By Mohsen Faiz
Introduction
- The third act: the wolfish old colonialist
- Flattery and spurious prayer
- The accusation of spying and its background
- Proving the spying accusation
- The master’s anxiety and his affairs
- The reward of the sincere services
- The title of knighthood
- Prayer for the original master
- The mourning of the wolfish colonialist
- The fourth act: the rings of a chain
- Lying with Israel
- The prohibition of teaching and residence in Israel
Behind the act of politic
From the beginning of the appearance of the Babi and Bahá’í dispensations, many Iranian were of the opinion that the Russian Empire wanted to reap the benefits of these circumstances to make division and discord among the Iranians. After the overthrow of the Russia Empire, the Great Britain Empire followed the same goal, and tried to achieve it.
Abdul-Baha, the second leader of the Bahá’ís, had a key role in the events of the WW1, in the British front, especially in the occupation of Palestine and its separation from the Ottoman Empire. He received the sign of “knighthood” and later was given the title of “Sir” because of his efforts.
At the time of Shoghi Effendi, the third leader of Bahá’ís, and after the establishment of Israel in the occupied Palestine, the relations of this sect and the colonial countries improved and this progress indicated that the Bahá’í Cause was expanded by colonial countries to follow their seditious goals.
But, the Bahá’ís cannot bear this bitter fact and always try to penetrate these relations as usual and in some cases as divine!
About the growth and expansion of the Bahá’í Faith, there are different points of view. Some people deny it, some emphasize it, and some hesitate about it. Some response positively and some response negatively. Anyhow, everybody tries to prove his view.
But really how can we find the truth? I think we can find it only by a fair research where justice is observed and prejudice is avoided.
Is Bahá’í dispensation really originated by colonial states to follow their goals, or it is only a slander made by the Muslims to accuse Bahá’ís?
Bahá’ís reject this claim and the first reason they give to get rid of it, is their religious order in which they are prohibited from interference in political issues. But this reason is not convincing because the mere existence of an order in a religion cannot be a guarantee to obey it. If so, the Muslims will claim that because accusation is illegitimate in their religion, they will never accuse others, and in this manner, all of Bahá’ís certainly are cooperating with colonial countries. In such a case there is no claim and it can be taken into account as a kind of fact!
By means of this logic, neither the Bahá’ís’ reasoning nor the Muslims’ response is acceptable. We conclude that the best way for proving the accuracy or inaccuracy of a historical fact, is referring to history. Since the historical documents of the Muslims are not accepted by the Bahá’ís completely, we use the Bahá’í historical books. Fortunately, in our studies, we find convincing documents that can be useful for those who seek the truth .You can read the texts and judge yourself!
Introduction
About the relations between the Bahá’ís and strangers we prepare two notes and each of them has two acts.
* The first note is named “the footprint of Tzar” and is about the relation of the Babis and Bahá’ís with the Tzari Russia.
* The second note is named “the old colonizer” and is about the relations of the Bahá’ís with the Ottoman Empire, Britain and Israel.
Both of them will prove the fact that even if the Babi and Bahá’í dispensations were not generated by the colonial countries, they are certainly growing in their hands and have been supported by them.
The third act: In the embrace of the old colonizer
Flattery and spurious prayer
It was mentioned that after the king’s thwarted assassination, Baha’u’llah was accused of collaboration with the agents of this terror and he was arrested, but by the generous efforts of the Russian ambassador, he was released and exiled to Iraq. After a time, when his division with his brother was intensified, the Ottoman Empire which governed Iraq and Palestine, exiled Baha’u’llah and his family to Palestine and after his death, his son who was called Abdul-Baha controlled the affairs of Bahá’ís.
Abdul-Baha was also one of the devotees of the Russian emperor like his father. He was always praying for that glorious government. But after the disintegration of the czarina Russia, Abdul-Baha missed his supporter and because he was living in ottoman at those days, he began to pray for Ottoman Empire. He supplicated God humbly in his prayers:
“O my God! O my God!
Assist the glorious government of Ottoman and this Mohammedan succession with Thy good pleasure and secret confirmation; strengthen them in earth and in Empyrean by Thy power for the spreading of Thy divine fragrances! I supplicate Thou to immune the lands of this empire and secure their center of succession from difficulties and sufferings.” (Makatib [the letters of Abdul-Baha], vol.2, p.312)
As you see, Baha’u’llah humbly prays for the endurance of Ottoman Empire and besides it, he calls their government “a Mohammedan succession” and claims that they are true successors of the prophet of Islam. He set the divine seal to their government and in addition, he wishes the strengthening of this empire in all around the world and also in the empyrean!
We understand nothing about the government of Ottoman Empire in the empyrean. Maybe he supplicated God to give them a power to rule over the angels in the empyrean!
An elegant point in this supplication is the implied confession of Baha’u’llah on the seal of the prophet of Islam and on the eternity of Islam; on the one hand he supplicates for the endurance of Ottoman Empire in the world, and on the other hand, he supposes them the true successors of the prophet of Islam, in fact, by this supplication he is insisting on the eternity of Islam.
