Bahá’u’lláh’s Life: Facing Troubles with Joy
“O my God! Every trouble that hath touched me in Thy path hath added to my joy and increased my gladness.”
—Bahá’u’lláh
Barefoot and in chains, Bahá’u’lláh was led down the streets of Tihrán toward a terrible prison known as the “Black Pit” in 1852. People threw stones at Him, screamed insults, and tore the clothes from His back. His torment grew when He reached the prison. He was taken down three flights of stairs to a dungeon, untouched by sunlight or fresh air. Bahá’u’lláh later said, “No pen can depict that place, nor any tongue describe its loathsome smell.”
Heavy chains, one weighing over 100 pounds, hung around His neck. In the pitch black, all the prisoners sat on the filthy, ice-cold floor, with little clothing for warmth. Can you imagine how you would feel in such horrible conditions?
Bahá’u’lláh was a source of love and strength for His fellow prisoners. He taught them to chant a prayer: “God is sufficient unto me; He verily is the All-sufficing! In Him let the trusting trust.” The singing was so powerful, it reached the nearby palace of the sháh, or king.
Bahá’u’lláh was confined to the Black Pit for four months. Upon His release, He was banished from Iran. Later, He was exiled again and again. He and His family traveled over snow-covered mountains in the bitter cold of winter, without enough food or clothing. They built fires to melt ice as their only source of water. Still, Bahá’u’lláh showed kindness and generosity to everyone He met. He faced intense hardships with joy and patience.
In 1868, Bahá’u’lláh and His companions were finally sent to ‘Akká, in what is now Israel. There was no clean water, and the air was foul. The exiles were met with jeers from residents and paraded through gloomy, flea-infested streets to their prison. Still, Bahá’u’lláh praised God. He wrote, “Though weariness lay Me low, and hunger consume Me, and the bare rock be My bed ... I will not complain, but will endure patiently ... through the power of God ... and will render thanks unto God under all conditions.”
Bahá’u’lláh’s son, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, said that even in prison, He showed dignity and confidence, “like a king enthroned in majesty and greatness.” No trace of sorrow could ever be found on His face, and everyone who saw Him knew that He was happy. In time, He gained the love of the people of ‘Akká, who called Him “his highness” and gave Him credit for improving the city’s climate and water. Government officials began to respect Him and seek His advice, and the conditions of His imprisonment eased.
Though still a prisoner, He was allowed to leave ‘Akká and live in the countryside. He hadn’t seen the freshness of nature for nine years. He enjoyed visiting a nearby garden known as Ridván, meaning “Paradise.”
Through all of His trials, Bahá’u’lláh urged everyone to turn to God and practice love, justice, and unity, so that peace can be established on Earth. His writings encourage us to find happiness in the love of God, no matter what challenges we may face.
Photo: © Bahá’í International Community
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