The birth of `Abdu'l-Bahá in a rented house near the Shimrán Gate in Tihrán. He was born at midnight. [AB9, SoG3-4]
• He was known as `Abbás Effendi outside the Bahá'í community.
• Bahá'u'lláh gave Him the titles Ghusn-i-A`zam (the Most Great Branch), Sirru'lláh (Mystery of God) and Áqá (the Master). [BBD2, 19, 87, 89]
• Sarkár-i-Áqá (the Honourable Master) was a title of `Abdu'l-Bahá. [BBD201]
• He Himself chose the title `Abdu'l-Bahá (Servant of Bahá) after the passing of Bahá'u'lláh. [BBD2]

Bahá'u'lláh's imprisonment in the Síyáh-Chál
• See AB10–11, BBD211–12, BKG79–83, CH41–2, DB631–3, GPB109 and RB1:9 for a description of the prison and the conditions suffered by the prisoners.
• No food or drink was given to Bahá'u'lláh for three days and nights. [DB608]
• Photo of the entrance to the Siyah-Chal (Black-Pit) where Baha'u'llah was imprisoned in Tehran.
• Bahá'u'lláh remained in the prison for four months. [CH41; ESW20, 77; GPB104; TN31]
• A silent video presentation on Bahá'u'lláh's time in the Síyáh-Chál made for the 150th anniversary of the event.
• "Upon Our arrival We were first conducted along a pitch-black corridor, from whence We descended three steep flights of stairs to the place of confinement assigned to Us. The dungeon was wrapped in thick darkness, and Our fellow prisoners numbered nearly a hundred and fifty souls: thieves, assassins and highwaymen. Though crowded, it had no other outlet than the passage by which We entered. No pen can depict that place, nor any tongue describe its loathsome smell. Most of these men had neither clothes nor bedding to lie on. God alone knoweth what befell Us in that most foul-smelling and gloomy place!" [ESW20-21]
• See CH42–3 for the effect of Bahá'u'lláh's imprisonment on His wife and children. Friends and even family were afraid to be associated with His immediate family. During this period Mírzá Músá helped the family surreptitiously and Mírzá Yúsif, who was married to Bahá'u'lláh's cousin, a Russian citizen and a friend of the Russian Consul, was less afraid of repercussions for his support of them.
• They were also assisted by Isfandíyár, the family's black servant that had been emancipated in 1839 on the order of Bahá'u'lláh. This man's life was in great danger. At one time they had 150 policemen looking for him but he managed to evade capture. They thought that if they questioned (tortured) Isfandíyár he would reveal Bahá'u'lláh's nefarious plots. [SoW Vol IX April 28, 1918 p38-39]
• Another who helped the family was Mírzá Muhammad Tabrizi who rented a house for them in Sangelak. [PG122]
• 'Abdu'l-Bahá, as a child of eight, was attacked in the street of Tihrán. [DB616]
• See AB11–12, RB1:9 for 'Abdu'l-Bahá's account of His visit to His father.
• Bahá'u'lláh's properties were plundered. [CH41; RB1:11]
• See BBD4–5; DB663; BKG94–8 and Bahá'í Stories for the story of 'Abdu'l-Vahháb-i-Shírází who was martyred while being held in the Síyáh-Chál.
• See BBD190, 200 and ESW77 about the two chains with which Bahá'u'lláh was burdened while in the Síyáh-Chál. Five other Bábís were chained to Him day and night. [CH41]
• Bahá'u'lláh had some 30 or 40 companions. [BBIC:6, CH41]
• For the story of His faithful follower and his martyrdom, 'Abdu'l-Vahháb see TF116-119.
• An attempt was made to poison Him. The attempt failed but His health was impaired for years following. [BBIC:6; BKG99–100, GPB72]
• Bahá'u'lláh's half-brother Mírzá Yahyá fled to Tákur and went into hiding. He eventually went to Baghdád. [BKG90, 107, CH41]

Bahá'u'lláh and His family departed for Baghdád after a one month respite in the home of his half-brother Mírzá Ridá-Qulí. During the three-month journey Bahá'u'lláh was accompanied by His wife Navváb (Who was six weeks from giving birth upon departure.) His eldest son 'Abdu'l-Bahá (9), Bahíyyih Khánum (7) and two of His brothers, Mírzá Músá and Mírzá Muhammad-Qulí. Mírzá Mihdí (2), was very delicate and so was left behind with the grandmother of the child, the mother of Àsíyih Khánum. They were escorted by an officer of the Persian imperial bodyguard and an official representing the Russian legation. [BKG102–5; GPB108; MM31; RoL165]
In a letter sent on behalf of the Universal House of Justice dated 1998-10-14 it is stated that there is very little historical information on who took care of Mírzá Mihdí until he was transported to Baghdad to rejoin the Holy Family.
• CH44–5 says the family had ten days after Bahá'u'lláh's release to prepare for the journey to Iraq.
• 'Never had the fortunes of the Faith proclaimed by the Báb sunk to a lower ebb'. [DB651]
• This exile compares to the migration of Muhammad, the exodus of Moses and the banishment of Abraham. [GPB107–8]
• See BKG104 and GPB108–9 for conditions on the journey. During His crossing of the Atlantic on his way from Naples to New York He said the His feet had become frostbitten during the trip to Baghdad. [SYH52; Light of Faith: A collection of stories by Paris Sadeghzadeh and Behnam Golmohammadi p84-86]
• Bahá'u'lláh's black servant, Isfandíyár, who had managed to evade capture during this dark period, after he had paid all the debts to various merchants, went to Mazandaran where he was engaged by the Governor. Years later when his master made a pilgrimage to Iraq Isfandíyár met Bahá'u'lláh and stated his preference to return to His service. Bahá'u'lláh said that he owed his master a debt of gratitude and could not leave his employ without his permission. It was not granted and Isfandíyár returned to Mazandaran and stayed with the Governor until his passing. [PUP428; SoW IX 28 April, 1918 p38-39]
• Also see A Gift of Love Offered to the Greatest Holy Leaf (compiled and edited by Gloria Faizi, 1982), by Hand of the Cause Abu'l-Qasim Faizi, which includes a brief summary of the character of Isfandiyar and his services to the Holy Family on pages 14-16.

It was during the Baghdad period that 'Abdu'l-Bahá became conscious to the station of His Father.

"The Bab states that the first one to believe in a Manifestation of God is the essence of the achievement of the preceding dispensation; and so, 'Abdu'l-Baha, the first to believe with His whole being in the Mission of His Father, was the most eminent representative of the virtues called forth by the Bab." [AB13]

• See a letter from the Universal Housed of Justice dated 20 June 1991 para 7 where "the first person to recognize Bahá'u'lláh as a Manifestation of God" is discussed.

Thirty–one days after Naw-Rúz, which in this year fell on 22 March, Bahá'u'lláh left His house for the last time and walked to the Najíbíyyih Garden, afterward known as the Garden of Ridván (Paradise). This garden was on an island in the Tigris River and belonged to the governor of Baghdad, Najib Pásha. The river has since changed its course and the island is now a park on the north bank of the Tigris. [C3MT15]
• See BKG168, GPB149, RB1:260–1 and SA234–5 for details of His walk.
• For the first time, He wore a tall táj as a symbol of His station. [BBD221; BKG176; GPB152]
• Bahá'u'lláh entered the Garden just as the call to afternoon prayer was being made. [GPB149; RB1:261]
• On this day Bahá'u'lláh declared His mission to a few of His disciples. [RB1:260, 262]
• On the afternoon of Bahá'u'lláh's arrival at the Garden He revealed the Lawh-i-Ayyúb (Tablet of Job) (also known as the Súriy-i-Sabr (Súrat of Patience), Madínatu's-Sabr (City of Patience) and Súrat Ayyúb for Hájí Muhammad-i-Taqíy-i-Nayrízí whom He surnamed Ayyúb (Job). He was a veteran of the battle of Nayríz. The Tablet praised Vahíd and the believers of Nayríz. [SA239; Tablet of Patience (Surih Íabr): Declaration of Bahá'u'lláh and Selected Topics by Foad Seddigh]
• He also revealed the Tablet of Ridván, an Arabic tablet beginning with "He is seated upon this luminous throne.... [SA239]
• ...and Húr-i-'Ujáb (The Wondrous Maiden). [SA239]
• ...as well as Qad atá Rabí'u'l-Bayán, ...The Divine Springtime is come.... [SA240]
• and an Arabic Tablet that begins...When the gladness of God seized all else. [SA240]
• 'Of the exact circumstances … we, alas, are but scantily informed.' [BKG173; GPB153]
• For such details as are known, see BKG173–5 and GPB153. iiiii
• For the import of the event, see BKG169–73; G27–35; GBP153–5.
• This initiated the holy day of the First Day of Ridván, to be celebrated on 21 April. [BBD196]
• This marked the end of the dispensation of the Báb and of the first epoch of the Heroic or Apostolic Age of the Bahá'í dispensation. [BBD72, 79]
On the same day Bahá'u'lláh made three important statements to His followers:
1. He forbade the use of the sword.
2. He stated that no other Manifestations will appear before one thousand years. This was later reiterated in the Kitáb-i-Badí' and in The Kitáb-i-Aqdas.
3. He stated that, as from that moment, all the names and attributes of God were manifested within all created things, implying the advent of a new Day. [RB1:278–80]

During the 12 days in the Ridván Garden Bahá'u'lláh confided to 'Abdu'l-Bahá that He was 'Him Whom God shall make manifest'. [CH82]

• See CH82–3 for the effect of this announcement on 'Abdu'l-Bahá.

'Abdu'l-Bahá wrote the Sharh-i Kuntu Kanzan Makhfiyan, the commentary on the well-known Islamic tradition 'I was a Hidden Treasure …' for 'Alí Shawkat Páshá.
• See Commentary on the Islamic Tradition "I Was a Hidden Treasure..." by Abdu'l-Bahá translated by Moojan Momen. In the article, he refers to another provisional translation done by Baharieh Ma'ani in collaboration with Hooper Dunbar.
• See 'Abdu'l-Bahá's Response to the Doctrine of the Unity of Existence by Keven Brown Fourth Section.
• See as well BNE52. Here, 'Abdu'l-Bahá is described as "about fifteen or sixteen years of age".
• Mention of this Tablet is made in Messages to Canada, p34-35, where, in a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, it is stated that the Tablet is about 50 pages in length and had been published in 'Abdu'l-Bahá's second volume of His Tablets published in Egypt.
• A Tablet of Baháʼuʼlláh, recently discovered by Necati Alkan and available in provisional translation by Adib Masumian, indicates that it was written during the sojourn in Edirne. The original text has been published in Safíniy-i-ʻIrfán, vol. 6, p. 10 (2003). In the Tablet Bahá'u'lláh says that Ali (Şevket/Shawkat) Pasha requested 'Abdu'l-Bahá to write His commentary "during the days of stopover/residence in the Land of Mystery" (dar ayyám-i tavaqquf dar Ard-i Sirr).

