The Night Bahá'u'lláh Moved to Bahjí

All the Bahá'ís of 'Akká knew that Bahá'u'lláh would soon move from His home in 'Akká to the Mansion of Bahjí out in the country. Members of His household were already there, making everything ready for Him. On the night that Bahá'u'lláh was actually to move, two Bahá'ís, Nabíl and Hájí Muḥammad-Ṭáhir, were sitting by their window in 'Akká waiting for Bahá'u'lláh to pass by. They treasured every glimpse of Him. When they saw Bahá'u'lláh riding by on His white donkey, they decided to follow Him to the Mansion of Bahjí, circumambulate it, and then walk back home.

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To circumambulate means to walk around something. Bahá'ís often circumambulate the holy places where Bahá'u'lláh has lived, saying prayers as they walk. It is a sign of their love for Bahá'u'lláh.

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Nabíl and Hájí Muḥammad-Ṭáhir followed quietly about fifty steps behind Bahá'u'lláh all the way to Bahjí. When Bahá'u'lláh went inside the Mansion, they came closer so they could walk on the footpaths close to the Mansion's walls. They were amazed to see that the footpaths on all four sides of the Mansion were crowded with people. They could hear their breathing and their low voices. They could not get close to the Mansion but had to walk in the muddy wheat fields surrounding it as they prayerfully circumambulated Bahá'u'lláh's new home.

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Nabíl and Hájí Muḥammad-Ṭáhir knew that no one else had come from 'Akká to circumambulate the Mansion of Bahjí. Why, even they had come without permission! Then, they realized that these people crowding around the Mansion were the souls of all the Prophets and Messengers and the Concourse on High who were also circumambulating the new throne of their Lord!

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When the two returned to 'Akká, they stayed up all night, keeping vigil. Nabíl wrote many poems about Bahá'u'lláh, and about the souls they had seen during their visit to Bahjí. When Bahá'u'lláh read the poems, He was so pleased that He gave each man a new name. To Nabíl He gave the title of Bulbul (Nightingale) and to Hájí Muḥammad-Ṭáhir He gave the title of Bahháj (the Blissful).

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