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<i'ls of the United Scates, 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 Second World War, when the opening of hostilities brought the prospect towns and cities might be razed to the condign punishment. As far back as the six- teenth century, under Sulfan Selim I, "The Grim" (reigned 1512-1520), the Shi'ahs of Anatolia, who favored Selim's rival, Shah. Isma'il I, the $afavid ruler of Iran, were massacred in their thousands. Greeks and Slavs, Macedonians and Albanians had, in the course of years, rebelled, met with harsh suppression and finally obtained their free- dom. With the overthrow of despotism, new hopes had arisen, but were soon dashed by the Young Turks. Within a few weeks of Turkey's entry into the war, the British occupied the port of Ba~rah , deposed the Khedive of Egypt, pro- claimed a protectorate over the country, and set policies in motion which would affect profoundly the future of the Ottoman realms. Arabs, the largest minoriry in the Ottoman Empire, had already shown signs of restiveness and were to pay for it dearly in D amascus at the hands of ] am al Pasha. Uprisings among them, particularly the re- volt of the Sharif of Mecca, were still far off, but signs were discernible and the Turks were suspicious. It was also apparent that the call for a holy war (Jihad) , coming from Istanbul, would go unheeded. Except for a tiny number, the Muslims of the Indian sub- continent ignored it and, even more, did not hesitate to fight the Turks. Spies were everywhere in the Holy land and authorities were becoming increasingly repressive. Fear was abroad , a fear which could sweep over the population like an epidemic, a fear such as was felt in Great Britain and France at the outbreak of the side by side with the dispensary, for the children of the Baha'is. life " This chapter from 'A the Co venrmt of Bahd'il'lldh permission of the author, and by arrangement with the publisher, George Ronald, London, England. © H. M. Balyuzi 1971. 1. Banan passed away only recently. the present writer knows he has not left a full record of that remarkable journey. THROUGH THE WAR YEARS 21 received that whole ground. An enemy warship did bombard the railway bridges between 'Akka and Haifa. On that occasion a shell came down in the garden of Ric;lvan but did not explode. One day, when the sea was calm with hardly a ripple on it, and rocks, far from the shore, were clearly visible under a sunny sky, the people of 'Akka took them for warships and fled en masse. It was against such a background that 'Abdu'l-Baha decided to move the Baha'is of Haifa and 'Akka away from the hysteria of the officials and the people around them. As a temporary home for them He chose the Druze village of Abu-Sinan, situated to the east of 'Akka. 'Abdu'l-Baha Himself stayed in 'Akka with one attendant, and occasional- ly spent a night or two in Abu-Sinan. Shaykh $aliQ., the Druze chief, had put his own house at the disposal of 'Abdu'l-Baha, and that was where His family lived. Quarters were found for the other Baha'is in the homes of villag- ers. Baha'u'llah had once lived for three months among these friendly people in the foothills of Galilee. The room in the house of Shaykh Mazruq, which He had occupied, was always left untenanted. Dr. I:fabibu'llah Khudabakhsh (Dr. Mu'- ayyad) ran a dispensary at Abu-Sinan, to which people who were not members of the Baha'i community soo~ came for treatment. They received equal attention but paid ac- cording to their means. For most of them the treatment was free. Dr. Mu'ayyad performed operations as well and was assisted by Lua Getsinger. Bad!' Bushn'.1'i, another graduate of the Syrian Protestant College, ran a school, was naturally bdn'l-Bahd: The Centre of rather primitive in this isolated village in the is reproduced by hills. On Mount Carmel, the sole occupant of the pilgrim house was the veteran, I:faji Mirza I:faydar-'Ali. As far as Mirza Fac;llu'llah Khan Banan reached Haifa from Shiraz with the offerings of the

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.