In the course of the fourth year after Baha’u’llah’s passing it became apparent that the portion of the House of Abbud available for occupation was inadequate for His[‘Abdu’l-Baha’s] enlarged family. With characteristic vigour Abdu’l-Baha took action and towards the end of the year (c. October) 1896 arranged to rent the main building of the former Governorate of Abdu’llah Pasha’ in the Mujadalih Quarter in the north-western corner of the city. He established it as His official residence, and as a home also for His daughters, their husbands and families.
Thus it came about that in March 1897, in an upper room of the south wing, a child was born who was ordained to hold the destiny of the Faith in his hands for thirty-six years and to become its ‘beloved Guardian’, the child named Shoghi by his Grandfather, who grew up under His loving and solicitous care and whose family name was to be Rabbani, ‘divine’, a name given by that same knowing Grandparent.
The Guardian’s childhood and upbringing in that house are warmly described by Amatu’l-Baha Ruhiyyih Khanum in The Priceless Pearl:
It may sound disrespectful to say the Guardian was a mischievous child, but he himself told me he was the acknowledged ringleader of all the other children. Bubbling with high spirits, enthusiasm and daring, full of laughter and wit, the small boy led the way in many pranks; whenever something was afoot, behind it would be found Shoghi Effendi! This boundless energy was often a source of anxiety as he would rush madly up and down the long flight of high steps to the upper storey of the house, to the consternation of the pilgrims below, waiting to meet the Master, His exuberance was irrepressible and was in the child the same force that was to make the man such an untiring and unflinching commander-in-chief of the forces of Baha’u’llah, leading them to victory after victory, indeed, to the spiritual conquest of the entire globe. We have a very reliable witness to this characteristic of the Guardian, Abdu’l-Baha Himself, Who wrote on a used envelope a short sentence to please His little grandson: ‘Shoghi Effendi is a wise man - but he runs about very much!‘. . . (David Ruhe, Door of Hope, p.62)