodes, "that in their eyes the palaces of kings appeared more ephemeral than a spider's web.... The celebrations and festivities that were theirs were such as the kings of the earth had never dreamt of." "I, myself with two others," he relates, "lived in a room which was devoid of furniture. Baha'u'llah entered it one day, and, looking about Him, remarked: 'Its emptiness pleases Me. In My estimation it is preferable to many a spacious palace, inasmuch as the beloved of God are occupied in it with the remembrance of the Incomparable Friend, with hearts that are wholly emptied of the dross of this world.'" His own life was characterized by that same austerity, and evinced that same simplicity which marked the lives of His beloved companions. "There was a time in Iraq," He Himself affirms, in one of His Tablets, "when the Ancient Beauty ... had no change of linen. The one shirt He possessed would be washed, dried and worn again."
Living on Dates
"Many a night," continues Nabil, depicting the lives of those self-oblivious companions, "no less than ten persons subsisted on no more than a pennyworth of dates. No one knew to whom actually belonged the shoes, the cloaks, or the robes that were to be found in their houses. Whoever went to the bazaar could claim that the shoes upon his feet were his own, and each one who entered the presence of Baha'u'llah could affirm that the cloak and robe he then wore belonged to him. Their own names they had forgotten, their hearts were emptied of aught else except adoration for their Beloved.... O, for the joy of those days, and the gladness and wonder of those hours!"
Expansion of Writings
The enormous expansion in the scope and volume of Baha'u'llah's writings, after His return from Sulaymaniyyih, is yet another distinguishing feature of the period under review. The verses that streamed during those years from His pen, described as "a copious rain" by Himself, whether in the form of epistles, exhortations, commentaries, apologies, dissertations, prophecies, prayers, odes or specific Tablets, contributed, to a marked degree, to the reformation and progressive unfoldment of the Babi community, to the broadening of its outlook, to the expansion of its activities and to the enlightenment of the minds of its members. So prolific was this period, that <P138> during the first two years after His return from His retirement, according to the testimony of Nabil, who was at that time living in Baghdad, the unrecorded verses that streamed from His lips averaged, in a single day and night, the equivalent of the Qur'an! As to those verses which He either dictated or wrote Himself, their number was no less remarkable than either the wealth of material they contained, or the diversity of subjects to which they referred. A vast, and indeed the greater, proportion of these writings were, alas, lost irretrievably to posterity. No less an authority than Mirza Aqa Jan, Baha'u'llah's amanuensis, affirms, as reported by Nabil, that by the express order of Baha'u'llah, hundreds of thousands of verses, mostly written by His own hand, were obliterated and cast into the river.
"Finding me reluctant to execute His orders," Mirza Aqa Jan has related to Nabil, "Baha'u'llah would reassure me saying: 'None is to be found at this time worthy to hear these melodies.' ...Not once, or twice, but innumerable times, was I commanded to repeat this act." A certain Muhammad Karim, a native of Shiraz, who had been a witness to the rapidity and the manner in which the Bab had penned the verses with which He was inspired, has left the following testimony to posterity, after attaining, during those days, the presence of Baha'u'llah, and beholding with his own eyes what he himself had considered to be the only proof of the mission of the Promised One: "I bear witness that the verses revealed by Baha'u'llah were superior, in the rapidity with which they were penned, in the ease with which they flowed, in their lucidity, their profundity and sweetness to those which I, myself saw pour from the pen of the Bab when in His presence. Had Baha'u'llah no other claim to greatness, this were sufficient, in the eyes of the world and its people, that He produced such verses as have streamed this day from His pen."
Kitab-i-Iqan
Foremost among the priceless treasures cast forth from the billowing ocean of Baha'u'llah's Revelation ranks the Kitab-i-Iqan (Book of Certitude), revealed within the space of two days and two nights, in the closing years of that period (1278 A.H.--1862 A.D.).
It was written in fulfillment of the prophecy of the Bab, Who had specifically stated that the Promised One would complete the text of the unfinished Persian Bayan, and in reply to the questions addressed to Baha'u'llah by the as yet unconverted maternal uncle of the Bab, Haji Mirza Siyyid Muhammad, while on a visit, with his brother, Haji Mirza Hasan-'Ali, to Karbila. A model of Persian prose, of a style at once original, chaste and vigorous, and remarkably lucid, both cogent in argument and matchless in its irresistible eloquence, <P139> this Book, setting forth in outline the Grand Redemptive Scheme of God, occupies a position unequalled by any work in the entire range of Baha'i literature, except the Kitab-i-Aqdas, Baha'u'llah's Most Holy Book. Revealed on the eve of the declaration of His Mission, it proffered to mankind the "Choice Sealed Wine," whose seal is of "musk," and broke the "seals" of the "Book" referred to by Daniel, and disclosed the meaning of the "words" destined to remain "closed up" till the "time of the end."
Within a compass of two hundred pages it proclaims unequivocally the existence and oneness of a personal God, unknowable, inaccessible, the source of all Revelation, eternal, omniscient, omnipresent and almighty; asserts the relativity of religious truth and the continuity of Divine Revelation; affirms the unity of the Prophets, the universality of their Message, the identity of their fundamental teachings, the sanctity of their scriptures, and the twofold character of their stations; denounces the blindness and perversity of the divines and doctors of every age; cites and elucidates the allegorical passages of the New Testament, the abstruse verses of the Qur'an, and the cryptic Muhammadan traditions which have bred those age-long misunderstandings, doubts and animosities that have sundered and kept apart the followers of the world's leading religious systems; enumerates the essential prerequisites for the attainment by every true seeker of the object of his quest; demonstrates the validity, the sublimity and significance of the Bab's Revelation; acclaims the heroism and detachment of His disciples; foreshadows, and prophesies the world-wide triumph of the Revelation promised to the people of the Bayan; upholds the purity and innocence of the Virgin Mary; glorifies the Imams of the Faith of Muhammad; celebrates the martyrdom, and lauds the spiritual sovereignty, of the Imam Husayn; unfolds the meaning of such symbolic terms as "Return," "Resurrection," "Seal of the Prophets" and "Day of Judgment"; adumbrates and distinguishes between the three stages of Divine Revelation; and expatiates, in glowing terms, upon the glories and wonders of the "City of God," renewed, at fixed intervals, by the dispensation of Providence, for the guidance, the benefit and salvation of all mankind. Well may it be claimed that of all the books revealed by the Author of the Baha'i Revelation, this Book alone, by sweeping away the age-long barriers that have so insurmountably separated the great religions of the world, has laid down a broad and unassailable foundation for the complete and permanent reconciliation of their followers.
Hidden Words
Next to this unique repository of inestimable treasures must rank <P140> that marvelous collection of gem-like utterances, the "Hidden Words" with which Baha'u'llah was inspired, as He paced, wrapped in His meditations, the banks of the Tigris. Revealed in the year 1274 A.H., partly in Persian, partly in Arabic, it was originally designated the "Hidden Book of Fatimih," and was identified by its Author with the Book of that same name, believed by Shi'ah Islam to be in the possession of the promised Qa'im, and to consist of words of consolation addressed by the angel Gabriel, at God's command, to Fatimih, and dictated to the Imam Ali, for the sole purpose of comforting her in her hour of bitter anguish after the death of her illustrious Father. The significance of this dynamic spiritual leaven cast into the life of the world for the reorientation of the minds of men, the edification of their souls and the rectification of their conduct can best be judged by the description of its character given in the opening passage by its Author: "This is that which hath descended from the Realm of Glory, uttered by the tongue of power and might, and revealed unto the Prophets of old. We have taken the inner essence thereof and clothed it in the garment of brevity, as a token of grace unto the righteous, that they may stand faithful unto the Covenant of God, may fulfill in their lives His trust, and in the realm of spirit obtain the gem of Divine virtue."
Seven Valleys
To these two outstanding contributions to the world's religious literature, occupying respectively, positions of unsurpassed preeminence among the doctrinal and ethical writings of the Author of the Baha'i Dispensation, was added, during that same period, a treatise that may well be regarded as His greatest mystical composition, designated as the "Seven Valleys," which He wrote in answer to the questions of Shaykh Muhyi'd-Din, the Qadi of Khaniqayn, in which He describes the seven stages which the soul of the seeker must needs traverse ere it can attain the object of its existence.
Other Literature
The "Four Valleys," an epistle addressed to the learned Shaykh Abdu'r-Rahman-i-Karkuti; the "Tablet of the Holy Mariner," in which Baha'u'llah prophesies the severe afflictions that are to befall Him; the "Lawh-i-Huriyyih" (Tablet of the Maiden), in which events of a far remoter future are foreshadowed; the "Suriy-i-Sabr" (Surih of Patience), revealed on the first day of Ridvan which extols Vahid and his fellow-sufferers in Nayriz; the commentary on the Letters prefixed to the Surihs of the Qur'an; His interpretation of the letter Vav, mentioned in the writings of Shaykh Ahmad-i-Ahsa'i, and of other abstruse passages in the works of Siyyid Kazim-i-Rashti; the "Lawh-i-Madinatu't-Tawhid" (Tablet of the <P141> City of Unity); the "Sahifiy-i-Shattiyyih"; the "Musibat-i-Hurufat-i-'Aliyat"; the "Tafsir-i-Hu"; the "Javahiru'l-Asrar" and a host of other writings, in the form of epistles, odes, homilies, specific Tablets, commentaries and prayers, contributed, each in its own way, to swell the "rivers of everlasting life" which poured forth from the "Abode of Peace" and lent a mighty impetus to the expansion of the Bab's Faith in both Persia and Iraq, quickening the souls and transforming the character of its adherents.
Animosity Aroused
The undeniable evidences of the range and magnificence of Baha'u'llah's rising power; His rapidly waxing prestige; the miraculous transformation which, by precept and example, He had effected in the outlook and character of His companions from Baghdad to the remotest towns and hamlets in Persia; the consuming love for Him that glowed in their bosoms; the prodigious volume of writings that streamed day and night from His pen, could not fail to fan into flame the animosity which smouldered in the breasts of His Shi'ah and Sunni enemies. Now that His residence was transferred to the vicinity of the strongholds of Shi'ah Islam, and He Himself brought into direct and almost daily contact with the fanatical pilgrims who thronged the holy places of Najaf, Karbila and Kazimayn, a trial of strength between the growing brilliance of His glory and the dark and embattled forces of religious fanaticism could no longer be delayed. A spark was all that was required to ignite this combustible material of all the accumulated hatreds, fears and jealousies which the revived activities of the Babis had inspired.
Shaykh Abdu'l-Husayn
This was provided by a certain Shaykh Abdu'l-Husayn, a crafty and obstinate priest, whose consuming jealousy of Baha'u'llah was surpassed only by his capacity to stir up mischief both among those of high degree and also amongst the lowest of the low, Arab or Persian, who thronged the streets and markets of Kazimayn, Karbila and Baghdad. He it was whom Baha'u'llah had stigmatized in His Tablets by such epithets as the "scoundrel," the "schemer," the "wicked one," who "drew the sword of his self against the face of God," "in whose soul Satan hath whispered," and "from whose impiety Satan flies," the "depraved one," "from whom originated and to whom will return all infidelity, cruelty and crime." 
Largely through the efforts of the Grand Vizir, who wished to get rid of him, this troublesome mujtahid had been commissioned by the Shah to proceed to Karbila to repair the holy sites in that city. Watching for his opportunity, he allied himself with Mirza Buzurg Khan, a newly-appointed Persian consul-general, who being of the same iniquitous turn of mind as himself, <P142> a man of mean intelligence, insincere, without foresight or honor, and a confirmed drunkard, soon fell a prey to the influence of that vicious plotter, and became the willing instrument of his designs.
(Influencing Governor Fails)
Their first concerted endeavor was to obtain from the governor of Baghdad, Mustafa Pasha, through a gross distortion of the truth, an order for the extradition of Baha'u'llah and His companions, an effort which miserably failed.
(Inventing Dreams, Interview with Baha'u'llah)
Recognizing the futility of any attempt to achieve his purpose through the intervention of the local authorities, Shaykh Abdu'l-Husayn began, through the sedulous circulation of dreams which he first invented and then interpreted, to excite the passions of a superstitious and highly inflammable population. The resentment engendered by the lack of response he met with was aggravated by his ignominious failure to meet the challenge of an interview pre-arranged between himself and Baha'u'llah.
(Inciting Confrontation)
Mirza Buzurg Khan, on his part, used his influence in order to arouse the animosity of the lower elements of the population against the common Adversary, by inciting them to affront Him in public, in the hope of provoking some rash retaliatory act that could be used as a ground for false charges through which the desired order for Baha'u'llah's extradition might be procured. This attempt too proved abortive, as the presence of Baha'u'llah, Who, despite the warnings and pleadings of His friends, continued to walk unescorted, both by day and by night, through the streets of the city, was enough to plunge His would-be molesters into consternation and shame. Well aware of their motives, He would approach them, rally them on their intentions, joke with them, and leave them covered with confusion and firmly resolved to abandon whatever schemes they had in mind.
(Assassin)
The consul-general had even gone so far as to hire a ruffian, a Turk, named Rida, for the sum of one hundred tumans, provide him with a horse and with two pistols, and order him to seek out and kill Baha'u'llah, promising him that his own protection would be fully assured. Rida, learning one day that his would-be-victim was attending the public bath, eluded the vigilance of the Babis in attendance, entered the bath with a pistol concealed in his cloak, and confronted Baha'u'llah in the inner chamber, only to discover that he lacked the courage to accomplish his task. He himself, years later, related that on another occasion he was lying in wait for Baha'u'llah, pistol in hand, when, on Baha'u'llah's approach, he was so overcome with fear that the pistol dropped from his hand; whereupon Baha'u'llah bade Aqay-i-Kalim, who accompanied Him, to hand it back to him, and show him the way to his home.
<P143>
(Daily Fabricated Reports)
Balked in his repeated attempts to achieve his malevolent purpose, Shaykh Abdu'l-Husayn now diverted his energies into a new channel. He promised his accomplice he would raise him to the rank of a minister of the crown, if he succeeded in inducing the government to recall Baha'u'llah to Tihran, and cast Him again into prison. He despatched lengthy and almost daily reports to the immediate entourage of the Shah. He painted extravagant pictures of the ascendancy enjoyed by Baha'u'llah by representing Him as having won the allegiance of the nomadic tribes of Iraq. He claimed that He was in a position to muster, in a day, fully one hundred thousand men ready to take up arms at His bidding. He accused Him of meditating, in conjunction with various leaders in Persia, an insurrection against the sovereign. By such means as these he succeeded in bringing sufficient pressure on the authorities in Tihran to induce the Shah to grant him a mandate, bestowing on him full powers, and enjoining the Persian ulamas and functionaries to render him every assistance. This mandate the Shaykh instantly forwarded to the ecclesiastics of Najaf and Karbila, asking them to convene a gathering in Kazimayn, the place of his residence. A concourse of shaykhs, mullas and mujtahids, eager to curry favor with the sovereign, promptly responded.
General Assault on Exiles Planned
Upon being informed of the purpose for which they had been summoned, they determined to declare a holy war against the colony of exiles, and by launching a sudden and general assault on it to destroy the Faith at its heart. To their amazement and disappointment, however, they found that the leading mujtahid amongst them, the celebrated Shaykh Murtaday-i-Ansari, a man renowned for his tolerance, his wisdom, his undeviating justice, his piety and nobility of character, refused, when apprized of their designs, to pronounce the necessary sentence against the Babis. He it was whom Baha'u'llah later extolled in the "Lawh-i-Sultan," and numbered among "those doctors who have indeed drunk of the cup of renunciation," and "never interfered with Him," and to whom Abdu'l-Baha referred as "the illustrious and erudite doctor, the noble and celebrated scholar, the seal of seekers after truth."
Pleading insufficient knowledge of the tenets of this community, and claiming to have witnessed no act on the part of its members at variance with the Qur'an, he, disregarding the remonstrances of his colleagues, abruptly left the gathering, and returned to Najaf, after having expressed, through a messenger, his regret to Baha'u'llah for what had happened, and his devout wish for His protection.
Questions Submitted, Miracle Requested
Frustrated in their designs, but unrelenting in their hostility, the <P144> assembled divines delegated the learned and devout Haji Mulla Hasan-i-'Ammu, recognized for his integrity and wisdom, to submit various questions to Baha'u'llah for elucidation. When these were submitted, and answers completely satisfactory to the messenger were given, Haji Mulla Hasan, affirming the recognition by the ulamas of the vastness of the knowledge of Baha'u'llah, asked, as an evidence of the truth of His mission, for a miracle that would satisfy completely all concerned. "Although you have no right to ask this," Baha'u'llah replied, "for God should test His creatures, and they should not test God, still I allow and accept this request.... The ulamas must assemble, and, with one accord, choose one miracle, and write that, after the performance of this miracle they will no longer entertain doubts about Me, and that all will acknowledge and confess the truth of My Cause. Let them seal this paper, and bring it to Me. This must be the accepted criterion: if the miracle is performed, no doubt will remain for them; and if not, We shall be convicted of imposture." This clear, challenging and courageous reply, unexampled in the annals of any religion, and addressed to the most illustrious Shi'ah divines, assembled in their time-honored stronghold, was so satisfactory to their envoy that he instantly arose, kissed the knee of Baha'u'llah, and departed to deliver His message. Three days later he sent word that that august assemblage had failed to arrive at a decision, and had chosen to drop the matter, a decision to which he himself later gave wide publicity, in the course of his visit to Persia, and even communicated it in person to the then Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mirza Sa'id Khan. "We have," Baha'u'llah is reported to have commented, when informed of their reaction to this challenge, "through this all-satisfying, all-embracing message which We sent, revealed and vindicated the miracles of all the Prophets, inasmuch as We left the choice to the ulamas themselves, undertaking to reveal whatever they would decide upon." "If we carefully examine the text of the Bible," Abdu'l-Baha has written concerning a similar challenge made later by Baha'u'llah in the "Lawh-i-Sultan," "we see that the Divine Manifestation never said to those who denied Him, 'whatever miracle you desire, I am ready to perform, and I will submit to whatever test you propose.' But in the Epistle to the Shah Baha'u'llah said clearly, 'Gather the ulamas and summon Me, that the evidences and proofs may be established.'"
Rescuscitation
Seven years of uninterrupted, of patient and eminently successful consolidation were now drawing to a close. A shepherdless community, subjected to a prolonged and tremendous strain, from both <P145> within and without, and threatened with obliteration, had been resuscitated, and risen to an ascendancy without example in the course of its twenty years' history. Its foundations reinforced, its spirit exalted, its outlook transformed, its leadership safeguarded, its fundamentals restated, its prestige enhanced, its enemies discomfited, the Hand of Destiny was gradually preparing to launch it on a new phase in its checkered career, in which weal and woe alike were to carry it through yet another stage in its evolution. The Deliverer, the sole hope, and the virtually recognized leader of this community, Who had consistently overawed the authors of so many plots to assassinate Him, Who had scornfully rejected all the timid advice that He should flee from the scene of danger, Who had firmly declined repeated and generous offers made by friends and supporters to insure His personal safety, Who had won so conspicuous a victory over His antagonists--He was, at this auspicious hour, being impelled by the resistless processes of His unfolding Mission, to transfer His residence to the center of still greater preeminence, the capital city of the Ottoman Empire, the seat of the Caliphate, the administrative center of Sunni Islam, the abode of the most powerful potentate in the Islamic world.
Declaration to the Potentates Mentioned
He had already flung a daring challenge to the sacerdotal order represented by the eminent ecclesiastics residing in Najaf, Karbila and Kazimayn. He was now, while in the vicinity of the court of His royal adversary, to offer a similar challenge to the recognized head of Sunni Islam, as well as to the sovereign of Persia, the trustee of the hidden Imam. The entire company of the kings of the earth, and in particular the Sultan and his ministers, were, moreover, to be addressed by Him, appealed to and warned, while the kings of Christendom and the Sunni hierarchy were to be severely admonished. Little wonder that the exiled Bearer of a newly-announced Revelation should have, in anticipation of the future splendor of the Lamp of His Faith, after its removal from Iraq, uttered these prophetic words: "It will shine resplendently within another globe, as predestined by Him who is the Omnipotent, the Ancient of Days. ...That the Spirit should depart out of the body of Iraq is indeed a wondrous sign unto all who are in heaven and all who are on earth. Erelong will ye behold this Divine Youth riding upon the steed of victory. Then will the hearts of the envious be seized with trembling."
Order for Exile Accomplished
The predestined hour of Baha'u'llah's departure from Iraq having now struck, the process whereby it could be accomplished was set <P146> in motion. The nine months of unremitting endeavor exerted by His enemies, and particularly by Shaykh Abdu'l-Husayn and his confederate Mirza Buzurg Khan, were about to yield their fruit. Nasiri'd-Din Shah and his ministers, on the one hand, and the Persian Ambassador in Constantinople, on the other, were incessantly urged to take immediate action to insure Baha'u'llah's removal from Baghdad. Through gross misrepresentation of the true situation and the dissemination of alarming reports a malignant and energetic enemy finally succeeded in persuading the Shah to instruct his foreign minister, Mirza Sa'id Khan, to direct the Persian Ambassador at the Sublime Porte, Mirza Husayn Khan, a close friend of Ali Pasha, the Grand Vizir of the Sultan, and of Fu'ad Pasha, the Minister of foreign affairs, to induce Sultan Abdu'l-'Aziz to order the immediate transfer of Baha'u'llah to a place remote from Baghdad, on the ground that His continued residence in that city, adjacent to Persian territory and close to so important a center of Shi'ah pilgrimage, constituted a direct menace to the security of Persia and its government. Mirza Sa'id Khan, in his communication to the Ambassador, stigmatized the Faith as a "misguided and detestable sect," deplored Baha'u'llah's release from the Siyah-Chal, and denounced Him as one who did not cease from "secretly corrupting and misleading foolish persons and ignorant weaklings." "In accordance with the royal command," he wrote, "I, your faithful friend, have been ordered ... to instruct you to seek, without delay, an appointment with their Excellencies, the Sadr-i-A'zam and the Minister of Foreign Affairs ... to request ... the removal of this source of mischief from a center like Baghdad, which is the meeting-place of many different peoples, and is situated near the frontiers of the provinces of Persia." In that same letter, quoting a celebrated verse, he writes: "'I see beneath the ashes the glow of fire, and it wants but little to burst into a blaze,'" thus betraying his fears and seeking to instill them into his correspondent.
Encouraged by the presence on the throne of a monarch who had delegated much of his powers to his ministers, and aided by certain foreign ambassadors and ministers in Constantinople, Mirza Husayn Khan, by dint of much persuasion and the friendly pressure he brought to bear on these ministers, succeeded in securing the sanction of the Sultan for the transfer of Baha'u'llah and His companions (who had in the meantime been forced by circumstances to change their citizenship) to Constantinople. It is even reported that the first request the Persian authorities made of a friendly Power, after <P147> the accession of the new Sultan to the throne, was for its active and prompt intervention in this matter.
Fifth of Naw Rúz - Holy Mariner, Messenger Arrives
It was on the fifth of Naw-Ruz (1863), while Baha'u'llah was celebrating that festival in the Mazra'iy-i-Vashshash, in the outskirts of Baghdad, and had just revealed the "Tablet of the Holy Mariner," whose gloomy prognostications had aroused the grave apprehensions of His Companions, that an emissary of Namiq Pasha arrived and delivered into His hands a communication requesting an interview between Him and the governor.
Allusions of Approaching Trials
Already, as Nabil has pointed out in his narrative, Baha'u'llah had, in the course of His discourses, during the last years of His sojourn in Baghdad, alluded to the period of trial and turmoil that was inexorably approaching, exhibiting a sadness and heaviness of heart which greatly perturbed those around Him.
Dream - The Prophets and the Messengers Lamenting
A dream which He had at that time, the ominous character of which could not be mistaken, served to confirm the fears and misgivings that had assailed His companions. "I saw," He wrote in a Tablet, "the Prophets and the Messengers gather and seat themselves around Me, moaning, weeping and loudly lamenting. Amazed, I inquired of them the reason, whereupon their lamentation and weeping waxed greater, and they said unto me: 'We weep for Thee, O Most Great Mystery, O Tabernacle of Immortality!' They wept with such a weeping that I too wept with them. Thereupon the Concourse on high addressed Me saying: '...Erelong shalt Thou behold with Thine own eyes what no Prophet hath beheld.... Be patient, be patient.'... They continued addressing Me the whole night until the approach of dawn."
Holy Mariner - Effects
"Oceans of sorrow," Nabil affirms, "surged in the hearts of the listeners when the Tablet of the Holy Mariner was read aloud to them.... It was evident to every one that the chapter of Baghdad was about to be closed, and a new one opened, in its stead.
Tents Ordered Closed, Messenger Arrives
No sooner had that Tablet been chanted than Baha'u'llah ordered that the tents which had been pitched should be folded up, and that all His companions should return to the city. While the tents were being removed He observed: 'These tents may be likened to the trappings of this world, which no sooner are they spread out than the time cometh for them to be rolled up.' From these words of His they who heard them perceived that these tents would never again be pitched on that spot. They had not yet been taken away when the messenger arrived from Baghdad to deliver the afore-mentioned communication from the governor."
Letter Delivered at Mosque
By the following day the Deputy-Governor had delivered to <P148> Baha'u'llah in a mosque, in the neighborhood of the governor's house, Ali Pasha's letter, addressed to Namiq Pasha, couched in courteous language, inviting Baha'u'llah to proceed, as a guest of the Ottoman government, to Constantinople, placing a sum of money at His disposal, and ordering a mounted escort to accompany Him for His protection. To this request Baha'u'llah gave His ready assent, but declined to accept the sum offered Him. On the urgent representations of the Deputy that such a refusal would offend the authorities, He reluctantly consented to receive the generous allowance set aside for His use, and distributed it, that same day, among the poor. The effect upon the colony of exiles of this sudden intelligence was instantaneous and overwhelming. "That day," wrote an eyewitness, describing the reaction of the community to the news of Baha'u'llah's approaching departure, "witnessed a commotion associated with the turmoil of the Day of Resurrection. Methinks, the very gates and walls of the city wept aloud at their imminent separation from the Abha Beloved. The first night mention was made of His intended departure His loved ones, one and all, renounced both sleep and food.... Not a soul amongst them could be tranquillized. Many had resolved that in the event of their being deprived of the bounty of accompanying Him, they would, without hesitation, kill themselves.... Gradually, however, through the words which He addressed them, and through His exhortations and His loving-kindness, they were calmed and resigned themselves to His good-pleasure." For every one of them, whether Arab or Persian, man or woman, child or adult, who lived in Baghdad, He revealed during those days, in His own hand, a separate Tablet. In most of these Tablets He predicted the appearance of the "Calf" and of the "Birds of the Night," allusions to those who, as anticipated in the Tablet of the Holy Mariner, and foreshadowed in the dream quoted above, were to raise the standard of rebellion and precipitate the gravest crisis in the history of the Faith.
Twenty-seven days after that mournful Tablet had been so unexpectedly revealed by Baha'u'llah, and the fateful communication, presaging His departure to Constantinople had been delivered into His hands, 
Ridvan Story
<148>
Date
On a Wednesday afternoon (April 22, 1863), thirty-one days after Naw-Ruz, on the third of Dhi'l-Qa'dih, 1279 A.H., He set forth on the first stage of His four months' journey to the capital of the Ottoman Empire. That historic day, forever after designated as the first day of the Ridvan Festival, the culmination of innumerable farewell visits which friends and acquaintances of every class and denomination, had been paying him, was one the like of which the inhabitants of Baghdad had rarely beheld. A concourse of people of both sexes and of every age, comprising friends and strangers Arabs, Kurds and Persians, notables and clerics, officials and merchants, as well as many of the lower classes, the poor, the orphaned, the outcast, some surprised, others heartbroken, many tearful and apprehensive, a few impelled by curiosity or secret satisfaction, thronged the approaches of His house, eager to catch a final glimpse of One Who, for a decade, had, through precept and example, exercised so potent an influence on so large a number of the heterogeneous inhabitants of their city.
Leaving for the last time, amidst weeping and lamentation, His "Most Holy Habitation," out of which had "gone forth the breath of the All-Glorious," and from which had poured forth, in "ceaseless strains," the "melody of the All-Merciful," and dispensing on His way with a lavish hand a last alms to the poor He had so faithfully befriended, and uttering words of comfort to the disconsolate who besought Him on every side,
Ridvan Garden
::: He, at length, reached the banks of the river, and was ferried across, accompanied by His sons and amanuensis, to the Najibiyyih Garden, situated on the opposite shore. "O My companions," He thus addressed the faithful band that surrounded Him before He embarked, "I entrust to your keeping this city of Baghdad, in the state ye now behold it, when from the eyes of friends and strangers alike, crowding its housetops, its streets and markets, tears like the rain of spring are flowing down, and I depart. With you it now rests to watch lest your deeds and conduct dim the flame of love that gloweth within the breasts of its inhabitants."
The muezzin had just raised the afternoon call to prayer when Baha'u'llah entered the Najibiyyih Garden, where He tarried twelve days before His final departure from the city. There His friends and companions, arriving in successive waves, attained His presence and bade Him, with feelings of profound sorrow, their last farewell.
Alusi, the Mufti of Baghdad
Outstanding among them was the renowned Alusi, the Mufti of Baghdad, who, with eyes dimmed with tears, execrated the name of Nasiri'd-Din Shah, whom he deemed to be primarily responsible for so unmerited a banishment. "I have ceased to regard him," he openly asserted, "as Nasiri'd-Din (the helper of the Faith), but consider him rather to be its wrecker."
Governor, Namiq Pasha
Another distinguished visitor was the governor himself, Namiq Pasha, who, after expressing in the most respectful terms his regret at the developments which had precipitated Baha'u'llah's departure, and assuring Him of his readiness to aid Him in any way he could, handed to the officer appointed to accompany Him a written order, commanding the governors of the provinces through which the exiles would be passing to extend to them the utmost consideration. "Whatever you require," he, after profuse apologies, informed Baha'u'llah, "you have but to command. We are ready to carry it out."
Governor's Service
"Extend thy consideration to Our loved ones," was the reply to his insistent and reiterated offers, "and deal with them with kindness" - a request to which he gave his warm and unhesitating assent.
Enemies' Regret
Small wonder that, in the face of so many evidences of deep-seated devotion, sympathy and esteem, so strikingly manifested by high and low alike, from the time Baha'u'llah announced His contemplated journey to the day of His departure from the Najibiyyih Garden - small wonder that those who had so tirelessly sought to secure the order for His banishment, and had rejoiced at the success of their efforts, should now have bitterly regretted their act. "Such hath been the interposition of God," Abdu'l-Baha, in a letter written by Him from that garden, with reference to these enemies, affirms, "that the joy evinced by them hath been turned to chagrin and sorrow, so much so that the Persian consul-general in Baghdad regrets exceedingly the plans and plots the schemers had devised. Namiq Pasha himself, on the day he called on Him (Baha'u'llah) stated: 'Formerly they insisted upon your departure. Now, however, they are even more insistent that you should remain.'"
