THE BAHAIS TEACHING

2008-02-15T03:22:00.000-08:00

BAHA'I INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY ISSUES STATEMENT ON POVERTY ERADICATION
NEW YORK, 15 February 2008 (BWNS)
-- A new statement from the Baha'i International Community calls for a coherent, principle-based approach to the eradication of global poverty.BIC representatives introduced the statement, "Eradicating Poverty: Moving Forward as One," yesterday at a luncheon held at their offices across from the United Nations. About 40 representatives from various non-governmental organizations and UN agencies gathered for the presentation.Tahirih Naylor, a representative of the BIC to the United Nations, said the statement was released to coincide with the 46th Commission for Social Development at the United Nations, which runs 6-15 February 2008."This year, the Commission is focusing on the themes of promoting full employment and decent work for all," said Ms. Naylor. "These are important aspects of poverty eradication, but we wanted to advocate a more coherent approach, one that looks at the wide range of issues that must be addressed in an integrated way if global poverty is to be eliminated."The statement calls on both institutions and individuals internationally to put essential moral principles, such as unity and justice, first. It recasts the underlying nature of poverty, saying it "can be described as the absence of those ethical, social and material resources needed to develop the moral, intellectual and social capacities of individuals, communities and institutions."The statement also examines a number of specific topical areas where poverty alleviation efforts can be most effectively focused. These include leadership and governance, human rights, gender, sustainable development, agriculture, employment, individual responsibility, education, and religion.Those gathered for the presentation were addressed by Nikhil Seth, from the UN's Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), and Julia Berger, senior researcher and writer for the Baha'i International Community.
Mr. Seth said the statement's "key message is that solidarity of action is what we need. If we can galvanize that spirit, we'll have won the battle."Mr. Seth, who is director of the Office for ECOSOC Support and Coordination at DESA, shared his experience in developing nations, including his native India, and recommended an additional focus on country-specific solutions. "Generic solutions are not sufficient," he said, noting that land issues and culture play strong roles. "A community-specific analysis is needed to tackle poverty."Mr. Seth also stressed the related problem of hunger. "The problem of malnourishment requires a whole different set of interventions," he said, saying that in his country more than 40 percent of children under 5 are malnourished.Mr. Seth also noted that international agencies sometimes place too much emphasis on measuring poverty rather than doing something about it."Macroeconomic aggregates do not really capture the indignities of poverty the way your statement has done so beautifully," he said.Ms. Berger said that the issue of poverty is inextricably linked to other complex factors such as human rights, development, and environmental circumstances. It is a positive indication, she said, that the UN community is beginning to realize the interconnectedness of all these factors and focusing on ways to formulated an integrated approach."Not to overstate the case, but the change in thought required to get to this point is like the Copernican revolution of recognizing that the earth revolves around the sun, and not the other way around," Ms. Berger said.Ms. Naylor said the statement was initially drafted in response to a call from the UN Human Rights Council for a consultation on "draft guiding principles" to help focus the discussion on the link between human rights and extreme poverty.As part of that process, the BIC contacted selected members of the Baha'i community around the world and asked them to organize discussions on poverty and human rights involving individuals from the local level.
"These discussions took place in six countries -- Brazil, Guyana, Haiti, India, Namibia and Turkey -- and the consultations there provided first-hand experiences and impressions from individuals who are most affected by poverty."To read "Eradicating Poverty: Moving Forward as One," follow this link: http://bic.org/statements-and-reports/bic-statements/08-0214.htmTo view the photos and additional features click here:http://news.bahai.org--17-bp-080215-1-POVERTYERADICATION-604-S------------------------------------------------------------------------------Advance release: Please check our website for the final version of thisarticle.------------------------------------------------------------------------------Copyright 2008 by the Baha'i World News Service. All stories andphotographs produced by the Baha'i World News Service may be freelyreprinted, re-emailed, re-posted to the World Wide Web and otherwisereproduced by any individual or organization as long as they areattributed to the Baha'i World News Service. For more information, visithttp://news.bahai.org.------------------------------------------------------------------------------If you have questions about this list or wish to unsubscribe, contactsubscribe@bahai.org------------------------------------------------------------------------------

THE CRITERIONS OF TRUTH by Abdul-Bahá

2008-02-12T23:49:00.000-08:00

Foundations of World Unity
http://bahai-library.com/file.php5?file=abdulbaha_foundations_world_unity&language=All

THE CRITERIONS OF TRUTH
http://www.bahai-library.com/writings/abdulbaha/fwu/sec-11.html

During my visit to London and Paris last year[1911.] I had many talks
with the materialistic philosophers of Europe. The basis of all their
conclusions is that the acquisition of knowledge of phenomena is
according to a fixed, invariable law,--a law mathematically exact in
its operation through the senses. For instance, the eye sees a chair;
therefore there is no doubt of the chair's existence. The eye looks up
into the heavens and beholds the sun; I see flowers upon this table; I
smell their fragrance; I hear sounds outside, etc., etc. This, they
say, is a fixed mathematical law of perception and deduction, the
operation of which admits of no doubt whatever; for inasmuch as the
universe is subject to our sensing, the proof is self-evident that our
knowledge of it must be gained through the avenues of the senses. That
is to say, the materialists announce that the criterion and standard
of human knowledge is sense perception. Among the Greeks and Romans
the criterion of knowledge was reason; that whatever is provable and
acceptable by reason must necessarily be admitted as true. A third
standard or criterion is the opinion held by theologians that
traditions or prophetic statement and interpretations constitute the
basis of human knowing. There is still another, a fourth criterion
upheld by religionists and metaphysicians who say that the source and
channel of all human penetration into the unknown is through
inspiration. Briefly then, these four criterions according to the
declarations of men are: First--Sense Perception; Second--Reason;
Third--Traditions; Fourth--Inspiration.

In Europe I told the philosophers and scientists of materialism that
the criterion of the senses is not reliable. For instance, consider a
mirror and the images reflected in it. These images have no actual
corporeal existence. Yet if you had never seen a mirror you would
firmly insist and believe that they were real. The eye sees a mirage
upon the desert as a lake of water but there is no reality in it. As
we stand upon the deck of a steamer the shore appears to be moving,
yet we know the land is stationary and we are moving. The earth was
believed to be fixed and the sun revolving about it but although this
appears to be so, the reverse is now known to be true. A whirling
torch makes a circle of fire appear before the eye, yet we realize
there is but one point of light. We behold a shadow moving upon the
ground but it has no material existence, no substance. In deserts the
atmospheric effects are particularly productive of illusions which
deceive the eye. Once I saw a mirage in which a whole caravan appeared
traveling upward into the sky. In the far north other deceptive
phenomena appear and baffle human vision. Sometimes three or four suns
called by scientists "mock suns" will be shining at the same time
whereas we know the great solar orb is one and that it remains fixed
and single. In brief, the senses are continually deceived and we are
unable to separate that which is reality from that which is not.

As to the second criterion--reason--this likewise is unreliable and
not to be depended upon. This human world is an ocean of varying
opinions. If reason is the perfect standard and criterion of
knowledge, why are opinions at variance and why do philosophers
disagree so completely with each other? This is a clear proof that
human reason is not to be relied upon as an infallible criterion. For
instance, great discoveries and announcements of former centuries are
continually upset and discarded by the wise men of today.
Mathematicians, astronomers, chemical scientists continually disprove
and reject the conclusions of the ancients; nothing is fixed, nothing
final; everything continually changing because human reason is
progressing along new roads of investigation and arriving at new
conclusions every day. In the future much that is announced and
accepted as true now will be rejected and disproved. And so it will
continue ad infinitum.

When we consider the third criterion--traditions--upheld by
theologians as the avenue and standard of knowledge, we find this
source equally unreliable and unworthy of dependence. For religious
traditions are the report and record of understanding and
interpretation of the Book. By what means has this understanding, this
interpretation been reached? By the analysis of human reason. When we
read the Book of God the faculty of comprehension by which we form
conclusions is reason. Reason is mind. If we are not endowed with
perfect reason, how can we comprehend the meanings of the Word of God?
Therefore human reason, as already pointed out, is by its very nature
finite and faulty in conclusions. It cannot surround the Reality
Itself, the Infinite Word. Inasmuch as the source of traditions and
interpretations is human reason, and human reason is faulty, how can
we depend upon its findings for real knowledge?

The fourth criterion I have named is inspiration through which it is
claimed the reality of knowledge is attainable. What is inspiration?
It is the influx of the human heart. But what are satanic promptings
which afflict mankind? They are the influx of the heart also. How
shall we differentiate between them? The question arises, How shall we
know whether we are following inspiration from God or satanic
promptings of the human soul? Briefly, the point is that in the human
material world of phenomena these four are the only existing
criterions or avenues of knowledge, and all of them are faulty and
unreliable. What then remains? How shall we attain the reality of
knowledge? By the breaths and promptings of the Holy Spirit which is
light and knowledge itself. Through it the human mind is quickened and
fortified into true conclusions and perfect knowledge. This is
conclusive argument showing that all available human criterions are
erroneous and defective, but the divine standard of knowledge is
infallible. Therefore man is not justified in saying "I know because I
perceive through my senses"; or "I know because it is proved through
my faculty of reason"; or "I know because it is according to tradition
and interpretation of the holy book"; or "I know because I am
inspired." All human standard of judgment is faulty, finite.

http://www.bahai-library.com/writings/abdulbaha/fwu/sec-11.html

SCIENCE by Abdul-Bahá

2008-02-12T23:46:00.000-08:00

Foundations of World Unity
http://bahai-library.com/file.php5?file=abdulbaha_foundations_world_unity&language=All

SCIENCE
http://www.bahai-library.com/writings/abdulbaha/fwu/sec-17.html

The virtues of humanity are many but science is the most noble of them
all. The distinction which man enjoys above and beyond the station of
the animal is due to this paramount virtue. It is a bestowal of God;
it is not material, it is divine. Science is an effulgence of the Sun
of Reality, the power of investigating and discovering the verities of
the universe, the means by which man finds a pathway to God. All the
powers and attributes of man are human and hereditary in origin,
outcomes of nature's processes, except the intellect, which is
supernatural. Through intellectual and intelligent inquiry science is
the discoverer of all things. It unites present and past, reveals the
history of bygone nations and events, and confers upon man today the
essence of all human knowledge and attainment throughout the ages. By
intellectual processes and logical deductions of reason, this
super-power in man can penetrate the mysteries of the future and
anticipate its happenings.

Science is the first emanation from God toward man. All created beings
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. God has created or
deposited this love of reality in man. The development and progress of
a nation is according to the measure and degree of that nation's
scientific attainments. Through this means, its greatness is
continually increased and day by day the welfare and prosperity of its
people are assured.

All blessings are divine in origin but none can be compared with this
power of intellectual investigation and research which is an eternal
gift producing fruits of unending delight. Man is ever partaking of
these fruits. All other blessings are temporary; this is an
everlasting possession. Even sovereignty has its limitations and
overthrow; this is a kingship and dominion which none may usurp or
destroy. Briefly; it is an eternal blessing and divine bestowal, the
supreme gift of God to man. Therefore you should put forward your most
earnest efforts toward the acquisition of sciences and arts. The
greater your attainment, the higher your standard in the divine
purpose. The man of science is perceiving and endowed with vision
whereas he who is ignorant and neglectful of this development is
blind. The investigating mind is attentive, alive; the mind callous
and indifferent is deaf and dead. A scientific man is a true index and
representative of humanity, for through processes of inductive
reasoning and research he is informed of all that appertains to
humanity, its status, conditions and happenings. He studies the human
body politic, understands social problems and weaves the web and
texture of civilization. In fact, science may be likened to a mirror
wherein the infinite forms and images of existing things are revealed
and reflected. It is the very foundation of all individual and
national development. Without this basis of investigation, development
is impossible. Therefore seek with diligent endeavor the knowledge and
attainment of all that lies within the power of this wonderful bestowal.

We have already stated that science or the attribute of scientific
penetration is supernatural and that all other blessings of God are
within the boundary of nature. What is the proof of this? All created
things except man are captives of nature. The stars and suns swinging
through infinite space, all earthly forms of life and existence
whether mineral, vegetable or animal come under the dominion and
control of natural law. Man through scientific knowledge and power
rules nature and utilizes her laws to do his bidding. According to
natural limitations he is a creature of earth restricted to life upon
its surface, but through scientific utilization of material laws he
soars in the sky, sails upon the ocean and dives beneath it. The
products of his invention and discovery so familiar to us in daily
life were once mysteries of nature. For instance, man has brought
electricity out of the plane of the invisible into the plane of the
visible, harnessed and imprisoned that mysterious natural agent and
made it the servant of his needs and wishes. Similar instances are
many but we will not prolong. Man as it were takes the sword out of
nature's hand and with it for his sceptre of authority dominates
nature itself. Nature is without the crown of human faculties and
attributes. Man possesses conscious intelligence and reflection;
nature is minus. This is an established fundamental among
philosophers. Man is endowed with volition and memory; nature has
neither. Man can seek out the mysteries latent in nature whereas
nature is not conscious of her own hidden phenomena. Man is
progressive; nature is stationary, without the power of progression or
retrogression. Man is endowed with ideal virtues, for example
intellection, volition,--among them faith, confession and
acknowledgment of God, while nature is devoid of all these. The ideal
faculties of man, including the capacity of scientific acquisition are
beyond nature's ken. These are powers whereby man is differentiated
and distinguished from all other forms of life. This is the bestowal
of divine idealism, the crown adorning human heads. Notwithstanding
the gift of this supernatural power, it is most amazing that
materialists still consider themselves within the bounds and captivity
of nature. The truth is that God has endowed man with virtues, powers
and ideal faculties of which nature is entirely bereft and by which
man is elevated, distinguished and superior. We must thank God for
these bestowals, for these powers He has given us, for this crown He
has placed upon our heads.

How shall we utilize these gifts and expend these bounties? By
directing our efforts toward the unification of the human race. We
must use these powers in establishing the oneness of the world of
humanity; appreciate these virtues by accomplishing the unity of the
white and colored races; devote this divine intelligence to the
perfecting of amity and accord among all branches of the human family,
so that under the protection and providence of God, the East and West
may hold each other's hands and become as lovers. Then will mankind be
as one nation, one race and kind; as waves of one ocean. Although
these waves may differ in form and shape, they are waves of the same
sea. Flowers may be variegated in colors but they are all flowers of
one garden. Trees differ though they grow in the same orchard. All are
nourished and quickened into life by the bounty of the same rain; all
grow and develop by the heat and light of the one sun; all are
refreshed and exhilarated by the same breeze; that they may bring
forth varied fruits. This is according to the creative wisdom. If all
trees bore the same kind of fruit it would cease to be delicious. In
their never ending variety man finds enjoyment instead of monotony.

And now as I look into your faces I am reminded of trees varying in
color and form but all bearing luscious and delectable fruits,
fragrant and delightful to the inner and outer senses. The radiance
and spirituality of this meeting is through the favor of God. Our
hearts are uplifted in thankfulness to Him. Praise be to God! you are
living upon the great continent of the West enjoying the perfect
liberty, security and peace of this just government. There is no cause
for sorrow or unhappiness anywhere; every means of happiness and
enjoyment is about you, for in this human world there is no greater
blessing than liberty. You do not know. I who for forty years have
been a prisoner, do know. I do know the value and blessing of liberty.
For you have been and are now living in freedom and you have no fear
of anybody. Is there a greater blessing than this? Freedom! Liberty!
Security! These are the great bestowals of God. Therefore praise God!

THE MICROCOSM AND THE MACROCOSM by Abdul-Bahá

2008-02-12T23:44:00.001-08:00

Foundations of World Unity
http://bahai-library.com/file.php5?file=abdulbaha_foundations_world_unity&language=All

THE MICROCOSM AND THE MACROCOSM
http://www.bahai-library.com/writings/abdulbaha/fwu/sec-13.html

When we ponder over the reality of the microcosm, we discover that in
the microcosm there are deposited three realities. Man is endowed with
an outer or physical reality. It belongs to the material realm, the
animal kingdom, because it has sprung from the material world. This
animalistic reality of man he shares in common with the animals.

The human body is like animals subject to nature's laws. But man is
endowed with a second reality, the rational or intellectual reality;
and the intellectual reality of man predominates over nature.

All these sciences which we enjoy were the hidden and recondite
secrets of nature, unknowable to nature, but man was enabled to
discover these mysteries, and out of the plane of the unseen he
brought them into the plane of the seen.

Yet there is a third reality in man, the spiritual reality. Through
its medium one discovers spiritual revelations, a celestial faculty
which is infinite as regards the intellectual as well as physical
realms. That power is conferred upon man through the breath of the
Holy Spirit. It is an eternal reality, an indestructible reality, a
reality belonging to the divine, supernatural kingdom; a reality
whereby the world is illumined, a reality which grants unto man
eternal life. This third, spiritual reality it is which discovers past
events and looks along the vistas of the future. It is the ray of the
Sun of Reality. The spiritual world is enlightened through it, the
whole of the Kingdom is being illumined by it. It enjoys the world of
beatitude, a world which had not beginning and which shall have no end.

That celestial reality, the third reality of the microcosm, delivers
man from the material world. Its power causes man to escape from
nature's world. Escaping, he will find an illuminating reality,
transcending the limited reality of man and causing him to attain to
the infinitude of God, abstracting him from the world of superstitions
and imaginations, and submerging him in the sea of the rays of the Sun
of Reality.

This fact is proved from scientific as well as spiritual evidence.

When we ponder over the conditions of phenomena, we observe that all
phenomena are composed of single elements. This singular cell-element
travels and has its coursings through all the grades of existence. I
wish you to ponder carefully over this. This cellular element has at
some time been in the mineral kingdom. While staying in the mineral
kingdom it has had its coursings and transformations through myriads
of images and forms. Having perfected its journey in the mineral
kingdom, it has ascended to the vegetable kingdom; and in the
vegetable kingdom it has again had journeys and transformations
through myriads of conditions. Having accomplished its functions in
the vegetable kingdom, the cellular element ascends to the animal kingdom.

In the animal kingdom again it goes through the composition of myriads
of images, and then we have it in the human kingdom. In the human
kingdom likewise it has its transformations and coursings through
multitudes of forms. In short, this single primordial atom has had its
great journeys through every stage of life, and in every stage it was
endowed with a special and particular virtue or characteristic.

Consequently, the great divine philosophers have had the following
epigram: All things are involved in all things. For every single
phenomenon has enjoyed the postulates of God, and in every form of
these infinite electrons it has had its characteristics of perfection.

Thus this flower once upon a time was of the soil. The animal eats the
flower or its fruit, and it thereby ascends to the animal kingdom. Man
eats the meat of the animal, and there you have its ascent into the
human kingdom, because all phenomena are divided into that which eats
and that which is eaten. Therefore, every primordial atom of these
atoms, singly and indivisible, has had its coursings throughout all
the sentient creation, going constantly into the aggregation of the
various elements. Hence do you have the conservation of energy and the
infinity of phenomena, the indestructibility of phenomena, changeless
and immutable, because life cannot suffer annihilation but only change.

The apparent annihilation is this: that the form, the outward image,
goes through all these changes and transformations. Let us again take
the example of this flower. The flower is indestructible. The only
thing that we can see, this outer form, is indeed destroyed, but the
elements, the indivisible elements which have gone into the
composition of this flower are eternal and changeless. Therefore the
realities of all phenomena are immutable. Extinction or mortality is
nothing but the transformation of pictures and images, so to speak--
the reality back of these images is eternal. And every reality of the
realities is one of the bounties of God.

Some people believe that the divinity of God had a beginning. They say
that before this particular beginning man had no knowledge of the
divinity of God. With this principle they have limited the operation
of the influences of God.

For example, they think there was a time when man did not exist, and
that there will be a time in the future when man will not exist. Such
a theory circumscribes the power of God, because how can we understand
the divinity of God except through scientifically understanding the
manifestations of the attributes of God?

How can we understand the nature of fire except from its heat, its
light? Were not heat and light in this fire, naturally we could not
say that the fire existed.

Thus, if there was a time when God did not manifest His qualities,
then there was no God, because the attributes of God presuppose the
creation of phenomena. For example, by present consideration we say
that God is the creator. Then there must always have been a creation
--since the quality of creator cannot be limited to the moment when
some man or men realize this attribute. The attributes that we
discover one by one--these attributes themselves necessarily
anticipated our discovery of them. Therefore, God has no beginning and
no ending; nor is His creation limited ever as to degree. Limitations
of time and degree pertain to things created, never to the creation as
a whole. They pertain to the forms of things, not to their realities.
The effulgence of God cannot be suspended. The sovereignty of God
cannot be interrupted.

As long as the sovereignty of God is immemorial, therefore the
creation of our world throughout infinity is presupposed. When we look
at the reality of this subject, we see that the bounties of God are
infinite, without beginning and without end.

The greatest bounties of God in this phenomenal world are His
Manifestations. This is the greatest postulate. These Manifestations
are the Suns of Reality. For it is through the Manifestation that the
reality becomes known and established for man. History proves to us
that apart from the influence of the Manifestations, man sinks back
into his animal condition, using even his intellectual power to
subserve an animal purpose. Therefore there is no cessation whatsoever
in the future for the appearance of the Manifestation of God, because
God is infinite and His purpose cannot be limited in any way. If we
ever dare to limit and circumscribe God's purpose within any bounds,
then of necessity we have dared to set limitations to the omnipotence
of God. The created has dared to define his Creator!

Consequently, the perfect man ever beholds the rays of the Sun of
Truth. The perfect man ever awaits and expects the coming of the
effulgence of God, he ever ponders over the methods and purposes of
God, knowing that of certainty the realities of the Divine are not
finite, the Divine names and attributes are not finite. God's graces
and bounties are without limit, and the coming of the Manifestations
of God are not circumscribed by time.

Louis Gregory: a dedicated promoter of racial harmony

2008-02-12T23:40:00.000-08:00

Louis Gregory: a dedicated promoter of racial harmony

Louis Gregory reached more people than any other advocate of racial harmony in the first half of the 20th century, says Gayle Morrison, a Baha'i who has researched the life and contributions of Mr. Gregory, an early U.S. Baha'i.

Louis G. GregoryBorn in 1874 to freed slaves, Mr. Gregory traveled tirelessly throughout the nation, speaking at schools and churches and to civic groups. His travels involved lengthy separations from his white wife, Louisa Mathew. At the time interracial marriages were illegal in many parts of the country and generally not accepted even where they were not prohibited.

Mr. Gregory gave up a successful law practice to devote himself full-time to improving race relations. Inspired by the teachings of the Baha'i Faith, “he saw the larger picture and placed his undiminished concern for the welfare of the oppressed within a universal context,” says Ms. Morrison, the author of "To Move the World: Louis G. Gregory and the Advancement of Racial Unity in America. “

A leader ahead of his time, Mr. Gregory “didn’t see things only in terms of race or ethnicity, but also in terms of the equality of men and women,” Ms. Morrison says. “He was concerned about the well being and advancement of people everywhere.”

Although the name “Louis Gregory” isn’t as well recognized as those of contemporaries George Washington Carver and W.E.B. DuBois, his contributions are significant, Ms. Morrison says.

In acknowledgment of that, the Baha'i community in Charleston, S.C., Mr. Gregory’s hometown, created the Louis G. Gregory Baha'i Museum in 2003. Located in a small, two-story, wood-frame house where Mr. Gregory lived as a child, the museum is the first in the city to honor a specific person.

“This city was the main port of entry for North America’s enslaved Africans, and it witnessed the opening shots of the Civil War,” says Jacquelyn Jones, a Charleston Baha'i.

The Baha’is of the United States also honored Mr. Gregory by creating the Louis G. Gregory Baha'i Institute near Hemingway, S.C. The institute, open to all, offers a variety of programs for children and adults, and is the home of Radio Baha'i (WLGI).

Source URL: http://www.bahai.us/louis-gregory

2007-12-02T23:21:00.000-08:00

: " One cannot obtain the full force of the sunlight when it is cast on a flat mirror, but once the sun shineth upon a concave mirror, or on a lens that is convex, all its heat will be concentrated on a single point, and that one point will burn the hottest. Thus is it necessary to focus one's thinking on a single point so that it will become an effective force. "

WORLD RELIGION DAY

2007-09-22T07:40:00.001-07:00

2007-08-27T23:48:00.000-07:00

From the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh:

We testify that He is One in His Essence, One in His Attributes. He hath none to equal Him in the whole universe, nor any partner in all creation.

(Bahá'u'lláh: Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 98)

He, in truth, hath, throughout eternity, been one in His Essence, one in His attributes, one in His works. Any and every comparison is applicable only to His creatures, and all conceptions of association are conceptions that belong solely to those that serve Him. Immeasurably exalted is His Essence above the descriptions of His creatures. He, alone, occupieth the Seat of transcendent majesty, of supreme and inaccessible glory.

(Bahá'u'lláh: Gleanings, p. 193)

Regard thou the one true God as One Who is apart from, and immeasurably exalted above, all created things. The whole universe reflecteth His glory, while He is Himself independent of, and transcendeth His creatures. This is the true meaning of Divine unity. He Who is the Eternal Truth is the one Power Who exerciseth undisputed sovereignty over the world of being, Whose image is reflected in the mirror of the entire creation. All existence is dependent upon Him, and from Him is derived the source of the sustenance of all things. This is what is meant by Divine unity; this is its fundamental principle.

Some, deluded by their idle fancies, have conceived all created things as associates and partners of God, and imagined themselves to be the exponents of His unity. By Him Who is the one true God! Such men have been, and will continue to remain, the victims of blind imitation, and are to be numbered with them that have restricted and limited the conception of God.

He is a true believer in Divine unity who, far from confusing duality with oneness, refuseth to allow any notion of multiplicity to becloud his conception of the singleness of God, who will regard the Divine Being as One Who, by His very nature, transcendeth the limitations of numbers.

The essence of belief in Divine unity consisteth in regarding Him Who is the Manifestation of God and Him Who is the invisible, the inaccessible, the unknowable Essence as one and the same. By this is meant that whatever pertaineth to the former, all His acts and doings, whatever He ordaineth or forbiddeth, should be considered, in all their aspects, and under all circumstances, and without any reservation, as identical with the Will of God Himself. This is the loftiest station to which a true believer in the unity of God can ever hope to attain. Blessed is the man that reacheth this station, and is of them that are steadfast in their belief.

(Bahá'u'lláh: Gleanings, pp. 166-167)

Whatsoever in the contingent world can either be expressed or apprehended, can never transgress the limits which, by its inherent nature, have been imposed upon it. God, alone, transcendeth such limitations. He, verily, is from everlasting. No peer or partner has been, or can ever be, joined with Him. No name can be compared with His Name. No pen can portray His nature, neither can any tongue depict His glory. He will, for ever, remain immeasurably exalted above any one except Himself.

(Bahá'u'lláh: Gleanings, p. 151)

And now concerning thy reference to the existence of two Gods. Beware, beware, lest thou be led to join partners with the Lord, thy God. He is, and hath from everlasting been, one and alone, without peer or equal, eternal in the past, eternal in the future, detached from all things, ever-abiding, unchangeable, and self-subsisting. He hath assigned no associate unto Himself in His Kingdom, no counsellor to counsel Him, none to compare unto Him, none to rival His glory.

(Bahá'u'lláh: Gleanings, p. 192)

From the Writings of the Báb:
God testifieth that there is none other God but Him. His are the kingdoms in the heavens and on the earth and all that is between them. He is exalted above the comprehension of all things, and is inscrutable to the mind of every created being; none shall be able to fathom the oneness of His Being or to unravel the nature of His Existence. No peer or likeness, no similitude or equal can ever be joined with Him.

(The Báb: Selections from the Báb, p. 154)

From the Utterances of 'Abdu'l-Bahá:
The great and fundamental teachings of Bahá'u'lláh are the oneness of God and unity of mankind.

('Abdu'l-Bahá: Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 156)

Bahá'u'lláh appeared upon the horizon of the East, proclaiming the oneness of God and the unity of the world of humanity. He promulgated the teaching that all mankind are the servants of one God; that all have come into being through the bestowal of the one Creator; that God is kind to all, nurtures, rears and protects all, provides for all and extends His love and mercy to all races and people.

('Abdu'l-Bahá: Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 174)

There is also the divine unity or entity, which is sanctified above all concept of humanity. It cannot be comprehended nor conceived because it is infinite reality and cannot become finite. Human minds are incapable of surrounding that reality because all thoughts and conceptions of it are finite, intellectual creations and not the reality of Divine Being which alone knows itself. For example, if we form a conception of Divinity as a living, almighty, self-subsisting, eternal Being, this is only a concept apprehended by a human intellectual reality. It would not be the outward, visible reality, which is beyond the power of human mind to conceive or encompass. We ourselves have an external, visible entity; but even our concept of it is the product of our own brain and limited comprehension. The reality of Divinity is sanctified above this degree of knowing and realization. It has ever been hidden and secluded in its own holiness and sanctity above our comprehending. Although it transcends our realization, its lights, bestowals, traces and virtues have become manifest in the realities of the Prophets, even as the sun becomes resplendent in various mirrors. These holy realities are as reflectors, and the reality of Divinity is as the sun, which, although it is reflected from the mirrors, and its virtues and perfections become resplendent therein, does not stoop from its own station of majesty and glory and seek abode in the mirrors; it remains in its heaven of sanctity. At most it is this: that its lights become manifest and evident in its mirrors or manifestations. Therefore, its bounty proceeding from them is one bounty, but the recipients of that bounty are many. This is the unity of God; this is oneness - unity of Divinity, holy above ascent or descent, embodiment, comprehension or idealization - divine unity.

('Abdu'l-Bahá: Promulgation of Universal Peace, pp. 192-193)

2007-08-02T22:47:00.000-07:00

Women/Qur’an

A PERSONAL VIEW

If ever there has been a controversial verse in the Holy Qur'an, it certainly is verse 4:34. Used by opponents of Islam to label thisreligion woman-unfriendly (to put it mildly), Muslims themselves arestruggling with interpreting it. For yes, let us agree about this:there is no such thing as “the” one and only correct interpretation ofthe Word of Allah – only Allah knows what He meant. We can only try tounderstand. And in this particular case, an alternative for thetroublesome interpretations of this verse may bring us a bit closer tothat objective.Let us have a look at a (partial) translation of this verse 1:"Men are the {qawwam} of women, because Allah has given the onemorethan the other, and because they support them from their means.Therefore the righteous women are {qanitat}, and guard in the husband'sabsence what Allah would have them guard. As to those women on whosepart ye fear {nushuz}, admonish them first, then refuse to share theirbeds, and finally {adriboo} them; but when they {ataa:} to you, thenseek not against them means of annoyance: For Allah is Most High, greatabove you all. "Disobedient women?The key word to answer this question is {qanitat}, which is a feminineplural of {qanit}, based on the root {q-n-t}. This word appears on manyother occasions in the Holy Qur'an 2, where it is used exclusively inthe sense of 'submissive, obedient to Allah'. Verse 4:34 contains noreason at all to depart from this meaningand to change it into'obedience to a husband'. This verse is about pious women who, justlike pious men, are obedient to Allah. And a wife (husband) who isobedient to God, must live up to her (his) marital duties.Superior husband and inferior wife?Throughout the Holy Qur'an, Allah emphasizes that men and women areequal for Him – Allah will judge them in exactly the same way 3. So itwould be strange indeed if a verse would contradict this equality. Butis that really the case here? The Arabic word used is {qawwam}, anintensive form of {qaim}, meaning: 'to take care of, to look after'.Therefore, does this verse say that men are superior to women? Not atall. It says: men must look after women. In Islam, men are obliged tofinancially provide for their wife and children. They have to pay fortheirhousing, clothing, food, medicines, etc. That is what{qawwamoona} means: men must take care of women.Misbehaviour?Is this verse about what a man should do when his wife 'misbehaves'?The exact word used here, {nushuz}, means 'discord, hostiliy,dissonance'. In this context it could be interpreted as 'maritalproblems'.Beating his wife?The verse instructs a husband whose wife causes problems in theirmarriage to first talk to her about it, then leave the marital bed,then {adriboo} his wife, and all of this in view of pursueing areconciliation as is evident from the subsequent verse 4:35.The Arabic word used here, {adriboo}, from the root {d-r-b}, hasseveral dozens of meanings, such as: 'to beat', but also: 'to forsake,to avoid, to leave'.How do we know which interpretation to choose? One way to find out, isto relate this verse to other verses in the Holy Qur'an and to check ifthe meanings make sense. In this case, let us look at verse 24:2, whichdescribes what should be done in case of adultery :"The woman and the man guilty of adultery or fornication,- flog each ofthem with a hundred stripes..." (Holy Qur'an 24:2)4This verse establishes the principle that for men and women, equalactions lead to equal punishment. When for adultery men and women mustreceive equal punishment, surely there is no reason why they should betreated differently for any lesser marital problem.Now let us take a look at the consequences of interpreting {adriboo}one way or another.Suppose {adriboo} means: 'to beat'.In this case, verse 4:34 says that when a wife causes a problem in themarriage, her husband should first talk to her about it, then leavetheir bed, then beat her and all of this in view of increasing hischances of a reconciliation. On the emotional level, this certainlydoes not sound like a very promising course of action. So let us checkthis meaning against the bigger framework and in particular against theprinciple of 'equal behaviour leads to equal punishment'. This wouldimply that when ahusband causes a problem in the marriage, his wifecan beat him. At which he could invoke verse 4:34 to beat her again, sothat the result would be a perpetual physical fight between spouses!Surely, this makes no sense at all. And indeed, it is not what Allahprescribes for the situation where a husband causes a rift, as will beexplained in a moment.Suppose {adriboo} means: 'to forsake, to avoid', possibly, as MohammedAbdul Malek5 suggests: 'to separate, to part' .Now what do we get? Verse 4:34 now says that when a wife causes aproblem in the marriage, her husband should first talk to her about it,then leave their bed (forsaking his sexual satisfaction), then avoidher even more (not talking to her anymore, leaving the room when sheenters it, and possibly even leaving the house for a while), inorderto prevent things from getting worse, and on the contrary to letthings cool down and create enough space in view of increasing chancesof a reconciliation.This sounds like a very logical chain of events.Also, application of the general rule of verse 24:2 ('equal actions,equal punishment') now means that when a husband causes a maritalproblem, his wife should forsake a few of her rights, avoid her husbandin increasing ways, and try to work towards a reconciliation. And yes,that is precisely what verse 4:128 says:"If a wife fears cruelty or desertion on her husband's part, there isno blame on them if they arrange an amicable settlement betweenthemselves" (Holy Qur'an 4:128)4Understanding {adriboo} as 'to forsake, to (gradually) avoid (more andmore), possibly eventually leave altogether', clearly makes sense whenrelating several verses to one another.And there is more. Beating a wife, would contradict hadiths of the HolyProphet who repeatedly said: “do not beat believing women!”. It wouldalso contradict the Holy Prophet's instructions about anger – which(unless it is caused by injustice) he explained to originate from Satanand which he described as "a living coal on one's heart". One shouldnot act upon ones anger, lest one would do things one would regretlater. When you are angry when you are standing, sit down, the HolyProphet said. And when you are still angry when you are sitting, thenlie down. Interpreting this verse as allowing a husband to beat hiswife, surely contradicts these rulings on anger.Furthermore, Allah says in the Holy Qur'an that one must meet badbehaviour with something that is better, not with something that isworse, in order to turn a hostile situation into a friendly one:"Nor can goodness and Evil be equal. Repel (Evil) with what is better:Then will he between whom and thee was hatred become as it were thyfriend and intimate!" (Holy Qur'an 41:13)4Therefore the word {adriboo} cannot really have meant “to beat”, canit. It must mean something that is better than causing problems, andavoiding the problem certainly is exactly that.Based on the evidence presented here, it would seem that interpreting{adriboo}as 'to beat', causes several internal conflicts with themeaning of other Qur'anic verses and hadiths, while interpreting it as'gradually forsaking, more and more and possibly leaving altogether',is a much more logical interpretation that is entirely consistent withthe interpretation of other rules in the Holy Qur'an and the Sunnah ofthe Holy Prophet Muhammad.What makes much more sense, is that this verse does not allow a'superior' husband to 'beat' his 'inferior, disobedient' wife. On thecontrary, this verse appears to tell us that a husband must look afterhis wife (an equal partner who, like he, is obedient to God), and thatwhen his wife is causing problems in their marriage, he should firsttalk to her about it, if that doesn't help, he should begin avoidingher by leaving the marital bed. If that still doesn't resolve thesituation, he should forsake her presence even more,avoidconversations, leave a room when she enters it, avoid her companyaltogether, and possibly leave the house for a while, so that noproblems are added to the conflict, and so that things can cool down abit to maximise chances for a later reconciliation.Return to obedience?When the problem is solved, when the wife is committed to the marriageagain, then the husband is advised not to keep using the incidentagainst her and to consider the incident closed.The exact Arabic wording is: "when then they (fem.pl.) {aTa:} (with)you (masc.pl.), then seek not against them (fem.pl) means ofannoyance". The verb {aTa:} (alif taa alif ayn) has several meanings,such as: 'obey', but also: 'comply, comply with, accommodate, giveinto', or in French 'filer doux'. Consequently, the verse can beunderstood to mean: "when then they are committed to the marriageagain", or: "when then they give in to/comply with the efforts of thehusband to save the marriage", or "when they no longer cause marriageproblems", ... Linguistically there is no compelling necessity totranslate {aTa:} as "obedient to the husband" . Other interpretationsare possible and indeed preferable. Earlier in the verse, there was noreason at all to translate {qanitat} as women who are "obedient totheir husband" so that here there isn't any reason to imply that thisverse is about a temporary disobedience and a subsequent return toobedience to their husbands. It is not a matter of obedience to him, itis a matter of {nushuz} (marriage problems). And the Holy Quran advisesthat when one of the partners causes a marriage problem, the othershould gradually avoid the person who causes the problem, in order tosave the marriage -irrespective of who started the strife (4:34,4:128)
-----FROM BAHAI DISCUSS LIST

2007-07-18T10:57:00.000-07:00

The foundation of

ALL RELIGIONS IS ONE

If Christians of all denominations and divisions should investigate reality, the foundations of His Holiness Christ would unite them. No enmity or hatred will remain for they will all be under the one guidance of reality itself. Likewise in the wider field, if all the existing religious systems will turn away from ancestral imitations and investigate the reality, seeking the real meanings of the Holy Books, they will unite and agree upon the same foundation, the reality itself. As long as they follow counterfeit doctrines or imitations instead of reality, animosity and discord will exist and increase. Let me illustrate this. His Holiness Moses and the prophets of Israel announced the advent of the Messiah but expressed it in the language of symbols. When His Holiness Christ appeared, the Jews rejected Him although they were expecting His manifestation, and in their temples and synagogues were crying and lamenting, saying "O God, hasten the coming of the Messiah!" Why did thy deny Him when He announced Himself? Because they had followed ancestral forms and interpretations and were blind to the reality of Christ. They had not perceived the inner significances of the Holy Bible. They voiced their objections, saying, "We are expecting His Holiness Christ, but His coming is conditioned upon certain fulfillments and prophetic announcements. Among the signs of His appearance is one that He shall come from an unknown place, whereas now this claimant of Messiahship has come from Nazareth. We home and we are acquainted with his mother.

"Second: One of the signs or messianic conditions is that his scepter would be an iron rod, and this Christ has not even a wooden staff.

"Third: He was to be seated upon the throne of David whereas this messianic king is in the utmost state of poverty and has not even a mat.

"Fourth: He was to conquer the East and the West. This person has not even conquered a village. How can he be Messiah?

"Fifth: He was to promulgate the laws of the Bible. This one has not only failed to promulgate the laws of the Bible but he has broken the law of the Sabbath.

"Sixth: Messiah was to gather together all the Jews who were scattered in Palestine and restore them to honor and prestige but this one has degraded the Jews instead of lifting them up.

"Seventh: During his sovereignty even the animals were to enjoy blessings and comforts, for according to the prophetic texts he should establish peace to such a universal extent that the eagle and quail would live together, the lion and deer would feed in the same meadow, the wolf and lamb would lie down in the same pasture. In the human kingdom warfare was to cease entirely, spears would be turned into pruning hooks and swords into ploughshares. Now we see in the day of this would-be Messiah such injustice prevails that even he himself is sacrificed. How could he be the promised Christ?"

And so they spoke infamous words regarding Him.

Now inasmuch as the Jews were submerged in the sea of ancestral imitations, they could not comprehend the meaning of these prophecies. All the words of the prophets were fulfilled but because the Jews held tenaciously to hereditary interpretations, they did not understand the inner meanings of the Holy Bible; therefore they denied His Holiness Jesus Christ, the Messiah. The purpose of the prophetic words was not the outward or literal meaning but the inner symbolical significance. For example, it was announced that Messiah was to come from an unknown place. This did not refer to the birthplace of the physical body of Jesus. It has reference to the reality of the Christ; that is to say, the Christ reality was to appear from the invisible realm, for the divine reality of Christ is holy and sanctified above place.

His sword was to be a sword of iron. This signified His tongue which should separate the true from the false and by which great sword of attack He would conquer the kingdoms of hearts. He did not conquer by the physical power of an iron rod; He conquered the East and the West by the sword of His utterance.

. He was seated upon the throne of David but His sovereignty was not a Napoleonic sovereignty nor the vanishing dominion of a Pharaoh. The Christ kingdom was everlasting, eternal in the heaven of the divine Will.

. By His promulgating the laws of the Bible, the reality of the law of Moses was meant. The Sinaitic law is the foundation of the reality of Christianity. Christ promulgated it and gave it higher, spiritual expression.