This supplication continues as follows:
“O Thou Glorious Lord
Immunize ottoman government and safeguard them by Thy eye of loving kindness. Because ottoman government protects the sacred spot and the Sinai desert and Bahá’ís are under their auspices and support. Verily, Thou art the Powerful, the Precious, the Protecting!”
The important part in this supplication is this part:
“Bahá’ís are under the auspices of ottoman empire.”
Don’t forget this part, because in following pages you will read Shoghi’s words about Ottoman Empire completely in contrary to these expressions.
As you see, Abdul-Baha supplicated God to strengthen Ottoman Empire. He endorsed the justice of this government and confessed that the flag of justice of this government is staffed in the countries under its dominance and he seeks the authority of the emperor’s military forces.
Let’s read another prayer of Abdul-Baha for the endurance of the Ottoman Empire:
“O Thou Glorious Lord!
Aid the fair government of Ottoman by Thou pleasure and confirmation. O my God! Assist their forces and confirm their raised flag. Make the commands of this government effective and penetrating. O God! Support their supporters and keep whatever which should be protected in this government. O God! Expand the fame and respectability of this empire. Disseminate their signs and works and elevate their flags. O Thou Glorious Lord! Do whatever had been requested by Thy power which is capable of doing everything in the world. Verily, Thou assist every one thou desire and thou art the Mighty.”
By considering these prayers, it becomes obvious that Abdul-Baha had been in great allegiance and devotion to the Ottoman Empire. The important point is that he was known as a Muslim when he was living under the protection of that empire. Even in the period of the occupation of Palestine by UK, he continued to pretend as a Muslim and in spite of Bahá’í orders, in which collective prayer is inhibited, he attended the collective prayers of Muslims, and even sometimes was the chaplain of those prayers.
The accusation of spying and its background
Although Abdul-Baha tried to satisfy the authorities of Ottoman government by means of spurious and flattering supplications, but “Jamal Pasha”, the Ottoman commander-in-chief ,was very suspicious of him and found him guilty.
The following story is narrated by Abdul-Baha:
“When Jamal Pasha (1) arrived in Akka and wanted to visit me, I got on a donkey and went to his home. When he saw me, he received me and seated me beside himself and suddenly said to me: you are a seditious man in religion and that’s why the Iran government had exiled you. But I thought he is Turk (2) and I should reply him in a ridiculous and silencing manner.”(3)
This suspicion had a background and although Shoghi Effendi tried to overlook it, but intelligent people who are familiar with the policies of the Old colonialist (England) will find out the truth.
Let’s review Shoghi Effendi’s narrations about this matter and then you can judge yourself. After pretending the claim that people welcome Baha’u’llah, he claimed:
“Functionaries of foreign governments, attempted, in their short-sightedness, to secure His support and assistance for the furtherance of the designs they cherished; designs which He unhesitatingly and severely condemned.”(4) (God passes by, Part 2, p.83)
The people who are familiar with politics will understand this part nicely; the functionaries of foreign government “in their short-sightedness!” found thoroughly that they can “secure His support and assistance for the furtherance of the designs they cherished”. Now, the question is that if they are short-sighted, how do they find the fact that Baha’u’llah is a good agent to help them to achieve their political goals?
Anyhow, they found the truth and that’s why:
“Nor was the then representative of the British government, Colonel Sir Arnold Burrows Kimball, consul-general in Baghdad, insensible of the position which Baha’u’llah now occupied. Entering into friendly correspondence with Him, he, as testified by Baha’u’llah Himself, offered Him the protection of British citizenship, called on Him in person, and undertook to transmit to Queen Victoria any communication He might wish to forward to her. He even expressed his readiness to arrange for the transfer of His residence to India, or to any place agreeable to Him. This suggestion Baha’u’llah declined, choosing to abide in the dominions of the Sultan of Turkey.” (Kitab-e Qarn-e Badi, vol.2, p.134, (Persian copy); God passes by, Part 2, p.83, (English copy))
These points can be concluded from the Shoghi Effenfi’s words:
1- Representative of the British government, Colonel Sir Arnold Burrows Kimball, consul-general in Baghdad, was not aware of the high position of Baha’u’llah.
2- After this sensibility (maybe completely Divine and spiritual!), he wrote a letter to Baha’u’llah.
3- The consul-general offered Him the official protection of British government.
4- And emphasized that Great Britain Empire is ready to imitate and follow Baha’u’llah!
It seems Shoghi Effendi’s intention is the suggestion of citizenship of Britain government to Baha’u’llah.
5- In their meeting, the Consul-General undertook to transmit to Queen Victoria any communication. He might wish to forward to her.
6- Consul-General expressed his readiness to arrange for the transfer of His residence to India, or to any place agreeable to Him.
7- Baha’u’llah declined all the offerings and preferred to abide in the domain of the Sultan of Turkey (Ottoman Empire).
Later on, after the hidden and obvious relations of Abdul-Baha and Britain government, the reasons of such compliments by consul-general and denials by Baha’u’llah became obvious; At those days, Baha’u’llah was under the protection of Tzari Russian state and he enjoyed the obvious supports of them (he was condemned to death because of his collaboration with the agents of the Nasiridin Shah’s terror. Then by the efforts of the Russian Ambassador he was released), so it was not advisable to have a relation with England which was known as the Russian political competitor!
