Alí Muhammad
Varqá [who was later designated as one of the Apostles of
Baha’u’llah] was an ardent Bahá'í of Tabríz, Persia, in the days
when Bahá'u'lláh was a Prisoner in 'Akká, Palestine from 1868 until His passing
in 1892. He was exiled and imprisoned because His Teachings which are now being
studied by some rulers, many statesmen and millions of other people, were, like
those of other World Teachers, very far ahead of His time.
To begin at the beginning, 'Alí Muhammad
Varqá had one son, 'Azízu'lláh, two years old, when one day in April
another little son was born in his home, and he and his wife named the child Rúhu'lláh
which means "the Spirit of God".
There was glad rejoicing when Bahá'u'lláh from 'Akká sent
these parents a Tablet (a letter) about this new babe and in it the reader with
insight will discern the introduction to this thrilling story which follows.
Bahá'u'lláh wrote:
"O Varqá! It is for thee to chant in both ears of this
little one three times:
"Verily, thou hast come by the Command of God! Thou
hast appeared to speak of Him, and thou hast been created to serve Him Who is
the Dear, the Beloved!"
"We mentioned this before when his mother implored us, and now We are mentioning it again. We are the Generous and the Giver!"
[Ruhu'lláh's mother sent no petition by letter, but it was perhaps
when this little one was coming into this world that she cried out to
Bahá'u'lláh.]
While Rúhu'lláh was still a little child, Bahá'u'lláh sent a
second Tablet. It read:
"He is the Hearer and the Seer!
"Blessed art thou, for thou hast witnessed the grandeur
and greatness of God while still a child. Blessed is the mother who nursed thee
and has arisen to do what is becoming of her! We beg God to write for thee from
His Supreme Pen that which is fitting to His Generosity, Bounty and Favour.
Verily, He is the Generous and the Bountiful! Praise be to God, the Lord the
Worlds!"
Another Tablet to Rúhu'lláh from Bahá'u'lláh was:
"O thou Rúhu'lláh! Verily, the Greatest Spirit has
inclined towards thee from the Prison and is mentioning thee with such a
station that its fragrance will continue as long as My Kingdom and My Grandeur
endure!
"Thou, when thou bindeth and knoweth (the mention) say:
'Praise be to Thee, O Ocean of Bounty! Thanks be to Thee that Thou hast made me
to appear and in my first days speak Thy mention and Thy praise. Verily, Thou
art the Forgiving and the Compassionate!'"
- Martha Root (Interviews with Azizu’llah and Valiyu’llah Varqa when she was in Tihran; ‘Star of the West [The Baha’i Magazine], Vol. 23, no. 3, June 1932)
