Mazra’ih (Masra’ih) is the name of a
mansion and surrounding land that Baha’u’llah had lived in for two years
when he was ‘allegedly’ imprisoned in Palestine. According to an
article in the Baha’i magazine, Baha’i News, this land belonged to the Muslims and could not be legally sold to the Baha’is:
.
“Masra'ih is a Moslem religious endowment, and it is consequently impossible, under existing laws in this country, for it to be sold.
However, as the friends are aware, the Ministry of Religions, due to
the direct intervention of the Minister himself, Rabbi Maimon,
consented, in the face of considerable opposition,
to deliver Masra'ih to the Baha'is as a Holy Place to be visited by
Baha'i pilgrims. This means that we rent it from the Department of
Moslem and Druze affairs in the Ministry of Religions. The head of this
Department is also a Rabbi, Dr. Hirschberg. Recently he, his wife and
party, visited all the Baha'i properties in Haifa and 'Akka, following
upon a very pleasant tea party in the Western Pilgrim House with the
members of the International Baha'i Council.” (Baha’i News, no. 244, June 1951, p. 4)
.
According to this document the land was
forcefully taken from the Muslims and delivered to the Baha’is in return
for a rent which was paid to the Israeli government.
.
A few years later, the land is
officially usurped for good and sold to the Baha'is by the Israeli
government (it must be noted that Muslim endowments cannot be sold). The
Universal House of Justice then sends out a letter to Baha’is worldwide
happily informing them that this Muslim Endowment –that cannot be sold
or purchased- has been bought by the UHJ:
.
“The Mansion
of Mazra'ih, often referred to by the beloved Guardian as one of the
"twin mansions" in which the Blessed Beauty resided after nine years
within the walled prison-city of 'Akká, and dear to the hearts of the
believers by reason of its associations with their Lord, has at last
been purchased together with 24,000 square metres of land extending into
the plain on its eastward side.” (The Universal House of Justice, from Ridvan 1973 message; Messages from the Universal House of Justice, 1968-1973)
.
Is this an achievement that one should be proud of?
Posts
.jpg)
