Mirza Yahya and the Azalis: rupture, testimony, and restraint

O My brother, who hast slandered Me after I reared thee by Mine own self and protected thee from the harm of the worlds!

… Hear then what was revealed before: "If thou stretch out thine hand to slay Me, I shall not stretch out Mine hand to slay thee. God is witness to what I say." O My brother! By God, thou and those with thee shall perish and return to dust, while sovereignty remaineth with God, the Almighty, the Powerful. By God, O My brother! I harbor no hatred for thee nor for any created thing in My heart. Therefore hear My words, purify thyself, and be not of the heedless.

Yet when My brother beheld the rising fame of the Cause, he became filled with arrogance and pride. Thereupon he emerged from behind the veil of concealment, rose up against Me, disputed My verses, denied My testimony, and repudiated My signs. Nor would his hunger be appeased unless he were to devour My flesh and drink My blood.

… When news spread of that which the promptings of self had impelled My brother to attempt, and Our companions in exile learned of his nefarious design, the voice of their indignation and grief was lifted up and threatened to spread throughout the city. We forbade, however, such recriminations, and enjoined upon them patience, that they might be of those that endure steadfastly.

Thou hast indeed associated with Me - didst thou ever find Me willing to harm any created thing? Be fair, then, and be of the equitable. Had I desired to harm My brother, was I not able to do so? Yet despite My power over him and My knowledge of his condition, I sheltered him beneath My wing for twenty years, while he would veil his face in fear of both friend and foe.

Then, when I departed, he attributed to My Beauty all that he had committed, that he might establish his own innocence. Yet you know that had this servant desired to harm him, it would have been possible by any means, and none would have had the right to question it, for verily He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth. Nevertheless, I protected him with the utmost protection. He hath written and continueth to write to all regions claiming that he was imprisoned, and whatever else he hath seen in his own self he hath attributed to this Wronged One.

Then know that after thy departure, We left these people and dwelt alone in the house, closing the door, that perchance thereby the fire of hatred might be stilled in the breasts of the deceivers. Thou knowest that I spoke not a word with my brother nor associated with him. When there appeared from him what he desired and God revealed what was hidden in his breast, he arose with mighty calumny and wrote tablets wherein he attributed to My wronged, lonely, estranged Self what he wished within himself.

Outwardly, We had a brother who lived for several years under the wing of mercy in perfect comfort and ease. Then, at the instigation of a certain soul, he rose up against the Wronged One of the horizons. When the hidden secrets of the breast and the treachery of the eye became manifest, this Wronged One departed from their midst, leaving him with his children, infants, and wives in perfect health and safety in a secure and protected place.

Thou knowest, O my God, that I protected my brother from the vicissitudes of time and called him at all times to Thy name, the All-Merciful. I revealed unto him of Thy verses and sheltered him beneath the wing of Thy mercy, never leaving him exposed to the winds. How then hath he harmed Thy creation and wronged Thy creatures? I protected his life while he, in the most hidden of secrets, sharpened the blade of his dagger to shed my blood. I nurtured him in my days, yet he dug a pit for me.

O handmaid of God!

I have been prevented from engaging in remembrance due to what has befallen Me from My brother and those who followed him, despite their having no knowledge thereof - and God is witness to what I say. Indeed, I have become the target of the arrows of his hatred and rancor, and at every moment there comes upon Me that which causes My soul to grieve. None is aware of this save God, your Lord and the Lord of all worlds.

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By God, I am ashamed to mention to you what my brother did - he whom we taught and protected for twenty years. Surely by now news of him has reached those parts. Whoever looks upon his words with the eye of God will recognize him and be among those who know.

By God the Truth, had My blood been shed a thousand times, it would have been better in My sight than for these matters to become known among the servants. … Verily I was cognizant of what was within his soul from former times, yet We concealed it lest it cause the feet of the deluded ones to stumble. When that which was manifest appeared from him, I commanded that the people be informed, that their faith might be preserved and their deeds not be rendered vain, lest they be numbered among the lost.

Nor was this confined to him alone; for from every soul upon whom the utmost love had been lavished there came, in the end, that which came not even from the manifest embodiments of negation unto the Ancient Beauty. And of those things which thou didst witness -- things sufficient to rend the veils from the eyes of the servants -- thou spakest not, but didst, whether by thine own words or by his, relate that which tended to harm this servant.

