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'abdu'l-hamid's Committee

Sources: 'abdu'l-baha In London

One year before 'Abdu'l-Hamid was dethroned, he sent an extremely

overbearing, treacherous and insulting committee of investigation. The

chairman was one of the governor's staff, Arif Bey, and with him were

three army commanders varying in rank.



Immediately upon his arrival, Arif Bey proceeded to denounce me and tried

to get proof strong enough to warrant sending me to Fizan, or throwing me

into the sea.
izan is a caravan station on the boundary of Tripoli where

there are no houses and no water. It is a month's journey by camel route

from Akka.



The committee twice sent for me to hear what I had to say in my own

defence and twice I sent back word: 'I know your purpose, I have nothing

to say.'



This so infuriated Arif Bey that he declared he would return to

Constantinople and bring back an order from the Sultan to have me hanged

at the gate of Akka. He and his committee set sail with their report

containing the following accusations:--'Abdu'l-Baha is establishing a new

nation of which he is to be the king; 'Abdu'l-Baha is uplifting the banner

of a new religion; 'Abdu'l-Baha has built or caused to be built

fortifications in Haifa, a neighbouring village, and is buying up all the

surrounding lands.'



About this time an Italian ship appeared in the harbour sent by order of

the Italian Consul. It had been planned that I was to escape on it by

night. The Baha'is in Akka implored me to go but I sent this message to

the captain: 'The Bab did not run away: Baha'u'llah did not run away; I

shall not run away, so the ship sailed away after waiting three days and

three nights.



It was while the Sultan's committee of investigation was homeward bound

that the first shell was dropped into 'Abdu'l-Hamid's camp and the first

gun of freedom was fired into the home of despotism. That was God's gun,

said 'Abdu'l-Baha, with one of his wonderful smiles.



When the committee reached the Turkish capital, they had more urgent

things to think of. The city was in a state of uproar and rebellion, and

the committee, as members of the government staff, were delegated to

investigate the insurrection. Meanwhile the people were establishing a

constitutional government and 'Abdu'l-Hamid was given no chance to act.



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