Mulla Husayn’s first assignment P Before Mulla Husayn met the Báb and become His first believer, he was a disciple of Siyyid Kázim, one of the two forerunners of the Báb – the other was Siyyid Kázim’s teacher, Shaykh Ahmad. The passing of his beloved master, Shaykh Ahmad, brought unspeakable sorrow to the heart of Siyyid Kázim, who was his appointed successor. Inspired by the verse of the Qur’án, “Fain would they put out God’s light with their mouths; but God only desireth to perfect His light, albeit the infidels abhor it,” Siyyid Kázim arose with unswerving purpose to consummate the task with which his master Shaykh Ahmad had entrusted him. He found himself, after the removal of so distinguished a protector, a victim of the slanderous tongues and unrelenting enmity of the people around him. They attacked his person, scorned his teachings, and reviled his name. At the instigation of a powerful and notorious shí’ah leader in Karbilá, Iraq, the enemies of Siyyid Kázim leagued together, and determined to destroy him. Thereupon Siyyid Kázim conceived the plan of securing the support and good will of one of the most formidable and outstanding ecclesiastical dignitaries of Persia who lived in the city of Isfáhán and whose authority extended far beyond the confines of that city. This friendship and sympathy, Siyyid Kázim thought, would enable him to pursue unhampered the course of his activities, and would considerably enhance the influence which he exercised over his disciples. In his gatherings with his followers Siyyid Kázim was often heard to say: “Would that one amongst you could arise, and, with complete detachment, journey to Isfáhán, and deliver this message from me to that learned shi’ih leader and ask him: ‘Why is it that in the beginning you showed such marked consideration and affection for the late Shaykh Ahmad, and have now suddenly detached yourself from the body of his chosen disciples? Why is it that you have abandoned us to the mercy of our opponents?’ Siyyid Kazim hopee that such a messenger might arise, put his trust in God, travel to Isfáhán and unravel whatever mysteries perplexed the mind of that learned religious leader, and dispel such doubts as might have alienated his sympathy. He further wished that such a messenger would be able to obtain from this highly distinguished religious leader a solemn declaration testifying to the unquestioned authority of Shaykh Ahmad, and to the truth and soundness of his teachings. Again and again did Siyyid Kázim find opportunity to reiterate his appeal. None, however, ventured to respond to his call except one of his followers who expressed readiness to undertake such a mission. To him Siyyid Kázim replied: “Beware of touching the lion’s tail. Belittle not the delicacy and difficulty of such a mission.” Siyyid Kazim then, turned his face towards his youthful disciple, Mullá Husayn and addressed him in these words: “Arise and perform this mission, for I declare you equal to this task. The Almighty will graciously assist you, and will crown your endeavours with success.” Mullá Husayn joyously sprang to his feet, kissed the hem of his teacher’s garment, vowed his loyalty to him, and started forthwith on his journey. With complete severance and noble resolve, he set out to achieve his end. Arriving in Isfáhán, he sought immediately the presence of the learned religious leader. Clad in mean attire, and covered with the dust of travel, he appeared, amidst the vast and richly apparelled company of the disciples of that distinguished leader, an insignificant and negligible figure. Unobserved and undaunted, he advanced to a place which faced the seat occupied by that renowned teacher. Summoning to his aid all the courage and confidence with which the instructions of Siyyid Kázim had inspired him, he addressed the famous shi’ih learder in these words: “Hearken, O Siyyid, to my words, for response to my plea will ensure the safety of the Faith of the Prophet of God, and refusal to consider my message will cause it grievous injury.” These bold and courageous words, uttered with directness and force, produced a surprising impression upon the Siyyid. He suddenly interrupted his discourse, and, ignoring his audience, listened with close attention to the message which this strange visitor had brought. His disciples, amazed at this extraordinary behaviour, rebuked this sudden intruder and denounced his presumptuous pretensions. With extreme politeness, in firm and dignified language, Mullá Husayn hinted at their discourtesy and shallowness, and expressed surprise at their arrogance and vainglory. The learned Siyyid was highly pleased with the demeanour and argument which the visitor so strikingly displayed. He deplored and apologized for the unseemly conduct of his own disciples. In order to compensate for their ingratitude, he extended every conceivable kindness to that youth, Mulla Husayn, assured him of his support, and besought him to deliver his message. Thereupon, Mullá Husayn acquainted him with the nature and object of the mission with which he had been entrusted. To this the learned Siyyid replied: “As we in the beginning believed that both Shaykh Ahmad and Siyyid Kázim were actuated by no desire except to advance the cause of knowledge and safeguard the sacred interests of the Faith, we felt prompted to extend to them our heartiest support and to extol their teachings. In later years, however, we have noticed so many conflicting statements and obscure and mysterious allusions in their writings that we felt it advisable to keep silent for a time, and to refrain from either censure or applause.” To this Mullá Husayn replied: “I cannot but deplore such silence on your part, for I firmly believe that it involves the loss of a splendid opportunity to advance the cause of Truth. It is for you to set forth specifically such passages in their writings as appear to you mysterious or inconsistent with the precepts of the Faith, and I will, with the aid of God, undertake to expound their true meaning.” The poise, the dignity and confidence, which characterised the behaviour of this unexpected messenger, greatly impressed the Siyyid. He begged Mulla Husayn not to press the matter at this moment, but to wait until a later day, when, in private converse, he might acquaint him with his own doubts and misgivings. Mullá Husayn, however, feeling that delay might prove harmful to the cause he had at heart, insisted upon an immediate conference with him about the weighty problems which he felt impelled and able to resolve. The Siyyid was moved to tears by the youthful enthusiasm, the sincerity and serene confidence to which the countenance of Mullá Husayn so admirably testified. He sent immediately for some of the works written by Shaykh Ahmad and Siyyid Kázim, and began to question Mullá Husayn regarding those passages which had excited his disapproval and surprise. To each reference Mulla Husayn replied with characteristic vigour, with masterly knowledge and befitting modesty. He continued in this manner, in the presence of the assembled disciples, to expound the teachings of Shaykh Ahmad and Siyyid Kázim, to vindicate their truth, and to defend their cause, until the time when the call to prayer by Mu’adhdhin, suddenly interrupted the flow of his argument. The next day, Mulla Husayn similarly, in the presence of a large and representative assembly, and whilst facing the Siyyid, resumed his eloquent defense of the high mission entrusted by an almighty Providence to Shaykh Ahmad and his successor Siyyid Kazim. A deep silence fell upon his hearers. They were seized with wonder at the cogency of his argument and the tone and manner of his speech. The Siyyid publicly promised that on the following day he would himself issue a written declaration wherein he would testify to the eminence of the position held by both Shaykh Ahmad and Siyyid Kázim, and would pronounce whosoever deviated from their path as one who had turned aside from the Faith of the Prophet Himself. He would likewise bear witness to their penetrative insight, and their correct and profound understanding of the mysteries which the Faith of Muhammad enshrined. The Siyyid redeemed his pledge, and with his own hand penned the promised declaration. He wrote at length, and in the course of his testimony paid a tribute to the character and learning of Mullá Husayn. He spoke in glowing terms of Siyyid Kázim, apologized for his former attitude, and expressed the hope that in the days to come he might be enabled to make amends for his past and regrettable conduct towards him. He read, himself, to his disciples the text of this written testimony, and delivered it unsealed to Mullá Husayn, authorizing him to share its contents with whomsoever he pleased, that all might know the extent of his devotion to Siyyid Kázim. No sooner had Mullá Husayn retired than the Siyyid charged one of his trusted attendants to follow in the footsteps of the visitor and find out the place where he was residing. The attendant followed him to a modest building, which served as a madrisih, [1] and saw him enter a room which, except for a worn-out mat which covered its floor, was devoid of furniture. He watched him arrive, offer his prayer of thanksgiving to God, and lie down upon that mat with nothing to cover him except his ‘abá. [2] Having reported to his master all that he had observed, the attendant was again instructed to deliver to Mullá Husayn the sum of a hundred túmans, [3] and to express the sincere apologies of his master for his inability to extend to so remarkable a messenger a hospitality that befitted his station. To this offer Mullá Husayn sent the following reply: “Tell your master that his real gift to me is the spirit of fairness with which he received me, and the open-mindedness which prompted him, despite his exalted rank, to respond to the message which I, a lowly stranger, brought him. Return this money to your master, for I, as a messenger, ask for neither recompense nor reward. ‘We nourish your souls for the sake of God; we seek from you neither recompense nor thanks.’ [Qur’án, 76:9] My prayer for your master is that earthly leadership may never hinder him from acknowledging and testifying to the Truth.” This distinguish religious leader whose name was Hájí Siyyid Muhammad-Báqir died before the year that witnessed the birth of the Faith proclaimed by the Báb. He remained to his last moment a staunch supporter and fervent admirer of Siyyid Kázim. Having fulfilled the first part of his mission, Mullá Husayn despatched this written testimony of Hájí Siyyid Muhammad-Báqir to his master in Karbilá....  (Adapted from ‘The Dawn-Breakers’, by Nabil, translated and edited by Shoghi Effendi) [1] The Madrisih or Persian colleges are entirely in the hands of the clergy and there are several in every large town. They generally consist of a court, surrounded by buildings containing chambers for students and masters, with a gate on one side; and frequently a garden and a well in the centre of the court.... Many of the madrisihs have been founded and endowed by kings or pious persons.” (C. R. Markham’s “A General Sketch of the History of Persia,” p. 365.) [2] A loose outer garment, resembling a cloak, commonly made of camel’s hair. [3] Worth approximately one hundred dollars, a substantial sum in those days