This Wronged One was repeatedly imprisoned, and all have heard of the afflictions that befell Us in the land of Mim. … Beyond all this, consider the oppression and tyranny of My brother and his followers. Wherever We went, before many days had passed, he would come and dwell in perfect comfort and honor with his known women companions - as all have heard and know - protected beneath the pavilions of protection. Yet they call him the wronged one and attribute injustice to God, exalted be His glory!

And among My greatest afflictions was when someone came to the gate saying that Yahya had written him words and he wished to come before the Throne that verses of mighty glory might be revealed for him. By God! Through this the hearts of existence were consumed and the Eye of God, the Almighty, the Glorious, the All-Knowing, wept.

Were We to mention unto thee what befell Us from him whose mention We had exalted in those days, thou wouldst surely lament and weep within thyself, nay thou wouldst detach thyself from all things and flee unto the summits of lofty mountains. Would that he had been content with what he did! … Therefore did We cast him from the heaven of Command unto the earth of his self and made him a warning unto every discerning one who seeth.

The Ancient Beauty and Most Great Name - may my spirit, my being and my essence be sacrificed for His dust - in every moment endured pain and sorrow. At times He was captive to cruelty, at times the target of calamity's arrows. Sometimes He wandered from wilderness to wilderness, sometimes He was afflicted with endless trials. For a time He was companion to chains and fetters and painful torment in Amul, and for a time He was intimate with base enemies. One day He encountered tribulation in Karbila, one night He rested in the embrace of hardships in the camp of afflictions. One day He hurried barefoot in chains from Shimiran to Tehran, spending four months in prison with fetters and shackles, every moment under threat of sword and arrow. Sometimes He was exiled to Iraq, sometimes He wandered Kurdistan, finding companionship with wild beasts and birds of the wilderness. For a long time and many years in Baghdad He was surrounded by hostile forces and in severest trials and tribulations. Every day brought a new affliction and every night a grievous calamity. He found not a moment's ease or rest.

Then He was exiled to the great city and became the target of grave calumnies. The most prominent and distinguished men all sought to humiliate Him and the pillars of nations thought to destroy Him. Then they banished Him to the Land of Mystery where He was immersed in great hardships and painful torment.

One who had been nurtured from the beginning in the embrace of His loving-kindness and shown every kind of tender care rose up with utmost hatred and, like a host of calamities, attacked. He intended to shed His pure blood and like a serpent bit that sacred form, then began to wail and lament, raised cries of being wronged, claimed to be oppressed and victimized, let out moans and cries, began to sob and wail. Like Joseph's envious brothers he cast that Joseph of the Egypt of existence into the dark pit of the well, then raised cries and laments, wept and wailed, and "came to their father in the evening, weeping." Then he became intimate with strangers and friendly with enemies, attributed sedition and corruption to the Peerless Beauty and placed forged documents in the hands of the malicious, so that the candle of the Concourse on High would be extinguished and the ways of the Supreme Concourse forgotten, the Sun of Unity would set and the Sun of Truth decline, the verse of guidance be abrogated and the festival of the Day of the Covenant be annulled.

As a result, the means for the Most Great Prison were arranged and grievous calamity occurred. The Wronged One of the horizons fell captive to the people of discord and every hour brought new trials and tribulations. All doors were shut and all paths cut off. Arrows of cruelty rained down unceasingly from all countries of the world like rain, and swords of malice from the hosts of humanity struck that defenseless Form. In every breath He was caught in someone's cruel oppression and in every moment He was captive and imprisoned in pain and sorrow, until He hid His face from the contingent realm and shone forth from the dawning-place of the placeless realm.

Now from the horizon of the Kingdom He watches how the hosts of earth assail His lone servant and how waves of tribulation surge against His solitary bondsman. I swear by His sacred Being that the eyes of the Concourse on High are in severest weeping, and the hearts of the denizens of the most glorious Kingdom affect the realities of earth and heaven, for the trials of this servant are, as you know and see, beyond counting.

Therefore be not sorrowful at this calamity that has occurred and be not grieved at this tragedy that has taken place. Set your hearts on the grace and loving-kindness of the Ancient Beauty - may my spirit, my being and my essence be sacrificed for His loved ones. Be gladdened by His glad-tidings and delighted by His bestowals. His ocean of favors is endless and the fragrances of His bounty spread from every direction. His glance of mercy is all-embracing and the outpouring of His grace is perfect - especially for you who are the survivors of His Holiness the King of Martyrs and the oppressed ones in the path of the Lord of Grandeur. Special glances of grace are directed to you and designated rays of bounty stream upon you. Therefore thank the Intended Lord that you are confirmed in these favors and assisted by this bounty.

