“O thou beloved maid-servant of God!...”
'Abdu'l-Bahá, Tablets of 'Abdu'l-Bahá Abbas, (1909) · Read original
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When in Bahá'í history
O thou beloved maid-servant of God!
The letter, which thou hast forwarded through Mrs. ........ was received. Thank thou God that thou art assisted in the thralldom of His Threshold, art favored in the Kingdom, art heralding the Name of the True One, art speaking of divine praises, art guiding the souls to the Sun of Truth, art quickening the dead with the breaths of the Holy Spirit and art endeavoring with heart and soul to spread the Cause.
Thou hast Mrs. ........ as thy partner and sharer, co-operating with each other to serve, and hast lied in her house.
Show thou forth love to Mrs. ........ and convey to her greetings on my behalf. Associate with her and seek her companionship as far as possible, for it is conducive to the development of you both.
Source: 'Abdu'l-Bahá, Tablets of 'Abdu'l-Bahá Abbas (1909). Public domain text from Project Gutenberg eBook #19312.
Discuss this story
For adults
- What stands out about 'Abdu'l-Bahá's response in this account?
- What in your own life does this story bring to mind?
- Where do you see love appearing — visibly or quietly — in this passage?
For teens
- If you were in 'Abdu'l-Bahá's place, what might you have done?
- What does this story teach about love?
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 "“O thou beloved maid-servant of God!...”" 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
'Abdu'l-Bahá. (1909). *Tablets of 'Abdu'l-Bahá Abbas*. https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/19312/pg19312-images.html
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