“O thou spiritual person and heavenly man—may God...”
'Abdu'l-Bahá, Tablets of 'Abdu'l-Bahá Abbas, (1909) · Read original
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When in Bahá'í history
O thou spiritual person and heavenly man—may God confirm thee!
Know, that the divine springtime hath come with its rains and abundance, with the heat of its sun, the breeze of its life and the scent of its fragrance; and through this universal and great abundance, the land of the holy truth and facts hath moved and brought forth of every kind, good and beautiful fruits. But the barren, wicked land will not bring forth save the thorn of denial, of haughtiness and disdain. Therefore, thank thou God for He hath made thee a good, fertile land by the clouds of the abundance of God the Chosen.
Convey my greetings to thy esteemed wife and daughter, who are honored by the people of the Kingdom of Perfection.
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 kindness and truthfulness meet in this story?
- How does this story illustrate the practice of kindness?
- What stands out about 'Abdu'l-Bahá's response in this account?
For teens
- If you were in 'Abdu'l-Bahá's place, what might you have done?
- What does this story teach about kindness?
Reflection
- 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?
- Take one line from this story and let it stay with you today.
Comprehension quiz
Which source is "“O thou spiritual person and heavenly man—may 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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