God has manifested Himself

After the ascension of Bahá'u'lláh, Varqa, together with the same two children, went on pilgrimage to the presence of 'Abdu'l-Bahá. As in the past, 'Abdu'l-Bahá and His sister the Greatest Holy Leaf showed admiration and love for Ruhu'llah, and both enjoyed talking to him.

One day the Greatest Holy Leaf noticed that Ruhu'llah and his older brother 'Azizu'llah were playing in the garden. She called them in and they sat in her presence. Also present were Mirza Badi'u'llah and Mirza Diya'u'llah, the two sons of Bahá'u'lláh who later joined hands with Mirza Muhammad-'Ali, the Archbreaker of the Covenant of Bahá'u'lláh. The Greatest Holy Leaf, often referred to as 'Khanum', asked them what they said to people when teaching the Faith.

'We tell them', Ruhu'llah answered, 'that God has manifested Himself.'

Surprised at this remark, Khanum told them that surely they could not say such a thing straight away to people!

'We don't tell this to everybody,' responded Ruhu'llah, 'we only say it to those who have the capacity to hear such a statement. '

'How would you know such people?' asked Khanum.

'We look into their eyes and then know whether we can give them the Message,' replied Ruhu'llah.

Khanum laughed heartily and then beckoned Ruhu'llah to come close and look into her eyes to find out whether she had the capacity for hearing such words. In obedience to her request Ruhu'llah sat down opposite the Greatest Holy Leaf, looked intently into her eyes and then said, 'You already believe in these words. '

Then it was the turn of the two sons of Bahá'u'lláh. Ruhu'llah went close to them, looked searchingly into their eyes and sadly said to Khanum, 'They are not worth looking into!'

Truly, Ruhu'llah was no ordinary child.

(Revelation of Baha'u'llah volume four, by Adib Taherzadeh)

https://bahai-library.com/rev_bahaullah_4/taherzadeh_revelation_bahaullah_4.txt

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Baha'u'llah exhorts the believers not to associate with these people

From the early days of the Faith, Bahá'u'lláh made provision for the breakers of the Covenant of God to be kept out of the community of the believers. In this Tablet, as in many others, Bahá'u'lláh exhorts the believers not to associate with these people. 'Abdu'l-Bahá describes this action as similar to that of isolating an ill person who might otherwise spread a contagious disease to others.

(Revelation of Baha'u'llah volume four, by Adib Taherzadeh)

https://bahai-library.com/rev_bahaullah_4/taherzadeh_revelation_bahaullah_4.txt

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Ibn-i-Abhar aroused the believers to great heights of spirituality and particularly prepared them for martyrdom

Ustad 'Ali-Akbar took a leading role in the building of the House of Worship. But God had other plans for him. Barely six months had passed from the laying of the foundation stone when he received a Tablet from 'Abdu'l- Baha urging him to go on a visit to Yazd in the spring. He advised him not to hesitate or delay his departure. Ustad 'Ali-Akbar immediately arranged his affairs and in the spring of 1903, after twenty years of absence, he arrived in his native city. His arrival coincided with a period of unusual activity by the Bahá'ís of Yazd. Some well-known teachers of the Cause were coming and going, and the Bahá'ís were very active in teaching the Faith. The arrival of Ustad 'Ali-Akbar in particular created a stir among the non- Bahá'ís, who circulated rumours that he was about to build a Bahá'í House of Worship in Yazd. The people who lived in his neighbourhood were particularly angry, because over the years he had succeeded in converting many souls to the Faith in that area.

In the meantime, 'Abdu'l-Bahá despatched Jinab-i-Ibn-i-Abhar, one of the Hands of the Cause, to Yazd with a special mission. Some large gatherings were held and Ibn-i-Abhar aroused the believers to great heights of spirituality and particularly prepared them for martyrdom should the occasion arise. Consequently a great many souls stood ready to sacrifice their lives in the path of God. This was the summer of 1903, a few months after the arrival of Ustad 'Ali-Akbar. Ibn-i-Abhar left Yazd; he had hardly reached a neighbouring town when suddenly a great uprising against the Bahá'ís erupted in the city, which soon spread to several villages around Yazd. This was the greatest upheaval that had occurred in Persia during the Ministries of Bahá'u'lláh and 'Abdu'l-Bahá since the blood-bath of Tihran after the attempt on the life of Nasiri'd-Din Shah in 1852.

(Revelation of Baha'u'llah volume four, by Adib Taherzadeh)

https://bahai-library.com/rev_bahaullah_4/taherzadeh_revelation_bahaullah_4.txt

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Baha'i teacher Jamal Effendi's encounter with savage followers of Aga Khan (Ismaili Leader)

Between Kashmir and Tibet, Jamal Effendi had to encounter great numbers of the Isma'ili sect, followers of Aqa Khan-i-Mahallati. The majority of these people were bloodthirsty and savage. Because of much ill-treatment, he was disappointed and with a heavy heart... went to Balkh and Badakhshan in Afghanistan. The people in that area also treated him very badly,.. so he returned to Kashmir in 1889. From there he resumed his customary trips to various parts of India and later went to Burma ...

(Revelation of Baha'u'llah volume four, by Adib Taherzadeh)

https://bahai-library.com/rev_bahaullah_4/taherzadeh_revelation_bahaullah_4.txt

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Why Baha'is are unable to bring unity ?

