Chapter 9
Baha'u'llah
and the New Era:
Chapter
Nine: True Civilization
O
people of God! Be not occupied with yourselves. Be intent on the betterment of
the world and the training of nations.
--BAHA'U'LLAH.
Religion
the Basis of Civilization
According
to the Bahá'í view, the problems of human life, individual and social, are so
inconceivably complex that the ordinary human intellect is incapable of itself
of solving them aright. Only the Omniscient fully knows the prupose of creation
and how that prupose may be achieved. Through the Prophets He shows to mankind
the true goal of human life and the right path of progress; and the building up
of a true civilization depends upon faithful adherence to the guidance of prophetic
Revelation. Baha'u'llah says: -- Religion
is the greatest instrument for the order of the world and the tranquillity of
all existent beings. The weakening of the pillars of religion has encouraged the
ignorant and rendered them audacious and arrogant. Truly I say, whatever lowers
the lofty station of religion will increase heedlessness in the wicked, and finally
result in anarchy. ... Consider
the civilization of the people of the Occident -- how it has occasioned commotion
and agitation to the people of the world. Infernal instruments have been devised,
and such atrocity is displayed in the destruction of life as has not been seen
by the eye of the world, nor heard by the ear of nations. It is impossible to
reform these violent, overwhelming evils, except the peoples of the world become
united upon a certain issue or under the shadow of One Religion. ... O
people of Baha! Each one of the revealed Commands is a might stronghold for the
protection of the world. -- Words of Paradise.
The present state of Europe and of the world in general eloquently confirms the
truth of these words written so many years ago. Neglect of the prophetic commands
and the prevalence of irreligion have been accompanied by disorder and destruction
on the most terrible scale, and, without the change of heart and aim which is
the essential characteristic of true religion, the reform of society seems an
utter impossibility.
Justice
In the little book of Hidden Words, in which Baha'u'llah gives in brief the essence
of the prophetic teachings, His first counsel refers to the individual life: "Possess
a pure, kindly and radiant heart." The next indicates the fundamental principle
of true social life: -- O
Son of Spirit!
The best beloved of all things in My sight is Justice;
turn not away therefrom if thou desirest Me, and neglect it not that I may confide
in thee. By its aid thou shalt see with thine own eyes and not through the eyes
of others, and shalt know of thine own knowledge and not through the knowledge
of thy neighbor. Ponder this in thy heart; how it behooveth thee to be. Verily
justice is My gift to thee and the sign of My loving-kindness. Set it hten before
thine eyes.
The first essential of social life is that individuals should become capable of
discerning the true from the false and right from wrong, and of seeing things
in their true proportions. The greatest cause of spiritual and social blindness,
and the greatest foe of social progress, is selfishness. Baha'u'llah says: --
O
ye sons of intelligence! The thin eye lid prevents the eye from seeing the world
and what is contained therein. Then think of the result when the curtain of greed
covers the sight of the heart! O
people! The darkness of greed and envy obscures the light of the soul as the cloud
prevents the penetration of the sun's rays. (Tablet to some Persian Zoroastrian
Bahá'ís). Long
experience is at last convincing men of the truth of the prophetic teaching that
selfish views and selfish actions inevitably bring social disaster, and that if
humanity is not to perish ingloriously, each must look on the things of his neighbor
as of equal importance with his own, and subordinate his own interests to those
of humanity as a whole. In this way the interests of each and all will ultimately
be best served. Baha'u'llah says: -- "O son of man! If thine eyes be turned towards
mercy, forsake the things that proft thee, and cleave unto that which will profit
mankind. And if thine eyes be turned towards justice, choose thou for thy neighbor
that which thou choosest for thyself." -- Words of Paradise.
Government
The teachings
of Baha'u'llah contain two different types of reference to the question of true
social order. One type is exemplified in the tablets revealed to the Kings, which
deal with the problem of government as existing in the world during Baha'u'llah's
life on earth; the other references are to the new order to be developed within
the Bahá'í community itself. Hence
arises the sharp contrast between such passages as: "The one true God, exalted
be His glory, hath ever regarded, and will continue to regard, the hearts of men
as His own, His exclusive possession. All else, whether pertaining to land or
sea, whether riches or glory, He hath bequeathed unto the Kings and rulers of
the earth"' and "It beseemeth all men, in this Day, to take firm hold on the Most
Great Name, and to establish the unity of all mankind. There is no place to flee
to, no refuge that any one can seek, except Him." -- Gleanings from the Writings
of Baha'u'llah, pp. 206, 203. The
apparent incompatibility of these two views is removed when we observe the distinction
which Baha'u'llah makes between the "Lesser Peace" and the "Most Great Peace."
