'Abdu'l-Bahá - Wikipedia

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Àbdu'l-Bah
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Abdul-Bah
Abdul-Bah, Center of the Cause
Born 'Abbs Nr
May 23, 1844
Tihran, Persia
Died November 28 , 1921, (aged 77)
Haifa, Israel
Nationality Persian
Religion Baha'i Faith
Spouse(s) Munrih Khnum (1873-1921)
Children iy'iyyih Khnum, Tb Khnum ,
Rh Khnum , Munavvar Khnum ,
(amongst others)
Parents Father: Bahullh
Mother: syih Khnum
Bah' Faith
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Abdul Baha)

Àbdul-Bah' (Arabic: ; 23 May 1844 28
November 1921), born Abbs Effend, was the eldest
son of Bah'u'llh ,
[1]
the founder of the Bah' Faith. In
1892, Àbdu'l-Bah was appointed in his father's will to
be his successor and head of the Bah' Faith.
[2][3]
Àbdu'l-Bah was born in Tehran to an aristocratic
family of the realm. At the age of eight his father was
imprisoned and the family's possessions were looted,
leaving them in virtual poverty. Along with his father,
Àbdu'l-Bah was exiled to Baghdad where the family
lived for nine years.
During his youth he was faithful to his father and was
regarded as an outstanding member of the Bah exile
community. As a teenager he was his fathers
amanuensis and was regularly seen debating theological
issues with the learned men of the area. In 1863
Bah'u'llh was again exiled to Constantinople . During
the 1860s the family was banished from Constantinople
to Adrianople, and then finally to the penal-colony of
Acre, Palestine.
With his father's death in 1892, and his appointment as
head of the Bah faith, there was much opposition to
him, including virtually all his family members.
Notwithstanding this, practically all of the worldwide
Bah community accepted his leadership. In 1908, at
the age of 64 and after forty years imprisonment,
Àbdul-Bah was freed by the Young Turks and he and
his family began to live in relative safety. His journeys to
the West, and his "Tablets of the Divine Plan " spread the Bah' message
beyond its middle-eastern roots, and his Will and Testament laid the
foundation for the current "Bah' administrative order . Many of his writings,
prayers and letters are extant, and his discourses with the Western Bah's
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emphasize the growth of the faith by the late 1890s. Àbdu'l-Bah's given
name was Àbbs, but he preferred the title of Àbdu'l-Bah (servant of the
glory of God). He is commonly referred to in Bah' texts as "The Master",
and received the title of KBE after his personal storage of grain was used to
relieve famine in Palestine following World War I , but never used the title.
Contents [hide]
1 Early life
2 Baghdad
3 Constantinople/Adrianople
4 Acre
4.1 Later in Acre
4.2 Marriage and family life
5 Early years of his ministry
5.1 First Western pilgrims
5.2 Ministry, 19011912
6 J ourneys to the West
7 Final years
8 Works
9 See also
10 Notes
11 References
12 Further reading
13 External links
Early life [edit]
Àbdu'l-Bah was born in Tehran , Iran on 23 May 1844 (5th of J amadiyu'l-
Avval, 1260 AH),
[4]
the eldest son of Bah'u'llh and Navvb. He was born
on the very same night on which the Bb declared his mission.
[5]
Born with
the given name of Àbbs,
[3]
he was named after his grandfather Mrz
Àbbs Nr, a prominent and powerful nobleman.
[6]
As a child, Àbdu'l-
Bah was shaped by his father's position as a prominent Bb . He recalled
how he met the Bb leader Thirih and how she would take "me on to her
knee, caress me, and talk to me. I admired her most deeply".
[7]
Àbdul-Bah had a happy and carefree
childhood. The familys Tehran home and country houses were comfortable and beautifully decorated.
Àbdu'l-Bah enjoyed playing in the gardens with his younger sister with whom he was very close.
[8]
Along
with his younger siblings a sister, Bahyyih, and a brother, Mihd the three lived in an environment of
privilege, happiness and comfort.
[6]
With his father's declination of the position as minister of the court;
during his young boyhood Àbdul-Bah witnessed his parents' various charitable endeavours,
[9]
which
included converting part of the home to a hospital ward for women and children.
[8]
Àbdu'l-Bah received a haphazard education during his childhood. It was customary not to send children of
nobility to schools. Most noblemen were educated at home briefly in scripture, rhetoric, calligraphy and
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basic mathematics. Many were educated to prepare themselves for life in the royal court. Despite a brief
spell at a traditional preparatory school at the age of seven for one year,
[10]
