“O thou who art turning thy heart unto the Kingdom of...”
'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 turning thy heart unto the Kingdom of God!
Verily, I read thy recent letter and praised God for having blessed thee with two babes, as a mercy on His part. He is indeed the Merciful, the Generous!
Give to them the names Leah and Rachel, which are the names of the two wives of Jacob, for they were two sisters, beloved of God. Perchance God hath destined profound wisdom in this.
Then thank God that He hath guided thy honorable wife to the Manifestation of Light, the Revealer of Signs and the Source of Mysteries. Verily, this is the great favor.
Then know verily, that the doors of tests will be opened in that town, but it is incumbent on thee to be steadfast in the love of God and firm in His great Cause. He who remaineth firm, grows; and he who is steadfast will be confirmed by God with great power in this glorious century.
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 generosity and love meet in this story?
- 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
- 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 turning thy heart unto the Kingdom of...”" 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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