Today the Bahá'í World Faith is winning followers among all peoples of the East and the West. Would you like to know about it?

If you are of the Christian Faith which had its birth in the year 1, your prophecy concerning the *return of Christ* in the *glory of the Father* has been fulfilled. His new name in this day is Bahá'u'lláh, which means "The Glory of God."*

If you are of the Jewish Faith which had its beginning about 1330 B.C., your prophecy of the coming of the Lord of Hosts has also been fulfilled in Bahá'u'lláh, "The Glory of God."*

If you are a Muslim, whose Faith dates from 622 A.D., you will find that your prophecy concerning "The Great Announcement" likewise has been fulfilled with the appearance of Bahá'u'lláh.

If you are of the Buddhist Faith, which began about 500 B.C., your prophecy, too, about the coming of the Fifth Buddha has found fulfillment in Bahá'u'lláh, "The Glory of God."

If you are a Hindu, dating the beginning of your Faith to about 2000 B.C., your prophecy concerning the return of Krishna has

at last been fulfilled by the same new Prophet, Bahá'u'lláh.

If you are of the Zoroastrian Faith which dates back to 1000 B.C., you also will find that Bahá'u'lláh fulfills your awaited coming of the Sháh Bahrám.

After all these centuries, do you not think it is time for God's Messenger to come again? Bahá'ís believe that He has come, the One Who fulfills the promises of all the Prophets, and that He has released the spiritual power which will unite all mankind in one universal faith and establish peace and brotherhood.

In the Bahá'í Faith you will find the pure teachings of the new prophet, Bahá'u'lláh, to Whom followers of all religions are turning for spiritual guidance. You will also discover in His teachings laws and ordinances of world order and the establishment of a higher world civilization.

Its foundation has been firmly laid by the martyrs and heroes of the Bahá'í Faith, and the assurance of its victory has been carried by the Bahá'ís around the world.

Here are some of the teachings given by Bahá'u'lláh for this New Day more than 80 years ago:

1. The oneness of mankind.

2. Independent investigation of truth.

3. The foundation of all religions is one.

4. Religion must be the cause of unity.

5. Religion must be in accord with science and reason.

6. Equality between men and women.

7. Prejudice of all kinds must be forgotten.

8. Universal peace.

9. Universal education.

10. Spiritual solution of the economic problem.

11. A universal language.

12. An international tribunal.

Bahá'u'lláh is the focal center toward Whom the followers of all religions may now turn for spiritual guidance, and through Whose teachings the high level of civilization foretold by all the Prophets will be established throughout the world.

A new, divine order has been ushered in. You can help establish it.

> That which the Lord hath ordained as the sovereign remedy and the mightiest instrument for the healing of all the world is the union of all its peoples in one Universal Cause, one Common Faith.

> — Bahá'u'lláh

* See References.

the competition of sects and denomina-
tions seem unimportant to them. Bahá'is
are people of different economic and social
classes. Through a common devotion, rich
and poor mingle as equals and work to-
gether to establish a world order for all
men and women. They are people of dif-
erent national and racial backgrounds.
But the Bahá'í teachings have given them
a higher loyalty—the loyalty to humanity.
Báha'is have no “color line” or racial
segregation. In this Faith, people of all
races find equality with each other because
they are equal before God.

Second, the Bahá'í Faith develops
world-mindedness. Read these well-
known Bahá'í quotations: . . . "Let your
vision be world-embracing, rather than
confined to your own selves." . . . "That
one indeed is a man who, today, dedicateth
himself to the service of the entire human
race."

Third, the Bahá'í Faith offers a clear
pattern of world order. It does not have
any secret mystic doctrines; it does not
have any priesthood or professional clergy.
People find this a practical, spiritual re-
ligion with the mission of uniting the
world in one common faith and one order.
Bahá'u'lláh declared that in our time re-
ligion must unite people or else it has no
social value. He declared that religion
must show men how to build a just world.
He emphasized that justice is the greatest
good in the sight of God. To show men
how to achieve this, He outlined a pattern
of world order.

Bahá'u'lláh's vision of a united world
begins with each man and woman. Indi-

viduals must have high moral standards
and a new basis of belief if they are to be-
come citizens of one world.

Bahá'ís believe in one God, even though
men have called Him by different names.
God has revealed His Word in each period
of history through a chosen Individual
Whom Bahá'ís call "the Manifestation of
God." He restates in every age God's pur-
pose and will. His teachings are a revela-
tion from God. Abraham, Moses, Buddha,
Zoroaster, Christ, and Muhammad were
Manifestations of God. Each gave men di-
vine teachings to live by. Bahá'ís believe
that true religion is the real basis of civ-
ilized life.

Since there is one God, these Manifesta-
tions of God have each taught the same
religious faith. They have developed and
adapted it to meet the needs of the people
in each period of history. This unfoldment
of religion from age to age is called "pro-
gressive revelation." Bahá'u'lláh, the
Founder of the Bahá'í Faith, is the Mani-
festation of God for our time.

This is the basis of Bahá'í belief: one
God has given men one Faith through pro-
gressive revelations of His Will in each
age of history, and Bahá'u'lláh reveals the
Will of God for men and women of the
present age. This basic belief enables
Bahá'ís to unite and work together in spite
of different religious backgrounds.

The Oneness of Mankind is like a pivot
around which all the teachings of Bahá'u'-
láh revolve. This means that men and
women of all races are equal in the sight

of God and equal in the Bahá'í com-
munity. People of different races must
have equal educational and economic op-
portunity, equal access to decent living
conditions—and equal responsibilities. In
the Bahá'í view, there is no superior race
or superior nation.

Bahá'u'lláh declared that a House of
Justice must be established in each com-
munity. This body, elected by the people,
is to be composed of men and women so
qualified that they may be "trustees of the
Merciful among men." Each nation will
have a Secondary or National House of
Justice whose members will elect the In-
ternational House of Justice. This inter-
national legislature will make the laws for
a federalized world.

Bahá'u'lláh emphasized certain princi-
ples to help bind people together in a
united world:

Men must seek for truth in spite of cus-
tom, prejudice, and tradition.

Men and women must have equal op-
portunities, rights, and privileges.

The nations must choose an interna-
tional language to be used along with the
mother tongue.

All children must receive a basic edu-
cation.

Men must make a systematic effort to
wipe out all those prejudices which divide
people.

Men must recognize that religion
should go hand-in-hand with science.

Men must work to abolish extreme
wealth and extreme poverty.

This Faith and these challenging ideas

originated in Persia (Irán) in 1844. In
that a year a young Man Who called Him-
self the Báb (or “Gate”) began to teach
that God would soon “make manifest” a
World Teacher to unite men and women
and usher in an age of peace. The Báb
attracted so many followers that the Per-
sian government and the Islamic clergy
united to kill Him. And they massacred
more than twenty thousand of His fol-
lowers.

In 1863 Bahá'u'lláh announced to the few remaining followers of the Báb that He was the chosen Manifestation of God for this age. He called upon people to unite; He said that only in one common faith and one order could the world find an enduring peace. He declared that terrible wars would sweep the face of the earth and destroy the institutions and ideas that keep men from their rightful unity.

The teachings of Bahá’u’lláh are a ring-
ing call to action. They offer hope, cour-
age, and vision. The books of Bahá’u’lláh
in English are: *The Hidden Words, The*
*Seven Valleys and the Four Valleys, The*
*Book of Certitude, Epistle to the Son of*
*the Wolf, Prayers and Meditations, and*
*Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’l-áh.*
A selection of His writings is in the
anthology called *Bahá’i World Faith*.

But Bahá’u’lláh was not greeted with
enthusiasm by the religious leaders of
Islám. As they saw His Faith spread, their
hatred grew. They forced Him into exile
—first to Baghdad, then to Constantino-
ple, to Adrianople, and finally to ‘Akká,
Palestine. There He died, still an exile
and prisoner, in 1892.

Bahá’u’lláh appointed ‘Abdu’l-Bahá,
His eldest son, as the Interpreter of His
teachings and the Exemplar of the Faith.
Under the leadership of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá the
Faith was introduced to Europe and
America. After He was freed from prison
in 1908, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá made several mis-
sionary journeys. In 1912 He was in
America for eight months during which
time He laid the cornerstone of the Bahá’i
Temple in Wilmette, Illinois.

In 1921 ‘Abdu’l-Bahá died and left a
will naming His eldest grandson, Shoghi
Effendi, the first Guardian of the Faith
and the interpreter of the teachings. Under
Shoghi Effendi’s direction the Bahá’ís
throughout the world have adopted an ad-
ministrative order that is an application of
Bahá’u’lláh’s teachings for a world order.
Thus Bahá’ís have begun to practice in
their own affairs the social teachings of
Bahá’u’lláh.

Local and National Bahá'í Spiritual As-
semblies are the pattern for the Houses
of Justice of tomorrow. Bahá'ís know
from increasing experience that differences
of nation, race, class, and religion can be
removed by the uniting power of Bahá'u'l-
láh. Bahá'ís know from increasing experi-
ence that this Faith can save men and
women from the hatreds, the pessimism,
the corruption, and the materialism of our
age. They know this because they have
seen it and experienced it. They invite you
to investigate this Faith and share in this
spiritual adventure.

BAHÁ'Í PUBLISHING TRUST

WILMETTE, ILLINOIS

Printed in U.S.A.

# THE ONENESS OF MANKIND

## Basic Principle of the Bahá'í Faith

MORE than one hundred years ago Bahá'u'lláh, Founder of the Bahá'í World Faith, proclaimed the principle of the oneness of mankind. Among His writings we cite:

> "Close your eyes to racial differences and welcome all with the light of oneness."

> "Ye are the fruits of one tree and the leaves of one branch. . . . So powerful is the light of unity that it can illumine the whole earth."

> "Ye dwell in one world, and have been created through the operation of one Will. Blessed is he who mingleth with all men in a spirit of utmost kindliness and love."

> "The earth is but one country; and mankind its citizens."

> "The well-being of mankind, its peace and security are unattainable unless and until its unity is firmly established."

The Bahá'í Faith arose at the beginning of the new stage in human evolution when science and technology are destroying ancient boundaries separating the peoples of the world. Races and nations have become interdependent and subject to one destiny. The Bahá'í proclamation of the principle of oneness supplies the spiritual guidance needed for understanding of this great process which is transforming the conditions of human existence. By this principle the Bahá'ís recognize that God is the Creator of all races and peoples, and therefore conflict and dissension arising from prejudice is contrary to the Divine Will. Through unity the world can attain a new and higher civilization, while the outbreak of another international conflict can cause general destruction.

As long ago as 1911, 'Abdu'l-Bahá, expounding the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh, declared in a public address:

> "This is a new cycle of human power. . . . It is the hour of the unity of the sons of men and of the drawing together of all races and all classes. You are loosed from ancient superstitions which have kept men ignorant, destroying the foundations of true humanity."

In 1931 the Guardian of the Faith wrote: "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." Viewing the ominous international situation he also wrote: "We have but to turn our gaze to humanity's blood-stained history to realize that nothing short of intense mental as well as physical agony has been able to precipitate those epoch-making changes that constitute the greatest landmarks in the history of human civilization."

Membership in a Bahá'í community, participation in its worship, its activities and the operation of its elective institutions follow upon acceptance of the Faith, free from any racial or other discrimination. Bahá'í schools, wherever they have been established, are open to all members. The qualities and capacities of the individual Bahá'í determine his role in the community, not his race or class.

Bahá'í communities at this time exist in all the continents, with a membership representing great diversity of racial and religious backgrounds. Despite the pressure of international events, these communities are demonstrating that even today a religious fellowship can exist which represents a cross-section of the human race. Obedience to government is a definite requirement of their Faith. Therefore, Bahá'ís abide by the spiritual principle of oneness and do not become involved in political controversy. Inter-racial relationships are today no longer a matter of merely domestic concern — their influence is felt in distant countries.

This statement of Bahá'í teachings has been prepared in order to clarify the position of members of the Faith throughout the United States at this critical hour.

NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY OF THE BAHÁ'Í
OF THE UNITED STATES

["TOMORROW AND TOMORROW by STANWOOD COBB.\nGives a vivid picture of what the Baha'i World Faith teaches regarding what lies immediately ahead in the way of world progress: — the focusing of world trends toward international peace and world federation; the solution for the world-wide problem of capital and labor; a universal auxiliary language leading eventually to a universal educational system; and other important factors of the coming world civilization — 100 pages, paper covers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Copyright 1943

By the National Spiritual Assembly of the
Bahá'ís of the United States

Printed in U.S.A.

BAHA'I PUBLISHING TRUST

WILMETTE, ILLINOIS

## PRINCIPLES OF THE BAHÁ'Í FAITH

These teachings were given by Bahá'u'lláh, Founder of the Bahá'í Faith, in the latter half of the nineteenth century (found in His published Writings of that time) and promulgated by His Son, 'Abdu'l-Bahá throughout North America in 1912*

1. The oneness of mankind.

3. The common foundation of all religions.

4. The essential harmony of science and religion.

5. Equality of men and women.

6. Elimination of prejudice of all kinds.

7. Universal compulsory education.

8. A spiritual solution of the economic problem.

9. A universal auxiliary language.

10. Universal peace upheld by a world government.

*The explanations of these principles that follow are examples from the public talks of 'Abdu'l-Bahá in America in 1912, published in Promulgations of Universal Truth.

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## THE ONENESS OF MANKIND

A fundamental teaching of Bahá'u'lláh is the oneness of the world of humanity. Addressing mankind, He says "Ye are all leaves of one tree and the fruits of one branch." By this it is meant that the world of humanity is like a tree, the nations or peoples are the different limbs or branches of that tree and the individual human creatures are as the fruits and blossoms thereof. Although in former centuries and times this subject received some measure of mention and consideration, it has now become the paramount issue and question in the religious and political conditions of the world. History shows that throughout the past there has been continual warfare and strife among the various nations, peoples and sects, but now, in this century of illumination, hearts are inclined toward agreement and fellowship and minds are thoughtful upon the question of the unification of mankind.

What incalculable benefits and blessings would descend upon the great human family if unity and brotherhood were established! In this century when the beneficent results of unity and the ill effects of discord are so clearly apparent, the means for the attainment and accomplishment of human fellowship have appeared in the world.

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## INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION OF TRUTH

God has given man the eye of investigation by which he may see and recognize truth. He has endowed man with ears that he may hear the message of reality and conferred upon him the gift of reason by which he may discover things for himself. This is his endowment and equipment for the investigation of reality. Man is not intended to see through the eyes of another, hear through another's ears nor comprehend with another's brain. Each human creature has individual endowment, power and responsibility in the creative plan of God.

## THE COMMON FOUNDATION OF ALL RELIGIONS

The foundation of all the divine religions is one. All are based upon reality. Reality does not admit plurality, yet amongst mankind there have arisen differences concerning the manifestations of God. Some have been Zoroastrians, some are Buddhists, some Jews, Christians, Mohammedans, and so on. This has become a source of divergence whereas the teachings of the holy souls who founded the divine religions are one in essence and reality. All these have served the world of humanity. All have guided souls to the attainment of perfections, but among the nations certain imitations of ancestral forms of worship have arisen. These imitations are not the foundation and essence of the divine religions. Inasmuch

5

## SPIRITUAL SOLUTION OF THE ECONOMIC PROBLEM

Among the results of the manifestation of spiritual forces will be that the human world will adapt itself to a new social form, the justice of God will become manifest throughout human affairs and human equality will be universally established. The poor will receive a great bestowal and the rich attain eternal happiness. For although at the present time the rich enjoy the greatest luxury and comfort, they are nevertheless deprived of eternal happiness; for eternal happiness is contingent upon giving and the poor are everywhere in the state of abject need. Through the manifestation of God's great equity the poor of the world will be rewarded and assisted fully and there will be a readjustment in the economic conditions of mankind so that in the future there will not be the abnormally rich nor the abject poor. The rich will enjoy the privilege of this new economic condition as well as the poor, for owing to certain provision and restriction they will not be able to accumulate so much as to be burdened by its management, while the poor will be relieved from the stress of want and misery.

## A UNIVERSAL AUXILIARY LANGUAGE

Bahá'u'lláh has proclaimed the adoption of a universal language. A language shall be agreed upon by which unity will be established in the world. Each person will require training in two

8

languages, his native tongue and the universal auxiliary form of speech. This will facilitate intercommunication and dispel the misunderstandings which the barriers of language have occasioned in the world.

## UNIVERSAL PEACE UPHELD BY A WORLD GOVERNMENT

The world is in greatest need of international peace. Until it is established, mankind will not attain composure and tranquillity. It is necessary that the nations and governments organize an international tribunal to which all their disputes and differences shall be referred. The decision of that tribunal shall be final.

He (Bahá'u'lláh) exhorted them (rulers of the world) 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.

Warfare and strife will be uprooted, disagreement and dissension pass away and Universal Peace unite the nations and peoples of the world. All mankind will dwell together as one family, blend as the waves of one sea, shine as stars of one firmament and appear as fruits of the same tree.

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The essence of understanding is to testify to one's poverty and submit to the will of the Lord, the Sovereign, the Gracious, the All-Powerful.

The source of courage and power is the promotion of the Word of God, and steadfastness in His Love.

The essence of charity is for the servant to count the blessings of his Lord, and to render thanks unto Him at all times, and under all conditions.

The essence of wealth is love for Me. Whoso loveth Me is the possessor of all things, and he that loveth Me not is, indeed, of the poor and needy. This is that which the Finger of Glory and Splendor hath revealed. . .

The essence of faith is fewness of words and abundance of deeds; he whose words exceed his deeds, know verily his death is better than his life . . .

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

The most burning fire is to question the signs of God, to dispute idly that which He hath revealed, to deny Him and carry one's self proudly before Him.

The source of all learning is the knowledge of God, exalted be His Glory, and this cannot be attained save through the knowledge of His Divine Manifestation. The essence of abasement

12

is to pass from under the shadow of the Merciful, and seek the shelter of the Evil One.

The essence of all that We have revealed for thee is Justice, is for man to free himself from idle fancies and imitation, discern with the eye of oneness His glorious handiwork, and look into all things with a searching eye.

## EXCERPTS FROM TABLETS OF BAHÁ'U'LLÁH

Suffer not yourselves to be wrapt in the dense veils of your selfish desires, inasmuch as I have perfected in every one of you My creation, so that the excellence of My handiwork may be fully revealed unto men. It follows, therefore, that every man hath been, and will continue to be, able of himself to appreciate the Beauty of God, the Glorified. Had he not been endowed with such a capacity, how could he be called to account for his failure?

Retrace your steps, O My servants, and incline your hearts to Him Who is the Source of your creation. Deliver yourselves from your evil and corrupt affections, and hasten to embrace the light of the undying Fire that gloweth on the Sinai of this mysterious and transcendent Revelation. Corrupt not the holy, the all-embracing, and primal Word of God, and seek not to profane its sanctity or to debase its exalted character.

All men have been created to carry forward an ever-advancing civilization. The Almighty beareth Me witness: To act like the beasts of

13

the field is unworthy of man. Those virtues that befit his dignity are forbearance, mercy, compassion and loving-kindness towards all the peoples and kindreds of the earth.

The virtues and attributes pertaining unto God are all evident and manifest, and have been mentioned and described in all the heavenly Books. Among them are trustworthiness, truthfulness, purity of heart while communing with God, forbearance, resignation to whatever the Almighty hath decreed, contentment with the things His Will hath provided, patience, nay thankfulness in the midst of tribulation, and complete reliance, in all circumstances, upon Him. These rank, according to the estimate of God, among the highest and most laudable of all acts. All other acts are, and will ever remain, secondary and subordinate unto them.

O My servants! Sorrow not if, in these days and on this earthly plane, things contrary to your wishes have been ordained and manifested by God, for days of blissful joy, of heavenly delight, are assuredly in store for you. Worlds, holy and spiritually glorious, will be unveiled to your eyes. You are destined by Him, in this world and hereafter, to partake of their benefits, to share in their joys, and to obtain a portion of their sustaining grace. To each and every one of them you will, no doubt, attain.

The All-Knowing Physician hath His finger on the pulse of mankind. He perceiveth the disease,

14

and prescribeth, in His unerring wisdom, the remedy. Every age hath its own problem, and every soul its particular aspiration. The remedy the world needeth in its present-day afflictions can never be the same as that which a subsequent age may require. Be anxiously concerned with the needs of the age ye live in, and center your deliberations on its exigencies and requirements.

We can well perceive how the whole human race is encompassed with great, with incalculable affliction. We see it languishing on its bed of sickness, sore-tired and disillusioned. They that are intoxicated by self-conceit have interposed themselves between it and the Divine and Infallible Physician. Witness how they have entangled all men, themselves included, in the mesh of their devices. They can neither discover the cause of the disease, nor have they any knowledge of the remedy. They have conceived the straight to be crooked, and have imagined their friend an enemy.

Regard men as a flock of sheep that need a shepherd for their protection. This, verily, is the truth, the certain truth. We approve of liberty in certain circumstances, and refuse to sanction it in others. We, verily, are the All-Knowing.

Say: True liberty consisteth in man's submission unto My commandments, little as ye know it. Were men to observe that which We have sent down unto them from the Heaven of Revelation, they would, of a certainty, attain unto perfect

15

liberty. Happy is the man that hath apprehended
the Purpose of God in whatever He hath revealed
from the Heaven of His Will, that pervadeth all
created things. Say: The liberty that profiteth you
is to be found nowhere except in complete servi-
tude unto God, the Eternal Truth. Whoso hath
tasted of its sweetness will refuse to barter it for
all the dominion of earth and heaven.

Know thou that the soul of man is exalted
above, and is independent of all infirmities of
body or mind. That a sick person showeth signs
of weakness is due to the hindrances that inter-
pose themselves between his soul and his body,
for the soul itself remaineth unaffected by any
bodily ailments. Consider the light of the lamp.
Though an external object may interfere with
its radiance, the light itself continueth to shine
with undiminished power. In like manner, every
malady afflicting the body of man is an impedi-
ment that preventeth the soul from manifesting its
inherent might and power. When it leaveth the
body, however, it will evince such ascendency,
and reveal such influence as no force on earth
can equal. Every pure, every refined and sancti-
fied soul will be endowed with tremendous power,
and shall rejoice with exceeding gladness.

The vitality of men's belief in God is dying
out in every land; nothing short of His wholesome
medicine can ever restore it. The corrosion of
ungodliness is eating into the vitals of human

16

society; what else but the Elixir of His potent Reve-
lation can cleanse and revive it?

'ABDU'L-BAHÁ ON THE ONENESS
OF MANKIND

Each kingdom of creation is endowed with its
necessary complement of attributes and powers.
The mineral possesses inherent virtues of its own
kingdom in the scale of existence. The vegetable
possesses the qualities of the mineral plus a virtue
augmentative or power of growth. The animal is
endowed with the virtues of both the mineral and
vegetable plane plus the power of the senses. The
human kingdom is replete with the perfections of
all the kingdoms below it, with the addition of
powers peculiar to man alone. Man is therefore
superior to all the creatures below him, the loftiest
and most glorious being of creation. . . .

Every man imbued with divine qualities, who
reflects heavenly moralities and perfections, who
is the expression of ideal and praiseworthy at-
tributes, is verily in the image and likeness of
God. If a man possesses wealth can we call
him an image and likeness of God? Or is human
honor and notoriety the criterion of divine near-
ness? Can we apply the test of racial color and
say that man of a certain hue—white, black,
brown, yellow, red—is the true image of his
creator? We must conclude that color is not the
standard and estimate of judgment and that it is
of no importance, for color is accidental in nature.
The spirit and intelligence of man is the essential;

17

and that is the manifestation of divine virtues, the merciful bestowals of God, the life eternal and baptism through the Holy Spirit. Therefore be it known that color or race is of no importance. He who is the image and likeness of God, who is the manifestation of the bestowals of God, is acceptable at the threshold of God; whether his color be white, black or brown, it matters not.

