The effect of the love of God on the world of humanity

Were it not for the love of God, the contingent world would be plunged in darkness. Were it not for the love of God, the hearts of men would be bereft of life and deprived of the stirrings of conscience. Were it not for the love of God, the perfections of the human world would entirely vanish. Were it not for the love of God, no real connection could exist between human hearts. Were it not for the love of God, spiritual union would be lost. Were it not for the love of God, the light of the oneness of mankind would be extinguished. Were it not for the love of God, the East and the West would not embrace as two lovers. Were it not for the love of God, discord and division would not be transmuted into fellowship. Were it not for the love of God, estrangement would not give way to unity. Were it not for the love of God, the stranger would not become the friend. Indeed, love in the human world is a ray of the love of God and a reflection of the grace of His bounty. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (Table talks in Akka, authenticated by ‘Abdu’l-Baha; ‘Some Answered Questions’ – 2014 revised translation by the Baha’i World Centre)

“The source of all evil”

The source of all evil is for man to turn away from his Lord and set his heart on things ungodly. 

- Baha’u’llah  (‘Tablets of Baha’u’llah revealed after the Kitab-i-Aqdas’)

Freeing “the souls from the gloom of nature, which is the animal kingdom”

I hope that in this nether world thou shalt attain unto heavenly light, thou wilt free the souls from the gloom of nature, which is the animal kingdom, and cause them to reach lofty stations in the human kingdom. Today all people are immersed in the world of nature. That is why thou dost see jealousy, greed, the struggle for survival, deception, hypocrisy, tyranny, oppression, disputes, strife, bloodshed, looting and pillaging, which all emanate from the world of nature. Few are those who have been freed from this darkness, who have ascended from the world of nature to the world of man, who have followed the divine Teachings, have served the world of humanity, are resplendent, merciful, illumined and like unto a rose garden. Strive thine utmost to become godlike, characterized with His attributes, illumined and merciful, that thou mayest be freed from every bond and become attached at heart to the Kingdom of the incomparable Lord. This is Bahá’í bounty, and this is heavenly light. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (‘Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Baha’)

May 2001: Official opening of terraces on Mount Carmel - Haifa, Israel

(The Baha'i World 2001-2002)

To behold the “shining countenances” of the believers of God is “a divine gift”

O thou who art rejoiced by the Divine Glad tidings! Verily I have received thy last letter, and thanked God that thou didst reach Paris protected and guarded by Him. Thank thou God that He assisted thee to behold the brilliant faces of the believers of God, and favored thee to meet them in American countries; for verily, beholding those shining countenances is a divine gift. By it, the hearts are dilated, the souls are rejoiced, and the spirits are attracted toward the Supreme Concourse. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (From a Tablet; Star of the West, vol. 5, no. 19, March 2, 1915)

“Eternal Life” – do all souls partake of it?

Concerning thy question whether all the souls enjoy Eternal Life: Know thou, those souls partake of the Eternal Life in whom the Spirit of Life is breathed from the Presence of God; and all beside them are dead, without life as Christ has explained (this matter) in the texts of the Gospel. Any person whose insight is opened by God, sees the souls in their stations after the disintegration of the bodies Verily, they are living and are subsisting before their Lord and see also the dead souls submerged in the gulfs of mortality. 

Then know thou, verily, all the souls arc created according to the nature of God, and all are in the state of (unconscious) purity at the time of their birth. But afterward they differ from one another in so far as they acquire excellencies or defects. Nevertheless, the creatures have different degrees in existence in so far as the creation goes; for capacities are many, but all of them are good and pure (in their essence) then afterward they are polluted and defiled. 

