Varqá and Rúhu’lláh 101 Stories of Bravery on the Move by Boris Handal Copyright © Boris Handal 2020 Published: First Edition October 2020 Boris Handal Varqá and Rúhu’lláh: 101 Stories of Bravery on the Move ISBN: 978-0-6489014-5-7 (print) Varqá and Rúhu’lláh: 101 Stories of Bravery on the Move ISBN: 978-0-6489014-6-4 (e-book) All rights reserved The right of Boris Handal to be identified as author of this Work has been asserted by him in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, copied in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise transmitted without written permission from the publisher. You must not circulate this book in any format. “O friends, now indeed is the time, the time of service, the time for acquiring divine bounty, the time of victory.” Rúḥu’lláh Varqá To the Bahá’ís of Iran Foreword Journeys are a pervasive theme in Bahá’í literature, no less so in Varqá and Rúḥu’lláh: 101 Stories of Bravery on the Move by Dr. Boris Handal. As the title suggests, this volume invites the reader to accompany two heroic souls as they scale the rugged mountains on their approach to their Beloved: the father, Mírzá ‘Alí-Muḥammad, surnamed “Varqá” (Dove) by Bahá’u’lláh, and his young son, Rúḥu’lláh (meaning the “Spirit of God”). Both individuals figure prominently in Bahá’í history: Varqá, a Hand of the Cause of God, and a renowned teacher, poet and physician and in ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s words, an “incomparable person, a jewel of kindness”; and Rúḥu’lláh, a prodigy who was referred to as Jináb-i-Mubaligh (the Honourable Religious Teacher) by Bahá’u’lláh. They were both inhumanly put to death in prison in Tehran in 1896; their only “crime” – being Bahá’ís. In this volume, the reader is taken on a journey of transformation and discovery. Transported to distant lands, whether on the uplifting and awe-inspiring journeys to pilgrimage in the Holy Land or on the long and perilous journey on horseback from Zanján to Tehran, in chains and fetters and in the bitter cold, the author employs the resources of language and imagery to depict the backdrop of the literal and metaphorical journey: “For days the prisoners kept moving through the rocky road flanked on the left by the ruggy slopes of the Alborz ranges and on the right by the vastness of the Iranian plateau”. As we marvel at Varqá’s and Rúḥu’lláh’s endurance and the bravery of their exploits, we are prompted to consider afresh the condition and purpose of our own inner lives and spiritual journeys. The author has assembled many luminous gems to captivate and inspire the reader, amongst them a detailed account of Varqá’s integral role in communicating with Bahá’u’lláh in respect to the treasured portrait of the Báb (painted by artist Áqá Balá Bayg of Shishavan); and a story about the endearing relationship between Rúḥu’lláh and the revered Umm-i-Ashraf (Mother of Ashraf) who i showered love and hospitality upon the young Rúḥu’lláh in Zanján in 1882. Also notable is Rúḥu’lláh’s affection and high regard for his aunt Bíbí Túbá (Varqá’s only sister) whom he refers to in glowing terms: “my exalted aunt” and “the esteemed and respected aunt”, a regard rarely accorded to women in Persia in those days. Further, there is a graphic description of the brutal Anbar prison which “epitomised the miseries of Qajar society” where Varqá, Rúḥu’lláh and their two companions, Mírzá Ḥusayn and Ḥájí Ímám, were incarcerated and where Varqá and Rúḥu’lláh were later martyred. It was here that we see the fraternal feeling between Rúḥu’lláh (then aged 12 years) and his older brother, the valiant Azízu’lláh (aged 15 years) who despite the very real danger posed for his own safety (as Varqá himself had cautioned) managed to gain access to that hellish place to be of assistance to his father and brother. We cannot fail to mention the stirring extracts from Varqá’s and Rúḥu’lláh’s poetry on the mystical themes of love, sacrifice and the mysteries of martyrdom which beckon the reader to search out more. And while Rúḥu’lláh possessed a maturity well beyond his age, his poetry has an evocative quality of the spirit of idealism and service so characteristic of his own age of junior youth: Hoisting the flags of guidance, march Towards the world, O lovers of Bahá, That these intoxicated creatures may awaken And move away from fancies and doubts, And the light of God may enlighten their eyes, And the thorns of their hearts may become roses. The concluding stories are devoted to the lives of Varqá’s third