. He conquered and subdued the East and the West. His conquests were effected through the breaths of the Holy Spirit which eliminated all boundaries and shone from all horizons.

In His day, according to prophecy, the wolf and the lamb were to drink from the same fountain. This was realized in Christ. The fountain referred to was the Gospel from which the Water of Life gushes forth. The wolf and lamb are opposed and divergent races symbolized by these animals. Their meeting and association were impossible, but having become believers in Jesus Christ those who were formerly as wolves and lambs became united through the words of the Gospel.

The purport is that all the meanings of the prophecies were fulfilled but because the Jews were captives of ancestral imitations and did not perceive the reality of the meanings of these words, they denied His Holiness Christ; nay, they even went so far as to crucify Him. Consider how harmful is imitation. These were interpretations handed down from fathers and ancestors, and because the Jews held fast to them, they were deprived.

It is evident then that we must forsake all such imitations and beliefs so that we may not commit this error. We must investigate reality, lay aside selfish notions and banish heresay from our minds. The Jews considered His Holiness Christ the enemy of Moses whereas on the contrary His Holiness Christ promoted the Word of Moses. He spread the name of Moses throughout the Orient and Occident. He promulgated the teachings of Moses. Had it not been for His Holiness Christ you would not have heard the name of Moses; and unless the manifestation of Messiahship had appeared in Christ he would not have received the Old Testament.

The truth is that His Holiness fulfilled the Mosaic law and in every way upheld Moses; but the Jews, blinded by imitations and prejudices, considered His Holiness the enemy of Moses.
Among the great religious systems of the world is Muhammadanism. About three hundred millions of people acknowledge it. For more than a thousand years there has been enmity and strife between Muhammadans and Christians owing to misunderstanding and spiritual blindness. If prejudices and imitations were abandoned there would be no enmity whatever between them, and these hundreds of millions of antagonistic religionists would adorn the world of humanity by their unity.

I wish now to call your attention to a most important point. All Islam considers the Qur'án the Word of God. In this sacred Book there are explicit texts which are not traditional, stating that His Holiness Christ was the Word of God, that He was the spirit of God, that Jesus Christ came into this world through the quickening breaths of the Holy Spirit, and that Her Grace Mary, His mother, was holy and sanctified. In the Qur'án a whole chapter is devoted to the story of Jesus. It records that in the time of His youth He worshipped God at the temple at Jerusalem; that manna descended from heaven for His sustenance and that He uttered words immediately after His birth. In brief, in the Qur'án there is eulogy and commendation of Christ such as you do not find in the Gospel. The Gospel does not record that the child Jesus spoke at birth or that God caused sustenance to descend from heaven for Him; but in the Qur'án it is repeatedly stated that God sent down manna day by day as food for Him. Furthermore, it is significant and convincing that when His Holiness Muhammad proclaimed his work and mission, His first objection to His own followers was: "Why have you not believed on Jesus Christ? Why have you not accepted the Gospel? Why have you not believed in Moses? Why have you not followed the precepts of the Old Testament? Why have you not understood the prophets of Israel? Why have you not believed in the disciples of Christ? The first duty incumbent upon you; O Arabians! is to accept and believe in these. You 335 must consider Moses as a prophet. You must accept Jesus Christ as the Word of God. You must believe in Jesus Christ as the product of the Holy Spirit." His people answered: "O Muhammad! we will become believers although our fathers and ancestors were not believers and we are proud of them. Tell us what is going to become of them?" Muhammad replied: "I declare unto you that they occupy the lowest stratum of hell because they did not believe in Moses and Christ and because they did not accept the Bible; and although they are my own ancestors, yet they are in despair in hell." This is an explicit text of the Qur'án; it is not a story or tradition but from the Qur'án itself which is in the hands of the people. Therefore it is evident that ignorance and misunderstanding have caused so much warfare and strife between Christians and Muhammadans. If both should investigate the underlying truth of their religious beliefs, the outcome would be unity and agreement; strife and bitterness would pass away forever and the world of humanity find peace and composure. Consider that there are two hundred and fifty million Christians and three hundred million Muhammadans. How much blood has flowed in their wars; how many nations have been destroyed; how many children have been made fatherless; how many fathers and mothers have mourned the loss of dear ones! All this has been due to prejudice, misunderstanding and imitations of ancestral beliefs without investigation of the reality. If the Holy Books were rightly understood none of this discord and distress would have existed, but love and fellowship would have prevailed instead. This is true with all the other religions as well. The essential purpose of the religion of God is to establish unity among mankind. The divine Manifestations were founders of the means of fellowship and love. They did not come to create discord, strife and hatred in the world. The religion of God is the cause of love, but if it is made to be the source of enmity and bloodshed, surely its absence is preferable to its existence; for then it becomes satanic, detrimental and an obstacle to the human world.

In the Orient the various peoples and nations were in a state of antagonism and strife, manifesting the utmost enmity and hatred toward one another. Darkness encompassed the world of mankind. At such a time as this, Bahá'u'lláh appeared. He removed all the imitations and prejudices which had cause separation and misunderstanding, and laid the foundation of the one religion of God. When this was accomplished, Muhammadans, Christians, Jews, Zoroastrians, Buddhists all were united in actual fellowship and love. The souls who followed Bahá'u'lláh from every nation have become as one family living in agreement and accord, willing to sacrifice life for each other. The Muhammadan will give his life for the Christian, the Christian for the Jew, and all of them for the Zoroastrian. They live together in love, fellowship and unity. They have attained to the condition of rebirth in the spirit of God. They have become revivified and regenerated through the breaths of the Holy Spirit. Praise be to God! this light has come forth from the East and eventually there shall be no discord or enmity in the Orient. Through the power of Bahá'u'lláh all will be united. His Holiness upraised this standard of the oneness of humanity, in prison. When subjected to banishment by two kings, while a refugee from enemies of all nations and during the days of His long imprisonment He wrote to the kings and rulers of the world in words of wonderful eloquence arraigning them severely and summoning them to the divine standard of unity and justice. He exhorted them to peace and international agreement, making it incumbent upon them to establish a board of international arbitration; that from all nations and governments of the world there should be delegates selected for a congress of nations which should constitute a universal arbitral court of justice to settle international disputes. He wrote to Victoria, Queen of Great Britain, the Czar of Russia, the Emperor of Germany, Napoleon III of France, and others, inviting them to world unity and peace. Through a heavenly power he was enabled to promulgate these ideals in the Orient. Kings could not withstand Him. They endeavored to extinguish His light but served only to increase its intensity and illumination. While in prison He stood against the Shah of Persia and Sultan of Turkey and promulgated His teachings until He firmly established the banner of truth and the oneness of humankind. I was a prisoner with him for forty years until the Young Turks of the Committee of Union and Progress overthrew the despotism of Abdul Hamid, dethroned him and proclaimed liberty. This committee set me free from tyranny and oppression; otherwise I should have been in prison until the days of my life were ended. The purport is this, that Bahá'u'lláh in prison was able to proclaim and establish the 337 foundations of peace, although two despotic kings were His enemies and oppressors. The King of Persia, Nasr-el-Din-Shah had killed twenty thousand Bahá'ís, martyrs who in absolute severance and complete willingness offered their lives joyfully for their faith. These two powerful and tyrannical kings could not withstand a prisoner; this prisoner upheld the standard of humanity and brought the people of the Orient into agreement and unity. Today in the East, only those who have not followed Bahá'u'lláh are in opposition and enmity. The people of the nations who have accepted Him as the standard of divine guidance enjoy a condition of actual fellowship and love. If you should attend a meeting in the East you could not distinguish between Christian and Mussulman; you would not know which was Jew, Zoroastrian or Buddhist, so completely have they become fraternized and their religious differences been leveled. They associate in the utmost love and spiritual fragrance as if they belonged to one family, as if they were one people.

Central Congregational Church, Brooklyn, New York. June 16, 1912.

2007-07-18T05:05:00.000-07:00

The Power of the Holy Spirit

THEOSOPHICAL SOCIETY, PARIS

Since my arrival in Paris, I have been told of the Theosophical Society, and I know that it is composed of honoured and respected men. You are men of intellect and thought, men with spiritual ideals, and it is a great pleasure for me to be among you.
Let us thank God who has drawn us together this evening. It gives me great joy, for I see that you are seekers after truth. You are not held in bondage by the chains of prejudice, and your greatest longing is to know the truth. Truth may be likened to the sun! The sun is the luminous body that disperses all 128 shadows; in the same way does truth scatter the shadows of our imagination. As the sun gives life to the body of humanity so does truth give life to their souls. Truth is a sun that rises from different points on the horizon.
Sometimes the sun rises from the centre of the horizon, then in summer it rises farther north, in winter farther south -- but it is always the self-same sun, however different are the points of its rising.
In like manner truth is one, although its manifestations may be very different. Some men have eyes and see. These worship the sun, no matter from which point on the horizon it may dawn; and when the sun has left the winter sky to appear in the summer one, they know how to find it again. Others there are who worship only the spot from which the sun arose, and when it arises in its glory from another place they remain in contemplation before the spot of its former rising. Alas! these men are deprived of the blessings of the sun. Those who in truth adore the sun itself will recognize it from whatsoever dawning-place it may appear, and will straightway turn their faces towards its radiance.
We must adore the sun itself and not merely the place of its appearance. In the same way men of enlightened heart worship truth on whatever horizon it appears. They are not bound by personality, but they follow the truth, and are able to recognize it no matter from whence it may come. It is this same truth which helps humanity to progress, which gives life to all created beings, for it is the Tree of Life! 129
In His teaching Bahá'u'lláh gives us the explanation of truth, and I wish to speak to you briefly about this, for I see that you are capable of understanding.

I. -- The first principle of Bahá'u'lláh is:

The Search for Truth

Man must cut himself free from all prejudice and from the result of his own imagination, so that he may be able to search for truth unhindered. Truth is one in all religions, and by means of it the unity of the world can be realized.
All the peoples have a fundamental belief in common. Being one, truth cannot be divided, and the differences that appear to exist among the nations only result from their attachment to prejudice. If only men would search out truth, they would find themselves united.

II. -- The second principle of Bahá'u'lláh is:

The Unity of Mankind

The one all-loving God bestows His divine Grace and Favour on all mankind; one and all are servants of the Most High, and His Goodness, Mercy and loving Kindness are showered upon all His creatures. The glory of humanity is the heritage of each one.
All men are the leaves and fruit of one same tree, they are all branches of the tree of Adam, they all have the same origin. The same rain has fallen upon them all, the same warm sun makes them grow, they are all refreshed by the same breeze. The only differences that exist and that keep them apart are these: there are thechildren who need guidance, the ignorant to be instructed, the sick to be tended and healed; thus, I say that the whole of humanity is enveloped by the Mercy and Grace of God. As the Holy Writings tell us: All men are equal before God. He is no respecter of persons.

III. -- The third principle of Bahá'u'lláh is:

Religion should be the Cause of Love and Affection

Religion should unite all hearts and cause wars and disputes to vanish from the face of the earth, give birth to spirituality, and bring life and light to each heart. If religion becomes a cause of dislike, hatred and division, it were better to be without it, and to withdraw from such a religion would be a truly religious act. For it is clear that the purpose of a remedy is to cure; but if the remedy should only aggravate the complaint it had better be left alone. Any religion which is not a cause of love and unity is no religion. All the holy prophets were as doctors to the soul; they gave prescriptions for the healing of mankind; thus any remedy that causes disease does not come from the great and supreme Physician.

IV. -- The fourth principle of Bahá'u'lláh is:

The Unity of Religion and Science

We may think of science as one wing and religion as the other; a bird needs two wings for flight, one alone would be useless. Any religion that contradicts science 131 or that is opposed to it, is only ignorance -- for ignorance is the opposite of knowledge.
Religion which consists only of rites and ceremonies of prejudice is not the truth. Let us earnestly endeavour to be the means of uniting religion and science.
Ali, the son-in-law of Muhammad, said: 'That which is in conformity with science is also in conformity with religion'. Whatever the intelligence of man cannot understand, religion ought not to accept. Religion and science walk hand in hand, and any religion contrary to science is not the truth.

V. -- The fifth principle of Bahá'u'lláh is:

Prejudices of Religion, Race or Sect destroy
the foundation of Humanity

All the divisions in the world, hatred, war and bloodshed, are caused by one or other of these prejudices.
The whole world must be looked upon as one single country, all the nations as one nation, all men as belonging to one race. Religions, races, and nations are all divisions of man's making only, and are necessary only in his thought; before God there are neither Persians, Arabs, French nor English; God is God for all, and to Him all creation is one. We must obey God, and strive to follow Him by leaving all our prejudices and bringing about peace on earth.

VI. -- The sixth principle of Bahá'u'lláh is:

Equal opportunity of the means of Existence

Every human being has the right to live; they have a 132 right to rest, and to a certain amount of well-being. As a rich man is able to live in his palace surrounded by luxury and the greatest comfort, so should a poor man be able to have the necessaries of life. Nobody should die of hunger; everybody should have sufficient clothing; one man should not live in excess while another has no possible means of existence.
Let us try with all the strength we have to bring about happier conditions, so that no single soul may be destitute.

VII. -- The seventh principle of Bahá'u'lláh is:

The Equality of Men -- equality before the Law

The Law must reign, and not the individual; thus will the world become a place of beauty and true brotherhood will be realized. Having attained solidarity, men will have found truth.

VIII. -- The eighth principle of Bahá'u'lláh is:

Universal Peace

A Supreme Tribunal shall be elected by the peoples and governments of every nation, where members from each country and government shall assemble in unity. All disputes shall be brought before this Court, its mission being to prevent war.

IX. -- The ninth principle of Bahá'u'lláh is:

That Religion should not concern itself with Political
Questions

Religion is concerned with things of the spirit, politics with things of the world. Religion has to work with the world of thought, whilst the field of politics lies with the world of external conditions.
It is the work of the clergy to educate the people, to instruct them, to give them good advice and teaching so that they may progress spiritually. With political questions they have nothing to do.

X. -- The tenth principle of Bahá'u'lláh is:

Education and Instruction of Women

Women have equal rights with men upon earth; in religion and society they are a very important element. 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. XI. -- The eleventh principle of Bahá'u'lláh is: The Power of the Holy Spirit, by which alone Spiritual
Development is achieved
It is only by the breath of the Holy Spirit that spiritual development can come about. No matter how the material world may progress, no matter how splendidly it may adorn itself, it can never be anything but a lifeless body unless the soul is within, for it is the soul that animates the body; the body alone has no real significance. Deprived of the blessings of the Holy Spirit the material body would be inert.
Here are, very briefly explained, some of the principles of Bahá'u'lláh.
In short, it behoves us all to be lovers of truth. Let us seek her in every season and in every country, being careful never to attach ourselves to personalities. Let us see the light wherever it shines, and may we be enabled to recognize the light of truth no matter where it may arise. Let us inhale the perfume of the rose from the midst of thorns which surround it; let us drink the running water from every pure spring.
Since I arrived in Paris, it has given me much pleasure to meet such Parisians as you are, for praise be to God, you are intelligent, unprejudiced, and you long to know the truth. You have in your hearts the love of humanity, and as far as you are able, you exert yourselves in the cause of charitable work and in the bringing about of unity; this is especially what Bahá'u'lláh desired.
It is for this reason that I am so happy to be among you, and I pray for you, that you may be receptacles for the Blessings of God, and that you may be the means of spreading spirituality throughout this country.
You already have a wonderful material civilization and in like manner shall spiritual civilization be yours.
Monsieur Bleck thanked 'Abdu'l-Bahá, and he replied:

I am very grateful to you for the kind sentiments which you have just uttered. I hope that these two movements will ere long be spread all over the earth. Then will the unity of humanity have pitched its tent in the centre of the world.'

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THE FIRST PRINCIPLE

SEARCH AFTER TRUTH
4 Avenue de Camoens, Paris
November 10th

The first principle of the Teaching of Bahá'u'lláh is:

The Search after Truth
If a man would succeed in his search after truth, he must, in the first place, shut his eyes to all the traditional superstitions of the past.
The Jews have traditional superstitions, the Buddhists and the Zoroastrians are not free from them, neither are the Christians! All religions have gradually become bound by tradition and dogma.
All consider themselves, respectively, the only guardians of the truth, and that every other religion is composed of errors. They themselves are right, all others are wrong! The Jews believe that they are the only possessors of the truth and condemn all other religions. The Christians affirm that their religion is the only true one, that all others are false. Likewise the Buddhists and Muhammadans; all limit themselves. If all condemn one another, where shall we search for truth? All contradicting one another, all cannot be true. If each believe his particular religion to be the only true one, he blinds his eyes to the truth in the others. If, for instance, a Jew is bound by the external practice of the religion of Israel, he does not permit himself to perceive that truth can exist in any other religion; it must be all contained in his own! 136
We should, therefore, detach ourselves from the external forms and practices of religion. We must realize that these forms and practices, however beautiful, are but garments clothing the warm heart and the living limbs of Divine truth. We must abandon the prejudices of tradition if we would succeed in finding the truth at the core of all religions. If a Zoroastrian believes that the Sun is God, how can he be united to other religions? While idolaters believe in their various idols, how can they understand the oneness of God?
It is, therefore, clear that in order to make any progress in the search after truth we must relinquish superstition. If all seekers would follow this principle they would obtain a clear vision of the truth.
If five people meet together to seek for truth, they must begin by cutting themselves free from all their own special conditions and renouncing all preconceived ideas. In order to find truth we must give up our prejudices, our own small trivial notions; an open receptive mind is essential. If our chalice is full of self, there is no room in it for the water of life. The fact that we imagine ourselves to be right and everybody else wrong is the greatest of all obstacles in the path towards unity, and unity is necessary if we would reach truth, for truth is one.
Therefore it is imperative that we should renounce our own particular prejudices and superstitions if we earnestly desire to seek the truth. Unless we make a distinction in our minds between dogma, superstition and prejudice on the one hand, and truth on the other, we cannot succeed. When we are in earnest in our 137 search for anything we look for it everywhere. This principle we must carry out in our search for truth.
Science must be accepted. No one truth can contradict another truth. Light is good in whatsoever lamp it is burning! A rose is beautiful in whatsoever garden it may bloom! A star has the same radiance if it shines from the East or from the West. Be free from prejudice, so will you love the Sun of Truth from whatsoever point in the horizon it may arise! You will realize that if the Divine light of truth shone in Jesus Christ it also shone in Moses and in Buddha. The earnest seeker will arrive at this truth. This is what is meant by the 'Search after Truth'.
It means, also, that we must be willing to clear away all that we have previously learned, all that would clog our steps on the way to truth; we must not shrink if necessary from beginning our education all over again. We must not allow our love for any one religion or any one personality to so blind our eyes that we become fettered by superstition! When we are freed from all these bonds, seeking with liberated minds, then shall we be able to arrive at our goal.
'Seek the truth, the truth shall make you free.' So shall we see the truth in all religions, for truth is in all and truth is one!

THE SECOND PRINCIPLE -- THE UNITY OF MANKIND
November 11th
I spoke yesterday of the first principle of the Teaching of Bahá'u'lláh, 'The Search for Truth'; how it is necessary for a man to put aside all in the nature of superstition, and every tradition which would blind his eyes to the existence of truth in all religions. He must not, while loving and clinging to one form of religion, permit himself to detest all others. It is essential that he search for truth in all religions, and, if his seeking be in earnest, he will assuredly succeed.
Now the first discovery which we make in our 'Search after Truth', will lead us to the second principle, which is the 'Unity of Mankind'. All men are servants of the One God. One God reigns over all the nations of the world and has pleasure in all His children. All men are of one family; the crown of humanity rests on the head of every human being.
In the eyes of the Creator all His children are equal; His goodness is poured forth on all. He does not favour this nation nor that nation, all alike are His creatures. This being so, why should we make divisions, separating one race from another? Why should we create barriers of superstition and tradition bringing discord and hatred among the people?
The only difference between members of the human family is that of degree. Some are like children who are ignorant, and must be educated until they arrive at maturity. Some are like the sick and must be treated with tenderness and care. None are bad or evil! We must not be repelled by these poor children. We must treat them with great kindness, teaching the ignorant and tenderly nursing the sick.
Consider: Unity is necessary to existence. Love is the very cause of life; on the other hand, separation brings death. In the world of material creation, for instance, all things owe their actual life to unity. The elements which compose wood, mineral, or stone, are held together by the law of attraction. If this law should cease for one moment to operate these elements would not hold together, they would fall apart, and the object would in that particular form cease to exist. The law of attraction has brought together certain elements in the form of this beautiful flower, but when that attraction is withdrawn from this centre the flower will decompose, and, as a flower, cease to exist.
So it is with the great body of humanity. The wonderful Law of Attraction, Harmony and Unity, holds together this marvellous Creation.
As with the whole, so with the parts; whether a flower or a human body, when the attracting principle is withdrawn from it, the flower or the man dies. It is therefore clear that attraction, harmony, unity and Love, are the cause of life, whereas repulsion, discord, hatred and separation bring death.
We have seen that whatever brings division into the world of existence causes death. Likewise in the world of the spirit does the same law operate.
Therefore should every servant of the One God be obedient to the law of love, avoiding all hatred, 140 discord, and strife. We find when we observe nature, that the gentler animals group themselves together into flocks and herds, whereas the savage, ferocious creatures, such as the lion, the tiger, and the wolf, live in wild forests, apart from civilization. Two wolves, or two lions, may live amicably together; but a thousand lambs may share the same fold and a large number of deer can form one herd. Two eagles can dwell in the same place, but a thousand doves can gather into one habitation.
Man should, at least, be numbered among the gentler animals; but when he becomes ferocious he is more cruel and malicious than the most savage of the animal creation!
Now Bahá'u'lláh has proclaimed the 'Unity of the World of Mankind'. All peoples and nations are of one family, the children of one Father, and should be to one another as brothers and sisters! I hope that you will endeavour in your lives to show forth and spread this teaching.
Bahá'u'lláh said that we should love even our enemies and be to them as friends. If all men were obedient to this principle, the greatest unity and understanding would be established in the hearts of mankind.
THIRD PRINCIPLE
['That religion ought to be a Cause of Love and Affection' is much emphasized in many of the Discourses of which the Notes are given in this book, as well as in the explanation of several of the other Principles.]
FOURTH PRINCIPLE --

THE ACCEPTANCE OF THE
RELATION BETWEEN RELIGION AND SCIENCE

4 Avenue de Camoens, Paris,
November 12th
'Abdu'l-Bahá said:
I have spoken to you of some of the principles of Bahá'u'lláh: The Search after Truth and The Unity of Mankind. I will now explain the Fourth Principle, which is The Acceptance of the Relation between Religion and Science.

There is no contradiction between true religion and science. When a religion is opposed to science it becomes mere superstition: that which is contrary to knowledge is ignorance.
How can a man believe to be a fact that which science has proved to be impossible? If he believes in spite of his reason, it is rather ignorant superstition than faith. The true principles of all religions are in conformity with the teachings of science.
The Unity of God is logical, and this idea is not antagonistic to the conclusions arrived at by scientific study.
All religions teach that we must do good, that we must be generous, sincere, truthful, law-abiding, and faithful; all this is reasonable, and logically the only way in which humanity can progress.
All religious laws conform to reason, and are suited 142 to the people for whom they are framed, and for the age in which they are to be obeyed.
Religion has two main parts:
(1) The Spiritual.
(2) The Practical.
The spiritual part never changes. All the Manifestations of God and His Prophets have taught the same truths and given the same spiritual law. They all teach the one code of morality. There is no division in the truth. The Sun has sent forth many rays to illumine human intelligence, the light is always the same.
The practical part of religion deals with exterior forms and ceremonies, and with modes of punishment for certain offences. This is the material side of the law, and guides the customs and manners of the people.
In the time of Moses, there were ten crimes punishable by death. When Christ came this was changed; the old axiom 'an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth' was converted into 'Love your enemies, do good to them that hate you', the stern old law being changed into one of love, mercy and forbearance!
In the former days the punishment for theft was the cutting off of the right hand; in our time this law could not be so applied. In this age, a man who curses his father is allowed to live, when formerly he would have been put to death. It is therefore evident that whilst the spiritual law never alters, the practical rules must change their application with the necessities of the time. The spiritual aspect of religion is the greater, the more important of the two, and this is the same for all time, it never changes! It is the same, yesterday, today, and 143 for ever! 'As it was the beginning, is now, and ever shall be.'
Now, all questions of morality contained in the spiritual, immutable law of every religion are logically right. If religion were contrary to logical reason then it would cease to be a religion and be merely a tradition. Religion and science are the two wings upon which man's intelligence can soar into the heights, with which the human soul can progress. It is not possible to fly with one wing alone! Should a man try to fly with the wing of religion alone he would quickly fall into the quagmire of superstition, whilst on the other hand, with the wing of science alone he would also make no progress, but fall into the despairing slough of materialism. All religions of the present day have fallen into superstitious practices, out of harmony alike with the true principles of the teaching they represent and with the scientific discoveries of the time. Many religious leaders have grown to think that the importance of religion lies mainly in the adherence to a collection of certain dogmas and the practice of rites and ceremonies! Those whose souls they profess to cure are taught to believe likewise, and these cling tenaciously to the outward forms, confusing them with the inward truth.
Now, these forms and rituals differ in the various churches and amongst the different sects, and even contradict one another; giving rise to discord, hatred, and disunion. The outcome of all this dissension is the belief of many cultured men that religion and science are contradictory terms, that religion needs no powers 144 of reflection, and should in no wise be regulated by science, but must of necessity be opposed, the one to the other. The unfortunate effect of this is that science has drifted apart from religion, and religion has become a mere blind and more or less apathetic following of the precepts of certain religious teachers, who insist on their own favourite dogmas being accepted even when they are contrary to science. This is foolishness, for it is quite evident that science is the light, and, being so, religion truly so-called does not oppose knowledge.
We are familiar with the phrases 'Light and Darkness', 'Religion and Science'. But the religion which does not walk hand in hand with science is itself in the darkness of superstition and ignorance.
Much of the discord and disunion of the world is created by these man-made oppositions and contradictions. If religion were in harmony with science and they walked together, much of the hatred and bitterness now bringing misery to the human race would be at an end.
Consider what it is that singles man out from among created beings, and makes of him a creature apart. Is it not his reasoning power, his intelligence? Shall he not make use of these in his study of religion? I say unto you: weigh carefully in the balance of reason and science everything that is presented to you as religion. If it passes this test, then accept it, for it is truth! If, however, it does not so conform, then reject it, for it is ignorance!
Look around and see how the world of today is 145 drowned in superstition and outward forms!
Some worship the product of their own imagination: they make for themselves an imaginary God and adore this, when the creation of their finite minds cannot be the Infinite Mighty Maker of all things visible and invisible! Others worship the sun or trees, also stones! In past ages there were those who adored the sea, the clouds, and even clay!
Today, men have grown into such adoring attachment to outward forms and ceremonies that they dispute over this point of ritual or that particular practice, until one hears on all sides of wearisome arguments and unrest. There are individuals who have weak intellects and their powers of reasoning have not developed, but the strength and power of religion must not be doubted because of the incapacity of these persons to understand.
A small child cannot comprehend the laws that govern nature, but this is on account of the immature intellect of that child; when he is grown older and has been educated he too will understand the everlasting truths. A child does not grasp the fact that the earth revolves round the sun, but, when his intelligence is awakened, the fact is clear and plain to him.
It is impossible for religion to be contrary to science, even though some intellects are too weak or too immature to understand truth.
God made religion and science to be the measure, as it were, of our understanding. Take heed that you neglect not such a wonderful power. Weigh all things in this balance. 146
To him who has the power of comprehension religion is like an open book, but how can it be possible for a man devoid of reason and intellectuality to understand the Divine Realities of God?
Put all your beliefs into harmony with science; there can be no opposition, for truth is one. When religion, shorn of its superstitions, traditions, and unintelligent dogmas, shows its conformity with science, then will there be a great unifying, cleansing force in the world which will sweep before it all wars, disagreements, discords and struggles -- and then will mankind be united in the power of the Love of God.

THE FIFTH PRINCIPLE

THE ABOLITION OF PREJUDICES
4 Avenue de Camoens, Paris,
November 13th
All prejudices, whether of religion, race, politics or nation, must be renounced, for these prejudices have caused the world's sickness. It is a grave malady which, unless arrested, is capable of causing the destruction of the whole human race. Every ruinous war, with its terrible bloodshed and misery, has been caused by one or other of these prejudices.
The deplorable wars going on in these days are caused by the fanatical religious hatred of one people for another, or the prejudices of race or colour. 147
Until all these barriers erected by prejudice are swept away, it is not possible for humanity to be at peace. For this reason Bahá'u'lláh has said, 'These Prejudices are destructive to mankind'.
Contemplate first the prejudice of religion: consider the nations of so-called religious people; if they were truly worshippers of God they would obey His law which forbids them to kill one another.
If priests of religion really adored the God of love and served the Divine Light, they would teach their people to keep the chief Commandment, 'To be in love and charity with all men'. But we find the contrary, for it is often the priests who encourage nations to fight. Religious hatred is ever the most cruel!
All religions teach that we should love one another; that we should seek out our own shortcomings before we presume to condemn the faults of others, that we must not consider ourselves superior to our neighbours! We must be careful not to exalt ourselves lest we be humiliated.
Who are we that we should judge? How shall we know who, in the sight of God, is the most upright man? God's thoughts are not like our thoughts! How many men who have seemed saint-like to their friends have fallen into the greatest humiliation. Think of Judas Iscariot; he began well, but remember his end! On the other hand, Paul, the Apostle, was in his early life an enemy of Christ, whilst later he became His most faithful servant. How then can we flatter ourselves and despise others?
Let us therefore be humble, without prejudices, 148 preferring others' good to our own! Let us never say, 'I am a believer but he is an infidel', 'I am near to God, whilst he is an outcast'. We can never know what will be the final judgment! Therefore let us help all who are in need of any kind of assistance.
Let us teach the ignorant, and take care of the young child until he grows to maturity. When we find a person fallen into the depths of misery or sin we must be kind to him, take him by the hand, help him to regain his footing, his strength; we must guide him with love and tenderness, treat him as a friend not as an enemy.
We have no right to look upon any of our fellow-mortals as evil.
Concerning the prejudice of race: it is an illusion, a superstition pure and simple! For God created us all of one race. There were no differences in the beginning, for we are all descendants of Adam. In the beginning, also, there were no limits and boundaries between the different lands; no part of the earth belonged more to one people than to another. In the sight of God there is no difference between the various races. Why should man invent such a prejudice? How can we uphold war caused by an illusion?
God has not created men that they should destroy one another. All races, tribes, sects and classes share equally in the Bounty of their Heavenly Father.
The only difference lies in the degree of faithfulness, of obedience to the laws of God. There are some who are as lighted torches, there are others who shine as stars in the sky of humanity. The lovers of mankind, 149 these are the superior men, of whatever nation, creed, or colour they may be. For it is they to whom God will say these blessed words, 'Well done, My good and faithful servants'. In that day He will not ask, 'Are you English, French, or perhaps Persian? Do you come from the East, or from the West?'
The only division that is real is this: There are heavenly men and earthly men; self-sacrificing servants of humanity in the love of the Most High, bringing harmony and unity, teaching peace and goodwill to men. On the other hand there are those selfish men, haters of their brethren, in whose hearts prejudice has replaced loving kindness, and whose influence breeds discord and strife.
To which race or to which colour belong these two divisions of men, to the White, to the Yellow, to the Black, to the East or to the West, to the North or to the South? If these are God's divisions, why should we invent others? Political prejudice is equally mischievous, it is one of the greatest causes of bitter strife amongst the children of men. There are people who find pleasure in breeding discord, who constantly endeavour to goad their country into making war upon other nations -- and why? They think to advantage their own country to the detriment of all others. They send armies to harass and destroy the land, in order to become famous in the world, for the joy of conquest. That it may be said: 'Such a country has defeated another, and brought it under the yoke of their stronger, more superior rule'. This victory, bought at the price of much bloodshed, is not lasting! The conqueror 150 shall one day be conquered; and the vanquished ones victorious! Remember the history of the past: did not France conquer Germany more than once -- then did not the German nation overcome France?
We learn also that France conquered England; then was the English nation victorious over France!
These glorious conquests are so ephemeral! Why attach so great importance to them and to their fame, as to be willing to shed the blood of the people for their attainment? Is any victory worth the inevitable train of evils consequent upon human slaughter, the grief and sorrow and ruin which must overwhelm so many homes of both nations? For it is not possible that one country alone should suffer.
Oh! why will man, the disobedient child of God, who should be an example of the power of the spiritual law, turn his face away from the Divine Teaching and put all his effort into destruction and war?
My hope is that in this enlightened century the Divine Light of love will shed its radiance over the whole world, seeking out the responsive heart's intelligence of every human being; that the light of the Sun of Truth will lead politicians to shake off all the claims of prejudice and superstition, and with freed minds to follow the Policy of God: for Divine Politics are mighty, man's politics are feeble! God has created all the world, and bestows His Divine Bounty upon every creature.
Are we not the servants of God? Shall we neglect to follow our Master's Example, and ignore His Commands? 151
I pray that the Kingdom shall come on Earth, and that all darkness shall be driven away by the effulgence of the Heavenly Sun.

THE SIXTH PRINCIPLE -- MEANS OF EXISTENCE
4 Avenue de Camoens, Paris
One of the most important principles of the Teaching of Bahá'u'lláh is:
The right of every human being to the daily bread whereby they exist, or the equalization of the means of livelihood.
The arrangements of the circumstances of the people must be such that poverty shall disappear, that everyone, as far as possible, according to his rank and position, shall share in comfort and well-being.
We see amongst us men who are overburdened with riches on the one hand, and on the other those unfortunate ones who starve with nothing; those who possess several stately palaces, and those who have not where to lay their head. Some we find with numerous courses of costly and dainty food; whilst others can scarce find sufficient crusts to keep them alive. Whilst some are clothed in velvets, furs and fine linen, others have insufficient, poor and thin garments with which to protect them from the cold.
This condition of affairs is wrong, and must be remedied. Now the remedy must be carefully undertaken. It cannot be done by bringing to pass absolute equality between men. 152
Equality is a chimera! It is entirely impracticable! Even if equality could be achieved it could not continue -- and if its existence were possible, the whole order of the world would be destroyed. The law of order must always obtain in the world of humanity. Heaven has so decreed in the creation of man.
Some are full of intelligence, others have an ordinary amount of it, and others again are devoid of intellect. In these three classes of men there is order but not equality. How could it be possible that wisdom and stupidity should be equal? Humanity, like a great army, requires a general, captains, under-officers in their degree, and soldiers, each with their own appointed duties. Degrees are absolutely necessary to ensure an orderly organization. An army could not be composed of generals alone, or of captains only, or of nothing but soldiers without one in authority. The certain result of such a plan would be that disorder and demoralization would overtake the whole army.
King Lycurgus, the philosopher, made a great plan to equalize the subjects of Sparta; with self-sacrifice and wisdom was the experiment begun. Then the king called the people of his kingdom, and made them swear a great oath to maintain the same order of government if he should leave the country, also that nothing should make them alter it until his return. Having secured this oath, he left his kingdom of Sparta and never returned. Lycurgus abandoned the situation, renouncing his high position, thinking to achieve the permanent good of his country by the equalization of the property and of the conditions of life in his kingdom. 153 All the self-sacrifice of the king was in vain. The great experiment failed. After a time all was destroyed; his carefully thought-out constitution came to an end.
The futility of attempting such a scheme was shown and the impossibility of attaining equal conditions of existence was proclaimed in the ancient kingdom of Sparta. In our day any such attempt would be equally doomed to failure.
Certainly, some being enormously rich and others lamentably poor, an organization is necessary to control and improve this state of affairs. It is important to limit riches, as it is also of importance to limit poverty. Either extreme is not good. To be seated in the mean [1] is most desirable. If it be right for a capitalist to possess a large fortune, it is equally just that his workman should have a sufficient means of existence.[1 'Give me neither poverty nor riches.' -- Prov. xxx., 8.]
A financier with colossal wealth should not exist whilst near him is a poor man in dire necessity. When we see poverty allowed to reach a condition of starvation it is a sure sign that somewhere we shall find tyranny. Men must bestir themselves in this matter, and no longer delay in altering conditions which bring the misery of grinding poverty to a very large number of the people. The rich must give of their abundance, they must soften their hearts and cultivate a compassionate intelligence, taking thought for those sad ones who are suffering from lack of the very necessities of life.
There must be special laws made, dealing with these extremes of riches and of want. The members of the 154 Government should consider the laws of God when they are framing plans for the ruling of the people. The general rights of mankind must be guarded and preserved.
The government of the countries should conform to the Divine Law which gives equal justice to all. This is the only way in which the deplorable superfluity of great wealth and miserable, demoralizing, degrading poverty can be abolished. Not until this is done will the Law of God be obeyed.

SEVENTH PRINCIPLE -- EQUALITY OF MEN

'The Laws of God are not imposition of will, or of power, or pleasure, but the resolutions of truth, reason and justice.'
All men are equal before the law, which must reign absolutely.
The object of punishment is not vengeance, but the prevention of crime.
Kings must rule with wisdom and justice; prince, peer and peasant alike have equal rights to just treatment, there must be no favour shown to individuals. A judge must be no 'respecter of persons', but administer the law with strict impartiality in every case brought before him.
If a person commit a crime against you, you have not the right to forgive him; but the law must punish him in order to prevent a repetition of that same crime by others, as the pain of the individual is unimportant beside the general welfare of the people. 155
When perfect justice reigns in every country of the Eastern and Western World, then will the earth become a place of beauty. The dignity and equality of every servant of God will be acknowledged; the ideal of the solidarity of the human race, the true brotherhood of man, will be realized; and the glorious light of the Sun of Truth will illumine the souls of all men.
THE EIGHTH PRINCIPLE
UNIVERSAL PEACE
4 Avenue de Camoens, Paris
A Supreme Tribunal shall be established by the peoples and Governments of every nation, composed of members elected from each country and Government. The members of this Great Council shall assemble in unity. All disputes of an international character shall be submitted to this Court, its work being to arrange by arbitration everything which otherwise would be a cause of war. The mission of this Tribunal would be to prevent war.
One of the great steps towards universal peace would be the establishment of a universal language. Bahá'u'lláh commands that the servants of humanity should meet together, and either choose a language which now exists, or form a new one. This was revealed in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas forty years ago. It is there pointed out that the question of diversity of tongues is a very difficult one. There are more than eight 156 hundred languages in the world, and no person could acquire them all.
The races of mankind are not isolated as in former days. Now, in order to be in close relationship with all countries it is necessary to be able to speak their tongues.
A universal language would make intercourse possible with every nation. Thus it would be needful to know two languages only, the mother tongue and the universal speech. The latter would enable a man to communicate with any and every man in the world!
A third language would not be needed. To be able to talk with a member of any race and country without requiring an interpreter, how helpful and restful to all!
Esperanto has been drawn up with this end in view: it is a fine invention and a splendid piece of work, but it needs perfecting. Esperanto as it stands is very difficult for some people.
An international Congress should be formed, consisting of delegates from every nation in the world, Eastern as well as Western. This Congress should form a language that could be acquired by all, and every country would thereby reap great benefit.
Until such a language is in use, the world will continue to feel the vast need of this means of intercourse. Difference of speech is one of the most fruitful causes of dislike and distrust that exists between nations, which are kept apart by their inability to understand each other's language more than by any other reason.
If everybody could speak one language, how much more easy would it be to serve humanity! 157
Therefore appreciate 'Esperanto', for it is the beginning of the carrying out of one of the most important of the Laws of Bahá'u'lláh, and it must continue to be improved and perfected.

NINTH PRINCIPLE
THE NON-INTERFERENCE OF RELIGION WITH
POLITICS

4 Avenue de Camoens, Paris,
November 17th
In the conduct of life, man is actuated by two main motives: 'The Hope for Reward' and 'The Fear of Punishment'.
This hope and this fear must consequently be greatly taken into account by those in authority who have important posts under Government. Their business in life is to consult together for the framing of laws, and to provide for their just administration.
The tent of the order of the world is raised and established on the two pillars of 'Reward and Retribution'.
In despotic Governments carried on by men without Divine faith, where no fear of spiritual retribution exists, the execution of the laws is tyrannical and unjust.
There is no greater prevention of oppression than these two sentiments, hope and fear. They have both political and spiritual consequences.
If administrators of the law would take into consideration the spiritual consequences of their decisions, and follow the guidance of religion, 'They would be Divine agents in the world of action, the representatives of God for those who are on earth, and they would defend, for the love of God, the interests of His servants as they would defend their own'. If a governor realizes his responsibility, and fears to defy the Divine Law, his judgments will be just. Above all, if he believes that the consequences of his actions will follow him beyond his earthly life, and that 'as he sows so must he reap', such a man will surely avoid injustice and tyranny.
Should an official, on the contrary, think that all responsibility for his actions must end with his earthly life, knowing and believing nothing of Divine favours and a spiritual kingdom of joy, he will lack the incentive to just dealing, and the inspiration to destroy oppression and unrighteousness.
When a ruler knows that his judgments will be weighed in a balance by the Divine Judge, and that if he be not found wanting he will come into the Celestial Kingdom and that the light of the Heavenly Bounty will shine upon him, then will he surely act with justice and equity. Behold how important it is that Ministers of State should be enlightened by religion!
With political questions the clergy, however, have nothing to do! Religious matters should not be confused with politics in the present state of the world (for their interests are not identical).
Religion concerns matters of the heart, of the spirit, and of morals.

