CONTENTS

page
FOREWORD

1.

BAHÁ'U'LLÁH IN CONSTANTINOPLE

1
     Lawh-i-Hawdaj
6
     Subhánika-Yá-Hú
18

2.

MATHNAVÍY-I-MUBÁRAK

29
     Detachment
34
     The Veil of Ego
43
     Courage and Sacrifice
46

3.

THE EXILE TO ADRIANOPLE

55

4.

SÚRIY-I-ASHÁB

65
     The State of the Bábí Community
66
     The Station of Bahá'u'lláh
77
     The Command to Avoid sedition
86
     The Command to Teach
91

5.

TABLET OF AHMAD (ARABIC)

107

6.

LAWH-I-AHMAD (PERSIAN)

137

7.

THE FORCES OF EVIL GATHER MOMENTUM

152
     The 'Most Great Separation'
165

8.

THE PROMISED ONE OF THE BAYÁN: SOME TABLETS

171
     Lawh-i-Bahá
171
     Lawh-i-Rúh
181
     Lawh-i-Laylatu'l Quds
188

9.

SOME EARLY PILGRIMS

194
     Hájí Mírzá Haydar-'Alí
194
     Mírzá Muhammad-'Alíy-i-Nahrí
202
     Mírzá 'Alíy-i-Sayyáh
209

10.

ILLUSTRIOUS MARTYRS

222
     Áqá Najaf-'Alíy-i-Zanjání
222
     Siyyid Ashraf and Abá-Basír
223
     Lawh-i-Ashraf
230

11.

SOME SIGNIFICANT TABLETS

236
     Súriy-i-Damm
236
     Súrihs of Hajj
240
     The Story of the Nightingale and the Crow
241
     Lawh-i-Nasír
245
     Lawh-i-Khalíl
259
     Lawh-i-Siráj
262

12.

TESTS OF FAITH

270
     The Falling Stars
270
     Súriy-i-'Ibád
272
     The Test of Gold
276

13.

LAWH-I-SALMÁN

283

14.

CONFRONTATION WITH MÍRZÁ YAHYÁ

291

15.

SÚRIY-I-MULÚK

301
     Some Important Themes of the Súriy-i-Mulúk
305
        The responsibility of the kings
305
        General counsels to the kings
308
        The consequences of rejection
309
        To the Christians
311
        To the Sultán of Turkey
312
        To the ministers of the Sultán
316
        To the citizens of Constantinople
317
        To the divines and philosophers
319
        To the French Ambassador
319
        To the Persian Ambassador
320
     Moves Towards a Further Banishment
325
     Interrogations in Constantinople
328
     Persecution in Egypt and 'Iráq
332

16.

TWO KINGS ARE SUMMONED

337
     Themes of the Lawh-i-Sultán
337
        Persecution of the Bábís
340
        The Station of Bahá'u'lláh
346
        The Challenge to the Divines
349
        The 'Sword of Wisdom and Utterance'
351
        The Sufferings of Bahá'u'lláh
355
     The Story of a Martyr
357
     Bahá'u'lláh's First Tablet to Napoleon III
368

17.

THE KITÁB-I-BADÍ'

370
     Condemnation of the Covenant-breakers
376
     Writings of the Báb concerning 'Him Whom God shall make manifest'
377
     Khadíjih-Bagum
382

18.

SÚRIY-I-GHUSN

388

19.

BAHÁ'U'LLÁH'S DEPARTURE FROM ADRIANOPLE

397
     Súriy-i-Ra'ís
411


APPENDIX I: The Star-fall of 1866

422
APPENDIX II: A Visit to Adrianople by Martha L. Root
427
APPENDIX III: Hájí Mírzá Haydar-'Alí of Isfahán
438


BIBLIOGRAPHY

451
REFERENCES
455
INDEX
469





ILLUSTRATIONS

THE FIRST PAGE OF THE SÚRIY-I-AMR
In Bahá'u'lláh's own hand, revealed soon after the attempt on His life. His amanuensis read this Tablet aloud to Mírzá Yahyá to acquaint him formally with the mission of Bahá'u'lláh
facing page

HÁJÍ MÍRZÁ HAYDAR 'ALÍ OF ISFAHÁN
   An outstanding follower of Bahá'u'lláh and a defender of
   His Covenant. His memoirs are often quoted in this volume

144

USTÁD MUHAMMAD-'ALÍY-I-SALMÁNÍ
   The barber, a devoted servant of Bahá'u'lláh
   and a well-known Bahá'í poet

145

A VIEW OF ADRIANOPLE, 1853

176

RUINS OF THE HOUSE OF AMRU'LLÁH
   One of Bahá'u'lláh's residences in Adrianople.
   A photograph taken in 1933

177

THE HOUSE OF RIDÁ BIG
   Where Bahá'u'lláh lived for a year.
   A recent photograph taken after the house was restored

208

RUINS OF THE HOUSE OF 'IZZAT ÁQÁ
   Bahá'u'lláh's last residence in Adrianople.
   A photograph taken in 1933

209

ÁQÁ MUHAMMAD-ALÍY-I-TAMBÁKÚ-FURÚSH
   A loyal and devoted companion of Bahá'u'lláh

240

MÍRZÁ 'ALÍY-I-SAYYÁH
   An attendant of the Báb, he visited Shaykh Tabarsí on His behalf.
   He became a devoted follower of Bahá'u'lláh and was among
   the Bahá'ís exiled to Cyprus
241

HÁJÍ ÍMÁN
   A devoted follower of Bahá'u'lláh, who visited Him in
   Adrianople; he suffered persecution for his faith.
   A photograph taken in prison.
272

HÁJÍ MUHAMMAD IBRÁHÍM-I-KHALÍL
   A notable believer of Qazvín.
   The recipient of the Lawh-i-Khalíl

273

MOSQUE OF SULTÁN SALÍM
   This famous mosque in Adrianople was visited occasionally
   by Bahá'u'lláh

304

HUSAYN-I-ÁSHCHÍ
   The cook in the household of Bahá'u'lláh
   and one of his sincere followers

305

ÁQÁ RIDÁY-I-QANNÁD OF SHÍRÁZ
   A loyal companion of Bahá'u'lláh throughout
   His exile from Baghdád to 'Akká

400

MÍRZÁ MAHMÚD-I-KÁSHÁNÍ
   A selfless and trusted companion of Bahá'u'lláh    throughout His exile from Baghdád to 'Akká

401

'ABDU'L-GHAFFÁR
   One of Bahá'u'lláh's most devoted servants.
   He threw himself into the sea when he was prevented from
   accompanying Bahá'u'lláh

432

HÁJÍ MUHAMMAD ISMÁ'ÍL-I-KÁSHÁNÍ
   Entitled Dhabíh. An outstanding teacher of the Faith of
   Bahá'u'lláh and one of His most devoted followers.
   He was the recipient of the Súriy-i-Ra'ís

433