Editing ʻAbdu'l-Bahá (section)

== Istanbul/Adrianople ==

[[File:Brothers1868.jpg|right|thumb|upright|ʻAbdu'l-Bahá (right) with his brother [[Mírzá Mihdí]]]]

In 1863, Baháʼu'lláh was summoned to [[Istanbul]], and thus his family, including ʻAbdu'l-Bahá, then eighteen, accompanied him on his 110-day journey.{{sfn|Balyuzi|2001|p=17}} The journey to Constantinople was another wearisome voyage,<ref name="lotoae" /> and ʻAbdu'l-Bahá helped feed the exiles.{{sfn|Kazemzadeh|2009}} It was here that his position became more prominent amongst the Baháʼís.{{sfn|Smith|2000|pp=14–20}} This was further solidified by [[Baháʼu'lláh]]'s [[tablet of the Branch]] in which he constantly exalts his son's virtues and station.<ref name="totb">{{cite web |title=Tablet of the Branch |url=http://bahai-library.com/bahaullah_surih_ghusn |publisher=Wilmette: Baha'i Publishing Trust |access-date=5 July 2008}}</ref> Bahá’u’lláh and his family were soon exiled to [[Adrianople]],{{sfn|Smith|2000|pp=14–20}} and on this journey ʻAbdu'l-Bahá again suffered from frostbite.<ref name="lotoae">{{Harvnb|Phelps|1912|pp=27–55}}</ref>

In Adrianople ʻAbdu'l-Bahá was regarded as the sole comforter of his family – in particular to his [[Ásíyih Khánum|mother]].<ref name="lotoae" /> At this point ʻAbdu'l-Bahá was known by the Baháʼís as "the Master", and by non-Baháʼís as ʻAbbás Effendi ("Effendi" signifies "Sir"). It was in Adrianople that Baháʼu'lláh referred to his son as "the Mystery of God".<ref name="lotoae" /> The title of "Mystery of God" symbolises, according to Baháʼís, that ʻAbdu'l-Bahá is not a [[Manifestation of God (Baháʼí Faith)|manifestation of God]] but that in the "person of ʻAbdu'l-Bahá the incompatible characteristics of a human nature and superhuman knowledge and perfection have been blended and are completely harmonized".<ref name="tcob">{{cite web |title=The Covenant of Baháʼu'lláh |url=http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/se/WOB/wob-39.html.utf8?query=completely&action=highlight#gr8 |publisher=US Baháʼí Publishing Trust |access-date=5 July 2008}}</ref><ref name="bwo">{{cite web |title=The World Order of Baháʼu'lláh |url=http://bahai-library.com/abdulbaha_kuntu_kanzan_makhfiyyan |publisher=Baha'i Studies Bulletin 3:4 (Dec. 1985), 4–35 |access-date=20 December 2009}}</ref> Baháʼu'lláh gave his son many other titles such as ''G͟husn-i-Aʻzam'' (meaning "Mightiest Branch" or "Mightier Branch"),{{efn|The [[elative (gradation)|elative]] is a stage of gradation in Arabic that can be used both for a [[superlative]] or a [[comparative]]. ''G͟husn-i-Aʻzam'' could mean "Mightiest Branch" or "Mightier Branch"}} the "Branch of Holiness", "the Center of the Covenant" and the apple of his eye.{{sfn|Smith|2000|pp=14–20}} Upon learning of yet another exile of Bahá’u’llah, this time to Palestine, ʻAbdu'l-Bahá ("the Master") was devastated when hearing the news that he and his family were to be exiled separately from [[Baháʼu'lláh]]. It was, according to Baháʼís, through his intercession that the idea was reverted and the rest of the family were allowed to be exiled together.<ref name="lotoae" />