Commemorating the Centenary of the Passing of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá: A series of stories about His life and teachings.

Paris Talks: Addresses Given by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in Paris in 1911-1912 (Wilmette, IL, USA: Bahá’í Publishing, 2006);

From 1910 to 1913 Abdu’l-Bahá, set out on historic journeys to the European and North American continents to bring the teachings of Bahá’u’láh to populations there.  When he stayed in Paris he held interviews and gave lectures/speeches at the invitation of many groups and Church leaders of the day. These are a compilation of the talks and interviews He gave during his stay.

The Two Kinds of Light – page 68, Paris Talks

November 5th

 Today the weather is gloomy and dull! In the East there is continual sunshine, the stars arenever veiled, and there are very few clouds. Light always rises in the East and sends forth its radiance into the West. There are two kinds of light. There is the visible light of the sun, by whose aid we can discern the beauties of the world around us—without this we could see nothing. Nevertheless, though it is the function of this light to make things visible to us, it cannot give us the power to see them or to understand what their various charms may be, for this light has no intelligence, no consciousness. It is the light of the intellect which gives us knowledge and understanding, and without this light the physical eyes would be useless. This light of the intellect is the highest light that exists, for it is born of the Light Divine. The light of the intellect enables us to understand and realize all that exists, but it is only the Divine Light that can give us sight for the invisible things, and which enables us to see truths that will only be visible to the world thousands of years hence. It was the Divine Light which enabled the prophets to see two thousand years in advance what was going to take place and today we see the realization of their vision. Thus it is this Light which we must strive to seek, for it is greater than any other. It was by this Light that Moses was enabled to see and comprehend the Divine Appearance, and to hear the Heavenly Voice which spoke to Him from the Burning Bush. It is of this Light Muḥammad is speaking when He says, “Alláh is the light of the Heavens, and of the Earth.” Seek with all your hearts this Heavenly Light, so that you may be enabled to understand the realities, that you may know the secret things of God, that the hidden ways may be made plain before your eyes. This light may be likened unto a mirror, and as a mirror reflects all that is before it, so this Light shows to the eyes of our spirits all that exists in God’s Kingdom and causes the realities of things to be made visible. By the help of this effulgent Light all the spiritual interpretation of the Holy Writings has been made plain, the hidden things of God’s Universe have become manifest, and we have been enabled to comprehend the Divine purposes for man. I pray that God in His mercy may illumine your hearts and souls with His glorious Light, then shall each one of you shine as a radiant star in the dark places of the world.

Abdu’l-Bahá in Paris - (archives of the United States Baha’is; Baha’i Encyclopedia Project)

Progressive Revelation

God, the Creator of the universe, is all-knowing, all-loving and all-merciful. Just as the physical sun shines on the whole world, so the light of God is shed upon all Creation. “As the sun ripens the fruits of the earth, and gives life and warmth to all living beings, so shines the Sun of Truth on all souls, filling them with the fire of Divine love and understanding.”

 It is impossible for any mortal mind to truly understand the reality of God. However broad or imaginative our concept of God may be, it will always necessarily be circumscribed by the limitations of the human mind. “That which we imagine, is not the Reality of God; He, the Unknowable, the Unthinkable, is far beyond the highest conception of man.”

Throughout the ages, God has sent Divine Messengers known as Manifestations of God—among them Abraham, Krishna, Zoroaster, Moses, Buddha, Jesus Christ, Muhammad, and, in more recent times, the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh—to cultivate humanity’s spiritual, intellectual and moral capacities.

These Figures are not simply ordinary people with a greater knowledge than others. Rather they are Manifestations of God, Who have exerted an incomparable influence on the evolution of human society. While each of Them has a distinct individuality and a definite mission, the Manifestations of God all share in a single, divinely-ordained purpose—to “educate the souls of men, and refine the character of every living man…”

 The Manifestation of God is the light-bringer of the world. Like the arrival of spring, His coming releases a fresh outpouring of spirit into creation and has a universal effect. When humanity has entered its “winter,” this new “sun” appears above the horizon and “shines upon the worlds of spirits, of thoughts and of hearts…” Then, “the spiritual spring and new life appear, the power of the wonderful springtime becomes visible, and marvelous benefits are apparent.”

