Note: this bibliography has not been updated since 2001.
General overviews of the life, character, or teachings of Abdu'l-Bahá
Amin Banani: "The Writings of Abdu'l-Bahá," from
World Order 6:1 (Fall 1971), pages 67-74
Anonymous: "Editorial: Abdu'l-Bahá Abbás," from
World Order 6:1 (Fall 1971), pages 3-5
Marzieh Gail: "Abdu'l-Bahá: Portrayals East and West," from
World Order 6:1 (Fall 1971), pages 29-46, reprinted in
Dawn over Mt. Hira and Other Essays (George Ronald, 1976), pages 194-218, online at
bahai-library.com/gail_abdul-baha_portrayals
Jessyca Russell Gaver, "The Center of the CovenantAbdu'l-Bahá," chapter 4/pages 77-103, in
The Bahá'í Faith: Dawn of a New Day (Hawthorne Books, 1967)
Moojan Momen, "Encyclopedia article on Abdu'l-Bahá," online at
bahai-library.com/momen_encyclopedia_abdulbaha
Shoghi Effendi, "Abdu'l-Bahá," section 3 of
Dispensation of Bahá'u'lláh, reprinted in
World Order of Baháulláh, 131-39, online at
bahai-library.com/shoghieffendi_world_order_bahaullah
Shoghi Effendi,
God Passes By 240-43, online at
bahai-library.com/shoghieffendi_god_passes_by
George Townshend, "Abdu'l-Bahá: A Study of a Christ-like Character," in
The Mission of Bahá'u'lláh (first edition 1952) pages 46-55
George Townshend, "The Letters of Abdu'l-Bahá," in
The Mission of Bahá'u'lláh (1952) pages 77-87, online at
bahai-library.com/townshend_letters_abdulbaha.
Allan Ward, "Abdu'l-Bahá," in
World Order 4:4 (summer 1970), pages 24-31
Lights of Guidance provides a variety of notes on 'Abdul-Bahá, 485-89, online at
bahai-library.com/hornby_lights_guidance_2&chapter=4.
Outlines and study guides of Abdu'l-Bahá's writings
Secret of Divine Civilization
Roger Coe, "Expanded Outline of
The Secret of Divine Civilization" (unpublished), online at
bahai-library.com/coe_sdc_outline
Barbara Casterline, "The Education of Nations: A book review of
Secret of Divine Civilization," in
Bahá'í News September 1972, online at
bahai-library.com/casterline_secret_divine_civilizations
Habib Riazati, "
The Secret of Divine Civilization study questions," (unpublished), online at
bahai-library.com/riazati_sdc_questions
Nader Saiedi, "An Introduction to 'Abdul-Baha's
The Secret of Divine Civilization" (unpublished), online at
bahai-library.com/saiedi_introduction_sdc
Some Answered Questions
Brett Zamir,
Some Answered Questions overview and outline (unpublished), online at
bahai-library.com/zamir_saq_outline
Traveler's Narrative
Brett Zamir, Correlation of passages from
Traveler's Narrative with
God Passes By and the
Dawn-Breakers, online at
bahai-library.com/zamir_tn_crossreference
The early years, 1844-1892
overviews
Kazem Kazemzadeh and Firuz Kazemzadeh: "Five Books about Abdu'l-Bahá," from
World Order 6:1 (Fall 1971).
Annamarie Honnold, comp.,
Vignettes from the Life of Abdu'l-Bahá (George Ronald, 1982)
Adib Taherzadeh
The Covenant of Bahá'u'lláh (George Ronald, 1992), chapter 9/pages 135-140, "The relationship of Bahá'u'lláh and Abdu'l-Bahá"
early writings
Abdu'l-Bahá, trans. and ed. by E.G. Browne,
A Traveller's Narrative (Cambridge, 1891), online at
bahai-library.com/browne_abdulbaha_travellers_narrative
Abdu'l-Bahá, trans. and introduced by Moojan Momen, "Commentary on I Was a Hidden Treasure" in
Baháí Studies Bulletin, 3.4 (Dec. 1985), online at
bahai-library.com/abdulbaha_kuntu_kanzan_makhfiyyan
historical accounts
Lady Blomfield,
The Chosen Highway (UK Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1940), , chapter 11: "Abdu'l-Bahá" and "The Bride of Abdu'l-Bahá," pages 80-90 and "Abdu'l-Bahá in 'Akka," pages 99-104, online at
bahai-library.com/blomfield_chosen_highway
Anjam Khursheed,
The Seven Candles of Unity: The Story of Abdu'l-Bahá in Edinburgh (UK Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1991), chapter 1: "Abdu'l-Bahá in the lifetime of his Father"
Ruhiyyih Rabbani (Khanum),
The Priceless Pearl (UK Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1969), chapter 1: "The Childhood and Youth of Shoghi Effendi"
David S. Ruhe,
Door of Hope: A Century of the Bahá'í Faith in the Holy Land (George Ronald, 1983), chapters 7-13/pages 26-76
David S. Ruhe,
Robe of Light: The Persian Years of Bahá'u'lláh (George Ronald, 1994), 57-8, 142-43.
