The reward of the sincere services

Republished by: Bahaismiran

As it was mentioned, the prayers of Abdul-Baha for the endurance of Ottoman Empire were spurious and untruthful because:

The three years which elapsed between the liberation of Palestine by the British forces and the passing of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá were marked by a further enhancement of the prestige which the Faith, despite the persecutions to which it had been subjected, had acquired at its world center, and by a still greater extension in the range of its teaching activities in various parts of the world. The danger which, for no less than three score years and five, had threatened the lives of the Founders of the Faith and of the Center of His Covenant, was now at long last through the instrumentality of that war completely and definitely lifted. ;”( Shoghi Effendi, Qarn-e Badi, vol.3, p.298, (Persian copy) .God passes by. Part 3, p.191, (English copy))

We reminded that Baha’i, even after the occupation of Palestine, was not propounded as a religion in the Ottoman region, so Shoghi Effendi’s expressions are not true. The dangers which are mentioned in his expressions are the spying accusations, and not the appearance of a new religion!

Thus, after the occupation of Palestine, Baha’is enjoy “A freedom from restrictions which was later expanded into a clearer recognition of the institutions of the Cause.”( Shoghi Effendi, Qarn-e Badi, vol.3, p.298, (Persian copy) .God passes by. Part 3, p.191, (English copy))

Although the sincere efforts of Abdul-Baha for the occupation of Palestine by the British army is called a humanistic affair by Shoghi Effendi, but by reading these two lines, the reason of his efforts becomes more apparent; a freedom from restrictions is rewarded of such an effort. Those sincere efforts had another advantage too:

“Nor were the British authorities slow to express their appreciation of the role which ‘Abdu’l-Bahá had played in allaying the burden of suffering that had oppressed the inhabitants of the Holy Land during the dark days of that distressing conflict. The conferment of a knighthood upon Him, at a ceremony specially held for His sake in Haifa, at the residence of the British Governor, at which notables of various communities had assembled.”( Shoghi Effendi, Qarn-e Badi, vol.3, p.299, (Persian copy) .God passes by. Part 3, p.192, (English copy))

Now let’s review the scene of conferment of Knighthood to Abdul-Baha:

- On the one hand, Abdul-Baha prays for the endurance of the Ottoman empire,

- On the other hand, Ottoman Empire tries to arrest and execute him on the accusation    of spying.

- At the same time, the British Empire is worried about the life of Abdul-Baha.

- And after all these events, the occupier forces confer the title of Knighthood to Abdul-Baha for his sincere services in the occupation of Palestine!

- It should be mentioned that when the invader forces of Britain arrived in Palestine, Abdul-Baha welcomed them and the large food supplies that had prepared secretly beforehand ,provided to them.

- Maybe this is one of the generous efforts of Abdul-Baha which is done for the abatement of the pains of people of the occupied country!( “chosen highway” ,lady Bloomfield, p.32)

Now the question is that Why did an invader country confer the title of knighthood to a nonnative citizen?

The title of knighthood

We wanted to know about the persons who receive this title, so we referred to the Colombia encyclopedia:

Knight… The title knight (Ger. Ritter, Fr. Chevalier) was later used as a noble title in Germany and France. In the French hierarchy of nobles the title chevalier was borne by a younger son of a duke, marquis, or count. In modern Britain, knighthood is not a title of nobility, but is conferred by the royal sovereign (upon recommendation of the government) on commoners and nobles alike for civil or military achievements. A knight is addressed with the title Sir (e.g., Sir John); a woman, if knighted in her own right, is addressed as Dame.(The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition, 2001-05, Columbia University.

The difference between knight and knighthood:

Knight is the one who received the title of knighthood.

According to the historical conditions of that period and besieging of Haifa by the British forces and the role of Abdul-Baha in the occupation of Palestine, it is obvious that conferring the title of knighthood to Abdul-Baha had some political and military reasons.

Prayer for the original master

After the victory of Britain Empire and occupation of Palestine in the 16^th October of 1918 A.D., Abdul-Baha sent a letter to the Baha’is of Iran and claimed that:

“… In these days, praise be to God, the dark clouds are shattered and the light of security and comfort are illuminating this land. The tyrant sovereignty is ruined and a fair government appears.”

As you see, Abdul-Baha believed in Ottoman Empire as tyrant sovereignty in contrary to his previous flattery and spurious prayer for its endurance and supposed the British Empire a divine grace for people. And then he claims that during the first world war, Baha’is didn’t experience hardship just because they obey the orders of Baha’u’llah and believed in this comfort as one of the miracles of Bahaullah. He says:

“It is a great miracle that cannot be denied by anybody except a guilty occupier.”

