Passing of Abdu'l-Baha Sources

1922.01.04 - 'Abbas Adib (Damascus) to Zia Bagdadi (Chicago)

Star of West Vol 12 No 19 - p301-303

Letter from 'Abbas Adib to Zia M. Bagdadi, Chicago:

Damascus, Syria.

January 4, 1922.

My Dear Uncle:

Grief

Oh! what a calamity has befallen us by the departure of our beloved Master.

Foreknowledge and Sorrow

Several times in meetings during the year, up to the time I left Haifa, he said: "I have completed my work and duties in this world, and what is left will be done by the friends. I want to rest. The actions of the naqidin [violators] and others so injure me that if my heart be pierced with a spear, it will be much easier to bear than these actions. Suppressed sorrows will kill a man. If one should relate his sorrows to a friend, the sorrow will be removed from his heart, and he will be at ease. But if one shall keep it and does not speak it to others, it will work in him, make him sick and kill him. You do not know what is happening. I do not say anything." Such words were uttered by 'Abdu'l-Bahá many times.

A certain person was such a great stumbling block

in the path of the Beloved that he said to Bahadur:

"My soul has reached my lips because of his deeds."... He continued: "I want to rest for six months. The doctor does not allow me to work, read, or write."

Rests, Dismissals Pilgrims

To begin with he dismissed Mirzá AzIzu'lláh Bahadur and Ibn Asdaq, the latter to stay in Shiraz under the care of Mirza Baqir Khán; next he dismissed Shaykh Muhammad 'Ali, his son and Sayyid Mustáfa of Rangoon. A little later he dismissed Jináb-i Fadl and Subhi, the latter was told that when his services would be needed he would be called - meantime to go and teach in Persia. Not a pilgrim was left in Haifa.

Fri 18 Nov - A Cold

On Friday night, November 18, the Beloved had a cold.

Suicide - Abu'l-Hasan Afnan

That morning Mirza Abu'l-Hasan Afnan dismissed his servant and said he was going away. He wrote a supplication to the Beloved. Then the Afnan went to the seashore, about two hours walk, and threw himself into the sea. Some fishermen nearby took him out and notified the authorities. 'Abdu'l-Bahá send his automobile. I went with the Afnans and Dr. Lutfu'lláh and helped to bring his body home. The next day, when we carried the body from his house, the Beloved approached and assisted in carrying the casket to the carriage. I am sure the Master told him about His departure from this world and that because of it he threw himself into the sea.

Departing Soon said to one whose brother died

Another incident: Ten days before this a Bahá'i

[THE FUNERAL OF MIRZA ABU'L-HASAN AFNAN

Abdu'l-Bahá acted as one of the pallbearers only a few days before his own passing.]
Turk named Dr. Sulayman Rafat Bey, whose home is in Beirut, came to visit 'Abdu'l-Baha. The day after his arrival, a telegram came stating his brother had died. The shock overcame him. 'Abdu'l-Baha opened the windows, washed his face and head, rubbed the chest of the doctor, gave him some water mixed with spices, patted him on the back, embraced him, and consoled him. During this talk the Beloved said: "Don't be sorry. My departure from this world is very near." (Dr. Bey did not mention this until after the departure of 'Abdu'l-Baha, not quite a fortnight later.) The next morning the Master sent him to Beirut wth Ahmad Bey Yazdi and Munavvar Khanum....

Sat 26 Nov

On the morning of November 26, I left for Damascus. I arrived that night and communicated the news of the good health of the Master to the friends and my father.

Sun 27 Nov

On Sunday, at a meeting, we spoke of it.

Mon 28 Nov - Departed

Monday noon, a telegram came saying the Beloved had departed from this world....

Sun 27 Nov - Oranges and Lemons - Finished!

I heard that on Sunday, the twenty-seventh, 'Abdu'l-Baha sat in the garden under the apricot tree. He called Isma'il 'Aqa and asked for some fruit - tangerines, sweet lemons, and oranges. He ate some and distributed the others among the friends who were present. He rubbed his hands together and said:

"Finished, finished, finished." He arose and went to his room. That night he did not go to the meeting.

Midnight, Ascension

At
midnight he awoke, called the Greatest Holy Leaf, said good-bye to all and at 1:30 a.m. ascended to the Kingdom of Abha. Immediately, everybody was notifled and the weeping and wailing commenced.

Muslim "Last Time We Meet"

A few days after this ascension, a Muslim said to one of the Afnáns: "Some time ago, His Excellency, saw me and inquired about my work. He paid me a few pounds and said, 'This will be the last time we meet.' It did not occur to me that he meant he would ascend so soon...."

Violators

As to the náqidin, they surely gloated over the ascension of our Beloved. Muhammad-'Ali came to the house of mourning. Khusraw saw him and told him to wait for permission. The Greatest Holy Leaf sent this word to them by Ruhi Effendi: "Our Beloved does not allow and does not like you to come in, and if you come in you will add to our sorrows." He went away and wrote an article in the newspapers calling the Baha'is to turn to him, quoting extracts from the Covenant of His Holiness Bahá'u'llah. The Baha'i Assembly of Cairo answered him, and exposed his claim to leadership.

Epilogue

Kindly give my love and greetings to Zinat Khánum, Parvánih and Hubur Khánum. Shaykh 'Abdu'l-Rahman al-Hindi is present and greets you.

Your sincere nephew,

'Abbas Adib.

1922.01.16 - Cablegram Guardian Appointed

Src : Star of West S7-V12-N16-P258

(COPY OF CABLEGRAM)

January 16, 1922.

Haifa, Wilhelmite, N. Y.

In will, Shoughi Effendi appointed Guardian of Cause and Head of House of Justice. Inform American friends.

(Signed) GREATEST HOLY LEAF.