<pi>

BAHA'I PILGRIMAGE

<pii>

This Holy Land hath been mentioned and extolled in all the sacred Scriptures.
In it have appeared the Prophets of God and His chosen Ones. This is the wilderness
in which all the Messengers of God have wandered, from which their cry, "Here am I,
here am I, O my God" was raised. This is the promised Land in which He Who is the
Revelation of God was destined to be made manifest. This is the Vale of God's
unsearchable decree, the snow-white Spot, the Land of unfading splendour. Whatever
hath come to pass in this Day hath been foretold in the Scriptures of old.[1]
{Baha'u'llah}
.......... [1. Baha'u'llah, {Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah} (Wilmette,
IL: Baha'i Publishing Trust, 2nd edn 1976), no. CLXII, para. 7.]

<piii>

BAHA'I PILGRIMAGE
Denny Allen and Lesley Taherzadeh

GR GEORGE RONALD OXFORD <piv>

GEORGE RONALD, Publisher

www.grbooks.com

Denny Allen and Lesley Taherzadeh-O'Mara 2005

All Rights Reserved

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

ISBN 0-85398-487-5

Typeset by Steiner Graphics

Origination by Blenheim Colour, Eynsham, Oxfordshire
Printed in China by C & C Offset Printing Co., Ltd.

<pv>

CONTENTS

Acknowledgements VI

A Brief Chronology VII

Preface IX

'Akka 1

The House of 'Abbud 19

The Mansion of Mazra'ih 31

The Ridvan Garden 43

The Mansion of Bahji 55

The Shrine of Baha'u'llah 8l

The House of 'Abdu'llah Pasha 93

The House of the Master 107

The Terraces on Mount Carmel 115

The Shrine of the Bab 131

The Baha'i International Archives 143

The Monument Gardens 151

The Arc 159

Around Haifa 183

Notes 197 <pvi>

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

During my visit to the Baha'i World Centre to take photographs for this book,
many new (and some old) friends helped me to make the most of my short time in the
Holy Land. I would like to thank them all, and especially:

members of the Audio-Visual Department, who accompanied me from sunrise to

sunset and provided excellent organization and support. To Dean Wilkey, Jean Reece
Wilkey and the team--you made my stay a pleasure.

the Office of Holy Places, who ensured that the rooms in the Holy Places
photographed were set up exactly as a pilgrim would see them.

the Mount Carmel Projects Office, who on six different occasions lit up the
mountain for evening photography.

the Custodians of the Holy Places, who assisted in preparing their areas for
photography and ensured that everything was in place.

all the "youth year of service" volunteers: guards, gardeners and "jannies"
(janitorial service), who would gently remind me on so many occasions--until they
got to know me and the project I was working on--to stay off the grass. And who
then enthusiastically assisted in getting the leaves swept, the carpet fringes
looking neat, a locked gate opened, etc. To the volunteer youth who take so much
pride in their work--you are an absolute delight to be with! I shall never forget
you.

I would also like to thank May Hofman of George Ronald, who edited the book,
assisted with book design and general guidance, and brought the project to
fruition; Rene Steiner, who realized the final layout of the book; and Lesley
Taherzadeh, who not only wrote the text and consulted with me to set up a
photography "shot list", but who also guided me through 'Akka and braved the swamps
and barbed wire around the aqueduct.

Most of all, I thank the Universal House of Justice, who supported this
project with loving encouragement and who gave permission for photographs of the
Holy Places, both exterior and interior views, to be reproduced in this book.

Denny Allen
 <nd>

I wish to thank Denny Allen, who conceived the idea for this book and kindly
asked me to work with him on it. It has been exciting and fun. Thank you, Denny,
for your patience , when I found it difficult to write.

I am grateful also to my late and beloved husband Adib, who immediately

embraced the idea and encouraged me in the initial stages. My children Maryam and
Bahhaj have encouraged me more than they will realize and for this I thank them
too.

Thanks also to Carole Allen who read parts of the manuscript, and to Fariba
Ferdowsi who came up with ingenious suggestions to ease the writing process.

To May Hofman, who in a beautiful consultation in the Holy Land grasped the
concept that Denny and I had evolved and carried it to fruition in ways which have
amazed us in their faithful realization of our vision.

Finally, my gratitude goes to my dearest friend and husband Paddy O'Mara who
has constantly encouraged me in his own unique way, reading drafts and re-drafts
and offering creative suggestions which gave me direction and the courage to keep
going.

Lesley Taherzadeh-O'Mara

<pvii>

A BRIEF CHRONOLOGY

1868
Arrival of Baha'u'llah and the exiles in 'Akka

1870
Martyrdom of Mirza Mihdi in the prison

1871
Baha'u'llah takes up residence in the House of 'Udi Khammar

1872
Marriage of 'Abdu'l-Baha and Munirih Khanum

1873
Revelation of the Kitab-i-Aqdas

1877
Baha'u'llah takes up residence in the Mansion of Mazra'ih and visits the Ridvan
Garden for the first time

1879
Baha'u'llah takes up residence in the Mansion of Bahji

1886
Passing of Asiyih Khanum, entitled Navvab, in 'Akka

1890 and 1891

Baha'u'llah visits Haifa, reveals the Tablet of Carmel and indicates the site of
the future Shrine of the Bab

1892
Passing of Baha'u'llah at Bahji

1896
'Abdu'l-Baha moves to the House of 'Abdu'llah Pasha
Birth of Shoghi Effendi in the House of 'Abdu'llah Pasha

1897
Arrival of the first Western pilgrims

1899
The sacred remains of the Bab arrive secretly in 'Akka and are concealed in the
House of 'Abdu'llah Pasha

1901
Renewal of incarceration of 'Abdu'l-Baha in the city of 'Akka. Work on the
construction of the Shrine of the Bab progresses nonetheless

1908
'Abdu'l-Baha freed

1909
'Abdu'l-Baha inters the sacred remains of the Bab in the Shrine on Mt. Carmel

1909-1910
'Abdu'l-Baha moves to Haifa <pvii>

1910-13
'Abdu'l-Baha's journeys to the West

1921
Passing of 'Abdu'l-Baha in Haifa. Shoghi Effendi takes up his duties as Guardian of
the Cause

1932
Passing of Bahiyyih Khanum, the Greatest Holy Leaf Shoghi Effendi builds a
befitting monument to her near the Shrine of the Bab

1937
Marriage of Shoghi Effendi to Mary Maxwell (Amatu'l-Baha Ruhiyyih Khanum)

1938
Passing of Munirih Khanum, wife of 'Abdu'l-Baha

1939
Development of the Monument Gardens and reinterment there of Navvab, wife of
Baha'u'llah, and of His son Mirza Mihdi. Shoghi Effendi announces the future
construction of the Baha'i World Centre "in the shape of a far-flung arc"
surrounding the Monument Gardens

1944
Shoghi Effendi begins the construction of the superstructure of the Shrine of the
Bab and of the terraces on Mount Carmel

1951
Shoghi Effendi begins the development of the gardens at Bahji surrounding the
Shrine of Baha'u'llah

1953
Completion of the superstructure of the Shrine of the Bab
1954-7
Construction of the International Baha'i Archives

1957
Passing of Shoghi Effendi

1963
Election of the Universal House of Justice

1972-82
Construction of the Seat of the Universal House of Justice

1973
Establishment of the International Teaching Centre

1980
Announcement of the Arc and Terraces project

2001
Arc and Terraces project completed

<pix>

PREFACE

To go on pilgrimage has significance and meaning in every religion and

culture. It is an act of reverence, an act of worship, of witness, of faith. To be
a pilgrim requires of us that we leave behind--however temporarily--our everyday
lives. We hope through pilgrimage to come to a deeper spiritual understanding, not
only of our religion, but of the world and of our own existence. Returning to our
homes, we carry with us memories that will forever enrich our lives and the lives
of those around us.

For many, the act of pilgrimage is a once-in-a-lifetime experience; for

others, it is a longing that can never be fulfilled. A few fortunate ones will be
pilgrims several times over.

This book, about the pilgrimage of Baha'is to the Holy Places at the world
centre of their Faith, is intended both for those who have been on pilgrimage and
for those who have not yet had that bounty, or who are unable to go. While nothing
can come anywhere near the experience of being in the Baha'i Holy Places, yet it is
hoped that this book may renew precious memories and offer a small taste of what it
is like to be a Baha'i pilgrim.

This is more than a pictorial journey. The photographs invite meditation and
reflection. The commentary by Lesley Taherzadeh, who served at the Baha'i World
Centre as an official guide to the pilgrims for more than a decade, has been
written in the same vein as her memorable explanations to the pilgrims: "As I saw
it, my role was to facilitate their experience and to bring alive for them the
history� of the Holy Places, and then to stand back and let them each have their
own individual experience."

The publisher <px>

<p1>

'AKKA
<p2>

'Akka--a small gem of a city, prized for its port for thousands of years. But
by the mid�nineteenth century it was a prison. It had been captured and recaptured
by a succession of peoples only to become, sadly, home to murderers, thieves and
the worst criminals of the Ottoman Empire. Rife with disease, 'Akka was infested
with fleas, and emanated a filthy stench.

As we approach 'Akka today we first see the striking skyline with the domes
and minarets of the mosques, the flat-roofed eastern houses and the terracotta
tiled roofs of European influence. The city is surrounded by a high wall of stone,
built and refortified over the centuries, eroded by attack and the salt-spray of
winter--stone which has mellowed and speaks of the pain, the suffering and the joy
experienced within its walls.

Baha'is visit 'Akka now because in August of 1868 Baha'u'llah was brought
here as a prisoner along with over seventy of His followers. He was left here to
die.

At that time the city, totally encircled by its impenetrable walls, had only
two entrances, the heavily guarded land gate, and the sea gate approachable only
from the sea. Baha'u'llah first set foot in the city at the sea gate.