  And now concerning the extensive commentary on the Islamic tradition which begins, "I was a hidden treasure…" During the days of Our sojourn in the Land of Mystery, ʻAlí Páshá had asked the Most Mighty Branch of God—may My life be a sacrifice for the ground which His most pure footsteps have trodden—to provide a commentary on this hadith. This He did in accordance with the exigencies of the time, and His purpose was that all may benefit from it…

  As per a 1995 article prepared for The Bahá'í Encyclopedia, it was previously believed that 'Abdu'l-Bahá was 17 years old at the time of writing, if so, this would have dated the Tablet at about 1861. Given that this new evidence proves that it was written in Edirne, He would have been 19 years old but more probably in his early twenties. [Thanks to Necati Alkan for providing this correction and to Adib Masumian for doing the translation at his request.] iiiii

Bahá'u'lláh revealed the Kitáb-i-Badí', the Munájátháy-i-Síyám (Prayers for Fasting), the first Tablet to Napoleon III, the Lawh-i-Sultán written to Násiri'd-Dín Sháh, and the Súriy-i-Ra'ís. [BKG245; GBP172]
• The Súriy-i-Ra'ís was published in the Summons of the Lord of Hosts. See Wikipedia for a synopsis of this Tablet.
• See RB2:370–82 for details of the Kitáb-i-Badí'.
• Bahá'u'lláh revealed the Súriy-i-Ghusn (Tablet of the Branch) in which 'Abdu'l-Bahá's future station was foreshadowed. [BBD218; BKG250; GPB177; GWB39]
• See RB2:338–9 for a description of the Tablet.
• It was probably about this time that the first Lawh-i-Salmán was revealed for Shaykh Salmán. [RoB2p281-290; Uplifting Words ]

Three Azalís were murdered by seven Bahá'ís in 'Akká. [BBD163; BKG3256 DH41; GPB189; RB3:235]
• Siyyid Muhammad Isfahání, Nasr'ulláh Tafríshí, Áqá Ján Ka'j Kuláh and Ridá Qulí, these four kept vigil from the second story window of a building overlooking the land gate to ensure no followers of Bahá'u'lláh would have access to the prison city. For some time they had been successful at preventing the entrance of pilgrims, some of whom who had spend some six months even traveling on foot. This also precluded the possibility of communications from 'Akká reaching the believers in other lands. After two years and a few months, Bahá'u'lláh was released from the His cell and was free to walk among the prison population. Some of the friends, including Salmání, decided to get rid of these enemies and, during the night, went to their place and killed Siyyid Muhammad, Áqá Ján and another person. [Sweet and Enchanting Stories, Aziz Rohani, p. 31.]
• Bahá'u'lláh was taken to the Governorate where He was interrogated and held for 70 hours. [BKG317-330; GBP190; RB3:234-239, AB34-36]
• `Abdu'l-Bahá was thrown into prison and kept in chains the first night. Twenty–five of the companions were also imprisoned and shackled. [BKG328; GBP190; RB3:237]
• See BKG331, GPB191 and RB3:238 for the effect of the murders on the local population.
• Ilyás `Abbúd put a barricade between his house and the house of `Údí Khammár, which he had rented for use by Bahá'u'lláh's family. [BKG331; GPB191]
• See BKG330; DH44 and RB3:239 for the fate of the murderers, who were imprisoned for seven years.
• Siyyid Muḥammad-i-Isfahání has been described by Shoghi Effendi as the "Antichrist of the Bahá'í Revelation." He was a man of corrupt character and great personal ambition who had induced Mírzá Yaḥyá to oppose Bahá'u'lláh and to claim prophethood for himself. Although he was an adherent of Mírzá Yaḥyá, Siyyid Muḥammad was one of the four Azalis exiled with Bahá'u'lláh to 'Akká. He continued to agitate and plot against Bahá'u'lláh. In describing the circumstances of his death, Shoghi Effendi has written in God Passes By:

  A fresh danger now clearly threatened the life of Bahá'u'lláh. Though He Himself had stringently forbidden His followers, on several occasions, both verbally and in writing, any retaliatory acts against their tormentors, and had even sent back to Beirut an irresponsible Arab convert, who had meditated avenging the wrongs suffered by his beloved Leader, seven of the companions clandestinely sought out and slew three of their persecutors, among whom were Siyyid Muḥammad and Áqá Ján.

  The consternation that seized an already oppressed community was indescribable. Bahá'u'lláh's indignation knew no bounds. "Were We," He thus voices His emotions, in a Tablet revealed shortly after this act had been committed, "to make mention of what befell Us, the heavens would be rent asunder and the mountains would crumble." "My captivity," He wrote on another occasion, "cannot harm Me. That which can harm Me is the conduct of those who love Me, who claim to be related to Me, and yet perpetrate what causeth My heart and My pen to groan." [GPB189-190]

• The Lawh-i Istintaq ("Tablet of the Interrogation") was revealed.

Marriage of `Abdu'l-Bahá to Munírih Khánum in the House of `Abbúd.
• DH45 says the marriage took place in late August or September 1872.
• See CH87–90, SES25-26, DH45–6 and RB2:208–9 for details of the wedding.
• For the story of Munírih Khánum's life see RB2:204–9.
• She was the daughter of Mírzá Muhammad-`Alíy-i-Nahrí by his second wife. [BBD165; GPB130; RB2:204]
• See BBD 166, BKG340–1, DB208–9 and RB2:203–4 for the story of her conception.
• See BKG344, MA112–13 and RB2:206–7 for the story of her first marriage.
• The marriage resulted in nine children, five of whom died in childhood: Husayn Effendi (died 1887, aged two), Mihdí (died aged two-and-a-half), Túbá, Fu'ádiyyih and Rúhangíz. Four daughters grew to adulthood. The oldest of these was Díyá'iyyih, who married Mírzá Hádí Shírází in 1895. Shoghi Effendi was their eldest child. The second daughter, Túbá Khánum, married Mírzá Muhsin Afnán. The third daughter of `Abdu'l-Bahá, Rúhá, married Mírzá Jalál, the son of Mírzá Muhammad-Hasan, the King of Martyrs. The fourth daughter, Munavvar, married Mírzá Ahmad. [ABMM]

`Abdu'l-Bahá rented a small garden near `Akká for Bahá'u'lláh's use. [BBD196–7; DH95]
• See DH95 for its situation.
• This garden on the river Na`mayn was later named Ridván by Bahá'u'lláh. [DH95]

At the request of Baha'u'lláh,`Abdu'l-Bahá wrote The Mysterious Forces of Civilization, a treatise on the establishment of a just, progressive and divinely-based government. [SDCv; Baha'u'llah on the Circumstances of the Composition of "The Secret of Divine Civilization" a provisional translation of a Tablet by Bahá'u'lláh by Adib Masumian]
• It was lithographed in Bombay in 1882. It was first published in English under the title The Mysterious Forces of Civilization in London in 1910. [SDCv] It was re-issued in 1918 and later translated as The Secret of Divine Civilization by Marzieh Gail and published by the Bahá'í Publishing Trust in Wilmette in 1957.
• See Marzieh Gail's Summon Up Remembrance pg46-47 for a description of Persia at the time. The nation was ostensibly ruled by a self-serving monarch who had little regard for the county or its people. The government administered the chessboard where Russia and England played out their competing imperialistic designs to increase their respective spheres of influence. Through bribery and intrigue, they contended to raise up ministers who would do their bidding. They thwarted the progress of the nation by manipulating the clergy to oppose any Western ideas, threatening that such would threaten Islam. If required these measures were supplemented with the bribery of the ulamas, accepted eagerly either for their personal gain or for contributions to their communities. Thus Iranians were kept divided, deprived, and ignorant; all the better to exploit them. [SUR62]
• Shoghi Effendi called The Secret of Divine Civilization "`Abdu'l-Bahá's outstanding contribution to the future reorganization of the world". [WOB37]
• See the English translation of the message of the Universal House of Justice to the Bahá'ís of Iran dated 26 November 2003 in which they make reference to this book.
• See a comment about the book.

`Abdu'l-Bahá held a banquet for the notables of `Akká in a pine grove near Bahjí. [BKG358; DH54, 87]
• He received permission from its Christian owner, Jirjis al-Jamál. [DH54]
• The acceptance of the invitation by the notables signalled the fact that the firmán of `Abdu'l-`Azíz, though still in force, was a dead letter. [DH54; GPB193]

Bahá'u'lláh visited the Druze village of Yirkih (Yerka). `Abdu'l-Bahá joined Him for the last four nights. [DH123]
• See DH123 for other Druze villages visited by Bahá'u'lláh.

`Abdu'l-Bahá wrote A Traveller's Narrative. [TN40]
• A translation into English by E. G. Browne was published in New York, 1930 by the Bahá'í Publishing Committee.

The passing of the wife of Bahá'u'lláh, Ásíyih Khánum, entitled Navváb (the Most Exalted Leaf) in the House of `Abbúd. [BBD170; BKG369; DH57, 213]
• See CB119–20 for comments on her nature and station and for Tablets revealed by Bahá'u'lláh in her honour.
• See CH39-40 for a description of her by Lady Bloomfield.
• After her passing Bahá'u'lláh revealled a Tablet for her in which He called her his `perpetual consort in all the worlds of God'. [GPB108]
• See CB120–1 for `Abdu'l-Bahá's commentary on Isaiah 54, which refers to Navváb.
• She was interred in the Bahá'í section of the Muslim cemetery. [BBD170; DH57, 81]
• Muhammad-Yúsuf Páshá demanded that `Abdu'l-Bahá vacate the house of `Abbúd even during Navváb's illness. [BKG369]

Bahá'u'lláh revealed the Kitáb-i-`Ahd. [BBD32; CB142; GPB236–40, BKG420–5; RB4:419–20]
• It was probably written at least one year before His Ascension. CB142]
• In it Bahá'u'lláh alluded to Epistle to the Son of the Wolf as the `Crimson Book'. [DG16; ESW32; GPB238]
• In Kitáb-i-`Ahd Bahá'u'lláh explicitly appointed `Abdu'l-Bahá His successor, the Centre of the Covenant and the Expounder of the revealed word. [BKG420; GPB239]

The Ascension of Bahá'u'lláh  

Bahá'u'lláh passed away at Bahjí in His seventy–fifth year. [AB47; BBRXXIX, 233; BKG420; CB148; GPB221; RB4:411]

"The news of His ascension was instantly communicated to Sultán 'Abdu'l-Hamíd by 'Abdu'l-Bahá in a telegram which began with the words "the Sun of Bahá has set". [GPB222; AB47; BKG420]

• He cited these last words, two verses from the Kitáb-i-Aqdas:

  "Say: Let not your hearts be perturbed, O people, when the glory of My Presence is withdrawn, and the ocean of My utterance is stilled. In My presence amongst you there is a wisdom, and in My absence there is yet another, inscrutable to all but God, the Incomparable, the All-Knowing. Verily, We behold you from Our realm of glory, and shall aid whosoever will arise for the triumph of Our Cause with the hosts of the Concourse on high and a company of Our favoured angels."