“The fact that we imagine ourselves to be right and everybody else wrong is the greatest of all obstacles in the path towards unity, and unity is necessary if we would reach truth, for truth is one.”

('Abdu'l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 136)

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Violent upheaval and agony because of great failure to respond to Baha'u'llah's instructions

Shoghi Effendi:

"No doubt to the degree we Baha'is the world over strive to spread the Cause and live up to its teachings, there will be some mitigation of the suffering of the peoples of the world. But it seems apparent that the great failure to respond to Baha'u'llah's instructions, appeals and warnings issued in the 19th century, has now sent the world along a path, or released forces, which must culminate in a still more violent upheaval and agony. The thing is out of hand, so to speak, and it is too late to avert catastrophic trials."

- Unfolding Destiny, p.454

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That which harmeth Me is the conduct of those who, though they bear My name, yet commit that which maketh My heart and My pen to lament.

Thus have We commanded the faithful when the Daystar of the world shone forth from the horizon of Iraq. My imprisonment doeth Me no harm, neither the tribulations I suffer, nor the things that have befallen Me at the hands of My oppressors. That which harmeth Me is the conduct of those who, though they bear My name, yet commit that which maketh My heart and My pen to lament. They that spread disorder in the land, and lay hands on the property of others, and enter a house without leave of its owner, We, verily, are clear of them, unless they repent and return unto God, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.”

-Baha'u'llah

http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/b/ESW/esw-2.html

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Baha'is should not move against the opinion of the government

My object in telling the believers that they should not interfere in the affairs of government is this: That they should not make any trouble and that they should not move against the opinion of the government, but obedience to the laws and the administration of the commonwealth is necessary.

-Abdul Baha

http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/ab/TAB/tab-407.html

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Our Cause grows better in a repressive environment.

He (Abdul Baha) replied that, "In principle, we prefer freedom as it is one of the divine blessings and pleases God. However, this is not because freedom helps with the diffusion and propagation of our Cause, as it is the opposite — namely, our Cause grows better in a repressive environment."

https://bahai-library.com/qazvini_abdulbaha_prominent_iranians

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In those days, Baha'is were secretive

In those days, Baha'is were secretive and none would dare declare his faith openly, which was only reasonable and out of necessity. If a father was a believer, he would conceal it from his sons, and if a son was a believer, he would not dare admit it to any of his family, or for that matter, to other people. Baha'is would pray behind closed doors. The only family in which every member had become Baha'i, was the family of Jinab-i-Mirza Ibrahim Khayyat (the tailor).

(Crown of Glory, Aziz'u'llah Azizi)

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Muslim Shaykh's love for Baha'u'llah & Baha'u'llah's love for Law and Firman of Abdul Aziz!

One day I went to the Holy Presence of the Blessed Beauty and said: "the palace at Mazra'ih is ready for You, and a carriage to drive You there." (At that time there were no carriages in Akka or Haifa.) He refused to go, saying: "I am a prisoner." Later I requested Him again, but got the same answer. I went so far as to ask Him a third time, but He still said "No!" and I did not dare to insist further. There was, however, in Akka a certain Muhammadan Shaykh, a well - known man with considerable influence, who loved Baha’u’llah and was greatly favored by Him. I called this Shaykh and explained the position to him. I said, "You are daring. Go tonight to His Holy Presence, fall on your knees before Him, take hold of His hands and do not let go until He promises to leave the city!" He was an Arab. ... He went directly directly to Baha’u’llah and sat down close to His knees. He took hold of the hands of the Blessed Beauty and kissed them and asked: "Why do you not leave the city?" He said: "I am a prisoner." The Shaykh replied: "God forbid! Who has the power to make you a prisoner? You have kept yourself in prison. It was your own will to be imprisoned, and now I beg you to come out and go to the palace. It is beautiful and verdant. The trees are lovely, and the oranges like balls of fire!" As often as the Blessed Beauty said: "I am a prisoner, it cannot be," the Shaykh took His hands and kissed them. For a whole hour he kept on pleading. At last Baha’u’llah said, "Khayli khub (very good)" and the Shaykh's patience and persistence were rewarded. He came to me with great joy to give the glad news of His Holiness's consent. In spite of the strict firman of Abdu'l 'Aziz which prohibited my meeting or having any intercourse with the Blessed Perfection, I took the carriage the next day and drove with Him to the palace. No one made any objection. I left Him there and returned myself to the city. For two years He remained in that charming and lovely spot. [Esslemont, Baha’u’llah and the New Era page 48 - 50]

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‘Muhammad Shah issued Our death warrant, but instead his own life came to an end’ - “Go; have some watermelon.’’

While I was living in Mosul (in Iraq) I had been afflicted with indigestion and vowed at that time that I would never touch watermelon again unless Bahá’u’lláh Himself told me to. One afternoon I was in Mazra’ih. The Blessed Beauty, seated near the small pool, had just mentioned that ‘Muhammad Shah issued Our death warrant, but instead his own life came to an end’. Then, turning towards me, He said: “Go; have some watermelon.’’

(Furutan, Stories of Bahá’u’lláh, nr 70)

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When you begin to eat, begin with My Name

"When you begin to eat, begin with My Name El Abhá, and finish with the Name of God [“Yá Bahá’ul’Abhá” or “O Glory of the All-Glorious!"] the Possessor of the Throne and the earth."

(Provisional Translation of the Lawh-i-Tibb (Tablet of Medicine))

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