In His
tablets to the Kings Baha'u'llah called upon them to assemble and take measures
for the maintenance of political peace, the reduction of armaments and the removal
of the burdens and insecurity of the poor. But His words make it perfectly clear
that their failure to respond to the needs of the time would result in wars and
revolutions leading to the overthrow of the old order. Therefore, on the one hand
He said: "What mankind needeth in this day is obedience unto them that are in
authority," and on the other, "Those men who, having amassed the vanities and
ornaments of the earth, have turned away disdainfully from God -- these have lost
both this world and the world to come. Ere long, will God, with the Hand of Power,
strip them of their possessions, and divest them of the robe of His bounty." "We
have a fixed time for you, O peoples. If ye fail, at the appointed hour, to turn
towards God, He, verily, will lay violent hold on you, and will cause grievous
afflictions to assail you from every direction." "The signs of impending convulsions
and chaos can now be discerned, inasmuch as the prevailing order appeareth to
be lamentably defective." "We have pledged Ourselves to secure Thy triumph upon
earth and to exalt Our Cause above all men, though no king be found who would
turn his face towards Thee." Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, pp. 207,
209, 214, 216, 248-249. The
Great Being, wishing to reveal the prerequisites of the peace and tranquillity
of the world and the advancement of its peoples, hath written: The time must come
when the imperative necessity for the holding of a vast, an all-embracing assemblage
of men will be universally realized. The rulers and kings of the earth must needs
attend it, and participating in its deliberations, must consider such ways and
means as will lay the foundations of the world's Great Peace amongst men. Such
a peace demandeth that the Great Powers should resolve, for the sake of the tranquillity
of the peoples of the earth, to be fully reconciled among themselves. Should any
kind take up arms against another, all should unitedly arise and prevent him.
-- Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 249.
By such counsel, Baha'u'llah revealed the conditions under which public responsibility
must be discharged in this Day of God. Appealing for international solidarity
on the one hand, He no less clearly warned the rulers that continuance of strife
would destroy their power. Now modern history confirms this warning, in the rise
of those coercive movements which in all civilized nations have attained such
destructive energy, and in the development of warfare to the degree that victory
is no longer attainable by any party. "Now that ye have refused the Most Great
Peace, hold ye fast unto this, the Lesser Peace, that haply ye may in some degree
better your own condition and that of your dependents." "That which the Lord hath
ordained as the sovereign remedy and mightiest instrument for the healing of all
the world is the union of all its peoples in one universal Cause, one common Faith.
This can in no wise be achieved except through the power of a skilled, an all-powerful
and inspired Physician." -- Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, pp. 254,
255. By
the Lesser Peace is meant a political unity of states, while the Most Great Peace
is a unity embracing spiritual as well as political and economic factors. "Soon
will the present-day order be rolled up, and a new one spread out in its stead."
-- Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 7. In
former ages, a government could concern itself with external matters and material
affairs, but today the function of government demands a quality of leadership,
of consecration and of spiritual knowledge impossible save to those who have turned
to God.
Political Freedom
Although advocating as the ideal condition a representative form of government,
local, national and international, Baha'u'llah teaches that this is possible only
when men have attained a sufficiently high degree of individual and social development.
Suddenly to grant full self-government to people without education, who are dominated
by selfish desires and are inexperienced in the conduct of public affairs, would
be disastrous. There is nothing more dangerous than freedom for
those who are not fit to use it wisely. Baha'u'llah writes in the Book of Aqdas:
-- Consider
the pettiness of men's minds. They ask for that which injureth them, and cast
away the thing that profiteth them. They are, indeed, of those that are far astray.
We find some men desiring liberty, and priding themselves therein. Such men are
in the depths of ignorance. Liberty
must, in the end, lead to sedition, whose flames none can quench. Thus warneth
you He Who is the Reckoner, the All-Knowing. Know ye that the embodiment of liberty
and its symbol is the animal. That which beseemeth man is submission unto such
restraints as will protect him from his own ignorance, and guard him against the
harm of the mischief-maker. Liberty causeth man to overstep the bounds of propriety,
and to infrings on the dignity of his station. It debaseth him to the level of
extreme depravity and wickedness. 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 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 servitude unto God,
the Eternal Truth. Whoso hath tasted of its sweetness will refuse to barter it
for all the dominion of earth and heaven. -- Kitab-i-Aqdas.
