Although the policy of Sulṭán ‘Abdu’l-Ḥamíd was harsher than ever;
although he constantly insisted on his Captive’s strict confinement—still,
the Blessed Beauty now lived, as everyone knows, with all power and glory.
Some of the time Bahá’u’lláh would spend at the Mansion, and again, at the
farm village of Mazra’ih; for a while He would sojourn in Haifa, and
occasionally His tent would be pitched on the heights of Mount Carmel.
Friends from everywhere presented themselves and gained an audience. The
people and the government authorities witnessed it all, yet no one so much
as breathed a word. And this is one of Bahá’u’lláh’s greatest miracles:
that He, a captive, surrounded Himself with panoply and He wielded power.
The prison changed into a palace, the jail itself became a Garden of Eden.
Such a thing has not occurred in history before; no former age has seen
its like: that a man confined to a prison should move about with authority
and might; that one in chains should carry the fame of the Cause of God to
the high heavens, should win splendid victories in both East and West, and
should, by His almighty pen, subdue the world. Such is the distinguishing
feature of this supreme Theophany.
One day the government leaders, pillars of the country, the city’s
‘ulamás, leading mystics and intellectuals came out to the Mansion. The
Blessed Beauty paid them no attention whatever. They were not admitted to
His presence, nor did He inquire after any of them. I sat down with them
and kept them company for some hours, after which they returned whence
they had come. Although the royal farmán specifically decreed that
Bahá’u’lláh was to be held in solitary confinement within the Akká
fortress, in a cell, under perpetual guard; that He was never to set foot
outside; that He was never even to see any of the
believers—notwithstanding such a farmán, such a drastic order, His tent
was raised in majesty on the heights of Mount Carmel. What greater display
of power could there be than this, that from the very prison, the banner
of the Lord was raised aloft, and rippled out for all the world to see!
Praised be the Possessor of such majesty and might; praised be He,
weaponed with the power and the glory; praised be He, Who defeated His
foes when He lay captive in the Akká prison!
To resume: ‘Abdu’s-Ṣáliḥ lived under a fortunate star, for he regularly
came into the presence of Bahá’u’lláh. He enjoyed the distinction of
serving as gardener for many years, and he was at all times loyal, true,
and strong in faith. He was humble in the presence of every one of the
believers; in all that time he never hurt nor offended any one. And at the
last he left his garden and hastened to the encompassing mercy of God.
The Ancient Beauty was well pleased with ‘Abdu’s-Ṣáliḥ, and after his
ascension revealed a Visitation Tablet in his honor, also delivering an
address concerning him, which was taken down and published together with
other Scriptures.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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