In a final touching tribute to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá's generosity this true story…
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When in Bahá'í history
Haifa (today: Haifa, Israel)
In a final touching tribute to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá's generosity this true story emerged in the 1990s, some 70 years after ‘Abdu’l-Bahá's passing. The Universal House of Justice, the supreme governing Council of the Bahá’í world community, announced a major construction project on Mount Carmel, Haifa, of buildings that would, at last, meet the commands of Bahá’u’lláh, the Founder. Accordingly, a tender was put out for Israeli construction companies to bid for, and a public call for engineers was made by the House of Justice. To everyone’s astonishment, a large number of Arab engineers emerged from the greater Haifa area offering their services. When the bemused Bahá’ís asked them why they had come forward they all said: “The Master, Abbas Effendi (‘Abdu’l-Bahá) gave our grandparents and great-grandparents money to start small businesses. Our family businesses prospered and our families were able to pay for our school and university education. We are here to give something back to Abbas Effendi.”
Source: Extract from A Presentation on the Centenary of ‘Abdu’l- Bahá's Visit to the United Kingdom in 1911. Given on 10th September 2011 in Bourne Hall, Ewell Village , Surrey, by Trevor R. J. Finch
Collected from bahaistories.com (Subject: generosity).
Discuss this story
For adults
- Where do you see generosity appearing — visibly or quietly — in this passage?
- How does this story complicate or deepen your understanding of generosity?
- Read the closing lines once more. What single phrase stays with you?
For teens
- Who is someone you know who lives out generosity the way this story describes?
- If you were going to tell a friend this story in two sentences, what would you say?
Reflection
- 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?
- Is there someone in your life who would be helped by hearing this story?
Comprehension quiz
Which source is "In a final touching tribute to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá's generosity this true story…" 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/generosity
Record yourself reading this story
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