Universal House of Justice,
Century of Light, pages 7-13 (section on the
Secret of Divine Civilization), online at
bahai-library.com/uhj_century_light
Center of the Covenant, 1892-1910
on the Bahá'í community
Gary L. Morrison, "Abdu'l-Bahá and The Early American Bahá'ís," in
World Order 6:3 (Spring 1972), pages 31-44.
Peter Smith, "The American Bahá'í Community 1894-1917," in
Studies in Babi and Bahá'í History vol. 1
Robert Stockman,
The Bahá'í Faith in American vol. 1: Origins, 1892-1900 (US Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1985) and
The Bahá'í Faith in America vol. 2: Early Expansion, 1900-1912 (George Ronald, 1995); summarized in "The American Bahá'í Identity 1894-1921," in
Bahá'í Studies Bulletin 6:4-7:2 (1992)
on the Center of the Covenant
Bahá'u'lláh, "Kitab-i-Ahd (Book of the Covenant)," in
Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh Revealed after the Kitab-i-Aqdas, pages 219-223, online at
bahai-library.com/writings/bahaullah/tb/13.html
Lowell Johnson,
The Eternal Covenant (Bahá'í Publishing Trust of South Africa, 1986
Adib Taherzadeh, "Kitab-i-Aqdas 5: The Covenant of Bahá'u'lláh," in
Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh vol. 3: 1868/77, chapter 18/pages 371-399
Adib Taherzadeh
The Covenant of Bahá'u'lláh (George Ronald, 1992), chapters 10-20/pages 141-244
historical accounts and pilgrims' notes
R. Jackson Armstrong-Ingram,
Music, Devotions, and the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar (Kalimat Press, 1987), pages 11-20 passim, 123-74 passim
Anne Gordon Atkinson et al.,
Green Acre on the Piscataqua (Green Acre Bahá'í School Council, 1991), pages 29-46 passim
Lady Blomfield,
The Chosen Highway (UK Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1940), online at
bahai-library.com/blomfield_chosen_highway
Thornton Chase,
In Galilee (Kalimat Press, 1985; first published 1908), online at
bahai-library.com/chase_galilee_agnew_wonderland
Ella Goodall Cooper and Helen S. Goodall,
Daily Lessons received at Akká, January 1908 (US Baháí Publishing Trust, 1979), online at
bahai-library.com/goodall_cooper_daily_lessons.
Marzieh Gail,
Summon Up Remembrance (George Ronald, 1987), passim
Julia M. Grundy,
Ten Days in the Light of Akka (US Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1979; first published 1907), online at
bahai-library.com/grundy_ten_days_akka
Mirza Abu'l-Fadl Gulpaygani, trans. Juan Cole,
Letters and Essays 1886-1913 (Kalimat Press, 1985), "On Meeting Abdu'l-Bahá," pages 87-91
May Maxwell, "An Early Pilgrimage" (first published 1917), online at
bahai-library.com/maxwell_early_pilgrimage
Velda Piff Metelmann,
Lua Getsinger: Herald of the Covenant (George Ronald, 1997), pages 1-122 passim
Myron H. Phelps,
The Master in Akká, originally published as
The Life and Teachings of Abbas Effendi (Kalimat, 1985)
Nathan Rutstein,
Corinne True: Faithful Handmaiden of Abdu'l-Bahá (George Ronald, 1987), pages 37-92 passim
Nathan Rutstein,
He Loved and Served: The Story of Curtis Kelsey (George Ronald, 1982), pages 1-100 passim
Shoghi Effendi,
God Passes By 244-78, online at
bahai-library.com/shoghieffendi_god_passes_by
Robert Stockman,
Thornton Chase, the First American Bahá'í (US Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 2001); online at
bahai-library.com/stockman_loves_odyssey_chase; see also field notes at
bahai-library.com/stockman_chicago_house_notes and
bahai-library.com/stockman_chase_notes
Juliet Thompson, "A Glimpse of the Master," from
World Order 6:1 (Fall 1971), pages 47-66
Juliet Thompson,
The Diary of Juliet Thompson (Kalimat Press, 1983; first published 1947), 1909/pages 3-146, online at
bahai-library.com/thompson_diary
