'Abdu'l-Baha: The Perfect Exemplar

‘ABDU’L-BAHÁ

THE PERFECT EXEMPLAR by

Dariush Lamy

Westlake Village, California 2020

Dedication I dedicate this book to my mother, Parvín Mu‘tamid Lamy, who has tirelessly sacrificed her life for me, and also, to my Bahá’í teachers: Badí‘u’lláh Faríd, Muḥammad Movváhid, Dr. ‘Alí-Murád Dávúdí, ‘Azíz‘u’lláh Sulaymání, and Dr. Kámbíz Ṣádiqzádih, who have infused in me the love of reading and understanding the Bahá’í Writings.

Table of Contents Table of Illustrations

iii

Acknowledgements

iv

Foreword

v

Preface

vii

Introduction: The Station of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá The Day of the Covenant Timeline of the life of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá

ix xii xiv

Chapter 1: The Life of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá: Early Life and Exile Early Life: 1844–1854 1854–1892

1 3 5

Chapter 2: The Ministry of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Part One Ascension of Bahá’u’lláh Changes in Turkey and Iran Covenant-breakers Departure for the West ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in Egypt ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in the West: Overview ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in Europe: England France North America ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in Abú-Sinán

23 25 28 29 30 33 37 40 45 57 88

Chapter 3: The Ministry of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Part Two Building Projects The Shrine of the Báb ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and Lighting the Shrines The House of the Báb The House of Worship in ‘Ishqábád

93 95 95 99 105 105 i

The Mother Temple of the West School in Haifa ‘Adasíyyih Schools

105 106 108 110

Chapter 4: Marriage, Family, and Daily Life ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in Daily Life Physicians of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá A Few Servants of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá Sense of Humor

111 115 117 118 120

Chapter 5: The Ascension of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá Testimonial by Shoghi Effendi and Lady Blomfield

133 135

Chapter 6: Prominent Contemporaries in Contact with ‘Abdu’l-Bahá

179

Chapter 7: The Disciples of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá

203

Chapter 8: The Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá Overview The Early Period, 1860 to 1892 The Middle Period, 1892 to 1908 The Late Period, 1908 to 1921

215 217 224 239 257

Chapter 9: Secretaries and Translators of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá Secretaries Translators

303 305 309

Appendix: Three Important Tablets of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá Bibliography Works by Bahá’u’lláh Works by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá Works by Shoghi Effendi Works by the Universal House of Justice Works by other authors Websites

311 341 341 341 341 342 342 347

ii

INTRODUCTION: THE STATION OF ‘ABDU’L-BAHÁ

Introduction: The Station of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá Bahá’u’lláh referred to his eldest Son on many occasions as the Center of His Covenant, “The Most Great Branch,” “Him Whom God hath purposed, Who hath branched from this Ancient Root.” In His Will and Testament, He designated ‘Abdu’l-Bahá His Successor as Head of the Faith and Interpreter of the Writings to whom all should turn.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá has a unique station both in the Bahá’í Faith and in religious history. In no other religion has there ever been any figure comparable to Him. God has shown His power by creating such a personage in this earthly realm. Bahá’u’lláh wrote of the Master’s spiritual power: Render thanks unto God, O people, for His appearance; for verily He is the most great Favor unto you, the most perfect bounty upon you; and through Him every moldering bone is quickened.1 To understand the Truth of God, we can turn our hearts and minds to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. He is the human version of God’s holy attributes.

Bahá’u’lláh testifies to this follow: He is the Trust of God amongst you, His charge within you, His manifestation unto you and His appearance among His favored servants… We have sent Him down in the form of a human temple.2 Baha’u’llah refers to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá as God’s “Immutable Mystery,” such that the land rejoiced when He walked upon it and sorrowed when He went away from it. The sweetness of His love had no precedent in the world. The testimony to this is a letter dictated

by Bahá’u’lláh to Mírzá Áqá Ján, His amanuensis, and addressed to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá while the latter was on a visit to Beirut: 1 2

Shoghi Effendi. (1991). The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh. Wilmette, IL: US Bahá’í Publishing Trust, p.135.

Bahá’u’lláh. (2017). Days of Remembrance: Selections from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh for Bahá’í Holy Days. Bahá’í World Centre, p. 29.

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‘ABDU’L-BAHÁ • THE PERFECT EXEMPLAR

Praise be to Him Who hath honored the Land of Bá (Beirut) through the presence of Him round Whom all names revolve. All the atoms of the earth have announced unto all created things that from behind the gate of the Prison-city there hath appeared and above its horizon there hath shone forth the Orb of the beauty of the great, the Most Mighty Branch of God—His ancient and immutable Mystery—proceeding on its way to another land.