And the Glory be upon you, O family of the King of Martyrs!

Moreover, it is known to friend and stranger alike, and even to the people of the Bayan themselves, that after the martyrdom of the Bab, Mirza Yahya donned the headdress of a dervish and, with an alms-bowl in hand and a wayfarer's sheepskin cloak upon his shoulders, fled from Mazindaran, leaving all the friends in grave danger, while he himself roamed incognito and in the utmost secrecy in the regions of Mazindaran and Rasht.

Perceiving the covert rebellion of Mirza Yahya and others, Baha'u'llah journeyed alone to Sulaymaniyyih and was absent for two years. During that time, Mirza Yahya was acting with utmost caution behind a veil of concealment and, fearing the attention of the General Consul of Persia in Baghdad, disguised himself, took the name of Haji 'Ali, and engaged in selling shoes and plaster in Basrah and in Suqu'sh-Shuyukh in the vicinity of Baghdad.

When Nabil discovered that the flame which had once been kindled and tended there was almost out, that the believers were few, that Yahya had crawled into a secret hole where he lay torpid and inert, and that a wintry cold had taken over--he found himself obliged to leave, bitterly grieving, for Karbila.

From the earliest dawn of the Morn of divine guidance, Adhirbayjan raised aloft the banner of faith and certitude, and the Cause of God thereby spread far and wide. But following the martyrdom of the Exalted One, the journey of the Blessed Beauty from Iraq to Kurdistan, and the seclusion of Yahya in a corner of oblivion, the Cause of God sank deep into apathy everywhere, even in Adhirbayjan. Only a few souls remained steadfast and calm until the Day-Star of the world returned to Iraq and the splendours of His light shone upon all regions in the plenitude of their glory.

Mirza Yahya, who claimed to be the Vicegerant of the Bab, always fearing from his own shadow, was concealing himself in a thousand hiding-places. Completely disguised and under the assumed name of Haji Ali, he traveled like a Darveesh between Bagdad and Balsorah. In order to hide his identity from the public he had hung on a piece of string a few red and yellow Arabian slippers, selling them to the people while walking through the streets and Bazaars.

In Baghdad, Mirza Yahya was selling Yemeni cloth in the Suq al-Shuyukh, wearing a turban as large as Mount Abu Qubays. Then he changed his name and became known as Haji Ali the cloth merchant. Is that not so, Aqa Husayn? (Bowing) They had asked him, "Why do you change your name every day and wear different clothes each day?" He had replied, "So that people won't recognize me." With such cowardice and foolishness he wanted to oppose the Blessed Beauty.

Mirza Yahya spent most of his time selling shoes in Suq al-Shuyukh, Basra and around Najaf. He dared not associate with any of the believers or let anyone know of his whereabouts. Sometimes you would suddenly see he had come from Najaf and taken a house in the Arab quarter near Bab al-Hilla.

As for what thou hast asked about Yahya - he was in Baghdad when those horizons were illumined by the Most Glorious Beauty, but Yahya remained hidden in dark holes and dared not show himself to anyone, whether enemy or friend. Meanwhile, the Most Glorious Beauty was clearly visible, confronting the faces of enemies, enduring and becoming the target of arrows shot by the people of hatred with complete power and might, without any helper or assistant whatsoever.

Be not agitated by the clamour of the Yahya'is and others. These affairs are like unto the foam upon the sea: they come and they pass away. As for the Yahya'is, it is in no wise suitable that they should be present in your gatherings, for their sole aim is to cast doubts.

These three constantly complained of the hardships and bothered and troubled the believers. At least Mirza Yahya and Haji Siyyid Muhammad of Isfahan appeared morbid and sullen without complaining openly to others; they only seemed dissatisfied and lost in melancholy.

In this latter city the rebellion of Mirza Yahya reached its height and his envy became virulent and a complete rapture became unavoidable. No tongue can adequately describe the troubles that he caused for the Blessed Beauty. He sent Sayad Mohamad to Constantinople with a long petition of complaints addressed to the Persian Ambassador.

They found a means and an instrument in the person of Mirza Yahya, the nominee of the Bab. His Excellency the Ambassador used this undiscerning individual as his chief instrument for stirring up mischief. Mirza Yahya had fondly imagined that if the Lamp of the Realm of Glory could be removed from its niche in the West, this new Cause and its flood of abounding grace would be reduced to naught. He therefore joined forces with the Ambassador and began, both overtly and covertly, to stir up a myriad storms of mischief and sedition.

