The Rise of Baha - Baha’s Sudden Flight to Suleymaniyya

The Rise of Baha

10. Baha’s Sudden Flight to Suleymaniyya
Baha arrived in Baghdad upon expulsion from Iran, on "Jamad Thani 28, 1269 A.H. (April 8, 1853), Shoghi Effendi’s god passes by, P. 109. Baha’s activities in Iraq from the time of his arrival in Baghdad till his removal to Istanbul on "Dhil Qa’da 14, 1279 A.H. May 3rd, 1863", ibid, P. 133.

10.6 Baha’s Own Account on His Sudden Departure
Baha’s own account of his flight from Baghdad to Suleymaniyya and return.
(For the Persian text see Prof. Browne’s Persian Introduction to Mirza Jani’s Nuqta al-Kaf.
(PP. 36-37): "Anyhow we hope that the people of the Bayan will be educated, will soar in the atmosphere of the spirit and abide in the realm of the spirit, will distinguish between truth and untruth, and recognize with the eye of insight dissembling falsehood. In these days, however, such odors of jealousy are diffused, that .... until the present day. Such malice, envy and hate have in no wise appeared .... For a number of people ... have raised the standard, and have formed an alliance in opposition to this servant. On every side a spear is in sight, and in every direction an arrow is on the way. This, although I have never exalted myself over any one in any matter, nor have I sought ascendancy over any soul ... I swear by god ... that all that misfortune, hardship, and adversity which has befallen me at the hand of the enemies and the people of the book fades into utter nothingness and sheer non-existence when compared with that which I have suffered at the hands of the friends [i.e. BÁBis] ... I elected to emigrate and I wandered in the deserts and lived for two years by myself in the wilderness of exile ... this my emigration contemplated no return and this my journey hoped for no reunion. My sole purpose was to avoid becoming object of dissension among the friends and a source of distortion unto the companions (ashab), the means of injury to my soul, and the cause of sorrow to any heart ..."

"Finally, from the Source of Command [i.e. Subh-i-Azal], there came the decree to return, to which I necessarily submitted and returned ... Two years have elapsed during which the enemies have made the extreme endeavor and effort to destroy this transitory servant, of which you are all aware .... and this servant with the utmost resignation, is ready with his life in the palm of the hand; that perchance, by god’s favor and his grace, this aforesaid notorious letter may sacrifice himself in the path of the Primal Point, and the Hidden Word, and yield up his life. But for this thought, by Him at whose bidding the spirit has spoken, I would not for one moment, have tarried any longer in this city."

« باری امیدواریم که اهل بیان تربیت شوند و در هوای روح طیران نمایند و در فضای روح ساکن شوند حقّ را از غیر حقّ تمیز دهند و تلبیس باطل را بدیده بصیرت بشناسند، اگر چه در این ایام رایحه حسدی ورزیده که قسم بمرّبی وجود از غیب و شهود که از اوّل بنای وجود عالم با اینکه آنرا اوّلی نه تا حال جنین عّل و حسد و بغضائی ظاهر نشده و نخواهد شد، چنانچه جمعی که رایحه انصاف را نشنیده اند رایات نفاق برافراخته اند و بر مخالفت این عبد اتّفاق نموده اند و از هر جهت رمحی آشکار و از هر سمتی تیری طیار با اینکه باحدی در امری افتخار ننمودم و بنفسی برتری نجستم مع هرنفسی مصاحبی بودم در نهایت مهربان و رفیقی بغایت بردبار و رایگان با فقرا مثل فقرا بودم و باعلما و عظما در کمال تسلیم و رضا مع ذلک فوالله الذی لا اله الا هو که آن همه ابتلا و بأسا وضّراء که از اعداء و اولی الکتاب وارد شد نزد آنچه از احبّا وارد شد معدوم صرف است و معقود بحث، باری چه اظهار نمایم که امکان را اگر انصاف باشد طاقت این بیان را نه واین عبد در اوّل ورود این ارض چون فی الجمله بر امورات محدثه بعد اطلاع یافتم از قبل مهاجرت نمودم وسر در بیابانهای فراق نهادم و دوسال وحده در صحراهای هجر بسر بردم و از عیونم عیون جاری بود و از قلبم بحور دم ظاهر جه لیالی که قوت دست نداد و چه ایام که جسد راحت نیافت، و با این بلایای نازله و رزایای متواتره فوّالذی نفسی بیده کمال سرور موجود بود و نهایت فرح مشهود زیرا که از ضرر و نفع و صحت و سقم نفسی اطلاع تبود بخود مشغول بودم از ما سوی غافل وغافل از اینکه کمند قضای الهی اوسع از خیال است و تیر تقدیر او مقدس از تدبیر سر را از کندش نجات نه و اراده اش را جز رضا چاره نه. قسم به خدا که این مهاجرتم را خیال مراجعت نبود و مسافرتم را امید مواصلت نه و مقصود جز این نبود که محل اختلاف احباب نشوم و مصدر انقلاب اصحاب نگردم و سبب صّر احری نشوم و علت حزن قلبی نگردم غیر از آنچه ذکر شد خیالی نبود و امری منظور نه گرچه هر نفسی محملی بست و بهوای خود خیالی نمود، باری تا آنکه از مصدر امر حکم رجوع صادر شد و لابّد تسلیم نمودم و راجع شدم، دیگر قلم عاجز است از ذکر آنجه بعد از رجوع ملاحظه شد حال دو سنه میگذرد که اعدا در هلاک این عبد فانی سعی و اهتمام دارند چنانچه جمیع مطلع شده اند مع ذلک نفسی از احباب نصرت ننموده و بهیچوجه اعانتی منظور نداشته بلکه از عوض نصر حزنها که متوالی و متواتر قولاٌ و فعلاٌ مثل غیث هاطل وارد میشود و این عبد در کمال رضا جان بر کف حاضرم که شاید از عنایت الهی سبحانی این حرف مذکور مشهود در سبیل نقطه و کلمه مستوره فدا شود و جان بازد و اگر این خیال نبود فوالذی نطق الروح بامره آنی در این بلد توقف نمی نمودم و کفی بالله شهیداً و اختم القول و لا قوة الاّ بالله و انّا لله و انّا الیه راجعون – انتهی»

