Impressions on ‘Abdu’l-Baha

Florence Breed Khan 

Source: Florence Khanum, The Sheltering Branch

One evening, after sunset, Khan [Ali-Kuli Khan] came in great enthusiasm and excitement to our room. ‘Do you remember,’ he asked, ‘that ‘Abdu’l-Baha said He would answer all the letters we brought to Him from America before we left?’ ‘Yes, I do.’ ‘Then come quickly. It is too wonderful! The Master is pacing to and fro, in His sitting room-I cannot see the secretary—and He is replying to those letters, as if he had known the inmost secret of the writers’ hearts, from the cradle! Yet He has never met nor seen one of them. You can see Him from the corridor beyond the little room, each time He passes the open doorway!’

I heard the dear Master’s beautiful voice, and then saw Him, as He strode by the doorway of His lighted room. We were in the dark, looking through the small darkened antechamber. …I could never get my fill, so to speak, of the Divine perfection of spirituality—a gentleness-a holy patience—no sign whatsoever in lines or expression of the lower traits of human nature, only a Divine perfectness. It was astounding. I had never seen a face like it. Selfless. The stamp of suffering upon it; alas for humanity, which crucifies God’s messengers! 

“So, I thought exultingly, ‘Now if only the Master would pause a moment in His doorway, as I am here in the dark, I could look upon His face to my heart’s content, and no one would notice me!’ 

“Instantly, the Master stopped in His doorway. 

“Silhouetted against the light, I clearly saw Him in His beauty, and I began a sort of ‘visual devouring’ of that wonderful face! I looked, and I looked, and I looked. After a few moments, ‘Abdu’l-Baha withdrew, and resumed His pacing to and fro and revelation of the Tablets. 

“After watching for a while, half timorously the thought arose in my heart, ‘Oh! if only He would stop once more in the doorway!’ 

“At once the Master stood in the doorway, silent, and seemed to be looking upwards towards the stars. ‘Now, I will look!’ I thought in breathless joy. 

“This time as I gazed silently upon that matchless face, a golden light shone forth from His entire figure. This light intensified, and intensified, as I looked, and looked, until I began almost to be afraid. 

“I said to myself, ‘However bright it grows I am going to keep my eyes open! What a wonderful sight! What a miraculous opportunity!’ 

“The outline of light grew more and more intense, yet I looked, and I looked, until it seemed to me, I must fall upon my knees. Just as it seemed I could no longer bear such a vision, the Master withdrew.”