This episode is similar in every respect to that of Yahya. He too imagined that his sedition would cause harm and injury to the Blessed Beauty. It was for this reason that he sent Siyyid Muhammad to Constantinople and resorted to innumerable ploys and devices, until at last he exposed Baha'u'llah to great danger. But as soon as the fire of rebellion blazed, it immediately consumed Yahya's own home.

Now they have gathered in Iraq and at this moment they plot. Soon the winds of associating partners with God shall spread from the quarter of their hearts to all regions.

When my call was raised, the first servant who sought to shed my blood was my brother, whom I had nurtured over successive years and protected beneath the wing of my favor through the nights and days.

When My brother witnessed that My name had become renowned among the servants and that no harm had befallen Me in My manifestation among the people, he regretted his concealment and emerged from behind the veil in ways that cannot be uttered by the tongue. His first act was to secretly decree My death as commanded by self and passion. When the hosts of God's sovereignty descended and protected Me by His sovereignty and prevented him from what he intended, he then arose to calumny and wrote to every soul that his brother intended to kill him.

O My Arabs! He who was unable to speak in My presence hath arisen to take My life, even though We created him, reared him, educated him, and protected him at all times.

However, souls who were thought to be helpers of the Cause arose in opposition, among them Yahya. God is My witness, and earth and heaven bear testimony, that I reared and protected him through the nights and days. At last, through the temptation of a certain soul, he appeared as a serpent. When he found no opportunity and what lay in his heart was exposed, he resorted to deception and guile. He is like unto a viper that both biteth and gloweth.

When he witnessed his own powerlessness, he then slandered this Youth, though thou knowest We had taught him, reared him, and protected him through all months and years. By God! We exalted his mention that he might aid his Lord, yet he chose to veil his face in fear for himself. When the breezes of assurance wafted from Our presence, he then arose to plot in such wise as would astound every person of keen insight. Thus did it befall the Youth from him who was created by His word and was raised up by His command, and God is cognizant of all things.

Know thou that he whom We strengthened, protected and taught, when the breezes of might wafted and he felt secure in himself, rose up like a serpent against the Beauty of the All-Merciful. Thus hath the matter transpired against this Youth Who languisheth imprisoned in this prison.

Verily, We sheltered the speckled serpent in winter beneath My tent, yet when the sun of summer shone forth it stirred and bit Me for the first time - to this do honored servants bear witness.

… God knoweth that each month he would flee to some quarter in fear for himself, but when the Cause was exalted he emerged and conspired with one of My servants against Me - yet the people know not.

When the breezes of assurance wafted, he who had been concealed behind the veil emerged and desired to cut down the Divine Lote-Tree, the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. But God prevented him through His sovereignty and banished him through His power, and revealed to those who had migrated what was hidden in his breast.

Through various whisperings and intrigues he prevented people from the Lord of mankind, and through previous delusions led some astray.

We stood firm against the enemies in days wherein the feet of every mighty soul did slip, and We disputed with the peoples with wisdom and counsel until We made manifest the Cause through My being alone, and God is witness to what I say. And verily when My brother felt secure in himself he contended against My Self and disputed My verses, until he arose to slay Me.

When my brother witnessed that the sun of certitude had dawned from the horizon of utterance through this Youth, Who stood at the center of all creation with the adornment of the All-Merciful, he emerged from behind the veil of concealment and rose up to war against the Beauty of the All-Glorious, becoming one of the antagonists. He pronounced against me what his self and passion commanded him.

Say: O people of God! By the life of God, We had taken for Ourself a brother and aided him to serve Our Cause before Our face, and revealed for him that which diffused the fragrance of God's utterance throughout all else. We then raised him to a station beyond which the stations of the servants and the reach of those in all lands were cut off. But when he saw himself in that most holy, most noble, most mighty, most exalted station, pride seized him until he turned away from God, the Lord of the Day of Resurrection and He Who conversed on Sinai.

He had a brother who protected Him for a number of years and taught Him a letter from the Tablet of the Command. Through this he grew proud before God Who had created him by the word of His command, and became one of the transgressors. The names so deluded him that he sought to slay his Brother without any proof from God or any enlightening Book.

By God the Truth! He would stand before Us while We recited the verses to him, and he would write them down morning and evening. But when he uttered a word of his own he grew proud against God and desired what he desired with a tyranny that was in the Tablet mighty.

