The Commission of Investigation sent by the Sultan came to ‘Akká, went straight to the house of the accusers, asked the authors of the accusation whether it was true, and departed satisfied. Plaintiff, witness and judge had collapsed into one party, and an inquiry that treats the charge as the verdict can discover nothing. The charges themselves, a fortress on Mount Carmel, a banner waving over the tribes, a new sovereignty, were answered in a memorandum of such irony that He thanked the commissioners for attributing miracles to a lone prisoner. Beneath the irony runs something steadier: a refusal to meet the inspectors, calm while coded telegrams discussed exile or hanging, and the quiet dispatch of seventy believers to Egypt before He declined the ship that would have carried Him to safety. The Qur’án’s command to bear witness justly even against oneself and one’s kin names the discipline the commissioners lacked [1]. The road leads on into ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s own narrative of His life, the opposition and persecution He met, and the Covenant-breaking from which the accusations sprang.
To be brief, a Commission of Investigation was appointed by the Sultan, may the glory of his reign endure. The Commission journeyed hither and immediately upon arrival betook themselves to the house of one of the accusers. They then summoned the group who, working with my brother, had prepared the accusatory document and asked them whether it was true. The group explained the contents of the document, stated that everything they had reported therein was nothing but the truth, and added further accusations. Thus they functioned at one and the same time as plaintiffs, witnesses, and judge.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, 1907 or <, to Mirza Aqa Bashir Ilahi (Bashirus-Sultan) -- AB00056)
02
Last year a number of the unfaithful, both from within and from without, both known to us and strangers, took before the Sultan of Turkey slanderous charges against these homeless exiles, bringing against us grave accusations with no basis in fact. The Government, conformably with prudence, determined to look into these charges, and dispatched a Commission of Investigation to this city.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, 1906 ca., to Baha'is of the United States -- AB00044)
03
A commission of inquiry was dispatched from the seat of sovereignty to investigate this servant.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, to Baha'is of Najafabad -- AB00581)
04
Recently, a Commission of Inquiry has arrived from Istanbul. Each day, I go to the government office and they interrogate Me.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words to Mirza Habibu'llah Afnan in 1896-1897 -- ABU3721)
05
One day they came to me and asked me to arrange an interview for them with Baha'u'llah. I told them I could not promise them; because it is beyond my jurisdiction. Motosarraf continued his begging and importunity but Khorsheed Bay explained the truth, that because they are commanded by the authorities in Constantinople to investigate this matter they cannot quite well disobey the order.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words to pilgrims, spoken on 1914-Apr-22 -- ABU0996)
06
Abdul Baha continued: "One year before Abdul Hamid was dethroned, he sent an extremely overbearing, treacherous and insulting committee of investigation. The chairman was one of the governer's staff, Arif Bey, and with him were three army commanders of varying rank.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words spoken at 97 Cadogan Gardens, 1911-Sep-23 -- ABU0160)
07
They have prepared a petition filled entirely with lies and calumnies, including that this servant raised the banner of "Ya Baha'u'l-Abha" in this land, proclaimed it in city and village, called people to gather under this banner, incited rebellion and revolt against the government, built a fortress on Mount Carmel, erected a great edifice in Haifa, formed alliances with foreign military leaders, offered gifts and favors, established a new sovereignty and religion, made the Holy Shrine a place of pilgrimage for various peoples with the purpose of dividing the manifest religion, and brought certain officials and others under the banner of the Cause.
Therefore, a group of officials came to investigate, and immediately upon arrival met with the Covenant-breakers and investigated their claims. The contents of the petition were explained and detailed by the Covenant-breaker and his associates, and the investigating committee accepted it without verification and departed.
Regarding events and occurrences, if you ask, it is the same as was written before - some of the unfair ones among the Covenant-breakers and officers made pure fabricated reports to His Majesty the Sultan. A committee composed of several officials was appointed to investigate. They went directly to the enemies, the helpers of the Covenant-breakers, and investigated from them, and whatever they heard they confirmed.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, 1906 ca., to Usku'i, Haydar Ali (Son of Karbala'i Hasan of Matanih) -- AB02374)
09
The commission of investigation, which was appointed by the supreme sovereign power to conduct an inquiry, by chance arrived directly at the house of the accusers.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words to Mirza Muhammad Ali Khan, ca. 1906 -- ABU2467)
10
Therefore, they formed a commission of investigation and sent it here, and they are now engaged in their work.
Among the calumnies is that we have converted large numbers to the Baha'i Faith in these regions. But this matter is clear and evident that it is purely calumnious, and the commission has conducted deep investigations and inquiries into this and it has become clear and evident.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, 1905 ca., to Baha'is of Tihran -- AB00084)
11
Owing to the false reports forwarded to the Sublime Porte, many cablegrams were sent by Abdul Hamid to the Governor of Haifa to stop progress or watch its construction. Many spies were daily busy around this building, and the slightest move on the part of any of the laborers was reported to the military headquarters.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words to some of the friends, spoken on 1913-Dec-29 -- ABU2782)
12
The purpose is that you should inform His Honor Haji in detail about the situation - that all these recent disturbances concerning the Commission of Investigation and other matters up until now have stemmed entirely from Mirza Badi'u'llah, who continuously reported the activities of Mirza Muhammad-'Ali and is now showing the utmost enmity and hatred.
