Through the Prison Gates of 'Akká

'Abdu'r-Rahím was a fanatical Muslim. He was alarmed. The Bahá'í Faith was growing in his town in Persia and he decided that it was time to ask the advice of a Muslim clergyman. Being a fanatic, the clergyman assured 'Abdu'r-Rahím that to kill the Bahá'ís would certainly please God.

'Abdu'r-Rahím then decided that he would kill some Bahá'ís. Not only would he rid the world of these infidels, he thought, but he'd gain a place in heaven as well. So, one day he armed himself with a weapon and went to confront an older believer whose name was Ḥájí Bábá.

"I've come to kill you, Ḥájí Bábá, because you are a Bahá'í. You are a disgrace to Islam!"

To 'Abdu'r-Rahím's surprise Ḥájí Bábá did not seem the least upset. Instead he replied calmly and lovingly. It was certainly not what 'Abdu'r-Rahím expected. He wanted to kill at least one Bahá'í, but instead he found himself listening to the words of the old man. Quite against his will, 'Abdu'r-Rahím became interested.

After a while, Ḥájí Bábá took 'Abdu'r-Rahím to a meeting. It was in the house of Mullá Ḥusayn's sister. (Perhaps you remember that Mullá Ḥusayn was the first to believe in the Báb.) You have been to firesides I suppose? Well, this one lasted one day and one night! At the end of this meeting, 'Abdu'r-Rahím was not only a Bahá'í, but a Bahá'í who was on fire with the love of God. He was so charged that he could no longer bear to stay in his town. He had learned that the Manifestation of God, God's Prophet for this age, was actually on this earth and 'Abdu'r-Rahím longed to see His Face.

'Abdu'r-Rahím set out for the prison of 'Akká on foot. He walked weary miles with a glad heart. He walked through cold and heat, rain and snow. He walked for six months. Finally, he arrived at the city of his heart, the dusty, parched city of 'Akká, where God had placed His Most Glorious Treasure, Bahá'u'lláh.

Unfortunately, 'Abdu'r-Rahím arrived in the early days of Bahá'u'lláh's imprisonment. The gates were watched carefully and anyone suspected of being a Bahá'í was turned away. Outside the city 'Abdu'r-Rahím met the celebrated, long suffering Nabíl, who many times had tried to get in to catch a glimpse of that Beloved Face. But Nabíl had failed and was patiently waiting for a time when he might enter.

There were many like 'Abdu'r-Rahím who had walked that weary road only to arrive and be turned away, their only consolation being a wave of Bahá'u'lláh's hand from a distant window. With this small wave from afar, they cheered their hearts and returned to their homes. Not 'Abdu'r-Rahím. He was determined to see Bahá'u'lláh.

He left Nabíl and went to the sea to wash his clothes, soiled from the long journey. But after they were washed and dried, he found that they were shabby, shrunken and torn. He put them on, because that was all he had and, with a heart full of hope and love, he began to circle the prison.

To his astonishment, after a short time, he noticed a hand signaling to him from the prison window. It was the hand of Bahá'u'lláh motioning him to enter the prison!

Enter the prison! Wasn't it impossible? 'Abdu'r-Rahím obeyed. He approached the gates fully prepared to be turned away, but he found instead that the guards were motionless, without life. They seemed not to see him and as he entered, they didn't move an eyelid.

With what joy 'Abdu'r-Rahím entered the presence of Bahá'u'lláh!

No matter how many miles we may walk on this earth, we, in this time, will never have this joy. We can only imagine. We can enter His Shrine, lay our heads on His Threshold and humble ourselves before Him, but that gentle Hand will never touch our brow and that mighty Voice will never reach our ears. This is a joy reserved for those chosen few whose stories will forever inspire us.

In the days that 'Abdu'r-Rahím stayed with Him, Bahá'u'lláh revealed a Tablet for him. In it He says that He had closed the eyes of the guards so that 'Abdu'r-Rahím could enter. Bahá'u'lláh gave him a new name and told him to tell his experiences to the believers in Persia. When 'Abdu'r-Rahím left, He gave him other Tablets to deliver to the Bahá'ís of Persia.

On his journey back, 'Abdu'r-Rahím stopped in Baghdád. As he was walking in the bazaar, some guards spotted him and became suspicious. They decided to follow him and arrest him. What could 'Abdu'r-Rahím do? His precious parcel with the Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh would be taken from him and perhaps destroyed. If they were found, perhaps he would be killed.

'Abdu'r-Rahím had no time for reflection. He took the parcel from his pocket and, trusting in God, threw it into the nearest shop. As he did this, he begged Bahá'u'lláh to protect the Tablets.

The guards arrested him but soon after decided that this was a man of God and let 'Abdu'r-Rahím go. They even gave him a small sum of money for the trouble they had caused him. 'Abdu'r-Rahím looked at the money and thought, "You took from me the most precious of all things in the world, the Tablets, and gave me instead a few coins!"

He returned to the bazaar, deeply worried about the Tablets. He walked up and down past the shop several times and occasionally stood near it and looked inside. Nothing happened. It was getting late, and finally, when there were no more customers around, 'Abdu'r-Rahím went near the shop again. The shopkeeper beckoned him to enter and when he did he found himself embraced warmly and greeted with "Alláh-u-Abhá!" [God is the Most Glorious]

His treasured parcel was thrust into his hands. Who was this man? He was one of the few Bahá'ís left in Baghdád and out of hundreds of shops in the bazaar, his was the only one owned by a Bahá'í!

With grateful hearts both men thanked God, for this was indeed a miracle.

'Abdu'r-Rahím stayed on a few days, met some of the Bahá'ís, and then he left for Persia, visiting several towns, delivering the Tablets and telling of his pilgrimage.

When 'Abdu'r-Rahím arrived in his native town, he was a flame of fire that Bahá'u'lláh had kindled. The radiance of his face and the force of his words were evident. He taught the Faith fearlessly and in a short time the clergy and the fanatical townspeople drove him out. He then settled in another town.

Some years later Bahá'u'lláh honored an old faithful believer with an invitation to visit Him in 'Akká. As he was very old, Bahá'u'lláh asked that a trustworthy Bahá'í accompany him. The Bahá'ís could not decide who to send, so they drew lots. 'Abdu'r-Rahím's name was chosen. In this way, he was again allowed to enter the Presence of the Blessed Beauty. When they arrived, Bahá'u'lláh told them that when He had said a "trustworthy" Bahá'í, He had actually meant this devoted believer, 'Abdu'r-Rahím.

(by Susan Allen; illustrated by Keith Kresge; adapted from The Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh, Volume 3, by Adib Taherzadeh; Brilliant Star, July-August 1987)

Source: Adapted from The Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh, vol. 3 (Adib Taherzadeh), pp. 59–63, via Baha'i Stories for Children (https://bahaistoriesforchildren.blogspot.com/2018/11/at-prison-gates.html).

Various. *Baha'i Stories for Children*. https://bahaistoriesforchildren.blogspot.com/2018/11/at-prison-gates.html