"...a Shelter for All Mankind..."

'Abdu'l-Baha

"We have made Thee a shelter for all mankind, a shield unto all who are in heaven and on earth, a stronghold for whosoever hath believed in God, the Incomparable, the All-Knowing. 
- Baha'u'llah  (Quoted by Shoghi Effendi in The World Order of Baha'u'llah)

The Most Great Favour, The Most Perfect Bounty

'Abdu'l-Baha

"Render thanks unto God, O people, for His appearance; for verily He is the most great Favour unto you, the most perfect bounty upon you; and through Him every mouldering bone is quickened" 
- Baha'u'llah  (Tablet of the Branch)

The Most Great Branch

'Abdu'l-Baha during 1860's

"O Thou Who art the apple of Mine eye! My glory, the ocean of My loving-kindness, the sun of My bounty, the heaven of My mercy rest upon Thee." 
- Baha'u'llah  (Quoted by Shoghi Effendi in The World Order of Baha'u'llah)

The Center of the Covenant

'Abdu'l-Baha

"When the ocean of My presence hath ebbed and the Book of My Revelation is ended, turn your faces toward Him Whom God hath purposed, Who hath branched from this Ancient Root." 
- Baha'u'llah  (The Kitab-i-Aqdas)

The Mystery of God

'Abdu'l-Baha, portrait taken in Paris 1911

"He is ... the "Mystery of God" -- an expression by which Bahá'u'lláh Himself has chosen to designate Him, and which, while it does not by any means justify us to assign to Him the station of Prophethood, indicates how in the person of 'Abdu'l-Bahá the incompatible characteristics of a human nature and superhuman knowledge and perfection have been blended and are completely harmonized." 
- Shoghi Effendi  (from a letter of 8 February 1934, published in "The World Order of Bahá'u'lláh - Selected Letters")

'Abdu'l-Baha Abbas


'Abdu'l-Baha, portrait taken in Paris

"Thou knowest, O my God, that I desire for Him naught except that which Thou didst desire, and have chosen Him for no purpose save that which Thou hadst intended for Him. Render Him victorious, therefore, through Thy hosts of earth and heaven... Ordain, I beseech Thee, by the ardor of My love for Thee and My yearning to manifest Thy Cause, for Him, as well as for them that love Him, that which Thou hast destined for Thy Messengers and the Trustees of Thy Revelation. Verily, Thou art the Almighty, the All-Powerful." 
- Baha'u'llah  (Quoted by Shoghi Effendi in 'The World Order of Baha'u'llah')

The Master

'Abdu'l-Baha

"My name is 'Abdu'l-Bahá. My qualification is 'Abdu'l-Bahá. My reality is 'Abdu'l-Bahá. My praise is 'Abdu'l-Bahá. Thraldom to the Blessed Perfection is my glorious and refulgent diadem, and servitude to all the human race my perpetual religion... No name, no title, no mention, no commendation have I, nor will ever have, except 'Abdu'l-Bahá. This is my longing. This is my greatest yearning. This is my eternal life. This is my everlasting glory." 
- 'Abdu'l-Baha  (Quoted by Shoghi Effendi in 'The World Order of Baha'u'llah')