But according to narrations of his son (Abdul-Baha), Baha’u’llah had revealed some tablets about Britain to pave the way for their support in future:
“Although the justice and good politics of the glorious government of Britain had been mentioned in the blest tablets of Baha’u’llah but now it became apparent. Actually, the people of this land experience convenience and comfort after great sufferings.”(Makatib, vol.3, p.346)
We are not sure about the revelation of such tablet by Baha’u’llah, because these expressions are narrated by Abdul-Baha when the Ottoman Empire had been disintegrated and Palestine had been occupied by the Britain. Maybe these words are attributed to Baha’u’llah (by Abdul-Baha) as a prediction before the victory of Britain!
But if we accept the truth of this claim, by considering the words of Baha’u’llah about the justice of Britain empire and their good policy, and considering the future events and the role of Abdul-Baha in those events, it will be obvious that although according to Shoghi Effendi, the functionaries of foreign governments could not secure Baha’u’llah’s support and assistance for the furtherance of the designs they cherished, but they could profit the presence of Abdul-Baha for their achievements thoroughly.
It should be mentioned that not only the short-sighted politics of Britain but also not well informed politics of French were sensible about the loftiness of the positions of Baha’u’llah. They wanted to reap the benefits of Bahaullah’s assistances and achieve their political and materialistic goals. When he was in Adrianople:
“The deputy consul of France who was one of the friends of Baha’u’llah, came to visit him secretly and had a private meeting with him, it took about 30 minutes. Officials were not aware of their talks. He had said to Baha’u’llah: if you become disgusted with Islam and introduce yourself as an allegiance of France, we will support you” (A.Ayati, Al-kavakeb Al-dorrieh, vol.1, p.380-381)
These points can be gathered from Shoghi Effendi’s words:
1- Baha’u’llah had a record of friendship with deputy consul of France and we don’t know anything about the reason of this friendship.
2- The deputy consul came to visit Baha’u’llah secretly, as if the officials were not aware of that meeting.
3- He requested Baha’u’llah at that short meeting to become disgusted with Islam and to be a citizen of France.
4- If he accepts their suggestions, the France government will support him.
We don’t know what the deputy consul means when he asked Baha’u’llah to disgust Islam, but it is necessary to know that:
a- Baha’u’llah’s behavior had been in the manner that French people supposed him as a Muslim.
b- But actually, he wasn’t a Muslim at those days; because in the story of “Badasht”, Islam had been abrogated by the Babis, who were present over there, and Bahaullah was one of them.
So maybe, the France government intention had been leaving the citizenship of Iran by disgusting Islam!
Although Baha’u’llah declined those offerings too, but really we don’t know what was in the behavior of Baha’u’llah which attracts all the colonial countries!?
The Frenchmen had been attracted not only by the characteristics of Baha’u’llah but also by the characteristics of his son, Abdul-Baha.
Abdul-Baha expressed his opinions in the tablets revealed for Abulfazl Golpayegani:
“I received some letters from Tehran in which the authorities of the French embassy insisted to send some of Bahá’í teachers to Africa, Algeria, and Tunis; and they promise to observe and prepare the conditions for teaching the people of those countries.” (Eshraq Khavari, Maideh Asemani, vol.9, p.43, 49. This book consists of some tablets of Baha’u’llah, Abdul-Baha, and Shoghi Effendi.)
It is very surprising that the Frenchmen worried about the religion and spiritual affairs of their colonial countries to the extent that he insisted to send the Bahá’í teachers over there! Why didn’t they invite them to Paris?! What was their intention by asking Abdul-Baha to teach the people of the colonial regions while the French authorities promised to collaborate with them thoroughly?
The wise people will understand the goals of colonialists behind those sympathetic and spiritual requests!
Proving a spying accusation
As you remember, Abdul-Baha was praying for the endurance of Ottoman Empire but by considering the later events and his tablets revealing afterwards, we can find out that these supplications were completely spurious.
Let’s review Shoghi’s narration after the occupation of Palestine by British army:
“In the Holy Land, however, though the outcome of that tremendous struggle was to liberate once and for all the Heart and Center of the Faith from the Turkish yoke, a yoke which had imposed for so long upon its Founder and His Successor such oppressive and humiliating restrictions, yet severe privations and grave dangers continued to surround its inhabitants during the major part of that conflict, and renewed, for a time, the perils which had confronted ‘Abdu’l-Bahá during the years of His incarceration in Akka”.(Kitab-e Qarn-e Badi, vol.3, p.289, (Persian copy); God passes by, Part 3, p.190, (English copy))
If Abdul-Baha was living in oppressive and humiliating conditions when he was living under the protection of the Ottoman Empire, why he was praying for their endurance and empowerment in the world and claimed that:
“Bahá’ís are under the auspices of the ottoman empire.”
And if according to his expressions and the mentioned supplication, he believed in Ottoman Empire as a divine government and Mohammedan succession, why his grandson and successor expressed his happiness by the defeat of the Ottoman Empire? And what was the meaning of those hostile expressions toward that government?
