'Abdu'l-Baha was born in Tihran, Iran, on 23 May 1844. While still a child, He recognized His Father's station even before it had been openly revealed. He shared Baha’u’llah's banishment and exile and often served as His Father's deputy when dealing with officials and the public. Baha'u'llah described the station of 'Abdu’l-Baha in the Suriy-i-Ghusn (Tablet of the Branch). In the Kitab-i-'Ahdi (Book of the Covenant), He named 'Abdu'l-Baha as His successor and the authorized Interpreter of His Writings.
'[T]hough essentially human and holding a station radically and fundamentally different from that occupied by Baha'u'llah and His Forerunner,' Shoghi Effendi has explained, 'Abdu'l-Baha was 'the perfect Exemplar of His Faith . . . endowed with superhuman knowledge, and to be regarded as the stainless mirror reflecting His light.’ While not regarding 'Abdu'l-Baha as a prophet, Baha'is show special respect to His unique station by capitalizing pronouns referring to Him.
In about 1873 'Abdu’l-Baha married Munirih Khanum. Of their nine children, four daughters lived to adulthood. His eldest daughter Diya’iyyih was the mother of Shoghi Effendi.
'[T]hough essentially human and holding a station radically and fundamentally different from that occupied by Baha'u'llah and His Forerunner,' Shoghi Effendi has explained, 'Abdu'l-Baha was 'the perfect Exemplar of His Faith . . . endowed with superhuman knowledge, and to be regarded as the stainless mirror reflecting His light.’ While not regarding 'Abdu'l-Baha as a prophet, Baha'is show special respect to His unique station by capitalizing pronouns referring to Him.
In about 1873 'Abdu’l-Baha married Munirih Khanum. Of their nine children, four daughters lived to adulthood. His eldest daughter Diya’iyyih was the mother of Shoghi Effendi.
In 1901 Sultan 'Abdu'l-Hamid II again ordered 'Abdu’l-Baha confined to ‘Akka but in 1908 He was set free after-the Young Turks revolution.
It was 'Abdu’l-Baha who, at the instruction of Baha'u'llah, saw to the transfer of the Bab’s remains to the Holy Land and their interment in a permanent shrine on Mount Carmel in 1909.
In 1911 He began His historic journeys to Europe and North America to proclaim His Father's message, returning to the Holy Land in 1913.
Renowned outside the Baha'i community for His humanitarian work, 'Abdu'l-Baha was knighted in 1920 by the British government for his efforts for the relief of hunger in Palestine during World War I.
Among the achievements of the ministry of 'Abdu'l-Baha were the spread of the Baha'i Faith to the West and Australia; the building of the first Mashriqu'l-Adhkar in 'Ishqabad and the beginning of the Mother Temple of the West in Wilmette, Illinois, USA; and the establishment of the first institutions of the Baha'i Administrative Order.
During His lifetime, 'Abdu’l-Baha wrote many books and Tablets, interpreting and elucidating the Writings of Baha'u’llah. Among His books published in English are The Secret of Divine Civilization, Memorials of the Faithful and A Traveller's Narrative. In addition, the texts of many of His talks and Tablets have been collected and published in volumes such as Tablets of 'Abdu'l-Baha, Tablets of the Divine Plan, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, Some Answered Questions and Paris Talks.
In His Will and Testament, 'Abdu’l-Baha named His grandson, Shoghi Effendi, to succeed Him as Guardian of the Baha'i Faith. 'Abdu’l-Baha died in Haifa on 28 November 1921, and is buried in a vault of the Shrine of the Bab. (Wendi Momen, ‘A Basic Baha’i Dictionary)
It was 'Abdu’l-Baha who, at the instruction of Baha'u'llah, saw to the transfer of the Bab’s remains to the Holy Land and their interment in a permanent shrine on Mount Carmel in 1909.
In 1911 He began His historic journeys to Europe and North America to proclaim His Father's message, returning to the Holy Land in 1913.
Renowned outside the Baha'i community for His humanitarian work, 'Abdu'l-Baha was knighted in 1920 by the British government for his efforts for the relief of hunger in Palestine during World War I.
Among the achievements of the ministry of 'Abdu'l-Baha were the spread of the Baha'i Faith to the West and Australia; the building of the first Mashriqu'l-Adhkar in 'Ishqabad and the beginning of the Mother Temple of the West in Wilmette, Illinois, USA; and the establishment of the first institutions of the Baha'i Administrative Order.
During His lifetime, 'Abdu’l-Baha wrote many books and Tablets, interpreting and elucidating the Writings of Baha'u’llah. Among His books published in English are The Secret of Divine Civilization, Memorials of the Faithful and A Traveller's Narrative. In addition, the texts of many of His talks and Tablets have been collected and published in volumes such as Tablets of 'Abdu'l-Baha, Tablets of the Divine Plan, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, Some Answered Questions and Paris Talks.
In His Will and Testament, 'Abdu’l-Baha named His grandson, Shoghi Effendi, to succeed Him as Guardian of the Baha'i Faith. 'Abdu’l-Baha died in Haifa on 28 November 1921, and is buried in a vault of the Shrine of the Bab. (Wendi Momen, ‘A Basic Baha’i Dictionary)