“O thou Godlike person and spiritual friend!...”
'Abdu'l-Bahá, Tablets of 'Abdu'l-Bahá Abbas, (1909) · Read original
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When in Bahá'í history
O thou Godlike person and spiritual friend!
Verily God hath, through His bounty and grace, removed the covering from off thine eyes and inspired thee the night in which the Morn of Guidance dawned and the Holy Spirit breathed in the being of “The Exalted, the Supreme”95 . Ye went out96, desirous to witness and visit the Lord, and awaited the appearance of the Great Bounty in that brilliant night. Is there any evidence greater than this to the discerning? No, by my Beloved, the ABHA! This is a gift to which ye have been assigned among mankind. Thank ye God for this bestowal in which the inspired ones glory in the kingdom of heaven.
As to thee, strengthen thou thy back to spread that Spirit and diffuse that Light and arise to serve the Cause of God in His vineyard, so that thou mayest be of the first to call in the name of God and draw nearer unto the Kingdom of thy Lord, the Glorious, the Supreme. Truly, I say unto thee, if thou be steadfast in this Cause and arise with all thy power to promote the Word in those parts, and if thou render thine utmost efforts in breathing the Spirit of Life into the hearts of the righteous, thou wilt find thyself assisted by the angels of heaven and the hosts of the Supreme Concourse; thou wilt hoist the banner of peace and the sounds of the trumpet will be heard in the tunes of love and union throughout those countries; thou wilt guide people (literally, souls) to the running water of life and lead them to the field of knowledge; thou wilt give them to drink the wine of assurance and quicken them with the fragrances of the Merciful One; thou wilt clothe them with the robes of bestowal and give them to drink the wine of faithfulness in love for Baha’, so that they will be awakened from the sleep of selfish desires and behold the signs of their Mighty Lord in this exalted life. This is better for thee than all the glory and dominion of the world.
As to thy coming at this time to the Blessed Spot (Acca), this is not in accordance with the wisdom revealed in the Tablets. Send unto us some of the traces of thy pen (writings) so that we may see it and pray God to assist and render thee successful in everything.
Source: 'Abdu'l-Bahá, Tablets of 'Abdu'l-Bahá Abbas (1909). Public domain text from Project Gutenberg eBook #19312.
Discuss this story
For adults
- Where do you see love appearing — visibly or quietly — in this passage?
- How does this story complicate or deepen your understanding of tablets?
- Read the closing lines once more. What single phrase stays with you?
For teens
- If you were going to tell a friend this story in two sentences, what would you say?
- If you were in 'Abdu'l-Bahá's place, what might you have done?
Reflection
- How does love show up in your life right now — and where is it being asked of you?
- 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?
Comprehension quiz
Which source is "“O thou Godlike person and spiritual friend!...”" 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
Record yourself reading this story
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