  "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 strengthen you through the power of truth. We are truly almighty. Whoso hath recognized Me will arise and serve Me with such determination that the powers of earth and heaven shall be unable to defeat his purpose." [GWB137]

• For an account by Túbá Khánum see CH105–9.
• Bahá'u'lláh had spent 23 years, 8 months and 29 (or 30) days in the Holy Land. [DH12]
• He passed away eight hours after sunset. [GPB221; UD170]
• Shortly after sunset, on the very day of His passing, Bahá'u'lláh was buried beneath the floor of the northermost room in the house adjacent to the mansion of Bahjí, the house which had served as a dwelling-place for His son-in-law, Háji Siyyid 'Ali Afnán. This became the Qiblih of the Bahá'í Faith. [AB47; BBD211; BKG427; GPB222]
• See CB149 and RB4:149 for the effect of Bahá'u'lláh's ascension on`Abdu'l-Bahá.
• See ARG71-72 for `Abdu'l-Bahá's account of His attempt to convince Mírzá Muhammad-'Alí to be faithful to the Covenant.
• See CoC132-134; AB52–3, CB148–9, 152-153 and RB4:148–9 for the theft of Bahá'u'lláh's cases containing His seals, papers and other items. See as well An Epistle to the Bahá'í World by Mirza Badi'u'llah, page 13, written during his short-life period of confession/redemption.
  • One of the documents in these cases was the original Long Obligatory Prayer that had been mentioned in the Kitab-i-Aqdas. Bahá'u'lláh had revealed the text but did not release it in order to avoid provoking conflict with Muslims. [Prayer and Worship by John Walbridge]
  • The box also contained a valuable ring and a rosary. "The ring was sold by Mírzá Muhammad-`Alí in the course of his journey in India and spent as travel money. And Mírzá Badi`u'llah wasted the rosary." [MBBA214
• See AB52–61, CB148–51 and RB4:148–54 for the Covenant-breaking activities of Bahá'u'lláh's family immediately following His death.
• For 'Abdu'l-Bahá's description of His Father see BWF220-224.
• See GPB222–3 for the mourning following the ascension of Bahá'u'lláh.
• See BBR234–6 for a list of Europeans who had met Bahá'u'lláh.

On the ninth day after Bahá'u'lláh's passing the Will and Testament of Bahá'u'lláh, the Kitáb-i-`Ahd (The Crimson Book) was read at Bahjí before a large assembly in His Most Holy Tomb. [AB51–2; BBD132; CB150; DH113; GPB238; RB4:419–20, BKG420-425]
• In it Bahá'u'lláh explicitly appointed `Abdu'l-Bahá His successor, the Centre of the Covenant and the Expounder of the revealed word. [BKG420; GPB239]
• The Kitab-i-'Ahd (The Book of the Covenant), was only document that explicitly announced 'Abdu'l-Bahá as the Centre of the Covenant of Bahá'u'lláh and the one to whom all must turn after His ascension. It was published among the believers only after Bahá'u'lláh's passing. This historic document was probably written at least one year before His ascension, for it is alluded to in the Epistle to the Son of the Wolf as the 'Crimson Book'. Bahá'u'lláh kept His Will and Testament secret, retained it in His own possession and did not share its contents with anyone during His lifetime. But there is evidence to suggest that He had intimated its contents to 'Abdu'l-Bahá. [CoCp29]
• See CB150, 164 for the effect this had on the believers.

`Abdu'l-Bahá sent a message to the Bahá'ís of the world calling for steadfastness. [AB48–9; DH113]
• This was `Abdu'l-Bahá's first message to the Bahá'í world. [AB48–9; CH110]
• For the text of the message see AB48–9, CH110–11, DH113 and SWAB17–18.

`Abdu'l-Bahá wrote Risáliy-i-Siyásiyyih (variously translated as "Treatise on Politics", "A Treatise on Statesmanship" and "Treatise on Leadership"). [ABMM] He wrote it in response to the crisis in Persia known as the Tobacco Revolt which was an insurrection against the Shah for having granted the tobacco monopoly to British interests at the expense of Persian farmers and businessmen.

The Treatise was the first policy statement of `Abdu'l-Bahá upon taking the reins of the leadership of the Bahá'í community. It shows His alarm at the increasing involvement of religious leaders and communities in this populist movement against the civil Iranian state and cites the way past such religious populist movements have led to foreign intervention or increased absolutism (e.g. the `Urabi Revolt in Egypt and the 1876 Constitutional Revolution in Istanbul). `Abdu'l-Bahá argues forcefully for a separation of religion and state as a basis for Bahá'í non-involvement in such anti-state violence.

• See Treatise on Leadership by 'Abdu'l-Bahá as translated by Juan Cole.
• It was published in Bombay in Farsi in 1893. No English translation has been published to date, apart from the provisional translation referred to above. [CEBF273]
• Hand of the Cause Ibn-i-Asdaq was the messenger that delivered 'Abdu'l-Bahá's Tablet to the Shah and other notables in Iran. [EB176]

Díyá'íyyih Khánum, the eldest daughter of `Abdu'l-Bahá, married Mírzá Hádí Afnán of Shíráz. [BW4:234 (GENEALOGY); DH59–60]
• These are the parents of Shoghi Effendi.
• For a picture of Díyá'íyyih Khánum see MA105.

`Abdu'l-Bahá rented the former Governorate of `Abdu'lláh Páshá in the northwest corner of the city of `Akká at the inner moat. [BBD13, 108; DH60]
• He established it as His residence and as the home for His daughters, their husbands and families. [DH60-4, BW16:104]
• See also BW16:104–6, DH60–4.

The first Western pilgrims arrived in `Akká. [AB68; BBD13; BBRXXX; DH214; GPB257; SCU13; Bahá'í Teachings]
• See MBBA146-152 for a description of how arrangements were made to accommodate the Western visitors in a relatively new city with no hotels and few houses. The city was built to accommodate the construction of the Suez Canal which had been completed in 1869. Other sources indicate that the pilgrims were accommodated in Cairo.
• 'Abdu'l-Bahá expressed His appreciation to Mírzá Áqá Nuri'd-Din for his service in accommodating the Western pilgrims. His Tablet seems to indicate that he was kept in place for that purpose. [MBBA152]
• They divided themselves into three parties, using Cairo as a staging post. [AB68; BFA1:143; SBBH1:93]
• See AB68–72; BFA2:9; DH61; GPB257, 259 for those included in the pilgrimage group.
• Included were Mrs Hearst's nieces, a few American friends and, joining in London, Mrs Mary Thornburgh-Cropper and her mother. [SCU13. CH234-236; LDNW15]
• In Paris the group was joined by two nieces of Mrs Hearst, Mrs Thornburgh, her daughter Miriam Thornburgh-Cropper and May Bolles. [AB68]
• LDNW15 says that Ella Goodall and Nell Hillyer and May Bolles joined the party in Paris.
• There were further additions in Egypt. [AB68]
• See BFA1:143–4 for those included in the first group.
• Among the group was Robert Turner, the first member of the Black race to become a Bahá'í. For 35 years, Turner faithfully served as butler to Phoebe Apperson Hearst and Senator George Hearst, parents of newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst. [AB72; BBD227; BFA1:139; GPB259]
• `Abdu'l-Bahá received the pilgrims in the House of `Abdu'lláh Páshá. [BBD13, 108; DH61]
• See AB68–71; BW16:104–5; CH235–6 and GPB257–9 for the pilgrims' responses to the pilgrimage.
• Edward Getsinger made a recording of `Abdu'l-Bahá chanting a prayer. [BFA1:160]
• Getsinger also took photographs that he later tinted and published as an album. [LDNW16]
• On the 18th of January, 1899, Lua received her first Tablet from 'Abdu'l-Bahá, in fact, it was the first Tablet addressed to a North American believer. [LGHC23]
• See TF31-52 for details of Lua Getsinger's pilgrim experience and TF44-46 for 'Abdu'l-Bahá's parting remarks to the pilgrims.
• The Getsingers returned from the pilgrimage with an Arabic copy of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas which was later translated by Anton Haddad. They departed on the 23rd of March, 1899. [BFA2:11; LGHC30]
• See Star of the West, vol. VII, No. 4 or "Lua Getsinger - Herald of the Covenant" By Amine DeMille for a description of how 'Abdu'l-Bahá gave Lua the power to speak eloquently. [LDNW15] iiiii

The first Tablets of `Abdu'l-Bahá arrived in America. [BFA1:143]
• See BFA1:143 for the recipients.

`Abdu'l-Bahá, accompanied by Kheiralla, laid the foundation stone for the Shrine of the Báb. [BFA1:XXVIII, 142; BBD209; GPB275; SBBH2:112; LWS148]
• In spite of the honours 'Abdu'l-Bahá had heaped upon him, Kheiralla joined forces with the Covenant-breakers while in 'Akká and started to make false claims causing discord and distress among the Bahá'ís as soon as he returned to America. [LDNW]

Edward and Lua Getsinger departed Akká and arrived in New York City on the 20th of May. [LGHC30]
• Prior to her leaving 'Abdu'l-Bahá took a piece of bread, put some honey on it and told her to eat it, saying as He did so, "let all of your words be as sweetly flavoured by kindness to al people as this bread is flavoured by honey". She wrote that at that moment she felt as she swallowed that bread as if she had received a great spiritual blessing. LGHC25]
• For His parting address to them see [LGHC27-28]
• They brought with them a photograph of 'Abdu'l-Bahá as young man, a copy of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas in Arabic, a calligraphic rendering of the Greatest Name and a phonographic recording of the Master's voice. They left the record player in Akká for the Holy Family. [LGHC30]

`Abdu'l-Bahá began to build the foundations of the Shrine of the Báb. [CB223]
• Note that the number 8 is prominent in the design of the Shrine of the Báb and the gardens. Mr. Giachery noted that Shoghi Effendi reported 'Abdu'l-Bahá to have said that it was because the Báb was the eighth Manifestation of those religions whose followers still exist. [SER84]

`Abdu'l-Bahá wrote His Will and Testament over this seven-year period. [AB124–5, 484; BBD236]
• It was written in three parts. [AB124–5, 484; BBD236]
• It `may be regarded as the offspring resulting from that mystic intercourse between Him Who had generated the forces of a God-given Faith and the One Who had been made its sole Interpreter and was recognized as its perfect Exemplar'. [GPB325]
• Shoghi Effendi calls the Will the "Charter of the New World Order". [WOB144]
• For an analysis of its content and its import see AB484–93 and GPB325–8.
• For a photo of the opening pages of 'Abdu'l-Bahá's Will and Testament see Bahá'í Media Bank.

Sultán `Abdu'l-Hamíd re-imposed the restrictions confining `Abdu'l-Bahá and His brothers within the walls of `Akká. [AB94; CB226–7; DH67–8; GBP264]
• This was the result of mischief stirred up by Mírzá Muhammad-`Alí. [AB92–5; CB227; GBP264]
• See as well An Epistle to the Bahá'í World by Mirza Badi'u'llah, page 18.
• `Abdu'l-Bahá was subjected to long interviews and detailed questioning. [AB95; GPB2645]
• For the continued mischief and false allegations of the Covenant-breakers see CB227–30 and GBP265–7.
• `Abdu'l-Bahá suspended the visits of the pilgrims for a time. [GBP267]
• He directed that all the Bahá'í writings in the possession of His family and secretaries be transferred to Egypt and has His mail redirected through an agent in Egypt. [GBP267]
• For the work of `Abdu'l-Bahá whilst in confinement 1901–8 see CB231–44 and GBP267–9.

