“O ye leaves of the Paradise of El-ABHA, and the maid-servants...”
'Abdu'l-Bahá, Tablets of 'Abdu'l-Bahá Abbas, (1909) · Read original
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When in Bahá'í history
O ye leaves25 of the Paradise of El-ABHA, and the maid-servants of the Merciful!
Verily, I read your words of thanksgiving to God, and of celebrating the praise of God, for that He hath illuminated your faces with the lights of guidance, hath transfigured Himself on your hearts with the bounties of spirit, and hath made you as lofty and magnificent trees bearing ripened fruits in the Paradise of El-ABHA. These signs will surely become manifest in your faces, these lights will shine within your hearts, the splendor of oneness will envelop you, and your brows will glitter with rays shining from the Kingdom of El-ABHA.
O maid-servants of the Merciful! Know that, verily, this day is the day of teaching, this day is the day of diffusing the fragrances of God, being severed from aught else save God, attracted to the Word of God, and clinging to the Covenant of God. There is no work greater than this. Be ye entirely spiritual, purely brilliant, cut your dependence from any other mention, thought or purpose, and confine your mentions, thoughts and occupations to spreading the fragrances of God, and devote your attention to this great work. By God, the True One, verily, the Sun of Truth will cast forth its lights in your assemblies and will make you shining lamps, glittering stars, brilliant signs, and as souls attracted to the Holy Spirit. This is the great prosperity! This is the manifest light!
Upon you be greeting and praise!
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 service meet in this story?
For teens
- What is one quality you'd want to carry forward from this account?
- Which line in this story surprised you the most?
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 ye leaves of the Paradise of El-ABHA, and the maid-servants...”" 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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