October 26, 2014

Man is unable to comprehend the essence of God – ‘Abdu’l-Baha explains

All the people have formed a god in the world of thought and they worship that form of their own imagination, while the act is that the imagined concept is comprehended by the mind Which is comprehensive. Surely that which comprehends is greater than the comprehended, for imagination is accidental (non-essential) while the mind is essential. Surely the essential is greater than the accidental. 

Therefore consider: all the sects and peoples worship their own thought. They create a god in their own minds and acknowledge him to be the creator of all things, while that form is a superstition. Thus people adore and worship imagination (or illusion). 

That Essence of the Divine Reality and Unseen of the Unseen is holy above the imagination, and is beyond thought. Consciousness does not reach it. In the capacity of every produced (created) reality that Ancient Reality can not be contained. That is a different world; from it there is no information; arrival thereat is impossible; attainment thereto is prohibited and inaccessible.  This much is known--that it exists, and its existence is certain and proved, but the condition is unknown. 

All the philosophers and doctors knew that It is, but they were perplexed as to the comprehension of Its existence, and at last despaired, and in great despair they left this world. For the comprehension of the condition and mysteries of that Reality of realities and Mystery of mysteries there is need for another power and another sense. That power and sense are not possessed by men; therefore they have not found any information. For example--if a man possess the power of hearing, the power of tasting, the power of smelling, and the power of feeling, but not the power of seeing he cannot see. Hence, through the powers and senses present in man, the realization of that Unseen Reality, which is pure and holy above the reach of doubts, is impossible. Other powers are needed, and other senses are required. If these powers and senses be obtained, then information can be had, otherwise not. 
(‘Abdu’l-Baha, ‘Baha’i World Faith’)