Better Conditions
Sources: 'abdu'l-baha In LondonAfter two years of the strictest confinement permission was granted me to
find a house so that we could live outside the prison walls but still
within the fortifications. Many believers came from Persia to join us but
they were not allowed to do so. Nine years passed. Sometimes we were
better off and sometimes very much worse. It depended on the governor,
who, if he happened to be a kind and lenient ruler, would grant us
access to visit the house; but when the governor was more rigorous, extra
guards were placed around us, and often pilgrims who had come from afar
were turned away.
I learned, afterwards, from a Persian, who, during these troublous times,
was a member of 'Abdu'l-Baha's household, that the Turkish government
could not credit the fact that the interest of the English and American
visitors was purely spiritual and not political. Often these pilgrims were
refused permission to see him, and, many times, the whole trip from
America would be rewarded merely by a glimpse of 'Abdu'l-Baha from his
prison window.
The Government thought that the tomb of the Bab, an imposing building on
Mount Carmel, was a fortification erected with the aid of American money,
and that it was being armed and garrisoned secretly. Suspicion grew with
each new arrival, resulting in extra spies and guards.
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All Praise Be To God Who Hath Adorned
All praise be to God Who hath adorned the world with an ornament, and arrayed it with a vesture, of which it can be despoiled by no earthly power, however mighty its battalions, however vast its wealth, however profound its influence. Say: the ess... All Praise Be To Thee, O Lord, My God! How Mysterious
All praise be to Thee, O Lord, my God! How mysterious the Fire which Thou hast enkindled within my heart! My very limbs testify to the intensity of its heat, and evince the consuming power of its flame. Should my bodily tongue ever attempt to desc... All Praise Be To Thee, O My God! Thou Beholdest
All praise be to Thee, O my God! Thou beholdest my helplessness and poverty, and bearest witness unto my woes and trials. How long wilt Thou abandon me among Thy servants? Suffer me to ascend into Thy presence. The power of Thy might beareth me wi... All Praise To The Unity Of God And All
All praise to the unity of God, and all honor to Him, the sovereign Lord, the incomparable and all-glorious Ruler of the universe, Who, out of utter nothingness, hath created the reality of all things, Who, from naught, hath brought into being the... All Praise, O My God, Be To Thee Who Art The
All praise, O my God, be to Thee Who art the Source of all glory and majesty, of greatness and honor, of sovereignty and dominion, of loftiness and grace, of awe and power. Whomsoever Thou willest Thou causest to draw nigh unto the Most Great Ocea... All-praise Be To Thee, O Lord, My God! I Know
All-praise be to Thee, O Lord, my God! I know not how to sing Thy praise, how to describe Thy glory, how to call upon Thy Name. If I call upon Thee by Thy Name, the All-Possessing, I am compelled to recognize that He Who holdeth in His hand the im... Amongst The Proofs Demonstrating The Truth
Amongst the proofs demonstrating the truth of this Revelation is this, that in every age and Dispensation, whenever the invisible Essence was revealed in the person of His Manifestation, certain souls, obscure and detached from all worldly entangl... And Now Concerning Thy Question
And now concerning thy question whether human souls continue to be conscious one of another after their separation from the body. Know thou that the souls of the people of Baha, who have entered and been established within the Crimson Ark, shall a... And Now Concerning Thy Question Regarding
And now, concerning thy question regarding the creation of man. Know thou that all men have been created in the nature made by God, the Guardian, the Self-Subsisting. Unto each one hath been prescribed a pre-ordained measure, as decreed in God's m... And Now Concerning Thy Question Regarding
And now concerning thy question regarding the soul of man and its survival after death. Know thou of a truth that the soul, after its separation from the body, will continue to progress until it attaineth the presence of God, in a state and condit... And Now Concerning Thy Reference To The
And now concerning thy reference to the existence of two Gods. Beware, beware, lest thou be led to join partners with the Lord, thy God. He is, and hath from everlasting been, one and alone, without peer or equal, eternal in the past, eternal in t... And Now Regarding Thy Question "how
And now regarding thy question, "How is it that no records are to be found concerning the Prophets that have preceded Adam, the Father of Mankind, or of the kings that lived in the days of those Prophets?" Know thou that the absence of any referen... Are Superstitions Useful