Construction began on the Mashriqu'l-Adhkár of `Ishqábád with the laying of its cornerstone. [BFA2:116-17; YSxvii]
• BBRXXX says this was 12 December. The discrepancy may lie in the use of two different calendars.
• The foundation stone was laid in the presence of General Subotich, governor-general of Turkistan. [BFA2:116–17; GPB300; see discussion of Krupatkin vs Subotich in The City of Love: Ishqábád and the Institution of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkár by Bruce Whitmore] Also see BBR442-443 for the account of a Russian official, A D Kalmykov who says it was General Subotich.
• `Abdu'l-Bahá commissioned Hájí Mírzá Muhammad-Taqí, the Vakílu'd-Dawlih, son of Hájí Siyyid Muhammad, the uncle of the Báb for whom Bahá'u'lláh had revealed The Kitáb-i-Íqán, to be in charge of the project. He largely paid for it. [AB109]
• `Abdu'l-Bahá Himself delineated the general design and a Russian architect, Volkov, planned and executed the details of the construction. [AB109–10; Universal House of Justice 20 June 1991 para 8]
• A meeting hall and some of its dependencies had been built before 1900.
• The dependencies included two Bahá'í schools, a travellers' hostel, a medical dispensary and Hazíratu'l-Quds. [BBD122; BBR442; BBRSM:91]
• For a Western account of this see BBR442–3.
• See jacket of BBR for a photograph of work on the Temple.
• See the message of the Universal House of Justice dated 1 August, 2014 for more on the Mashriqu'l-Adhkár in `Ishqábád.
Specifics

Location: In the heart of the city of `Ishqábád
Foundation Stone: Late 1902 by General Subotich, the governor-general of Turkistan who had been delegated by the Czar to represent him.
Construction Period: Initial step had been undertaken during the lifetime of Bahá'u'lláh. Superstructure: 1902 – 1907. External Ornamentation: 1919
Site Dedication: No record of a dedication ceremony on completion of the building can be found although the external ornamentation was completed in 1919 it is probable that the building had been in use for some years by this time.
Architects: `Abdu'l-Bahá Himself delineated the general design. More specific design was by Ustad Ali-Akbar-i-Banna and a Russian architect, Volkov, planned and executed the details of the construction under the supervision of Hájí Mírzá Muhammad-Taqí, the son of Hájí Siyyid Muhammad, the uncle of the Báb for whom Bahá'u'lláh had revealed The Kitáb-i-Íqán. [AB109]
Seating:
Dimensions:
Cost:
Dependencies: two Bahá'í schools, a travellers' hostel, a medical dispensary and Hazíratu'l-Quds
Expropriation:1928
Lease period: – 1938
Seizure; the building was turned into an art gallery
Earthquake: 1948
Demolition: August 1963 the Universal House of Justice announced that it had been demolished by the authorities and the site cleared.
References: AB109, BW14p479-481, GPB300-301, CEBF236, EB266-268, MF126-128

`Abdu'l-Bahá commissioned the second restoration of the House of the Báb in Shíráz under the supervision of Áqá Mírzá Áqá, an Afnán and a nephew of `Abdu'l-Bahá. He had closed his business affairs in Egypt and moved his entire family to Shiraz to handle the project. Having been raised in the House Áqá Mírzá Áqá was the only living person who remembered the details of the house as it had been before the first major renovation. [AB108; EB236; GPB300; MBBA154, 176-177]
• Mi`mar-Bashi began the renovation project. They demolished the whole structure. The ground under the building was excavated until the original foundation of the House was uncovered. The workers began to raise the walls and rebuild the House on the same foundation and following the original design. Each day, in this small area, over 30 construction crew laboured devotedly. Within two months, as `Abdu'l-Bahá had commanded, the structural walls were completed in exactly the same design as that of the time of the Báb. Soon the rooms were finished and the doors and windows added.
• Starting on the 23rd of October 1903 Áqá Mírzá Áqá fell ill and, day by day, his condition grew worse. However, until a week before his passing, he would come each day to the site of the construction and, although suffering from illness, spend the day supervising all the work. He passed away on the 15th of November 1903 after completing the task entrusted to him by `Abdu'l-Bahá. It was then that the wisdom of the Master's statement "delay will cause a colossal catastrophe" became clear, as Áqá Mírzá Áqá was the only one of all the kindred who knew the original design of the House. After his passing, the rest of the work, consisting of painting and decoration, was completed. [MBBA177]
• Also see MBBA219-222 for a "back-story".
• See MBBA177-185 for the story of how the Bahá'ís helped to renovate the mosque of Masjid-i-Shamshirgarha on the adjacent property.
• The House of the Báb was located on Shamshirgarha Street. [MBBA161]

Through the year the Covenant-breakers plotted until the friendly governor of `Akká was replaced by one hostile to `Abdu'l-Bahá. Mírzá Muhammad-`Alí stirred up opposition in certain elements of the population. [AB111; CB232]
• Newspapers in Egypt and in Syria wrote false reports about `Abdu'l-Bahá. [AB111; CB232]
• Mírzá Muhammad-`Alí drew up an official indictment against `Abdu'l-Bahá full of false accusations. [AB112; CB232; MBBA82-83]
• These actions resulted in the arrival of the first Commission of Inquiry, sent by Sultán `Abdu'l-Hamíd. [AB112; CB233]
• The Commission summoned `Abdu'l-Bahá to answer the accusations levelled against Him and upon receiving His replies, the inquiry collapsed. [AB113–14; CB233]

Laura Clifford Barney made a number of extended visits to `Akká during this period. She brought with her questions to ask `Abdu'l-Bahá and she compiled His responses. These answers were approved by Him and published in the book Some Answered Questions. [AB81–2; BFA2:238]
• For more complete history of the making of Some Answered Questions see "Some Answered Questions" and Its Compiler by Baharieh Rouhani Ma'ani published in Lights of Irfán vol. 18 p425-452.
• See AB81–2 for information about Laura Clifford Barney.
• The translator during this period was Dr Yúnis Afrukhtih (Yúnis Khán), whose memoirs, translated in English as Memories of Nine Years in Akka, make a valuable contribution to the history of the Faith. [BW12:679–81; M9YA341-345]

A second Commission of Inquiry, under the chairmanship of `Árif Bey, arrived in `Akká further to investigate the charges laid against `Abdu'l-Bahá. [AB117–25; BBR320 3; CB234–7; GPB269–71]
• See BBR322 for difficulties in dating this event. All Bahá'í sources indicate that this took place in 1907 but documents in the Ottoman State Archives indicate that it took place in 1905.
• The Commission returned to Turkey amid political upheavals and its report was put to one side. [AB122–3; CB237; GPB271]

A Nineteen Day Feast was celebrated in New York City, the first known to have been held in North America. [BFA2:XVI, 245]
• It consisted of a devotional portion and a social part. The administrative aspect of the Feast was developed in the 1930s. [BFA2:245; SA208]
• Howard and Mary MacNutt, along with Julia Grundy, had been on pilgrimage early in the year and had been encouraged to hold Feasts by 'Abdu'l-Bahá.
• In a meeting of NY Board of Council at the home of Mr. Arthur Pillsbury Dodge on the 19th of May, Mr. Howard MacNutt described a Nineteen Day Feast he had attended in Acca. The Board then planned the First Nineteen Day Feast to be held the following Tuesday, June 2nd at the home of Mr. Fleming. [Highlights of the First 40 Years of the Bahá'í Faith in New York, City of the Covenant, 1892-1932 by Hussein Ahdieh p10]

Mrs Whyte, the wife of a well-known Scottish clergyman, made a pilgrimage to `Akká with Mary Virginia Thornburgh-Cropper. In answer to a letter that Mrs Whyte left for `Abdu'l-Bahá upon their departure, He revealed the Tablet the `Seven Candles of Unity'. [AB361–2, SCU4554]
• See AB360–2 and SWAB29–32 for text of the Tablet.
• See AB355–9, BW4396-399 and SBR20–1 for accounts of Mrs Whyte's pilgrimage.
• See also Anjam Khursheed's, The Seven Candles of Unity pg45-54.
• Her account of the meeting with 'Abdu'l-Bahá can be found in Seven Candles of Unity: the Story of 'Abdu'l-Bahá in Edinburgh (London: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1991). [Scottish Women: A Documentary History, 1780-1914 by Esther Breitenbach and Linda Fleming p.213]

`Abdu'l-Bahá started to move His family to the house that He had designed and built in the German colony at the foot of Mount Carmel in Haifa. [BBD107; DH145]
• Laura Clifford Barney helped to purchase the land for the house and to pay for its construction. [DH145]
• See Uplifting Words for photos and a history of the house.
• Some members of the family occupied the house as early as February 1907, if not before. [DH145; GBF56]

In Constantinople, a bomb intended for Sultán 'Abdu'l-Hamíd as he returned from the mosque on Friday, killed and injured a number of people. This event prompted the authorities to recall all the members of the Commission who were gathering evidence against 'Abdu'l-Bahá at the time. Some months later the "Young Turk" revolutionaries demanded the release of all political and religious prisoners. 'Abdu'l-Bahá was free by in September. [AB123; BBD4; BBRXXX; CB237; DH71; GPB272]
• A cable was sent to Constantinople to enquire whether `Abdu'l-Bahá was to be included in the amnesty. `Abdu'l-Bahá was set free. [AB123; GPB272]

"When the tyrannous regime of Sultan 'Abdu'l-Hamid ended, the gates of 'Akká were thrown open and 'Abdu'l-Bahá came forth free upon the fortieth anniversary of His entrance into that neglected and unspeakable place. This was August 31, 1908." [BW2p222; PUP Intro to the 1922 edition page xix]
• As an indication of the gravity of the threat posed by 'Abdu'l-Hamíd, "when He stood ready to be deported to the most inhospitable regions of Northern Africa," and when even His life was threatened, 'Abdu'l‑Bahá wrote to Ḥájí Mírzá Táqí Afnán, the cousin of the Báb and chief builder of the 'Ishqábád Temple, commanding him to arrange for the election of the Universal House of Justice should the threats against the Master materialize." [Message 9 March 1965]

`Abdu'l-Bahá laid the sacred remains of the Báb in their final resting place at the Shrine in Haifa. [AB126; BBD210; DH138; GBF103; GPB276]
• See AB126–30, CT84 and GPB273–8 for details of the occasion and its history.
• The Shrine was a simple rectangular structure of six rooms. [DH71, ZK284]
• The marble sarcophagus used for the remains of the Báb was a gift from the Bahá'ís of Rangoon. [AB129; MC155]
• For details of the sarcophagus see RB3:431.

The publication of The Oriental Rose, or, The teachings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá which trace the chart of "The Shining Pathway" by Mary Hanford Finney Ford. [Collins7.983]
• See page 158-159 for her pen portrait of 'Abdu'l-Bahá.
• See SoW Vol 2 No 15 November 23, 1911 p3 for her description of 'Abdu'-Bahá's time in Paris during the two weeks she was there.

