Sincere Co-operation between the Bahá’is in Palestine with Britain

Following his arrival in Palestine, owing to the strict control exercised by the Ottoman rulers and the absence of communications with the Russian and British embassies, Husain ‘Ali Bahá wrote Nassereddin Shah a letter full of flattery expressing repentance at his past belief and confessing to criminal acts.

At the outset of World War I, the leadership of Bahá’ism was in the hands of Abbas Effendi, the elder son of Bahá. This man pretended to be a Muslim and attended congregational prayers of the Muslims in spite of the apparent prohibition by the Bahá’i faith ⁽²⁾.

However, as soon as the British imperialists scored victories in the war with the Ottomans which drew Palestine into the conflict, the Bahá’is acted as a powerful espionage group in support of the British government and against the Muslims and the Ottoman government.

Effendi went so far that Jamal Pasha, commander of the Ottoman forces, decided to hang him on the slopes of Mount Carmel ⁽³⁾.

Soghi Effendi clearly states on page 291, vol. Ill of God Passes By: "Jamal Pasha, commander of the Ottoman forces, decided to execute Abbas Effendi on charges of espionage."

As soon as the British cabinet received news of this through the British Army Intelligence, Lord Curzon and Lord Lamington began taking measures, and Lord Balfore, the British Foreign Minister (promotor of the Zionist Government) immediately cabled General Allenby, commander of the British forces in Palestine, ordering him to use all his powers to protect Abbas Effendi, his family and his friends. General Allenby accordingly ordered the commander of the Haifa front to take the necessary measures to protect the leader of the Bahá’is. After conquering Haifa and saving Abbas Effendi from Jamal Pasha, General Allenby transmitted a cable to London and reported the safety and health of His Holiness Effendi to the officials.⁽⁴⁾

When the aggressive British forces triumphantly marched into Palestine, they encoun­tered some problems in respect of provisions in Palestine. But their Bahá’i friends had already prepared for such an event. Abbas Effendi hurried to their welcome, and placed at the disposal of the alien army large stores of provisions which he had prepared and hidden away.⁽⁵⁾

It is clear that at that time, the entire Palestine as well as the entire Ottoman territories were stricken with famine resulting from the war, and masses of people died of hunger and poverty everyday, but this unpatriotic spy had stealthily hoarded the wheat produce of these wretched people's land and water to feed the foreign aggressors.

Following the British victory in Palestine, they exteneded their appreciations to their Bahá’i spies for their outstanding services. Abdul-Hossein Avareh writes in Kavakeb-al-Dorieh, vol. II, p. 305: "... The British commander who conquered Haifa on 22nd July 1918... was assigned by the Emperor of Britain to especially go to meet His Holiness `Abdu’l-Bahá upon his arrival, at which time he was given an M.B.E. from the British Emperor." He was also rewarded with large amounts of money and gold as well as a knighthood bearing the title of "Sir" which was bestowed upon this sincere servant of the British Government by Gen. Allenby during an official ceremony. ⁽⁶⁾

In this connection, Blomfield writes on page 214: "... The British Government hon­oured `Abdu’l-Bahá with a knighthood, which he accepted as a gesture of honouring formality from a just king."

Shoghi Effendi writes on page 299 of God Passes By: "After the end of the war and... officials of the British Government, gratified by the valuable services rendered by His Holiness `Abdu’l-Bahá during those days, extended their appreciation and respect by bestowing upon him the title of 'knighthood' and presenting him with the special insignia from the Government." His Excellency Effendi, in response, wrote a letter of gratitude, the text of which rightly attests to the foregoing:

"O God, the tabernacle of justice has truly been erected on this holy land, and we thank and praise Thee. O God, may Emperor George V, Ruler of Britain, be assisted in his divine achievements, and may his shadow over this realm be everlasting." ⁽⁷⁾

Note how this impostrous religious hypocrite had interpreted the aggression of the British forces and the defeat of the Muslims in terms of "erection of the tabernacle of justice", how he thanked and praised God, how he esteemed the British Emperor and how he prayed to God for continuation of the British rule over the Islamic territory of Palestine.

In a speech to the British, Abbas Effendi said: "I am pleased with the British people and government... My coming here has been the cause of friendship between Iran and Britain which will produce a relationship that will reach such a degree that the Iranian people will soon give their lives for Britain." - Collection of `Abdu’l-Bahá's Speeches, vol. I, p. 23.

Following a number of trips to America and Europe where he was warmly received by his principals, Abbas Effendi died in 1921. Here again there is evidence of the gratitude expressed by the British Government towards the Bahá’is and their leader:

The following cable was sent to Haifa by the British Colonial Secretary Winston Churchill:

"Convey to the Bahá’i community His Majesty the British King's expression of sympathy and condolences."

General Congreve, General Sir Arthur Monye and other officials of the British Government, too, communicated similar cables ⁽⁸⁾, and finally, Sir Herbert Samuel and Sir Ronald Storrs attended his funeral on behalf of the British Government. ⁽⁹⁾

Page 508 of Kavakeb-ol-Dorieh reads: "... At this time, the crowd approached the body of the high clergy (`Abdu’l-Bahá), led by Sir Hebert Samuel, the British High Commissioner in Palestine, who was called Mandoob Sami, accompanied by his entourage who had come especially to attend the funeral:"

Such were some scenes of the remote past. Now, after the lapse of long years, there are clear evidences, which indicate Bahá’ism, its leaders and its followers are totally at the service of international Zionism and western imperialism. Some such evidences are cited below: