ʻAbdu'l-Bahá

ʻAbdu'l-Bahá, born ʻAbbás on May twenty-third, eighteen forty-four, was the eldest son of Baháʼu'lláh, the founder of the Bahá’í Faith. Designated as his father's successor, he led the Baháʼí community from eighteen ninety-two until his passing in nineteen twenty-one. Recognized as one of the three central figures of the Baháʼí Faith, alongside Baháʼu'lláh and the Báb, his writings and discourses are considered vital sources of Baháʼí sacred literature.

Born into an aristocratic family in Tehran, ʻAbdu'l-Bahá faced significant challenges early in life. At the tender age of eight, his father was imprisoned during a government crackdown on the Bábí Faith, leading to the family's loss of possessions and subsequent poverty. Following his father's exile from Iran, the family relocated to Baghdad, where they resided for a decade before being moved to Istanbul, and later confined in Edirne and the prison-city of ʻAkká.

ʻAbdu'l-Bahá remained imprisoned until the Young Turk Revolution in nineteen oh eight, at the age of sixty-four. After his release, he embarked on several journeys to the West to disseminate the Baháʼí message, although World War I largely confined him to Haifa from nineteen fourteen to nineteen eighteen. During the British Mandate over Palestine, he was honored as a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire for his efforts in alleviating famine in the region.

In his father's will, ʻAbdu'l-Bahá was appointed as the head of the Baháʼí Faith. His influential Tablets of the Divine Plan inspired Baháʼís in North America to expand the teachings of the faith into new territories. His Will and Testament established the framework for the current Baháʼí administrative order, and his extensive writings, prayers, and letters continue to resonate within the community.

While his given name was ʻAbbás, he was often referred to as Mírzá ʻAbbás or ʻAbbás Effendi, titles that reflect his esteemed status. Throughout his leadership, he preferred the title ʻAbdu'l-Bahá, meaning 'servant of Bahá,' a tribute to his father. In Baháʼí texts, he is affectionately known as 'The Master.'