Although there are different states of creation, yet all of them are beneficial. Glance thou over the temple of man, its members and its parts: Among them is the eye, the ear, smelling and taste, hands and fingers. Notwithstanding the differences between these organs, all of them are useful in their proper sphere. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (From a Tablet; Star of the West, vol. 5, no. 19, March 2, 1915)

Membership in Non-Baha’i Religious Associations

Concerning membership in non-Baha’i religious associations, the Guardian wishes to re-emphasize the general principle already laid down in his communications to your Assembly and also to the individual believers that no Baha’i who wishes to be a wholehearted and sincere upholder of the distinguishing principles of the Cause can accept full membership in any non-Baha’i ecclesiastical organization. For such an act would necessarily imply only a partial acceptance of the Teachings and laws of the Faith, and an incomplete recognition of its independent status, and would thus be tantamount to an act of disloyalty to the verities it enshrines. For it is only too obvious that in most of its fundamental assumptions the Cause of Baha’u’llah is completely at variance with outworn creeds, ceremonies and institutions. To be a Baha’i and at the same time accept membership in another religious body is simply an act of contradiction that no sincere and logically minded person can possibly accept. To follow Baha’u’llah does not mean accepting some of His teachings and rejecting the rest. Allegiance to His Cause must be uncompromising and wholehearted. During the days of the Master the Cause was still in a stage that made such an open and sharp dissociation between it and other religious organizations, and particularly the Muslim Faith, not only inadvisable but practically impossible to establish. But since His passing events throughout the Baha’i world, and particularly in Egypt where the Muslim religious courts have formally testified to the independent character of the Faith, have developed to a point that have made such an assertion of the independence of the Cause not only highly desirable but absolutely essential.” 

- Shoghi Effendi  (From a letter dated 15 June, 1935, written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi; Baha’i News no. 93, July 1935)

“True civilization”

True civilization will unfurl its banner in the midmost heart of the world whenever a certain number of its distinguished and high-minded sovereigns -- the shining exemplars of devotion and determination -- shall, for the good and happiness of all mankind, arise, with firm resolve and clear vision, to establish the Cause of Universal Peace. They must make the Cause of Peace the object of general consultation, and seek by every means in their power to establish a Union of the nations of the world. They must conclude a binding treaty and establish a covenant, the provisions of which shall be sound, inviolable and definite. They must proclaim it to all the world and obtain for it the sanction of all the human race. This supreme and noble undertaking -- the real source of the peace and well-being of all the world -- should be regarded as sacred by all that dwell on earth. All the forces of humanity must be mobilized to ensure the stability and permanence of this Most Great Covenant. In this all-embracing Pact the limits and frontiers of each and every nation should be clearly fixed, the principles underlying the relations of governments towards one another definitely laid down, and all international agreements and obligations ascertained. In like manner, the size of the armaments of every government should be strictly limited, for if the preparations for war and the military forces of any nation should be allowed to increase, they will arouse the suspicion of others. The fundamental principle underlying this solemn Pact should be so fixed that if any government later violate any one of its provisions, all the governments on earth should arise to reduce it to utter submission, nay the human race as a whole should resolve, with every power at its disposal, to destroy that government. Should this greatest of all remedies be applied to the sick body of the world, it will assuredly recover from its ills and will remain eternally safe and secure.

Serving in teaching and administrative spheres of Baha’i work

Regarding the statement made by the Guardian in his letter to Mr. Willard Hatch concerning the fact that believers can serve both as teachers and administrators. Shoghi Effendi would approve your Assembly making this fact known to all the friends. For although it is essential for the believers to maintain always a clear distinction between teaching and administrative duties and functions, yet they should be careful not to be led to think that these two types of Baha’i activity are mutually exclusive in their nature, and as such cannot be exercised by one and the same person. As a matter of fact, the friends should be encouraged to serve in both the teaching and the administrative fields of Baha’i service. But as there are always some who are more specially gifted along one of these two lines of activity it would seem more desirable that they should concentrate their efforts in acquiring the full training for that type of work for which they are best suited by nature. Such a specialization has the advantage of saving time, and of leading to greater efficiency, particularly at this early stage of our development. The great danger, however, lies in that by so doing the friends may tend to develop a sort of class consciousness which is fundamentally contrary to both the spirit and actual teachings of the Faith. It is precisely in order to overcome such a danger that the Guardian thinks it advisable that the friends should be encouraged to serve from time to time in both the teaching and the administrative spheres of Baha’i work, but only whenever they feel fit to do so. 