A lady enquired whether some superstitions might not be good for ignorant people, who, if they were without them might perhaps be without beliefs of any kind? 'Abdu'l-Baha replied that superstitions were of two kinds; those that were harmful an... Art
A painter asked: Is art a worthy vocation? 'Abdu'l-Baha turning to her impressively, said: Art is worship. An actor mentioned the drama, and its influence. The drama is of the utmost importance. said 'Abdu'l-Baha. It has been a great educational... As To Thy Question Concerning The Origin
As to thy question concerning the origin of creation. Know assuredly that God's creation hath existed from eternity, and will continue to exist forever. Its beginning hath had no beginning, and its end knoweth no end. His name, the Creator, presup... As To Thy Question Concerning The Worlds
As to thy question concerning the worlds of God. Know thou of a truth that the worlds of God are countless in their number, and infinite in their range. None can reckon or comprehend them except God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Consider thy sta... At Brooklands
The morning of the second day, a neighbour sent over her car asking if 'Abdu'l-Baha would not like to take his guests to the Brooklands aviation ground. Though it was windy, an aviator was on the track, when he heard who the visitor was offered to... At Byfleet
On the afternoon of September 9th, a number of working women of the Passmore Edwards' Settlement, who were spending their holidays with Miss Schepel and Miss Buckton at Vanners, in Byfleet, a village some twenty miles out of London, had the great ... At One Time We Address The People Of The Torah And Summon
At one time We address the people of the Torah and summon them unto Him Who is the Revealer of verses, Who hath come from Him Who layeth low the necks of men.... At another, We address the people of the Evangel and say: 'The All-Glorious is come i... Be Generous In Prosperity And Thankful In
Be generous in prosperity, and thankful in adversity. Be worthy of the trust of thy neighbor, and look upon him with a bright and friendly face. Be a treasure to the poor, an admonisher to the rich, an answerer of the cry of the needy, a preserver... Be Not Dismayed O Peoples Of The World
Be not dismayed, O peoples of the world, when the day star of My beauty is set, and the heaven of My tabernacle is concealed from your eyes. Arise to further My Cause, and to exalt My Word amongst men. We are with you at all times, and shall stren... Because Of You The Apostle (muhammad) Lamented,
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Behold the disturbances which, for many a long year, have afflicted the earth, and the perturbation that hath seized its peoples. It hath either been ravaged by war, or tormented by sudden and unforeseen calamities. Though the world is encompassed... Bestir Yourselves O People In Anticipation Of
Bestir yourselves, O people, in anticipation of the days of Divine justice, for the promised hour is now come. Beware lest ye fail to apprehend its import and be accounted among the erring. ... Better Conditions
After two years of the strictest confinement permission was granted me to find a house so that we could live outside the prison walls but still within the fortifications. Many believers came from Persia to join us but they were not allowed to do s... Beware O Believers In The Unity Of God
Beware, O believers in the Unity of God, lest ye be tempted to make any distinction between any of the Manifestations of His Cause, or to discriminate against the signs that have accompanied and proclaimed their Revelation. This indeed is the true... Blessed Art Thou O My Servant Inasmuch
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Blessed is the man that hath acknowledged his belief in God and in His signs, and recognized that "He shall not be asked of His doings." Such a recognition hath been made by God the ornament of every belief, and its very foundation. Upon it must d... Buddhism
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By Him Who is the Great Announcement! The All-Merciful is come invested with undoubted sovereignty. The Balance hath been appointed, and all them that dwell on earth have been gathered together. The Trumpet hath been blown, and lo, all eyes have s... By Him Who Is The Great Announcement! The All-merciful
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By the righteousness of God! These are the days in which God hath proved the hearts of the entire company of His Messengers and Prophets, and beyond them those that stand guard over His sacred and inviolable Sanctuary, the inmates of the celestial... Call Out To Zion, O Carmel, And Announce The
