Baha’ism and Governments of Colonialist power (Colonialism)

From the beginning of the appearance of the Babi and Baha’i dispensation, many were of the opinion that the czarina Russia wanted to reap the benefits of these circumstances to make division and discord among Iranians. And after the overthrow of the Russia Empire, the Great Britain Empire followed the same goal and tried to achieve it.

Behind the act of politics

Abdul-Baha, the second leader of Baha’is, had a key role in the events of the First World War, especially in the occupation of Palestine and its separation from Ottoman Empire. He received the title of \"knighthood\" and later was called \"Sir\" because of his efforts.
At the time of Shoghi, the third leader of Baha’is, and after the establishment of Israel in the occupied Palestine, the relations of this sect and the colonial countries improved and this progress indicated that the Baha’i dispensation is expanded by colonial countries to follow their seditious goals.
But, Baha’is cannot bear this bitter fact and always try to penetrate these relations as usual and in some cases as divine!
About the growth and expansion of Baha’i dispensation, there are different points of view. Some people deny it, some emphasize it and some hesitate about it, some response positively and some response negatively. Anyhow, everybody tries to prove the truthfulness of his beliefs.
But really how can we find the truth? How can we recognize it among these decisive partisanships?
I think we can find it only by such a fair research in which justice is observed and prejudice is avoided.
Is Baha’i dispensation really originated by colonial countries to follow their goals or it is only a slander made by Muslims to accuse Baha’is?
Baha’is reject this claim and the first reason they give to get rid of it, is their religious order in which they are prohibited from interference in political issues. But this reason is not convincing because the mere existence of an order in a religion cannot be a guaranty to obey it. If so, the Muslims will claim that because accusation is illegitimate in their religion, they will never accuse others and in this manner, all of Baha’is certainly are cooperating with colonial countries. In such a case there is no claim and it can be taken into account as a kind of fact.
By means of this logic, neither of the Baha’is’ reasons nor of the Muslims’ responses is acceptable. We conclude that the best way for proving the accuracy or inaccuracy of a historical fact, is referring to history and because the historical documents of Muslims are not accepted by Baha’is completely, we use Baha’i history books. In this case there is no reason for objection or protest.
Fortunately, in our studies we find convincing documents that can be useful for those who seek for the truth.
You can read the texts and judge yourself!

Introduction

About the relations between Baha’is and strangers we prepare two notes and each of them has two acts.
* The first note is named \"the footprint of tsar\" and is about the relation of Babes and Baha’is with czarinas Russia.
* The second note is named \"the old colonizer\" and is about the relations of Baha’is with Ottoman Empire, Britain and Israel.
Both of them will prove the fact that even if the Babi and Baha’i dispensations were not generated by colonialism, they are certainly growing in the heart of strangers and colonizers and they have been supported by them.

The third act: In the embrace of the old colonizer

Flattery and spurious prayer

It was mentioned that after the king’s thwarted assassination, Baha’u’llah was accused of collaboration with the agents of this terror and he was arrested, but by the generous efforts of the Russian ambassador, he was released and exiled to Iraq. After a time, when his division with his brother was intensified, the Ottoman Empire which governed Iraq and Palestine, exiled Baha’u’llah and his family to Palestine and after his death, his son who was called Abdul-Baha controlled the affairs of Bahais.
Abdul-Baha was also one of the devotees of the Russian emperor like his father. He was always praying for that glorious government. But after the disintegration of the czarina Russia, Abdul-Baha missed his supporter and because he was living in ottoman at those days, he began to pray for Ottoman Empire. He supplicated God humbly in his prayers:
O my God! O my God!
Assist the glorious government of Ottoman and this Mohammedan succession with Thy good pleasure and secret confirmation; strengthen them in earth and in Empyrean by Thy power for the spreading of Thy divine fragrances! I supplicate Thou to immune the lands of this empire and secure their center of succession from difficulties and sufferings.

As you see, Baha’u’llah humbly prays for the endurance of Ottoman Empire and besides it, he calls their government “a Mohammedan succession” and claims that they are true successors of the prophet of Islam. He set the divine seal to their government and in addition, he wishes the strengthening of this empire in all around the world and also in the empyrean!
We understand nothing about the government of Ottoman Empire in the empyrean. Maybe he supplicated God to give them a power to rule over the angels in the empyrean!
An elegant point in this supplication is the implied confession of Baha’u’llah on the seal of the prophet of Islam and on the eternity of Islam; on the one hand he supplicates for the endurance of Ottoman Empire in the world, and on the other hand, he supposes them the true successors of the prophet of Islam, in fact, by this supplication he is insisting on the eternity of Islam.