For improving the condition of backward races and nations, the Divine teachings
are the sovereign remedy. When both
people and statesmen learn and adopt these teachings the nations will be freed
from all their bonds.
Rulers
and Subjects
Baha'u'llah forbids tyranny and oppression in the most emphatic terms. In Hidden
Words He writes: -- O
Oppressors of Earth! Withdraw your hands from tyranny, for I have pledged Myself
not to forgive any man's injustice. This is My covenant which I have irrevocably
decreed in the preserved tablet and sealed it with My seal of glory.
Those
entrusted with the framing and administration of laws and regulations must "hold
fast to the rope of Consultation, and decide upon and execute that which is conducive
to the people's security, affluence, welfare and tranquillity; for if matters
be arranged otherwise, it will lead to discord and tumult." -- Tablet of the World.
On the other
hand, the people must be law-abiding and loyal to the just government. They must
rely on educational methods and on the force of good example, not on violence,
for bringing about a better state of affairs in the nation. Baha'u'llah says:
-- In
every country where any of this community reside, they must behave toward the
government of that country with faithfulness, truthfulness, and obedience. --
Glad Tidings. O
people of God! Adorn your temples with the mantle of trustworthiness and integrity;
then assist your Lord with the hosts of good deeds and good morals. Verily We
have forbidden you sedition and strife, in My Books and Epistles, in My Writings
and Tablets; and by this We have desired only your loftiness and exaltation. --
Tablet of Ishraqat.
Appointment
and Promotion
In
making appointments, the only criterion must be fitness for the position. Before
this paramount consideration, all
others, such as seniority, social or financial status, family connection or personal
friendship, must give way. Baha'u'llah says in the Tablet of Ishraqat: -- The
fifth Ishraq (Effulgence) is the knowledge by governments of the condition of
the governed, and the conferring of ranks according to desert and merit. Regard
to this matter is strictly enjoined upon every chief and ruler, that haply traitors
may not usurp the positions of trustworthy men nor spoilers occupy the seats of
guardians.
It
needs but little consideration to show that when this principle becomes generally
accepted and acted upon, the transformation in our social life will be astounding.
When each individual is given the position for which his talents and capabilities
specially fit him he will be able to put his heart into his work and become an
artist in his profession, with incalculable benefit to himself and the rest of
the world.
Economic Problems
The
Bahá'í teachings insist in the strongest terms on the need for reform in the economic
relations of rich and poor. Abdu'l-Baha says: -- The
arrangements of the circumstances of the people must be such that poverty shall
disappear, that everyone, as far as possible, according to his rank and position,
shall share in comfort and well-being. We see among us men who are overburdened
with riches on the one hand, and on the other those unfortunate ones who starve
with nothing; those who possess several stately palaces, and those who have not
where to lay their head. ... This condition of affairs is wrong, and must be remedied.
Now the remedy must be carefully undertaken. It cannot be done by bringing to
pass absolute equality between men. Equality is a chimera! It is entirely impracticable.
Even if equality could be achieved it could not continue; and if its existence
were possible, the whole order of the world would be destroyed. The Law of Order
must always obtain in the world of humanity. Heaven has so decreed in the creation
of man. ... Humanity, like a great army, requires a general, captains, underofficers
in their degree, and soldiers, each with their appointed duties. Degrees are absolutely
necessary to ensure an orderly organization. An army could not be composed of
generals alone, or of captains only, or of nothing but soldiers without anyone
in authority. Certainly,
some being enormously rich and other lamentably poor, an organization is necessary
to control and improve this state of affairs. It is important to limit riches,
as it is also of importance to limit poverty. Either extreme is not good. ...
When we see poverty allowed to reach a condition of starvation, it is a sure sign
that somewhere we shall find tyranny. Men must bestir themselves in this matter,
and no longer delay in altering conditions which bring the misery of grinding
poverty to a very large number of people. The
rich must give of their abundance; they must soften their hearts and cultivate
a compassionate intelligence, taking thought for those sad ones who are suffering
from lack of the very necessaries of life. There
must be special laws made, dealing with these extremes of rich and want. ... The
government of the countries should conform to the Divine Law which gives equal
justice to all. ... Not until this is done will the Law of God be obeyed.
