# 'Abdu'l-Baha: Through the War Years *Exported from [Holy-Writings.com](https://www.holy-writings.com/) on 2026-06-19 — 1 clipping.* --- > A BAHA'I MAGAZINE • VOLUME 6 NUMBER 1 • PUBLISHED QUARTERLY > > Editorial Board: IN THIS ISSUE > FIRUZ KAZEMZADEH > BETTY FISHER > HOWARD GAREY 2 'Abdu'l-Baha 'Abbas (1844-1921) > ROBERT HAYDEN Editorial > GLENFORD E. MITCHELL > GAYLE MORRISON > 6 The Passing of 'Abdu'l-Baha > by Shoghi Effendi and Lady Blomfield > Subscriber Service: > MEG LUCKINBILL > > 19 'Abdu'l-Baha: Through the War Years > WORLD ORDER is published quarterly, > by H. M. Baly11zi > Ocrober, January, April, and July, ac 415 > Linden Avenue, Wilmecce, Illinois 60091. > Subscriber and business correspondence 29 'Abdu'l-Bahi: Portrayals from East and West > should be sent ro this address. Manuscripts > and ocher editorial correspondence should by Marzieh Gail > be addressed to 2011 Yale Scacion, New > Haven, Connecticut 06520. > > The views expressed herein are those of che > 47 A Glimpse of the Master > authors and do not necessarily reflect the from the diary of ]Nliet Thompson > opinions of the publisher, the Nacional Spir- > itual Assembly of the Baha'ls of che United > Stares, or of the Editorial Board. Manuscripts > should be rypewritten and double spaced 67 The Writings of 'Abdu'l-Baha > throughout, with che foornores ar the end. > The concriburor should keep a carbon copy. by Amin Bananf > Return poscage should be included . > > Subscription: Regular mail USA. S4.50; 76 Five Books About 'Abdu'l-Baha > Domestic studenc rare, S3.50; Foreign, > S5.00. Single copy, S 1.25. a review by Kazem Kazemzadeh > and Firttz Kazemzctdeh > Copyright © 1971, National Spiritual As- > sembly of che Bah World Rights Reserved . Printed in che > U.S.A. Inside Back Cover: Authors and Artists in This Issue > 20 WORLD ORDER: FALL 1971 > > T HE OTTOMAN EMPIRE had always had > subjects who sought to destroy it. In re- > turn for their unruliness they had received > Second World War, when the opening of > hostilities brought the prospect that whole > towns and cities might be razed to the > condign punishment. As far back as the six- ground. An enemy warship did bombard the > teenth century, under Sulfan Selim I, "The railway bridges between 'Akka and Haifa. > Grim" (reigned 1512-1520), the Shi'ahs of On that occasion a shell came down in the > Anatolia, who favored Selim's rival, Shah. garden of Ric;lvan but did not explode. One > Isma'il I, the $afavid ruler of Iran, were day, when the sea was calm with hardly a > massacred in their thousands. Greeks and ripple on it, and rocks, far from the shore, > Slavs, Macedonians and Albanians had, in were clearly visible under a sunny sky, the > the course of years, rebelled, met with harsh people of 'Akka took them for warships and > suppression and finally obtained their free- fled en masse. > dom. With the overthrow of despotism, new It was against such a background that > hopes had arisen, but were soon dashed by 'Abdu'l-Baha decided to move the Baha'is of > the Young Turks. Haifa and 'Akka away from the hysteria of > Within a few weeks of Turkey's entry into the officials and the people around them. As > the war, the British occupied the port of a temporary home for them He chose the > Ba~rah , deposed the Khedive of Egypt, pro- Druze village of Abu-Sinan, situated to the > claimed a protectorate over the country, and east of 'Akka. 'Abdu'l-Baha Himself stayed > set policies in motion which would affect in 'Akka with one attendant, and occasional- > profoundly the future of the Ottoman ly spent a night or two in Abu-Sinan. Shaykh > realms. Arabs, the largest minoriry in the $aliQ., the Druze chief, had put his own house > Ottoman Empire, had already shown signs of at the disposal of 'Abdu'l-Baha, and that was > restiveness and were to pay for it dearly in where His family lived. Quarters were found > D amascus at the hands of ] am al Pasha. for the other Baha'is in the homes of villag- > Uprisings among them, particularly the re- ers. Baha'u'llah had once lived for three > volt of the Sharif of Mecca, were still far off, months among these friendly people in the > but signs were discernible and the Turks foothills of Galilee. The room in the house > were suspicious. It was also apparent that the of Shaykh Mazruq, which He had occupied, > call for a holy war (Jihad) , coming from was always left untenanted. > Istanbul, would go