When the Cause was made manifest and the Temple of the Remembrance was established upon the throne of independence, he whom We had nurtured and taught, morning and evening, rose up against Me.

As to what the heedless one mentioned about why Azal was rejected, say: O heedless one! We have never turned to anyone. We have fixed Our gaze upon that proof whereby all the Prophets and Messengers have proven the truth. Today, the station whose verses have encompassed the world and whose manifestation hath shone forth like the sun from the beginning before the faces of all mankind - this thou hast denied, while making mention of Azal who was ever hidden behind a veil.

Follow ye not in the footsteps of those who, when the verses of God are recited unto them, wax proud against them, notwithstanding that by a single letter thereof have been created the realities of the people of the Divine Realm, then the realities of the people of the Realm of Dominion, then the souls of the people of the Kingdom and the Abha Realm, then whatsoever was and whatsoever shall be, if ye be of those who know. And I am He Who was powerful over whatsoever I willed, and I shall be powerful over whatsoever I desire. Never shall the wiles of the crafty withhold Me from My sovereignty, the All-Powerful, the Almighty, the Omnipotent.

By God! Despite his deeds no one opposed him - he rejected himself through turning away from the Truth Who created through His Word.

… Never in the Bayan was there mention of successorship or vicegerency. According to you these are the words of the people of the Furqan. What was mentioned in the Bayan was the mention of Letters and Mirrors, and in all instances He declareth that the Mirrors were not and will not be limited.

These people are following their false imaginings. They say that the letter from the Bab to Yahya begins thus: 'From God, the Mighty, the Beloved, to God, the Mighty, the Beloved.' But this passage is also written at the beginning of the letter to Dayyan and to others.

Apart from this, verily thy Lord's Cause is more manifest than can be concealed, and God is witness to what I say. Sufficient is their abasement that they worship one whom We named with a name among names and mentioned among the servants, making him a veil before their eyes through Our wisdom, lest they recognize this luminous and noble Manifestation. When he returned unto God [...] He hath waged war against Our Cause by his own self.

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The world of the Bayan hath been transformed into the world of the Shi'ih, in its essence, its outward form, its names, its attributes, its delusions and its imaginings. Nay, its people are seen to be even more remote, more debased and more ignorant.

You have undoubtedly heard the details of what transpired in Adrianople, when Siyyid Muhammad, being confident that the Ancient Beauty would not confront one such as Yahya, told Mir Muhammad - who was one of the simple-minded followers - and likewise to some of the Persians of that land, that on the morrow so-and-so would come forth. If they spoke the truth, let them also come forth and meet at the Sultan Selim Mosque, that truth might be distinguished from falsehood. The next day, Mir Muhammad - upon him be the glory of God - came and conveyed this message to the Most Holy Court. At that moment, the Ancient Beauty arose and went forth from the gate of the private quarters, revealing divine verses in the most exalted voice as He proceeded, until He arrived at the mosque. Some Persians were present, listening in utter amazement, with tears streaming down their faces. He told Mir Muhammad: "Go and tell them to appear." After some time he returned and reported that the Chief of Liars had asked to be excused. The Ancient Beauty granted a further two days' respite. This incident occurred in the presence of seventy believers and others.

It will have been known to the friends of God that one day the antichrist arose with a new scheme, in order to sow doubts in the hearts of the servants. In Edirne he advertised his intention to the Persians, saying, "Today we have resolved that he shall come to the Sultan Selim mosque, and we also shall attend, and shall make the truth manifest. Thus might truth be distinguished from falsehood."

Say: Remember ye the Day of Mubahalih in the Land of Mystery, when the Dawning Place of Inspiration came forth from the precincts of the House, directing His steps toward the House of God, the Lord of all men. We arrived therein while no one else entered it.

Would that thou wouldst turn unto the words of him who warred against God and ponder that which floweth from his pen. But after the Ancient Beauty avoided meeting with him, perchance thou mayest discover the truth of his affair and be of them that know.

Say: O servants! I swear by the Sun of the morn of holy transcendence that what he has mentioned is pure falsehood and he had no purpose except to cast hatred of this servant into hearts. … Although every person of insight perceives that all he has written about this servant has been and will be pure lies and calumny, since not all people possess insight, they must not be content with conjecture.

He wrote tablets and sent them in all directions, attributing to this servant that which he himself had done, for he is confident that the ignorant masses of the earth will accept as true and established whatever he says, although they have properly understood this matter, as most have not seen him and whatever they have heard was from this servant.