 With the coming of each Manifestation, new forces are released that, over time, increasingly permeate human affairs, providing the main impulse for the further development of consciousness and society.

This process—in which the Manifestations of God have successively provided the guidance necessary for humanity’s social and spiritual evolution—is known as “progressive revelation.” If God were to be likened to the unapproachable sun, the source of all light and life in our own solar system, then the Manifestations of God might be compared to mirrors that perfectly reflect the sun’s light in a form that human beings are capable of comprehending.

 “These sanctified Mirrors…are one and all the Exponents on earth of Him Who is the central Orb of the universe, its Essence and ultimate Purpose. From Him proceed their knowledge and power; from Him is derived their sovereignty.”

Since the purpose of all these divine “mirrors” is one and the same, no distinction should be made between Them.

 Bahá’u’lláh writes, “If thou wilt observe with discriminating eyes, thou wilt behold them all abiding in the same tabernacle, soaring in the same heaven, seated upon the same throne, uttering the same speech, and proclaiming the same Faith.”

If all the great religions can be considered to be one in essence, founded upon the same reality, how then can we understand the differences—particularly regarding social practices—between the teachings of the various Manifestations of God? 

Each Manifestation may be seen as a skilled physician. He has a complete grasp of the nature of the body of humanity and is able to prescribe the appropriate cure for the ills of the world—one that best meets the requirements of the time in which He appears. Referring to His own Revelation in this age, Bahá’u’lláh wrote, “The All-Knowing Physician hath His finger on the pulse of mankind. He perceiveth the disease, and prescribeth, in His unerring wisdom, the remedy.”

Equality of Men & Women

A pamphlet prepared for International Women’s Year, 1975.

1975

Over a century ago, and for the first time in the history of revealed religion, Bahá’u’lláh, Prophet-Founder of the Bahá’í Faith, proclaimed the equality of man and woman. He did not leave this pronouncement as an ideal or pious hope but wove it, as a basic factor, into the fabric of His social order. He supported it by laws requiring the same standard of education for women as for men, and equality of rights in society.

Equality of the sexes is, for Bahá’ís, a spiritual and moral standard essential for the unification of the planet and the unfoldment of world order. Without the qualities, talents, and skills of both women and men, full economic and social development of the planet becomes impossible. For

The world of humanity is possessed of two wings — the male and the female. So long as these two wings are not equivalent in strength the bird will not fly. Until womankind reaches the same degree as man, until she enjoys the same arena of activity, extraordinary attainment for humanity will not be realized; humanity cannot wing its way to heights of real attainment.1

In the present transition of humanity from adolescence to maturity, signs of this evolving equality can be observed everywhere. In the Bahá’í view this is hardly surprising, for “As long as women are prevented from attaining their highest possibilities, so long will men be unable to achieve the greatness which might be theirs.”

The character of this unique age we are entering is further brought into focus in the following statement from the Bahá’í Writings:

The world in the past has been ruled by force and man has dominated over woman by reason of his more forceful and aggressive qualities both of body and mind. But the scales are already shifting, force is losing its weight, and mental alertness, intuition, and the spiritual qualities of love and service, in which woman is strong, are gaining ascendancy. Hence the new age will be an age less masculine and more permeated with the feminine ideals, or, to speak more exactly, will be an age in which the masculine and feminine elements of civilization will be more properly balanced.

This unity and equality, rooted in the rights and responsibilities of every person before God, unfolds in the family. Here, values and attitudes essential for the development of the individual, the community, the nation, and humanity must be taught from early life. In the Bahá’í view the family being a human unit must be educated according to the rules of sanctity. All the virtues must be taught the family. The integrity of the family bond must be constantly considered and the rights of the individual members must not be transgressed.... All these rights and prerogatives must be conserved, yet the unity of the family must be sustained. The injury of one shall be considered the injury of all; the comfort of each the comfort of all; the honor of one the honor of all.