The prisoners approached the city by sailing ship--a dirty boat with no
facilities. Baha'u'llah and His followers were on the deck of the ship with no
shelter from the burning sun of late August. It was a hot, airless day with no
breeze, so that the boat took long hours to cross the bay from Haifa to 'Akka. On
arrival in this hellish spot, they were met by crowds of people. Criminals, and
others who had heard that the "God of the Persians" was arriving, came to shout
curses and insults, thus heightening the horror of this unknown and threatening
situation. <p3> <p4> <p5>

Baha'u'llah Himself speaks of this moment of arrival. He says, "We were

welcomed with banners of light", and goes on to say, "soon will all that dwell on
earth be enlisted under these banners".[2] The spiritual reality was the complete
antithesis of the physical moment. In the spiritual realms this was a moment of
triumph.
.......... [2. Baha'u'llah, quoted by Shoghi Effendi, {God Passes By} (Wilmette,
IL: Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1965), p. 184.]

Baha'u'llah passed through the old 'wooden gate, part of which still hangs
here today. He turned into the narrow crowded 'Akka streets, hemmed in on every
side by jostling crowds eager to catch a glimpse of the new arrivals.

We know the route taken that day from the sea gate through a covered alleyway
past the Khan-i-'Avamid, later to have long associations with the believers, on by
a winding route to the market place where probably the crowd thickened and the
stench grew stronger. <p6>

There was a pause at the police station in the centre of the market. Here
Baha'u'llah was interrogated. He then continued on through the dark narrow ways
past the Mosque, where a short time later the edict stating the conditions of His
imprisonment was read to the population. At last He climbed the stairs leading to
the entrance of the prison. This was a prison within a prison. The heavy doors
virtually closed behind Baha'u'llah for two years, confining Him to a bare cell to
which no one was to have access.

Entering the wing of the prison where these years were spent, we climb stairs
added later outside the building. Inside we cross a large open area surrounded by
small cells. One of these was occupied by Baha'u'llah, the others by the close
members of His family including His eldest son 'Abdu'l-Baha. The cell occupied by
Baha'u'llah was a bare room with windows facing the sea on one side and the dirty
and pestilential city on the other. Here He slept on a mat on the floor. <p7>

The room was unfit for habitation. The floor was covered by earth, and what
plaster remained on the ceiling was falling. The area was exposed to the sea winds
of winter, and often lacked a breeze to relieve the humid stillness of the heat in
summer. Many Tablets were revealed by Baha'u'llah here, among them some of those He
wrote to the kings and rulers of the world.

During the time here, the tragic loss of Mirza Mihdi, the son of Baha'u'llah,
was sustained by the Holy Family. This young brother of 'Abdu'l-Baha had a habit of
walking on the roof of the prison in the evenings. He would pace up and down,
praying and meditating. One evening he stepped on a skylight on the roof and fell
to the floor beneath. There were some packing cases sitting in the area at the time
and he was seriously injured when a sliver of wood pierced his lung. Baha'u'llah
Himself came immediately to the side of His son and offered to save his life. But
Mirza Mihdi said that he wished to give his life, so that the gates of the prison
might be opened and that the believers would have access to the presence of
Baha'u'llah. This desire was granted, and the next day Mirza Mihdi passed away. Not
long after this the believers were indeed allowed to enter the prison and the
presence of Baha'u'llah.

Baha'u'llah made the following striking statement about the passing of his
son: "I have, O my Lord, offered up that which Thou hast given me, that Thy
servants may be quickened and all that dwell on earth be united."[3]
.......... [3. Baha'u'llah, quoted by Shoghi Effendi, {Messages to America}
(Wilmette, IL: Baha'i Publishing Committee, 1947), p. 34]

The sacrifice of the son of Baha'u'llah has been equated in the Baha'i
Writings with the great religious sacrifices of the past. <p8>

Baha'i pilgrims travelled from Iran on foot, a long and tortuous journey
often taking five or six months. Most of the travelling was done at night, free
from the burning sun. The pilgrims would sleep during the hot mid-day hours.

In the early weeks and months of Baha'u'llah's incarceration many had to

content themselves with seeing His hand waving to them from a distance. They would
prepare themselves for this pilgrimage in a state of great attraction and devotion,
washing their clothes, praying and approaching this moment with love and gratitude.
To see the hand of Baha'u'llah wave to them from the windows of His prison <p9> was
enough to fire them with enthusiasm and send them back to Iran determined to give
their lives in service to this mighty Prisoner.

Bahiyyih Khanum, the Greatest Holy Leaf, daughter of Baha'u'llah, has written
her impression of the visit of one of the believers named Nabil, who would stand
beyond the wall of the fortress, "From this point he could see the windows of those
three little rooms of our prison; here he would wait and watch for the rare and
much-coveted happiness of seeing the hand of Baha'u'llah waving from the small
middle window."[4]
.......... [4. Quoted by Sara, Lady Blomfield, {The Chosen Highway} (London: Baha'i
Publishing Trust, 1940), p. 68.] <p10>

Gradually the believers found ways and means of entering the city, sometimes
In disguise as Arab traders, sometimes pulled up over the walls with ropes. It was
not easy, because some of the enemies of Baha'u'llah had situated themselves close
to the land gate for the express purpose of identifying His followers to the
authorities and having them thrown out of the city.
 The first believer to attain the presence of Baha'u'llah within the prison
city was Haji Amin. He managed to enter the city and met some of the believers in
the street. They told him to go to the public bath. From time to time Baha'u'llah
was permitted to leave the prison in order to visit the bath. They told Haji Amin
to go there and wait. They told him that when Baha'u'llah came there, he should not
show any sign of recognition. He should just be there in His presence and remain
calm and quiet. Haji Amin waited in the bath, but of course, as soon as Baha'u'llah
appeared, he became so happy and excited to be in the presence of the Manifestation
of God that he began to tremble from head to foot. He actually fell over and
cracked his head on the stone floor. Baha'u'llah later revealed a Tablet for Him
confirming that he was the first to attain His presence in the prison city. <p11>
<p12>

It is with a feeling of excitement and anticipation that we make our way

through the narrow streets from the land gate to the Kham-i-'Avamid. 'Akka is still
crowded today; the buildings have changed little since the time of Baha'u'llah and
on a hot summer day, here and there, there is a stench in the air reminding us of
the conditions at that time. When Baha'u'llah was at last released from the prison,
His son 'Abdu'l-Baha settled some of the believers in this caravanserai.[5] At that
time He rented eleven different locations in His efforts to accommodate over
seventy people in this filthy crowded city populated by criminals.
.......... [5. A caravanserai was an inn where trading would rake place and where a
traveller could rent a room and stable his donkey or camel.]

Two rooms in a corner of this caravanserai became the first Baha'i Pilgrim
House. 'Abdu'l-Baha himself would come here and prepare the pilgrims physically and
spiritually for the moment when they would attain the presence of Baha'u'llah. They
would spend their days here assisting with the preparation of meals, awaiting the
precious moments they would spend with the One Who was the object of their physical
and spiritual journey. Here is the testimony of one such pilgrim, his expression of
the rapturous moments spent close to Baha'u'llah:

"His blessed person appeared in the form of a human being, but His very
movements, His manners, His way of sitting or standing, eating or drinking, even
His sleep or wakefulness, were each a miracle to me. Because His perfections, His
exalted character, His beauty, His glory, His most excellent titles and most august
attributes revealed to me that He was peerless and without parallel..."[6]
.......... [6. Testimony of Haji Mirza Haydar-'Ali, quoted by Adib Taherzadeh, {The
Revelation of Baha'u'llah} (Oxford: George Ronald, 1988), vol. 4, p. 135.] <p13>
<p14>

'Abdu'l-Baha would sometimes stay overnight in the caravanserai. Here is His

own account of his encounter with the fleas of 'Akka:

"The floor consisted of humid earth, a breeder of fleas. I had a piece of mat
and a long Persian fur coat. It was my seat by day and my coverlet by night. When I
covered myself with it an army of fleas hiding in the ambuscade of the fur attacked
me and tried their best to defeat me, but I defeated them by turning the coat and
covering myself with the other side. For one hour I slept, then the wily,
indomitable fleas found their way again to the inner side. Every night I had
recourse to this manoeuvering eight or ten times."[7]
.......... [7. {Star of the West}, vol. 8, 4 November 1917, pp. 173-4.] <p15> <p16>
<p17>

The coming of Baha'u'llah to 'Akka was soon acknowledged by the inhabitants

of the city to be a blessing. Baha'u'llah did everything possible to improve their
situation. One of the governors, Ahmad Big Tawfiq, who was very friendly to
Baha'u'llah, asked if he could do something for Him. Baha'u'llah replied that He
did not wish anything for Himself, but asked that the aqueduct, which had fallen
into a dilapidated state, be repaired so that fresh water would again flow from the
springs of Kabri to the city. Ahmad Big arranged for this to be done.

<p18>

Blessed the man that hath visited 'Akka, and blessed he that hath visited the
visitor of 'Akka.[8]
.......... [8. The Prophet Muhammad, quoted by Shoghi Effendi, {God Parses By}, p.
184.]

Islamic tradition

<p19>

THE HOUSE OF 'ABBUD

<p20>

As we arrive at the House of 'Abbud, the residence for some years of

Baha'u'llah Himself, and for many years of 'Abdu'l-Baha, the eye is drawn to the
beautiful balcony on three sides of the room Baha'u'llah occupied. Early believers
stood where we stand now, gazing upwards, eager to catch a glimpse of Him as He
paced the balcony, each one hoping that He would call their name and invite them to
join Him in the room above. <p21> <p22>

We enter the House of 'Abbud through the street door, which admits us
immediately into a large partially covered courtyard. We are attracted to the
marble stairs at the far end of this cool and welcoming space.

Climbing the stairs, we are conscious of the myriad believers who have
climbed before us, each in his unique way expressing his love for his Lord.

Baha'u'llah lived first in a small house at the back of the House of 'Abbud,
known as the House of 'Udi Khammar. It was in a simple room in this house that the
Kitab-i-Aqdas, the Most Holy Book, was revealed. This book is the most important
among all the works of Baha'u'llah and encompasses His laws. <p23> <p24>

As we enter this sacred space we are impressed immediately by its simplicity.

Woven rush mats cover the floor, the walls are covered only by mellow aged cedar
wood panelling. Opposite the door are two couches; on the left stands the bed used
by 'Abdu'l-Baha in later years.

