The Brother Who Served the Tea

A retelling for children, based on Bahá'í Chronicles, "Mírzá Muḥammad-Qulí," which reproduces ‘Abdu’l-Bahá's account of him in Memorials of the Faithful.

Mírzá Muḥammad-Qulí was a younger brother of Bahá'u'lláh. He was only a newborn baby when their father died, and so from the beginning of his life to its end he lived under Bahá'u'lláh's care, first in Persia and then in Iraq. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá wrote that even as a child he was known for his nobility of soul.

In Bahá'u'lláh's presence, it was Muḥammad-Qulí who passed around the tea. He waited on his Brother by day and by night, and he was almost always silent. The only thing he cared to speak about was the Cause of God.

When Bahá'u'lláh was exiled from Baghdad to Constantinople, Muḥammad-Qulí went with the convoy, and at every stopping place along the road it was his task to pitch the tents. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá wrote of him: "He served with the greatest diligence, and did not know the meaning of lethargy or fatigue." He went on serving in the same way in Constantinople, and afterward in Adrianople.

At last he was exiled with Bahá'u'lláh to the prison-fortress of ‘Akká. Whatever came to him there, comfort or hardship, sickness or health, he accepted in the same spirit. He thanked Bahá'u'lláh for His bounties with, in ‘Abdu’l-Bahá's words, "a face that shone like the sun." Each morning and evening he waited upon Bahá'u'lláh.

After Bahá'u'lláh passed away, Muḥammad-Qulí remained firm in the Covenant. He spent most of his time alone, praying, and he grieved that he had outlived his Brother.

This is a retelling for children. For the fuller account, see "Mírzá Muḥammad-Qulí".

editors, B. C.. *Bahá'í Chronicles*. https://bahaichronicles.org/mirza-mu%e1%b8%a5ammad-quli/