‘Idál, 04 Sulțán (Sovereignty), 182 B.E.
Quotes for Reflection
If a man were to perform every good work, yet fail in the least scruple to be entirely trustworthy and honest, his good works would become as dry tinder and his failure as a soul-consuming fire. If, on the other hand, he should fall short in all his affairs, yet act with trustworthiness and honesty, all his defects would ultimately be righted, all injuries remedied, and all infirmities healed. Our meaning is that, in the sight of God, trustworthiness is the bedrock of His Faith and the foundation of all virtues and perfections. A man deprived of this quality is destitute of everything. What shall faith and piety avail if trustworthiness be lacking? Of what consequence can they be? What benefit or advantage can they confer? Wherefore ‘Abdu’l-Bahá counselleth the friends—nay, rather, fervently imploreth them—so vigilantly to guard the sanctity of the Cause of God and preserve their own dignity as individuals that all nations shall come to know and honour them for their trustworthiness and integrity. They can render no greater service than this today. To act otherwise would be to take an axe to the root of the Cause of God—we take refuge with God from this heinous transgression and pray that He will protect His loved ones from committing so flagrant a wrong. — ‘Abdu’l-Bahá 1 2
Question for Consideration
What is the impact on one’s behavior that “in the sight of God, trustworthiness is the bedrock of His Faith and the foundation of all virtues and perfections”?
Perplexity Pro Response 3
Seeing trustworthiness as the “bedrock” of faith means that a person’s whole way of living is reshaped so that being absolutely reliable and honest becomes the first spiritual priority, not a secondary virtue that can be traded off against other good deeds. [1]
Centering all choices on truth
If trustworthiness is the foundation of all virtues, then every decision must first pass the test: “Is this fully honest, faithful to my word, and free from even small betrayals?” [1]
This makes a person refuse hypocrisy and empty piety—better to admit failure truthfully than to appear religious while being inwardly dishonest. [1]
Integrity over outward success
The passage states that many “good works” are spiritually ruined by a small breach of trust, while many outward failures are ultimately healed when one is truly trustworthy and honest. [1]
This shifts behavior from image-management to integrity: one would rather lose opportunities, money, status, or reputation than compromise even slightly in truthfulness or keeping a trust. [1]
Consistency in all areas of life
Because trustworthiness is described as the “foundation of all virtues and perfections,” it must pervade family life, work, community, and religious service alike. [1]
Behavior therefore becomes consistent: the same standard of honesty applies in business contracts, private conversations, handling money, promises to children, and service to the Cause of God. [1]
Guarding the dignity of the Faith
‘Abdu’l‑Bahá ties trustworthiness directly to “the sanctity of the Cause of God” and the believer’s dignity, saying the friends can “render no greater service than this today.”
So one’s conduct is no longer a purely personal matter; one behaves as a visible representative of the Faith, guarding it from any stain [1]of dishonesty as if any breach were “an axe to the root” of the Cause. [1]
Radical reliability before God
To believe that without trustworthiness one is “destitute of everything” leads to a radical seriousness about promises, covenants, and responsibilities. [1]
Behavior becomes marked by scrupulous care with one’s word, with others’ property, with confidential matters, and with any obligation taken before God or humanity, however small. [1]
Follow-Up Questions Proposed by Perplexity
Questions that deepen understanding of this passage tend to probe meaning, application, motives, and consequences.[ppl-ai-file-upload.s3.amazonaws]
Here are some you might reflect on:
Meaning of “bedrock” and “foundation”
- What does it mean that trustworthiness is the bedrock of faith and not just one virtue among many? [1]
- How does seeing trustworthiness as the “foundation of all virtues and perfections” change how other virtues (like love, justice, humility) are understood? [1]
Self-examination and inner motives
- In what subtle ways might there be gaps between what is professed outwardly and what is actually done inwardly or in private? [1]
- Are there “small” compromises in honesty or keeping trusts that feel harmless but, in this light, are like “dry tinder” in the soul? [1]
Priorities and trade-offs
- When forced to choose, do I ever prefer outward good works, recognition, or success over complete integrity and transparency? [1]
- How would my choices change if I truly believed that one breach of trust outweighs many apparently good deeds? [1]
Relationships and community
- How does my level of trustworthiness affect the confidence of my family, colleagues, and community in the Faith itself? [1]
- Are there any relationships where I need to repair trust—debts, promises, confidences, or expectations that I have not fully honoured? [1]
Social and spiritual consequences
- If a community truly lived this standard, how would its public reputation, service, and unity look different from those around it? [1]
- What specific habits (financial, verbal, professional, online) would need to be transformed so that trustworthiness becomes the most visible mark of faith? [1]
Citations
- Trustworthiness: A Cardinal Bahá’í Virtue. Compiled by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice, Revised August 1990 – Bahá’í Reference Library
Footnotes
- Research Department of the Universal House of Justice.“ Trustworthiness: A Cardinal Bahá’í Virtue.” Bahá’í Reference Library, Revised August 1990. https://www.bahai.org/r/829032043. ↩︎
- Bahá’u’lláh, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. “Bahá’í Sacred Writings.” Bahá’í Reference Library, July 2025. https://www.bahai.org/r/426032189. ↩︎
- Perplexity Pro. “Guard the Sanctity of the Cause of God.” Edited by Steve Bosserman. January 20, 2025. https://www.perplexity.ai/search/if-a-man-were-to-perform-every-Lc2v.3uyQBmkC6AC_tHE6g#0 ↩︎
Frameworks for Understanding the World 