There is a feeling of peace in the room, in contrast to the noises drifting

up from the street: sounds of children playing, men calling out in Arabic, and from
time to time the age-old chant of the muezzin raising the call to prayer--all
sounds which must have echoed in this room when Baha'u'llah lived in it. Who can
appreciate the power which must emanate from this room as thousands upon thousands
of pilgrims come decade after decade to rest their heads on the rush mats in awe
and reverence?

How potent the action of a six-year-old pilgrim, who paused at the doorway of
the room to lay her small head on the threshold--thus unconsciously moving the
hearts of her fellow pilgrims and generating in them a tender humility as they
entered the room. <p25> <p26>

Life was not easy for the believers who lived here with Baha'u'llah. They
were crowded, ten to twelve people in a room, difficult especially in the heat of
summer. But imagine their joy--they lived close to the One they loved; even under
the most harrowing of circumstances they were happy.

One of the rooms was occupied by thirteen believers, among them 'Abdu'l-Baha.
On one occasion one of the believers offered to sleep on a shelf high up in the
room, in order to leave more space for the others. <p27>

'Abdu'l-Baha said that He did not feel this would be wise and that perhaps
this believer would falloff during the night. The believer insisted, however, and
did sleep on the shelf--only to fall on 'Abdu'l�Baha during the night.

During the time that He lived here Baha'u'llah arranged for the young Munirih
Khanum to be brought from Iran to be the bride of 'Abdu'l-Baha. 'Abbud, an 'Akka
merchant who lived next door, created a door between his home and the residence of
the believers and gave one of his rooms to 'Abdu'l-Baha and His bride. <p28>

When 'Abbud decided to transfer his residence outside the city, 'Abdu'l-Baha
rented his house also and Baha'u'llah moved to live in the room overlooking the
sea. Entering this room, which has a beautifully painted wooden ceiling and still
looks now as it did when Baha'u'llah lived in it, we can actually see His original
low oriental bed in the centre of the room, and His raj or head-dress on the seat
in the corner near the window, where He would usually sit.

One can imagine the majesty and magnanimity of Baha'u'llah as He sat in this
room receiving His enthralled and enraptured guests, among them a British General
who knelt in humility close to the door. <p29> <p30>

<p31>

THE MANSION OF MAZRA'IH

<p32>

In 1877 'Abdu'l-Baha, hearing that Baha'u'llah had said that for nine years
He had not seen a blade of grass, knew that this was an indication that it was
timely to make arrangements for Baha'u'llah to leave the city.

'Abdu'l-Baha found it possible to rent the Mansion of Mazra'ih. He made

preparations for Baha'u'llah, including putting a bath in the Mansion. Then
'Abdu'l-Baha asked Him to go and take up His residence there. Baha'u'llah refused.
Three times 'Abdu'l-Baha invited Him to live in Mazra'ih, three times He refused to
leave the city, saying that He was a prisoner.

'Abdu'l-Baha asked Shaykh 'Aliy-i-Miri to intercede for him. The Shaykh knelt
at the feet of Baha'u'llah, described the beauty of Mazra'ih and the area around
it, saying that the oranges there were like "balls of fire", and pleaded with
Baha'u'llah to leave the city. He asked Baha'u'llah who had the power to keep Him a
prisoner, insisting that it was His own will that He was a prisoner. Each time
Baha'u'llah stated that He was a prisoner the Shaykh would kiss His hands. At the
end of an hour of his eloquent persuasion Baha'u'llah agreed to his request.
'Abdu'l-Baha then arranged for Baha'u'llah to leave the city by horse and carriage.

For two years Baha'u'llah lived in this peaceful mansion, removed from the
constraints and difficulties, the noise and smells of the city of 'Akka. He
revealed many Tablets here, such as the Lawh-i-Burhan (Tablet of the Proof) on the
occasion of the martyrdom of the King of Martyrs and the Beloved of Martyrs, and
received pilgrims and other visitors in the ground-floor reception room. Despite
the continual persecutions and martyrdoms of believers in Persia, the events which
took place at Mazra'ih were of a happy nature. <p33> <p34>
 As we enter the gardens at the Mansion of Mazra'ih, admiring the profusion of
blossoms lit by the slanting rays of the late afternoon sun, we are struck by the
strong scent of orange flowers, and behind this the delicate perfume of violets
growing under the ancient cypress trees, which have stood guard here since the time
of Baha'u'llah.

Walking around the building, we see the old aqueduct and pool above the
beautiful lower garden with its palm trees and trailing bougainvillea. Across the
plain, in the hills of Galilee, nestle the villages of Yerka, visited by
Baha'u'llah, and Abu-Sinan, where numbers of believers lived at the time of
'Abdu'l-Baha. There is a feeling of freedom and distance from civilization,
enhanced by the calm and peace of the countryside.

We turn into the walled garden and enter the Mansion. <p35> <p36> <p37>

To the left of the present entrance hall is the original reception room used
by Baha'u'llah. An almost square room, it is beautifully proportioned, with a high
arched ceiling that gives a feeling of space and repose. How charmed the believers
were as they waited here for Baha'u'llah to come and join them. Sometimes they
would hear His voice raised to chant His own newly revealed Tablets as He came down
the stairs and approached the room to sit with them and shower His blessings upon
them.

Backing out of this room, we turn to the worn stairs, here since the Mansion
was built. We climb slowly, every step reminding us that the feet of Baha'u'llah
touched this stone.

As we approach the room of Baha'u'llah we recall how He loved this spot. He

himself mentioned how beautiful were the views from His room. He could see the sea
in one direction and the hills in another. <p38> <p39>

There is in this room a delightful feeling of simplicity and love, which

seems to permeate every atom of the items placed here so devotedly by the beloved
Guardian. Here we see the raj and slippers of Baha'u'llah. These slippers were
given by Baha'u'llah to Haji 'Ali Yazdi, who intended to make a trip to Istanbul.
Baha'u'llah gave the Haji a pair of old slippers which He had worn and asked him to
find Him a new pair. Haji Ali purchased new slippers in Istanbul and brought them
to Baha'u'llah. However, he kept the old slippers he had been given, and many years
later gave them to Shoghi Effendi who placed them in this room.

When we leave the room of Baha'u'llah we have time to absorb the arrangement
of items in the anteroom leading to it. A large photograph of 'Abdu'l-Baha, placed
high on the wall, dominates the room. This full-length photograph of the Master,
taken in Chicago, is a particularly striking one and has great impact on the
pilgrim approaching the room of Baha'u'llah.

In the centre of this room sits a table adorned by a large Chinese urn. The
many Chinese ornaments in the Holy Places reflect the love of Shoghi Effendi for
art from the East. On one wall there are two delicate watercolour paintings of the
Shrine of the Bab and 'Akka; these are placed near two outstanding and very elegant
pieces of calligraphy of the name of Baha'u'llah, Husayn 'Ali. Opposite these is a
photograph of Baha'u'llah's tent, which He had pitched in the shade of the trees
close to this mansion. <p40>

One of the believers who served Baha'u'llah here was Mirza Ja'far. One night
Mirza Ja'far fell from the upper storey of the building, after climbing the stairs
to place a jug of water close to the doorway of Baha'u'llah's room. Throughout the
night he remained lying where he had fallen in the garden. Morning came, and he did
not respond to the believers who were calling him and searching for him. He was
revived only by the voice of Baha'u'llah, who emerged from His room some hours
later. Baha'u'llah went immediately to the place where Mirza Ja'far had fallen and
called his name. We do not know what state this believer was in through the hours
of that night, but he was fully restored as soon as Baha'u'llah called him. <p41>

Among the touching accounts by 'Abdu'l-Baha in {Memorials of the Faithful} is

that of Haji Mulla Mihdi, father of the martyr Varqa, who in old age and ill health
had set out from Iran on foot, determined despite his frailty to attain the
presence of Baha'u'llah. The journey was long and tortuous; the Haji suffered
greatly and his health deteriorated until he could hardly move. Still he went on.
He persevered with extreme difficulty and suffering, and finally reached the
village of Mazra'ih, right beside the Mansion. Here he finally succumbed to his
physical state and passed away, only a few minutes walk from his goal. He was
buried in the village. Later, when Baha'u'llah would pass by on His way to or from
'Akka, He would pause, and touch Mulla Mihdi's resting-place with his foot, thereby
conferring infinite blessings upon this sincere soul. <p42>

<p43>

THE RIDVAN GARDEN

<p44>

After Baha'u'llah left 'Akka, it was His habit to visit a number of gardens
in the area. A favourite among these was the Garden of Ridvan. Baha'u'llah Himself
gave the garden this title in memory of the Garden of Ridvan in Baghdad where He
had declared His mission.

Entering the garden through its lovely mellow arched gate of golden stone,
our eyes are immediately drawn to the wonderful fountain, its crystal waters
sparkling in the sunlight, bubbling over and flowing down to the blue and white
decorative benches which define the area where Baha'u'llah used to sit. This area
is thrown into cool dappled shade by the overhanging mulberry trees.

At the time of Baha'u'llah, the garden was virtually surrounded by water and
so He referred to it as "Our verdant isle". Even today we are conscious of the
pleasing sound of the water from the fountain. Baha'is from Iran brought seeds and
plants to beautify the area, and it became a place which the local people longed to
visit. Brightly-coloured flowers surround the fountain, and the area is brought
alive by the abundant citrus fruits and the striking orange-red blossoms of the
pomegranate trees.

From time to time Baha'u'llah would grace this area with His presence, and
the believers would delight in spending time in this beautiful spot. One of the
daughters of 'Abdu'l-Baha, Tuba Khanum, has recounted the following:

"Oh the joy of the day when Baha'u'llah went to the beautiful Ridvan, which
had been prepared for Him with such loving care by the Master, the friends, and the
pilgrims! <p45> <p46> <p47>

"The Master's heart was gladdened indeed to see the enjoyment of His beloved
Father, resting under the big mulberry tree, by the side of the little river
rippling by, the fountain which they had contrived splashing and gurgling in sounds
refreshing indeed after the long years of confinement in the pestilential air of
the penal fortress of 'Akka. Only those who were present there could realize in any
degree what it meant to be surrounded by such profusion of flowers, their colours
and their scents, after the dull walls and unfragrant odours of the prison city
 I remember well the greatest of our joys was to go with Baha'u'llah for the
occasional picnics to the Ridvan.

