ording
to each of the five creeds, in Arabic and Persian; two copies he made, and
chose the 'ulamas as his witnesses. Through certain 'ulamas of Ba_gh_dad,
among them the famed scholar 'Abdu's-Salam Effendi, and the erudite and
widely known Siyyid Davud Effendi, he presented the deed of gift to
Baha'u'llah. The Blessed Beauty told them: "We are appointing Mirza Musa
himself as Our deputy."

After Baha'u'llah's departure for Rumelia, Mirza Musa, with a promissory
note, purchased from the Government the tithes of Hindiyyih, a district
near Karbila, and suffered a terrible loss, close to 100,000 tumans. The
Government confiscated his properties and sold them for next to nothing.
When told of the matter, Baha'u'llah said, "Do not speak of this, ever
again. Do not so much as utter a word about those estates." Meanwhile the
exile from Adrianople to Akka took place. Mirza Muhammad went to the
Government authorities and said to them: "I am the deputy (vakil) of
Baha'u'llah. These properties do not belong to Mirza Musa. How is it that
you have taken them over?" But he had no documents to support him, for the
title deeds were in Akka, and on this account the Government rejected his
claim. However, in the process, he became known to all as Mirza Muhammad
the Deputy. This is how he received the title.

When we were in Adrianople, Mirza Musa sent on the ruby ring, through
Siyyid 'Ali-Akbar, and the Blessed Beauty directed us to accept it. After
we reached Akka the believers fell ill, and lay suffering in their beds. I
sent the ring to India, to one of the friends, asking him to sell it with
all possible speed and forward the proceeds to us in Akka to be expended
on the sick. That blessed individual never sent us a penny. Two years
later he wrote to say that he had sold the ring for twenty-five pounds and
had spent that sum on the pilgrims. This, when the ring was of such great
value. I made no complaint. Rather, I praised God, thanking Him that out
of all that wealth not a fleck of dust had settled on my robe.

Mirza Muhammad was taken prisoner and sent away from Ba_gh_dad to Mosul,
where he fell a prey to fearful ills. He had been rich; in God's path he
was now poor. He had enjoyed his ease and comfort; now, for the love of
God, he suffered pain and toil. He lived on for a time in Mosul,
suppliant, resigned, and lowly. And then, severed from all save God,
irresistibly drawn by the gentle gales of the Lord, he rose out of this
dar