unheeded. Except for a Dr. I:fabibu'llah Khudabakhsh (Dr. Mu'- > tiny number, the Muslims of the Indian sub- ayyad) ran a dispensary at Abu-Sinan, to > continent ignored it and, even more, did not which people who were not members of the > hesitate to fight the Turks. Baha'i community soo~ came for treatment. > Spies were everywhere in the Holy land They received equal attention but paid ac- > and authorities were becoming increasingly cording to their means. For most of them the > repressive. Fear was abroad , a fear which treatment was free. Dr. Mu'ayyad performed > could sweep over the population like an operations as well and was assisted by Lua > epidemic, a fear such as was felt in Great Getsinger. Bad!' Bushn'.1'i, another graduate of > Britain and France at the outbreak of the the Syrian Protestant College, ran a school, > side by side with the dispensary, for the > children of the Baha'is. life was naturally > " This chapter from 'A bdn'l-Bahd: The Centre of rather primitive in this isolated village in the > the Co venrmt of Bahd'il'lldh is reproduced by > permission of the author, and by arrangement hills. On Mount Carmel, the sole occupant of > with the publisher, George Ronald, London, the pilgrim house was the veteran, I:faji > England. © H. M. Balyuzi 1971. Mirza I:faydar-'Ali. > 1. Banan passed away only recently. As far as > the present writer knows he has not left a Mirza Fac;llu'llah Khan Banan reached > full record of that remarkable journey. Haifa from Shiraz with the offerings of the > THROUGH THE WAR YEARS 21 > > Baha'is of that city, on January 19th 1915. must see 'Abdu'l-Baha at once. Riding His > His arrival was the last link with the outside donkey 'Abdu'l-Baha went to the military > world for a long time. Banin's journey was cantonment. Jamal Pasha received Him > fraught with considerable difficulty, for he courteously, but told Him that He was a > had to make his way from India to Haifa. 1 To religious mischief-maker, which was the rea- > have succeeded was indeed an achievement. son He had been put under restraint in the > However, sometime during the war years an past. It happened that, in the days of 'Abdu'l- > Arab Baha'i, advanced in years, named I:Iaji l:Iamid, Jamal Pasha himself had been > Ramaqin, braving all hazards, managed to known as a political mischief-maker. So > reach Tihran. His perilous journey included 'Abdu'l-Baha, to humor him, now replied > walking for forty-five days. He delivered to that mischief-making was of two kinds: > the Baha'is a Tablet entrusted to him by political and religious; and then, pointing at > 'Abdu'l-Baha, and returned bearing gold and the arrogant Pasha, He said that so far the > letters. A second time he attempted that political mischief-maker had not caused any > heroic feat, but he did not reach his destina- damage, and it was to be hoped that the > tion, and no trace of him was ever found. religious mischief-maker would not do so > either. > EARLY IN 1915, J amal Pasha appeared on Lady Blomfield has recorded another en- > the scene, Commander of the 4th Army counter between 'Abdu'l-Baha and Jamal > Corps, whose mission was to overrun the Pasha, the story being related by Mirza Jalal, > Suez Canal and drive the British out of a son-in-law of 'Abdu'l-Baha: > Egypt. With him came a reign of terror. The At the beginning of the year 1916, at > whole of Syria (including the Holy Land) about seven o'clock one morning, 'Abdu'l- > was under his martial control. Throughout Baha sent me for His faithful coachman. > 1915 and into the following year, Jamal Tell Isfandiyar to have my carriage > Pasha was bringing Arab nationalists to trial brought, and you and Khusraw be ready to > in his military courts. Thirty-four of them accompany me to Nazareth in half an > were executed, and many more were de- hour.' We did as He commanded, and at > ported. Mirza Mul)ammad-'Ali and his asso- the appointed time 'Abdu'l-Baha left His > ciates, long discredited and cowed into si- home in Haifa, accompanied by Khusraw > lence, now found fresh opportunities to plot and me. That day the health of 'Abdu'l- > against 'Abdu'l-Baha. They went to Jamal Baha was not very satisfactory, as one > Pasha with various tales. Majdi'd-Din told could see by the signs of weariness on His > him that 'Abdu'l-Baha was hostile to the blessed face. However, the Commander-in- > Committee of Union and Progress. The tent chief of the Syrian and