Àbdu'l-Bah received no
formal education. As he grew he was educated by his mother, and uncle.
[11]
Most of his education however,
came from his father.
[12]
Years later in 1890 Edward Granville Browne described how Àbdu'l-Bah was
"one more eloquent of speech, more ready of argument, more apt of illustration, more intimately acquainted
with the sacred books of the J ews, the Christians, and the Muhammadans...scarcely be found even amongst
the eloquent."
[13]
When Àbdu'l-Bah was seven, he contracted tuberculosis and was expected to die.
[14]
Though the malady
faded away,
[15]
he would be plagued with bouts of illness for the rest of his life.
[16]
One event that affected Àbdu'l-Bah greatly during his childhood was the imprisonment of his father when
Àbdu'l-Bah was eight years old; the imprisonment led to his family being reduced to poverty and being
attacked in the streets by other children.
[5]
Àbdu'l-Bah accompanied his mother to visit Bah'u'llh who
was then imprisoned in the infamous subterranean dungeon the Syh-Chl.
[6]
He described how "I saw a
dark, steep place. We entered a small, narrow doorway, and went down two steps, but beyond those one
could see nothing. In the middle of the stairway, all of a sudden we heard His [Bahullh's]voice: 'Do
not bring him in here', and so they took me back".
[17]
Baghdad [edit]
Bah'u'llh was eventually released from prison but ordered into exile, and Àbdu'l-Bah then eight joined
his father on the journey to Baghdad in the winter (J anuary to April)
[18]
of 1853.
[17]
During the journey
Àbdu'l-Bah suffered from frost-bite. After a year of difficulties Bah'u'llh absented himself rather than
continue to face the conflict with Mirza Yahya and secretly secluded himself in the mountains of
Sulaymaniyah in April 1854 a month before Àbdu'l-Bah's tenth birthday.
[18]
Mutual sorrow resulted in
him, his mother and sister becoming constant companions.
[19]
Àbdu'l-Bah was particularly close to both,
and his mother took active participation in his education and upbringing.
[20]
During the two-year absence of
his father Àbdu'l-Bah took up the duty of managing the affairs of the family,
[21]
before his age of maturity
(14 in middle-eastern society)
[22]
and was known to be occupied with reading and, at a time of hand-copied
scriptures being the primary means of publishing, was also engaged in copying the writings of the Bb.
[23]
Àbdul-Bah also took an interest in the art of horse riding and, as he grew, became a renowned rider.
[24]
In 1856, news of an ascetic carrying on discourses with local Sf leaders that seemed to possibly be
Bah'u'llh reached the family and friends. Immediately, family members and friends went to search for the
elusive dervish and in March
[18]
brought Bah'u'llh back to Baghdad.
[25]
On seeing his father, Àbdu'l-
Bah fell to his knees and wept loudly "Why did you leave us?", and this followed with his mother and sister
doing the same.
[24][26]
Àbdu'l-Bah soon became his father's secretary and shield.
[5]
During the sojourn in
the city Àbdul-Bah grew from a boy into a young man. He was noted as a "remarkably fine looking
youth",
[24]
and remembered for his charity and amiableness.
[5]
Having passed the age of maturity Àbdu'l-
Bah was regularly seen in the mosques of Baghdad discussing religious topics and the scripture as a young
man. Whilst in Baghdad, Àbdu'l-Bah composed a commentary at the request of his father on the Muslim
tradition of "I was a Hidden Treasure" for a Sf leader named Àl Shawkat Psh.
[5][27]
Àbdu'l-Bah was
fifteen or sixteen at the time and Àl Shawkat Psh regarded the more than 11000 word essay as a
remarkable feat for somebody of his age.
[5]
In 1863 in what became known as the Garden of Ridvn
Bah'u'llh announced to a few that he was the manifestation of God and He whom God shall make
manifest whose coming had been foretold by the Bb. On day eight of the twelve days, it is believed
Àbdu'l-Baha was the first person Baha'u'llah revealed his claim to.
[28][29]
Àbdu'l-Bah (right) with
his brother Mrz Mihd
Prison in Acre
Constantinople/Adrianople [edit]
In 1863 Bah'u'llh was summoned to Constantinople (Istanbul ), and
thus his whole family including Àbdu'l-Bah, then nineteen, accompanied
him on his 110-day journey.
[30]
The journey to Constantinople was
another wearisome journey,
[24]
and Àbdu'l-Bah helped feed the
exiles.
[6]
It was here that his position became more prominent amongst the
Bahs.
[3]
This was further solidified by Bahullhs tablet of the
Branch in which he constantly exalts his son's virtues and station.
[31]
The
family were soon exiled to Adrianople and Àbdu'l-Bah went with the
family.
