Bicentenary Poems and Prose

The Mystery of God: To 'Abdu'l-Baha

The Mystery of God1:
To 'Abdu'l-Baha

"He [‘Abdu’l-Baha] is, and should for all time be regarded, first and foremost, as the Center and Pivot of Bahá'u'lláh's peerless and all-enfolding Covenant, His most exalted handiwork, the stainless Mirror of His light, the perfect Exemplar of His teachings, the unerring Interpreter of His Word, the embodiment of every Bahá'í ideal, the incarnation of every Bahá'í virtue, the Most Mighty Branch sprung from the Ancient Root, the Limb of the Law of God, the Being "round Whom all names revolve," the Mainspring of the Oneness of Humanity, the Ensign of the Most Great Peace, the Moon of the Central Orb of this most holy Dispensation -- styles and titles that are implicit and find their truest, their highest and fairest expression in the magic name 'Abdu'l-Bahá. He is, above and beyond these appellations, 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 Effendi23

The mirror of the Glory of God
He cast the light of peace and love across
Every soul that apprehended to his words.

Moon of the Dispensation of Baha'u'llah,
Yearned only to serve humanity,
Successor to the Blessed Beauty4, and
The Center of His Covenant. The
Example of every divine virtue,
Raised the banner of humanity's unity:
Years in prison did not dim his light.5

One of the three central figures of the Baha'i
Faith: he is not a Manifestation of God.

Given 'Abdu'l-Baha's unique station
Only future generations can
Determine his effect on history.

Poet's Note: ▼

This is poem #15 in the 100 I'm writing for the Centenary of the Ascension of 'Abd'l-Baha.

Footnotes
1  https://bahaiworld.bahai.org/special-collections/the-mystery-of-god/
2  The World Order of Baha'u'llah
3  Quoted in 'Abdu'l-Baha in Our Midst:Commemorating the centenary of 'Abdu'l-Baha's passing in 1921 - "The Mystery of God", https://abdulbaha-in-our-midst.blogspot.com/search?q=the+mystery+of+god
4  One of the titles of Baha'u'llah.
5  At the age of 9, 'Abdu'l-Baha accompanied his father (Baha'u'llah) and family into exile.