Morteza and the Noble Aristocrats

By Kamal Khalessi-Rad

This book is the story of survival and sacrifice.

When a boy questions his world to know the reasons for his desperation, he discovers his aristocratic roots at the start of the Bahai era in mid-nineteenth century.

After having a vision on the night of May 22, 1844, he runs to his brother to inform him. His brother was coming toward him to inform him of the same vision.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris AU
• Release date: Feb 28, 2017
• ISBN: 9781524521981

Kamal Khalessi-Rad

Kamal Khalessi-Rad is an Australian citizen, has taught science and social sciences in schools and universities since 1983. He is the author of a numbers of books and articles including 'The Door to the Missing Link" and Serpent of the Sun"

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Copyright © 2017 by Kamal Khalessi-Rad.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Rev. date: 02/27/2017

Xlibris

1-800-455-039

www.Xlibris.com.au

755540

Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1:  Why

Chapter 2:  Old Wisdom

Chapter 3:  Survival or Sacrifice

Chapter 4:  Wise King

Chapter 5:  Cedar Town

Chapter 6:  The Tree Trunk

Chapter 7:  Forces of Change

Chapter 8:  Noble Aristocrats

Chapter 9:  Reasoning

Chapter 10:  Condemnation

Chapter 11:  Triumph

Chapter 12:  Morteza

Chapter 13:  Wise Layman

Chapter 14:  The Love of God

Chapter 15:  Magic Tongue

The Morn of Guidance

Truly the morn of guidance commands the breeze to begin

All the world has been illuminated: every horizon and people,

No more sites the Shaykh in the seat of hypocrisy

No more become the mosque a shop dispensing holiness

The tie of the turban will be cut at its source

No Shaykh will remain, neither glitter nor secrecy

The world will be free from superstition and vain imaginings

The people free from deception and temptation

Tyranny is destined for the arm of justice

Ignorance will be defeated by perception

The carpet of justice will be outspread to everywhere

And the seeds of friendship will be spread in every land

The false commands will be eradicated from the earth

To change oppositions into principles of unity.

Táhirih Qurratu’l-’Ayn

In the merry-go-round of a dizzy world - when the poor die for free in the business of war-games over greed for resources and land, wisdom should rise to prevent annihilation of humankind.

Introduction

When a boy questions his world to know the reasons for his desperation, he discovers his aristocratic roots at the start of the Baha’i era in mid nineteenth century.

After having a vision at the night of the Bab’s declaration, his great-grandfather Kal Sadegh shouted in joy ‘Nur Damid!’ (Dawn broke!) He ran to his brother, Kal Hassan, to inform him, who was coming towards him to inform him of the same vision.

These two brothers were the bedrock of new faith in Shiraz. Their devotion was shared by Morteza, their young relative with a humble job. His nobility exceeded as he gave his life in martyrdom by a firing cannon. Sadegh’s and Hassan’s descendants are now living all around the world.

Media often shape truth to glorify or demonise, to inform or desensitise; therefore, independent investigation of truth is a noble task. This factual novel aims to revive sensitivity by direct approach.

History of heroes and heroines are retold and rephrased, but truth of their sacrifices is unchanged to prove that God is alive to revive sincerity in people of goodwill who see history as lessons to learn from. We don’t have to pray for rain in a rainy day or prepare for the ultimate sacrifice but can use technological blessings to promote decent values by sacrificing excessive vanities.

Hope that world powers won’t sit back any more to watch the ongoing crimes done for unfair profits of a few and ignore those who sacrifice for a safer world.

1

Why

While reading by a tree, he was hit from behind. Light sparked through his brain as the big bang of mind. Again his big brother was showing authority. He managed to get hold of his anger and run out. Yet he was unaware that his brother too was a victim of circumstances. Life was hard for his family, and yet he didn’t know why. He was only twelve years old but often felt being at the end of his life.

Yet he was unaware that problems often stemmed out of social injustices. Masses were exploited when ruthless groups took advantage of naive rulers in crafty webs to conspire with religious leaders.

Religious fanaticism had given him bitter memories. Out in the street and at school, he often was challenged by the fanatics. Sometimes people shouted from their windows, ‘Bad Baha’is!’ He didn’t know why some Muslims disliked them.

He had heard that before his birth, his father’s shop was burned down by the fanatics, and he was banned to work in the bazaar of Shiraz.

Many times he witnessed that his father suffered hardship silently while being bullied at his workplace. He recalled that once on a snowy day, he, with his father and brothers, went to a public bathhouse. In the middle of washing, he heard a shout, ‘Bad Baha’is! Get them out.’ In a matter of minutes, half-naked and soaked in soapy water, they were out on the street. Another time on a hot summer day, he went to a water stream to drink, but a bigger kid punched him and said that Baha’is didn’t deserve to live.

Religious hypocrisy had confused him. He could see people reading their holy books, praying loud that their god was merciful, but their actions were ungodly and uncivilised.

Once, his school friend asked why his family didn’t recant to end persecution. His family didn’t want to deny their beliefs, and he didn’t know why. He had heard that their faith stood for kindness and justice; to him, such ideals were good but not easy to obtain. He wanted to end hardship without losing sense of goodness.

Another time at New Year’s Eve when he was five, his father arrived home, soaked in blood. He had been approached by fanatics, his shopping bags were taken, and he was lashed with a bicycle chain. In his young mind, no one deserved to be treated like that. He wondered what was wrong with those mobs who kept hurting his father for no reason. His father was honest and never hurt anyone. Why should he suffer all the time?

He was unaware that desperation of the masses often caused their simple minds to find scapegoats to hurt the innocent. He was unaware that corporate greed often manipulated fanatics, allowing them to reap profit out of conflicts; thus, a system of