A Child in the Holy Land

Bahá’í Publishing, Wilmette, Illinois 1233 Central St, Evanston, Illinois 60201

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Mohadjer, Gisu, compiler, editor. Title: A child in the Holy Land / compiled and edited by Gisu Mohadjer. Description: Wilmette, Illinois : Bahá’í Publishing, [2022] | Includes bibliographical references and index.

Identifiers: LCCN 2022026484 (print) | LCCN 2022026485 (ebook) | ISBN 9781618512178 (paperback) | ISBN 9781618512185 (epub)

Subjects: LCSH: Bahais--Biography. | Bahá’u’lláh, 1817-1892. | ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, 1844-1921. | Shoghi, Effend.i

Classification: LCC BP390 .M66 2022 (print) | LCC BP390 (ebook) | DDC 297.9/3092 [B]--dc23/eng/20220711

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2022026484

LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2022026485

Cover photo by Farzam Sabetian

Cover design by Carlos Esparza Book design by Patrick Falso

All photos are copyrighted to the Bahá’í International Community and were accessed from the Bahá’í Media Bank, the US Bahá’í National Archives, and from the author’s personal collection, with the exception of the photograph on page vii, which is copyrighted to Gisu Mohadjer.

of the Children .............................................................113 Notes ........................................................................................123 Bibliography..............................................................................131 Index .........................................................................................135

Introduction

This little book includes charming, tender, and humorous stories about the interactions of children with the Holy Family in the Bahá’í holy places in the Holy Land. Within its pages, you will find stories of how the Holy Family lovingly fostered the spiritual development of each child and youth, whether from the East or the West. These stories show spirituality, generosity, playfulness, hospitality, joy, instruction, education, kindness, and love.

We are fortunate that twenty-one of these children and youth shared their experiences and that several adults also wrote down their observations—these stories are reflected here in their own voices.

Professor Suheil Bushrú’í, who lived in the Holy Land as a child, once said about the Beloved Guardian Shoghi Effendi:

I was young, very young really, when I first came to be aware of that majestic figure of Shoghi Effendi. I am reminded of these two lines from the English poet Wordsworth:

Bliss it was in that dawn to be alive, But to be young was very heaven.

Indeed it was.*

* Bushrú’í, “Memories of Shoghi Effendi,” 2012.

xv

My hope is that these stories will delight you, will draw you closer to the Holy Family, and will inspire you to strive to follow their example and make the lives of all children heavenly.

And if you have the privilege of going on pilgrimage to the holy places where these stories took place, perhaps you will take a moment to remember these children and how they were forever blessed by their time with the Holy Family.

Gisu Mohadjer Cook Potomac, Maryland

xvi INTRODUCTION

Stories with the Blessed Beauty Bahá’u’lláh

The Greatest Holy Leaf told this story about the suffering of the innocent children on their first day in the prison in ‘Akká, and the kindness of Bahá’u’lláh (1868)1:

Then came another time of heart-sickening suffering. The mothers who had babes at breast had no milk for them, for lack of food and drink, so the babes could not be pacified or quieted. The larger children were screaming for food and water, and could not sleep or be soothed. The women were fainting.

Under these conditions, my Brother [‘Abdu’l-Bahá] spent the first part of the night passing about among the distressed people, trying to pacify them, and in appealing to the soldiers not to be so heartless as to allow women and children to suffer so. About midnight He succeeded in getting a message to the governor. We were then sent a little water and some cooked rice; but the latter was so full of grit and smelled so badly that only the strongest stomach could retain it. The water the children drank; but the rice only the strongest could eat. Later on, some of our people in unpacking their goods found some pieces of the bread which had been brought from Gallipoli, and a little sugar. With these a dish was prepared for the

1

Blessed Perfection, who was very ill. When it was taken to Him, He said: “I command you to take this to the children.” So it was given to them, and they were somewhat quieted. The next morning conditions were no better; there was neither water nor food that could be eaten. My Brother sent message after message to the governor, appealing in behalf of the women and children. At length he sent us water and some prisoners’ bread; but the latter was worse even than the rice— appearing and tasting as though earth had been mixed with the flour. My Brother also succeeded in getting permission to send out a servant, guarded by four soldiers, to buy food.2

The Prison of ‘Akká

The story of Badí‘’s extraordinary courage (1869): . . . Bahá’u’lláh revealed a long and detailed epistle for the Sháh of Persia. Those who have studied it realize that this

A CHILD IN THE HOLY LAND 2

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A Child in the Holy Land

Contents

Introduction

Stories with the Blessed Beauty Bahá’u’lláh

The Prison of ‘Akká