Roy Wilhelm, Stanwood Cobb, and Genevieve L. Coy,
In His Presence: Visits to Abdu'l-Bahá (Kalimat Press, 1989)
O. Z. Whitehead
Some Early Baháís of the West (George Ronald, 1976)
Bruce W. Whitmore,
The Dawning Place: The Building of the Temple (US Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1984), pages 28-35 passim
Travels and talks, 1911-1913
overviews
Marzieh Gail: "Abdu'l-Bahá in America," from
World Order 10:4 (July 1944), pages 110-119, reprinted in
Dawn over Mt. Hira and Other Essays (George Ronald, 1976), pages 184-193
Allan L. Ward,
239 Days: Abdu'l-Bahá's Journey in America (US Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1979)
Allan L. Ward, "Abdu'l-Bahá: Speaking in America," in World Order 6:2 (Winter 1971-72), pages 38-48
Mirza Mahmud-i-Zarqani, trans. Mohi Sobhani,
Mahmud's Diary: The Diary of Mirza Mahmud-i-Zarqani Chronicling Abdu'l-Bahá's Journey to America (George Ronald, 1998), online at
bahai-library.com/zarqani_mahmuds_diary.
on the Bahá'í community
Peter Smith, "The American Bahá'í Community 1894-1917," in
Studies in Babi and Bahá'í History vol. 1
Philip R. Smith, "What Was a Bahá'í? Concerns of British Bahá'ís 1900-1920," in
Studies in the Babi and Bahá'í Religions vol. 5
specific historical accounts
Elham Afnan, "Abdu'l-Bahá and Ezra Pound's Circle," published in the
Journal of Bahá'í Studies 6:2 (June-Sept. 1994)
Anne Gordon Atkinson et al.,
Green Acre on the Piscataqua (Green Acre Bahá'í School Council, 1991), pages 47-60 passim
Ramona Allen Brown,
Memories of Abdu'l-Bahá (US Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1980); see also review of same by Firuz Kazemzadeh, "Remembering the Master," in
World Order 14:3-4 (Spring/Summer 1980), pages 46-48
Suheil Bushrui and Joe Jenkins,
Khalil Gibran: Man and Poet (Oneworld, 1998), 125-26 and 252-55, excerpts online at
bahai-library.com/bushrui_gibran_man_poet
Marion Carpenter Yazdi,
Youth in the Vanguard (US Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1982), chapters 2 and 8
Will van den Hoonaard,
The Origins of the Baháí Faith in Canada, 1898-1948 (), with related material published in
World Order, 22.1/2 (Fall 1987 Winter 1987-88), 39-49 and "The Baháí Community of Canada: A Case Study in the Transplantation of Non-Western Religious Movements to Western Societies," in
Journal of Baháí Studies, 7:3 (March-June 1997), 17-42
Howard Colby Ives,
Portals to Freedom (multiple editions; first published 1937), online at
bahai-library.com/ives_portals_freedom
Anjam Khursheed,
The Seven Candles of Unity: The Story of Abdu'l-Bahá in Edinburgh (UK Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1991)
Elaine Lacroix-Hopson and Hussain Ahdieh,
Abdu'l-Bahá in New York: The City of the Covenant (NewVistaDesign, 1999), excerpted online at
bahai-library.com/hopson_abdulbaha_new_york
Velda Piff Metelmann,
Lua Getsinger: Herald of the Covenant (George Ronald, 1997), pages 123-199 passim
Gayle Morrison,
To Move the World: Louis G. Gregory and the Advancement of Racial Unity in America (US Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1982, chapter 6, "Abdu'l-Bahá in America"
Agnes Parsons (Richard Hollinger, ed.),
Abdu'l-Bahá in America: Agnes Parsons' Diary (Kalimat Press, 1996)
Ahang Rabbani, "Abdu'l-Bahá's Meeting with Two Prominent Iranians," in
World Order 30:1 (Fall 1998), 35-46, online at
bahai-library.com/qazvini_abdulbaha_prominent_iranians
Nathan Rutstein,
Corinne True: Faithful Handmaiden of Abdu'l-Bahá (George Ronald, 1987), pages 92-109 passim
Juliet Thompson,
The Diary of Juliet Thompson (Kalimat Press, 1983; first published 1947), 1911-1912/pages 149-395, online at
bahai-library.com/thompson_diary
