The Verse at the Shrine

A retelling of a story 'Abdu'l-Bahá told, as recorded in the 1906 pilgrim notes of Ali-Kuli Khan. Pilgrim notes are a personal record of what was said; they do not carry the authority of the Bahá'í Writings. The narrative is in our own words; the verse in quotation marks is as given in the notes. Read the original notes for the full account.

Ali-Kuli Khan once spoke to 'Abdu'l-Bahá of American believers who served the Cause devotedly in spite of illness and poverty. 'Abdu'l-Bahá said that a teacher of the Truth must be so severed from the world that even those who do not accept his message are impressed by his sincerity. Then He gave an illustration from the years when Bahá'u'lláh lived in Baghdad.

The Governor of Mázindarán had come to Iraq on pilgrimage to the Shrines and was staying in Káẓimayn. Because of an old acquaintance, Bahá'u'lláh sent 'Abdu'l-Bahá to call on him. At the Governor's house He found a Muslim cleric, Siyyid Ibráhím, who did not know who his visitor was. The Siyyid was urging the Governor to go on to Mecca, and persuaded him to decide by opening the Qur'án at random. The verse that came up advised against the journey. The Siyyid thought for a quarter of an hour and then explained it the other way. When the Governor protested, the Siyyid offered an example.

In Karbilá, he said, when the followers of the Báb were making their way to the fort of Shaykh Ṭabarsí, there lived a Bábí named Ḥájí Muḥammad-Taqí of Kirmán. He was known for faithfulness, trustworthiness, generosity and obedience to the Divine laws; being a man of means, he helped poor religious students with funds; no one could find a flaw in his character. He meant to travel to Ṭabarsí to join his fellow believers.

The clergy of Karbilá tried to turn him from the Báb and failed; he answered them with proofs. At last they persuaded him to come with them to the Shrine of the Imám Ḥusayn and consult the Qur'án there. They agreed that if the verse contained a command, he would be convinced of the truth of the Cause and go on his way without further interference. At dawn they went to the Shrine, chanted the prayer of visitation, said the morning prayer, and asked the Imám to make clear whether the Báb was in error or His claim was true. Then they opened the Book. The verse was: "Whoever turns aside from my Admonition, verily, he shall lead a miserable life."

The clergy were astounded, for they had all heard that the Báb had declared Himself to be the Admonition (Dhikr) of God. After much agitation they said the verse was not to be taken literally, and that "Admonition" meant the religion of Muḥammad, not the Báb. The Ḥájí would not listen. The verse had added to his conviction, and he set out for Persia to join the Bábís at Ṭabarsí. He never reached them. On his arrival in Ṭihrán he was arrested and put to death as a Bábí.

When the Siyyid finished, 'Abdu'l-Bahá asked him by what authority he treated this verse as one needing an allegorical reading, when the commentators of both the Shí'ah and Sunní schools considered its meaning plain. He explained that verses are read allegorically only when their literal sense conflicts with the fundamental principles of the Law.

'Abdu'l-Bahá's point in telling the story was that the Siyyid, who thought Ḥájí Muḥammad-Taqí mistaken in his religion, still testified to his noble life. The Bahá'ís, He said, must live such lives that even those who do not accept the Faith are impressed by them.

Retold for the Bahá'í Story Library from a pilgrim's record, not an authoritative text. See the 1906 pilgrim notes of Ali-Kuli Khan for the original.

Khan, A.. (1906). *Pilgrim Notes of Ali-Kuli Khan (1906)*. Bahá'í Library Online. https://bahai-library.com/ali-khan_pilgrim-notes_1906