[3]
Àbdul-Bah again suffered from frostbite.
[24]
In Adrianople Àbdul-Bah was regarded as the sole comforter of his
family in particular to his mother .
[24]
At this point Àbdu'l-Bah was
known by the Bah's as "the Master", and by non-Bah's as Àbbs
Effendi ("Effendi" signifies "Sir"). It was in Adrianople that Bahullh
referred to his son as "the Mystery of God".
[24]
The title of "Mystery of God" symbolises, according to
Bah's, that Àbdu'l-Bah is not a manifestation of God but how a "person of Àbdu'l-Bah the
incompatible characteristics of a human nature and superhuman knowledge and perfection have been
blended and are completely harmonized".
[32][33]
Àbdu'l-Bah was at this point noted for having black hair
which flowed to his shoulders, large blue eyes, alabaster coloured skin and a slight Roman nose.
[34]
Bah'u'llh gave his son many other titles such as "the Most Mighty Branch" the "Branch of Holiness", "the
Center of the Covenant" and the apple of his eye.
[3]
Àbdu'l-Bah ("the Master") was devastated when
hearing the news that he and his family were to be exiled separately from Bah'u'llh . It was, according to
Bah's, through his intercession that the idea was reverted and the family were allowed to be exiled
together.
[24]
Acre [edit]
At the age of 24, Àbdu'l-Bah was clearly chief-steward to his
father and an outstanding member of the Bah community.
[30]
Bahullh and his family were in 1868 exiled to the penal
colony of Acre, Palestine where it was expected that the family
would perish.
[35]
Arrival in Acre was distressing for the family and
exiles.
[3]
They were greeted in a hostile manner by the surrounding
population and his sister and father fell dangerously ill.
[5]
When
told that the women were to sit on the shoulders of the men to
reach the shore, Àbdu'l-Bah took a chair and carried the women
to the bay of Acre.
[24]
Àbdu'l-Bah was able to procure some
anesthetic and nursed the sick.
[24]
The Bahs were imprisoned under horrendous conditions in a cluster of
cells covered in excrement and dirt.
[5]
Àbdu'l-Bah himself fell dangerously ill with dysentery ,
[5]
however a sympathetic soldier permitted a physician to help cure him.
[24]
The population shunned them, the
soldiers treated them the same, and the behaviour of Siyyid Muhammad-i-Isfahani (an Azali) did not help
matters.
[6][30]
Morale was further destroyed with the accidental death of Àbdu'l-Bahs youngest brother
Mrz Mihd at the age of 22.
[24]
His death devastated the family particularly his mother and father and
the grieving Àbdu'l-Bah kept a night-long vigil beside his brothers body.
[6][24]
Àbdu'l-Bah at age 24
Later in Acre [edit]
Over time, he gradually took over responsibility for the relationships between the small Bah'i exile
community and the outside world. It was through his interaction with the people of Acre that, according to
the Bah's, they recognized the innocence of the Bah's, and thus the conditions of imprisonment were
eased.
[36]
Four months after the death of Mihd the family moved from the prison to the House of
Àbbd.
[36]
The people of Acre started to respect the Bah's and in particular, Àbdu'l-Bah. Àbdu'l-Bah
was able to arrange for houses to be rented for the family, the family later moved to the Mansion of Bahj
around 1879 when an epidemic caused the inhabitants to flee.
Àbdu'l-Bah soon became very popular in the penal colony and Myron Henry Phelps a wealthy New York
lawyer described how "a crowd of human beings...Syrians, Arabs, Ethiopians, and many others",
[37]
all
waited to talk and receive Àbdu'l-Bah.
[38]
He undertook a history of the Bb religion through publication
of A Traveller's Narrative (Makla-i-Shakhs Sayyh) in 1886,
[39]
later translated and published in
translation in 1891 through Cambridge University by the agency of Edward Granville Browne who
described Àbdu'l-Bah as:
Seldom have I seen one whose appearance impressed me more. A tall strongly built man
holding himself straight as an arrow, with white turban and raiment, long black locks reaching
almost to the shoulder, broad powerful forehead indicating a strong intellect combined with
an unswerving will, eyes keen as a hawk's, and strongly marked but pleasing features such
was my first impression of 'Abbs Efend, "the master".
[40]
Marriage and family life [edit]
As a young man speculation was rife amongst the Bahs to whom
Àbdu'l-Bah would marry.
[5][41]
Several young girls were seen as
marriage prospects but Àbdul-Bah seemed disinclined to
marriage.
[5]
On 8 March 1873, at the urging of his father,
[6][42]
the
twenty-eight-year-old Àbdul-Bah married Ftimih Nahr of
Isfahn (18471938) a twenty-five-year-old noblewoman.
