O thou who are attracted to the Kingdom of Abha! Thy letter was received. Its details concerning those two persons (Persians) became known. You have acted most reasonably. Every Persian, or non-Persian, who comes from the East and has not in his hand a letter from me, although he may be one of my relatives, the believers must not receive him, neither should they let him enter into their meetings. For some wolves are coming from Persia to those parts in order to tear the sheep of God, and to scatter the seeds of corruption and to become the means of division—especially the followers of Mirza Yahya. To receive those souls would be like permitting a thief to enter a home, or like letting a wolf into a flock (of sheep). Unquestionably this is not permissible!
A man may receive his own enemy into his house and show him the utmost respect and consideration, but it is not allowable to receive a thief into his house, nor a traitor into his home, nor a wolf into the flock. This would be injustice. Although the heart of the wolf is displeased at this, yet the sheep of God must be protected…
Show ye the utmost kindness toward enemies, that is, ignorant enemies, but not toward traitorous and treacherous enemies. I hope that through the divine bounty and favor you may be guarded and protected.
Say to those two persons (Persians): "Because! we have explicit instructions in regard to this matter we cannot disobey them. It would have been better for you to have gone first to Akka, and, receiving permission and credentials, to have come to America from there. Then you would have experienced the utmost consideration. You must likewise obey this command. If you are sincere believers, act according to this clear injunction."
(Signed) ‘Abdu’l-Baha Abbas
(From a Tablet, translated on September 30, 1913; Star of
the West, vol. 6, no.12, October 16, 1915)
[1] These Persians were advised to leave and return to their
hotel and were entertained subsequently in the home of a believer.
