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'AbduT-Baha expressed "joy and gladness" and hailed the formation of Iran's first majlis (parliament) as an achievement that was "in accordance with the explicit command of the Most Holy Book" ("Milani Collection" 222; Ra'fati 67-68).2 More than thirty years earlier, in His 1875 Kitab-i-Asrar-iGhaybiyyihli-Asbab-i-Ma daniyy i h (known as Risaliy-i-Madaniyyih and translated as The Secret of Divine Civilization), 'AbduT-Baha Himself had openly proposed the creation of a representative parliament, becoming perhaps the second Iranian-after His father, Baha'u'llah-to do so.3 He encouraged the establishment of "councils" (majalis) and "consultative assemblies" {mahafil-i-mashvarat) composed of devout and learned "elected representatives" {a 'dayi-muntakhabih) (22).4 Yet, as the early protests of the constitutional movement commenced, 'AbduT-Baha advised Baha'is to remain nonpartisan {bitaraf) and refused to sanction their participation in the uprisings. As the confrontation between the Constitutionalists and Royalists heated up, 'AbduT-Baha advised His followers to work to reconcile the two camps. If they could not succeed in reconciling the two sides, they were to simply withdraw. This article explores 'Abdu'l-Baha's reactions to and views on the Iranian Constitutional Revolution of 1906-1911,5 suggesting that, far from demonstrating "indifference" or lack of patriotism on the part of Baha'is, as the opponents of the Faith have sometimes claimed, His decisions were based on advocating one mode of social action while rejecting another. In accordance with the Baha'i worldview and ethos ushered in by Baha'u'llah, 'Abdu'l-Baha endorsed peaceful social discourse and consultation and rejected conflict and contention between the government and the nation. Furthermore, His rejection of the ongoing confrontation between the two was at the core an anticolonial stance, heavily concerned with the protection of the country from foreign encroachments. In addition, 'Abdu'l-Baha was convinced that the interference of the 'ulama (Shi'i clerics) in political affairs-as had been the case during the Constitutional Movement-would have dire consequences for the country, and He was wary of the Azalis* * * * * 6 who were heavily involved in the Revolution and exploited the turmoil to hurt the Baha'is. The involvement of these two groups (the 'ulama and the Azalis), He believed, provided the ground for scapegoating Baha'is in the political unrest raging in Iran. This article also suggests that 'Abdu'l-Baha's approach to sociopolitical action during the critical period of the Iranian Constitutional Revolution-that is, His attempts to foster harmony through discourse and consultation rather than partisanship-should be viewed as the model for a proper Baha'i response to political upheavals. The April 2011 open letter from the Baha'is of Egypt to their fellow citizens is a recent example of following 'Abdu'l-Baha's paradigm in this regard.This article does not intend to provide a summary of the history of the Baha'i community of Iran during the Constitutional Revolution. It does not cover the contributions made by the Baha'i community to the development of the ideals of constitutionalism through the gradual and subtle diffusion of related Baha'i principles and practices, such as the formation of elective consultative assemblies and educational activities.7 Nor does this study aim to examine the wide range of accusations made against the Baha'is during the Constitutional Revolution. Rather, the scope of this article is 'AbduT-Baha's views concerning the Iranian Constitutional Revolution and the decisions He made during this period. We will see how drawing on and guided by Baha'uTlah's writings and teachings, 'AbduT-Baha embraced the principles of constitutionalism but disapproved approaches taken to achieve them during the Revolution. It would therefore only be appropriate to begin by reviewing some relevant concepts in the writings of Baha'uTlah.From the Writings of Baha'u'llahThe following overview of the writings of Baha'uTlah highlights His advocacy of constitutionalism and the critical role of social discourse and consultation in solving sociopolitical disputes. …

‘Abdu’l-Bahá and the Iranian Constitutional Revolution