“O thou who art skilled in the Knowledge of God and...”
'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 skilled in the Knowledge of God and wise in the Wisdom of the Almighty!
Turn thy face toward the Kingdom of Might with supplication and invocation and entreat thy Lord, the Merciful, with this commune, until the heart and consciousness be illumined by the breath of God from the right side of grace and generosity, and say:
“O my God! O my God! Verily I am Thy humble servant and Thy meek slave. I beseech Thee with all my heart and soul, in the middle of nights, and declare: O my Lord! O my Lord! Enlighten the sights [or eyes] by the outpouring of lights; purify the souls by the fragrances of Paradise; dilate the hearts by the wafting of the breeze whereby the sorrows are dispelled, and exhilarate the spirits by the cups of the wine which is gleaming and sparkling like unto a lamp!
“Then intoxicate me with the wine of Thy love, so that I may attain to success and prosperity in this dawn of Light; may speak Thy praises, call upon Thy Name, be engaged in Thy commemoration in this vast country and spacious continent and be inebriated with the pure Wine which is glowing in the excellent Cup. Then suffer me to become the sign of guidance among Thy creatures and to become a supreme example among the believers, in order that I may lead others to Thy Word, spread Thy truth, promulgate Thy knowledge and deliver Thy teachings.
“Verily, Thou art the Confirmer, the Assister, the Mighty, the Powerful and the Beneficent!”
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 generosity appearing — visibly or quietly — in this passage?
For teens
- How could the spirit of generosity show up in your week?
- What does this story say about how to face hard moments?
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 who art skilled in the Knowledge of God and...”" 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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