Having moved all His family to Haifa, `Abdu'l-Bahá Himself moved from the House of `Abdu'lláh Páshá to His new home at 7 Haparsim (Persian) Street, Haifa. [BBD13, 107; DH145]
• Laura Barney helped with the purchase of the land and with the plans. [Prezi]

`Abdu'l-Bahá departed for Egypt on board the steamer Kosseur London accompanied by two attendants, Mírzá Munír-i-Zayn and 'Abdu'l-Husayn. Upon arrival he telegrammed the Bahá'í in Haifa that he was in Egypt. Shoghi Effendi was asked to come two days later. [AB133-168; ABF5; BBRXXX; GPB280; AB134-135; Bahá'í News #12 16Oct1910 pg206; the Message from the Universal House of Justice dated August 29, 2010]
• See letter from Sydney Sprague to Isabella Brittingham which indicates that He left sometime before this date.
• GPB280 and AY84 say He departed in September.
• After one month in Port Said He embarked for Marseille but turned back to Alexandria owing to His health. In a letter to Munírih Khánum He stated that His intention was to proceed to America or South Africa. [GPB280, ABF5]
• He stayed for a few days in the Victoria Hotel but then moved to a rented house in Ramleh, a suburb of Alexandria, where He stayed for about one year. [GPB280, AB136; Memories of 'Abdu'l-Bahá by Ali M Yazdi (1899-1978) who was a child at the time.]
• Early in May of 1911 he moved to Cairo and took up residence in nearby Zaytún. [AB138]
• It was during this period that a sudden change occurred. A journalist who had previously been hostile towards Him took a new tone. [AB136]
• The Russian poet Isabel Grinevsky, the Oriental Secretary of the British Agency, Ronald Storrs, Lord Kitchener, George Zaydán, eminent writer and celebrated editor as well as clerics, aristocrats, administrators, parliamentarians, men of letters, journalists and publicists, Arabs, Turks and Persians all sought out His company and met with Him. This period could be considered the first public proclamation of the Faith. [MRHK348, AB136-139; CH226]
• See AB138-139 for a description of His triumphs during this period.

Louis Gregory visited Ramleh where 'Abdu'l-Bahá was staying in preparation for His first visit to Europe. During their first conversation 'Abdu'l-Bahá immediately cut "to the substance of the issue." "What of the conflict between the white and colored races?" he asked. "Work for unity and harmony between the races," 'Abdu'l-Bahá told him. "The colored people must attend all the unity meetings. There must be no distinctions." [239Days Day 12; SoW Vol 2 No 10 September 8 1911 p5; SYH6]
• On pilgrimage at the same time were Neville Meakin and another British Bahá'í, Louise Mathew. On the 16th of April the three set sail for Haifa. [SYH3-8]
• After visiting the Holy sites Louis returned to Cairo and to 'Abdu'l-Bahá who asked him to visit Stuttgart, Paris and London before returning to America. [SYH12-13]

The beginning of `Abdu'l-Bahá's first Western tour [AB139]
• `Abdu'l-Bahá departed from Egypt with a party of four on the S. S. Corsica for Marseilles, Thonon-les-Bains and London. [AB139; GPB280; SBR22, SoW Vol 2 no.10 8 September, 1911 p7]
• Subsequent research has shown that the ship was not the S.S. Corsica as stated in GPB280 but rather the L'Orenoque. See 'Abdu'l-Bahá in Paris page 6 note 47.
• See BW1:130 for a list of cities He visited between 1911 and 1913.
• It is believed that funds for 'Abdu'l-Bahá's teaching journeys to the West were provided by an oil-rich believer in Baku, Áqa Músá Naqiof (alternate spelling Musa Naghiyev)(yet another alternate spelling Báqirof) (1849-1919). [AY11; ABF295note684]
  • For more on Musa Naghiyev see Wikipedia and The Baha'is of the Caucasus: From Russian Tolerance to Soviet Repression {2/3}.

'Abdu'l-Bahá and His party took a ferry from Geneva to Thonon-les-Bains and were met by Laura Dreyfus-Barney. They stayed at the Hôtel du Parc. He wrote to His sister, Bahíyyih Khánum. It was she that He had placed in charge of the affairs of the Faith in His absence. [ABF12-13, LTDT172-173]
• About this time He also wrote to His wife, Munírih Khánum. [ABF14]
• This was His first visit to Switzerland. It lasted just one day.

`Abdu'l-Bahá gave a talk that has been entitled, "Eleven essentials: the Bahai principles as taught by Abdu'l-Baha in London". ['Abdu'l-Bahá Speaks]

He left London for Paris. [AB154; SBR25, In the Footsteps of 'Abdu'l-Bahá p22]

• See ABL113 for details of His last day in London. He left from Victoria Station.
• He was accompanied by many Bahá'ís from England who attended many of the public meeting at which He spoke in Paris. This group included Marion Jack, Ethel Rosenberg, Lady Bloomfield and her two daughters. [NBAD47, SYH42]
• He remained in Paris for nine weeks. [AB159; GPB280]
• For details of His visit see AB159–68.
• For `Abdu'l-Bahá's talks given in Paris see PT.

`Abdu'l-Bahá left Paris for Marseilles by train from the Gare de Lyon arriving late in the day. Little is known about His stay in that city save for one talk. [ABF246]
• See ABF256-260 for some of the places that 'Abdu'l-Baha visited while in Paris for which the visits are undated. Included in the list is His visit to the Senat of the French Republic [PUP72].
• There are also a number of undated talks and fragments of talks the have been published in a variety of sources. [ABF261-264]
• See ABF264-268 for a list of persons with whom 'Abdu'l-Bahá had undocumented visits.

'Abdu'l-Bahá departed Marseilles for Egypt on board Le Portugal. It travelled to Beirut via Alexandria and Port Said and reached Alexandria on the 12th of December. [ABF255-256; AB167; GPB280; SBR25]
• Letter from Ahmad Sohrab. [SoW Vol 2 No 16 December 31, 1911 p9]

`Abdu'l-Bahá's second Western tour

'Abdul'-Bahá and His party embarked from Alexandria on the White Star Line Liner RMS Cedric for New York via Naples. They departed Naples on the 30th of March and made a call at Gibraltar. Three of His party were forced to leave the ship for supposed "medical' reasons. Among them was His grandson, Shoghi Effendi. [AB171; GPB281; ABF274; ABTM50-52; SYH50-51]

• Boarding in Naples to join Him on the Atlantic crossing were Louisa Mathew and the Woodcock family, Percy, Aloysia and their daughter, May as well as Mr and Mrs Austin from Denver, Colorado. [SYH49, 52; ABPp18n.96]

`Abdu'l-Bahá arrived in New York. [AB172; GPB281; APD3-5; SoW Vol 3 No 3 p3; Mahmúd's Diary p38-39]

As the ship that finally brought "'Abdu'l-Bahá to the shores of the American continent passed by the Statue of Liberty, He threw His arms wide open in greeting, saying "There is the new world's symbol of liberty and freedom. After being 40 years a prisoner I can tell you that freedom is not a matter of place. It is a condition. Unless one accept dire vicissitudes he will not attain. When one is released from the prison of self, that is indeed a release." ['Abdu'l-Bahá in Their Midst p.56; SYH54]

• He remained on board doing interviews with a number of newspapermen. Edward Kinny was called to come on the ship and the rest of those awaiting were told to leave the pier, proceed to the Kinney residence and wait for Him. [Mahmúd's Diary p38-39; DJT233-234]
  • See World Order Summer 1973 p45 for the story of disobedient Juliet Thompson and her friend Marjory Morton who remained behind on the quay to get a glimpse of Him.
• One of the newspapermen to interview Him was Wendell Phillips Dodge who boarded the SS Cedric at quarantine and interviewed 'Abdul-Bahá coming up the bay. The article he wrote was given to all of the New York newspapers, and, through the Associated Press, was sent, though boiled down considerably, to newspapers throughout the world. See SoW Vol 3 No 3 April 28, 1912 p3 for the article.
• When asked why He had come to America He said that He had come at the invitation of the peace congresses. [SYH53; MD8]
• He stayed at the Ansonia Hotel at 2109 Broadway. [Luminous Journey 14:37, SYH55]
• Talk at the home of Mr. Edward B. (Saffa, or Serenity) Kinney and his wife, Carrie (Vaffa, or Certitude), 780 West End Avenue, New York to some 200 people. This was the first private home in which 'Abdu'l-Bahá gave a talk on His American tour. [PUP3]
• One of the Persians in the Master's suite had cabled Alice Ives Breed in New York City, about the Master's arrival date. Thus alerted, Ali-Kuli Khan directed the Persian Consul, Topakian (an Armenian businessman), to officially greet 'Abdu'l-Bahá with full courtesies. Mr Topakian carried this out, and the Master was much pleased with his services. [AY85]
• During His tour `Abdu'l-Bahá visited 49 cities and made approximately 400 addresses of which 185 were recorded. The combined audience for His talks is estimated to be 90,000 people. [SBBH1:110; Luminous Journey 1:37; 'Abdu'l-Bahá in America 1912-2012]
• For a chronological list of talks given by `Abdu'l-Bahá while in North America see PUP473–8 or Index.
• For details of His journey see AB171–339.
• Ward, 239 Days; Balyuzi, `Abdu'l-Bahá; The Diary of Juliet Thompson; many editions of Star of the West and numerous biographies of Bahá'ís of the time as well as other books carry information about `Abdu'l-Bahá travels and talks.
  He was accompanied by:
  • Sayyid Asadu'lláh Qumí
  • Dr Fareed Amin Ullah, He was a nephew of 'Abdu'l-Bahá and served as his translator during His tour of the West. Because of his disobedience, both he and his father were expelled from the Faith. See AY102-103 and AB230.
  • Mírza Mahmúd-i Zarqání. He was a member of 'Abdu'l-Bahá's entourage for both the Western and European tours. He wrote an account of the travels in a book entitled Kitáb-i Badáyi'u'l-Áthár and called "Mahmúd's Diary" in the English translation. [APD151]
  • Mirza Ahmad Sohrab. He had originally come to the West to assist Mírzá Abú'l-Fadl Gulpaygání in 1901. He remained and worked at the Iranian Consulate until 1912 and during this time he translated much of the correspondence between 'Abdu'l-Bahâ and the Western believers. After the American tour, he returned to the Holy Land. After the passing of 'Abdu'l-Bahá he rejected the authority of Shoghi Effendi and was expelled. [APD155]
• See video entitled 'Abdu'l-Bahá and New York City.

`Abdu'l-Bahá laid the cornerstone of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkár in Wilmette. [SYH67-68, CT102; 239D:51; AB186; GPB288, 349; MBW143; Luminous Journey 47:00]
• Talk at Dedication of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkár Grounds. [PUP71]
• The cornerstone had been offered by Mrs Nettie Tobin, a member of the Women's Teaching Assembly. [AB186]
• See SYH65-66 for the story of how the Foundation Stone made it to the building site.
• `Abdu'l-Bahá asked delegates from the various Bahá'í communities and Bahá'ís from different backgrounds each to dig the earth to lay the stone. Corrine True, Lua Getsinger and several other women turned the sod. After the stone had been laid 'Abdu'l-Bahá declared that "The temple is already built." [AB186–7; Luminous Journey 47:00]

'Abdu'l-Bahá spoke to a group of 28 black people on the importance of unity and friendship between the races and announced that Louise Mathew and Louis Gregory were to be married. [SYH71]
• Mahmúd, page 189-190 stated that this event took place on the 2nd of August.

