The Phases of Baha’s Proclamation

3. The Phases of Baha’s Proclamation

Phase I
The initial phase of that proclamation may be said to have opened in Istanbul with the communication (the text of which we alas, do not posses) addressed by Baha to Sultan Abd-al-Aziz,” protesting against the Sultan’s infamous edict,” banishing Baha from Istanbul to Edirne. This boastful statement by Shoghi Effendi compares ill with Baha’s covering letter to Count Gobineau (see Baha’s Challenging Epistles to Rulers of the Earth - France) in which Baha says that he gave ready obedience to the edict and proceeded to Edirne.

Phase II
The BÂBi exiles arrived in Edirne on December 12, 1863 (Rajab 1, 1280). The next phase of that “proclamation” begins in Edirne. This phase was, however, preceded by what Shoghi Effendi terms “the rebellion of Mirza Yahya [Subh-i-Azal] the nominee of the BÂB and recognized chief of the BÂBi community (P. 163). Designs to poison and murder Baha,” (pp. 165-166), in which Ustad Muhammad Ali, the Barber of Isfahan,” appears as a star witness are dealt with in here.

To inaugurate the next phase of that “proclamation,” Baha’s amanuensis “Mirza Aqa Jan was commissioned pp. 166-167, “to bear to Mirza Yahya the most-revealed Sura-al-Amr (the verse of command) announcing Baha’s mission, “to read aloud to him” the Riot Act.” And demand an unequivocal and conclusive reply.”
“Mirza Yahya’s request for a one day respite was granted,” on the expiry of which his riposte was a “counter declaration of an independent revelation,” requiring unqualified submission by him” of all, Baha including.
Passages from the “counter declaration” are not however produced by Shoghi Effendi to support his statement.

“So presumptuous an assertion,” Shoghi Effendi states, P. 167, made by so perfidious an adversary to the envoy of the Bearer of so momentous a Revelation was the signed for the open and final rapture between Baha and Mirza Yahya.” This happened on March 10, 1866 (Shawal 22, 1282),” when Baha sent himself to Coventry for a period of two months to create, according to Shoghi Effendi, for the “exiles” an atmosphere of “complete freedom to choose between him and them [i.e. his enemies].” Mirza Yahya’s”, Shoghi Effendi adds, ‘calumnies against Baha and his pretensions to the government, however, impelled Baha to emerge Baha from his retirement.”

No documentary evidence is produces by Shoghi Effendi in support of these allegations, which Bahais are required to take for gospel.

“In September 1867 (Jamad Awal, 1284), an event of the utmost significance occurred, pp.164-169, which completely discomfited Mirza Yahya and proclaimed Baha’s triumph over “him.” Mirza Yahya, Shoghi Effendi narrates on the authority of Nabil, was persuaded to invite Baha to a duel of mutual imprecation (Mubahala) in the Mosque of Sultan Salim to discriminate between the truce and the gales.”

Responding to the challenge with alacrity “Baha set foot, in the heat of midday, to the trysting-place, reciting, as he walked, through the streets, verses in a voice and manner that greatly astonished three who saw and heard him. Mirza Yahya failed to keep the appointment and further moves for a new appointment aborted. “A tangible and irrefutable testimony to Baha’s ascendancy over a routed enemy.”

Final Phase
With his removal from Edirne on “August 12, 1868 (Rabi’ Thani 22, 1285) and arrival in Acre on “August 31, 1868, (Jamad Awal 12, 1285)” Baha enters upon the final phase of his “proclamation:” The writing of epistles intended for the crowned heads of the earth which were kept under the carpet, and the composition in “1873” of the Kitab-i-Aqdas, “the mother-book of the Bahai Revelation”, the original text of which is still unpublished and “the systematic promulgation of it, of its laws and ordinances, P. 411, as yet unbegun.”

Proceeded by hundreds of thousands of verses written by him for the benefit of mankind at large when he still appeared in the guise of, and continued to labor as, one of the foremost disciples of the BÂB, but destroyed by him in the river at Baghdad, Baha declared his mission to his companions in the garden of Ridvan in Baghdad, of which no record exists as regards the words actually uttered by Baha on that occasion, save a fragmentary description of the roses picked by the gardeners and piled on the floor of Baha’s tent for distribution by him; the initial phase of which mission opens in Istanbul with the communication addressed by Baha to Sultan Abd al Aziz, the text of which is not available; the second phase of which mission begins in Edirne, proceeded by verses revealed as a copious rain which remained for the most part untranscribed, and followed by the Sura-al-Muluk in which Baha directs his words collectively to the entire company of the monarchs to East and West, unbeknown to the persons to whom they are addressed as it was kept under the carpet; the final phase of which mission ends in Acre by epistles, intended for the crowned heads of the earth, which were kept under the carpet, and by the composition of the Aqdas, the original text of which remains unpublished for general information to this day.

“The Ridvan declaration” and the statement alleged to have been made in the Ridvan to the effect that “All created things were immersed in the see of purification” are both devoid of historical foundation. They were concocted in Acre, where Baha owns a garden called the garden of Ridvan, which he frequented.

It is indeed unfortunate that the Bahai hierarchy and historians should vie one with another, and wallow in a mire of contradictions and misrepresentation in their forlorn hope to fabricate for Baha a declaration of mission in the Ridvan, a declaration of which no record exists. Their chaos stems from the fact that no such declaration was ever made by Baha in the Ridvan.

The declaration was cooked in Acre, after Baha’s pretensions in Edirne in 1866, when Baha “acquainted” formally the One who was the nominee of the BÂB [i.e. Subh-i-Azal] with the character of his mission,” Shoghi Effendi’s god passes by PP. 166-167, to give color to Baha’s latter allegation that the cycle of the Point’s dispensation was the period of nineteen years, 1260 A.H. to 1279 A.H. (1844-1863).

There was no “declaration of mission,” followed by production of “verses”, on the part of Baha in the course of his “twelve days stay in the Najib Pasha garden” commemorated as the “Ridvan Festival”.

“These are fabrications and inventions brought into existence years later, after deliberations in a state of freedom from anxiety and at leisure.” Abd al-Husayn Ayati surnamed Awara’s Kashf al-Hiyal, Vol. II 2nd impression, PP. 70-71.

Such in sum is indeed Baha’s mission declared in the garden of Ridvan in Baghdad and proclaimed in Istanbul, Edirne and Acre.