This supplication continues as follows:

O Thou Glorious Lord
Immunize ottoman government and safeguard them by Thy eye of loving kindness. Because ottoman government protects the sacred spot and the Sinai desert and Baha’is are under their auspices and support. Verily Thou art the Powerful, the Precious, the Protecting!

The important part in this supplication is this part:

“Baha’is are under the auspices of ottoman empire.”
Don’t forget this part, because in following pages you will read Shoghi’s words about Ottoman Empire completely in contrary to these expressions.
As you see, Abdul-Baha supplicated God to strengthen Ottoman Empire. he endorsed the justice of this government and confessed that the flag of justice of this government is staffed in the countries under its dominance and he seeks the authority of the emperor’s military forces.
Let’s read another prayer of Abdul-Baha for the endurance of Ottoman Empire:
O Thou Glorious Lord!
Aid the fair government of Ottoman by Thou pleasure and confirmation.
O my God! Assist their forces and confirm their raised flag.
Make the commands of this government effective and penetrating.
O God! Support their supporters and keep whatever which should be protected in this government.
O God! Expand the fame and respectability of this empire.
Disseminate their signs and works and elevate their flags.
O Thou Glorious Lord! Do whatever had been requested by Thy power which is capable of doing everything in the world.
Verily, Thou assist every one thou desire and thou art the Mighty.
By considering these prayers, it became obvious that Abdul-Baha had been in great allegiance and devotion to Ottoman Empire. The important point is that he was known as a Muslim when he was living under the protection of this empire. Even in the period of the occupation of Palestine by Britain, he continued to pretend as a Muslim and in spite of Baha’i orders, in which collective prayer is inhibited, he was attending in collective prayers of Muslims and even he sometimes was the chaplain of these prayers.

The accusation of spying and its background

Although Abdul-Baha tried to appease the authorities of Ottoman government by means of spurious and flattering supplications, but “Jamal Pasha” who was the ottoman commander-in-chief was very suspicious of him and found him guilty.

The following story is narrated by Abdul-Baha:

“When Jamal Pasha arrived in Akka and wanted to visit me, I got on a donkey and went to his home. When he saw me, he received me and then seated me beside himself and suddenly said to me: you are a seditious man in religion and that’s why the Iran government had exiled you.
But I thought he is Turk and I should reply him in a ridiculous and silencing manner.”

This suspicion has a background and although Shoghi Effendi tried to pretend it something else, but intelligent people who are familiar with the policies of the old colonizer (England) will find out the truth.
Let’s review Shoghi’s narrations about this matter and then you can judge yourself. After pretending the claim that people welcome Baha’u’llah, Shoghi claimed:
“Functionaries of foreign governments, attempted, in their short-sightedness, to secure His support and assistance for the furtherance of the designs they cherished; designs which He unhesitatingly and severely condemned.” (God passes by. Part 2, p.83)

“Shoghi”

The people who are familiar with politics will understand this part nicely; the functionaries of foreign government “in their short-sightedness!” found thoroughly that they can “secure His support and assistance for the furtherance of the designs they cherished”. Now, the question is that if they are short-sighted, how do they find the fact that Baha’u’llah is a good agent to help them to achieve their political goals?
Anyhow, they found the truth and that’s why:
“Nor was the then representative of the British government, Colonel Sir Arnold Burrows Kimball, consul-general in Baghdad, insensible of the position which Baha’u’llah now occupied. Entering into friendly correspondence with Him, he, as testified by Baha’u’llah Himself, offered Him the protection of British citizenship, called on Him in person, and undertook to transmit to Queen Victoria any communication He might wish to forward to her. He even expressed his readiness to arrange for the transfer of His residence to India, or to any place agreeable to Him. This suggestion Baha’u’llah declined, choosing to abide in the dominions of the Sultan of Turkey.”