Politics are occupied with the material things of life. Religious teachers should not invade the realm of politics; they should concern themselves with the spiritual education of the people; they should ever give good counsel to men, trying to serve God and human kind; they should endeavour to awaken spiritual aspiration, and strive to enlarge the understanding and knowledge of humanity, to improve morals, and to increase the love for justice.
This is in accordance with the Teaching of Bahá'u'lláh. In the Gospel also it is written, 'Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's, and unto God the things which are God's'.
In Persia there are some amongst the important Ministers of State who are religious, who are exemplary, who worship God, and who fear to disobey His Laws, who judge justly and rule their people with Equity. Other Governors there are in this land who have no fear of God before their eyes, who think not of the consequences of their actions, working for their own desires, and these have brought Persia into great trouble and difficulty.
Oh, friends of God, be living examples of justice! So that by the Mercy of God, the world may see in your actions that you manifest the attributes of justice and mercy.
Justice is not limited, it is a universal quality. Its operation must be carried out in all classes, from the highest to the lowest. Justice must be sacred, and the rights of all the people must be considered. Desire for others only that which you desire for yourselves. Then shall we rejoice in the Sun of Justice, which shines from the Horizon of God.
Each man has been placed in a post of honour, which he must not desert. A humble workman who commits an injustice is as much to blame as a renowned tyrant. Thus we all have our choice between justice and injustice.
I hope that each one of you will become just, and direct your thoughts towards the unity of mankind; that you will never harm your neighbours nor speak ill of any one; that you will respect the rights of all men, and be more concerned for the interests of others than for your own. Thus will you become torches of Divine justice, acting in accordance with the Teaching of Bahá'u'lláh, who, during His life, bore innumerable trials and persecutions in order to show forth to the world of mankind the virtues of the World of Divinity, making it possible for you to realize the supremacy of the spirit, and to rejoice in the Justice of God.
By His Mercy, the Divine Bounty will be showered upon you, and for this I pray!

THE TENTH PRINCIPLE -- EQUALITY OF SEX
4 Avenue de Camoens, Paris,
November 14th
The Tenth Principle of the teaching of Bahá'u'lláh is the equality of the sexes.
God has created all creatures in couples. Man, beast, or vegetable, all the things of these three kingdoms 161 are of two sexes, and there is absolute equality between them.
In the vegetable world there are male plants and female plants; they have equal rights, and possess an equal share of the beauty of their species; though indeed the tree that bears fruit might be said to be superior to that which is unfruitful.
In the animal kingdom we see that the male and the female have equal rights; and that they each share the advantages of their kind.
Now in the two lower kingdoms of nature we have seen that there is no question of the superiority of one sex over the other. In the world of humanity we find a great difference; the female sex is treated as though inferior, and is not allowed equal rights and privileges. This condition is due not to nature, but to education. In the Divine Creation there is no such distinction. Neither sex is superior to the other in the sight of God. Why then should one sex assert the inferiority of the other, withholding just rights and privileges as though God had given His authority for such a course of action? If women received the same educational advantages as those of men, the result would demonstrate the equality of capacity of both for scholarship.
In some respects woman is superior to man. She is more tender-hearted, more receptive, her intuition is more intense.
It is not to be denied that in various directions woman at present is more backward than man, also that this temporary inferiority is due to the lack of educational opportunity. In the necessity of life, woman is more 162 instinct with power than man, for to her he owes his very existence.
If the mother is educated then her children will be well taught. When the mother is wise, then will the children be led into the path of wisdom. If the mother be religious she will show her children how they should love God. If the mother is moral she guides her little ones into the ways of uprightness.
It is clear therefore that the future generation depends on the mothers of today. Is not this a vital responsibility for the woman? Does she not require every possible advantage to equip her for such a task?
Therefore, surely, God is not pleased that so important an instrument as woman should suffer from want of training in order to attain the perfections desirable and necessary for her great life's work! Divine Justice demands that the rights of both sexes should be equally respected since neither is superior to the other in the eyes of Heaven. Dignity before God depends, not on sex, but on purity and luminosity of heart. Human virtues belong equally to all!
Woman must endeavour then to attain greater perfection, to be man's equal in every respect, to make progress in all in which she has been backward, so that man will be compelled to acknowledge her equality of capacity and attainment.
In Europe women have made greater progress than in the East, but there is still much to be done! When students have arrived at the end of their school term an examination takes place, and the result thereof determines the knowledge and capacity of each student. 163 So will it be with woman; her actions will show her power, there will no longer be any need to proclaim it by words.
It is my hope that women of the East, as well as their Western sisters, will progress rapidly until humanity shall reach perfection.
God's Bounty is for all and gives power for all progress. When men own the equality of women there will be no need for them to struggle for their rights! One of the principles then of Bahá'u'lláh is the equality of sex.
Women must make the greatest effort to acquire spiritual power and to increase in the virtue of wisdom and holiness until their enlightenment and striving succeeds in bringing about the unity of mankind. They must work with a burning enthusiasm to spread the Teaching of Bahá'u'lláh among the peoples, so that the radiant light of the Divine Bounty may envelop the souls of all the nations of the world!

THE ELEVENTH PRINCIPLE

THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

4 Avenue de Camoens, Paris,
November 18th

In the teaching of Bahá'u'lláh, it is written: 'By the Power of the Holy Spirit alone is man able to progress, for the power of man is limited and the Divine Power is boundless.' The reading of history 164 brings us to the conclusion that all truly great men, the benefactors of the human race, those who have moved men to love the right and hate the wrong and who have caused real progress, all these have been inspired by the force of the Holy Spirit.
The Prophets of God have not all graduated in the schools of learned philosophy; indeed they were often men of humble birth, to all appearance ignorant, unknown men of no importance in the eyes of the world; sometimes even lacking the knowledge of reading and writing.
That which raised these great ones above men, and by which they were able to become Teachers of the truth, was the power of the Holy Spirit. Their influence on humanity, by virtue of this mighty inspiration, was great and penetrating.
The influence of the wisest philosophers, without this Spirit Divine, has been comparatively unimportant, however extensive their learning and deep their scholarship.
The unusual intellects, for instance, of Plato, Aristotle, Pliny and Socrates, have not influenced men so greatly that they have been anxious to sacrifice their lives for their teachings; whilst some of those simple men so moved humanity that thousands of men have become willing martyrs to uphold their words; for these words were inspired by the Divine Spirit of God! The prophets of Judah and Israel, Elijah, Jeremiah, Isaiah and Ezekiel, were humble men, as were also the apostles of Jesus Christ.
Peter, the chief of the apostles, used to divide the 165 proceeds of his fishing into seven parts, and when, having taken one part for each day's use, he arrived at the seventh portion, he knew it was the Sabbath day. Consider this! and then think of his future position; to what glory he attained because the Holy Spirit wrought great works through him.
We understand that the Holy Spirit is the energizing factor in the life of man. Whosoever receives this power is able to influence all with whom he comes into contact.
The greatest philosophers without this Spirit are powerless, their souls lifeless, their hearts dead! Unless the Holy Spirit breathes into their souls, they can do no good work. No system of philosophy has ever been able to change the manners and customs of a people for the better. Learned philosophers, unenlightened by the Divine Spirit, have often been men of inferior morality; they have not proclaimed in their actions the reality of their beautiful phrases.
The difference between spiritual philosophers and others is shown by their lives. The Spiritual Teacher shows His belief in His own teaching, by Himself being what He recommends to others.
An humble man without learning, but filled with the Holy Spirit, is more powerful than the most nobly-born profound scholar without that inspiration. He who is educated by the Divine Spirit can, in his time, lead others to receive the same Spirit.
I pray for you that you may be informed by the life of the Divine Spirit, so that you may be the means of educating others. The life and morals of a spiritual 166 man are, in themselves, an education to those who know him.
Think not of your own limitations, dwell only on the welfare of the Kingdom of Glory. Consider the influence of Jesus Christ on His apostles, then think of their effect upon the world. These simple men were enabled by the power of the Holy Spirit to spread the glad tidings!
So may you all receive Divine assistance! No capacity is limited when led by the Spirit of God!
The earth of itself has no properties of life, it is barren and dry, until fertilized by the sun and the rain; still the earth need not bewail its own limitations.
May you be given life! May the rain of the Divine Mercy and the warmth of the Sun of Truth make your gardens fruitful, so that many beautiful flowers of exquisite fragrance and love may blossom in abundance. Turn your faces away from the contemplation of your own finite selves and fix your eyes upon the Everlasting Radiance; then will your souls receive in full measure the Divine Power of the Spirit and the Blessings of the Infinite Bounty.
If you thus keep yourselves in readiness, you will become to the world of humanity a burning flame, a star of guidance, and a fruitful tree, changing all its darkness and woe into light and joy by the shining of the Sun of Mercy and the infinite blessings of the Glad Tidings.
This is the meaning of the power of the Holy Spirit, which I pray may be bountifully showered upon you. 167
4 Avenue de Camoens, Paris,
November 28th
In these gatherings where we have met and spoken together you have all become acquainted with the principles of this dispensation, and with the reality of facts. Unto you it has been given to know these things, but there are many still unenlightened and submerged in superstition. They have heard but little of this great and glorious Cause, and the knowledge they have is for the most part based only on hearsay. Alas, poor souls, the knowledge they have is not based on truth, the foundation of their belief is not the teaching of Bahá'u'lláh! There is, assuredly, a certain amount of truth in what they have been told, but for the most part their information has been inaccurate.
The true principles of the blessed Cause of God are the eleven rules which I have given you, and I have carefully explained these, one by one.
You must endeavour always to live and act in direct obedience to the teachings and laws of Bahá'u'lláh, so that every individual may see in all the acts of your life that in word and in deed you are followers of the Blessed Perfection.
Exert yourselves so that this glorious teaching may encircle the globe, and that spirituality may be infused into the hearts of men.
The breath of the Holy Spirit shall confirm you, and although many will arise against you, they shall not prevail!
When the Lord Christ was crowned with thorns, He knew that all the diadems of the world were at His 168 feet. All earthly crowns, however brilliant, powerful and resplendent, bowed in adoration before the crown of thorns! It was from this sure and certain knowledge He spoke, when He said: 'All power is given unto Me, in Heaven and in earth'.[1][1 Matthew xviii, 18.]
Now I say unto you, bear this on your hearts and in your minds. Verily your light shall illumine the whole world, your spirituality shall affect the heart of things. You shall in truth become the lighted torches of the globe. Fear not, neither be dismayed, for your light shall penetrate the densest darkness. This is the Promise of God, which I give unto you. Rise! and serve the Power of God!

THE LAST MEETING
15 Rue Greuze, Paris,
December 1st
When I arrived in Paris some time ago for the first time, I looked around me with much interest, and in my mind I likened this beautiful city to a large garden.
With loving care and much thought I examined the soil, and found it to be very good and full of possibility for steadfast faith and firm belief, for a seed of God's love has been cast into the ground.
Clouds of Heavenly Mercy showered their rain upon it, and the Sun of Truth fell warmly upon the young seeds, and today one can see in your midst the birth 169 of belief. The seed cast into the ground has begun to spring up, and day by day you will see it grow. The bounties of the Kingdom of Bahá'u'lláh shall indeed bring forth a wondrous harvest!
Behold! I bring you glad and joyful tidings! Paris will become a garden of roses! All kinds of beautiful flowers will spring up and flourish in this garden, and the fame of their fragrance and beauty will be spread in all lands. When I think of Paris in the future, I seem to see her bathed in the light of the Holy Spirit! Verily, the day is dawning when Paris will receive her illumination, and the Goodness and Mercy of God will be visible to every living creature.
Do not allow your minds to dwell on the present, but with eyes of faith look into the future, for in truth the Spirit of God is working in your midst.
Since my arrival a few weeks ago, I can see the growth of spirituality. At the beginning only a few souls came to me for Light, but during my short sojourn among you the numbers have increased and doubled. This is a promise for the future!
When Christ was crucified and left this world, He had only eleven disciples and a very few followers; but as He served the Cause of truth, look today at the result of His life's work! He has illumined the world, and given life to dead humanity. After His ascension little by little His Cause grew, the souls of His followers became more and more luminous, and the exquisite perfume of their saintly lives spread on all sides.
Now today, thank God, a similar condition has begun in Paris. There are many souls who have turned to 170 the Kingdom of God, and who are attracted to unity, love and truth.
Try so to work that the goodness and mercy of Abha may enfold the whole of Paris. The Breath of the Holy Spirit will help you, the Celestial Light of the Kingdom will shine in your hearts, and the blessed angels of God from Heaven will bring you strength and will succour you. Then thank God with all your hearts that you have attained to this supreme benefit. A great part of the world is plunged in sleep, but you have been awakened. Many are blind, but you see!
The call of the Kingdom is heard in your midst. Glory be to God, you have been born again, you have been baptized by the fire of the Love of God; you have been plunged in the Sea of Life and regenerated by the Spirit of Love!
Having received such favour be thankful unto God, and never doubt His Goodness and Loving Kindness but have undying faith in the Bounties of the Kingdom. Consort together in brotherly love, be ready to lay down your lives one for the other, and not only for those who are dear to you, but for all humanity. Look upon the whole human race as members of one family, all children of God; and, in so doing, you will see no difference between them.
Humanity may be likened to a tree. This tree has branches, leaves, buds and fruit. Think of all men as being flowers, leaves or buds of this tree, and try to help each and all to realize and enjoy God's blessings. God neglects none: He loves all.
The only real difference that exists between people 171 is that they are at various stages of development. Some are imperfect -- these must be brought to perfection. Some are asleep -- they must be awakened; some are negligent -- they must be roused; but one and all are the children of God. Love them all with your whole heart; no one is a stranger to the other, all are friends. Tonight I come to say farewell to you -- but bear this in your minds, that although our bodies may be far apart, in spirit we shall always be together.
I bear you one and all in my heart, and will forget none of you -- and I hope that none of you will forget me.
I in the East, and you in the West, let us try with heart and soul that unity may dwell in the world, that all the peoples may become one people, and that the whole surface of the earth may be like one country -- for the Sun of Truth shines on all alike.
All the Prophets of God came for love of this one great aim.
Look how Abraham strove to bring faith and love among the people; how Moses tried to unite the people by sound laws; how the Lord Christ suffered unto death to bring the light of love and truth into a darkened world; how Muhammad sought to bring unity and peace between the various uncivilized tribes among whom he dwelt. And last of all, Bahá'u'lláh has suffered forty years for the same cause -- the single noble purpose of spreading love among the children of men -- and for the peace and unity of the world the Báb gave up his life.
Thus, strive to follow the example of these Divine 172 Beings, drink from Their fountain, be illumined by Their Light, and to the world be as symbols of the Mercy and Love of God. Be unto the world as rain and clouds of mercy, as suns of truth; be a celestial army, and you shall indeed conquer the city of hearts.
Be thankful unto God that Bahá'u'lláh has given us a firm and solid foundation. He left no place for sadness in hearts, and the writings of His sacred pen contain consolation for the whole world. He had the words of truth, and anything that is contrary to His teaching is false. The chief aim of all His work was to do away with division.
The testament of Bahá'u'lláh is a Rain of Goodness, a Sun of Truth, Water of Life, the Holy Spirit. Thus open your hearts to receive the full power of His Beauty, and I will pray for you all that this joy may be yours.
Now I say 'Good-bye'.
This I say only to your outer selves; I do not say it to your souls, for our souls are always together.
Be comforted, and rest assured that day and night I shall turn to the Kingdom of Abha in supplication for you, that day by day you may grow better and holier, nearer to God, and more and more illumined by the radiance of His Love
(Abdu'l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 127)

2007-07-18T04:58:00.000-07:00

THE UNIVERSAL LOVE
October 24th
An Indian said to 'Abdu'l-Bahá:
'My aim in life is to transmit as far as in me lies the message of Krishna to the world.'
'Abdu'l-Bahá said: The Message of Krishna is the message of love. All God's prophets have brought the message of love. None has ever thought that war and hate are good. Every one agrees in saying that love and kindness are best.
Love manifests its reality in deeds, not only in words -- these alone are without effect. In order that love may manifest its power there must be an object, an instrument, a motive.
There are many ways of expressing the love principle; there is love for the family, for the country, for the race, there is political enthusiasm, there is also the love of community of interest in service. These are all ways and means of showing the power of love. Without any such means, love would be unseen, unheard, unfelt -- altogether unexpressed, unmanifested! Water shows its power in various ways, in quenching thirst, causing seed to grow, etc. Coal expresses one of its 36 principles in gas-light, while one of the powers of electricity is shown in the electric light. If there were neither gas nor electricity, the nights of the world would be darkness! So, it is necessary to have an instrument, a motive for love's manifestation, an object, a mode of expression.
We must find a way of spreading love among the sons of humanity.
Love is unlimited, boundless, infinite! Material things are limited, circumscribed, finite. You cannot adequately express infinite love by limited means.
The perfect love needs an unselfish instrument, absolutely freed from fetters of every kind. The love of family is limited; the tie of blood relationship is not the strongest bond. Frequently members of the same family disagree, and even hate each other.
Patriotic love is finite; the love of one's country causing hatred of all others, is not perfect love! Compatriots also are not free from quarrels amongst themselves.
The love of race is limited; there is some union here, but that is insufficient. Love must be free from boundaries!
To love our own race may mean hatred of all others, and even people of the same race often dislike each other.
Political love also is much bound up with hatred of one party for another; this love is very limited and uncertain.
The love of community of interest in service is likewise fluctuating; frequently competitions arise, which 37 lead to jealousy, and at length hatred replaces love.
A few years ago, Turkey and Italy had a friendly political understanding; now they are at war!
All these ties of love are imperfect. It is clear that limited material ties are insufficient to adequately express the universal love.
The great unselfish love for humanity is bounded by none of these imperfect, semi-selfish bonds; this is the one perfect love, possible to all mankind, and can only be achieved by the power of the Divine Spirit. No worldly power can accomplish the universal love.
Let all be united in this Divine power of love! Let all strive to grow in the light of the Sun of Truth, and reflecting this luminous love on all men, may their hearts become so united that they may dwell evermore in the radiance of the limitless love.
Remember these words which I speak unto you during the short time I am amongst you in Paris. I earnestly exhort you: let not your hearts be fettered by the material things of this world; I charge you not to lie contentedly on the beds of negligence, prisoners of matter, but to arise and free yourselves from its chains!
The animal creation is captive to matter, God has given freedom to man. The animal cannot escape the law of nature, whereas man may control it, for he, containing nature, can rise above it.
The power of the Holy Spirit, enlightening man's intelligence, has enabled him to discover means of bending many natural laws to his will. He flies through the air, floats on the sea, and even moves under the waters. 38
All this proves how man's intelligence has been enabled to free him from the limitations of nature, and to solve many of her mysteries. Man, to a certain extent, has broken the chains of matter.
The Holy Spirit will give to man greater powers than these, if only he will strive after the things of the spirit and endeavour to attune his heart to the Divine infinite love.
When you love a member of your family or a compatriot, let it be with a ray of the Infinite Love! Let it be in God, and for God! Wherever you find the attributes of God love that person, whether he be of your family or of another. Shed the light of a boundless love on every human being whom you meet, whether of your country, your race, your political party, or of any other nation, colour or shade of political opinion. Heaven will support you while you work in this in-gathering of the scattered peoples of the world beneath the shadow of the almighty tent of unity.
You will be servants of God, who are dwelling near to Him, His divine helpers in the service, ministering to all Humanity. All Humanity! Every human being! never forget this!
Do not say, he is an Italian, or a Frenchman, or an American, or an Englishman, remember only that he is a son of God, a servant of the Most High, a man! All are men! Forget nationalities; all are equal in the sight of God!
Remember not your own limitations; the help of God will come to you. Forget yourself. God's help will surely come! 39
When you call on the Mercy of God waiting to reinforce you, your strength will be tenfold.
Look at me: I am so feeble, yet I have had the strength given me to come amongst you: a poor servant of God, who has been enabled to give you this message! I shall not be with you long! One must never consider one's own feebleness, it is the strength of the Holy Spirit of Love, which gives the power to teach. The thought of our own weakness could only bring despair. We must look higher than all earthly thoughts; detach ourselves from every material idea, crave for the things of the spirit; fix our eyes on the everlasting bountiful Mercy of the Almighty, who will fill our souls with the gladness of joyful service to His command 'Love One Another'.
(Abdu'l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 35)

2007-07-18T04:42:00.000-07:00

Crime and punishment

As to the difference between that material civilization now prevailing, and the divine civilization which will be one of the benefits to derive from the House of Justice, it is this: material civilization, through the power of punitive and retaliatory laws, restraineth the people from criminal acts; and notwithstanding this, while laws to retaliate against and punish a man are continually proliferating, as ye can see, no laws exist to reward him. In all the cities of Europe and America, vast buildings have been erected to serve as jails for the criminals.

Divine civilization, however, so traineth every member of society that no one, with the exception of a negligible few, will undertake to commit a crime. There is thus a great 133 difference between the prevention of crime through measures that are violent and retaliatory, and so training the people, and enlightening them, and spiritualizing them, that without any fear of punishment or vengeance to come, they will shun all criminal acts. They will, indeed, look upon the very commission of a crime as a great disgrace and in itself the harshest of punishments. They will become enamoured of human perfections, and will consecrate their lives to whatever will bring light to the world and will further those qualities which are acceptable at the Holy Threshold of God.

See then how wide is the difference between material civilization and divine. With force and punishments, material civilization seeketh to restrain the people from mischief, from inflicting harm on society and committing crimes. But in a divine civilization, the individual is so conditioned that with no fear of punishment, he shunneth the perpetration of crimes, seeth the crime itself as the severest of torments, and with alacrity and joy, setteth himself to acquiring the virtues of humankind, to furthering human progress, and to spreading light across the world.

(Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 132)

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....And among the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh is that religion is a mighty bulwark.
If the edifice of religion shakes and totters, commotion and chaos will ensue and the order of things will be utterly upset, for in the world of mankind there are two safeguards that protect man from wrongdoing.
One is the law which punishes the criminal; but the law prevents only the manifest crime and not the concealed sin;
whereas the ideal safeguard, namely, the religion of God, prevents both the manifest and the concealed crime, trains man, educates morals, compels the adoption of virtues and is the all-inclusive power which guarantees the felicity of the world of mankind.
But by religion is meant that which is ascertained by investigation and not that which is based on mere imitation, the foundations of Divine Religions and not human imitations.

(Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 302)

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THE RIGHT METHOD OF TREATING CRIMINALS

Question. -- Should a criminal be punished, or forgiven and his crime overlooked?

Answer. -- There are two sorts of retributory punishments. One is vengeance, the other, chastisement. Man has not the right to take vengeance, but the community has the right to punish the criminal; and this punishment is intended to warn and to prevent so that no other person will dare to commit a like crime. This punishment is for the protection of man's rights, but it is not vengeance; vengeance appeases the anger of the heart by opposing one evil to another. This is not allowable, for man has not the right to take vengeance. But if criminals were entirely forgiven, the order of the world would be upset. So punishment is one of the essential necessities for the safety of communities, but he who is oppressed by a transgressor has not the right to take vengeance. On the contrary, he should forgive and pardon, for this is worthy of the world of man.

The communities must punish the oppressor, the murderer, the malefactor, so as to warn and restrain others from committing like crimes. But the most essential thing is that the people must be educated in such a way that no crimes will be committed; for it is possible to educate the masses so effectively that they will avoid and shrink from perpetrating crimes, so that the crime itself will appear to them as the greatest chastisement, the utmost condemnation 269 and torment. Therefore, no crimes which require punishment will be committed.

We must speak of things that are possible of performance in this world. There are many theories and high ideas on this subject, but they are not practicable; consequently, we must speak of things that are feasible.

For example, if someone oppresses, injures and wrongs another, and the wronged man retaliates, this is vengeance and is censurable. If the son of 'Amr kills the son of Zayd, Zayd has not the right to kill the son of 'Amr; if he does so, this is vengeance. If 'Amr dishonors Zayd, the latter has not the right to dishonor 'Amr; if he does so, this is vengeance, and it is very reprehensible. No, rather he must return good for evil, and not only forgive, but also, if possible, be of service to his oppressor. This conduct is worthy of man: for what advantage does he gain by vengeance? The two actions are equivalent; if one action is reprehensible, both are reprehensible. The only difference is that one was committed first, the other later.

But the community has the right of defense and of self-protection; moreover, the community has no hatred nor animosity for the murderer: it imprisons or punishes him merely for the protection and security of others. It is not for the purpose of taking vengeance upon the murderer, but for the purpose of inflicting a punishment by which the community will be protected. If the community and the inheritors of the murdered one were to forgive and return good for evil, the cruel would be continually ill-treating others, and assassinations would continually occur. Vicious people, like wolves, would destroy the sheep of God. The community has no ill-will and rancor in the infliction of punishment, and it does not desire to appease the anger of the heart; its purpose is by punishment to protect others so that no atrocious actions may be committed. 270

Thus when Christ said: "Whosoever shall smite thee on the right cheek, turn to him the left one also,"[1] it was for the purpose of teaching men not to take personal revenge. He did not mean that, if a wolf should fall upon a flock of sheep and wish to destroy it, the wolf should be encouraged to do so. No, if Christ had known that a wolf had entered the fold and was about to destroy the sheep, most certainly He would have prevented it.
[1 Cf. Matt. 5:39.]

As forgiveness is one of the attributes of the Merciful One, so also justice is one of the attributes of the Lord. The tent of existence is upheld upon the pillar of justice and not upon forgiveness. The continuance of mankind depends upon justice and not upon forgiveness. So if, at present, the law of pardon were practiced in all countries, in a short time the world would be disordered, and the foundations of human life would crumble. For example, if the governments of Europe had not withstood the notorious Attila, he would not have left a single living man.

Some people are like bloodthirsty wolves: if they see no punishment forthcoming, they will kill men merely for pleasure and diversion. One of the tyrants of Persia killed his tutor merely for the sake of making merry, for mere fun and sport. The famous Mutavakkil, the Abbasid, having summoned his ministers, councillors and functionaries to his presence, let loose a box full of scorpions in the assembly and forbade anyone to move. When the scorpions stung those present, he burst forth into boisterous laughter.

To recapitulate: the constitution of the communities depends upon justice, not upon forgiveness. Then what Christ meant by forgiveness and pardon is not that, when nations attack you, burn your homes, plunder your goods, assault your wives, children and relatives, and violate your honor, you should be submissive in the presence of these tyrannical foes and allow them to perform all their cruelties and oppressions. No, the words of Christ refer to the conduct of two individuals toward each other: if one person assaults another, the injured one should forgive him. But the communities must protect the rights of man. So if someone assaults, injures, oppresses and wounds me, I will offer no resistance, and I will forgive him. But if a person wishes to assault Siyyid Manshadi,[1] certainly I will prevent him. Although for the malefactor noninterference is apparently a kindness, it would be an oppression to Manshadi. If at this moment a wild Arab were to enter this place with a drawn sword, wishing to assault, wound and kill you, most assuredly I would prevent him. If I abandoned you to the Arab, that would not be justice but injustice. But if he injure me personally, I would forgive him.

One thing remains to be said: it is that the communities are day and night occupied in making penal laws, and in preparing and organizing instruments and means of punishment.
They build prisons, make chains and fetters, arrange places of exile and banishment, and different kinds of hardships and tortures, and think by these means to discipline criminals, whereas, in reality, they are causing destruction of morals and perversion of characters.
The community, on the contrary, ought day and night to strive and endeavor with the utmost zeal and effort to accomplish the education of men, to cause them day by day to progress and to increase in science and knowledge, to acquire virtues, to gain good morals and to avoid vices, so that crimes may not occur. At the present time the contrary prevails; the community is always thinking of enforcing the penal laws, and of preparing means of punishment, instruments of death and chastisement, places for imprisonment and banishment; and they expect crimes to be committed. This has a demoralizing effect.

But if the community would endeavor to educate the masses, day by day knowledge and sciences would increase, the understanding would be broadened, the sensibilities developed, customs would become good, and morals normal; in one word, in all these classes of perfections there would be progress, and there would be fewer crimes.

It has been ascertained that among civilized peoples crime is less frequent than among uncivilized -- that is to say, among those who have acquired the true civilization, which is divine civilization -- the civilization of those who unite all the spiritual and material perfections. As ignorance is the cause of crimes, the more knowledge and science increases, the more crimes will diminish. Consider how often murder occurs among the barbarians of Africa; they even kill one another in order to eat each other's flesh and blood! Why do not such savageries occur in Switzerland? The reason is evident: it is because education and virtues prevent them.

Therefore, the communities must think of preventing crimes, rather than of rigorously punishing them.

(Abdu'l-Baha, Some Answered Questions, p. 270)

*********************************************************

SEVENTH PRINCIPLE -- EQUALITY OF MEN

'The Laws of God are not imposition of will, or of power, or pleasure, but the resolutions of truth, reason and justice.'

All men are equal before the law, which must reign absolutely.

The object of punishment is not vengeance, but the prevention of crime.

Kings must rule with wisdom and justice; prince, peer and peasant alike have equal rights to just treatment, there must be no favour shown to individuals.

A judge must be no 'respecter of persons', but administer the law with strict impartiality in every case brought before him.

If a person commit a crime against you, you have not the right to forgive him; but the law must punish him in order to prevent a repetition of that same crime by others, as the pain of the individual is unimportant beside the general welfare of the people.
When perfect justice reigns in every country of the Eastern and Western World, then will the earth become a place of beauty. The dignity and equality of every servant of God will be acknowledged; the ideal of the solidarity of the human race, the true brotherhood of man, will be realized; and the glorious light of the Sun of Truth will illumine the souls of all men.

(Abdu'l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 154)

2007-07-16T02:42:00.000-07:00

In Service to the Common Good

Bahá’í Youth

in Their Own Words

Bahá’í Youth
in Their Own Words
Preface
Early in 2005, the National Spiritual Assembly asked a task force of volunteers
to continue the narrative about Bahá’ís and social action, begun in
2004 and published as In Service to the Common Good: The American
Bahá’í Community’s Commitment to Social Change.
Composed mainly of young adults, the task force focused on Bahá’í
youth: their concerns; their views on the world and their place in it; and the
role they are playing, or preparing to play, in promoting social change in the
United States. The volunteers investigated these issues through interviews,
an online survey, and research in the literature on youth.
What the task force found was a pattern of commitment to service.
Whether singly or as part of organized initiatives, young Bahá’ís are learning
to offer their insight, energy and dedication to the communities in which
they live.
Moreover, adults and Bahá’í institutions support them in a variety of
ways, including through the creation of programs designed to develop
youths’ capacities, whether they are members of the Bahá’í Faith or of the
community at large.
As in last year’s report, the information and stories that follow are a
small sample of a larger reality. What could not be told here is the story of
the thousands of young Bahá’ís who, heeding the guidance of their teachings
and of the institutions of their Faith, are preparing themselves through study
and action for the larger role they will play in our nation’s future.
“The foundation of all their accomplishments,” writes the Universal House
of Justice, the Bahá’í Faith’s highest governing body, “is their study of the
teachings, the spiritualization of their lives, and the forming of their characters
in accordance with the standards of Bahá’u’lláh….” Specifically, the House of
Justice says, “It is the obligation of a Bahá’í to educate his children; likewise
it is the duty of the children to acquire knowledge of the arts and sciences and
to learn a trade or a profession whereby they, in turn, can earn their living and
support their families. This, for a Bahá’í youth, is in itself a service to God….”
It is often said that America’s youth are its future. It is equally true that
young people even now enrich our lives as they prepare to assume in full
measure the responsibilities implicit in their high destiny. We commend
these glimpses of their stories to your attention, in the hope that you will
share our optimism and excitement about our common future.
THE NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY OF THE
BAHÁ’ÍS OF THE UNITED STATES
December 2005
2 In Service to the Common Good
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
In Service to the
Common Good:
Bahá’í Youth in
Their Own Words . . . . . . . . 3
Profile: Orien Aid . . . . . . . 12
Snapshots of Service:
KWSP and the
Ark Project . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Insights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Media Training Pilot . . . 17
Umoja Souljahs . . . . . . . 18
When asked to choose from a list of goals
for their lives in the future, nine out of ten
young Bahá’ís say “doing service.”1 They
say they want to “make a difference in the
world,” and to dedicate themselves to
education, good health, having strong
friendships and a “close relationship with
God.” Nearly 60 percent of those responding
said they have done or plan to do a
year of service, a program for young people
administered in the United States by agencies
of the National Spiritual Assembly of the
Bahá’ís of the United States, and one which
operates domestically and internationally.
“Helping others” is a big part of the
definition of service to these young people,
and the world seems to call for their involvement
in many different areas. One group
of youth produced a list of concerns about
society that included “poverty, racism,
environmental destruction, extremes of
wealth and poverty, religious fanaticism,
closed-mindedness, war, terrorism and the
need for world peace, AIDS and other
diseases, and putting into action the
equality of men and women.”
Bahá’í youth see in these concerns a
summons to action and a framework for
their preparation for service: More than 60
percent say they hope to choose, or have
already chosen, a field of study that fits
with their Bahá’í beliefs.
Why are young Bahá’ís so adamant
about service? Partly it is because young
people tend to be concerned about others,
and about society and its challenges: In his
2001 study, Real Teens, George Barna, a
well-known Christian researcher, found
that 62 percent of his respondents listed
“how much the church is involved in helping
poor and disadvantaged people” as an
important feature of the congregation
they would choose after leaving home.
This involvement serves as a good practical
measure of the “heart” of the congregation,
Barna says, and of the community that
develops within it.
Service—At the Core of Bahá’í Teachings
Service is also part of the basic teachings of
the Bahá’í Faith. Bahá’í youth consistently
reference passages on this subject that
can be found in the Bahá’í writings: “Be
anxiously concerned with the needs of
the age ye live in, and center your deliberations
on its exigencies and requirements,”
is one example. “All effort and exertion
put forth by man from the fullness of his
heart is worship,” says ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, son
of Bahá’u’lláh, founder of the Bahá’í Faith,
“if it is prompted by the highest motives
and the will to do service to humanity.
This is worship: to serve mankind and to
minister to the needs of the people. Service
is prayer.” “Service to humanity is service
to God.” “Undoubtedly,” the Universal
House of Justice tells Bahá’í youth, “it is
within your power to contribute significantly
to shaping the societies of the coming
century; youth can move the world.”
Such statements, reinforced by their own
observations, have created a sense among
many young Bahá’ís that constructive change
in society is not only necessary but possible:
Bahá’í Youth in Their Own Words 3
The 2005
Research Project
For nine months, between
March and December 2005,
Bahá’í youth and young adults
talked with their peers regarding
their thoughts and feelings
about the world they live in
and their place in it. They did
this using a survey they created
and administered to people
aged fifteen to twenty-two via
the Internet and over the
phone, and which garnered
responses from more than
1,000 young Bahá’ís; and they
interviewed a number of young
people associated with organized
programs of service and
development.
In Service to the Common Good:
Bahá’í Youth in Their Own Words
“…is there any deed in the world that would be nobler than service to the common good?”
~ ’Abdu’l-Bahá
4 In Service to the Common Good
More than two-thirds of respondents say
they feel “very well prepared for the
uncertainties and challenges to come;”
nine out of ten have adopted the goal of
“making a difference in the
world,” and three-quarters
of them say it is true or
absolutely true that “one
person can make a difference
in the world.”
A Matter of Identity
Young Bahá’ís identify with their
faith, which impels them toward
service. Three-quarters of survey
respondents were raised in Bahá’í
families, although 14 percent of
them say their “parents are/were
Bahá’ís but I feel like I discovered
the faith on my own.” Some 84
percent of respondents say they “love
being a Bahá’í,” 86 percent say they are
“excited about the future of the faith,”
64 percent say their “friends know about
the Bahá’í Faith because I’ve told them
about it,” and 77 percent indicate “the
Bahá’í Faith is one of the most important
things in my life.” “During a typical day I
pray,” report nearly two-thirds of respondents;
82 percent say their “religious beliefs have
helped me to form my personal identity.”
A twenty-one year old expresses her
understanding of service this way: “Freeing
myself from as many thoughts and desires
of my own (as I can), having love for my
fellow men, pure intention, and humility
as one servant of God and being able to
offer myself for humanity.”
Another youth attests: “ ‘For unto whomsoever
much is given, of him shall be much
required.’ This quotation explains why I
choose to act in the ways I do. I know that
I have been given many opportunities for a
reason and it is my task to translate those
opportunities into actions that will allow me
to serve humanity. I used to think that service
consisted of doing something outside of
myself that was beneficial to
the life of another. . . I have
expanded my understanding
to include the attitude with
which I engage in everyday
activities. . . My service right
now is to strive for excellence
in my academics. This does not exclude
me from performing concrete or physical
service, but it allows me to be ‘okay’ with
not doing the same sort of services that I am
accustomed to. . . because the academic
skills that I am acquiring will enable me
to be of more useful and knowledgeable
service in the future.”
Twenty-three year old Anisa writes,
“The faith inspires me to serve and if it
wasn’t for the faith I don’t know if I would
do it at all. But deep down, when I think
about me and who I am, I do it because
it makes me different and for the better.”
Finally, a 21 year-old muses about
his own path, saying “I found my life was
constantly finding service opportunities;
they were right in front of me and taking the
step was all I had to do. The decision was
an easy one, too, since I was surrounded
by my friends who were encouraging me
to serve. . . It was then I realized that. . . the
service to humanity I committed myself to
was the juice that fueled my life.”
Organized Action
About half of those surveyed say they
“organize to take action on issues of social
justice that concern me most” and 45 percent
report they are “very involved in charity or
service projects.” The program profiles that
come later in this booklet offer stories of
Three quarters of
respondents agree
that “one person can
make a difference in
the world.”
“The service
to humanity
I committed
myself to was
the juice that
fueled my life.”
just a few of those organized initiatives,
which range from discussion and networking
conferences for young adults to international
service programs which have been formalized
with not-for-profit status. Let us look, however,
at what these young people are learning
through the process of organizing to address
their concerns, and what kinds of support
they receive—or do not receive—from the
adults and local Bahá’í communities in which
they live.
No Boundaries
“The world is contracting into a neighborhood.
America, willingly or unwillingly, must
face and grapple with this new situation,”
wrote Shoghi Effendi, then head of the
Bahá’í community, in
1939. Writing to the
Bahá’ís of the United
States three years
earlier, he foresaw
that “A mechanism
of world inter-communication
will be devised,
embracing the whole
planet, freed from
national hindrances
and restrictions, and functioning with marvelous
swiftness and perfect regularity.”
Contemporary literature has expanded
on these themes, in light of what has been
learned in the intervening decades. New
York Times columnist and author Thomas
L. Friedman, for example, in his latest book
The World Is Flat, advances the view that
boundaries which once separated people
have been erased by new technologies for
managing communication and work flow, and
suggests that, by using these technologies,
shared goals can be accomplished in ways
scarcely imagined in even the recent past.
Friedman quotes Carly Fiorina, former head
of Hewlett Packard, as saying the future of
collaboration and communication will be
“digital, mobile, personal and virtual.”
Other writers have noted that the current
generation of youth is unlike any previous
one in terms of their technological savvy,
their saturation in media of all kinds, and
their multi-tasking abilities (CBS News, 2004;
Lyons-Cavazos, 2004). They were the first
generation to grow up with hundreds of
cable channels (notable among them, MTV),
computers in the home, cell phones and the
Internet. They are accustomed to fast-paced
media and communication, and their ability
to use the tools at their disposal, often
simultaneously, makes them “totally pluggedin
citizens of a worldwide community.”

