The Covenant of Baha'u'llah

by Adib Taherzadeh

chapter 14

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chapter 16

Chapter 15

Mirza Aqa Jan

On the fifth anniversary of the Ascension of Bahá'u'lláh, Mirza Aqa Jan, Bahá'u'lláh's amanuensis, threw in his lot with the Covenant-breakers and became one of Mirza Muhammad-'Ali's most powerful tools. He created a great disturbance among the believers which brought suffering and anguish to the heart of Abdu'l-Bahá for some time.

Mirza Aqa Jan had been the first person to believe in Bahá'u'lláh as 'Him Whom God shall make manifest'. He did not belong to the learned class, having only an elementary education. In his youth he used to make soap and sell it for a living. Soapmaking was a humble trade in those days, and it was often carried out in the home by people who were not well educated. Mirza Aqa Jan went to Iraq soon after the arrival of Bahá'u'lláh in that country, and his first meeting with Him took place in the house of a friend in Karbila.

There in the presence of Bahá'u'lláh he sensed a great spiritual power emanating from Him, a power that transformed his whole being. He was the first one to whom Bahá'u'lláh gave an intimation of the as yet unrevealed glory of His station. He also chose him as His personal servant and gave him the title of Khadim (servant), and later Khadimu'llah (servant of God).

At the same time that Mirza Aqa Jan was the 'servant in attendance', he was empowered by Bahá'u'lláh to act as His amanuensis in spite of his inadequate education. This he did till the end of the Ministry of Bahá'u'lláh. This man indeed served Bahá'u'lláh assiduously for years in the triple functions of secretary, servant and companion. In the whole range of Bahá'u'lláh's companions, there was nobody so close to Him as Mirza Aqa Jan. He was for years a channel of communication between Bahá'u'lláh and the believers. It was a common practice for the believers to send their petitions or letters to Mirza Aqa Jan who would then present them to Bahá'u'lláh.

During Bahá'u'lláh's retirement to the mountains of Kurdistan, Mirza Aqa Jan was engaged for some time in the service of Mirza Yahya who wanted him to go to Tihran on a secret mission to assassinate Nasiri'd-Din Shah. Mirza Aqa Jan accepted this criminal mission, and soon after his arrival in Tihran managed to obtain access to the court of the Shah in the guise of a labourer. However, having failed to carry out his sinister intention and realizing the extent of his folly, he returned to Baghdad. When Bahá'u'lláh came back from His solitary retirement in the mountains of Kurdistan, Mirza Aqa Jan begged Bahá'u'lláh's forgiveness for his part in Mirza Yahya's evil scheme and was then permitted to resume his services to Bahá'u'lláh.

As we have seen, being very close to the Manifestation of God can be spiritually fatal to anyone who is not detached from the things of this world. Only those who are humble, utterly self-effacing and without any trace of ambition, yearning only for His good-pleasure, can survive in His presence. Mirza Aqa Jan did not have these qualities. In the course of his service to Bahá'u'lláh, and as the years went by, he became proud of himself and at times caused displeasure to Bahá'u'lláh through his misconduct. At such times, Abdu'l-Bahá used to rebuke him and plead with Bahá'u'lláh to forgive his wrongdoings. There were even occasions when Abdu'l-Bahá chastised him with His own hand because of the serious nature of his conduct toward Bahá'u'lláh.

In spite of all these shortcomings, Mirza Aqa Jan worked very hard and for years was engaged day and night in taking down the words which were revealed by Bahá'u'lláh. His 'revelation writings'[1] are a testimony to the onrushing forces of the Revelation of the words of God, which were sent down with a rapidity and profusion unprecedented in the history of religion. It was close to the end of His earthly life that, deeply displeased with Mirza Aqa Jan's unbefitting behaviour at the time, Bahá'u'lláh dispensed with his services and dismissed him from His presence.
[1 See The Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh, vol. 1, ch. 3.]

