The Will And Testament Of Abdu L Bah

This Commentary by Joel B. Marangella sheds light on both the text and the tragic historic events surrounding this Sacred Document of the Bahá'í Faith. The book recounts the intrigue that took place at the Bahá'í World Center in 1957 that stifled the growth of this infant Faith, threatened to permanently diminish its prestige in the eyes of the world and destroyed the very safeguard built into the Faith that was to prevent it from falling into false leadership. Despite the darkness that has befallen this most recent revelation from God, this brilliant Commentary reveals the truth of what remains alive and well today, the true sign of God on earth who alone maintains the spirit and meaning of the Bahá'í teachings. The Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Bahá is the vital and eternal link between Bahá'u'lláh and the sacred Administrative Order that is the true channel of the spirit. This new book by Mr. Marangella clearly illuminates important passages within it that have been misunderstood, overlooked or intentionally distorted.The question may well be asked, what is so threatening about this book that millions of Bahá'ís around the world won't be allowed by their leadership to read it? Surely, all Bahá'ís must recognize the fundamental principle of Bahá'u'lláh, the Prophet Founder of the Bahá'í Faith, to exercise their human right of an unfettered, independent investigation of truth.Mr. Marangella's book also includes the complete Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l- Bahá, which can be read along with the Commentary, as well as a Summary of the Bahá'í Faith by the author, recognized by Orthodox Bahá'ís as the third Guardian of Bahá'í Faith. This Summary gives the uninitiated an authoritative treatise on the history and teachings of the Bahá'í Faith.

"On November 28, 1921, the head of the Bahá'í Faith, 'Abdu'l-Bahá, passed away. For Bahá'ís, 'Abdu'l-Bahá was more than the leader of their religion. Shoghi Effendi wrote that 'Abdu'l-Bahá was "the Moon of the Central Orb of this most holy Dispensation" (Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Bahá'u'lláh, p. 134). The night of 'Abdu'l-Bahá's ascension was a night of the waning moon, which illustrates the profound darkness that was felt by those who were present at the time of the passing of 'Abdu'l-Bahá. The darkness would be only temporary, for the passing of 'Abdu'l-Bahá marked the dramatic opening of the Formative Age, a period in the history of humanity that will witness the unfoldment of a religious cycle that will last half a million years (Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Bahá'u'lláh, pp. 101-102). There were six Western believers in Haifa on the night of the ascension of 'Abdu'l-Bahá: Mr. John Bosch and Mrs. Louise Stapfer Bosch from Geyserville, California; Dr. Florian Krug and Mrs. Grace Krug from New York, and Fraulein Johanna Hauff from Stuttgart. All of them were there as pilgrims. The only other Western believer present in Haifa was Mr. Curtis Kelsey from New York, who was in Haifa to install electrical power plants to light the shrines of the Báb and Bahá'u'lláh. This book tells the story of these believers, how they became Bahá'ís, the circumstances that led them to Haifa, and how their experience at the time of the ascension of 'Abdu'l-Bahá shaped their path of service to the Cause of God. The intent is to give the reader the feeling of being in the holy land, one hundred years ago, when the moon of 'Abdu'l-Bahá set over Haifa"--

The Covenant of Bah'u'llh is a unique and priceless heritage, unprecedented in past Dispensations. It carries within itself enormous potentialities for the future in the unfoldment of Bah'u'llh's new world order and ultimately the Golden Age of humankind. This book provides a wealth of material for the study of the Covenant. The Kitb-i-'Ahd, Bah'u'llh's own Will and Testament, and the Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Bah are quoted in full in this volume, and the historical events they refer to are explained.

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