“O thou who art desirous of the Kingdom 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 who art desirous of the Kingdom of God!
Thy letter was the cause of happiness and its contents were the proof of thy turning to the Shining Beauty. In this blessed period, when the light of the endless bounties is illuminating the dark world, some souls, like the butterfly, circled round the Divine Lamp and with perfect yearning sacrificed their lives.
I ask of God that thou mayest be one of those souls, so that the rays of knowledge will shine forth from thy face to those regions and will be the cause of guiding the seekers of Reality.
Though thou wert obliged to leave Baltimore, I hope that thou wilt be the cause of guidance in Washington (D.C.). Receive proofs and evidence from Mirza Abul Fazl112 so that thou wilt be armed with convincing proofs and sufficient argument to break down the ranks of denial, pride and ignorance.
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?
- If you were to share this story aloud at a devotional gathering, which sentence would you read first?
For teens
- Who is someone you know who lives out hope the way this story describes?
- If you were going to tell a friend this story in two sentences, what would you say?
Reflection
- What in this account feels timely? What feels timeless?
- How does hope 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?
Comprehension quiz
Which source is "“O thou who art desirous of the Kingdom 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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