Sorrow, thereby, hath enveloped this Prison-city, whilst another land rejoiceth… Blessed, doubly blessed, is the ground which His footsteps have trodden, the eye that hath been cheered by the beauty of His countenance, the ear that hath been honored by hearkening to His call, the heart that hath tasted the sweetness of His love, the breast that hath dilated through His remembrance, the pen that hath voiced His praise, the scroll that hath borne the testimony of His writings.3 Shoghi Effendi described ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, his Grandfather, as “… the unerring Interpreter of Bahá’u’lláh’s Word, and the embodiment of every Bahá’í ideal….”4 and writes of the difficulty of truly understanding the Master’s station: An attempt I strongly feel should now be made to clarify our minds regarding the station occupied by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and the significance of His position in this holy Dispensation. It would be indeed difficult for us, who stand so close to such a tremendous figure and are drawn by the mysterious power of so magnetic a personality, to obtain a clear and exact understanding of the role and character of One Who, not only in the Dispensation of Bahá’u’lláh but in the entire field of religious history, fulfills a unique function.5 Shoghi Effendi further describes the high station of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá:

3 4 5

x

Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 136.

Ibid., p. 134.

Ibid., p. 131.

INTRODUCTION: THE STATION OF ‘ABDU’L-BAHÁ

He is, and should for all time be regarded, first and foremost, as the Center and Pivot of Bahá’u’lláh’s peerless and all-enfolding Covenant, His most exalted handiwork, the stainless Mirror of His light, the perfect Exemplar of His teachings, the unerring Interpreter of His Word, the embodiment of every Bahá’í ideal, the incarnation of every Bahá’í virtue, the Most Mighty Branch sprung from the Ancient Root, the Limb of the Law of God, the Being “round Whom all names revolve,” the Mainspring of the Oneness of Humanity, the Ensign of the Most Great Peace, the Moon of the Central Orb of this most holy Dispensation—styles and titles that are implicit and find their truest, their highest and fairest expression in the magic name ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. He is, above and beyond these appellations, the “Mystery of God”—an expression by which Bahá’u’lláh Himself has chosen to designate Him, and which, while it does not by any means justify us to assign to Him the station of Prophethood, indicates how in the person of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá the incompatible characteristics of a human nature and superhuman knowledge and perfection have been blended and are completely harmonized.6 Bahá’u’lláh addresses His Son ‘Abdu’l-Bahá as follows: O Thou Who art the apple of Mine eye!” Bahá’u’lláh, in His own handwriting, thus addresses ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, “My glory, the ocean of My loving-kindness, the sun of My bounty, the heaven of My mercy rest upon Thee. We pray God to illumine the world through Thy knowledge and wisdom, to ordain for Thee that which will gladden Thine heart and impart consolation to Thine eyes.”

“The glory of God rest upon Thee,” He writes in another Tablet, “and upon whosoever serveth Thee and circleth around Thee.

Woe, great woe, betide him that opposeth and injureth Thee. Well is it with him that sweareth fealty to Thee; the fire of hell torment him who is Thine enemy.” “We have made Thee a shelter for all mankind,” He, in yet another Tablet, affirms, “a shield unto all

6

Ibid., p. 134.

xi

Chapter 1 The Life of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá: Early Life and Exile

THE LIFE OF ‘ABDU’L-BAHÁ: EARLY LIFE AND EXILE

A

ccording to Ṣaliḥ Mawlaví-Nizhád,11 ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s life can be divided into three general periods: 1. 1844–1854: From His birth in 1844 until the age of ten when His Father, Bahá’u’lláh, left Baghdád for seclusion in the mountains of Sulaymáníyyih; it was at the end of this period that He began to shoulder the weight of the family’s affairs as its eldest son.

2. 1854/5–1892: From Bahá’u’lláh’s two years of retirement in Sulaymáníyyih (1854–1856) until His Ascension in 1892, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá was in charge of all the affairs of the Holy Family and was known as The Master (Sarkár-Áqá), a term of respect. Bahá’u’lláh and the Holy Family were exiled from Istanbul in 1863. Though only nineteen years of age, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá worked tirelessly to ensure the welfare and well-being of His Father and of the family.

Travelling from village to village, He rode ahead of the others to prepare the accommodations and food for the overnight stay. During the 110 days it took them to travel from Baghdád to Istanbul, He rode every day by the side of His Father’s carriage.

3. 1892–1921: From Bahá’u’lláh’s Ascension until His own passing. This period saw the establishment of the Faith in the West and the development of the Bahá’í community; but it was also a dangerous period of Covenant breaking which challenged His authority and put Him in grave physical danger. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá traveled to Egypt three times and to the West (1911–1913), visiting more than forty cities in America and nineteen in Europe. People from all walks of life came to meet Him, and He gave hundreds of talks to thousands of people.

