Memorials of the Faithful Part 13

Then the supreme ordeal, the great desolation, came upon us. Qulam-'Ali took on the carpentry work of the Holy Tomb, exerting all his sure powers.

To this day, the gla.s.s roof which is over the inner courtyard of the Shrine of Baha'u'llah remains as the product of his skill. He was a man crystal clear of heart. His face shone; his inner condition was constant; at no time was he changeable or unstable. He was staunch, loving, and true till his last breath.

After some years in this neighborhood, he rose upward to the neighborhood of the all-embracing mercy of G.o.d, and became a friend to those who dwell in the high Heavens. He had the honor of meeting Baha'u'llah in both worlds. This is the most precious bestowal, the costliest of all gifts. To him be salutations and praise. His bright grave is in Akka. Jinab-i-Munib, upon him be the Glory of the All-Glorious

His name was Mirza aqa and he was spirit itself. He came from Ka_sh_an. In the days of the Bab, he was drawn to the sweet savors of G.o.d; it was then he caught fire. He was a fine youth, handsome, full of charm and grace. He was a calligrapher second to none, a poet, and he had as well a remarkable singing voice. He was wise and perceptive; staunch in the Faith of G.o.d; a flame of G.o.d's love, severed from all but G.o.d.

During the years when Baha'u'llah resided in 'Iraq, Jinab-i-Munib left Ka_sh_an and hastened to His presence. He went to live in a small and humble house, barely managed to subsist, and set about committing to writing the words of G.o.d. On his brow, the bestowals of the Manifestation were clear to see. In all this mortal world he had only one possession, his daughter; and even his daughter he had left behind in Persia, as he hurried away to 'Iraq.

At the time when, with all pomp and ceremony, Baha'u'llah and His retinue departed from Ba_gh_dad, 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 Ba_gh_dad to Constantinople. Still, he gladly measured out the desert miles, and he spent his days and nights chanting prayers, communing with G.o.d 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,"(84) 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!

The Blessed Beauty, at the time of His departure from Constantinople, directed Jinab-i-Munib to return to Persia and promulgate the Faith.

Accordingly he went back, and over a considerable period he rendered outstanding services, especially in ?ihran. Then he came again, from Persia to Adrianople, and entered the presence of Baha'u'llah, enjoying the privilege of attending upon Him. At the time of the greatest catastrophe, that is, the exile to Akka, he was made a prisoner on this Pathway and traveled, by now feeble and ill, with the party of Baha'u'llah.

He had been stricken by a severe ailment and was pitifully weak. Still, he would not agree to remaining behind in Adrianople where he could receive treatment, because he wanted to sacrifice his life and fall at the feet of his Lord. We journeyed along till we reached the sea. He was now so feeble that it took three men to lift him and carry him onto the ship. Once he was on board, his condition grew so much worse that the captain insisted we put him off the ship, but because of our repeated pleas he waited till we reached Smyrna. In Smyrna, the captain addressed Colonel Umar Bayk, the government agent who accompanied us, and told him: "If you don't put him ash.o.r.e, I will do it by force, because the ship will not accept pa.s.sengers in this condition."

We were compelled, then, to take Jinab-i-Munib to the hospital at Smyrna.

Weak as he was, unable to utter a word, he dragged himself to Baha'u'llah, lay down at His feet, and wept. On the countenance of Baha'u'llah as well, there was intense pain.

We carried Jinab-i-Munib to the hospital, but the functionaries allowed us not more than one hour's time. We laid him down on the bed; we laid his fair head on the pillow; we held him and kissed him many times. Then they forced us away. It is clear how we felt. Whenever I think of that moment, the tears come; my heart is heavy and I summon up the remembrance of what he was. A great man; infinitely wise, he was, steadfast, modest and grave; and there was no one like him for faith and cert.i.tude. In him the inner and outer perfections, the spiritual and physical, were joined together.

That is why he could receive endless bounty and grace.

His grave is in Smyrna, but it is off by itself, and deserted. Whenever this can be done, the friends must search for it, and that neglected dust must be changed into a much-frequented shrine,(85) so that pilgrims who visit there may breathe in the sweet scent of his last resting-place.

MiRZa MU??AFa NARaQi

Among that company of pure and goodly souls was Mirza Mu??afa, a leading citizen of Naraq and one of the earliest believers. His face shone with the love of G.o.d. His mind was concerned with the anemones of mystic meanings, fair as meadows and beds of flowers.

It was in the days of the Bab that he first set his lips to the intoxicating cup of spiritual truth, and he had a strange tumult in his brain, a fierce yearning in his heart. In the path of G.o.d he threw down whatever he possessed; he gambled everything away, gave up his home, his kin, his physical well-being, his peace of mind. Like a fish on the sand, he struggled to reach the water of life. He came to 'Iraq, joined the friends of his soul, and entered the presence of Baha'u'llah. For some time he lived there, joyful and content, receiving endless bounty. Then he was sent back to Persia, where, to the utmost of his capacity, he served the Faith. He was a whole and accomplished man, staunch, firmly rooted as the hills; sound, and worthy of trust. To him, in all that turmoil and panic, the wild dogs howling were only buzzing flies; tests and trials rested his mind; when cast into the fire of afflictions that broke out, he proved to be shining gold.