Time and again, investigative committees came from the Imperial Court and subjected this servant to restrictions, interrogations and torments, inflicting severe injuries. In prison too I was surrounded by satanic spies, confined with wardens and guards.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, 1910 or <, to Siyyid Mihdi son of Siyyid Rida Sadat-i-Khams -- AB00124)
14
Regarding the correspondence of His Honor 'Ali-Qabl-i-Akbar that you mentioned - during the days when the Holy Land was in great turmoil due to the arrival of the Commission of Investigation, letters remained unanswered.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, 1907-Jun-29, to Ibn-i-Abhar -- AB11661)
15
The governor heard in time about my instruction to Madam Jackson and got of course very furious. He was thinking it is so easy to get this sum of money.
Changing his tactics I received one day a letter from his Secretary in which he wrote, the governor is very anxious to see you enjoying the air of freedom. I did not answer. After a week I received another letter from the same gentleman saying the governor has instructed me to draw up the petition for His Imperial Majesty begging him to grant you the liberty. Again I did not answer. Then he wrote: He has ordered the petitions to be put in the envelops. I did not answer. Again he wrote: the governor is going to sign the papers and mail them tomorrow. I did not answer. Then I received his last letter telling that the governor read the petitions and wrote over the envelop 'Not to be sent.' This also I did not answer.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words spoken on 1913-Jul-31 in Ramleh -- ABU0355)
16
Yet 'Abdu'l-Baha paid them no heed whatsoever and would not even consent to meet them. However much they schemed and complained, saying "We have come on behalf of His Imperial Majesty; we never expected to encounter such indifference" - despite all their reproach and rebuke, no importance was given to them. Rather, complete calm and composure were maintained, as if nothing was happening and perfect peace prevailed, even while coded telegrams would arrive constantly from the Sultan's palace, whose contents made clear their determination to either send 'Abdu'l-Baha to Fezzan, hide him in the depths of the sea, or hang him.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, 1910-Oct ca., to Haji Mahmud et al -- AB00379)
17
I then asked them to consult on the situation, since the boat was ready to take Me. These honored personages sat and consulted. Unanimously, they concluded that this departure was the best way out and that I should accept it. … After they informed Me of their unanimous decision, I replied, "No, this would not be good for the Cause. I must do what exalts the Faith."
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words to some students departing for Beirut, spoken on 1914-Oct-12 -- ABU0533)
18
The commission has returned. There were several matters which they investigated here and prepared a report that they will present in the great city. We shall see what results it yields. However, certain strangers who had the utmost corrupt association with Mirza Muhammad Ali interfered greatly in affairs and made tremendous calumnies and accusations, though they were entirely baseless.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, 1905 ca., to Ahmad Yazdi son in law of Abdu'l-Baha -- AB00760)
19
The Commission of Investigation returned with a book of inquiries. The decision has not yet emerged from the council.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, to Siyyid Taqi Manshadi -- AB03146)
20
Those days were so hard that all had believed that when the Commission of Investigation returned to Constantinople 'Abdu'l-Baha's life and name would be effaced. But God did not will it.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words spoken on 1912-Sep-08 in Montreal -- ABU2449)
21
That tyrannical commission perpetrated every injustice and deemed every cruelty permissible. Finally, they decided to dispatch 'Abdu'l-Baha to Fezzan, and when they communicated with Abdul-Hamid's palace, the response confirmed the royal decree for the Fezzan matter.
Then as that oppressive commission of inquiry was returning to Istanbul, while still at sea, God's cannon thundered at Abdul-Hamid's palace gate, dynamite exploded, many were killed, and Abdul-Hamid fled to his palace.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, 1911-Apr-28, to Baha'is of the United States -- AB00182)
22
They wrote and said many such things to stir up souls and cause mischief and sedition until that investigating commission came and associated with the mischief-makers and was planning a great sedition when God suddenly overthrew all their schemes. All those mischief-makers were scattered - some were killed and some fled.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words spoken at Rue St. Didier 30 in Paris, 1913-Feb-16 -- ABU1376)
23
In fact, even members of the Commission of Inquiry, who every hour ordered a more severe persecution and spread a fresh calumny and who had joined our enemies and adversaries at 'Akka with the aim of destroying and effacing us, were overtaken by the wrath of God while returning to Constantinople.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words to the Baha'is, spoken at 309 W 78th St on 1912-Jun-14 -- ABU2432)
24
This commission of investigation and oppression was on its way back to Istanbul from 'Akka when the majesty of the justice of God revolutionized all matters. Sultan 'Abdu'l-Hamid was deposed and one member of the commission was murdered, another died and two of them absconded. One of these two begged for his daily expenses from the friends in Egypt.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words to the Baha'is, spoken on 1912-Oct-17 -- ABU2863)
25
We could not spread the cause of Baha'u'llah in these regions (the neighborhood of Haifa and Akka) because the Turkish government prevented us.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words to Fugeta, two Druze Sheikhs, et al, spoken on 1919-Dec-31 -- ABU2672)
26
These honored persons [That is, the Covenant-breakers] have sent a report to the Commission of Inquiry, which has resulted in the Commission's head moving with a vengeance to eradicate the Cause of God.
The reason for My gratitude and thanks to that honoured Commission is this: in their first complaint they made Me deserving of every praise, eulogy, and honour, and attributed to Me a mighty miracle. For how could it be possible for a lone, lowly, helpless captive and stranger to acquire such power as to break the influence of a mighty state and establish a new government?
… Again, I thanked them for the second complaint, for it indicated My strength and power---nay, it was a great miracle. For I am a prisoner, and yet, in the very condition of imprisonment, I have been able to build a strong fortress wherein I might withstand great ships of war.
… As to the third complaint: how strange! Was the Government, with all its spies---whose number is as the sands---asleep throughout these two years? Or did a heavenly angel blind their eyes, so that they were heedless and failed to see that manifest banner waving over the heads of the tribes?
As to the fourth complaint: I am prepared to sell all My properties for only one thousand liras.