On 1 March, a letter was received from Ali, conveying that he felt quite forlorn being away from Baba and had stopped eating or drinking. At one point, he wrote: "In my awake state, I always see Baba; also while sleeping, I see Baba in a halo of light." Some idea of Ali's state at the time can be glimpsed from the following poem about the Master, which he included in his letter and asked to be read to Baba:
The apex of the highest heaven is your abode. The home of Truth is your resting place. The world is illumined by your divine light. Your erect and graceful figure is like the garden cypress. With a touch of your hand, the dead have been restored to life Due to the power of resurrection you have within you.
From the heat of the fire of your love, I am ever boiling like a pot full of water. Even if my bones dissolve, Your love will never be effaced from my soul.
Raosaheb and Baidul returned from Bombay the next day and informed Baba that it had been impossible to bring Aga Ali with them. Despite their most persuasive arguments, Ali's father would not consent. Much to the surprise of the men, Baba immediately sent Baidul back to Bombay to try to persuade Haji Muhammad once more. The mandali wondered why Baba had sent Baidul again when there did not seem the least hope that the father would change his mind.
Throughout the rest of the day, Baba was aloof and seemed preoccupied in thought about Ali.
When Dastur approached him on some matter pertaining to the school, Baba showed not the slightest interest and cut him short, gesturing, "Do as you like."
Around 9:30 that night, instead of retiring to the crypt, Baba walked to the deserted classroom of the school and for almost fifteen minutes sat quietly next to the seat which Aga Ali used to occupy. Raosaheb, who was standing nearby, said he could not help feeling, "It was as if Baba's body were elsewhere. There was an unmistakable vacancy in his eyes during these few minutes." Baba then walked to his underground crypt.
Meanwhile, Ali had run away from home. He arrived at Meherabad at around 7:30 the next morning, Saturday, 3 March 1928, the last day of the seven-day period which Baba had originally stipulated for Ali's return.