Shoghi Effendi narrated the events in his book “God Passes By” as follows:
“The Turkish Commander-in-Chief, the brutal, the all-powerful and unscrupulous Jamal Pasha, an inveterate enemy of the Faith, through his own ill-founded suspicions and the instigation of its enemies, had already grievously afflicted ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, and even expressed his intention of crucifying Him and of razing to the ground the Tomb of Baha’u’llah.”(Kitab-e Qarn-e Badi, vol.3, p.291, published in 122 Badi’ (Persian copy); God passes by, Part 3, p.190, (English copy))
As it was mentioned, when Abdul-Baha was living in Palestine, he was known as a Muslim and he was attending in the collective prayer and sometimes he was a chaplain in these prayers, so he never lived in a manner that is narrated by Bahá’ís.
On the other hand, Jamal Pasha didn’t afflict Bahaullah for his Faith because at those days, Bahá’í Faith wasn’t propounded as a religion in Ottoman Empire.
If Abdul-Baha didn’t propound the Bahá’í Faith as a religion in Palestine, so how Jamal Pasha who was introduced as an inveterate enemy of the Faith afflicted Abdul-Baha and the divine religion?
In fact, Jamal Pasha afflicted Abdul-Baha because he supposed him as a spy and an instigator of their enemies.
The master’s worry and his affairs
Jamal Pasha found out everything about the role of Abdul-Baha as a spy of Britain army in the occupation of Palestine, so Britain government experienced a feeling of danger about his servant, Abdul-Baha, whatever happened afterwards is expressed by Shoghi as follows:
The English believers as soon as they had been apprised of the dire peril threatening the life of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá undertook to insure His security; on the measures independently taken whereby Lord Curzon and others in the British Cabinet (6) were advised as to the critical situation at Haifa; on the prompt intervention of Lord Lamington (7), who immediately wrote to the Foreign Office to “explain the importance of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s position” (God Passes By, part3, p.191)
According to this historical report of Shoghi Effendi, which was expressed unconsciously:
The English officers apprised that the life of Abdul-Baha had been threatened. So, they tried to secure his life. The prime minister and others in the British cabinet inquired the danger which was threatening Abdul-Baha in Haifa.
Lord Lamington immediately wrote to the Foreign Office of the empire to explain the importance of Abdul-Baha’s position. During the periods that Britain was trying to take Palestine out of the Ottoman Empire and preparing his armies for the occupation of cities like Haifa, what was the role of Abdul-Baha that the colonial empire of Britain worried for him to the extent that tried for his release?
Let’s read the Shoghi Effendi’s narration to find out his important role:
“on the dispatch which the Foreign Secretary, Lord Balfour(8), on the day of the receipt of this letter, sent to General Allenby(9), instructing him to “extend every protection and consideration to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, His family and His friends;” on the cablegram subsequently sent by the General, after the capture of Haifa, to London, requesting the authorities to “notify the world that ‘Abdu’l-Bahá is safe;” (God Passes By, part3, p.191)
Let’s consider these circumstances again to find about the events behind the act of politics:
The aggressive Britain resorted to occupy Palestine. Haifa was surrounded by British army. At the same time, Jamal Pasha became suspicious to Abdul-Baha and his companionship with British armies and decided to arrest him. The English believers by the help of Britain cabinet and the authorities of the Foreign office of empire, ordered the British commander-in-chief in Palestine to protect the life of Abdul-Baha.
During analyzing these circumstances, we remember unconsciously the message of the Russian ambassador to the prime minister of Iran at the time of the king’s assassination, in which he had emphasized the protection of Baha’u’llah (Abdul-Baha’s father) as the trust of the Russian government.
And again, in the story of Palestine, another emphatic order was issued in which General Allenby is responsible for the protection of Abdul-Baha and his family and his friends.
Let’s continue the story:
on the orders which that same General issued to the General Commanding Officer in command of the Haifa operations to insure ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s safety, thus frustrating the express intention of the Turkish Commander-in-Chief (according to information which had reached the British Intelligence Service) to “crucify ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and His family on Mt. Carmel” in the event of the Turkish army being compelled to evacuate Haifa and retreat northwards.” (Qarn-e Badi, vol.3, p.297, (Persian copy); God passes by, Part 3, p.191, (English copy))
So the British sympathetic government, by the assistances of the political and military functionaries secures the life of Abdul-Baha as their trustful servant.
The reward of the sincere services
As it was mentioned, the prayers of Abdul-Baha for the endurance of Ottoman Empire were spurious and untruthful because:
“The three years which elapsed between the liberation of Palestine by the British forces and the passing of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá were marked by a further enhancement of the prestige which the Faith, despite the persecutions to which it had been subjected, had acquired at its world center, and by a still greater extension in the range of its teaching activities in various parts of the world. The danger which, for no less than three score years and five, had threatened the lives of the Founders of the Faith and of the Center of His Covenant, was now at long last through the instrumentality of that war completely and definitely lifted” ( Shoghi Effendi, Qarn-e Badi, vol.3, p.298, (Persian copy); God passes by, Part 3, p.191, (English copy))
We reminded that Bahá’í, even after the occupation of Palestine, was not propounded as a religion in the Ottoman region, so Shoghi Effendi’s expressions are not true. The dangers which are mentioned in his expressions are the spying accusations, and not the appearance of a new religion!
