Istijlál, 02 Masáʼil (Questions), 181 B.E.
Teaching the Cause
Quotes for Reflection:
As to the fundamentals of teaching the Faith: know thou that delivering the Message can be accomplished only through goodly deeds and spiritual attributes, an utterance that is crystal clear and the happiness reflected from the face of that one who is expounding the Teachings. It is essential that the deeds of the teacher should attest the truth of his words. Such is the state of whoso doth spread abroad the sweet savors of God and the quality of him who is sincere in his faith.
Once the Lord hath enabled thee to attain this condition, be thou assured that He will inspire thee with words of truth, and will cause thee to speak through the breathings of the Holy Spirit. — ‘Abdu’l-Bahá 1
Within this context, receptivity manifests itself in a willingness to participate in the process of community building set in motion by the core activities. In cluster after cluster where an intensive programme of growth is now in operation, the task before the friends this coming year is to teach within one or more receptive populations, employing a direct method in their exposition of the fundamentals of their Faith, and find those souls longing to shed the lethargy imposed on them by society and work alongside one another in their neighbourhoods and villages to begin a process of collective transformation. If the friends persist in their efforts to learn the ways and methods of community building in small settings in this way, the long-cherished goal of universal participation in the affairs of the Faith will, we are certain, move by several orders of magnitude within grasp. — Universal House of Justice 2
God’s standards are different from those of men. According to men’s standards, the acceptance of any cause by people of distinction, of recognized fame and status, determines the value and greatness of that cause. But, in the words of Bahá’u’lláh: “The summons and the message which We gave were never intended to reach or to benefit one land or one people only. Mankind in its entirety must firmly adhere to whatsoever hath been revealed and vouchsafed unto it.” 3 Or again, “He hath endowed every soul with the capacity to recognize the signs of God. How could He, otherwise, have fulfilled His testimony unto men, if ye be of them that ponder His Cause in their hearts.” 4 In countries where teaching the masses has succeeded, the Bahá’ís have poured out their time and effort in village areas to the same extent as they had formerly done in cities and towns. The results indicate how unwise it is to solely concentrate on one section of the population. Each National Assembly therefore should so balance its resources and harmonize its efforts that the Faith of God is taught not only to those who are readily accessible but to all sections of society, however remote they may be. — Universal House of Justice 5
Propelled by forces generated both within and outside the Bahá’í community, the peoples of the earth can be seen to be moving from divergent directions, closer and closer to one another, towards what will be a world civilization so stupendous in character that it would be futile for us to attempt to imagine it today. As this centripetal movement of populations accelerates across the globe, some elements in every culture, not in accord with the teachings of the Faith, will gradually fall away, while others will be reinforced. By the same token, new elements of culture will evolve over time as people hailing from every human group, inspired by the Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh, give expression to patterns of thought and action engendered by His teachings, in part through artistic and literary works.… We long to see, for instance, the emergence of captivating songs from every part of the world, in every language, that will impress upon the consciousness of the young the profound concepts enshrined in the Bahá’í teachings. Yet such an efflorescence of creative thought will fail to materialize, should the friends fall, however inadvertently, into patterns prevalent in the world that give licence to those with financial resources to impose their cultural perspective on others, inundating them with materials and products aggressively promoted. — Universal House of Justice 6
Question for Consideration
What is the relationship between masses of mankind, representing every human group, entering the Bahá’í Faith and the emergence and growth of a new, global civilization and world culture? 7
Perplexity Pro Response 8
The Bahá’í Faith envisions a profound connection between the widespread adoption of its teachings across diverse populations and the emergence of a new global civilization. As reported by the Bahá’í International Community, this process is seen as a global enterprise aimed at bringing prosperity to all peoples, intertwining spiritual transformation with social progress and cultural evolution.
Spiritual and Social Transformation
The Bahá’í Faith emphasizes a fundamental redefinition of human relationships as diverse populations embrace its teachings. This spiritual transformation is viewed as inseparable from social progress, with Bahá’u’lláh’s revelations aimed at effecting change in both the spiritual and material aspects of human society. The process involves:
- Reinforcement of cultural elements aligned with Bahá’í principles
- Gradual falling away of cultural aspects not in accord with the teachings
- Emergence of new patterns of thought and action inspired by Bahá’u’lláh’s revelation
- Development of artistic and literary works expressing Bahá’í concepts in various languages and cultures [5]
This transformative process is seen as both a catalyst for and a result of the development of a unified world culture, fostering a balance between global unity and the preservation of cultural diversity. [1]
Cultural Evolution
As diverse populations embrace the Bahá’í Faith, a dynamic process of cultural evolution unfolds. This process involves the gradual transformation of existing cultural elements, with some aspects falling away while others are reinforced, depending on their alignment with Bahá’í teachings. Simultaneously, new cultural expressions emerge as people from various backgrounds interpret and apply Bahá’í principles in their lives. The Universal House of Justice envisions the creation of captivating artistic works, such as songs in multiple languages, that express profound Bahá’í concepts. This cultural evolution is seen as an organic process, avoiding the imposition of cultural perspectives by those with financial resources, and instead encouraging a diverse, globally-inspired cultural flowering. [5]
Practical Community Building
The Bahá’í approach to community building emphasizes grassroots involvement and practical activities that contribute to social transformation. Core activities, such as study circles and children’s classes, serve as means for people to participate in community life and foster collective transformation [1]. This process of community building is seen as essential for achieving universal participation in the affairs of the Faith, with efforts focused on teaching within receptive populations and employing direct methods to explain the fundamentals of the Faith [1].