And then he claims:

“The sacred teachings of Baha’u’llah make the human world convenient and bright.”

Abdul-Baha describes his father’s miracle as follows:

“The justice and good politics of the glorious government of Britain had been mentioned in the blest tablets of Baha’u’llah, but now it became apparent. Actually, the people of this land experience convenience and comfort after the great damages.”( Makatib, vol.3, p.346)

It is strange that after the occupation of Palestine by British military forces, Abdul-Baha claims that the Baha’is didn’t damage by those attacks just because they obey the teachings of Baha’u’llah. One of these teachings that is a great miracle is Baha’u’llah’s confession about the justice and good politics of the glorious government of Britain and thus the prediction of Baha’u’llah about the justice of the British government was fulfilled when they occupied the Palestine. According to Abdul-Baha:

“The people of this land experience convenience and comfort after great damages”.

How great miracle is this foretelling! Because as you see after 90 years the people of Palestine are experiencing security and comfort under the auspices of Britain ,by the name of Israel!

In another letter, written on 17^th of September1918, on the honor of the glorious government of Britain, Abdul-Baha has supplicated to God as follows:

“O Thou Glorious Lord! Verily the royal court of justice has been established in throughout this land (Palestine)

O God! I praise Thou for the establishment of this righteous kingdom and this victorious government which exploit all of his forces to prepare comfort for people.

O Thou Glorious Lord! Assist the great emperor of Britain, the fifth George(10), by thy dive graces.

I hope his kindness and protection over this holy land will never cease.

O my God! I supplicate Thou to do all these with thy assist and confirm. Verily, Thou are omnipotent and eminent.”( Makatib, vol.3, p.347)

It should be reminded again that these purports are the same as the prayers of Abdul-Baha for the endurance and empowerment of the Ottoman Empire!

In the first article ,as you may remember, we narrated these prayers for the endurance of the glorious emperor of Russia either!

The mourning of the wolfish colonizer

The Great Britain Empire is really a thankful government. This gratitude became apparent when Abdul-Baha died.

The British Secretary of State for the Colonies, Mr. Winston Churchill(11), telegraphed immediately to the High Commissioner for Palestine, Sir Herbert Samuel(12), instructing him to “convey to the Baha’i Community, on behalf of His Majesty’s Government, their sympathy and condolence.” Viscount Allenby, the High Commissioner for Egypt, wired the High Commissioner for Palestine asking him to “convey to the relatives of the late Sir ‘Abdu’l-Bahá Abbás Effendi and to the Baha’i Community” his “sincere sympathy in the loss of their revered leader.”

The Commander-in-Chief of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force, General Congreve (13), addressed to the High Commissioner for Palestine a message requesting him to “convey his deepest sympathy to the family of the late Sir Abbás Baha’i.” General Sir Arthur Money (14), former Chief Administrator of Palestine, wrote expressing his sadness, his profound respect and his admiration for Him as well as his sympathy in the loss which His family had sustained.( Qarn-e Badi, vol.3, p.299, (Persian copy) .God passes by. Part 3, p.192, (English copy))

A historical analyst, by considering such a sincere feeling and sympathetic responses of the British General, will find out the sorry of Britain Empire by missing such a sincere servant; the one who had a key role in the occupation of Palestine. That’s why Sir. Herbert Samuel attended the funeral procedure of Sir. Abbas Effendi!

I apologize because I had to remind you the previous events again; the events of the execution of the Bab in which the Russian consult attended and cried spuriously for the Bab and was sympathizing his followers. But the simpleton Baha’is supposed those spurious feelings as a sign of the divinity and greatness of their leaders and surely those thoughts are inspired by their teachers and leaders!

The summary

1.    In the story of attack upon king Nasiridin’s life, Baha’u’llah seek asylum in Russia embassy and was supported by the ambassador, because he was accused of collaborating with the agents of terror.

2.    The Russian ambassador called him “a valuable trust of Russian government” and asked the Iranian Chancellor to protect him.

3.    Baha’u’llah was exiled to Iraq and some of the agents of the Russian embassy accompanied him.

4.    Baha’u’llah reminded the ambassador’s assistances and appreciated the Russian

Emperor ,and granted a position to him which cannot be known by anybody except God.

5.    Baha’is built their first House of Worship (Mashreq ul-adhzkar) in Ishqabad, with the support and assistances of the Russian government.

6.    Baha’is were ordered to pray for the endurance and empowerment of the Russia Empire.

7.    The prayers of Baha’u’llah and Abdul-Baha for the Russian emperor were not granted and the Russian empire was disintegrated by the Bolshevik revolution.