## 'ABDU'L-BAHÁ ON THE DAWN OF UNITY

This is a new cycle of human power. All the horizons of the world are luminous, and the world will become indeed as a garden and a paradise. It is the hour of unity of the sons of men and of the drawing together of all races and all classes.

The gift of God to this enlightened age is the knowledge of the oneness of mankind and the fundamental oneness of religion. War shall cease between nations, and by the will of God the Most Great Peace shall come; the world will be seen as a new world, and all men will live as brothers.

O ye beloved of the Lord! In this sacred Dispensation, conflict and contention are in no wise permitted. Every aggressor deprives himself of God's grace. It is incumbent upon everyone to show the utmost love, rectitude of conduct, straightforwardness and sincere kindliness unto all the peoples and kindreds of the world, be they friends or strangers. So intense must be the spirit of love and loving-kindness that the stranger may

18

find himself a friend, the enemy a true brother, no difference whatsoever existing between them. ...

For universality is of God and all limitations are earthly.

## WORDS OF SHOGHI EFFENDI ON WORLD ORDER

The Bahá'í Faith recognizes the unity of God and of His Prophets, upholds the principle of an unfettered search after truth, condemns all forms of superstition and prejudice, teaches that the fundamental purpose of religion is to promote concord and harmony, that it must go hand-in-hand with science, and that it constitutes the sole and ultimate basis of a peaceful, an ordered and progressive society. It inculcates the principle of equal opportunity, rights and privileges for both sexes, advocates compulsory education, abolishes extremes of poverty and wealth, exalts work performed in the spirit of service to the rank of worship, recommends the adoption of an auxiliary international language, and provides the necessary agencies for the establishment and safeguarding of a permanent and universal peace.

For Bahá'u'lláh ... has not only imbued mankind with a new and regenerating Spirit. He has not merely enunciated certain universal principles, or propounded a particular philosophy, however potent, sound and universal these may be. In addition to these He, as well as 'Abdu'l-Bahá after Him, have, unlike the Dispensations of the past, clearly and specifically laid down a set of

19

Laws, established definite institutions, and pro-
vided for the essentials of a Divine Economy.
These are destined to be a pattern for future so-
ciety, a supreme instrument for the establishment
of the Most Great Peace, and the one agency for
the unification of the world, and the proclamation
of the reign of righteousness and justice upon the
earth.

The call of Bahá'u'lláh is primarily directed
against all forms of provincialism, all insularities
and prejudices. . . . For legal standards, political
and economic theories are solely designed to
safeguard the interests of humanity as a whole,
and not humanity to be crucified for the preserva-
tion of the integrity of any particular law or doc-
trine. . . . The principle of the Oneness of Mankind
—the pivot round which all the teachings of Bahá'-
u'lláh revolve—is no mere outburst of ignorant
emotionalism or an expression of vague and pious
hope. . . . Its implications are deeper, its claims
greater than any which the Prophets of old were
allowed to advance. Its message is applicable
not only to the individual, but concerns itself
primarily with the nature of those essential rela-
tionships that must bind all the states and na-
tions as members of one human family. . . .

It represents the consummation of human evolu-
tion. . . .

Alone of all the Revelations gone before it
this Faith has . . . succeeded in raising a struc-
ture which the bewildered followers of bankrupt

20

and broken creeds might well approach and
critically examine, and seek, ere it is too late,
the invulnerable security of its world-embracing
shelter.

WORDS OF SHOGHI EFFENDI ON
PROGRESSIVE REVELATION

The Revelation proclaimed by Bahá'u'lláh, His
followers believe, is divine in origin, all-embracing
in scope, broad in its outlook, scientific in its
method, humanitarian in its principles and dy-
namic in the influence it exerts on the hearts and
minds of men. The mission of the Founder of their
Faith, they conceive it to be to proclaim that re-
ligious truth is not absolute but relative, that
Divine Revelation is continuous and progressive,
that the Founders of all past religions, though
different in the non-essential aspects of their teach-
ings, "abide in the same Tabernacle, soar in the
same heaven, are seated upon the same throne,
utter the same speech and proclaim the same
Faith." His Cause, they have already demon-
strated, stands identified with, and revolves
around, the principle of the organic unity of man-
kind as representing the consummation of the
whole process of human evolution. This final stage
in this stupendous evolution, they assert, is not
only necessary but inevitable, that it is gradually
approaching, and that nothing short of the cele-
tial potency with which a divinely ordained Mes-
sage can claim to be endowed can succeed in
establishing it.

21

## BAHÁ'Í HISTORY

More than a century ago, when East and West alike were struggling to emerge from the darkness of materialism and unbelief, the Bahá'í Faith arose with its assurance of a New Day.

On May 23, 1844, a radiant youth of Persia, known as the Báb ("Door of the Spirit"), proclaimed His mission of heralding the coming of a mighty educator who would quicken the souls, illumine the minds, unify the sciences and remold the customs of mankind. His coming signifies the fulfillment of the return of the Prophet of God, as promised in all of the Holy Books of the revealed religions of the world. After six years of heroic steadfastness and ardent teaching, the Báb became a victim of fanatical persecution and was publicly martyred at Tabriz, July 9, 1850.

Upon this preparation the foundation of the Faith was laid by Bahá'u'lláh ("Glory of God"), whose universal principles of personal and social regeneration were revealed under conditions of cruel oppression unequalled in the annuals of religion.

Bahá'u'lláh gave the glad tidings to East and West, that the Holy Spirit had once more come to revivify humanity in its hour of need, that a new and greater cycle had begun—the age of brotherhood, of peace, of knowledge of God. All peoples He summoned to partake of the spiritual teachings uttered through Him.

As the desperate forces of reaction gathered against Him, Bahá'u'lláh and His little band of faithful followers were imprisoned in Tihrán, stripped of their property and rights, exiled to Baghdad, to Constantinople, to Adrianople, and at last, as the supreme infliction, in 1868 confined for life in the desolate barracks of 'Akká, a Turkish penal colony, at the foot of Mount Carmel in the Holy Land.

Voluntarily sharing these ordeals from very childhood was the eldest son of Bahá'u'lláh, 'Abdu'l-Bahá ("Servant of the Glory"), whose confinement of 'Akká, lasting forty years, was terminated in 1908 by the humanitarian regime initiated by the Young Turks.

Bahá'u'lláh passed on in 1892. From then until His own ascension in 1921, 'Abdu'l-Bahá served the Cause as its appointed leader and interpreter, and through His unique devotion, purity of life, tireless effort and unfailing wisdom the message slowly but surely penetrated to all parts of the world.

In His testament 'Abdu'l-Bahá named His grandson, Shoghi Effendi, Guardian of the Faith, with the mission of maintaining the unity of the Bahá'is and the integrity of the ideals of Bahá'u'lláh.

22

## SOME BAHÁ'Í BOOKS

### BAHÁ'Í WORLD FAITH

A comprehensive selection of the Bahá'í sacred writings explaining the mission of the Prophets, the fulfillment of religious promises, the nature of the soul of man, practices and laws for the new age. Cloth, $2.50

### THE DIVINE ART OF LIVING

Selected Bahá'í writings on the qualities that characterize wholeness of living and the means to attain it through spiritual development. Cloth, $1.50

### BAHÁ'U'LLÁH AND THE NEW ERA

By J. E. Esslemont. A standard introductory text on the Bahá'í Faith, outlining its history and teachings. Cloth, $1.25

### GREAT THEMES OF LIFE

By Eric Bowes. Originally given as lectures in a Congregational church in Australia, this work relates some of the most beloved and familiar Bible themes to their fulfillment in our present day. Cloth, $1.50

### BAHÁ'Í PUBLISHING TRUST

WILMETTE, ILLINOIS

© 1960 by the National Spiritual Assembly
of the Bahá'ís of the U.S.A.

Printed in U.S.A.

# BAHÁ'Í:
World Faith for Modern Man

by ARTHUR DAHL

## Nature and Purpose

The Bahá'í World Faith is a new, independent universal religion, whose goal is to revitalize mankind spiritually, to break down the barriers between peoples and lay the foundation for a unified world society based upon principles of justice and love.

The Faith recognizes that the major problem of our age is the resolution of a series of deeply ingrained conflicts which are interrelated and penetrate various levels of society: conflicts between ideologies, nations, religions, races and classes. Such conflicts, when combined with the weapons of annihilation our age has produced, threaten the future of civilization as we know it. They misdirect the efforts of science and technology at a time when man is on the verge of discovering the mysteries of interplanetary space and harnessing new sources of power. They consume an inordinate proportion of our productive energies, and divert attention from the conquest of our natural enemies: ignorance, disease, hunger.

3

## BAHÀ'Í: World Faith for Modern Man

World opinion increasingly recognizes that the solution of these conflicts must be applied on a world level to have a lasting chance of maintaining peace. The conviction also grows that all of these conflicts have as a root cause the lack of a spiritual dynamic, a moral or ethical power strong enough to counteract divisive social forces and channel men's efforts in constructive directions. Yet when we look at the field of religion, the historic source of spiritual guidance and assistance, we find that the major religions are sharply divided and are themselves one of the principal areas of conflict. They exist exclusive of each other and have, down through the centuries, developed in their followers widely diverse attitudes toward life, which hinder general understanding and cooperation between peoples.

Since a lasting solution of our political and economic problems can only be achieved on a world level, something must first be done to bridge the vast spiritual gap existing between the followers of the major faiths. It is difficult to visualize, for example, the establishment of any genuine world government while various segments of the world's population differ so markedly in their fundamental attitudes, purposes and values. What is needed is a new spiritual approach which will at once reconcile the basic contradictions in major religious beliefs, be consistent with modern scientific and rational principles, and offer to all peoples a set of values and a meaning to life that they can accept and apply. To meet this need the Bahá'í World Faith presents a challenging set of teach-

4

ings, founded on the concept of progressive revelation.

## Progressive Revelation

The main stumbling block to religious unity has been the insistence of each major faith that its Founder and Prophet possesses some degree of exclusive authority or finality. The Bahá'í Faith teaches that this traditional division has resulted from a misinterpretation of the symbolic words of these great spiritual figures. In the Bahá'í view, the unknowable force which is responsible for all creation, God, guides and assists the apex of His creation, mankind, by periodically sending an Educator. This Educator, a man physically like other men, has been selected by God and divinely inspired to carry out three functions: (1) to restate the eternal spiritual truths, such as the Golden Rule, which are to be found in most religious teachings; (2) to bring laws and teachings which apply to the needs of society at His particular time but which are not necessarily meant to be permanent; and (3) to release throughout the world a spiritual force intangible but very measurable in its effects, which eventually causes millions of people to respond to the Prophet and His teachings, recognizing both as being from God, and enabling the new religion to be the major impetus for the next cyclical upturn in civilization.

The key to the Bahá'í interpretation of the meaning of religion in the development of society is its emphasis on the periodic, evolutionary nature of this influence. If God chooses to guide mankind at all, it is logical that He would do so from the very beginning of man's exist-

5

ence as a species, and continue this help indefinitely. And since change and orderly progress is the characteristic of all other aspects of our lives, why should it not also apply to our spiritual development? By regarding God's Messengers as divinely inspired, speaking the Word of God, occupying a level of existence well above that of ordinary man, Bahá'ís vere Them in their exalted position of spiritual leadership and as a source of man's knowledge of God, but they do not worship these Messengers as God incarnate. By accepting the Founders of all the existing major faiths, Krishna, Buddha, Zoroaster, Moses, Jesus Christ and Muhammad, as equally occupying the station of Manifestations of God, and recognizing the religions they established as being genuine and true expressions of God's message, the Bahá'í view reconciles the basic concepts of these faiths without requiring repudiation of loyalty to or belief in the divinity of, the founders of any. The wide differences in their teachings today can be explained by the alterations made by successive Prophets in the laws applicable to the changing needs of society, and by the fact that many of the current teachings of the orthodox churches stem, not from the original words of the Prophets, but from subsequently added dogma and interpretations of fallible church leaders. In effect the Bahá'ís regard all of these major faiths as being a part of the same evolving religion, which has been restated and reinvigorated periodically by the coming of a new Prophet, drawing on the same source of wisdom and spiritual power.

