'Abdu'l-Baha Visits the West: 1912 -- in Chicago with His entourage

'Abdu'l-Baha in Chicago with entourage, including, left, Ghodsieh Khanum Ashraf,

the first Persian woman to travel in the United States

station of 'Abdu'l-Baha

uniqueness of 'Abdu'l-Baha's visit to the West

"Until now it never happened that someone from the East. impelled by the promptings of his conscience, should come to the West to see the friends of God and to associate with respected individuals with such sincere love and friendship and without any political or commercial motive or the desire of sightseeing. It is without precedent and is not recorded in any history. If others have come, it has been to sightsee or for commercial or other reasons"

- 'Abdu'l-Bha (Words of 'Abdu'l-Baha, October 22, 1912, San Francisco, Mahmud's Diary)

“Look at the history of the world and try to find a parallel instance in which a native of the East has come to the countries of the West, particularly America, and called out to them in the churches and meetings there, raised the divine call in many of the large cities and invited everyone to the Abhá Kingdom, with no one taking exception. Nay, on the contrary, those present at the gatherings have heard him with patience and unbounded joy. These things have been achieved solely through the confirmations of the Abhá Kingdom.”

- 'Abdu'l-Baha (Words of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, September 13, 1912, Chicago, Mahmud’s Diary)