Baha’is in Abu-Sinan
As noted earlier, by September 1914, `Abdu’l-Baha sent all Baha’is to
Abu-Sinan and himself remained in commute between `Akka-Haifa and that village.
During this time, he closed the door of association to all and would neither
meet with anyone, nor receive any correspondence. He kept only one believer in
`Akka, and permitted Haji Mirza Haydar-`Ali to remain in Haifa’s pilgrim house
(mostly due to his advanced age and ill health). All other believers remained
far from the turmoil and this precaution proved necessary since, in addition to
other considerations, it silenced the enemies of the Cause.
`Abdu’l-Baha’s family, which included, Bahiyyih Khanum (his sister),
Munirih
Khanum (his wife), his daughters and respective families and the American Miss
Edith Sanderson and Lua Getsinger, settled in the residence of the village
headmaster, Shaykh Salih, who displayed enormous respect towards him and the
family, and his sons, Shaykh Salman and Shaykh Yusuf, eagerly and warmly
welcomed the Baha’is. “They considered [`Abdu’l-Baha’s] presence in their midst
a profound source of bounty, honor and distinction, and his shadow, the fount
of their everlasting happiness and salvation.” Once every few days,
`Abdu’l-Baha would come to Abu-Sinan to visit the Baha’is and oversee the
affairs. After a stay of one or two nights, he would return to `Akka or Haifa.
Most of the dwellings in the village were dilapidated farmhouses, which the
Baha’is temporarily rented.
`Abdu’l-Baha instructed Mirza Badi` Bushru’i who had recently completed his
college training in Beirut, to set up a school for children, which consisted of
twenty-five students, mainly the children of `Abdu’l-Baha’s household, Baha’i
residents and Druze chiefs.
Dr. Habib Mu’ayyad, a recently graduate of the Beirut medical school, was asked
to set up a dispensary. The latter step was particularly important since all
the Ottoman physicians were taken to the battlefronts and there was an acute
shortage of medical personnel. Lua Getsinger served as the anesthetic
technician to Dr. Mu’ayyad (or occasionally Badi` Bushru’i would assist in this
regard). This room, which served as Mu’ayyad’s infirmary, also served as the
Baha’i pilgrim house where visitors would stay.
Baha’i community lived most modestly and the strictest economy was the rule.
Their food was simple: lentils, dried beans, olives and their oil, and
sometimes mile, eggs, and even some goat’s meat. ‘Abdu’l-Baha had taught the
Baha’is to grow vegetables, which, with the corn from his village of
`Adasiyyih, kept many from perishing of hunger. The air was pure and fresh,
and the community quickly settled into a new routine.
On his regular visits, `Abdu’l-Baha brought any news from the outside world
that was available, and would first visit his family, asking about the health
of each one separately. There were some American guests in the early days, but
‘Abdu’l-Baha thought it unwise for them to remain. They left by the last boat
that went from Haifa to Alexandria in January 1915, and everyone was relieved
when the American Baha’is had succeeded in reaching safety.
The Shaykh and his sons would gather in the divan. This was the reception room,
vast and comfortable, of the male portion of the family. Here, with their
friends and guests, they waited to hear any news `Abdu’l-Baha might bring. They
loved him, trusted him, and honored him, with all their hearts, feeling and
believing that his wisdom grasped the future as well as the present. Prayers
were chanted at these gatherings, the Druze joining with the Baha’is. For five
months there was no word from any part of the outside world.
Sometimes the governor of `Akka, or the Commandant, the Chief Magistrate, the
Mufti, or other high officials, would come to visit ‘Abdu’l-Baha, staying one
or two nights, as guests at the village. All consulted him on many questions
regarding the feeding or otherwise caring for the people during this time of
difficulty, and many other problems were discussed. Great was his wisdom. He
answered many questions and explained many incidents.
What follows is a glimpse into the daily life of `Abdu’l-Baha during this
period and some of his utterances as captured mainly by Dr. Mu’ayyad. These are
arranged in a chorological order.
30 October to 1 November 1914
For three days `Abdu’l-Baha and several Baha’is tarried at Bahji, staying at a
building connected to the Shrine of Baha’u’llah, which served as Bahji’s
pilgrim house. In the morning and evening, `Abdu’l-Baha led the believers to a
visit at the Shrine, where he chanted the Tablet of Visitation. Also, twice
daily, for 20 minutes each time, he himself pumped water for the trees and
plants in the gardens surrounding the Shrine.
On November 1, early in the afternoon, `Abdu’l-Baha instructed everyone
to
leave for Abu-Sinan onboard his carriage. En route they were greeted by the
locals who would recognize the carriage and would immediately showed great
humility and respect towards `Abdu’l-Baha, and would approach him and kiss his
hands with reverence and affection. The carriage stopped at a military camp,
where `Abdu’l-Baha alone went to meet the commander, who had recounted their
defeat in the Battle of Sarab though they numbered 70,000 strong. When
`Abdu’l-Baha returned to the carriage, he spoke about the history of the Baha’i
community with the Druze as a way to prepare the group for their long stay at
Abu-Sinan:
The Blessed Beauty journeyed to the village of Yirkih three times. On
the
first visit, I walked at the side of Baha’u’llah’s steed until the proximity of
Abu-Sinan. Those days were marvelously pleasant! Turks have a saying, “The
memory and reminiscence of those days are worth the world!”
At one time, after eight or nine years of confinement in `Akka, [my
uncle] the
late Mirza Muhammad-Quli and I came out to explore the countryside. The trees
had only recently blossomed, the countryside was most enchanting, and we
immensely enjoyed the scenery. There, the late [Mirza Muhammad-Quli]
encountered a friend and inquired about his destination. The friend responded,
“I am going to Abu-Sinan and Yirkih.” My late [uncle] sighed in sadness, and I
said to him, “Do not be sad, for one day we shall do the same.” Now, every time
I visit this village, I think of him.
Upon arrival, `Abdu’l-Baha joined his family as guests of Shaykh Salih. That
evening, Shaykh Salih organized a large feast in the main hall of his
residence, where a number of Baha’is and others were present. `Abdu’l-Baha
spoke about the need of “wise and sound policies” in political affairs, noting
that the European leaders were not prudent and their actions had lead to the
raging World War. He gave the example Mirza Abu’l-Qasim Farahani, known as the
Qa’im-Maqam (d. 1835), who as Fath-`Ali Shah’s Prime Minister, had prevented
serious bloodshed during the Russian-Iranian War.
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