Bringing this concept down to our own age, Bahá'ís believe that this period

6

in history is comparable in many respects to the ages in the past when the great Prophets have come to enlighten and guide mankind. Certainly the world has turned away from religion, at least in its pure sense as an influence and inspiration in the daily lives and actions of large bodies of people. As a result we are lacking a basic morality and have permitted a state of mind to develop in which conflict has prospered and become the dominant fact and critical problem of our time. Many people are looking for a spiritual revitalization but are divided as to how to achieve it. If the lessons of the past are meaningful, it will come, but through the appearance of a great new spiritual leader, rather than from the renewal of any of the religious institutions of the past.

And that is exactly what the Bahá'í Faith claims has happened. Bahá'u'lláh, who founded the Faith, is accepted by Bahá'ís as the Prophet of God for this day, possessed of the same divine guidance and spiritual dynamic as Christ, Muhammad, Moses and the others and come to the world to perform the same three functions. He is believed to have the same potential for counteracting dominant negative influences and for leading man kind to a new level of peaceful, unified and constructive existence.

## History of the Bahá'í World Faith

On May 23, 1844, a young Persian declared that He was the forerunner of an important new spiritual figure, and took the title of Báb (Gate). His teachings were profound and poetic and were widely accepted throughout Persia. But they were also considered heresy by the

7

BAHÀÍ: World Faith for Modern Man

fanatical Islamic mullas, who taught that Muhammad was the greatest and the last of the Prophets, and who feared that the Bábís represented a threat to their entrenched position. Therefore the Islamic clergy combined with the corrupt government to stamp out the new Faith by force. During two decades more than 20,000 Bábís were martyred, often being cruelly tortured first. The Báb Himself was publicly shot in 1850 before some 10,000 spectators. This period is one of the heroic and dramatic episodes in modern history and deserves to be better known in the Western World.

One of the most active Bábís was Mírzá Husayn ‘Alí, son of one of the government ministers, who from an early age had shown more interest in spiritual concerns than in the world of politics and society. He embraced the Bábí Faith in its early stages, and demonstrated a profound grasp of the deeper meanings of the Báb’s teachings. In 1853, while in prison because of his Bábí activities, He had an intimation that He was the great Prophet foretold by the Báb, but He did not announce this publicly until 1863, when He took the title of Bahá’u’lláh (Glory of God). Most of the Bábís accepted His claim and became Bahá’ís (Followers of the Glory), though there were some defections on the part of dis-appointed would-be leaders.

Many people today tend to think of Prophets in terms of past ages. It seems hard to connect these remote and holy figures with the modern world and everyday problems. Yet Bahá’u’lláh not only lived in our time, but was contemporary in the fullest sense of the word. His teach-

ings are not only extremely advanced, but personally He had a profound influence upon all who came in contact with Him, an influence which will continue to spread for centuries. A distinguished orientalist of Cambridge University, Professor Edward G. Browne, who visited Bahá’u’lláh in 1890 and was the only Westerner to have the privilege of such a meeting, wrote vividly of Him: “The face of Him on whom I gazed I can never forget, though I cannot describe it. Those piercing eyes seemed to read one’s very soul; power and authority sat on that ample brow; while the deep lines on the forehead and face implied an age which the jet-black hair and beard flowing down in indistinguishable luxuriance almost to the waist seemed to belie. No need to ask in whose presence I stood, as I bowed myself before One who was the object of devotion and love which kings might envy and emperors sigh for in vain.”

Because of continued persecutions by the Islamic hierarchy and the Persian and Turkish governments, Bahá’u’lláh and His close followers were kept prisoners until Bahá’u’lláh’s death in 1892 and for sixteen years thereafter. The last years of Bahá’u’lláh’s life were spent at the fortress city of ‘Akká and at nearby Bahjí. During all these years of imprisonment He actively worked to establish a firm foundation for the new Faith through copious and inspired writings, and through administering its affairs by correspondence and contact with a stream of visitors. His strong letters to the reigning monarchs of that time accurately foretold the trend of modern history. His spiritual writings represent the Scriptures of the Bahá’í World Faith, in which for

8

9

the first time the Holy Book of a major religion is available in the authenticated handwriting of its Founder, or signed by the Founder if in the handwriting of a secretary. These writings are accepted by Bahá'ís as the Word of God for this age and an important portion of them are now available in English.

In His will, Bahá'u'lláh appointed His eldest son, 'Abdu'l-Bahá, the central figure in the Faith after His passing. 'Abdu'l-Bahá is in no sense of the word considered to be a divinely inspired Prophet like Bahá'u'lláh and the Báb but he is regarded as a perfect exemplar of the spirit of Bahá'u'lláh's teachings as applied to one man's life, and his ex- planations of the meanings of these teach- ings, written in a somewhat more west- ernized style than his Father's, are ac- cepted as authentic. He was a saintly man and was loved and revered by all who came in contact with him.

'Abdu'l-Bahá and his entourage were freed from prison by the Young Turks' revolution in 1908. He moved to Haifa, and today the international headquarters of the Faith are there on Mount Carmel, where a beautiful series of Shrines and gardens are being constructed. 'Abdu'l-Bahá visited Europe in 1911 and America in 1912, where he spoke to audiences from coast to coast. He was knighted by the British Commonwealth in 1920 for his humanitarian activities during World War I. He died in 1921.

'Abdu'l-Bahá's will established the institution of the Guardianship, and ap- pointed his grandson, Shoghi Effendi, then a student at Oxford, as Guardian. For thirty-six years Shoghi Effendi la- bored strenuously to strengthen and de- velop the Bahá'í Administrative Order.

His own writings have expanded the horizons of the Faith and have given it direction during an exceedingly difficult period in its history. His vision of the Faith, his understanding of world condi- tions and his superior abilities as an ad- ministrator have been considered by Bahá'ís as the product of divine guidance granted to him in his position as Inter- interpreter of the Bahá'í Teachings.

On November 4, 1957, Shoghi Ef- fendi passed away suddenly in London of a heart attack. Since under the conditions laid down in 'Abdu'l-Bahá's will no new Guardian could be appointed at this time, interim direction of the Faith will temporarily be carried on by the twenty- seven Hands of the Cause. Appointed by the Guardian as Chief Stewards of the Faith, they will serve in this capacity un- til such time as it will have a sufficiently strong foundation in all parts of the world to bring into being the Universal House of Justice, the world legislative body of the Bahá'ís, which is scheduled to be formed in 1963. While democratically elected, the Universal House of Justice when it functions as a body will be the recipient of divine guidance as assured in Bahá'u'lláh's writings.

## Religious Teachings

Bahá'u'lláh re-established and reaf- firmed the Covenant between God and man, the glorious promise recorded in various religions of the past, but largely ignored today. Under this Covenant God agrees to guide and assist man toward spiritual progress through His Manifesta- tions, but man, on the other hand, accepts a continuous responsibility to love God

10

and to follow His precepts and laws, as
given by the Prophets, at all times and
in all aspects of his life. It is the lack of
responsibility toward his Creator that
makes modern man so morally rudder-
less and thus susceptible to the prejudices
and conflicts which work against his own
best interest.

The Bahá'í teachings require an ex-
tremely high standard of moral conduct.
Monogamy is enjoined on all, and chaste
conduct is extolled. Marriage requires
the consent of all living parents, and di-
vorce must be preceded by a year of trial
separation and an attempt at reconcilia-
tion. Alcohol and narcotics are prohibited
except for medical purposes. Purity, hon-
esty, generosity and selflessness are re-
garded as fundamental virtues; and a
sense of responsibility for one's fellow-
men is emphasized. Back-biting and gos-
siping are condemned. Bahá'ís are not
straight-laced, but are encouraged to en-
joy the legitimate beauties and pleasures
this world offers.

Bahá'u'lláh reaffirms a belief in the
immortality of the individual soul and
extends man's knowledge of the nature
of life after death. Man's purpose on this
earth is to love and worship God, to gain
knowledge of Him through the teachings
of the Prophets and to progress spiritually
through applying these teachings in his
daily life. Progress so attained will be
carried forward after the soul is released
from the body and moves to its next level
of existence. This is the measured reward
of spiritual achievement, so different from
the assignment of the soul to a literal
heaven or hell.

The Bahá'í writings also contain

many explanations of the more difficult
and symbolic sections of the Scriptures of
past religions, clarifying questions that
have been sources of religious division
and relating many of the prophetic pas-
sages to actual events. The approach is
rational and in accord with modern sci-
entific principles, yet also includes an
element of faith in areas which go beyond
natural law as now comprehended.

Prayer plays an important role in
Bahá'í worship, and many beautiful
prayers have been revealed in the writ-
ings. The effect of the whole Bahá'í ap-
proach to life is to make the individual
believer a balanced, well-adjusted per-
son, at home in his environment. This is
not an ascetic Faith, but teaches that the
most spiritual life is lived actively in so-
ciety, contributing toward the productive
process and carrying the principles of
Bahá'u'lláh to people through personal
example and teaching.

## Political and Social Teachings

The Bahá'í Faith offers more compre-
hensive teachings on political, economic
and social subjects than other major re-
ligions of the past. It should be borne in
mind that Bahá'u'lláh enunciated these
principles in the period between 1863
and 1892, when monarchy was the pre-
vailing form of government and the in-
dustrial revolution was barely getting
under way.

The keynote of these teachings is the
principle of the oneness of mankind. In
the past, religions have been regional in
their impact and influence. But in our
age, for the first time, the world has be-
come one physically, and so for men to

12

3

flourish under such conditions they must
also achieve spiritual, political and eco-
nomic unity. Through the principle of
progressive revelation, Bahá'u'lláh has
made possible the reconciliation of the
doctrines of the major faiths. It is en-
visaged that Bahá'í will gradually lead
the peoples to the adoption of a universal
faith, which will close the spiritual and
cultural gaps that now exist. Included in
this process will be a realization that our
basic loyalty is to mankind as a whole,
rather than to any nation or smaller
group. This will temper the intensity of
nationalism, one of the major sources of
conflict today.

To implement this principle of the
oneness of mankind, Bahá'u'lláh advo-
cated a federated world government, with
such necessary attendant institutions as a
world court and an international police
force. An international language should
be learned by all in addition to one's na-
tive tongue, as an important means of in-
creasing understanding through better
communication. A universal approach to
economic problems should be adopted,
gradually eliminating the barriers to free
world trade. Work performed in the spirit
of service should be regarded as a form
of worship of God. Wars must be abol-
ished and the full energies of men con-
centrated on constructive pursuits. Ex-
tremes of wealth and poverty should be
eliminated, and men should be happily
willing to aid their less fortunate fellow-
men.

Bahá'u'lláh strongly urged the elimi-
nation of all forms of prejudice and super-
stition, particularly racial prejudice. This
issue is dealt with more specifically and
emphatically than in past religions, and
is regarded as a spiritual responsibility,

14

not merely a humanitarian or educa-
tional problem.

The Bahá'í Faith also teaches that religion and science are not contradictory, but are in harmony and accord. Each deals with an aspect of existence necessary to man's progress, and should be regarded as complementary allies in man's eternal struggle to better himself. The Faith also advocates universal education, the equality of men and women and the independent investigation of truth. No coercion should be used to induce anyone to accept any particular point of view with respect to the fundamental questions of life; but it is taught that everyone should face these questions squarely, study and consider various approaches and consider that making a decision and acting upon it is both a privilege and a responsibility.

Bahá'ís consider that together these
principles represent a blueprint of the
world society of the future, which God,
through Bahá'u'lláh, has given to man-
kind as the sole remedy for the problems
engulfing the modern world. It is incum-
bent upon us to put these advanced
principles into practice if we are to avoid
self-destruction and realize the tremen-
dous potential for constructive develop-
ment modern science and technology
have made possible. None of these prin-
ciples can be separated from the others;
and for their full realization all are de-
pendent upon the spiritual regeneration
which must occur before mankind will
be ideologically ready to apply them suc-
cessfully. There are many deeply en-
trenched prejudices and attitudes which
must first be overcome, and only the
power of God, which has brought about
equally dramatic alterations in social

15

trends in the past, can be expected to achieve this.

