“O thou who hath advanced to the Kingdom of his...”
'Abdu'l-Bahá, Tablets of 'Abdu'l-Bahá Abbas, (1909) · Read original
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When in Bahá'í history
O thou who hath advanced to the Kingdom of his Lord, the Glorious!
Know thou that the Kingdom of God hath pitched its tents, hoisted its banner and uplifted its pavilions in this extensive space. The hosts of the angels of God have come down with standards of signs; marched off towards all horizons; opened the cities of the hearts of the servants by the power of thy Lord, the Generous; and have blown the great trumpet. The Hoy Spirit hath freely given eternal life to every pure heart, and the souls became attracted through the effulgence of the Beauty of the Glorious Kingdom and through the brilliancy of the Light of Truth over all regions. The clamor of the spiritual people hath risen with praise and glory to God, the All-glorious!
As to thee, thank thou thy Lord for that He hath enabled to see the sins of His Kingdom in this wonderful day. Arise to serve the Cause of thy Lord and devote thyself to God’s service as a penitent servant.
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
- If you were going to tell a friend this story in two sentences, what would you say?
- If you were in 'Abdu'l-Bahá's place, what might you have done?
Reflection
- 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?
- What single image from this story will stay with you?
Comprehension quiz
Which source is "“O thou who hath advanced to the Kingdom of his...”" 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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