'Abdu'l-Rahim then decided that he would kill some Baha'is. Not only would he rid the world of these infidels, he thought, but he'd gain a place in heaven as well. So, one day he armed himself with a weapon and went to confront an older believer whose name was Haji Bábá.
"I've come to kill you, Haji Bábá, because you are a Baha'i. You are a disgrace to Islam!"
To 'Abdu'l-Rahim’s surprise Haji Bábá did not seem the least
upset. Instead he replied calmly and lovingly. It was certainly not what
'Abdu'l-Rahim’s expected. He wanted to kill at least one Baha'i, but instead he
found himself listening to the words of the old man. Quite against his will,
'Abdu'l-Rahim became interested.
After a while, Haji Bábá took 'Abdu'l-Rahim to a meeting. It
was in the house of Mulla Husayn's sister. (Perhaps you remember that Mulla
Husayn was the first to believe in the Báb.) You have been to firesides I
suppose? Well, this one lasted one day and one night! At the end of this
meeting, 'Abdu'l-Rahim was not only a Baha'i, but a Baha'i who was on fire with
the love of God. He was so charged that he could no longer bear to stay in his
town. He had learned that the Manifestation of God, God's Prophet for this age,
was actually on this earth and 'Abdu'l-Rahim longed to see His Face.
'Abdu'l-Rahim set out for the prison of Akka on foot. He
walked weary miles on foot. He walked weary miles with a glad heart. He walked
through cold and heat, rain and snow. He walked for six months. Finally, he
arrived at the city of his heart, the dusty, parched city of Akka, where God
had placed His Most Glorious Treasure, Baha'u'llah.
Unfortunately, 'Abdu'l-Rahim arrived in the early days of
Baha'u'llah's imprisonment. The gates were watched carefully and anyone
suspected of being a Baha'i was turned away. Outside the city 'Abdu'l-Rahim met
the celebrated, long suffering Nabil, who many times had tried to get in to
catch a glimpse of that Beloved Face. But Nabil had failed and was patiently
waiting for a time when he might enter.
