After
receiving permission from 'Abdu’l-Baha to make such a journey, he
hastened to 'Akka to attain his heart’s desire. During the nineteen days
that he remained there he drank his fill from the life-giving draught
of the presence of the Master and on daily basis paid homage to the
Sacred Shrine of Baha’u’llah. Because of his fluency in English,
'Abdu’l-Baha instructed him to visit the United States, which he
accomplished via Port Said, Cairo, Alexandria, Italy, Paris, London,
Liverpool, and eventually arrived at Quebec and then proceed to Boston.
From there, he went to New York and met with Mirza Abu’l-Fadl and
Ali-Kuli Khan. After consultation with local Baha’is, he traveled
extensively for a period of over a year in the eastern States, including
Pennsylvania, Maryland, and some of the mid-western regions such as the
State of Missouri – everywhere assisting with deepening and
consolidation efforts. During these days, from very early in the morning
until several hours into the night, he would exert himself and do all
he could in promotion of the Faith. At the conclusion of his journey, he
traveled to Maine and stayed at the Green Acres for a while. During
this period, he regularly gave lectures on the teachings of the Cause,
its history and the station of 'Abdu’l-Baha that resulted many to enroll
under the banner of the Faith. In so doing, in effect, he was preparing
the community for the arrival of the Master in a few years time. After a
stay of two years in the States, due to adverse weather and the
deterioration of his health, and following consultation with Mirza
Abu’l-Fadl and upon 'Abdu’l-Baha’s approval, he returned to Ridaiyyih
and resumed his earlier career.
Though
initially he was disappointed for not being able to stay longer in the
North America, soon he received a Tablet from the Master urging him to
serve in his native country and to readily accept what God had ordained.
From pursuing this Tablet, Mirza Yusuf set aside all caution and openly
taught the Faith to everyone he encountered, including his own classes
in the Missionary College. Soon several of his students embraced the
Faith, which caused great uproar among the school administers who
decided upon termination of his appointment. They also complained to the
authorities, who because of Mirza Yusuf’s standing in the community,
ignored their plea. The school officials however combined their forces
with certain fanatical elements and one day rushed and plundered his
home. Since 'Abdu’l-Baha had instructed him to be resigned to the will
of God, Mirza Yusuf did not approach the officials to redress his case.
Upon
hearing the details, 'Abdu’l-Baha urged him to travel teach in
Adharbayjan. As such, he spent a period of time promoting the Cause
until he eventually settled in the village of Shishvan, on the outskirts
of Ridaiyyih Lake. For the next seven months he served as a tutor for
the four sons of the Prince Imam-Quli Mirza and was granted an annual
stipend of one hundred tumans and a ton of wheat. During this time, he
continued with his intense teaching work that resulted in several
individuals, including his four students, recognizing the Faith.
In
1923 he left that region for Tihran where he accepted a position at the
Tarbiyat Baha’i School in addition to his post of the English-Persian
translator for the Commerce Ministry. Three years later he left for
Qazvin and served for a year and a half as the principle of Hamdu’llah
Mustawfi School, after which for the next five years he administered
Tavvakul Baha’i school of the same town.
In
1929, when Martha Roth was visiting Iran, he accompanied her to
Adharbayijan and served as her translator. After which he returned to
Qazvin and resumed his teaching work and service to the Cause. Again
some four years later when the American travel teacher, Miss Ramson
Kehler, visited Iran he served as her translator during her two-year
journeys to Gilan, Khurasan and Mazandaran. It was after her untimely
passing in Isfahan that he decided to complete her tour by himself and
for the next four years traveled extensively in various regions of the
country, assisting the community with learning the basics of
administration and Baha’i organizational structure. When in 1938 Millard
Mutahidih visited Iran, bearing messages from Shoghi Effendi, Mirza
Yusuf assisted her as a translator in her tour of the eastern provinces.
In
total Mirza Yusuf married four times. He had divorced his first wife
prior to his conversion to the Baha’i Faith and had married again, this
time his spouse had died prematurely. His third union resulted in a son,
'Atau’llah, who became an agricultural engineer and served the Faith
with great distinction. On passing of this wife, Mirza Yusuf married
again which resulted in daughter named Khujastih.
Much
like his celebrated uncle, Vahid Darabi, he possessed an unusual
command of Islamic sciences and traditions and in course of his teaching
activities was able to draw upon this fount of knowledge with great
facility. In addition to his deep Baha’i knowledge, his command of
several languages, such as, English, Arabic, French, and Turkish enabled
him to promote the Faith in many regions beyond his immediate environ.
He was recipient of numerous Tablets from the Center of the Covenant,
which eloquently testify to his life-long services, particularly in the
region of Adharbayijan where he lived for well over three decades. In
one of the many Tablets that he received from 'Abdu’l-Baha, he was
titled Vahid as a remembrance of his illustrious uncle, Vahid Darabi.
The Master in this Tablet enjoined upon him service to the Cause with
the same degree of sacrifice and self-renunciation manifested a
generation earlier by his uncle.
During
the ministry of the Guardian, he continued to be a source of
encouragement and a pillar of the faith to the community and was
frequently blessed by receiving letters from Shoghi Effendi. In his
latter days, he devoted much time to organizing deepening activities for
the younger generation.
He
passed away on 3 October 1959, at the age of 94, and was buried at
Tihran Baha’i cemetery and indeed the community of Iran was robbed one
of its ablest promoters. The Hands of the Cause of God residing in the
Holy Land instructed the Iranian Baha’i community to commemorate his
passing by holding meetings in his honor throughout the country, and
their cable to the community reads:
Deeply
saddened news passing distinguished servant Cause God renowned scholar
Vahid. Assure his family fervent prayers sacred threshold progress his
noble soul. Organize befitting memorial gatherings. Hands Cause.
