At a later period of danger and crisis the Spanish Consul put an Italian…
bahaistories.com archive · Read original
Studio narration for this story is coming — it’ll be generated by the cloud-TTS pipeline (voice: auto-selected from the source author).
When in Bahá'í history
At a later period of danger and crisis the Spanish Consul put an Italian freighter at the disposal of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in order that He might escape during the night, but He refused to flee to safety, though the Bahá’ís begged Him to do so. Instead He sent a message to the ship’s captain: ‘The Báb did not run away; Bahá’u’lláh did not run away; I shall not run away . . .’ After three days and nights the freighter departed without the Master.
Source: Honnold, Annamarie, Vignettes from the Life of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, p. 156
Collected from bahaistories.com (Subject: courage).
Discuss this story
For adults
- Read the closing lines once more. What single phrase stays with you?
- What does the setting of this account contribute to its meaning?
- What stands out about 'Abdu'l-Bahá's response in this account?
For teens
- Which line in this story surprised you the most?
- How could the spirit of courage show up in your week?
Reflection
- What single image from this story will stay with you?
- Where in your own life are you being asked to practice courage?
- Read the passage a second time, slowly. What did you notice that you missed the first time?
Comprehension quiz
Which source is "At a later period of danger and crisis the Spanish Consul put an Italian…" drawn from?
What period of Bahá'í history does this story belong to?
Which historical figure is featured most prominently in this story?
Which virtue does this story most clearly illustrate?
Cite this story
Various. *bahaistories.com archive*. https://bahaistories.com/subject/courage
Record yourself reading this story
Recording stays on this device only. Nothing is uploaded.
Related stories
One of the most striking examples of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s imperturbability was His…
One of the most striking examples of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s imperturbability was His reaction to possible personal tragedy, further exile or execution. His troubles stemmed from the Covenant-breakers, those Bahá’ís who did not accept…
‘Abdu’l-Bahá, then only eight years old, was broken-hearted at the ruthless…
‘Abdu’l-Bahá, then only eight years old, was broken-hearted at the ruthless treatment of His adored Father. The child suffered agonies, as a description of the tortures was related in His hearing - the cruel scourging of the feet, the long…
Among those souls that are righteous, that are luminous entities and Divine…
Among those souls that are righteous, that are luminous entities and Divine reflections, was Jinab-i-Muhammad-Taqi, the Afnan. This eminent Bough was an offshoot of the Holy Tree [the Báb's kindred]; in him an excellent character was…
Another instance of His generosity concerned a rug, which was among 'the most…
Another instance of His generosity concerned a rug, which was among 'the most exquisite' ever created in Persia. Woven of 'purest silk, patterned as a rose garden and bordered with heavy twisted cord of real gold', it was bought from…