Kamál, 08 Raḥmat (Mercy), 182 B.E.
Social Action: The Nature of Bahá’í Social and Economic Development
Quotes for Reflection:
As you can see, all these developments relate directly to the teaching work inasmuch as the Bahá’í communities must reach a certain size before they can begin to implement many of them. How, for example, can a Bahá’í community demonstrate effectively the abolition of prejudices which divide the inhabitants of a country until it has a cross-section of those inhabitants within its ranks? A seed is the vital origin of a tree and of a tremendous importance for that reason, but it cannot produce fruit until it has grown into a tree and flowered and fruited. So a Bahá’í community of nine believers is a vital step, since it can bring into being for that locality the divine institution of the Local Spiritual Assembly, but it is still only a seed, and needs to grow in size and in the diversity of its members before it can produce really convincing fruit for its fellow-citizens. — Universal House of Justice 1 2
Question for Consideration
What is necessary for a Bahá’í community to “demonstrate effectively the abolition of prejudices which divide the inhabitants of a country?”
Perplexity Pro Response 3
For a Bahá’í community to “demonstrate effectively the abolition of prejudices which divide the inhabitants of a country,” several interrelated conditions must be met, as articulated by the Universal House of Justice and the Bahá’í writings:
Growth in Size and Diversity
The community must grow beyond a small nucleus (such as the minimum of nine believers needed to form a Local Spiritual Assembly) to include a cross-section of the population—that is, members from diverse backgrounds, ethnicities, and social groups representative of the wider society [1].
Only when the community reflects this diversity can it convincingly embody and demonstrate the principle of the abolition of prejudice. A homogeneous or very small group cannot serve as a compelling example of unity in diversity [1].
Organic and Gradual Development
The analogy of a seed growing into a tree is used: a small community is vital, but it is only the beginning. Effective demonstration of unity and the abolition of prejudice requires time, growth, and maturation, both numerically and in the community’s collective capacity [1].
Application of Bahá’í Principles in Community Life
The community must actively apply Bahá’í teachings on the oneness of humanity, justice, and unity in its daily life, activities, and institutions [1].
This includes consultative decision-making, inclusive worship, education programs, and social action that bring together people of different backgrounds and foster mutual respect and understanding [1].
Engagement in Social Action and Service
As the community grows, it should engage in social and economic development activities that benefit all, regardless of background, and address the root causes of prejudice, such as ignorance and lack of education [1].
These actions should be locally initiated, inclusive, and sustainable, and should increasingly involve members of the wider community, not just Bahá’ís [1].
Cultivation of a Distinctive Community Culture
The Bahá’í community must strive to be a model of unity in diversity, where differences are seen as a source of strength and richness, not division [1].
The community’s culture should be marked by love, justice, and the subordination of lesser loyalties to the interests of humanity as a whole [1].
Participation in the Life of Society
The community should participate in the wider discourses of society and collaborate with others to promote the well-being of all, demonstrating in practice the possibility of overcoming prejudice [1].
Summary Table: Key Requirements
| Requirement | Description |
|---|---|
| Growth in size & diversity | Must include a representative cross-section of the population |
| Organic, gradual development | Effective demonstration comes with time and maturation |
| Application of principles | Daily life and institutions must reflect unity and justice |
| Social action & service | Engage in inclusive, sustainable projects addressing root causes of prejudice |
| Distinctive community culture | Unity in diversity, love, and justice as defining features |
| Societal participation | Active involvement in broader society and its discourses |
Conclusion
A Bahá’í community can only convincingly demonstrate the abolition of prejudice when it has grown to include a diverse membership and has developed the capacity to apply Bahá’í principles in all aspects of its collective life. This process is gradual and requires both numerical growth and the cultivation of a distinctive, inclusive, and service-oriented community culture [1].
Citations
Follow-Up Approaches Proposed by Perplexity
- Explore ways to increase diversity in Bahá’í communities.
- Identify steps to grow a Local Spiritual Assembly effectively.
- Investigate examples of prejudice abolition by small groups.
- Analyze the role of community size in social integration efforts.
- Suggest methods to foster unity within emerging Bahá’í groups
- Research Department of the Universal House of Justice. “Social Action.” Bahá’í Reference Library, August 2020. https://www.bahai.org/r/892717669. ↩
- Universal House of Justice. “3 January 1982 – [To an individual].” Bahá’í Reference Library. Accessed June 29, 2025. https://www.bahai.org/r/522317160. ↩
- Perplexity Pro. “Bahá’í Community Conditions to Demonstrate Abolition of Prejudices.” Edited by Steve Bosserman. June 29, 2025. https://www.perplexity.ai/search/as-you-can-see-all-these-devel-NTf6uW_vRdCeTraECDV1Gg. ↩
Frameworks for Understanding the World 