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From the upcoming book, 'Standard Bearers of Love' by Shirin Sabri, and the story, 'Messenger of the Merciful': In the late nineteenth century, Shaykh Salman was the trusted messenger of Baha'u'llah, a captive and an exile in the Ottoman Empire. Walking long distances, Salman carried letters between Baha'u'llah and His followers in Persia and neighbouring countries. Passing through Aleppo, Syria, at the same time, the Persian Ambassador had Salman arrested and his satchel of letters confiscated. Astonished, he found that the letters from Baha'u'llah's followers had no policital content, no complaints, and were merely concerning spiritual matters, such as, 'Keep me safe from selfish and evil desires, confirm us so we may serve the people of the world.' The Ambassador and his advisors agreed that Salman should be released, and the letters returned to him. He also gave Salman a letter to the Persian Consul in Beirut, requesting his protection for Salman until he reached the pr...

Sue Podger is descended from the early Dutch settlers of the Cape of Good Hope, known as Afrikaners. She is the first of this people to become a Baha'i and her maiden surname is Hofmeyr. She was trained at the Michaelis School of Fine Art in Cape Town. An accomplished watercolourist, she uses a range of styles to portray a sensitive and accurate picture of the years when Baha'u'llah was amongst us. The images of one set of her paintings shown on this website were painted for a hard cover book, 'The Incomparable Friend', a history of the life of Baha'u'llah told in stories, which sold out and was out of print for some years. Shirin Sabri, it's author, and Sue, wishing to see it more widely available, have published it as a free...