The Master Gives His Own Clothes

During 'Abdu'l-Bahá's visit to America, one of the Bahá'í friends who was staying at the same inn as 'Abdu'l-Bahá, in Dublin, New Hampshire, told this story:

I had a room in the same guest-house where 'Abdu'l-Bahá was staying. Once, when I was looking out of my window, I saw Him pacing and dictating to His secretary. At that moment a poor old man in shabby clothes passed the guest-house. No sooner had 'Abdu'l-Bahá seen him, than He sent His secretary to bring the man to Him.

'Abdu'l-Bahá took the man's hand, smiling into his face as though greeting a welcome friend. The man was very poor and his clothes were very dirty; his trousers especially were worn and filthy. Nevertheless 'Abdu'l-Bahá, turning His shining face to the man, talked to him for a few moments, trying to make him happy. In the end the trace of a smile appeared on the poor man's face.

Then 'Abdu'l-Bahá looked him over and laughed gently. He said something to the effect that the old man's trousers were not very serviceable and that we must remedy that lack.

It was early in the morning and the street was still empty of people. 'Abdu'l-Bahá stepped into the shadow of the porch and, under His long robe, took off His own trousers. He gathered His robe about Him and handed the trousers to the poor man, saying, "May God go with you." Then He returned to His secretary and continued dictating, as if nothing had happened.

I don't know what the man was thinking as he just continued on his way. But I think after seeing so much loving kindness in 'Abdu'l-Bahá, and His generosity in giving him His own clothes, he must have been surprised and moved. He must have caught a glimpse of a world full of love and kindness, which was new to him.

During the years when 'Abdu'l-Bahá was a prisoner in 'Akká, He often gave His own bed to those who had none. And He always refused to own more than one coat. "Why should I have two," He said, "when there are so many who have none?"

So we can see that 'Abdu'l-Bahá always did just what He told others to do. He taught us to be kind to the poor, and this story shows how He did this Himself.

He was the great Exemplar who always remembered and acted on Bahá'u'lláh's holy words: "The poor in your midst are My trust; guard ye My trust, and be not intent only on your own ease." (Bahá'u'lláh, The Hidden Words, Persian no. 54)

Source: Howard Colby Ives, Portals to Freedom, ch. 8 ("In Dublin, N. H."), also in Annamarie Honnold, Vignettes from the Life of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, p. 83; adapted in Varqa Children's Magazine, vol. 1, no. 2 (May–June 1981); via Baha'i Stories for Children (https://bahaistoriesforchildren.blogspot.com/2015/01/abdul-baha-and-poor-man.html).

Various. *Baha'i Stories for Children*. https://bahaistoriesforchildren.blogspot.com/2015/01/abdul-baha-and-poor-man.html