March 25. On this date in 1912, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá boarded the S.S Cedric in Alexandria, heading for the United States. Others with him included Shoghi Effendi, Asadu'lláh-i-Qumí, Dr Amínu'lláh Faríd (Ameen U Fareed), Mírzá Munír-i-Zayn, Áqá Khusraw, and Mahmúd-i-Zarqání (the author of Mahmud's Diary).

 

March 25. On this date in 1912, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá boarded the S.S Cedric in Alexandria, heading for the United States.

On March 25, 1912, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá boarded the S.S. Cedric in Alexandria, heading for the United States.

Others with him included Shoghi Effendi, Asadu'lláh-i-Qumí, Dr Amínu'lláh Faríd (Ameen U Fareed), Mírzá Munír-i-Zayn, Áqá Khusraw, and Mahmúd-i-Zarqání (the author of Mahmud's Diary). 

The ship arrived in Naples harbour on March 28, 1912, and on the next day several Bahá'ís from America and Britain boarded the ship. 'Abdu'l-Bahá and his group did not disembark for fear of being confused with Turks during the ongoing Italo-Turkish War.

Shoghi Effendi, Mírzá Munír-i-Zayn, and Áqá Khusraw were refused further passage by reason of illness and were taken ashore.

From Naples, the group sailed on to New York. The group included 'Abdu'l-Bahá, Asadu'lláh-i-Qumí, Dr Amínu'lláh Faríd (Ameen U Fareed), Mahmúd-i-Zarqání, Mr and Mrs Percy Woodcock and their daughter from Canada, Mr and Mrs Austin from Denver, Colorado, and Miss Louisa Mathew.

The S.S. Cedric passed Gibraltar on April 3 and arrived in New York harbour on the morning of April 11.

Dr. Amínu'lláh Faríd (Ameen U. Fareed) was the son of Mirza Assad Ullah Fareed (who authored The School of the Prophets) and the nephew of 'Abdu'l-Bahá's wife, Munírih Khánum. He had served as 'Abdu'l-Bahá's interpreter and had been active in promoting the Bahá'í Faith. He had also received a number of Tablets from 'Abdu'l-Bahá.

On December 16, 1953, Shoghi Effendi sent a cablegramstating "Following the successive blows which fell with dramatic swiftness two years ago upon the ring-leaders of the fast dwindling band of old Covenant-breakers at the World Center of the Faith, God's avenging handstruck down in the last two months, Avarih, Fareed and Falah."

Fast-Dwindling Band of Covenant-Breakers

Following the successive blows which fell with dramatic swiftness two years ago upon the ring-leaders of the fast dwindling band of old Covenant-breakers at the World Center of the Faith, God's avenging handstruck down in the last two months, Avarih, Fareed and Falah, within the cradle of the Faith, North America and Turkey, who demonstrated varying degrees, in the course of over thirty years, of faithlessness to 'Abdu'l-Bahá. 

The first of the above named will be condemned by posterity as being the most shameless, vicious, relentless apostate in the annals of the Faith, who, through ceaseless vitriolic attacks in recorded voluminous writings and close alliance with its traditional enemies, assiduously schemed to blacken its name and subvert the foundations of its institutions.

The second, history will recognize as one of the most perfidious among the kinsmen of the interpreters of the Center of the Covenant, who, driven by ungovernable cupidity, committed acts causing agonies of grief and distress to the beloved Master and culminating in open association with breakers of Bahá'u'lláh's Covenant in the Holy Land.

The third will be chiefly remembered by the pride, obstinacy and insatiable ambition impelling him to violate the spiritual and administrative precepts of the Faith.

All three, however blinded by perversity, could not have failed to perceive, as their infamous careers approached their end, the futility of their opposition and measure their own loss by the degree of progress and consolidation of the triumphant administrative order so magnificently celebrated in the course of the festivities of the recently concluded Holy Year.

From the first entry, dated Monday, March 25, 1912, in Mahmúd's Diary: The Diary of Mírzá Mahmúd-i-Zarqání Chronicling 'Abdu'l-Bahá's Journey to America...

Monday, March 25, 1912

'Abdu'l-Bahá's departure from Ramleh, Alexandria

When 'Abdu'l-Bahá was saying farewell amid the tears, lamentations and sadness of the friends and members of the Holy Family who watched their beloved's departure, one of 'Abdu'l-Bahá's daughters, Rúhá Khánum, was seriously ill. It was evident that this deeply affected the Master. It was in these circumstances that 'Abdu'l-Bahá left Alexandria on the morning of Monday, March 25, 1912. Although He had already bidden the friends farewell and had embraced most of them, many accompanied Him to the ship, expressing their sadness and anguish at their impending separation from Him. After visiting, walking about the ship and receiving His cabin assignment, 'Abdu'l-Bahá went to the main hall where He bestowed His love, affection and assurance on each of the friends. After an hour, the friends left the ship in tears. Then the S. S. Cedric, an Italian liner from the White Star Line, set sail, honored to be the means of transporting the Most Holy Being and becoming the focus of the envy of the whole earth.

The ship left the port of Alexandria with a burst of steam and great fanfare. `Abdu'l-Bahá's companions numbered six: Shoghi Effendi, Siyyid Asadu'lláh-i-Qumí, Dr Amínu'lláh Faríd, Mírzá Munír-i-Zayn, Áqá Khusraw and this servant, Mahmúd-i-Zarqání. After the ship left, 'Abdu'l-Bahá went to the first class dining room and gave permission to His companions to have lunch with Him. Although our cabins were in second class, arrangements had been made for us to dine in the first class dining room with Him. 'Abdu'l-Bahá remarked at lunch:

The doctor of this ship is an Italian and, as Italians are at war with the Turks, the doctor, imagining us to be Turks and wanting to go to war with us, says that Khusraw's eyes are affected with a disease which will make him unfit to land in America. He wished to examine the eyes of all, but Dr Faríd prevented him.

Then He told Khusraw not to worry, that He would try to intercede on his behalf and not allow them to prevent his travel. He said, 'Don't worry; to the extent possible I will not allow you to be sent back. We are ready to give our lives for one another.' 'Abdu'l-Bahá then went to His cabin in the upper deck and rested for awhile. Afternoon tea was served in the main salon of the ship. 'Abdu'l-Bahá spoke about the excessive drinking and eating habits of the Europeans. `It is hardly two hours since they took their lunch and now they are having a full meal with their tea.' Then He spoke about the Italians, saying that at the time of the Romans they were famous for their knowledge and virtues but now their character seems to have declined like the Greeks. And similarly the Egyptians. He said:

During the last days of our stay in Egypt, we went to Tanta for the repair of the tomb of Hájí Abu'l Qásim and from there went to Mansurih. In Tanta one of the English officials was our friend, who held us in great honor and showed us great respect everywhere. Observing this, the natives were more respectful and polite to us than even to the said officer, and throughout the town, everyone, young and old, even the policemen in the street, saluted us. But, at another time when we went alone to Mansurih, because the people did not observe outward riches, they did not pay any attention to us. This is the condition of hypocritical people who only look to outward appearances.

This evening 'Abdu'l-Bahá did not dine in the main hall but instead the waiter brought His dinner to the cabin. After eating He went to the lounge, rested on a comfortable couch for a short time and then returned to His cabin to sleep.