Bruce W. Whitmore,
The Dawning Place: The Building of the Temple (US Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1984), pages 56-69 passim
The War and the Tablets of the Divine Plan, 1914-1921
on the Bahá'í community
Philip R. Smith, "What Was a Bahá'í? Concerns of British Bahá'ís 1900-1920," in
Studies in the Babi and Bahá'í Religions vol. 5
historical accounts
Lady Blomfield,
The Chosen Highway (UK Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1940), online at
bahai-library.com/blomfield_chosen_highway
Marzieh Gail,
Arches of the Years (George Ronald, 1991), passim
Riaz Khadem,
Shoghi Effendi in Oxford and Earlier (George Ronald, 1999), chapters 1-6/pages 1-57
George Orr Latimer,
The Light of the World [pilgrimage to Haifa in 1919], first published 1920, online at
bahai-library.com/latimer_light_world
Moojan Momen, "Esslemont's Survey of the Bahá'í Community in 1919-1920," serialized in
Bahá'í Studies Bulletin in five parts, 1:1 (1982)-3:1 (1984)
David S. Ruhe,
Door of Hope: A Century of the Bahá'í Faith in the Holy Land (George Ronald, 1983), chapters 24-26/pages 145-155
Bahiyyih Randall Winkler,
My Pilgrimage to Haifa, November 1919 (US Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1941)
Ali M. Yazdi,
Blessing Beyond Measure: Recollections of Abdu'l-Bahá and Shoghi Effendi (US Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1988)
The Will and Testament and the Passing of Abdu'l-Bahá, 1921
on the passing of Abdu'l-Bahá
Florian and Grace Krug, "Accounts of the Passing of Abdu'l-Bahá," in
World Order 7:2 (winter 1972-73), pages 38-42
Munirih Khanum, trans. Sammireh Anwar Smith,
Munirih Khanum: Memoirs and Letters (Kalimat Press, 1986), "Letter of Lament: 1922 [on the anniversary of the passing of Abdu'l-Bahá]," pages 57-62
Ruhiyyih Rabbani (Khanum),
The Priceless Pearl (UK Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1969), chapter 2: "The Passing of Abdu'l-Bahá and its Immediate Consequences"
Shoghi Effendi,
God Passes By 309-24, online at
bahai-library.com/shoghieffendi_god_passes_by
Shoghi Effendi and Lady Blomfield,
The Passing of Abdu'l-Bahá (originally published Haifa: Rosenfeld Brothers, 1922, later abridged for
World Order 6:1 [Fall 1971], pages 6-18), online at
bahai-library.com/shoghieffendi_blomfield_passing_abdulbaha
Emogene Hoagg, "Letter from Haifa in the Mourning Time," published in
World Order 6:2 (Winter 1971-72), 34-37, online at
bahai-library.com/hoagg_letter_time_mourning
on the Will and Testament
David Hofman,
A Commentary on the Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Bahá (
Bahá'í World vol. IX 1940-44, later reprinted by George Ronald, 1982), online at
bahai-library.com/hofman_will_testament_abdul-baha
Ruhiyyih Khanum,
25 Years of the Guardianship, bahai-library.com/khanum_25_years_guardianship
Shoghi Effendi,
God Passes By pages 325-28, online at
bahai-library.com/shoghieffendi_god_passes_by
Adib Taherzadeh,
Child of the Covenant (George Ronald, 2000), chapters 12-26, pages 130-264
Selected Topics
the Station of the Master
Bahá'u'lláh, "Surih-i-Ghusn," published in
Bahá'í World Faith (US Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1966) 204-207, online at
bahai-library.com/shoghieffendi_god_passes_by">bahai-library.com/shoghieffendi_god_passes_by">bahai-library.com/shoghieffendi_god_passes_by
Shoghi Effendi, "Abdu'l-Bahá," section 3 of
Dispensation of Bahá'u'lláh, reprinted in
World Order of Baháulláh, 131-39, online at
bahai-library.com/shoghieffendi_world_order_bahaullah
Robert Stockman, "Appendix 3: Understanding the Station of Abdu'l-Bahá," in
The Bahá'í Faith in America vol. 2: Early Expansion, 1900-1912 (George Ronald, 1995), pages 405-408.
