September 22. On this date in 1912, 'Abdu'l-Bahá gave a talk in Lincoln, Nebraska about "the corruption and iniquity of the Covenant-breaker" where he referred to his nephew as "Shu'á of darkness."

 

September 22. On this date in 1912, 'Abdu'l-Bahá gave a talk in Lincoln, Nebraska about "the corruption and iniquity of the Covenant-breaker" where he referred to his nephew as "Shu'á of darkness." 

From "Mahmúd's Diary: The Diary of Mírzá Mahmúd-i-Zarqání Chronicling 'Abdu'l-Bahá's Journey to America"...

Sunday, September 22, 1912

Lincoln

In the morning the Master spoke about the animosity of the enemies and their evil intentions towards the Blessed Beauty. Then the conversation turned to the corruption and iniquity of the Covenant-breakers. He said:

Shu'á of darkness (289) wrote to his father quite openly that his purpose was to amass wealth and worldly property. With reference to me he stated that he was waiting for the fulfillment of the promise in the verse, 'God will assuredly send down one who will deal mercilessly with him.' (290)

(289) 'Abdu'l-Bahá here is speaking ironically in reference to His nephew Shu'á'u'lláh, whose name means 'ray of light', as being 'of darkness', for shortly after the passing of Bahá'u'lláh he became a Covenant-breaker, following in the footsteps of his father, Mírzá Muhammad-'Alí, `Abdu'l-Bahá's unfaithful half-brother.

(290) `Abdu'l-Bahá here is quoting a passage from the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, paragraph 37...

Whoso layeth claim to a Revelation direct from God, ere the expiration of a full thousand years, such a man is assuredly a lying impostor. We pray God that He may graciously assist him to retract and repudiate such claim. Should he repent, God will, no doubt, forgive him. If, however, he persisteth in his error, God will, assuredly, send down one who will deal mercilessly with him. Terrible, indeed, is God in punishing! Whosoever interpreteth this verse otherwise than its obvious meaning is deprived of the Spirit of God and of His mercy which encompasseth all created things. Fear God, and follow not your idle fancies. Nay, rather, follow the bidding of your Lord, the Almighty, the All-Wise. Erelong shall clamorous voices be raised in most lands. Shun them, O My people, and follow not the iniquitous and evil-hearted. This is that of which We gave you forewarning when We were dwelling in 'Iráq, then later while in the Land of Mystery, and now from this Resplendent Spot.

Shua'u’llah Behai was born in Qasr al-Mazra'a, ("Palace of Mazra'a”) in the Acre District of Palestine in 1878. Shua'u’llah Behai was the eldest grandson of Bahá'u'lláh and the eldest son of Mírzá Muhammad `Alí, whom Bahá'u'lláh named Ghusn-i-Akbar, meaning "Greater Branch."

Shua Ullah Behai immigrated to the United States in 1904 where he led the Unitarian Baha'i denomination, and in 1914 he became a United States citizen in Los Angeles, becoming the first known descendant of the Baha’i prophet to have become an American citizen.

Behai compiled an introduction to the Baha'i faith in the 1940s, the documents of which were preserved by his niece Nigar Bahai Amsalem and published in *A Lost History of the Baha'i Faith: The Progressive Tradition of Baha'u'llah's Forgotten Family.

From 1934 to 1937, Behai published Behai Quarterly, a Unitarian Bahá'í magazine written in English and featuring the writings of Ghusn-i-Akbar and various other Unitarian Bahais.

Shua Ullah Behai died on July 3, 1950.