Thus, after the occupation of Palestine, Bahá’ís enjoy “A freedom from restrictions which was later expanded into a clearer recognition of the institutions of the Cause.” (Shoghi Effendi, Qarn-e Badi, vol.3, p.298, (Persian copy), God passes by, Part 3, p.191, (English copy))
Although the sincere efforts of Abdul-Baha for the occupation of Palestine by the British army is called a humanistic affair by Shoghi Effendi, but by reading these two lines, the reason of his efforts becomes more apparent; a freedom from restrictions is rewarded of such an effort. Those sincere efforts had another advantage too:
“Nor were the British authorities slow to express their appreciation of the role which ‘Abdu’l-Bahá had played in allaying the burden of suffering that had oppressed the inhabitants of the Holy Land during the dark days of that distressing conflict. The conferment of a knighthood upon Him, at a ceremony specially held for His sake in Haifa, at the residence of the British Governor, at which notables of various communities had assembled.” (Shoghi Effendi, Qarn-e Badi, vol.3, p.299, (Persian copy); God passes by, Part 3, p.192, (English copy))
Now let’s review the scene of conferment of Knighthood to Abdul-Baha:
- On the one hand, Abdul-Baha prays for the endurance of the Ottoman Empire
- On the other hand, Ottoman Empire tries to arrest and execute him on the accusation of spying.
- At the same time, the British Empire is worried about the life of Abdul-Baha.
- And after all these events, the occupier forces confer the title of Knighthood to Abdul-Baha for his sincere services in the occupation of Palestine!
It should be mentioned that when the invader forces of Britain arrived in Palestine, Abdul-Baha welcomed them and the large food supplies that had prepared secretly beforehand, provided to them.
Maybe this is one of the generous efforts of Abdul-Baha which is done for the abatement of the pains of people of the occupied country! (chosen highway, lady Bloomfield, p.32)
Now the question is that Why did an invader country confer the title of knighthood to a nonnative citizen?
The title of knighthood
We wanted to know about the persons who receive this title, so we referred to the Colombia encyclopedia:
“Knight… The title knight (Ger. Ritter, Fr. Chevalier) was later used as a noble title in Germany and France. In the French hierarchy of nobles the title chevalier was borne by a younger son of a duke, marquis, or count. In modern Britain, knighthood is not a title of nobility, but is conferred by the royal sovereign (upon recommendation of the government) on commoners and nobles alike for civil or military achievements. A knight is addressed with the title Sir (e.g., Sir John); a woman, if knighted in her own right, is addressed as Dame.” (The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition, 2001-05, Columbia University Press,(http://www.bartleby.com/65/kn/knight.html))
The difference between knight and knighthood:
Knight is the one who received the title of knighthood.
According to the historical conditions of that period and besieging of Haifa by the British forces and the role of Abdul-Baha in the occupation of Palestine, it is obvious that conferring the title of knighthood to Abdul-Baha had some political and military reasons.
Prayer for the original master
After the victory of Britain Empire and occupation of Palestine in the 16th October of 1918 A.D., Abdul-Baha sent a letter to the Bahá’ís of Iran and claimed that:
“…In these days, praise be to God, the dark clouds are shattered and the light of security and comfort are illuminating this land. The tyrant sovereignty is ruined and a fair government appears.”
As you see, Abdul-Baha believed in Ottoman Empire as tyrant sovereignty in contrary to his previous flattery and spurious prayer for its endurance and supposed the British Empire a divine grace for people. And then he claims that during the First World War, Bahá’ís didn’t experience hardship just because they obey the orders of Baha’u’llah and believed in this comfort as one of the miracles of Bahaullah. He says:
“It is a great miracle that cannot be denied by anybody except a guilty occupier.”
And then he claims:
“The sacred teachings of Baha’u’llah make the human world convenient and bright.”
Abdul-Baha describes his father’s miracle as follows:
“The justice and good politics of the glorious government of Britain had been mentioned in the blest tablets of Baha’u’llah, but now it became apparent. Actually, the people of this land experience convenience and comfort after the great damages.” (Makatib, vol.3, p.346)
It is strange that after the occupation of Palestine by British military forces, Abdul-Baha claims that the Baha’is didn’t damage by those attacks just because they obey the teachings of Baha’u’llah. One of these teachings that is a great miracle is Baha’u’llah’s confession about the justice and good politics of the glorious government of Britain and thus the prediction of Baha’u’llah about the justice of the British government was fulfilled when they occupied the Palestine. According to Abdul-Baha:
“The people of this land experience convenience and comfort after great damages.”
How great miracle is this foretelling! Because as you see after 90 years the people of Palestine are experiencing security and comfort under the auspices of Britain ,by the name of Israel!