The stone that became the “Cornerstone” of the House of Worship in Chicago Posted: 10 Aug 2015 02:37 PM PDT When the idea of constructing a Baha’i Temple in America was first proposed in 1903 there were very few Baha’is in the United States and Canada. By 1906 it is estimated that Baha’is resided in approximately 150 cities and that there were twenty-seven Spiritual Assemblies, including one in Honolulu and one in Montreal, Canada. In preparation for this major undertaking, the Baha’is in various cities began holding meetings to increase support for the Temple, and several communities formed local treasuries to gather money for the project. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá continued to send letters of encouragement, expressing His wish for the friends to be united and supportive of this undertaking. One Baha'i who made a unique contribution to the Temple project in 1908 was Esther Tobin, known to her friends as Nettie. She was a loving, humble woman who earned a meager living as a seamstress. After her husband's death in Detroit in 1892, she moved to Chicago with her two small sons, brother, and half-sister. Yet once there she could barely support her children; oftentimes she would buy groceries for the evening meal with money she earned during the same day. She had not attended school, which may account for her peculiar habit of using words out of context, a trait that often sent herself and her friends into fits of laughter. Paul Dealy, an early Baha'i, invited her to several Baha'i meetings, including those at the True home. It was in that home that she became a Baha'i, probably in 1903. Shortly thereafter, she was employed by Corinne True as a dressmaker and visited the True home one or two days each week. Although Nettie Tobin worked actively as a member of the Women's Assembly of Teaching, she was troubled by her financial inability to contribute to the building of the Temple. After praying often that God send her something to offer as a gift, she reportedly heard a voice on several occasions that told her to find a stone. This is what she told her nurse Gertrude Triebwasser three and a half years before her passing: One day while sitting alone and busy with dressmaking in the home of one of the believers, I heard a voice questioning, “Do you believe in immortality?" I replied, “Yes, I do." The voice said, “Then, get a stone." A few days later the voice again came, but louder than before, "Do you believe in immortality?" Again I replied, "Yes, I do." And the voice said, “Get a stone." I delayed carrying out the request. Again the voice came a third time and commanded me to obtain a stone. Nettie also told her nurse that when 'Abdu'l-Baha arrived in Chicago she presented Him with a bouquet of white roses and some grapefruit. He requested one of His attendants to save the seed from the latter to be planted at His home in Haifa. She also contributed for the Shrine of the Báb on Mt. Carmel. 'Abdu'l-Baha promised that Mrs. Tobin, with her whole family would be blessed. Nettie’s inspiration most likely came from a letter written in June 1908 to the American Baha'is by Mirza Asadu'llah, a Persian Baha'i travel teacher who had apparently proposed the project to the Chicago Spirituality Assembly in 1903. In the letter Mirza Asadu'llah had written: "Now is the time for expending energy and power in the erection of the edifice, be it a mere stone, laid in the name of the Baha’i Mashrak-el-Azkar. For the glory and honor of the first stone is equivalent to all the stones and implements which will later be used there." Perhaps partly due to this letter and partly due to her own inspirational experiences Nettie began looking around and found a construction site near her home, just north of downtown Chicago. She sought out the project's foreman, toldhim about the Baha’i Temple project, and asked if he could offer her an inexpensive building stone. The foreman, enchanted with Nettie’s request, showed her a small pile of limestone rocks, damaged and unfit for use, and invited her to take one. Later that day Nettie with help from her neighbor wrapped one of the stones in a piece of carpet, tied clothesline around it, and dragged the bundle home. Two days later on Labor Day 1908 Nettie arranged with Cecilia Harrison and Corinne True to bring the stone to Grosse Pointe, on the north side of the city. She sought assistance from her brotherLeo Leadroot and Mirza Mazlum, an elderly Persian friend.  On their way to their destination point, the threesome had difficulty convincing the conductor of the State Street horsecar to allow the stone on board. Yet Nettie insisted, he gave in, and they placed the stone, still tied in the carpet, on the back platform. After traveling through Chicago to the north side of the city, they transferred to another car and rode to the corner of Central and Ridge avenues in Evanston, probably the station closest to the Temple site at that time. Because they were still six blocks away from the site, the stone would have to be carried the rest of the way by hand. But once they had gone about three blocks, the stone became too heavy to carry any farther, and they began dragging it along the ground. The trip took much longer than Nettie Tobin had anticipated. In the meantime, Corinne True and Cecilia Harrison, who had been waiting at the site, became worried and started back toward the station. They soon came upon Mrs. Tobin's group. At this point Mirza Mazlum, apparently inspired by photographs showing young men carrying stones from the quarry at Ashkhabad for the Baha'i Temple there, begged his companions to place the stone on his back. He managed to progress another half block to an old, unoccupied farmhouse, where they left the stone in the yard overnight. Very early the next morning Nettie returned alone to the farmhouse with a homemade cart and a fire shovel. When she tried to lift the stone into the cart, she broke the cart's handle and, in so doing, injured her wrist. A man nearby, responding to her difficulties, helped her to replace the stone in the cart and fixed the handle for her. After resuming her trek for a half block, she enlisted the aid of a newsboy, who helped her reach the west corner of the land. As they dragged the cart across the two lots, it fell apart, leaving the stone sitting amidst the rubble. Her deed accomplished, Nettie said some prayers and left for home. In the months ahead the stone provided a focal point for Baha'i gatherings. Although ‘Abdu'l-Baha had already sent a stone marker for the Temple site -- one possibly of the same material as the Bab's marble sarcophagus, a gift of the Baha'is of Rangoon, Burma, but it didn’t reach the Temple grounds. Nor were reached other stones reportedly sent by Baha'is from various parts of the world. So, on the first day of May 1912 when ‘Abdu’l-Baha broke the ground, only Nettie Tobin’s contribution of the “stone which the builders refused” would be available to serve as the marker dedicated by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. After placing the stone in the hole, the Master pushed the earth around it and declared that ‘The Temple is already built‘.  During the years following that Event and the building of the Temple, the stone was carefully preserved, and finally imbedded in the cement floor of the basement at the spot where 'Abdu'l-Baha dedicated it. As one visits that sacred place and gazes at the unpolished, rough piece of natural rock and remembers its significance coupled with the greatness of the One Who blessed it by His Word and Presence, one gratefully recalls the faith and effort of the humble soul inspired to bring it there for that unique and remarkable occasion.  (Adapted from ‘The Dawning Place, by Bruce Whitmore; ‘Mrs. Esther Tobin’, by Albert Windust, ‘The Baha’i World 1944-1946’; ‘’Abdu’l-Baha in Their Midst’, by Earl Redman; ‘Corinne True, Faithful Handmaid of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’, by Nathan Rutstein)

