Preface to the Centenary Edition..................................................... ix Note to the Reader

Note to the Reader

A wide variety of historical sources was used in this book to provide a broad overview of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s visit to North America, His interactions with the early Bahá’ís, and the social conditions of the time. Some of these sources consist of Bahá’ís’ personal recollections of ‘Abdu’lBahá and His statements to them. These accounts offer valuable insights into the early Bahá’í community and its members’ relationships with ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. However, they cannot be considered authentic sources of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s words. They should be used with caution, keeping in mind that they may include errors or misunderstandings on the part of the original authors. However, Ma¥múd’s Diary, recorded by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s companion Ma¥múd-i-Zarqání, is considered an authentic record of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s words. Most of the quotations from ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s public talks are from the book The Promulgation of Universal Peace, the publication of which He encouraged.

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