Today, in the Bahá’í world community, in over 200 nations and territories, women are joining with men in building a global society. Their full contribution toward the establishment of a world civilization is possible, Bahá’ís believe, because of the all-pervasive spiritual power released in this age by Bahá’u’lláh, Who has erased all limitations preventing the fulfillment of human potentialities. For in the Bahá’í view, since this is the century of light, it is evident that the Sun of Reality, the Word has revealed itself to all humankind. One of the potentialities hidden in the realm of humanity was the capability or capacity of womanhood. Through the effulgent rays of divine illumination, the capacity of woman has become so awakened and manifest in this age that equality of man and woman is an established fact.

Independent Investigation of Truth

What is truth? Who determines what is true? Bahá’ís believe it is the duty of the individual to investigate facts for themselves to determine the truth of a fact of reality. When you endeavour to search, to make your own decision about your spiritual beliefs, you actually set yourself free - from imitation, from falsehood, from fossilized traditions that do harm to humanity and continue the mistakes of the past. Most importantly, you set yourself free from the prison of prejudice, which all of us inherit from our traditions and our cultures and our upbringing. The primary goal of the independent, unfettered investigation of truth focuses on eradicating prejudice and freeing our hearts and minds from its corrosive impact.

The following are some of the Bahá’í teachings on the importance of Independent Investigation of Truth.

“The first principle of Bahá’u’lláh is independent investigation of truth, blind imitation the past will stunt the mind. But once every soul inquireth into truth, society will be freed from the darkness of continually repeating the past. Truth is one when it is independently investigated, it does not accept division. Therefore the independent investigation of truth will lead to the oneness of the world of humanity. Bahá’u’lláh continually urges man to free himself from the superstitions and traditions of the past and become an investigator of reality, for it will then be seen that God has revealed his light many times in order to illumine mankind in the path of evolution, in various countries and through many different prophets, masters and sages…” ('Abdu'l-Bahá —Divine Philosophy)

“God has given man the eye of investigation by which he may see and recognize truth. He has endowed man with ears that he may hear the message of reality and conferred upon him the gift of reason by which he may discover things for himself. This is his endowment and equipment for the investigation of reality. Man is not intended to see through the eyes of another, hear through another’s ears nor comprehend with another’s brain. Each human creature has individual endowment, power and responsibility in the creative plan of God. Therefore depend upon your own reason and judgment and adhere to the outcome of your own investigation; otherwise you will be utterly submerged in the sea of ignorance and deprived of all the bounties of God. Turn to God, supplicate humbly at His threshold, seeking assistance and confirmation, that God may rend asunder the veils that obscure your vision. Then will your eyes be filled with illumination, face to face you will behold the reality of God and your heart become completely purified from the dross of ignorance, reflecting the glories and bounties of the Kingdom.” (Abdu’l-Bahá—Foundations of World Unity)

“Naturally human beings are continually discovering more and more about truth. God is infinite, so His truth is also infinite. Nevertheless, as human knowledge progresses there are certain truths that are clearly establish. Acceptance of such truths is not a surrender of freedom but is a free acceptance of things as they are. For example it is now clearly established by science that the earth moves round the sun, and not vice versa. Any human being is free to believe the contrary but to do so is not an assertion of freedom, it is an evidence of ignorance or foolishness. In the same way, to accept that Bahá’u’lláh’s claim to be a Manifestation of God is true is not a surrender of freedom but the acceptance of a conclusion that one has confirmed to one’s own satisfaction.” (Universal House of Justice)

Universal Peace - To the Peoples of the World

“The well-being of mankind,” Bahá’u’lláh wrote more than a century ago, “its peace and security, are unattainable unless and until its unity is firmly established.”

The Great Peace towards which people of goodwill throughout the centuries have inclined their hearts, of which seers and poets for countless generations have expressed their vision, and for which from age to age the sacred scriptures of mankind have constantly held the promise, is now at long last within the reach of the nations. For the first time in history it is possible for everyone to view the entire planet, with all its myriad diversified peoples, in one perspective. World peace is not only possible but inevitable. It is the next stage in the evolution of this planet— in the words of one great thinker, “the planetization of mankind.”