http://bahaiheoresheroines.blogspot.com/2010/07/marion-jack-immortal-heroine-and.html

One righteous act is endowed with a potency that can so elevate the dust as to cause it to pass beyond the heaven of heavens. It can tear every bond asunder, and hath the power to restore the force that hath spent itself and vanished....  Baha'u'llah

Marion Jack – an “immortal heroine”, and a “shining example (to) pioneers (of) present (and) future generations (of) East (and) West”

Cablegram from the Guardian:

Mourn loss (of) immortal heroine, Marion Jack, greatly-loved and deeply-admired by 'Abdu'l-Baha, (a) shining example (to) pioneers (of) present (and) future generations (of) East (and) West, surpassed (in) constancy, dedication, self-abnegation (and) fearlessness by none except (the) incomparable Martha Root. Her unremitting, highly-meritorious activities (in the) course (of) almost half (a) century, both (in) North America (and) Southeast Europe, attaining (their) climax (in the) darkest, most dangerous phase (of the) second World War, shed imperishable luster (on) contemporary Baha'i history.

(This) triumphant soul (is) now gathered (to the) distinguished band (of her) coworkers (in the) Abhg Kingdom: Martha Root, Lua Getsinger, May Maxwell, Hyde Dunn, Susan Moody, Keith Ransom-Kehler, Ella Bailey (and) Dorothy Baker, whose remains, lying (in) such widely scattered areas (of the) globe as Honolulu, Cairo, Buenos Aires, Sydney, Tihran, Isfahan, Tripoli (and the) depths (of the) Mediterranean(Sea) attest the magnificence (of the) pioneer services rendered (by the) North American Baha'i community (in the) Apostolic (and) Formative Ages (of the) Baha'i Dispensation.

