After a month's stay in Port Said, 'Abdu'l-Bahá once again
took ship, without previous intimation. He intended to go to Europe, but it
became evident that the state of His health did not permit the strenuous work
involved. He landed in Alexandria. It was in that ancient city that a sudden
change occurred. Journalists in Egypt, who had hitherto shown open hostility,
asked to meet 'Abdu'l-Bahá and perceptibly changed their tone. Even more, they
wrote in terms of high praise. Shaykh 'Ali Yusuf, the editor of the Arabic
paper, al-Mu'ayyad, had previously made harsh attacks on Bahá'ís and the Bahá'í
Faith, urging severe counter-measures against them. He visited 'Abdu'l-Bahá,
and in the October 16th issue of his paper he published an article under the
heading: 'Al-Mirza 'Abbas Effendi'. These are the opening lines of that
remarkable article: 'His Eminence Mirza 'Abbas Effendi, the learned and erudite
Head of the Bahá'ís in 'Akká and the Centre of authority for Bahá'ís throughout
the world, has reached the shores of Alexandria.' At first, related the writer,
'Abdu'l-Bahá stayed in the Victoria Hotel, but after a few days moved to a
rented house. Then he went on to say:
He is a venerable person, dignified, possessed of profound knowledge, deeply
versed in theology, master of the history of Islam, and of its denominations
and developments . . . whosoever has consorted with Him has seen in Him a man
exceedingly well-informed, Whose speech is captivating, Who attracts minds and
souls, dedicated to belief in the oneness of mankind . . . His teaching
and guidance revolve round the axis of relinquishing prejudices: religious,
racial, patriotic.
- H.M. Balyuzi ('Abdu'l-Baha - The Centre of the
Covenant’)