- Shoghi Effendi  (From a letter dated July 29, 1935, written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi; Baha’i News, no. 95, October 1935)

“Prayer… transcends all ritualistic forms and formulae”

The important thing that should always be borne in mind is that with the exception of certain specific obligatory prayers, Baha’u’llah has given us no strict or special rulings in matters of worship, whether in the Temple or elsewhere. Prayer is essentially a communion between man and God, and as such transcends all ritualistic forms and formulae.” 

- Shoghi Effendi  (From a letter dated June 15, 1935, written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, Baha’i News, no. 93, July 1935)

Variations in the three versions of the Bible – two examples

…the Torah, held to be the most ancient of histories, existeth today in three separate versions: the Hebrew, considered authentic by the Jews and the Protestant clergy; the Greek Septuagint, which is used as authoritative in the Greek and other Eastern churches; and the Samaritan Torah, the standard authority for that people. These three versions differ greatly, one from another, even with regard to the lifetimes of the most celebrated figures.

In the Hebrew Torah, it is recorded that from Noah’s flood until the birth of Abraham there was an interval of two hundred and ninety-two years. In the Greek, that time-span is given as one thousand and seventy-two years, while in the Samaritan, the recorded span is nine hundred and forty-two years… Refer to the commentary by Henry Westcott, for tables are supplied therein which show the discrepancies among the three Torahs as to the birthdates of a number of the descendants of Shem, and thou wilt see how greatly the versions differ one from another.

1953: Ruhiyyih Khanum at the grave site of her father, William Sutherland Maxwell

Ruhiyyih Khanum at the grave site of her father, William Sutherland Maxwell, Hand of the Cause of God, in Mount Royal Cemetery, Montreal. Floral spray sent by the Guardian of the Baha'i World Faith from Haifa, in foreground. Mrs. Amelia Collins stands to the right of Ruhiyyih Khanum, and others include National Spiritual Assembly members and Montreal Baha'is. May, 1953. 

(The Baha’i World 1950-1954)

“Material and spiritual science” - “the two wings of human uplift and attainment”

Scientific knowledge is the highest attainment upon the human plane, for science is the discoverer of realities. It is of two kinds: material and spiritual. Material science is the investigation of natural phenomena; divine science is the discovery and realization of spiritual verities. The world of humanity must acquire both. A bird has two wings; it cannot fly with one. Material and spiritual science are the two wings of human uplift and attainment. Both are necessary – one the natural, the other supernatural; one material, the other divine. By the divine we mean the discovery of the mysteries of God, the comprehension of spiritual realities, the wisdom of God, inner significances of the heavenly religions and foundation of the law. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (From a talk, 23 May 1912, Cambridge, Massachusetts; ‘The Promulgation of Universal Peace’; the Compilation of Compilations, vol. III, Scholarship)

“The principle of the Oneness of Mankind – the pivot round which all the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh revolve”

Let there be no mistake. The principle of the Oneness of Mankind – the pivot round which all the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh revolve – is no mere outburst of ignorant emotionalism or an expression of vague and pious hope. Its appeal is not to be merely identified with a reawakening of the spirit of brotherhood and goodwill among men, nor does it aim solely at the fostering of harmonious co-operation among individual peoples and nations. Its implications are deeper, its claims greater than any which the Prophets of old were allowed to advance. Its message is applicable not only to the individual, but concerns itself primarily with the nature of those essential relationships that must bind all the states and nations as members of one human family. It does not constitute merely the enunciation of an ideal, but stands inseparably associated with an institution adequate to embody its truth, demonstrate its validity, and perpetuate its influence. It implies an organic change in the structure of present-day society, a change such as the world has not yet experienced. It constitutes a challenge, at once bold and universal, to outworn shibboleths of national creeds–creeds that have had their day and which must, in the ordinary course of events as shaped and controlled by Providence, give way to a new gospel, fundamentally different from, and infinitely superior to, what the world has already conceived. It calls for no less than the reconstruction and the demilitarization of the whole civilized world–a world organically unified in all the essential aspects of its life, its political machinery, its spiritual aspiration, its trade and finance, its script and language, and yet infinite in the diversity of the national characteristics of its federated units.