Declaration; Ridvan Festival
The arrival of Baha'u'llah in the Najibiyyih Garden, subsequently designated by His followers the Garden of Ridvan, signalizes the commencement of what has come to be recognized as the holiest and most significant of all Baha'i festivals, the festival commemorating the Declaration of His Mission to His companions. So momentous a Declaration may well be regarded both as the logical consummation of that revolutionizing process which was initiated by Himself upon His return from Sulaymaniyyih, and as a prelude to the final proclamation of that same Mission to the world and its rulers from Adrianople.
Decade Hidden, Prophecies
Through that solemn act the "delay," of no less than a decade, divinely interposed between the birth of Baha'u'llah's Revelation in the Siyah-Chal and its announcement to the Bab's disciples, was at long last terminated. The "set time of concealment," during which as He Himself has borne witness, the "signs and tokens of a divinely-appointed Revelation" were being showered upon Him, was fulfilled. The "myriad veils of light," within which His glory had been wrapped, were, at that historic hour, partially lifted, vouchsafing to mankind "an infinitesimal glimmer" of the effulgence of His "peerless, His most sacred and exalted Countenance." The "thousand two hundred and ninety days," fixed by Daniel in the last chapter of His Book, as the duration of the "abomination that maketh desolate" had now elapsed. The "hundred lunar years," destined to immediately precede that blissful consummation (1335 days), announced by Daniel in that same chapter, had commenced. The nineteen years, constituting the first "Vahid," preordained in the Persian Bayan by the pen of the Bab, had been completed. The Lord of the Kingdom, Jesus Christ returned in the glory of the Father, was about to ascend His throne, and assume the sceptre of a world-embracing, indestructible sovereignty. The community of the Most Great Name, the "companions of the Crimson Colored Ark," lauded in glowing terms in the Qayyumu'l-Asma', had visibly emerged. The Bab's own prophecy regarding the "Ridvan," the scene of the unveiling of Baha'u'llah's transcendent glory, had been literally fulfilled.
Undaunted, Claim
Undaunted by the prospect of the appalling adversities which, as predicted by Himself, were soon to overtake Him; on the eve of a second banishment which would be fraught with many hazards and perils, and would bring Him still farther from His native land, the cradle of His Faith, to a country alien in race, in language and in culture; acutely conscious of the extension of the circle of His adversaries, among whom were soon to be numbered a monarch more despotic than Nasiri'd-Din Shah, and ministers no less unyielding in their hostility than either Haji Mirza Aqasi or the Amir-Nizam; undeterred by the perpetual interruptions occasioned by the influx of a host of visitors who thronged His tent, Baha'u'llah chose in that critical and seemingly unpropitious hour to advance so challenging a claim, to lay bare the mystery surrounding His person, and to assume, in their plenitude, the power and the authority which were the exclusive privileges of the One Whose advent the Bab had prophesied.
Progressive Allusion
Already the shadow of that great oncoming event had fallen upon the colony of exiles, who awaited expectantly its consummation. As the year "eighty" steadily and inexorably approached, He Who had become the real leader of that community increasingly experienced, and progressively communicated to His future followers, the onrushing influences of its informing force. The festive, the soul-entrancing odes which He revealed almost every day; the Tablets, replete with hints, which streamed from His pen; the allusions which, in private converse and public discourse, He made to the approaching hour; the exaltation which in moments of joy and sadness alike flooded His soul; the ecstasy which filled His lovers, already enraptured by the multiplying evidences of His rising greatness and glory; the perceptible change noted in His demeanor; and finally, His adoption of the taj (tall felt head-dress), on the day of His departure from His Most Holy House - all proclaimed unmistakably His imminent assumption of the prophetic office and of His open leadership of the community of the Bab's followers.
Tablets Chanted
"Many a night," writes Nabil, depicting the tumult that had seized the hearts of Baha'u'llah's companions, in the days prior to the declaration of His mission, "would Mirza Aqa Jan gather them together in his room, close the door, light numerous camphorated candles, and chant aloud to them the newly revealed odes and Tablets in his possession. Wholly oblivious of this contingent world, completely immersed in the realms of the spirit, forgetful of the necessity for food, sleep or drink, they would suddenly discover that night had become day, and that the sun was approaching its zenith."
Historical Scarcity
Of the exact circumstances attending that epoch-making Declaration we, alas, are but scantily informed. The words Baha'u'llah actually uttered on that occasion, the manner of His Declaration, the reaction it produced, its impact on Mirza Yahya, the identity of those who were privileged to hear Him, are shrouded in an obscurity which future historians will find it difficult to penetrate. The fragmentary description left to posterity by His chronicler Nabil is one of the very few authentic records we possess of the memorable days He spent in that garden.
Roses (Nabil)
"Every day," Nabil has related, "ere the hour of dawn, the gardeners would pick the roses which lined the four avenues of the garden, and would pile them in the center of the floor of His blessed tent. So great would be the heap that when His companions gathered to drink their morning tea in His presence, they would be unable to see each other across it. All these roses Baha'u'llah would, with His own hands, entrust to those whom He dismissed from His presence every morning to be delivered, on His behalf, to His Arab and Persian friends in the city."
Ninth Night
"One night," he continues, "the ninth night of the waxing moon, I happened to be one of those who watched beside His blessed tent. As the hour of midnight approached, I saw Him issue from His tent, pass by the places where some of His companions were sleeping, and begin to pace up and down the moonlit, flower-bordered avenues of the garden. So loud was the singing of the nightingales on every side that only those who were near Him could hear distinctly His voice. He continued to walk until, pausing in the midst of one of these avenues, He observed: 'Consider these nightingales. So great is their love for these roses, that sleepless from dusk till dawn, they warble their melodies and commune with burning passion with the object of their adoration. How then can those who claim to be afire with the rose-like beauty of the Beloved choose to sleep?'
Visitors
For three successive nights I watched and circled round His blessed tent. Every time I passed by the couch whereon He lay, I would find Him wakeful, and every day, from morn till eventide, I would see Him ceaselessly engaged in conversing with the stream of visitors who kept flowing in from Baghdad. Not once could I discover in the words He spoke any trace of dissimulation."
Significance
As to the significance of that Declaration let Baha'u'llah Himself reveal to us its import. Acclaiming that historic occasion as the "Most Great Festival," the "King of Festivals," the "Festival of God," He has, in His Kitab-i-Aqdas, characterized it as the Day whereon "all created things were immersed in the sea of purification," whilst in one of His specific Tablets, He has referred to it as the Day whereon "the breezes of forgiveness were wafted over the entire creation." "Rejoice, with exceeding gladness, O people of Baha!", He, in another Tablet, has written, "as ye call to remembrance the Day of supreme felicity, the Day whereon the Tongue of the Ancient of Days hath spoken, as He departed from His House proceeding to the Spot from which He shed upon the whole of creation the splendors of His Name, the All-Merciful... Were We to reveal the hidden secrets of that Day, all that dwell on earth and in the heavens would swoon away and die, except such as will be preserved by God, the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Such is the inebriating effect of the words of God upon the Revealer of His undoubted proofs that His pen can move no longer." And again: "The Divine Springtime is come, O Most Exalted Pen, for the Festival of the All-Merciful is fast approaching.... The Day-Star of Blissfulness shineth above the horizon of Our Name, the Blissful, inasmuch as the Kingdom of the Name of God hath been adorned with the ornament of the Name of Thy Lord, the Creator of the heavens.... Take heed lest anything deter Thee from extolling the greatness of this Day - the Day whereon the Finger of Majesty and Power hath opened the seal of the Wine of Reunion, and called all who are in the heavens and all who are on earth.... This is the Day whereon the unseen world crieth out: 'Great is thy blessedness, O earth, for thou hast been made the footstool of thy God, and been chosen as the seat of His mighty throne' ...Say ... He it is Who hath laid bare before you the hidden and treasured Gem, were ye to seek it. He it is who is the One Beloved of all things, whether of the past or of the future." And yet again: "Arise, and proclaim unto the entire creation the tidings that He who is the All-Merciful hath directed His steps towards the Ridvan and entered it. Guide, then, the people unto the Garden of Delight which God hath made the Throne of His Paradise... Within this Paradise, and from the heights of its loftiest chambers, the Maids of Heaven have cried out and shouted: 'Rejoice, ye dwellers of the realms above, for the fingers of Him Who is the Ancient of Days are ringing, in the name of the All-Glorious, the Most Great Bell, in the midmost heart of the heavens. The hands of bounty have borne round the cups of everlasting life. Approach, and quaff your fill.'" And finally: "Forget the world of creation, O Pen, and turn Thou towards the face of Thy Lord, the Lord of all names. Adorn, then, the world with the ornament of the favors of Thy Lord, the King of everlasting days. For We perceive the fragrance of the Day whereon He Who is the Desire of all nations hath shed upon the kingdoms of the unseen and of the seen the splendors of the light of His most excellent names, and enveloped them with the radiance of the luminaries of His most gracious favors, favors which none can reckon except Him Who is the Omnipotent Protector of the entire creation."
Departure - Tumult and Lamentations
The departure of Baha'u'llah from the Garden of Ridvan, at noon, on the 14th of Dhi'l-Qa'dih 1279 A.H. (May 3, 1863), witnessed scenes of tumultuous enthusiasm no less spectacular, and even more touching, than those which greeted Him when leaving His Most Great House in Baghdad. "The great tumult," wrote an eyewitness, "associated in our minds with the Day of Gathering, the Day of Judgment, we beheld on that occasion. Believers and unbelievers alike sobbed and lamented. The chiefs and notables who had congregated were struck with wonder. Emotions were stirred to such depths as no tongue can describe, nor could any observer escape their contagion."
Riding Off
Mounted on His steed, a red roan stallion of the finest breed, the best His lovers could purchase for Him, and leaving behind Him a bowing multitude of fervent admirers, He rode forth on the first stage of a journey that was to carry Him to the city of Constantinople. "Numerous were the heads," Nabil himself a witness of that memorable scene, recounts, "which, on every side, bowed to the dust at the feet of His horse, and kissed its hoofs, and countless were those who pressed forward to embrace His stirrups."
"How great the number of those embodiments of fidelity," testifies a fellow-traveler, "who, casting themselves before that charger, preferred death to separation from their Beloved! Methinks, that blessed steed trod upon the bodies of those pure-hearted souls."
"He (God) it was," Baha'u'llah Himself declares, "Who enabled Me to depart out of the city (Baghdad), clothed with such majesty as none, except the denier and the malicious, can fail to acknowledge." These marks of homage and devotion continued to surround Him until He was installed in Constantinople. Mirza Yahya, while hurrying on foot, by his own choice, behind Baha'u'llah's carriage, on the day of His arrival in that city, was overheard by Nabil to remark to Siyyid Muhammad: "Had I not chosen to hide myself, had I revealed my identity, the honor accorded Him (Baha'u'llah) on this day would have been mine too."
Devotion and Homage Upon the Journey
The same tokens of devotion shown Baha'u'llah at the time of His departure from His House, and later from the Garden of Ridvan, were repeated when, on the 20th of Dhi'l-Qa'dih (May 9, 1863), accompanied by members of His family and twenty-six of His disciples, He left Firayjat, His first stopping-place in the course of that journey. A caravan, consisting of fifty mules, a mounted guard of ten soldiers with their officer, and seven pairs of howdahs, each pair surmounted by four parasols, was formed, and wended its way, by easy stages, and in the space of no less than a hundred and ten days, across the uplands, and through the defiles, the woods, valleys and pastures, comprising the picturesque scenery of eastern Anatolia, to the port of Samsun, on the Black Sea. At times on horseback, at times resting in the howdah reserved for His use, and which was oftentimes surrounded by His companions, most of whom were on foot, He, by virtue of the written order of Namiq Pasha, was accorded, as He traveled northward, in the path of spring, an enthusiastic reception by the valis, the mutisarrifs, the qa'im-maqams, the mudirs, the shaykhs, the muftis and qadis, the government officials and notables belonging to the districts through which He passed. In Karkuk, in Irbil, in Mosul, where He tarried three days, in Nisibin, in Mardin, in Diyar-Bakr, where a halt of a couple of days was made, in Kharput, in Sivas, as well as in other villages and hamlets, He would be met by a delegation immediately before His arrival, and would be accompanied, for some distance, by a similar delegation upon His departure. The festivities which, at some stations, were held in His honor, the food the villagers prepared and brought for His acceptance, the eagerness which time and again they exhibited in providing the means for His comfort, recalled the reverence which the people of Baghdad had shown Him on so many occasions.
"As we passed that morning through the town of Mardin," that same fellow-traveler relates, "we were preceded by a mounted escort of government soldiers, carrying their banners, and beating their drums in welcome. The mutisarrif, together with officials and notables, accompanied us, while men, women and children, crowding the housetops and filling the streets, awaited our arrival. With dignity and pomp we traversed that town, and resumed our journey, the mutisarrif and those with him escorting us for a considerable distance." "According to the unanimous testimony of those we met in the course of that journey," Nabil has recorded in his narrative, "never before had they witnessed along this route, over which governors and mushirs continually passed back and forth between Constantinople and Baghdad, any one travel in such state, dispense such hospitality to all, and accord to each so great a share of his bounty." Sighting from His howdah the Black Sea, as He approached the port of Samsun, Baha'u'llah, at the request of Mirza Aqa Jan, revealed a Tablet, designated Lawh-i-Hawdaj (Tablet of the Howdah), which by such allusions as the "Divine Touchstone," "the grievous and tormenting Mischief," reaffirmed and supplemented the dire predictions recorded in the recently revealed Tablet of the Holy Mariner.
In Samsun the Chief Inspector of the entire province, extending from Baghdad to Constantinople, accompanied by several pashas, called on Him, showed Him the utmost respect, and was entertained by Him at luncheon. But seven days after His arrival, He, as foreshadowed in the Tablet of the Holy Mariner, was put on board a Turkish steamer and three days later was disembarked, at noon, together with His fellow-exiles, at the port of Constantinople, on the first of Rabi'u'l-Avval 1280 A.H. (August 16, 1863).
Constantinople
In two special carriages, which awaited Him at the landing-stage He and His family drove to the house of Shamsi Big, the official who had been appointed by the government to entertain its guests, and who lived in the vicinity of the Khirqiy-i-Sharif mosque. Later they were transferred to the more commodious house of Visi Pasha, in the neighborhood of the mosque of Sultan Muhammad.
With the arrival of Baha'u'llah at Constantinople, the capital of the Ottoman Empire and seat of the Caliphate (acclaimed by the Muhammadans as "the Dome of Islam," but stigmatized by Him as the spot whereon the "throne of tyranny" had been established) the grimmest and most calamitous and yet the most glorious chapter in the history of the first Baha'i century may be said to have opened. A period in which untold privations and unprecedented trials were mingled with the noblest spiritual triumphs was now commencing. The day-star of Baha'u'llah's ministry was about to reach its zenith. The most momentous years of the Heroic Age of His Dispensation were at hand. The catastrophic process, foreshadowed as far back as the year sixty by His Forerunner in the Qayyumu'l-Asma', was beginning to be set in motion.
1844-1863 - Crisis and Victory
Exactly two decades earlier the Babi Revelation had been born in darkest Persia, in the city of Shiraz. Despite the cruel captivity to which its Author had been subjected, the stupendous claims He had voiced had been proclaimed by Him before a distinguished assemblage in Tabriz, the capital of Adhirbayjan. In the hamlet of Badasht the Dispensation which His Faith had ushered in had been fearlessly inaugurated by the champions of His Cause. In the midst of the hopelessness and agony of the Siyah-Chal of Tihran, nine years later, that Revelation had, swiftly and mysteriously been brought to sudden fruition. The process of rapid deterioration in the fortunes of that Faith, which had gradually set in, and was alarmingly accelerated during the years of Baha'u'llah's withdrawal to Kurdistan, had, in a masterly fashion after His return from Sulaymaniyyih, been arrested and reversed. The ethical, the moral and doctrinal foundations of a nascent community had been subsequently, in the course of His sojourn in Baghdad, unassailably established. And finally, in the Garden of Ridvan, on the eve of His banishment to Constantinople, the ten-year delay, ordained by an inscrutable Providence, had been terminated through the Declaration of His Mission and the visible emergence of what was to become the nucleus of a world-embracing Fellowship.
Proclamation in Adrianople (and beyond)
What now remained to be achieved was the proclamation, in the city of Adrianople, of that same Mission to the world's secular and ecclesiastical leaders, to be followed, in successive decades, by a further unfoldment, in the prison-fortress of Akka, of the principles and precepts constituting the bedrock of that Faith, by the formulation of the laws and ordinances designed to safeguard its integrity, by the establishment, immediately after His ascension, of the Covenant designed to preserve its unity and perpetuate its influence, by the prodigious and world-wide extension of its activities, under the guidance of Abdu'l-Baha, the Center of that Covenant, and lastly, by the rise, in the Formative Age of that Faith, of its Administrative Order, the harbinger of its Golden Age and future glory.
This historic Proclamation was made at a time when the Faith was in the throes of a crisis of extreme violence, and it was in the main addressed to the kings of the earth, and to the Christian and Muslim ecclesiastical leaders who, by virtue of their immense prestige, ascendancy and authority, assumed an appalling and inescapable responsibility for the immediate destinies of their subjects and followers.
The initial phase of that Proclamation may be said to have opened in Constantinople with the communication (the text of which we, alas, do not possess) addressed by Baha'u'llah to Sultan Abdu'l-'Aziz himself, the self-styled vicar of the Prophet of Islam and the absolute ruler of a mighty empire. So potent, so august a personage was the first among the sovereigns of the world to receive the Divine Summons, and the first among Oriental monarchs to sustain the impact of God's retributive justice. The occasion for this communication was provided by the infamous edict the Sultan had promulgated, less than four months after the arrival of the exiles in his capital, banishing them, suddenly and without any justification whatsoever, in the depth of winter, and in the most humiliating circumstances, to Adrianople, situated on the extremities of his empire.
Banishment to Adrianople (Reasons)
That fateful and ignominious decision, arrived at by the Sultan and his chief ministers, Ali Pasha and Fu'ad Pasha, was in no small degree attributable to the persistent intrigues of the Mushiru'd-Dawlih, Mirza Husayn Khan, the Persian Ambassador to the Sublime Porte, denounced by Baha'u'llah as His "calumniator," who awaited the first opportunity to strike at Him and the Cause of which He was now the avowed and recognized leader. This Ambassador was pressed continually by his government to persist in the policy of arousing against Baha'u'llah the hostility of the Turkish authorities. He was encouraged by the refusal of Baha'u'llah to follow the invariable practice of government guests, however highly placed, of calling in person, upon their arrival at the capital, on the Shaykhu'l-Islam, on the Sadr-i-Azam, and on the Foreign Minister - Baha'u'llah did not even return the calls paid Him by several ministers, by Kamal Pasha and by a former Turkish envoy to the court of Persia. He was not deterred by Baha'u'llah's upright and independent attitude which contrasted so sharply with the mercenariness of the Persian princes who were wont, on their arrival, to "solicit at every door such allowances and gifts as they might obtain." He resented Baha'u'llah's unwillingness to present Himself at the Persian Embassy, and to repay the visit of its representative; and, being seconded, in his efforts, by his accomplice, Haji Mirza Hasan-i-Safa, whom he instructed to circulate unfounded reports about Him, he succeeded through his official influence, as well as through his private intercourse with ecclesiastics, notables and government officials, in representing Baha'u'llah as a proud and arrogant person, Who regarded Himself as subject to no law, Who entertained designs inimical to all established authority, and Whose forwardness had precipitated the grave differences that had arisen between Himself and the Persian Government. Nor was he the only one who indulged in these nefarious schemes. Others, according to Abdu'l-Baha, "condemned and vilified" the exiles, as "a mischief to all the world," as "destructive of treaties and covenants," as "baleful to all lands" and as "deserving of every chastisement and punishment."
Delivering the Edict
No less a personage than the highly-respected brother-in-law of the Sadr-i-A'zam was commissioned to apprize the Captive of the edict pronounced against Him - an edict which evinced a virtual coalition of the Turkish and Persian imperial governments against a common adversary, and which in the end brought such tragic consequences upon the Sultanate, the Caliphate and the Qajar dynasty. Refused an audience by Baha'u'llah that envoy had to content himself with a presentation of his puerile observations and trivial arguments to Abdu'l-Baha and Aqay-i-Kalim, who were delegated to see him, and whom he informed that, after three days, he would return to receive the answer to the order he had been bidden to transmit.
Tablet to Ali Pasha (Grand Vizir)
That same day a Tablet, severely condemnatory in tone, was revealed by Baha'u'llah, was entrusted by Him, in a sealed envelope, on the following morning, to Shamsi Big, who was instructed to deliver it into the hands of Ali Pasha, and to say that it was sent down from God. "I know not what that letter contained," Shamsi Big subsequently informed Aqay-i-Kalim, "for no sooner had the Grand Vizir perused it than he turned the color of a corpse, and remarked: 'It is as if the King of Kings were issuing his behest to his humblest vassal king and regulating his conduct.' So grievous was his condition that I backed out of his presence." "Whatever action," Baha'u'llah, commenting on the effect that Tablet had produced, is reported to have stated, "the ministers of the Sultan took against Us, after having become acquainted with its contents, cannot be regarded as unjustifiable. The acts they committed before its perusal, however, can have no justification."
That Tablet, according to Nabil, was of considerable length, opened with words directed to the sovereign himself, severely censured his ministers, exposed their immaturity and incompetence, and included passages in which the ministers themselves were addressed, in which they were boldly challenged, and sternly admonished not to pride themselves on their worldly possessions, nor foolishly seek the riches of which time would inexorably rob them.
Message to the Persian Ambassador
Baha'u'llah was on the eve of His departure, which followed almost immediately upon the promulgation of the edict of His banishment, when, in a last and memorable interview with the aforementioned Haji Mirza Hasan-i-Safa, He sent the following message to the Persian Ambassador: "What did it profit thee, and such as are like thee, to slay, year after year, so many of the oppressed, and to inflict upon them manifold afflictions, when they have increased a hundredfold, and ye find yourselves in complete bewilderment, knowing not how to relieve your minds of this oppressive thought. ...His Cause transcends any and every plan ye devise. Know this much: Were all the governments on earth to unite and take My life and the lives of all who bear this Name, this Divine Fire would never be quenched. His Cause will rather encompass all the kings of the earth, nay all that hath been created from water and clay.... Whatever may yet befall Us, great shall be our gain, and manifest the loss wherewith they shall be afflicted."
Departure for Adrianople - Extreme Cold
Pursuant to the peremptory orders issued for the immediate departure of the already twice banished exiles, Baha'u'llah, His family, and His companions, some riding in wagons, others mounted on pack animals, with their belongings piled in carts drawn by oxen, set out, accompanied by Turkish officers, on a cold December morning, amidst the weeping of the friends they were leaving behind, on their twelve-day journey, across a bleak and windswept country, to a city characterized by Baha'u'llah as "the place which none entereth except such as have rebelled against the authority of the sovereign." "They expelled Us," is His own testimony in the Suriy-i-Muluk, "from thy city (Constantinople) with an abasement with which no abasement on earth can compare." "Neither My family, nor those who accompanied Me," He further states, "had the necessary raiment to protect them from the cold in that freezing weather." And again: "The eyes of Our enemies wept over Us, and beyond them those of every discerning person." "A banishment," laments Nabil, "endured with such meekness that the pen sheddeth tears when recounting it, and the page is ashamed to bear its description." "A cold of such intensity," that same chronicler records, "prevailed that year, that nonagenarians could not recall its like. In some regions, in both Turkey and Persia, animals succumbed to its severity and perished in the snows. The upper reaches of the Euphrates, in Ma'dan-Nuqrih, were covered with ice for several days - an unprecedented phenomenon - while in Diyar-Bakr the river froze over for no less than forty days." "To obtain water from the springs," one of the exiles of Adrianople recounts, "a great fire had to be lighted in their immediate neighborhood, and kept burning for a couple of hours before they thawed out."
Adrianople
Traveling through rain and storm, at times even making night marches, the weary travelers, after brief halts at Kuchik-Chakmachih, Buyuk-Chakmachih, Salvari, Birkas, and Baba-Iski, arrived at their destination, on the first of Rajab 1280 A.H. (December 12, 1863), and were lodged in the Khan-i-'Arab, a two-story caravanserai, near the house of Izzat-Aqa. Three days later, Baha'u'llah and His family were consigned to a house suitable only for summer habitation, in the Muradiyyih quarter, near the Takyiy-i-Mawlavi, and were moved again, after a week, to another house, in the vicinity of a mosque in that same neighborhood. About six months later they transferred to more commodious quarters, known as the house of Amru'llah (House of God's command) situated on the northern side of the mosque of Sultan Salim.
Thus closes the opening scene of one of the most dramatic episodes in the ministry of Baha'u'llah. The curtain now rises on what is admittedly the most turbulent and critical period of the first Baha'i century - a period that was destined to precede the most glorious phase of that ministry, the proclamation of His Message to the world and its rulers.
1963 - Bahá'u'lláh (Balyuzi)
The story of this Declaration is told by H. M. Balyuzi in his short biography Baha'u'llah . The following is an extract:
Ridvan Garden
"Baha'u'llah moved to the garden of Ridvan, outside the gates of Baghdad. The Babis thronged there to see the last of their Beloved so cruelly torn from their midst. It was the twenty-first day of April. With tears in their eyes they gathered around Him. He was calm, serene, and unruffled. The hour had struck. To that company Baha'u'llah revealed Himself - He was the Promised One in Whose path the Bab had sacrificed his life, "Him Whom God will make Manifest,' the Shah Bahram, the Fifth Buddha, the lord of Hosts, the Return of Christ, the Master of the Day of Judgment. A deep silence fell upon the audience. Heads were bent as the immensity of that Declaration touched the consciousness of men. Not a breath of dissent - one and all they threw themselves at His feet. Sadness had vanished; joy, celestial joy, prevailed."
1971 - 'Abdu'l-Bahá The Centre of the Covenant of Bahá'u'lláh (H M Balyuzi)
Enemies Gather
Enemies were active again. Because the fame of Baha'u'llah was spreading far and wide, they gathered their forces for a further onslaught. Their voices became strident, and Nasiri'd-Din Shah was alarmed. Responding to the pleadings of the Iranian Ambassador, the Ottoman Government decided to call Baha'u'llah to Constantinople.
Ridvan Garden
Prior to His departure, Baha'u'llah moved to the garden of Najib Pasha on the outskirts of Baghdad. Later the Baha'is came to know it as the Garden of Ridvan. There Baha'u'llah revealed His Station and His Mission. The Day of Days had come - 'the Day whereon naught can be seen except the splendours of the Light that shineth from the face of Thy Lord, the Gracious, the Most Bountiful.'
Abdu'l-Bahá's Letter
In a letter which 'Abdu'l-Baha wrote during the twelve days' sojourn in the Garden of Ridvan, He traced the course-three years long - of plots, negotiations, and pressures that had been brought to bear on the Ottoman Government. A request to deliver Baha'u'llah and His dependents to the Persian officials was firmly rejected. Other governments were next asked to use their powers of persuasion. In the end the Sublime Porte [Bab-i-'Ali - the seat of power in Constantinople] agreed to move Baha'u'llah away from the vicinity of Persia. 'Abdu'l-Baha further related:
The third day after Ramadan(15) when, in observance of the festival, my uncle and I called on the Pasha [Namiq Pasha, the Vali (governor-general) of 'Iraq], he expressed his eagerness to meet Him [Baha'u'llah]. The Pasha, however, wanted the meeting to be at his own house. He [Baha'u'llah] replied that He did not wish to go to the Governorate, but if the Pasha desired to meet Him, the meeting could take place in the mosque. He went to the mosque, as did the Pasha, but on entering it the Pasha turned back and went away. Later he sent his own vizier to Baha'u'llah's presence, with letters from the Sadr-i-A'zam (prime minister), and also this message: 'I came to the mosque, but was ashamed to broach such matters at the first encounter.' The vizier gave an account of all that had transpired. Then he said: 'What the Pasha asked to know was this - whether you preferred not to leave. Should it be so, if you will write and inform the Sadr-i-A'zam, we shall forward your letter to him. But if you should desire to leave, that would be your own choice.' He [Baha'u'llah] replied: 'If the Government displays proper respect, I will choose, for certain reasons, to reside awhile in those regions.' Then the Pasha sent Him this message: 'I shall carry out your wishes and do what you say.'
The Governor-General, 'Abdu'l-Baha further wrote, had called in person at the garden of Najib Pasha, to pay his respects to Baha'u'llah and to show his esteem and affection. And the discomfiture of the foe is apparent in these, the concluding lines of that historic letter:
Such hath been the interposition of God that the joy evinced by them hath been turned to chagrin and sorrow, so much so that the Persian Consul-General in Baghdad regrets exceedingly the plans and plots which the schemers had devised. Namiq Pasha himself on the day he called on Him [Baha'u'llah] stated: 'Formerly they insisted upon your departure. Now, however, they are even more insistent that you should remain.' They plotted and God plotted, and God is the best of plotters [Qur'an 3:47].
Departure and Journey
On May 3rd 1863, the exiles set out on their long journey to the capital of the Ottoman Empire. Unlike the lonely exodus of two years before, this time they were accompanied by a number of devoted people for whom the reality of heaven was the presence of Baha'u'llah. It was a triumphal march. Everywhere Baha'u'llah was received with reverence by the officers of the state. 'Abdu'l-Baha was then a youth of nineteen, handsome, gracious, agile, zealous to serve, firm with the wilful, generous to all. He strove hard to make the toil of a long journey less arduous for others. At night He was among the first to reach the halting-place, to see to the comfort of the travellers. Wherever provisions were scarce, He spent the night in search of food. And at dawn He rose early to set the caravan on another day's march. Then the whole day long He rode by the side of His Father, in constant attendance upon Him. It took them one hundred and ten days to reach the port of Samsun on the Black Sea, where they embarked for Constantinople, and arrived at the metropolis of the Ottoman Empire on August 16th 1863.
197? - Adib Taherzadeh's Summary
Ridvan Garden
During the twelve days that Bahá'u'lláh remained in the Garden of Ridvan, great numbers came to pay their respects to Him. Among them were notables and dignitaries of the city of Baghdad, men of learning and culture, as well as the mass of the people who were His admirers. As to the believers, Bahá'u'lláh would summon a number of His companions to come to Him each day and would dismiss them in the evening. Only those without family ties were allowed to remain for the night, when some of them would keep vigil around His tent.
