LAMENTATION OVER PRESENT DEGENERATION

But alas, alas for what we see today! All these spiritual virtues and humane practices have undergone a complete change. Concord has been replaced by dissension, constancy by cruelty and affection by enmity. Dissent and mutual avoidance have appeared in this community, and their concatenation hath been dissolved and their assembly dispersed. All this that hath been mentioned hath happened by reason of the love of self and seeking after supremacy emanating from \" the Most Mighty Branch \" (al-Ghusnu\'l-A\'zam) Abbas Efendi and his opposition to the last Testament of His Holiness our Great Master Baha\'u\'llah. For he [Baha\'u\'llah] says in Persian (may my life be sacrificed to his utterance!):

\" Every soul from which the scent of existence (i.e. love of self) is perceived to-day is the cause of discord.\"

DENUNCIATION OF ABBAS EFENDI (ABDUL BAHA)

He hath also informed us in most of His Tablets that His object in making manifest His Dispensation was to cause religious hatred to disappear from the World, and to diffuse love and concord and kindliness amongst the nations.

“ABDUL BAHA”

INSTANCES OF ABBAS EFENDI\'S ALLEGED AMBITIOUS ACTIONS.

But after His Ascension [i.e. His death] events took place and sayings became current which produced great discord and mutual avoidance within the community, by reason of what issued from Abbas Efendi, as has been stated, so that antagonism and separation arose between father and son, brother and sister, *husband and wife, and so forth; nay, God be our refuge! even enmity and hatred. In this connection I will mention certain events and matters which gradually came to pass after the death of His Holiness our Great Master Baha\'u\'llah, some of which I beheld with my own eyes, while others I heard from trustworthy witnesses. These I will briefly, lest the reader be wearied, so that the Guardians of the Divine House of Justice and all just and fair-minded people may be the better informed and admonished, and may set themselves to amend what Hath happened.

PART OF BAHA\'ULLAH\'S TESTAMENT HELD BACK BY ABBAS EFENDI

The first difference which happened after the death of His Holiness our Great Master within this community was that Abbas Efendi concealed some part of the book of [Bahau\'llah\'s] Testament entitled \" the Book of my Testament,\" which book was given to him by Baha\'ullah in his own holy writing\'¹

The detail of this is that on the ninth day after the Ascension [i.e. the death of Baha\'ullah] Abbas Efendi chose nine persons from amongst the Companions, one of whom was the author [of this book] and disclosed to them this document, concealing, however, a portion of it with a blue leaf [of paper] without any reason or justification, and gave it to them that they might enjoy the blessing of its perusal. One of them, named Aqa Riza of Shiraz, read it at a sign from him down to the place concealed by the blue leaf, whereupon Abbas Efendi said to the persons above mentioned, \" Verily a portion of this book is concealed for a good reason, because the time cloth not admit of its full disclosure.\" On the afternoon of that day Majdu\'d-Din Efendi read it again, by command of Abbas Efendi, in the Holy Place, before a company of the Aghsan (sons of Baha\'ullah), Afnan (kinsmen of the Bab), Muhajirin (Exiles), Mujawirin (settlers in \'Akka) and Musafirin (temporary visitors), down to the afore-mentioned passage, as narrated above. [The Arabic text of this Testament has been published in Russia. See section III infra]

Let it not be hidden from persons of discernment that the injunctions set forth in the above mentioned book all refer * to this community generally; how then could it be right for Abbas Efendi to disclose what he wished and conceal a portion thereof? For there is no doubt that if what was so concealed had not been suitable (for general publication) His Holiness Baha\'u\'llah would not have written it in His august writing.

The duty of sons is to carry out the testamentary instructions of their father, not to reveal a portion and conceal a portion thereof, according to their private ideas and opinions or personal inclinations, for His Holiness Baha\'ullah says: \" O (Divine) Beauty! Verily I have spent my soul and my spirit for the glorification of the Word and the exalting of the Dispensation of thy Glorious and Beneficent Lord. If we see one of the \'Branches\' (Aghsan, that is sons) otherwise than as God willeth, we will rightfully drive him away: verily I am the Mighty, the All-Powerful.\"

1. The Arabic text of this Testament has been published in Russia. See Section III Infra
* pg. 58.

NO FURTHER MANIFESTATION TO TAKE PLACE FOR 1000 YEARS.

The second difference was that His Holiness our Great Master hath said in numerous places in his Holy Scriptures, plainly and explicitly, that no fresh Manifestation shall take place until a full thousand years shall have passed from this Theophany; and that if anyone advances a claim to any such position before the completion of the above mentioned period, whosoever he be, and from whatsoever place he be, he is a vain pretender worthy of rejection; as when he says in the \" Most Holy Book \" (Kitab-i-Aqdas):

\" Whosoever layeth claim to a [new] Dispensation before the completion of a full thousand years is a liar and prevaricator... And whosoever construes this verse or interprets it otherwise than as it hath been obviously revealed is deprived of the Spirit of God, and of His Mercy which encompasseth all the worlds.\"

ABBAS EFENDI\'S CLAIM.

