The Báb’s uncomfortable sea voyage to Mecca

“He [the Báb] retained the most disagreeable impression of his voyage. ‘Know that the sea voyages are hard. We do not favor them for the faithful; travel by land,’ he wrote in the Kitab-i-Baynu’l-Haramayn in addressing himself to his uncle, as we shall soon see. He elaborates upon this subject also in the Bayán. Do not consider this childish, the feelings which moved the Báb in his horror of the sea are far more noble.

“Struck by the selfishness of the pilgrims which was heightened by the discomforts of a long and dangerous sea voyage, equally shocked by the unclean conditions that the pilgrims were obliged to endure on board, he wished to prevent men from yielding to their lower instincts and treating one another harshly. We know that the Báb especially commended politeness and the most refined courtesy in all social relations. ‘Never sadden anyone, no matter whom, for no matter what,’ he enjoined, and during this voyage he experienced the meanness of man and his brutality when in the presence of difficulties. ‘The saddest thing that I saw on my pilgrimage to Mecca was the constant disputes of the pilgrims between themselves, disputes which took away the moral benefit of the pilgrimage.’ (Bayán, 4:16.) (A. L. M. Nicolas’ “Siyyid ‘Alí-Muhammad dit le Báb,” pp. 207–208.) 

(Footnotes to chapter 7 provided by Shoghi Effendi)