Early Life: 1844–1854

‘Abdu’l-Bahá ‘Abbás was born on May 23, 1844, in Ṭihrán, Iran, in the house of His parents, known as Mírzá Ḥusayn-‘Alí Núrí and 11 Mawlaví-Nizhád, Ṣ. (2003). Vaqáyi‘-i-Muhimm-i-Ḥayát-i-Ḥaḍrat-i-‘Abdu’l-Bahá Va Taḥavvulát-i-Jámi‘iy-i-Bahá’í Dar Dawriy-i-Mítháq. (Important Events at the Time of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and the Evolution of the Bahá’í Community during His Time) Khúshihá’í Az Kharman-i-Adab Va Hunar. Proceedings of a Seminar on Mítháq. (volume 14). Wienacht, Switzerland: Landegg Academy, Society for Persian Arts and Letters. pp. 21–54.

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‘ABDU’L-BAHÁ • THE PERFECT EXEMPLAR

Ásíyih Khánum, respectively. The custom in Near Eastern cultures at that time was for the first son to be given his grandfather’s name as a sign of respect. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s grandfather was Mírzá ‘Abbás. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá later named His own son Ḥusayn in honor of His Father.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s early years were spent in the comfort of the large home of His wealthy and aristocratic family, maintained by numerous servants, and in a second home in the village of Núr, located in the mountains of the northern province of Mázindarán where the family went to escape the summer heat. The main residence was in the capital, Ṭihran, a city of roughly 150,000 people. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá Himself never wrote or spoke about his early childhood, when this life of ease and privilege ended forever.

Persia at the time was ruled by the Qájár dynasty (1786–1925).

The country was in turmoil, due to the intervention of the British and Russian Empires in the economic and political affairs of the state. Both viewed Persia as a country of geo-strategic importance in the Near East but the resulting trade policies hurt local manufacturers and merchants. The Persian government and the clergy were also in a constant state of tension, adding to the inability to create coherent long-term policy for the betterment of the country.

Embittered by the Martyrdom of the Báb and seeking revenge, three Bábís attempted unsuccessfully to assassinate Náṣiri’d-Dín Sháh on August 15, 1852. Though the Sháh sustained only a minor injury, he was shocked by this attack and unleashed fearsome widescale persecutions against the Bábís.

The persecution of Bábís, and later Bahá’ís, recurred throughout Náṣiri’d-Dín Sháh’s lengthy reign, which began in 1848 and lasted until 1896, and during which he and his government would continue to harass and hunt them down, both within his kingdom and abroad.

His father, Muḥammad Sháh Qájár, had originally expressed some curiosity regarding the Báb and His claims but Náṣiri’d-Dín Sháh was implacable in his hatred towards the followers of the new Faith.

In return, the Bahá’ís were faithful to their teachings by not meeting violence with any form of armed resistance. The persecutions did not harm the spiritual vitality of the Bahá’ís, nor stop the spread of 4

THE LIFE OF ‘ABDU’L-BAHÁ: EARLY LIFE AND EXILE

the Faith. On the contrary, the blood of the martyrs became a source of strength and spurred the growth of the new Cause.

Bahá’u’lláh was the most prominent Bábí at the time of the attempt on the life of the Sháh and as a result, He was the first accused and imprisoned in an underground dungeon, called the SíyáhChál (Black Pit) in the capitol. That summer, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá became ill and had to remain in Ṭihrán. One day He asked to be taken to see His Father, anxiously concerned about what had happened to Him. Seeing His Father’s condition during the visit to the dungeon shocked Him so much that he fainted: We entered a small, narrow doorway, and went down two steps, but beyond those one could see nothing. …all of a sudden we heard His blessed voice: ‘Do not bring him here,’ and so they took me back. We sat outside, waiting for the prisoners to be led out. Suddenly they brought the Blessed Perfection out of the dungeon. He was chained to several others. What a chain! It was very heavy. The prisoners could only move it along with great difficulty.12 After this imprisonment, Bahá’u’lláh and His family were exiled in 1853 to Baghdád along with several followers. At the time, this ancient city and famed center of learning was under the control of the Ottoman Empire.

1854–1892

‘Abdu’l-Bahá wrote years later of the great, and as yet unknown, importance of exile in the spread of God’s Revelation: …This exile resulted in the whole of Europe and most of Asia entering under the shadow of the God of Israel. Behold what a power it was that enabled an emigrant to establish such a family, to found such a nation, and to promulgate such teachings. Now, can anyone claim that all this was purely fortuitous? We must be 12 ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, quoted in H.M. Balyuzi, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, pp. 11–2.

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