Preface Acknowledgements 1 2 3 4
Compassion: The Wild-Looking Woman Humility: Trying to be Moses Sacrifice: Tattered Trousers Justice: The Violent Carriage Driver
5 Service: The Sick Man 6 Generosity: The Greatest Gift 7 8 9 10
Courage: Shots in the Night Detachment: Crowded Carriage Courtesy: The Uninvited Guest Forgiveness: Filled with Anger
11 Purity: The Empty Water Glass 12 Prayerfulness: Learning to Pray 13 Servitude: Happy Birthday! 14 Kindly Tongue: Unkind Words 15 Humbleness: A Simple Dinner 16 Selflessness: New Coat 17 Perseverance: Nothing to Eat 18 Unity: Arab Visitors 19 Integrity: Prisoner in the Street Bibliography References
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O God, my God! Have mercy then upon my helpless state, my poverty, my misery, my abasement! Give me to drink from the generous cup of Thy grace and forgiveness, stir me with the sweet scents of Thy love, gladden my bosom with the light of Thy knowledge, purify my soul with the mysteries of Thy oneness, raise me to life with the gentle breeze that cometh from the gardens of Thy mercy . . . Verily art Thou the Helper, the Sustainer, the Exalted, the Most Generous.28 • . . . let your adorning be forgiveness and mercy and that which cheereth the hearts of the well-favoured of God.29
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During the time that ‘Abdu’l-BahĂĄ lived in ‘AkkĂĄ many people realized that the Bahå’Ăs were good people. But there was a Muslim named Shaykh MahmĂşd who still hated the Bahå’Ăs. One day he was at a meeting where people were saying wonderful things about ‘Abdu’l-BahĂĄ. The Shaykh could not stand to hear these kind words about someone he disliked so much. ‘I will show you what an awful man ‘Abdu’l-BahĂĄ is,’ he said angrily, storming out of the room. He rushed to the mosque, where he knew ‘Abdu’l-BahĂĄ would be praying. The Shaykh was so angry he shook ‘Abdu’l-BahĂĄ vigorously. ‘Abdu’l-BahĂĄ looked at the Shaykh calmly. He reminded him of what the Prophet Muhammad had said: ‘Be generous to the guest, even should he be an infidel.’ Shaykh MahmĂşd turned away. His fury had left him. So had his hatred. He felt ashamed and guilty for how he had behaved. He ran to his house and locked the door. Several days later he went to see ‘Abdu’l-BahĂĄ. He fell on his knees and asked for forgiveness. He then became a devoted Bahå’Ă.30
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Create in me a pure heart, O my God, and renew a tranquil conscience within me, O my Hope! Through the spirit of power confirm Thou me in Thy Cause, O my Best-Beloved, and by the light of Thy glory reveal unto me Thy path, O Thou the Goal of my desire! Through the power of Thy transcendent might lift me up unto the heaven of Thy holiness, O Source of my being, and by the breezes of Thine eternity gladden me, O Thou Who art my God! Let Thine everlasting melodies breathe tranquillity on me, O my Companion, and let the riches of Thine ancient countenance deliver me from all except Thee, O my Master, and let the tidings of the revelation of Thine incorruptible Essence bring me joy, O Thou Who art the most manifest of the manifest and the most hidden of the hidden!31 • O Son of Spirit! My first counsel is this: Possess a pure, kindly and radiant heart, that thine may be a sovereignty ancient, imperishable and everlasting.32
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‘Abdu’l-BahĂĄ could always tell what was in a person’s heart, and He greatly loved people whose hearts were pure and radiant. There was a lady who had the great honour of being the guest of ‘Abdu’l-BahĂĄ at dinner. As she sat listening to His words of wisdom, she looked at a glass of water in front of her and thought, ‘Oh! If only ‘Abdu’l-BahĂĄ would take my heart and empty it of every earthly desire and then refill it with divine love and understanding, just as you would do with this glass of water.’ This thought passed through her mind quickly, and she did not say anything about it, but soon something happened that made her realize ‘Abdu’l-BahĂĄ had known what she was thinking. While He was in the middle of His talk, He paused to call a servant and said a few words to him in Persian. The servant quietly came to the lady’s place at the table, took her glass, emptied it and put it back in front of her. A little later, ‘Abdu’l-BahĂĄ, while continuing to talk, picked up a pitcher of water from the table, and in a most natural way, slowly refilled the lady’s empty glass. No one noticed what had happened but the lady knew that ‘Abdu’l-BahĂĄ was answering her heart’s desire. She was filled with joy. Now she knew that hearts and minds were like open books to ‘Abdu’l-BahĂĄ, who read them with great love and kindliness.33
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