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Ridvan

Welcome my friends to the Najibiyyih Garden. Now I know most of you don't recognize that name, but that's what this place was called when I began working here many years ago. One of the guests in the garden, someone who was very special gave this garden another name. And the story of that visit is what I would like to share with you today. My name is _____________ and as I said I have worked here for many years, in 1863, in the spring, I was going about the chores of spring time, my favorite season. When one of the boys who worked for me, Jalil, came in from the city, he said the city was in an uproar. A messenger had arrived that morning from the Govenor(?), and he went straight to the house of those exiles from Tehran.

Now I did have occasion to visit that house once or twice when I was in the city picking up supplies. The family that lived there were so loving and gracious, I, a lowly gardener, always felt like nobility when I visited them. Baha'u'llah was the head of the family and he had so much wisdom, that I would just sit and listen to him for hours as he talked of many different things.

So, that fine spring morning the messenger delivered his message to Baha'u'llah and his family. The message said that Baha'u'llah was no longer allowed to stay in the city of Baghdad. He and his family were being sent to Constantinople. Well, you can imaginge how the people in the city responded to this news. Baha'u'llah's genorsity and genuine concern for people from the lowliest street urchin to well-to-do merchants was well known throughout the city. So Jalil said that half the city was trying to get in to see Baha'u'llah before he left. I thought lord have mercy there is no way those folks are gonna be able to get ready to go with all those visitors around, not in that small house!

So I sent Jalil to the home of Baha'u'llah with a message from me. In that message I mentioned to Baha'u'llah that he would be most welcome to bring some tents and stay here in this Garden while the preparations for the journey were being made. That way he could receive many visitors without disrupting the preparations. Baha'u'llah sent Jalil back to me with many words of thanks and appreciation, he would come to stay in the garden!

I immediately set to work, getting everything ready for his arrival. I wanted my gardens to be at their best for Baha'u'llah's visit. The tents arrived first and we worked vigorously to get them set up in the most peaceful part of the gardens.

When Baha'u'llah arrived he was so delighted with the gardens that he expressed many times his appreciation for my offer. In fact, he loved the gardens so much he named it the Gargen of Ridvan, or the Garden of Paradise. Once Baha'u'llah and his friends were established in their tents the visitors and well-wishers began to arrive. Many people came and went everyday for the next twelve days.

Each morning my assistants and I would get up before the sun and collect roses. We would pile them in the center of Baha'u'llah's tent, and the pile would be so high that Baha'u'llah's guests and visitors seated around it would not be able to see each other across it. All day Baha'u'llah would give roses to his visitors, some for them to keep, others to be taken to friends in the city. I have never seen such beautiful roses as my garden produced that year, they were ample and bold and the sweetest smelling flowers in the whole of my garden. And the nightingales weren't shy about showing their appreciation either, they sang so loudly and so sweetly that my heart wanted to burst for sheer joy. Baha'u'llah would come out of his tent and walk all night listening to the nightingales and praying.

Even though the reason for Baha'u'llah's stay in my garden was his departure, there was a feeling of great joy and gladness. I noticed that some of Baha'u'llah's closest followers seemed to be transformed with joy. At the time I didn't know what changed them so, but later I learned that he had shared with them a very special secret. That he was the Promised One of God and he was bringing to the people of the world guidance from God for how to live in this day and be happy.

On the twelfeth day the hour of Baha'u'llah's departure had come. I think nearly half the city came to say goodbye. His followers had bought Baha'u'llah a magnificent roan stallion to carry him on the long journey to Constantinople. After much pleading on the part of some who wished Baha'u'llah to stay in Baghdad, the grand company finally set off with Baha'u'llah at its head. Slowly all the people who had been in my Garden trickled back to their homes across the river, the tents were cleared away and everything was put to rights. At first I felt a bit lonely in my garden, when I had never felt that way before, but then I heard the nighttingales began to sing and my heart filled again with the love and joy brought to my garden by Baha'u'llah. To this day, the song of nightingales reminds me of that spring many years ago.