In another letter, written on 17th of September 1918, on the honor of the glorious government of Britain, Abdul-Baha has supplicated to God as follows:
“O Thou Glorious Lord! Verily, the royal court of justice has been established in throughout this land (Palestine) O God! I praise. Thou for the establishment of this righteous kingdom and this victorious government which exploit all of his forces to prepare comfort for people. O Thou Glorious Lord! Assist the great emperor of Britain, the fifth George (10), by thy dive graces. I hope his kindness and protection over this holy land will never cease. O my God! I supplicate thou to do all these with thy assist and confirm. Verily, thou are omnipotent and eminent.” (Makatib, vol.3, p.347)
It should be reminded again that these purports are the same as the prayers of Abdul-Baha for the endurance and empowerment of the Ottoman Empire!
In the first article, as you may remember, we narrated these prayers for the endurance of the glorious emperor of Russia either!
The mourning of the wolfish colonizer
The Great Britain Empire is really a thankful government. This gratitude became apparent when Abdul-Baha died.
The British Secretary of State for the Colonies, Mr. Winston Churchill (11), telegraphed immediately to the High Commissioner for Palestine, Sir Herbert Samuel (12), instructing him to “convey to the Baha’i Community, on behalf of His Majesty’s Government, their sympathy and condolence.” Viscount Allenby, the High Commissioner for Egypt, wired the High Commissioner for Palestine asking him to “convey to the relatives of the late Sir ‘Abdu’l-Bahá Abbás Effendi and to the Bahá’í Community” his “sincere sympathy in the loss of their revered leader.”
The Commander-in-Chief of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force, General Congreve (13), addressed to the High Commissioner for Palestine a message requesting him to “convey his deepest sympathy to the family of the late Sir Abbás Baha’i.” General Sir Arthur Money (14), former Chief Administrator of Palestine, wrote expressing his sadness, his profound respect and his admiration for Him as well as his sympathy in the loss which His family had sustained. (Qarn-e Badi, vol.3, p.299, (Persian copy); God passes by, Part 3, p.192, (English copy))
A historical analyst, by considering such a sincere feeling and sympathetic responses of the British General, will find out the sorry of Britain Empire by missing such a sincere servant; the one who had a key role in the occupation of Palestine. That’s why Sir. Herbert Samuel attended the funeral procedure of Sir. Abbas Effendi!
I apologize because I had to remind you the previous events again; the events of the execution of the Bab in which the Russian consult attended and cried spuriously for the Bab and was sympathizing his followers. But the simpleton Bahá’ís supposed those spurious feelings as a sign of the divinity and greatness of their leaders and surely those thoughts are inspired by their teachers and leaders!
The fourth act: the rings of a chain
Bahá’ís and the Israel
There are many ideas about the role of the Bahá’ís in the appearance of the Zionist regime of Israel. We prefer to use Bahá’í documents in order to prove such a claim. After the occupation of Palestine by the British forces, the Baha’is achieved, “A freedom from restrictions which was later expanded into a clearer recognition of the institutions of the Cause.” (God passes by, part 3, p.191)
It is obvious that before establishment of the Israel state in Palestine, the Bahá’ís were living in this land. Surely, Abdul-Baha had a key role in the occupation, and it was to the extent that he received the title of knighthood from the authorities of that old colonial empire. It is clear that in addition to these privileges, Bahá’í people should receive special rewards from the empire and the government of Israel. One of the rewards is recognition of the institutions of the Cause in that glorious country and its preliminaries were prepared by the occupation of Palestine.
The Israel government was established in the occupied Palestine in the period of Shoghi Effendi. His happiness for this establishment was obvious in his speech:
“The divine promise of God to sons of Abraham and heirs of Moses has been fulfilled and the Israel government has been established in the Holy Land, and a steadfast relation between Israel and the international center of Baha’i community has been made. Israel is confessor to the liberty and nobility of Bahá’í Faith, and has concluded a contract in which all of Baha’i endowments in Akka and Karmel Mountain have been free from tax. All of essential properties for building the Bab’s shrine have been prepared and the Bahá’í Holy days have been recognized officially.” (Toqiqt-e Mobarake, (102- 109 Badi), p.290. this is a collection of Shoghi Effendi’s writings issued as commands, letters, or reminders.)
Shoghi Effendi believed in Israel government as “The divine promise of God to sons of Abraham and heirs of Moses”. In return, Israel dedicated the reward of Abdul-Baha’s services in the establishment of this satanic basis to Bahá’ís by recognizing them as a divine religion and confessing to their nobility and making them free from tax, Bahá’í Holy Days (9 days) also was recognized by Israel officially.
After these political and mutual agreements, Mrs. Ruhiyya Maxwell, Shoghi Effendi’s wife, had a meeting with Ben Gurion, the Prime minister of Israel .She delivered in the meeting:
“If the establishment of the Bahá’í world center in the Jewish country of Israel is supposed nonsense, Mrs. Rabbni (Ruhiyya Maxwell) wouldn’t declares doubtlessly: “Bahá’ís belong to Israel. And if want to believe in discern and advantage, I prefer that the youngest religion in the world progress in the youngest country and in fact, our future are like the rings of a chain.” (Bahá’í news magazine, the year of 1340, the month of Day)
As it was emphasized by Mrs. Maxwell, Bahá’í Faith is attached to Israel because it had a special role in the establishment of that country.
