On the day I arrived at Haifa I was ill with a dysentery which I had picked up…
bahaistories.com archive · Read original
Studio narration for this story is coming — it’ll be generated by the cloud-TTS pipeline (voice: auto-selected from the source author).
When in Bahá'í history
Haifa (today: Haifa, Israel)
On the day I arrived at Haifa I was ill with a dysentery which I had picked up in the course of my travels. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá sent His own physician to me, and visited me Himself. He said, “I would that I could take your illness upon Myself.” I have never forgotten this. I felt, I knew, that in making this remark ‘Abdu’l-Bahá was not speaking in mere terms of sympathy. He meant just what He said. Such is the great love of the Kingdom, of which ‘Abdu’l-Bahá spoke so often and so much. This is a love that is difficult, almost impossible, for us to acquire -- though we may seek to approximate its perfection. It is more than sympathy, more than empathy. It is sacrificial love.
Source: Some Warm Memories of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá -- by Stanwood Cobb Source
Collected from bahaistories.com (Subject: empathy).
Discuss this story
For adults
- Where do justice and love meet in this story?
- How does this story illustrate the practice of justice?
- Read the closing lines once more. What single phrase stays with you?
For teens
- If you were in 'Abdu'l-Bahá's place, what might you have done?
- What does this story teach about justice?
Reflection
- How does justice show up in your life right now — and where is it being asked of you?
- Is there someone in your life who would be helped by hearing this story?
- Sit quietly for a moment after reading. What does this story stir in you?
Comprehension quiz
Which source is "On the day I arrived at Haifa I was ill with a dysentery which I had picked up…" 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/empathy
Record yourself reading this story
Recording stays on this device only. Nothing is uploaded.
Related stories
A Bahá’í came to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá to speak on behalf of a young Persian, who was…
A Bahá’í came to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá to speak on behalf of a young Persian, who was trying to attach himself to the Faith. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá explained that should anyone commit a hundred wrongs against His own person He would overlook them all and…
“
“ . a comment - I’ll call it ‘the anticipation of liberation’. One day as He sat in His chair, looking out onto the Mediterranean, in the dining room of the house of ‘Abdu’l-láh Páshá, the same room where the talks recorded in Some…
A number of people suggested that ‘Abdu’l-Bahá sail to England and cross the…
A number of people suggested that ‘Abdu’l-Bahá sail to England and cross the Atlantic to America aboard the brand-new ship Titanic instead of the much older, slower Cedric. Later in America, when He was asked why He didn't, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá…
A rich man and a poor man lived in the same town
A rich man and a poor man lived in the same town. One day the poor man said to the rich man, "I want to go to the Holy Land." The rich man replied, "Very good, I will go also," and they started from the town and began their pilgrimage. But…