We have found no indication that any of the servants in the
household of Bahá'u'lláh were slaves. The only information we have found on
this subject is the following extract from a talk of 'Abdu'l-Bahá published in Star
of the West, mentioned above:
“My grandfather had many colored maids and servants. When
the Blessed Perfection became the head of the family he liberated all of them,
and gave them permission to leave or stay, but if they desired to remain it
would, of course, be in a different manner. However, all of them, revelling in
their new found freedom preferred to leave, except Esfandayar [sic], who
remained in the household and continued to serve us with proverbial faithfulness
and chastity.” (Star of the West, volume 9 (April 28, 1928), number 3, page 38)
(Memorandum from the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice
dated 2 February 2000)
