The Miracle They Never Chose
'Abdu'l-Bahá, Some Answered Questions, (1908), Baha'i Publishing Trust
When in Bahá'í history
How this story reached us
- 1.Some Answered Questions, ch. 9 "Baha'u'llah" (Mulla Hasan 'Amu's mission for the 'ulama of Karbila and Najaf, the reply, the kissing of the knee, the 'ulama's withdrawal, his reports in Kirmanshah and Tihran; local copy scratchpad/gut/19289.txt lines 903-944)
- 2.God Passes By, ch. VIII (Shaykh 'Abdu'l-Husayn's mandate, the gathering at Kazimayn, Shaykh Murtada-i-Ansari's refusal, the envoy, the answer three days later, Mirza Sa'id Khan, Baha'u'llah's reported comment; local copy scratchpad/gut/19275.txt lines 5775-5842)
A retelling based on Some Answered Questions by 'Abdu'l-Bahá, with details from God Passes By by Shoghi Effendi. Words in quotation marks are as those books record them.
During Bahá'u'lláh's years in Baghdád, Shaykh 'Abdu'l-Ḥusayn, who was scheming to have Him recalled to Ṭihrán and imprisoned, persuaded the Sháh to grant him a mandate with full powers. He sent it at once to the divines of Najaf and Karbilá and asked them to gather at Káẓimayn, where he lived. A company of shaykhs, mullás and mujtahids, eager to win the sovereign's favour, came. When they learned why they had been summoned, they resolved to declare a holy war against the exiles and destroy the Faith at its heart.
The leading mujtahid among them, the celebrated Shaykh Murtaḍáy-i-Anṣárí, refused to pronounce the sentence. Shoghi Effendi describes him as a man renowned for his tolerance, wisdom, justice and piety. He said he did not know enough of the beliefs of these people, and that he had seen no act of theirs contrary to the Qur'án. Ignoring the protests of his colleagues, he left the gathering and went back to Najaf, after sending a messenger to Bahá'u'lláh to express his regret for what had happened and his wish for His protection.
The others did not give up. They chose a learned and devout man, Hájí Mullá Ḥasan-i-'Ammú, known for his integrity and wisdom, to take their questions to Bahá'u'lláh. He came into His presence and put the questions on behalf of the 'ulamá, and Bahá'u'lláh answered them to his complete satisfaction. Then Ḥasan 'Ammú said that the 'ulamá acknowledged Bahá'u'lláh's knowledge and virtue, agreed that in learning He had no equal, and that He had plainly never studied to acquire it. "But still the 'ulamá say, 'We are not contented with this; we do not acknowledge the reality of His mission by virtue of His wisdom and righteousness. Therefore, we ask Him to show us a miracle in order to satisfy and tranquilize our hearts.'"
Bahá'u'lláh replied:
"Although you have no right to ask this, for God should test His creatures, and they should not test God, still I allow and accept this request. But the Cause of God is not a theatrical display that is presented every hour, of which some new diversion may be asked for every day. If it were thus, the Cause of God would become mere child's play.
"The 'ulamás must, therefore, assemble, and, with one accord, choose one miracle, and write that, after the performance of this miracle they will no longer entertain doubts about Me, and that all will acknowledge and confess the truth of My Cause. Let them seal this paper, and bring it to Me. This must be the accepted criterion: if the miracle is performed, no doubt will remain for them; and if not, We shall be convicted of imposture."
Ḥasan 'Ammú rose and said, "There is no more to be said." Then, though he was not a believer, he kissed the knee of Bahá'u'lláh and went to deliver the message.
He gathered the 'ulamá and gave them the reply. They consulted together and said that Bahá'u'lláh was an enchanter who might perform some enchantment, after which they would have nothing more to say. Acting on this belief, 'Abdu'l-Bahá writes, "they did not dare to push the matter further." Three days later, according to God Passes By, the envoy sent word that the assembly had failed to reach a decision and had chosen to drop the matter.
Ḥasan 'Ammú spoke of this at many meetings. After leaving Karbilá he went to Kirmánsháh and Ṭihrán and gave a detailed account of it everywhere, laying emphasis on the fear and the withdrawal of the 'ulamá. He even told it in person to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mírzá Sa'íd Khán.
When Bahá'u'lláh was told how they had responded, He is reported to have said that through this message He had "revealed and vindicated the miracles of all the Prophets, inasmuch as We left the choice to the 'ulamás themselves, undertaking to reveal whatever they would decide upon." Shoghi Effendi calls His reply "clear, challenging and courageous," and "unexampled in the annals of any religion."
This is a retelling. For the fuller account, see Some Answered Questions by 'Abdu'l-Bahá, chapter 9, and God Passes By by Shoghi Effendi, chapter VIII.
Cite this story
'Abdu'l-Bahá. (1908). *Some Answered Questions*. Baha'i Publishing Trust.
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