’Idál, 12 Kalimát (Words), 182 B.E.
Social Action: The Nature of Bahá’í Social and Economic Development
Quotes for Reflection:
One of the basic principles governing Bahá’í social and economic development is that the friends should give the Teachings of Bahá’u’lláh liberally and unconditionally to humanity so that people everywhere can apply them to pressing social issues and improve their individual and collective lives, both in material and spiritual dimensions. Access to the Word of God should not be conditioned upon acceptance of Bahá’u’lláh as a Manifestation of God for today. Moreover, it would not be inappropriate to refrain from explicitly mentioning the Source of inspiration underlying an educational programme developed on the basis of His Teachings, when circumstances demand it. In this light, there are a range of options that the friends can consider when creating educational materials which draw on the teachings and principles of the Faith. — Universal House of Justice 1
Question for Consideration
What guidelines should the friends consider as they endeavor to “give the Teachings of Bahá’u’lláh liberally and unconditionally to humanity so that people everywhere can apply them to pressing social issues and improve their individual and collective lives, both in material and spiritual dimensions”?
Perplexity Pro Response 2
The guidance of the Universal House of Justice and Bahá’í writings offer clear principles for offering the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh “liberally and unconditionally,” enabling people from all backgrounds to access and apply spiritual principles for both material and spiritual advancement. The following points distill the essential guidelines to consider:
Unconditional Access and Non-coercion
- Access to the Word of God must not be conditional upon acceptance of Bahá’u’lláh as a Manifestation of God. Teachings and wisdom should be shared for the benefit of all, regardless of religious affiliation [1].
- Friends should avoid using social and economic initiatives as inducements for conversion. The aim is service, not recruitment [1].
Flexible and Contextual Presentation
- When circumstances warrant, it is acceptable—not inappropriate—to refrain from explicitly attributing educational or social materials to the Bahá’í Faith, particularly if doing so would impede the practical application or acceptance of the content [1].
- A range of approaches can be considered, allowing for discretion, wisdom, and sensitivity to local context when sharing or designing materials inspired by the teachings [1].
Promotion of Universal Principles
- Emphasize principles such as oneness of humanity, justice, equality, the harmony of science and religion, consultation, and universal participation as foundational, universally applicable values.
- Draw on both material and spiritual dimensions, showing the dynamic coherence between the two—seek not only the alleviation of material difficulties, but also spiritual transformation [1].
Building Capacity and Ownership
- Focus on empowerment, capacity building, and participation at the grassroots. Social action should aim to build the capacity of individuals and communities to address their own material and spiritual progress [1].
- Initiatives should originate within a community and draw on its strengths; external resources or expertise should only supplement—not direct—the nature or management of a project.
Organic, Gradual, and Inclusive Approach
- Development begins with modest, sustainable steps and grows organically as the community’s capacity increases [1].
- Efforts should involve as many people as possible, inviting all—regardless of background—to participate [1].
Upholding Integrity and Avoiding Deception
- Friends must act with honesty, avoiding any trace of deception in all dealings, especially when faith-inspired principles inform social or educational programs [1].
- The friends should refrain from presenting Bahá’í-based programs as “secular” if this is untruthful or intentionally misleading.
Independence and Self-reliance
- Projects should aspire toward self-sufficiency over time, limiting reliance on external funding or personnel, to ensure sustainability and foster true ownership by the local population.
Alignment with the Broader Aims of Community-building
- Social and economic initiatives are part of a wider pattern of community life—they are to complement, not replace, the devotional, educational, and consultative practices distinctive to Bahá’í community-building [1].
Summary Table: Key Guidelines
| Principle | Practical Application |
|---|---|
| Unconditional Access | Share teachings with all, without prerequisites [1] |
| Flexible Presentation | Attribute inspiration as appropriate to context [1] |
| Universal Principles | Promote values like unity, justice, and equality |
| Capacity Building | Enable local empowerment and participation [1] |
| Organic Growth | Start small, grow as capacity increases [1] |
| Integrity | Be honest and avoid misleading others [1] |
| Self-reliance | Develop sustainable, community-owned projects |
| Coherence with Community Life | Integrate development with ongoing community-building efforts [1] |
These guidelines foster an environment where Bahá’í-inspired initiatives serve all of humanity—offering transformative insight for addressing pressing social issues, building strong, diverse communities, and uniting material progress with spiritual growth [1].
Citations
Follow-Up Approaches Proposed by Perplexity
- Explore methods to adapt teachings to diverse cultural contexts.
- Identify social issues most amenable to spiritual solutions.
- Develop materials that blend spiritual and practical guidance.
- Create inclusive educational programs without explicit religious references.
- Outline steps for effective community engagement using Bahá’í principles.
- Research Department of the Universal House of Justice. “Social Action.” Bahá’í Reference Library, August 2020. https://www.bahai.org/r/654884908. ↩
- Perplexity Pro. “Guidelines for Sharing the Teachings of Bahá’u’lláh Liberally and Unconditionally.” Edited by Steve Bosserman. July 22, 2025. https://www.perplexity.ai/search/one-of-the-basic-principles-go-bAA7zJ4ASDGRlqkgQ8aMsg. ↩
Frameworks for Understanding the World 