For his own personal use Bahá’u’lláh never ordered anything extravagant
bahaistories.com archive · Read original
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When in Bahá'í history
Tihrán (today: Tehran, Iran)
For his own personal use Bahá’u’lláh never ordered anything extravagant. The life of luxury to which He was accustomed in His youth had been denied Him since His imprisonment in the Siyah-Chal of Tihran when all His possessions had been confiscated. But He lived a life of austerity in a majesty such that in the words of Edward (Granville Browne of Cambridge University, He was 'the object of a devotion that kings might envy and emperors sigh for in vain'. His personal needs were simple and inexpensive . . . He Himself and the members of His family, however, lived an austere life. There were many occasions when He was in great need, but did not accept financial help from the friends.
Source: Adib Taherzadeh, The Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh v 4, p. 248
Collected from bahaistories.com (Subject: simple-life).
Discuss this story
For adults
- What stands out about Adib Taherzadeh's response in this account?
- What might Adib Taherzadeh'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 Adib Taherzadeh's place, what might you have done?
- What does this story teach about devotion?
Reflection
- Read the passage a second time, slowly. What did you notice that you missed the first time?
- What in this account feels timely? What feels timeless?
- If you could bring one quality from this story into your next conversation, what would it be?
Comprehension quiz
Which source is "For his own personal use Bahá’u’lláh never ordered anything extravagant" drawn from?
Where does this story take place?
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/simple-life
Record yourself reading this story
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