“O thou who art advanced towards God!...”
'Abdu'l-Bahá, Tablets of 'Abdu'l-Bahá Abbas, (1909) · Read original
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When in Bahá'í history
O thou who art advanced towards God!
Verily I implore God to cause thee to be a sign of the book of Genesis, declaring His mentionings and His praise among the creatures, with brilliant face, smiling mouth, dilated breast and rejoiced heart, for the manifestation of His evident glory and the appearance of His illumining Beauty from that wonderful horizon.
Surely a day will come when all thy desires will be attained and God will answer all that which thou hast prayed for in thine heart, and I beg of Him to make all that which thou hast longed for long ago very attainable. Then thine heart will be overflowed with joy on account of such a great bounty.
Source: 'Abdu'l-Bahá, Tablets of 'Abdu'l-Bahá Abbas (1909). Public domain text from Project Gutenberg eBook #19312.
Discuss this story
For adults
- Read the closing lines once more. What single phrase stays with you?
- What does the setting of this account contribute to its meaning?
- What stands out about 'Abdu'l-Bahá's response in this account?
For teens
- What is one quality you'd want to carry forward from this account?
- Which line in this story surprised you the most?
Reflection
- 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.
- What single image from this story will stay with you?
Comprehension quiz
Which source is "“O thou who art advanced towards 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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