The Household in the Days of Danger

A retelling based on The Chosen Highway by Lady Blomfield (Part III, ch. 1, "1892 to 1908"), which records the memories of the women of Bahá'u'lláh's household. Words in quotation marks are as the book records them.

After the passing of Bahá'u'lláh in 1892, His followers turned to His eldest Son, 'Abdu'l-Bahá. The Chosen Highway says that many and great difficulties then beset Him, "mainly through those enemies who were of His own kindred and 'of His own Father's house.'"

These enemies went to the successive Governors of 'Akká with accusations against Him. Some Governors would not listen, and would answer: "I advise you not to make these accusations against your brother; He is a great and wonderful person, of Whom you should be very proud." Another believed the stories: that 'Abdu'l-Bahá had many English and American friends, and that He was building a strong fortification on Mount Carmel and would soon drive out the Turkish government. On such charges the Master and His family were recalled from Haifa and confined again within 'Akká.

Once, when the Master was asked about these enemies, He replied: "I do not wish to mention them, much less to speak against them; only do I wish to say unto you that calumny and persecution are of no importance. As nothing can prevent the fall of rain from heaven to give life to the gardens of earth, so no human power is able to prevent the fulfilment of the Word of God."

The accusations brought a Committee of Investigation from Constantinople. It lodged in a garden near the Shrine of Bahá'u'lláh, and the Master's enemies at once sent it documents full of false charges. The people of 'Akká, afraid, stopped visiting the Master and His family. 'Abdu'l-Bahá wrote to the Committee to warn it that His enemies were capable of forging letters in His name. The Committee examined the building on Mount Carmel and waited for the order to banish Him to far-off Fizan. Instead it was recalled to Constantinople after an attempt on the Sultan's life, and the boat that had been prepared to take 'Abdu'l-Bahá into exile carried the investigators away.

Its report charged Him with making 'Akká a Mecca and Haifa a Medina, with preparing a banner to stir the Arabs to revolt, and with setting up a government of His own. 'Abdu'l-Bahá answered each charge in writing to the Sublime Porte. For a prisoner guarded day and night to set up a government, He wrote, "would be absolutely miraculous." In those months few dared come near Him. He spent His days chanting prayers and planting trees in the garden. When the Governor of 'Akká questioned Him about political papers He was supposed to have received, He answered that He had received none, and added: "For I have no fear of death, it is, indeed, my life's greatest desire, for it would be following the example of the most dearly beloved Bab to be martyred for my love of God."

For a time He was forbidden even to visit His Father's Shrine at Bahjí. One of His daughters remembered the Day of the Ascension of Bahá'u'lláh, when a party of nine, among them her mother Munírih Khánum, the Greatest Holy Leaf, her sisters and three friends, passed His door on their way to the Shrine. He came out, asked where they were going, and said: "Yes. Yes. Pray for me." They resolved to spend the whole night at the Shrine praying for His release.

Soon afterwards a soldier brought a letter calling Him to the Governor's house, for the Committee had come back. As He left, He told them: "Do not be unhappy; I shall come back to you." He came back, but said nothing of what had passed, and they heard Him chanting and praying through the night. At dawn He called them: "Make some tea and then go to Haifa. Carry the news that everything is changed, that all is well."

It was 1908, the year of the Young Turk revolution. When the news reached 'Akká the great gun of the fortress was fired. "That was God's gun," said 'Abdu'l-Bahá. The religious and political prisoners of the Empire were set free, and the Master was free after forty years in 'Akká.

This is a retelling. For the fuller account, see The Chosen Highway by Lady Blomfield.

Blomfield, L.. (1940). *The Chosen Highway*. Bahá'í Publishing Trust. https://bahai-library.com/blomfield_chosen_highway