Of the twelve days that Bahá'u'lláh stayed in the Garden of Ridvan, three are regarded as Holy Days: the first day on which He declared Himself, the ninth day when all His family joined Him and rejoiced at His Declaration, and the twelfth day when He left that garden.
1972 - Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh: Baghdad 1853-63 (Adib Taherzadeh)
<p275>
Rejoice with exceeding gladness, O people of Baha, as ye call to remembrance the Day of supreme felicity, the Day whereon the Tongue of the Ancient of Days hath spoken, as He departed from His House, proceeding to the Spot from which He shed upon the whole of creation the splendours of His name, the All-Merciful. God is Our witness. Were We to reveal the hidden secrets of that Day, all they that dwell on earth and in the heavens would swoon away and die, except such as will be preserved by God, the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
Such is the inebriating effect of the words of God upon Him Who is the Revealer of His undoubted proofs, that His Pen can move no longer. With these words He concludeth His Tablet: 'No God is there but Me, the Most Exalted, the Most Powerful, the Most Excellent, the All-Knowing.'(7)
1972 - Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh: Baghdad 1853-63 (Adib Taherzadeh)
<p228>
On the fifth day of Naw-Ruz, the Lawh-i-Mallahu'l-Quds (Tablet of the Holy Mariner) was revealed. Mirza Aqa Jan, Baha'u'llah's amanuensis, emerged from the tent of Baha'u'llah, gathered the believers around him and chanted that mournful Tablet to them. Although during the last year of His sojourn in Iraq He had, on several occasions, alluded to trials and tribulations which were to come, His companions had not felt previously such sadness as they did on that day.
Nabil, who was present, has recorded the following: Oceans of sorrow surged in the hearts of the listeners when the Tablet of the Holy Mariner was read aloud to them... It was evident to every one that the chapter of Baghdad was about to be closed, and a new one opened, in its stead. No sooner had that Tablet been chanted than Baha'u'llah ordered <p229> that the tents which had been pitched should be folded up, and that all His companions should return to the city. While the tents were being removed He observed: 'These tents may be likened to the trappings of this world, which no sooner are they spread out than the time cometh for them to be rolled up.' From these words of His they who heard them perceived that these tents would never again be pitched on that spot.(1)
He further mentions that the tents had not yet been taken away when an emissary of Namiq Pasha, the Governor of Baghdad, arrived and handed to Baha'u'llah a communication inviting Him to come for interview with the Governor at his headquarters. Baha'u'llah accepted the invitation, but not wishing to visit the authorities in government headquarters, He suggested that the meeting take place instead in a certain mosque in the city on the following day.
Namiq Pasha, like his predecessors, admired Baha'u'llah and was deeply conscious of His innate knowledge and exalted position. He held Baha'u'llah in such high esteem that for three months he could not bring himself to tell Him of the decision of the Ottoman government that He should proceed to Constantinople. After being ordered for the fifth time by the Prime Minister to arrange the transfer of Baha'u'llah to the capital, Namiq Pasha reluctantly took the necessary step of informing Baha'u'llah of this. Feeling ashamed to meet Him face to face on that fateful occasion, the Governor sent his deputy, Amin Effendi, to the mosque to deliver the message. A few weeks later, when Baha'u'llah was in the Garden of Ridvan, Namiq Pasha went there, attained His presence and paid his respects to the One Whom he regarded as one of the lights of the age.
The Tablet of the Holy Mariner is in two parts, one in Arabic and the other in Persian. So far only the Arabic Tablet has been rendered into English and is published.
The theme of this Tablet is the story of the Covenant and man's unfaithfulness to it. Its message is applicable not only to the days of Baha'u'llah, but also to the ministries of Abdu'l-Baha and Shoghi Effendi, and indeed to the present time. Concerning <p230> this Tablet Abdu'l-Baha said: 'Study the Tablet of the Holy Mariner that ye may know the truth, and consider that the Blessed Beauty[1] hath fully foretold future events. Let them who perceive, take warning!'(2)
[1 Baha'u'llah.]
Not only did Abdu'l-Baha ask the believers to study this Tablet during His own ministry, when the Covenant of Baha'u'llah was being violated by the Covenant-breakers, but He urged them shortly before His passing to study it again. For He knew too well that there were a few among His followers who would violate the Covenant and rise up against Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian of the Cause of God.
1972 - Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh: Adrianople, 1863-1868 (Adib Taherzadeh)
<p55>
3 The Exile to Adrianople
When we look at the circumstances which had led the Ottoman Government to remove Baha'u'llah from Baghdad, we recall the outright refusal of that Government to hand Baha'u'llah over to the Persian authorities and its reluctance to banish Him from Baghdad. When Abdu'l-Baha was in the Garden of Ridvan prior to His departure for Constantinople, He wrote a letter to a relative in Persia in which He said that after bringing much pressure to bear upon the Ottoman Government, the Persian Ambassador Haji Mirza Husayn Khan became so frustrated by the Sublime Porte that he cut his relationships with his friends in government circles, stayed at home for seven days and refused to see any of the Sultan's ministers. At last Ali Pasha,[1] a very close friend of his, found no alternative but to give in and order the removal of Baha'u'llah from Baghdad.
[1 The Grand Vizir of the Sultan. See p. 413.]
The Declaration of Baha'u'llah in the Garden of Ridvan was made only to a few of His companions. The news of this historic event was not communicated to most Babis until later. The Suriy-i-Ashab and other early Tablets disclosed the station of Baha'u'llah clearly and openly. Mirza Aqay-i-Munib shared this important Tablet with many souls. Among them was Haji Mirza Haydar-'Ali, who describes his feelings when he read this Tablet for the first time in these words:
...I arrived in Tihran at a time that Mirza Aqay-i-Munir[1] ... was also in the city. The Suriy-i-Ashab had been revealed by the Pen of the Lord of Lords in his honour and was received by him. Since he was aware of my convictions and knew that my heart is turned towards the Ancient Beauty[2] ... he called me and, in private, handed me the Tablet to read. With the perusal of each verse, I felt as if a world of exultation, of certitude and insight was created within me. After reading a few verses with great joy, I asked Mirza Munir whether Siyyid Muhammad had duped Azal, or Azal duped Siyyid Muhammad; or whether the two of them had joined together in denying and opposing [Baha'u'llah] and had taken a course of obstinacy and hostility [against Him]. On hearing this Mirza Munir was so delighted that he hugged me and said, 'Their enmity towards the Ancient <p73> Beauty is the cause of their unity. They deceive and mislead each other so that they may arise in enmity [against Him]'.
[1 Jinab-i-Munib. (A.T.)] [2 Baha'u'llah.]
I was enraptured and set aglow by the Suriy-i-Ashab. It affected me so deeply that even now after the lapse of fifty years at an advanced age when torpidity, stiffness and cold have set in by nature, whenever I read this Tablet or remember my feelings on that day, I find myself filled with such joy that I pass into a state of intoxication and bewilderment.(4)
1973 - A Flame of Fire (A. Q. Faizi) (3rd Print)
When the caliph's decree was conveyed to Baha'u'llah and He had to leave Baghdad for Istanbul, He left the town on the thirty-second day after Naw-Ruz for the Ridvan Garden. On that same day the river overflowed and only on the ninth day was it possible for His family to join Him in the Garden. The river then overflowed a second time, and on the twelfth day it subsided and all went to Him. Ahmad begged Baha'u'llah to be amongst His companions in exile, but Baha'u'llah did not accede to this request. He chose a few people and instructed the others to stay to teach and protect the Cause emphasizing that this would be better for the Faith of God. At the time of His departure, those who were left behind stood in a row and all were so overcome with sorrow that they burst into tears. Baha'u'llah again approached them and consoled them saying: "It is better for the Cause. Some of these people who accompany me are liable to do mischief; therefore I am taking them with Myself." One of the friends could scarcely control his anguish and sorrow. He addressed the crowd reciting this poem of Sa'di:
"Let us all rise to weep like unto the clouds of the Spring Season. On the day when lovers are separated from their Beloved, one can even hear the lamentations of stones."
Baha'u'llah then said, "Verily this was said for this day." Then He mounted His horse and one of the friends placed a sack of coins in front of the saddle and Baha'u'llah started to distribute the coins to the bewailing poor who were standing by. When they ran to Him and pushed one another, He plunged His hand in the sack and poured all the coins out saying, "Gather them yourselves!"
Ahmad saw his Beloved disappear from his sight headed for an unknown destination. Little did he know that He was like unto the sun rising towards the zenith of might and power. Sad at heart and utterly distressed in soul, he returned to Baghdad, which to him seemed devoid of any attraction. He tried to make himself happy by gathering the friends and encouraging them to disperse and teach the Faith which had just been declared. Though actively serving the Cause, he was not happy. All that could keep him happy was nearness to his Beloved.
1980 - King of Glory (H M Balyuzi)
<p168>
The March of the King of Glory
Crossing the River
THE sun was westering on 22 April 1863 (the thirty-second day after Naw-Ruz) when Baha'u'llah walked, for the last time, out of the house that, for many years, had been His home in the city of the 'Abbasids, and made His way to the bank of the Tigris, where a quffih awaited to take Him to the further bank, to the garden of Najib Pasha (known as the Najibiyyih). The thoroughfare to the riverside brimmed with people, men and women, young and old, from all walks of life, who had gathered to see Him go and bewail His departure.
Consolations
Baha'u'llah, as he walked to the bank of the Tigris, gave generously to the poor and the deprived, and consoled and comforted the people who were never to see Him again. But they were now so acutely conscious of their evident and grievous loss that words failed to console them. And it must be remembered that the vast majority of them were men and women not in any way connected with the Faith of the Bab. Ibn-Alusi, a leading cleric of the Sunni community, was seen weeping over their plight, and he was heard to heap imprecations on Nasiri'd-Din Shah, who was generally held responsible for Baha'u'llah's exile from Baghdad. 'This man is not Nasiri'd-Din - the Helper of Religion; he is Mukhdhili'd-Din - the Abaser of Religion.' Such being the reaction of men in high position not affiliated to the Faith of the Bab, one can better imagine the feelings of those Babis who, perforce, had to remain in Baghdad. Aqa Rida writes that so disconsolate were they that those who were to accompany Baha'u'llah sorrowed with them. 'God alone knows', he writes, 'how those believers who were not to come fared on that day.'
Roses
It was springtime and the garden of Najib Pasha, henceforth to become known to the Baha'is as the Garden of Ridvan (Paradise), was aflame with the brilliant hues of roses, and their bloom was super-abundant on that day. Those who have written of that April 22nd in the Garden of Ridvan linger particularly over the beauty of the roses and the bounties and blessings of nature. It was fitting for such a day, when nature was so gladsome and the hearts of men so weighed with sadness, that it should also bring the joyous tiding of the Divine Springtime. The Pen of Baha'u'llah wrote of that day: 'The Divine Springtime is come, O Most Exalted Pen, for the Festival of the All-Merciful is fast approaching. Bestir thyself, and magnify, before the entire creation, the name of God, and celebrate His praise, in such wise that all created things may be regenerated and made new. Speak, and hold not thy peace. The day star of blissfulness shineth above the horizon of Our name, the Blissful, inasmuch as the kingdom of the name of God hath been adorned with the ornament of the name of thy Lord, the Creator of the heavens. Arise before the nations of the earth, and arm thyself with the power of this Most Great Name, and be not of those who tarry.
'Methinks that thou hast halted and movest not upon My Tablet. Could the brightness of the Divine Countenance have bewildered thee, or the idle talk of the froward filled thee with grief and paralyzed thy movement? Take heed lest anything deter thee from extolling the greatness of this Day - the Day whereon the Finger of majesty and power hath opened the seal of the Wine of Reunion, and called all who are in the heavens and all who are on the earth. Preferrest thou to tarry when the breeze announcing the Day of God hath already breathed over thee, or art thou of them that are shut out as by a veil from Him? 'No veil whatever have I allowed, O Lord of all names and Creator of the heavens, to shut me from the recognition of the glories of Thy Day - the Day which is the lamp of guidance unto the whole world, and the sign of the Ancient of Days unto all them that dwell therein. My silence is by reason of the veils that have blinded Thy creatures' eyes to Thee, and my muteness is because of the impediments that have hindered Thy people from recognizing Thy truth. Thou knowest what is in me, but I know not what is in Thee. Thou art the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. By Thy name that excelleth all other names! If Thy overruling and all-compelling behest should ever reach me, it would empower me to revive the souls of all men, through Thy most exalted Word, which I have heard uttered by Thy Tongue of power in Thy Kingdom of glory. It would enable me to announce the revelation of Thy effulgent countenance wherethrough that which lay hidden from <p170> the eyes of men hath been manifested in Thy name, the Perspicuous, the sovereign Protector, the Self-Subsisting.
'Canst thou discover any one but Me, O Pen, in this Day? What hath become of the creation and the manifestations thereof? What of the names and their kingdom? Whither are gone all created things, whether seen or unseen? What of the hidden secrets of the universe and its revelations? Lo, the entire creation hath passed away! Nothing remaineth except My Face, the Ever-Abiding, the Resplendent, the All-Glorious .
'This is the Day whereon naught can be seen except the splendours of the Light that shineth from the face of Thy Lord, the Gracious, the Most Bountiful. Verily, We have caused every soul to expire by virtue of Our irresistible and all-subduing sovereignty. We have, then, called into being a new creation, as a token of Our grace unto men. I am, verily, the All-Bountiful, the Ancient of Days.
'This is the Day whereon the unseen world crieth out: "Great is thy blessedness, O earth, for thou hast been made the foot-stool of thy God, and been chosen as the seat of His mighty throne." The realm of glory exclaimeth: "Would that my life could be sacrificed for thee, for He Who is the Beloved of the All-Merciful hath established His sovereignty upon thee, through the power of His Name that hath been promised unto all things, whether of the past or of the future." This is the Day whereon every sweet-smelling thing hath derived its fragrance from the smell of My garment - a garment that hath shed its perfume upon the whole of creation. This is the Day whereon the rushing waters of everlasting life have gushed out of the Will of the All-Merciful. Haste ye, with your hearts and souls, and quaff your fill, O Concourse of the realms above!
'Say: He it is Who is the Manifestation of Him Who is the Unknowable, the Invisible of the Invisibles, could ye but perceive it. He it is Who hath laid bare before you the hidden and treasured Gem, were ye to seek it. He it is Who is the one Beloved of all things, whether of the past or of the future. Would that ye might set your hearts and hopes upon Him!
'We have heard the voice of thy pleading, O Pen, and excuse thy silence. What is it that hath so sorely bewildered thee?
'The inebriation of Thy presence, O Well-Beloved of all worlds, hath seized and possessed me. <p171>
'Arise, and proclaim unto the entire creation the tidings that He Who is the All-Merciful hath directed His steps towards the Ridvan and entered it. Guide, then, the people unto the garden of delight which God hath made the Throne of His Paradise. We have chosen thee to be our most mighty Trumpet, whose blast is to signalize the resurrection of all mankind.
'Say: This is the Paradise on whose foliage the wine of utterance hath imprinted the testimony: "He that was hidden from the eyes of men is revealed, girded with sovereignty and power!" This is the Paradise, the rustling of whose leaves proclaims: "O ye that inhabit the heavens and the earth! There hath appeared what hath never previously appeared. He Who, from everlasting, had concealed His Face from the sight of creation is now come." From the whispering breeze that wafteth amidst its branches there cometh the cry: "He Who is the sovereign Lord of all is made manifest. The Kingdom is God's," while from its streaming waters can be heard the murmur: "All eyes are gladdened, for He Whom none hath beheld, Whose secret no one hath discovered, hath lifted the veil of glory, and uncovered the countenance of Beauty."
'Within this Paradise, and from the heights of its loftiest chambers, the Maids of Heaven have cried out and shouted: "Rejoice, ye dwellers of the realms above, for the fingers of Him Who is the Ancient of Days are ringing, in the name of the All-Glorious, the Most Great Bell, in the midmost heart of the heavens. The hands of bounty have borne round the cup of everlasting life. Approach, and quaff your fill. Drink with healthy relish, O ye that are the very incarnations of longing, ye who are the embodiments of vehement desire!"
'This is the Day whereon He Who is the Revealer of the names of God hath stepped out of the Tabernacle of glory, and proclaimed unto all who are in the heavens and all who are on the earth: "Put away the cups of Paradise and all the life-giving waters they contain, for lo, the people of Baha have entered the blissful abode of the Divine Presence, and quaffed the wine of reunion, from the chalice of the beauty of their Lord, the All-Possessing, the Most High."
'Forget the world of creation, O Pen, and turn thou towards the face of thy Lord, the Lord of all names. Adorn, then, the world with the ornament of the favours of thy Lord, the King of everlasting days. For We perceive the fragrance of the Day whereon He Who is the Desire of <p172> all nations hath shed upon the kingdoms of the unseen and of the seen the splendour of the light of His most excellent names, and enveloped them with the radiance of the luminaries of His most gracious favours - favours which none can reckon except Him, Who is the omnipotent Protector of the entire creation.
'Look not upon the creatures of God except with the eye of kindliness and of mercy, for Our loving providence hath pervaded all created things, and Our grace encompassed the earth and the heavens. This is the Day whereon the true servants of God partake of the life-giving waters of reunion, the Day whereon those that are nigh unto Him are able to drink of the soft-flowing river of immortality, and they who believe in His unity, the wine of His Presence, through their recognition of Him Who is the Highest and Last End of all, in Whom the Tongue of Majesty and Glory voiceth the call: "The Kingdom is Mine. I, Myself, am, of Mine own right, its Ruler."
'Attract the hearts of men, through the call of Him, the one alone Beloved. Say: This is the Voice of God, if ye do but hearken. This is the Day-Spring of the Revelation of God, did ye but know it. This is the Dawning-Place of the Cause of God, were ye to recognize it. This is the Source of the commandment of God, did ye but judge it fairly. This is the manifest and hidden Secret; would that ye might perceive it. O peoples of the world! Cast away, in My name that transcendeth all other names, the things ye possess, and immerse yourselves in this Ocean in whose depths lay hidden the pearls of wisdom and of utterance, an ocean that surgeth in My name, the All-Merciful. Thus instructeth you He with Whom is the Mother Book.'
'The Best-Beloved is come. In His right hand is the sealed Wine of His name. Happy is the man that turneth unto Him, and drinketh his fill, and exclaimeth: "Praise be to Thee, O Revealer of the signs of God!" By the righteousness of the Almighty! Every hidden thing hath been manifested through the power of truth. All the favours of God have been sent down, as a token of His grace. The waters of everlasting life have, in their fullness, been proffered unto men. Every single cup hath been borne round by the hand of the Well-Beloved. Draw near, and tarry not, though it be for one short moment.
'Blessed are they that have soared on the wings of detachment and attained the station which, as ordained by God, overshadoweth the entire creation. whom neither the vain imaginations of the learned, nor <p173> the multitude of the hosts of the earth have succeeded in deflecting from His Cause. Who is there among you, O people, who will renounce the world, and draw nigh unto God, the Lord of all names? Where is he to be found who, through the power of My name that transcendeth all created things, will cast away the things that men possess, and cling, with all his might, to the things which God, the Knower of the unseen and of the seen, hath bidden him observe? Thus hath His bounty been sent down unto men, His testimony fulfilled, and His proof shone forth above the Horizon of mercy. Rich is the prize that shall be won by him who hath believed and exclaimed: "Lauded art Thou, O Beloved of all worlds! Magnified be Thy name. O Thou the Desire of every understanding heart!"
'Rejoice with exceeding gladness, O people of Baha, as ye call to remembrance the Day of supreme felicity, the Day whereon the Tongue of the Ancient of Days hath spoken, as He departed from His House, proceeding to the Spot from which He shed upon the whole of creation the splendours of His name, the All-Merciful. God is Our witness. Were We to reveal the hidden secrets of that Day, all they that dwell on earth and in the heavens would swoon away and die, except such as will be preserved by God, the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
'Such is the inebriating effect of the words of God upon Him Who is the Revealer of His undoubted proofs, that His Pen can move no longer. With these words He concludeth His Tablet: "No God is there but Me, the Most Exalted, the Most Powerful, the Most Excellent, the All-Knowing.""1
Scanty History
While writers and chroniclers have left copious accounts of the throngs of people, their expression of sorrow, the excellence of the skilled work of the gardeners, nothing is said of how Baha'u'llah made His long-awaited Declaration. In the words of the Guardian of the Baha'i Faith:
'Of the exact circumstances attending that epoch-making Declaration we, alas, are but scantily informed. The words Baha'u'llah actually uttered on that occasion, the manner of His Declaration, the reaction it produced, its impact on Mirza Yahya, the identity of those who were privileged to hear Him, are shrouded in an obscurity which future historians will find it difficult to penetrate. The fragmentary description left to posterity by His chronicler Nabil is one of the very <p174> few authentic records we possess of the memorable days He spent in that garden. "Every day," Nabil has related, "ere the hour of dawn, the gardeners would pick the roses which lined the four avenues of the garden, and would pile them in the center of the floor of His blessed tent. So great would be the heap that when His companions gathered to drink their morning tea in His presence, they would be unable to see each other across it. All these roses Baha'u'llah would, with His own hands, entrust to those whom He dismissed from His presence every morning to be delivered, on His behalf, to His Arab and Persian friends in the city." "One night," he continues, "the ninth night of the waxing moon, I happened to be one of those who watched beside His blessed tent. As the hour of midnight approached, I saw Him issue from His tent, pass by the places where some of His companions were sleeping, and begin to pace up and down the moonlit, flower-bordered avenues of the garden. So loud was the singing of the nightingales on every side that only those who were near Him could hear distinctly His voice. He continued to walk until, pausing in the midst of one of these avenues, He observed: 'Consider these nightingales. So great is their love for these roses, that sleepless from dusk till dawn, they warble their melodies and commune with burning passion with the object of their adoration. How then can those who claim to be afire with the rose-like beauty of the Beloved choose to sleep?' For three successive nights I watched and circled round His blessed tent. Every time I passed by the couch whereon He lay, I would find Him wakeful, and every day, from morn till eventide, I would see Him ceaselessly engaged in conversing with the stream of visitors who kept flowing in from Baghdad. Not once could I discover in the words He spoke any trace of dissimulation."'2
Áqá Rida's Account
Aqa Rida also describes the constant stream of people who came each day from Baghdad to visit Baha'u'llah, who could not tolerate being parted from Him. Food, according to Aqa Rida, was brought from the house of Baha'u'llah in Baghdad, where His family was still in residence, and also from the house of Mirza Musay-i-Javahiri. Namiq Pasha himself came one day and offered to provide Baha'u'llah with whatever He required for the Journey, and asked to be forgiven for what had occurred. Baha'u'llah assured him that they had all they needed, and as Namiq Pasha insisted on being of some service, Baha'u'llah said: 'Be considerate to My friends and treat them kindly'. The Vali gave his word to this, and he also wrote a letter addressed to the officials on the way to Istanbul, instructing them to provide the travellers with all necessities, and entrusted this document to the officer who was detailed to accompany them. But, Aqa Rida states, all along the route Baha'u'llah never permitted them to accept such exactions, and they always bought their provisions and paid for them. Namiq Pasha had one more request to make: he had a very beautiful horse which he wanted to send to Constantinople, and he asked to be allowed to leave the horse with Baha'u'llah's men to look after. His request was granted.
Ashchi
Aqa Husayn-i-Ashchi has related that this horse, which was to be delivered to Namiq Pasha's son in Istanbul was left in the care of Siyyid Husayn-i-Kashi (Kashani). He must have been particularly instructed to lend it well. Siyyid Husayn was a simple soul and a man full of jest and humour. He always longed to be able to do and say something to amuse Baha'u'llah and make Him smile. Ashchi says that he used to dance and caper in front of Baha'u'llah's own horse, 'a red roan stallion of the finest breed' named Sa'udi. One day along the route, he went to Baha'u'llah's tent to complain that the Greatest Branch gave out sufficient barley and fodder to feed the other animals, but did not give him any for his horse, but noticing 'Abdu'l-Baha come into the tent, he took to his heels and ran off into the desert. Siyyid Husayn, Ashchi says, was in the retinue of Baha'u'llah until they were to move to Adirnih (Adrianople). Then, Baha'u'llah told him and a number of others who had joined them en route to return home. Still longing to offer Baha'u'llah some amusement, he implored the Baha'is who were to remain with Him not to forget to mention some of his comic doings that Baha'u'llah might smile, should at any time his name come up.
Departure
On the ninth day the family of Baha'u'llah also moved to the Najibiyyih, and the twelfth day was appointed for departure. Thus the Festival of Ridvan comprises twelve days. Throughout the twelfth day, people poured into the garden for their final farewells. At last the mules were loaded, the kajavihs (howdahs) were settled on them, the ladies and children took their seats in the Kajavihs, and towards sunset the red roan stallion was brought out for Baha'u'llah to mount. All those whose narratives have come down to us state that seeing Baha'u'llah in the saddle, and about to depart, evoked from the vast crowd heart-rending, unbearable cries of distress. The call: 'Allah-u-Akbar' - 'God is the Greatest' - rang out time and again. People threw themselves in the path of His horse, and as Aqa Rida expresses it, 'it seemed as if that heavenly steed was passing over sanctified bodies and pure hearts'. On that day for the first time they witnessed Baha'u'llah's splendid horsemanship. During all those years in Baghdad, although horses were never unavailable, Aqa Rida states that Baha'u'llah had always chosen to ride a donkey. Another symbolic sign of the divine authority that He now visibly wielded was the change in His headgear, on the first day of the Festival of Ridvan - the day He left His house in Baghdad for the last time, to take His residence in the Najibiyyih prior to His departure for the capital of the Turkish Empire. It was then seen that He was wearing a taj (crown), finely embroidered. A number of these tall felt headgears have been preserved: red, green, yellow and and white, beautifully adorned with embroidery of the highest quality and skill.
Firayjat
The sun was about to set when they reached Firayjat, three miles away, on the bank of the Tigris. Here too there was a verdant garden which contained a considerable mansion, and here the caravan halted for seven days. While Mirza Musa, the brother of Baha'u'llah, was busy tidying their affairs in Baghdad and seeing to the packing and loading of the rest of their goods, Baha'u'llah resided in that mansion. In Firayjat horses were made to run a course to test them, and once again Baha'u'llah's masterly horsemanship was witnessed. He had two other horses besides the stallion, Sa'udi, one called Farangi and the other Sa'id. There were also two donkeys for the younger sons of Baha'u'llah to ride occasionally. At Firayjat people were still coming daily from Baghdad. They could not bear to be wrenched from the presence of Baha'u'llah.
Mounted When Entering Towns and Villages
Baha'u'llah would, while on the move, take His seat in a kajavih, but would mount His horse when approaching a village or a town, to meet the officials and notables who would invariably come out to greet Him. A man named Haji Mahmud walked in front, holding the reins of the mule which bore His kajavih, and Mirza Aqa Jan, Mirza Aqay-i-Munir, surnamed Ismu'llahu'l-Munib, and Aqa Muhammad-Ibrahim-i-Amir-i-Nayrizi walked on either side.
Jinab-i-Munib
'Abdu'l-Baha has given a vivid and delightful account of the spirit of that journey, in His memoir of Mirza Aqay-i-Munir (Jinab-i-Munib; see Addendum V): 'At the time when, with all pomp and ceremony, Baha'u'llah and His retinue departed from Baghdad, Jinab-i-Munib accompanied the party on foot. The young man had been known in Persia for his easy and agreeable life and his love of pleasure also for being somewhat soft and delicate, and used to having his own way. It is obvious what a person of this type endured, going on foot from Baghdad to Constantinople. Still, he gladly measured out the desert miles, and he spent his days and nights chanting prayers, communing with God and calling upon Him.
'He was a close companion of mine on that journey. There were nights when we would walk, one to either side of the howdah of Baha'u'llah, and the joy we had defies description. Some of those nights he would sing poems; among them he would chant the odes of Hafiz, like the one that begins," Come let us scatter these roses let us pour out this wine," and that other:
"To our King though we bow the knee,
We are kings of the morning star.
No changeable colors have we -
Red lions black dragons we are!'3
Towards Constantinople
On the seventh day, the caravan set its face in earnest towards Constantinople. Keeping to the bank of the Tigris, Judaydah was reached in late afternoon. There was no garden to be found there and tents were raised. And here at Judaydah they halted for another three days.
Aqa Muhammad-Hasan
At Judaydah, Shatir-Rida reached the caravan, bringing with him Aqa Muhammad-Hasan, a young boy whose father, Aqa 'Abdu'r Rasul-i-Qumi, was then a prisoner in Tihran, and was to suffer martyrdom in Baghdad. This Aqa Muhammad-Hasan grew up in the household of Baha'u'llah and served Him faithfully. In later years he was put in charge of the Pilgrim House in 'Akka. The present writer well remembers Aqa Muhammad-Hasan, in his extreme old age, in 'Akka in the mid-twenties. When no longer able to serve in the Pilgrim House, Aqa Muhammad-Hasan lived in Bayt-i-'Abbud (Baha'u'llah's house in 'Akka) and looked after the place. The old man possessed a veritable treasure - many specimens of the handwriting of Baha'u'llah, kept in a trunk, which gave him great pleasure to show to visitors.
Four Return to Baghdad
Haji Muhammad-Taqi, the Nayibu'l-Iyalih, also came to Judaydah from Baghdad. But when the caravan broke camp to proceed on the journey, Baha'u'llah instructed him, Shatir-Rida, Shaykh Sadiq Yazdi and Ustad 'Abdu'l-Karim to return to Baghdad. Shaykh Sadiq was an old man greatly devoted to the person of Baha'u'llah. He felt so acutely the pangs of separation from Him that he could not rest, and not long after, started, a solitary figure, to walk to Istanbul. But he never finished the journey and died on the way, at Ma'dan-i-Nuqrih. (See p. 192)
1999 - The Child of the Covenant (Adib Taherzadeh)
Thirty-one days after Naw-Ruz, on 22 April 1863, in the afternoon, Baha'u'llah moved to this garden, where He remained for twelve days. On the first day He declared His mission to His companions ['Abdu'l-Baha talk at Bahji 29 April 1916]. These twelve days are celebrated by the Baha'is as the Festival of Ridvan.
The departure of Baha'u'llah from His house witnessed a commotion the like of which Baghdad had rarely seen. People of all walks of life, men and women, rich and poor, young and old, men of learning and culture, princes, government officials, tradesmen and workers, and above all His companions, thronged the approaches to His house and crowded the streets and rooftops situated along His route to the river. They were weeping and lamenting the departure of One who, for a decade, had imparted to them the warmth of His love and the radiance of His spirit, who had been a refuge and guide for them all.
When Baha'u'llah appeared in the courtyard of His house, His companions, grief-stricken and disconsolate, prostrated themselves at His feet. For some time He stood there, amid the weeping and lamentations of His loved ones, speaking words of comfort and promising to receive each of them later in the garden. In a Tablet Baha'u'llah mentions that when He had walked some way towards the gate, amid the crowds, a child[***] of only a few years ran forward and, clinging to His robes, wept aloud, begging Him in his tender young voice not to leave. In such an atmosphere, where emotions had been so deeply stirred, this action on the part of a small child moved the hearts and brought further grief to everyone.
[*** He was Aqa 'Ali, the son of Haji Mirza Kamalu'd-Din-Naraqi.]
