• View
• Edit
• History
• Print

Abu-Dan

Greetings! Greetings! Welcome to my little shop. Please, have a seat, anywhere you can.

My name (pause) is Abu-Dan and I am a humble baker of bread, as you can plainly see (wave to the loaves of bread on display).

Welcome! Welcome to my beautiful city of Akka. (pause and look around at the guests) Oh! I see you have heard of Akka before. It is true that Akka was at one time so foul that if a bird flew over the city (move hand slowly through the air to mimic a bird), it would fall to its death (drop the hand to the floor) from the stench.

But all this has changed since a Certain Person came to my city.

He came from the Sea Gate (wave hand toward the picture of the sea gate). We were told that He was the God of the Persians. Can you imagine? We hurried down to the gate! We wanted to see Him. (with contempt) "The God of the Persians," who was this Man? We wanted to laugh at him! We wanted to jeer at him! (pause and in a hushed voice) But we could not. When He walked from the ship, he did so with such dignity, such grace, such beauty. We could not laugh or jeer. We only stood with awe and wonder. He was 50 years old.

That first night they placed His whole Family in one small cell. Imagine! The whole Family! With nothing to eat! No privacy! They even begged for water and were refused. And then finally, when food came it was nothing but stale and salty bread and rancid water. Why, I would have gladly given them some of my bread. Many of the members of family became quite sick because of the terrible food given to them.

But one Member of the family was very careful about what He ate (put hand to mouth). Yes, one Person watched His food and stayed healthy for a while. It was He to cared for them. That person was 'Abdu'l-Baha (smile).

They kept Baha'u'llah and His family in a small set of rooms with a small window (point at the window). This one here. Do you know...pilgrims would come walking all the way from Persia much as you have done today to visit Baha'u'llah. But all they could see (wave hand toward picture of His cell) was the hand of Baha'u'llah waving to them from this small window. Do you see it? Can you see the hand waving? I cannot. My eyes are too old to make out the hand of Baha'u'llah any more.

After a while they gave 'Abdu'l-Baha a little money to buy food. He came here! He came to my little shop! He bought my bread! Not my regular bread, but only the best bread for the family of Baha'u'llah! We used to talk a long while when He came. We were very good friends, He and I. He told me about the many sad things that happened to His family. So many sad things happened to Them here in Akka.

Why, do you know that one day, 'Abdu'l-Baha was particularly sad. He told me that his beloved younger brother, Mirza Mihdi, had been wrapt in prayer and fallen through an unguarded skylight! He was badly hurt. His dying supplication to His greiving Father was to accept his life as a ransom for those pilgrims like you who were prevented from attaining the presence of Baha'u'llah.

One day, Baha'u'llah remarked that it had been 9 years since he had seen verdure - green things. Hearing of this, 'Abdu'l-Baha made an effort to find a place outside the gates of the city to live. When He found a place, He came to the presence of His Father.

"The palace of Mazra'ih is ready for You," He said. But Baha'u'llah refused saying, "I am a prisoner, I cannot go." 'Abdu'l-Baha pleaded again, "Please, let us go! let us go to the country!" But again, Baha'u'llah refused saying, "I am a prisoner, I cannot go." For a third time, 'Abdu'l-Baha ventured to ask. But Baha'u'llah still said, "No!" 'Abdu'l-Baha dared no insist further.

Finally, 'Abdu'l-Baha asked a certain well known and influential Shaykh who loved Baha'u'llah and was greatly favored by Him, to help. 'Abdu'l-Baha said, "You are daring. Go tonight to His Holy Presence, fall on your knees before Him, take hold of His hands and do not let go until He promises to leave the city." So this Shaykh came directly to Baha'u'llah. He sat down close to His knees. He took hold of His hands. He kissed them. Then he asked, "Why do you not leave the City?" Baha'u'llah refused, saying "I am a prisoner." This dear Shaykh got on his knees (get on knees!) and kept pleading with Baha'u'llah for an hour saying, "please, let us go to the country where there are green living things and the breeze is sweet." But still Baha'u'llah refused saying, "I am a prisoner." To this the Shaykh replied, "God forbid! Who has the power to make you a prisoner? You have kept yourself in prison. And now I beg you to come out and go to the palace. It is beautiful and green. The trees are lovely and the oranges are like balls of fire!" At long last, the Shaykh's patience and persistence were rewarded as Baha'u'llah smiled and said, "khayli khub" (very good) and he consented to move to the country.

(waive arm towards the next station) If you please, you may now visit the Mansion of Bahji! Thank you for coming (put your hand over your heart) to visit this humble baker of bread.