'Abdu'l-Bahá Waits for His Father
Baha'i Stories for Children · Read original
When in Bahá'í history
Baghdád (today: Baghdad, Iraq)
'Abdu'l-Bahá was with His Father, Bahá'u'lláh, all the time and They loved each other very, very much. But one day Bahá'u'lláh had to go away into the mountains and did not come back for two long years. 'Abdu'l-Bahá was about nine years old.
Missing His Father so much, 'Abdu'l-Bahá sometimes cried. He read the writings of the Báb and prayed and helped the family as much as He could.
An uncle who was living in their house was so afraid of being arrested as a Bábí that he would lock the main gate of the house and would not let the children go out to play. During this sad time many of the Bábís in Baghdád forgot the good teachings of the Báb and began to quarrel among themselves.
Then one day Bahá'u'lláh returned! He came dressed in the rough clothes of a dervish. 'Abdu'l-Bahá held His Father's hand fast, as though He could never again let Him out of His sight.
After Bahá'u'lláh's return there was much happiness among the people of Baghdád and many came to visit Him. Some came because they wanted to ask questions and others came just to see what was going on.
Bahá'u'lláh was very busy with all these people so 'Abdu'l-Bahá decided to help Him. Whenever anyone came to the house He asked them what they wanted, and if they really wanted to learn the truth then He would take them to Bahá'u'lláh.
Source: Adapted from Jacqueline Mehrabi, Stories of 'Abdu'l-Bahá; the events are recorded in Lady Blomfield, The Chosen Highway (Bahíyyih Khánum's account, chs. II–III), and H. M. Balyuzi, 'Abdu'l-Bahá: The Centre of the Covenant, pp. 14–15; via Baha'i Stories for Children (https://bahaistoriesforchildren.blogspot.com/2015/12/abdul-bahas-temporary-separation-from.html).
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Various. *Baha'i Stories for Children*. https://bahaistoriesforchildren.blogspot.com/2015/12/abdul-bahas-temporary-separation-from.html
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