TWO LETTERS SENT BY KHAYRU’LLAH TO E.G.BROWNE.

 

Enclosed with this were translations of two letters and the original Arabic of a third written from 'Akka by one ' Mahmud, a partisan of Muhammad 'Ali, to lbrahim Khayru’llah. The first two both seem to have been written at Akka on October 20, 1900, and received a month later by Khayru'llah at Chicago. The shorter one is as follows:

' Lately, in this present week', three American ladies and a gentleman arrived by the regular steamer via Beyrout, and are stopping at the Kraft, a German hotel at Haifa. Up to the present time they have not spoken to any of the Unitarians*, because they are prevented in the ways you know."

The longer letter, of which I have somewhat emended 'the style (which is clumsy and loaded with parentheses) runs as follows "HE IS AL-BAHIYYU’L-ABHA, GREAT IS HIS SPLENDOUR.!

[.Here follow the usual compliments, etc.]

"I have already informed you that some of the followers of 'Abbas Efendi, our opponents, have left here for America. One of them is Mirza Asadu'llah of lsfahan, of whose cunning and shrewdness of intrigue you cannot fail to be aware, and who Is the brother-in-law and secretary of 'Abbas Efendi, and in all matters his most trusted and confidential agent, To no one else does 'Abbas reveal his hidden secrets, and confidential agent. these people are of the most unscrupulous, and will hesitate at nothing and fear no consequences, being resolved to accomplish their purpose and spread abroad their vicious principle even by the shedding of blood and the destruction of lives by hidden methods and secret intrigues. This obliges me to explain to you a certain cruel deed which they accomplished not long since. It is one of their many deeds which inspire detestation and break the heart with horror.

"Now therefore I say that there was in the port of Jedda a certain man of the Unitarians named Mirza Yahya, who was the son-in-law of one Hajji Mirza Husayn of Lar, the Persian Vice-Consul at Jedda, and a merchant noted for his wealth .As is well known to you, these people take great and exquisite pains to attract to themselves persons of wealth and influence. When, therefore, they discovered that Mirza Yahya openly confessed his faith, and that he was of the party of the true Unitarians, and was wont discuss with his father-in-law the questions at issue and the difference between the two parties, They were afraid that in the future the words of the son-in-law would influence the father-in-law, to wit the Hajji above mentioned, and will eventually be the cause of depriving them of his money and wealth. They were, moreover, convinced of the impossibility of bringing Mirza Yahya over to their faction.

 

*This is the name by which the followers of Muhammad Ali call themselves (Muwahhidin), while their opponents call them "Covenant-breakers" (Naqizin).

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