[43]
Her
father was Mrz Muammad Àl Nahr of Isfahan an eminent
Bah of the city and prominent aristocrat.
[5]
Ftimih was brought
from Persia to Acre, Israel after both Bahullh and his wife
Navvb expressed an interest in her to marry Àbdul-
Bah.
[5][43][44]
After a wearisome journey from Isfahn to Akka she
finally arrived accompanied by her brother in 1872.
[5][44]
The young
couple were betrothed for about five months before the marriage
itself commenced. In the mean time, Ftimih lived in the home of
Àbdu'l-Bahs uncle Mrz Ms . According to her later memoirs, Ftimih fell in love with Àbdu'l-Bah
on seeing him. Àbdu'l-Bah himself had showed little inkling to marriage until meeting Ftimih;
[44]
who
was entitled Munrih by Bahullh.
[6]
Munrih is a title meaning "Luminous".
[45]
The marriage resulted in nine children. The first born was a son Mihd Effendi who died aged about 3. He
was followed by iy'iyyih Khnum, Fudyyih Khnum (d. few years old), Rhangz Khnum (d. 1893),
Tb Khnum, Husayn Effendi (d.1887 aged 5), Tb Khnum, Rh Khnum and Munnavar Khnum.
The death of his children caused Àbdul-Bah immense grief in particular the death of his son Husayn
Effendi came at a difficult time following the death of his mother and uncle.
[46]
The surviving children (all
daughters) were; iy'iyyih Khnum (mother of Shoghi Effendi ) (d. 1951) Tb Khnum (18801959)
Àbdu'l-Bah
Early Western Bah' pilgrims. Standing
left to right: Charles Mason Remey, Sigurd
R Khnum and Munavvar Khnum (d. 1971).
[5]
Bah'u'llh wished that the Bah's follow the example
of Àbdu'l-Bah and gradually move away from polygamy.
[44][45][47]
The marriage of Àbdul-Bah to one
woman and his choice to remain monogamous,
[44]
from advice of his father and his own wish,
[44][45]
legitimised the practice of monogamy
[45]
to a people whom hitherto had regarded polygamy as a righteous
way of life.
[44][45]
Early years of his ministry [edit]
After Bah'u'llh died on 29 May 1892, the Will and Testament of
Bah'u'llh named Àbdu'l-Bah as Centre of the Covenant, successor and
interpreter of Bah'u'llh's writings.
[2]
In the Will and Testament Àbdu'l-
Bah's half-brother, Muhammad Àl , was mentioned by name as being
subordinate to Àbdu'l-Bah. Muhammad Àl became jealous of his half-
brother and set out to establish authority for himself as an alternative leader
with the support of his brothers Badi'u'llah and Diya'u'llah.
[4]
He began
correspondence with Bah's in Iran, initially in secret, casting doubts in
others' minds about Àbdu'l-Bah.
[48]
While most Bah's followed Àbdu'l-
Bah, a handful followed Muhammad Àl including such leaders as Mirza
J avad and Ibrahim Khayru'llah, the famous Bah' missionary to
America.
[49]
Muhammad Àl and Mirza J avad began to openly accuse Àbdu'l-Bah of
taking on too much authority, suggesting that he believed himself to be a Manifestation of God , equal in
status to Bah'u'llh.
[50]
It was at this time that Àbdu'l-Bah, in order to provide proof of the falsity of the
accusations leveled against him, in tablets to the West, stated that he was to be known as "Àbdu'l-Bah" an
Arabic phrase meaning the Servant of Bah to make it clear that he was not a Manifestation of God, and
that his station was only servitude.
[51][52]
Àbdu'l-Bah left a Will and Testament that set up the framework
of administration. The two highest institutions were the Universal House of J ustice, and the Guardianship,
for which he appointed Shoghi Effendi as the Guardian.
[2]
First Western pilgrims [edit]
By the end of 1898, Western pilgrims started coming to
Akka on pilgrimage to visit Àbdu'l-Bah; this group of
pilgrims, including Phoebe Hearst, was the first time that
Bah's raised up in the West had met Àbdu'l-Bah.
[53]
The first group arrived in 1898 and throughout late 1898
to early 1899 Western Bahs sporadically visited
Àbdu'l-Bah. The group was relatively young containing
mainly women from high American society in their
20s.
[54]
The group of Westerners aroused suspicion for
the authorities, and consequently Àbdu'l-Bahs
confinement was tightened.
[55]
During the next decade
Àbdu'l-Bah would be in constant communication with
Bah's around the world, helping them to teach the
religion; the group included May Ellis Bolles in Paris,
Englishman Thomas Breakwell , American Herbert
Hopper, French Hippolyte Dreyfus, Susan Moody, Lua
Russell, Edward Getsinger and Laura Clifford
Barney; Seated left to right: Ethel Rosenberg,
Madam J ackson, Shoghi Effendi, Helen Ellis
Cole, Lua Getsinger, Emogene Hoagg
Getsinger, and American Laura Clifford Barney.
[56]
It
was Laura Clifford Barney who, by asking questions of
Àbdu'l-Bah over many years and many visits to Haifa,
