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"The earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens."
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"The earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens."
By Mírzá Maḥmúd-i-Zarqání · 1998 · George Ronald
Modern era (1957–present) · in copyright
Day-by-day account of 'Abdu'l-Bahá's North American tour, 1912 (bahai-library.com edition). Used as the basis for retellings (secondary).
About Mírzá Maḥmúd-i-Zarqání
Persian Bahá'í who travelled with 'Abdu'l-Bahá throughout His Western tours, serving as personal secretary and recorder. His diary documents the journey day by day, talk by talk.
1875–1924
Featured figures
“The power of Bahá'u'lláh makes all difficulties simple.”
“You must show kindness to the orphans, give food to the hungry, clothe the naked and offer help to the poor.”
“I hope that each one of you will be assisted to act according to these teachings.”
“It is a trap that frees people from the shackles of prejudice and superstitions.”
“If you follow these teachings you will see things greater than this.”
Stories of Bahá'u'lláh
Secondary RetellingAli-Akbar Furutan · 1986
Stories Told by 'Abdu'l-Bahá
Primary SourceVarious Compilers · 2000
bahaistories.com archive
Secondary RetellingVarious · 2024
The Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh (4 volumes)
Secondary RetellingAdib Taherzadeh · 1974
The Priceless Pearl
Secondary RetellingRúhíyyih Khánum · 1969
The Priceless Pearl
Secondary RetellingRúhíyyih Khánum · 1969
An old woman could not walk, and she longed and longed to meet 'Abdu'l-Bahá. She thought she never would — until one day there was a knock at her own front door.
Leaving a grand mansion full of important guests, 'Abdu'l-Bahá asked to see someone else first — the cooks and the maids who worked behind the scenes.
On a windy field by a great lake, 'Abdu'l-Bahá knelt down and dug into the earth with His own hands — beginning a beautiful temple that still stands today.
A grumpy visitor came to 'Abdu'l-Bahá with lots of complaints. 'Abdu'l-Bahá told him a funny little story about a dog — and the man went away happy.
When two Japanese believers came to call on Him in San Francisco, 'Abdu'l-Bahá called the meeting historic. That an Iranian and a Japanese should sit together in love, He said, was itself a sign of a new power loose in the world. A retelling from Mahmúd's Diary.
An elderly woman, unable to walk, longed with all her heart to meet 'Abdu'l-Bahá. When He heard of it, He did not wait for her to be carried to Him — He went, Himself, to her door. A retelling from Mahmúd's Diary.
Leaving a great mansion in California, 'Abdu'l-Bahá did not say His farewells to the wealthy guests first. He called for the cooks, the maids, and the butler — and the room of elegant onlookers fell silent. A retelling from Mahmúd's Diary.
As 'Abdu'l-Bahá prepared to leave Minneapolis, the friends gathered around Him in sorrow. His parting counsel was not about Himself, but about the orphans, the hungry, and the poor. A retelling from Mahmúd's Diary.
Leaving a green and beautiful estate outside New York, 'Abdu'l-Bahá looked at the lush grounds — and suddenly wept. His thoughts had flown back across the years to His Father, and to all that the Blessed Beauty had borne. A retelling from Mahmúd's Diary.
On a December day in 1912, the believers crowded aboard the steamship that would carry 'Abdu'l-Bahá away from America for the last time. As the ship pulled out, a weeping crowd stretched as far as the eye could see. A retelling from Mahmúd's Diary.
On a May morning in 1912, on a windswept plot of land north of Chicago, 'Abdu'l-Bahá knelt and turned the first earth for the Mother Temple of the West with His own hands. A retelling from Mahmúd's Diary.
A woman came to 'Abdu'l-Bahá and admitted, a little nervously, that a friend had warned her she might be walking into a trap. With a smile, the Master agreed — and then told her exactly what kind of trap it was. A retelling from Mahmúd's Diary.
Two thousand people filled the Church of the Ascension in New York to hear 'Abdu'l-Bahá. But as He left, it was a single weeping woman, clutching the hem of His robe, who received His fullest attention. A retelling from Mahmúd's Diary.
A visitor from Russia came to 'Abdu'l-Bahá full of complaint about his homeland. Instead of arguing, the Master told him a small story about Christ and a dead dog — and the man went away saying he had found salvation. A retelling from Mahmúd's Diary.
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