“A tall strongly-built man holding himself straight as an arrow, with white turban and raiment, long black locks reaching almost to the shoulder, broad powerful forehead indicating a strong intellect combined with an unswerving will, eyes keen as a hawk’s, and strongly-marked but pleasing features–such was my first impression of ‘Abbás  Effendi, “the master” as he par excellence is called…. One more eloquent of speech, more ready of argument, more apt of illustration, more intimately acquainted with the sacred books of the Jews, theChristians, the Muhammadans, could, I should think, scarcely be found even amongst the eloquent, ready, and subtle race to which he belongs. These qualities, combined with a bearing at once majestic and genial, made me cease to wonder at the influence and esteem which he enjoyed even beyond the circle of his father’s followers. About the greatness of this man and his power no one who had seen him could entertain a doubt.”

Such were the impressions of the British Orientalist Edward G. Browne (FBA) in 1890, when he visited’Abdu’l-Bahá in ‘Akká.

28^th November 2021 marks the centenary of the passing of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. This article is only a modest attemp to introduce, though brief, the life of  ‘Abdu’l-Bahá; a personage dedicated His entire life to the service of humanity.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá, a title which He chose for Himself meaning ‘Servant of the Glory’, willingly endured banishments and forty years in Prison in ‘Akká (now in Israel) by decree of the Ottoman rulers in Istanbul. His aim was to bring about the realisation of the Unity of Mankind and World Peace. He gained His freedom following the Young Turks revolution in 1908, which set free all those in the Ottoman empire who had been imprisoned for their religious beliefs.

His father, Bahá’u’lláh, who suffered life long hardships and persecution, passed away in prison in 1892 in Akka, and the banner of the Universal Faith that Bahá’u’lláh revealed was passed on to His son ‘Abdu’l-Bahá.

Following His release from prison, at the age of sixty four, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá embarked on His travels to the West to spread the teachings of His father Bahá’u’lláh: the oneness of God and of religion, unity of mankind, the equality of men and women, the need for a universal auxiliary language, elimination of all forms of prejudice, the harmony of religion and science, and the independent investigations of truth are amongst the teachings that Bahá’u’lláh brought in the middle of the nineteenth century.

During His travels to Europe and America, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá spoke to the lowliest and to the loftiest of societies. He sat and showered with love the poor and lowly, and met with leaders of thought and representatives of governments. He also met with the ever growing number of journalists and reporters that came to interview Him. Over two thousand press articles were written about Him during His lifetime.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá gave hundreds of talks reaching thousands of people from all walks of life. He was invited to give talks in Churches, Synagogues, at Peace Conferences and in Universities. He also addressed groups such as the Theosophical and Metaphysical Societies.

His first talk was on 10^th September 1911, when He first arrived in London, from the pulpit of the City Temple in Holborn and at the invitation of Rev. R. J. Campbell, He gave the following public address:

“… The gift of God to this enlightened age is the knowledge of the oneness of mankind and of the fundamental oneness of religion. War shall cease between nations, and by the will of God the Most Great Peace shall come; the world will be seen as a new world, and all men will live as brothers….

There is one God; mankind is one; the foundations of religion are one. Let us worship Him, and give praise for all His great Prophets and Messengers who have manifested His brightness and glory. …”

During World War I when a blockade threatened the lives of many civilians in Haifa, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá saved them from starvation. He personally organized extensive agricultural operations near Tiberias, thus securing a great supply of wheat. Preparation for war conditions had been made by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá even before His return to Palestine, after His world tour. The people of nearby the villages were instructed by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá on how to grow corn, so as to produce prolific harvests in the period before and during the lean years of the war. Deep was the gratitude of those women and children who had been saved by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá who could see into the future of tragedy and woe as early as 1912. Hence ‘Abdu’l-Bahá was able to feed numberless poor of the people of Haifa, ‘Akká, and the neighbourhood, in the famine years of 1914-1918.

During the period of British occupation, large numbers of soldiers and Government officials of all ranks delighted in the company of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, in His illuminating talks, His noble character, His genial hospitality, perfect courtesy and efforts to establish peace and prosperity throughout the world. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá averted a famine and uplifted countless souls, and in recognition of this, on the 27^th April 1920, a Knighthood of the British Empire was conferred upon Him for “services rendered unto the British government”.

On the 28^th November 1921, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá passed away in Haifa after a short illness. The news of  ‘Abdu’l-Bahá passing quickly spread over the city, causing an unprecedented stir and filling all hearts with grief. Soon after letters of condolences started arriving to the Holy Land from Bahá’í communities and leading figures from all over the World.