compiled what later became the book Some Answered
Questions.
[57]
Ministry, 19011912 [edit]
During the final years of the 19th century, while Àbdu'l-Bah was still officially a prisoner and confined to
Àkka, he organized the transfer of the remains of the Bb from Iran to Palestine. He then organized the
purchase of land on Mount Carmel that Bah'u'llh had instructed should be used to lay the remains of the
Bb, and organized for the construction of the Shrine of the Bb . This process took another 10 years.
[58]
With the increase of pilgrims visiting Àbdu'l-Bah, Muhammad Àl worked with the Ottoman authorities
to re-introduce stricter terms on Àbdu'l-Bah's imprisonment in August 1901.
[2][59]
By 1902, however, due
to the Governor of Àkka being supportive of Àbdu'l-Bah, the situation was greatly eased; while pilgrims
were able to once again visit Àbdu'l-Bah, he was confined to the city.
[59]
In February 1903, two followers
of Muhammad Àl, including Badi'u'llah and Siyyid Àliy-i-Afnan, broke with Muhammad Àli and wrote
books and letters giving details of Muhammad Àli's plots and noting that what was circulating about
Àbdu'l-Bah was fabrication.
[60][61]
From 1902 to 1904, in addition to the building of the Shrine of the Bb that Àbdu'l-Bah was directing, he
started to put into execution two different projects; the restoration of the House of the Bb in Shiraz, Iran
and the construction of the first Bah' House of Worship in Ashgabat , Turkmenistan.
[62]
Àbdu'l-Bah
asked Aqa Mirza Aqa to coordinate the work so that the house of the Bb would be restored to the state that
it was at the time of the Bb's declaration to Mulla Husayn in 1844;
[62]
he also entrusted the work on the
House of Worship to Vakil-u'd-Dawlih.
[63]
Also in 1904, Muhammad Àli continued his accusations against Àbdu'l-Bah which caused an Ottoman
commission summoning Àbdu'l-Bah to answer the accusations levelled against him. During the inquiry
the charges against him were dropped and the inquiry collapsed.
[64][65]
The next few years in Àkka were
relatively free of pressures and pilgrims were able to come and visit Àbdu'l-Bah. By 1909 the mausoleum
of the Shrine of the Bb was completed.
[63]
Journeys to the West [edit]
Main article: Àbdu'l-Bah's journeys to the West
The 1908 Young Turks revolution freed all political prisoners in
the Ottoman Empire, and Àbdu'l-Bah was freed from
imprisonment. His first action after his freedom was to visit the
Shrine of Bah'u'llh in Bahji.
[66]
While Àbdu'l-Bah
continued to live in Àkka immediately following the
revolution, he soon moved to live in Haifa near the Shrine of
the Bb.
[66]
In 1910, with the freedom to leave the country, he
embarked on a three-year journey to Egypt, Europe, and North
America, spreading the Bah' message.
[2]
From August to December 1911, Àbdu'l-Bah visited cities in
Europe, including London, Bristol, and Paris. The purpose of
these trips was to support the Bah' communities in the west
Àbdu'l-Bah, during his trip to the
United States
and to further spread his father's teachings.
[67]
In the following year, he undertook a much more extensive
journey to the United States and Canada to once again spread
his father's teachings. He arrived in New York City on 11 April
1912, after declining an offer of passage on the RMS Titanic, telling the Bah' believers, instead, to
"Donate this to charity." He instead travelled on a slower craft, the S.S. Cedric, and cited preference of a
longer sea journey as the reason.
[68]
Upon arriving in New York, he arranged a private meeting with the
survivors of the ill-fated Titanic, who asked him if he knew the Titanic's ultimate destruction would occur,
to which, 'Abdu'l-Baha replied, "God gives man feelings of intuition". While he spent most of his time in
New York, he visited Chicago, Cleveland , Pittsburgh , Washington, D.C., Boston and Philadelphia . In
August of the same year he started a more extensive journey to places including New Hampshire , the Green
Acre school in Maine, and Montreal (his only visit to Canada). He then travelled west to Minneapolis , San
Francisco, Stanford , and Los Angeles before starting to return east at the end of October. On 5 December
1912 he set sail back to Europe.
[67]
During his visit to North America he visited many missions, churches, and groups, as well as having scores
of meetings in Bah's' homes, and offering innumerable personal meetings with hundreds of people.
[69]
During his talks he proclaimed Bah' principles such as the unity of God, unity of the religions , oneness of
humanity, equality of women and men , world peace and economic justice.
[69]
