The Rise of Baha
11. Baha’s Brief stay in Istanbul
11.2 The BÁBi Exiles in Istanbul
The BÁBi Exiles arrived in Istanbul from Baghdad on “Rabi’ Awal 1, 1280 A.H. (August 16, 1863)”. God passes by, P. 157.
11.2.3. Mirza Jawad’s account
Mirza Jawad’s account in his Historical Epitome, Materials for the Study of the BÁBi Religion, by Prof. Browne:
PP. 18-19: “Our Master [Baha] abode in Istanbul for four months, during which he associated with no one of the ministers of state or its leaders or officials. One of them called Kamal Pasha one day observed to our master in the course of conversation that the current custom was that every important person coming to the government, that is to say being received as its quest, should visit the Prime Minister and the Minister for Foreign Affairs to set forth his aims and objectives and should if necessary, request an interview with his majesty the Sultan. To this our master replied: ‘I am not unaware of the current customs; but inasmuch as we hope no need and no request to prefer, and our trust is in none save god alone; as since the government desired our presence here, and we, in obedience to it, journeyed hither, so that it might be apparent to it. We have no aim except the well being of the state and the nation; therefore we are unwilling to cause it further trouble.”
“Mirza Husayn khan [the Iranian ambassador] hinted to the Ministers that these excuses really arose from pride and arrogance, not from mere independence of spirit and trust in god … until an edict was promulgated by the Ottoman government to the effect that the dwelling-place of our Master and his followers be the city of Edirne.”
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.