Winston Churchill, then the Secretary of State for the Colonies, cabled the High Commissioner for Palestine, ‘ . . . to convey to the Bahai Community, on behalf of His Majesty’s Government, their sympathy and condolence on the death of Sir ‘Abdu’l-Bahá Abbas K.B.E.’

The London Morning Post two days after his passing, among other highly favourable comments, concluded its report of the movement in the following words :

“The venerated Bahá’u’lláh died in 1892 and the mantle of his religious insight fell on his son ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, when, after forty years of prison life, Turkish constitutional changes permitted him to visit England, France and America. His persistent messages as to the divine origin and unity of mankind were as impressive as the Messenger himself. He possessed singular courtesy. At his table Buddhist and Mohammedan, Hindu and Zoroastrian, Jew and Christian, sat in amity. “Creatures,” he said, “were created through love; let them live in peace and amity.”

On the morning of Tuesday 29^th November 1921, the funeral took place. So deep was the feeling that brought so many thousands of mourners from many backgrounds together. Representatives of the various denominations, Muslims, Christians, and Jews, all hearts being ablaze with fervent love of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, raised their voices in eulogy and regret, paying their last homage of farewell to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá:

“… O Thou revered voyager! Thou hast lived greatly and hast died greatly! This great funeral procession is but a glorious proof of Thy greatness in Thy life and in Thy death. But 0, Thou whom we have lost! Thou leader of men, generous and benevolent! To whom shall the poor now look? Who shall care for the hungry? And the desolate, the widow and the orphan? …”

“… Shed no tears for the one that hath departed to the world of eternity, but weep over the passing of virtue and wisdom, of knowledge and generosity. lament for yourselves, for yours is the loss, whilst He, your lost one, is but a revered wayfarer, stepping from your mortal world into the everlasting home…. What eloquent lips are hushed! Alas! In this tribulation there is no heart but aches with anguish, no eye but is filled with tears. Woe unto the poor, for lo! goodness hath departed from them, woe unto the orphans, for their loving father is no more with them! …”

 “… Fellow Christians! Truly ye are bearing the mortal remains of this ever lamented One to His last resting place, yet know of a certainty that your ‘Abbas will live forever in spirit amongst you, through His deeds, His words, His virtues, and all the essence of His life. We say farewell to the material body of our ‘Abbas and His material body vanisheth from our gaze, but His reality, our spiritual ‘Abbas, will never leave our minds, our thoughts, our hearts, our tongues…. O great revered Sleeper! Thou hast been good to us, Thou hast guided us, Thou hast taught us, Thou hast lived amongst us greatly, with the full meaning of greatness, Thou hast made us proud of Thy deeds and of Thy words. Thou hast raised the Orient to the summit of glory, hast shown loving kindness to the people, trained them in righteousness, and hast striven to the end, till Thou hast won the crown of glory…. “

“In a century of exaggerated positivism and unbridled materialism, it is astonishing and rare to find a philosopher of great scope, such as the lamented ‘Abdu’l-Bahá ‘Abbas, speak to our heart, to our feelings, and especially seek to educate our soul by inculcating in us the most beautiful principles, which are recognized as being the basis of all religion and of all pure morality. By His Writings, by His spoken Word, by His intimate conversations as well as by His famous dialogues with the most cultivated and the most fervent adepts of sectarian theories, He knew how to persuade; He was always able to win our minds. Living examples have a special power. His private and public life was an example of devotion and of forgetfulness of self for the happiness of others. . . . . ‘Abbas died in Haifa, Palestine, the Holy Land which produced the prophets. Sterile and abandoned for so many centuries, it is coming back to life and is beginning to recover its rank and its original renown. We are not the only ones to grieve for this prophet; we are not the only ones to testify to His glory. In Europe, in America, yea, in every land inhabited by men conscious of their mission in this base world, a thirst for social justice, for brotherhood, He will be mourned as well….”

The Baha’i communities in Aylesbury and surrounding areas are commomorating the centenary of the pasing of’Abdu’l-Bahá and celebrating His life by holding special gatherings and showing a recently commissioned film specially made for the centenary of His passing. The film is titled ‘Exemplar’ which has a running time of 56 minutes, will also be available to stream and download from www.bahai.org. This production gives “a portrait of the Person of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá,” exploring 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.”

BBC1 also marked this occasion with a special feature on Sunday Morning Live programme, Broadcasted on the 28^th November at 10:30 am – https://youtu.be/kaK9Yjo7-vg.

Burhan Hayati

For inquiries please write to info@aylesburyvalebahais.org.uk.