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| House of Abbud 1920s (Baha'i Media Bank) |
After Baha’u’llah left the barracks (4 November 1870), He
lived in a succession of houses in various parts of the city [of Akka] (the
houses of Malik, Khawwam and Rabi'a) before moving into a house belonging to
‘Udi Khammir, a Christian merchant (also the owner of the mansion of Bahji) in
September 1871. It was here that ‘Abdu’l-Baha was married and the Kitab-i-Aqdas
revealed. The larger adjoining house of 'Abbud was later rented and openings
made to join the two houses together, the whole complex becoming known as the
House of 'Abbud. 'Abdu'l-Baha and His family remained resident until about
October 1896. The room of Baha'u'llah became a place of pilgrimage during His
lifetime. With the marriages of 'Abdu'l-Baha's daughters (1896 onwards) the
House of 'Abbud was no longer adequate for the growing family, and parts of the
complex of buildings known as the House of 'Abdu’llah Pasha were rented. This
is where Shoghi Effendi was born (March 1897) and the early Western pilgrims
met 'Abdu'l-Baha (from December 1898). After ‘Abdu’l-Baha moved to Haifa the
house was no longer in Baha’i hands, and eventually fell into disrepair. It was
purchased by the Baha'is in 1975, and after extensive restoration was opened to
Baha'i pilgrimage in 1983. - Peter Smith (A Concise Encyclopedia of the Baha’i
Faith)