Advise arrange (in) association (with the) Canadian National Assembly (and the) European Teaching Committee (a) befitting memorial gathering (in the) Mashriqu'l-Adhkar. Moved (to) share with (the) United States (and) Canadian National Assemblies (the) expenses (of the) erection, (as) soon as circumstances permit, (of a) worthy monument (at) her grave, destined (to) confer eternal benediction (on a) country already honored (by) its close proximity (to the) sacred city associated (with the) proclamation (of the) Faith (of) Baha'u'llah.

Share message all National Assemblies.

-Shoghi

Haifa, Israel,

March 29, 1954.

Marion Jack, "immortal heroine," "shining example to pioneers," passed from this life on March 25, 1954, in Sofia, Bulgaria, where she had been living for twenty-four years as a pioneer of the Baha'i Faith. Her remains are buried in the British cemetery there. The Guardian's tribute, expressed in his cablegram of March 29, attests the high station which this "triumphant soul" has attained.
Marion Jack's services in the Baha'i Faith began early in the new century. Born in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada, on December 1, 1866, of a prominent family, she received much of her education in England and particularly in France, where she studied art. Landscape painting was her special field. Some of her paintings are preserved in the Holy Land at the World Center of the Faith.

She first learned of the Faith at a social gathering during her student days in Paris. Charles Mason Remey writes of this first introduction :

"My first remembrance of Marion Jack was when we were students in the Latin Quarter in Paris. She was studying painting, I, architecture, and I used to see her in the 'Quarter' along the boulevard on Mont Parnasse. In the Quarter lived a Mme. Philippe who kept a Pension where a number of girl students lived. Mme. Philippe gave dancing parties at infrequent intervals. It was at one of these affairs, a fancy dress dance, that I met Marion. She was dressed in a fiery red costume that she had made herself of crinkled tissue paper topped off by an enormous 'Merry Widow' hat decorated with large yellow paper flowers . . . It was as we danced and sat out between dances that I told Marion of the Baha'I Faith. She was, as many were in those early days, afire with the Faith then and there, all at once. Marion met the Baha'is, came to meetings in my studio and elsewhere, and that was the beginning of her belief."

From this time forward, her life was dedicated to the service of the Faith. She spent some time in 'Akka and was there in 1908, where she taught English to 'Abdu'l-Baha's grandchildren. She continued her painting while she was there.

By 1914 she had returned to North America. She was one of the first to respond to the call of the Divine Plan of 'Abdu'l-Baha, performing pioneer service in Alaska and teaching in Toronto, Montreal, and many other places. She also spent a good deal of time in Green Acre, Eliot, Maine, helping with the teaching work at the Baha'i School and continuing her painting.

Many friends remember this joyous, wholly dedicated soul from those days. Impressed by her gracious charm, her understanding, her twinkling sense of humor, everyone who recounts some association with her does so with a smile which seems to spring spontaneously from the mention of her name. "Jackie," as she was affectionately called, was ageless in her complete at-home-ness with young and old alike, was beloved wherever she went, drawing all to her and to each other through the quality of her faith, love and devotion to the Cause and to her beloved Guardian.

One of her Green Acre friends writes:

"She was such a lovely person-- so joyous and happy that one loved to be with her. Her shining eyes and beautiful smile showed how much the Baha'i Faith meant to her . . . We used to love to go to her studio and talk with her, also to see her paintings of the Holy Land and familiar Green Acre landscapes. . . . She always entered into any plan with zest. . . . If we could all radiate happiness as did Jackie, I am sure we would attract more people to the Faith."

In 1930 Marion Jack returned to Haifa and following this visit went to Sofia, Bulgaria, where she spent the remainder of her life. During the earlier years of this period she attended the German Summer School and undertook teaching missions to Vienna and Budapest. In Sofia she held frequent meetings that were well attended by people of prominence and capacity. As World War II approached, and all who could fled the country, the Guardian suggested that she go to Switzerland or to some safer place. She pleaded to be allowed to remain at her post, preferring, as she put it, to "remain at the switch." Living on a small pension, which did not always reach her in recent years, suffering serious deprivation, aged and in poor health, she remained at her post. It was not without reason that 'Abdu'l-Baha used to call her "General Jack."

One of the friends writes of these days: "She was much sought out and beloved everywhere she went. As the so-called Iron curtain dropped, fewer people attended her meetings because of fear of the government. Towards the end of her life even her closest friends no longer went to see her, except one Baha’i. . . . During the last months of her severe illness, I wrote Miss Jack almost every week and in her last letter she bade me goodbye, hoping for a reunion in the Kingdom. When Miss Jack still corresponded, her letters were always cheerful, most spiritual and even humorous. . . . The British Consulate called her 'our friend.' . . . She was a consecrated Baha'i teacher, full of charm, understanding, gaiety and humor."

One of her devoted students, who became a Baha’i through her, writes of the later years in Sofia:

"I met Miss Jack in June, 1938, in Sofia. I had left Austria when Hitler took over and found a temporary position in Sofia, waiting for my visa to the United States. I noticed her in the restaurant where I took my luncheon and she impressed me immediately with her friendly smile that she had for everybody. One day when her regular waiter who spoke English had his day off, the hostess asked me to serve as interpreter and from that day on, I shared the luncheon table with her regularly. It did not take long before she invited me to join a small group of her friends with whom she had discussions in her hotel room, and that was how I met the Faith.

"Her room was a museum, full of her pictures, books and papers all over. We sat wherever there was some place-on 'the' chair, the bed, on the floor, and she always had some refreshments for her guests. The discussions on the Faith were handicapped by the complicated language question. Marion had no Baha’i literature in the Bulgarian language, few people understood English, and her favored book, 'Abdu'l-Baha’s Paris Talks, had to be translated by one person from French into German or English and by somebody else into Bulgarian. It was fun, but how much of the original spirit remained was questionable.