On the day when the convoy of Baha'u'llah was leaving Constantinople for Adrianople, Mirza Mu??afa arrived from Persia. There was no opportunity for him to reach Baha'u'llah except once; and he was thereupon directed to return to Persia. At such a moment he had the honor of being received.

When Mirza Mu??afa reached a_dh_irbayjan, he began to spread the Faith.

Day and night he remained in a state of prayer, and there in Tabriz he drank of a br.i.m.m.i.n.g cup. His fervor increased, his teaching raised a tumult. Then the eminent scholar, the renowned _Sh_ay_kh_ A?mad-i-_Kh_urasani, came to a_dh_irbayjan and the two of them joined forces. The result was such overwhelming spiritual fire that they taught the Faith openly and publicly and the people of Tabriz rose up in wrath.

The farra_sh_es hunted them down, and caught Mirza Mu??afa. But then the oppressors said, "Mirza Mu??afa had two long locks of hair. This cannot be the right man." At once, Mirza Mu??afa took off his hat and down fell the locks of hair. "Behold!" he told them. "I am the one." They arrested him then. They tortured him and _Sh_ay_kh_ A?mad until finally, in Tabriz, those two great men drained the cup of death and, martyred, hastened away to the Supreme Horizon.

At the place where they were to be killed, Mirza Mu??afa cried out: "Kill me first, kill me before _Sh_ay_kh_ A?mad, that I may not see them shed his blood!"

Their greatness has been recorded for all time in the Writings of Baha'u'llah. They received many a Tablet from Him, and after their death He set down, with His exalted pen, the anguish they endured.

From youth till old age, this ill.u.s.trious man, Mirza Mu??afa, devoted his entire life to service on the pathway of G.o.d. Today he dwells in the all-glorious Realm, in the neighborhood of the ineffable mercy of G.o.d, and he rejoices with exceeding gladness, and he celebrates the praise of his Lord. Blessedness be his, and a goodly home.(86) To him be tidings of great joy, from the Lord of Lords. May G.o.d grant him an exalted station, in that high Company.

ZAYNU'L-MUQARRABiN

This distinguished man was one of the greatest of all the Bab's companions and all the loved ones of Baha'u'llah. When he lived under Islam, he was already famed for his purity and holiness of life. He was talented and highly accomplished in many directions. He was the leader and spiritual exemplar of the entire population of Najaf-abad, and the eminent of that area showed him unbounded respect. When he spoke out, his was the deciding opinion; when he pa.s.sed judgment, it took effect; for he was known to all as the standard, and the authority of last resort.

He had no sooner learned of the Bab's Declaration than he cried out from the depths of his heart, "O our Lord! we have indeed heard the voice of one that called. He called us to the Faith-'Believe ye on your Lord'-and we have believed."(87) He rid himself of all impeding veils; his doubts dispelled, he began to extol and glorify the Beauty promised from of old.

In his own home, and at I?fahan, he became notorious for declaring far and wide that the advent of the long-desired One had come to pa.s.s. By the hypocrites, he was mocked, cursed and tormented. As for the people, "the ma.s.s, as a snake in the gra.s.s," who had worshiped him before, now rose up to do him harm. Every day brought on a fresh cruelty, a new torment from his oppressors. He endured it all, and went on teaching with great eloquence. He remained staunch, unmoved, as their wrath increased. In his hands he held out a full cup of Divine glad tidings, offering to all who came that heady draught of the knowledge of G.o.d. He was utterly without fear, knew nothing of danger, and swiftly followed the holy path of the Lord.

After the attempt on the _Sh_ah, however, there was no shelter anywhere; no evening, no morning, without intense affliction. And since his staying on in Najaf-abad at such a time was a great danger to the believers, he left there and traveled to 'Iraq. It was during the period when the Blessed Beauty was in Kurdistan, when He had gone into seclusion and was living in the cave on Sar-Galu, that Jinab-i-Zayn arrived in Ba_gh_dad.

But his hopes were dashed, his heart grieved, for all was silence: there was no word of the Cause of G.o.d, no name nor fame of it; there were no gatherings, no call was being raised. Ya?ya, terror stricken, had vanished into some dark hiding place. Torpid, flaccid, he had made himself invisible. Try as he might, Jinab-i-Zayn could find not one soul. He met on a single occasion with His Eminence Kalim. But it was a period when great caution was being exercised by the believers, and he went on to Karbila. He spent some time there, and occupied himself with copying out the Writings, after which he returned home to Najaf-abad. Here the foul persecutions and attacks of his relentless enemies could hardly be endured.

