 |
| By Kamal Ghazal |
A Lebanese writer, mystic, and founder of a spiritual doctrine known as Daheshism, he was reputed to possess supernatural powers witnessed by many.
According to accounts, he communicated with spirits and entities beyond our world and authored numerous books on death, the soul’s journey, and metaphysical subjects, while traveling extensively across the globe.
The Paris Experiment: A Miraculous Feat
As Dahesh’s fame spread, news of his "miracles" reached scientific circles in Paris. Invited by the French Society for Psychical Research, Dahesh traveled there with his sister Antoinette. Challenged to perform one of his wonders, he offered to replicate the biblical story of Jonah: he asked to be locked inside an iron box, submerged at the bottom of the Seine River, under strict surveillance, for seven days.
Though initially terrified by the proposal, the society agreed after Dahesh signed a waiver assuming full responsibility. After a medical examination, the experiment proceeded. Seven days later, in front of 150 witnesses from the field of psychical studies, the box was retrieved and opened—Dahesh emerged alive, smiling.
Following this extraordinary event, Dahesh was awarded a Certificate in Psychological Sciences by the International Psychological Society on May 6, 1930, and a Doctorate from the SAGE Institute in Paris on May 22, 1930.
Miraculous Acts in Lebanon
Lebanese magazine Al-Hawadeth reported several of Dahesh’s alleged supernatural feats: he was said to transform ordinary paper into U.S. dollars and Lebanese lira, and turn wood into gold instantly. He was also credited with retrieving lost objects, such as rings, watches, or coats, even if they had been missing for years.
One popular tale circulating in Beirut recounts how, in 1968, Dahesh entered a crowded barbershop one Saturday. Told to return later, he supposedly detached his own head and handed it to the barber, promising to retrieve it after the haircut! (Of course, such anecdotes remain within the realm of folklore.)
A Glimpse into His Early Life
Dahesh’s family, belonging to the Syriac Christian community, fled Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq) for Palestine in 1906. Salim (Dahesh) was born in Bethlehem in 1909. The family later moved to Haifa, then settled in Beirut, Lebanon in 1911, eventually gaining Lebanese citizenship a few years later.
His Spiritual Mission
Followers of Dahesh - called Daheshists - view him as a profound spiritual figure advocating for peace, the rejection of sectarian strife, and universal human brotherhood beyond racial or religious divisions.
Dahesh preached that all beings, including humans, are subject to a just spiritual system that governs reincarnation - souls move between earthly and otherworldly realms based on their deeds until achieving spiritual ascension. He proclaimed this message in Beirut on March 23, 1942, gaining a following among Lebanese intellectuals, writers, doctors, and lawyers.
One prominent follower was Marie Haddad, sister-in-law of then-President Bechara El Khoury, whose conversion to Daheshism led to major political consequences.
Persecution and Prophecy
Facing opposition from the Lebanese authorities, Dahesh was stripped of his Lebanese citizenship and exiled after his teachings spread widely.
Marie Haddad, who sought to defend Dahesh, allegedly attempted to assassinate President El Khoury but was institutionalized and eventually took her own life.
In 1948, Dahesh published an article (notably in the newspaper Al-Hayat) prophesying Lebanon’s descent into a devastating civil war, which indeed erupted in 1975. He wrote passionately about divine retribution against those who had wronged him and persecuted his followers.
His "Six Spiritual Personalities"
Dahesh’s followers believe he manifested six distinct spiritual personas, capable of existing simultaneously in different places.
After his exile in 1948, it was reported that one of these personas was executed by firing squad in Azerbaijan, while Dahesh himself remained physically alive elsewhere - a claim documented in photographs and contemporary press reports.
Death and the Haunted Mansion
Dahesh died in 1984 in New York State due to bone clot disease. His body was embalmed and placed in his Beirut residence, which later became a museum housing over 300 books and 500 paintings under his publishing house, Eagle Soaring House.
Today, his once-grand home in Beirut’s Zuqaq Al-Blat district is the center of eerie tales.
Locals claim that lights inside the abandoned mansion flicker on and off mysteriously, and that the potted plants on the balconies alternate between lush and withered without explanation. The house, once deserted during Lebanon’s civil war, returned to the Haddad family and is now inhabited by Zina Haddad, a 93-year-old artist unable to move or speak due to illness.
Despite skepticism surrounding his legacy, Dahesh left behind a legacy blending spirituality, mysticism, and intellectual inquiry. His philosophical ideas considered by some to be charlatanism, by others to be spiritual enlightenment continue to be studied, particularly in American universities.
Whether one views him as a visionary mystic or a controversial figure, Dahesh’s life remains a fascinating chapter in Lebanon’s modern spiritual history.
His name still stirs curiosity, wonder, and debate across generations - an enduring symbol of humanity’s eternal quest to glimpse what lies beyond the veil of the seen world.
No comments:
Post a Comment