"How happy "we were with Him. He was indeed the brightness of our lives in
that time of difficulty."[9]
.......... [9. Quoted in Blomfield, {Chosen Highway}, p. 97.]

Many Tablets were revealed here, in some of which Baha'u'llah refers to the
delights of the area itself:

"God's power and the perfection of His handiwork could enjoyably be seen in
the blossoms, the fruits, the trees, the leaves and the streams.... In brief, all
in the Garden were recipients of the choicest bounties and in the end expressed
their thanksgiving unto their Lord."[10]
.......... [10. This Tablet hangs on the wall of the room where Baha'u'llah used to
rest in the house at the end of the Garden. It is quoted in Taherzadeh,
{Revelation}, vol. 4, pp. 15-16.] <p48>

Baha'u'llah had a very faithful gardener, Abu'l-Qasim, who cared for the
garden for Him. At the time of the year when the mulberries on the overhanging
trees were ripe he had difficulty keeping the area clean and beautiful, for the
berries would fall onto the benches and attract the birds, which would also
contribute to his difficulties. On one occasion he became so upset that he went to
Baha'u'llah and asked him to do something about it. Baha'u'llah replied that even
the birds must have their means of existence, but He did go to the area. He uttered
some words there, and from that time the trees did not ever bear ripe mulberries,
and so the gardener's task was made easier.

On another occasion the same gardener saw that a swarm of locusts were
settling in the mulberry trees. <p49>

"Abu'l-Qasim hastened to the house at the end of the garden and coming before
his Lord besought Him, saying: 'My Lord, the locusts have come, and are eating away
the shade from above Thy blessed head. I beg of Thee to cause them to depart.' The
Manifestation smiled, and said: 'The locusts must be fed; let them be.' Much
chagrined, Abu'l-Qasim returned to the garden and for some time watched the
destructive work in silence; but presently, unable to bear it, he ventured to
return again to Baha'u'llah and humbly entreat Him to send away the locusts. The
Blessed Perfection arose and went into the garden and stood beneath the trees
covered with the insects. Then He said: 'Abu'l-Qasim does not want you; God protect
you.' And lifting up the hem of His robe He shook it, and immediately all the
locusts arose in a body and flew away."[11]
.......... [11. May Maxwell, {An Early Pilgrimage} (Oxford: George Ronald, 1969),
pp. 33-4.] <p50>

At the end of the garden stands a small blue and white house. An ancient
cypress tree and a wonderful lemon tree grow close to the entrance. Climbing the
blue painted stairs, we enter the room where Baha'u'llah used to rest when He
visited the garden. Here we see the original bedding Baha'u'llah used, wrapped in a
Persian cloth, on a table in the room. There is a feeling of simplicity. One feels
surrounded by nature. It is a special joy to linger for a few minutes in this
place, the very atoms of whose walls seem to vibrate to the presence of the One who
spend time here so many years ago.<p51> <p52> <p53>

Two other gardens lie close by the Garden of Ridvan. These are the Ashraf and
the Firdaws Gardens, which before becoming part of the Baha'i Holy Places belonged
to believers bearing those names. In the Firdaws Garden there is a house where
'Abdu'l-Baha sometimes used to stay.
 Among other scenic spots visited by Baha'u'llah in this area are Napoleon's
Hill, close to the Garden of Ridvan, and the Crimson Hill further north. Here, in
spring, the ground is covered by a carpet of crimson windflowers. This hill was
also much loved by 'Abdu'l-Baha. When he was once again a prisoner in the city of
'Akka, in the early years of the twentieth century, He would wistfully ask those
believers who were free to leave the city and walk in the open fields: "Were red,
red flowers blooming on the Crimson Hill?"[12]
.......... [12. See H. M. Balyuzi, Baha'u'llah, {The King of Glory} (Oxford: George
Ronald, 1980), p.364.] <p54>

<p55>

THE MANSION OF BAHJI

<p56>

In 1879 Baha'u'llah took up His residence in the Mansion of Bahji. This

mansion was built by 'Udi Khammar, a Christian merchant who lived here when
Baha'u'llah was in 'Akka. Udi Khammar placed a very interesting inscription over
the door of his mansion. In using these words it is as if he had a vision of the
future events which would take place here:

{Greetings and salutations rest upon this Mansion which increaseth in

splendour through the passage of time. Manifold wonders and marvels are found
therein, and pens are baffled in attempting to describe them}.

In 1879 there was a plague in the area and 'Udi Khammar was forced to flee.
It was then that 'Abdu'l�Baha rented the mansion for Baha'u'llah for a very
reasonable sum, and so Baha'u'llah spent the last twelve-and-a-half years of His
life in this gracious residence. How different was this mansion from the prison
cell in 'Akka! According to the official documents, Baha'u'llah was to remain in
solitary confinement for life--but His jailers and the dignitaries of the city so
respected and loved Him and His son 'Abdu'l-Baha that they were not happy to see
Him pass the last years of His life in such circumstances, and so they permitted
Him to leave the city and reside in the beautiful Mansion at Bahji <p57> <p58>
<p59>

The gardens at Bahji are formal in concept, with straight paths, star-shaped
flower beds, and ornamental urns and other statuary. This is, however, beautifully
offset by the indigenous trees which have been left to provide their own
spontaneous aspect. Striking examples of these include the olive trees in the outer
gardens, the pine tree pictured here, and a wide-boughed sycamore-oak which grows
in the centre of the sacred garden close to the Shrine. This tree has been here
since the time of Baha'u'llah Himself <p60>

The area lying between the Shrine of Baha'u'llah and the Mansion of Bahji was
beautified by Shoghi Effendi and features two rows of araucaria trees--often
referred to as prayer trees, as their branches stretch outwards and upwards. Shoghi
Effendi chose a number of peacock statues for this garden, which lend their
graceful lines to the beauty of the nearby buildings. <p61>

Among those who attained the presence of Baha'u'llah here was Tarazu'llah
Samandari, who visited Baha'u'llah in the Mansion when he was only 17 years of age.
He mentions an occasion when Baha'u'llah had pitched His tent in the area north of
the Mansion. The believers were gathered there to listen to Baha'u'llah address
them. As there was no room for Mr. Samandari in the main tent he found a place in a
storage area behind a curtain. When the meeting ended some oranges were passed
around and Baha'u'llah Himself took one. Mr. Samandari recalls:
 "After the meeting was over, Baha'u'llah arose. I hastily came out of my
corner and entered the tent, standing there, arms folded across my chest. As He
issued forth, I bowed low before Him and He gave me the orange which He still held
in His hand. He proceeded then to the Mansion.

"But the youth had discovered the fact that Baha'u'llah had given me His own
orange! And they came after me to wrest it away. So I ran and ran, dodging here and
there outside the Mansion, devouring the orange as I went."[13]
.......... [13. Tarazu'llah Samandari, {Moments with Baha'u'llah} (Los Angeles:
Kalimat Press, 1995), p.41.] <p62> <p63>

White marble steps lead directly from the heavy blue-painted door to the
interior. There is a sense of excitement as one climbs to the second storey. <p64>
<p65>

Here we enter the large hall lit from above by simple windows raised from the
centre of the ceiling. Below the windows hangs a large Chinese lantern. The walls
are decorated with beautiful Syrian stencilled designs. These are predominantly
blue and white, with the addition of some vibrant reds. This traditional colour
brings life and vitality to the area.

One is struck at once by the dignity and beauty of this hall, and its
suitability as the residence of Baha'u'llah. The sense of His majesty, power and
grandeur still permeates these walls. Even today, as one walks through the hall to
the room of Baha'u'llah at the far end, there is a feeling of approaching a sacred
place--a room made sacred by its association with that divine Being. <p66>

A heavy curtain covers the entrance to this room. Sliding the curtain aside,
the present-day pilgrim may recall a moment long ago:

"... my conductor paused for a moment while I removed my shoes. Then with a
quick movement of the hand, he withdrew, and, as I passed, replaced the curtain;
and I found myself in a large apartment, along the upper end of which ran a low
divan, while on the side opposite to the door were placed two or three chairs.
Though I dimly suspected whither I was going, and whom I was to behold (for no
distinct intimation had been given to me), a second or two elapsed ere, with a
throb of wonder and awe, I became definitely conscious that the room was not
untenanted. In the corner where the divan met the wall sat a wondrous and venerable
figure, crowned with a felt head-dress of the kind called taj by dervishes (but of
unusual height and make), round the base of which was wound a small white turban.
The face of him on whom I gazed I can never forget, though I cannot describe it.
Those piercing eyes seemed to read one's very soul; power and authority sat on that
ample brow; while the deep lines on the forehead and face implied an age which the
jet-black hair and beard flowing down in indistinguishable luxuriance almost to the
waist seemed to belie. No need to ask in whose presence I stood, as I bowed myself
before One 'who is the object of a devotion and love which kings might envy and
emperors sigh for in vain!"[14]
.......... [14. These were the words of Professor Edward Granville Browne, noted
oriental scholar who visited Baha'u'llah here in 1890. See E. G. Browne, {A
Traveller's Narrative written to illustrate the Episode of the Bab} (Cambridge:
Cambridge University press, 1891), pp. xxxix-xl.] <p67> <p68> <p69> <p70> <p71>

When one enters the room there is a feeling of stillness in the air, a sense
of the majesty and holiness of Baha'u'llah. One can imagine Him present in this
room, pacing the floor in His long flowing robes, greeting His followers and
uttering the Word of God.

Baha'u'llah revealed many Tablets in this room in the Mansion, and received
many pilgrims here. The room is decorated simply, but in a very dignified manner.
The walls here are also decorated with blue and white stencils. The original bed, a
mattress on the floor in the oriental style, is covered in white. Beautiful Persian
carpets, a rich ruby red with blue, cover the floor. One can indeed envisage the
majesty described above by Edward Granville Browne.