 The primary question to be resolved is how the present world, with its entrenched pattern of conflict can change to a world in which harmony and cooperation will prevail.  Despite the obvious shortcomings of the United Nations, the more than two score declarations and conventions adopted by that organization, even where governments have not been enthusiastic in their commitment, have given ordinary people a sense of a new lease on life. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, and the similar measures concerned with eliminating all forms of discrimination based on race, sex or religious belief; upholding the rights of the child; protecting all persons against being subjected to torture; eradicating hunger and malnutrition; using scientific and technological progress in the interest of peace and the benefit of mankind—all such measures, if courageously enforced and expanded, will advance the day when the specter of war will have lost its power to dominate international relations. A few issues, because of their immediate relevance to establishing world peace, deserve additional comment.

Racism, one of the most baneful and persistent evils, is a major barrier to peace. Its practice perpetrates too outrageous a violation of the dignity of human beings to be countenanced under any pretext. Racism retards the unfoldment of the boundless potentialities of its victims, corrupts its perpetrators, and blights human progress. Recognition of the oneness of mankind, implemented by appropriate legal measures, must be universally upheld if this problem is to be overcome.

The inordinate disparity between rich and poor, a source of acute suffering, keeps the world in a state of instability, virtually on the brink of war. The solution calls for the combined application of spiritual, moral and practical approaches. A fresh look at the problem is required, entailing consultation with experts from a wide spectrum of disciplines, devoid of economic and ideological polemics, and involving the people directly affected in the decisions that must urgently be made.  It is an issue that is bound up not only with the necessity for eliminating extremes of wealth and poverty; but that must include full equality between the sexes.

World order can be founded only on an unshakable consciousness of the oneness of mankind, a spiritual truth which all the human sciences confirm. Anthropology, physiology, psychology, recognize only one human species, albeit infinitely varied in the secondary aspects of life. Recognition of this truth requires abandonment of prejudice—prejudice of every kind—race, class, color, creed, nation, sex, degree of material civilization, everything which enables people to consider themselves superior to others.

Acceptance of the oneness of mankind is the first fundamental prerequisite for reorganization and administration of the world as one country, the home of humankind. Universal acceptance of this spiritual principle is essential to any successful attempt to establish world peace. It should therefore be universally proclaimed, taught in schools, and constantly asserted in every nation as preparation for the organic change in the structure of society which it implies.

In the Bahá’í view, recognition of the oneness of mankind “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.”

Permanent peace among nations is an essential stage, but not, Bahá’u’lláh asserts, the ultimate goal of the social development of humanity..   The crowning goal is the unification of all the peoples of the world in one universal family.

 To the Peoples of the World (The Universal House of Justice October 1985 )

https://www.bahai.org/beliefs/universal-peace/promise-world-peace/

Essential Harmony of Science and Religion

Bahá’ís reject the notion that there is an inherent conflict between science and religion, a notion that became prevalent in intellectual discourse at a time when the very conception of each system of knowledge was far from adequate. The harmony of science and religion is one of the fundamental principles of the Bahá’í Faith, which teaches that religion, without science, soon degenerates into superstition and fanaticism, while science without religion becomes merely the instrument of crude materialism. “Religion,” according to the Bahá’í writings, “is the outer expression of the divine reality. Therefore, it must be living, vitalized, moving and progressive.”  “Science is the first emanation from God toward man. All created things embody the potentiality of material perfection, but the power of intellectual investigation and scientific acquisition is a higher virtue specialized to man alone. Other beings and organisms are deprived of this potentiality and attainment.”

So far as earthly existence is concerned, many of the greatest achievements of religion have been moral in character. Through its teachings and through the examples of human lives illumined by these teachings, masses of people in all ages and lands have developed the capacity to love, to give generously, to serve others, to forgive, to trust in God, and to sacrifice for the common good. Social structures and institutional systems have been devised that translate these moral advances into the norms of social life on a vast scale. In the final analysis, the spiritual impulses set in motion by the Founders of the world’s religions—the Manifestations of God—have been the chief influence in the civilizing of human character. 

‘Abdu’l-Bahá has described science as the “most noble” of all human virtues and “the discoverer of all things”.  Science has enabled society to separate fact from conjecture. Further, scientific capabilities—of observing, of measuring, of rigorously testing ideas—have allowed humanity to construct a coherent understanding of the laws and processes governing physical reality, as well as to gain insights into human conduct and the life of society. 

