MIRZA MIHDI The Purest Branch

A few minutes before 6 pm on June 22, 1870, on that fateful afternoon, Mirza Mihdi walked on the roof of the prison in Akka, engaged in his prayers and meditations, perched on the wings of joy and detachment, soaring to new heights into the wonderful world. In that state of joy and ecstasy, while his spiritual eyes were wide open, his physical eyes were closed to this world below. Could he be alone, walking on that roof as the sun set over Akka? In my mind, a heavenly company of angels circled Akka's Fortress with great joy at this very moment. For in one of the cells was The One promised in all religious scriptures, the Lord of Hosts, the Ancient Beauty, the One who had accepted imprisonment in this fortress so that the world could attain true freedom. O Mihdi, while you were reciting the Epistle of the Dove, what wonderful stage must you have reached? In a fleeting moment in your enlightened state, you fell through the open ceiling window into an open box on the floor below. W

Oh Mihdi, on a trouvé Cinq petits cailloux dans ta poche, Chaque pierre, un secret caché, Témoignant de ton chemin sans reproche. Le premier caillou, une lueur d'or, Symbole de ta foi et de ton amour, Brillant comme un trésor, Guidant ceux qui cherchent le jour. Le deuxième, rugueux et humble, Rappelle ton humilité, ton humble cœur, Toujours prêt à servir, sans encombre, Dans l'ombre comme dans la splendeur. Le troisième, lisse et pur, Évoque ta pureté d'esprit, Ton âme lumineuse et sûre, Dans chaque acte, un rêve accompli. Le quatrième, un éclat de sagesse, Porte le poids de tes réflexions profondes, Ton esprit clair, sans détresse, Enseigne la paix à travers le monde. Le cinquième, petit et discret, Cache ton humble modestie, Ta grâce douce et secrète, Une leçon pour toute l'humanité. Ces cailloux dans ta poche, Mihdi, Racontent ton histoire avec éclat, Chaque pierre une part de ta vie, Un testament à ton noble combat. Que ces petits trésors soient notre guide

M irza Mihdi, pure and true, I n every step, devotion grew. R adiant light, a guiding star, Z eal and faith, shining far. A soul so bright, a heart so staunch, Majestic soul, pure and bright I n sacrifice, he gave his all, H e walked the path with steadfast grace, D eep in love, his spirit soared, I n every heart, his love adored.

Death of the Purest Branch in Akka June 23rd, 1870,  Mirza Mihdi (the Purest Branch, Baha'u'llah's youngest son) falls through a skylight in the prison. Baha'u'llah offers to heal him but Mirza Mihdi instead offers his life as a sacrifice so that those who desire may undertake pilgrimages. Baha'u'llah accepts and the Purest Branch dies at age 22. 70 years later, his body is entombed in the Monument Gardens on Mount Carmel.     Bahá’u’lláh referred to Mírzá Mihdí on the day of his death as "he that was created by the light of Bahá" and described his dying "at a time when he lay imprisoned at the hands of his enemies" as a "martyrdom." In the same tablet, Bahá’u’lláh extols Mírzá Mihdí’s station: "Happy art thou in that thou hast been faithful to the Covenant of God and His Testament, until Thou didst sacrifice thyself before the face of thy Lord, the Almighty, the Unconstrained. Thou, in truth, hast been wronged, and to this

Deux années étaient presque passées depuis que Baha'u'llah avait été emprisonné dans la caserne, lorsque soudainement survint un événement des plus tragique. Ce fut le décès prématuré de Mirza Mihdi, nommé la Branche-la-plus-pure, le plus jeune frère de 'Abdu'l-Baha qui fut grièvement blessé lorsqu'il tomba du toit de la caserne. En 1848, à une époque où les disciples du Bab étaient submergés par les souffrances et les persécutions, naquit un fils de Baha'u'llah et de son illustre femme Asiyih Khanum, nommée Navvab (voir vol.1). Il avait quatre ans de moins que 'Abdu'l-Baha et reçut le nom de Mihdi, du nom d'un frère de Baha'u'llah, cher à son coeur, et qui était décédé un an auparavant. Par la suite, la Plume du Très-Haut donna à son fils le titre de Ghusnu'llahu'l-Athar (la plus pure Branche). Contrairement à 'Abdu'l-Baha, Mirza Mihdi ne pouvait pas bien se remémorer la vie luxueuse de Téhéran, car son père avait été emp

The Focal Centre "three incomparably precious souls " The Transfer of the Remains of his Body    The long years of preparation - outside in the body of the Bahá'í world through the erection of the machinery of the Administrative Order, inside its heart through the erection of the superstructure of the Shrine of the Báb and the general consolidation of the World Centre - had involved the creation of a Spot suitable to form the "focal centre", as Shoghi Effendi termed it, of the mightiest institutions of the Faith. This Spot was no less than the resting-places of the mother, sister and brother of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, those "three incomparably precious souls", as he called them, "who, next to the three Central Figures of our Faith, tower in rank above the vast multitude of the heroes, Letters, martyrs, hands, teachers and administrators of the Cause of Bahá'u'lláh." It had long been the desire of the Greatest Holy Leaf to lie near her m