It is interesting that God establishes His Faith in the world with the help of the most unsuitable people. Mirza Aqa Jan was neither a learned person capable of assuming the awesome responsibility of an amanuensis to the Manifestation of God, nor did he have those qualities which are essential for serving Him. Abdu'l-Bahá also had some individuals who worked very closely with Him; among them were a few who proved to be both unfaithful and incompetent servants. Indeed, Bahá'u'lláh and Abdu'l-Bahá were both surrounded by a number of close companions who later became Covenant-breakers. Yet, in spite of this serious handicap of working with incompetent, unfaithful, and sometimes dangerous individuals, God promotes His Faith, and thereby demonstrates His power and omnipotence to His servants. The Revealers of the Word of God in past Dispensations have testified to this. In the Gospels we read:

"Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." [15-1]

And in the Qur'an:

"We wished to favour those who were weak in the land and make them leaders and heirs." [15-2]

Even today, when almost one hundred and fifty years have passed since the birth of the Faith, the Bahá'í community — in spite of its inadequate resources as compared with mankind's enormous resources in every field — is growing all over the world. The institutions of the Faith are established in many parts of the globe and the foundations of its Administrative Order, destined in the fullness of time to emerge as a world order for the unification of the human race, are being laid everywhere by men and women who in most cases are devoid of fame, social standing, power or authority.

During his years of service to Bahá'u'lláh, Mirza Aga Jan had accumulated some wealth by requesting Bahá'u'lláh to let him have some of the gifts which the believers had sent to Him. As we have seen, Bahá'u'lláh mostly gave away these offerings to individuals. Mirza Aqa Jan had also acquired some properties with the cooperation of the three sons of Bahá'u'lláh who were highly attached to material things.

Soon after the ascension of Bahá'u'lláh, the Covenant-breakers led by Mirza Muhammad-'Ali plotted to take Mirza Aqa Jan's life in order to gain possession of his properties. Their pretext was that because of his unfaithfulness to Bahá'u'lláh towards the end of His earthly life, he had to be put to death. Dr Yunis Khan-i-Afrukhtih, a devoted believer who served Abdu'l-Bahá as a secretary for nine years in Akka, and was acclaimed by Shoghi Effendi as a 'herald of the Covenant', and 'trusted secretary' of the Master, has left to posterity a most interesting account concerning Mirza Aqa Jan's later years in Akka around 1897. The following is a summary translation of some extracts from his memoirs describing his first meeting with Mirza Aqa Jan and of the events which took place on the fifth anniversary of the ascension of Bahá'u'lláh, when a great tragedy was quietly and effectively diverted:

"At the time of the passing of Bahá'u'lláh, Mirza Aqa Jan, who had fallen from grace, was living an ignominious life. However, as a result of Bahá'u'lláh's generosity, he had a reasonable income. The Covenant-breakers had secretly resolved to take his life. Probably the reason for this was either to seize his properties or because Bahá'u'lláh had not been pleased with his conduct towards the end of His life. Mirza Aqa Jan discovered their plot and went immediately to Abdu'l-Bahá, begged forgiveness for his misdeeds and took refuge in His house...

"...On most occasions when we were summoned to the presence of Abdu'l-Bahá in His reception room, I noticed that an old man, short in stature, with a white beard and brown complexion, arrived in the room after everyone else. First he would prostrate himself at the threshold of the room [Abdu'l-Bahá's], then he would enter, bow to the waist and, when Abdu'l-Bahá acknowledged him, sit at the threshold. I was curious to know who this person was and several times it occurred to me that when I left the room I should inquire of the resident believers as to his identity. For some time, however, I forgot to ask. This was due to the fact that we were so intoxicated by the wine of the Master's bounteous utterances that when we left Him we were not in a mood to talk to each other.

"One day I was sitting [in the presence of Abdu'l-Bahá] very close to the entrance of the room. I saw the old man arriving. At first he prostrated himself at the entrance to the corridor, then approached the room and again prostrated himself at the threshold. He then entered, bowed low before Abdu'l-Bahá and stood there until Abdu'l-Bahá indicated to him to be seated, whereupon he sat with downcast eyes near the door... By this time I was very curious to know who this person was, and why I had not seen him among the believers in the town.