Baha'u'llah passed away in this room. On the anniversary of the night of His
passing, Baha'is, united in an atmosphere of prayer and reverence, visit the room,
lit only by a single oil lamp. <p72> <p73>

When Baha'u'llah contracted what was to be His last illness, He called His
followers to His presence, comforted them and showered His blessings upon them.
When Baha'u'llah passed to the worlds beyond, 'Abdu'l-Baha chose to inter His
remains in a room in a nearby building, which then became His Holy Shrine. The
Ascension of Baha'u'llah occurred at 3 a.m. on 29 May 1892 and is commemorated
annually at the hour of His passing. <p74>

Looking north from the balcony around the Mansion we see a beautiful cactus
garden stretching towards the distant cypress trees. The sculptural cacti stand out
in relief against their background of very fine white stones which cover the
ground.

Along the outer walls of the Mansion above the balcony are many simply
conceived paintings, some of the Mansion and its surroundings and some of aspects
of life in the area in the mid�nineteenth century. <p75> <p76>

During the time that Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian of the Cause, was working
at Bahji either in the gardens or in the Mansion, he would sometimes stay overnight
in this room in the south-west corner of the building. His day here was very
rigorous. When he was laying out the gardens he would arise early and usually work
through till the evening, when he would eat here, sitting on the mandar in the
corner of the room. His simple iron bedstead is still here, and around it he placed
many photographs, maps, documents and other evidences of the progress of the Faith
throughout the world. Here too are photographs of believers whose services rejoiced
the heart of the Guardian, and a beautiful drawing of Bahiyyih Khanum, the
outstanding daughter of Baha'u'llah, and Shoghi Effendi's great-aunt, who sustained
and supported him until the time of her passing in 1932. <p77> <p78>

'Abdu'l-Baha's Tea House (shown left), lying at the extreme southern end of
the property, was used by 'Abdu'l-Baha as a place to pause and refresh Himself when
visiting the Shrine of Baha'u'llah. Early photographs show that originally there
was a windowed area on the roof which no longer exists.

Soon after the passing of Baha'u'llah 'Abdu'l-Baha purchased the building

known as the Pilgrim House (right} Here He received pilgrims and resident believers
and revealed Tablets, including some of His important Tablets of the Divine Plan.
Until recent years the building was used as a pilgrim house by all visiting the
Shrine of Baha'u'llah.

The private room of 'Abdu'l-Baha in the Pilgrim House is a most beautiful

spot where one can pray and meditate and experience the simple beauty of 'Abdu'l-
Baha's style of life. His white-covered bed and simple seating evoke His presence.
In a wooden box on a chair one can see a pair of His shoes, and His tea glass sits
on a table near the door. <p79>

Since the building of the new Visitors' Centre, pilgrim activities have been
relocated there. The architecture of the Visitors' Centre is such that it lifts the
spirits to enter the building. There is a very beautiful square reception room
which has a sunken area in the centre facing the Shrine of Baha'u'llah and is a
place of quiet relaxation and meditation. There are many facilities for the
pilgrims, including a light-filled dining-room and a small library. <p80>

<p81>

THE SHRINE OF BAHA'U'LLAH

<p82>

The Shrine of Baha'u'llah at Bahji is the resting-place of the Founder of the

Baha'i Faith.

This is the Qiblih of the Baha'i world--the spot to which the believers
throughout the planet turn in prayer.

Baha'u'llah said that after His passing the believers should turn to "the
spot we have ordained for you". 'Abdu'l-Baha has confirmed that this refers to the
"luminous Shrine". And Shoghi Effendi has written:

"... just as the plant stretches out to the sunlight--from which it receives
life and growth--so we turn our hearts to the Manifestation of God, Baha'u'llah,
when we pray; ... we turn our faces ... to where His dust lies on this earth as a
symbol of the inner act."[15]
.......... [15. From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, quoted in {The
Kitab-i-Aqdas} (Haifa: Baha'i World Centre, 1992), note 8.]

The gardens at Bahji form a circle with the Shrine at its heart. We approach
the Shrine by walking from the arched entrance area direct to the Shrine. Our feet
crunch on the stones covering the long path, which is lined on each side by many
flowering trees and shrubs interspersed with fragrant herbs. The birds here seem to
have a particular joy as they sing and swoop over the gardens. Beautiful white
doves fly in pairs, often landing on the tiled roof of the Shrine. Pure white
egrets traverse the circle, flying in groups of four or five. Sometimes the shy
hoopoe bird is seen hopping along the ground or perched in the olive trees, his
lovely plumed head bobbing characteristically in the bright light. <p83> <p84>
<p85>

A profusion of colour delights the eye. Some of the inner paths arc covered
in broken terracotta tiles. The soft green of the ancient olive trees and small
sage hedges, and the dark green of the many elegant cypress trees offer refreshing
contrast to the brilliant red geraniums, the purple and yellow pansies, and the
pink bougainvillea. The invigorating scent of sage fills the air as a foot or a
skirt brushes the low manicured hedges.

The scents and sights of the gardens have the effect of slowing the progress
of the pilgrim, causing him to pause and absorb the beauty and to prepare for the
sacred nature of the visit. The heart is uplifted by the sounds of nature, as one's
being is enveloped in peace and tranquillity. Here at the centre of this delightful
place lies the sacred dust of One Who accepted banishment, imprisonment and
sufferings that mankind might learn to live in unity. <p86>

Making our final approach to the Shrine we pause at the Collins Gate before
stepping into the most sacred area of the gardens, the quadrant closest to the
Shrine. This area has been designated by Shoghi Effendi as the Haram-i-Aqdas--the
Most Holy Court. <p87> <p88> <p89>

We continue along a broad straight path covered with smooth round light-
coloured pebbles. Ahead lies the simple building, unadorned save for the portico
covering the pink marble floor of the entrance. A graceful metal chandelier hangs
above bowed heads as we remove our shoes and move softly forward to climb the few
steps and push open the heavy wooden door, which swings silently to admit us into
an atmosphere which throbs with life and transports us to spiritual realms. To
enter here is to leave the mortal world and to reach out with heart and soul to the
worlds beyond. <p90> <p91> <p92>

<p93>

THE HOUSE OF 'ABDU'LLAH PASHA

<p94>

The House of 'Abdu'llah Pasha (a governor of this area of Syria in the early
nineteenth century) is entered through a heavy well-fortified door leading through
an arched entrance to the inner courtyard. This large imposing complex is built
around four sides of the courtyard and lies against the sea wall of 'Akka, close to
the prison of Baha'u'llah. 'Abdu'l-Baha brought His family here four years after
the passing of Baha'u'llah and lived here during the last of His years in this
city. For much of this time, from 1901 to 1909, His life was fraught with
difficulty when due to the machinations of His enemies He was again a prisoner
within the city walls. <p95> <p96>

The Western pilgrims who first came here in 1898 would climb the long flight
of stone steps, which still exists today, to a simple but beautiful reception room
whose walls are lined with fragrant cedar-wood panelling. Two windows face the sea,
and under them a long divan runs the length of the room. Here 'Abdu'l-Baha received
those long-awaited pilgrims from the United States and Europe. Women from the West,
accustomed to the fashions of the time, modified their dress to conform more
closely with the habits of the East when coming here. They climbed the stairs
(which they referred to as the "stairway to heaven") in a state of excitement and
awe in anticipation of entering the presence of the One they knew as "the Master".
One such pilgrim, whose first meeting with 'Abdu'l-Baha took place in Haifa, has
written: "Of that first meeting ... I can remember neither joy nor pain, nor
anything that I can name. I had been carried suddenly to too great a height, my
soul had come in contact with the Divine Spirit, and this force, so pure, so holy,
so mighty, had overwhelmed me ... "[16]
.......... [16. Maxwell, {Early Pilgrimage}, p. 12.] <p97> <p98> <p99>

In a small dining room 'Abdu'l-Baha would sit with the Western pilgrims at
the table and answer their many questions. He often spoke with them on Christian
subjects. Laura Barney, one of these pilgrims, lived in this house for several
months and carefully noted down 'Abdu'l-Baha's explanations. These notes were
checked by the Master Himself, and eventually they were published as {Some Answered
Questions}.

Many of the governors and other leaders in the city of 'Akka sought out
'Abdu'l-Baha for his wisdom and guidance, and His unfailing love and understanding
for each and every individual who crossed His path. <p100> <p101>

Some early pilgrims were deeply touched by the pure love of the eldest
grandson of 'Abdu'l-Baha for his grandfather. This small boy, Shoghi Effendi, had
been born here in the house, and was later to become the Guardian of the Faith, the
one who guided the Baha'i world community through 36 years of its formative period.

One of the early pilgrims wrote of Shoghi Effendi when he was only a few
years old:

"... the little boy reached down, and picking up the hem of 'Abdu'l-Baha's
robe he touched it reverently to his forehead, and kissed it, then gently replaced
it, while never taking his eyes from the adored Master's face. The next moment he
turned away, and scampered off to play, like any normal child."[17]
.......... [17. Ella Goodall Cooper, quoted in R. Rabbani, {The Priceless Pearl}
(London: Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1969), p. 6.] <p102>

One of the most touching rooms in the house is the room of 'Abdu'l-Baha
Himself, a small simple bedroom in which one can see the oriental headdress He
wore, His slippers and a suitcase He used when travelling in the West. 'Abdu'l-Baha
worked untiringly here under very difficult circumstances.

"Eye-witnesses have testified that, during that agitated and perilous period
of His life, they had known Him to pen, with His own Hand, no less than ninety
Tablets in a single day, and to pass many a night, from dusk to dawn alone in His
bed-chamber engaged in a correspondence which the pressure of His manifold
responsibilities had prevented Him from attending to in the daytime."[18]
.......... [18. Shoghi Effendi, {God Passes By}, p. 267.]