Role of the community, as one of “the three protagonists” of the divine Plan

The community… draws on everything within its power to augment its fruitful activities. As a dynamic and growing entity, it endeavours to

• create an environment in which the inner capacities of all of its members—whether new or veteran, men or women, young or old, urban or rural dwellers, and of whatever tribe or race throughout that land—flourish,
• and the ability 
• to take counsel together,
• to make decisions, and
• to cooperate at the grassroots level is raised to new heights so that its members may serve more effectively towards the betterment of society.
• This community learns to read effectively the reality of its environment,
• to recognize existing opportunities,
• to utilize its resources, and
• to respond to present needs.

1948: First Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Brussels, Belgium

(The Baha'i World 1946-1950)

Creating a possible “to-do” list for a Spiritual Assembly based on the attributes of “an evolving framework for action”, identified by the Universal House of Justice in their Ridvan 2016 message

(Ridvan 2016 message)

• To “progressively nurture and refine essential capacities”
• To initiate “simple acts of service”.
• To start “a systematic process of human resource development and community building”.
• To inspire “confidence” in “believers…to share accounts of Bahá’u’lláh’s life and discuss the implications of His Revelation and peerless Covenant”.
• To encourage the “friends, at the very grassroots of the community” to become more able “to describe in eloquent terms their experience of a process capable of transforming character and shaping social existence”.
• To increase the “numbers of those indigenous” to the country who, “as members of Bahá’í institutions and agencies” will guide “the affairs” of its community.
• To encourage “reliable, generous, and sacrificial giving to the Fund”
• To aim for an “unprecedented efflorescence of individual initiative and collective action in support of community-building activities”.
• To inspire “enthusiasm” in “selfless souls in the prime of youth” to bring “immense vigour” to “the spiritual education of younger generations”.
• To enhance “the devotional character of the community through regular gatherings for worship”.
• To “rise in capacity at all levels of Bahá’í administration”
• To increase LSA’s “readiness” to “think in terms of process”, “to read…[its] immediate reality” and assess…[its] resources in the [place]…where they live”, and “to make plans on that basis”.
• To encourage LSA’s committees, task forces, liaisons, to “think in terms of process”, “to read…[its] immediate reality” and assess…[their] resources in the [place]…where they live”, and “to make plans on that basis”.
• To increase community members to “think in terms of process”, “to read…[their] immediate reality” and assess…[their] resources in the [place]…where they live”, and “to make plans on that basis”.

The right of voting in Baha’i elections – “to exercise that right intelligently and with understanding”

I feel I must reaffirm the vital importance and necessity of the right of voting -- a sacred responsibility of which no adult recognized believer should be deprived, unless he is associated with a community that has not as yet been in a position to establish a local Assembly. This distinguishing right which the believer possesses, however, does not carry with it nor does it imply an obligation to cast his vote, if he feels that the circumstances under which he lives do not justify or allow him to exercise that right intelligently and with understanding. This is a matter which should be left to the individual to decide himself according to his own conscience and discretion. 

- Shoghi Effendi  (From a letter dated April 28, 1935, addressed to NSA of United States and Canada, Baha’i News, no. 93, July 1935)

A Baha’i Principle: The “Prophets of the one, the unknowable God, including Bahá'u'lláh…[are]… all…, the channels of God's grace…the exponents of His unity…the mirrors of His light and the revealers of His purpose…”

…it is our clear duty to make it indubitably evident to every seeker after truth that from "the beginning that hath no beginning" the Prophets of the one, the unknowable God, including Bahá'u'lláh Himself, have all, as the channels of God's grace, as the exponents of His unity, as the mirrors of His light and the revealers of His purpose, been commissioned to unfold to mankind an ever-increasing measure of His truth, of His inscrutable will and Divine guidance, and will continue to "the end that hath no end" to vouchsafe still fuller and mightier revelations of His limitless power and glory.

We might well ponder in our hearts the following passages from a prayer revealed by Bahá'u'lláh which strikingly affirm, and are a further evidence of, the reality of the great and essential truth lying at the very core of His Message to mankind: