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Featured in: Abdu'l-Baha and The Ascension of Abdu’l-Baha
Abdu’l-Baha—the eldest Son of Baha’u’llah—was the Baha’i Faith’s leading exponent, renowned as a champion of social justice and an ambassador for international peace.
Abdu’l-Baha was the eldest son of Baha’u’llah who referred to Him as “the Mystery of God” and “a shelter for all mankind”, however Abdu’l-Baha preferred to be called “Abdu’l-Baha” which means “the Servant of Baha” in reference to His servitude to Baha’u’llah. When Abdu’l-Baha passed away on 28 November 1921, He was eulogized as One who led humanity to the “Way of Truth,” as a “pillar of peace” and the embodiment of “glory and greatness.”
Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson.
In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick.
In this special episode in honor of the 100th Anniversary of the passing of Abdu’l-Baha, I’m joined by Baha’i author, Rob Weinberg from the UK. Rob talks about the remarkable life of Abdu’l-Baha and why he feels Abdu’l-Baha was an ambassador to humanity. We talk about Abdu’l-Baha’s time in Egypt, Baghdad, France, and the example He gave us. Rob tells us about his own Baha’i journey, his time in the Holy Land, and we discuss the need to focus locally, and look at how we can follow the example of Abdu’l-Baha. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did!
Find out more about some of the things we mentioned and covered below:
* The Universal House of Justice
* Shoghi Effendi
* Abdu’l-Baha
* The Bab
* Baha’u’llah
* Learn more about Abdu’l-Baha and the commemoration of the Centenary of His passing here: The Mystery of God
* BOOK: Ambassador to Humanity by Robert Weinberg
* Rob’s Bahaʼi Blog Interview about Ambassador to Humanity: Ambassador to Humanity – A New Book of Tributes to Abdu’l-Baha
* Edward Granville Browne: The Only European Historian Who Met Baha’u’llah
* A Dramatized Reading of E. G. Browne’s Meeting with Baha’u’llah
* Bicentenary of Birth of the Bab
* BOOK: The Primal Point: A selection of testimonials and tributes to the Bab and His followers by Robert Weinberg
* The Primal Point book interview with Rob Weinberg: The Primal Point: A New Book of Tributes to the Bab and His Followers
* Why is the Baha’i World Centre in Israel?
* Baha’i Blogcast with Rainn Wilson – Episode 68: Kathryn Hogenson (In Honor of Abdu’l-Baha)
* Abdu’l-Baha’s Tablets to The Hague: An Introduction
* A World Without War: Abdu’l-Baha & the Discourse for Global Peace – Janet Khan & Hoda Mahmoudi
* QUOTE by Baha’u’llah: “Be anxiously concerned with the needs of the age ye live in, and center your deliberations on its exigencies and requirements.”
* You may also be interested in listening to ‘The Journey West‘ podcast.
* BOOK: Paris Talks by Abdu’l-Baha
* What is the Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Program?
* BOOK: The Master in Egypt: A Compilation
* VIDEO: Abdu’l-Baha in Egypt – Baha’i Blog Interviews Payam Rowhani
* QUOTE from Abdu’l-Baha: “The gift of God to this enlightened age is the knowledge of the oneness of mankind and of the fundamental oneness of religion. War shall cease between nations, and by the will of God the Most Great Peace shall come; the world will be seen as a new world, and all men will live as brothers.”
* BOOK: A Sudden Music by Roger White
* Juliet Thompson: Champion of the Baha’i Faith in New York City
* The Bahaʼi World Publications
* A New Cycle of Human Power – Abdu’l-Baha’s encounters with modernist writers and artists by Rob Weinberg.
* BOOK: Ethel Rosenberg: Remembrance and Reunions
* Rob Weinberg Interview: Lady Blomfield: Her Life and Times – An Interview with Robert Weinberg
You can find all of our episodes here on the Baha’i Blogcast page, and be sure to ‘subscribe’ to the Baha’i Blogcast for more upcoming episodes on iTunes, Google Play, Spotify and Soundcloud.
Thanks for listening!
-Rainn Wilson
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What a wonderful interview!
A minor point of info, in the interview Rob mentions ‘Abdu’l-Baha being a mat-maker. Here is the reference from Shoghi Effendi, the grandson of ‘Abdu’l-Baha.
From Lights of Guidance, and compilation of quotations
#2107. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá Advocates The Need For a Profession–He said His was Mat-Making
“In connection with your dear husband, Shoghi Effendi would consider it in full and happy accord with the expressed desire of the Master that every man should have some permanent work. Much as he desires to see you both devote your entire energies to a well-thought out, progressive and attractive presentation of the Cause—a thing he feels we lack lamentably—he would be very pleased to see your husband follow what the Master often repeated even to His own immediate family, namely the necessity of a profession. Of course you know that He always said His had been mat-making.”
(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, September 20, 1929)
Bradley Wright-Hulett (October 10, 2021 at 4:05 PM)