O My sister and My leaf! This wronged one's sister was not with Us in this Cause and never saw Yahya during the days of this Wronged One's manifestation. Nevertheless, she has clung to such calumnies as no ear has ever heard.

Tell your sister that if her lack of love stems from love for Yahya, God and all in the heavens and earth bear witness that you had and have no knowledge of his cause, and whatever you have heard was all due to wisdom.

I swear by the Sun of inner meanings that even what they have heard about Mirza Yahya had no connection with him, and God is sufficient witness.

There have been and are many benefits in travel. The purpose is that he might honor Cyprus with his presence for some days near my brother, but he must see with his own eyes and hear with his own ears. It will become clear and evident to him with whom the Cause was in the beginning, and from whom the revealed verses came.

Although this person is known and visible, let the seekers at least take the trouble to hasten to Cyprus to see with their own eyes his condition and the state of his children, and hear with their own ears his stammering tongue and statements devoid of explanation - no utterance, no exposition, no wisdom, no mysteries, no novel remembrances. If they cannot go there, let them inquire of the people of Cyprus whether that deluded soul, despite his freedom, has in forty years converted or transformed even a single person in that island, or shown any sign of power in any matter.

Yahya is in Cyprus and his son, Ridvan-'Ali, has joined a [Christian] church. His other son, Ahmad, has become Protestant. His other children are all immersed in troubled-waters of their own and have become a cause of embarrassment. It is good for you to go and witness the misfortune and remorse that is their lot.

… Regardless, it is good to go and see for yourself. Cyprus is near, not far. See under what conditions he lives.

Observe the copies of books and treatises by Mirza Yahya in the public library in London that exist in his own handwriting and the handwriting of his son, and show them to Taqizadeh so that he may know what an amazingly learned, eloquent and articulate person is promoting nonsense.

Among those killed by Mirza Yahya's order, as explicitly stated in his book Mustaiqiz where at the end he says God will send Muhammad to kill you, was someone whom the Exalted One had named Dayyan - they killed him by Mirza Yahya's order. Similarly they secretly killed and eliminated Mirza Ali Akbar, the cousin of the Exalted One, in Kazimayn. All Babis know this - ask the Afnan relatives of the Exalted One, they know. Likewise they secretly killed Aqa Abu'l-Qasim Kashi by his order.

Despite there being several women in his household, most of whom are known by name and reputation, yet he did not spare the honor of the Primal Point, may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for His sake. … Similarly, for the sake of two days of worldly life, he caused the martyrdom of Dayyan and Khalilu'r-Rahman, sending a woman to the government house for begging. He ordered the execution of the honored Mirza 'Ali-Akbar, who was reportedly one of the relatives of the Exalted One (the Bab), and had him martyred.

O worldly scholar, dust be upon thy head! How strange that contrary matters are witnessed in thee: the oppressor became oppressed, the oppressed became oppressor. Yahya [...] committed treachery against the purity of the Point and martyred His Holiness the Dayyan, and named him and His Holiness Khalil as the "father of evils" and "father of calamities."

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That is, after the martyrdom of the Bab, he wedded the wife of the Exalted One, the Mother of the Faithful, marriage to whom had, according to His explicit statement, been forbidden to all. And as if that dishonour were not enough, when he found her not to his liking, he presented that honourable lady---the sister of Mulla Rajab-'Ali and the wife of the Bab---to Siyyid Muhammad-i-Isfahani. This was the extent of his exertions, his claim to might, power, and fame: to busy himself, by day and by night, in multiplying the number of his wives.

In Adrianople, since the great aunt had connections to Yahya, solely to please him she strove until she gave that poor one to the son of the Prime Minister, Mirza 'Ali Khan.

After the Bab's breast became the target of a thousand bullets, instead of spending his days with weeping eyes and a burning heart and lamentations, he occupied himself with multiplying wives. What is known, evident and confirmed is that he took eleven wives - one named Haji, another the sister of Haji Ruqiyyih, the daughter of Mulla Abdul-Fattah, Ruqiyyih A'raj daughter of Mirza Haydar-Quli, the mother of Ahmad, Badri Jan, Nisa Jan in Tehran, Qanih, an Arab girl, the teacher's wife, and the wife of the Primal Point.

However, after the martyrdom of His Holiness the Exalted One [the Bab], what did Azal accomplish? He did not edify or teach a single soul, nor did he render the slightest service [to the Cause]. The only thing he did was to increase the number of his wives and spent all his time with them. He even grew so shameless as to take the wife of His Holiness the Exalted One [the Bab] as his own - an act that was specifically forbidden in the Bayan. He lived in Cyprus for forty years, and yet he failed to teach a single person.