Outside the house, the lamentation and weeping of those who did not confess to be His followers were no less spectacular and heartrending. Everyone in the crowded street sought to approach Him. Some prostrated themselves at His feet, others waited to hear a few words and yet others were content with a touch of His hands or a glance at His face. A Persian lady of noble birth, who was not herself a believer, pushed her way into the crowd and with a gesture of sacrifice threw her child at the feet of Baha'u'llah. These demonstrations continued all the way to the riverbank.
Before crossing the river, Baha'u'llah addressed His companions who had gathered around Him, saying:
<p71>
O My companions, I entrust to your keeping this city of Baghdad, in the state ye now behold it, when from the eyes of friends and strangers alike, crowding its housetops, its streets and markets, tears like the rain of spring are flowing down, and I depart. With you it now rests to watch lest your deeds and conduct dim the flame of love that gloweth within the breasts of its inhabitants.[80]
[80 Baha'u'llah, quoted in ibid. p. 149. (God Passes By.)]
Baha'u'llah was then ferried across the river, accompanied by three of His sons: 'Abdu'l-Baha, Mirza Mihdi (the Purest Branch) and Muhammad-'Ali, who were 18, 14 and 10 years of age, respectively. With them also was His amanuensis, Mirza Aqa Jan. The identity of others who may have accompanied Him, of those in the garden who pitched His tent and made preparations for His arrival, or of those who might have followed Him on that day, is not clearly known.
The call to afternoon prayer was raised from the mosque and the words 'Allah'u'Akbar' (God is the Greatest), chanted by the muezzin,[*] reverberated through the garden as the King of Glory entered it. There, Baha'u'llah appeared in the utmost joy, walking majestically in its flower-lined avenues and among its trees. The fragrance of the roses and the singing of the nightingales created an atmosphere of beauty and enchantment.
[*The one who calls to prayer.]
Baha'u'llah's companions had, for some time, known the declaration of His station to be imminent. This realization came to them not only as a result of many remarks and allusions made by Him during the last few months of His sojourn in Baghdad but also through a noticeable change in His demeanour. Another sign which unmistakably pointed to this approaching hour was His adoption, on the day of His departure from His house in Baghdad, of a different type of headdress known as taj. (tall felt hat), which He wore throughout His ministry. 'Abdu'l-Baha has described how, upon His arrival in the garden, Baha'u'llah declared His station to those of His companions who were present and announced with great joy the inauguration of the Festival of Ridvan.[81] Sadness and grief vanished and the believers were filled with delight. Although Baha'u'llah was being exiled to far-off lands and knew the sufferings and tribulations which were in store for Him and His followers, yet through this historic declaration He changed all sorrow into blissful joy and spent the most delightful time of His ministry in the Garden of Ridvan. Indeed, in one of His Tablets He referred to the first day of Ridvan as the 'Day of supreme felicity' and called on His followers to 'rejoice with exceeding gladness' in remembrance of that day.[82]
[81 'Abdu'l-Baha, Risaliy-i-Ayyam-i-Tis'ah, p. 330.]
[82 Baha'u'llah, Gleanings, p. 35.]
<p72>
Departure for Constantinople
Baha'u'llah left the Garden of Ridvan on the first leg of His journey to Constantinople on 3 May 1863. Shoghi Effendi recounts this historic journey in these words:
The departure of Baha'u'llah from the Garden of Ridvan, at noon, on the 14th of Dhi'l-Qa'dih 1279 A.H. (May 3, 1863), witnessed scenes of tumultuous enthusiasm no less spectacular, and even more touching, than those which greeted Him when leaving His Most Great House in Baghdad. 'The great tumult', wrote an eyewitness, 'associated in our minds with the Day of Gathering, the Day of Judgement, we beheld on that occasion. Believers and unbelievers alike sobbed and lamented. The chiefs and notables who had congregated were struck with wonder. Emotions were stirred to such depths as no tongue can describe, nor could any observer escape their contagion.'
Mounted on His steed, a red roan stallion of the finest breed, the best His lovers could purchase for Him, and leaving behind Him a bowing multitude of fervent admirers, He rode forth on the first stage of a journey that was to carry Him to the city of Constantinople. 'Numerous were the heads Nabil himself a witness of that memorable scene, recounts, 'which, on every side, bowed to the dust at the feet of His horse, and kissed its hoofs, and countless were those who pressed forward to embrace His stirrups.' 'How great the number of those embodiments of fidelity,' testifies a fellow-traveller, 'who, casting themselves before that charger, preferred death to separation from their Beloved! Methinks, that blessed steed trod upon the bodies of those pure- hearted souls.' 'He (God) it was,' Baha'u'llah Himself declares, 'Who enabled Me to depart out of the city (Baghdad), clothed with such majesty as none, except the denier and the malicious, can fail to acknowledge.'[83]
[83 Shoghi Effendi, God Passes By, p. 155.]
The journey to Constantinople was arduous and fatiguing, taking 110 days to reach the Port of Samsun on the Black Sea. The route took the party across uplands, woods, valleys and mountain passes which entailed the careful negotiation of narrow roads above dangerous precipices. Accompanying Baha'u'llah were members of His family, including His faithful brothers Aqay-i-Kalim and Mirza Muhammad-Quli, and 26 men, among them His disciples and Siyyid Muhammad Isfahani, as well as Mirza Yahya, who joined the party en route.
1873 - Kitab-i-Aqdas
[In the context about passages about being clean and the abolishing of the concept of uncleanliness]
37 Whoso layeth claim to a Revelation direct from God, ere the expiration of a full thousand years, such a man is assuredly a lying impostor. We pray God that He may graciously assist him to retract and repudiate such claim. Should he repent, God will, no doubt, forgive him. If, however, he persisteth in his error, God will, assuredly, send down one who will deal mercilessly with him. Terrible, indeed, is God in punishing! Whosoever interpreteth this verse otherwise than its obvious meaning is deprived of the Spirit of God and of His mercy which encompasseth all created things. Fear God, and follow not your idle fancies. Nay, rather follow the bidding of your Lord, the Almighty, the All-Wise.(13)
75 God hath, likewise, as a bounty from His presence, abolished the concept of "uncleanness", whereby divers things and peoples have been held to be impure. He, of a certainty, is the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Generous. Verily, all created things were immersed in the sea of purification when, on that first day of Ridván, We shed upon the whole of creation the splendours of Our most excellent Names and Our most exalted Attributes. This, verily, is a token of My loving providence, which hath encompassed all the worlds. Consort ye then with the followers of all religions, and proclaim ye the Cause of your Lord, the Most Compassionate; this is the very crown of deeds, if ye be of them who understand.
110 All Feasts have attained their consummation in the two Most Great Festivals, and in the two other Festivals that fall on the twin days -- the first of the Most Great Festivals being those days whereon the All-Merciful shed upon the whole of creation the effulgent glory of His most excellent Names and His most exalted Attributes, and the second being that day on which We raised up the One Who announced unto mankind the glad tidings of this Name, through which the dead have been resurrected and all who are in the heavens and on earth have been gathered together. Thus hath it been decreed by Him Who is the Ordainer, the Omniscient.
111 Happy the one who entereth upon the first day of the month of Bahá, the day which God hath consecrated to this Great Name. And blessed be he who evidenceth on this day the bounties that God hath bestowed upon him; he, verily, is of those who show forth thanks to God through actions betokening the Lord's munificence which hath encompassed all the worlds. Say: This day, verily, is the crown of all the months and the source thereof, the day on which the breath of life is wafted over all created things. Great is the blessedness of him who greeteth it with radiance and joy. We testify that he is, in truth, among those who are blissful.
112 Say: The Most Great Festival is, indeed, the King of Festivals. Call ye to mind, O people, the bounty which God hath conferred upon you. Ye were sunk in slumber, and lo! He aroused you by the reviving breezes of His Revelation, and made known unto you His manifest and undeviating Path.
1873 - Aqdas Notes
107 [K75] This is a reference to the arrival of Bahá'u'lláh and His companions in the Najíbíyyih Garden outside the city of Baghdád, subsequently referred to by the Bahá'ís as the Garden of Ridván. This event, which took place thirty-one days after Naw-Rúz, in April 1863, signalized the commencement of the period during which Bahá'u'lláh declared His Mission to His companions. In a Tablet, He refers to His Declaration as "the Day of supreme felicity" and He describes the Garden of Ridván as "the Spot from which He shed upon the whole of creation the splendours of His Name, the All-Merciful". Bahá'u'lláh spent twelve days in this Garden prior to departing for Istanbul, the place to which He had been banished.
The Declaration of Bahá'u'lláh is celebrated annually by the twelve-day Ridván Festival, described by Shoghi Effendi as "the holiest and most significant of all Bahá'í festivals" (see notes 138 and 140).
138 [K110]. All Feasts have attained their consummation in the two Most Great Festivals, and in the two other Festivals that fall on the twin days 110
This passage establishes four great festivals of the Bahá'í year. The two designated by Bahá'u'lláh as "the two Most Great Festivals" are, first, the Festival of Ridván, which commemorates Bahá'u'lláh's Declaration of His Prophetic Mission in the Garden of Ridván in Baghdád during twelve days in April/May 1863 and is referred to by Him as "the King of Festivals" and, second, the Báb's Declaration, which occurred in May 1844 in Shíráz. The first, ninth and twelfth days of the Festival of Ridván are Holy Days (Q&A 1), as is the day of the Declaration of the Báb.
The "two other Festivals" are the anniversaries of the births of Bahá'u'lláh and the Báb. In the Muslim lunar calendar these fall on consecutive days, the birth of Bahá'u'lláh on the second day of the month of Muharram 1233 A.H. (12 November 1817), and the birth of the Báb on the first day of the same month 1235 A.H. (20 October 1819), respectively. They are thus referred to as the "Twin Birthdays" and Bahá'u'lláh states that these two days are accounted as one in the sight of God (Q&A 2). He states that, should they fall within the month of fasting, the command to fast shall not apply on those days (Q&A 36). Given that the Bahá'í calendar (see notes 26 and 147) is a solar calendar, it remains for the Universal House of Justice to determine whether the Twin Holy Birthdays are to be celebrated on a solar or lunar basis.
Note 140. The Most Great Festival is, indeed, the King of Festivals 112
A reference to the Ridván Festival (see notes 107 and 138).
Baha'u'llah via Khadimu'llah regarding Ridvan (Tr. Juan Cole)
Sword Sheathed, No Claims Before 1000 yrs, Effulgence, Individuals Mentioned
On the first day that the Ancient Beauty (Baha'u'llah) seated himself upon the Most Great Throne at the garden that was entitled "Ridvan" ["paradise"], the tongue of grandeur uttered three blessed verses. One was that in this dispensation, the sword has been sheathed. Another was that anyone who put forward a claim [to be a Manifestation] before the expiration of a thousand years is an impostor. (And by a "year" is meant a full year; subjecting this verse to a figurative interpretation is forbidden). The third is that the Eternal Truth, may his splendor be glorified, had, at that moment, shed his effulgence upon all things with all the divine names. Yet another verse in fact was revealed a little later, but he said that this passage had the same station as the other three. It is that when any names of individuals are mentioned before the Countenance [of Baha'u'llah], all, whether living or dead, attain to the mention of the Preexistent King. Blessed are they that attain.
Tablet of Job (Lawh-i-Ayyub)
Lawh-i-Ayyub. The Tablet of Job, also known as Suriy-i-Sabr ("the Surih of Patience"), Madinatu's-Sabr ("the City of Patience"), and Surat Ayyub. A long tablet in Arabic revealed on the afternoon Baha'u'llah arrived at the garden of Ridvan. It was written for Haji Muhammad-Taqiy-i-Nayrizi, whom Baha'u'llah surnamed Ayyub, "Job," a veteran of the battle of Nayriz. The tablet praises Vahid (q.v.), the Babi leader at Nayriz, and the believers of Nayriz. (Ayyam-i-Tis'ih 262-304)
http://bahai-library.org/provisionals/surih.sabr.html
Then make mention in the Book, the servant of God, Taqi. He who believed in God on the day when the revelation was resplendent from the dawning place of the spirit. He is the one who assisted his Lord as much as he could when Vahid entered the eastern city of love [i.e. Nayriz]. He said "O my people, in truth the testimony of God has come and the countenance of truth is unveiled." O people of the Qur'an! Haste ye to it and do not turn your back therefrom. O my people! The beauty of God has dawned from the horizon of holiness. The promise is fulfilled. Haste ye to the Ridvan in which his countenance is shining from.
Tablet of the Branch
Inhale the fragrances of the Ridvan from His roses and be not of those who are deprived. Appreciate the bounty of God upon you and be not veiled therefrom --- and, verily, We have sent Him forth in the temple of man. Thus praise ye the Lord, the Originator of whatsoever He willeth through His wise and inviolable Command!
Tablet to Napolean III
All feasts have attained their consummation in the two Most Great Festivals, and in two other Festivals that fall on the twin days -- the first of the Most Great Festivals being those days whereon God shed the effulgent glory of His most excellent Names upon all who are in heaven and on earth, and the second being that day on which We raised up the One Who announced unto the people the glad tidings of this Great Announcement. Thus hath it been set down in the Book by Him Who is the Mighty, the Powerful. On other than these four consummate days, engage ye in your daily occupations, and withhold yourselves not from the pursuit of your trades and crafts. Thus hath the command been issued and the law gone forth from Him Who is your Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
Tablet in the handwriting of Mirza Aqa Jan
(Adib Taherzadeh, The Revelation of Baha'u'llah v 1, p. 278)
According to Tablet in the handwriting of Mirza Aqa Jan, addressed to a certain Aqa Muhammad-Rida, on the first day of Ridvan Bahá'u'lláh made three particularly important statements to His followers:
The first was to forbid the use of the sword in His Dispensation. During the ministry of the Báb the believers defended themselves against their persecutors; Bahá'u'lláh clearly forbade this. In many Tablets He counselled His followers to teach the Cause with wisdom and prudence and not to arouse the antagonism of a fanatic enemy. He enjoined caution when teaching those who were determined to uproot the foundation of the Faith and harm its adherents. At one stage in His ministry He particularly exhorted His followers to guard against falling into the hands of enemies, but if faced with martyrdom, to lay down their lives in the path of their Faith rather than kill their persecutors. The tongue of the believer who teaches the Cause, He stated in one Tablet, is the mightiest sword he possesses, for his utterances are endowed with a power that can remove veils of ignorance from the hearts of men. Soon, as a result of such counsels and exhortations, the attitude of the believers was radically changed, and swords and other weapons were put away never to be used again. During the ministries of Bahá'u'lláh and 'Abdu'l-Bahá great numbers of Bahá'ís were martyred in Persia, but they did not resort to violence.[2] They gave their lives willingly, and many testified in the hour of martyrdom that their life-blood proclaimed the truth of the Cause of God for this age.
Comment on Khadimu'llah passage
Ridvan was a time when Baha'u'llah first made known to a handful of friends and family members his abrogation of the Islamic and Babi laws regarding the duty of holy war or jihad. He also then first put forward the principle that the door of Revelation was shut for a full thousand years. Finally, he said that God had "appeared" (tajalli) to all creation with all his names. In the Qur'an it is said that Moses begged God to show himself to him, and God refused, saying "You shall never behold me." Then God showed himself (tajalla) to the mountain, and levelled it, at which Moses swooned. Baha'u'llah's wording implicitly suggests that what was forbidden to Moses and his people has been granted to Baha'u'llah and the entire world in the era of modernity. This principle of God's self-disclosure may be linked in turn to the abolition of ritual impurity, which Baha'u'llah says occurred at Ridvan.
It also seems to me increasingly clear that Ridvan really was meant as Peace Festival, a commemoration of the end of religious warfare, the end of ritual pollution and of the shunning of some human beings by others, the end of the Babi sectarianism and strife occasioned by multiple "manifestations," and the attainment by all humankind to the Beatific Vision.
Tablet of the Feast of the Ridwan
http://bahai-library.com/provisionals/tablet.ridvan.html
by Baha'u'llah, translated by Dr. Khan and Marzieh Gail
This tablet was revealed by Baha'u'llah when He "Declared Himself" to be recited at the Feast of Ridwan.
HE IS THE ALMIGHTY LORD!
Lo, this is the garden of Paradise wherein is raised the Voice of God, the Dominant, the Strong; Here do the immaculate Maids of Heaven dwell, they whom no eye hath seen save only God's, the Sanctified, the Well-Beloved; Herein the eternal nightingale singeth on the bough of the sacred Lote-Tree a song that bedazzaleth the minds, and herein are the needy led to the haven of wealth, and all men guided to the Word of God; verily this is a manifest truth.
(Here is the song that the nightingale singeth;)
IN THY NAME THAT IS GOD,
Thou art verily God!
O sacred Monk, ring out the bells, for the day of God hath come, and the Beauty of the All-Glorious is established on the holy, shining throne.
Glory to Thee, O God, O Thou who art God,
O Thou who alone art God!
O prophet of wisdom, Hud, beat thou upon thy drum, in the name of the Lord, the Precious, the Bountiful, for the Temple of Holiness is seated upon His high, unapproachable throne.
Glory to Thee, O God, O Thou who art God,
O Thou who alone art God!
O Thou beauty of eternity, pluck with the fingers of the spirit at the strings of Thy lute that is wondrous and Holy, for the Heavenly Beauty hath come in His garment of glimmering silk.
Glory to Thee, O God, O Thou who art God,
O Thou who alone art God!
O angel of light, sound thou thy trumpet to herald this appearance, for the letter HA hath mounted above the letter of pre-existent might.
Glory to Thee, O God, O Thou who art God,
O Thou who alone art God!
O Nightingale of Praise, sing out upon thy boughs within this garden and land, the well-beloved Name, for the beauty of the red rose hath shone from the impenetrable veils.
Glory to Thee, O God, O Thou who art God,
O Thou who alone art God!
O Thou Dove of Paradise, sing upon the boughs in this wondrous day, when the Lord hath cast His rays upon all creatures.
Glory to Thee, O God, O Thou who art God,
O Thou who alone art God!
O Thou Bird of Eternity, soar into this firmament, for the bird of faithfulness hath winged his flight to the presence of the merciful Lord.
Glory to Thee, O God, O Thou who art God,
O Thou who alone art God!
O Dwellers in Paradise, sing out and chant with melodious voices, for the melody of God is pealing from beyond the high pavilions of holiness.
Glory to Thee, O God, O Thou who art God,
O Thou who alone art God!
O denizens of the Kingdom, sing in the name of the Well-beloved, for the beauty of commandment hath gleamed from behind the veils, in the shining mantle of the spirit.
Glory to Thee, O God, O Thou who art God,
O Thou who alone art God!
O dwellers in the kingdom of names, adorn the zones of the furthermost heaven, for the Greatest Name is riding on the mighty clouds of holiness.
Glory to Thee, O God, O Thou who art God,
O Thou who alone art God!
O people of the realm of holy attributes in the heaven of Abha, prepare to meet your God, for the breezes of sanctity have wafted from the exalted throne, and this is a manifest grace.
Glory to Thee, O God, O Thou who art God,
O Thou who alone art God!
O thou Ridwan of the one God, rejoice within thyself, for the Ridwan of God, the Exalted, the Precious, the Wise, is made manifest.
Glory to Thee, O God, O Thou who art God,
O Thou who alone art God!
O heaven of the grandeur, thank God within thyself, for the heaven of holiness is raised up in the realm of the sanctified heart.
Glory to Thee, O God, O Thou who art God,
O Thou who alone art God!
O Sun of this earth, eclipse thy face, for the sun of eternity hath dawned in the luminous heaven.
Glory to Thee, O God, O Thou who art God,
O Thou who alone art God!
O land of knowledge, swallow up thy learning, for the realm of wisdom is unfolding in the self of God., the Exalted, the Mighty, the Bountiful.
Glory to Thee, O God, O Thou who art God,
O Thou who alone art God!
O lamp of the world, extinguish thyself, for the light of the Lord is kindled in the lamp of eternity, and hath illumined the denizens of heaven and earth.
Glory to Thee, O God, O Thou who art God,
O Thou who alone art God!
O seas of the world, quiet your waves within you, for the crimson sea hath surged with a wondrous Cause.
Glory to Thee, O God, O Thou who art God,
O Thou who alone art God!
O cock of everlasting life, crow out on the peaks of the realm of might, for the Herald of God hath sounded His Call from every lofty hill.
Glory to Thee, O God, O Thou who art God,
O Thou who alone art God!
O concourse of lovers, give out the glad tidings with all your heart, for the time of waiting is over, and the covenant hath come, and the Beloved hath shone in wondrous beauty.
Glory to Thee, O God, O Thou who art God,
O Thou who alone art God!
O people of knowledge, rejoice within your souls, for the day of parting is gone by, the time of certainty hath come, and the beauty of this Youth hath shone in sacred raiment within the paradise of the steadfast Name.
Glory to Thee, O God, O Thou who art God,
O Thou who alone art God!
Lauded art Thou O my God! I implore Thee by Thy day in which all the prophetic days are resurrected, Thy day whereof a moment comprehendeth all the ages.
Glory to Thee, O God, O Thou who art God,
O Thou who alone art God!
And I implore Thee by Thy Name which Thou made king of the Kingdom of Names and ruler over all in earth and heaven.
Glory to Thee, O God, O Thou who art God,
O Thou who alone art God!
To make men free of all besides Thyself, and cause them to approach unto Thee and sever themselves from all but Thee. Verily Thou art the Powerful, the Precious, the Compassionate.
Glory to Thee, O God, O Thou who art God,
O Thou who alone art God!
Then kindle, O my Beloved, in their hearts the flame of Thy love, till it shall burn away the memory of all save Thee, that they may testify with themselves that verily Thou hast dwelt from everlasting on the heights of immortality, that nothing hath been joined with Thee, and that Thou ever art as Thou hast been. There is no God save Thee, the Mighty, the Beneficent.
Glory to Thee, O God, O Thou who art God,
O Thou who alone art God!
And those among Thy servants who seek to ascend the heights of Thy singleness, if their souls be set on the remembrance of aught else save Thee, they shall not be true believers in the unity of God, nor will the rank of a follower of the oneness of God be allotted them.
Glory to Thee, O God, O Thou who art God,
O Thou who alone art God!
The glory be to Thee, O my God, for as long as Thy command endureth. Wherefore send Thou down from the clouds of Thy Mercy that which shall cleanse the hearts of Thy lovers, and sanctify the souls of Thy friends.
Then raise them up in Thy Loftiness, and give them the victory over all on earth; for this is that which "We have desired to bring honor upon those who were brought low in the land, and to make them leaders of men, and to make them our heirs."* (Koran)
Glory to Thee, O God, O Thou who art God,
O Thou who alone art God!
Divine Springtime is Come
 The Divine Springtime is come, O Most Exalted Pen, for the Festival of the All-Merciful is fast approaching. Bestir thyself, and magnify, before the entire creation, the name of God, and celebrate His praise, in such wise that all created things may be regenerated and made new. Speak, and hold not thy 28 peace. The day star of blissfulness shineth above the horizon of Our name, the Blissful, inasmuch as the kingdom of the name of God hath been adorned with the ornament of the name of thy Lord, the Creator of the heavens. Arise before the nations of the earth, and arm thyself with the power of this Most Great Name, and be not of those who tarry.
Methinks that thou hast halted and movest not upon My Tablet. Could the brightness of the Divine Countenance have bewildered thee, or the idle talk of the froward filled thee with grief and paralyzed thy movement? Take heed lest anything deter thee from extolling the greatness of this Day—the Day whereon the Finger of majesty and power hath opened the seal of the Wine of Reunion, and called all who are in the heavens and all who are on the earth. Preferrest thou to tarry when the breeze announcing the Day of God hath already breathed over thee, or art thou of them that are shut out as by a veil from Him?
No veil whatever have I allowed, O Lord of all names and Creator of the heavens, to shut me from the recognition of the glories of Thy Day—the Day which is the lamp of guidance unto the whole world, and the sign of the Ancient of Days unto all them that dwell therein. My silence is by reason of the veils that have blinded Thy creatures' eyes to Thee, and my muteness is because of the impediments that have hindered Thy people from recognizing Thy truth. 29 Thou knowest what is in me, but I know not what is in Thee. Thou art the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. By Thy name that excelleth all other names! If Thy overruling and all-compelling behest should ever reach me, it would empower me to revive the souls of all men, through Thy most exalted Word, which I have heard uttered by Thy Tongue of power in Thy Kingdom of glory. It would enable me to announce the revelation of Thy effulgent countenance wherethrough that which lay hidden from the eyes of men hath been manifested in Thy name, the Perspicuous, the sovereign Protector, the Self-Subsisting.
Canst thou discover any one but Me, O Pen, in this Day? What hath become of the creation and the manifestations thereof? What of the names and their kingdom? Whither are gone all created things, whether seen or unseen? What of the hidden secrets of the universe and its revelations? Lo, the entire creation hath passed away! Nothing remaineth except My Face, the Ever-Abiding, the Resplendent, the All-Glorious.
This is the Day whereon naught can be seen except the splendors of the Light that shineth from the face of Thy Lord, the Gracious, the Most Bountiful. Verily, We have caused every soul to expire by virtue of Our irresistible and all-subduing sovereignty. We have, then, called into being a new creation, as a 30 token of Our grace unto men. I am, verily, the All-Bountiful, the Ancient of Days.
This is the Day whereon the unseen world crieth out: "Great is thy blessedness, O earth, for thou hast been made the foot-stool of thy God, and been chosen as the seat of His mighty throne." The realm of glory exclaimeth: "Would that my life could be sacrificed for thee, for He Who is the Beloved of the All-Merciful hath established His sovereignty upon thee, through the power of His Name that hath been promised unto all things, whether of the past or of the future." This is the Day whereon every sweet smelling thing hath derived its fragrance from the smell of My garment—a garment that hath shed its perfume upon the whole of creation. This is the Day whereon the rushing waters of everlasting life have gushed out of the Will of the All-Merciful. Haste ye, with your hearts and souls, and quaff your fill, O Concourse of the realms above!
Say: He it is Who is the Manifestation of Him Who is the Unknowable, the Invisible of the Invisibles, could ye but perceive it. He it is Who hath laid bare before you the hidden and treasured Gem, were ye to seek it. He it is Who is the one Beloved of all things, whether of the past or of the future. Would that ye might set your hearts and hopes upon Him!
We have heard the voice of thy pleading, O Pen, 31 and excuse thy silence. What is it that hath so sorely bewildered thee?
The inebriation of Thy presence, O Well-Beloved of all worlds, hath seized and possessed me.
Arise, and proclaim unto the entire creation the tidings that He Who is the All-Merciful hath directed His steps towards the Riḍván and entered it. Guide, then, the people unto the garden of delight which God hath made the Throne of His Paradise. We have chosen thee to be our most mighty Trumpet, whose blast is to signalize the resurrection of all mankind.
Say: This is the Paradise on whose foliage the wine of utterance hath imprinted the testimony: "He that was hidden from the eyes of men is revealed, girded with sovereignty and power!" This is the Paradise, the rustling of whose leaves proclaims: "O ye that inhabit the heavens and the earth! There hath appeared what hath never previously appeared. He Who, from everlasting, had concealed His Face from the sight of creation is now come." From the whispering breeze that wafteth amidst its branches there cometh the cry: "He Who is the sovereign Lord of all is made manifest. The Kingdom is God's," while from its streaming waters can be heard the murmur: "All eyes are gladdened, for He Whom none hath beheld, Whose secret no one hath discovered, hath lifted the veil of glory, and uncovered the countenance of Beauty." 32
Within this Paradise, and from the heights of its loftiest chambers, the Maids of Heaven have cried out and shouted: "Rejoice, ye dwellers of the realms above, for the fingers of Him Who is the Ancient of Days are ringing, in the name of the All-Glorious, the Most Great Bell, in the midmost heart of the heavens. The hands of bounty have borne round the cup of everlasting life. Approach, and quaff your fill. Drink with healthy relish, O ye that are the very incarnations of longing, ye who are the embodiments of vehement desire!"
This is the Day whereon He Who is the Revealer of the names of God hath stepped out of the Tabernacle of glory, and proclaimed unto all who are in the heavens and all who are on the earth: "Put away the cups of Paradise and all the life-giving waters they contain, for lo, the people of Bahá have entered the blissful abode of the Divine Presence, and quaffed the wine of reunion, from the chalice of the beauty of their Lord, the All-Possessing, the Most High."
Forget the world of creation, O Pen, and turn thou towards the face of thy Lord, the Lord of all names. Adorn, then, the world with the ornament of the favors of thy Lord, the King of everlasting days. For We perceive the fragrance of the Day whereon He Who is the Desire of all nations hath shed upon the kingdoms of the unseen and of the seen the splendor of the light of His most excellent names, and enveloped them with the radiance of the luminaries 33 of His most gracious favors—favors which none can reckon except Him, Who is the omnipotent Protector of the entire creation.
Look not upon the creatures of God except with the eye of kindliness and of mercy, for Our loving providence hath pervaded all created things, and Our grace encompassed the earth and the heavens. This is the Day whereon the true servants of God partake of the life-giving waters of reunion, the Day whereon those that are nigh unto Him are able to drink of the soft-flowing river of immortality, and they who believe in His unity, the wine of His Presence, through their recognition of Him Who is the Highest and Last End of all, in Whom the Tongue of Majesty and Glory voiceth the call: "The Kingdom is Mine. I, Myself, am, of Mine own right, its Ruler."
Attract the hearts of men, through the call of Him, the one alone Beloved. Say: This is the Voice of God, if ye do but hearken. This is the Day Spring of the Revelation of God, did ye but know it. This is the Dawning-Place of the Cause of God, were ye to recognize it. This is the Source of the commandment of God, did ye but judge it fairly. This is the manifest and hidden Secret; would that ye might perceive it. O peoples of the world! Cast away, in My name that transcendeth all other names, the things ye possess, and immerse yourselves in this Ocean in whose depths lay hidden the pearls of wisdom and of utterance, an ocean that surgeth in My name, the All-Merciful. 34 Thus instructeth you He with Whom is the Mother Book.
The Best-Beloved is come. In His right hand is the sealed Wine of His name. Happy is the man that turneth unto Him, and drinketh his fill, and exclaimeth: "Praise be to Thee, O Revealer of the signs of God!" By the righteousness of the Almighty! Every hidden thing hath been manifested through the power of truth. All the favors of God have been sent down, as a token of His grace. The waters of everlasting life have, in their fullness, been proffered unto men. Every single cup hath been borne round by the hand of the Well-Beloved. Draw near, and tarry not, though it be for one short moment.
Blessed are they that have soared on the wings of detachment and attained the station which, as ordained by God, overshadoweth the entire creation, whom neither the vain imaginations of the learned, nor the multitude of the hosts of the earth have succeeded in deflecting from His Cause. Who is there among you, O people, who will renounce the world, and draw nigh unto God, the Lord of all names? Where is he to be found who, through the power of My name that transcendeth all created things, will cast away the things that men possess, and cling, with all his might, to the things which God, the Knower of the unseen and of the seen, hath bidden him observe? Thus hath His bounty been sent down unto men, His testimony fulfilled, and His proof shone 35 forth above the Horizon of mercy. Rich is the prize that shall be won by him who hath believed and exclaimed: "Lauded art Thou, O Beloved of all worlds! Magnified be Thy name, O Thou the Desire of every understanding heart!"
Rejoice with exceeding gladness, O people of Bahá, as ye call to remembrance the Day of supreme felicity, the Day whereon the Tongue of the Ancient of Days hath spoken, as He departed from His House, proceeding to the Spot from which He shed upon the whole of creation the splendors of His name, the All-Merciful. God is Our witness. Were We to reveal the hidden secrets of that Day, all they that dwell on earth and in the heavens would swoon away and die, except such as will be preserved by God, the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
Such is the inebriating effect of the words of God upon Him Who is the Revealer of His undoubted proofs, that His Pen can move no longer. With these words He concludeth His Tablet: "No God is there but Me, the Most Exalted, the Most Powerful, the Most Excellent, the All-Knowing." 
The Wondrous Maiden / Houri of Wonder (Hur-i 'Ujab)
http://www.whoisbahaullah.com/Alison/wonder.html
The beauty of holiness has risen from behind her veil--
 and that is a wondrous thing;