Public
Finance
Abdu'l-Baha
suggests that each town and village or district should be entrusted as far as
possible with the administration of fiscal matters within its own area and should
contribute its due proportion for the expenses of the general government. One
of the principal sources of revenue should be a graduated income tax. If a man's
income does not exceed his necessary
expenditure he should not be required to pay any tax, but in all cases where income
exceeds the necessary expenditure a tax should be levied, the percentage of tax
increasing as the surplus of income over necessary expenditure increases. On
the other hand, if a person, through illness, poor crops, or other cause for which
he is not responsible, is unable to earn an income sufficient to meet his necessary
expenses for the year, then what he lacks for the maintenance of himself and his
family should be supplied out of public funds.
There
will also be other sources of public revenue, e.g. from
intestate estates, mines, treasure trove and voluntary
contributions; while among the expenditures will be
grants for the support of the infirm, of orphans, of
schools, of the deaf and blind, and for the maintenance
of public health. Thus the welfare and comfort of all
will be provided for.1
Voluntary
Sharing
In a letter
to the Central Organization for a Durable Peace, written in 1919, Abdu'l-Baha
says: -- Among
the teachings of Baha'u'llah is voluntary sharing of one's property with others
among mankind. This voluntary sharing is greater than (legally imposed) equality,
and consists in this, that one should not prefer oneself to others, but rather
should sacrifice one's life and property for others. But this should not be introduced
by coercion so that it becomes a law which man is compelled to follow. Nay, rather,
man should voluntarily and of his own choice sacrifice his property and life for
others, and spend willingly for the poor, just as is done in Persia among the
Bahá'ís.
Work for All
One of the
most important instructions of Baha'u'llah in regard to the economic question
is that all must engage in
useful work. There must be no drones in the social hive, no able-bodied parasites
on society. He says: -- It
is enjoined on every one of you to engage in some occupation -- some art, trade
or the like. We have made this -- your occupation -- identical with the worship
of God, the True One. Reflect, O people, upon the Mercy of God and upon His Favors,
then thank Him in the mornings and evenings. Waste
not your time in idleness and indolence, and occupy yourselves with that which
will profit yourselves and others beside yourselves, Thus hath the matter been
decreed in this Tablet, from the Horizon of which the Sun of Wisdom and Divine
Utterance is gleaming! The most despised of men before is he who sits and begs.
Cling unto the rope of means, relying upon God, the Causer of Causes. -- Glad
Tidings.
How
much of the energy employed in the business world of today is expended simply
in canceling and neutralizing the efforts of other people -- in useless strife
and competition! And how much in ways that are still more injurious! Were all
to work, and were all work, whether of brain or hand, of a nature profitable to
mankind, as Baha'u'llah commands, then the supplies of everything necessary for
a healthy, comfortable and noble life would amply suffice for all. There need
be no slums, no starvation, no destitution, no industrial slavery, no health-destroying
drudgery.
The Ethics of Wealth
According to the
Bahá'í teachings, riches rightly acquired and rightly used are honorable and praiseworthy.
Services rendered should be adequately rewarded. Baha'u'llah says in the Tablet
of Tarazat: -- "The people of Baha must not refuse to discharge the due reward
of anyone, and must respect possessors of talent, ... One must speak with justice
and recognize the worth of benefits." With
regard to interest on money, Baha'u'llah writes in the Tablet of Ishraqat as follows:
-- Most
of the people are found to be in need of this mattter; for if no interest be allowed,
affairs (business) will be trammeled and obstructed. ... A person is rarely found
who would lend money to anyone upon the principle of "Qar-i-hasan" (literally
"good loan," i.e. money advanced without interest and repaid at the pleasure of
the borrower). Consequently, out of favor to the servants, We have appointed "profit
on money" to be current, among other business transactions which are in force
among people. That is ... it is allowable, lawful and pure to charge interest
on money ... but this matter must be conducted with moderation and justice. The
Pen of Glory has withheld itself from laying down its limits, as a Wisdom from
His Presence and as a convenience for His servants. We exhort the friends of God
to act with fairness and justice, and in such a way that the mercy of His beloved
ones, and their compassion, may be manifested toward each other. ... The
execution of these matters has been placed in charge of the men of the House of
Justice, in order that they may act in accordance with the exigencies of the time
and with wisdom.