'Abdu'l-Baha had a small wooden structure built on the roof of His home in
'Akka. This was a quiet place of retreat for Him, a place from which He could see
the Shrine of Baha'u'llah in the distance, during His years of reincarceration
within the walls of 'Akka when He was unable to fulfil His heart's desire to visit
there. <p103> <p104> <p105>

One of the most signal achievements of 'Abdu'l-Baha's ministry was His

success in arranging to bring the remains of the Bab--the Martyr-Prophet of the
Baha'i Faith--to the Holy Land from their hiding-place in Persia. For some years
these holy remains were hidden and protected in the House of 'Abdu'llah Pasha, in
the room of the Greatest Holy Leaf (the daughter of Baha'u'llah, Bahiyyih Khanum).
Bahiyyih Khanum welcomed her visitors here and showered all-encompassing love on
those who spent time in her presence. We do not know how this room was furnished
during her days here, but today we see it renovated and furnished in the style of
the period and with the simplicity which characterized her saintly life. Her
slippers sit close to the bed, and a number of her delicate garments and other
simple possessions are to be seen in two glass-covered niches in one of the walls
of the room.

'Abdu'l-Baha, in the circumstances of utmost difficulty and peril which

characterized his years in the House of 'Abdu'llah Pasha, nevertheless succeeded in
constructing the Shrine of the Bab on Mount Carmel and ensuring the safe placing of
His holy remnants on the Mountain of the Lord. <p106>

<p107>

THE HOUSE OF THE MASTER

<p108>

When 'Abdu'l-Baha was finally released from His detention within the walls of
the city of 'Akka, He immediately made plans to move to Haifa, where He could
closely oversee the completion of the first six rooms of the Shrine of the Bab and
ensure the safe-placing of the remains of the Bab on Mount Carmel.

'Abdu'l-Baha had this gracious residence in Haifa built according to His own
design. We climb broad sweeping stairs to reach lofty double doors, which lead
through a small vestibule into a large open hall. This is much in the style of the
noble homes of Iran, although the courtyard here is closed to the sky. Leading from
this large hall painted in a muted shade of sage green, are the individual rooms of
the house. These include the reception room where the Master received His guests.
This room has been left as it was in His time, with some of the original furniture
still in place.

The house was also the home of the Guardian of the Faith, Shoghi Effendi, who
lived here throughout his Guardianship and carried out all his work from this
location. During the early years of his ministry he was supported by his great-aunt
Bahiyyih Khanum, the Greatest Holy Leaf, daughter of Baha'u'llah. He later had the
assistance and support of his devoted wife Amatu'l-Baha Ruhiyyih Khanum. It was in
this house, too, that the first election of the Universal House of Justice was held
in 1963. <p109> <p110> <p111>

Pilgrims visit also the room of 'Abdu'l-Baha Himself, where the furniture has
been left exactly as it was at the time of His passing. Some of the Master's books
still lie on a table at the foot of His bed. Each year on the night of His passing
the room is visited in the soft candlelight which plays on the brass bedstead. Many
kneel to pray in the ethereal atmosphere. Some stand respectfully gazing at His
headdress, which sits on the white-covered bed. It is not difficult to imagine
'Abdu'l-Baha Himself moving around this room in His long white eastern robes.

Although occupying this large well-appointed home, 'Abdu'l�Baha Himself

continued to live a very simple life here, as He did throughout all the years of
His life. It was His practice to give constantly to others of His time, His energy,
His physical substance, His very life. Many are the stories of 'Abdu'l-Baha giving
away His own clothes and other possessions when He knew that someone was in need.
<p112>

Having interred the remains of the Bab in their final resting place, 'Abdu'l-
Baha made plans to visit the West. He then in His later years undertook extensive
tours in Europe and North America, visiting the Baha'is and making many public
presentations about the Faith. When He returned to the Holy Land 'Abdu'l-Baha
revealed a very important body of Tablets encouraging the believers in North
America to spread the Faith around the world. Most of these Tablets were revealed
during 'Abdu'l-Baha's journeys to Bahji, in the Pilgrim House there, or in the
gardens close to the Shrine of Baha'u'llah. Three of them were revealed at 'Abdu'l-
Baha's residence in Haifa, in a small room used by one of His devoted servants
which is situated on the roof of a building in the north-west corner of His garden.
<p113>

'Abdu'l-Baha gave talks in His home about the lives and services of many of
the early and outstanding believers. He also received many dignitaries here,
creating "wonderful relationships with the leaders and people of all the various
religions, sects and factions, of which there were many in Haifa.

When the Master passed away in His home in 1921 thousands of people gathered
to mark the event and to pay heartfelt tribute to one who had cared for and
assisted the people of all walks of life. Many testified in eulogies that day to
the fact that they considered Him to be their friend, their mentor and their father
figure.

'Abdu'l-Baha was laid to rest under the shelter of the Shrine of the Bab.
<p114>

<p115>

THE TERRACES ON MOUNT CARMEL

<p116>

Surely, one of the most beautiful sights in the world is Mount Carmel,
circling the bay of Haifa and reaching out into the Mediterranean Sea. The Baha'i
Gardens sweep from the top of the mountain to its foot and in their heart lies the
Shrine of the Bab with its golden dome gleaming in the sun.

It was Baha'u'llah Himself, banished to this area as a prisoner and an exile,

who indicated where the final resting-place of the Bab, His forerunner, and a
Manifestation of God in His own right, would be built in the future. Erected in
honour of the Bab, this beautiful mausoleum unites in its structure elements of
Eastern and Western architecture. The approaches to the Shrine are adorned in every
direction by ornamental gardens of a unique style. These gardens are formal in
concept, but take their structure from the shapes and irregularities of the
original terrain. <p117> <p118>

Above and below the Shrine stretch eighteen terraces, complemented by

informal gardens on each side, spreading like a patchwork quilt out over the
mountain. Here lie delightful areas of indigenous trees, with shrubs, flowers and
herbs lending their simple magic. Scents of lavender and thyme perfume the air.
Meandering rocky paths take their form from the mountain itself. Beyond these, an
area of the natural flora and fauna has been preserved, thus sheltering and
nurturing the wildlife of the mountain.

Climbing the central flights of stone stairs, we become more and more aware
with each flight of the physical presence of the Shrine of the Bab. We are forced
to pause and view this distinctive and exquisitely beautiful building from
different angles, and we begin to reach out for an understanding of the spiritual
reality of the One in whose memory all this beauty has been laid out. <p119>

The design of the terraces themselves is formal in concept, with balustrades,

sculpted ornaments, fountains and waterfalls that complement the vibrant colours
and forms of geraniums, pansies, roses, calendula and a profusion of other flowers
and plants. The variety of texture is very striking, from paths of broken
terracotta tiles to sharp cacti and palm fronds, to the soft shapes of the
blossoms. There are many flowering trees, and when the brilliant red-orange flame
trees are in bloom, the nearby flowers reflect these colours and harmonize with
them. At the time when the cool blue of the jacaranda trees lifts our spirits, we
find blues and purples among the flowers. This heightens the sense of rhythm and
harmony which pervades the terraces. <p120> <p121> <p122> <p123> <p124> <p125>

As the sun goes down, the balustrades are thrown into relief. Colours change,
the stones and the water reflect the last golden rays. Then, in a moment of magic,
the Shrine of the Bab and the fountains are illumined. <p126>

The night-time scene is also one of great beauty, when lights brighten the
mountain like a waterfall, glinting from top to bottom. The Shrine itself is
illumined throughout the night, bearing testimony to the beauty of the life of the
One whose resting place it is. <p127> <p128> <p129>

The ascent of the terraces causes one to focus heart and mind on the
spiritual station of the Bab. He was the One Who foretold the coming of
Baha'u'llah, the Founder of the Baha'i Faith, and Who prepared people that they
might recognize His station and the message He would bring for humanity. He was
executed in Iran in 1850 for His beliefs, and finally laid to rest on Mount Carmel
in 1909.

Shoghi Effendi has envisaged the future pilgrimages of kings. They will "...
climb the slopes of Mount Carmel. With the utmost rapture, ardour and devotion,
they will hasten towards this Sacred Spot and with reverence and submissiveness,
humility and lowliness, ascend these terraces to approach the luminous precincts of
the sanctified and holy Shrine."[19]
.......... [19. Shoghi Effendi, quoted by R.L. and B.R. Ferguson, {The Mountain of
the Lord} (Glenview, IL., 1984), p. 14.]

As we climb closer and closer to the Shrine, the feeling of awe and reverence
increases. One becomes, indeed, a pilgrim climbing in humility and self-effacement
to lay one's heart and desires at the threshold of the Shrine of this Messenger
from Almighty God. <p130>

<p131>

THE SHRINE OF THE BAB

<p132>

At certain times of day as one approaches the Shrine of the Bab, one can see
the light catching the stained-glass windows, illuminating them as if from inside,
the wonderful floral design clear and highlighted. The predominant colour is green,
a fresh luminous mid-toned green. The windows are very beautiful to the eye, but
this is only a fraction of their beauty--the true beauty of the Shrine, of the
windows, is an ethereal beauty, a spiritual beauty which is felt, not seen.

The gardens around the Shrine vibrate with another beauty, which finds
resonance in the hearts of the believers who come to worship here. The golden dome
reflects the sunlight, but reflects too the longing, the praise and the prayers of
thousands who are attracted here every month to pay homage to the youthful Bab, the
Prophet forerunner of Baha'u'llah, the Glory of God. The Bab's saintly life
attracted those around Him. Many were the leaders of religion who embraced His
cause. People travelled many miles on foot just to be close to Him, to seek His
counsel or to ask for His blessings.

