The sacred House of the Holy Báb at Shiraz needed much repairing: and yet the people were so violently aroused against the Cause in the city and made so much trouble, that the believers could not even pass through the street in which the House is situated - how much less to be allowed to work at it. The populace revolted against the Baha'is to such an extent, that even the Governor was made incapable of checking them. He finally said that nothing could be done, and that the Baha'is should quit the city in order to save themselves. Such was the news we received at the time from Shiraz. But we notified them not to mind the words at all but to engage in repairing the Sacred House immediately. We wrote them: 'Go and build, and let them come and destroy it directly!'
To be brief: They began to work in repairing the House, and by God's providence no one interrupted them, nor said a word against the undertaking, whereas the believers had at first thought that naturally no sooner they laid down one brick than the people would remove it. Thus all such repairing was completed.
- 'Abdu'l-Baha (Words of ‘Abdu’l-Baha recorded by Ali Kuli Khan, 'Abdu'l-Baha's English-language secretary during 1899 to 1901; ‘Ali-Kuli Khan 1906 Pilgrim Notes’)