"When we all left the presence of the Master, I noticed that this man went into the inner section of the house. I asked someone about him and was told that he was Mirza Aqa Jan... I questioned my friends further, asking what Mirza Aqa Jan was doing here. Is he not, I asked, the person who was rejected by Bahá'u'lláh and whom the Covenant-breakers were intent upon murdering? They told me that he had now taken refuge in the house of the Master. In those days I often thought about Mirza Aqa Jan, who had fallen from grace, and wondered what would happen to him in the end. How little did I know then that, in a fortnight's time, he would play an important and unforgettable role in the arena of the Cause and that I myself would be one of the spectators..." [15-3]

Haji Aliy-i-Yazdi,[1] also a resident in Akka since the early days of Bahá'u'lláh's arrival in that city, was fully informed about Mirza Aqa Jan's involvement with the Covenant-breakers. In his memoirs, he has recorded his story. The following is a summary translation of his account:
[1 The paternal uncle of the author. For his life story, see The Bahá'í World, vol. IX, p. 625. ]

"Some time after Mirza Aqa Jan was permitted by Abdu'l-Bahá to take refuge in His house, the ill-fated standard of Covenant-breaking was upraised. The Aghsan[1] began to regret the departure of Mirza Aqa Jan from their midst. They thought that if he were present among them, with his cooperation they could influence more believers to join the Covenant-breakers. They deplored his absence among them, and tried over a long period of time to devise a plan for arranging his return to the Mansion of Bahji where he had been originally living. After some time, through careful planning, Muhammad-Javad-i-Qazvini[2] managed to meet Mirza Aqa Jan when the latter was shopping at a certain bakery. He conversed with him there for a considerable period of time and urged him to leave the house of the Master and return to Bahji. But he did not succeed in winning him over.
[1 In this context, it means Abdu'l-Bahá's unfaithful brothers.]
[2 See above, pp. 165, 170-1.]

"At this point the Aghsan and a few others including Majdu'd-Din and Javad-i-Qazvini consulted together and decided to address a letter to Mirza Aqa Jan purported to be on behalf of all the Bahá'ís of Persia. The gist of the letter was as follows: 'O Khadem![1] how long will you remain silent? For how long should we tarry in the wilderness of error? All of us look for your guidance and turn to you to hear your counsel. This is because you are aware of all things, you were the amanuensis of Bahá'u'lláh. Everyone is now awaiting to hear from you. We know that the Aghsan are not as informed as you are. You are responsible for all the wrongs that the believers go through because you remain silent. The differences which have arisen after the Ascension of Bahá'u'lláh have made all the Bahá'ís of Persia bewildered and perplexed. Because of your silence you are responsible for this distressing situation. All our eyes are turned to you and our ears are waiting to hear from you.'
[1 Literally 'servant', the appellation by which Mirza Aqa Jan was called.]

"The Aghsan sent the above draft to Mulla Husayn-i-Jahrumi[1] who was residing in Bombay, India, and instructed him to copy it in his own handwriting and post it to Mirza Aqa Jan, care of the Archbreaker of the Covenant. This he did and when the letter arrived, they decided that he should receive it personally. They arranged to hand the letter to him in the Shrine of Bahá'u'lláh. Usually when Mirza Aqa Jan went to the Shrine, he would sit down for about an hour, close his eyes and raise his hands upwards saying prayers. One day when he was seated in this manner, the daughter of Samandar[2] inconspicuously placed the letter in his hands. Later, he opened his eyes and saw the letter, but did not know who had placed it there.
[1 A notorious Covenant-breaker.]
[2 She was the wife of Mirza Diya'u'llah, son of Bahá'u'lláh. Her father was Shaykh Kazim-i-Samandar, one of the Apostles of Bahá'u'lláh. After the death of Diya'u'llah, the Covenant-breakers kept his widow against her will at Bahji, and when her father went to take her home with him, he was viciously attacked and badly beaten by order of Mirza Muhammad-'Ali and
+F4 was thrown out of Bahji. Abdu'l-Bahá advised Samandar not to pursue the matter.]

