When you stand in the gardens at Mazra'ih near 'Akka, you can see the mountains that hold the Druze village
of Abu-Sinan, where the Baha'is of the Holy Land lived during the most
dangerous times of World War I.
During this war, the British and the Turks were fighting to
control the Holy Land. Because the enemies of the Faith had spread lies about
the Baha'is to the Turkish military leader, Jamal Pasha, he had sworn to crucify
'Abdu'l-Baha and His family upon his return to Haifa. So 'Abdu'l-Baha moved the
Baha’is and His family to the village of Abu-Sinan.
But He Himself had work to do. So, with Haji MIrza Haydar
'AIi, a courageous soul who feared nothing but the displeasure of God, He
returned to Haifa. As it was impossible for 'Abdu'l-Baha to continue his
correspondence with Baha'i's all over the world - there was no mail in or out
of Haifa, and no pilgrims could travel to the war zone - He returned His
energies to trying to ease the sufferings of the people of Haifa and 'Akka.
The oppression of the Turks and a plague of locusts had
caused local famine, so in the tremendous heat of the season (which was enough
to take one's breath away!), 'Abdu'l-Baha traveled to Tiberias [about 30 miles
to Haifa] and supervised the raising of wheat on the fertile land around the
Sea of Galilee. He maintained a system of distributing the wheat to the people
of Haifa and 'Akka, arranged for its transport by camel, and devoted His time to
caring for the victims of the war.
At the end of the war, the tide was turning very definitely
in favor of the British, and the safety of 'Abdu'l-Baha was in even more peril,
as the Turks desperately held on in Haifa. Some British Baha'is received an urgent
message that 'Abdu'l-Baha's life was in grave danger and they hurried to get
help from the British officials, who responded by having a telegram sent from
the British government in London to General Allenby of the British army in the
Holy Land: "Extend every protection and consideration to 'Abdu'l-Baha, His
family and His friends, when the British march on Haifa."
When General Allenby took Haifa, he sent a cable back to
London: "Have today taken Palestine. Notify the world that 'Abdu'l-Baha is
safe."
Major Tudor-Pole tells us about the events during those
days. He says that there were some exciting predictions that 'Abdu'l-Baha made
about the British taking Haifa and 'Akka. 'Abdu'l-Baha is reported to have said
to two unarmed British soldiers that both cities would fall into British hands
with almost no bloodshed, and that the Turks would surrender ‘Akka, which was
regarded as a fortress that could not be penetrated.
Major Tudor-Pole then tells us how 'Akka fell: 'Akka,
fortified and walled, was supposed to be filled with the Turkish soldiers,
ready to defend the town. Early one morning, two British soldiers, who had
gotten lost during the night, found themselves at the gates of 'Akka, thinking
that the town was already in British hands. The Turkish soldiers stationed
there had secretly taken out of 'Akka the evening before. When the mayor of
'Akka saw British soldiers at the gate, he came down and presented them with
the keys of the town, as a gesture of surrender!
In April of 1920, 'Abdu'l-Baha received a high honor from
the British government. He was knighted, becoming Sir 'Abdu'l-Baha Abbas. This
knighthood was bestowed upon Him in recognition of His work during the war to
alleviate the peoples' hunger and distress.
'Abdu'l-Baha accepted the knighthood as a gift from a
"just king", but never used the title "Sir", and even on
the day of His knighthood, He refused to allow a fuss to be made over Him.
The British officials were all gathered in Haifa to honor
'Abdu'l-Baha, and a fancy automobile had been sent in every direction to look
for Him, when suddenly, from an unexpected side, He appeared alone, walking
majestically toward the garden where the ceremony was to be.
'Abdu'l-Baha had asked His faithful servant Isfandiyar, to
drive Him to His knighting using his simple horse-drawn carriage. And that’s
how He arrived: humble yet kingly, wearing already the invisible crown of honor
won by Him for steadfastly working to serve others.
(by Sue Lang, Brilliant
Star magazine, November-December 1983)