Although the Bahá’í is recognized officially in Israel, and the Bahá’ís are tax exempt and duty-free there, and according to Mrs. Maxwell, Bahá’í and Israel are links of a chain, but Bahá’í teaching and their residence is forbidden in this country!
The prohibition of teaching and residence in Israel
Teaching and publicity is emphasized in the Bahá’í Faith and it is the most important duty of the Bahá’ís. Despite this, teaching is prohibited in Israel and if the Bahá’ís decide to travel to Israel and stay over there more than 9 days, they have to ask permission from the UHJ, and this prohibition is to the extent that if a Bahá’í act against this order, he/she will be excommunicated. This narration is interesting:
“He ordered to write about Sadeq, the son of Agha Mohammad Javad Ashchi:
This immoral and ignoble man has travelled to Palestine recently in contrary to my order, and has arrived in the Holy Land. I sent a telegram to that assembly and asked them to exclude him from the Bahá’í community. Notify his father apparently that communication with him, is not allowed and their disobedience will have a bad end!” (Toghiate mobarake, 102-109, p.41 or vol.3, p.29)
We are not sure about other crimes of this immoral and ignoble man, but according to this exalted epistle, he was excommunicated because he has travelled to Palestine without the permission of the Guardian of the Cause. It should be mentioned that Shoghi Effendi suggested this kind of punishment, and it means that nobody, even the family of the rejected person, cannot communicate with him.
The summary
1. In the story of attack upon king Nasiridin’s life, Baha’u’llah seek asylum in Russia embassy and was supported by the ambassador, because he was accused of collaborating with the agents of terror.
2. The Russian ambassador called him “a valuable trust of Russian government” and asked the Iranian Chancellor to protect him.
3. Baha’u’llah was exiled to Iraq and some of the agents of the Russian embassy accompanied him.
4. Baha’u’llah reminded the ambassador’s assistances and appreciated the Russian Emperor, and granted a position to him which cannot be known by anybody except God.
5. Bahá’ís built their first House of Worship (Mashreq ul-adhzkar) in Ishqabad, with the support and assistances of the Russian government.
6. Bahá’ís were ordered to pray for the endurance and empowerment of the Russia Empire.
7. The prayers of Baha’u’llah and Abdul-Baha for the Russian emperor were not granted and the Russian empire was disintegrated by the Bolshevik revolution.
- In the second part we learned:
After the disintegration of the Russian empire, Bahá’ís took asylum in the Great Britain and tried to be supported by this old colonizer.
Abdul-Baha prays for the endurance and empowerment of Ottoman Empire seemingly, but at the same time, he is accused of spying for Britain by the Russian commander-in–chief.
After this accusation, his life was in danger and Britain government tries to rescue his servant’s life.
The Britain government conferred the title of “knighthood” to Abdul-Baha for his sincere services to British military in the occupation of Palestine.
Abdul-Baha thanks God for the establishment of British government in Palestine and supplicated God to endure the Britain Empire.
After the death of Abdul-Baha, Mr. Winston Churchill, the British Secretary of State for the Colonies, telegraphed immediately to the High Commissioner for Palestine, Sir Herbert Samuel, instructing him to “convey to the Baha’i Community, on behalf of His Majesty’s Government, their sympathy and condolence.”
Mr. Winston Churchill and some of the British authorities attend in the funeral procession of Abdul-Baha.
After the establishment of Israel state in the occupied Palestine, Shoghi Effendi, the grandson of Abdul-Baha and Guardian of the Bahá’í Faith expressed his happiness.
Israel government recognized Bahá’í Faith officially and exempts Bahá’ís from tax.
Mrs. Ruhiyya Maxwell, Shoghi Effendi’s wife, described the relation of Bahá’í and Israel as the rings of a chain, and believed that their future is co-related to each other.
Although teaching is very important in Bahá’í Faith, but surprisingly, it is prohibited in Israel.
If the Bahá’ís decide to travel to Israel and stay over there more than 9 days, they have to ask permission from the House of Justice, traveling to Israel without this permission is illegal.
These are among the important reasons which made the Iranians hate the Babi and Bahá’í dispensations. Iranians knew them as the pets of strangers after 170 years, and they never recognize them officially.
Even if they were not supported by the colonialists, they were raised by the assistances of Britain and Russian Empires and according to historical documents these two empires reap the benefits of this group completely to achieve their colonial goals.
It should be taken into account that our reasons for discomfit of Bahá’í are not based on these things; we find them discomfit by means of their leaders’ inconsistent and anomalous statements either. We believed in this verse of Quran:
“Don’t they ponder in Quran? If it was revealed by somebody else except God, It would cause discord and division.” (Quran, 4: 82)
This statement is true about Quran and about every claim. I mean if somebody claims that his speech is divine, but he has many contradictions in his statements, it becomes clear that it is not divine, and it is not revealed by God.
The Bahá’í research center is ready to answer your questions about the Bahá’ís on the basis of their main books.