"He took the letter with him to Akka. We can guess what kind of thoughts must have come to him when he read it. He imagined that as soon as he made a statement, all the believers in Persia would respond positively to him. The fire of pride and rebellion began to burn within his heart. He then intimated to Muhammad-Javad-i-Qazvini his intention to give a feast on the anniversary of the Ascension of Bahá'u'lláh, invite all the believers to it, and there release some important news and announce to them certain vital matters.

"Some time passed and the anniversary of the Ascension drew near. He made all the arrangements for the feast. When the time arrived, and the believers had assembled, he stood up and began his talk. He explained that when he was utterly oblivious of himself and his surroundings at the Shrine, a letter came down from heaven and landed in his hands. He then started reading it when some believers stopped him, saying that his story was nothing but vain imaginings, and that everyone must turn to the Centre of the Covenant. Through his action, he was about to create a great upheaval, when suddenly the Master arrived at the scene and quenched this fire which was about to engulf everyone."

Dr Yunis Khan elaborates the story. The following is a summary translation of his words:

"As we were approaching the anniversary of the Ascension of Bahá'u'lláh, the friends seemed depressed with heavy hearts. Their usual enthusiasm and joy was not evident any more. There appeared to be some dark event on the horizon. The tone of the Master's utterances was also different. The friends attributed all this to the approaching anniversary of the Ascension. We were informed that on that anniversary the believers would commemorate the passing of Bahá'u'lláh by keeping vigil and staying awake the whole night, that before the dawn, they would all go to the Shrine of Bahá'u'lláh, and that on the following day a feast would be given in the name of Mirza Aqa Jan.

"On the evening of the anniversary, all the believers resident in Haifa and Akka who were able to take part attended a special commemoration meeting which was held in the Pilgrim House [at Akka]. Prayers and Tablets were chanted in the presence of the Master... Before the dawn we were summoned by the Master who gave to each one of us a glass containing rose-water and a lighted candle. In this way we all walked in an orderly manner in a procession towards the gate of the city on our way to the Shrine of Bahá'u'lláh. We were all in a state of grief and sorrow. The Master was walking along with us. He ordered two or three believers who had melodious voices to take turns and chant some prayers and poems of Bahá'u'lláh on the way. Our souls were truly carried away to the realms beyond as we walked with tearful eyes towards the Holy Shrine.

"We all entered the Shrine, and as directed by the Master, we poured the rose-water on the flowerbed in the small garden and pushed the lighted candles into the soil. Grief-stricken and with the utmost humility we stood as the Master chanted the Tablet of Visitation. As He chanted, as always tears flowed from His eyes. We all wept aloud with Him and when He retired to another room, we could not control our weeping... After He had gone we kept on praying in the Shrine.

"In the morning, we went to the pilgrim house situated on the ground floor of the Mansion,[1] had our own morning tea and rested for some time... Once again we went to the Shrine and prayed. Then we came out, had lunch and rested for a while. We all felt spiritually tired, our hearts were heavy and our thoughts agitated. We noticed the Covenant-breakers were actively moving around with a few non-Bahá'ís. It did not take long before we discovered their evil conspiracy designed to create a great upheaval for Us." [15-4]
[1 This was before the Covenant-breakers took over these rooms. See p. 175 above.]

In order to appreciate the seriousness of the events which would have disrupted the affairs of the community and placed Abdu'l-Bahá's life in danger had the Covenant-breakers' plans materialized, we should note that when the Covenant-breakers realized that they were no longer in a position to take Mirza Aqa Jan's life, as he had sought asylum in the house of Abdu'l-Bahá, they decided to exploit him instead for their own purposes. While he was living in the house of Abdu'l-Bahá, the Covenant-breakers secretly established contact with him and together they made a plan of action against Abdu'l-Bahá. Dr Yunis Khan writes the story:

"...The Covenant-breakers decided to take advantage of Mirza Aqa Jan's situation to create trouble and mischief [for Abdu'l-Bahá]... They succeeded in establishing a secret link with him and urged him to help them in stirring up sedition among believers. They maintained communication with him, and, over a long period, devised a plan to create discord and disturbance within the community. Since Mirza Aqa Jan had been Bahá'u'lláh's amanuensis and had recorded the words of God as they were revealed, he was induced to arise and himself lay claim to divine revelation.