At the age of 31 He was shot by order of the Shah of Iran, watched by

thousands who thronged the square and lined the roof-tops of the barracks in
Tabriz. When the smoke from the barrels of 750 guns cleared it was found that He
was unharmed. He was finishing His work--when He was ready He proceeded to the
execution spot again. This time the bullets found their mark, but His face was
untouched. <p133> <p134>

The remains of the Bab were protected by the followers of Baha'u'llah for 50
years, before being brought to the Holy Land and placed in the care of 'Abdu'l-
Baha, who built the first rooms of this Shrine and finally laid the sacred remains
to rest on Mount Carmel. <p135>

The inner gardens are a sanctuary, steps slow here. The voice is hushed as
one steps from the path covered with broken terracotta tiles onto the shining
marble floor of the colonnade, There comes the realization that one has entered
sacred space. Believers often circle the colonnade a number of times, rapt in
prayer, in a silence broken only by birdsong, before pausing at the white-painted
metal door and then stepping quietly and reverently into the carpeted chamber.
<p136>

All is simplicity here, only the deeply piled Persian rugs on the floor, no
ornamentation on the walls. A wide arch extending well across the width of the room
faces us, and there, raised a step from the floor, is an inner chamber decorated
with fresh flowers, candles and a few beautiful ornaments. It is here that the
remains of the Bab rest in honour. <p137>

Baha'i pilgrims visit this spot from every corner of the world, each
expressing in their own unique way their love and reverence. A beautiful Indian
lady dressed in a sari dips her knee as she crosses the threshold and lovingly
strokes the ground with her fingers in a graceful gesture. A dancing-eyed youth
from Nepal bows deeply with heels tight together as he enters for the first time.
An elderly gentleman wipes a tear from his eye. Two Japanese women kneel for a long
time in total stillness and concentration. <p138> <p139>

Baha'u'llah Himself chose this place. His tent was pitched in a circle of
cypress trees which can still be seen behind the Shrine. Here He stood with
'Abdu'l-Baha and indicated to Him exactly where the Shrine should be built in the
future. <p140>

In a chamber adjoining that of the Bab rest the beloved remains of 'Abdu'l-
Baha, until such time in the future that a separate Shrine may be erected to
receive them.

Visiting the Shrine of 'Abdu'l-Baha, one is immediately struck by the

difference in the atmosphere of these two Shrines--each has its own unique
character. The Bab was a Messenger of God, a martyr, and the herald of the coming
of Baha'u'llah. 'Abdu'l�Baha, the son of Baha'u'llah, was the One to whom the
believers turned after the passing of Baha'u'llah, the Centre of the Covenant of
Baha'u'llah. Baha'u'llah referred to Him as the "Mystery of God". He is considered
to be the exemplar and embodiment of the teachings of Baha'u'llah. The atmosphere
in His Shrine reflects the unique nature of His ministry and the unconditional love
which He showered on friend and foe alike. Pilgrims are deeply affected by this
love, which seems to permeate the air and envelop and comfort them. <p141> <p142>

<p143>

THE BAHA'I INTERNATIONAL ARCHIVES

<p144>

We climb a steep path deeply covered with chips of terracotta tiles, and pass
through the colonnade to reach the imposing metal door to the Archives Building.
Pausing in a small vestibule, we respectfully remove our shoes and enter, gasping
at the sight of a long hall beautifully furnished with Persian rugs and delicately
carved and decorated chests and cabinets from China and Japan.

A long stained-glass window of geometric design throws blue, crimson and

chartreuse reflections onto the striking green tiles of the floor.

The most precious items in this repository, planned by the Guardian of the
Faith to inspire the Baha'is and bring them closer to their history, are the
portraits of the Bab and Baha'u'llah. The believers view these portraits with deep
reverence and simplicity, absorbing in silence every vibrant second in the charged
atmosphere of the precious moments spent here.

Cabinet after cabinet is then opened, revealing to wondering eyes the relics
of Baha'u'llah Himself--His simple reed pen, His garments, locks of His hair
lovingly and beautifully arranged by His beloved daughter, herself an outstanding
figure in the history of this Faith. Some of the items used by Baha'u'llah in the
public bath bring alive for us another culture, another time, graced by His
presence.

His tall taj or head-dress, made of an intricately embroidered fabric, evokes

His majesty and kingship. <p145> <p146> <p147> <p148>

We see the robes of the Bab--robes exquisite in the precision of their detail
and exciting in their colours and style. The Bab came from the merchant class in
Persia and so His clothes are of a different style from those of Baha'u'llah and
'Abdu'l-Baha, who were of the nobility. These garments inspired the architect in
his quest for the design of the Terraces adorning Mount Carmel below and above the
Shrine of the Bab.

We see the prayer mat of the Bab and a fragment of His garment worn at the
time of His martyrdom and stained with His precious blood.

His ring and tea-glass are also here.

The garments and relics of 'Abdu'l-Baha arc also on display here. Touching is
His simple cream�coloured hat worn with a turban wound about it. 'Abdu'l-Baha never
accepted anything luxurious for His own use. We see also His seals, some engraved
on metal, some on stone, and a number of strings of prayer beads used by Him.

One is overwhelmed by the rich variety of relics of the central figures of

this Faith, each one of them authentic beyond any shadow of doubt.

Shoghi Effendi built this gem of a building in order to display here relics
and original Writings of Baha'u'llah and the Bab, Tablets penned in Their own
handwriting and marvellously illuminated many years later, in such a way that the
calligraphy and the illumination marry to create an intricate beauty both colourful
and dignified. For the Baha'is to see the original Writings of the Manifestation of
God is an experience which is deeply moving and awe-inspiring, and creates an
enthusiasm and encouragement for their services to the Faith. <p149>

We see items associated with Mirza Mihdi, the martyr son of Baha'u'llah, most
strikingly his blood-stained garments which had to be cut from his injured body
when he fell from the roof of the prison.

There is a cabinet dedicated to Bahiyyih Khanum, the Greatest Holy Leaf Her
garments are exquisite in their tiny size and beautiful yet simple in their detail,
reminding us of the delicate touch of her personality.

Here are relics too of Shoghi Effendi, lovingly placed here by his wife after
his passing. Here are his simple western-style garments and his low black eastern
hat. Here too we are struck by the simplicity of his way of life, the utilitarian
nature of his personal effects.

However, at the World Centre of our Faith it is in the beautification of

every Holy Place and the detail we find in every corner of the gardens he created
that we truly see Shoghi Effendi. <p150>

<p151>

THE MONUMENT GARDENS

<p152>

Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian of the Cause, drew an arc on Mount Carmel and
arranged for the construction of the International Archives Building at one end of
it. He stated that later other institutional buildings would be added around the
Arc to complete the World Centre of the Baha'i Faith.

The Monument Gardens lie at the physical heart of the Arc. The resting-places
of close members of the family of Baha'u'llah are placed here, and together
constitute the spiritual heart of the Arc.

Here is the resting-place of the daughter of Baha'u'llah, Bahiyyih Khanum,

the Greatest Holy Leaf This remarkable lady is the most outstanding woman of this
Dispensation. Bahiyyih Khanum chose not to be married so that she could devote her
life to the service of Baha'u'llah. This she did from her earliest years,
accompanying Him through all His exiles and difficulties. In the process she so
benefited from the divine education she received from her illustrious father that
she became an exceptionally capable, talented and sensitive woman, full of
compassion for all who crossed her path. Always at the side of her brother, the
incomparable 'Abdu'l-Baha, she had the gift of nurturing and encouraging everyone
with a love that was all-embracing.

At times and for limited periods Bahiyyih Khanum was called upon to take the
reins of the Faith into her hands. This she did in the most wonderful way,
encouraging and guiding the believers throughout the world. <p153> <p154>

Shoghi Effendi selected this site for the resting-place of the Greatest Holy
Leaf, and erected this beautiful white marble monument which speaks of his love for
her, as a place of pilgrimage for all Baha'is who visit the Holy Land.

The monument has circular steps, slender columns and a dome lovingly
decorated with garlands of marble flowers and an inscription in Arabic of some of
the words of Baha'u'llah which refer to her spiritual station. Shoghi Effendi has
commented that the three elements of her resting-place are symbolic of the local,
national and international institutions of the Faith and the manner in which they
relate to each other.

Baha'u'llah has written of her: "Verily, We have elevated thee to the rank of
one of the most distinguished among thy sex, and granted thee, in My court, a
station such as none other woman hath surpassed[20]
.......... [20. Baha'u'llah, quoted in {Bahiyyih Khanum The Greatest Holy Leaf}
(Haifa: Baha'i World Centre, 1982), p. 3.] <p155> <p156> <p157>

Asiyih Khanum, entitled Navvab, who came from a noble family in Iran and
married Baha'u'llah in her early years, became His close companion and faithful
helpmate throughout all the long years of suffering. Her saintly character was a
blessing for those around her. Baha'u'llah gave her the title of "Most Exalted
Leaf" and has referred to her as His "perpetual consort in all the worlds of God".
[21]
.......... [21. Baha'u'llah, quoted in Shoghi Effendi, {God Passes By}, p. 108.]

Asiyih Khanum was buried near 'Akka where she passed away a few years before
the passing of Baha'u'llah. In 1939 Shoghi Effendi arranged for her remains and
those of her son Mirza Mihdi to be removed to Haifa and interred alongside each
other, thus fulfilling her wish to be buried with her son.

Mirza Mihdi, entitled the Purest Branch, was the younger brother of 'Abdu'l-
Baha. He served Baha'u'llah throughout his short life, acting as a scribe to Him.
He died in the prison in 'Akka as mentioned on page 7. His willingness to sacrifice
his own life so that pilgrims might be admitted to the presence of Baha'u'llah
earned him the title of martyr. Shoghi Effendi created identical monuments for
mother and son, expressive of the fact that they shared the same exalted station in
the sight of God. <p158>

<p159>

THE ARC

<p160>

Shoghi Effendi wrote that the completion of the Monument Gardens "reinforces
the spiritual potencies of that consecrated Spot which ... is destined to evolve
into the focal centre of those world-shaking, world-embracing, world-directing
administrative institutions, ordained by Baha'u'llah and anticipated by 'Abdu'l-
Baha".[22] He linked these future events to the words revealed by Baha'u'llah in
the Tablet of Carmel: "Ere long will God sail His Ark upon Thee, and will manifest
the people of Baha who have been mentioned in the Book of Names."
.......... [22. Shoghi Effendi, {Messages to America}, p. 32.]

Four buildings "in a harmonious style of architecture, standing on a far-

flung arc"[23] comprise the administrative centre of the Faith: the Seat of the
Universal House of Justice, the Seat of the International Teaching Centre, the
Centre for the Study of the Texts and the International Archives Building. An
International Baha'i Library will be added to this arc in the future.
.......... [23. Letter from the Universal House of Justice, August 1987.]