## Administrative Order

As a new religious expression operating under vastly changed conditions, the organizational structure of the Bahá'í World Faith differs in important respects from the organization of the orthodox faiths of the past. In the Bahá'í Faith there is no professional clergy. The various functions of administration, teaching, welfare, and worship are carried out by Bahá'ís, none of whom ever have clerical distinction, but are elected by democratic process to administrative posts or arise voluntarily to serve according to preparation and ability. The unit at the base of the structure is the Local Spiritual Assembly, which consists of nine members elected annually, and exists wherever nine or more adult Bahá'ís live in a city, town or judicial district. It can appoint committees to handle specific tasks, but is responsible for the progress and well-being of the Faith and of the believers in its area. Similarly, the National Spiritual Assembly, also with nine elected members, is responsible for the affairs of the Faith on a national level, and when the Universal House of Justice comes into being, it will be the world authority for the Bahá'ís.

Great emphasis is placed in the Faith on a spiritual approach to group consultation. Much effort is made to leave behind the human tendencies which so often cause groups to break down into petty bickering and unproductive con-

16

flicts. Each member is expected to advance his views as ably as he can. Then a genuine effort is made to develop a group view which represents the combined wisdom and can be wholeheartedly accepted by all, who then relinquish any personal identification with their original positions.

The activities of the Faith are financed solely by voluntary contributions from Bahá'ís. It is not possible to accept contributions from non-Bahá'ís for other than charitable purposes. Collections are never taken at Bahá'í meetings. By orderly process each community of Bahá'ís establishes a Fund. To local and national Funds the believers contribute, without pledge or pressure, through the official treasurer elected for each.

The most important Bahá'í building in the United States is the magnificent Bahá'í House of Worship at Wilmette, Illinois, on the shore of Lake Michigan. It is recognized as one of the great examples of architecture in this country, and annually attracts more than 100,000 visitors. Associated with it is the National Bahá'í Headquarters Building on Sheridan Road. Nearby is the Faith's first humanitarian institution in North America, the Bahá'í Home, open to men and women sixty-five and over with no distinction as to racial or religious backgrounds.

In time there will be Bahá'í houses of worship in most localities, but at the moment, while numbers and resources are relatively small, there are only a few modest local centers, and most communities hold their meetings in private homes or rented halls. Bahá'ís gather together every nineteen days for worship, discussion of community affairs and fellowship.

17

They observe a number of Bahá'í Holy Days, with non-Bahá'ís being invited to certain of the commemorations.

Teaching activities for the public are at the discretion of the individual communities, and take many forms. The emphasis at this time is to spread the Faith as widely as possible. A World Crusade now in progress has as its goal the establishment of the Faith by 1963 in nearly every country, principality, territory and island of the globe. Many Americans have gone out "pioneering" in obscure parts of the earth, settling down as residents of the area, without title, office or uniform, working and earning an independent livelihood, if that is at all possible, and presenting the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh in whatever manner local conditions permit.

Bahá'ís have a conviction that the administrative order which they are building, putting all the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh into practice as completely as they can, is actually a laboratory or pilot plant model of the world order of the future. It is a miniature international society, without nationalistic or ideological conflicts, without racial bias, without class distinction, without the barriers of religious differences. Bahá'ís are now settled in more than 250 countries and dependencies, and come from every conceivable national, racial, religious and class background. They believe that in time, as the world seeks desperately for a way out of chaos, it will become aware of the example of the Bahá'í Society in its midst — a society founded on spiritual principles, yet blending these with advanced secular concepts to achieve a successfully functioning social organism. The world then might be ready to follow.

18

## Conclusion

The Bahá'í World Faith is a religion, a society and a way of life. It reoffers spiritual truths the world needs but from which it has turned away, and it provides laws for regulating society that are new and suited to the requirements of our own age. It is still in its infancy, with its greatest accomplishments and period of growth lying ahead. In line with the experience of many older religions, its progress at this stage is slow, for its ideas are advanced, and it demands of its followers many adjustments and sacrifices. In return it offers them not only an answer to the personal problems that a complex, high tension modern society creates, but also the inspiring realization that they are participating in the formative years of a Faith destined to greatness — a Faith which is nurturing God's newest message to the world and is the channel through which all mankind will be led to the unity that is its only salvation.

In the words of Shoghi Effendi: "The principle of the Oneness of Mankind ... represents the consummation of human evolution — an evolution that has had its earliest beginning in the birth of family life, its subsequent development in the achievement of tribal solidarity, leading in turn to the constitution of the city-state, and expanding later into the institution of the independent and sovereign nations."

"The principle of the Oneness of Mankind, as proclaimed by Bahá'u'lláh, carries with it no more and no less than a solemn assertion that attainment to this final stage in this stupendous evolution is not only necessary but inevitable, that its realization is fast approaching, and that nothing short of a power that is born of God can succeed in establishing it."

# BIBLIOGRAPHY

This paper presents an outline of some of the principal tenets of and facts about the Bahá'í World Faith. Because of space limitations the presentation was of necessity simplified. It is hoped that the reader will wish to probe more deeply into this subject and secure a broader knowledge of Bahá'í teachings and history, as an aid in understanding the Faith and evaluating its place in modern history.

Listed below are a number of basic Bahá'í books now in print which will assist in this endeavor. Many of them can be found in public, state or college libraries. A catalog is also available upon request from the Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 110 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, Illinois, or orders may be placed through your own bookstore. College professors, administrators or students who would like assistance or suggestions, may write to the Bahá'í College Bureau, P.O. Box 5683, Stanford, California.

## Sacred Writings

**BAHÁ'Í WORLD FAITH** (Bahá'í Publishing Trust)
449 pp.

A comprehensive selection of the writings of Bahá'u'lláh and of 'Abdu'l-Bahá.

**GLEANINGS FROM THE WRITINGS OF BAHÁ'U'LLÁH** (Bahá'í Publishing Trust)
346 pp.

Excerpts touching on the nature of religion, the spiritual nature of man, and the transformation of human society.

**PRAYERS AND MEDITATIONS OF BAHÁ'U'LLÁH** (Bahá'í Publishing Trust)
339 pp.

Prayers and devotional passages.

**KITÁB-I-ÍQÁN, THE (BOOK OF CERTITUDE)**
by Bahá'u'lláh (Bahá'í Publishing Trust)
257 pp.

Sets forth the grand redemptive scheme of God, revealing the oneness of religion, its continuity and evolution through the successive Prophets of God.

**HIDDEN WORDS OF BAHÁ'U'LLÁH, THE**
(Bahá'í Publishing Trust)
52 pp.

Brief, poetic meditations, crystallizing the essence of all revealed truth.

**SOME ANSWERED QUESTIONS** by 'Abdu'l-Bahá (Bahá'í Publishing Trust)
350 pp.

Explanations on a wide variety of spiritual and philosophic questions, with particular emphasis on Christian subjects.

**SECRET OF DIVINE CIVILIZATION, THE** by
'Abdu'l-Bahá (Bahá'í Publishing Trust)
116 pp.

An insight into the spiritual sociology needed in the struggle to attain world peace. It also offers an explanation of the nature of Islam and its contribution to the formation of European civilization.

**FOUNDATIONS OF WORLD UNITY** by 'Abdu'l-Bahá (Bahá'í Publishing Trust)
178 pp.

Addresses and letters on the theme of the spiritual foundations of world unity.

## Basic and Introductory Works

**ALL THINGS MADE NEW** by John Ferraby (New York: Macmillan & Co. & London: George Allen & Unwin, Ltd., 1958)
313 pp.

A new and comprehensive outline of the history and major teachings of the Bahá'í Faith.

**BAHÁ'U'LLÁH AND THE NEW ERA** by J. E. Esslemont (Bahá'í Publishing Trust)
340 pp.

Older work covering much of same material.

**RENEWAL OF CIVILIZATION, THE** by David Hofman (London: George Ronald, 1945)
96 pp.

A brief general introduction to the Bahá'í Faith.

**TOMORROW AND TOMORROW** by Stanwood Cobb (U. S., 1952 — available, Bahá'í Publishing Trust)
103 pp.

A vivid picture of what lies ahead in the way of world progress by a well-known Bahá'í author and educator.

## History and Administrative Development

**GOD PASSES BY** by Shoghi Effendi (Bahá'í Publishing Trust)
412 pp.

The definitive history of the first century of the Bahá'í Faith.

**DAWN-BREAKERS, THE** by Nabíl (Bahá'í Publishing Trust)
668 pp.

A superb account of the early days of the Bahá'í Era, centering around the mission of the Báb.

20

21

The Bahá'í Faith Offers

CONVINCING
ANSWERS

TO YOUR
QUESTIONS
ABOUT...

IMPENDING ATOMIC WAR

SEETHING RACIAL TENSION

CORRUPTION AND GRAFT IN BUSINESS AND POLITICS

INCREASING DIVORCE RATE

WIDESPREAD CRIME AND DELINQUENCY

ALARMING INCREASES IN MENTAL ILLNESS

ALCOHOLISM AND THE USE OF NARCOTICS

RELIGION'S FAILURE TO SOLVE PERSONAL AND SOCIAL PROBLEMS

GROWING DISTRUST BETWEEN CAPITAL AND LABOR

THREAT OF ATHEISM

Learn how Christian and Jew, Black
and White, East and West have found peace of mind
and satisfaction of soul in over 250 countries of the world.

© Copyright 1962 by the

Printed in the United States of America

PREFACE

The Bahá'í Faith offers convincing answers to questions about many problems afflicting mankind in what is regarded as the most turbulent period in history.

The following pages will introduce you to the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh wherein you will find these answers.

Learn how Christian and Jew, Black and White, East and West have found peace of mind and satisfaction of soul in over 250 countries of the world. Individuals from these once divided peoples are now completely unified in thriving Bahá'í communities. Castes and other man-made divisions have completely broken down as thousands arise to embrace the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh.

Learn the secret of inner health and happiness which millions have found in the most rapidly spreading Faith in religious history.

WILLIAM B. SEARS

DID YOU KNOW THAT...

When Albert Einstein stated in 1950 that the "hysterical race" between
East and West to fashion the hydrogen bomb might result in the "poison-
ing" of the atmosphere, he was echoing the words of the Founder of the
Bahá'í Faith spoken a century before?

100 YEARS AGO: The Bahá'í Writings warned the world and its leaders that: "A strange and wonderful instrument (force) exists in the earth ... (It) ... has the power to change the atmosphere ... and its infection causes destruction."

50 YEARS AGO: This warning was repeated as the first Great War approached, saying: "There is in existence a stupendous force, as yet, happily, undiscovered by man. Let us supplicate God that this force be not discovered until spiritual civilization shall dominate the human mind. In the hands of men of lower material nature, this power would be able to destroy the earth."

50 YEARS AGO: These very words of warning were spoken to the Japanese Ambassador to Spain, Viscount Arawaka, in whose country the first atomic bomb was to be exploded in a second and greater World War. The Bahá'í Writings clearly foretold the coming of this second world conflict because of man's failure to heed these warnings and to adopt the measures that could prevent it.

50 YEARS AGO: Immediately following World War I the Bahá'í Writings foretold that the Movement of the Left would spread and have great influence, and that political confusion, financial upheavals, religious restlessness, and racial animosities would increase throughout the world until the basic principles of equity and justice as expressed in these Writings are put into effect.

1

When the League of Nations and the United Nations Organization were formed in order to maintain the peace of the world, their articles were an echo of the words of the Founder of the Bahá'í Faith spoken a century ago.

