What follows is a provisional translation (in other words, not official or authorized; see here for more) of a talk that ‘Abdu’l-Bahá gave under a tent pitched on the roof of the Hotel Sulṭání in Port Sa‘íd, Egypt, on the evening of 19 June 1913. A transcript of the original Persian text of this talk has been published in Khiṭábát-i-Ḥaḍrat-i-‘Abdu’l-Bahá, vol. 3, pp. 76–78.
As the first few sentences of the original Persian text of this talk are recorded in the second volume of Mírzá Maḥmúd Zarqání’s chronicle (see p. 357), it seems reasonable to assume that he was the one who transcribed the full talk.
He is God
It is wondrous indeed that a gathering as grand as this one has been convened in Port Sa‘íd. It would be good if the kings [of ages past] were to lift up their heads from beneath the dust to behold how the ensigns of truth have been hoisted high and the banners of oppression hauled down! In Baghdád, a mujtahid by the name of Shaykh ‘Abdu’l-Ḥusayn [Ṭihrání] would secretly impart certain things whenever the opportunity presented itself, but the Blessed Beauty would respond. Among the things that man imparted was the following:
One night, he said to his close companions, “I saw in a dream that the king of Iran was sitting beneath a dome. He said to me, ‘Jináb-i-Shaykh, rest assured that my sword will exterminate the Bahá’ís.’ On that dome was inscribed ‘the Verse of the Throne’[1] in Latin characters.”
Through Zaynu’l-‘Ábidin Khán (the Fakhru’d-Dawlih), the Blessed Beauty relayed this message: “This was a veridical dream, for the Verse of the Throne was that same verse, even though it was written with Latin characters. That is, the Bahá’í Cause is that same divine Cause of Islám, but its script has changed—which is to say that the words have been altered, but their truth and meaning are unchanged. As to that dome, it represents the Cause of God. It encompasses and is ascendant over the king, who is himself in its shadow, and it will certainly prevail.”
Where now are that king and that shaykh, that they might behold how in the city of Port Sa‘íd, in the country of Egypt, a gathering such as this has come together underneath this tent, and see what a fine tent it is! It is most exquisite. Our opposers wished to wipe out the Cause of God, but that Cause only grew more exalted. “Fain would they put out the light of God with their mouths! But God hath willed to perfect His light,”[2] for God manifests His Cause, reveals His light, and perfects His bounty.
To continue, Baghdád was quickly thrown into a frenzy. A number of mujtahids—including Mírzá ‘Alí-Naqí, Siyyid Muḥammad, Shaykh ‘Abdu’l-Ḥusayn, and Shaykh Muḥammad-Ḥusayn—selected a well-known individual named Mírzá Ḥasan ‘Amú and sent him to meet with Bahá’u’lláh, Whose presence he attained through [the intermediation of] Zaynu’l-‘Ábidin Khán. He first posed scholarly questions and received sufficient answers. He then said, “When it comes to scholarly matters, it [Your knowledge] is indisputably clear. No one has any objection; all the clerics admit to it and are satisfied. However, these clerics have sent me to elicit things which are supernatural, in order to set their minds at ease.” “Very well,” Bahá’u’lláh replied, “But the Cause of God is not the plaything of children, just as it was revealed in the Qur’án through the tongue of cavillers, ‘They say: “By no means will we believe in Thee [Muḥammad] till Thou cause a fountain to gush forth for us from the earth . . . or Thou have a house of gold,”’[3] and elsewhere, ‘Or bring Thou God and the angels to vouch for Thee,’[4] and again, ‘Or Thou ascend to heaven, but [even then] we shall not believe in Thine ascent until thou send down to us a book.’[5] The response to all this was thus: ‘Say: Praise be to My Lord! Am I more than a man, an apostle?’[6] And yet I say, ‘Very well.’ You all, however, must reach a consensus and choose one thing which, if demonstrated, would leave no room for doubt on your part. Put this in writing, seal it, and submit it. I will then send someone to perform that thing.”
Mírzá Ḥasan ‘Amú was satisfied, and he remarked, “I have nothing more to say.” With difficulty, he kissed the hand of Bahá’u’lláh, took his leave, and informed the clerics—but they did not consent [to Bahá’u’lláh’s proposal], suspecting that He might be a sorcerer. However much Mírzá Ḥasan ‘Amú said, “O clerics! You are the ones who sent me, you are the ones who wanted this, and now you have disgraced us,” it was of no avail. All are aware of this episode.
A while thereafter, Mírzá Ḥasan ‘Amú went to Kirmánsháh, where he reported this matter, in full, at a gathering held by the ‘Imádu’d-Dawlih, the governor of that province. When one of those present, the dervish Mírzá Ghawghá—a secret believer [in the Cause] and spiritual mentor to the ‘Imádu’d-Dawlih—heard this account, he wrote [about it] to Baghdád and the other areas in its vicinity. The aforementioned Mírzá Ḥasan [‘Amú] similarly gave a complete report of the matter at a gathering in Ṭihrán held by Mírzá Sa‘íd Khán, the foreign minister—and since the late Mírzá Riḍá-Qulí was in attendance, he wrote down the account.
My object is to show that these kinds of insidious messages [by Shaykh ‘Abdu’l-Ḥusayn] and the opposition of the king bore no fruit; the Cause of God prevailed. Now praised be God that the East is illumined and the West perfumed! When we were departing Ṭihrán for Baghdád, there was not a single believer along the way. On this journey,[7] however, whichever city in the West we passed through, we found Bahá’ís there. In places that had not heard it before—such as Denver, Dublin, Buffalo, Boston, Brooklyn, Montclair, Montreal, and so on—the call of God was raised:
No tumult in the town or city’s there
But for the curling lock of the Friend’s hair
No stir in all the world does one find now
Except the curve of that Companion’s brow[8]
The call of God was raised in such a way that every ear relished it—every soul was stirred by it and every mind astonished at it—inquiring, “What call is this that has been raised? What star is this that is rising?” One soul would be astounded, another would investigate, and yet another would adduce proofs. They would all declare that the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh are truly without peer—that they are the spirit of this age and the light of this century.
At most, one would object that the Gospel includes similar teachings, to which we would reply, “Among these teachings is the oneness of humanity; in which of the Books [of the New Testament] can this be found? Show us! And universal peace—in what Book is this written? And that religion must be the cause of love and fellowship, and that without these the lack of religion would be preferable—in which Book is this stated? And that religion must accord with sound reason and accurate science—in what Book is this mentioned? And equality between men and women—in which Book does one find this? And the abandonment of sectarian, religious, national, political, and racial prejudices—what Book contains this?” And so on and so forth.
That is all!
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[1] A reference to Qur’án 2:255, Rodwell’s translation of which reads: “God! There is no God but He; the Living, the Eternal; Nor slumber seizeth Him, nor sleep; His, whatsoever is in the Heavens and whatsoever is in the Earth! Who is he that can intercede with Him but by His own permission? He knoweth what hath been before them and what shall be after them; yet nought of His knowledge shall they grasp, save what He willeth. His Throne reacheth over the Heavens and the Earth, and the upholding of both burdeneth Him not; and He is the High, the Great.”
[2] Qur’án 9:32.
[3] Qur’án 17:90 and 17:93.
[4] Qur’án 17:92.
[5] Qur’án 17:93.
[6] Qur’án 17:93.
[7] ‘Abdu’l-Bahá is referring to His travels to the United States and several countries in Europe, which He had just concluded about a week earlier.
[8] A verse from an ode by Sa‘dí.
A typescript of the original Persian text of this talk appears below.
Adib Masumian 