No Industrial
Slavery
In the Book
of Aqdas Baha'u'llah forbids slavery, and Abdu'l-Baha has explained that not only
chattel slavery, but also industrial slavery, is contrary to the law of God. When
in the United States in 1912, He said to the American people: -- Between
1860 and 1865 you did a wonderful thing; you abolished chattel slavery; but today
you must do a much more wonderful thing: you must abolish industrial slavery.
... The
solution of economic questions will not be brought about by array of capital against
labor, and labor against capital, in strife and conflict, but by the voluntary
attitude of goodwill on both sides. Then a real and lasting justness of conditions
will be secured. ... Among
the Bahá'ís there are no extortionate, mercenary and unjust practices, no rebellious
demands, no revolutionary uprisings against existing governments. ... It
will not be possible in the future for men to amass great fortunes by the labors
of others. The rich will willingly divide. They will come to this gradually, naturally,
by their own volition. It will never be accomplished by war and bloodshed.
It
is by friendly consultation and cooperation, by just copartnership and profit-sharing,
that the interests of both capital and labor will be best served. The harsh weapons
of the strike and lockout are injurious, not only to the trades immediately affected,
but to the community as a whole. It is, therefore, the business of the governments
to devise means for preventing recourse to such barbarous methods of settling
disputes. Abdu'l-Baha said at Dublin, New Hampshire, in 1912: -- Now
I want to tell you about the law of God. According to the divine law, employees
should not be paid merely by wages. Nay, rather they should be partners in every
work. The question of socialization is very difficult. It will not be solved by
strikes for wages. All the governments of the world must be united, and organize
an assembly, the members of which shall be elected from the parliaments and the
noble ones of the nations. These must plan with wisdom and power, so that neither
the capitalists suffer enormous losses, nor the laborers become needy. In the
utmost moderation they should make the law, then announce to the public that the
rights of the working people are to be effectively preserved; also the rights
of the capitalists are to be protected. When such a general law is adopted, by
the will of both sides, should a strike occur, all the governments of the world
should collectively resist it. Otherwise the work will lead to much destruction,
especially in Europe. Terrible things will take place. One
of the several causes of a universal European war will be this question. The owners
of properties, mines and factories, should share their incomes with their employees,
and give a fairly certain percentage of their profits to their workingmen, in
order that the employees should receive, besides their wages, some of the general
income of the factory, so that the employee may strive with his soul in the work.
Bequest and
Inheritance
Baha'u'llah
states that a person should be free to dispose of his possessions during his lifetime
in any way he chooses, and it is incumbent on everyone to write a will stating
how his property is to be disposed of after his death. When a person dies without
leaving a will, the value of the property should be estimated and divided in certain
state proportions among seven classes of inheritors, namely, children, wife or
husband, father, mother, brothers, sisters and teachers, the share of each diminishing
from the first to the last. In the absence of one or more of these classes, the
share which would belong to them goes to the public treasury, to be expended on
the poor, the fatherless and the widows, or on useful public works. If the deceased
has no heirs, then all his property goes to the public treasury. There
is nothing in the law of Baha'u'llah to prevent a man from leaving all his property
to one individual if he pleases, but Bahá'ís will naturally be influenced, in
making their wills, by the model Baha'u'llah has laid down for the case of intestate
estates, which ensures distribution of property among a considerable number of
heirs.
Equality of Men and Women
One of the social
principles to which Baha'u'llah attaches great importance is that women should
be regarded as the equals of men and should enjoy equal rights and privileges,
equal education
and equal opportunities. The
great means on which He relies for bringing about the emancipation of women is
universal education. Girls are to receive as good an education as boys. In fact,
the education of girls is even more important than that of boys, for in time these
girls will become mothers, and, as mothers, they will be the first teachers of
the next generation. Children are like green and tender branches; if the early
training is right they grow straight, and if it is wrong they grow crooked; and
to the end of their lives they are affected by the training of their earliest
years. How important, then, that girls should be well and wisely educated! During
His Western tours, Abdu'l-Baha had frequent occasion to explain the Bahá'í teachings
on this subject. At a meeting of the Women's Freedom League in London in January
1913, He said: Humanity
is like a bird with its two wings -- the one is male, the other female. Unless
both wings are strong and impelled by some common force, the bird cannot fly heavenwards.