CALL out to Zion, O Carmel, and announce the joyful tidings: He that was hidden from mortal eyes is come! His all-conquering sovereignty is manifest; His all-encompassing splendour is revealed. Beware lest thou hesitate or halt. Hasten forth and c... Call Thou To Mind That Which Hath Been
Call thou to mind that which hath been revealed unto Mihdi, Our servant, in the first year of Our banishment to the Land of Mystery (Adrianople). Unto him have We predicted that which must befall Our House (Ba_gh_dad House), in the days to come, l... Call Thou To Mind The Behavior Of A_sh_raf's
Call thou to mind the behavior of A_sh_raf's mother, whose son laid down his life in the Land of Za (Zanjan). He, most certainly, is in the seat of truth, in the presence of One Who is the Most Powerful, the Almighty. When the infidels, so unjus... Call Thou To Remembrance O Land Of Ta
Call thou to remembrance, O Land of Ta (Tihran), the former days in which thy Lord had made thee the seat of His throne, and had enveloped thee with the effulgence of His glory. How vast the number of those sanctified beings, those symbols of cert... Call Thou To Remembrance Thine Arrival In
Call Thou to remembrance Thine arrival in the City (Constantinople), how the Ministers of the Sultan thought Thee to be unacquainted with their laws and regulations, and believed Thee to be one of the ignorant. Say: Yes, by My Lord! I am ignorant ... Christ And Baha'u'llah
A friend asked how the teachings of Baha'u'llah contrasted with the teachings of Jesus Christ. The teachings are the same. declared 'Abdu'l-Baha; It is the same foundation and the same temple. Truth is one, and without division. The teachings of J... Consider The Doubts Which They Who Have
Consider the doubts which they who have joined partners with God have instilled into the hearts of the people of this land. "Is it ever possible," they ask, "for copper to be transmuted into gold?" Say, Yes, by my Lord, it is possible. Its secret,... Consider The Former Generations Witness
Consider the former generations. Witness how every time the Day Star of Divine bounty hath shed the light of His Revelation upon the world, the people of His Day have arisen against Him, and repudiated His truth. They who were regarded as the lead... Consider The Past How Many Both High And
Consider the past. How many, both high and low, have, at all times, yearningly awaited the advent of the Manifestations of God in the sanctified persons of His chosen Ones. How often have they expected His coming, how frequently have they prayed t... Consider The Pettiness Of Men's Minds They
Consider the pettiness of men's minds. They ask for that which injureth them, and cast away the thing that profiteth them. They are, indeed, of those that are far astray. We find some men desiring liberty, and priding themselves therein. Such men ... Consider The Rational Faculty With Which
Consider the rational faculty with which God hath endowed the essence of man. Examine thine own self, and behold how thy motion and stillness, thy will and purpose, thy sight and hearing, thy sense of smell and power of speech, and whatever else i... Consider, Likewise, How Numerous At This Time Are The
CONSIDER, likewise, how numerous at this time are the monks who have secluded themselves in their churches, in My name, and who, when the appointed time came, and We unveiled to them Our beauty, failed to recognize Me, notwithstanding that they ca... Contemplate With Thine Inward Eye The
Contemplate with thine inward eye the chain of successive Revelations that hath linked the Manifestation of Adam with that of the Bab. I testify before God that each one of these Manifestations hath been sent down through the operation of the Divi... Converse With Departed Persons
The question was asked if it were possible to establish communication with the dead, and whether it was wise or advisable to attend seances or to engage in table-turning, spirit-rapping, etc. The Master said these rappings, etc., were all materi... Create In Me A Pure Heart, O My God, And Renew
Create in me a pure heart, O my God, and renew a tranquil conscience within me, O my Hope! Through the spirit of power confirm Thou me in Thy Cause, O my Best-Beloved, and by the light of Thy glory reveal unto me Thy path, O Thou the Goal of my de... Czar Alexander Ii
O CZAR of Russia! Incline thine ear unto the voice of God, the King, the Holy, and turn thou unto Paradise, the Spot wherein abideth He Who, among the Concourse on high, beareth the most excellent titles, and Who, in the kingdom of creation, is ca... Days In London
During 'Abdu'l-Baha's stay in Cadogan Gardens people arrived all day and every day, from early morning to nightfall, hoping for the privilege of seeing him and of hearing him talk. Many were the gatherings round the board of that hospitable house ...