Life of 'Abdu'l-Bahá by simplicity-frugality-generosity

Stories about 'Abdu'l-Baha -- the Perfect Exemplar

Simplicity, Frugality and Generosity to Others

"Be generous in prosperity, and thankful in adversity. Be worthy of the trust of thy neighbor, and look upon him with a bright and friendly face. Be a treasure to the poor, an admonisher to the rich, an answerer of the cry of the needy, a preserver of the sanctity of thy pledge." -- Baha'u'llah

One day, Baha'u'llah sent 'Abdu'l-Baha to inspect the work of the shepherds who were taking care of His sheep. 'Abdu'l-Baha was a small child at the time, and the persecutions against Baha'u'llah and His family had not yet started. Baha'u'llah then had a good deal of land in the mountains and owned large herds of sheep. When the inspection was finished and 'Abdu'l-Baha was ready to leave, the man who had accompanied Him said, "It is your father's custom to leave a gift to each shepherd." 'Abdu'l-Baha became silent for a while, because He did not have anything to give them. The man, however, insisted that the shepherds were expecting something. Then Abdu'l-Baha had an idea that made Him very happy! He would give the shepherds the sheep they were taking care of! Baha'u'llah was pleased and amused when He heard about 'Abdu'l-Baha's generosity towards the shepherds. He humorously remarked that everyone had better take good care of 'Abdu'l-Baha because someday He would give Himself away. Of course, this is exactly what 'Abdu'l-Baha did for the rest of His life. He gave everything He had, every moment of His life, in order to unite humanity, educate us, and bring us true happiness.

The Master kept little clothing - one coat at a time was ample. He ate little food. He was known to begin His day with tea, goat's milk cheese and wheat bread. And at the evening meal a cup of milk and a piece of bread might suffice. He considered the latter a healthy meal. Had not Bahá`u'lláh, while at Sulaymáníyyih, subsisted mostly on milk? (Sometimes Bahá`u'lláh ate rice and milk cooked together.) `Abdu'l-Bahá's sparse diet also included herbs and olives - it rarely included meat.

Mary Lucas, a pilgrim to `Akká in 1905, found that the Master usually ate but one simple meal a day. In eight days He was present at most meals, often coming just to add joy to the occasion, though He was not hungry. If He knew of someone who had had no meal during a day, the family supper was gladly packed up and sent to the needy.[F37]

One day `Abdu'l-Bahá was going from `Akká to Haifa and asked for a seat in the stage coach. The driver, surprised, said `Your Excellency surely wishes a private carriage.' `No,' replied the Master. While He was still in the coach in Haifa, a distressed fisherwoman came to Him; all day she had caught nothing and now must return to her hungry family. The Master gave her five francs, then turned to the driver and said: `You now see the reason why I would not take a private carriage. Why should I ride in luxury when so many are starving?'[F17]

Before His wedding day, `Abdu'l-Bahá made the necessary arrangements for the few guests. His mother and sister made a delicate bridal dress of white batiste. A white head-dress adorned Muníríh Khánum's hair, worn, as usual, in two braids. At nine in the evening she went with the Greatest Holy Leaf into the presence of Bahá`u'lláh, Who gave her His blessing. She then went to the bridal room where she awaited the coming of `Abdu'l-Bahá. The service was very simple. At about ten o'clock `Abdu'l-Bahá came, accompanied by the guests, and Muníríh Khánum chanted a Tablet revealed by Bahá`u'lláh. Later, the wife of `Abbúd recalled 'the sweetness of that chanting still ringing in her ears.'[F41] There were no choir, decorations or cake - just cups of tea. Above all, a glory and a love there were more than sufficient to bless the happy event.

`Abdu'l-Bahá's family was taught to dress in such a way that they would be `an example to the rich and an encouragement to the poor.'[F42] Available money was stretched to cover far more than the Master's family needs. One of His daughters wore no bridal gown when she married - a clean dress sufficed. The Master was queried why He had not provided bridal clothes. With candour He replied simply, `My daughter is warmly clad and has all that she needs for her comfort. The poor have not. What my daughter does not need I will give to the poor rather than to her.'[F43]

“A friend had sent some fur so that the Master could have a good warm coat; He had it cut up and made into twenty caps for the elderly men of the town.”[F20]