(CBS News, 2004)
Bahá’í youth
are using these technologies
to pursue
their goals of service.
One such venture is
Insights, a two-yearold
initiative created
by two friends in their
early 20’s to help their
peers to find community,
seek advice and share experiences about
major life choices—career, family, sexuality,
their place in an increasingly complex global
society, etc.—and explore the application of
the Bahá’í Faith’s principles to all these issues.
The gatherings bring together 100 or
more young people at a time, but Insights
was “hiding in plain sight,” in the words of
one participant, possibly because there is
neither infrastructure nor advertising for
Insights conferences. Young people find
out about Insights events through word
of mouth, email, an increasingly effective
website and instant messaging. These technologies
are also employed in sustaining a
Bahá’í Youth in Their Own Words 5
Nearly half of
Bahá’í youth say
they organize to
take action on
social issues,
and 45% report
they are “very
involved in
charity or service
projects.”
“virtual” community of interest between
events.
Orien Aid is another of the programs
profiled below. While on vacation from
Maxwell International Bahá’í School in British
Columbia, a 19 year-old student visited a
classmate in Rwanda. He saw a need for
volunteers to help with building a clinic;
his approach to meeting that need led to
the formation of Orien Aid in January, 2004
with a group of fellow graduates
from the Maxwell School. The
first group of volunteers, who
came from seven countries in
three continents, were in college
or had recently begun careers.
Through email and cell phone,
they were able to come together
to meet a shared goal.
The other initiatives profiled
in the pages below likewise draw on a
pool of young people who are scattered
throughout the world and who rely on
technology and certain guiding principles
to create communities of interest and carry
out their service.
Consultation is the backbone of the
groups described in the pages that follow.
Bahá’í youth use consultation to choose
topics for Insights workshops, to carry out
daily debriefings during overseas service
projects and to inform their decisions in
every other aspect of their service. Consultation
ensures participants’ safety and their
programs’ success.
Indeed, in many areas of their lives,
young Bahá’ís reach out to others in their
efforts to find answers: Nearly three-quarters
of survey respondents say they have “meaningful
conversations with my parents,” while
almost half say they “have needed a mentor
in my life,” 56 percent that they “will likely
rely on Bahá’í mentors along the way” and
51 percent that “it is easy to find a Bahá’í
mentor if you need one.”
Collective learning and capacity building
lie at the heart of the organized activity of
many Bahá’í youth. Orien Aid, for instance,
6 In Service to the Common Good
Guiding Principles
For many young Bahá’ís, it is not so much what they do, as how they do it. In Service to the Common Good:
The American Bahá’í Community’s Commitment to Social Change (2004) describes five guiding principles that
shape the emerging, worldwide pattern of Bahá’í development. Each of the programs identified in the current
review shows the application of one or more of these principles.
Consultation: “A process of collective decision making and action, devoid of adversarial posturing while
dispassionate and democratic in spirit, is an indispensable feature of every Bahá’í undertaking.”
Participatory Learning: “Promoting collective learning and organizational capacity-building ensures the
sustainability of projects.”
Organic Growth: “Successful social initiatives best begin with simple actions at the local community level
that gradually grow in complexity.”
Moral Development: “Creating moral awareness and moral responsibility is a prerequisite to enlightened
and just action.”
Unity, Equality and Justice: “True social advancement is made possible when every member of society
can trust that they are protected by standards and assured of benefits that apply equally to all. The realization
of justice is dependent upon participation by all social actors.”
In Service to the Common Good (2004)
One reason
consultation is
so important is
because so much
of what Bahá’í
youth do is their
own initiative;
no one tells them
to take action.
has made a five-year commitment to its
partners in Rwanda to achieve sustainability.
Orien’s model is based on working hand in
hand with local residents, rather than simply
doing good works and “giving hand-outs,”
as one participant calls the work of some
other groups he observed in the field.
Organic growth, for
these programs, means
seeing an opportunity
and, through consultation,
following its lead.
The Karen Wallace
Service Project began
slowly: “Every year we go
to Asia because we lived
there when the kids were little,” says one
participant. “This year (2005) was our fourth
trip…(On) the first trip we did some teaching
at the school and some physical maintenance
work. From there it began to develop. My
kids were telling other kids about it (and)
they wanted to take it beyond what they did
last year. That’s how the dance workshop
came up. The schools in Yasothon (Thailand)
all know about us now, and we’re requested
to do more there than we can during our twomonth
stay. We’ve met the governor and so
many amazing things have come out of it.”
Moral development is reflected in
the words of a 13 year-old Umoja Souljah:
“The Umoja Souljahs is a great group for
young black males to get in touch with
their ancestors and learn more about them
and to better themselves. And once they get
inside they’ll say, ‘Well, I didn’t know this
was happening,’ and they’ll start opening
their minds more and then they’ll think
about what they are doing the next time
they are going to get in trouble.”
Her own moral development can be
heard when this young volunteer speaks:
“How do you try to tell someone about
nutrition when they haven’t eaten for the
past two days? How do you teach someone
about trust when ten years ago, their neighbor
killed their entire family? How do you
teach children’s classes with no crayons, no
paper, no Internet, no resources? You have to
rethink everything from an entirely different
perspective and not make
assumptions from our
luxurious lives back home.
It’s a humbling experience,
and you find that everyone
you came to ‘teach’ is
teaching you.”
Finally, young Bahá’ís’
concern for unity, equality
and justice is integral to the contribution
they hope to make. Their approach to every
situation includes questions like: What issue
will we address? Which of my friends can I
involve? What do the local people have to
say? How can we ensure a diverse group of
participants and perspectives? Are the views
of women taken into account, and do they
differ from those of men in this situation?
“The biggest test and struggle for the
group was unity within the group,” writes
one youth. “People, people, people. That
is the only real challenge I think I have ever
faced when it comes to service,” writes
another. Both volunteers knew that unity
was important not just for the group itself,
but for the quality of the service they
offered to others.
Some of the youth interviewed are also
aware of the downside of growing up in the
comparatively privileged environment of the
United States. One young woman worries
whether there is a latent “cultural imperialism”
in her service and reminds herself to
listen, to learn, and not to assume she has
the answers to complex local problems.
“Just because we are from the West or even
Bahá’í Youth in Their Own Words 7
“They’ll start
opening their
minds more, and
then they’ll think
about what they
are doing the next
time they are going
to get in trouble.”
Bahá’ís,” she says,
“does not make us
an authority on every
aspect of life.”
Support Networks
Most young Bahá’ís
have been part of
local Bahá’í communities,
which are
composed of local
administrative institutions
called Local Spiritual Assemblies,2
of adults, family and friends. How are
they supported by these many “others”
in their lives?
Although survey respondents say there
are times when levels of support, respect
and understanding could be higher, they
say they generally feel supported. Indeed,
more than two thirds of respondents say they
are “very well prepared for the uncertainties
or challenges to come” in their lives. Some
49 percent of respondents say they consider
themselves leaders, and 63 percent say they
want to be leaders some day.
Their parents may have been one
source for this confidence: 53 percent of
respondents say their parents have “had
the greatest influence on me,” compared
with 21 percent who attribute greatest
influence to friends and 20 percent to
teachers. Among the general population,
Barna found that 78 percent of teens he
surveyed said their parents had “a lot”
of influence on them, followed by friends
(51 percent) and teachers (34 percent).
Bahá’í administrative institutions have
a responsibility to foster a sense of optimism
and confidence among young people,
and they appear to be doing so with some
success. When asked whether they feel
“encouraged by the Bahá’í administration,”
58 percent
responded “true”
or “absolutely true.”
In the same vein,
60 percent say youth
are supported by
local Assemblies
in their individual
initiatives and 67
percent say they
feel they have what
they need to be
active in the Bahá’í community.
Nearly half (46 percent) say they are
“very active” in the Bahá’í community and
that the community “supports most anything
youth want to do” (63 percent). More than
half (56 percent) say their “participation in
the Bahá’í community makes a difference.”
At the same time, anecdotal reports
reveal areas for improvement. One young
organizer tells of going to a Local Spiritual
Assembly for advice. “Their response was,
like, ‘hand over your membership list and
your papers and step back. We’ll take it
from here.’ But that wasn’t my vision at all;
I was trying to create something that could
bring help to places nobody else can go.”
Fortunately for this project, its organizers
used the Assembly’s feedback to clarify their
objectives and streamline their methods.
When asked to say whether the statement
“At one time or another I have been
asked my opinion by an institution of the
Faith” is true or not, though 46 percent of
respondents say it is true or absolutely true,
another 28 percent say it is untrue, not at
all true, or “doesn’t apply to me.”
This percentage would seem to corroborate
the story told by the secretary of one
local assembly, who said when a group of
young Bahá’ís were asked to plan a community
activity, the assembly dismissed the
8 In Service to the Common Good
More than a
quarter of
respondents
say they have
not been asked
for an opinion
by Bahá’í
institutions.
resulting plan out of hand as “inappropriate”
after seeing the details, and especially the
youths’ choices in music. The secretary said
she regretted very much the dampening
effect this rejection had had on the youth.
What can adults do to support and
encourage youth more effectively?
Taking a cue from this last observation,
one solution might be to seek out and be
respectful of youths’ opinions and act on
their suggestions.
In her 1999 study A Tribe Apart,
Patricia Hersch concludes, after working
with a group of suburban Virginia teens
for six years, that the most important thing
adults in that community needed to do
was listen: “Listen
to the kids. Hear
what their lives are
like, what matters to
them, how things are
going in their world.
Listen and bring
adult wisdom to
the discussion.”
The world of
youth is different
from the adult world;
it needs to be taken on its own terms. This
should come as no surprise, since each
generational cohort experiences a “gap”
separating them from adults. Commenting
on teen music and culture, one writer noted,
“Every generation needs a private language
that people over 30 can’t translate.”3 And
as one of the teens in Hersch’s study put
it, “Kids don’t think the way adults think
they think.”
It is hard for today’s adults to understand
the world their children inhabit. Life
is much more complex than it once was.
Whereas communism and the atomic bomb
were among the major threats concerning
earlier generations, youth today have had
to come to terms with much more personal
and individual threats of danger and violence,
following the rise in school violence
and the proliferation of terrorism. The
demystification of celebrities and leaders
in all spheres has led to a heightened
awareness of issues of personal freedom
and privacy, as well as a keen sense of,
and aversion to hypocrisy. The advances in
communications and a proliferation of talk
and “reality” shows, in which ordinary people
can be “stars,” have helped to amplify
age-old American habits of individualism,
self-expression and self-promotion.
(American Demographics, 2001)
Young people may seem incomprehensible
to adults because of adults’ own
opinions of them. Barna found that 65-84
percent of teens think adults consider them
lazy, rude, sloppy and dishonest, while fewer
adults, in teens’ view, see their positive
attributes: friendly (63 percent), intelligent
(58 percent), trustworthy (36 percent),
hardworking (29 percent)
and spiritual (21 percent).
In contrast, Bahá’í
youth feel adults view
them positively: intelligent
and friendly (96 percent),
trustworthy (88 percent),
spiritual and interested
in making America a
better place (87 percent),
hardworking (86 percent). Most Bahá’í
youth disagree that adults see them as
dishonest (92 percent), rude (91 percent),
sloppy (83 percent) or lazy (80 percent).
Although adults love their children,
they seem to value their judgment less.
Teens say their parents have the greatest
influence on them and are the main sources
“Listen to the
kids. Hear what
their lives are
like, what matters
to them, how
things are going
in their world.
Listen and bring
adult wisdom to
the discussion.”
Bahá’í Youth in Their Own Words 9
Actively involved in charity
and service projects
Active in the
Bahá'í community
Tell friends about the faith
Pray daily
Beliefs shape my identity
One person can make
a difference
46%
45%
64%
64%
82%
74%
Bahá'í Youth
in their lives of “peace, trust,
power and safety,” Barna writes.
Teens also told Barna their parents
“were not as supportive as
they’d like regarding reactions
to the quality of the teens’ decision
making.” Hersch found that
“whatever behavior is common
to a group of kids feels normal
to them, whether it be doing
drugs or doing homework.
Whether the adult world sees
the lifestyle as positive or negative is not
the standard the kids are using.”
The experience of a Bahá’í mother who
accompanied her son and other volunteers
on an international project, points to a
different approach: “My role was to center
them, to ground them sometimes,
not tell them what to do. During
our daily consultations, when we
would review what had happened
the day before and plan our activities,
I would ask them questions
about the implications of what
they were deciding, about what
was likely to happen as a result
of a decision we were considering.”
Through a process of consultation that
brought in adult perspectives, this group,
like others interviewed, developed a learning
style that improved the quality of their
decision making, thereby contributing to
their effectiveness, safety and unity.
Hersch indicts the adults she studied
for concentrating on trying to control their
youth instead of channeling teens’ energies
into activities appropriate to their development.
“…it is easier to cancel events than
to figure out creative new ways of avoiding
dangers….What (teens) yearn for is to grow
and learn alongside each other with time
to socialize and space to adjust to their
rapidly changing selves….What students
don’t get…are enough real-life coping
skills….There are few popular age appropriate
events….Boys and girls want to be
together at this age, but society fails to
create enough safe developmental social
opportunities that catch on.”
Carol E. Lytch, in Choosing Church, her
study of Christian youth ministries, takes up a
similar theme. She says churches that attract
teens “get beyond the superficial solutions
to youth ministry and address teens’ deep
needs to belong, to believe, and to be
competent….Teens were attracted to high
goals, standards of excellence, demands
worthy of their attention and energy, and
rites of passage marking steps toward
adulthood.”
Or, as one young Bahá’í puts it, “Don’t
give (young Bahá’ís) two millions things to
do just because they have all this energy.”
These observations ring true within the
Bahá’í community as well. For many years,
young Bahá’ís around the country participated
in “Youth Workshops,” an activity
that focused on team building, performance
art and consciousness raising. When asked,
however, whether Youth Workshop has “had
a significant impact on my life,” 31 percent
said the statement was true or absolutely
true, while nearly one-third of respondents
said it “doesn’t apply to me” and 18 percent
10 In Service to the Common Good
Churches that
attract teens
“address teens’
deep needs to
belong, to
believe, and to
be competent”
said it was untrue or not at all true for
them. This type of youth program might
well be reaching the end of its life cycle.
Currently, many local Bahá’í groups
seek to involve their younger members
in the three “core activities” of devotional
gatherings, children’s classes and study
groups for adults and youth. Forty-one
percent of survey respondents say they
are “involved as much as
possible” in these core
activities, compared with
46 percent who say they are
very active in the community
overall; 8 percent say the
statement does not apply to
them, and 14 percent say the
statement is untrue for them.
In the context of organized service
programs, the skill sets developed through
the core activities are used by young volunteers
to meet a wide range of needs. Orien
Aid expects volunteers to have finished
the “Ruhi”
sequence of
courses, which
cover topics ranging
from Bahá’í
history and teachings
to children’s
education and
group problem
solving. Youth
involved in the Ark Project were called
upon, during their visits to the Yasothon
orphanage, to arrange a series of recreation
and instruction activities; their work
at home with Bahá'í children’s classes helped
prepare them to meet these needs. Insights
encourages participants to offer workshops
on topics that interest them, and to arrange
creative devotional periods throughout
their conferences.
The study group activity includes a
service component designed to encourage
participants to engage in activities that
reflect what they have learned through study.
Service, as shown above, is a powerful tool
for engaging youth; the core activities, as
well as programs that apply the same skills
in varied settings, may well be effective ways
to promote that sense of belief, belonging
and burgeoning competence
young people seek.
“Now Is the Time
for Service”
One young woman, reflecting
on her service, writes: “My inspiration
to serve is the principle
of the oneness of humanity
promoted by the Bahá’í writings. I believe
that everything I strive to do should be
toward the physical manifestation of this
spiritual principle.”
It is in the writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
that we find these words: “Now is the
time for service, and for servitude unto the
Lord….Therefore must the friends of God
engender that tenderness which cometh
from Heaven, and bestow love in the spirit
upon all humankind. With every soul must
they deal according to the Divine counselings
and admonitions; to all must they
show forth kindness and good faith; to
all must they wish well. They must sacrifice
themselves for their friends, and wish
good fortune to their foes. They must
comfort the ill-natured, and treat their
oppressors with loving-kindness. They
must be as refreshing water to the thirsty,
and to the sick, a swift remedy, a healing
balm to those in pain and a solace to
every burdened heart.”
Bahá’í Youth in Their Own Words 11
What Can Adults Do
to Help Their Youth?
• Listen and consult:
the world of youth is
different from the adult
world, full of complexities
and tensions, and it needs
to be understood on its
own terms
• Concentrate on the
positive qualities in
young people
• Find creative activities that
are appropriate for each
age and stage of youths’
development, and that
are worthy of youths’
attention and energy
• Surrender the instinct to
control things; instead,
bring mature wisdom to
the situation to reduce
risks and allow young
people to develop
competencies
• Encourage and support
service programs of all
kinds; they help youth
cultivate their talents
and capacities
• Pray for young people
by name, every day.
“Don’t give
them two million
things to do
just because
they have all
this energy.”
“Orien Aid is really just about youth serving others,” says Samir Toloui, 21, one of the
organization’s founders. “Everything else is really only details of how youth can be connected
to an opportunity to share what they can do. We have an organization now, and a board
of directors, and we do fundraisers and plan trips, but mostly we want to help young people
like ourselves find ways of serving.”
Sam, as he prefers to be called, says the idea for Orien Aid came about after he had
been to the Maxwell International Bahá’í School in western Canada. “Everyone there was
from different countries, so you got an idea how interesting
people are, about some of the challenges they
face back home,” he says. “You got to appreciate the
differences in people, in their backgrounds, and you
got to make friends with them.”
One of those friends was Lua Anderson, a young
woman whose Canadian parents had been living for
several years in Rwanda, where they had started a
non-profit foundation. During a school vacation, Sam,
then 19, went to Rwanda to visit and fell in love with the
people and the place. Some time later, Lua’s father, Chris, sent an email to a number of
people, including Sam, asking if they could come to Rwanda and help build community
centers, teach classes in nutrition and hygiene and help construct a clinic in a rural area
outside Kigali, Rwanda’s capital.
Sam discussed the opportunity with a few friends; they decided to form a small group
and make a trip. “We started planning in January 2004,” recalls Steve Failows, one of those
Sam recruited early on, “and things just fell into place. By June, ten people went.”
Orien Aid was under way.
Part of the planning involved training. Orien worked with a firm
that specializes in development curricula to create easy-to-deliver
classes with a village perspective. The volunteers’ preparation
also included physical conditioning and familiarization with local
culture. Bahá’í participants were expected to have completed a
sequence of courses about the Bahá’í Faith, consultation, community
service and children’s education; these courses, in Orien’s
view, get volunteers ready, both practically and spiritually, for the tasks
they will do in the field.
“A lot of our friends thought we were crazy to go there,” Sam says. “There were
signs everywhere of the genocide but none of us really appreciated how big it was until
we got there. And we found these wonderful people, so sweet and open and loving, and
we fell in love with them. That’s why we go back. Orien made a five-year commitment to
Rwanda because we saw and heard of so many other organizations that go there once,
Orien Aid was founded
in 2003, and was incorporated
in the US as
a 501(c)(3) non-profit
organization in 2005.
Orien Aid was “created
to provide humanitarian
aid and socio-economic
development around
the world. We specialize
is finding, empowering,
and training youth to
get out there and change
the world.”
Program operations
include a five-year commitment,
in association
with the Joan Anderson
Memorial Foundation,
a Canadian NGO, in
Rwanda, and community
development projects in
Costa Rica.
More information
is available at
www.orienaid.org
PROFILE: Orien Aid
12 In Service to the Common Good
“The people are so wonderful, you want to do your best”
“We
wanted to
build relationships,
and we have.
That’s what keeps
us going back.”
give out a bunch of stuff to people and then leave. We didn’t
want to do that. We wanted to build relationships, and we
have. It’s those relationships, I’d say, and what we learn from
them, that keeps us all going back.”
Makini Boothe, a volunteer for Orien’s second summer
(2005) of operations in Rwanda, echoes Sam’s sentiments: “We
made a commitment to the people there, and every day we were
there was a fulfillment of our responsibility. If it was hard for me to get to
a place, driving in an old van for a couple of hours, I’d be inspired by the fact that it was
equally, if not more difficult for some who walked half a day to get
there. Everyone is so wonderful and their spirit encourages you to
want to put forth your best. Even if you’re tired or sick, you still know
you have to go and do what you’ve promised to do.”
For Makini, the work in Rwanda is about empowerment, which
she sees as an inherently spiritual process. “Many of my friends jokingly
ask me where I’m going next, insisting that they want to go next time.
They want to do what I do,” she says, “and wonder how it is that I
find opportunities—or even have the courage—to go to a place where
I literally don’t know a single person. When I tell them it’s because of
my religion, their response is always ‘Oh…religion.’ They want to get
involved in the material part of it—getting clean water into a village
or building a community center—but there’s this whole spiritual aspect that’s often more
difficult to recognize. But this is the most important part, because that’s where our energy
and commitment come from, and that’s what will keep the projects going after we leave.”
Orien’s volunteers have the freedom to pursue other opportunities that interest them.
Last year, for example, a group of youths who didn’t want to go to Rwanda, partly because
none of them spoke French, decided to accept an invitation to go to Costa Rica. The Spanishspeaking
group included Sam’s sister, Anisa. “She started asking me if Orien could do
something there,” Sam recalls, “and I’m like ‘Sure, why not? Just figure it out and do it.’”
So she did. In June 2005, nine volunteers trekked eight hours by bus and another three
on foot to the native Guaymí village of Progreso. “We stayed in raised houses and ate
beans and rice every day for every meal,” Anisa relates. “The family we were staying with
had started a school at their home, so some of the members of the group helped teach
those classes… Besides the classes there was a lot of work to be done: chopping wood,
building suspension bridges, helping restore and rebuild the community center, building
chairs and desks for another nearby school…The people of Progreso were all loving,
soft-spoken and have a wonderful culture of their own.”
Youths from Canada, the U.S., India, Iran, Japan, Singapore and Jamaica participated
in Orien’s 2005 projects in Rwanda and Costa Rica. By relying on the Bahá’í practice of
Bahá’í Youth in Their Own Words 13
“There’s
a whole spiritual
aspect that’s more
difficult to recognize…
that’s where our energy
and commitment
come from.”
consultation they learned to use their diversity as an advantage and make decisions as
a team.
Sometimes the volunteers incurred risks. Sam’s mother, Roya Toloui, had supported
Orien Aid from the beginning and in 2005 went to Rwanda. “I didn’t go as a
chaperone,” she says. “I went because the program and the service opportunity
interested me. I found that the young people were very special, they worked really
well together even when they disagreed about some things, but sometimes they
didn’t know their limits; they didn’t see the next steps, or the implications of what
they wanted to do.”
Roya tells a story that illustrates how youth and adults can support each other.
The group had committed to visit a remote village. The day of the trip, however,
their van broke down and some of the volunteers were not feeling well, but
there was no way to get word to the villagers and to those
who were walking a great distance to greet the visitors.
The group consulted about what to do.
Getting to the village would involve a long, tiring trip, but
some wanted to go anyway. “I was concerned that we were
stretching our resources too thin and I voiced my concern,”
Roya says. The group asked the opinion of an adult Rwandan.
“He is a wonderful man,” Roya says, “but he was very zealous.
He said, ‘If Bahá’u’lláh or ‘Abdu’l-Bahá were here, they would
go!’, and so of course the youth all felt moved to go, whatever the
risks. I obeyed the majority vote.”
The group set out, but one participant developed full-blown malaria—high fever,
vomiting—by the time they reached a remote village along their route. There was no
ready transportation back to Kigali and no clinic.
The travelers decided to split up. Making what provision they could for their sick
friend, some went on to their destination, and others waited with the sufferer, eventually
returning to the capital where they found a doctor and got treatment. “They learned
that actions and decisions have real consequences, and that plans don’t always work,”
Roya says. “They had to learn it themselves. Still, I saw they took some comfort having
someone present who had a little more experience.”
Orien Aid plans to continue to build for sustainability in Rwanda and possibly in
Costa Rica. The organization is committed to building trust with the local people by
returning to fulfill the commitments made. Orien also sponsors a young Rwandan’s
English studies in neighboring Uganda, where the schools are better and cheaper;
Orien hopes to sponsor additional students in time.
Orien is constantly searching for youth who want to serve. “We don’t have programs
yet for all the things youth can do,” says Sam Toloui. “If all the Bahá’í youth learn from
each other, spend more time creating positive energy, teaching, serving, and being a
positive influence on their friends—especially younger pre-teens—the world can change.”
14 In Service to the Common Good
Six of the Things
Orien Aid Does Well
• Erase boundaries using
technology and personal
communication
• Use consultation to
learn from even difficult
situations
• Recognize organization
limits and reach out to
others for resources—
training materials,
funding, advice
• Combine unique
strengths of both
youth and adults
• Emphasize sustainability
and trustworthiness
• Keep alert for new
opportunities; meet
them with initiative
“They learned
that actions and
decisions have
real consequences.
They had to learn it
themselves.”
Bahá’í Youth in Their Own Words 15
“She wanted to make an impact, and eradicate the stigma.”
Dale and Evan Ryan, sister and brother, have
traveled to Asia with their family many times;
they used to live there as
children. Starting in 2001,
their visits began to take on
another purpose: service.
As their mother
Maryanne tells the story,
“We let the Bahá’í community
know of our trips so we could be of
service while we were there.” The more
the family was in contact with local Bahá’í
communities—especially in Thailand—the
more the scope of their service grew.
Then, as Dale and Evan spoke with their
friends back in the U.S., interest in service in
Thailand increased. “That’s how the dance
workshop came up,” Maryanne recalls. In
2001, three youth traveled to Thailand. In
2002, the Ark Project was born, and has since
become a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
The volunteers were asked by a local
Bahá’í if they would perform at an AIDS
orphanage in the town of Yasothon. The
visit was not planned, but the group agreed
to go. “When we got there, one little boy
ran right up to Dale,” Maryanne relates. “He
had a fever, and was HIV-positive. She held
him for two hours that day.”
“Dale was really motivated to start
the project. There’s a big stigma there about
AIDS. She wanted to make more of an impact,
and eradicate the stigma. Now a lot of Thai
youth are going to the orphanage. She prayed
for this boy every night after coming back
to the States.” As of this writing, Dale is
volunteering for a year in Thailand.
In 2004, a group of eight—Dale and
Evan Ryan, and six of their friends—got
together and worked on a set of basic dances
to perform in Thailand. When they arrived in
one town, they learned that drugs were a big
problem there. The dance workshop showcased
their “drug dance,”
about the damaging effects
of substance abuse; local
children and youth watched
and learned the dance.
The project continues
and grows. Ten volunteers
went to Thailand and Japan during the
summer of 2005, under the auspices of
what is now known as the Karen Wallace
Service Project (KWSP), named in honor of
a Massachusetts Bahá’í and friend of the
Ryans who passed away in 2002.
Beyond their service overseas, some
of the volunteers are active at home. One
started a diversity club in her high school;
another is promoting mandatory drug testing
for athletes in his school.
This sort of organic growth creates its
own structure as it evolves. “We coordinated
a meeting at an annual youth conference in
2005. We met seven times altogether…and
there was a lot of dialogue, mostly over the
Internet, email and instant messaging. This
year’s ten youth were from our area (in New
Jersey), as well as Boston, Philadelphia,
Delaware, and Hoboken.”
In order to see long-lasting success, the
project has required support. Bahá’ís in the
youths’ home regions have helped with
strategy and preparation meetings, while
parents also support their own children
directly. Bahá’í institutions in the United States
and Thailand have helped with direction,
advice and logistical support. With this combination—
individual ideas and energy, and
the impetus lent by collective resources—
this project has connected with many individuals
around the world.
“One little boy had
a fever and was
HIV-positive…she held
him for two hours
that day.”
Five of the Things
KWSP and the Ark
Projects Do Well
• Be flexible enough to
follow new opportunities
as they arise
• Observe and listen in
order to identify those
new service needs
• Build a region-wide community
using technology
• Harmonize the contributions
of youth and adults
• Join passion, compassion
and commitment to
both international and
domestic goals
SNAPSHOT: KWSP/Ark Project
16 In Service to the Common Good
Insights, a virtual community for young
adults, is a different kind of service program:
rather than one group of people serving
others in some fashion, Insights participants
all serve each other.
Insights sponsors several conferences
a year. It is building a networked community
of interest via email, cell phone,
the Web and word of mouth.
A growing group of friends
and the coordinators of the
three national Bahá’í schools
worked together to bring more
than 100 participants to three conferences
in 2005.
Topics are chosen by young people
to meet their own needs, providing a way
to talk about hard challenges they face:
choosing a career, starting a marriage, having
children, arranging finances. Conferences are
loosely scheduled. Participants get to know
each other, relax and start new friendships.
In this way, they get advice from peers
who may have gone through similar experiences.
The conferences provide a structured
way for young adults to consult on how to
apply Bahá’í principles to life decisions.
Nevin Jenkins, one of the organizers,
explains Insights’ approach to prayerful
meditation during conferences. “We use
DVDs and PowerPoint presentations, incorporating
different styles—hip-hop, or multiple
languages. We encourage one person to take
on hosting devotions.” More than this,
however, the organizers recognize a need
to connect with God, even in the middle
of discussion. Nevin continues, “We don’t
just have devotions at the beginning of a
talk. We try to instill a devotional theme
into the whole conference. Sometimes we
stop and pray in the middle of a talk. Why
shouldn’t we draw on the power of the word
of God?”
Chiazor Igboechi, who attended the
first Insights conference, in 2004 at Louhelen
Bahá’í School in Michigan, recalls, “I’m
reminded how wonderful it is to be a Bahá’í
when I’m surrounded by 100 other Bahá’ís
who are warm, loving, and
sincere. Discovering that such
a religion existed, that it produced
such marvelous people,
was a very big part of why I
became a Bahá’í at the first
conference I attended.”
Dr. Rick Johnson, co-director of
Louhelen, believes that Insights has a lot of
potential. “It provides an opportunity for
young people,” he explains, “from teenagers
to individuals who are beginning to engage
career and family, to consider challenges
they face as they transition away from family,
or away from their college environment.”
One of the challenges faced by this
continuing project is finding a way to keep
participants connected after they leave a
conference. A virtual community is the organizers’
answer, but how that will work is still
evolving. Virginia Patterson-Nicely, originally
a participant, saw a need for consistent
administrative support to continue the effort,
so she volunteered. “I created a database
of young adults who filled out a questionnaire
at conferences. It contains personal
info, what they do for a living, and what they
can offer to Insights.”
“As word gets out,” Dr. Johnson says,
“we will see the numbers of participants
grow substantially. There’s a hunger among
young people, many of whom feel uprooted
from their homes and peer groups, to
experience community.”
“We try to instill
a devotional theme
into the whole
conference.”
Four of the Things
Insights Does Well
• Identify a need and meet
it, letting participants’
experience shape the
program
• Help people network and
share perspectives using
a mix of technology and
personal interaction
• Use devotional time
creatively
• Extend the community
virtually after the
conference ends
SNAPSHOT: Insights
“There’s a hunger among young people to experience community.”
Bahá’í Youth in Their Own Words 17
If a group of youth make a film about their
community, might they think differently
about that place? What if
those young people are
Navajo, already studying
spiritual development and
Navajo culture?
The Native American
Bahá’í Institute (NABI) in
Houck, Arizona, is asking questions like
these, exploring new possibilities for its
own role in the local community.
Activities for youth and elders such
as rug-weaving, the Moccasin Game, study
of Navajo language and spiritual development,
are already underway there. NABI staff
also visit reservation residents frequently,
carrying news and ideas to extended families
in their home compounds.
Starting in April, 2005, plans were
developed for an exciting pilot project: train
youth to film interviews with two renowned
Navajo artists—Chester Kahn, a sculptor,
painter and jewelry designer; and Knifewing
Segura, a police officer and kick-boxer turned
musician. For two weeks, the young people
researched and filmed the interviews, then
edited them into a feature that was shown
at a community gathering.
It was a learning experience. One
young man said, “You can spectate all you
want, but unless you check it out yourself,
you don’t know the whole story, you see?”
A young woman said, “Before this I might
have gone to the library. We had to go out
there and find answers. You all forced me
to do something I didn’t want to do, but I
liked doing it.” A staff member suggested,
“It took courage to do that.” “Yes, it did,”
the young woman agreed.
Craig Rothman, a project planner and
member of the National Spiritual
Assembly’s Media Services
Department, sees the program
as experiential education.
“If you can teach
youth something through
their own experience, they
retain the knowledge more
deeply than they are likely to do in a study
group,” he says. “Video was one tool. It
could have been anything, as long as it
involved the youths’ experience. They had
to learn to research, consult together, work
as a team. They saw their community as a
resource and a place that had a lot to offer
them. In the end, they produced a film
with heart, humanity and humor, and they
became stronger people.”
“I liked the parts best where we
would talk,” a participant says. “We talked
a lot! We had to decide what parts to put in,
and how to edit them.” Other participants
nodded in agreement when one said, “I
liked it when I got to use the camera. We
spoke with these people who I thought
would be different because they’re famous.
But first you learn about them and then
you get to interview them.”
The response to the film’s screening
was enthusiastic: The Chapter President,
a post similar to that of mayor, said he
planned to show the film to the Chapter
Council so they could see the positive things
young people are doing. Parents and grandparents
expressed —some tearfully—their
pride in the youths’ accomplishment.
Planning for more projects like this
one is underway.
“I liked it when I got to use the camera.”
“You can spectate all
you want, but unless
you check it out
yourself, you don’t
know the whole story”
Four of the Things
Media Training Pilot
Did Well
• Set a standard of
excellence
• Emphasized hands-on
learning
• Showed the community
as an asset for research
and learning
• Showed the youth as
asset to the community
SNAPSHOT: Media Training Pilot
18 In Service to the Common Good
Four of the Things
Umoja Souljahs
Do Well
• Emphasize participatory
learning
• Use consultation and
discussion to draw
lessons from hard topics
• Focus on creating a
constructive future
• Create a sense of
community and identity
Umoja, in Swahili, means unity. Souljah is
a play on the words soul and Jah—Swahili
for God. Put together, the
Umoja Souljahs are finding
ways of consecrating their
souls for God, in unity. For
nearly ten years, the Bahá’í
Unity Center in Decatur,
Georgia, has been home
to this group, oriented
to meeting the needs of
young black men of any
faith background, who live
in the neighborhood.
The basic needs of the
young men who live here
reflect the realities of life in a hard
environment: how to deal with the police,
for instance. One of the group’s founders
tells of being confronted by a police officer,
who told him to leave the restaurant
where he was having dinner. The young
man respectfully insisted on his right to
be there. Seeing that the officer was not
budging, however, he left peaceably, and
later wrote a letter about the incident to
the mayor and the chief of police. Within
days, a letter came back from the mayor
with apologies for the officer’s actions. The
young man says he tells this story to show
there are alternatives, and that sometimes
taking the peaceful route can produce a
greater effect.
Sharing stories like this, and others
drawn from African American history, lies
at the heart of the program, together with
the seven Kwanzaa principles and recreation
in the gym at the Bahá’í Unity Center. The
aim, according to Anthony Outler, the
group’s coordinator, is to help the young
men and boys answer two questions:
What does it mean to be a black man in
this society? Who are you,
given the experience of
black people in America?
Chris Inman, currently
studying accounting in
college, recalls, “It was
one of the greatest things
that ever happened to me.
As a kid in the inner city,
there aren’t too many influential
black males around.
The Unity Center was the
main place we could go,
especially Friday nights, to
play basketball. After that, we had this big
discussion on different topics—strong topics
that were crucial for my life.”
“Most of the guys, we still keep in
contact. They were some of my best friends
and we are still strong. We are still the same
type of people.”
Lawrence Ivory, 13, says, “I’ve learned
about the past, about slavery, and about
the Negro. I’ve learned some of the quotes
that Malcolm X was saying about slave
history. I’ve learned how to think critically,
and many more things.”
What’s next? “Our dream is to turn
this into a school for young black men,”
says Anthony Outler. “When we look at
the number of black men incarcerated,
disenfranchised, or involved with drugs,
the numbers are staggering. Many people
have marches or empowerment programs,
but they can only take the black community
so far. They don’t have the teachings of
Bahá’u’lláh. Bahá’u’lláh says we should be
‘a defender of the victim of oppression.’ ”
The Seven
Kwanzaa Principles
1. Umoja (Unity)
2. Kujichagulia
(Self Determination)
3. Ujima (Collective
Work & Responsibility)
4. Ujamaa (Cooperative
Economics)
5. Nia (Purpose)
6. Kuumba (Creativity)
7. Imani (Faith)
SNAPSHOT: Umoja Souljahs
“We had this big discussion on different topics, strong topics
that were crucial for my life.”
References
Barna, G. (2001). Real Teens. Ventura, California; Regal Books.
CBS News (2004). The Echo Boomers. 60 Minutes.
Retrieved from http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/10/01/60minutes/main646890.shtml.
Friedman, T.L. (2005). The World Is Flat. New York, New York; Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
Getting Inside Generation Y (2001). American Demographics. Media Central, Inc.
Retrieved from http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m4021/is_2001_Sept_1/ai_78426787.
Hersch, P. (1999). A Tribe Apart. New York, New York; Random House.
In Service to the Common Good (2004). Wilmette, Illinois; The National Spiritual Assembly
of the Bahá’ís of the United States/Office of Development Research
Lyons-Cavazos, M. (2004). Echo Boomers Flex Their “Muscle” with Success of Napster:
What does the success of Napster say about this generation of youth? Cheskin, Inc.
Retrieved from http://www.cheskin.com/p/ar.asp?mlid=7&arid=20&art=1.
Lytch, C.E. (2004). Choosing Church. Louisville, Kentucky; Westminster John Knox Press.
End Notes
1 Statistics are drawn from the 2005 survey of Bahá'í youth, which 1,029 young people completed
online or over the phone. All statistics cited refer to this set of respondents. Several
of the questions were formatted on a 1-to-10 scale; particular attention was paid to what are
termed the "upper" and "lower" boxes, comprising the three highest and lowest choices.
2 Local Spiritual Assemblies are elected each year from among all Bahá’ís 21 years of age or
older living in the locality. These volunteers—there is no clergy in the Bahá’í Faith—administer
the affairs of the local Bahá’í community.
3 John Weir, “Hot Sound”, from Rolling Stone, 8/97; quoted in Barna, 27.
Copyright © 2005 National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States. All rights reserved.
Drawing by: Henry Becton Warren
Bahá’í National Center
1233 Central Street
Evanston, IL 60201-1611
USA
www.bahaiyouth.org
www.us.bahai.org
1-800-22-UNITE

2007-07-13T07:34:00.000-07:00

In Service

to the Common Good

Aligning Development with the Forces of Progress In Service to the Common Good

PREFACE

We commend this third publication in the In Service series to the thoughtful attention of the participants in the 2006 Social and Economic Development Conference, sponsored by the Rabbani Charitable Trust.

You, the practitioners and students of development, are committed to advancing the prosperity and well-being of all people, to promoting human dignity and to achieving that “dynamic coherence between the spiritual and practical requirements of life on earth” that will, ultimately, bring forth peace and happiness from out of the turbulence of our times.

The pages that follow project the experience of your peers against the backdrop of the great social forces that are impelling mankind toward the destined realization of its oneness. The analysis here seeks to describe the extent to which the work of these Bahá’ís is aligned with, and reinforced by, those same forces, even as the youth and adults who appear in these pages share what they are learning about the application of spiritual principle and practical wisdom to the challenges they have taken on.
For those who encounter the development work of the Bahá’í community for the first time, we offer this document, and the series of which it forms a part, as an affirmation of our partnership with you in this important endeavor.

To all who read this booklet, we acknowledge that the work you have undertaken brings more than its share of difficulties and frustrations—indeed, the Bahá’í writings describe this as the Age of Frustration.

We trust, therefore, that the reflections gathered here will provide a measure of encouragement, because although the scope of your projects may at times seem small, the forces arrayed around you multiply the effects of your exertions, just as certain musical notes, when struck, ring with a resonance that excites the heart of even a distant listener.