Yahya, despite keeping himself constantly hidden and meeting with no one, would become uncontrollable when matters concerning women arose.

… Yahya incited others and they strangled Abu'l-Qasim.

But how obstinate was Yahya the Envious, who after the martyrdom of the Exalted One (may my spirit be sacrificed for Him), fled out of fear of sacrifice and disguised himself in a dervish cloak, and along the way resorted to begging to protect himself, making like an ant his nest in the hole of obscurity and lethargy.

… He wrote seven letters to seven martyrs, requesting from each a virgin, and when his purpose was not achieved, he grew bold and impudent, laying hands on the chaste Mother of the Believers, taking as wife the second consort of the Exalted One despite the explicit prohibition in the Book, and not satisfied with that, after a few days gave her to the rejected Siyyid Muhammad.

Now that he is under British protection in Cyprus he calls himself chief, and Mirza Yahya Dawlatabadi likewise claims successorship and vicegerency, counting himself a precious soul. Despite this he pronounces his disavowal and in your newspaper announces his repudiation of the Prince of the Wronged Ones...

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These two Iranians who have come to the Hawaiian Islands and America - you should outwardly treat them with kindness. From the evidence, they are Yahyais, meaning followers of the Enemy of God, but they practice deception.

One who is so impotent that, despite being in Cyprus with British freedom, could not guide a single soul in forty years - such a one seeks to set up someone against the Blessed Beauty (may my spirit be sacrificed for the dust of His threshold), Who moved East and West, Whose fame of greatness encompassed all regions, and Whose might became world-conquering; Who, from prison, issued those potent tablets to the kings of the earth, and spread the musk-laden breeze of truth throughout East and West. Yahya, with such impotence and weakness, wishes to resist the Most Glorious Beauty?

Moreover, you surely know the current state of that person of ill repute - even outwardly he is in evident loss. All his children are each in a strange state - one has become Christian, another a devotee in church, one dedicated to the tavern, another serving in an idol temple. Surely these details have reached everyone's ears. If the heedless deny it, let them send a trusted person to witness it.

Some followers of that unknown one, even though they saw this with their own eyes, still did not awaken, thus proving they are like cattle who follow every caller and incline with every wind. The misguiding guide repeatedly denounced the Exalted One from pulpits in Isfahan. Now he should at least feel shame and no longer mention the name of His Cause. Despite this audacity and wretchedness he considers himself the greater idol after the greatest idol. Therefore take heed, O people of insight.

Be thou steadfast in the love of thy Lord, then detach thyself from the idolaters. And shouldst thou see the Satan from whom thou perceivest the stench of misbelief, shun him and be under mighty protection. He appears in human form and speaks of what was revealed in the Bayan, that he might cause confusion among Our weak servants. Say: Should anyone manifest the essence of piety and worship his Lord with the devotion of both worlds, yet not believe in this Revelation, God will render his deeds void and return him to his abode in hellfire.

In Baghdad, and due to Yahya's words and deeds, he completely turned away from the Cause of God.

Likewise, now is the time to turn attention to the Yahya'i group. Dedicate all your time to them, perhaps they will turn to the direction of divine bestowal and abandon following one who says "Those whom you invoke besides God will never create even a fly, though they combine together for the purpose.

Furthermore, the followers of Yahya have engaged in slanders that are beyond description. Among other things, they have written numerous reports and detailed letters, both signed and unsigned, to the Chihrihnama newspaper claiming that 'Abdu'l-Baha has sent and continues to send large sums to Tehran to bribe others so that Baha'is might gain membership in parliament and destroy the foundation of Islam and completely eliminate the nation, for they have gained great influence both abroad and within.

Among other things, they have written that I sent ten thousand tumans by telegraph to Tehran for this purpose at the beginning of the elections to Haji Ghulam-Rida, and that I continue to send more.

Make people understand that Sadru'l-Ulama is one of his companions and is an Azali, and the son of Sadru'l-Ulama is a pure Azali. This silence of yours has caused their audacity. The Azalis arranged this Najaf issue.

This party of Yahya, which among all the dispersed parties set everyone against each other so that perhaps in this struggle they might snatch the ball from the field and establish a government, has ruined Iran. Now they are honored and respected while this oppressed party, from whom nothing has emerged except the good of all, has become captive to the corruption of Iran's ill-wishers.

