y that sacrifice in the path of God was good and
praiseworthy, this would never have happened. They would not have acted.
Christ attracted them, wrested the reins of control from them, and they
went forth in ecstasy to sacrifice themselves.

Qurratu'l-'Ayn was a Persian woman without fame and importance--unknown,
like all other Persian women. When she saw Baha'u'llah, she changed
completely, visibly, and looked within another world. The reins of
volition were taken out of her hands by heavenly attraction. She was so
overcome that physical susceptibilities ceased. Her husband, her sons and
her family arose in the greatest hostility against Baha'u'llah. She became
so attracted to the divine threshold that she forsook everything and went
forth to the plain of Bada_sh_t, no fear in her heart, dauntless,
intrepid, openly proclaiming the message of light which had come to her.
The Persian government stood against her. They made every effort to quiet
her, they imprisoned her in the governor's house, but she continued to
speak. Then she was taken and killed. To her very last breath she spoke
with fervid eloquence and so became famous for her complete attraction in
the path of God. If she had not seen Baha'u'llah, no such effect would
have been produced. She had read and heard the teachings of scriptures all
her life, but the action and enkindlement were missing. All women in
Persia are enveloped in veils in public. So completely covered are they
that even the hand is not visible. This rigid veiling is unspeakable.
Qurratu'l-'Ayn tore off her veils and went forth fearlessly. She was like
a lioness. Her action caused a great turmoil throughout the land of
Persia. So excessive and compulsory is the requirement for veiling in the
East that the people in the West have no idea of the excitement and
indignation produced by the appearance of an unveiled woman.
Qurratu'l-'Ayn lost all thought of herself and was unconscious of fear in
her attraction to God.

Question: Do the Baha'i women go without veils in the East? Answer: It is
not possible for them to do so universally yet, but the conditions are not
nearly so restrictive as they were. The Baha'i men and women meet
together. This is the beginning of woman's emancipation from the thralldom
of centuries. Qurratu'l-'Ayn was really the liberator of all Persian
women.

TALKS 'ABDU'L-BAHA DELIVERED AT GREEN ACRE

16 August 1912
Talk at Green Acre
Eliot, Maine

Notes