The Rose-Water Maker of Yazd

*A retelling for children of the account of Ḥájí Mullá Mihdí of Yazd in 'Abdu'l-Bahá's **Memorials of the Faithful**, as given in **Bahá'í Chronicles**, with a detail from Adib Taherzadeh's **The Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh**, volume 4.*

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Every year Ḥájí Mullá Mihdí of Yazd made rose-water and attar of rose, a perfume made from roses. That is why he was known as 'Aṭrí, "distiller of attar."

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He was not one of the learned class, but he knew the sacred traditions of Islam well and could explain them. He was faithful in his prayers and often kept vigil at night. 'Abdu'l-Bahá wrote that his heart was illumined. When he taught the Faith, he was never at a loss for words.

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When people all over Yazd began to say that he belonged to the new Faith, he openly declared that he did. He was publicly disgraced, and some of the religious leaders of the city decreed that he must die. A respected mujtahid, Mullá Báqir of Ardikán, refused to confirm the sentence, so Mullá Mihdí's life was spared, but he had to leave his home.

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With two of his sons, Ḥusayn and the future martyr Varqá, he set out for the land where Bahá'u'lláh lived. In every town and village along the way he taught the Faith, and he encouraged the believers to teach others in their turn. On the road he was put in prison, and as he crossed deserts and mountains he suffered many hardships.

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At last he reached Beirut. He was ill there, and after some days he could wait no longer. Weak and sick as he was, he set out on foot for the house of Bahá'u'lláh. He had no proper shoes, and his feet were bruised and torn. His illness grew worse and he could hardly move, but he kept going. He reached the village of Mazra'ih, and there, close to the Mansion where Bahá'u'lláh was living, he died.

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'Abdu'l-Bahá wrote of him: "His heart found his Well-Beloved One, when he could bear the separation no more." His grave is at Mazra'ih, near 'Akká.

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*This is a retelling for children. For the fuller account, see ["Ḥájí Mullá Mihdí-i-Yazdí aka Haji Mulla Mihdi-i-‘Atri"](/stories/bc-haji-mulla-mihdi-i-yazdi-aka-haji-mulla-mihdi-i-8216-atri).*

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