The Second Congress was held at The Hague, August 22–27, 1912. Twenty-three countries sent official government delegates. Over 1,000 members were officially enrolled for the congress. Over 200 papers of some 2,000 words each were contributed and appeared in the five published volumes of more than 1,200 pages. [Wikipedia]

From Alexandria, Egypt, 'Abdu'l-Bahá sent a paper called Universal Education.

`Abdu'l-Bahá sailed on the S. S. Celtic of the White Star Line from New York to Liverpool. [239D:193–4; AB337; GPB281]
• For `Abdu'l-Bahá's final words to the Bahá'ís, spoken while on board ship. Again He made reference to the war in the Balkans. See PUP468.
• During his time in North America 'Abdu'l-Bahá gave over 400 talks to approximately 93,000 people. He spoke in 31 moderate and progressive churches, 14 theosophical and other metaphysical gatherings, 5 universities, 3 synagogues, 1 African-American church, the Lake Mohonk Peace Conference, Hall House, and the 4th annual NAACP Conference. [Àbdu'l-Bahá's Journey Across America 18min12sec]
  "Consider what is happening in the Balkans. Human blood is being shed, properties are destroyed, possessions pillaged, cities and villages devastated. A world enkindling fire is astir in the Balkans. God has created men to love each other; but instead, they kill each other with cruelty and bloodshed. God has created them that they may cooperate and mingle in accord; but instead, they ravage, plunder and destroy in the carnage of battle. God has created them to be the cause of mutual felicity and peace; but instead, discord, lamentation and anguish rise from the hearts of the innocent and afflicted."
• For Ahmad Sohrab's account of the sea crossing see SW3, 16:2.
• 'Àbdu’l-Bahá had a cabin on the upper deck of the Celtic where He had access to the larger stateroom where He often spoke. His retinue that consisted of Mirza Ahmad Sohrab, Áqá Siyyid Asadu’lláh (Qumí) and Mahmúd Zarqání were accommodated in second class but had access to the Master apart from when He was eating or sleeping. [ABE9-13]

`Abdu'l-Bahá's second visit to Europe.
• It was His second visit to Great Britain. It lasted 24 days.

`Abdu'l-Bahá left Marseilles on the S. S. Himalaya for Port Said. Sailing with Him were: Mirza Ali-/akbar Nakhjavani, Mirza Ahmad Sohrab, SIyyid Asadu'llah-i-Qumi and Mahmud Zarqani. [AB395; ABF667-669]
• He sent a telegram to Haifa instructing the many pilgrims awaiting His return to come to Port Said. Because of the great numbers who came, there wasn't sufficient hotel accommodations and a large tent was erected on the roof in which to hold meetings. [SoW Vol 4 No 7 p121]

'Abdul-Baha began His third stay in Egypt which lasted 5 months and 16 days.
• At some time during His stay in Egypt 'Abdu'l-Bahá met with Sir Ronald Storrs who presented Him to Lord Kitchener. [BW10p192,194]
• 'Abdu'l-Bahá presented him with a specimen of writing by Mishkín-Qalam and His own Persian pen box. [CH226]

Note: Memories of 'Abdu'l-Bahá by Ali M Yazdi says that He returned to Ramleh on the 3rd of July.

With his final year of high school over, Shoghi Effendi hastened from Beirut to Ramleh to join the Master. He, the Greatest Holy Leaf and the eldest daughter of `Abdu'l-Bahá arrived in Egypt. [PG9 AB401]
• During this period Tammaddun'ul-Mulk (who had been in London during `Abdu'l-Bahá first visit) attempted to divide the Bahá'ís of Tehran and Dr Amínu'llah Farid's increasingly erratic behaviour brought Him much suffering and sorrow. [AB402]

"Tamaddunu'l-Mulk (Mírzá 'Abdu'l-Husayn Khán Qalátí Shirází) caused mischief amongst the friends and perpetrated such disunity that the foundation of the divine Faith was nearly destroyed. On numerous occasions, he repented. And yet, after each contrition, he would cause further mischief. Eventually, I telegraphed that Tamaddun is expelled and association with him is not permissible." [Tablet Concerning Covenant-Breakers: Excerpt by Abdu'l-Bahá translated by Ahang Rabbani]
• In this Tablet 'Abdu'l-Bahá warned against association with Covenant-breakers because its harm will injure the Cause of God and will enable them to penetrate the community and to completely uproot the Faith from within. Association with Covenant-breakers is the same as a person nurturing a snake in his shirt or giving a home to a scorpion in his sleeve.
• See The Early Years of the British Bahá'í Community (1898-1911) p126-128.

"Having raised the warning and urged the world to work for peace, 'Abdu'l-Bahá returned on 5 December 1913 to Haifa, then part of the Ottoman Empire. Aware of the coming war, He took steps to protect the Bahá'í community under His stewardship and to avert a famine in the region. One of His first decisions upon returning to the Holy Land was to send home all the Bahá'ís who were visiting from abroad." [BWNS1297]

Turkey entered the war on the side of the Central Powers.
• Palestine was blockaded and Haifa was bombarded. [GPB304]
• `Abdu'l-Bahá sent the Bahá'ís to the Druze village of Abú-Sinán for asylum. [AB411; DH124; GPB304, BWNS1297]
• For `Abdu'l-Bahá in wartime see CH188–228.
• `Abdu'l-Bahá had grown and stored corn in the years leading up to the war and was now able to feed not only local people but the British army. [AB415, 418; CH210; GPB304, 306]
• Properties in the villages of Asfíyá and Dálíyá near Haifa were purchased by `Abdu'l-Bahá, and, at the request of Bahá'u'lláh, bestowed upon Díyá'u'lláh and Bahí'u'lláh. Land was also acquired in the villages of Samirih, Nughayb and 'Adasíyyih situated near the Jordan river. 'Adasíyyah was the village occupied by Bahá'ís of Zoroastrian heritage that produced corn for the Master's household. The village of Nughayb is where the relatives of the Holy Family lived. [CH209-210]
  • See the book "Adasiyyih: The Story of 'Abdu’l-Baha's Model Farming Community" by Paul Hanley (2024).
  • See also 'Adasiyyah: A Study in Agriculture and Rural Development by Iraj Poostchi. This village was purchased by 'Abdu'l-Bahá in 1901. He paid 400 Turkish gold lira for 920 hectares and then gifted 1/24th of the total area to the family from whom He had made the purchase.
  • Under the guidance of 'Abdu'l-Bahá and Shoghi Effendi this village became a model of agriculture and Bahá'í life. The Bahá'ís lost ownership after 1962 when Jordan implemented land reforms.
  • 'Adasiyyah is mentioned in the film Exemplar (17:40-18:50).
• See as well `Abdu'l-Baha in Abu-Sinan: September 1914 by Ahang Rabbani.
• See Senn McGlinn's Abdu'l-Baha's British knighthood for more background.

Jamál Páshá, Commander of the 4th Army Corps of the Turkish army, was put in military control of Syria, including the Holy Land. [AB412]
• For an account of his relationship with 'Abdu'l-Bahá see AB412–14.
• He threatened to crucify 'Abdu'l-Bahá and to destroy the Shrine of Bahá'u'lláh. [AB414; GPB303-305, 317, SYH99]

`Abdu'l-Bahá's Memorials of the Faithful began to take shape. [AB417; MFXII]
• `Abdu'l-Bahá would tell stories of Bahá'í heroes and heroines to the weekly gatherings of Bahá'ís in Haifa and these were compiled and published as a book in 1924. [AB417; MFXII]

`Abdu'l-Bahá revealed eight of the Tablets of the Divine Plan. [AB420; BBD219 BBRSM157; SBBH132-3; TDPX; Message 29 December 2015]
• For the order and place of their revelation see AB420-2 and TDP.
• For a description of their content see AB422-3.
• Shoghi Effendi characterizes them as a `mandate' and a `supreme charter for teaching'. [GPB255; TDPVII]
• The Tablets can be found at bahai.org/library:
• 1st (Page 1) Tablet to the Bahá'ís of the Northeastern States. Revealed on March 26, 1916, in 'Abdu'l‑Bahá's room at the house in Bahjí, addressed to the Bahá'ís of nine Northeastern States of the United States: Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Vermont, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York.
  This Tablet was sent to Hooper Harris, 101 West 88th Street, New York, NY. [SoW Vol 7 Issue 12 16 October 1916 pg112]
• 2nd (Page 2) Tablet to the Bahá'ís of the Southern States. Revealed on March 27, 1916, in the garden adjacent to the Shrine of Bahá'u'lláh, addressed to the Bahá'ís of sixteen Southern States of the United States: Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas.
  This Tablet was sent to Joseph Hannen, P O Box 1319 Washington, DC. [SoW Vol 7 Issue 12 16 October 1916 pg112]
• 3rd (Page 3) Tablet to the Bahá'ís of the Central States. Revealed on March 29, 1916, outside the house in Bahjí, and addressed to the Bahá'ís of twelve Central States of the United States: Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska and Kansas.
  This Tablet was sent to Dr Zia Bagdadi, 1549 Ogden Avenue, Chicago, IL. [SoW Vol 7 Issue 12 16 October 1916 pg112]
• 4th (Page 4) Tablet to the Bahá'ís of the Western States. Revealed on April 1, 1916, in 'Abdu'l‑Bahá's room at the house in Bahjí, addressed to the Bahá'ís of eleven Western States of the United States: New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, Nevada, California, Wyoming, Utah, Montana, Idaho, Oregon and Washington.
  This Tablet was sent to Helen S Goodall, 2550 Buchanan Street, San Francisco, CA. [SoW Vol 7 Issue 12 16 October 1916 pg112
• 5th (Page 5) Tablet to the Bahá'ís of Canada and Greenland. Revealed on April 5, 1916, in the garden adjacent to the Shrine of Bahá'u'lláh, and addressed to the Bahá'ís of Canada—Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia, Yukon, Mackenzie, Keewatin, Ungava, Franklin Islands—and Greenland.
  This Tablet was sent to May Maxwell, 716 Pine Avenue, Montreal, QC Canada. [SoW Vol 7 Issue 12 16 October 1916 pg112]
• 6th (Page 6) Tablet to the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada. Revealed on April 8, 1916, in the garden outside the Shrine of Bahá'u'lláh, and addressed to the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada.
• 7th (Page 8) Tablet to the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada. Revealed on April 11, 1916, in 'Abdu'l‑Bahá's room at the house in Bahjí, and addressed to the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada.
• 8th (Page 11) Tablet to the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada. Revealed on April 19, 1916, in 'Abdu'l‑Bahá's room at the house in Bahjí; on April 20, in the pilgrims' quarters of the house in Bahjí; on April 22, in the garden adjacent to the Shrine of Bahá'u'lláh, and addressed to the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada.
• See the story of the Geography Book used for the Tablets of the Divine Plan. It was called World Geography: One Volume Edition by Ralph Stockman Tarr and Frank Morton McMurry.

