May 22nd, 1844Born in Tehran, Persia

• Lived a happy & carefree childhood born of nobility
• Very little education
• Father eventually declined high position in the court to help the poor instead

1852Father imprisoned

• Imprisoned four months in 'The Black Pit' for connections to Babi Faith
• Family reduced to poverty

Winter 1853Exile to Baghdad

• Family exiled to Baghdad, Iraq
• Spent much time discussion religious topics at the mosques
• Age 15 or 16: Composed commentary on a muslim tradition for a Sufi leader. This greatly impressed the recipient

1863 (age 18)Exile Constantinople

• Family banished to Constantinople
• Become sole comforter of his family, especially his mother
• Gradually became more and more respected by the Baha'i's (eventually known as The Master)
• Interceded to allow family to stay together in next banishment

1868 (age 24)Imprisonment in Akka

• Family banished to penal conoly of Akka, a stench-ridden prison surrounded by a walled city in Palestine
• Baha'is imprisoned in horrid conditions from the beginning
• Akka under jurisdiction of Ottoman sultan
• Abdul-Baha gradually took over relationship between Bahais in Akka and outside world
• Helped people of Akka understand the innocence of the Baha'is, leading to easing of their conditions of imprisonment, eventually moving out into the surrounding town
• 1870: Sudden death of younger brother Mirza Mihdi who died at age 22 devestated the family
• Stayed up all night in heart-felt vigil at his brother's body
• Eventually became very popular in the prison city

1873 (age 28)Married

• Married a Baha'i named Fatimeh Nahri
• Arranged at request of Abdul-Baha's Father, but was love at first sight
• Abdul-Baha had had no interest in marriage until meeting her
• Eventually had 9 children

1892Death of father

• Death of Baha'u'llah, Abdul-Baha's father
• Abdul-Baha appointed in Baha'u'llah's Will and Testament as His successor: The leader of Baha'is and the authoritative interpreter the Baha'i teachings
• Abdul-Baha's younger half-brother challenged his position, causing a conflict that lasted for the rest of Abdul-Baha's life
• Abdul-Baha once known to lament about how his half-brother poisoned his life terribly by attempting to slander him in many ways
• Half-brother ultimately failed to cause a schism in Baha'i faith, and his movement and followers were swept into obscurity

1908Freed

• Young turks revolution compelled Ottoman sultan to free religious and political prisoners
• Baha'is freed from prison

1910-1913International travels

• Egypt: Met with leading intellectuals, editors to major newspapers, government leaders
• England: Many talks and speeches with the general public