These points can be gathered from Shoghi’s words:

1- Representative of the British government, Colonel Sir Arnold Burrows Kimball, consul-general in Baghdad, was not insensible of the high position of Baha’u’llah.
2- After this sensibility (which maybe completely Devine and spiritual!), he wrote a letter to Baha’u’llah.
3- The consul- general offered Him the official protection of Britain government.
4- And emphasized that Great Britain Empire is ready to imitate and follow Baha’u’llah!
It seems Shoghi’s intention is the suggestion of citizenship of Britain government to Baha’u’llah.
5- In their meeting, the Consul- General undertook to transmit to Queen Victoria any communication He might wish to forward to her.
6- Consul- General expressed his readiness to arrange for the transfer of His residence to India, or to any place agreeable to Him.
7- Baha’u’llah declined all of offerings seemingly and preferred to abide in the dominions of the Sultan of Turkey (Ottoman Empire).

Later on, after the hidden and obvious relations of Abdul-Baha and Britain government, the reasons of such compliments by consul-general and such denials by Baha’u’llah became obvious; At those days, Baha’u’llah was under the protection of tsarina Russia and he enjoyed the obvious supports of them (he was condemned to death because of his collaboration with the agents of the Nasiridin shah’s terror and then by the efforts of the Russia ambassador he was released),so it was not advisable to have a relation with England which was known as Russia political antagonist!
But according to narrations of his son (Abdul-Baha), Baha’u’llah had revealed some tablets about Britain to pave the way for their support in future:

“Abdul-Baha” & “Baha’u’llah”

“Although the justice and good politics of the glorious government of Britain had been mentioned in the blest tablets of Baha’u’llah but now it became apparent. Actually, the people of this land experience convenience and comfort after great sufferings.”

We are not sure about the revelation of such tablet by Baha’u’llah because these expressions are narrated by Abdul-Baha when Russia Empire had been disintegrated and Palestine had been occupied by Britain. Maybe these words are attributed to Baha’u’llah (by Abdul-Baha) as a prediction before the victory of Britain!.

“Nasiridin shah”

But if we accept the truth worthy of this claim, by considering the words of Baha’u’llah about the justice of Britain empire and their good policy and considering the future events and the role of Abdul-Baha in these events, it will be obvious that although according to Shoghi, The functionaries of foreign governments could not secure Baha’u’llah’s support and assistance for the furtherance of the designs they cherished, but they could profit the presence of Abdul-Baha for their achievements thoroughly.
It should be mentioned that not only the short-sighted politics of Britain but also not well informed politics of French were sensible about the loftiness of the positions of Baha’u’llah . They wanted to reap the benefits of Bahaullah’s assistances and achieve their political and materialistic goals. When he was in Adrianople:
“The deputy consul of France who was one of the friends of Baha’u’llah, came to visit him secretly and had a private meeting with him, it took about 30 minutes. Officials were not aware of their talks. He had said to Baha’u’llah: if you become disgusted with Islam and introduce yourself as an allegiance of France, we will support you”

These points can be gathered from Shoghi’s words:

1- Baha’u’llah had a record of friendship with deputy consul of France and we don’t know anything about the reason of this friendship.
2- The deputy consul came to visit Baha’u’llah secretly as if the officials were not aware of this meeting.
3- He requested Baha’u’llah at this short meeting to become disgusted with Islam and to be a citizen of France.
4- If he accepts their suggestions, the France government will support him.

We don’t know what the deputy consul means when he asked Baha’u’llah to disgust Islam, but it is necessary to know that:

a- Baha’u’llah’s behavior had been in the manner that French people supposed him a Muslim.
b- But actually, he wasn’t a Muslim at those days because in the story of “Badasht”, Islam had been abrogated by the Babis who were present over there and Bahaullah was one of them.

So maybe, the France government intention had been leaving the citizenship of Iran by disgusting Islam.

Although Baha’u’llah declined these offerings too, but really we don’t know what was in the behavior of Baha’u’llah which attracts all the colonial countries!?
The Frenchmen had been attracted not only by the characteristics of Baha’u’llah but also by the characteristics of his son, Abdul-Baha.

Abdul-Baha expressed his opinions in the tablets which revealed for Abul-fazl Golpayegani:

“I received some letters from Tehran in which the authorities of France embassy insisted to send some of Baha’i teachers to Africa, Algeria and Tunis and they promise to observe and prepare the conditions for teaching the people of those countries.”

It is very surprising that the Frenchmen worry about the religion and spiritual affairs of their colonial countries to the extent that they insist to send the Baha’i teachers over there! Why didn’t they invite them to Paris? What is their intention by asking Abdul-Baha to teach the people of those countries while the French authorities promise to collaborate with them thoroughly?
The wise people will understand nicely the goals of colonizers behind these sympathetic and spiritual requests!

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