"Marion had to be very careful in the choice of her guests. Bulgaria had one official State Religion, the Greek Orthodox Church, and only a few other religions were permitted, like Catholic, Jewish, Lutheran, Baptist, Seventh Day Adventist and Islam. Every Faith that was not permitted was forbidden and meetings like ours were illegal. State employees had to sign loyalty oaths stating their adherence to the legal Faith and we had one girl who worked for the government.

"When World War II broke out, Marion had to discontinue her meetings. Sofia became the center of European spy systems. Neither she nor I (a German citizen of secondary quality) could dare to be seen together. I kept contact with her indirectly through 'neutral' Bulgarian citizens. She was in financial difficulties because her funds did not get to her. But her spirit was unbroken.

"In October, 1940, when I finally got my visa for the United States, I dared to call her on the phone and even to see her. She had moved to a cheaper hotel. Her room was probably too small for two people and we met in the hotel lobby. I told her of my plan to go to the United States by the complicated way, crossing the Black Sea to Odessa, through Russia on the Trans-Siberian Railroad and across the Pacific from Japan to the United States. I invited her to come along and promised that I would take care of her. But she declined. She told me that the Guardian had permitted her to go to Switzerland rather than to wait for the German invasion in Bulgaria which was expected daily. She considered it her duty to stay in Sofia and would neither seek security in Switzerland nor in her native Canada, nor the United States.

"We exchanged letters until Bulgaria became part of the Iron Curtain and she indicated that it was too dangerous to receive my letters and to write to me."

In a letter dated June 17, 1954, to the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of the British Isles, the Guardian, through his secretary, extols the standard set by Marion Jack as a pioneer:

"To remain at one's post, to undergo sacrifice and hardship, loneliness and, if necessary, persecution, in order to hold aloft the torch of Baha’u'llah, is the true function of every pioneer.

"Let them remember Marion Jack, who for over twenty years, in a country the language of which she never mastered; during war and bombardment; evacuation and poverty; and at length, serious illness, stuck to her post, and has now blessed the soil of the land she had chosen to serve at such cost with her precious remains, every atom of which was dedicated to Baha'u'llah. Perhaps the friends are not aware that the Guardian, himself, during the war on more than one occasion urged her to seek safety in Switzerland rather than remain behind enemy lines and be entirely cut off. Lovingly she pleaded that he would not require her to leave her post; and he acquiesced to her request. Surely the standard of Marion Jack should be borne in mind by every pioneer!"

In a letter to the European Teaching Committee, dated May 24, 1954, through his secretary, the Guardian also stressed the quality of Marion Jack's services to the Cause and the heroic conditions under which she lived and worked:

"He would suggest that, when writing to the European centers, you share with the believers the glorious example of the life of Marion Jack. Young or old could never find a more inspiring pioneer in whose footsteps to walk, than this wonderful soul.

"For over thirty years, with an enlarged heart, and many other ailments she remained at her post in Bulgaria. Never well-to-do, she often suffered actual poverty and want: want of heat, want of clothing, want of food, when her money failed to reach her because Bulgaria had come under the Soviet zone of influence. She was bombed, lost her possessions, she was evacuated, she lived in drafty, cold dormitories for many, many months in the country, she returned, valiant, to the capital of Bulgaria after the war and continued, on foot, to carry out her teaching work.

"The Guardian himself urged her strongly, when the war first began to threaten to cut her off in Bulgaria, to go to Switzerland. She was a Canadian subject, and ran great risks by remaining, not to mention the dangers and privations of war. However, she begged the Guardian not to insist, and assured him her one desire was to remain with her spiritual children. This she did, up to the last breath of her glorious life. Her tomb will become a national shrine, immensely loved and revered, as the Faith rises in stature in that country.

"He thinks that every Baha'i and most particularly those who have left their homes and gone to serve in foreign fields, should know of, and turn their gaze to, Marion Jack."

As requested by the Guardian, a Memorial gathering was held for Marion Jack in the Baha'i House of Worship in Wilmette, Illinois, the program prepared by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United States in association with the Canadian National Baha'i Assembly and the European Teaching Committee, on July 3, 1954. Among the over two hundred Baha'is attending were representatives from the Canadian Baha'i Community. To permit more of the Canadian Baha'is to share in a Memorial to Marion Jack, a time had been set aside at the Canadian National Baha'i Convention, on May 1, 1954, for the Canadian friends to gather for commemoration and prayers.

In their tribute to Marion Jack, published by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Canada as an insert to their Baha'I News of April, 1955, are cited the following Words Baha’u’llah (Gleanings, p. 319):

"When the victory arriveth, every man shall profess himself as believer and shall hasten to the shelter of God's Faith. Happy are they who in the days of world-encompassing trials have stood fast in the Cause and refused to swerve from the Faith." (The Baha’i World, volume 12)

Abdu’l-Bahá relates a story as a metaphor

Abdu’l-Bahá relates a story as a metaphor

In ancient times there was a King who arranged a contest between his Chinese and Roman artists. He appointed a large hall in which both groups could paint. The Chinese artists asked for a curtain to be hung in the middle of the hall so that their competitor could not see what they are working on. The Chinese artists then worked steadily for six months, day and night. The Roman artists, on the other hand, did nothing. As a result, everybody thought that the Roman artists were going to lose the contest. Just a few days before the King was scheduled to judge the two groups and award the winner, the Roman artists set out to build a wall behind the curtain that separated them from the Chinese artists and polished it so well that it became like a mirror. When the time came to judge the final results, the King's ministers and courtiers went first to the Chinese section to see what they had been working so hard for six months. They were very impressed by their marvelous and beautiful painting! Wanting to see the Roman section they pulled the curtain and found a wall that was so polished that it fully reflected the paintings drawn by the Chinese artists – it was as if the paintings were actually in the wall! The King was so amused by their creativity that He awarded them the prize.