Palestine fronts > which Baha'u'llah had used, the violators was in Nazareth. He was Jamal Pasha, and > gave to Jamal Pasha. It was a tent under 'Abdu'l-Baha was determined to meet him > which, 'Abdu'l-Baha is reported to have said, there, so in spite of His great fatigue and > "representatives of the Most Great Peace" physical weakness, the Beloved started on > should have met. 2 Then in order to create His journey. > confusion, the violators set rumors afoot that > the military government had banished 'Abd- 'Abdu'l-Baha ... arrived at Nazareth in > u'l-Baha to Damascus. the evening at seven o'clock, and took up > When Jamal Pasha encamped in the vicin- His residence at the German Hotel. > ity of 'Akka, he told the Governor that he The next day the Master was invited to > lunch at the home of one of the notables > 2. Dr. I:Iabib Mu'ayyad, Khatirat-i-Habib. of the town of Nazareth. He was one of > Memoirs of I:Iabib. ( 'fihran: i 961 ) , p. 3 3 3. the Fahum family. On that day Jamal > 22 WORLD ORDER: FALL 1971 > > Pasha, and nearly two hundred of the war IN THE EARLY MONTHS of the war, 'Abdu'l- > leaders, were present at the lunch where Baha said one day that, if it had not been for > the Master sat down at one o'clock and the intrigues of the violators, He would have > arose from the table at four. gathered together some of the leading men > During all those hours 'Abdu'l-Baha amongst the Muslims and Christians of the > was speaking in Turkish on philosophical Holy Land and would have counseled them > and scientific subjects, and on heavenly to concert their efforts to prevent disorder. > teachings. So intense was His utterance But the actions of the violators prevented > that all stopped eating while they listened this. > to His blessed words. Relative inactivity and increasing isola- > . . . Jamal Pasha, who had been His tion, in the opening months of 1915, made > great enemy because of false accusations, 'Abdu'l-Baha remark, on another occasion, > had not paid the proper respect to 'Abdu'l- that He wished He had gone to India, where > Baha when He had first arrived . Now, His presence had been fervent! y requested. > however, having heard the Master speak Not having work to do, He said, had an > so learnedly and wisely, he was most adverse effect on His physical condition. But > deferential and full of all kinds of polite- although pilgrims could no longer come and > ness. When the time came for the Master correspondence was almost halted, 'Abdu'l- > to rise, Jamal Pasha most courteously held Baha was kept occupied with local affairs, > the Beloved's arm to assist Him to leave and soon the task of raising and providing > the table, and himself led the way to the food for the Baha'i community and many > reception room, and seated the Master others in need faced Him. The mismanage- > comfortably. ment and the impositions of the Ottoman > Finally, after answering more questions, overlord were gradually leading to a state of > and giving wondrous light on many sub- near famine. > jects, the Master arose to bid farewell to No matter how relaxed or arduous life > His host. Jamal Pasha accompanied Him might be, 'Abdu'l-Baha always found or > out of the house, and to the bottom of the recalled a humorous situation. A cat purring > steps, and would have gone further with beside His chair would amuse Him: this cat, > the Master, but was thanked with great He remarked, is indeed joyous, so carefree, so > kindness and urged by 'Abdu'l-Baha to free of fear. A donkey standing in the street > return. This was that Jamal Pasha who made Him remember that He saw no don- > \Vas not accustomed to rise from his seat to keys anywhere in the United States, and > pay respect to any one .... 'Abdu'l-Baha reminded Him of a polar bear in the Paris > was excessively fatigued, and remained Zoo. People were staring at the bear, He said, > that night at the German Hotel at Naza- and the animal was staring back, as if > reth ... :; wanting to say: how did I get entangled with > But in time the constant insinuations of these folk? A man passing by the gates of > the violators had their effect. Jamal Pasha 'Abdu'l-Baha's house in Haifa, carrying a > stated that he would crucify 'Abdu'l-Baha, basket, put it down as soon as he saw Him, > when he returned victorious from his cam- saying that he could not find a porter and > paigns. When he did come back, ho·wever, he had to carry the basket himself. 