Abbas Effendi's Will & Testament
Allegations Against Subh-i Azal

 

2.   Allegations Against Subh-i Azal

2.3  Alleged attempt to poisoning / murder Baha

2.3.1   Summary of conflicting bahai accounts
Bahai account of alleged attempted Fratricide are contrary and contradicting:

  1. According to Baha "he desired to eat my flesh, and drink my blood, whereunto been witness those servants who fled into exile with god, and beyond them those brought nigh. And herein he took counsel with one of my attendants, tempting him unto this. Then god helped me with the hosts of the invisible and the visible, and presided me by the truth, and revealed unto me that which withhold him from what he purposed, and brought to naught the device of these who denied the signs of the merciful [god]." The Traveller's Narrative, English Translation, note W, to Prof. Browne, Sura-i-Haykal, PP. 306-367. Baha does not designate his attendant by name.
  2. According to Sir Abbas Effendi in his Will and Testament he even shed the most pure blood [of Baha with impunity." There is no mention of this allegation in Sir Abbas 'Traveller's Narrative.'
  3. According to Sir Abbas Effendi quoted in the Kashf-al-Haykal by Mirza Abd-al-Husayn Ayati surnamed Awara, Vol I, 6th impression, PP. 78-79, "Subh-i-Azal offered poison to Baha. Baha did not want to disappoint him. He took the poison, but the assent of the blessed will of Baha was not forthcoming for the poison to work. Therefore Baha escaped death and only unsteadiness survived in the blessed hand. This explanation, Awara says is intended to account for Baha's unsteady hand, traces of which are observed in his writings. The text sums as follows:

    «عموم بهائیان معترفند بر اینکه بهاء رعشه دست داشته است و این اعتراف بر این است که چون آن لغزش در خطوط او موجود است این را نتوانسته اند انکار نمایند ولی عبدالبهاء به عذر غریبی تشبث کرده که گوسفندان هم پزیرفته اند و آن این است که گفته است: « ازل ایشان را زهر داد و نخواستند دل او را بشکند زهر را میل کردند ولی اراده مبارک تعلق نگرفت که آن زهر کارگر شود لهذا از هلاک رستند و تنها رعشه در دست مبارک باقی ماند.»

  4. According to Baha's daughter Bahiyya or Sultan Khanum surnamed Supreme Leaf, The Chosen Highway by Lady Blomfield, P. 60, "He invited Baha to a feast and shared a dish with him, one half of which he had mixed with poison. For twenty one days Baha was seriously ill from the effect of the poison. Incensed at this failure, Subh-i-Azal tried another plan. He asked the bath attendant (for a bribe) to assassinate Baha whilst he should be taking his bath, suggesting how easily it could be done without fear of detection. This man so shocked and horrified that he rushed into the street mockery.
  5. Mirza Muhammad Jawad of Qazwin the author of the Historical Epitome incorporated in the Materials for the Study of the BÂBi Religion by Prof. Browne, underwent a term of imprisonment at Tabriz, Iran. He does not state why he was arrested and having secured his release from imprisonment he betook himself to Edirne. Materials, ibid, P.25. On his own admission Mirza Muhammad Jawad of Qazwin was an accessory before the fact in the murder of Sayyid Muhammad of Isfahan, Mirza Rida Quli of Tafrish, and Aqa Jan Beg Kaj Kulah. Materials, ibid P.54. He accompanied Baha to Acre … in his Historical Epitome, Materials for the Study of the BÂBi Religion by Prof. Browne, PP. 22-23, Mirza Yahya [i.e. Subh-i-Azal one day invited Baha to his house to drink tea with tea according to the customs of the Persians; and had arranged this before the arrival of Baha, so when one of the cups above-mentioned was offered to him, he drank some of it, and gave the remainder to one of the wives of Mirza Yahya who was present. and had set apart certain special cups for Baha. She drank of it, and subsequently there appeared in her symptoms of poisoning, though the poison was not sufficient quantity to threaten her life. After the above-mentioned event, the health of Baha was gently disordered. The elbow of Baha continued for a long while, but eventually, his health was restored ….. One day Mirza Yahya entered the bath attended by master Muhammad Ali of Isfahan the barber according to custom. And in the bath Mirza Yahya endeavoured to persuade attendant to kill his holiness our master Bahaullah, saying, 'when thou waitest upon his holiness Bahaullah in the bath and art preparing to shave his throat, cut it, but Muhammad Ali after leaving the bath reported the master."
  6. According to Mirza Abu-al-Fadhl of Gulpaygan, 'the Brilliant Proof' Chicago, 1912, PP.10-11, "Mirza Yahya [Subh-i-Azal] repeatedly planned to murder Baha. Again he sought Baha in Edirne, and accordingly to trustworthy authorities, attempted to do so twice but failed to accomplish his design. There he arose and resumed his task, stricken weakened carrying the traces of poison for the rest of his life.”
  7. According to Baha in his Epistle to the Son of Wolf Juli Chamler’s translation, P.130, “then the Sayyid Muhammad of Isfahan famed him [i.e. Subh-i-Azal] secretly, and their activities resulted in the greatest calamity. Why have you not questioned the officials of the government? The deeds of Mirza Yahya [i.e. Subh-i-Azal] in this country [i.e. Edirne] passed the bounds of manifestation.”

Mirza Jawad and Baha's daughter [Bahiyya Khanum] have identical views as regards to the allegation to have Baha assassinated in the Bath. Baha refers to would be assassin as "one of my attendants" without naming him.

All these Bahai authorities have vied with one another, and have given free rein to their imagination in giving conflicting and contradictory accounts of the allegations. Those conflicting and contradictory versions of one and the same allegation are in themselves sufficient to dismiss the allegation as false and devoid of foundation.

As admitted by Shoghi Effendi also, god passes by, p.114, Subh-i Azal and members of his family lived in a dilapidated quarter of the city. Their meals were provider from Baha’s kitchen. The Awakening of Sleepers (Tanbihun-Naimin), PP. 18-19.

When these allegations are examined this boils down to (a) an alleged attempt to poison Baha and (b) an alleged attempt to assassinate Baha. Principal witness are:

  1. Baha,
  2. Sir Abbas Effendi
  3. Mirza Muhammad Jawad of Qazwin; and
  4. Ustad [master] Muhammad Ali, the barber of Isfahan.

Antecedents and Credibility of Witness
Baha alleges that "Subh-i-Azal desired to eat my flesh and drink my blood" and produces no evidence, "those servants who fled into exile with god, and beyond them those brought nigh; and one of my attendants." identified by Mirza Muhammad Jawad of Qazwin as 'Ustad Muhammad Ali, the barber of Isfahan."

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