THE NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY OF THE BAHÁ’ÍS OF THE UNITED STATES December 2006

In Service to the Common Good

In Service to the Common Good

Aligning Development with the Forces of Progress

1 ALIGNING DEVELOPMENT WITH THE FORCES OF PROGRESS “

The proclamation of the Oneness of Mankind…implies at once a warning and a promise—a warning that in it lies the sole means for the salvation of a greatly suffering world, a promise that its realization is at hand…

It has…come at last to be regarded…not only as an approaching possibility, but as the necessary outcome of the forces now operating in the world.” ~The Bahá’í Writings In Service to the Common Good Aligning Development with the Forces of Progress

1 ALIGNING DEVELOPMENT WITH THE FORCES OF PROGRESS

“The proclamation of the Oneness of Mankind…implies at once a warning and a promise—a warning that in it lies the sole means for the salvation of a greatly suffering world, a promise that its realization is at hand…(I)t has…come at last to be regarded…not only as an approaching possibility, but as the necessary outcome of the forces now operating in the world.” ~The Bahá’í Writings In the last fifty years, the governments of the Western industrialized nations have spent $2.3 trillion on foreign aid1 to try to end poverty and disease, build infrastructure, promote literacy, enlarge the scope and capacities of grass roots organizations, and foster better governance. Likewise, scores of public and private institutions have invested substantial resources. World Vision, for example, spent $752 million on its programs in 2005. The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has awarded nearly $5 billion in grants, disbursing $2.8 billion of that money in just the last four years. Despite these huge investments, success has been sporadic at best. Multilateral agencies and the private sector have set appealing goals but have been unable to reach them. Specific actions and the sacri-fices of many of those involved have been impressive, but poverty and disease still claim countless victims hourly. Infrastructure decay in many countries makes development nearly impossible. Organizations of and for the disadvantaged find their progress blocked by governments that know neither shame nor constraint on their rapacious behavior. A growing number of organizations have focused their attention on community based programs, but the proliferation of different models and approaches has so fractionalized the work that neither strategic coherence nor momentum can be realized. Some economists have turned to statistical analysis and opinion research to try to find ways of assessing the comparative merits of various interventions. This research is clarifying important questions, but the essential assumption, that material well-being is the only feasible goal, is rarely challenged. A wider perspective on development must connect work in the field with the vast changes taking place at the foundations of the current social order: A growing sense of global solidarity, and a search for models that integrate moral values with the achievement of material benefits, signal an awareness that all people, members of a single human family, are now ready and able to take responsibility for their own material and spiritual advancement. It is this perspective that informs the development work of Bahá’ís. During these same fifty years, the global Bahá’í community has painstakingly constructed an administrative network that extends from the World Center of the Faith in Haifa, Israel to more than 116,000 localities throughout the world. Using a process of experimentation and reflection, Bahá’ís are learning from their successes, setbacks and mistakes to enhance the quality of life of those in a community, often working in close collaboration with like-minded partners. Underlying Bahá’ís’ commitment to their work is the belief that the divine intent for this era of mankind’s history is the accomplishment of peace, justice, and spiritual and material prosperity for everyone. The following report looks at certain aspects of present day development theory and practice; seeks, through a brief review of current scholarship and Bahá’í writings, to find glimpses of that larger perspective; and examines how the motives, principles and methods Bahá’ís apply in their service align with the forces shaping society to achieve “a dynamic coherence between the spiritual and practical requirements of life on earth.”2 In the last fifty years, the governments of the Western industrialized nations have spent $2.3 trillion on foreign aid1 to try to end poverty and disease, build infrastructure, promote literacy, enlarge the scope and capacities of grass roots organizations, and foster better governance. Likewise, scores of public and private institutions have invested substantial resources. World Vision, for example, spent $752 million on its programs in 2005. The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has awarded nearly $5 billion in grants, disbursing $2.8 billion of that money in just the last four years. Despite these huge investments, success has been sporadic at best. Multilateral agencies and the private sector have set appealing goals but have been unable to reach them. Specific actions and the sacri-fices of many of those involved have been impressive, but poverty and disease still claim countless victims hourly. Infrastructure decay in many countries makes development nearly impossible. Organizations of and for the disadvantaged find their progress blocked by governments that know neither shame nor constraint on their rapacious behavior. A growing number of organizations have focused their attention on community based programs, but the proliferation of different models and approaches has so fractionalized the work that neither strategic coherence nor momentum can be realized. Some economists have turned to statistical analysis and opinion research to try to find ways of assessing the comparative merits of various interventions. This research is clarifying important questions, but the essential assumption, that material well-being is the only feasible goal, is rarely challenged. A wider perspective on development must connect work in the field with the vast changes taking place at the foundations of the current social order: A growing sense of global solidarity, and a search for models that integrate moral values with the achievement of material benefits, signal an awareness that all people, members of a single human family, are now ready and able to take responsibility for their own material and spiritual advancement. It is this perspective that informs the development work of Bahá’ís. During these same fifty years, the global Bahá’í community has painstakingly constructed an administrative network that extends from the World Center of the Faith in Haifa, Israel to more than 116,000 localities throughout the world. Using a process of experimentation and reflection, Bahá’ís are learning from their successes, setbacks and mistakes to enhance the quality of life of those in a community, often working in close collaboration with like-minded partners. Underlying Bahá’ís’ commitment to their work is the belief that the divine intent for this era of mankind’s history is the accomplishment of peace, justice, and spiritual and material prosperity for everyone. The following report looks at certain aspects of present day development theory and practice; seeks, through a brief review of current scholarship and Bahá’í writings, to find glimpses of that larger perspective; and examines how the motives, principles and methods Bahá’ís apply in their service align with the forces shaping society to achieve “a dynamic coherence between the spiritual and practical requirements of life on earth.”2 2
In Service to the Common Good
Current Issues in Development
A central issue in development today is whether it A persuasive case can be made that grand is working. After spending more than $2 trillion on gestures, however well or nobly conceived, do not aid (including military outlays), or nearly $50 billion work, in part because they consistently fall prey to yearly for the last five decades, it is reasonable divisive political processes. The Millennium Develop-to ask what progress has been made toward the ment Goals (MDGs), adopted with great fanfare in stated goals of the development endeavor. 2000, are merely the latest in a series of such global
No clear answers emerge to this controversial plans: A UN summit in 1990 set the goal of 2000 for question. One study3 analyzed per capita income universal primary-school enrollments; a summit in 1977 growth and inflation and found that countries called for universal access to clean water and sani
with the highest number of World tation by 1990. Both deadlines have Bank and IMF “structural adjustment loans” tended to have Despite continued investment and been extended to 2015 to coincide with the MDGs. Such plans are low or negative growth and high sacrifice, three attractive, and they have produced inflation. Niger received 14 billion people still some successes—the eradication adjustment loans between 1980 live on less than two of small pox, for example, in sup-and 1999, and experienced a 2.3 percent negative growth rate for the period and an average infladollars a day; nearly a billion are still hungry; and one billion adults are port of which there was remarkable unity of purpose. But despite the continued investment of enormous tion rate of 2 percent. Ghana had still illiterate. resources, an estimated three 26 loans, a 1.2 percent growth billion people still live on less than rate and 32 percent inflation. two dollars a day, adjusted for
Ukraine, which had ten loans, has seen its purchasing power; nearly a billion are still hungry; personal incomes drop 8.4 percent and inflation and one billion adults are still illiterate.5 soar to a yearly average of 215 percent. A better approach, many observers suggest,
Other studies, using these and other meas-is to promote grass roots initiatives with realistic ures, reach different conclusions, or frame the goals and accountability to ensure that those question differently. Research on social choice affected can themselves gauge programs’ success. and development economics, for example, goes But is this strategy an improvement? beyond the metrics of incomes and economic To answer this question, some practitioners trends to examine indices of human freedom. have introduced randomized studies that use The researchers recognize that people need to surveys, control groups and statistical tests to have a voice and real choices regarding decisions shed light on common assumptions and assess that shape economic outcomes.4 The United the relative merits of various kinds of inputs. Nations Development Programme’s “human A study on efforts to combat HIV/AIDS in development index” is another advance, although Kenya, for example, examined the comparative indicators are still needed that capture the subtle efficacy of three intervention strategies: teacher moral and social determinants of collective life. training, student debates on the benefits of con-Development outcomes, however, by these or dom use, and increased funding to reduce school any measure have been disappointing. drop-outs. The study tracked teen pregnancies,
Aligning Development with the Forces of Progress
which are associated with unprotected sex; self-reported condom use and sexual activity; and drop-out rates, since longer school attendance has been shown to decrease the incidence of high-risk behaviors. Researchers found that “after two years, girls in schools where teachers had been trained were more likely to be married in the event of a pregnancy, but the teacher training program,” in which most teachers participated diligently, “had little other impact on students’ knowledge, attitudes, and behavior, or on the incidence of teen childbearing. The condom debates and essays increased practical knowl-edge and self-reported use of condoms without increasing self-reported sexual activity. Reducing the cost of education by paying for school uni-forms reduced drop-out rates, teen marriage, and childbearing.”6 Some interventions, in other words, affect only specific behaviors. The larger point of this study, though, is that it is possible to unbundle the effects of different approaches, measure their impact and gain a fuller under-standing of the processes at work. Another puzzle for program designers and field workers alike has to do with improving the quality of village health care. Interventions are designed to bring more qualified health care providers into villages, to increase their atten-dance at village clinics, to build more and better clinics, and to reduce the cost of medicines, among other goals. A randomized study which looked at health care delivery in rural India, however, reported that “Villagers’ health is poor despite the fact that they heavily use health care facilities and spend a lot on health care.” “The quality of the public service is abysmal,” the report continues, “and unregulated and private providers who are often unqualified provide the bulk of health care in the area… Controlling for age, gender, distance from a road, and per capita monthly expenditures, lung capacity and body mass index are lower where the facilities are worse.” Here was the surprise, however: “(V)illagers seem pretty content with what they are getting. 81 percent report that their last visit to a private facility made them feel better, and 75 percent report that their last visit to a public facility made them feel better. Self reported health and well-being measures… appear to be uncorrelated with the quality of the public facilities. The quality of the health services may impact health but does not seem to impact people’s perception of their own health or the health care they are getting, perhaps because they have come to expect very little. Improving the quality of health care in an environment where the clients themselves are not particularly inter-ested in complaining about (the care) they are getting, will not be easy.”7 Sustainability, a key development goal, was shown in another study to have its limits. Local attitudes and perceptions were undermining a program aimed at getting de-worming drugs into the hands of villagers in Kenya. The randomized 4
In Service to the Common Good
study revealed that despite efforts to educate parents and schoolchildren on worm prevention, which requires twice-yearly medication for life, the populace were not persuaded to take the necessary drugs if they had to buy them. The study concludes that “the pursuit of sustainability may be an illusion, and that in the short-run, at least, external subsidies will remain necessary.”8 Working through community based or grass roots organizations often appears to be a more successful approach than attempts to impose change from the outside. “Foreign donors are increasingly funding local community organizations for the poor and disad-vantaged in developing countries (Smillie and Helmich, 1999),” reports an April 2004 working paper documenting another randomized study. “For example, from 1996 to 2003, World Bank funding for community-driven development increased from $700 million to $2 billion.” This quantitative analysis attempted to test the intuitively appealing proposition that “… organizations of the disadvantaged create positive externalities, and in particular strengthen the position of these groups in society. A natural inference is that these organizations should be subsidized.” Researchers evaluating a program to strengthen rural women’s groups in western Kenya, though, discovered what they dubbed the “Rockefeller Effect:” “(T)he program did not improve group strength or functioning as meas-ured by participation rates, assistance to members, and assistance to other community projects. The funding did, however, change the very character-istics of the groups that made them attractive to funders in the first place. Younger, more educated women and women employed in the formal sector joined the groups, and men and better-educated and wealthier women moved into key leadership positions.”9 At a minimum, then, donors who wish to support community based groups should, based on this research, plan for the changes that increased outside funding can introduce. Additional studies of this kind may prove valuable in discovering more effective approaches to improving the quality of life of disadvantaged populations. Paradoxically, while none can “deny that the long-term results of development projects have been heartbreakingly disappointing in their failure to close the yawning gap between the rich and the poor”, encouragement can nonetheless be found in the “sense of common humanity in (development) objec-tives that spoke perhaps most eloquently in the response (humanitarian initiatives) evoked from an army of idealistic youth of many lands.”10 Despite pouring a wealth of resources into programs of all kinds, and despite the important learning that has occurred, development institu-tions and practitioners have yet to evolve a systemic understanding of the problems to be solved. In the absence of such an understanding, interventions serve as piecemeal improvisations at best and local advances seem insignificant in the face of such enormous problems. “Something must be done; anything must be done, whether it works or not,” said one prominent aid fund-raiser in a statement “born of frustration and the instinctive knowledge that we cannot simply stand by and watch this horror and expect to be unchanged by our inaction.”11

But people deserve better. In a world where terror and extremism feed on mankind’s despair,

the stakes have never been higher, the need to “get it right” never greater. Encouragement can be found in the sense of common humanity underlying development initiatives. study revealed that despite efforts to educate parents and schoolchildren on worm prevention, which requires twice-yearly medication for life, the populace were not persuaded to take the necessary drugs if they had to buy them. The study concludes that “the pursuit of sustainability may be an illusion, and that in the short-run, at least, external subsidies will remain necessary.”8 Working through community based or grass roots organizations often appears to be a more successful approach than attempts to impose change from the outside. “Foreign donors are increasingly funding local community organizations for the poor and disad-vantaged in developing countries (Smillie and Helmich, 1999),” reports an April 2004 working paper documenting another randomized study. “For example, from 1996 to 2003, World Bank funding for community-driven development increased from $700 million to $2 billion.” This quantitative analysis attempted to test the intuitively appealing proposition that “… organizations of the disadvantaged create positive externalities, and in particular strengthen the position of these groups in society. A natural inference is that these organizations should be subsidized.” Researchers evaluating a program to strengthen rural women’s groups in western Kenya, though, discovered what they dubbed the “Rockefeller Effect:” “(T)he program did not improve group strength or functioning as meas-ured by participation rates, assistance to members, and assistance to other community projects. The funding did, however, change the very character-istics of the groups that made them attractive to funders in the first place. Younger, more educated women and women employed in the formal sector joined the groups, and men and better-educated and wealthier women moved into key leadership positions.”9 At a minimum, then, donors who wish to support community based groups should, based on this research, plan for the changes that increased outside funding can introduce. Additional studies of this kind may prove valuable in discovering more effective approaches to improving the quality of life of disadvantaged populations. Paradoxically, while none can “deny that the long-term results of development projects have been heartbreakingly disappointing in their failure to close the yawning gap between the rich and the poor”, encouragement can nonetheless be found in the “sense of common humanity in (development) objec-tives that spoke perhaps most eloquently in the response (humanitarian initiatives) evoked from an army of idealistic youth of many lands.”10 Despite pouring a wealth of resources into programs of all kinds, and despite the important learning that has occurred, development institu-tions and practitioners have yet to evolve a systemic understanding of the problems to be solved. In the absence of such an understanding, interventions serve as piecemeal improvisations at best and local advances seem insignificant in the face of such enormous problems. “Something must be done; anything must be done, whether it works or not,” said one prominent aid fund-raiser in a statement “born of frustration and the instinctive knowledge that we cannot simply stand by and watch this horror and expect to be unchanged by our inaction.”11 But people deserve better. In a world where terror and extremism feed on mankind’s despair, the stakes have never been higher, the need to “get it right” never greater. Encouragement can be found in the sense of common humanity underlying development initiatives. Aligning Development with the Forces of Progress
5
Toward a Larger Perspective
What must be recognized is that the foundations on which society has long been based are shifting; society is today in a state mathematicians Development and the call “far from equilibrium,” where old laws no Tipping Point longer apply and new forms of organization and
Most Bahá’í projects are still small in
social adaptation re-arrange themselves with
scale, but their potential, in a world
startling speed. Gaining a better perspective on
far from equilibrium, should not be
development requires an understanding of the
underestimated.
shift under way; awareness of the underlying forces at work makes possible the creation of
“(N)onlinear events can have effects
new models that are more likely to address both
disproportionate to their causes...
the root causes of poverty, disease and injustice,
the dynamic interactions among
and their symptoms, so tragically evident in the
individual elements of the system
daily lives of millions of people.
generate global events that require
Seventy years ago, the Bahá’í writings de-
a holistic description, which cannot
scribed this new social reality that, as it emerges, upsets the world’s equilibrium: “Unification of be reduced to an account of the the whole of mankind is the hallmark of the individual elements. …(A)t the tip-stage which human society is now approaching. ping point, the effect of individual Unity of family, of tribe, of city-state, and nation events is unpredictable…it is never have been successively attempted and fully estab-possible to be sure which particular lished. World unity is the goal towards which a
grain of sand will tip the balance.
harassed humanity is striving. Nation-building
(Moment of Complexity, 149)
has come to an end. The anarchy inherent in state sovereignty is moving towards a climax.”
“As networks become more hetero-
Just as society can see “the marvelous
geneous and interconnected, they
progress achieved in the realm of physical science,
begin to act as a whole in surprising
by the world-wide expansion of commerce and
ways. What distinguishes the current
industry,” which has “contracted and transformed
moment of complexity is the emer
the world into a single highly complex organism,”
gence of a network culture that is
it also sees the many threats to its well-being: the
truly global… ‘Like it or not, some
persistence of age-old animosities between nations
form of global civilization will emerge.
and the threat of terrorism; an extraordinary rise
We are at that particular time in
in organized crime and violence; swelling numbers of the displaced; a widening economic divide history when population, technology, between the rich and the poor; the indiscriminate economics, and knowledge spin us exploitation of natural resources; and a relentless together.’” (ibid., 194) pursuit of material goods and benefits that crowd out human values such as happiness, fidelity, love.12
In Service to the Common Good
Bahá’ís see the often painful “simultaneous processes of rise and of fall” as conducive to the next and final stage in mankind’s social evolution. Integration and disintegration, order and chaos, “with their continuous and reciprocal reactions on each other, are but aspects of a greater Plan, one and indivisible, whose Source is God, whose author is Bahá’u’lláh,13 the theater of whose operations is the entire planet, and whose ultimate objectives are the unity of the human race and the peace of all mankind.” Even if one rejects the premise of divine involvement in today’s turbulent scene, it cannot be denied that a growing sense of world solidarity is evident in the grass roots response of people, who, galvanized by a vision of a new global order, have created “countless movements and organizations of social change at local, regional, and international levels.” The “urgent advocacy of organizations supported by growing numbers in every part of the globe” can be seen in the areas of “human rights, the advance of women, the social requirements of sustainable economic development, the overcoming of prejudices, the moral education of children, literacy, primary health care, and a host of other vital concerns.”14 To Bahá’ís, these advances represent a spiritual response to the challenges of the age in which we live. Indeed, history has shown that religion has been perhaps the most potent force for change, whether for good or ill. Conversely, the lack of religion, according to the Bahá’í writings, is partly responsible for the world’s current trou-bles: “[When] the light of religion is quenched in men’s hearts… a deplorable decline in the for-tunes of humanity immediately sets in, bringing in its wake all the evils which a wayward soul is capable of revealing…. Human character is debased, confidence is shaken, the nerves of discipline are relaxed, the voice of human conscience is stilled, the sense of decency and shame is obscured, conceptions of duty, of solidarity, of reciprocity and loyalty are distorted, and the very feeling of peacefulness, of joy and of hope is gradually extinguished.” Linking religion and development may seem to raise the specter of ideological or doctrinal conflict. And although there is an element of truth in the argument that spiritual and moral issues, because of their potential for discord, should remain outside the framework of development, setting such issues aside has had the effect of delivering “the shaping of humanity’s future into the hands of a new orthodoxy, one which argues that truth is amoral and facts are independent of values.” This orthodoxy has its own set of assumptions, which are “essentially materialistic. That is to say, the purpose of development is defined in terms of the successful cultivation in all societies of those means for the achievement of material prosperity that have, through trial and error, already come to characterize certain regions of the world. Modifications in develop-ment discourse do indeed occur, accommodating differences of culture and political system and responding to the alarming dangers posed by environmental degradation. Yet the underlying materialistic assumptions remain essentially unchallenged.”15 The alternative to equating materialism with prosperity is to give due regard to religious Bahá’ís see the often painful “simultaneous processes of rise and of fall” as conducive to the next and final stage in mankind’s social evolution. Integration and disintegration, order and chaos, “with their continuous and reciprocal reactions on each other, are but aspects of a greater Plan, one and indivisible, whose Source is God, whose author is Bahá’u’lláh,13 the theater of whose operations is the entire planet, and whose ultimate objectives are the unity of the human race and the peace of all mankind.” Even if one rejects the premise of divine involvement in today’s turbulent scene, it cannot be denied that a growing sense of world solidarity is evident in the grass roots response of people, who, galvanized by a vision of a new global order, have created “countless movements and organizations of social change at local, regional, and international levels.” The “urgent advocacy of organizations supported by growing numbers in every part of the globe” can be seen in the areas of “human rights, the advance of women, the social requirements of sustainable economic development, the overcoming of prejudices, the moral education of children, literacy, primary health care, and a host of other vital concerns.”14 To Bahá’ís, these advances represent a spiritual response to the challenges of the age in which we live. Indeed, history has shown that religion has been perhaps the most potent force for change, whether for good or ill. Conversely, the lack of religion, according to the Bahá’í writings, is partly responsible for the world’s current trou-bles: “[When] the light of religion is quenched in men’s hearts… a deplorable decline in the for-tunes of humanity immediately sets in, bringing in its wake all the evils which a wayward soul is capable of revealing…. Human character is debased, confidence is shaken, the nerves of discipline are relaxed, the voice of human conscience is stilled, the sense of decency and shame is obscured, conceptions of duty, of solidarity, of reciprocity and loyalty are distorted, and the very feeling of peacefulness, of joy and of hope is gradually extinguished.” Linking religion and development may seem to raise the specter of ideological or doctrinal conflict. And although there is an element of truth in the argument that spiritual and moral issues, because of their potential for discord, should remain outside the framework of development, setting such issues aside has had the effect of delivering “the shaping of humanity’s future into the hands of a new orthodoxy, one which argues that truth is amoral and facts are independent of values.” This orthodoxy has its own set of assumptions, which are “essentially materialistic. That is to say, the purpose of development is defined in terms of the successful cultivation in all societies of those means for the achievement of material prosperity that have, through trial and error, already come to characterize certain regions of the world. Modifications in develop-ment discourse do indeed occur, accommodating differences of culture and political system and responding to the alarming dangers posed by environmental degradation. Yet the underlying materialistic assumptions remain essentially unchallenged.”15 The alternative to equating materialism with prosperity is to give due regard to religious Aligning Development with the Forces of Progress
7
Rural Development in Zambia
“We never asked them if they wanted our kind of program,” the local worker for a Zambian non-governmental organization (NGO) said. “When you have a hammer, everything looks like a nail. We brought our hammer to the villages, but we’ve spent a huge amount of time trying to get them to use it and they don’t.”
Trust turns out to be the missing bedrock value. The program should work: It is logical; everyone has seen family incomes increase; the incentives all point in the right direction; and the NGO has an expert, dedicated staff.
But the dominant families in the area also make up the cooperative boards and run the co-ops for their own benefit. The farmers know this, so they don’t buy co-op shares or pay dues, and many of them never come to meetings. This is not laziness or ignorance; it is rational economic behavior on the farmers’ part.
As a result, the NGO is now devoting more attention to building trust as a complement to its skills training.

teachings, which have taught people “to make small and relatively diminishing minority of the great sacrifices for the common good, to practice world’s inhabitants from the poverty experienced forgiveness, generosity, and trust, to use wealth by the vast majority of the globe’s population.”17 and other resources in ways that serve the advance-It is highly encouraging to note that the World ment of civilization. Institutional systems have Bank, recognizing that religion and religious organ-been devised to translate these moral advances izations have a role to play in development, has into the norms of social life on a vast scale.”16 created the Development Dialogue on Values
Perhaps it is not too great a leap to see and Ethics, whose stated purpose is “exploring the setbacks to many development initiatives a more ‘comprehensive,’ ‘holistic,’ and ‘integrated’ as resulting from a lack of trust, forgiveness and vision of development.” Other individuals and generosity, and to see an antidote in cultivating organizations also are striving to implement such moral qualities as the capacity and willing-“integrated models” that “incorporate the ness to sacrifice for the common good. Given multiple dimensions (biological, psychosocial the limited benefits development has yielded, it and spiritual) of human nature.”18 is “no longer possible to maintain the belief that Bahá'ís believe that development, at its the approach to social and economic development deepest level, is about applying the principle to which the materialistic conception of life has of the oneness of mankind to improve people’s given rise is capable of meeting humanity’s needs. physical well-being, access to education and Optimistic forecasts about the changes it would the means of generating wealth, while at the generate have vanished into the ever-widening same time upholding their dignity as cherished abyss that separates the living standards of a members of one human family.
In Service to the Common Good
Historically, this has not been the case. The masses of humanity have been “seen not as protagonists but essentially as objects of the… much vaunted civilizing process. Despite benefits conferred on a minority among them, the colonial peoples existed chiefly to be acted upon—to be used, trained, exploited, Christianized, civilized, mobilized—as the shifting agendas of Western powers dictated.”19 This dynamic still exists. For example, in a 2004 National Public Radio report, residents of northern Nigeria said they refused to be victims of an agenda that favored the “disease of the moment in New York.” In this case, that disease was polio, which the World Health Organization wanted to eradicate in Nigeria through inocula-tions. The issue, the Nigerians said, was that malaria and measles, not polio, were killing their children. As one experienced development practitioner notes, the problem with eradicating disease is that it “requires getting every last case and of course a village in Nigeria does not see this as a priority if nobody has the disease. The problem is failing to believe that people in a village could understand this if they were seen as partners, not just as subjects to be vaccinated.” Similarly, Cameroonian journalist Jean-Claude Shanda Tonme wrote that “it was not for us, for Africa,” that the musicians at a 2005 Live 8 “End Poverty in Africa” fund raising concert were singing. “It was to amuse the crowds and to clear their own consciences,” Tonme said. “They still believe us to be like children that they must save, as if we don’t realize ourselves what the source of our problems is.”20 But “Bahá’u’lláh has come to free humanity from this long bondage, and the closing decades of the twentieth century were devoted by the community of His followers to creative experimen-tation with the means by which His objective can be realized.”21 Fidelity to the principle of oneness implies that the masses of mankind are ready and worthy of assuming their proper role as protagonists in their own development, rather than spectators looking on from a distance. This larger perspective is making some headway. One example can be found in recent news: The Norwegian Nobel Committee, in awarding the 2006 Peace Prize to Muhammad Yunus, founder of the Grameen Bank, declared, “Every single individual on earth has both the potential and the right to live a decent life… even the poorest of the poor can work to bring about their own development…. Development from below also serves to advance democracy and human rights.”22 If it can be accepted that the spirit of the age is moving mankind, consciously or not, toward the oneness of humanity and that this dynamic involves mobilizing the spiritual strength of each person, then it follows that approaches which ignore or resist this tectonic societal shift must, sooner or later, fail. On the other hand, approaches aligned with the social and spiritual reality of our time must eventually prosper and produce lasting results. The Bahá’í experience in devel-opment illustrates an attempt to achieve such an alignment. Historically, this has not been the case. The masses of humanity have been “seen not as protagonists but essentially as objects of the… much vaunted civilizing process. Despite benefits conferred on a minority among them, the colonial peoples existed chiefly to be acted upon—to be used, trained, exploited, Christianized, civilized, mobilized—as the shifting agendas of Western powers dictated.”19 This dynamic still exists. For example, in a 2004 National Public Radio report, residents of northern Nigeria said they refused to be victims of an agenda that favored the “disease of the moment in New York.” In this case, that disease was polio, which the World Health Organization wanted to eradicate in Nigeria through inocula-tions. The issue, the Nigerians said, was that malaria and measles, not polio, were killing their children. As one experienced development practitioner notes, the problem with eradicating disease is that it “requires getting every last case and of course a village in Nigeria does not see this as a priority if nobody has the disease. The problem is failing to believe that people in a village could understand this if they were seen as partners, not just as subjects to be vaccinated.” Similarly, Cameroonian journalist Jean-Claude Shanda Tonme wrote that “it was not for us, for Africa,” that the musicians at a 2005 Live 8 “End Poverty in Africa” fund raising concert were singing. “It was to amuse the crowds and to clear their own consciences,” Tonme said. “They still believe us to be like children that they must save, as if we don’t realize ourselves what the source of our problems is.”20 But “Bahá’u’lláh has come to free humanity from this long bondage, and the closing decades of the twentieth century were devoted by the community of His followers to creative experimen-tation with the means by which His objective can be realized.”21 Fidelity to the principle of oneness implies that the masses of mankind are ready and worthy of assuming their proper role as protagonists in their own development, rather than spectators looking on from a distance. This larger perspective is making some headway. One example can be found in recent news: The Norwegian Nobel Committee, in awarding the 2006 Peace Prize to Muhammad Yunus, founder of the Grameen Bank, declared, “Every single individual on earth has both the potential and the right to live a decent life… even the poorest of the poor can work to bring about their own development…. Development from below also serves to advance democracy and human rights.”22 If it can be accepted that the spirit of the age is moving mankind, consciously or not, toward the oneness of humanity and that this dynamic involves mobilizing the spiritual strength of each person, then it follows that approaches which ignore or resist this tectonic societal shift must, sooner or later, fail. On the other hand, approaches aligned with the social and spiritual reality of our time must eventually prosper and produce lasting results. The Bahá’í experience in devel-opment illustrates an attempt to achieve such an alignment. Aligning Development with the Forces of Progress
9
The two previous publications in this series23 illustrate that American Bahá’í youth and adults are actively engaged in development and are animated to improve the life of society by such basic precepts of their Faith as the principle that work and service are forms of worship. Their commitment to this process is thus an “expression of faith in action;” their approach consists of five main elements: • Consultation: A process of collective decision-making and action through which individuals and communities strive to become the principal actors in promoting their physical, spiritual and social well-being; improvement in the ability of participants to consult is therefore a primary measure of success in any Bahá’í project. • Participatory Learning: Consultation is used to promote participatory learning within the framework of many Bahá’í projects. Positive change in society directly springs from the generation, application and diffusion of knowledge, which has both material and spiritual dimensions, and which can flow from both rational inquiry and spiritual insight. • Organic Growth: Successful social initiatives often begin with simple actions at the community level and grow in complexity as the community learns to identify its needs and take on more complex issues, with residents defining, pacing and assessing the projects that affect their lives. Outside entities also may play a catalytic role in helping communities realize their aspirations. • Moral Development: In a community that operates in a peaceful, prosperous and fair way, its members adhere to ideals of human honor, duty and integrity; create an environment where these ideals are consistently demon-strated; and build institutions that engender trust, and uplift and encourage all whom they serve. To attain these goals, specific moral capabilities must be developed so that individuals and institutions can make appropriate moral choices. • Unity, Equality and Justice: Fostering unity of purpose within and outside the Bahá’í community is an essential characteristic of all Bahá’í development activity. It is a unity that embraces diversity and refuses to categorize people by race, creed, class, gender or color. Unity, however, requires conditions of equality and justice, when every member of the community can trust that they are protected by standards and assured of benefits that apply to all. As Bahá’u’lláh explains, “The purpose of justice is the appearance of unity among men.” The current report includes information gathered from recent interviews of participants in projects that were studied in the two previous rounds. Participants were asked why they feel their work has value; which principles they found applied most directly to their work; what practical lessons they learned about sustainability; and what they might have done differently in light of their experience. The implicit goal of the interviews was to determine how these projects integrate spiritual awareness with practical action and how they are aligned with the forces moving mankind toward the realization of its oneness. Toward Alignment The two previous publications in this series23 illustrate that American Bahá’í youth and adults are actively engaged in development and are animated to improve the life of society by such basic precepts of their Faith as the principle that work and service are forms of worship. Their commitment to this process is thus an “expression of faith in action;” their approach consists of five main elements: • Consultation: A process of collective decision-making and action through which individuals and communities strive to become the principal actors in promoting their physical, spiritual and social well-being; improvement in the ability of participants to consult is therefore a primary measure of success in any Bahá’í project. • Participatory Learning: Consultation is used to promote participatory learning within the framework of many Bahá’í projects. Positive change in society directly springs from the generation, application and diffusion of knowledge, which has both material and spiritual dimensions, and which can flow from both rational inquiry and spiritual insight. • Organic Growth: Successful social initiatives often begin with simple actions at the community level and grow in complexity as the community learns to identify its needs and take on more complex issues, with residents defining, pacing and assessing the projects that affect their lives. Outside entities also may play a catalytic role in helping communities realize their aspirations. • Moral Development: In a community that operates in a peaceful, prosperous and fair way, its members adhere to ideals of human honor, duty and integrity; create an environment where these ideals are consistently demon-strated; and build institutions that engender trust, and uplift and encourage all whom they serve. To attain these goals, specific moral capabilities must be developed so that individuals and institutions can make appropriate moral choices. • Unity, Equality and Justice: Fostering unity of purpose within and outside the Bahá’í community is an essential characteristic of all Bahá’í development activity. It is a unity that embraces diversity and refuses to categorize people by race, creed, class, gender or color. Unity, however, requires conditions of equality and justice, when every member of the community can trust that they are protected by standards and assured of benefits that apply to all. As Bahá’u’lláh explains, “The purpose of justice is the appearance of unity among men.” The current report includes information gathered from recent interviews of participants in projects that were studied in the two previous rounds. Participants were asked why they feel their work has value; which principles they found applied most directly to their work; what practical lessons they learned about sustainability; and what they might have done differently in light of their experience. The implicit goal of the interviews was to determine how these projects integrate spiritual awareness with practical action and how they are aligned with the forces moving mankind toward the realization of its oneness. Toward Alignment 10
In Service to the Common Good
Relationships and Commitment Promoting oneness shapes the way field work-ers think about and develop relationships: Are local residents really encouraged and supported in becoming full partners, for example? When asked about the value of their work, nearly all this year’s interviewees echoed the words of one young person involved with Orien Aid, which sends youth to Rwanda to work in villages on local projects: “It’s the relationships, no question. We have made a commitment to the people, and we intend to fulfill it, and they know that. They know we will come, they look forward to it, and each time our relationships grow deeper.” The primary reason for going on the project, said another Orien Aid volunteer, “was not to give a nutrition class. It was to make a connection and to show love to people. This way, I also learned far more than I gave.” Speaking about conditions in Rwanda, where Orien Aid has just completed the third year of its five-year commitment, this participant said, “The biggest part of the project for me was the service: It’s about showing the people we visited that someone still cares about them. Who spends $3,000 to go sleep three nights, five nights in a village in Africa, or to walk three hours to get to that village? They don’t see many outsiders. I don’t recall seeing any, or any aid workers from other organizations, although I did see more of those in the city.” A businesswoman in New Jersey, one of the adult organizers of the Karen Wallace Service Project (KWSP), which has worked for eight years with an AIDS orphanage in Yasothon, Thailand, said, “I think the big difference is the relationships that form between the volunteers and the local people, the kids. They really connect; it’s real.” Other organizations work for two or three months, she said, “and then they go, and the kids know they aren’t part of those visitors’ lives anymore. We have commit-ted, and even when we’re not there, we’re focused on these children and the next stage of the project, so they know we’re thinking of them all the time and that we will come back, as we’ve prom-ised. That brings a level of trust and confidence that is very real.” One of the founders of the Children’s Theatre Company (CTC), whose home base is in lower Manhattan in New York City, agrees that constant and consistent involvement is key to the success of a program. “I spend several days each week visiting families and relatives of the kids, in their homes, building the community that’s needed to support each child, showing them we’re there, we’re involved,” she said. “We have a dialogue with parents about how they want to raise their children and how we can support those goals. We definitely take advan-tage of the cultural richness that’s around us in our communities.” A retired educator who helped found the Women On the Move Network, which works with young girls from low income backgrounds, put it succinctly: “We go to them; we don’t make them come to us. I am not ‘Lady Bountiful.’” From Spectator to Protagonist To achieve unity, individuals must make the shift from being spectators to becoming actors in their own lives. The young people involved with Orien Aid, for example, are proudest of the fact that during their most recent stay they Relationships and Commitment Promoting oneness shapes the way field work-ers think about and develop relationships: Are local residents really encouraged and supported in becoming full partners, for example? When asked about the value of their work, nearly all this year’s interviewees echoed the words of one young person involved with Orien Aid, which sends youth to Rwanda to work in villages on local projects: “It’s the relationships, no question. We have made a commitment to the people, and we intend to fulfill it, and they know that. They know we will come, they look forward to it, and each time our relationships grow deeper.” The primary reason for going on the project, said another Orien Aid volunteer, “was not to give a nutrition class. It was to make a connection and to show love to people. This way, I also learned far more than I gave.” Speaking about conditions in Rwanda, where Orien Aid has just completed the third year of its five-year commitment, this participant said, “The biggest part of the project for me was the service: It’s about showing the people we visited that someone still cares about them. Who spends $3,000 to go sleep three nights, five nights in a village in Africa, or to walk three hours to get to that village? They don’t see many outsiders. I don’t recall seeing any, or any aid workers from other organizations, although I did see more of those in the city.” A businesswoman in New Jersey, one of the adult organizers of the Karen Wallace Service Project (KWSP), which has worked for eight years with an AIDS orphanage in Yasothon, Thailand, said, “I think the big difference is the relationships that form between the volunteers and the local people, the kids. They really connect; it’s real.” Other organizations work for two or three months, she said, “and then they go, and the kids know they aren’t part of those visitors’ lives anymore. We have commit-ted, and even when we’re not there, we’re focused on these children and the next stage of the project, so they know we’re thinking of them all the time and that we will come back, as we’ve prom-ised. That brings a level of trust and confidence that is very real.” One of the founders of the Children’s Theatre Company (CTC), whose home base is in lower Manhattan in New York City, agrees that constant and consistent involvement is key to the success of a program. “I spend several days each week visiting families and relatives of the kids, in their homes, building the community that’s needed to support each child, showing them we’re there, we’re involved,” she said. “We have a dialogue with parents about how they want to raise their children and how we can support those goals. We definitely take advan-tage of the cultural richness that’s around us in our communities.” A retired educator who helped found the Women On the Move Network, which works with young girls from low income backgrounds, put it succinctly: “We go to them; we don’t make them come to us. I am not ‘Lady Bountiful.’” From Spectator to Protagonist To achieve unity, individuals must make the shift from being spectators to becoming actors in their own lives. The young people involved with Orien Aid, for example, are proudest of the fact that during their most recent stay they Aligning Development with the Forces of Progress
11
saw how the confidence of local people had reached a level that enabled them to take the initiative: “In earlier visits, we had offered so many things, and the people kind of felt bad about how little they had to offer,” said an Orien Aid volunteer. “This year, our work stressed nutrition and cleanliness, at the request of some of the local organizers. Our classes and other activities mixed children and adults, but the parents took more control. We saw they were ready to do whole classes, so we stepped back and just supported them, and the whole feeling changed. They felt really good about them-selves. I think everyone on the team felt this was the best moment; we were all proud to have gotten to that point.” KWSP has, in effect, built its entire project around the shift from spectator to protagonist, using consultation as the means. The young participants, whose opin-ions are so often discounted in American society, take responsibility for most of the logistical preparations in the U.S., while program-planning starts fresh each year with input from counter-parts in Thailand. There is a constant flow of communication among program participants in the United States as they get ready for their trip, and between the U.S. and Thailand over themes, priorities and itineraries. “All year we are consulting about the goals and needs of the people locally,” said one participant. “They tell us what issues are relevant to a place they want our team to go, then onsite we make the final decisions with the local people. The whole project is shaped through consultation with the people who live there.” Integrating Spirit and Method In the projects that have been studied between 2004 and 2006, the emerging trend is greater clarity among participants about the spiritual foundations of their work. Their see their motives as more explicitly related to the teachings of their Faith; they have a stronger sense of mission, which stems from those teachings; and their methods of operation are more directly linked to a sense of the spiritual. When asked why, out of all the activities they might do as Bahá’ís, they have chosen service through development, the volunteers say, “We have a clear conviction of equality as a spiritual principle;” “We believe that when girls and women receive equal education with their male peers, and reach decision-making arenas, war will cease;” “Unity in diversity is not only about race, though that is an issue in our area, but it is also economic—it is in the gifts people have to bring, even if they themselves don’t see their importance—and it is about religion;” “Our approach is really derived from the (Bahá’í) teachings, so we take seriously the notion of relieving extremes of wealth and poverty.” The retired teacher again put it concisely: “You see three tired old girls like me, huffing and puffing around, trying to do this instead of taking it easy. There has to be some-thing more going on here!” One young person saw the difficulty that arose when his team departed from the high spiritual standards it espoused: “I would make it more spiritually focused, so that the group would progress more, spiritually, as a group. This doesn’t have to do with the mission; it has to do saw how the confidence of local people had reached a level that enabled them to take the initiative: “In earlier visits, we had offered so many things, and the people kind of felt bad about how little they had to offer,” said an Orien Aid volunteer. “This year, our work stressed nutrition and cleanliness, at the request of some of the local organizers. Our classes and other activities mixed children and adults, but the parents took more control. We saw they were ready to do whole classes, so we stepped back and just supported them, and the whole feeling changed. They felt really good about them-selves. I think everyone on the team felt this was the best moment; we were all proud to have gotten to that point.” KWSP has, in effect, built its entire project around the shift from spectator to protagonist, using consultation as the means. The young participants, whose opin-ions are so often discounted in American society, take responsibility for most of the logistical preparations in the U.S., while program-planning starts fresh each year with input from counter-parts in Thailand. There is a constant flow of communication among program participants in the United States as they get ready for their trip, and between the U.S. and Thailand over themes, priorities and itineraries. “All year we are consulting about the goals and needs of the people locally,” said one participant. “They tell us what issues are relevant to a place they want our team to go, then onsite we make the final decisions with the local people. The whole project is shaped through consultation with the people who live there.” Integrating Spirit and Method In the projects that have been studied between 2004 and 2006, the emerging trend is greater clarity among participants about the spiritual foundations of their work. Their see their motives as more explicitly related to the teachings of their Faith; they have a stronger sense of mission, which stems from those teachings; and their methods of operation are more directly linked to a sense of the spiritual. When asked why, out of all the activities they might do as Bahá’ís, they have chosen service through development, the volunteers say, “We have a clear conviction of equality as a spiritual principle;” “We believe that when girls and women receive equal education with their male peers, and reach decision-making arenas, war will cease;” “Unity in diversity is not only about race, though that is an issue in our area, but it is also economic—it is in the gifts people have to bring, even if they themselves don’t see their importance—and it is about religion;” “Our approach is really derived from the (Bahá’í) teachings, so we take seriously the notion of relieving extremes of wealth and poverty.” The retired teacher again put it concisely: “You see three tired old girls like me, huffing and puffing around, trying to do this instead of taking it easy. There has to be some-thing more going on here!” One young person saw the difficulty that arose when his team departed from the high spiritual standards it espoused: “I would make it more spiritually focused, so that the group would progress more, spiritually, as a group. This doesn’t have to do with the mission; it has to do 12
In Service to the Common Good
with the way we do the mission. The group was already very unified, but I think if we had spent more structured time praying together, studying together, bringing consultation to all the oppor-tunities we had to really use it, then everything would have been better, deeper. There was one person who was not very happy during this visit, and I think it had to do with expectations and not taking time to deepen our spiritual unity.” The Children’s Theatre Company uses art to promote moral development, which has result-ed in participants’ spiritual growth as well as expansion of the company’s programs and out-side support. “We use professional artists to work with the kids, and we combine drama, music and ethical education to produce full-scale plays and musicals. This is very different, and the parents and kids recognize this. Say you are a high school teacher and you have the lux-ury of a small budget for theater or music. You have very few choices in what to do, so you do ‘Guys and Dolls,’ which is about gamblers and prostitutes. What kind of role models are these for kids? “The parents see their children developing all these skills, having fun and learning to dram-atize the words and lives of important, noble people, so the program speaks to their spiritual development, too. Instead of learning a popular song about sex and stuff, they learn about Gandhi, Martin Luther King and world peace. Who wouldn’t choose that for their child?” Practical Lessons Participants in the projects that were revisited in 2006 report having learned important practical lessons in addition to the larger spiritual ones. A member of the Women on the Move Network (WOTMN) said, “We were intrigued by the story of the Tahirih Justice Center that we read in the first ‘In Service’ booklet (2004). We contacted them and they helped us very generously to re-think our approach. We realize now we should have applied for our 501(c)(3) non-profit status much earlier.” That sentiment was echoed by a participant in another project: “What would we do differently? Get our 501(c)(3) early.” The WOTMN participant said her group learned other practical lessons: “We started doing too many things at once, and most of them involved only costs, not income. Now we focus more on our mission statement, and evaluate what we do in relation to the mission, the resources available and the costs involved. Now our semi-annual conference, which used to be an end in itself, supports the girls and the pilot project directly through fundraising, publicity, as a laboratory where the girls practice what they are learning and as a source of connections for our future growth.” “Focus and devote more time to the projects than we have currently allotted,” said a represen-tative of Women for International Peace and Arbitration (WIPA), which for the last 20 years has with the way we do the mission. The group was already very unified, but I think if we had spent more structured time praying together, studying together, bringing consultation to all the oppor-tunities we had to really use it, then everything would have been better, deeper. There was one person who was not very happy during this visit, and I think it had to do with expectations and not taking time to deepen our spiritual unity.” The Children’s Theatre Company uses art to promote moral development, which has result-ed in participants’ spiritual growth as well as expansion of the company’s programs and out-side support. “We use professional artists to work with the kids, and we combine drama, music and ethical education to produce full-scale plays and musicals. This is very different, and the parents and kids recognize this. Say you are a high school teacher and you have the lux-ury of a small budget for theater or music. You have very few choices in what to do, so you do ‘Guys and Dolls,’ which is about gamblers and prostitutes. What kind of role models are these for kids? “The parents see their children developing all these skills, having fun and learning to dram-atize the words and lives of important, noble people, so the program speaks to their spiritual development, too. Instead of learning a popular song about sex and stuff, they learn about Gandhi, Martin Luther King and world peace. Who wouldn’t choose that for their child?” Practical Lessons Participants in the projects that were revisited in 2006 report having learned important practical lessons in addition to the larger spiritual ones. A member of the Women on the Move Network (WOTMN) said, “We were intrigued by the story of the Tahirih Justice Center that we read in the first ‘In Service’ booklet (2004). We contacted them and they helped us very generously to re-think our approach. We realize now we should have applied for our 501(c)(3) non-profit status much earlier.” That sentiment was echoed by a participant in another project: “What would we do differently? Get our 501(c)(3) early.” The WOTMN participant said her group learned other practical lessons: “We started doing too many things at once, and most of them involved only costs, not income. Now we focus more on our mission statement, and evaluate what we do in relation to the mission, the resources available and the costs involved. Now our semi-annual conference, which used to be an end in itself, supports the girls and the pilot project directly through fundraising, publicity, as a laboratory where the girls practice what they are learning and as a source of connections for our future growth.” “Focus and devote more time to the projects than we have currently allotted,” said a represen-tative of Women for International Peace and Arbitration (WIPA), which for the last 20 years has Aligning Development with the Forces of Progress
13
sponsored girls’ education in various parts of the world. “We would also devote more time to our chapter network to ensure they are successful, to fan the spark of interest that attracted them and to ensure the timely receipt of their financial reports.” Other projects learned lessons on the impor-tance of training and orientation, particularly where cross-cultural issues come into play. “I’d have a briefing book of some kind,” said a coordinator for KWSP, “and probably some kind of contract covering behavior, because I don’t want to have to be a parent for the group, which takes some-thing important away from the whole feeling of the thing. Thai culture is very modest, for example, and we had one instance of very inappropriate dress—normal in the U.S., but not right for Thailand. I would try to avoid that.” Orien Aid, which ran short on time to train for its 2006 season, cited the same need: “You have to train at least four months in advance, so that if there are problems, you have some options,” said one participant. “Training in-country is important, and there has to be a balance, but once you have gotten there, it’s kind of too late if there’s a problem, if expectations are too dif-ferent from the reality on the ground.” Sustainability—More Than Funding Members of the projects that were revisited also reflected on the spiritual and practical implications of sustainability in their work. On the practical side, the WIPA representative highlighted a lesson participants learned about fundraising: “It is more appealing if you have a clear vision with a manageable, targeted outcome that actually changes the lives of those you are serv-ing. We were struggling to raise funds until we discovered that we had to describe our mission in ways people could identify with; then we found they give both time and money.” CTC has found that “you have to surround yourself with people you want to hang out with in a meaningful way. And we find we need to go in short spurts of activity—we have two 15-week sessions, with a break in between. We need to create a culture of service so everyone feels a part of this, and everyone feels his or her contri-bution is valued. We do this in relation to our tuition and fees, for example. In most settings, people who can afford to pay full tuition get spe-cial treatment; we don’t do that. We have worked hard to make sure that everyone contributes what they have, and that diversity is valued so no one thinks any less of the parent who pays by cleaning up instead of writing a check.” Members of the Bahá’í community have many demands on their time, because there is no clergy to do many of the tasks an active community requires. Project members were asked why they had chosen development over some of the other possibilities. “We looked at letters from the Universal House of Justice (the world-wide governing body of the Bahá’í com-munity), where they talk about certain activities that require expertise and that must continue,” said one participant. “We felt WOTMN was one of those. We have something unique to share, and a population of young women who are at sponsored girls’ education in various parts of the world. “We would also devote more time to our chapter network to ensure they are successful, to fan the spark of interest that attracted them and to ensure the timely receipt of their financial reports.” Other projects learned lessons on the impor-tance of training and orientation, particularly where cross-cultural issues come into play. “I’d have a briefing book of some kind,” said a coordinator for KWSP, “and probably some kind of contract covering behavior, because I don’t want to have to be a parent for the group, which takes some-thing important away from the whole feeling of the thing. Thai culture is very modest, for example, and we had one instance of very inappropriate dress—normal in the U.S., but not right for Thailand. I would try to avoid that.” Orien Aid, which ran short on time to train for its 2006 season, cited the same need: “You have to train at least four months in advance, so that if there are problems, you have some options,” said one participant. “Training in-country is important, and there has to be a balance, but once you have gotten there, it’s kind of too late if there’s a problem, if expectations are too dif-ferent from the reality on the ground.” Sustainability—More Than Funding Members of the projects that were revisited also reflected on the spiritual and practical implications of sustainability in their work. On the practical side, the WIPA representative highlighted a lesson participants learned about fundraising: “It is more appealing if you have a clear vision with a manageable, targeted outcome that actually changes the lives of those you are serv-ing. We were struggling to raise funds until we discovered that we had to describe our mission in ways people could identify with; then we found they give both time and money.” CTC has found that “you have to surround yourself with people you want to hang out with in a meaningful way. And we find we need to go in short spurts of activity—we have two 15-week sessions, with a break in between. We need to create a culture of service so everyone feels a part of this, and everyone feels his or her contri-bution is valued. We do this in relation to our tuition and fees, for example. In most settings, people who can afford to pay full tuition get spe-cial treatment; we don’t do that. We have worked hard to make sure that everyone contributes what they have, and that diversity is valued so no one thinks any less of the parent who pays by cleaning up instead of writing a check.” Members of the Bahá’í community have many demands on their time, because there is no clergy to do many of the tasks an active community requires. Project members were asked why they had chosen development over some of the other possibilities. “We looked at letters from the Universal House of Justice (the world-wide governing body of the Bahá’í com-munity), where they talk about certain activities that require expertise and that must continue,” said one participant. “We felt WOTMN was one of those. We have something unique to share, and a population of young women who are at 14
In Service to the Common Good
risk, and whom we have to reach. We’re concerned about the waste of those lives if they get caught up in all the things that pull them into dysfunctional attitudes and actions.” The CTC coordinator said, “I had to look at what I can do, where I have some expertise and I asked myself, ‘What can I do with the little time I have available to impact the largest number of people?’ I saw my friends, starving artists, and realized we could nourish our own growth by using our art. This is as much about the artists themselves as it is the children. We’re not ‘res-cuing’ anybody.” “This isn’t really something that worries me,” said a member of Voicemail for the Homeless, a San Francisco area project, “this competition for attention among all the activities I ‘should’ do. This is my passion. Service through develop-ment is just doing what comes naturally to me.” “Making service a part of your life, even if you’re not in the field,” is a part of sustainability in the KWSP. “Partly that’s going back every year, and partly it is the ongoing work that has to happen in order to be able to go back into the field,” a project member explained. “The continuity of effort also makes for stronger relationships with the people in Thailand and a better reception when we arrive each time.” Making development and service a part of their lives is a common thread running through the comments of those interviewed. Consider the WOTMN representative who served the Bahá’í community in Costa Rica for 16 years until economic reasons forced her to return to the U.S., where she taught English until retire-ment, and then helped to form the Network. One of the founders of the interfaith Jeffco Partners, which collab-orated with Habitat for Humanity to build 10 houses for refugees in the Denver area, lived in Bolivia in the 1970s, returned to a college teaching job and later became involved in Jeffco. Now that Jeffco has completed its task and moved in a different direction, he and his wife are retiring to Bolivia to participate in other community development projects. Young people are also making service a central focus of their lives and career choices. One of Orien Aid’s 2006 team members expressed his passion for service by saying, “I grew up in Africa and want to return there. The project helped to refine my goal of being a visual journalist, but I realized I needed to go to graduate school to build my skills. I want to bring awareness to the plight of disadvantaged people; I want to take my skills back to Africa and do that.” “Participating in activities of social change should not be restricted to traditional service endeavors,” said a graduate school student who devoted several summers to various projects. “One of the greatest tasks of Bahá’ís is to effect change in their everyday interactions; we are charged to be the embodiments of our religious beliefs, advocating for the regeneration of humanity… . I cannot believe that our task is solely to sit back and watch, do our prescribed sequence of training courses, say our prayers and hope for hearts to change…the spirit (of the early Bahá’ís) must be infused in our everyday actions. We have to be of service in our every-day activities, within our own communities, because this is the only way to be true champions of social justice.” risk, and whom we have to reach. We’re concerned about the waste of those lives if they get caught up in all the things that pull them into dysfunctional attitudes and actions.” The CTC coordinator said, “I had to look at what I can do, where I have some expertise and I asked myself, ‘What can I do with the little time I have available to impact the largest number of people?’ I saw my friends, starving artists, and realized we could nourish our own growth by using our art. This is as much about the artists themselves as it is the children. We’re not ‘res-cuing’ anybody.” “This isn’t really something that worries me,” said a member of Voicemail for the Homeless, a San Francisco area project, “this competition for attention among all the activities I ‘should’ do. This is my passion. Service through develop-ment is just doing what comes naturally to me.” “Making service a part of your life, even if you’re not in the field,” is a part of sustainability in the KWSP. “Partly that’s going back every year, and partly it is the ongoing work that has to happen in order to be able to go back into the field,” a project member explained. “The continuity of effort also makes for stronger relationships with the people in Thailand and a better reception when we arrive each time.” Making development and service a part of their lives is a common thread running through the comments of those interviewed. Consider the WOTMN representative who served the Bahá’í community in Costa Rica for 16 years until economic reasons forced her to return to the U.S., where she taught English until retire-ment, and then helped to form the Network. One of the founders of the interfaith Jeffco Partners, which collab-orated with Habitat for Humanity to build 10 houses for refugees in the Denver area, lived in Bolivia in the 1970s, returned to a college teaching job and later became involved in Jeffco. Now that Jeffco has completed its task and moved in a different direction, he and his wife are retiring to Bolivia to participate in other community development projects. Young people are also making service a central focus of their lives and career choices. One of Orien Aid’s 2006 team members expressed his passion for service by saying, “I grew up in Africa and want to return there. The project helped to refine my goal of being a visual journalist, but I realized I needed to go to graduate school to build my skills. I want to bring awareness to the plight of disadvantaged people; I want to take my skills back to Africa and do that.” “Participating in activities of social change should not be restricted to traditional service endeavors,” said a graduate school student who devoted several summers to various projects.