- Emphasis on balanced resource allocation to reach all sections of society
- Focus on village areas as well as cities and towns for teaching efforts [4]
- Development of methods for community building in small settings
- Goal of moving universal participation “by several orders of magnitude within grasp” [1]
Gradual and Organic Process
The emergence of a new world civilization through the Bahá’í Faith is viewed as a gradual, organic process characterized by stages of growth and expansion into new cultural and geographical areas. This process includes the concept of “entry by troops,” which refers to large numbers of people in specific regions becoming Bahá’ís, seen as a prelude to mass conversion [5]. As this centripetal movement of populations accelerates globally, the Universal House of Justice envisions a world civilization “so stupendous in character that it would be futile for us to attempt to imagine it today” [5]. This development is propelled by forces both within and outside the Bahá’í community, bringing people from divergent directions closer together in a unified yet diverse global culture.
In conclusion, the Bahá’í Faith sees the entry of masses of people from diverse backgrounds as integral to the organic development of a new world civilization. This process is characterized by spiritual and social transformation, cultural evolution, and practical community-building efforts, all contributing to the gradual emergence of a unified yet diverse global culture.
Citations
[1] A Baha’i understanding of Reality
[2] Is the Baha’i Faith a World Religion?
[3] Universal House of Justice: 28 November 2023 – To the Bahá’ís of the World
[5] Entry by Troops
Follow-Up Questions Proposed by Perplexity
- How does the Bahá’í Faith promote unity among diverse human groups?
- What role do community building activities play in the growth of the Bahá’í Faith?
- How do artistic and literary works reflect Bahá’í teachings?
- What are the key elements of a global civilization according to Bahá’í teachings?
- How does the Bahá’í approach to teaching differ from traditional methods?
- How does the Bahá’í Faith promote unity among diverse cultures?
- What are the challenges faced in spreading Bahá’í teachings globally?
- How does the Bahá’í community balance urban and rural outreach efforts?
- What impact does the Bahá’í Faith have on local communities?
- How do Bahá’í teachings address global economic inequalities?
- ’Abdu’l-Bahá. Selections from the Writings of ʻAbduʼl-Bahá. Translated by Marzieh Gail. Reprint. Wilmette, Illinois: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1996, 173. https://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/abdul-baha/selections-writings-abdul-baha/7#998484691 ↩
- Universal House of Justice. “Riḍván 2010 – To the Bahá’ís of the World.” Messages from the Baha’i World Centre. Accessed December 10, 2024. https://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/the-universal-house-of-justice/messages/20100421_001/1#385030487. ↩
- “All praise be to the one true God—exalted be His glory—inasmuch as He hath, through the Pen of the Most High, unlocked the doors of men’s hearts. Every verse which this Pen hath revealed is a bright and shining portal that discloseth the glories of a saintly and pious life, of pure and stainless deeds. The summons and the message which We gave were never intended to reach or to benefit one land or one people only. Mankind in its entirety must firmly adhere to whatsoever hath been revealed and vouchsafed unto it. Then and only then will it attain unto true liberty. The whole earth is illuminated with the resplendent glory of God’s Revelation.”
Bahá’u’lláh. Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh. Translated by Shoghi Effendi. Bahá’í Reference Library, 1935. https://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/bahaullah/gleanings-writings-bahaullah/3#046187471. ↩ - “Say: The first and foremost testimony establishing His truth is His own Self. Next to this testimony is His Revelation. For whoso faileth to recognize either the one or the other He hath established the words He hath revealed as proof of His reality and truth. This is, verily, an evidence of His tender mercy unto men. He hath endowed every soul with the capacity to recognize the signs of God. How could He, otherwise, have fulfilled His testimony unto men, if ye be of them that ponder His Cause in their hearts. He will never deal unjustly with anyone, neither will He task a soul beyond its power. He, verily, is the Compassionate, the All-Merciful.”
Bahá’u’lláh. Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh. Translated by Shoghi Effendi. Bahá’í Reference Library, 1935. https://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/bahaullah/gleanings-writings-bahaullah/3#043258227. ↩ - Universal House of Justice. “13 July 1964 – To all National Spiritual Assemblies.” Bahá’í Reference Library. Accessed December 10, 2024. https://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/the-universal-house-of-justice/messages/19640713_001/1#024848101. ↩
- Universal House of Justice. “9 October 2015 – [To a National Spiritual Assembly].” Bahá’í Reference Library. Accessed December 9, 2024. https://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/the-universal-house-of-justice/messages/20151009_001/1#389344059. ↩
- Ruhi Institute. Teaching the Cause. 2.1.1.PE April 2023. Vol. Book 6. 6 vols. Embarking on a Path of Service. Cali, Columbia: Ruhi Foundation, 2023, 122-124. https://www.ruhi.org/en/walking-a-path-of-service/#TCH. ↩
- Perplexity Pro. “What is the relationship between masses of mankind, representing every human group, entering the Bahá’í Faith and the emergence and growth of a new, global civilization and world culture?” Edited by Steve Bosserman. December 10, 2024. https://www.perplexity.ai/page/global-faith-and-civilization-EEg1SrisQjS0e77rVDIGlQ. ↩
Frameworks for Understanding the World 