son, Mr Valíyu’lláh Varqá and grandson, Dr. ‘Alí-Muḥammad Varqá who were both Hands of the Cause of God and Trustees of the Institution of Ḥuqúqu’lláh. How remarkable that Varqá’s lineage should have such a deep association with the law of Ḥuqúqu’lláh! – a law, Bahá’u’lláh tells us, in which “there are benefits and wisdoms beyond ii the ken of anyone but God, the Omniscient, the All-Informed”.1 Apt then, is the inclusion of an Appendix with a talk by Dr. Varqá on Ḥuqúqu’lláh given at the Sixth International Convention in Haifa in 1988. At its closure, the author offers some final reflections which include a welcome recognition of the often hidden yet indispensable role of women in this historical account, at a time when “referring to women's names was forbidden by common laws” and “houses did not even have windows opening upon the outside world”. Women used to talk to visitors at home behind curtains and cover their faces in public. While we look back askance at such severe oppression and can take some heart at progress being made in relation to gender equality, the author is at pains to remind us of the systematic oppression of the Bahá’ís in Iran which distressingly continues to the present day. This foreword would be incomplete without a note on illustrations. Widely sourced, and accompanied by the author’s rich descriptive narrative, they provide fascinating insights to illuminate the context, dating back to early Persia. One of the stories in this volume concerns a recollection of Varqá upon attaining the honour of meeting Bahá’u’lláh while on his first pilgrimage in 1878. On this occasion, Bahá’u’lláh emphasised the importance of writing: “the Blessed Tongue repeated the Command of the ‘First Point,’ which was that the believers should each one write books demonstrating the truth of ‘He whom God shall manifest.’” It is hoped that the publication of Varqá and Rúḥu’lláh: 101 Stories of Bravery on the Move will inspire other individuals to similarly arise and put pen to paper and heed Rúḥu’lláh’s admonition to “Make an effort, O my friends! The time to serve hath come!” Dr Felicity Rawlings-Sanaei Sydney, Australia September, 2020 1 Bahá’u’lláh. The Kitáb-i-Aqdas, Bahá’í Reference Library available at: www.bahai.org/r/443108496 iii iv Preface I first met the Hand of the Cause of God Dr ‘Alí-Muḥammad Varqá, member of the illustrious Varqá family, in 1980. An international Bahá’í youth conference was held in Lima, Peru, and Dr Varqá was the special speaker at the invitation of the National Spiritual Assembly of Peru. Youth from almost all of Latin America were interested in coming. However, those were difficult times due to political instability and insecurity because of the threat of armed groups. At that time, months after the Iranian Islamic revolution Dr Varqá was residing in Canada. He was not feeling well but when invited over the phone his immediate response was: “If that is for the youth I will be there”. With a group of friends, I went to receive him at the airport late at night to take him to his hotel. At one of the sessions, I sat next to him and spoke about an article that I had written about his grandfather Varqá and his uncle Rúḥu’lláh. Dr Varqá was impressed by my modest thirty page article written in the Spanish language and was very encouraging about its publication. For my delight, he signed the book cover. I remember him becoming very interested about the sources of my work with a gentleness of which I will treasure forever. Dr Varqá spoke about the Covenant and how the Universal House of Justice was elected in 1963. He referred to the year 1957 when suddenly Shoghi Effendi died leaving the Hands of the Cause in a leadership role to the Bahá’í world. Given the empty space left by the Guardian’s passing, the Hands studied together the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and Shoghi Effendi to find guidance on what they could do to move the Faith forward. Finally, the Hands decided to continue advancing the Ten Year Crusade and at its conclusion arranged for the election of the first Universal House of Justice. The point that Dr Varqá made was that whatever a problem is, we should always find the solution in the Writings of our Faith. v The conference was a total success and people came to see the Hand of the Cause. Five-hundred youth from eighteen countries in Latin America, North America and four native groups congregated together around Dr Varqá to celebrate the International Year of the Youth announced by the United Nations.