He also insisted that all his
meetings be open to all races.
[69]
His visit and talks were the subject of hundreds of newspaper articles.
[69]
In Boston newspaper reporters
asked Àbdu'l-Bah why he had come to America, and he stated that he had come to participate in
conferences on peace and that just giving warning messages is not enough.
[70]
Àbdu'l-Bah's visit to
Montreal provided notable newspaper coverage; on the night of his arrival the editor of the Montreal Daily
Star met with him and that newspaper along with The Montreal Gazette , Montreal Standard, Le Devoir
and La Presse among others reported on Àbdu'l-Bah's activities.
[71][72]
The headlines in those papers
included "Persian Teacher to Preach Peace", "Racialism Wrong, Says Eastern Sage, Strife and War Caused
by Religious and National Prejudices", and "Apostle of Peace Meets Socialists, Abdul Baha's Novel Scheme
for Distribution of Surplus Wealth."
[72]
The Montreal Standard, which was distributed across Canada,
took so much interest that it republished the articles a week later; the Gazette published six articles and
Montreal's largest French language newspaper published two articles about him.
[71]
His 1912 visit to
Montreal also inspired humourist Stephen Leacock to parody him in his bestselling 1914 book Arcadian
Adventures with the Idle Rich.
[73]
In Chicago one newspaper headline included "His Holiness Visits Us,
Àbdu'l-Bah on Mount Carmel with pilgrims in
1919
Not Pius X but A. Baha,"
[72]
and Àbdu'l-Bah's visit to California was reported in the Palo Altan.
[74]
Back in Europe, he visited London, Paris (where he stayed for two months), Stuttgart , Budapest , and
Vienna. Finally on 12 J une 1913 he returned to Egypt, where he stayed for six months before returning to
Haifa.
[67]
Final years [edit]
During World War I Àbdu'l-Bah stayed in Palestine,
under the continued threat of Allied bombardment
and threats from the Turkish commander. As the war
ended, the British Mandate over Palestine brought
relative security to Àbdu'l-Bah. During his final
year, a growing number of visitors and pilgrims came
to see him in Haifa.
[75]
On 27 April 1920, he was awarded a knighthood
(KBE) by the British Mandate of Palestine for his
humanitarian efforts during the war.
[2]
Àbdu'l-Bah
died on 28 November 1921 (27th of Rabi'u'l-Avval, 1340 AH.)
[4]
On his funeral, Esslemont notes:
"... a funeral the like of which Haifa, nay Palestine itself, had surely never seen... so deep was the feeling
that brought so many thousands of mourners together, representative of so many religions, races and
tongues".
[76]
He is buried in the front room of the Shrine of the Bb on Mount Carmel. Plans are in place to one day build
a Shrine of Àbdu'l-Bah. In his Will and Testament he appointed his grandson Shoghi Effendi Rabbani as
the Guardian of the Bah' Faith.
[2]
Works [edit]
The total estimated number of tablets that Àbdu'l-Bah wrote are over 27,000, of which only a fraction
have been translated into English.
[77]
His works fall into two groups including first his direct writings and
second his lectures and speeches as noted by others.
[2]
The first group includes The Secret of Divine
Civilization written before 1875, A Traveller's Narrative written around 1886, the Resla-ye ssya or
Sermon on the Art of Governance written in 1893, the Memorials of the Faithful, and a large number
of tablets written to various people;
[2]
including various Western intellectuals such as August Forel which
has been translated and published as the Tablet to Auguste-Henri Forel . The Secret of Divine Civilization
and the Sermon on the Art of Governance were widely circulated anonymously.
The second group includes Some Answered Questions , which is an English translation of a series of table
talks with Laura Barney, and Paris Talks , Àbdu'l-Baha in London and Promulgation of Universal
Peace which are respectively addresses given by Àbdu'l-Bah in Paris, London and the United States.
[2]
The following is a list of some of Àbdu'l-Bah's many books, tablets, and talks:
Foundations of World Unity
Memorials of the Faithful
Paris Talks
Secret of Divine Civilization
Some Answered Questions
Tablets of the Divine Plan
Tablet to Auguste-Henri Forel
Tablet to The Hague
Will and Testament of Àbdu'l-Bah
Promulgation of Universal Peace
Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bah
Divine Philosophy
Treatise on Politics / Sermon on the Art of Governance
[78]
See also [edit]
Bah'u'llh's family
Mrz Mihd
syih Khnum
Bahiyyih Khnum
Munirih Khnum
Shoghi Effendi
House of Àbdu'l-Bah
Notes [edit]
1. ^ Chambers Biographical
Dictionary, ISBN 0-550-
18022-2, page 2
2. ^
a