"As a result of their promptings, Mirza Aqa Jan, this ill-fated man, worked for a long time to prepare some writings. In these he claimed that in a dream he had attained the presence of Bahá'u'lláh and had become the recipient of divine revelation and inspiration. These writings contained passages which invoked the wrath of God upon certain believers and were intended to be delivered to them.

"Mirza Aqa Jan even claimed that he had received a Tablet from heaven written in green ink, in which he was commanded to save the Faith from the hands of infidels. The false accusations and calumnies with which he charged Abdu'l-Bahá, the Centre of the Covenant, were much worse than those which Covenant-breakers had already brought against Him. It was arranged that on a certain day, which should be the time of revolt, Mirza Aqa Jan would hand all these papers written in the same style as his 'Revelation writings' to the Covenant-breakers who would then have them transcribed, as in the days of Bahá'u'lláh, in the handwriting of Mirza Majdu'd-Din[1], and disseminated among the Bahá'ís." [15-5]
[1 See above, pp. 164, 180.]

Dr Yunis Khan in his memoirs goes on to explain that the Covenant-breakers had decided to put their plans into operation on the day of the anniversary of the Ascension of Bahá'u'lláh. They knew that all the believers would then be assembled outside the Shrine of Bahá'u'lláh, and so they planned with Mirza Aqa Jan that he should speak openly against Abdu'l-Bahá in that gathering, in order to create tension and unrest. At the same time the Covenant-breakers made arrangements for a certain Yahya Tabur Aqasi to be present on that day. He was a high-ranking government official hostile to Abdu'l-Bahá; he was heavily bribed by the Covenant-breakers and was very friendly towards them. His function was to remain out of sight until the expected disturbances had broken out, when he and his men would appear on the scene and take action against the believers. He would then send a report against Abdu'l-Bahá to the government authorities in Constantinople and request His banishment from the Holy Land. That would also give the Covenant-breakers the opportunity to take possession of the Shrine of Bahá'u'lláh which was in Abdu'l-Bahá's custody.

We turn again to the memoirs of Dr Yunis Khan who describes the sequence of events which took place in the afternoon of that day:

"Having had afternoon tea, everyone was on the point of going to the Shrine of Bahá'u'lláh, when we heard that Mirza Aqa Jan wished to speak and that there were chairs placed for us in front of the Mansion.

"This old man who was always prostrating himself at the feet of Abdu'l-Bahá was now standing on a stool so that he might be seen by all... As he spoke I noticed that he was far from coherent and I waited to catch the import of his words, but eventually became frustrated... I could see that he was filled with fear and was trembling, but I could hear only a few words now and then, such as: 'As I prostrated myself, I fell asleep...' 'The Blessed Beauty told me...' 'This letter in green ink was handed to me...' 'Why are you sitting idle?' 'Why, why?' Having abstained from sleep the night before, and having now to listen to such ridiculous talk, I became impatient and left. Mirza Mahmud-i-Kashani, a resident believer, protested to Mirza Aqa Jan and soon there was an uproar." [15-6]

Dr Yunis Khan adds that just then, Mirza Ali-Akbar, son of Mishkin-Qalam and a steadfast believer, hurriedly ran to Abdu'l-Bahá's room and informed Him of the incident. As soon as Abdu'l-Bahá arrived with an angry countenance, Mirza Aqa Jan ran towards the Shrine and entered it shouting abuse, followed by the same Mirza Ali-Akbar who confronted him inside. In the course of some struggle which ensued between the two, a few bundles of paper consisting of Mirza Aqa Jan's writings, which had been tied around his waist and hidden inside his cloak, fell to the ground. By this time Abdu'l-Bahá had entered the Shrine and ordered Mirza Ali-Akbar to take possession of the papers. These were written in Mirza Aqa Jan's hand, imitating the style of Bahá'u'lláh's writings in a wrathful tone. Addressed to many believers, they contained passages highly condemnatory of Abdu'l-Bahá, attacking Him in most shameful language.

