Tablets of Abdul-Baha Abbas

O maid-servant of God!

Thy letter was understood. Thou hast asked, very humbly, for certain things and all were worthy to be coveted. Thou desirest forgiveness of sins; didst ask for great unity and peace; sought nearness to the Threshold of God; hoped to be detached from thine own will, seeking the will of God; prayed for rescue from self-love (or selfishness); hoped for progress in 136 the station of knowledge; desired to serve God; and prayed that thy honorable husband and thy children may be set aglow with the fire of the love of God and may manifest light on their brows through the radiance of the knowledge of God. All these wishes are well worthy of asking. Especially the rescue from self-love. This is a strange trait and means of the destruction of many important souls in the world. If man be imbued with all good qualities but be selfish, all the other virtues will fade or pass away and eventually he will grow worse.

I hope the beloved of God and the maid-servants of the Merciful will be entirely freed from selfishness. Should this become their nature, they will indeed become manifestations of great bounties, and the doors of the divine grace will open.

Be thou grateful to Mrs. ….…. for having led thee to the Straight Path and guiding thee to the Kingdom of God. If thou shouldst thank her a thousand times an hour, thou wilt fail to thank her sufficiently for the attainment.