The International Archives Building was completed in Shoghi Effendi's

lifetime. For this building, which was to set the style for the buildings added
later, he chose a graceful classical Greek architecture, almost a copy of the
Parthenon in Athens.

The second building to be completed was the majestic Seat of the Universal
House of Justice, at the highest point of the Arc. <p161> <p162> <p163>

The Seat of the Universal House of Justice, in the classical style, is

surrounded by rows of imposing Corinthian columns, and is crowned by a moderate
dome. It is approached by a wide graceful marble staircase. <p164> <p165> <p166>

As we enter the main concourse of the Seat, we are struck by both its
grandeur and its simplicity. Here is a perfect harmony of the materials used, the
furniture, and the inner space. Our eyes are drawn to the central staircase. Here
the members of the Universal House of Justice will enter the concourse to greet the
pilgrims. <p167> <p168> <p169>

The green-tiled roof of the Seat of the Universal House of Justice is echoed
by the tiles on the Archives Building and the Centre for the Study of the Texts.
The Council Chamber of the Universal House of Justice looks out on the wide sweep
of the Bay of Haifa and directly towards the distant Shrine of Baha'u'llah across
the bay <p170>

The other two buildings on the Arc--the International Teaching Centre and the
Centre for the Study of the Texts--are of a unique and interesting design. In each
case only a relatively small portion of the building is visible, this in a
harmonious classical style with columns and beautiful porticos. Here we see the
entrance to the International Teaching Centre on the left, with a view of the
columns adorning this exquisite building on the right.

Each of these buildings has a capacity over twice that of the Seat of the
Universal House of Justice, most of the nine floors being deep in the heart of the
mountain. Due to ingenious light-wells and the slopes of the terrain, natural light
reaches most areas. <p171> <p172> <p173>

Views from the Seat of the Universal House of Justice (left) and the
International Teaching Centre (right) focus on the Shrine of the Bab, the "heart of
God's holy mountain". Another striking feature is the harmony of the Arc buildings
in relation to each other. <p174> <p175> <p176> <p177> <p178> <p179> <p180>

On special occasions as evening falls, the Arc buildings and the Terraces are
illuminated. <p181> <p182>

<p183>
AROUND HAIFA

<p184>

The lovely building known as the Pilgrim House, close to the Shrine of the
Bab, was built as a house for the pilgrims from the East at the time of 'Abdu'l-
Baha. It was graced on many occasions by the presence of 'Abdu'l-Baha Himself
Later, Shoghi Effendi addressed many of the gatherings of believers here too.

In former times, when pilgrims were the guests of the World Centre, they were
accommodated here and ate together, seated in the main hall. Later, when pilgrim
groups became too large fur this, it was a gathering place and a base for the
pilgrims, who could prepare their own food here, or spend quiet time in the
library. In most recent years the activity and bustle associated with pilgrims has
moved to the new Visitors' Centre not far away on Hatzionut Street. Now the
atmosphere of the Pilgrim House has changed, and the building has moved into a new
era. It is visited in a more respectful manner, more befitting perhaps to the fact
that it is indeed a Holy Place. Many pause here to prepare for their visit to the
Shrine of the Bab.

The Visitors' Centre is housed in an old building which has been renovated to
accommodate a large hall for pilgrim gatherings, dining areas, offices and various
reception rooms. When pilgrims are in the Holy Land this is a busy, cheerfully
noisy and exciting location filled with people from every corner of the world who
have come to pay homage to the Bab and Baha'u'llah and to visit the many Holy
Places associated with the life of Baha'u'llah. <p185> <p186> <p187> <p188>

Further down the mountain, close to the House of the Master, a building was
erected as a pilgrim house for the Western believers in the early years of the
twentieth century. Later, it accommodated virtually all the staff working at the
World Centre of the Faith. In 1963 when the Universal House of Justice was first
elected, it became the temporary seat of that august body, and when in 1983 the
Universal House of Justice started to function in its permanent Seat on the Arc on
Mount Carmel it was used by the International Teaching Centre. This Institution too
has now moved to the Arc and the building houses some of the offices of the World
Centre. <p189>

Before the building of the Western Pilgrim House at 10 Haparsim, 'Abdu'l-Baha

rented the house at 4 Haparsim for the Western pilgrims. He often crossed from His
home close by to visit with them in the reception area here. This building has been
redecorated and refurbished in the style of the period when it was in use as a
pilgrim house. <p190>

Many early and outstanding believers rest in the Baha'i Cemetery at the foot
of Mount Carmel, not far from the sea. It is situated close to a house 'where
'Abdu'l-Baha stayed on a number of occasions. One such occasion was soon after the
passing of Baha'u'llah.

The cemetery is characterized by rows of tall palm trees, and is a peaceful

spot where pilgrims come to meditate and reflect on the lives of those who have
served their Faith with distinction.

The Hand of the Cause Amatu'l-Baha Ruhiyyih Khanum, the wife of Shoghi
Effendi, Guardian of the Cause, rests in a small garden directly opposite the House
of the Master, where she lived and worked from the time she came to Haifa in 1938
to marry. A beautiful and unique monument has been raised here in her memory.
<p191>

Baha'u'llah visited Haifa on four occasions. During the last of these visits,
a year before His passing, He pitched His tent on an area of the mountain near the
Cave of Elijah. Here He revealed the Tablet of Carmel.[24] Baha'u'llah stood on the
mountain and chanted the verses of this prophetic Tablet aloud. His voice attracted
the attention of some Christian monks whose monastery was nearby and who came out
to see what was happening.
.......... [24. Baha'u'llah, Tablet of Carmel, in {Gleanings}, no. XI.]

In this Tablet Baha'u'llah foreshadows the creation of the world Centre of

His Faith and intimates for the first time in His Writings that the spiritual and
administrative centres of the Faith would be together on this mountain, which is
considered by many Faiths to be holy. Thus, for the first time in world history,
the spiritual and administrative centres of a religion are inseparable and function
as part of each other.

Shoghi Effendi chose this land as the site for the first Baha'i House of
Worship in Israel. He said that he had four reasons for choosing this spot. First,
it was graced by the footsteps of Baha'u'llah. Secondly, it was here that He
revealed the Tablet of Carmel. Thirdly, the site is close to the Cave of Elijah,
who was one of the important prophets of the Old Testament, and lastly, because it
is strategically situated on the head of the mountain. <p192> <p193>

It is a beautiful tree-covered site on a promontory of Mount Carmel,

surrounded on three sides by the sea. In the spring, many wild flowers are to be
found here, including cyclamen, anemone and poppies. At certain times of the year,
migrating birds such as geese, storks and pelican circle overhead in large numbers.

A large obelisk was created to mark this site by Shoghi Effendi, and erected
here a few years after his passing. <p194> <p195>

No man that seeketh Us will We ever disappoint, neither shall he that hath
set his face towards Us be denied access unto Our Court.[25]
Baha'u'llah
.......... [25. Baha'u'llah, {Gleanings}, no. CXXVI, para. 3.] <p196>

NOTES

1. Baha'u'llah, {Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah} (Wilmette, IL: Baha'i

Publishing Trust, 2nd edn 1976), no. CLXII, para. 7.

2. Baha'u'llah, quoted by Shoghi Effendi, {God Passes By} (Wilmette, IL: Baha'i
Publishing Trust, 1965), p. 184.

3. Baha'u'llah, quoted by Shoghi Effendi, {Messages to America} (Wilmette, IL:

Baha'i Publishing Committee, 1947), p. 34.

4. Quoted by Sara, Lady Blomfield, {The Chosen Highway} (London: Baha'i Publishing
Trust, 1940), p. 68.

5. A caravanserai was an inn where trading would rake place and where a traveller
could rent a room and stable his donkey or camel.

6. Testimony of Haji Mirza Haydar-'Ali, quoted by Adib Taherzadeh, {The Revelation

of Baha'u'llah} (Oxford: George Ronald, 1988), vol. 4, p. 135.

7. {Star of the West}, vol. 8, 4 Novembcr 1917, pp. 173-4.

8. The Prophet Muhammad, quoted by Shoghi Effendi, {God Passes By}, p. 184.
9. Quoted in Blomfield, {Chosen Highway}, p. 97.

10. This Tablet hangs on the wall of the room where Baha'u'llah used to rest in the
house at the end of the Garden. It is quoted in Taherzadeh,{Revelation}, vol. 4,
pp. 15-16.

11. May Maxwell, {An Early Pilgrimage} (Oxford: George Ronald, 1969), pp. 33-4.

12. See H. M. Balyuzi, {Baha'u'llah, the King of Glory} (Oxford: George Ronald,
1980), p.364.

13. Tarazu'llah Samandari, {Moments with Baha'u'llah} (Los Angeles: Kalimat Press,
1995),
p.41.
14. These were the words of Professor Edward Granville Browne, noted oriental
scholar who visited Baha'u'llah here in 1890. See E. G. Browne, {A TravelLer's
Narrative written to illustrate the Episode of the Bab} (Cambridge: Cambridge
University press, 1891), pp. xxxix-xl.

15. From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, quoted in {The Kitab-i-
Aqdas} (Haifa: Baha'i World Centre, 1992), note 8.

16. Maxwell, {Early Pilgrimage}, p. 12.

17. Ella Goodall Cooper, quoted in R. Rabbani, {The Priceless Pearl} (London:
Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1969), p. 6.

18. Shoghi Effendi, {God Passes By}, p. 267.

19. Shoghi Effendi, quoted by R.L. and B.R. Ferguson, {The Mountain of the Lord}
(Glenview, IL., 1984), p. 14.

20. Baha'u'llah, quoted in {Bahiyyih Khanum The Greatest Holy Leaf} (Haifa: Baha'i
World Centre, 1982), p. 3.

21. Baha'u'llah, quoted in Shoghi Effendi, {God Passes By}, p. 108.

22. Shoghi Effendi, {Messages to America}, p. 32.

23. Letter from the Universal House of Justice, August 1987.

24. Baha'u'llah, Tablet of Carmel, in {Gleanings}, no. XI.

25. Baha'u'llah, {Gleanings}, no. CXXVI, para. 3.