“One of the greatest tasks of Bahá’ís is to effect change in their everyday interactions; we are charged to be the embodiments of our religious beliefs, advocating for the regeneration of humanity… . I cannot believe that our task is solely to sit back and watch, do our prescribed sequence of training courses, say our prayers and hope for hearts to change…the spirit (of the early Bahá’ís) must be infused in our everyday actions. We have to be of service in our every-day activities, within our own communities, because this is the only way to be true champions of social justice.” Aligning Development with the Forces of Progress
15

Mathematicians who study complexity theory might describe these stories in terms of complex adaptive systems. They might point out that when a grain of sand finally pushes the system past its tipping point, setting off an avalanche of events that create wholly new patterns, it is possible only in retrospect to know which grain of sand it was that triggered the advent of a new reality. Others might describe these projects in terms of organic growth: Each project and its participants, consciously or not, are adapting to the social evolution underway as mankind struggles toward the realization of its own oneness. New alignments and opportunities emerge, and these individuals and the initiatives they have set in motion organize themselves accordingly. A remarkable characteristic of self-organizing systems is that one finds the same patterns emerging at every level of detail or magnification; the parts mirror the whole, down to the molecular level. As global society moves toward oneness, so do all of its component parts. Program participants who are Bahá’ís know that Bahá’u’lláh has urged them to be “anxiously concerned with the needs of the age ye live in,” and to “center your deliberations on its exigencies and requirements.” They also know that he has urged all people to work for the progress of civilization by integrating the spiritual and the material. Each of the participants in these projects has committed to that process, often for a lifetime, and they never stop searching for better ways to serve the common good. A Life-Time Quest Mathematicians who study complexity theory might describe these stories in terms of complex adaptive systems. They might point out that when a grain of sand finally pushes the system past its tipping point, setting off an avalanche of events that create wholly new patterns, it is possible only in retrospect to know which grain of sand it was that triggered the advent of a new reality. Others might describe these projects in terms of organic growth: Each project and its participants, consciously or not, are adapting to the social evolution underway as mankind struggles toward the realization of its own oneness. New alignments and opportunities emerge, and these individuals and the initiatives they have set in motion organize themselves accordingly. A remarkable characteristic of self-organizing systems is that one finds the same patterns emerging at every level of detail or magnification; the parts mirror the whole, down to the molecular level. As global society moves toward oneness, so do all of its component parts. Program participants who are Bahá’ís know that Bahá’u’lláh has urged them to be “anxiously concerned with the needs of the age ye live in,” and to “center your deliberations on its exigencies and requirements.” They also know that he has urged all people to work for the progress of civilization by integrating the spiritual and the material. Each of the participants in these projects has committed to that process, often for a lifetime, and they never stop searching for better ways to serve the common good. A Life-Time Quest 16
In Service to the Common Good
Photo Credits End Notes
Cover and page 12: Ryan Lash 1 Easterly (2006), p.4 Pages 1, 9 and 14: Orien Aid
2 Universal House of Justice, October 20, 1983
Pages 2, 7, 11, 15 and 16: KWSP
to the Bahá’ís of the World.
Page 13: Bill Aristovulos/Children’s Theatre Co.
3 Easterly, pp. 66-7.
Pages 4 and 10: William Allmart
4 See, for example, Development as Freedom (Dr. Amartya Sen, 2001).
References
Bahá’í World Center. Prosperity of Humankind. (1995) 5 Easterly, op. cit., p. 8. Century of Light. (2001) 6 Duflo, E; Dupas, P; Kremer, M; Sinei, S. (2006) Banerjee, A; Deaton, A.; Duflo, E. Health Care 7 Banerjee, A; Deaton, A.; Duflo, E. (2004)
Delivery in Rural Rajasthan. (2004) Downloaded from
8 Kremer, M; Miguel, E. (2004)
www.povertyactionlab.org/papers, October 2006.
9 Gugerty, M.K.; Kremer, M. (2004)
Duflo, E; Dupas, P; Kremer, M; Sinei, S. Education
10 Bahá’í World Center, (2001), Century of Light, p.75
and HIV/AIDS Prevention: Evidence from a randomized evaluation in Western Kenya. (2006) Downloaded 11 McCusker, James, referring to Bob Geldof in from www.povertyactionlab.org/papers, October, 2006. “G-8 Countries Need To Wake Up” (Everett, WA
Herald, July 10, 2005)
Easterly, W. The White Man’s Burden: Why the West’s Efforts to Aid the Rest Have Done So Much Ill 12 See The Universal House of Justice, Ridván 2006 and So Little Good. New York: Penguin Books. (2006) Message to the Bahá’ís of the World, p. 2 and passim.
Gugerty, M.K.; Kremer, M. The Rockefeller Effect. (2004) 13 The Prophet Founder of the Bahá’í Faith (1817-1892) Downloaded from www.povertyactionlab.org/papers, 14 Bahá’í World Center, Prosperity of Humankind, 1995, October 2006. para 11. Kremer, M.; Miguel, E. The Illusion of Sustainability. 15 Ibid., para. 6. (2004) Downloaded from www.povertyactionlab.org/
16 Ibid., para. 42.
papers, October 2006.
17 Ibid. , para. 7.
Sen, A. Development As Freedom. New York:
18 Duly, Greg, “Creating Violence-Free Society:
Alfred Knopf. (2001)
The Case for Rwanda,” in The Journal of
Taylor, M. C.; The Moment of Complexity: Emerging
Humanitarian Assistance, 2000; downloaded
Network Culture. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
from http://www.jha.ac/greatlakes/b002.htm
(2002)
19 Bahá’í World Center, (2001), Century of Light, p. 4.
For additional information, please see: 20 “All Rock, No Action,” New York Times, World Order of Bahá'u'lláh. Wilmette, IL: Bahá'í July 15, 2005 Publishing Trust.
21 Bahá'í World Center, op. cit., p. 110.
Valuing Spirituality in Development
22 Quoted in New York Times, October 12, 2006.
(http://statements.bahai.org/98-0218.htm)
23 In Service to the Common Good: The American
Who Is Writing the Future?
Bahá’í Community’s Commitment to Social Change
Reflections on the Twentieth Century;
(Evanston, 2004); and In Service to the Common
(http://info.bahai.org/article-1-7-3-1.html)
Good: Bahá’í Youth in their Own Words In Service to the Common Good; (Evanston, 2005). (http://www.bahai.us/in-service-to-the-common-good)
Copyright © 2006 National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States. All rights reserved.
Aligning Development with the Forces of Progress
Bahá’í National Center 1233 Central Street Evanston, IL 60201-1611 USA http://www.us.bahai.org/ 1-800-22-UNITE

2007-06-26T01:03:00.000-07:00

A FLAME OF FIRE

By A. Q. Faizi
Scanned from the third printing: (1973; (c) 1969) Bahá'í Publishing Trust of India
--extracts ---
There are two Tablets each bearing the name of Ahmad: one in Persian and the other in Arabic. The latter is the one used throughout the Bahá'í world, which the beloved Guardian characterized as being imbued with a special potency.

==================================
Ahmad Begins His Search

As to the Ahmad in whose honour the well-known Tablet is revealed, he was born in Yazd (circa 1805) to a very noble and rich family. His father and uncles were the chieftains of the town, but Ahmad even at the age of fourteen showed a great inclination towards mysticism and endeavoured to find new paths to truth. When he was fifteen, he had already started his investigations during which he heard from some of the people that there are saints or holy men who know special prayers which if read and repeated so many times and in accordance with certain rituals would definitely enable the reader to behold the countenance of the Promised Qá'im (The Messiah). This flared up the fire of his ever-growing longings. He began to practice an ascetic life with long prayers, successive days of fasting and secluding himself from people and from the world. His parents and relatives never approved of such practices, nor did they permit him to continue this seclusion which was contrary to their ways of life and ambition. Such opposition could not be tolerated by a man like Ahmad who was whole-heartedly searching and striving to reach his heart's desire - reunion with his eternal Beloved. Therefore one day early in the morning, he made a small bundle of his clothes and belongings and under the pretext of going to a public bath, departed from his father's home and set out on his way to search for God's manifestation.
In a beggar's outfit he roamed from village to village, and wherever he found a "pir" - spiritual leader - with great devotion and rectitude of conduct he sat at his feet in the hope of finding a path to the mysterious worlds of truth. He invariably begged such people for the special prayer, the reading of which would draw him near the court of his Beloved. Whenever someone would suggest to him any practice, he was so ardent in his search that he would invariably carry out the instructions with absolute sincerity no matter how time consuming or arduous those practices were. But all of this was of no avail.
Losing hope and faith in such pursuits, he made his way to India, a land so well known for its mystic teachers and hermits with special powers and spiritual gifts. He reached Bombay, and took up his residence there, still looking for someone to give him a glimpse of the glorious court of the Promised One.
He heard that if one would perform a specific ablution, put on spotlessly clean white garments, prostrate oneself and repeat the following verse of the Qur'án, "There is no God but God" twelve thousand times, he would definitely attain his aim and heart's desire. Not once, but several times, Ahmad prostrated himself for hours to repeat the above-mentioned verse 12,000 times, but still found himself in darkness.
In his dismay he returned to Persia, but did not go to his own home town of Yazd. He settled in the city of Kashan and started his own craft of cloth-making in which he was an expert. In no time he became a very successful businessman; but still in his inmost heart he was restlessly searching.
A Stranger Points the Way
"Knock, and it shall be opened unto you." "Ask, and it shall be given you." No true seeker ever returned from His door of mercy deprived or unanswered.
It was here in Kashan that the rumors about One claiming to be the Promised Qá'im were heard by him. Ceaseless in his efforts and sincere in his search, he asked many people in many different ways. No one ever gave him a clue.
Then one day an unknown traveller arrived in this town and stayed in the same inn where Ahmad had established his successful business. A certain inner urge drew Ahmad close to this unknown man. In their conversation, the traveller was asked about the already spreading rumour. "Why do you ask this question?" he inquired. "I want to know if it is true. If it is, I shall follow it, with all my might," was Ahmad's rejoinder.
The traveller with a smile of triumph on his face, instructed him to go to Khurasan and find a certain famous learned man called Mulla 'Abdu'I Khaliq who would tell him the whole truth.
The very next day Ahmad was on his way to the province of Khurasan. The owners of the neighbouring shops were very much surprised when they did not find Ahmad at his work as usual. "What passed between him and the unknown traveller?" they asked one another, and no one knew the right answer.
Ahmad crossed deserts and mountains on foot, and his heart overflowed with joy and longing. Every step he took he found himself nearer to the time when all his efforts would yield the desired fruits - his reunion with his Beloved in the search of Whose he spared no effort and found no sacrifice too great.
He reached Mashhad, Khurasan, exhausted and so ill that he had to stay in bed. After two months' struggle to overcome his weakness, he mustered the last ounces of his strength and courage and went directly to the door of the desired house. Here are his own words as related to his friends and companions of those days: "When I reached the house, I knocked at the door and the servant of the house came forth. Holding the door ajar, he asked me, 'What do you want?' 'I must see your Master,' I answered. The man went back into the house and then the Mulla himself came out. He admitted me to his house and when we stood face to face I explained to him all that had happened to me. When I finished, he at once grasped my arm and told me, 'Do not say such things here!' and he pushed me out of his house. There was no end to my sorrows. Heartbroken and utterly astounded I said to myself, 'Are all my efforts in vain? To whom shall I turn? Whom shall I approach? ..... But I will never leave this man. I will persist till such time as he will open his heart to me and will guide me to the right path of God. It is incumbent upon the one who searches to drain the bitter cup of hardship.' The next morning I was at the door of the same house. I knocked harder than the previous day. This time the Mulla himself came to the door and the moment he opened it, I said, 'I will not go away, I will not leave you until you tell me the whole truth.' This time he found me earnest and true. He became sure that I had not been at his door to spy or cause difficulties for him and his friends."
Ahmad was then instructed to attend the evening prayers at a certain mosque where the same Mulla led the congregational prayers followed by a long sermon. He was also told to follow the Mulla after the sermon was over. The next night Ahmad tried his utmost to find the Mulla after the prayer and the sermon, but crowds of people surrounded him and Ahmad did not have the slightest chance to even approach him. The next day when the two met again Ahmad was instructed to go to another mosque at night and a third person would be there to show him the way. Accordingly Ahmad was at the mosque at sunset and as promised, after the evening prayers, a certain person came to him and beckoned him to follow. Without hesitation or fear Ahmad followed. Now the three men started to walk like shadows in the darkness of the night, through narrow and obscure lanes. Ahmad, a complete stranger, never wavered nor faltered nor fled. He took every step with great determination and was ready for any outcome.
At last they reached a certain house. They knocked at the door very gently and it was opened immediately. The newcomers went in very quickly. They passed through a covered passageway, reached a small courtyard, climbed a few steps and were at the door of an upper chamber where a very dignified figure was sitting. The Mulla approached that revered personage with great humility and absolute reverence and courteously whispered; "This is the man I told you about,"' and indicated Ahmad, who had been standing at the threshold with utter respect and high expectation. "Welcome. Please come in and be seated," said the man. Ahmad then entered the room and sat down on the floor.
The host was no less a person than Mulla Sadiq (Truthful), one of the early believers during the Báb's ministry and very distinguished for his erudition, audacity and steadfastness. During Bahá'u'lláh's ministry the same Mulla Sadiq (Truthful) displayed such great ardour and zeal that he was entitled 'Asdaq (the most truthful) by Bahá'u'lláh.
A Treasure is Found
Ahmad who for twenty-five years had been wandering in the valleys of search and had nowhere found even a drop to quench his thirst; now found a path to the main spring. With parched lips and an insatiable longing he drank in the sweet scented stream of the verses of God through His new Manifestation. Three sessions were sufficient and he embraced the Faith with all his heart and soul. So elated, exalted and over-enthusiastic he looked, that 'Asdaq exhorted him to return to has family in Kashan and insisted that he should not mention the Faith to the people, not even to his own wife.
Those days were days of extreme danger to the nascent Cause of God. The few followers recruited from the poor people of the world were forever the targets of many atrocities. Even the air was imbued with suspicion, spying and slander. Therefore the friends had to be very careful, lest the slightest unwise deed or even a foolish word would ignite a never-ending conflagration that would consume the believers in its flame.
'Asdaq, knowing how Ahmad had suffered, felt that he had no money to go back home; therefore he gave him some small gift for his family and the sum of three tumans ($1) and again advised him to be very wise.
Commenting upon his return to Kashan, Ahmad has said: "When I reached Kashan, everyone asked what had happened that I had left everything so abruptly. I told them: 'My longing for pilgrimage was too great to resist, and I was right.' What else could take me away from my work, my house and my family except that innermost yearning? The instant I heard these words from the traveller there was no more patience left in me."
In Kashan he resumed his work, but longed to teach the Faith. He heard rumours that a certain man by the name of Haji Mirza Jani had changed his faith and had become the follower of a new obscure religion. He searched for him and when the two found each other, there was no end to their joy and excitement. They became fast friends, constant companions and the first and only Bábís of that town.
One day, Haji Mirza Jani went to Ahmad and with great enthusiasm and uncontrollable excitement asked him, "Would you like to visit the countenance of Your Lord?" Ahmad's heart leapt up. With much joy and ecstasy he immediately got up from his seat and asked, "How and when?" Haji explained to him how he had arranged with the guards to have the Báb in his house as a guest for two or three nights. Therefore at the appointed hour Ahmad went to Haji's house. When he entered, his eyes fell on a face the beauty of which surpassed heaven and earth. A young Siyyid was sitting with such meekness, grandeur and majesty that one could not help but behold the light of God in His countenance. Some of the divines and dignitaries of the town were seated on the floor around and the servants stood at the door.
One of the Mullas faced the Báb and said, "We have heard that a certain young man in Shiraz has claimed to be the Báb. Is it true?" "Yes," answered the Báb. "And does he reveal verses, too?" asked the same man. The Báb responded, "And We reveal verses, too."
Ahmad has further said, "This clear, end courageous answer was sufficient for anyone who had ears to hear and eyes to see and find the whole truth immediately. His beautiful face and His powerful Words and presence sufficed all things. But when they served tea and a cup was offered to the Báb, He immediately took it, called the servant of the same Mulla and very graciously gave it to him. The day after, the very same humble servant came to me and with great sorrow deplored the stupidity of his master. A little explanation as to the station of the Báb brought him to our fold and our number grew to be three.
This small nucleus started to grow and the number of the adherents Increased. This angered the divines who used all their cunning to stop the flow of the already powerful stream of life. They instigated the cruel ignorant mob to plunder, confiscate and kill all those who bore the name of the Báb. Every day they would go to a house, so enraged that they would break its doors and windows, destroy the building and plunder and loot the contents. In the evening one would find the bodies of people dead in the streets and lanes and even scattered over neighbouring mountain and plains. This continued and Ahmad's house was no exception. Ahmad then had to hide in a tower for forty days and the friends used to take him food and provisions.
Journey to the Abode of Peace
Finding life unbearable in Kashan and hearing that Baghdad had become a point of attraction, he decided to go there.
"And God calleth to the Abode of Peace (Baghdad) and He guideth whom He will into the right way."
In the darkness of the night, Ahmad emerged from his hiding place and scaled the wails of the city to make his way to Baghdad. He travelled on foot, full of love, enthusiasm and eagerness to behold the countenance of the One Whom God would make manifest. As he was walking, he came across another man travelling same direction. Afraid of being molested further, Ahmad tried to ignore the stranger, uttering not a word, but the man persisted in walking by his side. Taking great care never to even allude to the Faith or the purpose of his journey, Ahmad and his fellow-traveller reached their destination. On arrival in Baghdad, they separated and Ahmad immediately set out searching for the House of Bahá'u'lláh. When he found the House and entered therein, he found, to his utter astonishment, that his companion was there, too. He then understood that his friend was also a Bábí and had been on his way to attain the presence of the Blessed Beauty.
Ahmad in the Presence of Bahá'u'lláh
It was a breathtaking experience for a man like Ahmad who all through his life had been searching for this immense spiritual Fountainhead. When for the first time he glanced at the youthful countenance of Bahá'u'lláh - a Face full of charm, freshness of colour and penetrating powers, he was overwhelmed. He came to his senses only through the mirthful remark of the Ancient Beauty, "He becomes a Bábí and then hides in the tower!"
Bahá'u'lláh allowed him to remain in Baghdad and have his residence very close to the House. Ahmad immediately installed his small cloth-making machine and was the happiest man in the world. What else does one expect? To live at the time of the Supreme Manifestation of God, adore Him, be loved by Him and be so close to Him in heart and soul and even in residence.
When once asked about the events of the years he spent in such close proximity to Bahá'u'lláh, with tears in his eyes he said, "How innumerable, how great and how immensely mighty were the events of those years. Our nights were filled with memorable episodes. Joyful and at times sorrowful were our experiences, yet beyond the power of anyone to describe. For example, one day as the Blessed Beauty was walking, a certain government officer approached Him and reported that one of His followers had been killed and his body thrown on the river bank. The Tongue of Power and Might replied, "No one has killed him. Through seventy thousand veils of light We showed him the glory of God to an extent smaller than a needle's eye; therefore, he could no more bear the burden of his life and has offered himself as a sacrifice."
When the caliph's decree was conveyed to Bahá'u'lláh and He had to leave Baghdad for Istanbul, He left the town on the thirty-second day after Naw-Ruz for the Ridvan Garden. On that same day the river overflowed and only on the ninth day was it possible for His family to join Him in the Garden. The river then overflowed a second time, and on the twelfth day it subsided and all went to Him. Ahmad begged Bahá'u'lláh to be amongst His companions in exile, but Bahá'u'lláh did not accede to this request. He chose a few people and instructed the others to stay to teach and protect the Cause emphasizing that this would be better for the Faith of God. At the time of His departure, those who were left behind stood in a row and all were so overcome with sorrow that they burst into tears. Bahá'u'lláh again approached them and consoled them saying: "It is better for the Cause. Some of these people who accompany me are liable to do mischief; therefore I am taking them with Myself." One of the friends could scarcely control his anguish and sorrow. He addressed the crowd reciting this poem of Sa'di:
"Let us all rise to weep like unto the clouds of the Spring Season. On the day when lovers are separated from their Beloved, one can even hear the lamentations of stones."
Bahá'u'lláh then said, "Verily this was said for this day." Then He mounted His horse and one of the friends placed a sack of coins in front of the saddle and Bahá'u'lláh started to distribute the coins to the bewailing poor who were standing by. When they ran to Him and pushed one another, He plunged His hand in the sack and poured all the coins out saying, "Gather them yourselves!"
Ahmad saw his Beloved disappear from his sight headed for an unknown destination. Little did he know that He was like unto the sun rising towards the zenith of might and power. Sad at heart and utterly distressed in soul, he returned to Baghdad, which to him seemed devoid of any attraction. He tried to make himself happy by gathering the friends and encouraging them to disperse and teach the Faith which had just been declared. Though actively serving the Cause, he was not happy. All that could keep him happy was nearness to his Beloved.
The Tablet is Revealed
After a few years he once again left his home and work and set out on foot towards Adrianople, the city of his love and and desire.
When he reached Istanbul he received a Tablet from Bahá'u'lláh, now well known as "The Tablet of Ahmad." He describes receipt of this Tablet as follows: "I received the Tablet of 'The Nightingale of Paradise' and reading it again and again, I found out that my Beloved desired me to go and teach His Cause. Therefore I preferred obedience to visiting Him."
He was specially commissioned to travel through Persia, find the old Bábí families and convey to them the new message of the Lord. Hence such glorious reference to the Báb in this Tablet. The task was arduous beyond description and therefore such exhortations as, "Be thou a flame of fire to My enemies and a river of life eternal to My loved ones and be not of those who doubt." The path to be pursued by him would be full of blood, thorns and hardships to be borne, but followed by such soul-stirring promises of victory as "And if thou art overtaken by affliction in My path, or degradation for My sake, be not thou troubled thereby."
With this divine amulet in his possession - a small piece of paper which had been "invested by Bahá'u'lláh with a special potency and significance," and clad in the simple garments of a mendicant, Ahmad made his way back to Persia. He entered the country from the district where the Báb had been imprisoned and martyred and crossed this region like unto the breeze of life. Many of the Bábís were thus enabled to see the sun then shining from Adrianople and even many of the Moslems embraced the Faith wholeheartedly.
"Glad Tidings of the Nearness of God"
Ahmad became the embodiment of his own Tablet. Such persistence, undaunted spirit, tenacity and steadfastness as his are hardly to be found any annals of the Cause. When he found a contact, although he suffered afflictions and degradations, he would return again and again to finish that which had been left half discussed.
For example, when he was travelling throughout the Province of Khurasan, he went to the house of a very well known Bábí family, the head of which was no less a person than Furughi - one of the survivors of the Tabarsi upheaval. Ahmad went in and gradually opened the subject and in very frank, vigorous and emphatic terms explained that the One to be manifested by God was none other than Bahá'u'lláh whose light was then shining from the horizon of the "Remote Prison" - Adrianople.
Furughi, who has so audaciously fought in Tabarsi, started a fight here, too. The discussion became more intense as the hours went by. Furughi became very angry, attacked Ahmad, breaking one his teeth and threw him out of the house.
Ahmad left broken-hearted; but, undaunted, he later returned, knocked at the door and told them that he would not go until such time as the subject was fully discussed and some definite conclusions reached.
We must bear in mind that the Bábís were in such great danger that even a piece of paper bearing the verses of the Báb found in any house was enough for the house to be demolished and the inhabitants to be sent to prison or even to the field of martyrdom.
Therefore many of the friends hid their books and writings in the walls of their houses. When Ahmad went to Furughi's house for the second time to resume the discussion, he said emphatically that the Greatest Name BAHA had very often been mentioned by the Báb in all His Writings. Furughi challenged the truth of this statement. To prove to Ahmad that he was wrong, he tore a part of the wall down and brought out a bundle containing the Writings of the Báb, and promised not to say a word against the explicit texts. Ahmad says, "The very first one we opened referred to the name of Baha." As promised, Furughi and all the members of his family accepted the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh and became zealous defenders and very outstanding in its propagation and protection.
"A Flame of Fire"
After crossing all the lands of Khurasan, Ahmad decided to go once more to Baghdad to convey the message of love and greetings on behalf of Bahá'u'lláh to all the friends of that very important city, but unfortunately on the way he again fell sick and could not reach Baghdad. In addition, in Tihran, some of the divines of Kashan recognized him and lodged complaints against him at the court of the King, who was ever ready to inflict hardship on the adherents of the new Faith. He was consequently arrested and committed to the hands of a certain young officer who was ordered to investigate the case and if he was sure that his victim had gone astray, to put him to death immediately.
The young officer did not wish to molest Ahmad and therefore insisted that he should recant his Faith. Ahmad says, "At that moment I was at the height of my faith and enthusiasm and never for one moment even thought of recanting." Ever ready to lay down his life in the path of the Cause, he served with such self-sacrifice, he insisted that he was not a Bábí, but a Bahá'í, a follower of the Supreme Manifestation. He was detained and while in prison he heard of the sudden and severe illness of the officer's wife. In great fright and in extreme distress, the officer came to Ahmad and said, "Should my wife recover, I will release you," and after three days the young man, heedless of the dire consequences to himself, took Ahmad to the gate of Tihran and set him free.
"A River of Life Eternal"
Released like a bird, he first went to the villages where some sifters of wheat were Bábís. They received him with the utmost love and courtesy. They offered him hospitality and he guided them to the right path of God and in great rejoicing Ahmad left them and made his way to the Province of Fars, the capital of which was Shiraz.
He lived in this Province for about a quarter of a century. He became the constant companion of the wronged and afflicted ones. He consoled them during times of persecution and gave them hope and vision of the ever-widening horizons of victories and triumphs.
It was through the old people of this district of Persia that this humble servant, the writer, came to hear the distant echoes of a glorious dervish living amongst the villagers and that he had been to them an angel of protection, guidance and mercy. Such rumours set me to search about for him and then I found out that this adorable individual was our precious Ahmad - a name now mentioned throughout the world with so much love and devotion.
Ahmad received many of the travelling teachers who passed through this part of Persia and feasted with them in his humble abode, mentioning God, His Faith and recounting the experience of the many teachers who had been in those days quickening many souls.
One of the most touching incidents as related by himself was the following: "One day a man barely clad and almost barefooted came to the door of my house. He was utterly exhausted and worn out. His clothes were stiff and brownish with a mixture of dust and perspiration. He happened to be Haji Mirza Haydar-Ali. I immediately helped him to take off his clothes. I washed them and spread them in the sun to dry while he rested, waiting for the friends to come for a meeting."
"Steadfast in my Love"
The years passed by full of eventful days, but when the waves of persecution spread all over Persia, the friends in their love and admiration for Ahmad endeavoured to protect him against fatal attacks and after long consultations, they suggested to him that he immediately leave that forlorn and forsaken corner of the country for a more populated centre. Wherever Ahmad went, the friends suggested the same thing to him. He was so well known through the length and breadth of the country that his mere presence would cause agitation amongst the bigoted Muslims whose first arrows would be aimed at Ahmad himself. After changing many places of residence many times, he settled in Tihran. He never wavered, nor was he ever anything but that "flame of fire" and "the river of life eternal." After having lived one century, always enjoying good health, he passed on to the presence of his Beloved in 1905 in Tihran.
As to the family of Ahmad, he had two children: a son called Mirza Mohammed and a daughter Khanum Guhar. When Ahmad's house was confiscated, Mirza Mohammed, his wife and children left the city of Kashan for Tihran. He, his wife and small daughter died on their way to Tihran. The traces of their graves - if any - are lost forever.
There remained only their son, Jamal, aged five. The mule drivers who used to take food from Provinces to Tihran, not knowing that Jamal was a son of Bábís, took pity on the forsaken and homeless child and placing him on one of the loads brought him to Tihran. In that great capital the poor child was left all alone and no one even told him of his glorious ancestry or of the Faith in the path of which the family had borne so many afflictions and untold hardships. He was left in this state until his aunt Khanum Guhar also went to Tihran. When Ahmad reached the capital, he came to know of his grandson whom he loved very much. He took him under the wings of his own love and protection and Jamal grew to be an excellent Bahá'í. His most outstanding characteristic was his iron determination and his indefatigable energy. Nothing could ever deflect this man from the straight path of God, though to him it had always been narrow and strewn with thorns, blood and multifarious plights and calamities. Towards the end of his life, Ahmad entrusted the original Tablet to Jamal who in turn, out of the purity of his heart and his devotion to the Faith of God offered it as a gift to Hand of the Cause, Trustee of Huquq, the son and brother of two illustrious martyrs, Jinab-i-Valiyu'llah Varqa. When Jinab-i-Varqa, according to the instructions of the beloved Guardian, attended the opening ceremony of the Temple in Wilmette during the Intercontinental Conference of the year nine (1953), he brought this most precious Tablet as his offering to the archives of the Bahá'ís of the United States. Now the beloved friends of that country are the trustees of this great gift of God to humanity.

