One night we were in the presence of 'Abdu'l-Baha along with
the rest of the pilgrims. While busy writing, the Centre of the Covenant was
also attending to all the incoming guests, both Baha'is and non-Baha'is. A few
hours after sunset, the non-Baha'is were granted permission to take their
leave, after which 'Abdu'l-Baha addressed the friends. Gradually, signs of
weariness began to appear in His blessed face; He dismissed everyone with the
words, "Go in God's care." When all stood up, the Muslim Shaykh
humbly put forward a request: "I beg that a Tablet may be revealed in the
honour of Shaykh Hadi so that I may carry it to him." (The late Aqa Shaykh
Hadi was the most erudite and highest-ranking Muslim divine in Iran. He had a
peculiar creed. Some suspected that he was secretly a Baha'i and some believed
him to be a Babi; in any case, he had a large and devoted following.)
'Abdu'l-Baha replied, "I have written to him recently;
that should suffice."
But the Shaykh insisted, "I wish to be granted the
honour of carrying to him such a gift."
‘Abdu'l-Baha then consented, "Very well, I shall write
it."
As we all began to leave the room, the Master said to Aqa
Mirza Nuru'd-Din, "I am very busy, but I do not want to put this off. I
may as well write it now, or I won't have another opportunity to do so. So come
and sit down and I will dictate a few words." Pen in hand, Aqa Mirza
Nuru'd-Din complied immediately.
The melodious chant of the Master filled the air, as divine
verses in the Arabic tongue, indescribably eloquent and sublime, and with the
rapidity of copious rain, flowed from His lips. God be praised, the atmosphere
that dominated the hearts and the minds of those present is beyond description.
The awesome power of that long, eloquent Tablet so overwhelmed every faculty of
my being that neither pen nor tongue can describe it. As the poet says:
As in a dream, yet indescribable,
Nor is the world ready to hear it.
Darkness had enveloped the city, and I found myself walking
in a very dark, narrow alleyway. Suddenly and quite unexpectedly I heard the
voices of two men speaking Persian. One was saying, "It certainly was a
strange phenomenon. It affected me deeply.". The other agreed, "Yes,
the words were not His; yet He who spoke them spoke the truth."
They continued in this vein, to the effect that the words
had been revealed through divine inspiration from the unseen world. These were
the same two individuals who had asked to hand-carry Mirza Hadi's Tablet to
Tehran. That night at the dinner table they seemed intoxicated, as though they
had just awakened from a trance.
Next day, having received their instructions to depart, they
began their return journey utterly transformed, carrying with them Mirza Hadi's
Tablet.
It is thus clear that the magnetic attraction of the divine
utterance enraptured not only the spirits of the believers,
but also stole the unyielding hearts of the non-believers.
- Dr. Youness
Afroukhteh (‘Memories of Nine Years in ‘Akka)