`Abdu'l-Bahá revealed six Tablets of the Divine Plan. [AB422; BBD219, Message 29 December 2015]
• As there was no communication with America at that time, the Tablets were stored in a vault under the Shrine of the Báb. [BBD219]
• The Tablets can be found at TDP on the pages indicated:
• 9th (Page 14)Tablet to the Bahá'ís of the Northeastern States. Revealed on February 2, 1917, in Ismá'íl Áqá's room at the house of 'Abdu'l‑Bahá in Haifa, and addressed to the Bahá'ís of the nine Northeastern States of the United States: Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Vermont, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York.
• 10th (Page 16)Tablet to the Bahá'ís of the Southern States. Revealed on February 3, 1917, in Haifa in Ismá'íl Áqá's room, and addressed to the Bahá'ís of the sixteen Southern States of the United States: Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas.
• 11th (Page 18)Tablet to the Bahá'ís of the Central States. Revealed on February 8, 1917, in Bahá'u'lláh's room at the house of Abbúd in 'Akká, and addressed to the Bahá'ís of the twelve Central States of the United States: Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska and Kansas.
• 12th (Page 20)Tablet to the Bahá'ís of the Western States. Revealed on February 15, 1917, in Bahá'u'lláh's room at the house of Abbúd in 'Akká, and addressed to the Bahá'ís of the eleven Western States of the United States: New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, Nevada, California, Wyoming, Utah, Montana, Idaho, Oregon and Washington.
• 13th (Page 21)Tablet to the Bahá'ís of Canada and Greenland. Revealed on February 21, 1917, in Bahá'u'lláh's room at the house of Abbúd in 'Akká, and addressed to the Bahá'ís of Canada—Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia, Yukon, Mackenzie, Keewatin, Ungava, Franklin Islands—and Greenland.
• 14th (Page 23)Tablet to the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada. Revealed on March 8, 1917, in the summerhouse (Ismá'íl Áqá's room) at 'Abdu'l‑Bahá's house in Haifa, and addressed to the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada.

'Abdu'l-Bahá's exhortation on China was published in the Star of the West on the 28th of April, 1917. "China, China, China, China-ward the Cause of Baha'o'llah must march! Where is that holy, sanctified Bahai to become the teacher of China! China has most great capability. The Chinese people are most simple-hearted and truth-seeking." and "China is the country of the future." [SotW_Vol-01 (Mar 1910)-Vol-10 (Mar 1919) p2127/2922]
• See as well PG99-100 for His Tablet to Chen Ting Mo.

`Abdu'l-Bahá sent a message to the Bahá'ís of the world assuring them of His safety. [AB412]
• The Tablet was carried by an aged Arab Bahá'í, Hájí Ramadán. It took him 45 days to walk from `Akká to Tihrán. On his return trip he brought gold and messages. [AB412; CH206-7]
• For text of the Tablet see CH207-8.

General Allenby entered Jerusalem. [AB425]
• Major Wellesley Tudor Pole had risked court martial in alerting the British Cabinet of the danger to `Abdu'l-Bahá. [EJR169]
• It was reported by British Intelligence that the Turkish Commander-in-Chief had the intention to "crucify 'Abdu'l-Bahá and His family on Mt. Carmel". [GPB306]

The British Bahá'ís alerted the Foreign Office about the importance of ensuring `Abdu'l-Bahá's safety in Haifa. [BBR332-5; CH219; GPB305-6]
• CH219 says this was in the Spring but letters to the Foreign Office were dated Jan 1918.
• For the actions of Lady Blomfield see BBR333, CH219-20, AB425-26 and ER169.
• For the role of Major Wellesley Tudor Pole see BBR332-3; CH222-5; and ER168-70.

William Harry Randall, an American, asked `Abdu'l-Bahá if he might contribute to the building of the Western Pilgrim House. [DH179]
• Plans were drawn up and work began but the funds available were insufficient to continue the work until 1923, when money was contributed by Amelia Collins and seven others. [BBD178; DH180; GPB307]

The British Mandate for Palestine began. [BBR488]
• For `Abdu'l-Bahá's attitude to the administration see BBR339.
• For British accounts of `Abdu'l-Bahá and the Bahá'ís in this period see BBR339-43 and CH225-8.
• For details see SA140-3.

`Abdu'l-Bahá was invested with the insignia of the Knighthood of the British Empire as Sir Abbas Effendi in a ceremony in Haifa. [AB443; BBRXXX, 343-5; CH214; DH149; GPB306; The Glorious Journey by Craig Weaver and Helen Bond p19]
• For the document recommending `Abdu'l-Bahá for knighthood, see BBR344.
• The knighthood was in recognition of `Abdu'l-Bahá's humanitarian work during the war for famine relief. [AB443]
• He accepted the honour as a gift from a `just king'. [AB443]
• He did not use the title. [AB443]
• For Lady Blomfield's account see AB443-4 and CH214-15.
• See SoW vol 13 No 11 p298.
• See Senn McGlinn's Abdu'l-Baha's British knighthood.

The Tablet to the Central Organization for a Durable Peace was delivered to the Executive Comittee in The Hague.

Ahmad Yazdáni and 'Alí Muhammad 'Ibn-i-Asdaq learned that the Central Organization had been all but dissolved and that the Executive Committee's objective, to hold a third peace conference, had been surpassed by their country's membership in the recently formed League of Nations in Geneva. [AB438; BBD1 15; GPB308; EB176]

• See also The Journey of 'Abdu'l-Bahá's Tablet to The Hague. It is a photographic chronology by Jelle and Adib de Vries of the Netherlands.
• See BWNS1378 and BWNS1431.
• It was printed in the Star of the West Vol 11 No 8 1 August 1920.

  On the 12th of June, the Executive Committee of the Central Organization for a Durable Peace in The Hague responded to 'Abdu'l-Bahá's Tablet. Ahmad Yazdani immediately forwarded it to Haifa.

Ascension of `Abdu'l-Bahá

`Abdu'l-Bahá passed away at about 1:00 a.m., in Haifa. [AB452; BBD4; BBR347; GPB311; UD170]
• For details of His passing see DOMH210-216, AB452, BW1:19-23; BW15:113-15 and GPB310-11. Westerners who were present in the Holy Land at the time included: Grace and Florian Drug, Louise and John Bosch from the USA, Ethel Rosenberg from London and Fräulein Johanna Hauff from Stuttgart as well as American Curtis Kelsey who was in the Holy Land to attend to the electrical installations in the Shrine of the Báb at the time. [AB462-463]
• Sir Herbert Samuel and Sir Ronald Storrs led the funeral procession. [CH226]
• This marked the end of the Apostolic, Heroic or Primitive Age of the Bahá'í Faith and the beginning of the Transitional Formative or Iron Age. [BBD35-6]
• For a photograph of the cable sent announcing His passing see SW12, 15:245.
• See The Passing of 'Abdu'l-Bahá by Shoghi Effendi and Lady Blomfield.
• For a pen portrait of 'Abdu'l-Bahá see The Oriental Rose by Mary Hanford Ford pg 158-159
• Also see AB452-83; HLS93-100.
• This date marks the beginning of the First Epoch of the Transitional, Formative or Iron Age of the Faith.
• See an account of the passing of 'Abdu'l-Bahá compiled by David Merrick.
• See Part IX of The Utterance Project by Violetta Zein.
• See WMSH26-52 for an account by John and Louise Bosch of the passing of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, the funeral, the reading if the Will, their subsequent time in the Holy Land and Egypt, and their teaching trip to Italy, Switzerland, and Germany. They arrived in New York on the 23rd of April and proceeded to Chicago to attend the National Convention. Shoghi Effendi had entrusted them with eight passages from the Will to be presented to the North American friends.

The funeral of `Abdu'l-Bahá. [BW15:115]
• For details of the funeral see AB464-74; BW1:23-6; BW15:115-19; GPB312-14; and SW12, 17:259-67.
• For Western and newspaper accounts see AB474-80; BBR347-9; BW1:26-8; and BW15:119-20.
• For eulogies to `Abdu'l-Bahá see AB481-2, BW1:28-9 and BW15 120-1.
• Ten thousand people attend `Abdu'l-Bahá's funeral. [v7]
• For a number of pictures of the funeral procession see SW12, 91:290, 292-8.
• Bahíyyih Khánum looked for instructions on where to bury `Abdu'l-Bahá and, finding none, entombed Him in a vault next to the one where the remains of the Báb lay. [AB464; GBF14]
• Also see Balyuzi, `Abdu'l-Bahá; Blomfield, The Chosen Highway; Honnold, Vignettes from the Life of `Abdu'l-Bahá; SW12, 15:245 and several following issues.
• Photo.
• The Greatest Holy Leaf engaged a locksmith to change all the locks in the Master's house. During the funeral procession she remained there and asked that a policeman be assigned to stand outside the door. During the procession Mirza Muhammad-Ali and his brother, feigning sadness, asked the policeman if they could enter the Master's house to express their condolences to the Greatest Holy Leaf. She turned them away at the door saying that this was not the time. He had attempted a kind of a palace coup. The Greatest Holy Leaf had foreseen that he would attempt just that. The House of the Master was more than a residence; it was the visible administrative centre of the Cause. Other than the Shrine of the Báb, it was the only Bahá'í edifice in the Holy Land at that time. [An account of the passing of 'Abdu'l-Bahá p42]

A cable was sent to London with news of `Abdu'l-Bahá's passing. Shoghi Effendi was summonsed to the office of Wellesley Tudor Pole, probably at at 61, St. James St. in London, and learned of his grandfather's passing about noon after seeing the cable on Tudor Pole's desk. [GBF13]
• See GBF13, PG199 and PP39-40 for Shoghi Effendi's reaction.

On the seventh day after the passing of `Abdu'l-Bahá, corn was distributed in His name to about a thousand of the poor.
• Up to this day 50 to 100 poor were fed daily at the Master's House. [BW15:122]

The publication of Episodes in the Life of Moneereh Khanum. Moneereh Khanum translated by Mirza Ahmad Sohrab by the Persian American Publishing Company.
• It is a short autobiography by the wife of 'Abdu'l-Bahá. A more complete translation was published in 1986 by Kalimat Press entitled Munirih Khanum, Memoirs and Letters, translation by Sammireh Anwar Smith.

The passing of Professor Edward Granville Browne, (b. on the family estate in Gloucestershire, 7 February, 1862. d. near Cambridge). He is buried at Elswick Cemetery in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England. Find a grave.

