Kamál, 09 Jamál (Beauty), 182 B.E.
Social Action: Underlying Concepts and Principles
Quotes for Reflection:
O ye beloved of God! Know ye, verily, that the happiness of mankind lieth in the unity and the harmony of the human race, and that spiritual and material developments are conditioned upon love and amity among all men. Consider ye the living creatures, namely those which move upon the earth and those which fly, those which graze and those which devour. Among the beasts of prey each kind liveth apart from other species of its genus, observing complete antagonism and hostility; and whenever they meet they immediately fight and draw blood, gnashing their teeth and baring their claws. This is the way in which ferocious beasts and bloodthirsty wolves behave, carnivorous animals that live by themselves and fight for their lives. But the docile, good-natured and gentle animals, whether they belong to the flying or grazing species, associate with one another in complete affinity, united in their flocks, and living their lives with enjoyment, happiness and contentment. Such are the birds that are satisfied with and grateful for a few grains; they live in complete gladness, and break into rich and melodious song while soaring over meadows, plains, hills and mountains. Similarly those animals which graze, like the sheep, the antelope and the gazelle, consort in the greatest amity, intimacy and unity while living in their plains and prairies in a condition of complete contentment. But dogs, wolves, tigers, hyenas and those other beasts of prey, are alienated from each other as they hunt and roam about alone. The creatures of the fields and birds of the air do not even shun or molest one another when they come upon their mutual grazing and resting grounds but accept each other with friendliness, unlike the devouring beasts who immediately tear each other apart when one intrudes upon the other’s cave or lair; yea, even if one merely passeth by the abode of another the latter at once rusheth out to attack and if possible kill the former. — ‘Abdu’l-Bahá 1 2
Question for Consideration
What attributes reflected in the behavior of some animals lead to the happiness of mankind?
Perplexity Pro Response 3
In the profound words of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, the happiness of mankind is intrinsically tied to “unity and harmony of the human race,” with both spiritual and material progress dependent upon “love and amity among all men.” This teaching uses the natural world as a powerful illustration of how certain attributes lead to harmony, while others result in conflict and isolation.
Animal Behavior as a Mirror for Human Qualities
The quote contrasts two distinct patterns of animal behavior, each reflecting different attributes that either contribute to or detract from harmony and happiness.
Attributes of Unity and Cooperation
The gentle creatures described by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá-birds, sheep, antelope, and gazelle-demonstrate several key qualities that serve as models for human behavior:
Social Cohesion and Community
These animals “associate with one another in complete affinity, united in their flocks” and live their lives with “enjoyment, happiness and contentment.” This mirrors the Bahá’í understanding that true harmony emerges from unity in diversity, where different individuals come together in cooperative relationships [16].
Contentment and Gratitude
The birds described are “satisfied with and grateful for a few grains,” suggesting that contentment with what one has-rather than excessive material desire-contributes to happiness. This contentment allows them to “break into rich and melodious song while soaring over meadows, plains, hills and mountains” [6].
Peaceful Coexistence
Perhaps most importantly, these gentle creatures “do not even shun or molest one another when they come upon their mutual grazing and resting grounds but accept each other with friendliness.” This capacity to share resources and spaces without conflict exemplifies the principle that harmony requires mutual respect and recognition [11].
The Contrast: Isolation and Aggression
By contrast, the “beasts of prey”-dogs, wolves, tigers, and hyenas-exhibit qualities that lead to isolation and conflict:
- They “liveth apart from other species of its genus”
- They observe “complete antagonism and hostility”
- They “immediately fight and draw blood” upon meeting
- They are “alienated from each other as they hunt and roam about alone”
This behavior pattern serves as a warning about the consequences of aggression, territoriality, and isolation for human communities [3].
The Spiritual Significance of Harmony
The Bahá’í writings consistently emphasize that harmony is not merely a pleasant state but a spiritual principle with profound implications:
“Material civilization is like a lamp-glass. Divine civilization is the lamp itself and the glass without the light is dark. Material civilization is like the body. No matter how infinitely graceful, elegant and beautiful it may be, it is dead. Divine civilization is like the spirit, and the body gets its life from the spirit, otherwise it becomes a corpse” [5].
The attributes exhibited by the gentle animals represent aspects of divine civilization-the spiritual qualities that bring life and vitality to human society. Without these qualities, material progress alone cannot bring true happiness [5] [6].
The Human Potential for Transcendence
While the animal kingdom provides instructive examples, humans possess unique capacities that allow them to consciously cultivate harmonious relationships:
“The Almighty hath not created in man the claws and teeth of ferocious animals, nay rather hath the human form been fashioned and set with the most comely attributes and adorned with the most perfect virtues. The honour of this creation and the worthiness of this garment therefore require man to have love and affinity for his own kind, nay rather, to act towards all living creatures with justice and equity” [3].
Unlike animals, which follow their natural instincts, humans can choose to embody attributes of unity, kindness, and harmony through conscious effort and spiritual development.
Conclusion
The happiness of mankind, according to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s teaching, rests upon developing the attributes exemplified by the gentle, sociable animals: unity, harmony, peaceful coexistence, contentment, and cooperation. These qualities form the foundation for both spiritual and material progress, enabling humans to create communities characterized by “joy and fragrance” rather than conflict and isolation [5].
As ‘Abdu’l-Bahá states elsewhere: “Consider how the cause of the welfare, happiness, joy and comfort of humankind are amity and union, whereas dissension and discord are most conducive to hardship, humiliation, agitation and failure” [3]. By consciously cultivating these positive attributes in our individual and collective lives, we move closer to realizing the vision of a unified, peaceful, and truly happy human family.
Citations
[1] Peace Means Working toward Racial Unity – BahaiTeachings.org
[2] The Baha’i Attitude Towards Animals – International Environment Forum
[3] Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l‑Bahá – Bahá’í Reference Library
[4] Kindness to Animals – Bahaipedia
[7] Compilation on Animals – International Environment Forum
[8] HARMONY MEANS UNITY – Christian Science Sentinel
[9] Service in Love for Mankind is Unity with God – ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in America 1912-2012
[10] Do Animals Have Souls? – Baha’i Blog
[11] Psalm 133 – The Blessing of Unity and Harmony – Rev. Tim Ehrhardt
[13] Social Action – Bahá’í Reference Library
[14] Quotations from ‘Abdu’l-Bahá – The Bahá’í Faith
[15] Understanding Human Values II: Understanding Harmony (PDF) – Universal Human Values (UHV)
[16] Unity of humanity – Bahaipedia
Follow-Up Questions Proposed by Perplexity
- How can humans emulate the harmony seen in grazing animals?
- What lessons can be learned from the unity among birds?
- How does the Baha’i perspective on animals reflect their teachings on human unity?
- What are some practical steps to promote unity and harmony among humans?
- How do the behaviors of docile animals contribute to their happiness?
- Research Department of the Universal House of Justice. “Social Action.” Bahá’í Reference Library, August 2020. https://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/compilations/social-action/2#596242628. ↩
- ’Abdu’l-Bahá. Selections from the Writings of ʻAbduʼl-Bahá. Translated by Marzieh Gail. Reprint. Wilmette, Illinois: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1996, 283. https://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/abdul-baha/selections-writings-abdul-baha/10#822242858. ↩
- Perplexity Pro. “The Path to Human Happiness: Lessons from Animal Behavior.” Edited by Steve Bosserman. May 4, 2025. https://www.perplexity.ai/search/o-ye-beloved-of-god-know-ye-ve-euBh4p1.RjydZpzCpU1SXg. ↩
Frameworks for Understanding the World 