Taken together, science and religion provide the fundamental organizing principles by which individuals, communities, and institutions function and evolve. When the material and spiritual dimensions of the life of a community are kept in mind and due attention is given to both scientific and spiritual knowledge, the tendency to reduce human progress to the consumption of goods, services and technological packages is avoided. Scientific knowledge, to take but one simple example, helps the members of a community to analyse the physical and social implications of a given technological proposal—say, its environmental impact—and spiritual insight gives rise to moral imperatives that uphold social harmony and that ensure technology serves the common good. Together, these two sources of knowledge are essential to the liberation of individuals and communities from the traps of ignorance and passivity. They are vital to the advancement of civilization. 

Bahai.org

Universal Compulsory Education

Parents have always desired that their children have a better life than themselves. How better than to enshrine the principle of compulsory, universal education into society? The following quotes gives readers an idea of the importance Baha’is place on the education of children in the future of humanity.

The idea that people needed to be able to read and write has been around since humanity has learned to put ‘pen to paper’. The principle of compulsory education came into effect in the 1890’s in Canada. In 1882 Baha’u’llah wrote the following to a merchant in Syria:

‘Man is the supreme Talisman. Lack of a proper education hath, however, deprived him of that which he doth inherently possess. Through a word proceeding out of the mouth of God he was called into being; by one more he was guided to recognize the Source of his education; by yet another word his station and destiny were safeguarded. The Great Being saith: Regard man as a mine rich in gems of inestimable value. Education can, alone, cause it to reveal its treasurers, and enable mankind to benefit therefrom.’

(Baha’u’llah)

‘Among the greatest of all services that can possibly be rendered by man to Almighty God is the education and training of children…..It is incumbent upon every father and mother to counsel their children over a long period, and guide them unto those things which lead to everlasting honour.”

“And among the teachings of Baha’u’llah is the promotion of education. Every child must be instructed in sciences as much as is necessary. If the parents are able to provide the expenses of this education, it is well, otherwise the community must provide the means for teaching of that child.’

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

‘And further, according to the Divine commandments, every child must learn reading and writing, and acquire such branches of knowledge as are useful and necessary, as well as learning an art or skill. The utmost care must be devoted to these matters; any neglect of them, any failure to act on them, is not permissible…’

(From a Tablet, translated from the Persian)

‘It is for this reason that, in this cycle, education and training are recorded in the Book of God as obligatory and not voluntary. That is, it is enjoined upon the father and mother, as a duty, to strive with all effort to train the daughter and the son, to nurse them from the breast of knowledge and to rear them in the bosom of sciences and arts.’

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

‘Arts, crafts and sciences uplift the world of being, and are conducive to its exaltation. Knowledge is as wings to man’s life, and a ladder for his ascent. Its acquisition is incumbent upon everyone. The knowledge of such sciences, however, should be acquired as can profit the peoples of the earth, and not those which begin with words and end with words. In truth, knowledge is a veritable treasure for man, and a source of glory, of bounty, of joy, of exaltation, of cheer and gladness unto him. Happy the man that cleaveth unto it and woe betide the heedless.’

(Baha’u’llah)

Thoughts on Our Oneness

Letter to the Editor of the Chief - August 2020

Recent events have highlighted that we continue to discriminate against others on the basis of differences that have no bearing on our worth as human beings. Indeed, the global pandemic points out how similar we are and how much we depend on the kindness and thoughtfulness of all with whom we come in contact for our safety and well-being. It has reinforced the interdependence of all parts of the world as we confront a threat to the whole human family and begin to realize how small and fragile a planet we inhabit.

As we approach 8 billion we face a future where there are more of us who face unparalleled challenge than at any other time in human history. This will require a new way of thinking and being in the world.

