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Tablets of Abdul-Baha Abbas

  • Author:

  • ‘Abdu’l-Bahá

  • Source:
  • Bahá’í Publishing Committee, 1909 edition
  • Pages:
  • 730
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Pages 20-22

“O ye spiritual friends of Abdul-Baha!…”
O ye spiritual friends of Abdul-Baha!
Your long letter was considered and its contents were a source of happiness. Thank God that ye, western friends, have become dawning-points of the love of God and stars of knowledge leading to Him; night and day are ye thinking of imparting life to souls and of educating people of discernment.
Regarding the blessed word, the Greatest Name: Its writing or spelling is according to its pronunciation (i.e., it is spelled as it is pronounced) in the Persian language. Baha is correct; Beha is incorrect. However 21 this question must not cause inharmony and grief among the friends. This truth shall become manifest.
Should ye attribute a mistake to a person, it will be a cause of offense and grief to him—how much greater would this be if it is attributed to a number of people! How often it hath occurred that a slight difference hath caused a great dissension and hath been made a reason for division. Now, you write Baha’u’llah, 1 but do not object to any person. All will eventually follow the correct spelling.
O ye beloved ones of God! The manifestation of the Light of Unity is for binding together the people of the world. If this unity is not attained, the tree of life is made fruitless, the heavenly bounty is not utilized. The blessed blood (of the saints) was shed for bringing about unity and harmony. These souls gave their lives as sacrifice in order to produce the love that bindeth the hearts of all the people. Therefore, ye should all spend your efforts in uniting and reconciling (the people), so that the light of God’s love may permeate the universe.
The Spiritual Meeting of men (House of Spirituality) and the Spiritual Meeting of women (Assembly of Teaching) in Chicago are indeed endeavoring to serve. If they unite, as they should, they will produce great results. Especially, if the Spiritual Meetings of 22 Chicago unite with those of New York and become bound together, in a short while the fragrance of the divine garden, which giveth life, will perfume all regions.
1. This spelling was later changed by Abdul-Baha to Baha’o’llah, as an aid to more correct pronunciation.   [ Back To Reference]