Browne was a British orientalist who published numerous articles and books of academic value in the areas of Persian history and literature. He had a number of private interviews with Bahá'u'lláh at Bahjí in 1890. He was the only Westerner to have met Bahá'u'lláh and to have left a description of the experience (see Scholar Meets Prophet: Edward Granville Browne and Bahá'u'lláh).
In 1912-13, while `Abdu'l-Bahá was in Europe, Browne visited him in London and Paris. These visits were supplemented by some correspondence between the two. Other Bahá'ís, including Montford Mills, also visited and corresponded with Browne from time to time. When `Abdu'l-Bahá passed away in 1921, Browne penned a sympathetic obituary. He also wrote a pen-portrait of Àbdu'l-Bahá. [Bahá'í Tributes]

• Charles Melville, Professor of Persian History at Pembroke College in Cambridge headed the Browne Archive Project to digitize Browne's diaries and notes.
• See Encounter with Bahá'u'lláh, a short video about Browne's life and his famous interview.
• See MCS529-545 for a discussion of Browne's lack of objectivity and his partisanship as a researcher that lead to his committing some serious errors in his work on the Bábí-Bahá'í Faith.
• He himself a professor of Arabic, found the Báb's style of writing very difficult and said of his works: "...some are so confused, so full of repetitions, extraordinary works and fantastic derivatives of Arabic roots, that they defy the most industrious and indefatigable reader." [SBBH5p227]

  Browne's Publications
  

  • Religious Systems of the World: A Contribution to the Study of Comparative Religion (1889)
    
  • A Traveller's Narrative Written to Illustrate the Episode of the Báb (1891) A history by`Abdu'l-Bahá which Browne translated and extensively annotated.
    
  • Tarikh-i-Jadid or New History of Mirza`Ali Muhammad the Báb (1893) by Mirza Husayn Hamadani translated by E.G.Browne.
    • Hájjí Mírzá Jani Kashani wrote a substantial history of the Bábi Faith sometime between 1850-1852. (He was martyred in 1852.) These memoirs as they were copied and re-copied and spawned a great many versions which differed particularly in their portrayal of Subh-i-Azál and Bahá'u'lláh, depending on the editor's loyalty.
    • In about 1880 Mírzá Husayn Hamadani with the support of Mírzá Abu'l-Fadl took some version of Mírzá Jani's 1851 account and worked it up into a new history, The Tárikh-i-Jadíd. He did this at the request of a Zoroastrian, Manakji, who then added a preface, an epilogue, and an unknown number of amendments to the text and then published it under his own name.
    • Nabil-i-Akbar, in response to a commission by Bahá'u'lláh, made a revision of this work somewhere between 1880-1883 which is known as The Táríkh-i Badí'-i Bayání.
    • Browne used two these two manuscripts, The Tárikh-i-Jadíd and The Táríkh-i Badí'-i Bayání to write the single volume The New History (tarikh-i-jadid) of Mírzá Ali-Muhammed, the Báb. In referring to Mírzá Jani's history throughout the footnotes, he was not aware of the problems of discerning what represents the original memoirs and what others have added.
  • A Year Among the Persians (1893) Vividly describes his adventures, including his encounters with the Bahá'ís and Azalís during his time in Persian from October 1887 to September 1888. The memoir of his sojourn did much to familiarize English readers with the Báb, His gentleness and patience, the cruel fate which had overtaken him, and the unflinching courage wherewith he and his followers, from the greatest to the least, had endured the merciless torments inflicted upon them by their enemies. [Tales of Magnificent Heroism by Robert Weinburg.
  • A chapter from the history of Cannabis Indica (1897)
  • A Literary History of Persia From Firdawsí to Sa'dí (in four volumes) (1902-24)
  • The Persian Revolution of 1905–1909 (1910) About the Persian Constitutional Revolution, of which Browne was an ardent supporter.
  • He published, in Persian, the text of The Kitab-i-Nuqtatu'l-Kaf, being the earliest History of the Bábís compiled by Hájji Mírzá Jání of Kásgán between the years 1850 and 1852, edited from the unique Ms. Suppl. Persan 1071. (1910) This was a work that he had done at an earlier date. It was published at the instigation of Mirza Muhammad Qazvini, a well-known Iranian literary critic and Azalí sympathizer, who wrote the Persian Introduction to this volume. After the publication of this work, `Abdu'l-Bahá wrote to a number of Iranian Bahá'ís, urging them to compile material to refute its contents. One such work was Dashf al-Ghitá by Mírzá Abul-Fazl Gulpáyigání. [RR232] [See The History and Provenance of an Early Manuscript of the Nuqtat al-kaf dated 1268 (1851-52) by William F. McCants and Kavian Sadeghzade Milani and Nuqtat al-Káf by Kavian Sadeghzade Milani as well as Nuqtat al-Kaf and the Babi Chronicle Traditions by Juan Cole; The Bab's Stay in Kashan: A Historiographical Analysis of the Kitab-i-Nuqtatu'l-Kaf Based on the Kashan Pericope by Kavian Milani; MCS517; 541]
    • When E.G. Browne published the Nuqtatu'l-Kaf with its Persian and English introductions that contained much material hostile to the Bahá'í Faith, a number of Bahá'í scholars worked on refutations of this book. [Mirza Abu'l-Fadl] Gulpaygani also began to work on such a book, but when heard that work on a similar book in Iran under the guidance of the Hands of the Cause had reached an advanced stage, he suspended work on his book awaiting a manuscript from Iran. Unfortunately he never got back to this book and at his death the manuscript was incomplete. When Mirza Abu'l-Fadl's papers were sent to his cousin Sayyid Mahdi Gulpaygani in Ashkhabad, the latter undertook to complete the work. The final work was published in Ashkhabad. Of the 438 pages of the book some 132 are attributed to Mirza Abu'l-Fadl. The final work, however, has a tone and vehemence completely uncharacteristic of Mirza Abu'l-Fadl and `Abdu'l-Baha instructed that it should not be distributed. [from a post by Adib Masumian to the [bahai-library.com/tarikh] list 25 April 2021]
    .
  • It is reported that 'Abdu'l-Bahá was "deeply annoyed" with Browne over the publication and dissemination of the Kitáb-i Nuqtatu'l-Káf as reported by Áqáy-i-Taqízádih in ´Ábdu'l-Baha's Meetings with Two Prominent Iranians introduced and translated by Ahang Rabbani. [World Order Vol 30 No 1 Fall 1998 p46]
  • It would appear that Browne loved the Bábi movement however as the religion changed into the Bahá'í Faith, he insisted on calling it the Bábi religion. Browne did not understand the the claims of Baha'u'lláh and the transitional and the historical factors at work. He saw the early Bábi movement as the beginning of the Faith and thought that the Bahá'í Faith was a sect of Bábism. This was largely due to the influence of Bahá'u'lláh's half-brother, Azal. Browne was disappointed that the Bahá'ís did not take up the cause of constitutional reform but he was well aware that 'Abdu'l-Bahá had forbidden participation in political struggles, and that had they supported the Constitutionalists, it would the brought that wrath of the persecution of the Bahá'ís down upon them.
  • 'Abdu'l-Bahá is reported to have said, "They tampered with the contents of the history of Hájí Mírzá Jání by removing some of its passages and inserting others. They sent it to the libraries of London and Paris and through such falsehood induced him [Browne] to translate and publish the document. In order to achieve his own selfish desires, he had it printed." [MD24]
  • Also from 'Abdu'l-Bahá, "I wrote to him, saying, `You are the first European teacher and author to have attained His Blessed Presence. Do not lose this distinction.' He did not understand me and his loss will be known when the lights of guidance shine in England with supreme brilliancy." [MD278]
  • From GPB81, Browne's testimony, "One of those strange outbursts,"..."of enthusiasm, faith, fervent devotion and indomitable heroism … the birth of a Faith which may not impossibly win a place amidst the great religions of the world." And again: "The spirit which pervades the Bábís is such that it can hardly fail to affect most powerfully all subjected to its influence.… Let those who have not seen disbelieve me if they will, but, should that spirit once reveal itself to them, they will experience an emotion which they are not likely to forget."
  • The Persian Constitutional Movement (1918) [MCS544]
  • Materials for the Study of the Babi Religion (1918) The book represented no great amount of original work on Browne's part since it was mainly documents that he had collected.
  • Arabian Medicine (1921) [Browne, Edward Granville by Moojan Momen] iiiii
  • For scholarly works on the life of Browne see Selections From The Writings of E.G. Browne - On The Babi And Baha'i Religions by Moojan Momen and Edward Granville Browne and the Baha'i Faith by Hasan Balyuzi. Both have been published by George Ronald.
• 1952-00-00 — Published on the instructions of Shoghi Effendi, Dr Yúnis Afrukhtih's Khatirát-i-Nuh-Saliy-i- Akká, has been described as "pre-eminent among those works dealing with the history of Covenant-breaking".

  The English translation was titled, Memories of Nine Years in Akka) by Riaz Masrour and was published by George Ronald in 2004.

  Over those nine years, 1900 to 1909, Jináb-i-Khán (the title by which Dr. Yúnis Afrukhtih was honoured by 'Abdu'l-Bahá) served the Master in Akká as secretary, translator, envoy and physician. These were difficult years when the Master was imprisoned in the city of Akká, His every move subject to misrepresentation by the Arch-breaker of the Covenant and his associates, and even His life was in danger. At the same time the period saw the victories of the construction of the Shrine of the Báb and the House of Worship in Ishqábád, as well as the rise of the Cause of Bahá'u'lláh in the West.

• 1971-00-00 —
  The publication of Memorials of the Faithful by the Bahá'í Publishing Trust in Wilmette as translated from the original Persian and annotated by Marzieh Gail. It contains eulogies of some eighty early Bahá'ís transcribed from a series of talks given by 'Abdu'l‑Bahá in Haifa around 1914–15.

  It was first published in 1924 in Farsi when the Persian transcripts that had been corrected by 'Abdu'l‑Bahá were compiled into a single volume.

  • In 1973 Memorials of the Faithful was transcribed by Gertrude D Schurgast and published in Tucson, AZ by the Bahá'í Service for the Blind. In 1975 a second print run was done. [Collins3.75, 8.3]
  • See reviews, papers and tributes to the book.
• 1983-00-00 — The Diary of Juliet Thompson with a foreword by Marzieh Gail was published by Kalimat Press. The diary was of one of the earliest Bahá'ís of New York, covering her many hours with 'Abdu'l-Bahá in 1909, 1911, and 1912. It was a vivid personal account of spiritual love and the tests of her faith. [Collins7.2553]
• 2020-11-00 —
  The release of the film The Mystery of God. It was written by Linda Marshall Youssefian and Nadia Ferrorini Cucè, and was directed and edited by Vargha Mazlum.
  • Vargha Mazlum has been involved in music and media for over 30 years, first as a singer/violinist in the musical band Light in the Darkness and then as a producer in China and Italy. Recently more involved in video/film development, historical research, editing and directing. His documentaries explore the lives of prominent historical Bahá'ís. [Bahá'í Chronicles]

    One of his previous productions was a film about Carole Lombard and another was called Liao Chongzhen: A Bright Candle of the World of Humanity.

  • See Wikipedia Liao Chongzhen.
• 2021-11-18 —
  The release of the film Exemplar commissioned by the Universal House of Justice to mark the centenary commemoration of the passing of 'Abdu'l-Bahá. The film follows the life of 'Abdu'l-Bahá and the profound effect He had on people both past and present. A sense of 'Abdu'l-Bahá's unique function as a shelter, a shield, and a stronghold for all humanity is captured in vignettes of some of the people whose lives were transformed through their association with Him. It explores how, by championing the oneness of humanity through His words and deeds, He offered a challenge to the stale assumptions and prejudices of the age, and gave stimulus to a process of unification which continues to this day. [BWNS1551]
  • The film was made by Hamilton, ON Bahá'í, Mary Darling. [The Hamilton Spectator 5 April 2022] iiiii