You can refer to: www.bahairesearch.ir
1- Dehkhoda Encyclopedia: Jamal Pasha is one of the authorities of Ottoman Empire. Jamal Pasha, Anwar Pasha and Talat Pasha are the trinity pillars of the Ottoman government and they organized Turkish young group. During the First World War, he was the governor of Syria and executed a large number of Syrian leaders, scholars and nobles on the crime of seeking liberty. They were accused of disloyalty to the Ottoman Empire. He was killed in Tiflis by some anonymous men on the 26th Zul-Qade of 1340 A.H. (21th July 1922). (vafiat-e- moaserin, Mohammad Ghazvini, Yadegar magazine, third year, 4th number)
It is strange why Abdul-Baha supplicated God to empower and endure such governments. It should be mentioned that Jamal Pasha is the one who had a role in the Armenian slaughter. Abdul-Baha supplicated God humbly to protect the supporters of the Ottoman government!
2- One important slogan of Bahá’ís is “oneness of mankind”. Under the teachings of this slogan, followers should be as Abdul-Baha claims: “O ye lovers of this wronged one! Cleanse ye your eyes, so that ye behold no man as different from yourselves. See ye no strangers; rather see all men as friends, for love and unity come hard when ye fix your gaze on otherness. And in this new and wondrous age, the Holy Writings say that we must be at one with every people; that we must see neither harshness nor injustice, neither malevolence, nor hostility, nor hate, but rather turn our eyes toward the heaven of ancient glory. For each of the creatures is a sign of God, and it was by the grace of the Lord and His power that each did step into the world; therefore they are not strangers, but in the family; not aliens, but friends, and to be treated as such”. (Makatib [letters of Abdul-Baha], vol.3, p.160).
According to these expressions, we should love Jamal Pasha, who is a wolfish cruel man, and we should ignore his injustice and harshness, so it shouldn’t be said that he is a Turk…. And by this speech, mock a race because of the cruelty of a man among them.
3- Fazel Mazandarani ,Asrar ul-Athar-e khososi, (i.e. private secrets), vol.3, p.42.
He is one the great Bahá’í writers and prepared a collection of philosophical and mystical words and explicated them in a book, named “Asrarul-Athar”. This collection was not published. Then he prepared a collection of Bahá’í words which are used in their books, and named it “Asraul-Athar e khososi”.
4- Kitab-e Qarn-e Badi, vol.2, p.133, 134, (Persian copy) .God passes by, Part 2, p.83, (English copy)
5- George Nathaniel Curzon, Marques, Viscount Scarsdale, Baron Ravensdale. George Curzon (1859-1925) was a British politician. He was the representative of the Britain king in India and he was the youngest governor of Britain in India during their sovereignty. The title of Baron Curzon Kendelson was conferred to him in 1898. In this part we are going to mention the ranks of British nobleman because in future, we will use the name of people who were conferred these titles. They had a key role in the historical circumstances about the relation of Abdul-Baha and Britain:
- Duke
- Marques
- Earl
- viscount
- Baron
- Lord: are called Lord informally and it comes before their last name like the title of “Sir” which comes before the name of a person who has received the title of “knighthood.”
- Count: a nobleman who is not British. His ranking is the same as Earl (Concise Oxford English Dictionary, Tenth Edition, Oxford university Press, 1999, 2000)
6- Lord Lamington. We don’t find information about this British politician. It seems that he had been one of the functionaries of Britain Empire in India.
7- Arthur James Balfour (1848-1930) was a British politician who entered the parliament as a Conservative in 1874. He was his uncle’s secretor in the Berlin congress in 1878. He became the leader of the Conservative Party in 1981. Later, he became the chancellor of Britain in 1902. His manifesto was stated in 1917 in which Britain supports Zionism in order to make Palestine as the Jews’ national home but it emphasized that: “The rights of people who are not Jew should be observed in Palestine.”
8- Edmund Henry Hyndman Allenby, 1th viscount, (1861-1936) was a British Marshal (the highest military rank in some countries). At the beginning of the First World War (1914), he was the leader of cavalry and then the British military in France. He continued the rest of the cavalry operations by attacking Palestine, occupation of Jerusalem, and terminating the resistances of Turks after the Megiddo war. He received the title of viscount in 1919.
9- Dehkhoda Encyclopedia: the fifth George, the Britain king and the son of the 7th Edward. He was born in 1865, in London, and sat on the kingdom throne in 1917.He named his dynasty “Windsor” and died in 1936.
10- Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (1874-1965) was a British politician, soldier, and writer. He was the chancellor of Britain in 1940-1945 and 1951-1955. His first military activity was in Cuba as the reporter of the “daily Graphic” newspaper. His resistance against Germany in the years of 1940-1942 was significant. Before entrance of America in the Second World War, he visited the president Franklin Roosevelt in the sea. He travelled to Moscow two times and attended in the long international conference, (the conferences of Casablanca, Cairo, Tehran, Kobuk, Yalta, and Potsdam). The title of knighthood was conferred to him in 1953 and in the same year, he received the noble prize of literature for his general and outstanding speeches.
11- Herbert Louis Samuel (1870-1963) was a British politician. He entered the parliament as a Liberal in 1905. He missed his position in parliament in 1918 but was known in Palestine as the first high ranking representative of Britain (1920-1925). He was the chairman of the regal council of exploration in the coal industry in 1925-26. He became the leader of the Liberal Party during 1931-35.
12- We can’t find enough information about this person.