“O ye blessed souls!...”
'Abdu'l-Bahá, Tablets of 'Abdu'l-Bahá Abbas, (1909) · Read original
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When in Bahá'í history
O ye243 blessed souls!
On the night of the feast ye entertained the beloved and were occupied in the service of the friends of God and the maid-servants of the Merciful One. Service to the sons and the daughters of the Kingdom is the diadem of everlasting glory with which ye have crowned your heads, the garment of eternal sovereignty with which ye have adorned your bodies, and the throne of majesty and grandeur of heaven upon which ye sat. Abdul-Baha found the utmost rejoicing from that feast and he was a host in his heart and soul, praying and entreating at the Threshold of Oneness that the breaths of the Holy Spirit waft, the angels of mercy descend and the confirmations of the Kingdom of Abha surround you upon all sides.
Rest ye assured that ye will become illumined, spiritual and celestial, and your services were accepted and praised at the Threshold of Oneness.
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 you see mercy appearing — visibly or quietly — in this passage?
- How does this story complicate or deepen your understanding of tablets?
- Where do mercy and prayer meet in this story?
For teens
- If you were in 'Abdu'l-Bahá's place, what might you have done?
- What does this story teach about mercy?
Reflection
- 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?
- How does mercy show up in your life right now — and where is it being asked of you?
Comprehension quiz
Which source is "“O ye blessed souls!...”" 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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