According to the spirit of this age, women must advance and fulfill their mission
in all departments of life, becoming equal to men. They must be on the same level
as men and enjoy equal rights. This is my earnest prayer and it is one of the
fundamental principles of Baha'u'llah. Some
scientists have declared that the brains of men weigh more than those of women,
and claim this as a proof of man's superiority. Yet when we look around us we
see people with small heads, whose brains much weigh little, who show the greatest
intelligence and great powers of understanding; and others with big heads, whose
brains must be heavy, and yet they are witless. Therefore the avoirdupois of the
brain is no true measure of intelligence or superiority. When
men bring forward as a second proof of their superiority the assertion that women
have not achieved as much as men, they use poor arguments which leave history
out of consideration. If they kept themselves more fully informed historically,
they would know that great women have lived and achieved great things in the past,
and that there are many living and achieving great things today.
Here
Abdu'l-Baha described the achievements of Zenobia and other great women of the
past, concluding with an eloquent tribute to the fearless Mary Magdalene, whose
faith remained firm while that of the apostles was shaken. He
continued: -- Amongst
the women of our own time is Qurratu'l-'Ayn, the daughter of a Muhammadan priest.
At the time of the appearance of the Bab she showed such tremendous courage and
power that all who heard her were astonished. She threw aside her veil despite
the immemorial custom of the women of Persia, and although it was considered impolite
to speak with men, this heroic woman carried on controversies with the most learned
men, and in every meeting she vanquished them. The Persian Government took her
prisoner; she was stoned in the streets, anathematized, exiled from town to town,
threatened with death, but she never failed in her determination to work for the
freedom of her sisters. She bore persecution and suffering with the greatest heroism;
even in prison she gained converts. To a Minister in Persia, in whose house she
was imprisoned, she said: "You can kill me as soon as you like but you cannot
stop the emancipation of women." At last the end of her tragic life came; she
was carried into a garden and strangled. She put on, however, her choicest robes
as if she were going to join a bridal party. With such magnanimity and courage
she gave her life, startling and thrilling all who saw her. She was truly a great
heroine. Today in Persia, among the Bahá'ís, there are women who also show unflinching
courage, and who are endowed with great poetic insight. They are most eloquent,
and speak before large gatherings of people. Women
must go on advancing; they must extend their knowledge of science, literature,
history, for the perfection of humanity. Erelong they will receive their rights.
Men will see women in earnest, bearing themselves with dignity, improving the
civil and political life, opposed to warfare, demanding suffrage and equal opportunities.
I expect to see you advance in all phases of life; then will your brows be crowned
with the diadem of eternal glory.
Women and
the New Age
When
woman's point of view receives due consideration and woman's will is allowed adequate
expression in the arrangement of social affairs, we may expect great advancement
in matters which have often been grievously neglected under the old regime of
male dominance -- such matters as health, temperance, peace, and regard for the
value of the individual life. Improvements in these respects will have very far-reaching
and beneficent effects. Abdu'l-Baha says: -- The
world in the past has been ruled by force, and man has dominated over woman by
reason of his more forceful and aggressive qualities both of body and mind. But
the balance is already shifting; force is losing its dominance, and mental alertness,
intuition, and the spiritual qualities of love and service, in which woman is
strong, are gaining ascendancy. Hence the new age will be an age less masculine
and more permeated with the feminine ideals, or, to speak more exactly, will be
an age in which the masculine and feminine elements of civilization will be more
evenly balanced. -- Star of the West, viii, No. 3, p. 4 [from report of remarks
made aboard the S.S. Cedric on arrival in New York].
Methods of
Violence Discarded
In
bringing about the emancipation of women as in other matters, Baha'u'llah counsels
His followers to avoid methods of violence. An excellent illustration of the Bahá'í
method of social reform has been given by the Bahá'í in Persia, Egypt and Syria.
In these countries it is customary for Muhammadan women outside their homes to
wear a veil covering the face. The Bab indicated that in the New Dispensation
women would be relieved from this irksome restraint, but Baha'u'llah counsels
His followers, where no important question of morality is involved, to defer to
established customs until people become enlightened, rather than scandalize those
amongst whom they live, and arouse needless antagonism. The Bahá'í women, therefore,
although well aware that the antiquated custom of wearing the veil is, for enlightened
people, unnecessary and inconvenient, yet quietly put up with the inconvenience,
rather than rouse a storm of fanatical hatred and rancorous opposition by uncovering
their faces in public. This conformity to custom is in no way due to fear, but
to an assured confidence in the power of education and in the transforming and
life-giving effect of true religion. Bahá'ís in these regions are devoting their
energies to the education of their children, especially their girls, and to the
diffusion and promotion of the Bahá'í ideals, well knowing that as the new spiritual
life grows and spreads among the people, antiquated customs and prejudices will
by and by be shed, as naturally and inevitably as bud scales are shed in spring
when the leaves and flowers expand in the sunshine.