'Abdu'l-Baha > was in full flight, defeated and humiliated, remarked afterwards that a man should not > and could not stop to carry out his threat. feel ashamed of doing useful work. Someone > had written to ask where 'Abdu'l-Baha was. > Tell him, 'Abdu'l-Baha replied with a smile: > 3. Lady Blomfield, The Chosen Highway (Wil- > mette, Ill. : Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1970), in front of a cannon. > pp. 202-05. The war fever slowly abated and life in > THROUGH THE WAR YEARS 23 > > ' & H '· 'P > :==w4ii5iiii trit:.it"- - ..: - > > , > . 1 > r. > llH. > .1.ll H > > A VIEW OF 'ABDUL-BAHA'S HOUSE IN HAIFA DURING HIS LIF E TIME > > 'Akka and Haifa, although not back to purchases in the bazaar of his native town. > normal, became calmer and more sedate as 'Abdu'l-Bahii. sent this cable to a Baha'i of > the year advanced. 'Abdu'l-Baha felt then Mailihad: "[May] My life be a sacrifice unto > that the Baha'is could return to their homes. 'Alf-Akbar. I am well. 'Abbas." > Edith Sanderson, who had remained behind Iran fared very badly during the war. None > when other Western Baha'is had gone, and of the belligerents respected her declared > had moved to Abt'1-Sinan, left as early as neutrality. Her own people adopted active > January 1915. Well before Italy's entry into partisan attitudes, the majority favoring Tur- > the war on the side of the Allies in May key and Germany. German and Turkish, > 1915, she obtained a passage on an Italian Russian and British agents were every- > boat. On May 5th the sojourn of the Bahii.'is where. Russia and Turkey fought their bat- > at Abt'1-Sinan came to an end. On that day, tles in the north and the northwest of the > the box that contained the portraits of the country, each side receiving substantial aid > Bab and Baha'u'llah, which was always kept from the Iranians. The British occupied the > in the room of the Greatest Holy Leaf, was port of Bushire (Bt'1shihr) in August 1915, > brought back to Haifa by Badi' Bushrt'1'i and and landed a small force at Bandar 'Abbas in > Dr. Mu'ayyad. Ten days later the doctor March 1916, under Brigadier-General Sir > himself, who had rendered sterling services, Percy Sykes who, driving inland to Kirman, > set out for Persia by the Baghdad route. From Yazd, and I~fahan, reached Shiraz in No- > Persia, where the Baha'is--;rere still being vember. The central government was power- > persecuted, news had come of a fresh martyr- less. Bandits and highwaymen, as long as > dom. Shaykh 'Ali-Akbar-i-Qt'ichani, a highly they did not get in the way of the belliger- > learned and respected Baha'i teacher, who ents, had the freedom of the roads and > had served the Faith with distinction in the caravan routes. 'Abdu'l-Baha had foreseen > Caucasus and India, was shot while making these lamentable events and had spoken of > 24 WORLD ORDER: FALL 197 1 > > them to His countrymen in Paris. Baha'fs had To this period (and a little beyond ) also > their share of tribulation. For them tragedy belongs a slim volume: Risaliy-i-Tis'a-'Asha- > was never fa r off, and it was easy to make riyyih- N ineteen Discourses on the lives of > them suffe r in order to ap pease others. T he the Bab and H is two heralds: Shaykh AJ::imad- > martyrdom of Mirza Fac;llu'llah, the i-Al).sa'f and Siyyid Ka?im-i-Rashti. T hese > Mu'avin u't-T ujjar, a well-known merchant discourses were written by AJ::imad Soh rab, at > oi - N araq (near Kashan) , was a case in the instruction of 'Abdu'l-Baha, fo r the use of > point. In Sul~anabad (now Arak) a family the Baha'i youth at meetings in the pilgrim > of seven were slain in their home, in the dead house on Mount Carmel. 'Abdu'l-Baha H im- > of night. se lf corrected and emended them. Nineteen > W ith the Baha'is back in Haifa, weekly Discourses, together with a short autobio- > gatherings were resumed in the house of graphical monograph by A.qa MuJ::iammad > 'Abdu'l-Baha, and it was in that latter half of Mus~afay-i- Baghdadi (who in his childhood > the year 19 15 that the Memorials of the went to Persia with his father, Shaykh Mu- > Faithful took shape. These short biographies bammad- i-Shibl, in the company of Tahirih ) > of early Baha'is, so eloquent and pellucid, was published in Cairo in 1919, by Shaykh > animated and moving, were spoken by Mul).iyyi'd-Din-i-Kurdi, an outstanding pupil > 'Abdu'l-Baha in these meetings. Each one, a of Mirza Abu'l-Fadl. 4 > sparkling gem, will remain unmatched. Sev- As the war years followed their weary > enty-nine people are mentioned, and most of course, the depredations and misgovernment > them are those who were exiled with Baha- of Ottoman authorities, to which was added > 'u'llah to 'Akka. But others are included such devastation caused by locusts, led to increas- > as I:laji Mirza Mul:iammad-Taqi, the Vakilu'd- ing scarcities and hardships. 