That we continue to carry on out-moded discriminations based on any number of grounds reflects that human progress is not uniform. Yet we make advances as we overcome the prejudices that have been engendered by our various cultures, histories and experiences. This is a difficult journey for humanity as age old customs, practices and attitudes are examined for usefulness and many relegated to the tides of history. The exhortation by Baha’u’llah:

“Let not a man glory in this, that he loves his country; let him rather glory in this, that he loves his kind” suggest a wider loyalty and focus. Inherent in this is the recognition of the role of the individual in viewing his fellow inhabitants in a different light. “Regard ye not one another as strangers. Ye are the fruits of one tree, and the leaves of one branch.” Appreciating our essential unity is key to understanding each other and seeing our differences in a positive light. “The diversity in the human family should be the cause of love and harmony, as it is in music where many different notes blend together in the making of a perfect chord.”

Local Spiritual Assembly Baha’is of Squamish

Oneness of Humanity

Q.  What was the origin of the global expressions of appreciation; service and sacrifice we all saw during this pandemic?  Could it be that we realized on some level our burgeoning understanding of oneness?  ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, the son of Bahá’u’lláh, wrote extensively about this teaching of Bahá’u’lláh….

“A  fundamental teaching of Bahá’u’lláh is the oneness of the world of humanity. Addressing mankind, He says, “Ye are all leaves of one tree and the fruits of one branch.” By this it is meant that the world of humanity is like a tree, the nations or peoples are the different limbs or branches of that tree, and the individual human creatures are as the fruits and blossoms thereof.

The oneness of humanity, however, does not imply uniformity. Rather, the Bahá’í writings affirm the principle of unity in diversity. More than the mere tolerance of differences or celebration of superficial aspects of diverse cultures, the diversity of the human family should be the cause of abiding love and harmony, “as it is in music where many different notes blend together in the making of a perfect chord.”

                                                                         (‘Abdu’l-Bahá-Paris Talks )

The fundamental principle of the oneness of humankind requires a profound development in our thinking: “If you desire with all your heart, friendship with every race on earth, your thought, spiritual and positive, will spread; it will become the desire of others, growing stronger and stronger, until it reaches the minds of all men.” (‘Abdu’l-Bahá)

Ultimately, the power to transform the world is effected by love, love originating from the relationship with the divine, love ablaze among members of a community, love extended without restriction to every human being. This divine love, ignited by the Word of God is disseminated by enkindled souls through intimate conversations that create new susceptibilities in human hearts, open minds to moral persuasion, and loosen the hold of biased norms and social systems so that they can gradually take on a new form of keeping with the requirements of humanity’s age of maturity. You are channels for this divine love; let it flow through you to all who cross your path. Infuse it into every neighbourhood and social space in which you move to build capacity to canalize the society-building power of Baha’u’llah’s Revelation

(Universal House of Justice)

Overcoming Racism

In 1921, as race relations were quickly deteriorating in the United States, Abdu’l-Baha launched a public Bahai initiative to assist America in applying the Baha’i principle of the oneness of humankind to the racial issues confronting it. A series of Race Amity Conferences were undertaken. Abdu’l-Baha demonstrated both in words and deeds throughout His time in America how we should behave towards each other. 

Throughout his U.S. visit, he swept aside the social protocol of segregation by insisting that every place where he spoke be open to people of all races. In New York City at the Great Northern Hotel on 57th Street, where a banquet had been arranged in his honor, the manager vehemently refused to allow any blacks on the property. Abdu’l-Baha remedied the situation by hosting a second banquet the following day at the home of one of his followers, with many whites serving blacks — a subversive, even dangerous notion at the time.  

 “Intense is the hatred, in America, between black and white, but my hope is that the power of the Kingdom will bind these two in friendship, and serve them as a healing balm.”

 For 239 days, from 11 April to 5 December 1912, ‘Abdu’l-Baha traversed the north American continent, continuing an extraordinary journey that had already taken him to Egypt, England, France, and Switzerland. He called on America to become a land of spiritual distinction and leadership and gave a powerful vision of America’s spiritual destiny — to lead the way in establishing the oneness of humanity.

 ‘Abdu’l-Bahá challenged America to go beyond tolerance, to embrace diversity completely, and to demolish racial barriers in law, education and even marriage.

How sad it is that we have still failed to fully understand and realize this vision. Recent events in both the U.S. and Canada have galvanized us to study more deeply the guidance we received.

A meditation on Overcoming Racism has now been added to our website. We encourage you to read and reflect. It can be found in our section on about/main principles.