Mazra’ih (Masra’ih) is the name of a mansion and surrounding land that Baha’u’llah had lived in
for two years when he was ‘allegedly’ imprisoned in Palestine. According to an article in the Baha’i magazine, Baha’i News, this land belonged to the Muslims and could not be legally sold to the Baha’is:
“Masra'ih is a Moslem religious endowment, and it is consequently impossible, under existing laws in this country, for it to be sold. However, as the friends are aware, the Ministry of Religions, due to the direct intervention of the Minister himself, Rabbi Maimon, consented, in the face of considerable opposition, to deliver Masra'ih to the Baha'is as a Holy Place to be visited by Baha'i pilgrims. This means that we rent it from the Department of Moslem and Druze affairs in the Ministry of Religions. The head of thisDepartment is also a Rabbi, Dr. Hirschberg. Recently he, his wife and party, visited all the Baha'i properties in Haifa and 'Akka, following upon a very pleasant tea party in the Western Pilgrim House with the members of the International Baha'i Council.” (Baha’i
News, no. 244, June 1951, p. 4)
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According to this document the land was forcefully taken from the Muslims and delivered to the
Baha’is in return for a rent which was paid to the Israeli government.
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A few years later, the land is officially usurped for good and sold to the Baha'is by the Israeli
government (it must be noted that Muslim endowments cannot be sold). The Universal House of Justice then sends out a letter to Baha’is worldwide happily informing them that this Muslim Endowment –that cannot be sold or purchased- has been bought by the UHJ:
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“The Mansion of Mazra'ih, often referred to by the beloved Guardian as one of the "twinmansions" in which the Blessed Beauty resided after nine years within the walled prison-city of ' Akká, and dear to the hearts of the believers by reason of its associations with their Lord, has at last been purchased together with 24,000 square metres of land extending into the plain on its eastward side.” (The Universal House of Justice, from Ridvan 1973 message;
Messages from the Universal House of Justice, 1968-1973)
Apparently Mazra'ih is also the name of the village in which this house is set.
ReplyDeleteThis is a quote of the Master of how the house came to be rented...
Bahá’u’lláh loved the beauty and verdure of the country. One day He passed the remark: “I have not gazed on verdure for nine years. The country is the world of the soul, the city is the world of bodies.” When I heard indirectly of this saying I realized that He was longing for the country, and I was sure that whatever I could do towards the carrying out of His wish would be successful. There was in ‘Akká at that time a man called Muḥammad Páshá Ṣafwat, who was very much opposed to us. He had a palace called Mazra’ih, about four miles north of the city, a lovely place, surrounded by gardens and with a stream of running water. I went and called on this Páshá at his home. I said: “Páshá, you have left the palace empty, and are living in ‘Akká.” He replied “I am an invalid and cannot leave the city. If I go there it is lonely and I am cut off from my friends.” I said: “While you are not living there and the place is empty, let it to us.” He was amazed at the proposal, but soon consented. I got the house at a very low rent, about five pounds per annum, paid him for five years and made a contract. I sent laborers to repair the place and put the garden in order and had a bath built. I also had a carriage prepared for the use of the Blessed Beauty.9 One day I determined to go and see the place for myself. Notwithstanding the repeated injunctions given in successive firmans that we were on no account to pass the limits of the city walls, I walked out through the City Gate. Gendarmes were on guard, but they made no objection, so I proceeded straight to the palace.
Here is the link to a photo of the "palace" before the Master restored it. It also appears to be more a "house" than a "palace".
ReplyDeleteIt would be interesting to find out how the property came to be in the hands of Muḥammad Páshá Ṣafwa...
http://www.bahaullah.org/mazraih/
ReplyDelete