Bahai 101

Lesson 2: The Life Of Baha'u'llah

Abd'u'lBaha

Abd'u'lBaha was given the responsibility of safe guarding the Faith after his father died. His title stands for Servant of God. Throughout his life, he sacrificed greatly to help others, brought about new standards to race for peace, and was a perfect example for us all.

"My name is `Abdu'l-Bahá [literally, Servant of Bahá]. My qualification is `Abdu'l-Bahá. My reality is `Abdu'l-Bahá. My praise is `Abdu'l-Bahá. Thraldom to the Blessed Perfection [Bahá'u'lláh] is my glorious and refulgent diadem, and servitude to all the human race my perpetual religion... No name, no title, no mention, no commendation have I, nor will ever have, except `Abdu'l-Bahá. This is my longing. This is my greatest yearning. This is my eternal life. This is my everlasting glory." (Abd'u'lBaha)

Abd'u'lBaha was born on May 23, 1844 in Iran. At eight years of age, he, along with his mother and younger brothers and sister were imprisoned with their father for holding to the beliefs of the Babi Faith. They were exiled with their father four times through long and treacherous journeys, from one imprisonment to another. Abdu'lBaha remained in these confinements for over forty years. In 1873, before Baha'ullah's passing, Abd'u'lBaha married Munirih Khanum. Together they had nine children, only four of which survived. When Baha'u'llah, Abd'u'lBaha's father, died in 1892, He wrote that Abd'u'lBaha would become the Center of the Covenant. This meant that Abd'u'lBaha's responsibility would be to safeguard the Faith. His wish was that Abd'u'lBaha would tell others of the message of universal peace in all regions of the world. His duties as the Center of the Covenant were not only to ensure the unity of the Bahai Faith, but also to preserve Baha'u'llah's writings in their original form. After Baha'u'llah's death, he became the sole guide for the communities.

Abd'u'lBaha was confined for another twenty years, being released in 1911. This was a result of the Young Turk Revolution that took place in Israel. With his freedom, he was able to transfer the Bab's remains to the Holy Land, in Haifa, Israel. Here, he was able to build a shrine on Mount Carmel for the remains. He then began to journey to Egypt, Europe and North America. In each of these places, he told many about Baha'u'llah's vision for a moral change in society, as well as the spiritual and social principles set by Baha'u'llah. He gave hundreds of talks, and it is said that he did not rest for one night, despite his frailty. He gave to charities wherever he stopped, and was an example of sacrifice to all. He traveled from 1911-1913, eventually returning to the Holy Land. Outside of the Bahai Faith, he has been recognized for his large amount of humanitarian work. He was knighted by the British Government in 1920 for his relief work that took place in Palestine after World War I. He passed away in Haifa, Israel on November 29, 1921. His remains are placed in the northern part of the Shrine in which he built for the Bab. Today, Abd'u'lBaha is still recognized as the perfect example, in which every Bahai should strive to be like. With his passing, he left stories from Bahais and those who knew him. These include memoirs of his attriubutes and spiritual qualities, as well as the large amount of work in which he did for those in need. Those who knew him would say that by being in his presence, he changed their lives. He was one whose sacrifice towards the Faith and his love towards mankind radiated off of him.

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