Episodes in the Life of MONEEREH KHANUM

Episodes in the Life of Munirih Khanum's Account Introductory Words MONEEREH KHANUM In the Name of Abha the Most Glorious By MONEEREH KHANUM In accord with the request of a number of spiritual sisters and the maid-servants of God in the West, I herein write down a brief account of my own life, and its relation to this great Revelation. O Thou Almighty! Thou dost testify and art a witness that all my limbs, organs, heart, soul and conscience bear testimony to Thy inexhaustible bounties; for, from the beginning of my life, without any merit on my part, Thou didst shower the rains of Thy Favor upon this maid-servant of Thy Threshold. From the beginning of my life, and during the Foreword period of my childhood, there have come into A few months ago, Moneereh Khanum - the wife my life wonders - each one of which is a miracle, of Abdul Baha, and, as she is known throughout causing great astonishment. Were I to explain the Bahai world by the title of "the Holy Mother," every incident fully, and to thank with my tongue mailed to me a Persian manuscript recording every blessing vouchsafed, I should be unable therein, in her inimitable way, some of the most to go on with this account, and it would lead to charming and intimate accounts of her eventful prolixity. and sacred life. The manuscript was From the age of twelve to the day when I stood accompanied with a letter written by Moneereh in the Holy Presence 1, and visited the Blessed Khanum and Shoghi Effendi, offering me the Shrine 2, I have had many dreams which are privilege of translating and publishing it for the worthy of record, conducing man to awareness; benefit of the friends. so that when difficulties and trials encircle the Considering the many years that I was engaged soul, the remembrance of those dreams will in the service of Abdul Baha and the impart consolation and rejoicing, patience and innumerable tokens of hospitality and kindness forbearance. Then man will come to realize that that I daily received from the members of his behind every event there is hidden a great blessed family while living in the Holy land - I wisdom, and back of every incident there is a performed this service with a keen pleasure and spiritual plan. This contemplation will not allow satisfaction. man to become dejected, unhappy, or sorrow- stricken. There is nothing more significant and helpful than to read the story of an eye-witness of great In regard to this matter, the tongue of the historical events and Moneereh Khanum has Blessed Perfection 3 and the Pen of the Greatest not only been an eye-witness but a close and Name 4 wrote in the ''Seven Valleys": most intimate participant and partner of the "If thou seest an injustice, behold in it Justice, Wonderful Bahai Revelation. May her spiritual and - if thou dost experience unkindness, account give the readers a greater and more perceive in it kindness." glorious perception of Truth! In short I will begin with the story and relate Translator, MIRZA AHMAD SOHRAB. The translation of an autobiography written by 1 The Presence of God when in the Presence of Baha'u'llah Moneereh Khanum, the wife of 'Abdu'l-Baha - 2 Of the Bab or of Baha'u'llah complying with the request of a number of the 3 Baha'u'llah American friends. 4 The Person and Words of Baha'u'llah as the Writing of God on earth Episodes in the Life of Munirih Khanum 1 / 17 Version 2010-10-30 02:08 some of the important events of the past. In day his descendants are thus known. God we rely, and from Him we beg help. Haji Siyyid Mohammed Nahri had several Although many of the events have not left a children, male and female. Amongst them was deep impression on my mind, and are more or my father whose name was Mirza Mohammed less forgotten, yet because some of the friends Ali Nahri, and my uncle, Mirza Hadi - who in time have urged that a short account may be became the father of the wife of the King of the recorded, I yield to their request. Before Martyrs 5. Upon him be Greeting and Praise! beginning with the story, a brief introduction will Quest for the Promised One here be written concerning my own family, so Now at this point, let me relate a story which is that it may add to the knowledge of the reader. interesting in itself. At the time when Haji Siyyid Father and Ancestors; Family Name "Nahri" Mohammed 6 was living in India, a celebrated The name of my father was Mirza Mohammed and well-known astrologer drew up his Ali Nahri, son of Haji Siyyid Mehdi Nahri, the son horoscope. One of the