100 YEARS AGO: The Bahá'í Writings record letters addressed by the Founder of the Bahá'í Faith to the kings and rulers of the world whose nations were later to be involved in both World War I and World War II, foreshadowing the impending chaos, the approaching upheavals, and universal conflagration. These letters warned of "the imperative necessity" of holding "a vast and all-embracing assemblage of men" to "consider such ways and means as will lay the foundations of the world's Great Peace." The Bahá'í Writings set forth in clear language the means by which such a peace may be achieved and maintained.

50 YEARS AGO: The Son of the Founder of the Bahá'í Faith repeated these warnings and while visiting California in 1912, He stated that international peace was the paramount issue of that time, and expressed the hope that "the first flag of International Peace" would be upraised in that state. Thirty-three years later the United Nations Organization with its flag of international peace had its birth in San Francisco.

100 YEARS AGO: The Founder of the Bahá'í Faith announced that the purpose of His Teachings was to unite the religions and peoples of the world in a peaceful, peace-loving and prosperous world society. His Writings forbade such evils as human slavery. In the very year of the announcement of His Mission (1863), Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation ending slavery in the United States of America.

50 YEARS AGO: The Bahá'í Writings warned the people and leaders of America that to end slavery was not enough; that grave racial conflicts would shake the nation and endanger its health and stability if the healing principle of the "oneness of the human race" as given in these Teachings were not followed faithfully and without reservation.

2

## INTRODUCTORY QUESTIONS

### ABOUT THE BAHÁ'Í FAITH USUALLY ASKED BY PRESS, RADIO AND TELEVISION

**QUESTION** — When did the Bahá'í Faith begin?

ANSWER — In 1844

**QUESTION** — Where?

ANSWER — In Persia (Iran)

**QUESTION** — What does the word "Bahá'í" mean?

ANSWER — It means a follower of Bahá'u'lláh.

**QUESTION** — Who is Bahá'u'lláh?

ANSWER — Bahá'u'lláh is the founder of the Bahá'í Faith.

**QUESTION** — What does the name "Bahá'u'lláh" mean?

ANSWER — When translated into English, Bahá'u'lláh means "the Glory of God."

Jesus of Nazareth was the name of the Founder of Christianity. He was known by the title: Christ which means the "Anointed One."

Husayn 'Alí of Nur was the Founder of the Bahá'í Faith. He was known by the title: Bahá'u'lláh which means the "Glory of God."

**QUESTION** — What is a Bahá'í?

ANSWER — A Bahá'í is a person who believes in Bahá'u'lláh. Christ (ian) means "of Christ."

Bahá(í) means "of Bahá'u'lláh."

Therefore, a Christian is a follower of Christ, and a Bahá'í is a follower of Bahá'u'lláh.

It is that simple.

Bahá'í is pronounced: Ba-há-ee

Bahá'u'lláh is pronounced: Ba-há-ol-láh

3

## ANSWERS THE WORLD NEEDS NOW

Basic Bahá'í Principles proclaimed by Bahá'u'lláh for this age:

1. The oneness of mankind.

5. Equality of men and women.

In these pages you will learn the secret of the world-unifying force which lies behind these principles.

### MORE QUESTIONS:

What Dowager Queen said, "If ever the name of Bahá'u'lláh or 'Abdu'l-Bahá comes to your attention, do not put their writings from you. Search out their Books, and let their glorious, peace-bringing, love-creating words and lessons sink into your hearts as they have into mine." (a)

The President of what European country described the Bahá'í Faith as "one of the greatest moral and social forces in all the world . . . one of the great instruments for the final victory of the spirit and of humanity"? (b)

What great Russian author declared that the Bahá'í Faith now offers mankind "the highest and purest form of religious teaching"? (c)

ANSWERS: (a) Dowager Queen Marie of Rumania (b) Eduard Beneš of Czechoslovakia (c) Tolstoy

4

## BAHÁ'ÍS LIVE IN EVERY PART OF THE WORLD

BAHÁ'Í CENTERS — 1957

As of 1962 Bahá'í Centers had been established in over 250 countries, islands and dependencies.

### WHAT PEOPLE'S ARE REPRESENTED IN THE BAHÁ'Í FAITH?

1. Bahá'í Houses of Worship have been built in America, Africa, Asia, Australia and Europe. Within the walls of these Temples the black, yellow, brown, red and white worship together, honoring the holy Books of all of the world's revealed religions.

2. Even more important, flourishing Bahá'í communities composed of people of all skin colors, all religious backgrounds, all national origins are working together harmoniously and lovingly, dedicating their lives to the service of humanity.

3. Former Hindus, Buddhists, Zoroastrians, Moslems, Jews and Christians, as well as former skeptics, agnostics and atheists have embraced the Teachings of Bahá'u'lláh.

5

"Has Persia, in the midst of her miseries, given birth to a religion which will go round the world?"

— Dr. J. Estlin Carpenter, British Scholar

### THE ANSWER IS “YES!”

Data for the map on the opposite page was prepared in 1957, and shows Bahá'í centers of activity throughout the world. Five years later, the number of Bahá'í centers in the world had almost doubled. The Bahá'í Faith is growing so rapidly that a map prepared one year is obsolete the next.

### GROWTH OF THE BAHÁ'Í FAITH

1844 — Established in one country (Persia).

1850 — Established in two countries (Persia and Iraq). Herald of the Faith martyred.

1892 — Established in fifteen countries. Founder of Faith passed away in Holy Land.

1921 — Established in thirty-five countries. Administration of Faith begins on world scale.

1957 — Established throughout the world as shown by the map (opposite).

1962 — In addition to nearly doubling the number of centers of Bahá'í activity shown on the 1957 map, 56 national and regional assemblies representing major countries, sovereignies and dependencies have been established. In 1963 the international administrative body known as the Universal House of Justice will have been elected in the Holy Land.

"If these Bahá'ís ever get going, they may take the country by storm." So said a discerning Protestant minister as we talked one evening about America's most ecumenical faith. ... I have met Bahá'ís in many parts of the world. They are all cut to the same pattern: heartfelt dedication to the cause and person of Bahá'u'lláh, zeal in the advancement of their ideals. They ask no salaries, want no honor, and are literally more interested in giving than in receiving. ... Let all who are interested in the gospel of the abundant life take heed! It may be that the Bahá'ís are coming."

Dr. Marcus Bach, School of Religion, State University of Iowa, from *The Christian Century*

6

BAHÁ'ÍS AROUND THE WORLD...

from Asia, Africa, the Antipodes, Europe and the Americas

7

### QUESTION — Is there a difference between the Bahá'í Faith and Christianity?

ANSWER — Fundamentally they are one in spirit. The Word of God (Religion) is one, though the speakers are many — it is one light appearing in many lamps — one book with many chapters.

### QUESTION — What are the outward differences between Christianity and Bahá'í?

ANSWER — Similar to those between Judaism and Christianity. *Outwardly* they are different in name, in founder, and time of their appearance. *Inwardly* they are identical in their purpose. Judaism, Christianity and the Bahá'í Faith are progressive stages in the unfoldment of a single developing religious faith.

### QUESTION — Is the Bahá'í Faith greater than Christianity?

ANSWER — No — not any more than Monday is greater than Sunday. Judaism, Christianity and the Bahá'í Faith may be compared to the days of the week — Saturday, Sunday, Monday. They are different in name, and appear one after the other, but the light they bring comes from a single source.

### QUESTION — Is Bahá'u'lláh greater than Christ?

ANSWER — No. The Bahá'í writings teach that God makes no distinction between any of His Messengers. For example Moses could be compared to the sunlight of Saturday — Christ to that of Sunday — Bahá'u'lláh to that of Monday. *Outwardly* they have different names, but *inwardly* they bring the same light and life to mankind. One is not greater than the other — though the specific mission of each may differ according to the needs of the time in which he appears.

**IMPORTANT:** There is no exclusive salvation for the Bahá'í, the Christian or the Jew. God is not in competition with Himself. His revelation is orderly and progressive, and He sends His Messengers whenever mankind is in need of a fresh outpouring of His Word. Thus Moses may be likened to the *seed*; Christ to the *tree*; and Bahá'u'lláh the *fruit*. From the fruit will come the seed of succeeding cycles in which new Messengers of God will appear. Each will bring the same inward truth, but will also bring an outward or social truth which is fitted to the needs of the age in which He appears.

8

The most fundamental of all Bahá'í principles are these:

**The oneness of God** The oneness of His Messengers

**The oneness of mankind**

The following illustration will help to make crystal clear the basic unity of all of the world's revealed religions, and the oneness and progressiveness of God's revelation to man.

*Approximate dates. Authorities differ on dates.

God is like the sun. Just as the physical sun is the source of all physical light, God is the source of all spiritual light. The sun does not come down to earth to sustain life — it sends its life-giving rays.

The infinite, unknowable God does not come down to earth — He sends His Messengers. As perfect mirrors reflect the light of the sun, so His Messengers perfectly reflect the Word of God. Therefore, one Messenger is not greater than another. They are equal. For this reason, Bahá'ís have the same love and reverence for Christ that they have for Bahá'u'lláh — because They are one in spirit.

9

**QUESTION** — Does the Bahá'í Faith offer practical solutions for present day social problems, or is it mostly for the individual?

**ANSWER:** It is for both. The Bahá'í Faith offers a wonderful ethical code for the moral development of the individual. It also gives fundamental principles for a world-wide social plan which can rehabilitate the human race. These principles have already been tested on a planetary scale.

## READ WHAT CHRISTIAN CLERGYMEN AND SCHOLARS HAVE TO SAY ABOUT BAHÁ'Í ETHICAL AND SOCIAL TEACHINGS—

### ON BAHÁ'Í ETHICAL TEACHINGS:

> "I have unusual opportunities to study the Bahá'í Faith, and while I am not a Bahá'í, I regard it as one of the noblest of the world's religions and have for many years encouraged its workers."

> — Dr. Raymond Frank Piper, Philosophy Department of Syracuse University, Christian Scholar

> "I am so happy to know that the Christ-like Gospel of good will is growing throughout the world. You hold in your organization (Bahá'í) the key that will settle all of our difficulties, real and imaginary. May God bless, keep and prosper you."

> — Dr. George Washington Carver, Director Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute Research and Experiment Station, Christian Scholar

### ON BAHÁ'Í PLAN FOR SOCIAL IMPROVEMENT:

> "... the Bahá'í Faith can offer numerous and profound benefits to man- kind... Should everybody again exert his efforts towards the extension of this beneficent influence throughout the world, it will then bring about world peace and the general welfare of humanity."

> — Rev. K. T. Chung, Christian Clergyman

> "I have had on my desk, and have read several times, the three extracts from Bahá'í writings on Social Regeneration. Taken together, they form an unanswerable argument and plea for the only way that the world can be made over. If we could put into effect this program, we should indeed have a new world order."

> — Dr. Herbert Adams Gibbons, Historian and Christian Scholar

In these pages you will find the answers which had such profound effect upon the above thinkers. You will come into contact with the spirit that has infused into everyone it has won to its cause a faith, hope, and a vigor that a wayward generation has long lost, and is powerless to recover.

10

AN INDEPENDENT WORLD FAITH

QUESTION — Is the Bahá'í Faith an oriental religion?

ANSWER — No. It is a world religion for all peoples.

QUESTION — The Founder of the Bahá'í Faith, Bahá'u'lláh, was born in the East, was he not?

ANSWER — Yes. He was born in the Middle East as were Moses and Christ.

QUESTION — Is the Bahá'í Faith a sect of Islam since Bahá'u'lláh was born in Persia, a Moslem country?

ANSWER — No. The Bahá'í Faith is an independent religion.

QUESTION — Did not Bahá'u'lláh come from a Moslem background?

ANSWER — Yes. But the Bahá'í Faith is no more a sect of Islam than Christianity is a sect of Judaism.

Buddha was a Hindu born among the Hindus, but His Faith, Buddhism, is an independent religion.

Christ was a Jew, born among Jews, but His Faith, Christianity, is an independent religion.

Bahá'u'lláh, in like manner, was born among the Moslems of Persia, but His Faith, the Bahá'í Faith, is an independent religion. It is not a sect of any other faith.

QUESTION — What do scholars and historians say about this subject?

