Istiqlál, 06 Sulțán (Sovereignty), 182 B.E.
Quotes for Reflection
Since the orderly running of your association dependeth upon the devotion, integrity, fair-mindedness and sanctity of purpose manifested by the friends of God, they should show forth in their management of its affairs such purity, nobility and far-sighted wisdom that they will become a model for other societies, and all people may be edified and enlightened by their example. In this way the Bahá’ís will become known to all as people who are dependable and honest, virtuous and enlightened, pure and refined; who are industrious and high-principled, liberal-minded and promoters of freedom; whose concern is to serve the common good, not to advance their own interests, and whose aim is to further the welfare and prosperity of the people, not to foster their own well-being. — ‘Abdu’l-Bahá 1
Question for Consideration
In what way will the Bahá’ís become known to all as people “whose concern is to serve the common good, not to advance their own interests, and whose aim is to further the welfare and prosperity of the people, not to foster their own well-being”?
Perplexity Pro Response 2
Bahá’ís become known in this way when their individual and collective conduct in every sphere of life consistently reflects selfless service, justice, and trustworthiness, so clearly and practically that others can see their institutions and lives are run for the public good, not for personal gain. [1]
How this passage itself answers
In the very sentence quoted, ‘Abdu’l‑Bahá links that reputation directly to how Bahá’ís manage the affairs of their associations: when Assemblies are administered with purity, nobility, far‑sighted wisdom and sanctity of purpose, they “become a model for other societies,” and “all people may be edified and enlightened by their example.” Put simply, the way Bahá’ís run their own community life is meant to be living evidence that their motive is service to all, not advantage for a few. [1]
Core qualities that make this visible
Other passages in the same compilation explain that:
- Trustworthiness, truthfulness, uprightness and forbearance are described as the “fruits, leaves, boughs and branches” of faith, and as “the supreme instrument for the prosperity of the world.” [1]
- ‘Abdu’l‑Bahá states that Bahá’ís must become “a centre of attraction” in any city through sincerity, faithfulness, honesty, and loving‑kindness, so that people spontaneously say, “This man is unquestionably a Bahá’í.” [1]
- Shoghi Effendi emphasizes that people are “weary” of words and that in this day it is deeds, not speech, and “saintly virtues” that attract hearts and validate the Cause. [1]
These qualities, practiced steadily, allow observers to recognize that Bahá’ís are motivated by the common good.
Concrete arenas where this is shown
The same Tablet you quoted sits within a larger pattern of guidance showing where this selflessness must appear so it can be known to all:
- In community administration: Assemblies are told to improve morals, spread learning, eradicate prejudice, promote consultation, and uphold scrupulous integrity, so their work clearly benefits the population at large. [1]
- In business and professions: Bahá’ís are urged to conduct commerce with such fairness that people exclaim, “How great is their truthfulness, how high their trustworthiness,” and to make their occupations “a means of drawing nearer to the divine Threshold,” not of exploiting others. [1]
- In public service and government employment: Those who hold office are told to avoid bribery and corruption, to be content with their wages, and to make their motive “to render service to the whole of humanity, not to seek their own self‑interest.” [1]
Because these settings are public and relational, selfless conduct there naturally shapes how “all” come to think of Bahá’ís.
The inner orientation behind the outer reputation
Behind this outward reputation is a spiritual stance repeatedly described in the texts:
- Believers are enjoined to “have regard to the good of the world and not to your own selfish desires,” and to see the “purpose … of creation” as the appearance of trustworthiness and godliness among humankind, which are “the cause of peace, security and tranquillity.” [1]
- True distinction is defined as sufficing with a “frugal provision,” seeking to “better the lot of the poor,” and walking a path of “high‑spirited service,” rather than seeking rank, wealth or prominence. [1]
As this inner detachment and outward service mature, the community’s overall pattern of life makes it credible that its concern is the common good and the advancement of the whole human family. [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/317094507. ↩︎
- Perplexity Pro. “To Serve the Common Good.” Edited by Steve Bosserman. January 22, 2025. https://www.perplexity.ai/search/since-the-orderly-running-of-y-0v2HodWbQvGiFHrCQzv3DQ#0 ↩︎
Frameworks for Understanding the World 