‘Idál, 16 Sharaf (Honor), 182 B.E.
Quotes for Reflection
One day the Báb asked that some honey be purchased for Him. The price at which it had been bought seemed to Him exorbitant. He refused it and said: “Honey of a superior quality could no doubt have been purchased at a lower price. I who am your example have been a merchant by profession. It behoves you in all your transactions to follow in My way. You must neither defraud your neighbour nor allow him to defraud you. Such was the way of your Master. The shrewdest and ablest of men were unable to deceive Him, nor did He on His part choose to act ungenerously towards the meanest and most helpless of creatures.” He insisted that the attendant who had made that purchase should return and bring back to Him a honey superior in quality and cheaper in price. — The Báb 1
Question for Consideration
How does the counsel by The Báb, “You must neither defraud your neighbour nor allow him to defraud you,” apply to one’s day-to-day behavior?
Perplexity Pro Response 2
The Báb’s counsel calls for a daily habit of honest, conscientious dealing that protects both others and oneself from injustice, especially in financial and practical matters. [1]
Core meaning
- “You must neither defraud your neighbour” means never gaining an advantage by misrepresentation, hidden terms, pressure, or exploiting someone’s ignorance or vulnerability in any transaction. [1]
- “Nor allow him to defraud you” means refusing to cooperate with dishonesty, even passively: not accepting unfair terms, inflated prices, or deceptive practices when you are aware of them. [1]
In personal spending and buying
- Research prices and quality enough that you are not paying clearly exploitative rates, as in the story about the honey; this honours both your own dignity and economic justice. [1]
- Decline deals that feel dishonest (e.g., “cash only, no receipt,” “we’ll say it costs more so insurance pays”) even if they benefit you, because they involve defrauding someone else behind the scenes. [1]
In work and business
- Be scrupulously truthful in advertising, invoicing, time sheets, expense reports, and promises to customers, clients, or coworkers, so that no one is misled about value, price, or performance. [1]
- Do not go along with a workplace culture of cutting corners, padding bills, or hiding defects; calmly refuse and, where appropriate, speak up or seek a more honest way of doing the work. [1]
In friendships and family life
- Avoid manipulating others emotionally to get your way (guilt-tripping, half-truths, exaggeration about needs); this is a subtle form of defrauding trust. [1]
- Likewise, set clear, kind boundaries when others try to take advantage—repeatedly borrowing money with no plan to repay, or relying on your time and skills under false pretenses. [1]
In community and online behavior
- Share and comment online with the same integrity you would show in person: check facts, avoid passing along rumours, and do not use anonymity to misrepresent who you are. [1]
- In civic life (contracts, taxes, forms, applications), refuse both to cheat systems and to collude with people who suggest doing so; this reflects the Bahá’í teachings that trustworthiness is “the greatest portal leading unto the tranquillity and security of the people.” [1]
Follow-Up Questions Proposed by Perplexity
To deepen understanding of this counsel, questions that probe motives, patterns, and concrete situations are especially helpful. [1]
About the text itself
- What does “defraud” include beyond obvious lying or theft in modern daily life? [1]
- Why might The Báb link fair pricing and quality with spiritual integrity, rather than treating them as merely economic issues? [1]
About personal motives
- In what situations am I tempted to benefit from someone’s ignorance, confusion, or trust, even in small ways? [1]
- When I accept being overcharged or under-served without protest, is it from patience and detachment, or from passivity and fear of honest confrontation? [1]
About relationships and boundaries
- How can I be kind and forgiving without becoming an enabler of dishonest behavior in friends, family, or coworkers? [1]
- What would it look like to correct another’s attempt to take advantage of me in a way that is firm, fair, and free of hostility? [1]
About work and society
- In my work, where are the “grey areas” where people commonly cut corners—is any of this actually a form of defrauding others? [1]
- How might my example of scrupulous trustworthiness influence the culture of my workplace, community, or profession? [1]
About spiritual practice
- What practices (daily reflection, prayer, consultation) help me notice subtle dishonesty or self-deception before it harms others? [1]
- How does increasing trustworthiness and rectitude, as praised in the Bahá’í writings, change my understanding of what it means to “follow in My way”? [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/108031081. ↩︎
- Perplexity Pro. “Fairness in Dealing with Others.” Edited by Steve Bosserman. January 13, 2025. https://www.perplexity.ai/search/one-day-the-bab-asked-that-som-TfY8m7BKQ8CNugQDDWRttg#0 ↩︎
Frameworks for Understanding the World 