After relating this story the Master said that He hoped that our hearts would similarly become as pure and as transparent so that the pictures and images of the Kingdom of Abha would be reflected therein.
(Adapted from ‘Abdu’l-Baha in Edinburgh – Sohrab’s Diary Letters’, by Ahmad Sohrab)

Dr. Sulayman Berjis

Despondent story of Dr. Sulayman Berjis
killed and mutilated by Muslim mob in Kashan

He was a well known physician in the city of Kashan, a central city in Iran. He was a convert from Jewish into Baha'i and was always ready to serve his countrymen from any walk of life, rich, poor, Muslim, Jew, or Baha'i. It is said that he did not charge the humble people and on the contrary he gave them free medicine from the drug store he had next to his clinic and office. Everybody loved him and he was a very happy man enjoying his acts of service to human kind.

It was almost 8 years when the young Shah-Muhammad Reza Pahlevi- had inherited the crown from his father Reza Shah who had been exiled to Mauritius on the order of the Allied forces who had occupied Iran previously, following the world war II. The young Shah on the contrary of his predecessor was a weak and coward ruler who cared very much to give the clergy more respect and authority than permitted in the Constitution so he was very pleasing with the demands of the Ayatollahs and granted them anything in order not to provoke their ire and vengeance.

The success of Dr. Berjis and his popularity among the people drew the jealousy of the clergy who in clandestine meetings voted to have him eliminated and unanimously issued a Fatwa for his head. The Fatwa is a religious decree and in that case it was issued by Ayatollah Gharavi. The apparent motive would be that his service to the community was a cover up to teach his Faith and draw the innocent believers into the outlawed sect (Baha'i).

Two men, who were around 18 years old, went to his clinic when he was attending patients and told him that they had a very critical patient in a nearby neighborhood and begged him to go with them to heal him. He said that he already had about 8 patients waiting for consultations and the two men had to wait until he finished seeing them all. But they insisted that their patient's condition was very critical and he might die at any minute. So he gave in and got his bag and went with them.

When they got there, he found no patient and instead there were other men with knives in their hands. They attacked him right there with cries of Allah akbar or "There is no god but Allah". They stabbed him 81 times and he fell bleeding. Then to make sure he would not survive they cut him into pieces and then took to the streets shouting Allah Akbar and other Islamic chants celebrating their crime. They all went to the Police and proudly declared they had fulfilled the Fatwa of their religious masters to punish an infidel who had dared to teach his faith to ignorant and naive Muslims. Totally they were 8 assassins who were taken into custody and were ordered to wait for a fair trial.
On the next morning many Mullahs mobbed in front of the court manifesting their anger for the arrest of their innocent friends. A lawyer who questioned the gang asked them who stabbed him first and they said all did it at the same time and there was no single person who started it, to avoid punishment on one. The lawyer who represented the family of Dr. Berjis later said that it seemed like they had all been advised what to say and repeat the same allegation, that they all attacked him simultaneously
So that the punishment be distributed on them equally.
To their surprise, they learned that the pressure of the mob outside was so high that the court consulting with other authorities of the judiciary power decided to acquit them and let them walk out 17 days after the trial started for fear of a big revolt and greater grievance.
Ayatollahs had done their job. They wrote letters to the authorities and to the Shah and asked his intervention to let go the Innocents who had done nothing but complying their religious duty.
The grand Ayatollahs involved were: Ayatollah Kashani, Ayatollah Broujerdi, Ayatollah Behbahani and Mohammad Taqi Falsafi who a couple of years later was the main inciter of unrest that ended in the demolition of the Baha'i center of Tehran.
Many more ayatollah and religious leaders from major cities of the country cabled the judiciary power and even the Shah to release immediately their peers.
The murderers received no punishment and on the contrary were cheered and welcomed with great ovation on their release. The religious leaders ordered massive celebration and parties for their heroes who did their best to fulfill a religious duty.
The lawyer of the Berjis Family said later that he was threatened to death if he kept harassing and questioning the accused murderers.
Dr. Berjis was fifty four years old when he was martyred.
He was a devout Baha'i and the coordinator of the local spiritual assembly. He had descended from a Jewish background and guided many more Jews into the Faith.

Years later his son became a famous doctor too.

Association of the medical doctors protest!

In an open letter the medical association of physicians of Iran wrote a letter to the Shah and complained of the lax behavior of the court, where a mob who confessed to killing and mutilating a respectable innocent doctor esteemed by all in Kashan were acquitted without punishment. They demanded that the murderers be recaptured and put to jail. But Shah was more loyal to the clergy as they had baptized him as the leader of the Shiites all over the world and that his duty was to vie for the interest of the Shiites wherever they were, no matter, from Persia, Iraq or Lebanon. So he gave in every plea from the clergy to honor his title as the leader of the Shiites worldwide.

6 major newspaper and magazines of that time more or less published the news as told here, sticking to the truth and criticizing the judiciary process and policy.

The accounts of the newspapers after the Islamic revolution when reviewing the matter is now quite different. The story these days the newspapers in Iran say is that,
"A Baha'i doctor whose certificates seemed to be false and who never studied formal medicine in any university committed apostasy. He taught his outlawed and misled sect to over a 100 ignorant Muslims giving them free medicines to deceive them, and if they did not become Baha'is he would poison them, and there are witnesses he raped eight of his patients.

So the college of the Mullahs gathered together and voted for the revolutionary elimination of him to make it a lesson for other members of the misled sect to stop deceiving the poor Muslims.
Fortunately the activities of our brave leaders in the past bore fruits and the hero youth who put him to death were triumphantly saved and were fully rewarded."
For example the Kayhan in 1988 printed the story as:
(In June 1988, Kayhan published Haj Rasoul Zadeh's obituary as having been a devout Muslim and a true follower of Navab Safavi, who had engaged in the heroic act of killing a Zionist element in Kashan!) then cut his throat.

Dr. Berjis had done nothing wrong. In fact, he was an exemplary citizen and a dedicated doctor in a place where his services were much needed. He had saved lives and was in the prime of his life (he was only 54 when he died) but he lost his own life because he was a Baha’i.
The hardship of the Baha'is did not start from the foundation of the Islamic republic of Iran. It started from the birth of the Faith and in some years it was eased but then again it has gone to its peak in the recent years.
We are certain that the Cause of God will prevail and the truth shall overcome.

