Sohrab, Ahmad -- A Persian Rosary of Nineteen Pearls (1929)

Dave — Sun, 01 Feb 2004 16:00:00 +0000

There is no saint without a past, no sinner without a future.

Mirza Aḥmad Sohráb (1890-1958) Persian-American author, Baháʼí dissident
A Persian Rosary of Nineteen Pearls (1929)

I am unable to find an extant copy of Sohrab's book; despite his involvement with some of the early principals of the Baháʼí faith, he was eventually expelled from the group, and his writings, already marginally published, are now difficult to find. Even the publication dates of various editions of this work are unclear. But there are references to this quote being sourced there (1, 2, 3, 4).

This book should not be confused with the Persian Rosary (1257), a compendium of ethics by Persian poet Eddin Sadi.

Often misattributed to St. Augustine of Hippo, or referred to as being from an "ancient Persian Mass." There is no indication, though, that Sohrab borrowed the phrase from Oscar Wilde's similar statement.

WIST Quotations

Sohrab, Ahmad -- A Persian Rosary of Nineteen Pearls (1929)