But Abbas Efendi after he had attained to supremacy, clearly and explicitly adopted the position of originality¹, and claimed such lofty stations and high degrees as belong exclusively to Divine Theophanies, and even proclaimed in public in America that he was the Messiah and the Son of God, and in India that he was the promised Bahram² . Thus he says in one of his writings:

\"The Dispensation in its entirety hath reverted to this visible place³, *and it is not (permissible) for anyone to stir after his permission.\"

“Abbas Efendi”

And again:

\" Whosoever calls on men in my Name, verily he is from me.\"

[But] His Holiness our Great Master says: \"Whosoever lays claim to any station, rapture, ecstasy or craving otherwise than in this [my] Name, verily he is of (the number of) the most lost, though he speak with all utterance⁴ and cause rivers to burst forth from rocks, and control the winds, and cause the clouds to rain.\"

Abbas Efendi says in Persian:

\" Say, \'the Goal and Sum of all are the products of this Pen, and the Proof is that which this tongue utters.\"\'

[But] His Holiness our Great Master says in Persian:

\" What this Oppressed One desireth of all is Justice and Equity. Let them not be satisfied with listening, but let them ponder on what bath been manifested by this servant.

By the Sun of the Bayan arising from the horizon of the heaven of the Kingdom of [God] the All-merciful, had there been found anyone (else) to explain or to speak, we would not have made ourselves the object of men\'s reviling and calumnies.\"

And again, in the \" Chapter of the Pen \" (Suratul-Qalam):

\" Say, \'Into the heart of whomsoever it entereth to rival this Pen**, or to associate himself therewith, or to approach it, or to know what is revealed by it, let it be surely known that the Devil bath whispered into his soul: thus hath the matter been revealed, if ye would know it.\"\'

Abbas Efendi says in Persian:

\" This servant is the expositor of the Perspicuous Book, and whatever of God\'s writings is not confirmed by this servant is not worthy of credence.\"

His Holiness our Great Master says:

\" The Covenant was taken at the time of the Dawn from those who believe that they should not worship (aught) save God, nor work mischief in the earth.\"

Abbas Efendi ascribes all the covenants and vows mentioned in the Sacred Books to himself, as his words prove. Thus he says in Persian:

\" In short, verily from the beginning of Creation until now there hath not happened or appeared any plain covenant or clear promise like unto this. Yea, there have been promises, but they were not ⁺ beneath the shadow of the Tree of Prophecy and the Lote-tree of the Limit, but were only suggested by allegories. But in this great Cycle and luminous Epoch the Object of the Covenant is visible in the horizons and the Centre of the Promise is known amongst the people of the world.\"

His Holiness our Great Master says in Persian:

\"Though one should adduce all the scriptures in the world, yet speak otherwise than as God willeth, he is mentioned in God\'s Book as of the Fire, and is [so] inscribed by the Supreme Pen.\"

Abbas Efendi says in Persian:

\" The Dispensation in its entirety reverts to the recognized and acknowledged place, and this Station is distinguished, witnessed and explicitly differentiated, like the Sun in all its phases, from all that is on the earth.\" And he has many other utterances of this sort in his treatise, available to all in a text lithographed from a copy made by one of his well-known disciples. Let him, therefore, who desires [further] information peruse this treatise entitled \" the Production of the Proof [Ityanu\'d-Dalil li-man yuridul-Iqbal ila siwais-Sabil, lithographed (in Egypt?) on Safar I, 1318 (=May 31, 190o). See pp. 188-9 Infra.], \" for therein is what amply sufficeth.

The third difference is that His Holiness our Great Master Baha\'u\'llah in many passages of his writings, as also in the Book of his [last] Testament, commanded this community to do away with discord, to extinguish the fire of sectarian hatred, and to consort with all religions with kindness and friendliness, as he says in Persian: [Compare pp. 64-5 supra, where the same passage is cited.]

\" By the Sun of Truth arising from the horizon of the heaven of this prison (i.e. Akka), never did the Beauty of Eternity desire strife and discord, or aught whereby (men\'s) hearts are troubled! Refer to the Tablets: He saith, \'Consort with [all] religions with spirituality and fragrance.\' The object of this Theophany is the extinction ⁺⁺of the fire of [page 61.]hatred kindled in the hearts of the creeds, and the abatement thereof by the Kawthar⁵ of the utterance of Divine Counsel and Celestial Admonition. In this very year, A.H. 1306 [=1888-9], a Tablet was revealed in the writing of this Oppressed one wherein this Sublime Word shone forth from the horizon of the Supreme Pen: \'O people, speak well of [God\'s] servants, and speak not of them evil, or that whereby their souls may be troubled.\' The mention of evil hath also been forbidden in this Law, because the tongue is for the commemoration of the Truth, and it is pitiful that it should be defiled by backbiting or uttering words which cause sadness and grief to [God\'s] servants.\"

He says also in Persian in \" the Book of my Will \":