“Whenever possible `Abdu'l-Bahá attempted to avoid unnecessary fanfare. Once, wealthy visitors from the West planned an elaborate pre-meal, hand-washing scene for Him - it included a page boy, a clean bowl with `crystal water' and even a scented towel! When the Master saw the group walking across the lawn, He knew their purpose. He hurried to a small water-trough, washed as usual and then wiped His hands on the cloth of the gardener. Radiantly, He then turned to meet His guests. The preparations meant for Him He used for them.[F28]

“The husband of Amelia Collins, a devoted American Bahá`í, was a very sociable man. He could take part in any discussion with perfect freedom and ease. But once, before entering the Master's home, he was so excited that he arranged his tie just right, smoothed his clothes and repeatedly asked his wife what he should do when they arrived there. She told him, `Nothing! In the family of `Abdu'l-Bahá simplicity reigns, and nothing but love is ever accepted.'[F44]

`Abdu'l-Bahá laid the cornerstone of the House of Worship in Wilmette, Illinois, on 1 May 1912. A temporary tent covered a spot of prairie overlooking Lake Michigan. People from different nationalities were on hand to ceremoniously turn over a bit of soil. An ordinary spade was used, but when the Master's turn came He was handed a golden trowel. He handed it back and used instead the same spade as the others. He then laid the cornerstone.[F29]

On the occasion of `Abdu'l-Bahá's first dinner in the home of Lady Blomfield in London His hostess had prepared course after course in her eagerness to please Him. Afterwards He gently commeted: `The food was delicious and the fruit and flowers were lovely, but would that we could share some of the courses with those poor and hungry people who have not even one.'[F38] Thereafter, the dinners were greatly simplified. Flowers and fruit remained in abundance, for these were often brought to the Master as small love tokens.

During `Abdu'l-Bahá's last days in America, the Bahá`ís were eager to show their love and gratitude by contributions of money, but these He refused. `I am pleased with your services,' He told them, `and I am grateful for all you have done for Me. ... Now you have brought presents for the members of My family. They are acceptable, but the best of all presents is the love of God which remains preserved in the treasuries of hearts. Material presents remain for a time but this lasts forever. These presents require chests and shelves for safe keeping while this is preserved in the repositories of the minds and hearts and remains eternal and immortal forever in the divine worlds. I shall, therefore, convey to them your love which is the most precious of all gifts. No one uses diamond rings in our home and no one wants rubies. That house is free from all these things. `I, however, accept your presents but I leave them in your safe keeping with the request that you will kindly sell them and send the proceeds to the funds for the Mashriqu'l-Adhkár.'[F19]

May Bolles (Maxwell) took an early pilgrimage to the prison-city. She heard that the food man eats is of no importance, as its effect endures but a short time. But the food of the spirit is life to the soul and its effects endure eternally. She heard `Abdu'l-Bahá tell the touching `story of the hermit'. Bahá`u'lláh `was travelling from one place to another with His followers' and `He passed through a lonely country where, at some little distance from the highway, a hermit lived alone in a cave. He was a holy man, and having heard that Our Lord, Bahá`u'lláh, would pass that way, he watched eagerly for His approach. When the Manifestation arrived at that spot the hermit knelt down and kissed the dust before His feet, and said to Him: "Oh, my Lord, I am a poor man living alone in a cave nearby; but henceforth I shall account myself the happiest of mortals if Thou wilt but come for a moment to my cave and bless it by Thy presence." Then Bahá`u'lláh told the man that He would come, not for a moment but for three days, and He bade His followers cast their tents, and await His return. The poor man was so overcome with joy and gratitude that he was speechless, and led the way in humble silence to his lowly dwelling in a rock. There the Glorious One sat with him, talking to him and teaching him, and toward evening the man bethought himself that he had nothing to offer his great Guest but some dry meat and some dark bread, and water from a spring nearby. Not knowing what to do he threw himself at the feet of his Lord and confessed his dilemma. Bahá`u'lláh comforted him and by a word bade him fetch the meat and bread and water; then the Lord of the universe partook of this frugal repast with joy and fragrance as though it had been a banquet, and during the three days of His visit they ate only of this food which seemed to the poor hermit the most delicious he had ever eaten. Bahá`u'lláh declared that He had never been more nobly entertained nor received greater hospitality and love. "This," exclaimed the Master, when He had finished the story, "shows us how little man requires when he is nourished by the sweetest of all foods - the love of God."'[F40]

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