Haji Mirza Haydar Ali i Esphahani

The Blessed Beauty of Abha, Baha’u’llah – May my life be sacrificed for His believers – blessed,

 Haji Mirza Haydar Ali i Esphahani, with these titles “The Angel of Carmel, “& “Sultan i Mobaleghin” = (The king of teachers). This outstanding veteran soldier of The Army of Light was most victorious in the field of teaching His Mighty Cause, the Bahá’í Faith.

In 1903 Haji was invited to The Holy Land, where he resided to the end of his life, ascending to The Abha Kingdom in 1920.

He was teaching the children of The Holy Family, mainly our Beloved Guardian Shoghi Effendi, the eldest grandchild & successor of Abdu’l-Bahá.

Often the friends would come asking the Center of The Covenant - Abdu’l-Bahá for permission to take Haji with them to their countries or territories for only a short time for the purpose of teaching, yet The Master covering Haji with his aba would repeat “Haji is ours, Haji is ours”

Haji obeying the suggestion of The Master wrote an interesting book (Memories of Haji Mirza Haydar Ali) “Stories from the Delight of Hearts” translated by Beloved Hand of The Cause of God late Mr. A. Q. Faizi to English. This book is now available in other languages, such as Spanish.  Haji was firm and steadfast to the end in the Covenant and much loved by Abd’u’l-Baha.

This unworthy servant humbly suggests the friends to read a few lines from the last paragraphs of the book of “This Veteran Soldier of Baha’u’llah’s Army of Light and Love”, as his will & testament.

 Page 159

Now at the end of my life, all I possess is ignorance and weakness and unawareness and heedlessness and neglect and valuelessness and worthlessness and poverty and shamelessness and destitution and powerlessness and disobedience and wrongdoing and sin and darkness and worldliness and transience and selfishness and corrupt desire. Any wrongdoing or sin which can be imagined is mine.

I do not write this from a sense of humility. This is only truth and honesty and reality. The bounties of God are obvious and apparent. Fifty years ago in Adrianople I attained the presence of that Sun of Truth before Whom all others must prostrate themselves. From that time, every breath I have taken I have tried to conform to His will, and every step I have taken I have directed toward Him. I do not know if my services were acceptable to Him, but His compassion and love and generosity have always surrounded me. My worst deeds were met with the greatest compassion. The more I transgressed, the more He concealed my faults. The more I sought after my own vain imaginings, the more He showed me the light of His Sprit. The more I erred, the more generous He was. He saved me from the greatest difficulties and from the calamity of self……… How grateful I am that I was protected, and my sins were concealed, and I was not put to shame….I can never repay His forgiveness and mercy. I am utterly impotent.

All that I have comes from the Cause of God.  The believers respected me as a teacher, but I did not reserve such respect.  They were all the true teachers of the Faith.  They would face the problems of the world to earn a living, and then spend their earning on those like me who could travel and teach.  Then we were called the promulgators of the Faith.  But we made no sacrifice; we only received.  In the Name of God those noble believers sacrificed everything for us.  I, and others like me, reached the highest degree of honor and happiness without struggle or sacrifice.  I can only pray that the mercy and generosity of God which has followed me over thousands of miles, will also accompany me in the future.  

Now it has been ten years more or less that by the grace and bounty of the Master I have lived under the shadow of mercy in the Holy Land, and have partaken every day of the manna from heaven, and have seen what Moses saw on Sinai.  I thank God that I have attained and have witnessed the kindness and generosity and the servitude of the believers – virtues which are but a drop when compared to the kindness and compassion of ‘Abdu’l-Baha and the Greatest Holy Leaf and the Holy Mother.

A true Bahá’í I am not.   O God! Assist me and make my efforts fruitful.  Assist the Master!  This book Ihave written by His order.

But I am so old and decrepit that many times while writing I have forgotten the order of my words and lost my train of thought.  When this happened I would have to get up and leave my work.  But whenever Istarted to write again my pen would carry on the story.  This humble servant has never entered any school and is unaware of the rules of grammar and style.

I beseech all the Bahá’í (may my soul be sacrificed for them) to beg for my forgiveness at the Holy Threshold as I see nothing in myself but wrongdoing, and nothing among the servants of God but forgiveness and concealment.

With thanks to God, the Lord of the worlds.

              May 17, 1912

   Page 162.                                                                                         

….Haji was indeed close to the heart of Abdu’l-Baha. During His journeys to America, the Master sent some of His most tender messages to this veteran soldier of the Cause. In one of them He describes the meetings which were held, the banquets, the newly recruited believers, and after each comment He repeats, “I miss you very much.”

…..there were many requests from all over the Bahá’í world for him to visit. But as he advanced in years the Master did not approve his going abroad. He would often wrap Haji in His cloak and lovingly repeat “Haji is ours! Haji is ours!”

He was asked by the Mater to teach the children of His household.  All the grandsons of ‘Abdu’l-Bahaattended these classes. Shoghi Effendi, who was later to become the Guardian of the Faith, was among his students.  Haydar-‘Ali recognized his station even at this early age.  When ever the young Shoghi Effendi would enter the class, Haji Mirza Haydar-‘Ali would rise in respect for his student.  He often whispered in his ear, “Sufficient to you is the school of the Master.”

