Who Is Who of the Bahaism
Mirza Abu-al-Fadhl of Gulpaygan
Mirza Abu-al-Fadhl (The father of virtue) was first class Bahai missionary. He connected Bahai missionary enterprise in the East as well as in the United States. He propagandised for Baha, and took up the cudgels for Sir Abbas Effendi. "The Father of Virtue" was a versatile writer. His best known works are:
1) The Istidlaliyya or Risala-i-Ayubiyya (The epistle of god). "This work intended to prove by questions and arguments from the Old Testament that Baha is the promised Messiah and deliverer of Israel, is addressed chiefly to the Jews". Prof. Browne's Notice, J.R.A.S October, 1892, PP. 701-706; Prof. Browne's Introduction to Tarikh-i-Jadid or New History, P. xxxv.
2) The Brilliant Proof (Burhan-i- Jam'i'), Chicago, 1912.
"The Father of virtue" wrote this book in reply to an article in the Evangelical Christendom journal attributed by a Protestant Missionary Peter Z. Easton.
The Brilliant Proof is based on hearsay evidence.
"The Father of Virtue" ranks first among the apostles of Baha 'Pillars of the Faith'. The Bahai World, 1928-1930, Vol III., New York, PP.80-81.
"The Father of Virtue" was apprehended by the authorities in Tehran in1300 A.H (1282-3) for subversive Bahai propaganda. This Apostle of Baha succumbed under interrogations, and abjured his faith to recover his freedom. The Kashf-al-Hiyal by Mirza Abd-al-Husayn Ayati surnamed Awara, one time one of the 'Hands of the Cause', Vol. III, 3rd impression, PP. 19-21. The Risala-i-Istintaqiyya (The Epistle of Interrogation), churned out by Bahai machinery to propaganda, creates a false and erroneous impression that Mirza Abu-al-Fadhl and his fellow detainees professed their faith, and even delivered the message of Bahaism to their interrogator. Access to official records of proceedings of interrogation, which are reproduced in the Kashf-al-Hiyal, PP.3-41, however, disprove this Risala-i-Istintaqiyya. Kashf-al-Hiyal, ibid, P.2.
"The Father of Virtue" carried a rosary, adopted the name of Mulla Abdullah, and posed as a devout Moslem in Hamadan, Iran.
Following in the footsteps of his master Sir Abbas Effendi, who held himself out as an unknown traveller in the Traveller's Narrative, Mirza Abu-al-Fadhl wrote books in Bukhara under the name of Shaykh Fadlullah Irani, and cited Shaykh Fadhlullah Irani as authority in the words he composed in Egypt. The Kashf-al-Hiyal, ibid, Vol. II, 2nd impression, P. 90.
"The Father of Virtue", at the instance of Sir Abbas Effendi, was instructed in the composition of Kashf-al-Ghita who was to do a refutation of Mirza Jani's Nuqta-al-Kaf published by Prof. Browne.
The Kashful-Hiyal, Vol I, 6th impression, P. 146:
(Mirza Abul Fazl was) asked to account for his silence about Abdul Baha Abbas, Mirza Abul Fazl of Gulpaygan sighed and said: “Leave me alone, the master [i.e. Abdul Baha Abbas] is a politician, we have been taken in by his sanctimony.” The text sums as follows:
خلینی یا سیدی انّ حضرت المولی رجل سیاسی و نحن خدعنا
بروحانیة
In reply to a question why “the god [i.e. Baha or Abdul Baha Abbas] to whom “making” he had as much contributed had now left him in such distressed circumstance Mirza Abul Fazl of Gulpaygan said: This business [of god hood] flourished thanks to me. Now, that money is flowing into the lap of Effendi [i.e. Abdul Baha Abbas] like sand he only pays me four Pounds a month as hush-money.”
The Kashful-Hiyal, Vol II, 2nd impression, P. 90 or the Kashful-Hiyal, Vol II, 3rd impression, PP. 107-108:
“Dishonesty of Mirza Abul Fazl of Gulpaygan.”
Mirza Abul Fazl of Gulpaygan “composed books in Bukhara under the name of Sheikh Fazlullah of Iran and cited from them in Egypt as authority for his arguments.” In Hamadan he went by the name of “Mulla Abdullah” and carried a rosary to create the impression that he was a devout Moslem.
The Kashful-Hiyal, Vol II, 3rd impression, PP. 108-112:
Abdul Baha Abbas exhibited in a room in his house at Acre such articles as a horn, a skin-rug, a battle-arc, a rosary, a Dervish’s crown, a hookah, and an outer-robe or gown, etc, etc. which to quote Abdul Baha Abbas, were Baha’s outfit when he sojourned in Suleymaniyya under the name of Dervish Muhammad,” and which were preserved in tact “out of considerations of expediency.” Abdul Baha Abbas said: “despite the fact that the Ottoman authorities were strict with the blessed Beauty [i.e. Baha], yet the power of the Blessed Beauty was such that by means of the horn, etc. he proved himself to be god who could do what he willed.”
In PP. 146-7, ibid, Mirza Abd-al-Husayn Ayati quotes Mirza Abu-al-Fadhl as saying to an old friend of his, who found him in a poverty-stricken state: "I have made this business flourish, now that Pounds are flowing into the lap of the Effendi [i.e. Sir Abbas Effendi] like sand [i.e. in countless numbers], he doles to me a monthly pittance of four Pounds only as hush-money plus a dole of three Pounds a month granted by an American woman at the instance of the Effendi.". The text sums as follows:
When the destiny which the lord has decreed overtook him, "The Father of Virtue", "Apostle of Baha," "Pillow of the Faith" passed to the mercy of god.
Repentant & contrite or not, "The Father of Virtue" is survived by his Faraid and Durar-al-Bahiyya فرائظ و دّر البهائیه, to which Bahais refer as standard works.
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