Abdul Husain Aayati and Bahai’s

Part(1)

By:MOHAMMED REZA ISFAHANI

Abdul Husain Aayati lived amongst the Bahais for 20 years and served them through these years. He was popularly known as \"Awareh\" which means the one who wandered about in love (of Bahaullah). After these years, he saw the corruptions of the Baha’is first hand, renounced the Baha’i Faith and finally reverted back to Islam. Thereafter he wrote the book \"Kashful Heal\" to reveal the true face and hypocrisy of the Baha’is. The life history of Awareh is full of interesting events and episodes and all of these cannot be outlined in this brief treatise. However, in order to appreciate his book - Kashful heal - it is first important to understand his personality. Here is a brief about Awareh.

Who was Abdul Husain Aayati?

He was a littérateur, historian, writer, translator, journalist and a great poet. His father was Allamah Haaj Shaikh Mohammad, famous as \"Haaj Akhond Tafti\". He was the grandchild of Sheikh Mohammad who was famous as “Aaqa Buzurg Tafti Yazdi”. He came from an illustrious family of scholars from Yazd. Abdul Husain Aayati was born in 8th Zilhajeh 1287 AH in Taft. At the young age of 15 years, he came to Yazd and attended the school of Khan Buzurg. He completed his study of Arabic grammar and language, logic and rhetoric from Meer Bahauddin Jandaqi, Mulla Abdul Karim Misgar and Mulla Akber Nadushi. In the year 1313, after his father‘s death, he rose to the position of his father on the insistence of the people of Yazd. He was considered as a religious authority and as a man of knowledge (\"Ahle Minbar wa mehrab\"). He was the Imam (leader) of two mosques and used to handle the affairs of the people.

“Kashful heal”

His initial contact with Baha’is and the Baha’i Faith

In the year 1320, at the age of 33 he was introduced a Baha’i book. The books made such an impression upon him that he was eager to meet them. He came in contact with members of the Baha’i Faith and even stayed in those areas which were largely occupied by Baha’is. He met with some prominent Baha’i speakers. They appointed some Baha’is to have regular contact publicly with Abdul Husain Aayati; so that they could lower his esteem in the eyes of the people, while others alleged that he had inclined towards the Baha’i Faith. Due to these accusations, people distanced themselves from him due to which he left his birthplace. Considering this move as an opportunity, Baha’is tried to attract him and were successful. After some time, he declared the Baha’is Faith. However as time passed, he realized that Baha’is were not correct and then reverted to Islam.

His ascent in the Baha’i community

He migrated from Yazd to its surrounding areas. Gradually, on account of his powerful oratory and his effective writings he became famous amongst the Baha’is. He occupied a high position among them and was known as \"Raeesul Muballageen\" (the leader of the preachers). Any person with some knowledge of the Baha’i history will know the eminent status of \"Awareh\" - some even consider him equal to the position of Mirza Abul Fazl Gulpaygani whereas others consider him even above this. The tablet issued by Abdul Baha containing words which are lavish in praise of Awareh is testimony to the fact that the above statement is not out of place. Indeed Abdul Baha testified and considered Awareh to be foremost amongst the orators and people of knowledge.

While Baha’is use different techniques to attract and convert people to the Baha’i Faith, they have always relied on the popularity of one personality to attract people. They offer more respect to leaders, good writers and knowledgeable men and value the influence of such people immensely. Awareh writes about himself - \"when my relatives distanced themselves from me, Baha’is accepted me whole heartedly and gave me the post of writer for Rasht.\" After 10 months in Rasht, he came back to Tehran. Then they decided to establish a religious school in Irdistan. Subsequently, they sent him to Kashan for establishing a religious school. In this clandestine (and hypocritical) manner, Baha’is initiated their preaching all over Iran. This was the time when Abdul Husain Aayati caught the attention of Abdul Baha. In a short period of one year, Abdul Baha issued 3-4 tablets in his name whereas other Baha’i orators could not obtain even a single tablet in their lifetime except 2-3 people who were like Awareh.

This attention was a motivation for Awareh and made him that in a short span of time he could rise in their ranks. In one of his tablets, Abdul Baha addressed him as Awareh (one who wanders about in love of Bahaullah) and appreciated him. From this date onwards he was known as Awareh. It should be known that he was a good poet and in his youth he was titled as \"ziyaa’ee\" by his father. After becoming Baha’i, he was titled as \"Awareh\" by Abdul Baha.

About this he writes down as follows: \"Abdul Baha titled me as \"Awareh\" as he did not like the word \"ziyaa\" since his brother name was \"Ziyaullah\" and he was totally against Abdul Baha\".

In another Tablet Abdul Baha praised Abdul Husain Aayati in the following words: \"Oh the one who is similar to my name Abdul Baha. You are Abdul Husain and I am Abdul Baha.\"

Source: www.bahaiawareness.com