As a result of Abdu'l-Bahá's presence, and as He went toward the Shrine, the believers followed Him and in absolute calm and with a sense of profound reverence stood outside. The hostile government officials headed by Yahya Tabur Aqasi, who were viewing these events from behind the windows of the room of Mirza Muhammad-'Ali and waiting for a struggle to ensue between the Bahá'ís and the Covenant-breakers so that they could charge the former with disturbance of the peace, were disappointed, as were their fellow-conspirators.

After this event Mirza Aqa Jan openly threw in his lot with the Covenant-breakers and became one of their ablest supporters. Some time later, they arranged for him to reside in the very building of the Shrine of Bahá'u'lláh. He lived there till his death in 1901. As a result of this reprehensible action enabling such a perfidious figure as Mirza Aqa Jan to live within the confines of the holiest spot on this earth, Abdu'l-Bahá did not permit the faithful believers to enter the Shrine during this period. He Himself used to pray outside the Holy Precincts.

One of the most beautiful scenes depicting Abdu'l-Bahá's profound humility, reverence and utter nothingness as He approached the Shrine of Bahá'u'lláh is described by Dr Yunis Khan in his memoirs. He recounts details of Abdu'l-Bahá's visits to the Shrine of Bahá'u'lláh during the first few years after the Ascension of His beloved Father. Abdu'l-Bahá had directed the believers to visit the Holy Shrine in the afternoons of Fridays and Sundays and He Himself often joined them. Arrangements were made for them to be taken from Akka to Bahji, usually in Abdu'l-Bahá's two carriages[1] which made several journeys to transport the entire community. The Master Himself often used to walk the entire distance. When the believers had all assembled, they would be summoned by Abdu'l-Bahá to enter the Shrine. One by one, with absolute devotion and in complete silence, they entered, while Abdu'l-Bahá filled the palm of the hand of each person with rose-water, with which they refreshed themselves. When everyone had entered, Abdu'l-Bahá would chant the Tablet of Visitation with such fervour and devotion that all hearts were uplifted and souls exhilarated.
[1 One larger carriage known as the 'American Carriage' could take up to nine, the other, only four.]

Dr Yunis Khan further describes that the visit to the Shrine of Bahá'u'lláh on Holy Days was much more ceremonious and was conducted with such dignity and spirituality that the inhabitants of Akka and the neighbouring towns were deeply touched by the devotion of the Bahá'ís. The government officials, judges and other dignitaries were so impressed with the spirit which animated the believers as they walked together toward the Shrine of Bahá'u'lláh, that they longed to join their procession and partake of the spiritual bounties which were conferred upon them by Abdu'l-Bahá.

The following is a summary translation of Dr Yunis Khan's account:

"On the day of the Bahá'í festivals, a large quantity of pots filled with flowers intended for the Shrine of Bahá'u'lláh were brought to the outer apartment of the house of Abdu'l-Bahá. All the pilgrims and resident believers dressed in their best clothes would assemble outside the house at a certain time (usually about two hours before sunset, or at other times when the heat of the sun was not unbearable). The procession to the Shrine would then start. The believers walked two by two, each person carrying a flower-pot on his shoulder. In later years, because of the opposition of the Covenant-breakers, the procession would start outside the gate of the city of Akka where the flower-pots were also placed.

"While carrying a flower-pot on His shoulders, the Blessed Person of Abdu'l-Bahá, like the commander of an army, walked sometimes in the front and sometimes beside the procession and issued various instructions on the way. Usually two or three people who had melodious voices were directed by Him to chant, one after the other, some poems of Bahá'u'lláh or other suitable verses related to a particular Bahá'í festival which famous Bahá'í poets had written. In this way, solemnly and with great dignity, they would walk slowly towards the Shrine of Bahá'u'lláh.