ANSWER — One of the recognized authorities in the field of history and religion, Dr. Arnold J. Toynbee, points out that the Bahá'í Faith "is an independent religion, on a par with Islam, Christianity, and the other recognized world religions." He adds that the Bahá'í Faith "is not a sect of some other religion, it is a separate religion, and it has the same status as other recognized religions. This opinion," he concludes, "is based both on study and on a personal acquaintance with Bahá'ís."

This view is upheld by all students and scholars who faithfully examine the Bahá'í Teachings. The State of Israel also recognizes the Bahá'í Faith as an independent religion.

QUESTION — How do Bahá'ís raise funds for their great undertaking?

11

ANSWER — All contributions are voluntary, and come only from the Bahá'ís themselves.

QUESTION — Are there any assessments, dues, or collections?

ANSWER — No. No collections, assessments or dues are permitted. Giving is between the believer and God alone. The Bahá'í Writings state plainly that "all contributions to the Fund are to be purely and strictly voluntary in character. It should be made clear and evident to everyone that any form of compulsion, however slight and indirect, strikes at the very root of the principle."

QUESTION — Can someone who is not a Bahá'í contribute to the Bahá'í Fund?

ANSWER — No. If a person because of his great love for the Bahá'í Faith insists upon making a contribution, this money will be placed in a separate charitable fund, entirely distinct from the Bahá'í Fund itself. It will be used to carry out works of mercy among people of all faiths, classes and races. No one can contribute to the raising up of Bahá'í institutions except the Bahá'ís themselves. These institutions for the welfare and betterment of humanity are the Bahá'í gift to mankind. They wish to establish them through their own sacrifice and belief in their unfailing success.

QUESTION — Can a child be born a Bahá'í?

ANSWER — A child can be born of Bahá'í parents.

QUESTION — Does this automatically make him a Bahá'í?

ANSWER — No. Religion cannot be inherited like money or property. The Bahá'í Writings teach that no one should have a blind acceptance of authority. Everyone should look into matters of faith and belief with the searching eye of truth.

QUESTION — Isn't the parent responsible for the spiritual welfare of his child?

ANSWER — Parents should teach their children the truth about all the great religions. But every individual human being is responsible for his own soul. Sooner or later he must make up his own mind as to what he will believe, or not believe.

"The greatest gift from God to man is his intelligence."

— Bahá'í Writings

12

EUROPE
Frankfurt, Germany

## BAHÁ'Í HOUSES OF WORSHIP

"It is the first new idea in architecture since the 13th century."

— H. Van Buren Magonigle, Pres., Architectural League

"An artist has wrought into this building the conception of a religious League of Nations."

— Sherwin Cody, New York Times

NORTH AMERICA
Wilmette, Ill.

AFRICA
Kampala, Uganda

AUSTRALIA
Sydney

13

# THE KINGDOM OF GOD ON EARTH

According to Bahá'í Writings, Houses of Worship similar to those pictured on the opposite page must be raised up in every community throughout the world. These Temples will have their full significance only when the social institutions work hand in hand with the spiritual so that the spiritual and material aspects of the life of man can develop side by side. Thus the words of Christ's prayer: "Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done on earth as it is in Heaven" will become a reality and not a vague and hopeful dream.

Thus Bahá'u'lláh has directed that around these Houses of Worship shall be built the social institutions which will deal with the material welfare of humanity. These institutions will include, among others:

**Schools and Universities**

**Hospitals and related institutions**

**Homes for the aged**

**Homes for orphans**

**Archives, libraries, hostels**

**Administrative institutions to coordinate the efforts of all.**

The first of these social institutions — a home for the aged — has already been erected as an auxiliary to the House of Worship in Wilmette, Illinois. It is through such institutions that poverty, ignorance, sickness and despair will be alleviated . . . and through which the love of God may reach all mankind.

These spiritual and cultural centers, established by the Pen of Bahá'u'lláh, will be the very cornerstone of the greatest instrument of social healing ever brought into being.

14

**QUESTION**—What is the relationship of the Bahá'í Faith to government?

ANSWER — It is one of obedience and service to the best needs of the nation.

**QUESTION** — Do Bahá'ís mingle religion and politics?

ANSWER — Never. It is a fundamental principle of the Bahá'í Writings that Bahá'ís should not become involved in politics.

**QUESTION** — Are Bahá'ís loyal to governments of the countries wherein they reside?

ANSWER — More than eighty years ago Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the Bahá'í Faith, set forth this cardinal principle: "In every country or government where any of this community reside, they must behave toward that government with faithfulness, trustfulness, and truthfulness."

Loyalty to government, in the Bahá'í view, is an essential spiritual and social principle. "We must obey and be the well-wishers of the government of the land . . ." "The essence of the Bahá'í spirit is that in order to establish a better social order and economic condition, there must be allegiance to the laws and principles of government." Without integrity of character in its citizens and without loyalty to government, a nation will find itself torn asunder and unable to function as an organic society. Not only do the Bahá'í teachings obligate members to be loyal to their government — they also specifically forbid them from taking any part in subversive political and social movements.

**IT WAS BECAUSE OF SUCH TEACHINGS** that Sir Herbert Samuel, High Commissioner for Palestine under the British Mandate, wrote that the Bahá'í citizens of that land were "regarded as a valuable element in the population, intelligent, orderly, well-educated, and above all, trustworthy. In government service and commercial employment they were much esteemed as being free from corruptibility."

Supreme Court Justice, William O. Douglas, in his book, *West of the Indus*, wrote: "The Bahá'ís have many businessmen among their numbers. They enjoy a fine reputation as merchants. The reason is that they maintain high ethical standards in all their dealings . . . they are scrupulous in their dealings; and as a result they grow in prestige."

An Israeli newspaper reporter told Dr. Marshall Wingfield at a

15

United Nations Commission luncheon in the Holy Land that "the Bahá'í people are gentle and free from hate. They bless everything they touch."

**QUESTION** — Do Bahá'ís believe in prayer?

ANSWER — Most certainly.

**QUESTION** — To whom do Bahá'ís pray?

ANSWER — To God.

**QUESTION** — Do Bahá'ís have any special prayers?

ANSWER — Yes. Just as Christ left the Lord's Prayer, so Bahá'u'lláh left a rich legacy of beautiful prayers and meditations. Bahá'ís also use the prayers revealed by the Báb and by 'Abdu'l-Bahá, son of Bahá'u'lláh.

**QUESTION** — Are these original documents still in existence?

ANSWER — Yes. During His lifetime, Bahá'u'lláh revealed more than one hundred volumes dealing with every aspect of life, including many prayers and meditations. These are permanently preserved in the International Archives on Mt. Carmel in the Holy Land. This is the first time in religious history that the original Writings of the Founder of a religion have been so preserved.

**QUESTION** — Is it necessary to use only the prayers given by Bahá'u'lláh?

ANSWER — No. One can compose his own prayer as his heart and mind inspire him, if he wishes.

**QUESTION** — What is the most important Bahá'í prayer?

ANSWER — A man's daily life. Bahá'u'lláh tells us that our everyday work is itself a prayer. The Bahá'í Writings say: "All effort and exertion put forth by man from the fullness of his heart is worship if it is prompted by the highest motives and the will to do service to humanity."

One's entire life should be a prayer. Every thought, word or deed which is devoted to the welfare of one's fellow man is prayer in the truest sense of the word.

**QUESTION** — Do Bahá'ís have churches?

ANSWER — They are erecting beautiful Houses of Worship all over the world where the sacred writings of all the great religions are given a place of honor and respect. An explanation of these unique social and spiritual institutions is given on the following pages.

16

# BAHÁ'Í ADMINISTRATION

**QUESTION** — Describe the rituals and ceremonies in the Bahá'í Faith.
ANSWER — There are no rituals or ceremonies in the Bahá'í Faith.

**QUESTION** — Then what are the functions of the clergy?
ANSWER — There is no professional clergy or priesthood in the Bahá'í Faith.

**QUESTION** — Why not?

ANSWER — Bahá'u'lláh directed that no set forms or rigid patterns of worship and prayer should be followed. Worship of God should not crystallize into special ceremonies which require a special class of people to preside over them. This would result in a professional clergy, thus setting one group apart from the rest. One worships and the other follows by rote. This is forbidden in the Bahá'í Writings. In the past a professional clergy may have been beneficial and necessary, but it is no longer suited to the growth of man's spirit. Moments of prayer and meditation designed to bring hope, comfort and freedom to the soul of man should not be regimented into rigid forms which stultify his spiritual life.

**QUESTION** — How is it possible for the Bahá'í Faith to spread its influence to every part of the world without the leadership of a clergy?
ANSWER — It has leadership in its elected administrative bodies.

**QUESTION** — Who looks after the affairs in each community if there is no clergy?
ANSWER — In each community where there are nine or more adult Bahá'ís, a Local Assembly is elected each year by members of the Bahá'í community. These assemblies were provided for in the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh to deal with the affairs of their respective communities — a completely new concept in the religious history of man.

**QUESTION** — Who is eligible to be elected to this Assembly?
ANSWER — Any member of the Bahá'í community who is over 21 years of age.

**QUESTION** — What are the duties of the Assembly?
ANSWER — Some of the basic responsibilities are:

To administer the affairs of the Bahá'í Faith in that community.

17

To protect the purity of Bahá'í teachings.

To attract others to the Faith by example of its life and stewardship.

To concern itself with the health and welfare of the members of its community.

To encourage each Bahá'í to lead a life of service which can benefit humanity.

**QUESTION** — Does each Bahá'í have a voice in the affairs of his community — other than participating in the election of the Local Assembly?
ANSWER — Yes. In each community a meeting of all Bahá'ís is held on the first day of each Bahá'í month. This meeting is called the "Feast." It is a "feast" in the full social and spiritual meaning of the word, and is divided into three parts:

(a) The first part consists of prayers and readings from the Sacred Scriptures. (b) The second part is a general consultation concerning the affairs of the community. Financial matters are reported and discussed. Recommendations to the Local Assembly may be voted at the Feast. Thus each Bahá'í has an active and vital part in the affairs of his community. (c) The third part of the Feast is social. It is a period of warm fellowship and friendliness.

**QUESTION** — Are the affairs of the Bahá'í Faith established on a local basis only?
ANSWER — No. Administration of Bahá'í affairs is handled on a local, national and international basis. However, assemblies in each local community operate under the same basic rules and procedures whether that community is Tokyo, Chicago, Nairobi, Bombay, Melbourne, Buenos Aires, or London.

**QUESTION** — Who handles the national affairs of the Faith?
ANSWER — They are under the direction of National or Regional Assemblies. These national bodies have been elected in 56 countries of the world, and operate in every continent.

**QUESTION** — How are the international affairs of the Bahá'í Faith administered?
ANSWER — At present they are under the direction of an interim body of nine which is resident at the world center of the Faith in Haifa, Israel. However, the supreme international administrative institution, the Universal House of Justice, will be elected by delegates to the International Convention to be held in the Holy Land in April, 1963.

18

PROPHECIES FULFILLED

"If there has been any prophet in recent times, it is to Bahá'u'lláh that we must go. Character is the final judge. Bahá'u'lláh was a man of the highest class — that of prophets."

— Rev. T. K. Cheyne, D.Litt., D.D.
Oxford University

QUESTION — Do the Bahá'ís believe that Bahá'u'lláh is the return of Christ?

ANSWER — Yes.

QUESTION — How do they explain this?

ANSWER — Bahá'u'lláh is not the return of the physical person of Jesus of Nazareth. That would be contrary to all reason and science, and no thinking mind could accept it. The Bahá'í writings say that Bahá'u'lláh is the return of the same Holy Spirit which appeared in Christ. This is clearly shown in the illustration on page 9 and should never be misunderstood.

QUESTION — Does Bahá'u'lláh fulfill prophecies from other Sacred Scriptures as well as that of Christianity?