And spirits have fainted from the fire of their attraction,
 and that is a wondrous affair.

Then they awoke and soared into the pavilions of sanctity at the throne of domes,
 and that is a wondrous mystery.

Say: the houri of eternity removed the veil from her face--
 exalted be the wondrous beauty of newness!

The lights of her visage shone from the earth to the clouds,
 and that is a wondrous radiance.

She threw a glance like a shooting star,
 and that is a wondrous glance.

By the fire of her countenance she burned up all names and designations,
 and that is a wondrous deed.

She cast her gaze upon the people of earth and dust,
 and that is a wondrous gaze.

Behold, the temples of existence quivered and then vanished,
 and that is a wondrous death.

Then a black strand of hair appeared from her, an adornment for the soul in the gloom of hindrances,
 and that is a wondrous hue.

The fragrance of scents and perfumes wafted from her,
 and that is a wondrous musk.

In her right hand she holds red wine and in her left, kebab,
 and that is a wondrous grace.

Her palm is dyed crimson with the blood of lovers,
 and that is a wondrous thing.

She passed around the wine of life in jugs and cups,
 and that is a wondrous fountain;

And sang of the beloved's name, strumming on lute and rebec,
 and that is a wondrous song.

Then hearts melted from fire and blaze,
 and that is a wondrous passion.

She bestowed the nourishment of beauty without measure,
 and that is a wondrous food.

The sword of allusion struck at necks,
 and that is a wondrous blow.

She smiled, and the pearls of her teeth were manifest,
 and that is a wondrous gleam.

Then the hearts of those who understand cried out,
 and that is a wondrous self-denial.

All those filled with pride and suspicion turned away from her,
 and that is nothing but a wondrous opponent.

When she heard, she returned to her palace in grief and regret,
 and that is a wondrous sorrow.

She went and returned, may her to and fro be exalted,
 and this is a wondrous decree;

And she uttered within her soul a cry that annihilated existence and then was made to vanish,
 and that is a wondrous grief.

She opened her lips for a river of advice and reproof to flow,
 and that is a wondrous spring.

She said, "Do not reject me, people of the Book."
 And that is a wondrous affair.

"Are you the people of guidance and are you the friends?"
 And that is a wondrous falsehood.

She said, "We shall not return to you, my companions."
 And that is a wondrous return.

"We shall conceal the mysteries of God that are in his scriptures."
 And this matter is from the All-Glorious, the Giving.

"You shall not find me until the promised one appears on the Day of Return."
 By my life, that is a wondrous abasement.

Translated by Juan Cole

Source: Baha'u'llah, Ad'iyyih-'i Hadrat-i Mahbub (Hofheim-Langenhain: Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1980), pp. 153-158.
Gleanings CLI (Release yourselves, O nightingales)
Release yourselves, O nightingales of God, from the thorns and brambles of wretchedness and misery, and wing your flight to the rose-garden of unfading splendor. O My friends that dwell upon the dust! Haste forth unto your celestial habitation. Announce unto yourselves the joyful tidings: "He Who is the Best-Beloved is come! He hath crowned Himself with the glory of God's Revelation, and hath unlocked to the face of men the doors of His ancient Paradise." Let all eyes rejoice, and let every ear be gladdened, for now is the time to gaze on His beauty, 320 now is the fit time to hearken to His voice. Proclaim unto every longing lover: "Behold, your Well-Beloved hath come among men!" and to the messengers of the Monarch of love impart the tidings: "Lo, the Adored One hath appeared arrayed in the fullness of His glory!" O lovers of His beauty! Turn the anguish of your separation from Him into the joy of an everlasting reunion, and let the sweetness of His presence dissolve the bitterness of your remoteness from His court.
Behold how the manifold grace of God, which is being showered from the clouds of Divine glory, hath, in this day, encompassed the world. For whereas in days past every lover besought and searched after his Beloved, it is the Beloved Himself Who now is calling His lovers and is inviting them to attain His presence. Take heed lest ye forfeit so precious a favor; beware lest ye belittle so remarkable a token of His grace. Abandon not the incorruptible benefits, and be not content with that which perisheth. Lift up the veil that obscureth your vision, and dispel the darkness with which it is enveloped, that ye may gaze on the naked beauty of the Beloved's face, may behold that which no eye hath beheld, and hear that which no ear hath heard.
Hear Me, ye mortal birds! In the Rose Garden of changeless splendor a Flower hath begun to bloom, compared to which every other flower is but a thorn, and before the brightness of Whose glory the very 321 essence of beauty must pale and wither. Arise, therefore, and, with the whole enthusiasm of your hearts, with all the eagerness of your souls, the full fervor of your will, and the concentrated efforts of your entire being, strive to attain the paradise of His presence, and endeavor to inhale the fragrance of the incorruptible Flower, to breathe the sweet savors of holiness, and to obtain a portion of this perfume of celestial glory. Whoso followeth this counsel will break his chains asunder, will taste the abandonment of enraptured love, will attain unto his heart's desire, and will surrender his soul into the hands of his Beloved. Bursting through his cage, he will, even as the bird of the spirit, wing his flight to his holy and everlasting nest.
Night hath succeeded day, and day hath succeeded night, and the hours and moments of your lives have come and gone, and yet none of you hath, for one instant, consented to detach himself from that which perisheth. Bestir yourselves, that the brief moments that are still yours may not be dissipated and lost. Even as the swiftness of lightning your days shall pass, and your bodies shall be laid to rest beneath a canopy of dust. What can ye then achieve? How can ye atone for your past failure?
The everlasting Candle shineth in its naked glory. Behold how it hath consumed every mortal veil. O ye moth-like lovers of His light! Brave every danger, and consecrate your souls to its consuming flame. O 322 ye that thirst after Him! Strip yourselves of every earthly affection, and hasten to embrace your Beloved. With a zest that none can equal make haste to attain unto Him. The Flower, thus far hidden from the sight of men, is unveiled to your eyes. In the open radiance of His glory He standeth before you. His voice summoneth all the holy and sanctified beings to come and be united with Him. Happy is he that turneth thereunto; well is it with him that hath attained, and gazed on the light of so wondrous a countenance. 
x Lawh-i-Bágh-i-Ridván (Late Akka)
(Tablet of the Garden of Ridván, Trans. Anonymous [1])
He is God, Glorified be He;
Grandeur and Might are His!
On the morning of the blessed Friday we proceeded from the Mansion and entered the Garden. Every tree uttered a word, and every leaf sang a melody. The trees proclaimed: 'Behold the evidences of God's Mercy' and the twin streams recited in the eloquent tongue the sacred verse 'From us all things were made alive'. Glorified be God! Mysteries were voiced by them, which provoked wonderment. Methought: in which school were they educated, and from whose presence had they acquired their learning? Yea! This Wronged One knoweth and He saith: 'From God, the All-Encompassing, the Self-Subsistent.'
Upon Our being seated, Rádíyih,[2] upon her be My glory, attained Our presence on thy[3] behalf, laid the table of God's bounty and in thy name extended hospitality to all present. In truth, all that which stimulateth the appetite and pleaseth the eye was offered, and indeed that which delighteth the ear could also be heard as the leaves were stirred by the Will of God, and from this movement a refreshing voice was raised, as if uttering a blissful call inviting the absent to this Feast. God's power and the perfection of His handiwork could enjoyably be seen in the blossoms, the fruits, the trees, the leaves and the streams. Praised be God who hath thus confirmed thee and her.
In brief, all in the Garden were recipients of the choicest bounties and in the end expressed their thanksgiving unto their Lord. O that all God's beloved would have been present on this day!
We beseech God, exalted be He, to cause to descend upon thee at every moment, a blessing and a mercy and a measure of divine grace from His presence. He is the Forgiving, the All-Glorious.
We send greetings to His loved ones, and supplicate for each one of them that which is worthy of mention and is acceptable in His presence. Peace be upon thee, and upon God's sincere servants. Praise be to Him, the Lord of all mankind.
[1] According to the Leiden List of the Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh, this Tablet dates from the late 'Akká period. It was likely revealed during one of Bahá'u'lláh's visits to the small house inside the Garden of Ridván, outside 'Akká to join the believers for feasting. The Tablet is kept in this house to this day. See in Taherzadeh, 'Adib. The Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh. Vol. 4, (Oxford, George Ronald, 1987). pp. 15-16. (MW's note).
[2] A sister of Munírih Khánum, the wife of 'Abdu'l-Bahá' (MW's note).
[3] Rádíyih's husband, who was unable to attend the feasting in the garden on this occasion (MW's note).
Surih of Patience/Job (Surih-i-Sabr, Lawh-i-Ayyub)
In 1863, on the first day of His arrival at the garden of Ridvan, Baha'u'llah revealed a singularly important Tablet known as Suriy-i Sabr (Surih of Patience), or Lawh-i Ayyub (the Tablet of Job), thus named in memory of one of the survivors of the Nayriz-I holocaust, Haji Muhammad Taqiy-i Nayrizi, surnamed Ayyub. Some time ago, I asked Dr. Khazeh Fananapazir to prepare a translation of this Tablet for inclusion in a forthcoming study on Nayriz and I am now pleased to have Dr. Fananapazir's permission to share his labor [with this website -ed.]. -Ahang Rabbani
Surih-i-Sabr, or Lawh-i-Ayyub
Provisional Translation by Khazeh Fananapazir, 21 April 1997
This is the City of Patience. Strive ye to enter it, O concourse of the patient ones!

In His name, the Exalted One, He Who is the Most Exalted.

This is the remembrance of God in the City of Patience regarding Job, Our servant, Whom We sheltered under the shade of that Holy Tree planted in His heart, to Whom We demonstrated the fire ignited in His Own Essence, and to Whose Self We revealed Our Own Self by His Own Self. We called Job from this sacred Spot whose environs are sanctified with this call, "Verily, He is God, Thy Lord and the Lord of all things. He is All-Powerful over all things, the Self-Subsisting One." When Job's face was illumined by the fire burning in the sacred Tree, We clothed Him with the garment of Prophethood and commanded Him to instruct men in the essence of graciousness and bounty and to invite the people to the holy and beloved Shore. We established Job on earth and caused the waters of divine munificence to descend on Him so that through riches He became independent of all the inhabitants of the earth. We conferred on Him a bounteous fortune and made Him very wealthy in the kingdom. We caused Him to receive a portion of all wealth and strengthened His back with great power. We gave Him sons from his loins and established an exalted station for Him in all the lands.

Job was amongst His people many years, counseling them with the hidden gems of the knowledge We taught Him, and He reminded His people of the Days of God that were truly to come. He said, "O my people! In truth, oceans of knowledge are contained within the Self of God Who hath arisen to establish justice. Hasten ye therefore that ye may find a way unto it. Verily, the Sun of God's loving kindness continues to shine forth from the midmost zenith and the beauty of the Countenance of God bath appeared from behind the Holy Tabernacles. Attend unto His presence that haply He may bestow upon you portions of His much-loved splendor. The heavens of grandeur are uplifted and have become adorned with constellations of knowledge and wisdom. Thus has God's holy cause dawned forth from the sanctified horizon. O my people! Before Me Messengers came with the divine Word and They all announced unto you that which will turn you towards the exalted and glorious shore. The divinely appointed time hath come upon you and the Lights of God's justice hath shone forth, the Immortal Bird hath sung, the Dove of Revelation has warbled, the clouds of God's illumination have become uplifted, and the oceans of divine bounty have poured forth. O people of the earth! Ye are deprived of all this. Fear ye God, corrupt not the earth of God's wisdom, and hearken unto these words which are descending from the heaven of God's nearness."

From the beginning that hath no beginning, to the end that hath no end, We have thus counseled Our servants through the tongue of the Messengers, yet all have turned away from God's admonitions and have retreated therefrom save those who have been encompassed by Our loving-kindness. These are the souls who hearkened unto God's call as voiced from behind the hidden veils of glory. They responded to the Summoner unto God with both their inner and outer being and sought attraction through the melodies of the Beloved, attaining unto the stations of guidance. Upon them be the mercy of God, and the salutations of God, Who hath given them what no one knoweth and hath caused them to reach a station that is hidden from the eyes of all creation.

Ere long will the cause of God be manifested and truth shall be distinguished from falsehood. The standards of guidance will be uplifted and all traces of those who have joined partners with God obliterated. The earth shall be inherited by those servants who are wholly consecrated unto God, have not imbibed the love of the "Calf" in their hearts, and who turn away from those who continue to disbelieve despite clear evidences presented to them. Thus have the fingers of might upon the tablets of light inscribed the divine behest.

Call to mind Our servant, Job. When He appeared with the standards of wealth in the kingdom of earth, His people were envious of Him, continually defaming Him in their gatherings. All their deeds are preserved in God's secret scrolls. Their vainly imagined that Job summoned people to God merely because He had been granted the treasures of this nether world, although, in fact, Job was sanctified from both their vain beliefs and certain truths, and indeed from all that is in this world. When We purposed to show the signs of the one true God as demonstrated in Job's detachment and reliance, We caused to descend upon Him tribulations from all sides and truly tried Him with many tests.[1] We took His sons from Him and discontinued the bounty We had given Him. Every day We deprived Him of something good; not a day passed but there descended on Job, from the site of divine decree, what hath been written by the Pen of God's will and suffering. Loss engulfed Him as had been ordained by the Mighty, the Self-Subsisting One. We burnt what He had planted by the hands of the angels of God's command and everything was utterly lost. When We had cleansed Him of earthly ornaments and material pollution, and had purified Him of physical possessions, then, as a further test, We caused the angels of divine wrath to blow poisonous air on His skin, making His body weaken, His temple tremble, and His limbs quiver so much that no portion of His being was left uncovered by wounds, and yet, in all these states, His gratitude increased daily. He remained patient and did not complain. We thus accounted Him of those who trust and are patient and grateful.

Job's people expelled Him from the town where He lived, showing no shame toward God, their Creator. They hurt Job as much as they could, and thus did We deem Him one of the wronged of this world. The portals of wealth were closed to His face and the doors of poverty opened in such wise that several days passed before He could satisfy His intense hunger. Thus was the matter decreed. There remained unto Him no friend or companion and He became alone in the world except for His wife, who believed in God and served Job in all His tribulations. We confirmed her to be His support in all matters. When this companion found her Husband in such a grievous state, she went to her people and asked them for a loaf of bread, but those embodiments of iniquity refused to give her any. In truth, We have registered all things in Our perspicuous Book. As His condition grew extreme, she sought help from the worst of women, but even this woman refused to give a piece of bread until she had taken from Job's wife what she wanted. I swear by God! The pen is ashamed to recall such events, but God is a witness of their deeds. Job's wife came to Him with the bread, but when He saw that her hair cut off, He bewailed in such a way that all the heavens and earth bewailed as well. Said He, "O handmaiden of God! I see thou hath done what is truly not allowed. Why did you permit your hair, an adornment for thy beauty, to be cut off?" Said she, "O Job! The more I asked Thy people for a piece of bread for Thee, the more they refused, until I entered the house of one of the maidservants of God. She also refused to give me bread until she had taken my hair, and this is the bread I have brought before Thy face. In this manner hath she rebelled against God's law. She has truly waxed proud and the matter is finished between her and me. O Job, forgive me and do not punish me for this transgression. I was reduced to an extreme condition because of my concern for Thee. Have mercy on me and forgive me, for Thou art always generous and forgiving."

What was decreed came to pass and in this wise Job was sorrowful that all heavens would well nigh have cloven asunder and the earth of patience would have been split and the mountain of long suffering would have been reduced to pieces. So he placed his face on the dust and he said. "O my Lord! Suffering has encompassed from all sides and truly Thou art the One Whose mercy has preceded all things. In Thy generosity have compassion on me and be kind to me in Thy bountiful favor, for Thou art compassionate unto Thy servants." And when We heard His call We caused there to flow under his right leg a clear sweet water and We commanded Job to immerse himself in it and to drink therefrom. And when he drank therefrom he became purified of all ailments and was manifest in the most beauteous form. We returned to him all We had taken from him and even more such that We rained on him from the Dominion of wealth what enriched him and made him independent of all earth. We solaced his eyes by the joy of his family and we fulfilled what We had promised the patient ones in all the holy and preserved Tablets. We made good all his affairs and We confirmed him with mighty arm of Our revelation. Thus We raise the submissive ones and thus We cause to perish those who wax proud, they who act wickedly in the land. Thus We accomplish that which We purpose and We fulfill the rewards of the long suffering and We vouchsafe to them generously of Our holy treasures.

O peoples of the earth! Be patient and persevering in the path of God and do not sorrow about that which will befall you in these "Days of the Spirit". Soon ye shall see the recompense of the patient ones in the transcendent and holy Garden (Ridvan). In truth God has created a Paradise in the retreats of immortality and has named it "patience". Its name was treasured in the immaculate treasures of God up to the present Day. And in it was ordained what was not ordained in all other gardens and We have at this moment unveiled it for you and caused it to be remembered by you as a mercy on Our part to all the worlds. And in this paradise there are rivers of the providence of God and God has forbidden it from any one except those who have persevered in calamities seeking thereby the good pleasure of God. None shall enter these gardens except such as have not perverted the bounty of God in themselves and flew with the wings of might in the atmosphere of patience. These are they who have been long-suffering in all tribulations and the more the tribulations increased their love for their Lord waxed greater and with their entire being they turned to the exalted and holy One. The ecstasies of desire grew intense in their hearts and the breaths of enthusiasm became great in their being so much so and they gave of their wealth and they gave all that vouchsafed by God to them and in all those states they were grateful to their Lord and they did not seek help from any one and God inscribed the names of the patient ones in His holy and irrevocable tablets.

Truly blessed is the one who arrays himself with the garment of patience and equanimity and who does not change in afflictions and whose footsteps do not slip when the tempests of wrath blow and remains acquiescent at all times and relies on God at all times. I swear by God! Soon will God cause him to be manifested within the canopy of grandeur with a luminous garment which will scintillate like unto the scintillation of light above the spiritual horizon and eyes will be dazzled upon beholding him and above his head there will be a caller from God saying, "This is verily the one who was long suffering for God in the vain and futile world and in all that the unbelievers did unto him. The concourse on high will seek blessing from him and the occupiers of God's pavilions will seek to meet him as well as the holy maidens in the sacred and beautiful tabernacles." So O People of the Bayan! Be patient in these passing days and do not complain that your abject ornaments have been lost and do not bemoan of the afflictive trials that have been ordained in the Mighty Scrolls of God.

Further know ye that for all good deeds there is ordained a limited reward in the Book of God with the exception of patience. This is the point that was made by God unto Muhammad, the Apostle of God. "Those who patiently persevere will truly receive a reward without measure."[2] Thus has the Faithful Spirit revealed unto the heart of Muhammad in the Arabian Tongue and thus has it been revealed in all the mighty and new Tablets what has been ordained for the patient ones. Further know ye that God has ordained patience to be the garment of all the Messengers and no Prophet or Messenger has been sent but his temple has been ordained with the robe of patience. Thus has been taken God's Covenant with every Prophet sent by Him.

It behoveth in the beginning for the patient person to persevere in himself so that he will withhold himself from all wickedness, evil, and desires, and from all that God has forbidden in His Book and so will his name be inscribed in the Tablets as a patient one. And further he shall be persevering despite the afflictions that shall descend on him in the path of his Fashioner and that he be not shaken when the tempestuous winds of divine decree blow and when the ocean of God's destiny billows in the dominion of His irrevocable Plan and that he remain steadfast in the Faith of God.

