Istiqlál, 11 Sharaf (Honor), 182 B.E.
Quotes for Reflection
Commerce is as a heaven, whose sun is trustworthiness and whose moon is truthfulness. The most precious of all things in the estimation of Him Who is the Sovereign Truth is trustworthiness: thus hath it been recorded in the sacred Scroll of God. Entreat ye the one true God to enable all mankind to attain to this most noble and lofty station. — Bahá’u’lláh 1
Question for Consideration
From a Bahá’í perspective, why are trustworthiness and truthfulness are so important to commerce?
Perplexity Pro Response 2
From a Bahá’í perspective, trustworthiness and truthfulness are essential to commerce because they are the spiritual forces that make economic life just, stable, and a means of drawing humanity nearer to God rather than exploiting one another. [1]
Foundations in the Writings
- Bahá’u’lláh describes trustworthiness as “the greatest portal leading unto the tranquillity and security of the people” and the basis for the “stability of every affair,” including economic transactions. [1]
- In the specific passage you quoted, commerce is likened to a “heaven” whose “sun is trustworthiness and whose moon is truthfulness,” indicating that without these two virtues, the entire ‘sky’ of economic life is darkened and cannot function as intended. [1]
Commerce as Worship and Service
- Bahá’u’lláh states that engaging in a trade or profession is counted as an act of worship, but “before all else” the believer must receive “the mantle of trustworthiness,” for it is the chief means of attracting divine confirmation and prosperity. [1]
- Commerce is therefore not just a secular activity but a spiritual arena where one manifests justice, honesty, and love for humanity; if trustworthiness and truthfulness are absent, the act ceases to be worship and becomes spiritually harmful. [1]
Protection of Rights and Social Justice
- The Bahá’í writings stress that trustworthiness is “the supreme instrument for the prosperity of the world” and the “door of security for all that dwell on earth.” [1]
- In business this means honest weights, fair pricing, paying debts, and safeguarding others’ property, so that the rights of buyers, sellers, workers, and creditors are protected and exploitation is minimized. [1]
Moral Character and Community Reputation
- ‘Abdu’l‑Bahá calls truthfulness “the foundation of all human virtues” and says that without it, no progress is possible “in all the worlds of God,” implying that even economic progress collapses if it is built on deceit. [1]
- He explains that if someone does many good works but lacks trustworthiness, those works become “as dry tinder,” whereas persistent honesty eventually rectifies other defects; thus in commerce, integrity is the non‑negotiable core of character. [1]
Means of Teaching and Unity
- The writings urge that Bahá’ís conduct their business so fairly that people exclaim, “How great is their truthfulness, how high their trustworthiness,” and are thereby attracted to the Faith. [1]
- Because the purpose of religion is the “peace, security and tranquillity” of humanity, trustworthiness and truthfulness in commerce become practical means of building unity, overcoming suspicion between classes and nations, and demonstrating that spiritual principles can guide material life. [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/805866598. ↩︎
- Perplexity Pro. “The Significance of Trustworthiness and Truthfulness for Commerce.” Edited by Steve Bosserman. January 8, 2025. https://www.perplexity.ai/search/commerce-is-as-a-heaven-whose-.gWkzDQTTG2PkKMeFWOdpA#0 ↩︎
Frameworks for Understanding the World 