\" The object of this Oppressed One in bearing hardships and afflictions is the revealing of Verses and the showing forth of Proofs, so that the fire of malice and hatred may be quenched; then perhaps the horizons of men\'s hearts may be illuminated with the light of concord and may attain to true Peace.\"

1. i.e. of being the bearer of a new Revelation and not merely the interpreter and maintainer of that given by Baha\'ullah
2. The expected Saviour of the Zoroastrians or Parsees.
3. meaning himself
* page 59.
4. Or, \"with all Bayan,\" i.e. with all utterance of the Bab
** i.e. Baha\'ullah himself
+ pg. 60
++ page 61
5. The name of a fountain or river in Paradise

ENMITY AND DISSENSION FOSTERED BY ABBAS EFENDI

And again in the same Book:

\'\'O people of the world ! God\'s religion exists for Love and Concord: do not make it a means to enmity and discord ! \" But Abbas Efendi hath nullified this most great gift and most high and glorious aim, since he, for his Enmity and private ends and personal aims, hath instituted hatred and discord amongst the people of Baha, in such wise that he hath introduced division and separation between brother and sister, fathers and sons, husband and wife, friend and old comrade; and whosoever does not agree with him in his ideas and statements, and does not speak evil concerning his brother Muhammad \'Ali Efendi \" the Most Great Branch \" (al-Ghusnu\'l-Akbar) and the Holy Family is accounted a \" violator\" (Naqiz) of the Covenant and a \" vacillator\" (Mutazalzil), nay, an infidel, wherefore they avoid him and hold it unlawful to speak, or converse, or have any dealings with him. Let it not be hidden from the intelligent that the causes of discord are numerous, but the author has not touched on them fully from a desire for brevity.

SCHISM AFTER BAHA\'ULLAH\'S DEATH

The sum of the matter is that this schism took place on account of what hath been mentioned, and for [other reasons] which have not been mentioned, so that this cleavage resulted, and this community became two communities. On the one hand are the followers of Abbas Efendi, who constitute the majority. Most of these believe him to be possessed of the Supreme Immaculacy and to be the Mirror of \" He doeth what He will,\" as is witnessed by their published treatises in handwritings well-known [to all]. They ascribe to him the high degrees and lofty stations peculiar to the Divine Manifestations, and name themselves \"the steadfast\" (ath-Thabitun).

MUHAMMAD ALI AND HIS FOLLOWERS

On the other hand are the minority, who find Abbas Efendi and his claim, his sayings, and his ideas at variance with the commands of His Holiness our great Master; who regard Muhammad \'Ali Efendi as submissive to God and obedient to the commands of His Holiness Baha\'u\'llah; and who conceive of him as of a finger who points to his Master, so that they agree and unite with him, and are called \" Unitarians\". (ahlu\'t-Tawhid).

When it became certain that a schism had taken place, Muhammad \'Ali Efendi and those who were with him, in conformity with the commands of His Holiness our Great Master, where he says in the Kitab-I-Aqdas:

\"If ye differ in any matter, refer it to God, so long as the Sun continues to shine front the horizon of this heaven;¹ and when it hath set, then refer to what hath been revealed by Him: verily that sufficeth the worlds ; and in another place in Persian:

\" O divers peoples, turn towards unity, and become illuminated with the Light of Concord: meet in some place in godly fashion, and put away from amongst you what ever is the cause of difference*

MUHAMMAD ALI\'S FOLLOWERS DEMAND A CONFERENCE

(- in accordance with these precepts, I say) they repeatedly communicated with Abbas Efendi asking him to appoint a sitting in godly fashion and to choose a few representatives from both sides to discuss the matter with the utmost loving-kindness as regards the disagreement and its causes; to make the efforts necessary to remove it; to weigh words and thoughts in the balance of God\'s Scripture; and to distinguish the Truth from all else by the criterion of His [Baha\'u\'llah\'s] words. Moreover they besought the acceptance of this proposal with the extreme of supplication and sincerity, and repeated their request many times, but obtained no answer from him [i.e. Abbas Efendi], nor would he in any wise consent to this, perceiving that reference to the verses explanatory [of this question] could be contrary to his private ideas and personal advantage, and knowing that the truth would be revealed by reference to them, and that all men would recognize the vanity of the ideas and expressions current in the assemblies of Abbas Efendi and the Family of the House of Greatness² statements and allegations at which reasonable people were horrified, paying no heed to the injunctions of His Holiness our Great Master where he enjoins in His honourable writings respect for the \" Branches \" (Aghsan), [i.e. as already explained, the sons of Baha\'ullah], wives and family, even as he says in the Book of His Testament, \"Respect and heed for the \'Branches\' (Agsan, i.e. sons) is incumbent upon all for the glorifying of the Dispensation and the uplifting of the Word.\"

1. \"so long as Baha\'ullah is alive.\"
2. i.e. other members of Baha\'ullah\'s family who rejected the claim of Abbas Efendi.
* pg.63

Source: www.BahaiFaith.com