'Abdu'l-Baha > Dawlih (the builder of the Mashriqu'l- now arose to alleviate suffering. There were > Adhkar of 'Ishqabad) and his brother, Haji properties and lands in the Jordan Valley > Mirza Mubammad-'Ali. 'fahirih, although a and beyond, at Samrah and 'Adasiyyah, and > luminary of the Babi Dispensation, also fea- by the shores of the Sea of Galilee (Lake > rnres in that galaxy. These talks of 'A bdu 'l- Tiberias), which 'Abdu'l-Baha could culti- > Baha were compiled into a book which was vate for food. Some of these were part of the > published in Haifa in 1924, with the title : endowments of the Shrines of Baha'u'llah > Tadhkirat11'l -Vafd-the Memorials of the and the Bab. Sons of Mirza Mubammad- > Faithful. Quli, the faithful half-brother of Baha'u'llah, > owned land at Nuqayb, on the northern > 4. Dr. Zia (l)iya) Baghdad!, son of Aqa Mu- shore of the Sea of Galilee, where Mirza > l:iammad-Mugafa, was a well-known and > much-loved figure in the American Baha'i Mul:iammad-Quli was buried. > community for three decades. He died in > 19 37. IN THE PAST, 'Abdu'l-Baha had stayed at > 5. Sakinih Sulc:in was the widow of one of the > marty rs of Yazd. She had a daughrer, named Tiberias from time to time, whenever He > F:i~imih, her only child, who died young, needed a respite from the humidity of the > but left a baby, a solace for the stricken coast. But in summer time the heat in > grandmother. Boch because of her cruel be- > rea vements and because of the services she Tiberias, and in the lands that lie below it, is > had rendered (which included nursing both intense and onerous. Until the return of > Mirza Abu"l-Fa~l and Shoghi Effendi, dur- normal conditions, 'Abdu'l-Baha had to > ing his first year at the university in Beirut), > 'Abdu"l-Baha always showed her a very gen- spend days and weeks in and around Tiberi- > erous measure of kindness. The tenderness as. T he wheat He sent to 'Akka was given > of chat kindness is shown in the many Tab- into the care of a lady named Sakinih > lets addressed co her. In a Tablet dated > Sul~an, in whom He had great confidence. 5 > October 17th 1921, He cells her chat al- > though He is overburdened with work, with In a Tablet addressed to her, dated Shavval > THROUGH THE WAR YEARS 25 > > 15th 1336 A.H. (July 26th 1918), 'Abdu'l- provided with choice dishes, and there were > Baha says that because it has been very hot, times when He Himself cooked them, His > so hot as to affect His breathing, perforce He own food was often a very simple fare. He > has had to return to Tiberias. If He obtains took little meat, and hardly any fruit. His > relief in Tiberias, He will stay until the preference was for milk, cheese, and herbs > wheat is secured; otherwise He will have to such as mint, tarragon, and basil. > return to 'Akka and Haifa. He has sent some The ravages of war were mounting. The > wheat for the time being, to be distributed British-Indian army was pushing forward in > according to the list enclosed. He also states Mesopotamia, and in spite of its grave set- > that prices have gone up considerably, more back in April 1916, at Kt'.it-al-'Amarah, it > than threefold, in comparison with the pre- retrieved its position and captured Baghdad > vious year; the cost of transport is also in March 1917. A month later the United > doubled and trebled. It is indicated that there States declared war on Germany. The isola- > was a shortage of camels for transport, tion of the Holy Land was almost complete. > because 'Abdu'l-Baha states that much more Shoghi Effendi said of 'Abdu'l-Baha in > wheat will be dispatched when camels are these days: > available. In another Tablet, in which Agony filled His soul at the spectacle of > Sakinih Sul~an is told to give two kayls 6 of human slaughter precipitated through hu- > wheat to Aqa Jamshid, 'Abdu'l-Baha says manity's failure to respond to the sum- > that He yearns to visit the Shrine of mons He had issued, or to heed the > Baha'u'llah; He has been so heavily occupied warnings