But when the Trump had been sounded a second time,(88) he was restored to life. To the tidings of Baha'u'llah's advent his soul replied; to the drum beat, "Am I not your Lord?" his heart drummed back: "Yea, verily!"(89) Eloquently, he taught again, using both rational and historical proofs to establish that He Whom G.o.d Shall Manifest-the Promised One of the Bab-had indeed appeared. He was like refreshing waters to those who thirsted, and to seekers, a clear answer from the Concourse on high. In his writing and speaking, he was first among the righteous, in his elucidations and commentaries a mighty sign of G.o.d.

In Persia his life was in imminent peril; and since remaining at Najaf-abad would have stirred up the agitators and brought on riots, he hastened away to Adrianople, seeking sanctuary with G.o.d, and crying out as he went, "Lord, Lord, here am I!" Wearing the lover's pilgrim dress, he reached the Mecca of his longing. For some time he tarried there, in the presence of Baha'u'llah, after which he was commanded to leave, with Jinab-i-Mirza Ja'far-i-Yazdi, and promulgate the Faith. He returned to Persia and began to teach most eloquently, so that the glad tidings of the Lord's advent resounded to the high heavens. In the company of Mirza Ja'far he traveled everywhere, through cities flourishing and ruined, spreading the good news that the Blessed Beauty was now manifest.

Once again, he returned to 'Iraq, where he was the center of every gathering, and rejoiced his hearers. At all times, he gave wise counsel; at all times he was consumed with the love of G.o.d.

When the believers were taken prisoner in 'Iraq and banished to Mosul, Jinab-i-Zayn became their chief. He remained for some time in Mosul, a consolation to the rest, working to solve their many problems. He would kindle love in people's hearts, and make them kind to one another. Later he asked for permission to attend upon Baha'u'llah; when this was granted he arrived at the Prison and had the honor of entering the presence of his Well-Beloved. He then busied himself with writing down the sacred verses, and encouraging the friends. He was love itself to the emigrants, and warmed the travelers' hearts. He never rested for a moment, and received new grace and bounty every day, meanwhile taking down the Baha'i Scriptures with faultless care.

From his early years till his last breath, this eminent man never failed in service to the Manifestation. After the ascension he was consumed with such grieving, such constant tears and anguish, that as the days pa.s.sed by, he wasted away. He remained faithful to the Covenant, and was a close companion to this servant of the Light of the World, but he longed to rise out of this life, and awaited his departure from day to day. At last, serene and happy, rejoicing in the tidings of the Kingdom, he soared away to that mysterious land. There he was loosed from every sorrow, and in the gathering-place of splendors he was immersed in light.

Unto him be salutations and praise from the luminous Realm, and the glory of the All-Glorious from the Concourse on high, and great joy in that Kingdom which endures forever. May G.o.d provide him with an exalted station in the Abha Paradise.

A?iM-I-TAFRiSHi

This man of G.o.d came from the district of Tafri_sh_. He was detached from the world, fearless, independent of kindred and stranger alike. He was one of the earliest believers, and belonged to the company of the faithful. It was in Persia that he won the honor of belief, and began to a.s.sist the friends; he was a servant to every believer, a trusted helper to every traveler. With Musay-i-Qumi, upon whom be the glory of G.o.d, he came to 'Iraq, received his portion of bounty from the Light of the World, and was honored with entering the presence of Baha'u'llah, attending upon Him and becoming the object of bestowals and grace.

After a time, A?im and ?aji Mirza Musa went back to Persia, where he continued to render service to the friends, purely for G.o.d's sake. Without wage or stipend he served Mirza Nasru'llah of Tafri_sh_ for a number of years, his faith and cert.i.tude growing stronger with every pa.s.sing day.

Mirza Nasru'llah then left Persia for Adrianople, and in his company came Jinab-i-'A?im, and entered the presence of Baha'u'llah. He kept on serving with love and loyalty, purely for the sake of G.o.d; and when the convoy departed for Akka, A?im received the distinction of accompanying Baha'u'llah, and he entered the Most Great Prison.

In the prison he was chosen to serve the Household; he became the water carrier both within doors and on the outside. He undertook many hard tasks in the barracks. He had no rest at all, day or night. A?im-"the great, the magnificent"-was magnificent as to character. He was patient, long-suffering, forbearing, shunning the stain of this earth. And since he was the family water carrier, he had the honor of coming into Baha'u'llah's presence every day.

He was a good companion to all the friends, a consolation to their hearts; he brought happiness to all of them, the present and the absent as well.

Many and many a time, Baha'u'llah was heard to express His approval of this man. He always maintained the same inner condition; he was constant, never subject to change. He was always happy-looking. He did not know the meaning of fatigue. He was never despondent. When anyone asked a service of him, he performed it at once. He was staunch and firm in his faith, a tree that grew in the scented garden of G.o.d's tenderness.

After he had served at the Holy Threshold for many long years, he hastened away, tranquil, serene, rejoicing in the tidings of the Kingdom, out of this swiftly fading life to the world that does not die. The friends, all of them, mourned his pa.s.sing, but the Blessed Beauty eased their hearts, for He lavished grace and praise on him who was gone.