forecasts in that of Haji Siyyid Mohammed Hendi (Indian). Haji horoscope was to this effect, - that from his Siyyid Mohammed was born and lived in the posterity and grand-children a number will be village of Zavareh, a suburb of Esfahan. Having living in the day of Manifestation of God and will reached the age of maturity, he travelled to become believers in the Promised One, and India, and inasmuch as he belonged to the whole-hearted devotees to His Cause. Inasmuch family of Mohammed, the Prophet, and all the as Haji Siyyid Mohammed fully believed in this descendants of Mohammed are highly honored prognostication and looked upon this prediction and respected all over the East, in time he as indubitable, he wrote something to the married one of the Princesses of the ruling following effect in his will and testament: Indian family. The Indian Prince, in order to be "After my possessions are distributed according related to a member of the sacred family of to the law amongst my inheritors, all that Mohammed, and thus receive spiritual blessing remains in cash and other things, must be and benediction, gave his own daughter into formed into a trust, so that when the Promised marriage with Haji Siyyid Mohammed. Thus it One appears, it may be presented to Him." came to pass that Haji Siyyid Mohammed sojourned in India, and for this reason he He left his will behind, bidding farewell to this became known by the title of "Indian." This world, and hastened to the Kingdom of Light. family connection became conducive to much When the Call of the Bab arose from Shiraz, my fame, wealth, and honor, and he lived in the father and uncle, as soon as they heard of it, style of a nobleman - a prince, and with all the without returning to their homes, or saying retinue of royalty. farewell to their families, started for Shiraz, and After some time, he became the happy father of with the greatest haste travelled toward the two sons; the first-born was named Haji Siyyid Mount of the Beloved. Mehdi, who, later on, became the sole inheritor The other brothers, who were worldly and lovers of all the wealth and possessions of his father. of material things, who neither walked in the This eldest son travelled from India to Najaf path of religion nor of truth, but availed (one of the Holy Cities in Karbala, themselves of the opportunity, and went to the Mesopotamia) and domiciled there. In the Mullahs of Najaf and Karbala, accusing their course of his life, he came into possession of two brothers of being infidels and therefore much wealth and real estate - farms, houses, deserving to be disinherited. They called their caravansaries, public baths and stores. These brothers "Babis," and took possession of all the properties were in the cities of Karbala and wealth and belongings of their father, giving no Najaf. After a while he spent one-third of his heed to his Will. money constructing an aqueduct to carry water into the city, and for this reason he became known by the title "Nahri" from the Persian word "Nahr" - a stream of water. This title Nahri was 5 King of Martyrs - Haji Siyyid Muhammad-Hasan. handed down through the family, and to this 6 Munirih's great-grandfather Episodes in the Life of Munirih Khanum 2 / 17 Version 2010-10-30 02:08 Tahirih pregnant and my father, Mirza Mohammed Ali When my uncle realized that his brothers lived was born and a year and three months later, my in that material condition, he withdrew his hand uncle, Mirza Hadi, was born. from the world and its inhabitants, closed his Father and Uncle - Student and Mystic eyes to the wealth of his father 7, and spent days When these two brothers reached the age of and nights in serving the Cause of the True One. maturity, my father became eager to study Then, in the name of his father, Haji Siyyid philosophy, science, and literature. He entered Mohammed, and in order to fulfil his will, and the college of "Kaseh-Garan" in Esfahan, and testament, he himself offered a box of precious became absorbed in the pursuit of knowledge. jewels which belonged to him, to Qurratu'l' Ayn 8. On the other hand, my uncle was more mystic At that time Qurratu'l' Ayn was living in Bagdad and Sufi. He lived in retirement, practiced piety and Karbala, and all the expenses of her trip, and contemplation, and followed the path of the and her journey from Bagdad to other parts, Quietist school. As time rolled on, people were defrayed out of the sale of the jewels in trusted him and the Ulamas believed in him.

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