He had given. Surely sorrow > that He has been prevented from going upon sorrow was added to the burden of > there. trials and vicissitudes which He, since His > Most of the communications to Sakfnih boyhood, had borne so heroically for the > Sul~an, regarding the distribution of wheat, sake, and in the service, of His Father's > consist of a list of names and quantities. The Cause. > brevity of the following may be indicative of And yet during these somber days, the > how pressing time was: darkness of which was reminiscent of the > Ratls 7 tribulations endured during the most dan- > Neighbors' daughters 25 gerous period of His incarceration in the > 'Abdu'r-Ral:iman the son prison-fortress of 'Akka, 'Abdu'l-Baha, > of Al:imad Effendi 30 whilst in the precincts of His Father's > J:Ianna's wife 15 Shrine, or when dwelling in the House He > The fat woman 25 occupied in 'Akka, or under the shadow of > Rafi'ih 25 the Bab's sepulcher on Mt. Carmel, was > moved to confer once again, and for the > last time in His life, on the community of > Although at 'Abdu'l-Baha's table, both His American followers a signal mark of > before and after the war, His guests were His special favor by investing them, on the > eve of the termination of His earthly > little time to write, He has written her that ministry, through the revelation of the > letter to ascertain her wishes regarding her Tablets of the Divine Plan, with a world > grandson, Labib. Whatever she chooses He mission, whose full implications even now, > will carry out; her wish is the same as His > own, and He will never forget her services. after the lapse of a quarter of a century, > The present writer knew this lady well dur- still remain undisclosed, and whose un- > ing the years that he was a student in the foldment thus far, though as yet in its > American University of Beirut. > 6. Kay! was a measure for grain. initial stages, has so greatly enriched the > 7. Ra~! in Syria was equivalent to 5 lbs. spiritual as well as the administrative > 26 WORLD ORDER :. FALL 1971 > > annals of the first Baha'i century. 8 Baba was still in danger. Let those who > helped to avert that danger speak. First, Lady > THE TABLETS OF THE DIVINE PLAN are Blomfield: > fourteen in number and were revealed at two In the spring of 1918, I was much startled > separate times: eight of them in 1916, and and deeply disturbed by a telephone mes- > six in 1917 .. .. sage: "'Abdu'l-Baha in serious danger. > Take immediate action." It came from an > In all, 'Abdu'l-Baha mentioned by name in authoritative source. There was not a mo- > these Tablets some 120 territories and is- ment to be lost. Every available power > lands, to which the message of Baha'u'llah must be brought to bear to save the > should be carried. When He did so, there Master. > were Baha'is in only 35 countries. Immediate I went at once to Lord Lamington. His > response came from loving and devoted sympathetic regard for 'Abdu'l-Baha, his > hearts, but before "the proclamation of the understanding of the ramifications and > oneness of humanity" could be raised to all "red tape" necessary for "immediate ac- > the world "systematically and enthusiastical- tion" were of priceless value. > ly," the Administrative Order had first to be A letter was immediately written to the > developed as an instrument of collective Foreign Office explai ning the importance > teaching-a tremendous labor of sixteen of 'Abdu'l-Bahi's position, His work for > years initiated by the Guardian of the Faith true peace, and for the spiritual welfare of > after 'Abdu'l-Baha's passing-so that by 1937 many thousands of people. Through the > the first stage in fulfilling the Tablets of the influence of Lord Lamington, and his > Divine Plan could be inaugurated in the First prompt help, the letter, with its alarming > Seven Year Plan of the American Baha'i news, was at once put into the hands of > community. Since then, the launching of a Lord Balfour. !l > number of teaching plans of limited scope in That very evening a cable was sent to > all continents, and the undertaking of two General Allenby with these instructions, > successive world-encompassing projects in "Extend every protection and considera- > which the Baha'fs of the whole world have tion to 'Abdu' l-Baha, His family and His > participated, have revealed the potentialities friends, when the British march on Haifa." > of the master-plan which the