In 1889, when Rafieh was three years old, her family had the
joy of being invited by Baha'u'llah to move to the Holy Land where she lived
until 1938. During the first three years of her stay in 'Akka, she was many
times permitted into the presence of Baha'u'llah. Her uncle, Muhammad Hasan had
served Baha'u'llah as a secretary when He was in Adrianople. Baha'u'llah had
sent him back to Baghdad with a promise that he would be invited to rejoin Him
in one Vahid (nineteen years) -- which happened in 1889! Her grandfather,
'Abdu'l-Rasoul was one of the famed martyrs of the Heroic Age of the Faith. Her
mother, Zekrieh, was asked by 'Abdu'l-Baha to take on the responsibility for
caring for the House of 'Abud. Her mother's parents were the first believers in
Baghdad. They accepted the Faith in the days of Tahirih and it was her
grandfather who helped to escort Tahirih from Baghdad back to Iran.
(Adapted
from Baha'i News, April 1974)
