Bahá’u’lláh and His retinue then left Baghdád, the
“Abode of Peace,” for Constantinople, the “City of Islám.” After His departure,
Nabíl put on the dress of a dervish, and set out on foot, catching up with the
convoy along the way. In Constantinople he was directed to return to Persia and
there teach the Cause of God; also to travel throughout the country, and
acquaint the believers in its cities and villages with all that had taken
place. When this mission was accomplished, and the drums of “Am I not your
Lord?” were rolling out -- for it was the “year eighty” -- [1] Nabíl hurried to
Adrianople, crying as he went, “Yea verily Thou art! Yea verily!” and “Lord,
Lord, here am I!”
He entered Bahá’u’lláh’s presence and drank of the red wine
of allegiance and homage. He was then given specific orders to travel
everywhere, and in every region to raise the call that God was now made
manifest: to spread the blissful tidings that the Sun of Truth had risen. He
was truly on fire, driven by restive love. With great fervor he would pass
through a country, bringing this best of all messages and reviving the hearts.
He flamed like a torch in every company, he was the star of every assemblage,
to all who came he held out the intoxicating cup. He journeyed as to the beat
of drums and at last he reached the Akká fortress.
(‘Abdu’l-Baha, ‘Memorials of
the Faithful)
[1] A reference
to the declaration of Bahá’u’lláh’s advent in 1863 [1280 A.H.], as the Promised
One of the Báb. The Báb’s own advent had taken place in the “year sixty”—1844.