mind of 'Abdu'l- So a terrible tragedy was averted, by the > Baha conceived in those years of sorrow and promptness and understanding of Lord > stress. Bur much still lies in the lap of the Lamington and the power of Lord Balfour, > future, for the Tablets of the Divine Plan are his colleagues in the Cabinet here in > no less than 'Abdu'l-Baha's charter for the London, and by the devotion, efficiency, > teaching of the Faith of Baha'u'llah through- and promptitude of Major Tudor-Pole at > out His Dispensation. the Turkish end, for Haifa was still in the > hands of the Turks. > ON DECEMBER 9th 1917, General Allen by The ·Turks had been so aroused by the > entered Jerusalem. It now seemed certain enemies of the Master that they had > that the days of the Ottoman rule in the Holy threatened to crucify Him, and all His > Land were numbered. But the life of 'Abdu' l- family, on Mount Carmel. > When General Allenby took Haifa, > several days before it was believed possible > 8. Shoghi Effendi, God Passes B~y (Wilmette, for him to do so, he sent a cablegram to > Ill.: Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1970), pp. London which caused everybody to won- > 304-05. > 9. Then, the Right Honorable Arthur Balfour, der, and especially filled the hearts of the > Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. Baha'fs in all the world with deep grati- > THROUGH THE WAR YEARS 27 > > tude to the Almighty Protector. cial help at this time. The upshot of these > The cable of General Allenby was as various activities bore fruit, and the For- > follows: "Have to-day taken Palestine. eign Office sent a despatch to General > Notify the world that 'Abdu'l-Baha is Allenby instructing him to ensure the > safe." 10 safety of 'Abdu'l-Baha and His family and > Major Tudor-Pole writes: entourage so soon as the British Army > It must have been in the early spring of captured Haifa. > 1918 that I began to feel acute anxiety for This despatch passed through my hands > 'Abdu'l-Baha's safety at Haifa, and that of in Cairo en rottte for Army Headquarters > His family and followers there. I came out at Ludd . . . . and Intelligence was re- > of the line in December 1917 during the quested to make urgent inquiry. In due > attack on J erusa lem, and being temporar- course this demand for information reached > ily incapacitated for active service, was the Headquarters of Intelligence at the > transferred to Intelligence, first at Cairo Savoy Hotel, Cairo, and ultimately (when > and later at Ludd, Jaffa, and Jerusalem. enqu iries elsewhere had proven fruitless) > was passed to me for action. As a result, > With an advance base at and around General Allenby was provided with full > Jaffa, we were beginning to prepare for a particulars in regard to 'Abdu'l-Baha ... > move towards Haifa and the north at that and the history of the Movement of which > time. For several reasons, including short- He was the Master. > age of men and munitions, the British Allenby at once issued orders to the > advance was delayed well into the summer General Commanding Officer in command > of 1918. of the Haifa operations to the effect that > Meanwhile, the news reaching me con- immediately the town was entered, a Brit- > cerning 'Abdu'l-Baha's imminent danger ish guard was to be posted at once around > became more and more alarming. I tried 'Abdu'l-Baha's house, and a further guard > to arouse interest in the matter among was to be placed at the disposal of His > those who were responsible for Intelli- family and followers. Means were found > gence Service activities .... I also brought for making it known within the enemy > the matter before my own chief, General lines that stern retribution would follow > Sir Arthur Money (Chief Administrator any attempt to cause death or injury to the > of Occupied Enemy Territory) .... great Persian Master or to any of His > At this time chance brought me into household. > touch with an officer whose social and > politica l connexions m London were When Haifa was ultimately taken, these > strong. Through his courtesy and interest I instructions for posting a guard were duly > was enabled to get an urgent message carried out, and all dangers of death or > through to the British Foreign Office. accident were thereby averted. > Through friends associated with the > Baha'i Cause in England, an independent It was a wonderful experience in the > avenue of approach to the