Adasiyyih: The Story of Abdu’l-Baha’s Model Farming Community

Did you know there are passages of the Baha’i Writings pertaining to the importance of farming and that we can learn from Abdu’l-Baha’s example as a farmer? It’s something I know very little about so I was intrigued when we published this short video by Flavio Azm Rassekh called “Unrestrained as the Wind: Abdu’l-Baha and Argiculture” that offers an introduction to the subject. And now Paul Hanley has written a book, titled Adasiyyih: The Story of Abdu’l-Baha’s Model Farming Community, printed by the US Baha’i Publishing Trust and it looks incredible! Paul graciously agreed to tell us all about it.

Could you tell us a little bit about Adasiyyih?

The story of Adasiyyih offers an early example of what is now called “regenerative agriculture,” an approach to farming that restores landscapes—and rural communities—rather than depleting them.

When Abdu’l-Baha purchased the village of Adasiyyih in 1901, in what is now Jordan, it was an isolated, neglected, and degraded piece of land covered in thorny scrub brush. After two failed attempts to farm it, Abdu’l-Baha recruited experienced Baha’i farmers of Zoroastrian background to come to Adasiyyih from the Yazd region in Iran.

He was transparent about the challenges they would face. He told them they were coming to “the most inhospitable place on Earth.” He promised, however, that if they persisted, they would flourish, and even the weather would change in their favor.

The farmers and their families survived the early years of heavy labour clearing the land with hand tools; they overcame malaria, venomous snakes, bandits, and meagre markets for their products. Within ten years, they were producing sufficient grain that they were able to help avert famine in the Haifa-Akka area of Palestine area during WWI.

Under Abdu’l-Baha’s guidance they soon diversified production, adding vegetables, tree crops, and livestock—more than 50 species in all. They also introduced novel crops like bananas to the area. In time, Adasiyyih was recognized as a model farming community and received delegations from around the region. Even Jordan’s royal family would drop in and sometimes stay with the Baha’is for a few days.

Abdu’l-Baha, who owned the land, visited the community four times. He established a landlord-tenant relationship unique for that period, very much favouring the farmers, who became quite prosperous. After His passing, the residents elected a Spiritual Assembly to manage the farm and community affairs and built an impressive two-story Haziratu’l-Quds, among the first such institutions in the world. Because if was located on the border with Israel, the community had to disband in the 1960s primarily due to the military conflict.

Baha’is will recognize that all the elements of our contemporary approach to community building were already in play in Adasiyyih one hundred years ago: children’s and youth programs, devotional meetings, and study groups. People interested in farming and the environment will recognize an early example of agroecology.

I would say that the title of the book misrepresents the content somewhat, as only half the book deals directly with Adasiyyih. I felt that I should put that story into the wider context of the agricultural activities of the Central Figures of the Baha’i Faith, such as Baha’u’llah’s farming ventures. Prior to His imprisonment and exile, Baha’u’llah had owned and managed several farms. Although He once lived in luxury, when He was arrested and stripped of all His possessions, He and His family experienced extreme hunger and deprivation. Later, when They were permitted to leave the prison city of Akka—Their final place of exile—Baha’u’llah encouraged several of the Baha’is, including family members, to start farms in the Holy Land and the Galilee area. I also share stories about Abdu’l-Baha’s engagement in public discourse related to agriculture and food.

The book also tells the story of Baha’i farming villages in Iran that were extraordinarily progressive as far back as the 1880s. I also share the story of another Baha’i village, known as Abdu’l-Baha’s village, located in Burma. Each of these villages attracted the condemnation of conservative elements and eventually came under attack by the military.

Could you please tell us a little about what led you to write this book?

When I first heard of the Baha’i Faith as a teenager, I was already deeply interested in food systems. I wondered how the two currents in my life connected. I found it remarkable that the first religion to emerge in the industrial, urban era had so much to say about agriculture. In fact, Baha’u’llah stated that agriculture was foremost among the principles for the administration of human affairs. Abdu’l-Baha described agriculture as the fundamental basis of community and said that farmers exceeded all other classes in the importance of their service. The story shows that for the early Baha’is this was not just theory, mere words; they tried to put concepts and principles around agriculture and community development into practice, and with considerable success.

Was there anything that surprised you when you researched and wrote the book?

Many things. For example, a statement by the Bab that farmers had the same status as princes and kings. And who knew Baha’u’llah once operated a bakery or that He helped His wife in the kitchen and occasionally prepared meals? It was surprising that Abdu’l-Baha had an encyclopedic knowledge of practical farming methods. I also discovered some remarkable contributions from individual Baha’is, such as Liao Chongzhen, who made significant contributions to Chinese agriculture.

What is also surprising is that current best practices in regenerative agriculture, agroecology, and rural community development, which have been identified by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, precisely match what was happening in Adasiyyih 100 years ago. However, an added ingredient that really made Adasiyyih work, that is typically ignored in analyses of development practices, was the spiritual element.

Was there anything that was edited out and didn’t make it into the book that you’d like to share?

There are quite a few historical photos included, and I wish we had room for more. I found one of the King of Jordan visiting Adasiyyih, but we couldn’t use it in the book for various reasons.  

Who is the book’s audience?

That’s a good question. Certainly, most Baha’is will be interested, whether they have any interest in agriculture of not. The book offers a look at little known aspects of the lives of the Central Figures and early Baha’is, such as what They ate, Their relationships with farmers and little-known figures like their gardeners and cooks, how the pilgrims viewed these aspects of Their lives. I will be interested to see if the book will interest people who are not Baha’is, given the growing interest in regenerative agriculture and agroecology.

What do you hope readers will take away with them after reading this?

Rural people were at the forefront of early efforts by Baha’is to release the society building powers of the Faith. Hopefully the stories of pioneering individuals and communities will inspire this generation to engage in social action and public discourse related to food system transformation, and other kinds of social-economic innovation.

Thank you, Paul, for taking the time to share this with us!

You can purchase Adasiyyih: The Story of Abdu’l-Baha’s Model Farming Community from the US Baha’i Bookstore as well as Bahaibooks.com.au in Australia and other online booksellers. 

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Sonjel Vreeland

In her innermost heart, Sonjel is a stay-at-home parent and a bookworm with a maxed out library card but professionally she is a museologist with a background in English Literature. She currently lives on Prince Edward Island, an isle in the shape of a smile on the eastern Canadian coast. Sonjel is a writer who loves to listen to jazz when she's driving at night.