Faithful Isfandíyár

Before Bahá'u'lláh became a follower of the Báb, He had a home in the country, surrounded by many acres of land, and a palace in the city of Ṭihrán which had beautiful gardens around it. To take care of all of this, many servants were needed, and one of these was an African by the name of Isfandíyár. He was very happy to work for Bahá'u'lláh and His family, and he did everything he could to please them.

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He was very fond of the children -- 'Abdu'l-Bahá, who was then about eight years old; Bahíyyih Khánum, who was six; and the baby, Mírzá Mihdí, who was only two. He was also devoted to Ásíyih Khánum, the children's beautiful young mother.

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When Bahá'u'lláh became known as a follower of the Báb, many people who had pretended to be His friends, but who really envied Him, turned against Him. They told the Sháh that Bahá'u'lláh was his enemy. Other people were against Bahá'u'lláh because they thought that the teachings of the Báb were against their religion.

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Finally Bahá'u'lláh was thrown into prison, although He had done nothing to deserve it. His palace was broken into, and most of the valuable furniture, rugs, pictures, and things were stolen. When this happened, all the relatives of the family and nearly all of the servants ran away, for fear they might be attacked by the robbers, or that they might even be put into prison. Bahá'u'lláh's brother, Mírzá Músá, stayed to help Ásíyih Khánum and the children.

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He helped Ásíyih Khánum and her three children to escape into hiding, and they moved to a little house not far from the prison.

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The enemies of Bahá'u'lláh tried to find Isfandíyár because he was Bahá'u'lláh's faithful servant and was trusted with His secrets. Perhaps more than a hundred officers were sent to look for him, but they did not find him.

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One midnight Ásíyih Khánum and the children were awakened by a loud knocking at the door. They opened it fearfully, for they never knew when their enemies would discover their hiding place. But there stood Isfandíyár!

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Ásíyih Khánum exclaimed, "O Isfandíyár, there are a hundred policemen seeking for you. … Go away! Do not stay here."

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But Isfandíyár answered, "I cannot go because I owe money in the street and in the stores. How can I go? They will say that the servant of Bahá'u'lláh has bought and consumed the goods and supplies of the storekeepers without paying for them. Unless I pay all these obligations, I cannot go."

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Then Isfandíyár went away from the little house, and for a month he walked in the streets and markets. He had things to sell, and from his earnings he paid the shopkeepers little by little until not a single penny was left unpaid. All this time the officers were looking for him, but they did not catch him. In fact, as 'Abdu'l-Bahá later explained, these were not really Isfandíyár's own debts but the family's, for all their property had been taken away.

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When everything was paid, he came to Ásíyih Khánum and the children once more, said good-bye, and went away.

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Isfandíyár fled, and a Persian minister gave him shelter and took him into his service at a time when no one else could protect him.

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Later, Bahá'u'lláh was released from prison, and He and His family were sent to Baghdád. Isfandíyár came there too. He wanted to stay in the same home as Bahá'u'lláh and serve Him again.

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But Bahá'u'lláh said to him, "When you fled away, there was a Persian minister who gave you shelter at a time when no one else could give you protection. Because he gave you shelter and protected you, you must be faithful to him. If he is satisfied to have you go, then come to us; but if he does not want you to go, do not leave him."

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The minister did not want to lose him. He said, "I do not want to be separated from Isfandíyár. Where can I find another like him, with such sincerity, such faithfulness, such character, such power? Where can I find one? O Isfandíyár! I am not willing that you should go, yet if you wish to go, let it be according to your own will."

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Isfandíyár longed to stay with Bahá'u'lláh, but because Bahá'u'lláh had told him to be faithful, he stayed with his master until he died.

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Many years later, in 1912, 'Abdu'l-Bahá told the story of Isfandíyár to a gathering of black and white friends in Washington, D.C. He said:

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"If a perfect man could be found in the world, that man was Isfandíyár. He was the essence of love, radiant with sanctity and perfection, luminous with light."

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And He ended: "He was a point of light. Although his color was black, yet his character was luminous; his mind was luminous; his face was luminous. Truly, he was a point of light."

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(Child’s Way, May-June 1979, adapted from a story by Dr. Genevieve Coy; revised here to follow 'Abdu'l-Bahá's own account)

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