References
1. A letter written on the same subject by Jenab Eshragh Khawari at the request of Mrs. Amelia Collins in 1958.
2. Manuscripts sent to the author by Mirza Faz'lullah Shahidi of Khurasan.
3. Personal investigations from the Djamalis, descendants of the immortal Ahmad in Iran.
(Abu'l-Qasim Faizi, A Flame of Fire)

2007-06-25T23:29:00.000-07:00

Searching for God in time and memory
An examination of Baha'i prayer as 'remembrance'

by Christopher White
Published in Reason and Revelation: Studies in the Babi and Baha'i Religions
13Los Angeles: Kalimat Press, 2002

Abstract

This paper attempts to describe Bahá'í prayer practices in a way that will help both Bahá'ís and scholars of religion better understand and interpret these practices. I begin by borrowing from the Bahá'í scriptures what appears to be an important way of talking about Bahá'í prayer: that is, prayer is a process of "remembering."
I then move on to an extended reflection on prayer as "remembrance," examining several ways that understanding Bahá'í prayer as remembrance might help interpreters of Bahá'í worship practices better understand Bahá'í conceptions of God, human nature and the divine-human relationship. I suggest that prayer in the Bahá'í tradition is a process of first understanding and then overcoming the problematic gap between the human and divine worlds. In the final part of the paper I point out that the obligatory prayers can be understood as a particularly efficacious practice of (literally) "re-membering" self, God and the divine-human relationship. Obligatory prayers are, in Bahá'í language, of "special potency and significance" because they enlist both mind and body in a discipline of remembering.It is almost impossible to overstate the importance of prayer to the Bahá'í tradition. While the requirements for prayer and other forms of worship are somewhat relaxed in comparison with the Islamic and the Bábí traditions, the Bahá'í religion upholds prayer and meditation as "the best of all [human] conditions," as the source of the "spiritual nourishment" needed for individual and social progress and, because all human beings have been created to "know and love" God, as one of the main ways to fulfill the purpose of human life.(1) It comes as no surprise that daily prayer is required of all Bahá'ís, who, more specifically, have been told to recite "the verses of God every morn and eventide."(2) Though Bahá'ís can worship together in groups if they wish, there is only one prescribed congregational prayer (the prayer for the departed); prayer is generally considered an individual affair. Even the obligatory prayer (salat), considered by Muslims to be more meritorious when said in congregation, is generally performed by Bahá'ís in private, perhaps because it is in private that individuals can give their "best attention to the remembrance of God."(3) In general, then, Bahá'í teachings dwell on the interior aspects of praying – one's inner attitudes and dispositions – rather than ritual requirements: human beings should pray to God because they want to express their love for him or want to know and understand him and his purpose for their lives, not because they fear his wrath or crave his grace. Prayer is about remaking one's self, not remaking God.
Bahá'ís pray every day because they believe prayer brings them closer to the source of all life. Like adherents of most other religions, Bahá'ís pray in order to overcome – if only temporarily – the gap between the divine and human worlds, between Creator and created. In the Bahá'í scriptures this problematic gap often is glossed simply as a "separation" from God; themes of separation and reunion, of estrangement and reconciliation with God, are conspicuous in Bahá'u'lláh's prayers and in his more mystical writings. At first glance, the separation between us and God does not seem too great: God is closer to the human reality, Bahá'u'lláh writes in a well-known passage, than the jugular vein.(4)

In another passage Bahá'u'lláh confirms that God is closer than we might think: "Turn thy sight unto thyself," he says, "and you will find Me standing within thee, mighty, powerful and self-subsisting."(5)

Moreover, while spiritual seekers may not find belief easy or instantaneous, Bahá'u'lláh assures us that the sincere will be aided in their search for God by that God-given "trust" which instinctively yearns for its creator, the human heart.(6)

Human beings, we might say, are hardwired for God.(7)

This is not, unfortunately, the whole story. God is not simply resident within us, easy to perceive, know and love.

The immanent God of the Bahá'í scriptures has a transcendent side to be sure: God is "immeasurably exalted," Bahá'u'lláh repeatedly stresses, "above all created things" – so much so in fact that in the final analysis God's reality can never be known by human beings.

Bahá'u'lláh describes God's remoteness concisely: "Every way" to the adequate comprehension of God and his creative word, he writes simply, "is barred."(8)

At this point, the gap between creator and created suddenly appears more problematic. How is it that God can be both immanent in the human heart and hidden, distant and unknown? Why is it that, in Bahá'u'lláh's words, "At all times I am near unto thee, but thou art ever far from Me"?(9)

The paradox of a God who is both astonishingly near and frustratingly hidden is expressed in Bahá'í prayers in language that returns our attention to what it means to be human.

As it turns out, the human heart, that "seat of the All-Merciful," also has one quite grievous shortcoming: it has a short memory. All too often it is, Bahá'u'lláh confirms with apparent regret, "forgetful of its Creator."(10)

Here then is the reason that the God who has his home within us seems so far away: we have forgotten he is there. We have forgotten our closeness to him. Overcoming this forgetfulness, I will argue, is the main task of Bahá'í prayer.(11)

Stated more positively, the purpose of Bahá'í prayer is to "remember."

While there are several reasons to think about Bahá'í prayer as remembrance or remembering, the best reason to do so is simply that Bahá'í prayers themselves describe worship in this way.

Bahá'u'lláh's prayers are loaded with words like "remembrance" and "forgetfulness." To take one suggestive example, in Prayers and Meditations by Bahá'u'lláh, "remember" and "forget" and their variants appear 110 times in the prayers translated there by Shoghi Effendi.(12)

Reading from this collection, worshippers can affirm that God's "remembrance" is their companion in times of loneliness, their healer in times of sickness, their succour in times of anxiety or sadness.(13)
It comes as no surprise then that believers might also ask God to help them "remember him" "at all times and under all conditions," hoping, in the words of another prayer, that their hearts might be totally remade into "a receptacle of Thy love and of remembrance of Thee."(14)

Of course, remaking one's heart into a place that contains "naught except the treasures of [God's] remembrance and praise" requires hard work and, possibly, some good role models.(15)

Fortunately, the prayers in this same collection speak of spiritual heroes worthy of imitation – faithful believers whose hearts "were so carried away by the sweet savours of Thine inspiration that every single member of their bodies intoned Thy praise and vibrated to Thy remembrance" – and villains who, despite God's lamentations, had "forgotten the wonders of [his] mercy."(16)

Bahá'ís really moved by the spirit of these prayers might also promise that "nothing whatsoever" would withhold them from "remembering" God, "though all the tribulations of the earth were to assault [them] from every direction."(17)

In general, this collection of prayers leaves little doubt about the importance of "remembering."
The word translated as "remember" or alternately "mention" of God is the Persian (and Arabic) term dhikr, a word well known to scholars of Islamic mysticism.

For Muslim mystics or Sufis, dhikr stands for a range of spiritual practices intended to put believers in a constant state of divine awareness. Dhikr practices vary considerably, depending on the particular beliefs and practices of each Sufi order. In some orders, novices learn and repeat different formulae of divine names, until, in Annemarie Schimmel's words, the dhikr so permeates the student's being that he or she forgets the recollection of everything other than God.(18)
Dhikr can be performed silently (dhikr of the heart) or out loud (dhikr of the tongue), in public and in private. God should be remembered at all times and in all places, for the believer who "remembers God permanently is the true companion of God."(19)

Dhikr can also involve chanting, singing, dancing and – yes – even getting drunk. While it is safe to say that Bahá'u'lláh rejected this latter method of "remembrance," recent commentators have debated the extent to which Bábís and early Bahá'ís followed other Sufi dhikr practices like repetitive chanting.(20)

My sense is that while many, if not most, of the specific Sufi dhikr practices were rejected or simplified in Bahá'u'lláh's writings, Bahá'u'lláh does retain the word dhikr to describe the process (perhaps it is better to say the discipline) of worship. The question is why? Why is prayer a discipline of remembering? Who or what are we remembering in prayer?

There are no doubt several meanings of "remember" as it is used in Bahá'í prayers, many of which I cannot explore here. My brief review of Sufi dhikr reminds us of one of them: that remembrance of God is about repeatedly calling God to mind, praying to him, mentioning his names. We remember God in this sense when, as is the case in the short obligatory prayer, we speak of him as mighty, wealthy, helpful and self-subsisting. In the medium and long obligatory prayers we call to mind and also physically enact God's sovereignty, his mercy and his greatness through coordinated verses and postures. By the end of any of the obligatory prayers, worshippers know their God and have called him to mind several times. They have also remembered their own place in the universe; God is mighty and humans are by comparison powerless, God is wealthy and humans are impoverished, God is helpful and forgiving, and humans are the recipients of that assistance, forgiveness and love. So remembrance of God on one level is simply calling God to mind and trying to live with an awareness of that knowledge.
There may be other, less apparent meanings of "remembrance" however. What if prayer actually is about remembering a kinship to God that we once knew but have since forgotten? In a passage reminiscent of the Platonic tradition, Bahá'u'lláh asks all of us: "Have you forgotten that true and radiant morn when in these hallowed and blessed surroundings ye were all gathered in My presence beneath the shade of the tree of life, which is planted in the all-glorious paradise?" As if anticipating our response – yes, we did indeed forget – he continues to recall a very distant past that few of us could claim to remember:
Awestruck ye listened as I gave utterance to these three most holy words: O friends! Prefer not your will to Mine, never desire that which I have not desired for you, and approach Me not with lifeless hearts, defiled with worldly desires and cravings. Would ye but sanctify your souls, ye would at this present hour recall that place and those surroundings, and the truth of My utterance should be made evident unto all of you.(21)

Whether we interpret this passage as a literal account of our beginnings or merely a metaphor of our kinship to God, the language of remembering and forgetting is striking. We are asked to remember that time before time (in illo tempore) when, upon gathering us together in "paradise," God whispered to us the secrets of life. Is this passage, and indeed all scripture, intended as a kind of mnemonic device? Is it intended to jog our memories, encouraging us to "sanctify our souls" in order to recall our "true and radiant" origins and our kinship with God? Other scriptures make it clear that the passage of time and our own absorption in the "changes and chances" of the contingent world have indeed left us forgetful of the deepest truths about self and God. "The True One possesseth invisible worlds," 'Abdu'l-Bahá explains, worlds which can be sensed only if we "purify and clarify" our "spiritual nostrils from every worldly moisture."(22) This is not the only time the Bahá'í scriptures instruct believers to purify their hearts and minds in order to remember a long-forgotten meeting with God.(23)

This passage also reminds us that while "the world" is not bad per se (only undue attention to it is considered blameworthy), it does force upon us one thing that unfailingly separates us from our creator: time. Time makes forgetfulness possible. "In the sight of God the past, the present and the future are all one and the same," 'Abdu'l-Bahá explains, "whereas, relative to man, the past is gone and forgotten, the present is fleeting, and the future is within the realm of hope."(24)
While for God all contacts, contracts and covenants made with human beings in the contingent world exist simultaneously, for human beings these same events drift out of consciousness into that "gone and forgotten" past, that waste basket of experiences that are never repeated, called to mind or otherwise strengthened in memory. Except in moments of sanctification and prayerful remembrance we are unable to escape a consciousness of time. The daily practice of prayer, however, reminds us of spiritual truths forgotten in a lifetime (or, for that matter, in a day) by strengthening our memory of God and his teachings through practice and repetition. In this way, remembering collapses time, remembering closes the "gap of createdness" and makes us, as a result, more God-like (for, is God not in a constant state of remembrance?). "Remembrance of Thee is eternal" Bahá'u'lláh proclaims;(25) remembrance overcomes our embeddedness in time by returning us to a consciousness of events, ideas and values that endures.
Searching for God and self in memory is, of course, nothing new. For Plato and other classical thinkers, the search for truth involved "recollecting the world of primordial forms which the soul had contemplated in between this and its previous earthly existence." "Contemplative knowledge was pure and perfect, but the reincarnated soul drank from the spring of Lethe and forgot the knowledge it had obtained from direct contemplation of the Ideas." Here, learning rather than worship is recollection of "the real, the archaic forms, the transpersonal and eternal truths."(26)
Much later, a young Christian bishop struggling to find himself turned inward and in the process made famous the connections between memory, identity and God. "Ascending by steps to him who made me," Augustine writes in his autobiographical Confessions, "I come into the fields and spacious palaces of my memory." In memory this fourth century thinker found his true self and his God, both of them "various," "manifold" and "immense."(27)

For their part, Muslim thinkers have exfoliated the connections between memory and divine knowledge in countless theological and mystical works – so much so that one recent commentator has claimed that the duty of human beings in Islam "is simply to 'remember' (dhikr)."(28)

Taking their cue from mystics and theologians, a number of contemporary scholars of religion have begun examining exactly how memory functions for individuals and societies. Lawrence Sullivan has recently pointed out that forgetfulness usually leads to negative consequences: forgetfulness can cause disorientation, a fractured sense of identity and broken relationships. We can see how this might be the case, e.g., with someone afflicted with memory loss or Alzheimer's disease in old age. Without memories sustaining the web of relationships that bind us to others and to our community, our sense of identity unravels. On a communal level, societies recognize the importance of memory by institutionalizing or memorializing historical events in ritual, art and culture. Paul Connerton points out for this reason that religion and society are themselves forms of memory.(29)
Examples are legion. Societies memorialize personalities in statues and art, commemorate defining battles or conflicts by reenacting them, and remember founding principles by institutionalizing them in their legal and judicial systems. Religions memorialize key events and personalities in similar ways.
The Christian Eucharist is a good example of this, though there are many others. At communion, each Christian remembers Jesus's archetypal sacrifice by actually partaking of that sacrifice – that is, by eating Jesus's body and drinking his blood. Through this act, each Christian not only remembers Christ's sacrifice but comes to understand its relation to their lives: Christ died so we could live. This ritual places the individual Christian life into a wider context of meaning and in the process the life in the present takes on the meanings of the past. Like the Christian Eucharist, Bahá'í worship practices connect believers with the wider meanings of their tradition. Performing Bahá'í prayers gives believers a basic map of the world and reveals how they fit into it.
Probably no other Bahá'í prayer sets up this basic "map" of the world better than the obligatory prayers, prayers which, according to Bahá'í scriptures, are "by their very nature of greater effectiveness" and "endowed with a greater power than the non-obligatory ones."(30)

Unlike all other Bahá'í prayers, these prayers of "special potency and significance" coordinate bodily postures and prescribed verses in a discipline of attentiveness that involves both mind and body. These are the only prayers that come with specific instructions about how and when to perform them (in other words, these are the only prayers with what we could call ritual requirements). They typically are recited by individual Bahá'ís on a daily basis; they must be preceded by ablutions, or ritual washings of hands and face; they must be said at prescribed times; and they must be said while facing Bahjí, the place in Israel where Bahá'u'lláh is interred. Unlike other Bahá'í prayers, the obligatory prayers also incorporate bodily postures and gestures. Believers wash their hands and face while asking God to purify their bodies and minds, believers bow to the ground while affirming God's sovereignty, believers stand with raised arms and entreat God to see and hear their prayers. This carefully prescribed prayer environment is, as I have said, unusually efficacious: "Through such prayer," 'Abdu'l-Bahá explains, "man holdeth communion with God...converseth with the true Beloved of one's heart, and attaineth spiritual stations."(31)

Unfortunately, other than this short explanation of the power of the obligatory prayers and 'Abdu'l-Bahá's mysterious comment that "in every word and movement of the obligatory prayer there are allusions, mysteries and a wisdom that man is unable to comprehend,"(32) we know little about the obligatory prayers. Why are they "by their very nature of greater effectiveness"? What are the "allusions" and "mysteries" that are enshrined in their "every word and movement"?

Though I may be rushing in where angels fear to tread, I would like to spend the last few pages trying to unpack the meanings and significance of these singular prayers. I would to propose first that when prayers are practised instead of merely spoken they are more easily understood and reflected upon. Then I will propose, returning to my theme of remembrance, that the obligatory prayers are more efficacious than other Bahá'í prayers because unlike other prayers they enlist both body and mind in a discipline of remembrance.

In the obligatory prayers, bodily postures and gestures express and reinforce inner attitudes. For example, a believer's sense of humility in the face of the mystery of God is symbolized in a bow to the floor; a desire to purify oneself spiritually is translated into ritual washings of hands and face; an anticipation of God's help is transformed into expectant gazes and raised hands. To be sure, enacting our beliefs somehow makes them more real: humility, submission, love, praise – all are observed visually, experienced bodily and processed cognitively in the obligatory prayers. In a way, all inner dispositions are iconographically displayed in the postures of the obligatory prayers in such a way that they can be critically reflected upon. Observing themselves with hands raised in supplication believers might question the depth of their dependence on God. Do I need God enough to raise my hands to him and ask for his help? Do I feel inside the love I am expressing outwardly? There is a certain complementarity to thought and action in these prayers: bodily postures can express, reinforce and even challenge inner attitudes, and vice-versa. Perhaps this is what Shoghi Effendi meant when he pointed out that the movements of the obligatory prayers help believers "fully concentrate when praying and meditating."(33)
In these prayers, attitudes and actions, words and deeds harmonize to become, in 'Abdu'l-Bahá's words, a "beautiful prayer."

The body is not passive in this process. On the contrary, I would argue that the body can actually determine what is learned, felt or remembered while praying the obligatory prayers. Evidence for this claim comes from several quadrants.
First of all, Bahá'í scriptures themselves repeatedly point out the connections between outer behaviours and inner dispositions. 'Abdu'l-Bahá points out in several passages that the body (or more generally, the material world) can dramatically influence the life of the spirit. "The eye sees; the heart is affected. The ear hears; the spirit is influenced. The heart is at rest; the thoughts become serene, and for all the members of man's body a pleasant condition is realized." In short, the sensations of the body affect the spirit.(34)
In another passage that seems to corroborate this point, Shoghi Effendi points out that the "mystic feeling which unites man with God" is principally "brought about and maintained by means of meditation and prayer."(35)
In other words, outer acts of worship do not just express inner attitudes of devotion – they cultivate these attitudes. Applying this argument to the obligatory prayers, I would argue that the act of bowing one's forehead to the ground actually creates a sense of humility; that the act of washing one's face and hands actually creates a feeling of inner purity; that raising one's hands to God actually creates a sense of expectation. This may seem an odd or counter-intuitive conclusion, especially for those of us living in cultures that distinguish sharply between mind and matter and identify spirituality only with the former. Nevertheless, it seems to be the conclusion suggested by the Bahá'í scriptures and, for that matter, by a great deal of corroborating literature in the social sciences beginning with the James-Lange theory of emotions.(36) An important implication of my conclusion here is that people who would like to believe – people who would like to feel a love for God but do not – can pray with the hope that the act of praying itself will bring about belief. Those interested in exploring the question of God or belief in him might experiment with prayer.

In addition to expressing, creating and sustaining inner dispositions, the body is accomplishing something else in the obligatory prayers – it is remembering.
Remembering the words and meanings of the obligatory prayers takes place on a bodily level as physical postures and gestures are associated with certain attitudes and dispositions towards God.
As the body sits, as it stands, as it drops to the ground or raises its hands, it calls to mind the verses and inner dispositions associated with these postures. The body, in other words, becomes a mnemonic device. I
n the long obligatory prayer for example, the believer stands, gazes to the right and the left "as if awaiting the mercy of his Lord" and invokes God by saying "O Thou Who art the Lord of all names and the Maker of the heavens!" After several more verses the believer raises his or her hands and supplicates God with several more prescribed verses. Then the believer kneels, bows his or her head to the ground and recites: "Exalted art Thou above the description of anyone save Thyself...."(37)
The series continues – a different verse is associated with each posture. When the prayer is repeated, the body and its postures and gestures help cue in memory the appropriate verses and their meanings. In several cultures around the world, novices memorize their own traditions and scriptures in a similar way – that is, by associating them with head or body positions.(38)

Scholars who have studied how peoples and cultures remember their traditions have argued recently that the body itself has an ability to remember and know. Paul Connerton and Tom Kasulis have observed that habitual bodily activities, like typing for instance, remain a kind of knowledge and memory in the body. We remember how to type when we sit at the keypad not because we think about "the place of each letter among the keys" but because our bodies have a "knowledge bred of familiarity in our lived space."(39)
In other words, our fingers know where the letters are without us having to "think" about where they are. Many examples could be chosen to illustrate how the body learns and remembers through habitual activity. Playing tennis, playing a musical instrument, driving a car – all involve the body in a kind of embodied knowing and remembering that is made possible by habitual activity. This is also a type of memory that is particularly robust. Every culture, Connerton writes, "will entrust to bodily automatisms the values and categories which they are most anxious to conserve. They will know how well the past can be kept in mind by a habitual memory sedimented in the body."(40)

Borrowing Connerton's language, we might say that the "bodily automatisms," or the coordinated postures and verses of the obligatory prayers, are "sedimenting" some of the most important values of the Bahá'í religion in each worshipper's body. This is, to be sure, a powerful type of "remembering."(41)

The "bodily automatisms" of prayer can be just that – mindless rituals. And they can be seen as such by scholars. But they can also be read as those actions that incarnate Bahá'í principles, translating ideas into actions in ways that protect them from the forgetting that invariably comes with the passage of time. Human absorption in the "changes and chances" of the world, as I have suggested, can leave us forgetful of our true origins in, and with, God. Once recalled in prayer and scripture however, knowledge of our kinship to God has the potential to remake us in the present: Bahá'í prayer places a picture of the world as it really is before believers and re-places them in that world as sons or daughters of God, as humble believers, as servants of God and others. In the end, then, prayer is not about remaking God but remaking (literally, "re-membering") one's self. Put another way, prayer reconstitutes the self as a self-in-God. In the obligatory prayers, as we have seen, this discipline finds its most powerful form, for here body and mind together remember and are in turn "re-membered": rehearsed in the mind and enacted in the body, the words of the obligatory prayers recreate the whole person, body and mind, in their image.

Endnotes
'Abdu'l-Bahá, Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá (Haifa: Bahá'í World Centre, 1978) 202; Shoghi Effendi, Directives from the Guardian (New Delhi: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1973) 86-7.
Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitab-i-Aqdás: The Most Holy Book (Haifa: Bahá'í World Centre, 1992) 73.
The Báb, Selections from the Writings of the Bab (Haifa: Bahá'í World Centre, 1976) 93-4.
See Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh (Wilmette: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1994) 185. The passage reads: "Considering what God hath revealed, that 'We are closer to man than his life-vein,' the poet hath, in allusion to this verse, stated that, though the revelation of my Best-Beloved hath so permeated my being that He is closer to me than my life-vein, yet, notwithstanding my certitude of its reality and my recognition of my station, I am still so far removed from Him." For the Qur'anic verse, see sura 50:16.
Bahá'u'lláh, The Hidden Words (Wilmette: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1990) 7.
Ibid., 6, 17. Elsewhere in the Bahá'í writings the human capacity to know and love God is associated with the "soul," as seems to be the case in Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings 158-9: "Know, verily that the soul is a sign of God, a heavenly gem....It is the first among all created things to declare the excellence of its Creator, the first to recognize His glory, to cleave to His truth, and to bow down in adoration before Him." "Soul" and "heart" seem to be used synonymously in the Bahá'í scriptures.
This is not a new idea. For centuries, Christian theologians and Muslim mystics (particularly Sufis such as, e.g., Rumi and Attar) have spoken of an inborn capacity to know God.
Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings 4.
Bahá'u'lláh, The Hidden Words 29. See also Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings 185.
Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings 185.
Though it is beyond the purview of the current paper, we might also argue that the main purpose of Bahá'í life in general is remembrance. In other words, remembrance can be understood not simply as one activity (e.g., prayer) but as the central activity of collective Bahá'í life, especially as it is institutionalized in, for example, the Mashriqu'l-adhkar (literally, the dawning-place of the remembrance of God). There are many other ways in which memories of both God and Bahá'í traditions are institutionalized in Bahá'í life (e.g., in texts, statuary, architecture and art). The author is currently working on expanding this analysis to include these other activities.
Using an internet search tool called "Trueseeker" (http://sunsite.unc.edu/Bahá'í/TrueSeeker/), I scanned several of Bahá'u'lláh's writings for the words "remember" and "forget" and their variants ("remembered," "remembering," "remembrance," "remembers," "forgot," "forgotten," "forgetful," "forgetfulness," and "forgets"). The results from my analysis of Prayers and Meditations (Wilmette: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1996) were as follows: "remember" occurred 16 times; "remembered," 4 times; "remembering," 13 times; "remembrance," 66 times; "remembers," 0 times; "forgot," 0 times; "forgotten," 4 times; "forgetful," 4 times; "forgetfulness," 3 times; "forgets," 0 times. Any irrelevant "hits" were left out of the tallies here (e.g., "forgot" actually appears once in Prayers and Meditations but it is not used to describe worship or worship practices. It was therefore left out of the final count.)
XV:29; LXXVII:126-7.
XLIV:63; XL:56-7.
LXIV:102.
LXXXV:144; XXXII:39.
XC:151-2.
Annemarie Schimmel, Mystical Dimensions of Islam (Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1975) 171.
Ruzbihan Baqli, quoted in Schimmel, Mystical 167-8. The practice of dhikr has some Qur'anic warrants. Sura 33:40 commands believers to "recollect God often." Sura 13:28 confirms that "the recollection of God makes the heart calm." See Schimmel, Mystical 166-190.
See Steven Scholl's paper "The Remembrance of God: An invocation technique in Sufism and the Writings of the Báb and Bahá'u'lláh" and rejoinders. Published in Bahá'í Studies Bulletin 2.3 (December 1983): 73f-104f.
Bahá'u'lláh, The Hidden Words 27-8.
Quoted in Bahá'í World Faith: Selected Writings of Bahá'u'lláh and 'Abdu'l-Bahá (Wilmette: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1976) 393.
See 'Abdu'l-Bahá, Selections 207.
See 'Abdu'l-Bahá, Selections 207.
Bahá'u'lláh, Prayers and Meditations 127.
Lawrence Sullivan, "Memory Distortion and Anamnesis: A View from the Human Sciences," in Daniel Schacter et al. (eds.) Memory Distortion: How Minds, Brains and Societies Reconstruct the Past (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1997) 387.
See Augustine, Confessions (trans. John Ryan) (New York: Doubleday, 1960) X:8, 236 and X:17, 246.
William C. Chittick, quoted in Lawrence Sullivan, "Memory Distortion and Anamnesis" 388.
See Paul Connerton, How Societies Remember (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1992) passim.
From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, dated 4 January 1936 to an individual believer. Quoted in The Universal House of Justice (ed.), The Compilation of Compilations (vol. 2) (Maryborough: Bahá'í Publications Australia, 1991) 238.
Quoted in Compilation (vol. 2) 232.
Ibid., 233.
From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, dated 5 November 1934 to an individual believer. Quoted in ibid., 237.
'Abdu'l-Bahá, Some Answered Questions. (Wilmette: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1985) 244-7. There are, of course, many ways in which the body affects the spirit in Bahá'í belief and practice. We might cite Bahá'í teachings on cleanliness or on chastity as two suggestive examples.
Shoghi Effendi, Directives 86-7. My emphasis.
Contemporary advocates of the James-Lange theory contend that bodily activities (smiling, crying, etc.) are often prior to their corresponding emotions. In other words, these thinkers argue that bodily activities cause feelings. For an introduction to this literature see Robert Zajonc et al. Emotions, Cognition and Behavior (New York: Cambridge University Press, 1984). See also William James, Principles of Psychology (vol. 2) (New York: Holt, 1890) 1066; Robert B. Zajonc, "Feeling and Thinking: Preferences Need no Inferences," American Psychologist 35 (1980): 151-175; Robert Zajonc, "The Face as a Primary Instrument of Social Process," in R. Zajonc and S. Moscovici (eds.), Social Psychology and the Emotions (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, in press); and Gerald Clore, Can Emotions be Nonconscious? (New York: Oxford University Press, 1994).
For the prayers themselves and the instructions that go with them see Bahá'u'lláh, Prayers and Meditations 314-323.
See for example Tom Kasulis's excellent collection of essays on bodily practices in Asian religions entitled Self as Body in Asian Theory and Practice (Albany: SUNY Press, 1993). The chapter by Frits Staal, "Indian Bodies," (59-102) is particularly useful.
Paul Connerton, How Societies Remember 95.
Ibid., 102. We could also talk about the kind of remembering Connerton describes here as "procedural," that is, as memory of skills and procedures, as opposed to "declarative" (memory of names, dates and other facts). It may be an important corroboration of Connerton that psychologists have found procedural memory more robust than declarative memory in the elderly and in those with amnesia and dementia.
We should note that the remembering that goes on in prayer, and the reflection on that process of remembering that the prayers themselves call for, are constitutive of the prayer experience itself. Bahá'í prayers themselves participate in their interpretation (by interpreting prayer, to give one example, as remembrance) and encourage reflection on prayer as a part of prayer. Using this definition, we might understand this essay and any other reflection on prayer as an act of worship.

