Baba's original refusal to admit Ali when he had first come to Meherabad in November was due to his father's vacillating temperament, which the mandali were now observing.
On Friday, 24 February 1928, the school opened at the new ashram premises, with a daily period for sports. Discussions continued about Aga Ali's father, and Baba again repeated that if he took his son away, everything would be closed.
The next day, Haji Muhammad himself came to Meherabad and this time he insisted on taking his son home. Raosaheb spent hours trying to persuade him to let Ali stay, and in the end Haji again agreed to this. Raosaheb wrote out a new agreement, but in the meantime another Muslim arrived to remove his son. After talking with that person for only a few minutes, Haji changed his mind again and said he was going to take Ali home. This enraged Raosaheb who asked him if he intended to break his word. Ali's father said, "Yes," and remained adamant. He was not prepared to let his son stay in Meherabad for one more day.
When Ali was informed of his father's attitude, he took his penknife to his throat and swore, "I will solve the problem. This knife will be the cause of separating me from my father forever."
Raosaheb described the boy's state-of-mind to Baba who sent for Ali, and scolded him, "Never think of doing such a thing! If you are taken away, I will either come out of seclusion or close the school."
Ali's father, still obstinate, took his son away that day. Ali was quiet when he took his seat in the tonga. Only his Beloved knew the pain piercing his heart.
After Aga Ali had left with his father, Baba asked Vishnu how long he had been in seclusion and fasting. He was informed that he had been fasting since 10 November, 107 days, and that he had been in seclusion since the 20th of December, 67 days.
Baba remarked, "I have grown very weak. I will leave this seclusion shortly and commence eating. My object is not fulfilled and I will have to do it all over again.
"Thank God, even if the case of other boys is left undone, at least one, Abdulla, is 'made.' Otherwise, had the ashram continued, it would have created saints of the boys, and the world would have actually seen and been convinced. Let it go. It's luck. Never again am I going to establish such a Wineshop."