Shaykh Maḥmúd at the Mosque

*A retelling of an account preserved in the bahaistories.com archive (Subject: enemies). The story is told by H. M. Balyuzi in **'Abdu'l-Bahá: The Centre of the Covenant of Bahá'u'lláh** (pp. 33–34) and by Annamarie Honnold in **Vignettes from the Life of 'Abdu'l-Bahá**. The words in quotation marks are as Balyuzi gives them.*

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In the years after Bahá'u'lláh and His companions were brought to 'Akká as prisoners, many of the townspeople came to see that they had misjudged them, and began to speak of the prisoners with appreciation. Shaykh Maḥmúd, a man of 'Akká, did not. He hated the Bahá'ís and would not change his mind.

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One day, at a gathering, he heard people praising 'Abdu'l-Bahá as a good and remarkable man. He left in anger, saying he would show this 'Abbás Effendi, the name by which 'Abdu'l-Bahá was generally known in that region, for what He really was. He went to the mosque, where he knew 'Abdu'l-Bahá would be at that hour, and laid violent hands on Him.

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The Master looked at him calmly and with dignity, and reminded him of a saying of the Prophet Muḥammad: "Be generous to the guest, even should he be an infidel."

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Shaykh Maḥmúd turned away. His anger and his hatred were gone, and he felt only shame and remorse. He hurried home and barred his door.

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Some days later he came into the presence of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, fell on his knees and asked forgiveness:

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> Which door but thine can I seek; whose bounty can I hope for but thine?

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He became a devoted Bahá'í. Shaykh Maḥmúd told the story himself to Ḥájí Mírzá Ḥabíbu'lláh Afnán, a member of the family of the Báb, who heard it as a young man and many years later related it to Balyuzi.

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*This is a retelling. For the account, see H. M. Balyuzi, **'Abdu'l-Bahá: The Centre of the Covenant of Bahá'u'lláh**, pp. 33–34.*

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