`Abdu'l-Bahá as a young man

`Abdu'l-Bahá

On the death of his father Bahá'u'lláh, `Abdu'l-Bahá was appointed to interpret the writings of his father as well as continue spreading the words of the Bahá'í Faith.

Appointed the chosen successor `Abdu'l-Bahá was knwon as an ambassador for peace, and the leading exponent of a new Faith. `Abdu'l-Bahá showed no preference unto who he spoke his words, whether they be the poor, the meak or the wealthy and powerful, `Abdu'l-Bahá spoke of the same thing to all of them, that of the message of love, of peace and unity. `Abdu'l-Bahá's sacrifices, though not viewed as such by him, were great, yet his love for the people and his belief in his Fathers words shon above all other problems in his life.

As `Abdu'l-Bahá was appointed the authorized interpreter of Bahá'u'lláh's writings`Abdu'l-Bahá became the "living mouth of the Book, the expounder of the Word." Without `Abdu'l-Bahá, the enormous creative power of Bahá'u'lláh's revelation could not have been transmitted to humanity, nor its import fully comprehended. `Abdu'l-Bahá was the perfect guide to the evergrowing Bahá'í community, someone they could see with there own eyes as being the perfect example of all that he was interpreting. Bahá'u'lláh vested in `Abdu'l-Bahá "the virtues of perfection in personal and social behavior, that humanity may have an enduring model to emulate."

One of the most important functions of `Abdu'l-Bahá was his guidance to the new Bahá'í community, and the prevention of sects breaking away from the Bahá'í Faith, for this is one of the main downfalls in the religions before the coming of the Bahá'í Faith. Constantly you see the breaking off of groups of people from one religion to form another religion, base on many of the same principles, yet apposed to where they came from. This is one thing that the Bahá'u'lláh said must not happen, for we have all came from one God, and therefore should all be a part of the one religion. `Abdu'l-Bahá's interpretations of the writings of Bahá'u'lláh as well as his own, moved the whole Bahá'í Faith in one direction, and prevented these schisms, establishing an unassailable foundation for His Faith.

In the provision of his Will and Testemant He wrote:

When the ocean of My presence hath ebbed and the Book of My Revelation is ended, turn your faces toward Him Whom God hath purposed, Who hast branched from this Ancient Root. The object of this sacred verse is none other except the Most Mighty Branch [`Abdu'l-Bahá]."

Upon his death in 1921, the need for another to lead The Faith into the next age was called for, and since `Abdu'l-Bahá had no son, he instead nominated Shoghi Effendi, his eldest grandson, to be "The Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith".

BAHA'U'LLAH SHOGHI EFFENDI