ruling powers midst of the chaos of war conditions to > in London was discovered. visit the Master at His Mount Carmel > By these means Lord Balfour, Lord home, which even at that time was a > Curzon, and others in the Cabinet were haven of peace and refreshment. > advised as to the critical situation at Haifa. I can remember Him, majestic yet gentle, > Lord Lamington's influence proved of spe- pacing up and down His garden whilst He > spoke to me about eternal realities, at a > 10. Blomfield, pp. 219-20. time when the who le material world was > 28 WORLD ORDER: FALL 1971 > > rocking on its foundations. The divine facts. He also stated that the Turks would > power of the spirit shone through His surrender 'Akki (supposed to be impreg- > presence, giving one the feeling that a nable) to two unarmed British soldiers. > great prophet from Old Testament days The resultant facts so far as I was able to > had risen up in a war-stricken world, as an gather them were as follows:- > inspirer and spiritual guide for the human Subsequent to the entry of our troops > race. into Haifa, the front line was pushed > One or two incidents which happened forward half-way across the Bay of 'Akka, > shortly afterwards, connected with the cap- and outposts were placed in position on > ture of Haifa, are worthy of record. the sands of the Bay some four miles from > During the British advance from the 'Akki itself. 'Akki, as a fortified and > south, field batteries were placed in posi- walled town, was believed to be filled with > tion on high ground immediately to the Turkish troops at this time. Very early one > south-east of Mount Carmel, the intention morning two British Army Service sol- > being to shell Haifa at long range over diers, who had lost their bearings in the > Mount Carmel itself. Some of the Eastern night, found themselves at the gates of > Baha'fs living on the northern slopes of 'Akka, believing erroneously that the town > Mount Carmel becoming agitated, went to was already in British hands. However, the > 'Ab::lu'l-Baha's residence and expressed Turkish rearguard troops had been secretly > fear as to the tragic course of possible evacuated only eight hours earlier, and the > events. According to an eye-witness of this Mayor of the town, seeing British soldiers > scene (from whom I obtained the story outside the gates, came down and pre- > when I reached Haifa), 'Abdu'l-Baha sented them with the keys of the town in > calmed His excited followers and called token of surrender! It is credibly stated > them to prayer. Then He told them that that the dismayed Tommies, being un- > all would be well, and that no British armed, dropped the keys and made post > shells would cause death or damage to the haste for the British lines! 11 > population or to Haifa and its environs. As On September 23rd, British forces com- > a matter of historical fact, the range of the ing along the coastal road, rounded the > field batteries in question was inaccurate, promontory of Mount Carmel and appeared > the shells passing harmlessly over the before Haifa. The Mayor and the notables > town and falling into the Bay of 'Akki went out to offer their submission. The first > beyond. question that the British commanding officer > Another incident of those stirring times put to the Mayor 'of Haifa was: "Is 'Abdu'l- > is worthy of record, although I am not Baha in this city? Is He safe?" 'Abdu'l-Baha > able to vouch for its complete accuracy at was sitting calm and unperturbed in the > first hand. Before the fall of Haifa, 'Abdu'l- forecourt of His house. Baha'fs were there > Baha was discussing the British campaign around Him, tense and awaiting news. Indian > with a few of His followers in His garden army outriders arrived posthaste at the gates > one day. He then predicted that, contrary of the house. The next evening, the Gov- > to the general expectation, the taking of ernor of Jerusalem came in person to pay his > Haifa and the walled town of 'Akki respects. Lt. Colonel (later Sir) Ronald > would come about almost without blood- Storrs was not a stranger. He had known > shed. This prediction was verified by the 'Abdu'l-Baha as far back as the days of His > incarceration within the city walls of 'Akka. > He came again, the following morning- > September 25th-before returning to Jeru- > 11. Ibid., pp. 222-25 . salem. > > — *'Abdu'l-Baha: Through the War Years (Used by permission of the curator)*