b

c

d

e

f

g

h

i

j
Bausani,
Alessandro (1989), "Abd-
al-Bah : Life and work" ,
Encyclopdia Iranica.
3. ^
a

b

c

d

e

f
Smith 2000 ,
pp. 1420
4. ^
a

b

c
Muhammad Qazvini
(1949). "Àbdu'l-Bah
Meeting with Two
Prominent Iranians" .
Retrieved 5 September
2007.
5. ^
a

b

c

d

e

f

g

h

i

j

k

l

m

n

o
Esslemont 1980
6. ^
a

b

c

d

e

f

g

h
Kazemzadeh
2009
7. ^ Blomfield 1975, p. 21
8. ^
a

b
Blomfield 1975, p. 40
9. ^ Blomfield 1975, p. 39
10. ^ Taherzadeh, p.105
11. ^ Blomfield, p.68
12. ^ Hogenson 2010, p. 40
13. ^ Browne 1891, p. xxxvi
14. ^ Hogenson, p.81
27. ^ "'Abdu'l-Baha's
Commentary on The Islamic
Tradition: "I Was a Hidden
Treasure ..."" . Baha'i
Studies Bulletin 3:4 (Dec.
1985), 435. Retrieved 20
December 2009.
28. ^ Declaration of Baha'u'llah
29. ^ The history and
significance of the Bah'
festival of Ridvn BBC
30. ^
a

b

c
Balyuzi 2001, p. 17
31. ^ "Tablet of the Branch" .
Wilmette: Baha'i Publishing
Trust. Retrieved 5 J uly
2008.
32. ^ "The Covenant of
Bah'u'llh" . US Bah
Publishing Trust. Retrieved
5 J uly 2008.
33. ^ "The World Order of
Bahullh" . Baha'i
Studies Bulletin 3:4 (Dec.
1985), 435. Retrieved 20
December 2009.
34. ^ Gail 1987,
p. 281
[citation not found]
47. ^ Ma'ani 2008 , p. 360
48. ^ Balyuzi 2001 , p. 53
49. ^ Browne 1918, p. 145
50. ^ Browne 1918, p. 77
51. ^ Balyuzi 2001 , p. 60
52. ^ Abdul-Baha. "Tablets of
Abdul-Baha Abbas" .
53. ^ Balyuzi 2001 , p. 69
54. ^ Hogenson, p.x
56. ^ Balyuzi 2001 , pp. 7296
57. ^ Balyuzi 2001 , p. 82
58. ^ Balyuzi 2001 , pp. 9093
59. ^
a

b
Balyuzi 2001, pp. 94
95
60. ^ Balyuzi 2001 , p. 102
61. ^ Afroukhteh 2003, p. 166
62. ^
a

b
Balyuzi 2001, p. 107
63. ^
a

b
64. ^ Balyuzi 2001 , pp. 111113
65. ^ Momen 1981 , pp. 320323
66. ^
a

b
67. ^
a

b

c
Balyuzi 2001,
pp. 159397
68. ^ Balyuzi 2001 , p. 171
69. ^
a

b

c

d
Gallagher &
Ashcraft 2006, p. 196
15. ^ Balyuzi, p.12
17. ^
a

b
Balyuzi 2001, p. 12
18. ^
a

b

c
Chronology of
persecutions of Babis and
Baha'is compiled by
J onah Winters
19. ^ Blomfield 1975, p. 54
20. ^ Blomfield 1975, p. 69
21. ^ The Revelation of
Bah'u'llh, volume two ,
page 391
22. ^ Can women act as agents
of a democratization of
theocracy in Iran? by
Homa Hoodfar, Shadi Sadr,
page 9
23. ^ Balyuzi 2001 , p. 14
24. ^
a

b

c

d

e

f

g

h

i

j

k

l

m
Phelps 1912, pp. 2755
25. ^ Smith 2008 , p. 17
26. ^ Balyuzi 2001 , p. 15
35. ^ Foltz 2004 , pp. 151
36. ^
a

b
Balyuzi 2001, pp. 33
43
37. ^ Phelps 1912 , pp. 3
38. ^ Smith 2000 , pp. 4
39. ^ A Traveller's Narrative,
(Makla-i-Shakhs
Sayyh)
40. ^ Àbdu'l-Bah (1891),
Browne, E.G. (Tr.), ed., A
Traveller's Narrative:
Written to illustrate the
episode of the Bab ,
Cambridge, UK: Cambridge
University Press, pp. (See
Browne's "Introduction" and
"Notes", esp. "Note W".)
42. ^ Ma'ani 2008 , p. 112
43. ^
a

b
Smith 2000, p. 255
44. ^
a

b

c

d

e

f

g
Phelps 1912 ,
pp. 8594
45. ^
a

b

c

d

e
Smith 2008 , p. 35
46. ^ Ma'ani 2008 , p. 323
70. ^ Balyuzi 2001 , p. 232
71. ^
a

