Mansion of Bahjí
The Mansion of Bahjí is a building in the countryside surrounding 'Akká which was Bahá’u’lláh's residence from 1879 to His Ascension in 1892. The Shrine of Bahá’u’lláh where He was laid to rest is located next to the Mansion.
History[edit]
In 1821 Abdu'lláh Páshá, the governor of Sidon Eyalet, constructed a one story building outside of the city of 'Akká to serve as his mother's residence,[1][2] and in 1831 when Ibrahim Pasha besieged ‘Akká he used the property as his headquarters.[3] The wealthy merchant ‘Údí Khammár acquired the property at some point and constructed a summer palace on the original building which was completed in approximately 1870. Upon its completion he had the following inscription placed over the entrance to the building:
"Greetings and salutations rest upon this mansion which increaseth in splendour through the passage of time. Manifold wonders and marvels are found therein, and pens are baffled in attempting to describe them."[4]
Khammár transferred his residence to the property in 1873 and several members of his family constructed houses surrounding the building. When he passed away in 1879 he was buried on the grounds of the Mansion.[2][5]
In September 1879 ‘Abdu’l-Bahá rented the Mansion, presumably from Khammár's son Andravis, for Bahá’u’lláh to use as His residence,[3] and He personally prepared the premises for His arrival.[6] Mahd-i-‘Ulya, the second wife of Bahá’u’lláh, and her sons resided in the Mansion with Him while ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and His family remained in ‘Akká to preserve unity due to ‘Ulya's antagonism towards Him.[7]
Bahá’u’lláh revealed many Tablets during His residence in the Mansion.[8] In 1890 the Cambridge orientalist Edward Granville Browne met Him in the Mansion after which he wrote his famous pen-portrait of Bahá’u’lláh. In 1892 the Ascension of Bahá’u’lláh took place in the Mansion.[9]
After the Ascension of Bahá’u’lláh, Mahd-i-‘Ulya and her sons remained resident in the Mansion. Her son Mírzá Muhammad ‘Alí opposed ‘Abdu’l‑Bahá's appointment as Bahá’u’lláh's successor and took increasingly hostile actions against Him. Despite this ‘Abdu’l‑Bahá continued to provide funds and supplies for the upkeep of the Mansion and its household.[10] After the Ascension of ‘Abdu’l‑Bahá in 1921, Mírzá Muhammad ‘Alí had his followers seize the keys to the Shrine of Bahá’u’lláh from the Shrine's caretaker, thus forcefully taking control of the Shrine as well as continuing to use the Mansion as his personal residence.[11]
By 1929 the Mansion of Bahjí had fallen into a state of disrepair. Mírzá Muhammad ‘Alí asked Shoghi Effendi to oversee repairs of the building and vacated the premises to allow for renovations to take place. During the renovations Shoghi Effendi invited the British High Commissioner to inspect the Mansion and the Commissioner ruled that the Mansion was a Holy Site, granting Shoghi Effendi legal rights to the building so it could serve as a pilgrimage site.[12] In 1931 Shoghi Effendi began proceedings to secure ownership of land surrounding the Mansion in order to build large gardens; by 1952 he had achieved many of the purchases.[13]
In 2008, the gardens and Shrine of Bahá’u’lláh were listed as part of UNESCO's World Heritage Sites.[14]
External links[edit]
Notes[edit]
- ↑ David Ruhe, Door of Hope: A Century of the Baha'i Faith in the Holy Land, George Ronald: Oxford, 1983, p 106
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Baha'i World Centre, Visiting Baha'i Holy Places, Baha'i World Centre: Haifa, 2003, p 39
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 H.M. Balyuzi, Baha'u'llah: The King of Glory, George Ronald: Oxford, 1980, p 362
- ↑ Adib Taherzadeh, The Revelation of Baha'u'llah: Volume 4, George Ronald: Oxford, 1987, p 104.
- ↑ H.M. Balyuzi, Baha'u'llah: The King of Glory, George Ronald: Oxford, 1980, p 361
- ↑ Adib Taherzadeh, The Revelation of Baha'u'llah: Volume 4, George Ronald: Oxford, 1987, p 106.
- ↑ Adib Taherzadeh, The Covenant of Baha'u'llah, George Ronald: Oxford, 1972, p 127
- ↑ Adib Taherzadeh, The Revelation of Baha'u'llah: Volume 4, George Ronald: Oxford, 1987, p 114.
- ↑ Adib Taherzadeh, The Revelation of Baha'u'llah: Volume 4, George Ronald: Oxford, 1987, p 414.
- ↑ Adib Taherzadeh, The Covenant of Baha'u'llah, George Ronald: Oxford, 1972, pp 179
- ↑ Rúḥíyyih Khánum, The Priceless Pearl, Baha'i Publishing Trust: London, 1969, pp 53-54
- ↑ Adib Taherzadeh, The Covenant of Baha'u'llah, George Ronald: Oxford, 1972, pp 329
- ↑ Adib Taherzadeh, The Covenant of Baha'u'llah, George Ronald: Oxford, 1972, pp 330
- ↑ https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1220