ANSWER — Yes. All of the great religions have spoken of a wondrous personage who would come “in the last days” to unite the world in universal brotherhood. Bahá'u'lláh fulfills these prophecies concerning the day of the “one fold and the one shepherd”. Just as Christ has come in the station of the Son, Bahá'u'lláh has come in the station of the Father. Bahá'u'lláh is:

The Tenth Avatar of Krishna of the Hindus.

The Messiah of the Jews, the Lord of Hosts.

The Sháh Bahrám of the Zoroastrians.

The Maitreye, the Buddha of world fellowship, of the Buddhists.

The Imam Husayn and Midhí of the Moslems.

The return of Christ, the Son who would come in the glory of the Father, of the Christians.

QUESTION — What are some of the most important prophecies fulfilled by Bahá'u'lláh and the Bahá'í Faith?

ANSWER — This exciting story would fill a large volume. It is impossible to tell it all here. We can mention a few and refer you to

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other sources in the bibliography at the end of this book.

1. Prophecies concerning the time of Christ's return. Christ gave three major promises about the time of His return. When these were fulfilled, He said, He would return. They were:

a. When the Gospel was preached everywhere. (Matthew 24:13-14)

b. When the "times of the gentiles" was fulfilled. (Luke 21:24-27)

c. When the world witnessed the abomination or desolation spoken of by Daniel. (Matthew 24:15)

All three of these events were fulfilled by the approach of the year 1844. The story is told in historical details in the *Appendix to Release the Sun*, an account of the early history of the Bahá'í Faith, and in a full dramatic volume called, *Thief in the Night*.

2. "The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose." (Isaiah 35:1) The rocky slopes of Mt. Carmel and the desert sands of the plain of 'Akká have been transformed into green lawns, blossoming fruit trees, and gardens of different colored flowers including many varieties of roses. People come from all over the world to the Bahá'í World Center in Haifa, Israel to enjoy this spectacle of unrivalled beauty.

3. "... behold your God will come ... he will come and save thee ... Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the Lord." (Isaiah 35:4,2)

Bahá'u'lláh (the glory of God) walked on the slopes of Mt. Carmel, and looked down upon the plain of Sharon. He pitched His tent on that mountainside where Christ and the prophets of old walked, and declared:

> "Haste thee, O Carmel, for lo, the light of the Countenance of God ... hath been lifted upon thee ... Rejoice, for God hath in this Day established upon thee His throne."

4. "He shall glorify me (Christ)." (John 16:14)

In one single volume of Bahá'í Writings there are over one hundred references to the greatness and majesty of Christ. This was a favorite theme of Bahá'u'lláh who truly glorified Christ and exalted His peer-less station, saying:

> "He (Christ) it is Who purified the world. Blessed is the man who, with a face beaming with light, hath turned towards Him."

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## CONCERNING THE BAHÁ'Í FAITH, READ THE STATEMENTS OF...

### CONTEMPORARY SCHOLARS

"Many of us in the western world think of the Bahá'í Faith as one of the great contributions to the culture and sanity of the world."

— Harry A. Overstreet, Author and Educator

"The Bahá'í Faith has made its way . . . because it meets the needs of its day. It fits the larger outlook of our time better than the rigid exclusive older faiths."

— Rev. J. Tyssul Davis, in *Religion of Reconciliation*

"Indeed one may go further and assert that no one who has studied (the Bahá'í Faith) whether superficially or otherwise, would wish to question it; particularly if he approaches the subject from a liberal and unprejudiced point of view."

— Rev. J. Sparham, Highgate Hill Church, London, England

"... the future is on the side of Bahá'í . . . as I look at Christianity with its pathetic fragmentation, I am haunted by the feeling that Jesus has a better chance to win through the universalism of Bahá'í than through the institutionalism which bears His name."

— Dr. Marshall Wingfield, D.D., First Congregational Church, Memphis, Tenn.

"Who shall say but that just as the little company of the *Mayflower*, landing on Plymouth Rock, proved to be the small beginning of a mighty nation . . . so the little company of Bahá'ís exiled from their Persian home may yet prove to be the small beginning of the world-wide movement, the ideal germ of democracy in religion, the Universal Church of Mankind?"

— ALFRED W. MARTIN, Christian Bible Scholar, in *Comparative Religion and the Religion of the Future*

"The Bahá'í Movement is the greatest light that has come into the world since Jesus Christ."

— PROF. BENJAMIN JOWETT, Master of Balliol College, Oxford

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## IT'S TIME THE WHOLE WORLD KNEW THE STORY...

### BAHÁ'U'LLÁH'S LETTERS TO THE KINGS

Nearly a century ago Bahá'u'lláh wrote to the Kings and Rulers of the world saying: "If ye stay not the hand of the oppressor, if ye fail to guard the rights of the downtrodden, what right have ye to vaunt yourselves among men?"

He addressed special messages to: The Emperor Francis Joseph of Austria; Louis Napoleon III of France; Kaiser Wilhelm I of Germany; The Czar Alexander II of Russia; The Sultan 'Abdul-'Aziz of Turkey; Nasiri'd-Din Shah of Persia; and to Queen Victoria of Britain.

Bahá'u'lláh directed these sovereigns to:

* Reduce their armaments
* Compose their differences

* Unite to end tyranny
* Deal justly with their subjects

Otherwise, Bahá'u'lláh warned that abasement would overtake them, and the "winds of affliction" would assail them on all sides, and their power would be seized from them.

Every one of the Kings to whom Bahá'u'lláh wrote were either assassinated or overthrown, and their dynasties extinguished except one . . . Queen Victoria of Britain who is said to have replied: "If this be of God, it will endure." Bahá'u'lláh foretold for her a long and successful reign. Even more significant in the light of this astonishing story, another queen, Victoria's granddaughter, Dowager Queen Marie of Rumania, became a follower of the Bahá'í Faith. Discovering Bahá'u'lláh's Teachings in the later years of her life, she told the world that these Writings had transformed her life.

Read the letters to the kings — and then compare history with Bahá'u'lláh's predictions and warnings.

Even as the Bible has prophesied:

> "And it shall come to pass in that day that the Lord shall punish the hosts of the high ones that are on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth."
> 
> (Isaiah 24:21)

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QUESTION —

WHY SHOULD I WANT TO BECOME A BAHÁ'Í?

ANSWER — For the following reasons:

1. The Bahá'í Faith has demonstrated its power to unite people of every national background, every skin color, every class and every religious origin. Bahá'ís are doing something about their Faith — not just talking about it.

2. The Bahá'í Faith brings laws, agencies and institutions to bring lasting peace. It has already laid the foundation for peace.

3. The Bahá'í teachings bring a message of fulfillment to the promises recorded in all sacred Scripture.

4. If you are a Christian and you reject Bahá'u'lláh, you are rejecting your own holy Messenger, Christ, because Bahá'u'lláh is the same Spirit of Truth. Thus you lose not only Bahá'u'lláh, but Christ as well.

5. The Bahá'í Faith alone offers a single powerful answer to the problems mentioned in the opening pages of this booklet. The Bahá'í Writings clearly demonstrate that there is one basic cause for all these modern tragedies: Man is out of touch with God and with the Spirit. Hence, he finds himself in his present dilemma of war, crime, delinquency, mental illness, alcoholism and other evidences of immaturity. In the Bahá'í Faith is the remedy and proof that it works.

6. To the person of no formal creed or religion who looks for a better world and for a purpose in his own life, the Bahá'í Faith offers a dynamic opportunity for service. In the Faith he can join hands with his fellow believers in a great Bahá'í world community. His opportunity to serve is limited only by his own talents and capacities. We cannot serve God unless we serve humanity. If we turn our backs on our fellow man, we are turning our backs on God.

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"What we choose to believe; what cause we choose to espouse is our own affair. Bahá'u'lláh expresses it thus: 'A man's faith is conditioned by no one but himself' ... We have the choice of either letting this message pass us by or of inquiring further into the claims of a Persian nobleman, who sacrificed all his possessions and endured forty years of banishment, imprisonment and torture in order that we might find Christ returned in Him in all the glory of the Father. ... Let us not neglect to investigate the call of Bahá'u'lláh, who proclaims emphatically, that He is the 'return' of the Messiah of every revealed religion."

— ERIC BOWES
from: *Great Themes of Life*

QUESTION — Where can I obtain more information about the Bahá'í Faith?

ANSWER — Most likely there is a Bahá'í Center in your town, but if there is no listing in your telephone directory, write:

National Bahá'í Headquarters
536 Sheridan Road
Wilmette, Illinois

Ask for FREE literature.

JUNE MCKEE, Apt. 405
5200 W. CHICAGO BLVD.
DETROIT 4, MICHIGAN

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Listed below are some of the basic Bahá'í books now in print. Many can be found in your local library, or obtained through the local Bahá'í Center. A catalog of current books about the Bahá'í Faith is available from the Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 110 Linden Ave., Wilmette, Illinois.

Sacred Writings and Basic Texts

BAHÁ'Í WORLD FAITH (Bahá'í Publishing Trust) 449 pp.
A comprehensive selection of the writings of Bahá'u'lláh and 'Abdu'l-Bahá. $2.50

GLEANINGS FROM THE WRITINGS OF BAHÁ'U'LLÁH (Bahá'í Publishing Trust) 346 pp.
Excerpts touching on the nature of religion, the spiritual nature of man, and the transformation of human society. $3.00

PRAYERS AND MEDITATIONS OF BAHÁ'U'LLÁH (Bahá'í Publishing Trust) 339 pp.
$3.00

KITAB-I-IQAN, THE BOOK OF CERTITUDE by Bahá'u'lláh (Bahá'í Publishing Trust) 257 pp.
Sets forth the grand redemptive scheme of God, revealing the one-ness of religion, its continuity and evolution through successive Prophets of God. $3.00

HIDDEN WORDS OF BAHÁ'U'LLÁH, THE (Bahá'í Publishing Trust) 52 pp.
Brief, poetic meditations, crystal-

lizing the essence of all revealed truth. $1.25

DIVINE ART OF LIVING, THE (Bahá'í Publishing Trust) 128 pp.
A compilation from the writings of Bahá'u'lláh and 'Abdu'l-Bahá dealing with the goals of spiritual development. $1.60

SOME ANSWERED QUESTIONS by 'Abdu'l-Bahá (Bahá'í Publishing Trust) 350 pp.
Explanations on a wide variety of spiritual and philosophic questions, with particular emphasis on Christian subjects. $3.00

FOUNDATIONS OF WORLD UNITY (Bahá'í Publishing Trust) 178 pp.
A selection of 'Abdu'l-Bahá's public addresses on spiritual foundations of world unity. $2.00

PROMISED DAY IS COME, THE by Shoghi Effendi (Bahá'í Publishing Trust) 129 pp., index.
A forceful explanation of present world-wide moral and social chaos as the result of rejecting the Prophet of God for this day. $2.50

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## Introductory Works

ALL THINGS MADE NEW by John Ferraby (Bahá'í Publishing Trust) Paperbound.
A reference work on the Bahá'í Faith in which the teachings on any subject can be easily located. $2.00

BAHÁ'U'LLÁH AND THE NEW ERA by J. E. Esslemont. (Bahá'í Publishing Trust) 340 pp., index.
A standard introductory textbook, outlining the history and teachings of the Faith. $1.25

RELEASE THE SUN by William Sears (Bahá'í Publishing Trust)

A moving, historical account of the mission and martyrdom of the Herald of the Bahá'í Faith. $2.50

PROMISE OF ALL AGES, THE by Dr. George Townshend (Ronald) (BPT) 164 pp.
Traces the spiritual content of religion through the Dispensations of the past to culminate in the Bahá'í Faith. $2.50

GREAT THEMES OF LIFE by Eric Bowes (Bahá'í Publishing Trust) 85 pp.
Familiar Bible themes and their relation to today's world. $1.50

## REFERENCES

Quotations from the Bahá'í Writings are from the following books: *Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh; Bahá'í World Faith; God Passes By; The World Order of Bahá'u'lláh*; and *The Chosen Highway*.

Quotations from various writers, scholars and commentators are from a collection called "Appreciations of the Bahá'í Faith" contained in *The Bahá'í World, Vol. XII*, and various Bahá'í periodicals.

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