Small wonder that such a strong yet gentle quality of authority made her naturally the head of the household group that circled about ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. She presided over the room called Ladies Room which was the center for all family gatherings, and where the women visitors were entertained. From the hour of the early morning tea, at which ‘Abdu’l-Bahá was often present, to the last good-night, whispered by some weary yet grateful traveler, Khanum (as she was affectionately called) was ever in demand. During the long day, which began before six in the morning and rarely ended before eleven or twelve at night, there were frequent spontaneous gatherings in this general room, and save for the brief midday siesta, this association with the women constituted the only variation in the monotony of their prison lives. The spiritual peace and joy pervading these simple meetings was a new and unbelievable experience to us—the Western pilgrims.
- Ella Goodall Cooper (‘Bahiyyih Khanum – an Appreciation’; Star of the West, vol. 23, no. 7, October 1932)