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`Abdu'l-Bahá in London
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Pages 117-119
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`Abdu'l-Hamíd's Committee
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1 |
"One year before `Abdu'l-Hamíd was
dethroned, he sent an extremely overbearing,
treacherous and insulting committee of investigation.
The chairman was one of the governor's
staff, Árif Bey, and with him were three army
commanders varying in rank.
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2 |
"Immediately upon his arrival, Árif Bey
proceeded to denounce me and tried to get proof
strong enough to warrant sending me to Fizán, or
throwing me into the sea. Fizán is a caravan
station on the boundary of Tripoli where there are
no houses and no water. It is a month's journey
by camel route from Akká.
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3 |
"The committee twice sent for me to hear what
I had to say in my own defence and twice I sent
back word: `I know your purpose, I have nothing
to say.'
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4 |
"This so infuriated Árif Bey that he declared
he would return to Constantinople and bring
back an order from the Sultán to have me hanged
at the gate of Akká. He and his committee set sail
with their report containing the following
accusations:--`Abdu'l-Bahá is establishing a new
nation of which he is to be the king; `Abdu'l-Bahá
is uplifting the banner of a new religion;
`Abdu'l-Bahá has built or caused to be built
fortifications in Haifa, a neighbouring village, and
is buying up all the surrounding lands.'
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5 |
"About this time an Italian ship appeared in
the harbour sent by order of the Italian Consul. It
had been planned that I was to escape on it by
night. The Bahá'ís in Akká implored me to go but
I sent this message to the captain: `The Báb did
not run away: Bahá'u'lláh did not run away; I
shall not run away, so the ship sailed away after
waiting three days and three nights.
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6 |
"It was while the Sultán's committee of
investigation was homeward bound that the first
shell was dropped into `Abdu'l-Hamíd's camp
and the first gun of freedom was fired into the
home of despotism. That was God's gun," said
`Abdu'l-Bahá, with one of his wonderful smiles.
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7 |
"When the committee reached the Turkish
capital, they had more urgent things to think of.
The city was in a state of uproar and rebellion,
and the committee, as members of the government
staff, were delegated to investigate the
insurrection. Meanwhile the people were establishing
a constitutional government and `Abdu'l-Hamíd
was given no chance to act."
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