"As soon as that Holy Place became visible to the eye, all would halt at the behest of the Master ... while someone would chant a prayer. To what spiritual worlds one would be carried at this time is impossible for me to describe... As the believers approached the Shrine, the flower-pots were handed in, and another prayer chanted. Then all would retire to a room where refreshments would be served. When all had rested and refreshed themselves, they would be summoned by Abdu'l-Bahá to enter the Shrine. The Tablet of Visitation would be chanted as usual by Abdu'l-Bahá. Then the believers were allowed to sit down to chant prayers and Tablets..." [15-7]

Dr Yunis Khan mentions that it was when the Covenant-breakers intensified their attacks against the Cause that they took possession of the room on the ground floor of the Mansion where the believers usually assembled. As a result, the believers moved to a house (pilgrim house) near the Mansion where the same facilities were provided for them. He recounts that as time went on, the Master obtained about one hundred large copper vessels for carrying water. Thus the believers were enabled to take water from a nearby spring and carry the vessels on their shoulders to water the flower-beds which Abdu'l-Bahá had made around the Shrine. He considered this service to be so meritorious that He Himself used to accompany the friends to the spring and carry a water-vessel on His own shoulder.

Haji Mirza Haydar-'Ali recalls many scenes in which Abdu'l-Bahá was seen to be carrying heavy vessels of water on His shoulder for watering the flowers and shrubs in the garden around the Shrine. So strenuous was this task for the Master that sweat could be seen pouring from His face as He carried this heavy burden. The same chronicler has recounted that on several occasions, He was seen gathering soil, placing it inside His cloak and carrying the load on His shoulders to where He was making some flower-beds in the small garden He had created with His own hands in order to beautify the approaches to the Holy Shrine.

Dr Habib Mu'ayyad, another faithful secretary of Abdu'l-Bahá, writes in his memoirs that when a few years later a mechanical pump was installed in the garden near the Shrine, Abdu'l-Bahá used to pump water from the well with His own hands. Dr Mu'ayyad recalls that on a certain day in 1914, Abdu'l-Bahá, who was then seventy years of age, moved the handle of the pump for 19 minutes non-stop and stored a great deal of water for later use in the gardens!

Returning to the story of Mirza Aqa Jan, we have noted that as long as he used the building of the Shrine of Bahá'u'lláh as his residence, the Master did not allow the believers to enter it. Instead of praying inside the Shrine, Abdu'l-Bahá, accompanied by the believers, would stand outside in the small garden and chant the Tablet of Visitation, following which Abdu'l-Bahá and the believers would sit on the ground near the Shrine and recite prayers. But Mirza Aqa Jan, who was a very vulgar man, often caused a disturbance for those who had assembled to pray. Haji Mirza Haydar-'Ali, recalling one of those occasions when Abdu'l-Bahá together with a large number of believers, including Haji himself, had gone to pray at the Shrine of Bahá'u'lláh, recounts the following story:

"After saying the Tablet of Visitation and circumambulating the Holy Shrine, the Master, in great humility and self-effacement sat on the ground outside, and the friends sat in rows behind Him. As Mirza Mahmud-i-Kashani[1] began to chant a prayer, Mirza Aqa Jan, wearing a white shroud, ran out of the Shrine bare-headed and bare-foot muttering some words and like a drunkard staggering to the right and to the left, came toward us. As he walked in the middle of the rows where we were sitting, one of the Covenant-breakers came by the order of the Centre of Sedition [Mirza Muhammad-'Ali] and took him away. When he left him, Mirza Aqa Jan came back again. The same person took him away for the second time. These comings and goings were repeated five or six times. At the end, the order was issued from the same Source of Sedition to hold him in front of the Shrine. Thereupon, Mirza Aqa Jan, turning his face toward the assembled friends, began to hurl unspeakable insults at them in loud and offensive language." [15-8]
[1 An old and faithful companion of Abdu'l-Bahá.]

In his memoirs, Haji Mirza Haydar-'Ali quotes some of the words which this notorious man had shouted at the top of his voice in the presence of Abdu'l-Bahá, words which were not only vulgar and offensive but which were blasphemous in relation to Bahá'u'lláh whom He had served for almost forty years. Such a man was honoured and respected by the Covenant-breakers and was regarded as one of their best agents for fomenting discord and spreading sedition within the community.

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