| 1863 9 May |
Bahá'u'lláh and His party left Firayját for Istanbul although at this point the destination was unknown to the exiles. [CH57, GPB156; SA235; BKG176-178]
On the day of His departure from Firayjat Bahá'u'lláh revealed the Lawḥ-i-Firáq (In 'Iráq it is known as Lawḥ-i-Firayját) [Tablet of Firayját (Lawḥ-i-Firayját) / Tablet of Firáq (Lawḥ-i-Firáq) compiled by Violetta Zein]
The journey took 110 days. [GPB156]
For the number of people on the journey see BKG179 (72), GPB156 (26 plus members of His family plus guards), RB2:5–6 (54) and SW13:277 (72).
The caravan consisted of fifty mules, a mounted guard of ten soldiers with their officer, and seven pairs of howdahs, each pair surmounted by four parasols. By virtue of the written order of Namiq Pasha Bahá'u'lláh was accorded an enthusiastic reception by the religious notables and government officials as the caravan wound its way northward. [ALM12]
- Gawhar Khanum, Bahá'u'lláh's third wife whom He married in Baghdad before the declaration of His mission, remained in Baghdad with her brother, Mirza Mihdiy-i-Kashani. [MoF95] The dates of her birth, marriage and death are not known. For some years she was among the Bahá'í refugees in Mosul and later went to 'Akka at Bahá'u'lláh's instruction. She gave birth to one daughter, Furughiyyih; mother and daughter both became Covenant-breakers after the passing of Bahá'u'lláh. [CoC22]
For the details of the journey see BKG176–96; GPB1567; SW13:277.
See BKG180 for a map of the journey.
They passed through the following:
- Judaydih
- Dilí-'Abbás
- Qarih-Tapih
- Saláhíyyih (stay two nights)
- Dúst-Khurmátú
- Táwuq
- Karkúk (stay two days)
- Irbíl
- By the River Záb
- Bartallih
- Mosul (stay three days)
- Zákhú
- Jazírih
- Nisíbín (Nusaybin)(On the boarder of Iraq, Syria, and Turkey)
- Hasan-Áqá
- Márdiín (three day halt)
- Díyár-Bakr (after three days of travel) (stay two-three days) It was here that Mírzá Yahyá made himself known to the party after having travelled in disguise from Mosul. [ALM12]
- Ma'dan-Mis (one night)
- Khárpút (one day's travel) (stay two or three days)
- Ma'dan-Nuqrih
- Dilik-Tásh
- Sívás
- Túqát (Tokat)
- Amasia (Amasya)(stay two days)
- Iláhíyyih (the last day of the overland journey)
- Sámsún on the Black Sea. (110 days after departure) [The Bahá'í Faith 1844-1953: Information Statistical & Comparative p43]
As the party drew close to Sámsún on the Black Sea Bahá'u'lláh revealed the Súriy-i-Hawdaj. [BKG195; RB2:6]
Picture
The party remained in Sámsún for seven days. [GPB157] |
Bahá'u'lláh, Life of (chronology); Bahá'u'lláh, Banishment of; Journeys; Caravans; Howdahs (hawdajs); Black Sea; Suriy-i-Hawdaj; * Bahá'u'lláh, Writings of; Gawhar Khanum; Furughiyyih; Mírzá Mihdiy-i-Kashani; Lawh-i-Firayjat; Lawh-i-Firaq; Exile (banishment); Iraq; Turkey; Firayjat, Baghdad, Iraq; Samsun, Turkey; Istanbul, Turkey; Judaydih, Iraq; Dili-Abbas, Iraq; Qarih-Tapih, Iraq; Salahiyyih, Iraq; Dust-Khurmatu, Iraq; Tawuq, Iraq; Karkuk, Iraq; Irbil, Iraq; Bartallih, Iraq; Mosul, Iraq; Zakhu, Iraq; Jazirih, Iraq; Nisibin, Turkey; Hasan-Aqa, Turkey; Mardiin, Turkey; Diyar-Bakr, Turkey; Madan-Mis, Turkey; Kharput, Turkey; Madan-Nuqrih, Turkey; Dilik-Tash, Turkey; Sivas, Turkey; Tuqat, Turkey; Amasia, Turkey; Ilahiyyih, Turkey |
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| 1863 3 May |
Bahá'u'lláh left the Garden of Ridván.
This initiated the holy day the Twelfth Day of Ridván, to be celebrated on 2 May. [BBD196]
As He was about to leave He revealed a Tablet addressed to Áqá Mírzá Áqá in Shíráz. It brought relief and happiness to those who received it. [EB222]
His leaving was accompanied by symbolic signs of His station: He rode a horse rather than a donkey and wore a tall táj. [BBD221; BKG176]
See BKG175–6, GPB155 and RB1:281–2 for descriptions of the scenes that accompanied His departure.
Bahá'u'lláh and His party arrived at Firayját, about three miles away on the banks of the Tigris. [BKG176]
There they stayed in a borrowed garden for a week while Bahá'u'lláh's brother, Mirza Musa, completed dealing with their affairs in Baghdad and packing the remaining goods. Visitors still came daily. [SA235]
One of the loyal followers who was left behind was Ahmad-i-Yazdi. He would later make the journey to Constantinople where he received a Tablet from Bahá'u'lláh. [C3MT17]
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Ridvan Festival; Bahá'u'lláh, Declaration of; Bahá'u'lláh, Life of (chronology); Ridvan Festival; Aqa Mírzá Aqay-i-Afnan (Nurud-Din); Afnan; Horses; Donkeys; Taj; Tigris River; Rivers; Ridvan garden; Najibiyyih Garden; Holy days; Baghdad, Iraq; Firayjat, Baghdad, Iraq; Iraq; Shíráz, Iran; Iran |
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