2007-06-25T09:48:00.000-07:00

Une flamme ardente

Par A. Faizi

Histoire d'Ahmad (à qui Baha'u'llah adressa la fameuse "Tablette d'Ahmad") Il y a deux tablettes qui portent chacune le nom d'Ahmad: l'une est en persan, l'autre en arabe. C'est cette dernière qui est en usage à travers le monde baha'i et c'est de cette dernière aussi que le Bien-aimé Gardien a dit qu'elle était dotée d'un pouvoir spécial.La tablette en persan est longue et a été écrite à l'intention d'Ahmad de Kashan. Haji Mirza Jani qui fut le premier homme à embrasser la foi du Bab à Kashan, chez qui le Bab séjourna quelques jours (l), et qui tomba finalement martyr à Tihràn, avait trois frères. L'un d'eux ne fut jamais disposé à embrasser la foi de son frère, bien que celui-ci se donna beaucoup de peine pour la lui enseigner. Il resta musulman et mourut comme tel. Le second s'appelait Ismai'l et a été surnommé par Baha'u'llah "Dhabih (2) (le Sacrifié), et aussi "Anis" (le Compagnon); le troisième qui alla à Baghdad s'appelait Ahmad. Ce dernier resta avec la Beauté antique et eut l'honneur d'être de ceux qui furent choisis par lui pour l'accompagner dans son exil à Istanbul. Mais malheureusement, les nombreuses épreuves amenèrent cet Ahmad à quitter le droit chemin et à se ranger du côté d'Azal. Il causa alors beaucoup de souffrances à la Beauté bénie, à sa famille et à ses amis. Dans le but de mettre en garde cet homme contre ses mauvaises actions et leurs conséquences néfastes pour la foi naissante, Baha'u'llah lui envoya cette longue tablette en persan qui est pleine d'exhortations, d'éclaircissements sur le pouvoir divin et de conseils quant aux agissements et au comportement d'un vrai chercheur. Ahmad resta négligent, ne fut pas ému et ne changea pas, mais lorsqu'il trouva qu'il ne pouvait plus vivre en Turquie, il retourna en 'Iraq où il retrouva ses anciens compagnons et reprit avec eux sa vie inique. L'une de ses pires habitudes était d'insulter les gens et de les maudire dans un langage des plus vils et des plus acerbes. Dans l'une de ses disputes avec ses amis pervers, il les blessa avec son langage cinglant et ses victimes le tuèrent une nuit, afin de se débarrasser de lui.Des passages de la tablette en persan se trouvent repris dans les "Extraits des Ecrits de Baha'u'llah". (3)* Ahmad commence sa rechercheQuant à l'autre Ahmad en l'honneur de qui la "tablette" bien connue fut révélée, il naquit à Yazd aux environs de 1805 dans une famille noble et riche. Son père et ses oncles étaient des notables de la ville, mais, à l'âge de quatorze ans déjà, Ahmad montrait un grand penchant pour le mysticisme et s'efforçait de trouver de nouveaux sentiers menant à la vérité. A l'âge de quinze ans, il avait déjà commencé ses investigations au cours desquelles il devait apprendre qu'il y avait des saints ou des hommes pieux qui connaissaient des prières spéciales dont la lecture et la répétition un nombre déterminé de fois, et en respectant certains rites, permettaient définitivement au lecteur de contempler la face du Qa'im promis (le Messie). Cela ranima la flamme de ses désirs ardents sans cesse croissants. Il commença à pratiquer une vie d'ascète, faite de longues prières, de jours consécutifs de jeûne et de retraite, vivant à l'écart des gens et du monde. Ses parents et ses proches n'approuvèrent jamais ces pratiques, ils ne lui permirent pas non plus de poursuivre cette retraite qui était contraire à leur façon de vivre et à leurs ambitions. Semblable opposition ne pouvait être tolérée par un homme tel qu'Ahmad qui était de toute son âme attentif dans ses efforts, afin de parvenir au désir de son coeur : la réunion avec son éternel Bien-aimé. Aussi, un matin de bonne heure, il fit un petit bagage de ses habits et de ce qui lui appartenait et sous le prétexte d'aller au bain public, il quitta la maison de son père et commença sa recherche de la manifestation divine.Dans un accoutrement de mendiant, il erra de village en village, menant une conduite irréprochable, et partout où il trouvait un "pir" (chef spirituel), il s'asseyait à ses pieds avec une grande dévotion, dans l'espoir de trouver un chemin vers les mondes mystérieux de la vérité.Il suppliait invariablement ces maîtres de lui donner une prière spéciale dont la lecture le rapprocherait de la cour de son Bien-aimé. Chaque fois que quelqu'un lui suggérait une pratique quelconque, il était tellement ardent dans sa recherche qu'il mettait immédiatement en pratique les instructions reçues avec une sincérité absolue quelqu'ardues et longues que fussent de telles pratiques. Mais tout cela ne servit à rien.Perdant l'espoir et la foi dans de telles recherches, il se mit en route vers l'Inde, pays bien connu pour ses enseignants mystiques et ses ermites aux pouvoirs spéciaux et aux dons spirituels. Il atteignit Bombay et s'y établit, toujours à la recherche de quelqu'un qui lui donnerait un aperçu fugitif de la cour glorieuse du Promis.On lui dit que si quelqu'un faisait des ablutions spécifiques, se vêtait d'habits d'un blanc immaculé, se prosternait et répétait le verset du Qur'an "Il n'y a pas d'autre Dieu que Dieu", douze mille fois, il atteindrait définitivement ses desseins et le désir de son coeur. Ahmad se prosterna pendant des heures pour répéter le verset susmentionné douze mille fois, non pas à une seule reprise, mais de nombreuses fois, et se trouva cependant encore dans l'obscurité.Découragé, il retourna en Perse mais n'alla pas dans sa ville natale de Yazd. Il s'établit dans la ville de Kashan et commença son métier de tailleur dans lequel il excellait. En peu de temps, il devint un homme d'affaires ayant très bien réussi; mais dans le plus profond de son coeur, c'était encore un homme qui cherchait sans relâche.* Un étranger montre la voie"Frappez, et l'on vous ouvrira", "demandez et l'on vous accordera". Aucun vrai chercheur n'est jamais revenu de sa porte de miséricorde insatisfait ou sans réponse.Ce fut ici à Kashan que les rumeurs concernant un homme, qui se proclamait la Qa'im promis, parvinrent à ses oreilles. Persévérant dans ses efforts et sincère dans sa recherche, il s'adressa à beaucoup de personnes dans de nombreuses voies différentes. Nul ne pût lui donner un indice pour le guider.C'est alors qu'un jour un voyageur inconnu arriva dans cette ville et s'établit dans la même auberge où Ahmad avait installé son affaire florissante. Une voix intérieure poussa Ahmad à se rapprocher de cet inconnu. Au cours de leur conversation, il interrogea le voyageur au sujet de la rumeur qui prenait de l'ampleur. "Pourquoi me posez-vous cette question ?" demanda le voyageur. "Je veux savoir si c'est vrai. Si cela est exact, je la suivrais de toute ma force" fut la réplique d'Ahmad.Le voyageur, avec un sourire de triomphe sur son visage, lui dit d'aller dans le Khurasan trouver un certain érudit fameux nommé Mulla Abdu'l Khaliq qui lui dirait toute la vérité.Le lendemain même de ce jour, Ahmad était sur le chemin de la province du Kkurasan. Les boutiquiers voisins furent très surpris lorsqu'ils ne trouvèrent pas Ahmad à son travail comme à l'accoutumée. "Que s'était-il passé entre lui et le voyageur inconnu ?" se demandaient-ils l'un à l'autre, et personne ne connaissait la vraie réponse.Ahmad traversa les déserts et les montagnes à pied, le coeur débordant de joie et d'ardeur. Chaque pas qu 'il faisait le rapprochait du moment où tous ses efforts seraient couronnés du succès tant désiré - sa réunion avec son Bien-aimé, pour la recherche de la présence duquel il n'épargnait aucun effort et ne trouvait aucun sacrifice assez grand.Il atteignit Mashhad, dans le Kburasan, épuisé et si malade qu'il dut s'aliter. Après deux mois de lutte pour surmonter sa faiblesse, il rassembla ses dernières forces et ce qui lui restait de courage et alla directement à la porte de la maison désirée. Voici ses propres mots tels qu'il les a rapportés à ses amis et compagnons de l'époque. "Lorsque j'atteignis la maison, je frappai à la porte et le serviteur de la maison m'ouvrit. Tenant la porte entrouverte, il me demanda : "que voulez-vous ?" "Je dois voir ton maître", répondis-je. L'homme retourna à l'intérieur de la maison et vint ensuite le mulla en personne. Il m'introduisit dans la maison et lorsque nous nous trouvâmes face à face, je lui expliquai tout ce qui m'était arrivé. Lorsque j'eus fini, il me saisit brusquement par le bras et me dit : "Ne dites pas de pareilles choses ici" et il me poussa hors de la maison. Mon chagrin n'avait pas de limite. Le coeur brisé et ébahi, je me demandai si tous mes efforts avaient été vains. "A qui dois-je m'adresser ? Vers qui dois-je aller ?... Mais je ne lâcherai jamais cet homme. Je persisterai jusqu'à ce qu'il m'ouvre son coeur et me guide vers le droit chemin de Dieu. Il faut que celui qui cherche boive jusqu'à la lie la coupe amère de la souffrance." Le matin suivant, j'étais de nouveau à la porte de la même maison. Je frappai plus fort que le jour précédent. Cette fois, le mulla lui-même vint m'ouvrir la porte et lorsque celle-ci fut ouverte, je dis : "Je ne m'en irai pas, je ne vous laisserai pas avant que vous ne me disiez toute la vérité". Cette fois-ci, le mulla trouva que j'étais sérieux et honnête. Il était désormais sûr que je n'étais pas venu à sa porte pour l'espionner ou être la cause de difficultés pour lui et ses amis."Ahmad reçut alors comme instruction d'assister aux prières du soir à une certaine mosquée où le même mulla menait les prières en commun qu'il faisait suivre d'un long sermon. On lui dit aussi de suivre le mulla à la fin de son sermon. La nuit suivante, Ahmad fit son possible pour trouver le mulla après la prière mais une foule de gens entourait celui-ci et Ahmad n'eut même pas la moindre chance de l'approcher. Le jour suivant, lorsqu'ils se rencontrèrent de nouveau, Ahmad reçut comme instruction de se rendre à une autre mosquée à la nuit tombante et là une troisième personne l'attendrait pour lui montrer le chemin. En conséquence, Ahmad se rendit à la mosquée au coucher du soleil et comme promis, après les prières du soir, une certaine personne vint à lui et lui fit signe de le suivre. Sans hésitation ni peur, Ahmad la suivit. Maintenant, les trois hommes commencent à marcher comme des ombres dans les ténèbres de la nuit, à travers des rues étroites et obscures. Ahmad, totalement étranger, n'hésita jamais, ne chancela pas, ne s'enfuit pas non plus. Il faisait chaque pas avec grande détermination et était prêt à n'importe quel dénouement.Finalement, ils atteignirent une certaine maison. Ils frappèrent très doucement à la porte et on leur ouvrit aussitôt. Les nouveaux venus entrèrent très rapidement ; par des passages couverts, ils atteignirent une petite cour, montèrent quelques marches et se trouvèrent à l'étage à la porte d'une chambre où un personnage très digne se trouvait assis. Le mulla s'approcha de cette personne révérée, avec beaucoup d'humilité et de respect et chuchota courtoisement : "C'est l'homme dont je vous ai parlé" et montra du doigt Ahmad qui se tenait au seuil de la porte avec énormément de respect et d'impatience. "Bienvenue, veuillez entrer et vous asseoir" dit l'homme. Ahmad entra alors dans la chambre et s'assit sur le plancher.L'hôte n'était autre que le grand Mulla Sadiq (le Véridique), l'un des premiers croyants durant le ministère du Bab et homme très distingué par son érudition, son audace et sa fermeté. Pendant le ministère de Baha'u'llah, le même Mulla Sadiq (le Véridique) fit preuve d'une ardeur telle et d'un zèle si grand, qu'il reçut de Baha'u'llah le titre d'Asdaq (le plus véridique).* Un trésor est trouvéAhmad qui, pendant vingt-cinq ans, avait erré dans les vallées de la recherche et n'avait trouvé, nulle part, même pas une goutte pour étancher sa soif, trouve à présent un sentier qui le mène à la source principale. Avec des lèvres desséchées et une aspiration inassouvie, il boit aux flots parfumés et doux des versets de Dieu qui découlent de sa nouvelle manifestation. Trois séances suffisent pour qu'il embrasse la foi de tout son coeur et de toute son âme. Il est si enivré, si exalté et si enthousiaste qu'Asdaq l'exhorte à retourner dans sa famille à Kashan et insiste sur le fait qu'il ne doit mentionner la foi à personne, même pas à sa propre femme.En ces jours, la cause naissante de Dieu était confrontée à de grands dangers. Le peu de croyants recrutés parmi les gens pauvres du monde étaient tout le temps l'objet de nombreuses atrocités. Même l'air était imprégné de suspicion, d'espionnage et de calomnies. Dès lors les amis devaient être très attentifs de peur que le moindre acte imprudent ou même une parole dépourvue de sens n'allumât une conflagration sans fin qui eût pu consumer les croyants dans sa flamme.Asdaq, sachant combien Ahmad avait souffert, devina qu'il n'avait pas d'argent pour retourner chez lui; il lui donna un petit cadeau pour sa famille et la somme de trois tumans (un dollar) et lui conseilla d'agir avec beaucoup de sagesse. Commentant son retour à Kashan, Ahmad raconte ; "Lorsque j'atteignis Kashan, tout le monde me demanda ce qui m'était arrivé pour avoir tout abandonné si brusquement. Je leur dis : "J'aspirais tellement à faire un pèlerinage que je n'ai pu y résister et j'ai eu bien raison. Quoi d'autre pouvait m'arracher à mon travail, à ma maison et à ma famille sinon cette aspiration qui vient du plus profond de soi-même ? Dès l'instant où j'entendis ces paroles de la bouche du voyageur, il n'y eut plus de répit pour moi."A Kashan, il reprit son travail mais n'aspirait qu'à enseigner la foi. Il apprit par une certaine rumeur qu'un nommé Haji Mirza Jani avait changé de foi et était devenu le disciple d'une nouvelle religion obscure. Il alla trouver ce dernier et lorsque les deux hommes furent face à face, il n'y eut plus de fin à leur joie et à leur émotion. Ils devinrent bien vite amis et compagnons constants et les premiers et seuls Babis de cette ville.Un jour, Haji Mirza Jani vint chez Ahmad pour lui demander avec un grand enthousiasme et une émotion incontrôlée : "Voudrais-tu voir le visage de ton Seigneur ?" Le coeur d'Ahmad bondit de joie. Plein d'allégresse et d'extase, il se leva aussitôt de son siège et demanda : "Comment et quand ?" Haji lui expliqua quels arrangements il avait pris avec les gardes pour avoir le Bab comme hôte pendant deux ou trois nuits. Ahmad se rendit, dès lors, à l'heure indiquée, à la maison de Haji. Quand il entra, ses yeux tombèrent sur un visage dont la beauté dépassait celle du ciel et de la terre. Un jeune siyyid était assis et exprimait tant de douceur, de grandeur et de majesté que personne ne pouvait s'empêcher de voir dans ses traits la lumière de Dieu. Quelques membres du clergé et des dignitaires de la ville étaient assis par terre en cercle, et les serviteurs se tenaient debout à la porte.L'un des mullas fixa le Bab et lui dit : "On nous a dit qu'un jeune homme à Shiraz s'est proclamé le Bab, est-ce vrai ?" "Oui", répondit le Bab. "Est-ce qu'il révèle aussi des versets ?" demanda le même homme. Le Bab répondit : "Et nous révélons aussi des versets."Ahmed raconte plus loin : "Cette réponse claire et courageuse était suffisante pour quiconque avait des oreilles pour entendre et des yeux pour voir afin de trouver immédiatement toute la vérité. Son beau visage et la puissance de ses paroles ainsi que sa présence suffisaient a tout. Mais lorsqu'on servit le thé et qu'on offrit une tasse au Bab, il la prit aussitôt, appela le domestique du même mulla et la lui donna avec beaucoup de bonté. Le jour suivant, ce même serviteur humble vint à moi et avec énormément de regret déplora la stupidité de son maître. Une petite explication concernant le rang du Bab l'amena à se rallier à nous et notre nombre s'éleva à trois."Ce petit noyau commença à croître et le nombre des adhérents devint de plus en plus grand. Cela mit en courroux le clergé qui faisait l'impossible pour arrêter le flot de ce courant de vie déjà puissant. Il poussa la foule ignorante et cruelle à piller, confisquer et tuer tous ceux qui portaient le nom du Bab. Chaque jour elle allait à la maison de l'un d'entre eux et sa haine était si grande qu'elle en cassait les portes et les fenêtres, détruisant et pillant l'immeuble, et emportant le contenu comme butin. Le soir on trouvait les corps des personnes tuées dans les rues et les ruelles et même disséminées dans les montagnes et les plaines avoisinantes. Cela dura longtemps et la maison d'Ahmad ne fut pas épargnée. Il dut alors se cacher dans une tour pendant quarante jours, tour où les amis lui apportaient de la nourriture et dos provisions.* Voyage à la demeure de la paixTrouvant que la vie devenait insupportable à Kashan et ayant appris que Baghdad était devenu le point d'attraction, Ahmad décida d'y aller. "Et Dieu appela à la demeure de la paix (Baghdad) et II guida celui qu'Il voulut dans le droit chemin."(4) Dans l'obscurité de la nuit, Ahmad sortit de sa cachette, escalada le mur de la ville et se mit en route pour Baghdad. Il voyagea à pied, plein d'amour, d'enthousiasme et d'ardeur pour contempler la face de celui que Dieu manifesterait. Chemin faisant, il rencontra un autre homme qui voyageait dans la même direction que lui. De crainte d'être molesté plus loin, Ahmad essaya d'ignorer l'étranger ne soufflant même pas un mot ; mais l'homme continua à marcher à ses côtés. Prenant grand soin de ne jamais faire allusion à la foi ou au but de son voyage, Ahmad atteignit sa destination en même temps que son compagnon de voyage. A leur arrivée à Baghdad, ils se séparèrent et Ahmad se mit immédiatement à la recherche de la maison de Baha'u'llah. Lorsqu'il trouva la maison et y entra, il découvrit à son grand étonnement que son compagnon de route s'y trouvait également. Il comprit alors que son ami était aussi Babi et qu'il s'était mis en route pour atteindre la présence de la Beauté bénie.* Ahmad en présence de Baha'u'llahC'était un nouveau souffle que prenait cette expérience pour un homme comme Ahmad qui, tout au long de sa vie, avait cherché cette immense source spirituelle. Quand pour la première fois, il découvrit l'expression juvénile de Baha'u'llah, son visage aux fraîches couleurs et son pouvoir pénétrant, il en fut ébahi. Il ne reprit ses sens que lorsque la Beauté ancienne lui fit gaiement la remarque suivante : "II devient Babi pour sa cacher finalement dans une tour!"Baha'u'llah lui permit de rester à Baghdad et de s'établir tout près de lui. Ahmad installa aussitôt sa petite machine à coudre et devint l'homme le plus heureux du monde. Que peut-on attendre d'autre ? Vivre à l'époque de la manifestation suprême de Dieu, l'adorer, être aimé de cette manifestation et être si près d'elle par le coeur et par l'âme même pour la résidence.Lorsqu'on lui demanda une fois ce qui s'était passé pendant les années écoulées si près de Baha'u'llah, il dit avec des larmes dans les yeux "que les événements de ces années-là étaient innombrables, grands et dotés d'une puissance extrême. Nos nuits étaient remplies d'épisodes inoubliables. Ce que nous vivions était gai et parfois triste ; c'était cependant au-delà du pouvoir de description de quiconque. Par exemple (5) un jour, lorsque la Beauté bénie se promenait, un officier du gouvernement s'approcha de lui et lui dit qu'un de ses disciples avait été tué et que son corps avait été jeté sur le bord du fleuve. La Langue du pouvoir et de la puissance répondit : "Personne ne l'a tué. A travers soixante-dix mille voiles de lumière, Nous lui avons montré la gloire de Dieu, et ce dans une mesure plus petite que le chas d'une aiguille; il lui a été impossible de supporter le fardeau de sa vie et il s'est offert en sacrifice."Lorsqu'on transmit à Baha'u'llah le décret du calife et qu'il dut quitter Bagdad pour Istanbul, il abandonna la ville le trente-deuxième jour après Naw-Ruz pour aller au jardin du Ridvan. Ce même jour, le fleuve déborda et ce n'est qu'au neuvième jour qu'il fut possible aux membres de sa famille de le rejoindre dans ce jardin. Le fleuve déborda alors une deuxième fois et ne se retira que le douzième jour. C'est alors que tous le rejoignirent.Ahmad supplia Baha'u'llah de l'inclure parmi ses compagnons d'exil, mais Baha'u'llah n'accéda pas à sa demande et se choisit un petit nombre de personnes et dit aux autres de rester pour enseigner et protéger la couse, soulignant le fait que cela serait meilleur pour l'intérêt de la foi de Dieu. Lors de son départ, tous ceux qui allaient rester en arrière se tinrent debout, en rang, et tous étaient si débordés de chagrin qu'ils éclatèrent en sanglots. Baha'u'llah s'approcha à nouveau d'eux et les consola en disant : "Cela est meilleur pour la cause. Quelques-uns de ceux qui m'accompagnent sont susceptibles de faire du tort ; c'est pour cela que je les prends avec moi." L'un des amis pouvait à peine contrôler son extrême souffrance et son chagrin. Il s'adressa a la foule en récitant le poème de Sa'di : "Levons-nous pour pleurer, comme des nuages de printemps, le jour où les amants sont séparés de leur Bien-aimé, on peut même entendre se lamenter les pierres."Baha'u'llah dit alors : "Cela a été dit pour ce jour". Il monta alors sur son cheval et l'un des amis plaça un sac de pièces de monnaie devant la selle. Baha'u'llah commença à les distribuer aux pauvres qui se trouvaient là et qui se lamentaient. Lorsqu'ils coururent vers lui et se poussèrent l'un l'autre, il plongea sa main dans le sac et jeta toutes les pièces par terre en disant : "Prenez-les vous-mêmes."Ahmad vit son Bien-aimé disparaître de la vue vers une destination inconnue. Il ne pouvait pas imaginer qu'il était comme le soleil allant vers le zénith de son pouvoir et de sa puissance. Le coeur triste et l'âme dans une détresse totale, il retourna à Baghdad qui lui semblait désormais dépourvue de toute attraction. Il essaya de se rendre heureux en réunissant, les amis et en les encourageant à se disperser pour enseigner la foi qui venait d'être proclamée. Bien que servant activement la cause, il n'était cependant pas heureux. La seule chose qui pouvait le rendre heureux était la proximité de son Bien-aimé.* La tablette est révéléeAprès quelques années, il quitta à nouveau sa maison et son travail et se mit en route à pied vers Andrinople, la ville de son amour et de non désir. A son arrivée à Istanbul, il reçut une tablette de Baha'u'llah qui est bien connue à présent sous le nom de "Tablette d'Ahmad". C'est ainsi qu'il décrit comment il la reçut ; "Je reçus la tablette du "Rossignol du paradis", la lus et la relus et je finis par découvrir que mon Bien-aimé voulait que je parte enseigner la cause. Dès lors je préférai lui obéir plutôt que d'aller le visiter."Ahmad était spécialement chargé de voyager à travers la Perse, de retrouver les vieilles familles babies pour leur transmettre le nouveau message du Seigneur. C'est de là d'ailleurs que vient la glorieuse référence faite au Bab dans cette tablette. La tâche était ardue, au-delà de toute description, d'où les exhortations telles que : "Sois une flamme ardente pour mes ennemis et un fleuve de vie éternelle pour mes bien-aimés, et ne sois pas de ceux qui doutent." Le chemin qu'il devait parcourir devait être plein de sang, d'épines et de souffrances de tous genres mais suivi de promesses de victoires si enthousiasmantes telles que : "Si tu es atteint par l'affliction dans mon sentier ou couvert d'opprobre par amour pour moi, n'en sois pas troublé."Avec cette amulette divine en sa possession, un petit morceau de papier qui avait été doté par Baha'u'llah "d'une puissance et d'une signification spéciales", et vêtu de simples habits de mendiant, Ahmad retourna en Perse. Il entra dans le pays par la région où le Bab avait été emprisonné et martyrisé et traversa cette région comme une brise vivifiante. Beaucoup de Babis purent ainsi voir le soleil qui brillait d'Andrinople et même beaucoup de musulmans embrassèrent de tout leur coeur la foi.* La bonne nouvelle de la proximité de DieuAhmad devint l'incarnation de sa propre tablette. Une persévérance, un esprit indompté, une ténacité, une fermeté comme les siennes, cela se trouvait rarement dans les annales de la cause. Lorsqu'il rencontrait un sympathisant, même si cela lui eût apporté des afflictions et des avilissements, il retournait autant de fois qu'il fallait pour épuiser la question qu'il avait laissée à moitié débattue. Par exemple, lorsqu'il voyageait à travers la province du Khurasan, il alla chez une famille Babie bien connue à la tête de laquelle se trouvait un personnage aussi important que Furughi (6), l'un des survivants du soulèvement de Tabarsi. Ahmad entra chez eux, petit à petit ouvrit le sujet et dans des termes très francs, vigoureux et emphatiques il expliqua que celui que Dieu devait manifester n'était autre que Baha'u'llah dont la lumière était alors en train de briller de l'horizon de la "lointaine prison" - Andrinople.Furughi qui avait si audacieusement combattu à "Tabarsi, commença ici aussi une bataille. Au fil des heures, la discussion devint de plus en plus intense. Furughi se fâcha très fort, attaqua Ahmad, lui cassa une dent et le jeta hors de la maison. Ahmad quitta la maison le coeur brisé; mais intrépide, il y retourna plus tard, frappa à la porte et dit qu'il ne partirait pas avant d'avoir épuisé le sujet et d'être arrivé à quelque conclusion définitive.Nous ne devons pas oublier que les babis étaient dans un péril si grand que même un morceau de papier portant les versets du Bab trouvé dans une maison, suffisait pour que la maison soit détruite et que ses habitants soient envoyés en prison ou même que leurs noms allongent la liste des martyrs. Dès lors, tous les amis cachaient leurs livres et leurs écrits dans les murs de leur maison. Lorsque Ahmad alla chez les Furaghi pour la deuxième fois afin de reprendre la discussion, il dit avec emphase que le plus grand nom BAHA avait été souvent mentionné par le Bab dans tous ses écrits. Furughi contesta la vérité de cette déclaration. Pour prouver à Ahmad que c'était faux, il brisa une partie du mur et sortit une liasse de papier contenant les écrits du Bab et promit de ne pas contredire les textes explicites. Ahmad raconte : "Le tout premier écrit que nous ouvrîmes faisait référence au nom de BAHA. "Comme promis, Furughi et tous les membres de sa famille acceptèrent la foi de Baha'u'llah, en devinrent des défenseurs zélés et se distinguèrent dans sa propagation et sa protection.* Une flamme ardenteAprès avoir traversé toutes les régions de la province de Khurasan, Ahmad décida d'aller une nouvelle fois à Baghdad pour transmettre le message d'amour et les voeux de Baha'u'llah à tous les amis de cette ville très importante. Malheureusement, chemin faisant, il tomba malade une nouvelle fois et ne put atteindre Baghdad. De plus, à Tihran, quelques-uns des membres du clergé de Kashan le reconnurent et portèrent plainte contre lui à la cour du roi, roi qui était toujours prêt à infliger des peines aux adhérents de la nouvelle foi. Il fut par conséquent arrêté et remis aux mains d'un certain officier qui reçut pour ordre de faire des investigations sur son cas et de le mettre immédiatement à mort dans l'éventualité où il aurait eu la certitude que sa victime s'était écartée du droit chemin.Le jeune officier ne désirant pas molester Ahmad, il insista alors pour que celui-ci rejette sa foi. Ahmad raconte : "A ce moment-là, j'étais à l'apogée de ma foi et de mon enthousiasme et jamais, même pour un seul instant, je ne pouvais imaginer de rejeter ma foi." Toujours prêt à offrir sa vie dans le sentier de la cause, il servait avec un tel esprit de sacrifice qu'il insistait sur le fait qu'il n'était pas babi mais bien baha'i, c'est-à-dire un disciple de la manifestation suprême. Il fut arrêté et alors qu'il était en prison il apprit que la femme de l'officier était tombée soudain gravement malade. Pris de panique et dans une détresse extrême, l'officier vint à Ahmad et lui dit ; "Si ma femme recouvre la santé, je te relâche." Trois jours après, le jeune homme peu soucieux des conséquences terribles que cela pouvait entraîner pour lui, amenait Ahmad à la porte de Tihran et le relâchait.* Une rivière de vie éternelleComme un oiseau qu'on vient de libérer, il alla d'abord aux villages où il y avait quelques tamiseurs de blé qui étaient Babis. Ceux-ci le reçurent avec énormément de courtoisie et d'amour. Ils lui offrirent l'hospitalité et lui les guida dans le droit chemin de Dieu. Débordant de joie, Ahmad les quitta et se mit en route pour la province de Fars dont la capitale était Shiraz. Il vécut dans cette province près d'un quart de siècle et devint le compagnon constant des affligés et de ceux qui avaient eu à souffrir d'injustice. Il les consola durant les périodes de persécution et leur apporta de l'espoir et une vision des horizons sans cesse plus larges de victoires et de triomphes.Ce fut par le truchement des vieillards de cette région de la Perse que cet humble serviteur, l'auteur, apprit les échos lointains relatifs à un derviche glorieux vivant parmi les villageois et leur servant d'ange protecteur, de guide et de source de miséricorde. Ce sont ces rumeurs qui m'incitèrent à faire des recherches à son sujet et c'est alors que je trouvai que cet adorable individu n'était autre que notre précieux Ahmad - un nom qui est mentionné à présent à travers le monde entier avec tant d'amour et de dévotion.Ahmad reçut nombre des enseignants itinérants qui passaient à travers cette région de la Perse et les fêta dans son humble demeure mentionnant Dieu et sa foi et racontant tout ce qu'avaient vécu les nombreux enseignants qui s'étaient consacrés en ce jour à apaiser de nombreuses âmes.L'un des événements les plus touchants qu'il a relaté lui-même est le suivant : "Un jour, un homme à peine habillé et quasiment pieds nus, vint frapper à la porte de ma maison. Il était complètement épuisé et à bout de ressources. Un mélange de poussière et de transpiration avait rendu ses vêtements raides et brunâtres. Il s'avéra que c'était Haji Mirza Haydar- Ali (7). Je l'aidai immédiatement à se débarrasser de ses vêtements. Je les lavai et les étendis à sécher au soleil pendant qu'il se reposait en attendant la venue des amis à une réunion."* Ferme dans mon amourDes années pleines de jours riches en événements s'écoulèrent, mais lorsque les vagues de persécution s'étendirent à toute la Perse, les amis, pleins d'amour et d'admiration pour Ahmad, s'efforcèrent de le protéger contre les attaques fatales et après de longues consultations lui suggérèrent de quitter aussitôt ce coin délaissé et abandonné du pays au profit d'un centre plus peuplé. Partout où Ahmad allait, les amis lui conseillaient la même chose. Il était si bien connu à travers toute la région que sa seule présence causait de l'agitation parmi les musulmans bigots dont les premières flèches visaient toujours Ahmad en personne. Après avoir changé plusieurs fois de résidence, il s'établit à Tihran. Il ne vacilla jamais dans sa foi et ne fut jamais autre chose que "cette flamme ardente et cette rivière de vie éternelle".Ayant vécu un siècle, jouissant toujours d'une bonne santé, il quitta ce monde en 1905 à Tihran pour aller rejoindre la présence de son Bien-aimé.Sur le plan familial, Ahmad eut deux enfants, un fils nommé Mirza Muhammad et une fille Guhar Khanum. Lorsque la maison d'Ahmad fut confisquée, Mirza Muhammad, sa femme et ses enfants quittèrent la ville de Kashan pour aller à Tihran. Lui, sa femme et sa petite-fille moururent sur le chemin de Tihran. Les restes de leur tombe s'il y en eut, sont perdus à jamais.Il resta seulement leur fils, Jamal, âgé de cinq ans. Les muletiers qui transportaient de la nourriture entre les provinces et Tihran, ne sachant pas que Jamal était un fils de babi, eurent pitié de cet enfant abandonné et sans foyer et le mirent sur l'un de leurs chargements pour l'amener à Tihran. Dans cette grande capitale, le pauvre enfant fut complètement abandonné à lui-même et personne ne lui parla de ses glorieux ancêtres ou de la foi dans le sentier de laquelle la famille avait supporté tant d'afflictions et de souffrances indescriptibles. Il resta dans cet état jusqu'à ce que sa tante, Guhar Khanum (8) vint Aussi à Tihran. Lorsque Ahmad arriva à la capitale, il connut son petit-fils qu'il aimait beaucoup. Il le prit sous l'aile de son propre amour et de sa protection et Jamal finit par être un excellent baha'i. Son trait le plus caractéristique était sa détermination de fer et son infatigable énergie. Rien ne put jamais écarter cet homme du sentier de Dieu bien que ce sentier fut toujours pour lui très étroit et parsemé d'épines, de sang, de malheurs et de calamités de toutes sortes. Vers la fin de sa vie, Ahmad confia la tablette originale à Jamal. Celui-ci, à son tour, pur de coeur comme il était et dévoué A la foi de Dieu, l'offrit comme cadeau à la Main de la cause, dépositaire du Huquq, fils et frère de deux illustres martyrs, Jinab-i-Valiyu'llah Varqa.
Lorsque .Jinab-i-Varqa, conformément aux instructions du Bien-aimé Gardien, vint assister à la cérémonie inaugurale du temple de Wilmette, durant la conférence intercontinentale de l'an neuf (1933), il apporta cette très précieuse tablette comme son propre don aux archives des baha'ies des Etats-Unis.
A présent, les amis bien-aimes de ce pays sont les dépositaires de ce grand cadeau de Dieu à l'humanité.
{Baha'i News, n° 432/433, mars et avril 1967}
Sources de références personnelles :- Une lettre écrite sur le même sujet par Jinab Eshrag Khawari à la demande de Mme Amélia Collins en 1958 ;- Manuscrit envoyé à l'auteur par Mirza Fazl-ulldh Shahidi de Khurasan;- Investigations personnelles des Djamalis, descendants de l'Ahmad immortel en Iran.
Notes1. Dawn-Breakers, pp. 217-222 (éd. Anglaise)2. Extraits des Ecrits de Baha'u'llah - CXV, pp 157-162 (éd.l979 MEB Bruxelles3. Ibid., CLIII, pp 212-219 (éd.1979 M.É.B. Bruxelles)4. Qur'an 10, 255. Dieu passe près de nous, p. 130. - M.E.B. Bruxelles, 19766. L'un des membres de cette famille fut désigné, ainsi que dix-huit autres, comme "Apôtres de Baha'u'llah", par le Bien-aimé Gardien. La liste de ceux-ci figure dans "Thé Baha'i World", Vol. III, p.80 où le Gardien dit : "Mirza Mahmud était un esprit indomptable et un défenseur zélé de la foi."7. L'homme qui reçut du Bien-aimé Maître, le titre de "L'Ange de Mont Carmel.8. Quant à Guhar Khanum, la merveilleuse fille de Ahmad, elle fut une baha'ie très active. Le récit de l'histoire de cette femme téméraire n'a été relaté que très brièvement. On rencontre rarement un coeur aussi ouvert. Donnons-en un exemple :Du temps de Baha'u'llah, quelques éminents professeurs étaient véritablement vénérés par les amis. L'un d'eux, qui était en possession de nombreuses lettres exaltées de la Perfection bénie, se rendait souvent chez Guhar Khanum et celle-ci éprouvait pour lui un immense respect, allant jusqu'à lui cirer les chaussures. Il semble que de tels titres et un respect aussi profond avaient tourné la tête de certains d'entre eux. Ils pensaient assumer un rang privilégié dans la foi de Dieu. Une personne semblable vint un jour chez Guhar Khanum, après l'ascension de Baha'u'llah.
Quand l'hôtesse eut offert du thé et des gâteaux et se tint près de la porte, les mains croisées, en signe de respect absolu et d'hommage, elle s'aperçut que l'homme n'avait pris aucun rafraîchissement. Il paraissait sombre et pensif. Guhar Khanum lui en demanda la raison. "Je dois me rendre en Terre sainte, dit-il, "et m'occuper des affaires de la cause moi-même.
La foi a été laissée entre les mains d'un jeune homme. "En entendant ces mots, Guhar Khanum haussa la voix en disant : "Croyez-vous que Baha'u'llah ne savait pas qui désigner pour lui succéder" Elle entra alors dans la pièce, prit le plateau avec le thé et les gâteaux et sur un ton très énergique pria le hautain et arrogant personnage de quitter immédiatement la maison. Elle se rendit ensuite dans les familles baha'ies de son entourage et leur conseilla d'être particulièrement prudentes avec lui jusqu'à ce qu'elles aient reçu des instructions définitives de la plus grande Branche.
L'exemple suivant illustre bien la pureté de son coeur. Elle entendit, un jour, qu'une très jeune fille appartenant à une famille baha'ie, était au lit, atteinte d'une maladie grave. Elle se rendit à son chevet et pria Dieu en disant: "Oh mon Seigneur. J'ai déjà eu ma part de vie. S'il vous plaît, prenez-moi et laissez cet enfant à ses parents." La même nuit, elle décédait et la jeune malade recouvrait la santé.

Tablette d'Ahmad
Baha'u'llah

Il est le Roi, l'Omniscient, le Sage! Voici que le Rossignol du paradis chante, sur les branches de l'Arbre d'éternité, de saintes et douces mélodies annonçant aux âmes sincères les joyeuses nouvelles de la proximité de Dieu, invitant ceux qui croient en l'unité divine, à se rendre aux parvis du Très-Généreux, informant "les peuples du détachement" du message révélé par Dieu le Roi, le Glorieux, l'Incomparable, guidant les adorateurs vers le siège de sainteté et vers cette resplendissante Beauté.En vérité, voici la Beauté sublime, annoncée dans les Livres des Messagers, par qui la vérité pourra se distinguer de l'erreur, par qui sera éprouvée la sagesse de tout commandement. Il est, en vérité, l'Arbre de vie qui porte les fruits de Dieu, l'Exalté, le Puissant, le Grand !O Ahmad! Sois témoin qu'en vérité, Il est Dieu et qu'il n'y a pas d'autre Dieu que Lui, le Roi, le Protecteur, l'Incomparable, l'Omnipotent. Et que Celui qu'Il a envoyé sous le nom d'Ali, c'est-à-dire Sa Sainteté le Bab, fut le véritable envoyé de Dieu, au commandement de qui nous nous conformons tous.Dis : ô peuple, obéissez aux ordonnances de Dieu qui vous ont été prescrites dans le Bayan par le Glorieux, le Sage.En vérité, Il est le Roi des Messagers et son Livre est le Livre-Mère, si seulement vous pouviez le savoir.Ainsi, de cette prison, le Rossignol lance vers vous son appel. Il lui appartient seulement de vous remettre ce clair message.Que celui qui le désire refuse ce conseil, et que celui qui le désire choisisse le chemin de son Seigneur.O peuple, si vous rejetez ces versets, sur quelle preuve fondez-vous votre foi en Dieu? Produisez-la donc, ô assemblée de fourbes! Par Celui qui tient mon âme dans sa Main, ils ne le peuvent et ne le pourront jamais, dussent-ils s'allier tous pour le faire.O Ahmad ! N'oublie pas mes faveurs durant mon absence. Souviens-toi de mes jours pendant tes jours de ma détresse et de mon bannissement en cette prison lointaine.Et demeure si ferme dans mon amour que ton coeur ne vacille pas, dussent les épées de tes ennemis faire pleuvoir leurs coups sur toi, et les cieux et la terre se soulever contre toi.Sois pour mes ennemis comme la flamme du brasier et pour mes bien-aimés comme un fleuve de vie éternelle, et ne sois pas de ceux qui doutent.Et si, en mon sentier, tu es surpris par l'affliction, ou si, à cause de Moi, tu es dépouillé de ton honneur, que ton âme n'en soit pas troublée.Sois confiant en Dieu, ton Seigneur et le Seigneur de tes pères. Car les hommes s'égarent dans les sentiers de l'illusion, privés de discernement et incapables de voir Dieu de leurs propres yeux ou d'entendre sa mélodie de leurs propres oreilles. C'est ainsi que nous les avons trouvés comme tu peux également le constater.Ainsi, leurs superstitions sont devenues des voiles entre eux et leur propre coeur, et elles les ont tenus à l'écart du chemin de Dieu, le Glorifié, le Grand.Sois bien certain qu'en vérité celui qui se détourne de cette Beauté s'est aussi détourné des Messagers du passé et a fait preuve d'orgueil envers Dieu, de toute éternité en toute éternité.Grave en ton coeur cette Tablette, ô Ahmad! Chante-la jusqu'à la fin de tes jours et ne t'en écarte pas. Car, en vérité, Dieu a réservé à celui qui la chante, la récompense de cent martyrs et un service dans les deux mondes.Ces faveurs, Nous te les avons accordées, en gage de notre miséricorde, pour que tu sois du nombre de ceux qui sont reconnaissants.Par Dieu ! Si cette Tablette est lue avec une absolue sincérité par celui qui est plongé dans l'affliction ou le chagrin, Dieu dissipera sa tristesse, résoudra ses difficultés et le délivrera de ses épreuves.En vérité, Il est le Miséricordieux, le Compatissant, Loué soit Dieu, le Seigneur de tous les mondes.

2007-04-14T06:01:00.000-07:00

Systematic Social Development Investigated
http://news.bahai.org/
John A. Grayzel, Baha'i Chair for World Peace professor at the University of
Maryland, gives a talk called "The Human Conscience as Both an End and a
Means for Social and Economic Development."

ORLANDO, FLORIDA, United States, 17 January 2007 (BWNS) -- In recent years,
Baha'is around the world have been engaged in an increasingly systematic
approach to community development through what they regard as "core
activities" - classes for children and junior youth, study circles, and
devotional meetings.

At the annual Baha'i Conference on Social and Economic Development,
participants sought to understand how these core activities also can lead to
larger programs of social and economic development.

"Providing spiritual education for children is a fundamental part of social
development," said Rebequa Murphy, a Baha'i Counsellor. Her comments came in
a talk titled "The Preservation of Human Honor," explaining how human
progress will organically spring from core activities.

Some 685 Baha'is and like-minded individuals from more than 20 countries
gathered in Orlando, Florida, for conference, which took the theme of
"Addressing the Challenges of a World at Risk."

Held 20 to 23 December 2006, the conference was the 14th such event
sponsored by the Rabbani Trust, a Baha'i-inspired foundation.

"This conference is a demonstration of the strong desire on the part of a
multitude of Baha'i believers to address the social and material ills of the
world, effectively and sustainably as a means of alleviating the suffering
of much of the world's population," said Douglas W. Paik, a member of the
Board of Trustees of the Rabbani Trust.

Workshop participant Susan Tower outlines the Heart of Humanity Gardening
Game she's used at various events in the Columbus, Ohio, area.
>Larger Photo > Related Photos
The gathering focused on how individual Baha'is, their communities, and
Baha'i-inspired organizations can address the problems faced by humanity.

Ms. Murphy, who is a member of the Baha'i Continental Board of Counsellors
for the Americas, which plays an international advisory role in Baha'i
community development, said the primary development task at this time for
Baha'is is to lay the foundation for world unity.

"Baha'u'llah says the well being of mankind, its peace and security are
unattainable unless and until its unity is firmly established," said Ms.
Murphy. "So nothing we do, no amount of money, no amount of research is
going to guarantee the security of mankind unless its unity is firmly
established. So that's what our job is - to lay the foundation [for
development], which is the unity of the world."

William E. Davis, Chairman of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is
of the United States, gave a talk titled "Key Values That Shape a Community
for Growth and Development." He said Baha'is should place particular
emphasis on work focused on assisting young people.

Presenter Jordan van Rijn (center) listens as participants discuss concepts
of sustainability during his workshop on grassroots community banking in
Nicaragua.

>Larger Photo > Related Photos
"No activity is more vital... than the spiritual education of children and
junior youth," said Mr. Davis.

In addition to plenary sessions, the conference featured two days of
workshops that focused on specific topics, such as racism and its relation
to materialism, sustainable development, the importance of service to
humanity, and the critical role of education in development.

Also at the conference, a new Baha'i publication titled "In Service to the
Common Good" was released.

The 20-page monograph , subtitled "Aligning Development with the Forces of
Progress," takes readers through a discussion of why traditional social and
economic development projects have fallen short and why recognition of the
oneness of humankind will help people act as partners in their own
development.

The Oneness of Religion

2006-08-05T08:21:00.000-07:00

The Oneness of Religion
The principle of the unity of religion is at the center of Bahá'í teachings. Bahá'u'lláh states that humanity is engaged in a collective growth process quite similar to the growth process of an individual: just as a person begins life as a helpless infant and attains maturity in successive stages, so humankind began its collective social life in a primitive state, gradually attaining maturity. In the case of the individual, it is clear that his or her development takes place as a result of the education he or she receives from parents, teachers, and society in general. But what is the motive force in humankind's collective evolution?The answer the Bahá'í Faith provides to this question is "revealed religion." In one of His major works, the Kitab-i-Iqan (the Book of Certitude), Bahá'u'lláh explained that God, the Creator, has intervened and will continue to intervene in human history by means of chosen Messengers. These Messengers, Whom Bahá'u'lláh called "Manifestations of God ," are principally the Founders of the major revealed religions, such as Abraham, Moses, Buddha, Zoroaster, Jesus, Muhammad, and so forth. It is the spirit released by the coming of these Manifestations, together with the influence of Their teachings and the social systems established by Their laws and precepts, that enable humankind to progress in its collective evolution. Simply put: the Manifestations of God are the chief educators of humanity. With regard to the various religious systems that have appeared in human history, Bahá'u'lláh has said:These principles and laws, these firmly-established and mighty systems, have proceeded from one Source and are the rays of one Light. That they differ one from another is to be attributed to the varying requirements of the ages in which they were promulgated.2Thus the principle of the unity of religion means that all of the great religious Founders--the Manifestations--have come from God, and that all of the religious systems established by Them are part of a single divine plan directed by God.In reality, there is only one religion, the religion of God. This one religion is continually evolving, and each particular religious system represents a stage in the evolution of the whole. The Bahá'í Faith represents the current stage in the evolution of religion. To emphasize the idea that all of the teachings and actions of the Manifestation are directed by God and do not originate from natural, human sources, Bahá'u'lláh used the term "revelation" to describe the phenomenon that occurs each time a Manifestation appears. In particular, the writings of the Manifestation represent the infallible Word of God. Because these writings remain long after the earthly life of the Manifestation is finished, they constitute an especially important part of the phenomenon of revelation. So much is this so, that the term "revelation" is sometimes used in a restricted sense to refer to the writings and words of the Manifestation.Religious history is seen as a succession of revelations from God and the term "progressive revelation" is used to describe this process. Thus, according to Bahá'ís, progressive revelation is the motive force of human progress, and the Manifestation Bahá'u'lláh is the most recent instance of revelation.Bahá'u'lláh taught that the time interval between two Manifestations may be about one thousand years. He also taught that the process of revelation will not stop with His revelation and that another Manifestation will come after Him, though not before the expiration of one thousand years from Bahá'u'lláh's coming. According to the Bahá'í writings, the process of revelation will continue indefinitely into the future and humankind will see the coming of a great many more Manifestations.To put the Bahá'í concept of religion more clearly in focus, let us compare it with some other ways in which religion has been regarded. On one hand is the view that the various religious systems result from human striving after truth. In this conception, the Founders of the great religions do not reveal God to us, but are rather philosophers or thinkers, human beings who may have progressed farther than others in the discovery of truth. This notion excludes the idea of a basic unity of religion since the various religious systems are seen as representing different opinions and beliefs arrived at by fallible human beings rather than infallible revelations of truth from a single source.Many orthodox adherents of various religious traditions, on the other hand, argue that the Prophet or Founder of their particular tradition represents a true revelation of God to humanity, but that the other religious Founders are false prophets, or at least essentially inferior to the Founder of the tradition in question. For example, many Jews believe that Moses was a true Messenger of God, but that Jesus was not. Similarly, many Christians believe in Jesus' revelation, but consider that Muhammad was a false prophet, and hold that Moses was inferior in status to Christ.The Bahá'í principle of the oneness of religion differs fundamentally from both of these traditional concepts. Bahá'u'lláh attributed the differences in some teachings of the great religions not to any human fallibility of the Founders, but rather to the different requirements of the ages in which the revelations occurred. In addition, He maintained that there has been a great deal of human error introduced into religion through the corruption of texts and the addition of extraneous ideas. Moreover, Bahá'ís consider that no one of the Founders is superior to another. Shoghi Effendi has summarized this view in the following words:The fundamental principle enunciated by Bahá'u'lláh, the followers of His Faith firmly believe, is that religious truth is not absolute but relative, that Divine Revelation is a continuous and progressive process, that all the great religions of the world are divine in origin, that their basic principles are in complete harmony, that their aims and purposes are one and the same, that their teachings are but facets of one truth, that their functions are complementary, that they differ only in the nonessential aspects of their doctrines, and that their missions represent successive stages in the spiritual evolution of human society.3 'The Changeless Faith of God'Adapted from William S. Hatcher and J.Douglas Martin, The Bahá'í Faith: The Emerging Global Religion (San Francisco: Harper and Row, 1985), pp. 81-84.Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, 2d. rev. ed. (Wilmette: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1976), pp. 287-88.Shoghi Effendi, "The Faith of Bahá'u'lláh" in World Order, Vol. 7, No. 2 (1972-73), p. 7.

'The Changeless Faith of God'

2006-08-05T08:18:00.000-07:00

'The Changeless Faith of God'---- When Bahá'ís say that the various religions are one, they do not mean that the various religious creeds and organizations are the same. Rather, they believe that there is only one religion and all of the Messengers of God have progressively revealed its nature. Together, the world's great religions are expressions of a single unfolding Divine plan, "the changeless Faith of God, eternal in the past, eternal in the future."People from all of the major religious backgrounds have found that the promises and expectations of their own beliefs are fulfilled in the Bahá'í Faith. Bahá'ís from Native American, African and other indigenous backgrounds, similarly, find in the Bahá'í teachings fulfillment of prophetic visions.For Bahá'ís of Jewish background, Bahá'u'lláh is the appearance of the promised "Lord of Hosts" come down "with ten thousands of saints." A descendent of Abraham and a "scion from the root of Jesse," Bahá'u'lláh has come to lead the way for nations to "beat their swords into plowshares." Many features of Bahá'u'lláh's involuntary exile to the Land of Israel, along with other historical events during Bahá'u'lláh's life and since are seen as fulfilling numerous prophecies in the Bible.For Bahá'ís of Buddhist background, Bahá'u'lláh fulfils the prophecies for the coming of "a Buddha named Maitreye, the Buddha of universal fellowship" who will, according to Buddhist traditions, bring peace and enlightenment for all humanity. They see the fulfillment of numerous prophecies, such as the fact that the Buddha Maitreye is to come from "the West", noting the fact that Iran is West of India.For Bahá'ís of Hindu background, Bahá'u'lláh comes as the new incarnation of Krishna, the "Tenth Avatar" and the "Most Great Spirit." He is "the birthless, the deathless," the One who, "when goodness grows weak," returns "in every age" to "establish righteousness" as promised in the Bhagavad-Gita.For Bahá'ís of Christian background, Bahá'u'lláh fulfils the paradoxical promises of Christ's return "in the Glory of the Father" and as a "thief in the night." That the Faith was founded in 1844 relates to numerous Christian prophecies. Bahá'ís note, for example, that central Africa was finally opened to Christianity in the 1840s, and that event was widely seen as fulfilling the promise that Christ would return after "the Gospel had been preached 'to all nations.'" In Bahá'u'lláh's teachings Bahá'ís see fulfillment of Christ's promise to bring all people together so that "there shall be one fold, and one shepherd."For Bahá'ís of Muslim background, Bahá'u'lláh fulfils the promise of the Qur'an for the "Day of God" and the "Great Announcement," when "God" will come down "overshadowed with clouds." They see in the dramatic events of the Bábi and Bahá'í movements the fulfillment of many traditional statements of Muhammad, which have long been a puzzle.When Bahá'ís say that the various religions are one, they do not mean that the various religious creeds and organizations are the same. Rather, they believe that there is only one religion and all of the Messengers of God have progressively revealed its nature. Together, the world's great religions are expressions of a single unfolding Divine plan, "the changeless Faith of God, eternal in the past, eternal in the future."People from all of the major religious backgrounds have found that the promises and expectations of their own beliefs are fulfilled in the Bahá'í Faith. Bahá'ís from Native American, African and other indigenous backgrounds, similarly, find in the Bahá'í teachings fulfillment of prophetic visions.For Bahá'ís of Jewish background, Bahá'u'lláh is the appearance of the promised "Lord of Hosts" come down "with ten thousands of saints." A descendent of Abraham and a "scion from the root of Jesse," Bahá'u'lláh has come to lead the way for nations to "beat their swords into plowshares." Many features of Bahá'u'lláh's involuntary exile to the Land of Israel, along with other historical events during Bahá'u'lláh's life and since are seen as fulfilling numerous prophecies in the Bible.For Bahá'ís of Buddhist background, Bahá'u'lláh fulfils the prophecies for the coming of "a Buddha named Maitreye, the Buddha of universal fellowship" who will, according to Buddhist traditions, bring peace and enlightenment for all humanity. They see the fulfillment of numerous prophecies, such as the fact that the Buddha Maitreye is to come from "the West", noting the fact that Iran is West of India.For Bahá'ís of Hindu background, Bahá'u'lláh comes as the new incarnation of Krishna, the "Tenth Avatar" and the "Most Great Spirit." He is "the birthless, the deathless," the One who, "when goodness grows weak," returns "in every age" to "establish righteousness" as promised in the Bhagavad-Gita.For Bahá'ís of Christian background, Bahá'u'lláh fulfils the paradoxical promises of Christ's return "in the Glory of the Father" and as a "thief in the night." That the Faith was founded in 1844 relates to numerous Christian prophecies. Bahá'ís note, for example, that central Africa was finally opened to Christianity in the 1840s, and that event was widely seen as fulfilling the promise that Christ would return after "the Gospel had been preached 'to all nations.'" In Bahá'u'lláh's teachings Bahá'ís see fulfillment of Christ's promise to bring all people together so that "there shall be one fold, and one shepherd."For Bahá'ís of Muslim background, Bahá'u'lláh fulfils the promise of the Qur'an for the "Day of God" and the "Great Announcement," when "God" will come down "overshadowed with clouds." They see in the dramatic events of the Bábi and Bahá'í movements the fulfillment of many traditional statements of Muhammad, which have long been a puzzle.