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| Mirza Mohammed Ali Effendi with his family and followers |
Sobhi was the scribe of Abdul Baha, so he knew all the angry feelings toward Mirza Muhammad Ali and his people. They called them Naqidhun, covenant breakers, which is a fancy way to say bad guys, at least thats how we were told when I was young in the faith.
So here is the simple story,
Mirza Muhammad Ali was the son of Baha'u'llah and his third wife Gawhar Khanum, she was super respected and really beautiful too. In Baha'u'llah's last writings, the Kitab i Ahdi, he said Abdul Baha is the leader after him, but he also mentioned Mirza Muhammad Ali, calling him Ghusn i Akbar, the Greater Branch, kinda like the next next leader. After Baha'u'llah passed away the Baha'is split in two bunches, one followed Abdul Baha, the other followed Mirza Muhammad Ali. His followers called themselves Muvahhidun, that means Unitarians, and they said Abdul Baha's followers were Mushrikun, idol worshipers.
They also said Abdul Baha was hiding some parts of the will and testament of Baha'u'llah. They wrote books with long names like Min Yurid al Iqbal Ila Sawa al Sabil, and another one, Kashf al Muftari, accusing Abdul Baha of stuff. I was too young back then.
Where he lived and how he looked
His home area was around Akka and Bahji. Sobhi says he saw Mirza Muhammad Ali from far away. He was kinda short, had a big wide face, dark beard, long hair flowing like he shampooed with the wind. He wore a cap and held a black cane made of ebony. Sobhi said he did not look worried at all that the gang of Abdul Baha was nearby, he just chilled.
Everyone fighting all the time
The two camps hated each other like cats and water. Abdul Baha told his people never meet Mirza Muhammad Ali or any Naqidh. He said meeting them is like drinking poison, your heart will melt away or something like that. Sobhi tells a story that once Mirza Jalal, Abdul Baha son in law, and some young guys went and bothered Mirza Muhammad Ali in Bahji, they pulled his shawl and yelled ugly words. Also pilgrims in Mirza Muhammad Ali's old house would read teasing poems, like making fun of him saying he became the head of Baha, hi hi what a rightful place it became. Ouch that must have hurt his family a lot.
Later when Shoghi Effendi became the guardian he kicked Mirza Muhammad Ali and his people out of properties connected to the shrine of Baha'u'llah in Bahji. Even after Abdul Baha died, they still would not let him or his family attend memorial gatherings. There were spies too, watching if anyone went talking to him in secret. So much love and unity right, well you see why I left.
Accusations and stories
Abdul Baha himself stayed away from meeting Mirza Muhammad Ali. He told pilgrims tales that made his brother look morally bad. One story had to do with a young butcher apprentice named Ghalib in Akka, and a secret note, hint hint you know what he was suggesting.
Sobhi later said look, baha'is already believed Mirza Muhammad Ali was bad because he was on the other side, so even if he was good they would still say he is evil. and yea that sounds pretty true to me, once folks pick a team everything gets twisted, even sunshine becomes a crime.
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