And further that he should be patient with what the friends of God bring upon him and that he should be forbearing with the believers for the love of God and the pleasure of His Religion. Anticipate ye therefore the Day when the clouds of patience shall be uplifted and the immortal Bird shall warble, and the Peacock of holiness shall be made manifest with the ornament of Revelation in the kingdom of His reunion, and the stammering tongues shall be freed singing the accents of the Nightingale, and the Dove of paradise shall sing betwixt earth and heaven and the Trumpet shall be sounded and bodies of existence shall all be renewed, and the Divine Fire shall be ignited, and God in His transcendent and glorious Beauty shall come in the clouds of the Spirit. Then haste ye to Him O peoples of the earth! And do not heed anything else of this world, and let nothing impede you, and let the affairs of learning should not hinder you and the matters of wisdom should not lock you out haste with all haste to the holy and uplifted Precinct. For if you had been of the patient ones from all eternity but if ye tarry on that Day less than a moment the quality of true patience shall not be yours. This has been revealed by the pen of the Omniscient One.

Say, O people of the world, fear God in these Days and do not fabricate falsehoods against His Trusted Ones and speak not of what ye have no cognizance. For ye are of the weak ones on earth and of the poor ones[3] in His land so wax not proud in your selves and hurry towards the accepted land of God's will.

I swear by God! This nether world shall pass away and all that ye delight in it with it, and the angels of His wrath shall assemble you in the presence of the Mighty and Omnipotent King. And you shall be asked of what you have wrought in your days for naught is left in the heavens or earth but that it is written in the tablets of His Knowledge. Then no one will assist you and none will befriend you and nothing will avail you but what you have planted in the field of your deeds. So be awakened O wicked ones and hearken unto the admonition of this kind Friend who admonishes you for the sake of God and does not want from you either a recompense or thanks. His reward is with the One that has sent Him in truth and has caused to descend on Him verses that the proof may be fulfilled unto all the world. How long will ye repose yourself on the seats of heedlessness and how long shall ye follow that are not but the abject ones moved by others.

I swear by God! They whom you have taken to be lords beside the One True God do not have names or essences mentionable in the sight of God. Have mercy on yourself and fear God your Fashioner. Return to him that He may forgive your evil deeds and he is truly forgiving unto His servants.

Say I swear by God! They to whom you attribute knowledge and have accepted them as your divines they are in the sight of God the worst of men nay the quintessence of evil flees from them. Thus has the matter been inscribed in the scrolls of God's knowledge. We testify that they have not drunk from the fountains of knowledge and they have not attained unto a word of Wisdom and have not become aware of the mysteries of Revelation and have been racing in the land of their selfish desires. Nothing of rejection and denial against a prophet or a successor of a prophet has come to pass except after their permission. Thus has always been their injunction carried out on the Countenances of holiness.

Say to them: O ignorant ones! Did We not reveal in the past: "A Day that God shall come in the canopies of clouds."[4] How is it that when He came down in the clouds of Revelation in the Temple of 'Ali, you turned away and rejected Him and waxed haughty and brought about your own perdition?[5] Was it not also revealed in your Book: "the Day when Thy Lord comes or certain of the signs of Thy Lord."[6] And when He did come with evident signs wherefore did ye turn away from those signs and veiled yourselves with the veils of self?

Say: Verily God is sanctified from coming and descent. For He is Single, Transcendent Whose knowledge encompasses all the heavens and the earth. For He never comes in His Essence nor can He be seen in His Innermost Being and cannot be recognized in His Divine Ipseity and He cannot be comprehended with all His attributes. Thus He that cometh is the Manifestation of His own Self and indeed He did come in the Name of 'Ali[7] and ye gathered around Him with the claws of hatred and passed sentence on Him, O concourse of divines, and were not ashamed in the face of Him Who created you and fashioned you. Thus have We[8] taken account of your affair in preserved Tablets of glory.

O Ear of Immortal truth! Hearken to what these unbelievers say: God has sealed Prophethood with the coming of His Beloved Muhammad, the Apostle of God, and He shall not raise any one after Him[9] and He has made His own hands chained[10] of disposing grace; the embodiments of sanctity shall never appear after Him; the Lights of grace shall never shine again; bounty is terminated; power has ended; loving-kindness has been consummated; the portals of grace are closed even though the breezes of divine grace are ever blowing from the Ridvan of might. Say: May your own hands be chained and accursed are you in these sayings. Rather His hands are stretched to give bounty to all the heavens and the earth. He will rise with power whoever He wishes and He shall not be asked of his doings. Verily He has power over all things.

Say: O People of the Qur'an! Ponder ye in the Book that was revealed in truth unto Muhammad in which he sealed Prophethood with the coming of His beloved Prophet until the day of resurrection. But this day is the day of Resurrection whereon God has risen in the Manifestation of His Self but you have become veiled from it just as the peoples before have become veiled on the advent of Muhammad and you have become drowned in the depths of an ocean of ignorance and denial.

Say: Were ye not promised "attaining the presence of God"[11] in the "Days of God"[12]? But when the Promise did come and the Beauty shone above the Horizon of Glory you turned your gaze away and were resurrected[13] blind in the Plain of resurrection.

Say: Was it not revealed in the Qur'an[14], and His word is the Truth: "Thus have We made you a nation intermediate. That ye may be witnesses over the nations, and the Messenger a witness over yourselves."? But you have interpreted this verse according to your desires although at all times you admitted what was also revealed is truth: None knoweth the interpretation thereof except God and they that are firmly grounded in knowledge[15]. Although you are certain of this verse and although you were prevented, yet you have interpreted and expounded the words of God. But you have risen to object to and to deny those "firmly grounded in knowledge." In fact you slay them as you slew them aforetime and are proud of what you perpetrate. Woe unto you and what your hands have wrought and woe unto what you have vain imaginings in the Cause of God in Days that the lights of guidance are manifest at this dawn of knowledge. Ask them then as to how they interpret that which has been revealed from the kingdom of glory unto the Arabian Prophet and what do they say the meaning of Intermediate is. If Prophethood has been sealed with Him how is the Prophet's nation said to be intermediate amongst the nations? In this wise ascertain the limit of their cognizance. It is as though they have never hearkened the melodies of the Divine Nightingale or if they heard it they did not apprehend its purpose and in this manner the testimony of their own Book is completed unto them. This is what the word of all the peoples when the dispensation of each of the Prophets comes. As oft as a Messenger came to them they told that Messenger, "You have not been sent by God and Prophethood was sealed by the previous one." Thus does Satan embellish to their eyes their deeds and words and in this they are far remote from the shores of truth.

Tell them then the story of Muhammad when aforetime He came with clear sovereignty. Said He, "These are the verses of God that have been revealed in truth." Do not have discord in the Cause of God but gather on around this glorious and transcendent shore. O people! Look at Me with the eye of God and follow not your desires and be not like those who call God in their days and night but when He came to them they turned away and denied him and were found prostrate upon the idols of their own selves.

The Jews said, "By God! This is He who has fabricated a falsehood against God, or He is possessed or He is under a spell." They said, "God has sealed Prophethood with Moses and this command of God is decreed in the Torah. Further the Law of the Torah shall never be abrogated as long as God exists and the One that is to be raised after Moses will arise under the auspices of the Mosaic Law so that he may spread its ordinances amongst all the peoples of the earth and thus has the command of God been revealed from the firmament His Revelation brought down.

The people of the Gospel spoke like unto them and are waiting from that Day till this. And their position was rejected by God in that which He revealed upon Muhammad in the Arabic tongue in the Sura of the Jinn: "They came to think as ye thought that God would not raise up any one (to Prophethood)."[16]

I swear by God! This verse and what is treasured within it suffices all the peoples of the earth should they tread the goodly and honorable path. Say[17]: God hath sent down His Messengers to succeed to Moses and Jesus, and He will continue to do so till 'the end that bath no end'; so that His grace may, from the heaven of Divine Bounty be continually vouchsafed to mankind. He doeth what He willeth and He shall not be asked of what He does. Rather all will be asked of all things in the court of divine Justice.

Hearken then unto what these objectors say and how they have come to think as the servants who were before have thought. Say: I swear by God! Ye are guilty of a misapprehension in this matter. For verily the "Hour" has passed in truth and the "Resurrection" has risen despite you and despite those who are deafened unto divine melodies. Say: Ye speak as the peoples of bygone ages spoke at the time of the Apostle of God and ye are expectant as they were expectant and your footsteps have slipped upon this path which has been outstretched for truth. Ponder ye therefore on the significance of this verse that ye may be nourished from the nourishment of knowledge that is descending from the heaven of holiness in a preordained measure.

O Solace of the Eyes of Eternity! Witness what the unbelievers report about this verdant and blessed Tree that is upraised on the musk-laden mount. So high have its Branches grown that They have reached a place hidden beyond the Tabernacles of holiness. And these unbelievers have purposed to cut omits twigs. Say: it is protected in the fortress of God and is guarded in His loving providence and yet God has prevented the hands of the unbelievers and hypocrites from molesting it, such that their hands will never reach it. Soon will God gather under its shade all who are in the kingdom of existence and this is what God has written for His own Self to accomplish and all that has been irrevocable in the Tablets of might written with the Pen of knowledge.

O Solace of the Eyes of Beauty! Remind the servants with the remembrances of the spirit in these days and make them hear the immortal melodies that they may come to apprehend in themselves something even for lesser than a moment haply they may not entertain thoughts as the people aforetime thought and that they may have certitude that God is able to send a Messenger at all moments. Say O people of hatred! May you perish in your wrath! This victory has been decreed by the luminous and glorious Pen. Reveal unto them what the Dove of the Spirit has sung in the holy and beloved Ridvan haply they may follow the interpretation of the term "Seal" as was uttered by the Tongue of the Name of God 'Ali, He Who was firmly grounded in knowledge, in His Visitation of the Prophet. He said in truth, "Muhammad the Sealer of what preceded Him and the Initiator of that which was to come[18]." In this was uttered the significance of the term of Seal from that unapproachably holy tongue. Thus did God ordain Him to be the Seal of those Prophets that preceded Him and an Initiator of a series of Messengers to come after Him.

In this wise ponder ye in what We have revealed unto you in all truth that ye find a way to the precinct of God's Revelation on the shore of holiness. Be not veiled therefore because of what ye have heard from your divines and ask the questions of religion from him whom God has ordained to be "firmly grounded in knowledge" and from whose countenance resplendent lights are shed.

O people! Fear God and take not knowledge from muddied fountains that flow from a source of self and ignorance. Take ye your portion from sweet flowing, unsullied, waters that flow from the right hand of the throne and which God has apportioned for the righteous.

O Holy Countenance! Waft unto all existent things what God has vouchsafed in His munificence unto Thee that all things may rise from the sepulchres of their bodies and that they may all be cognizant of that Revelation that has come in all truth. Then send upon all beings musk-laden breezes that have been fragrant from thee from the source of immortality that haply moldering bones may be revived by them and that people may not deprive themselves from this Spirit that has been breathed by this pre-existent, eternal, and timeless Pen and thereby they, endowed with the most beauteous form, may attain resurrection in this holy and blest land.

O Pen of Revelation! Thou seest and bearest witness that beings do not seek this outspread bountiful mercy that encompasses all the heavens and the earth and seek not to turn to the Countenance from whom the lights of the Spirit shine forth and by Whom all the Kingdoms of Revelation and creation have become illumined, and Thou art a witness unto all that. These people race in the valley of self and desire and immerse themselves with those who have not attained Thy presence even though Thou hast given them all the glad tidings of this Day by Thy glorious and perspicuous Pen. Thou sayest and Thy word is most sweet in the dominion of eternity. On that day the Cause belongs solely unto God.

Thus hath the matter pertaining to this day been inscribed by the Pen of Glory moved by the Finger of Spirit upon the Tablet of glory, and when the day did come to pass and when the hour did come and when the matter was consummated and when the lights of Thy beauty were shining in the midmost part of heaven then all of them rose in opposition to this light which shineth from all the horizons. They veiled themselves with thick veils of faithlessness. In this manner apprehend the position of all the peoples in all the ages namely that despite their waiting and their anticipation of the Days of God, when the time pre-ordained did come to pass they all denied him because of that which Satan had suggested in their hearts and caused themselves to be remote from the shores of holiness.

In this Day also you see these unbelievers awaited and they indeed were expectant in all their Days as they were promised by the tongue of Muhammad the Apostle of God. And whenever they heard the name of the Promised One they rose and shouted, "May God hasten by His Advent our deliverance!" And when He appeared in all truth they gainsaid Him, and raised objections to Him, and disputed idly with Him, and imprisoned Him in the midst of mountains, and the hatred of their hearts was not quenched until they perpetrated against Him what caused the hearts of all existence and visible reality to burn, and because of this the foundations of the City of immortality in the divine dominions trembled and the Beauty of the Unseen mourned in His holy and secret domains.

O Countenance of Glory! Remind the believers and the Concourse of the everlasting what the unbelievers used to utter in the Days commemorating the martyrdom of the Imam Husayn at the hands of the unjust and wicked ones. These people used to recite the verses of Visitation of Husayn every day and would accurse the doers of wrong against Him, so much so that every morning they would recite a hundred times, "O God, curse the first to wrong the just cause of Muhammad and the Family of Muhammad![19]" And when Husayn was resurrected once more in the Holy Land they wronged Him and killed Him and they perpetrated against him what was never done before. In this wise does God separate between truth and falsehood and between light and darkness and reveals to you what will make manifest the deeds of all wrong-doers.

Then make mention in the Book, the servant of God, Taqi[20]. He who believed in God on the day when the revelation was resplendent from the dawning place of the spirit. He is the one who assisted his Lord as much as he could when Vahid entered the eastern city of love [i.e. Nayriz]. He said "O my people, in truth the testimony of God has come and the countenance of truth is unveiled." O people of the Qur'an! Haste ye to it and do not turn your back therefrom. O my people! The beauty of God has dawned from the horizon of holiness. The promise is fulfilled. Haste ye to the Ridvan in which his countenance is shining from. Beware that you do not deprive yourselves and your eyes from attaining the presence of God, for this is the day of God which has been ordained to be harsh unto the unbelievers.[21]

0 my people! Verily the Book of God has been set and this is the book wherein nothing of the deeds of the peoples of the world is left out from it even to the measure of a tiny pebble[22]. 0 people! Do not become veiled from the beauty of God that has come in the shades of the clouds surrounded by holy angels for this is the way his revelation has been decreed from his throne on high.

Remember when Vahid said, "O people, I have come to you bearing a Tablet of spirit from the Bab, the exalted One. O people, do not enter divisions in this Cause of God and answer this caller who calls you with all sincere truthfulness and who discloses for you what will approximate you to the right hand of the Beloved and glorious One. O people, you have been promised in all the tablets to attain the presence of God and this is the day that the beauty of God has been disclosed, the day in which His light has been manifest, the day in which the Summoner[23] is calling you and the day in which the heavens have been cloven asunder with the clouds[24]. Fear ye God and do not close your eyes from the most luminous and holy beauty."

This is the day you have been promised through the tongue of the messengers and this way God took a covenant from you in the heaven of pre-existence. Therefore fulfill your own covenant and do not tarry upon the land of misgiving. There is amongst the people one who has been faithful to the call of God and responded the truthful Summoned and there is one that has turned away and rebelled against God. Amongst those who have accepted God is the one named Taqi. He has believed and has been faithful to his promise. He attained the presence of Vahid, he adhered firmly to the most firm handle. He did not divide the word of God. He was faithful to the true religion. He assisted God at all times in whatever way he could, God has placed his name upon the lines of eternity written by the Pen of glory. Suffering and affliction embraced him and he bore in his own soul all manner of afflictions and under those circumstances he was always grateful and ever patient.

Those who assist God with their wealth and their lives and who are patient under all conditions of hardship for the purpose of attracting God's good pleasure these are the ones who shall attain victory for all eternity. Such people even if they are killed or burned because they have been created of the spirit shall always soar in the spiritual atmosphere through God's permission. These shall not attend to their bodies in this world and these seek sufferings in the path of God as a sinner seeks forgiveness, as a babe seeks the breast milk given to it by the mercy of God thus does the nightingale remind you with spiritual recollections so that men may detach themselves from their own self, their money and wealth and to return to the holy and clear presence.

Days passed until such time as a group of people from the town which God has blessed and whose name has been uplifted in the Tablet from which the Mother Book has been derived gathered around Vahid. These people obeyed the commands of God, circled around his cause, sacrificed their wealth, gave up everything they had of the treasures of this world, and were not frightened of anyone and God is aware of everything. Their hearts were like iron in the aim to render victory to God, no blame from the blamer attached to them, no objection prevented them, rather they were exalted in the cities of God like holy and uplifted ensigns. Matters reached a point that the chieftain of the army of tyranny, he who disbelieved in God and His beauty and turned away from His proofs and was the most wicked man of the earth, heard about Vahid. Unto this bears witness those men who are hidden in the tabernacles of immortality.

O people of Nayriz! Thank ye God your creator who vouchsafed His bounty upon you, preferred you upon the peoples of the earth, honored you with attaining His presence, made you aware of His own self, nourished you from the fruits of the Tree of paradise at a time when all were depriving themselves of it. God gave you the bounty of appreciating His Days, God sent you the breezes of holiness and turned you to the right hand of divine unity and enabled you to get close to the holy Vale. Thus does God vouchsafe unto whomever He wishes and He chooses to confer His mercy upon those who have detached themselves of all earthly things. Thus cheer yourselves and pride yourselves over all the peoples of the earth. Know you that God has written your names upon Holy Tablets and has ordained for you a praiseworthy station in paradise. I swear by God! If the station of anyone of you should become clear all the peoples will give their lives in their desire for this station created by the hand of God. But this station is hidden from the eyes of men that the good may be distinguished from the corrupt and thus does God test the people in this world that what is in their hearts may become manifest and you have been a witness to all that.

How many servants of God who worshipped God in the days of their life and who would order the people to good and righteousness and would weep over the afflictions of the family of God[25] and who would cast their eyes down when they would recite their prayers and their Tablets of Visitation all these to express their devotion and adoration to the Seat of Sanctity. But when the Truth came to them they turned away and disbelieved in Him until they slew Him with their own hands and were happy in their deeds. Thus does God bring to naught the deeds of those who show pride and will accept the deeds of those who turn solely unto Him, and humble themselves before His countenance and tread the path of His good pleasure.

O people of Nayriz! Recall the bounty of God wherewith He has graciously vouchsafed unto you and whereby He has taught you what He has not taught the divines of the earth -- divines who because of the great size of their turbans cannot even walk on earth and when they move it is as if a mountain of hatred moves.

I swear by God! It behooves you, O friends of God, that you sanctify yourselves from all that ye have been forbidden and thank God in all your days and your nights because He chose you for a bounty from of which others did not have a portion. You must give account of your Lord, your Creator, so that because of you the fragrances of God may be wafted and in this way you may be distinguished from those who have disbelieved and joined partners unto God. Thus does the Nightingale give counsel unto you and teach you the ways of knowledge that you may become steadfast in the religion of God and constant in that religion of love. Fear God and do not dissipate your deeds through negligence and do not impress on God as a favor that they believe in God and the person of His Manifestation. Rather it is God that has conferred the favor on you in that He has assisted you to recognize the Revelation and has shown you the paths of dignity and righteousness and has inspired you with His wondrous and treasured knowledge.

Blessed are ye the people of Nayriz in that you are patient in your suffering and afflictions in these times ordained by God and in all you heard with your ears and as all you witnessed soon God will reward you with the best reward and He shall give you what shall be pleasing to your souls and what shall establish your names in his hidden and holy Book. Strive therefore that you do not waste your fortitude with complaints and be ye acquiescent with what God has ordained unto you and what He shalt ordain in the future. For this world and its ornaments and its treasures shall all vanish in less than a moment for there is no permanence in it and you shall attain the presence of the glorious Beloved. Great is your blessedness therefore and those who sacrificed themselves in the days of God for they are of those who soared in the atmosphere of divine love until they reached a place that was forbidden unto those other than them.

O holy Pen! Recount what came to pass upon Vahid from the enemies of the self of God so that his affair may be mentioned amongst the Concourse on High in all truth. When he [i.e. Haji Zaynu'l-Abidin Khan, the governor of Nayriz] who disbelieved and waxed wicked and showed pride before God and rebelled against Him sent the armies of unbelief and commanded those armies to kill those people who had no equal or compare in the depth of their belief in God, and when he commanded them to shed the blood of those people whose blood has caused everything to be made pure, he then ordered the multitude to perpetrate what was not revealed in the Book of God for such was his custom and degree. He then arranged that there be two chiefs for the hosts of the enemy, chiefs who had disbelieved in God and in His verses and who had exchanged for their religion this world and who bought for themselves everlasting and permanent deprivation and who were proceeding to face as a result of their tyranny the wrath of God. These two chieftains came with all their armies of disbelief and with all their hosts of wickedness and they surrounded the hosts of God and his loved ones and they are already inscribed in the Mother Book by the Pen of revelation as the most wicked of people. For they waged war against the companions of God, they fought with them, they disputed with them, they engaged in many battles with them, and they did whatever they could to vanquish the hosts of the one true God, but in all these battles God made them to be defeated in the hands of the believers.

When they were impotent to defeat the party of God and His loved ones, they engaged in many deliberations and arranged a deception and consulted on their plans until they decided to send to Vahid an envoy with a tongue of falsehood and deception. This envoy of Satan entered the presence of Vahid and said, "O Vahid, you are a descendent of the Prophet Muhammed and we admit that you have the dignity and honor above us and we have not come to antagonize thee but we wish for a reconciliation and we are prepared to hear what you have to tell us and we shall follow what you say and not dispute with that in the smallest way possible.

Then Vahid's spiritual utterance started and the Holy Spirit spoke through his tongue and said, "O people! If you accept my honor and dignity and if you admit that I am a descendent of the Prophet of God, why have you attacked me with your armies, why have you encircled our people and why have you turned away from the cause of God and rebelled against him? O people! Fear God. Do not perpetrate mischief in God's earth. Do not abandon the true religion of God behind your backs. Fear God who has created you and nourished you and revealed to you these new and wondrous verses. O people! The world will pass away, your armies will disappear as will also the one who sent you with the intention of oppressing us. Consider what happened to the nations of the past and learn of those affairs that transpired. O people, I am nothing but a servant who has believed in God and in the verses of God that have been revealed through the utterance of 'Ali in truth [i.e. the Bab. If you are not pleased with me, I shall travel away from you towards God as I do not seek anything here. Fear God and do not shed the blood of His lovers; do not take in vain the property of people; do not disbelieve after your claims of belief. These are my counsels unto you, follow my advice and do not deprive yourselves of a revelation that has dawned from the horizon of the spirit. O people, will you kill someone who says my Lord is Gad after he has brought verses whose comprehension is beyond the intelligence of all creation? Have mercy on yourselves and do not follow your selfish desires. You shall soon leave this evanescent world and you shall soon find yourselves in the presence of One Who is omnipotent and self-subsisting. You shall be asked then of what you have done in this world and you shall be requited with all your deeds in this perishing domain. All this has been decreed irrevocably in the Tablets of Glory."

Following this there were many envoys and communications between them until they introduced the Book of God, the Qur'an, and pledged a solemn oath on it and sealed it and sent it to Vahid, the beauteous one. In this way they sought to accomplish a deception in the cause of God by pledging by their tongue what was not in their heart for their hatred was like a fire smoldering behind the smoke of deception. They implored Vahid to adorn their tents and assemblies with his coming and they further emphasized all their pledges and covenants although they were recumbent on the couch of self and desire. When the sealed Qur'an, the Book of God, came in front of Vahid he rose and said to his friends, "O people, the promised hour is come, the decrees of God will soon be accomplished, I shall go to them so that what is hidden behind the tabernacles of God's destiny will come to pass", for indeed he was always reliant upon God.

Vahid entered amongst the armies of tyranny and the hosts of Satan with a few souls. His enemies rose and welcomed him and gave him honor in their walking and sitting and he stayed with them a few days and in his name they composed a missive to the people of Nayriz that they should separate and that no trouble will await them until they made sure that they were all separated and then the armies of unbelief entered their residence and performed a great deception over them. When they were sure of what they had done they then bespoke their covenant and testament and turned away from the pledge sealed in the Book and it is thus that their names are written in the Books of God as those who are cursed. They took Vahid, they dishonored him, they made his body naked and they perpetrated against that body what causes the eyes of the People of Paradise to shed tears of blood. May God curse such people who cause such oppression and to those who act tyrannically in these days when the Son of Truth is still hidden behind the clouds of holiness. They were not happy in what they had done or how may they had slain or how many of their women they had enslaved or how much of their property they had plundered. In none of these they feared God who was their creator and their Lord rather they used to vie with each other as to how much oppression they laid loose on the believers in accord with what the evil one inspired them but God is a witness of all deeds.

Matters reached to this pass that they raised the decapitated heads on arrows and spears and brought these heads to the land which God has honored above all lands for the Merciful One sat on the throne of His great Name.[26] And when they brought these to that city, the inhabitants of the city gathered around them, some inflicted harm in their insults and some stoned them and in these circumstances the denizens of heaven raised the fingers of wonderment and astonishment at what they perpetrated against these luminous beings. After they caused them to enter that city He only knows what befell them for God is the one who has taken account of everything in His gracious and glorious Book.

O Thou beauty of the holy One! This is not the first deed the unbelievers perpetrated for in the past they killed Husayn and His companions and they enslaved His family and now they cry over him and lament His events every morning and eve. Say to them O Concourse of the ignorant, did you not seek to establish the truth of Husayn and His companions because they sacrificed themselves and their possessions? Is that not what you commemorate? Why is it them that you attribute unbelief to these holy martyrs for they also sacrificed their possessions and their families in the path of God and these believers also strove in that path until they were all slain in different ways in such wise that no ear has heard and no eye has seen? When it is said to them "Why did you kill those who believed in God and His verses?" they replied, "Because we find them to be unbelievers."

Say: by God, your reply is exactly what proceeded from your mouth against all the Prophets and Messengers and you kill them all with the sword of hatred for God comprehends everything. Woe unto you for you disbelieved in all the Messengers of God for you rose to fight all of them and shed their blood unjustly and the Tablets which are concealed testify to your deeds. Tell them, did not God ordain in his Book (the Qur'an) what distinguishes truth and falsehood with His words (yearn for death if you speak the truth[27]? So why have you ascribed falsehood to those whom the Book of God testified to their truth, a Book after which no falsehood comes[28] as this has been sent down in the Tablet. But you are not conscious of this and you have abandoned the Book of God behind you, and you have slain those who yearn for martyrdom in the path of God, and this testifieth your own eyes, your tongue, your heart and beyond all this God is a witness unto this.

Fie on you, for you have shed the blood of people whom the eyes of existence have not seen like them and you have ascribed falsehood after the Book of God testified to their truth and in all this you have followed those who are not prepared to lose an atom of their prestige in the path of God. Their greatest endeavor in this world is to eat of the peoples' property and to sit at the high place in the assemblies of people and in all of this is their sole glory upon the peoples of the world. By God! It is worthy that you should indeed take these evildoers to be your friends and that you should follow them and as a result enter a fire that has been created for these unbelievers. Say to them, by God, if only you could have any awareness in yourselves even less than a moment, you would erase all your books that you have written without God's permission and you would hit your heads and you would flee from your own homes and you would live in mountains and you would feed yourselves only the dust of the earth.

Say unto them, the destiny of those who have been martyred is fulfilled and now they are flying in the atmosphere of God's nearness and they are circumambulating His mighty throne and at all times the angels of God's bounty descends upon them and gives them the glad tidings of a glorious station and at every day God reveals to them his ornament that if it should be disclosed to the peoples of the heavens and earth they would all fall down and become stupefied.

Say to them: O Concourse of evildoers, do not rejoice in your deeds for you shall soon return to God and you shall face the resurrection in the mighty arena on a day which will result in the quacking of the limbs of all creation. God will then adjudicate against you with his justice because of what your hands have perpetrated against the believers in your worthless times. Nothing will be left of your deeds but it will all be presented to Him and you shall be requited with what your hands have wrought for nothing escapes God's knowledge and He comprehends all things. Soon will these wrongdoers say while sunk in the lowest grades of hellfire would to God that we had not taken these divines to be friends for us.

O people of Nayriz! Recall the bounty of God when you were on the edge of unbelief but God redeemed you with his loving kindness and guided you to His name, Vahid. Recall further when you were enemies that God brought harmony in your hearts and united you and uplifted your names and revealed to you verses from the tongue of glory of the well beloved. Recall further when We passed by you with the hosts of our angels when We opened the doors of paradise unto you when you were assembled in that fort. That was the time when the evil one whispered amongst you and caused fear to enter your hearts and it was then that We found some of you trembling and quaking but We forgave those who were trembling as a mercy on our part and upon all peoples.

Say: those of your town who have disbelieved are the worst of men as you are the best of men, thus has it been reckoned in the Tablet, which is sealed with the seal of glory. Those people who did not attain the presence of Vahid those who fought with him, disputed idly with him, they have been cursed in both this world and the next and the word of retribution has been enacted against them from the Mighty the Wise One.