Education
Education
-- the instruction and guidance of men and the development and training of their
innate faculties -- has been the supreme aim of all the Holy Prophets since the
world began, and in the Bahá'í teachings the fundamental importance and limitless
possibilities of education are proclaimed in the clearest terms. The teacher is
the most potent factor in civilization and his work is the highest to which men
can aspire. Education begins in the mother's womb and is as unending as the life
of the individual. It is a perennial necessity of right living and the foundation
of both individual and social welfare. When education on right lines becomes general,
humanity will be transformed and world will become a paradise. At
present a really well educated man is the rarest of phenomena, for nearly everyone
has false prejudices, wrong ideals, erroneous conceptions and bad habits drilled
into him from babyhood. How few are taught from their earliest childhood to love
God with all their hearts and dedicate their lives to Him; to regard service to
humanity as the highest aim in life; to develop their powers to the best advantage
for the general good of all! Yet surely these are the essential elements of a
good education. Mere cramming of the memory with facts about arithmetic, grammar,
geography, languages, etc., has comparatively little effect in producing noble
and useful lives. Baha'u'llah
says that education must be universal: -- It
is decreed that every father must educate his sons and daughters in learning and
in writing and also in that which hath been ordained in the tablet. He who neglects
that which hath been commanded (in this matter), if he be rich, it is incumbent
on the trustees of the House of Justice to recover from him the amount required
for the education of his children; otherwise (i.e. if the parent be not capable)
the matter shall devolve upon the House of Justice. Verily We have made it (the
House of Justice) an asylum for the poor and needy. He
who educates his son, or any other children, it is as though he hath educated
one of My children. -- Tablet of Ishraqat. Men
and women must place a part of what they earn by trade, agriculture or other business,
in charge of a trustworthy person, to be spent in the education and instruction
of the children. That deposit must be invested in the education of the children,
under the advice of the trustees (or members) of the House of Justice. -- Tablet
of the World.
Innate Differences
of Nature
In the
Bahá'í view the child's nature is not like so much wax that can be molded indifferently
to any shape according to the will of the teacher. Nay, each from the first has
his own God-given character and individuality which can develop to the best advantage
only in a particular way; and that way in each case is unique. No two people have
exactly the same capabilities and talents, and the true educator will never attempt
to force two natures into the same mold. In fact, he will never attempt to force
any nature into any mold. Rather he will reverently tend the developing powers
of the young nature, encourage and protect them, and supply the nourishment and
assistance which they need. His work is like that of a gardener tending different
plants. One plant likes the bright sunshine, another the cool shade; one loves
the water's edge and another the dry knoll; one thrives best on sandy soil and
another on rich loam. Each must have its needs appropriately supplied, else its
perfections can never be fully revealed. Abdu'l-Baha says: -- The
Prophets acknowledge that education hath a great effect upon the human race, but
They declare that minds and comprehensions are originally different. We see that
certain children of the same age, nativity and race, nay, from the same household,
under the tutorship of the same teacher, differ in minds and comprehensions. No
matter how the shell is educated (or polished) it can never become the radiant
pearl. The black stone will not become the world-illuminating gem. The thorny
cactus can never by training and development become the blessed tree. That is
to say, training doth not change the essential nature of the human gem, but it
produceth a marvelous effect. By this effective power all that is latent, of virtues
and capacities in the human reality, will be revealed.
Character
Training
The thing
of paramount importance in education is character training. With regard to this,
example is more effective than precept, and the lives and characters of the child's
parents, teachers and habitual associates are factors of the utmost importance.
The Prophets
of God are the great educators of mankind, and Their counsels and the story of
Their lives should be instilled into the child's mind as soon as it is able to
grasp them. Especially important are the words of the Supreme Teacher, Baha'u'llah,
Who reveals the root principles on which the civilization of the future must be
built up. He says: -- Teach
your children what hath been revealed through the Pen of Glory. Instruct them
in what hath descended from the heaven of greatness and power. Let them memorize
the Tablets of the Merciful and chant them with the most melodious voices in the
halls of the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar.
