Glorious be upon them, and God's
mercy, and His benediction.

ABU'L-QASIM OF SULTAN-ABAD

Another among the prisoners was Abu'l-Qasim of Sultan-Abad, the traveling
companion of Aqa Faraj. These two were unassuming, loyal and staunch. Once
their souls had come alive through the breathings of the Faithful Spirit
they hastened out of Persia to Adrianople, for such was the unabating
cruelty of the malevolent that they could no longer remain in their own
home. On foot, free of every tie, they took to the plains and hills,
seeking their way across trackless waters and desert sands. How many a
night they could not sleep, staying in the open with no place to lay their
heads; with nothing to eat or drink, no bed but the bare earth, no food
but the desert grasses. Somehow they dragged themselves along and managed
to reach Adrianople. It happened that they came during the last days in
that city, and were taken prisoner with the rest, and in the company of
Baha'u'llah they traveled to the Most Great Prison.

Abu'l-Qasim fell violently ill with typhus. He died about the same time as
those two brothers, Muhammad-Baqir and Muhammad-Isma'il, and his pure
remains were buried outside Akka. The Blessed Beauty expressed approval of
him and the friends, all of them, wept over his afflictions and mourned
him. Upon him be the glory of the All-Glorious.

AQA FARAJ

In all these straits, Aqa Faraj was the companion of Abu'l-Qasim. When, in
Persian 'Iraq, he first heard the uproar caused by the Advent of the Most
Great Light, he shook and trembled, clapped his hands, cried out in
exultation and hastened off to 'Iraq. Overcome with delight, he entered
the presence of his holy Lord. He was gathered into the loving fellowship,
and blissfully received the honor of attending upon Baha'u'llah. Then he
returned, bearing glad tidings to Sultan-Abad.

Here the malevolent were lying in wait, and disturbances broke out, with
the result that the sainted Mulla-Ba_sh_i and some other believers who had
none to defend them were struck down and put to death. Aqa Faraj and
Abu'l-Qasim, who had gone into hiding, then hurried away to Adrianople, to
fall, ultimately, with the others and with their Well-Beloved, into the
Akka prison.

Aqa Faraj then won the honor of waiting upon the Ancient Beauty. He served
the Holy Threshold at all times and was a comfort to the friends. During
the days of Baha'u'llah he was His loyal servitor, and a clos