During the World War communication with friends and believers outside Syria was…
bahaistories.com archive · Read original
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When in Bahá'í history
During the World War communication with friends and believers outside Syria was almost completely cut off, and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and his followers suffered great hardships. During those dreary years the resourcefulness and sagacious philanthropy of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá were strikingly shown. He personally organized extensive agricultural operations near Tiberias, bringing under cultivation land which had been untilled for centuries; thus he secured a great supply of wheat by means of which famine was averted, not only for the Bahá’ís, but for many of the poor of all religions, whose wants he liberally supplied. After the cessation of hostilities, a knighthood of the British Empire was conferred upon him in recognition of these services.
Source: United States Bureau of the Census, Religious Bodies: 1936, v 11, part 1, Denominations A to J
Collected from bahaistories.com (Subject: knighthood-abdul-baha).
Discuss this story
For adults
- What stands out about 'Abdu'l-Bahá's response in this account?
- What might 'Abdu'l-Bahá's example ask of us in our own circumstances?
- If you were to share this story aloud at a devotional gathering, which sentence would you read first?
For teens
- If you were in 'Abdu'l-Bahá's place, what might you have done?
- What does this story teach about service?
Reflection
- Read the passage a second time, slowly. What did you notice that you missed the first time?
- Sit quietly for a moment after reading. What does this story stir in you?
- If you could bring one quality from this story into your next conversation, what would it be?
Comprehension quiz
Which source is "During the World War communication with friends and believers outside Syria was…" 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/knighthood-abdul-baha
Record yourself reading this story
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