Arts, Sciences,
and Crafts
Training
in arts, sciences, crafts and useful professions is regarded as important and
necessary. Baha'u'llah says: -- Knowledge
is like unto wings for the being (of man) and is like a ladder for ascending.
To acquire knowledge is incumbent upon all, but of those sciences which may profit
the people of the earth, and not such sciences as being in mere words and end
in mere words. The possessors of sciences and arts have a great right among the
people of the world. Indeed, the real treasury of man is his knowledge. Knowledge
is the means of honor, prosperity, joy, gladness, happiness and exaltation. --
Tablet of Tajalliyat.
Treatment
of Criminals
In a
talk on the right method of treating criminals, Abdu'l-Baha spoke as follows:
-- ...
the most essential thing is that the people must be educated in such a way ...
that they will avoid and shrink from perpetrating crimes, so that the crime itself
will appear to them as the greatest chastisement, the utmost condemnation and
torment. Therefore no crimes which require punishment will be committed.......
if someone oppresses, injures, and wrongs another, and the wronged man retaliates,
this is vengeance, and is censurable. ... If `Amru dishonours Zaid, the latter
has not the right to dishonour `Amru; if he does so, this is vengeance, and is
very reprehensible. No, rather he must return good for evil, and not only forgive,
but also, if possible, be of service to his oppressor. This conduct is worthy
of man; for what advantage does he gain by vengeance? The two actions are equivalent;
if one action is reprehensible, both are reprehensible. The only difference is
that one was committed first, the other later. But
the community has the right of defense and of self-protection; moreover, the community
has no hatred nor animosity for the murderer: it imprisons or punishes him merely
for the protection and security of others. ... Thus
when Christ said: "Whosoever shall smite thee on the right cheek, turn to him
the left one also," it was for the purpose of teaching men not to take personal
revenge. He did not mean that if a wolf should fall upon a flock of sheep and
wish to destroy it, that the wolf should be encouraged to do so. No, if Christ
had known that a wolf had entered the fold and was about to destroy the sheep,
most certainly he would have prevented it....... the constitution of the communities
depends upon justice. ... Then what Christ meant by forgiveness and pardon is
not that, when nations attack you, burn your homes, plunder your goods, assault
your wives, children, and relatives, and violate your honour, you should be submissive
in the presence of these tyrannical foes, and allow them to perform all their
cruelties and oppressions. No, the words of Christ refer to the conduct of two
individuals towards each other: if one person assaults another, the injured one
should forgive him. But the communities must protect the rights of man. ... One
thing remains to be said: it is that the communities are day and night occupied
in making penal laws, and in preparing and organizing instruments and means of
punishment. They build prisons, make chains and fetters, arrange places of exile
and banishment, and different kinds of hardships and tortures, and think by these
means to discipline criminals; whereas, in reality, they are causing destruction
of morals and perversion of characters. The community, on the contrary, ought
day and night to strive and endeavour with the utmost zeal and effort to accomplish
the education of men, to cause them day by day to progress and to increase in
science and knowledge, to acquire virtues, to gain good morals and to avoid vices,
so that crimes may not occur. -- Some Answered Questions, pp. 307-311.
Influence
of the Press
The importance
of the press as a means of diffusing knowledge and educating the people, and its
power as a civilizing force, when rightly directed, are fully recognized by Baha'u'llah.
He writes: In
this day the mysteries of this earth are unfolded and visible before the eyes,
and the pages of swiftly appearing newspapers are indeed the mirror of the world;
they display the doings and actions of the different nations; they both illustrate
them and cause them to be heard. Newspapers are as a mirror endowed with hearing,
sight and speech; they are a wonderful phenomenon and a great matter. But
it behooves the writers and editors thereof to be sanctified from the prejudice
of egotism and desire, and to be adorned with the ornament of equity and justice.
They must inquire into matters as fully as possible in order that they may be
informed of the real facts, and commit the same to writing. Concerning this wronged
one, what the newspapers have published has for the most part been devoid of truth.
Good speech and truthfulness are, in loftiness of position and rank, like the
sun which has risen from the horizon of the heaven of knowledge. -- Tablet of
Tarazat.
Footnotes:
Page
142:
1.
For further particulars see Abdu'l-Baha's published addresses, especially those
given in the United States of America. [back]
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