The Afnán Builds the First House of Worship

A retelling based on Memorials of the Faithful by 'Abdu'l-Bahá, His reminiscences of the early believers. Words in quotation marks are 'Abdu'l-Bahá's own, as preserved in that book.

Ḥájí Mírzá Muḥammad-Taqí, whose title was Vakílu'd-Dawlih, was an Afnán, a kinsman of the Báb. 'Abdu'l-Bahá writes that in him "an excellent character was allied to a noble lineage." He became a believer "after one reading of the Book of Íqán," Bahá'u'lláh's Book of Certitude, and was so stirred that he cried out, "Lord, Lord, here am I!" He left Persia for 'Iráq and hurried across the mountains and deserts to Baghdád, where he attained the presence of Bahá'u'lláh.

He then returned to Persia and taught the Faith. In Yazd he was, 'Abdu'l-Bahá says, "outwardly, engaged in commercial pursuits, but actually teaching the Faith." Even his enemies admired him. They would say: "There is none to compare with this man for his words and acts, his righteousness, trustworthiness, and strong faith; in all things he is unique; what a pity that he is a Bahá'í!"

Many times Bahá'u'lláh spoke to those around Him of His "extreme satisfaction with the Afnán," and everyone was certain that he would one day "initiate some highly important task."

After Bahá'u'lláh's ascension, the Afnán, loyal to the Covenant, served more than ever. "He gave up his comfort, his business, his properties, estates, lands, hastened away to Ishqábád and set about building the Mashriqu'l-Adhkár." In this way, 'Abdu'l-Bahá writes, he "became the first individual to erect a Bahá'í House of Worship, the first builder of a House to unify man."

For a long time in 'Ishqábád he had no rest. Day and night he urged the believers on, and they too "made sacrifices above and beyond their power; and God's edifice arose, and word of it spread throughout East and West."

"The Afnán expended everything he possessed to rear this building, except for a trifling sum," 'Abdu'l-Bahá writes. "This is the way to make a sacrifice. This is what it means to be faithful."

Afterwards the Afnán went to the Holy Land and spent his last days near the Shrine of the Báb, praying. 'Abdu'l-Bahá remembered him as "an uncommonly happy man": "Whenever I was saddened, I would meet with him, and on the instant, joy would return again." His passing, close by the Shrine of the Báb, "deeply grieved 'Abdu'l-Bahá." His grave is in Haifa.

This is a retelling. For the fuller account, see Memorials of the Faithful by 'Abdu'l-Bahá.

'Abdu'l-Bahá. (1915). *Memorials of the Faithful*. Bahá'í Publishing Trust. https://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/abdul-baha/memorials-faithful/