BahÃĄâ•Žuâ•ŽllÃĄh and the New Era - Knowledge Rush

Center of the CovenantBahá’u’lláh indicated in many ways the ‘Abdu’l-Bahá was todirect the Cause after His own ascension. Many years before Hisdeath He declared this in a veiled manner in His Kitáb-i-Aqdas.He referred to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá on many occasions as “The Centerof My Covenant,” “The Most Great Branch,” “The Branch fromthe Ancient Root.” He habitually spoke of Him as “The Master”and required all His family to treat Him with marked deference;and in His Will and Testament He left explicit instructions thatall should turn to Him and obey Him.After the death of the “Blessed Beauty” (as Bahá’u’lláh wasgenerally called by His family and believers) ‘Abdu’l-Bahá assumedthe position which His father had clearly indicated for Himas head of the Cause and authoritative Interpreter of the teachings,but this was resented by certain of His relatives and others,who became as bitterly opposed to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá as Subh-i-Azalhad been to Bahá’u’lláh. They tried to stir up dissensions amongthe believers, and, failing in that, proceeded to make variousfalse charges against ‘Abdu’l-Bahá to the Turkish Government.In accordance with instructions received from His father, ‘Abdu’l-Baháwas erecting a building on the side of Mount Carmel,above Haifa, which was intended to be the permanent restingplaceof the remains of the Báb, and also to contain a numberof rooms for meetings and services. They represented to theauthorities that this building was intended as a fort, and that‘Abdu’l-Bahá and His followers meant to entrench themselvesthere, defy the Government, and endeavor to gain possession ofthe neighboring region of Syria.