 story

 contributed by 

Mehrdad Badiian and Christine Wright-Badiian

TRIBULATION

At a time when
the rained  of  allegations and slander
constant  of the enemy, when
acts of sedition and......  had reached their
height, launching a special charge of pain
 pierced the heart of the Essence of tenderness
 ('Abdu'l-Bahá). The nature of the attack was
unknown.to me  The distress and grief it occasioned
were so intense that, for several days
'Abdu'l-Bahá visited barely even the reception hall of the
Biruni to meet the many pilgrims. The
ancient   believers residents were
aware of the details of this problem, but they did
disclosed to anyone because the incident was disturbing and
disruptive. (...)
One night the Master  was present in the room
reception  of The Biruni while some friends
languished depressed that He  breaks the silence -
 with the celestial melody of his words. Aqa-i-Riday
Qannad, one of the old believers and experienced
was among the first prisoners and migrants,
knew the source of the problem. No longer able to
contain his grief, he suddenly broke the wall of silent- . Removing the veil of contemplation and reserve
he exclaimed with force: "Beloved, we can not afford
to endure this long. Patience and
Tolerance is good. But until when? Why
the ocean of divine wrath has it not arise? Why
the avenging sword of God remain hidden in his
? Why is it the Master show many
patience? Why does happen such things? "

He continued on this theme until the fire
Interior    calm  vigorously and tears
begin to flow without restraint, shedding the intensity
 of emotions. The Master who had listened to this plaint
 calmly and  with attention
broke His silence with a comforting smile and re-
pond: "Yes, in the PATH of the Blessed Beauty we
must drink the cup full  with enthusiasm
of  difficulties and afflictions and  feel the exquisite
intoxicating effect.
One kind of tribulation has not
the same effects, nor does it give the same
intoxicating pleasure. Wines of different flavors are
be consumed in this divine banquet until
it is completely gray. "

He said it with such joy and enthusiasm
that every atom of our beings flew with a sensation
 of ecstasy and transport. Then He added: "But
you have never attended a drinking party. To be-
ne totally drunk and lose consciousness,
drinkers mix their drinks. For example,
a turn , they drink wine, following the turn -
boasts, they drink arak, then this is followed by a
tour of cognac, followed by tours of rum,
of whiskey, champagne and drank until they
to a state of torpor. We also need
taste the different flavors of cutting tribulation
tions. "Suddenly, a voice resonant, he asked,
"Jinab-i-Khan, is not it so? "The eyes were
All fixed on me. And without a moment's hesitation, I
replied: "Yes, Beloved, it is. By the way, they
drink something else. "" What then? "ask
 'Abdu'l-Bahá. "They mixed the wine (in Sharab
Persian) and whiskey (araq in Persian) and say they
drink "sharaq" (neologism and between Sharab
araq the Persian, for example, "vinky") Suddenly his Laughter broke out, his eyes full of tears, turned to the sky and with a smile, he exclaimed: "We also, as Khan says, we drink "sharaq" we drink "sharaq!" " In short, for a while that night, he shared with us the good news about the future of faith, descent and fall of the Faithful breakers of the Alliance. Since then, among these promises, many, if not all, have real- Sees. "And so this was a short story about the life of 'Abdu'l-Bahá at the time, an example of his sweet eloquence for a period of trials and tribulations.

BURMA

In 1878, the Blessed Beauty Baha'u'llah sent a great gift to the land of
Burma: two devoted Baha'i teachers. One was named Jamal Effendi and the
other was his recent convert to the Faith, Siyyid Mustafa Rumi. Through the
diligent and persistent efforts of these lovers of Baha'u'llah, a strong
Baha'i community was eventually built up in Burma. In the days of
Abdu'l-Baha, an entire village had become deep believers, and with the
permission of the Master, they officially changed the name of their village
to Abdu'l-Baha's Village.

So strong was the Burmese Baha'i community, and so faithful were they to the
Covenant, that Abdu'l-Baha Himself gave an even greater gift to the Baha'is
in Rangoon when He commissioned Siyyid Mustafa to build the marble
sarcophagus that would hold the Sacred Remains of the Bab in the Shrine of
the Bab on Mount Carmel in the Holy Land in 1909. One can only imagine how
exquisite was the marble from this region for the sacred task it would
fulfill, and on which the illustrious calligrapher Mishkin Qalam was
instructed by Abdu'l-Baha to inscribe possibly the most beautiful ever /"Ya
Baha'u'l-Abha" /and/ "Ya Ali 'ul-Ala"/.

(On an interesting local touch, one of the Rangoon Baha'is who embraced the
Faith through the loving efforts of Siyyid Mustafa was Dr. Latif, the father
of our dear friend and neighbor Dr. Zeena Latif Marshall, and her sisters
and brothers who live in New York and London, all of them devoted and loving
Baha'is.)

In 1978, the Burma Baha'is celebrated 100 years of the Baha'i Faith in
Burma. There were about 1000 local Bahais present in Rangoon, when the
Continental Counselor from Jakarta brought, for that occasion, the
congratulatory message from the Universal House of Justice, which was read
at the conference. There are many inspiring stories about the Burmese
Baha'is, many of whom were also 5th generation Baha'is.

In 1959, the Hands of the Cause wrote the following to the Burmese Baha'i
community:

"It was in the days of 'Abdu'l-Baha, almost sixty years ago, that the
illumined and dedicated teacher of the Cause, Siyyid Mustafa Rumi carried
the Message of Baha'u'llah to Daidanaw, which became the first all-Baha'i
village in the world outside the Cradle of the Faith, and was a great source
of joy to the beloved Master.

"After His Ascension, the beloved Guardian continued to shower that same
love and care upon you. How often he praised the activities and spirit of
the friends of Burma to Baha'is of other lands, extolling you as examples of
purity of heart and steadfastness, encouraging many teachers to visit you,
giving you a special objective of your own--namely, the formation of your
National Assembly in the World Crusade. How greatly he grieved to learn of
your sufferings during the war, the destruction of the Baha'i school and
Haziratu'l-Quds in Daidanaw, the assassination of some of the believers, the
wide-scale spoliation that took place, and particularly of the ruthless
murder of your beloved teacher, Siyyid Mustafa Rumi, that "distinguished
pioneer", that "high-minded and noble soul" as he so beautifully
characterized him, whom he elevated to the rank of Hand of the Cause, whom
he affirmed had attained the station of martyrdom, and whose resting-place
he declared was the "foremost shrine"
of the Burmese Bahá'í Community. And last but not least, how blessed you
have been to have had the date for the election of your historic National
Assembly fixed by the beloved Guardian himself just a short time before his
passing."