Baha’s Challenging Epistles to Rulers of the Earth

Introduction

 

2.    Introduction
Baha’s Epistle intended for the sovereigns and leading men of the world, collectively or separately, appear in full or in part in :

  1. the Kitab-i-Aqdas
  2. Sura-al-Muluk
  3. The Book of Mubin (otherwise known as the Sura0al-Haykal), Bombay Edition;
  4. The Book of Istidlal, Bombay Edition
  5. The Epistle to the Son of the Wolf;
  6. Sir Abbas Effendi’s Traveller’s Narrative, English Translation, by Prof. Browne, Vol. II.
  7. Shoghi Effendi’s God Passes By;
  8. The Dawn-Breakers, Nabil’s Narrative, American Edition, Shoghi Effendi’s Translation;
  9. Al-Kawakib-al-Durriyya by Mirza Abd-al-Husayn Ayati surnamed Awara, Vol II.
  10. J.R.A.S. of Great Britain and Ireland, of October 1889, and April 1892, Prof. Browne’s translation;
  11. Materials for the Study of the BÂBi Religion by Prof. Browne.

At Baha’s written instance (see expuragation), Baha’s divine legislations were expurgated by his own son Mirza Muhammad Ali and his co-expurgator Mirza Zayn-al-Abidin, surnamed Zayn-al-Muqarabin (the Ornament of the Favoured), noted Bahai Scribe.
This means that the sacred text was violated by the publication of a ‘revised edition’.

If it is not intended to call in question Baha’s consummate wisdom in having his original draft sent down from the firmament of the Primal Volition expurgated by these two laymen.
Therefore the expurgated versions of these two laymen of the divine legislators of the divine legislator Baha legislated by him for the benefit of mankind are to be treated as the authorized version.
In as much as the process of expurgation took place at Acre, all these epistles, save where otherwise is stated in this note should be treated as having originated in Acre and not in Edirne.
In the Dawn-Breakers, Nabil’s Narrative, Shoghi Effendi’s translation, P.586, author Nabil quotes Baha as saying:
“From our most great prison [i.e. Acre] we were moved to address to the several rulers and crowned heads of the world epistles in which we summoned them to arise and embrace the Cause of God … the Epistle we addressed to the Czar of Russia, alone failed to reach its destination. Other tablets however have reached him, and that epistle will eventually be delivered into his hands. According to Mr Ibrahim George Khayrullah, “Bahaullah” by I.G. Khayrullah assisted by Howard Macnutt, part II, P.435, only two rulers deigned even the courtesy of a reply, Queen Victoria of England, and Czar Alexander II of Russia.”

There is however no documentary evidence to substantiate Baha’s statement that these epistles were in fact sent to, and received by, their addressees. All these epistles addressed collectively or separately remain buried in the writings in which they appear. The only exception thereto is Baha’s Epistle addressed to Napoleon III from Edirne. It was delivered to him through Count Gobineau at the request of Baha himself. In the covering letter to Count Gobineau Baha refers to his epistle addressed to Napoleon III as “the petition of this servant”, airs his grievances against the Ottoman and Iranian authorities, seeks to ameliorate his lot and appeals to Count Gobineau to use his good offices with Napoleon III to enable Baha to become a French Protégé.

Not a word is breathed by Baha about his mission. The cringing and adulatory terms in which the covering letter addressed to Count Gobineau a subordinate of Napoleon III are couched reflect adversely on Baha, who, according to Shoghi Effendi in God Passes by, P.94 “To Israel was the incarnation of the Everlasting Father, the Lord of Hosts: to Christendom Christ returned in the glory of the father, to Shia Islam the return of the Imam Husayn; to Sunni Islam the descent of the spirit of god (Jesus Christ); to the Hindus the reincarnation of Krishna; to Buddhists the first Buda.”

In fact all these epistles were intended for home consumption. They were taken out of Bahai armoury of propaganda from time to time for purpose of propaganda. They were kept under the carpet.
These epistles were couched in bombastic terms. Their addressees are called upon to embrace Bahaism. Two of the addresses are commanded; on others Baha pours out the vials of his wrath, contrary to his own behest that “the tongue is for the commemoration of the good; do not defile it with foul speech”. (Materials, P.66).
Such Epistle will be dealt with on its own merits.


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