And finally it became clear and evident that among all parties, the Baha'i party was right and other parties were wrong, especially the shameless party that caused the ruin of Iran.

One moment he would cry out "O what a living!" and the next breath he would cry "O what a reading!" Sometimes he would lavish the worthless treasures of the world upon worldly people so they would become the cause of persecution and cruelty, and sometimes he would present gifts to shameless spies so they would create sedition and corruption and cast 'Abdu'l-Baha into the desert of Fezzan.

At one time, after the Martyrdom of the Bab, the Cause of God suffered a severe blow through the rebellion of Yahya, at another time it sustained intense harm following the ascension of Baha'u'llah.

After this truth emerged, the government curtailed the aggressive hands of the oppressors, and the royal court became a refuge and shelter for the oppressed.

Now, exactly like the previous situation in Iran, on one side a group of calumniators and on the other side those with ulterior motives, including certain individuals from among the local inhabitants here, have united with the affectionate brother Mirza Muhammad 'Ali to spread various calumnies.

In any case, they sent Jamal from here to the Iranian consul in Damascus to create corruption, and from there to Istanbul to the ambassador to cause sedition - exactly like the actions and behavior of Mirza Yahya who sent Siyyid Muhammad to the Iranian ambassador in Istanbul and created those corruptions. Now the Covenant-breakers are also following that same pattern exactly.

Being regarded as a Branch, according to the explicit statement of the Blessed Beauty, is conditional upon turning towards and obeying the Centre of the Covenant and the Point of the Testament. Should, however, a Branch turn away, he shall grievously fall. As clearly stated with reference to Mirza Muhammad-'Ali, should he for a moment pass out from under the shadow of the Cause, he shall become a fallen creature. This explicit text, mentioning him by name and title, is from the Ancient Beauty, and Mirza Muhammad-'Ali himself doth accept and acknowledge its veracity.

I asked him, 'Did you really write and dispatch them?' And when he answered that he had, I said, 'I swear by the Righteousness of God! A day will come when Mirza Muhammad-`Ali will wish that his fingers had been cut off so that he could not have taken the pen to proclaim his break with the Covenant. For four years, I have concealed this matter so that the beloved of God may not learn of your unfaithfulness to the Covenant. It is now beyond My power to hide it any longer. You have announced it yourselves to the believers.'"

He said, in substance: Mohammed Ali had a great opportunity given him, but through his ambitions he became false and lost it. Baha'Ollah knew long before the Kitab el Adh was written that Mohammed Ali was intriguing for power and material worldly influence.

Many of those who followed Muhammad- 'Ali are coming back. After the departure of Baha'u'llah all the beautiful blossoms upon the Tree of Life were destroyed by Muhammad- 'Ali and must now be grown again by the Love of 'Abdu'l-Baha.

For instance, while in Edirne, at a time when Mirza Aqa Jan had raised the standard of rebellion and enmity and had spoken most presumptuously in Baha'u'llah's presence, I rebuked him one day.

In any case, at the time when Mirza Aqa Jan should have attained the good-pleasure of the Blessed One, at the critical moment, he lost himself because he imagined that this elevated station was of his own doing. In the latter days he had carried his audacity to such a degree that, in the presence of the Blessed Beauty, he had said: "Had His Holiness the Exalted One been in my place, He would not have endured it."

On another occasion one of the Baha'i ladies kissed by pleading and insistence the Master's hands in the Presence of Baha'u'llah. Mirza Mohamad Ali and rest blamed her severely, telling her that she has committed a great mistake to kiss the hands of anybody else before Baha'u'llah. Then Baha'u'llah hearing about this calls that woman before everybody and tells her: I am very pleased with you because in My Presence thou didst manifest thy devotion and respect to the Master.

Similarly, had it not been for the power of the Covenant after the ascension of the Ancient Beauty, it is evident what the people would have done, how they would have spent their time, like Mirza Yahya, taking many wives and satisfying their lusts and desires.

The enmity of these souls toward the Baha'is has become famous throughout the horizons and its fame has reached the seven layers.

In any case, Jamal al-Din and these persons joined hands.

He whom I protected by My sovereignty denied Me.

Say: whosoever desires to protect himself, let him read this verse at night and at morn: "O God, my God, I ask Thee by Thy name whereby Thou didst protect Abraham from the fire and Moses from Pharaoh and Baha from Yahya, to guard me from the wicked ones among Thy creatures.