From earliest childhood, `Abbas Effendi, the eldest son of Bahá'u'lláh, shared His father's sufferings and banishments. He took as His title `Abdu'l-Bahá, the "servant of Baha." Bahá'u'lláh appointed Him the one authorized interpreter of the Bahá'í teachings and as Head of the Faith after His own passing. In `Abdu'l-Bahá was seen a perfect example of the Bahá'í way of life.

While `Abdu'l-Bahá was still a prisoner of the Ottomans the first Bahá'í pilgrims from the western world arrived in Acre in 1898. After His release in 1908, `Abdu'l-Bahá set out on a series of journeys which, in 1911-1913, took Him to Europe and America. There He proclaimed Bahá'u'lláh's message of unity and social justice to church congregations, peace societies, the members of trade unions, university faculties, journalists, government officials, and many public audiences.

`Abdu'l-Bahá as a young man

`Abdu'l-Bahá passed away in 1921, having consolidated the foundations of the Bahá'í Faith and greatly expanded its reach. The northern rooms of the Shrine of the Bab, where He is interred, are a place of pilgrimage for Bahá'ís visiting the World Center of their Faith.

For further information regarding the life of `Abdu'l-Bahá please refer to www.bahai.org