Adib Taherzadeh, "Suriy-i-Ghusn," in
Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh vol. 2: 1863-68, chapter 18/pages 388-96
political teachings
Abdu'l-Bahá, trans. and introduced by E. G. Browne, "Three Tablets of Abdu'l-Bahá on Persian politics" from
The Persian Revolution of 1905 -1909 (Cambridge, 1910), online at
bahai-library.com/abdulbaha_attitude_persian_politics
Abdu'l-Bahá,
Secret of Divine Civilization passim;
Selections from the Writings of Abdul-Bahá, 132-33, 283-95, both online at
https://bahai-library.com/writings/
Abdu'l-Bahá, "Tablet to the Hague," first 2/3 published in
Selections from the Writings of Abdul-Bahá, pp. 296-307 and last 1/3 in
The Bahá'í Revelation, pp. 208-19; both assembled online at
bahai-library.com/abdulbaha_lawh_hague_anonymous; see discussion in
God Passes By page 308, online at
bahai-library.com/shoghieffendi_god_passes_by
John Huddleston,
The Search for a Just Society (George Ronald, 1989), pages 403-20, 454-56
Firuz Kazemzadeh, "The Tablet to the Hague," in
World Order 4:2 (Winter 1969-70), pages 4-11
Charles Lerche, ed.,
Toward the Most Great Justice: Elements of Justice in the New World Order (UK Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1996), passim
philosophy and theology
Abdu'l-Bahá: select any of the following:
Tablet to Auguste Forel; Promulgation of Universal Peace, 326-7;
Abdu'l-Bahá on Divine Philosophy (online at
bahai-library.com/abdulbaha_divine_philosophy); Some
Answered Questions passim (select any of the main topics covered, e.g. Christian philosophy, the theology of Spirit and the Manifestations, the relationship between God and man, astrology, reincarnation, etc.)
Abdu'l-Bahá, trans. and introduced by Moojan Momen, "Commentary on I Was a Hidden Treasure" in
Baháí Studies Bulletin, 3.4 (Dec. 1985) and online at
bahai-library.com/abdulbaha_kuntu_kanzan_makhfiyyan
B. Hoff Conow,
A Resurgent Model of the Universe (George Ronald, 1990)
Anjam Khursheed,
The Seven Candles of Unity: The Story of Abdu'l-Bahá in Edinburgh (UK Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1991), chapter 7: "Theosophy in Scotland," pages 57-61
Julio Savi,
The Eternal Quest for God: An Introduction to the Divine Philosophy of `Abdu'l-Bahá (George Ronald, 1989), online at
bahai-library.com/savi_eternal_quest_god
John Paul Vader,
For the Good of Mankind: Auguste Forel and the Bahá'í Faith (George Ronald, 1984)
evolution
Abdu'l-Bahá,
Some Answered Questions, pages 177-199, online at
bahai-library.com/abdulbaha_some_answered_questions
Keven Brown, "Are 'Abdu'l-Bahá's views on evolution original?," in
Bahá'í Studies Review 7 (1997), online at
bahai-library.com/brown_abdulbahas_views_evolution
Keven Brown, ed.,
Evolution and Bahá'í Belief: 'Abdu'l-Bahá's Response to Nineteenth-Century Darwinism (Kalimat Press, 2001), online at
bahai-library.com/brown_evolution_bahai_belief.
Anjam Khursheed,
Science and Religion (Oneworld, 1987), pages 55-98
Eberhard von Kitzing, "The Origin of Complex Order in Biology: `Abdu'l-Bahá's concept of the
originality of species compared to concepts in modern biology," from Keven Brown, ed.,
Evolution and Bahá'í Belief (Kalimat Press, 2001), online at
bahai-library.com/brown_evolution_bahai_belief
Craig Loehle, "On Human Origins: A Baháí Perspective," in
Journal of Baháí Studies, 2.4 (1989-1990); see also his
On the Shoulders of Giants, 92-115. Commentary on the article "On Human Origins" by Arash Abizadeh in
Journal of Baháí Studies, 3.1 (1990-1991), and by Iraj Ayman, Susan Brill, M. K. Rohani, and Craig Loehle in
Journal of Bahá'í Studies 4:1 (March-June 1991) and 4:3 (1991)
Visual items
Abdu'l-Bahá, with Lua Getsinger and Curtis Kelsey, "Diagram of Explanation of Spiritual Evolution as Taught from the Bahá'í Teachings," online at
bahai-library.com/abdulbaha_chart_spiritual_evolution
Abdu'l-Bahá's horoscope (birth chart), online at
bahai-library.com/jones_horoscope_abdulbaha
Kahlil Gibran, Portrait of Abdu'l-Bahá, online at
bahai-library.com/bushrui_gibran_man_poet