b
Van den Hoonaard
1996, pp. 5658
72. ^
a

b

c
73. ^ Wagner, Ralph D. Yahi-
Bahi Society of Mrs.
Resselyer-Brown, The .
Accessed on: 19 May 2008
74. ^ Balyuzi 2001 , p. 313
75. ^ Balyuzi 2001 , pp. 400431
76. ^ Esslemont 1980, p. 77,
quoting 'The Passing of
Àbdu'l-Bah", by Lady
Blomfield and Shoghi
Effendi, pp 11, 12.
77. ^ Universal House of J ustice
(September 2002).
"Numbers and
Classifications of Sacred
Writings texts" . Retrieved
20 March 2007.
78. ^ Translations of Shaykhi,
Babi and Baha'i Texts
Vol. 7, no. 1 (March, 2003)
References [edit]
Afroukhteh, Youness (2003) [1952], Memories of Nine Years in 'Akk, Oxford, UK: George Ronald,
ISBN 0-85398-477-8
Balyuzi, H.M. (2001), Àbdu'l-Bah: The Centre of the Covenant of Bah'u'llh (Paperback ed.),
Oxford, UK: George Ronald, ISBN 0-85398-043-8
Blomfield, Lady (1975) [1956], The Chosen Highway , London, UK: Bah' Publishing Trust,
ISBN 0-87743-015-2
Browne, E.G. (1918), Materials for the Study of the Bb Religion , Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press
Esslemont, J .E. (1980), Bah'u'llh and the New Era (5th ed.), Wilmette, Illinois, USA: Bah'
Publishing Trust, ISBN 0-87743-160-4
Foltz, Richard. C (2004), Spirituality in the Land of the Noble: How Iran Shaped the World's
Religions, Oneworld Publications, ISBN 1-85168-336-4
Gallagher, Eugene V.; Ashcraft, W. Michael (2006), New and Alternative Religions in America ,
Greenwood Publishing Group, ISBN 0-275-98712-4
Kazemzadeh, Firuz (2009), "Abdul-Bah Abbs (18441921)" , Bah Encyclopedia Project
(Evanston, IL: National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahs of the United States).
Momen, M. (editor) (1981), The Bb and Bah' Religions, 18441944 Some Contemporary
Western Accounts, Oxford, UK: George Ronald, ISBN 0-85398-102-7
Phelps, Myron Henry (1912), Life and Teachings of Abbas Effendi , New York: Putnam,
ISBN 978-1-890688-15-8
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you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipediais a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a
non-profit organization.
Wikimedia Commons has
media related to Àbdu'l-
Bah.
Wikiquote has a collection of
quotations related to:
Àbdu'l-Bah
Wikisource has original works
written by or about:
Àbdu'l-Bah
Van den Hoonaard, Willy Carl (1996), The origins of the Bah' community of Canada, 1898
1948 , Wilfrid Laurier Univ. Press, ISBN 0-88920-272-9
Smith, Peter (2000), "Àbdu'l-Bah" (PDF), A concise encyclopedia of the Bah' Faith (Oxford:
Oneworld Publications), ISBN 1-85168-184-1 .
Hogenson, Kathryn J . (2010), Lighting the Western Sky: The Hearst Pilgrimage & Establishment
of the Baha'i Faith in the West, George Ronald, ISBN 978-0-85398-543-3
Ma'ani, Baharieh Rouhani (2008), Leaves of the Twin Divine Trees, Oxford, UK: George Ronald,
ISBN 0-85398-533-2
Further reading [edit]
Browne, E.G. (1891), A Traveller's Narrative , Cambridge
Effendi, Shoghi (1944), God Passes By , Wilmette, Illinois, USA: Bah' Publishing Trust, ISBN 0-
87743-020-9
Smith, Peter (2008), An Introduction to the Baha'i Faith , Cambridge: Cambridge University Press,
ISBN 978-0-521-86251-6, ISBN 0-521-86251-5
Zarqni, Mrz Mahmd-i- (1998) [1913], Mahmd's Diary: Chronicling Àbdu'l-Bah's Journey to
America , Oxford, UK: George Ronald, ISBN 0-85398-418-2
Mcglinn, Sen (22 April 2011). "Abdul-Bahas British knighthood" . Sen McGlinn's Blog. Retrieved
26 April 2011. (also relevant to Abdu'l-Baha's business interests and income).
External links [edit]
Selections from the Writings of Àbdu'l-Bah
Tablets of Àbdu'l-Bah Abbas
Abbas Effendi-Àbdu'l-Bah
Authority control
WorldCat VIAF: 96995970 LCCN: n79065595 GND: 118500082 BNF:
cb12110346z (data) NKC: jn19990210004
Categories : 1844 births 1921 deaths Bah' central figures Bah' holy family
People from Tehran Iranian Bah's Burials in Haifa, Israel People from Acre, Israel
Prisoners and detainees of the Ottoman Empire
Honorary Knights Commander of the Order of the British Empire 20th-century Bah's
19th-century Bah's

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