O friends of God in that city! Take hold firmly the cord of God, then thank him as he has preferred you in all truth and because of His mercy you became steadfast upon the path of holiness. O trees of that city, prostrate yourselves before God, your Creator, as the breezes of the divine springtime wafted over you in this resplendent and divine season. O land of that city, be thankful to God, your Lord, for you are the land changed by God on the day of resurrection and upon you has shone the light of the spirit from the most luminous horizon. O air of that city, make mention of God who has purified you from the dust of self and desire and caused you to be revived and to return back to His old self.

O Yahya! Great is your blessedness for you fulfilled the everlasting covenant when the heavens and the earth were created and you took hold of the Book of God with the strength of your sincere belief and turned yourself to the sanctuary of the divine beauty having been moved by the breezes of His day. Therefore, celebrate in the Concourse on High for you have been mentioned in the Tablet to which belongs the spirit of all divine books and beyond the books, the Mother Book that has been protected in the sanctuary of infallibility. Thus does God reward his servants who believe in Him and His verses and He taketh hold of those who act tyrannically on earth. May the malediction of God rest upon the wrong doers.

O Solace of the eye of eternity! Change your tone and chant upon the melodies of those nightingales singing in the tabernacle of divine names and in the dominions of divine attributes that the birds of the throne may detach themselves from the dust of themselves, and may therefore turn back to their original homeland which is sanctified beyond transcendence. O Thou Quintessence of truth! Sing and chant with the most beauteous melodies for all the maidens of paradise have come out of their assemblies and their tents of purity that they may hear Your own melody, the melody that has been sung in the pages of God in the book, Qayyumu'l-Asma. Do not deprive these of what they have desired to hear of Thy new and wondrous melodies and loving kindness for Thou art indeed the most generous One in the highest grades of immortality and in truth Thou art indeed the most generous One in the dominion of eternity and Thy Name is well known amongst the concourse on high as the Generous One.

O Thou most holy Beauty! The unbelievers do not respite Thee that a breath should be exhaled from Thy chest for as My voice wishes to leave My mouth, they place the hand of hatred over My mouth and yet with all your knowledge of this matter you command Me to raise My call in this atmosphere for Thou art the doer in truth, Thou art the commander in justice. Thou does what Thou wishes and Thou art wise over all things. If Thou hearkenest to the call of Thy servant, if Thou fulfillest his wish then forgive them with the utmost kind word and delicate utterance that those handmaidens of eternity may return to their seats in the crimson and ruby laden chambers.[29] Thou knowest that I have now become afflicted between the unbelievers from two parties and Thou commandest in both Revelations and overseest both Dispensations and Thou art manifest in the Twin garments and Thou art resplendent through the Two Suns and have been mentioned with the Twin Names, possessest the Twin Dawning-places, commandest the secret of the Twin Mysteries in these Two Lines and God is fully aware beyond all this.[30]

Thou knowest that I have no fear for Myself rather I have sacrificed Myself, My soul and My spirit on the day that Thou graciously honored Me with Thy presence, the day that Thou made me recognize Thy new beauty and inspired me with the gems of Thy revelation which are shed upon everyone that entereth the shade of thy cause. My fear is that the limbs of they command may fall apart in this great revelation as these envious ones have created divisions on the day that Thou seated thyself upon the throne of existence with they all embracing mercy. Thus have we explained everything in a Tablet that is revealed from the heaven of the divine spirit.

O Thou blood soaked Garment[31]! Do not heed the misgivings of mankind rather burn asunder their veils and appear with thy divine ornament amongst earth and heaven and chant of they hidden and treasured melodies born of Thy spirit in these days whereon there has befallen upon the Manifestation of the self of God what the eyes of creation have not seen. O Thou most holy beauty! The Cause is in thy hand and I am not but a humble servant before Thee, commanded by Thee and it is because Thou commanded me to make mention of the most Great Remembrance and of the most Great Treasure. Therefore, thou shouldst order Thy heavenly angels to protect the limbs of the divine throne and the exalted angels to guard the tabernacles of grandeur lest veils of divinity may be torn asunder as a consequence of this call which has been hidden up to now in Thy chest. And yet Glory of the Spirit! Conceal not Thyself behind those veils but appear with the might of God and break the sew the Vessel of Spirit - a Vessel that has been sealed with the Seal of divine protection from the beginning that has no beginning, that perfume-laden fragrances may blow from this Pre-existent Vessel upon all creation so that it may revive all existence with the breath of the Merciful that they may all arise to serve the Cause in this day whereon the Spirit is evidently visible above the dawn of truth.

Say: this Tablet enjoins upon you patience on this day of the Great Terror[32] and commands us to be forbear in this Most Great Agitation[33] when this Dove of Hijaz flies from Iraq and sheds upon all contingent beings the fragrances of separation and on the face of heaven appears the color red for thus is the matter decreed in the Mother Book.

Say: The Bird of Immortality has flown from the Horizon of Eternity[34] and has purposed the Sheba of the Spirit in the Sinai of holiness so that in the Mirror of divine destiny the commands of His decree may be reflected and this is but one of God's hidden secrets. Say: The Bird of Glory has flown from one branch and has sought the Branch of holiness planted in the land of exile. Say: the Breeze of Divine Unity has dawned from the Abode of Peace [i.e. Baghdad] and has sought to blow over the city of separation as mentioned in the scrolls of divine Revelation. Say: O concourse in the heavens and on earth! Throw ye ashes[35] on your faces and on your heads because the Beauty of God disappears from these near cities and intends to dawn from the horizon of a remote heaven.[36] All this has been decreed in truth and We are thankful to God in that He has caused to descend on Us tribulation after tribulation and at this moment too He rains upon Us from the Clouds of His Decree down-pouring of well-known sorrows.

O Thou Quintessence of sorrow! Seal thou the utterance in this remembrance for We have truly become saddened and the Concourse on High have become sorrowful and then make mention of that servant of God who asked of that true and veritable "Great Announcement." Say: I swear by the One True God! That "Announcement" came to pass in the Perspicuous Beauty of 'Ali[37]. But the servants disagreed about it and the divines of this Age objected to Him -- divines who were veiled in the veils of self. And you did recognize the Beauty of God in The Raiment of 'Ali, the Self-Subsisting. And ere long all in the heavens and earth will recognize Him and this was previously inscribed in truth and has been irrevocable with God. And ye shall know of His Announcement at an inevitably approaching time.

But O people of the Bayan! Strive with the utmost striving that ye may not disagreed[38] about the Cause of God and be ye as steadfast as the mountain in all truth in such wise that the whisperings of the Evil One may not cause you to slip and that nothing on earth may pervert you. All this is that which the Dove of Revelation counselleth you at the time of departure from 'Iraq because of what the hands of unbelievers have wrought. Furthermore know ye, O concourse of chosen ones, that when the Sun sets, the birds of night will move about in the darkness, but you ought not pay heed to them. Rather turn your faces in this well-beloved and holy direction. Beware lest ye follow the "Samiri"[39] in your souls; beware lest ye fall behind the "Calf" when it bleats amongst you. This is my best counsel unto you and unto all created things. You shall hear the call of Samiri after Me and he will summon you to the Evil One. Go ye not therefore to him, rather turn to this Hidden and Glorious Beauty. At this point We address all who are in heaven and on earth from this City that haply all things may attain to what has been ordained for them from the Wise, the Omniscient One.

O Moment[40] of time! Be not heedless of this moment that has come in truth during which the breeze of God is blowing from a holy and westerly direction. O Hour[41]! Celebrate this hour that has arisen with thee and recognize this eternal, heavenly and everlasting banquet that has descended from the clouds of holiness and light from the heaven of might in the name of God. O Day! Illumine all existing things in this luminous, effulgent and divine Day that has become manifest from the horizon of Iraq.

In this wise We clarify for you the divine verses and We disclose to you the words of the spirit and vouchsafe unto all things what has been ordained in the Book of divine might so that everyone may know the fountain of divine bounty which is following from this Ridvan in all truth. May the spirit be upon you and upon those who have circumambulating and directing themselves in the direction of divine love.
Translator's Footnotes

[1] Qur'an 20:40.
[2] Qur'an 39:10.
[3] Qur'an 35:15 and 47:38
[4] Qur'an 2:210.
[5] Qur'an 25:18 and 48:12.
[6] Qur'an 6:158.
[7] The Bab.
[8] Qur'an 36:12 and 78:29.
[9] Qur'an 40:74 and 72:7.
[10] Qur'an 5:64.
[11] Qur'an 6:31, 6:154, 10:45, 13:2, 18:110, 29:5, 32:10, 10:7, 10:11, 10:15, 18:105 and 29:23.
[12] Qur'an 14:5.
[13] Qur'an 20:124.
[14] Qur'an 2:143.
[15] Qur'an 3:7.
[16] Qur'an 72:7.
[17] This next verse is translated by Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Baha'u'llah 116.
[18] This refers to the Tablet of Visitation of the Imam 'Ali addressing the spirit of the Prophet Muhammad, (quoted in the book of Mafatih al Jinan, by Qomi).
[19] Such maledictions are found in the Visitations of the Imams, see for example Mafátih al-Jinán of Qummi, "Ziyárat al-Amir Yawmal-Ghadir Alláhummal-'an awwala zálimin zalanu Aala Muhammadin."
[20]20 Haji Muhammad Taqi, surnamed Ayyub, God Passes By 130.
[21] Qur'an 25:26.
[22] Qur'an 25:13 and 4:124.
[23] Qur'an 50:41
[24] Qur'an 25:25
[25] The afflictions of the Prophet's grandson, the Imam Husayn.
[26] Shiraz.
[27] Qur'an 2:94 and 62:6
[28] Qur'an 41:42
[29] Crimson here refers to the Crimson Arc and the color red refers to the realm of divine decree called Qadá.
[30] It appears that in this passage there is a reference to the divine handmaidens mentioned in the Bab's revelation of Qayyumu'l-Asma and that these handmaidens came to hear the new melodies revealed by Baha'u'llah but then at the end of that revelation He is seeking that these handmaidens return to their tabernacles because at that point Baha'u'llah is surrounded by opposition of two parties: the people of Islam and the people of the Bayan. Further there are multiple references to the twin revelations and echoes of "Twin-ness" of many passages of Qayyamal-Asmaa for example in the Sura of Zikr, p. 224, of the Afnan family copy, the Bab reveals: Qul Inni anal-Bahaa ....wa Inni An-al Nazir fi al Mashriqayn ... Nurayn... Turayn...Satrayn (twin lights, twin mounts, etc.)
[31]31 There are many references in the Qayyumu'l-Asma' to the blood-soaked Garment. The original story is from the Qur'an 12 where Joseph's blood-soaked garment is brought to his father. In the Bab's writings this brood becomes the blood of the Imam Husayn (Qayyumu'l-Asma 32 and 191). This blood-soaked Garment, according to the Bab, proclaims: "Verily, I am God ..." For Baha'is, Baha'u'llah represents the spiritual Return of the Imam Husayn.
[32] Qur'an 21:103
[33] Qur'an 14:21
[34] Conscious of its many nuances (see Mazandarani, Asraru'l-Athar), 'Ama has been rendered eternity.
[35] Qur'an 14:18
[36] Contrasting the "near" Baghdad to the "remote" Adrianople
[37] According to Baha'u'llah, the "Great Announcement" of Qur'an 78:2, 38:67 and 38:88 is the Bab.
[38] "Concerning what are they disputing? Concerning the Great Announcement. About which they cannot agree." Qur'an 78:1-3
[39] Qur'an 20:85-95 references to Mirza Yahya and Siyyid Muhammad Isfahani
[40] There are many references to Hin [i.e. moment of time], thus Qur'an 38:88 and 28:15.
[41] Nearly fifty references in Qur'an to the Hour; see for example 12:107, 16:77, 18:36, 25:11, 41:17, 43:61, 54:1.

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SWA P111 #73 (Lady wishing to celebrate Ridvan)
http://www.reference.bahai.org/en/t/ab/SAB/sab-74.html
* Written to a Bahai Woman in Britain
O daughter of the Kingdom! Thy letter hath come and its contents make clear the fact that thou hast directed all thy thoughts toward acquiring light from the realms of mystery. So long as the thoughts of an individual are 111 scattered he will achieve no results, but if his thinking be concentrated on a single point wonderful will be the fruits thereof.
One cannot obtain the full force of the sunlight when it is cast on a flat mirror, but once the sun shineth upon a concave mirror, or on a lens that is convex, all its heat will be concentrated on a single point, and that one point will burn the hottest. Thus is it necessary to focus one's thinking on a single point so that it will become an effective force.
Thou didst wish to celebrate the Day of Ridván with a feast, and to have those present on that day engage in reciting Tablets with delight and joy, and thou didst request me to send thee a letter to be read on that day. My letter is this:
O ye beloved, and ye handmaids of the Merciful! This is the day when the Day-Star of Truth rose over the horizon of life, and its glory spread, and its brightness shone out with such power that it clove the dense and high-piled clouds and mounted the skies of the world in all its splendour. Hence do ye witness a new stirring throughout all created things.
See how, in this day, the scope of sciences and arts hath widened out, and what wondrous technical advances have been made, and to what a high degree the mind's powers have increased, and what stupendous inventions have appeared.
This age is indeed as a hundred other ages: should ye gather the yield of a hundred ages, and set that against the accumulated product of our times, the yield of this one era will prove greater than that of a hundred gone before. Take ye, for an example, the sum total of all the books that were ever written in ages past, and compare that with the books and treatises that our era hath produced: these books, 112 written in our day alone, far and away exceed the total number of volumes that have been written down the ages. See how powerful is the influence exerted by the Day-Star of the world upon the inner essence of all created things!
But alas, a thousand times alas! The eyes see it not, the ears are deaf, and the hearts and minds are oblivious of this supreme bestowal. Strive ye then, with all your hearts and souls, to awaken those who slumber, to cause the blind to see, and the dead to rise.
PUP 18 Apr 1912 (History Talk)
http://bahai-library.org/writings/abdulbaha/pup/2/sec-12.html
After two years He returned to Baghdád. Friends He had known in Sulaymaniyyih came to visit Him. They found Him in His accustomed environment of ease and affluence and were astonished at the appointments of One Who had lived in seclusion under such frugal conditions in Kurdistan.

The Persian government believed the banishment of the Blessed Perfection from Persia would be the extermination of His Cause in that country. These rulers now realized that it spread more rapidly. His prestige increased; His teachings became more widely circulated. The chiefs of Persia then used their influence to have Bahá'u'lláh exiled from Baghdád. He was summoned to Constantinople by the Turkish authorities. While in Constantinople He ignored every restriction, especially the hostility of ministers of state and clergy. The official representatives of Persia again brought their influence to bear upon the Turkish authorities and succeeded in having Bahá'u'lláh banished from Constantinople to Adrianople, the object being to keep Him as far away as possible from Persia and render His communication with that country more difficult. Nevertheless, the Cause still spread and strengthened.

Finally, they consulted together and said, "We have banished Bahá'u'lláh from place to place, but each time he is exiled his cause is more widely extended, his proclamation increases in power, and day by day his lamp is becoming brighter. This is due to the fact that we have exiled him to large cities and populous centers. Therefore, we will send him to a penal colony as a prisoner so that all may know he is the associate of murderers, robbers and criminals; in a short time he and his followers will perish." The Sultán of Turkey then banished Him to the prison of 'Akká in Syria.