In the Cairo edition of the Iqan "the Hidden Word" is replaced by "the Supreme Word" (Kalama-i-Ulya). Shoghi Effendi’s rendering appears in the Kitab-i-Iqan, Shoghi Effendi’s translation, PP. 249-252. Shoghi Effendi has tampered with the Persian text in his rendering. As follows: With the exception of the "we hope" Baha writes throughout with the first person singular, and refers to himself as "this servant" and "this transitory servant".

In Shoghi Effendi’s translation Baha is shown as writing in the first person plural, and the words "this servant" and "this transitory servant" are suppressed by Shoghi Effendi in his rendering.

"The Source of Command" (مصدر امر) is rendered by Shoghi Effendi as "the Mystic Source".

This aforesaid notorious letter" (حرف مذکور مشهور) is translated by Shoghi Effendi as "this revealed manifest letter".

".. suffered at the hand of the friends (احّبا) is rendered by Shoghi Effendi as .... Those who profess to be friends."

"An object of discursions amongst the friends" (احباب) is translated by Shoghi Effendi as ".... Among the faithful."

"A source of disturbance unto the companions" is rendered by Shoghi Effendi as " ... to our companions".

The word "and" (و) between "the Primal Point" and "the Hidden word" or "the supreme word" is suppressed by Shoghi Effendi and the person is rendered as " the Primal Point, the most exalted word".

Within one year of his arrival in Baghdad upon expulsion from Iran, Baha aroused "the malice, envy of a number of people," namely, his fellow-believers, the cause of which he does not explain. His ‘sufferings’ at their hands, who stood "in opposition to this servant" have blotted out the wrongs Baha suffered at the hands of his "enemies and the people of the Book," although Baha arrogated to himself no "ascendancy" or superiority over any of his co-believers, from their Master, Subh-i-Azal, down to the humblest believer, in the circumstance Baha took to flight to Kurdistan, where he lived by himself for two years, intending to remain all his life there, since his only desire was "to avoid becoming an object of dissension among the friends," namely, BÁBis, and "a source of disturbance unto the companions", namely prominent Bayanis.

But when from "the Source of Command", namely, Subh-i-Azal, there came the order, bidding him to return, Baha gave ready obedience to the injunction and returned to Baghdad. Since his return Baha’s "enemies" are out "to destroy" him, for which reason nothing would have induced Baha to remain in Baghdad for a single moment, but for the reflection that he too might be called upon to lay down his life for the Primal Point and for "the Hidden Word" or "the Supreme Word", namely Subh-i-Azal.

Such in sum is Baha’s apology for his sudden flight to Kurdistan and return to Baghdad as recorded in the "pre-declaration" Iqan of "1278 A.H." (1862) (Shoghi Effendi’s god passes by, P. 121 and P. 138).

To read more about Baha's members of family, got to the main page, select 'Bahaism -> The Rise of Baha' and navigate through the index.