Encylopedia Article (John Walbridge)
[Note: first is Walbridge's encyclopedia article, followed by his slightly revised version for Sacred Acts. -J.W.]
Two articles on Ridvan
John Walbridge
Ridvan, Festival of. The twelve day period commemorating Baha'u'llah's announcement of his claim to prophethood and his departure from Baghdad in 1863, observed from sunset 20 April to sunset, 2 May. The first, ninth and twelfth days of Ridvan are major Baha'i holy days on which work should be suspended. Baha'i elections are normally held during Ridvan. The name derives from the Najibiyyih Garden in Baghdad where Baha'u'llah stayed during this period and to which he gave the name Ridvan (Paradise).
1. Baha'u'llah's departure from Baghdad. Following Baha'u'llah's arrival in Iraq in the spring of 1853, he had gradually established warm relations with the ordinary people of Baghdad as well as with notables of all sorts: Ottoman officials, clerics, and Persian pilgrims and exiles. He had also become the generally recognized leader of the Babi community, although his brother Mirza Yahya was still accepted as the appointed successor of the Bab. Baghdad - close to the Iranian border, adjacent to several Shi'i shrine cities and home to many Iranian political exiles - was a hotbed of political intrigue; and the Iranian authorities feared that Baha'u'llah would use his growing prestige to threaten the government. The Persian ambassador in Istanbul, Mushiru'd-Dawlih, therefore demanded that Baha'u'llah be removed from Baghdad. Eventually, 'Ali Pasha, the Grand Vizier, and Fu'ad Pasha, the Foreign Minister, yielded, and Baha'u'llah was summoned to Istanbul. Baha'u'llah, however, was a person of consequence and had by this time become an Ottoman subject, so the summons was issued in the form of a polite invitation.
Namiq Pasha, the governor of Iraq and sympathetic to Baha'u'llah, was reluctant to deliver the summons. Finally he sent a courteous message asking Baha'u'llah to call on him at the governorate. The message reached Baha'u'llah on the fifth day after Naw-Ruz, 26 March 1863, at the Mazra'iy-i-Vashshash, an open area outside the city where Baha'u'llah and his followers had camped to observe the new year. The message arrived shortly after Baha'u'llah had completed the composition of the Tablet of the Holy Mariner. Baha'u'llah arranged to meet the governor in the mosque across the street from the governorate. He ordered the tents struck and the party returned to the city.
Baha'u'llah met the next day with the deputy governor and agreed to go to Istanbul with his family and a number of attendants. Money for the journey was provided by the government, which Baha'u'llah accepted and immediately distributed to the poor. The next few weeks were very busy. Baha'u'llah received innumerable visitors, wrote tablets to each of the friends who would be left behind, and made the practical preparations necessary for the journey. Eventually, Baha'u'llah decided to move to the Najibiyyih Garden across the river and receive visitors there, thus clearing the house of visitors and allowing the family to pack.
Baha'u'llah left his house in Baghdad for the last time on the afternoon of 22 April 1863. He walked through crowds of friends, acquaintances and the merely curious down to the river where he took a small boat across to the garden. He was accompanied by his sons, his secretary Mirza Aqa Jan and perhaps others. He reached the garden just at the time for afternoon prayers. There for the next eleven days he received farewell visits from his friends, including the governor. The river rose soon after his arrival, so it was not until the ninth day, 30 April, that his family was able to join him.
The twelfth day was appointed for departure. The garden was filled with people coming for final farewells. It was late afternoon before the party got underway. Baha'u'llah mounted a fine roan stallion named Sa'udi (he also had two others, named Sa'id and Farangi), and the party left the garden amidst displays of affection and grief. The party travelled as far as Firayjat, three miles up the Tigris. There they stayed in a borrowed garden for a week while Baha'u'llah's brother Mirza Musa completed dealing with their affairs in Baghdad and packing the remaining goods. Visitors still came daily. The party finally set out on 9 May for the three-month journey to Istanbul.
2. The significance of Ridvan. Ridvan is the anniversary of Baha'u'llah's declaration of his prophetic mission to his followers. It is clear, however, that the symbolic significance of Ridvan is richer than the simple fact of Baha'u'llah's open announcement of his prophetic claim.
a. The announcement. The exact nature and details of Baha'u'llah's declaration are unknown. 'Abdu'l-Baha states that on the afternoon he arrived in Ridvan Baha'u'llah disclosed his claim to be Him Whom God shall make manifest, the Prophet promised by the Bab. Bahiyyih Khanum, however, is reported to have said that on that day Baha'u'llah privately stated his claim to prophethood to 'Abdu'l- Baha and four other followers. According to this account "he enjoined upon them secrecy as to this communication, as the time had not come for a public declaration; but that there were reasons which caused him to deem it necessary to make it at that time to a few whom he could trust." (Master in 'Akka 39) It would appear then that Baha'u'llah, having prior to this time concealed his mission, decided on this day to disclose it. He chose however to inform only a handful of people and most Babis - even those in exile with him - seem to have been unaware of this claim until a year or two later in Edirne, although, of course, Baha'u'llah's Baghdad writings are full of hints about it.
b. The departure from the Most Great House. In some places Baha'u'llah stresses his departure from the Most Great House: "as He departed from His house, proceeding to the Spot from which He shed upon the whole of creation, the splendors of His name, the All- Merciful." (GWB 14:35) Another tablet recounts his journey from the House to the Ridvan Garden, giving supernatural significance to each stage of the journey. Another refers to his "exile (hijrih) from Iraq," thus linking Baha'u'llah's departure from the Most Great House to Muhammad's emigration from Mecca, the site of the most holy House of Islam, to Medina, the city where Muhammad fully exercised the prerogatives of prophethood.
c. The three announcements. In a tablet written some years later Baha'u'llah states that three announcements were made on the first day of Ridvan. First, Baha'u'llah's followers were forbidden to fight to advance or defend their faith. Religious war (jihad) had been permitted in Islam and under certain conditions by the law of the Bab. Second, there would not be another prophet for a full thousand years. Third, at that moment all the names of God were fully manifest in all things. These are perhaps to be regarded as an oblique announcement of his own prophethood. The first two anticipate basic features of Baha'i law recorded in the Kitab-i-Aqdas.
The third announcement is echoed in many passages from tablets related to Ridvan - for example: "He Who is the Desire of all nations hath shed upon the kingdoms of the unseen and of the seen the splendor of the light of His most excellent names, and enveloped them with the radiance of the luminaries of His most gracious favors - favors which none can reckon except Him." Thus, Baha'u'llah's arrival in Ridvan marks a mystic transformation of the world, in which the entire creation is infused with the glory of God's names. His announcement can, therefore, be viewed less as the revealing of a secret to a few individuals than as a fundamental transformation in the relationship between God and the world.
d. Completion of the first Vahid of the Baha'i calendar. Naw-Ruz 1863 marked the beginning of the nineteenth year of the calendar established by the Bab, the last year of the first Vahid - "unity" - of nineteen years. Baha'u'llah's first prophetic experience had been in 1852-53 during his imprisonment in Tehran - the "year nine" of the Babi calendar. One, nine, and nineteen all have important symbolic and prophetic significance in the writings of the Bab.
3. The Festival of Ridvan. On the afternoon on which Baha'u'llah entered the garden, he proclaimed the festival of Ridvan. The Kitab-i-Aqdas, revealed ten years later, ordains it as one of the two "Most Great Festivals," along with the anniversary of the Declaration of the Bab. Baha'u'llah specified that the first, ninth, and twelfth days were to be major holy days - days on which work is prohibited. These mark the days of Baha'u'llah's arrival, the arrival of his family and his departure. Several tablets state that the festival properly begins at the time of Baha'u'llah's arrival in the garden, that is, two hours before sunset. However, work is prohibited for the entire Baha'i day, beginning the previous evening.
Ridvan is observed everywhere according to the Baha'i calendar. It begins on the 13th of Jalal - 21 April if Naw-Ruz is on 21 March - the thirty-second day of the Baha'i year. The ninth day falls on 29 April and the twelfth on 2 May. Like other Baha'i holy days, there are few specific rules concerning the observance of Ridvan. It is usually observed with community gatherings for prayer and celebration on the three holy days. Most Baha'i elections are held during Ridvan, a practice that began in the time of 'Abdu'l-Baha. Local spiritual assemblies are elected on the first day of Ridvan each year. The national conventions at which national spiritual assemblies are elected each year are usually held later in Ridvan, as is the international convention presently held every five years to elect the Universal House of Justice.
4. Tablets and writings associated with Ridvan. A number of important tablets of Baha'u'llah are associated with Ridvan. These include:
a. Lawh-i-Ayyub. The Tablet of Job, also known as Suriy-i-Sabr ("the Surih of Patience"), Madinatu's-Sabr ("the City of Patience"), and Surat Ayyub. A long tablet in Arabic revealed on the afternoon Baha'u'llah arrived at the garden of Ridvan. It was written for Haji Muhammad-Taqiy-i-Nayrizi, whom Baha'u'llah surnamed Ayyub, "Job," a veteran of the battle of Nayriz. The tablet praises Vahid (q.v.), the Babi leader at Nayriz, and the believers of Nayriz. (Ayyam-i-Tis'ih 262-304)
b. Tablet of Ridvan, beginning "Huva 'l-Mustavi 'ala hadha 'l- 'arshi'l-munir" "He is seated upon this luminous throne." An Arabic tablet speaking joyfully of the lifting of the veils that had concealed God's beauty and the manifestation of all his names in created things and appealing to the people to answer the call of their Lord. After each verse is a refrain of the form, "Glad tidings! This is the Festival of God, manifest from the horizon of transcendent bounty." (Ayyam-i-Tis'ih 246-50)
c. Hur-i-'Ujab: "The Wondrous Maiden." An allegorical tablet in Arabic rhymed prose celebrated the unveiling of Baha'u'llah's glory. In this allegory the Maid of Heaven comes forth and unveils herself. Her unveiled beauty inflames creation. In joy she passes around the wine of life, plays music, and serves the food of beauty. But the arrogant reject her and she returns saddened to her heavenly palace, grieving that the people of the Book have rejected her and vowing not to return to them until the Day of Resurrection (Ayyam-i-Tis'ih 251- 54. RB 1:218).
d. "The Divine Springtime is come. . . ": (Qad ata Rabi'u'l-Bayan) The superscription of this tablet says that it "was revealed in the Ridvan for all to read during the Festival of Ridvan. . ." The tablet takes the form of a dialogue between God and "the Most Exalted Pen" - i.e., Baha'u'llah. God chides Baha'u'llah for not openly proclaiming the greatness of this day. Baha'u'llah replies that he is silent only because the people are veiled. God answers that today only His face can be seen in creation. God excuses Baha'u'llah's silence and proclaims that he has made Baha'u'llah the trumpet of the Day of Resurrection. The tablet explains in mystical terms the significance of Baha'u'llah's entry into the garden of Ridvan and commands Baha'u'llah to attract the hearts of men through the Word of God. The tablet appeals to the believers to heed the call of God. Baha'u'llah concludes the tablet with the statement that the Word of God had so inebriated him that he can write no longer. This well-known and frequently-quoted tablet is frequently referred to by western Baha'is as the Ridvan Tablet. (Ayyam-i-Tis'ih 254-61; GWB xiv; Days to Remember 27-31)
e. "When the gladness of God seized all else. . .": (Fa-lamma akhadha farahu'llah kulla ma sivahu. . .) An Arabic tablet in which Baha'u'llah describes, with much mystical symbolism, his departure from the Most Great House, the grief of the people in the streets, his crossing of the Tigris and entry into the garden, and his final departure. This tablet is a rich source for understanding the symbolic significance of Ridvan and provides some historical information as well. (Ayyam-i-Tis'ih 305-12)
f. Other tablets and talks: There are other prayers, tablets and talks of Baha'u'llah and 'Abdu'l-Baha relating to Ridvan, usually composed at or for a particular Ridvan observance. (Ayyam-i-Tis'ih 313-21, 324-31; Days to Remember 31-34; AVK 3:29-39).
g. Ridvan messages: As early as 1923 Shoghi Effendi sent a letter of encouragement and greeting to the American national Baha'i convention at Ridvan. Later it was his regular practice to write a Ridvan letter to the Baha'is of the world summarizing the progress of the Faith in the previous year and setting out general directions for the coming year. The Universal House of Justice has continued this practice. Other Baha'i institutions, especially national spiritual assemblies, also sometimes issue Ridvan letters.
Sacred Acts, Sacred Space, Sacred Time (Walbridge)
The Festival of Ridvan Ridvan is an Arabic word meaning 'good pleasure'. Because it is used in the Qur'an for God's satisfaction with the believers in heaven, it has come to mean 'paradise'. Its meanings in Bahá'í usage are: * 'Paradise', as in such expressions as 'the Ridvan of unfading splendour (Ridvan-i-Quds-i-Munir). In this sense it is translated as 'paradise', 'heaven', 'tabernacle' and 'garden'. * Garden of Ridvan: the name given by Bahá'u'lláh to two gardens -- the Najibiyyih Garden in Baghdad and a garden belonging to Bahá'u'lláh outside 'Akka. * Holy day of Ridvan: the most important Bahá'í festival, commemorating Bahá'u'lláh's public announcement of His prophetic mission and His departure from Baghdad. * A Bahá'í name for the city of Nishapur in Iran. * A village near Birjand, site of a Bahá'í community. * An element of names, Bahá'í and Shi'i, such as Ridvan-'Ali ('Paradise of 'Ali'), Ridvaniyyih (a girl's name), and Ridvani (a surname).
The most usual modern Bahá'í usage of ridvan is for the twelve-day festival commemorating Bahá'u'lláh's open announcement of his claim to prophethood and His departure from Baghdad in 1863. This holiday is observed from sunset 20 April through sunset 2 May. The first, ninth and twelfth days of Ridvan are major Bahá'í holy days on which work is suspended. Bahá'í elections are usually held during Ridvan. The name derives from the Najibiyyih Garden in Baghdad where Bahá'u'lláh stayed during this period and to which He gave the name Ridvan.
Bahá'u'lláh's departure from Baghdad
Following Bahá'u'lláh's arrival in Iraq in the spring of 1853, He had gradually established warm relations with the ordinary people of Baghdad as well as with notables of all sorts: Ottoman officials, clergy and Persian pilgrims and exiles. He had also become the generally recognized leader of the Babi community, although His reclusive brother Mirza Yahya was still accepted as the appointed successor of the Bab. Baghdad -- close to the Iranian border, adjacent to several Shi'i shrine cities and home to many Iranian political exiles -- was a hotbed of political intrigue; and the Iranian authorities feared that Bahá'u'lláh would use His growing prestige to threaten the government. The Persian ambassador in Istanbul, Mirza Husayn Khan Mushiru'd-Dawlih, therefore demanded that Bahá'u'lláh be removed from Baghdad. Eventually, 'Ali Pasha, the Grand Vizier, and Fu'ad Pasha, the Foreign Minister, yielded, and Bahá'u'lláh was summoned to Istanbul. Bahá'u'lláh was, however, a person of consequence and had by this time become an Ottoman subject, so the summons was issued in the form of a polite invitation.
Namiq Pasha, the governor of Iraq and sympathetic to Bahá'u'lláh, was reluctant to deliver the summons. Finally he sent a courteous message asking Bahá'u'lláh to call on him at the governorate. The message reached Bahá'u'lláh on the fifth day after Naw-Ruz, 26 March 1863, at the Mazra'iy-i-Vashshash, an open area outside the city where Bahá'u'lláh and His followers had camped to observe the new year. The message arrived shortly after Bahá'u'lláh had completed the revelation of the Tablet of the Holy Mariner, 'whose gloomy prognostications had aroused the grave apprehensions of His Companions'.1 Bahá'u'lláh arranged to meet the governor in the mosque across the street from the governorate. He ordered the tents struck and the party returned to the city amidst furious rumours. Bahá'u'lláh met the next day with the deputy governor and agreed to go to Istanbul with His family and a number of attendants. At the urging of the authorities He accepted the money provided by the government for the journey and immediately distributed it to the poor.
The next few weeks were very busy. Bahá'u'lláh received innumerable visitors, wrote Tablets to each of the friends who would be left behind and made the practical preparations necessary for the journey. Eventually, Bahá'u'lláh decided to move to the Najibiyyih Garden across the river and receive visitors there, thus clearing the house of visitors and allowing the family to pack. Bahá'u'lláh left His house in Baghdad for the last time on the afternoon of 22 April 1863 and walked, 'admist weeping and lamentation',2 through crowds of friends, acquaintances and the merely curious down to the river where He took a small boat across to the garden. He was accompanied by His sons, His secretary Mirza Aqa Jan and perhaps others. He reached the garden just at the time for afternoon prayers. There for the next eleven days He received farewell visits from His friends, including the governor, who crossed the river by a floating bridge. The river rose soon after His arrival, so it was not until the ninth day, 30 April, that His family was able to join Him. Mirza Asadu'llah Kashani raised a tent for Bahá'u'lláh in the open space of the garden by the side of the river upstream from the Najibiyyih Palace. A small village of tents was created with Bahá'u'lláh's alone in the centre.
The twelfth day was appointed for departure. The garden was filled with people coming for final farewells. It was late afternoon before the party got underway. Bahá'u'lláh mounted a fine roan stallion named Sa'udi (He also had two others, named Sa'id and Farangi), and the party left the garden amidst displays of affection and grief. The party travelled as far as Firayjat, three miles up the Tigris. There they stayed in a borrowed garden for a week while Bahá'u'lláh's brother Mirza Musa completed their affairs in Baghdad and packed the remaining goods. Visitors still came daily. The party finally set out on 9 May for the three-month journey to Istanbul.
The significance of Ridvan
Ridvan is the anniversary of Bahá'u'lláh's declaration of His prophetic mission to His followers. This details of this declaration remain mysterious. Shoghi Effendi comments that 'The words Bahá'u'lláh actually uttered on that occasion, the manner of His Declaration, the reaction it produced, its impact on Mirza Yahya, the identity of those who were privileged to hear Him, are shrouded in an obscurity which future historians will find it difficult to penetrate.'3 It is clear, however, that the symbolic significance of Ridvan is richer than the simple fact of Bahá'u'lláh's open announcement of His prophetic claim.
The announcement
While the exact nature and details 'of Bahá'u'lláh's declaration are unknown, Abdu'l-Bahá states that on the afternoon He arrived at the garden Bahá'u'lláh disclosed His claim to be Him Whom God shall make manifest. Bahá'u'lláh's daughter Bahiyyih Khanum is also reported to have said that on that day Bahá'u'lláh privately stated His claim to prophethood to 'Abdu'l-Bahá and four other followers. According to this account 'he enjoined upon them secrecy as to this communication, as the time had not come for a public declaration; but that there were reasons which caused him to deem it necessary to make it at that time to a few whom he could trust'.4 Bahá'u'lláh clearly did not make a general public announcement of His prophetic claim at the Najibiyyih Garden: that did not happen until after His arrival in Edirne.5 Most Babis --even those in exile with Him -- seem to have been unaware of Bahá'u'lláh's claim until a year or two later -- although, of course, His Baghdad writings are full of hints about it.6
The departure from the most great house
In some places Bahá'u'lláh stresses His departure from the Most Great House: 'as He departed from His house, proceeding to the Spot from which He shed upon the whole of creation, the splendours of His name, the All-Merciful.'7 Another Tablet recounts His journey from the House to the Ridvan Garden, giving supernatural significance to each stage of the journey. Another refers to His 'exile (hijrah) from Iraq', thus linking Bahá'u'lláh's departure from the Most Great House to Muhammad's emigration from Mecca, the site of the most holy House of Islam, to Medina, the city where Muhammad fully exercised the prerogatives of prophethood.
The three announcements
In a Tablet written some years later Bahá'u'lláh states that three announcements were made on the first day of Ridvan. First, Bahá'u'lláh's followers were forbidden to fight to advance or defend their faith. (Religious war, jihad, had been permitted in Islam and under certain conditions by the law of the Bab.) Second, there would not be another prophet for a full thousand years. Third, at that moment all the names of God were fully manifest in all things. These are perhaps to be regarded as an oblique announcement of His own prophethood. The first two anticipate basic features of Bahá'í law recorded in the Kitab-i-Aqdas. The third announcement is echoed in many passages from Tablets related to Ridvan, for example:
For We perceive the fragrance of the Day whereon He Who is the Desire of all nations hath shed upon the kingdoms of the unseen and of the seen the splendour of the light of His most excellent names, and enveloped them with the radiance of the luminaries of His most gracious favours -- favours which none can reckon except Him, Who is the omnipotent Protector of the entire creation.8 Thus, Bahá'u'lláh's arrival in Ridvan marks a mystic transformation of the world, in which the entire creation is infused with the glory of God's names. His announcement should, therefore, be viewed less as the revealing of a secret to a few individuals than as a fundamental transformation in the relationship between God and the world.
Completion of the first vahid of the Bahá'í calendar
Naw-Ruz 1863 marked the beginning of the nineteenth year of the calendar established by the Bab, the last year of the first vahid -- 'unity' -- of nineteen years. Bahá'u'lláh's first prophetic experience had been in 1852-3 during His imprisonment in Tehran -- the 'year nine' of the Babi calendar. One, nine and nineteen all have important symbolic and prophetic significance in the writings of the Bab.
The Festival of Ridvan On the afternoon on which Bahá'u'lláh entered the garden, He proclaimed the festival of Ridvan. All twelve days of His sojourn in the garden are regarded as part of this festival. The Kitab-i-Aqdas, revealed about ten years later, ordains Ridvan as one of the two 'Most Great Festivals', along with the anniversary of the Declaration of the Bab. Bahá'u'lláh specified that the first, ninth and twelfth days were to be major holy days -- days on which work is prohibited. These mark the days of Bahá'u'lláh's arrival, the arrival of His family and His departure. Several Tablets state that the festival properly begins at the time of Bahá'u'lláh's arrival in the garden, that is, two hours before sunset. However, work is prohibited for the entire Bahá'í day, beginning the previous evening. Ridvan is observed everywhere according to the Bahá'í calendar. It begins on the 13th of Jalal -- 21 April if Naw-Ruz is on 21 March -- the thirty-second day of the Bahá'í year. The ninth day falls on 29 April and the twelfth on 2 May. Most Bahá'í elections are held during Ridvan, a practice that began in the time of 'Abdu'l-Bahá. Local spiritual assemblies are elected on the first day of Ridvan each year. The national conventions at which national spiritual assemblies are elected each year are usually held sometime during the Ridvan period, as is the international convention presently held every five years to elect the Universal House of Justice. Like other Bahá'í holy days, there are few specific rules concerning the observance of Ridvan. It is usually observed with community gatherings for prayer and celebration on the three holy days.
Tablets and writings associated with Ridvan
A number of important Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh are associated with Ridvan. These include: * Lawh-i-Ayyub: The Tablet of Job, also known as Suriy-i-S3abr ('the Surat of Patience'), Madinatu's3-S3abr ('the City of Patience'), and Surat Ayyub. A long Tablet in Arabic written on the afternoon Bahá'u'lláh arrived at the Garden of Ridvan. It was written for Haji Muhammad-Taqiy-i-Nayrizi, whom Bahá'u'lláh surnamed Ayyub, 'Job', a veteran of the battle of Nayriz. The Tablet praises Vahid, the Babi leader at Nayriz, and the believers of Nayriz. * Tablet of Ridvan, beginning 'Huva 'l-Mustavi 'ala hadha 'l-'arshi'l-munir' 'He is seated upon this luminous throne'. An Arabic Tablet speaking joyfully of the lifting of the veils that had concealed God's beauty and the manifestation of all His names in created things and appealing to the people to answer the call of their Lord. After each verse is a refrain of the form, 'Glad tidings! This is the Festival of God, manifest from the horizon of transcendent bounty'. * Hur-i-'Ujab: 'The Wondrous Maiden'. An allegorical Tablet in Arabic rhymed prose celebrating the unveiling of Bahá'u'lláh's glory. In this allegory the Maid of Heaven comes forth and unveils herself. Her unveiled beauty inflames creation. In joy she passes around the wine of life, plays music and serves the food of beauty. But the arrogant spurn her, and she returns saddened to her heavenly palace, grieving that the people of the Book have rejected her and vowing not to return to them until the Day of Resurrection. * 'The Divine Springtime is come . . . ' (Qad ata Rabi'u'l-Bayan): The superscription of this Tablet says that it 'was revealed in the Ridvan for all to read during the Festival of Ridvan . . . ' The Tablet takes the form of a dialogue between God and 'the Most Exalted Pen' -- i.e. Bahá'u'lláh. God chides Bahá'u'lláh for not openly proclaiming the greatness of this day. Bahá'u'lláh replies that He is silent only because the people are veiled and because He Himself is not privy to the essence of God. God answers that today only His face can be seen in creation. God excuses Bahá'u'lláh's silence and proclaims that He has made Bahá'u'lláh the trumpet of the Day of Resurrection. The Tablet explains in mystical terms the significance of Bahá'u'lláh's entry into the garden of Ridvan and commands Bahá'u'lláh to attract the hearts of men through the Word of God. The Tablet appeals to the believers to heed the call of God. Bahá'u'lláh concludes the Tablet with the statement that the Word of God had so inebriated Him that He can write no longer. * 'When the gladness of God seized all else . . .' (Fa-lamma akhadha farahu'llah kulla ma sivahu . . .): An Arabic Tablet in which Bahá'u'lláh describes, with much mystical symbolism, His departure from the Most Great House, the grief of the people in the streets, His crossing of the Tigris and entry into the garden, and His final departure. This Tablet is a rich source for understanding the symbolic significance of Ridvan and provides some historical information as well. Other Tablets and talks: There are other prayers, Tablets and talks of Bahá'u'lláh and 'Abdu'l-Bahá relating to Ridvan, usually composed at or for a particular Ridvan observance.
Ridvan messages
As early as 1923 Shoghi Effendi sent a letter of encouragement and greeting to the American national Bahá'í convention at Ridvan. Later it was his regular practice to write a Ridvan letter to the Bahá'ís of the world summarizing the progress of the Faith in the previous year and setting out general directions for the coming year. The Universal House of Justice has continued this practice. Other Bahá'í institutions, especially national spiritual assemblies, also sometimes issue Ridvan letters. Such letters are found in the collections of the letters of Shoghi Effendi and the Universal House of Justice and in national Bahá'í journals.
About the Garden
Garden of Ridvan, Baghdad The Najibiyyih Garden in Baghdad, known to Bahá'ís as the Ridvan Garden, was probably named for Muhammad-Najib Pasha who had been governor of Iraq between 1842 and 1847. It was a large agricultural area situated immediately north of the walls of the city on the east bank of the Tigris about 450 metres from the Mu'az3z3am gate and directly across the river from the district in which Bahá'u'lláh lived. It was also on the road Bahá'u'lláh would take to Istanbul and thus was well-placed to assemble the caravan for the journey, as well as being a convenient spot to receive visitors. Early maps and photographs show the Najibiyyih as a wooded garden. Najib Pasha built a palace there and a wall around the garden. Najib Pasha dies in May 1851 and the garden was presumably in the possession of his heirs when Bahá'u'lláh used it. It was purchased by the government in 1870 and used as a guest house for Nas3iru'd-Din Shah when he visited Iraq in 1870. In the twentieth century the Royal Hospital was established there and it is now the site of Medical City, a large modern teaching hospital.
Notes 1. Shoghi Effendi, God Passes By, p. 147.
2. Shoghi Effendi, God Passes By, p. 149.
3. ibid. p. 153.
4. Reported words of Bahiyyih Khanum, recorded in Phelps, Master in 'Akka, p. 39.
5. Shoghi Effendi, God Passes By, pp. 151, 404.
6. ibid. p. 152.
7. Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings, p. 35.
8. ibid. pp. 32-3.
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http://recherche.bahai-studien.de/index.php?a=SHOWTEXT&d=%2F%2Fen%2FBahai+Faith%2F3+-+Bahai-Library.com%2FEncyclopedia%2FRidvan.rch
Ridvan, Festival of. The twelve day period commemorating Bahá'u'lláh's announcement of his claim to prophethood and his departure from Baghdad in 1863, observed from sunset 20 April to sunset, 2 May. The first, ninth and twelfth days of Ridvan are major Bahá'í holy days on which work should be suspended. Bahá'í elections are normally held during Ridvan. The name derives from the Najibiyyih Garden in Baghdad where Bahá'u'lláh stayed during this period and to which he gave the name Ridvan (Paradise).
1. Bahá'u'lláh's departure from Baghdad. Following Bahá'u'lláh's arrival in Iraq in the spring of 1853, he had gradually established warm relations with the ordinary people of Baghdad as well as with notables of all sorts: Ottoman officials, clerics, and Persian pilgrims and exiles. He had also become the generally recognized leader of the Babi community, although his brother Mirza Yahya was still accepted as the appointed successor of the Bab. Baghdad - close to the Iranian border, adjacent to several Shi'i shrine cities and home to many Iranian political exiles - was a hotbed of political intrigue; and the Iranian authorities feared that Bahá'u'lláh would use his growing prestige to threaten the government. The Persian ambassador in Istanbul, Mushiru'd-Dawlih, therefore demanded that Bahá'u'lláh be removed from Baghdad. Eventually, 'Ali Pasha, the Grand Vizier, and Fu'ad Pasha, the Foreign Minister, yielded, and Bahá'u'lláh was summoned to Istanbul. Bahá'u'lláh, however, was a person of consequence and had by this time become an Ottoman subject, so the summons was issued in the form of a polite invitation.
Namiq Pasha, the governor of Iraq and sympathetic to Bahá'u'lláh, was reluctant to deliver the summons. Finally he sent a courteous message asking Bahá'u'lláh to call on him at the governorate. The message reached Bahá'u'lláh on the fifth day after Naw-Ruz, 26 March 1863, at the Mazra'iy-i-Vashshash, an open area outside the city where Bahá'u'lláh and his followers had camped to observe the new year. The message arrived shortly after Bahá'u'lláh had completed the composition of the Tablet of the Holy Mariner. Bahá'u'lláh arranged to meet the governor in the mosque across the street from the governorate. He ordered the tents struck and the party returned to the city.
Bahá'u'lláh met the next day with the deputy governor and agreed to go to Istanbul with his family and a number of attendants. Money for the journey was provided by the government, which Bahá'u'lláh accepted and immediately distributed to the poor. The next few weeks were very busy. Bahá'u'lláh received innumerable visitors, wrote tablets to each of the friends who would be left behind, and made the practical preparations necessary for the journey. Eventually, Bahá'u'lláh decided to move to the Najibiyyih Garden across the river and receive visitors there, thus clearing the house of visitors and allowing the family to pack.
Bahá'u'lláh left his house in Baghdad for the last time on the afternoon of 22 April 1863. He walked through crowds of friends, acquaintances and the merely curious down to the river where he took a small boat across to the garden. He was accompanied by his sons, his secretary Mirza Aqa Jan and perhaps others. He reached the garden just at the time for afternoon prayers. There for the next eleven days he received farewell visits from his friends, including the governor. The river rose soon after his arrival, so it was not until the ninth day, 30 April, that his family was able to join him.
The twelfth day was appointed for departure. The garden was filled with people coming for final farewells. It was late afternoon before the party got underway. Bahá'u'lláh mounted a fine roan stallion named Sa'udi (he also had two others, named Sa'id and Farangi), and the party left the garden amidst displays of affection and grief. The party travelled as far as Firayjat, three miles up the Tigris. There they stayed in a borrowed garden for a week while Bahá'u'lláh's brother Mirza Musa completed dealing with their affairs in Baghdad and packing the remaining goods. Visitors still came daily. The party finally set out on 9 May for the three-month journey to Istanbul.
2. The significance of Ridvan. Ridvan is the anniversary of Bahá'u'lláh's declaration of his prophetic mission to his followers. It is clear, however, that the symbolic significance of Ridvan is richer than the simple fact of Bahá'u'lláh's open announcement of his prophetic claim.
a. The announcement. The exact nature and details of Bahá'u'lláh's declaration are unknown. 'Abdu'l-Bahá states that on the afternoon he arrived in Ridvan Bahá'u'lláh disclosed his claim to be Him Whom God shall make manifest, the Prophet promised by the Bab. Bahiyyih Khanum, however, is reported to have said that on that day Bahá'u'lláh privately stated his claim to prophethood to 'Abdu'l- Baha and four other followers. According to this account "he enjoined upon them secrecy as to this communication, as the time had not come for a public declaration; but that there were reasons which caused him to deem it necessary to make it at that time to a few whom he could trust." (Master in 'Akka 39) It would appear then that Bahá'u'lláh, having prior to this time concealed his mission, decided on this day to disclose it. He chose however to inform only a handful of people and most Babis - even those in exile with him - seem to have been unaware of this claim until a year or two later in Edirne, although, of course, Bahá'u'lláh's Baghdad writings are full of hints about it.
b. The departure from the Most Great House. In some places Bahá'u'lláh stresses his departure from the Most Great House: "as He departed from His house, proceeding to the Spot from which He shed upon the whole of creation, the splendors of His name, the All- Merciful." (GWB 14:35) Another tablet recounts his journey from the House to the Ridvan Garden, giving supernatural significance to each stage of the journey. Another refers to his "exile (hijrih) from Iraq," thus linking Bahá'u'lláh's departure from the Most Great House to Muhammad's emigration from Mecca, the site of the most holy House of Islam, to Medina, the city where Muhammad fully exercised the prerogatives of prophethood.
c. The three announcements. In a tablet written some years later Bahá'u'lláh states that three announcements were made on the first day of Ridvan. First, Bahá'u'lláh's followers were forbidden to fight to advance or defend their faith. Religious war (jihad) had been permitted in Islam and under certain conditions by the law of the Bab. Second, there would not be another prophet for a full thousand years. Third, at that moment all the names of God were fully manifest in all things. These are perhaps to be regarded as an oblique announcement of his own prophethood. The first two anticipate basic features of Bahá'í law recorded in the Kitab-i-Aqdas.
The third announcement is echoed in many passages from tablets related to Ridvan - for example: "He Who is the Desire of all nations hath shed upon the kingdoms of the unseen and of the seen the splendor of the light of His most excellent names, and enveloped them with the radiance of the luminaries of His most gracious favors - favors which none can reckon except Him." Thus, Bahá'u'lláh's arrival in Ridvan marks a mystic transformation of the world, in which the entire creation is infused with the glory of God's names. His announcement can, therefore, be viewed less as the revealing of a secret to a few individuals than as a fundamental transformation in the relationship between God and the world.
d. Completion of the first Vahid of the Bahá'í calendar. Naw-Ruz 1863 marked the beginning of the nineteenth year of the calendar established by the Bab, the last year of the first Vahid - "unity" - of nineteen years. Bahá'u'lláh's first prophetic experience had been in 1852-53 during his imprisonment in Tehran - the "year nine" of the Babi calendar. One, nine, and nineteen all have important symbolic and prophetic significance in the writings of the Bab.
3. The Festival of Ridvan. On the afternoon on which Bahá'u'lláh entered the garden, he proclaimed the festival of Ridvan. The Kitab-i-Aqdas, revealed ten years later, ordains it as one of the two "Most Great Festivals," along with the anniversary of the Declaration of the Bab. Bahá'u'lláh specified that the first, ninth, and twelfth days were to be major holy days - days on which work is prohibited. These mark the days of Bahá'u'lláh's arrival, the arrival of his family and his departure. Several tablets state that the festival properly begins at the time of Bahá'u'lláh's arrival in the garden, that is, two hours before sunset. However, work is prohibited for the entire Bahá'í day, beginning the previous evening.
Ridvan is observed everywhere according to the Bahá'í calendar. It begins on the 13th of Jalal - 21 April if Naw-Ruz is on 21 March - the thirty-second day of the Bahá'í year. The ninth day falls on 29 April and the twelfth on 2 May. Like other Bahá'í holy days, there are few specific rules concerning the observance of Ridvan. It is usually observed with community gatherings for prayer and celebration on the three holy days. Most Bahá'í elections are held during Ridvan, a practice that began in the time of 'Abdu'l-Bahá. Local spiritual assemblies are elected on the first day of Ridvan each year. The national conventions at which national spiritual assemblies are elected each year are usually held later in Ridvan, as is the international convention presently held every five years to elect the Universal House of Justice.
4. Tablets and writings associated with Ridvan. A number of important tablets of Bahá'u'lláh are associated with Ridvan. These include:
a. Lawh-i-Ayyub. The Tablet of Job, also known as Suriy-i-Sabr ("the Surih of Patience"), Madinatu's-Sabr ("the City of Patience"), and Surat Ayyub. A long tablet in Arabic revealed on the afternoon Bahá'u'lláh arrived at the garden of Ridvan. It was written for Haji Muhammad-Taqiy-i-Nayrizi, whom Bahá'u'lláh surnamed Ayyub, "Job," a veteran of the battle of Nayriz. The tablet praises Vahid (q.v.), the Babi leader at Nayriz, and the believers of Nayriz. (Ayyam-i-Tis'ih 262-304)
b. Tablet of Ridvan, beginning "Huva 'l-Mustavi 'ala hadha 'l- 'arshi'l-munir" "He is seated upon this luminous throne." An Arabic tablet speaking joyfully of the lifting of the veils that had concealed God's beauty and the manifestation of all his names in created things and appealing to the people to answer the call of their Lord. After each verse is a refrain of the form, "Glad tidings! This is the Festival of God, manifest from the horizon of transcendent bounty." (Ayyam-i-Tis'ih 246-50)
c. Hur-i-'Ujab: "The Wondrous Maiden." An allegorical tablet in Arabic rhymed prose celebrated the unveiling of Bahá'u'lláh's glory. In this allegory the Maid of Heaven comes forth and unveils herself. Her unveiled beauty inflames creation. In joy she passes around the wine of life, plays music, and serves the food of beauty. But the arrogant reject her and she returns saddened to her heavenly palace, grieving that the people of the Book have rejected her and vowing not to return to them until the Day of Resurrection (Ayyam-i-Tis'ih 251- 54. RB 1:218).
d. "The Divine Springtime is come. . . ": (Qad ata Rabi'u'l-Bayan) The superscription of this tablet says that it "was revealed in the Ridvan for all to read during the Festival of Ridvan. . ." The tablet takes the form of a dialogue between God and "the Most Exalted Pen" - i.e., Bahá'u'lláh. God chides Bahá'u'lláh for not openly proclaiming the greatness of this day. Bahá'u'lláh replies that he is silent only because the people are veiled. God answers that today only His face can be seen in creation. God excuses Bahá'u'lláh's silence and proclaims that he has made Bahá'u'lláh the trumpet of the Day of Resurrection. The tablet explains in mystical terms the significance of Bahá'u'lláh's entry into the garden of Ridvan and commands Bahá'u'lláh to attract the hearts of men through the Word of God. The tablet appeals to the believers to heed the call of God. Bahá'u'lláh concludes the tablet with the statement that the Word of God had so inebriated him that he can write no longer. This well-known and frequently-quoted tablet is frequently referred to by western Bahá'ís as the Ridvan Tablet. (Ayyam-i-Tis'ih 254-61; GWB xiv; Days to Remember 27-31)
e. "When the gladness of God seized all else. . .": (Fa-lamma akhadha farahu'llah kulla ma sivahu. . .) An Arabic tablet in which Bahá'u'lláh describes, with much mystical symbolism, his departure from the Most Great House, the grief of the people in the streets, his crossing of the Tigris and entry into the garden, and his final departure. This tablet is a rich source for understanding the symbolic significance of Ridvan and provides some historical information as well. (Ayyam-i-Tis'ih 305-12)
f. Other tablets and talks: There are other prayers, tablets and talks of Bahá'u'lláh and 'Abdu'l-Bahá relating to Ridvan, usually composed at or for a particular Ridvan observance. (Ayyam-i-Tis'ih 313-21, 324-31; Days to Remember 31-34; AVK 3:29-39).
g. Ridvan messages: As early as 1923 Shoghi Effendi sent a letter of encouragement and greeting to the American national Bahá'í convention at Ridvan. Later it was his regular practice to write a Ridvan letter to the Bahá'ís of the world summarizing the progress of the Faith in the previous year and setting out general directions for the coming year. The Universal House of Justice has continued this practice. Other Bahá'í institutions, especially national spiritual assemblies, also sometimes issue Ridvan letters.
SEE ALSO: "Ridvan, Garden of, Baghdad," "Bahá'u'lláh," "Calendar, Badi'"
Bibliography: Collections of material on Ridvan are found in AT 246-339; Days to Remember 25-43; AVK 3:6-10, 29-39; AAK 4:21-24. Accounts of the events of Ridvan are found in GPB 146-58; BKG 154-58, 168-76; RB 1:257-82; Phelps, Master in 'Akka 35-41; CH 56-58, 122-24. John Walbridge
Calendrical and Geo Info
Geographical
Baghdad: 33 20 N, 44 26 E = 33.33333, 44.43333 Timezone: UTC+3 (3 hrs ahead)
Distance across Tigris (Google Earth) = 180 m
Ridvan Garden = 33.345 N, 44.3782 E
Moon
Full Moon must fall at sunrise/sunset

Moon (UTC/UTC+3):
Baghdad: http://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/moonphases.html?year=1863&n=27
Tehran: http://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/moonphases.html?year=1863&n=246
Apr 18 03/06:03 New Moon
Apr 26 04/07:06 1st Quarter
May 03 14/17:50 Full Moon
May 10 07/10:13 3rd Quarter
Sun
Sun (UTC/UTC+3):
http://www.srrb.noaa.gov/highlights/sunrise/sunrise.html
May 02 02/05:14 Sunrise
May 02 08/11:59 Noon
May 02 15/18:45 Sunset
May 03 02/05:13 Sunrise
May 03 08/11:59 Noon
May 03 15/18:46 Sunset
Astrological
Calculate here: http://www.noendpress.com/pvachier/arabicparts/
Prayer Times (Baghdad) April / 2008 -
Day 	Date 	Fajr 	Sunrise 	Dhuhr 	Asr 	Maghrib 	Isha
20  	Sun  	4:58  	6:26  	1:02  	4:41  	7:37  	9:01
Fajr	Dawn till sunrise
Dhuhr	After true noon until Asr
Asr	Late afternoon to sun starting to set: late afternoon = when the shadow of an object becomes twice or equal its height (plus the length of its shadow at the start time of Dhuhr
Maghrib	After sunset till dusk
Isha'a	Dusk till dawn
Other
Bab's birthday
Difference between Ridvan and the Ridvan Garden