Fidál, 03 Sulțán (Sovereignty), 182 B.E.
Quotes for Reflection
The primary characteristic of true believers is trustworthiness whereas the primary characteristic of the rebellious is faithlessness. — ‘Abdu’l-Bahá 1
Question for Consideration
How does faithlessness relate to the absence of trustworthiness?
Perplexity Pro Response 2
Faithlessness in this context is not just “not having faith”; it is the inner condition that makes genuine trustworthiness impossible, and so it shows itself outwardly as unreliability, betrayal, or treachery. [1]
Faith, trust, and character
- In the Bahá’í writings, faith is compared to a tree whose fruits and branches are virtues such as trustworthiness, truthfulness, uprightness, and forbearance. [1]
- That image implies that where true faith is present, trustworthiness naturally grows; where faith is absent or diseased, the “fruit” of trustworthiness fails to appear, or appears only superficially. [1]
What faithlessness is
- Faithlessness means turning away from, or refusing, a covenantal relationship with God and truth; it is not merely doubt, but a conscious stance of disloyalty or rebellion. [1]
- Because of this, the primary quality that marks the “rebellious,” as ‘Abdu’l‑Bahá says, is faithlessness—a settled disposition that does not bind itself to anything higher than self, and so does not feel bound to keep trust. [1]
Why faithlessness destroys trustworthiness
- ‘Abdu’l‑Bahá explains that trustworthiness is the “bedrock” of religion and “the foundation of all virtues and perfections,” to the point that “a man deprived of this quality is destitute of everything,” and that “what shall faith and piety avail if trustworthiness be lacking?” [1]
- Faithlessness, then, is precisely the refusal of that bedrock: it severs the inner bond that would make a person loyal to God, to conscience, and to others, so that promises, covenants, and responsibilities lose their sacred weight and can be broken whenever they conflict with ego or desire. [1]
From inner stance to outward behavior
- When trust is seen as a divine trust, faith engenders a scrupulous honesty even in small things: the person will not wrong others in business, family, or community, even at cost to themselves. [1]
- When that faith is absent or repudiated, there is no deep reason to be consistently reliable; trustworthiness may be practiced selectively, for advantage or appearance, but can be sacrificed whenever it no longer serves one’s immediate aims—this is faithlessness unfolding as untrustworthiness in life. [1]
Reading the quoted sentence
- So when ‘Abdu’l‑Bahá says “the primary characteristic of true believers is trustworthiness whereas the primary characteristic of the rebellious is faithlessness,” He is contrasting two inner orientations: one that binds itself in faith and therefore becomes a safe keeper of every trust, and one that refuses such binding and therefore cannot be relied upon. [1]
- Faithlessness relates to the absence of trustworthiness as root to fruit in reverse: it is the inner negation that prevents the stable growth of trustworthy character, turning life into a field where covenants, duties, and relationships can be abandoned whenever self‑interest dictates. [1]
Follow-Up Questions Proposed by Perplexity
- How does Bahá’í scripture define faithlessness?
- What examples illustrate trustworthiness in ‘Abdu’l‑Bahá’s writings?
- How is trustworthiness taught in Bahá’í communities today?
- What are practical steps to cultivate trustworthiness?
- How does faithlessness affect spiritual development in Bahá’í thought?
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/666220650. ↩︎
- Perplexity Pro. “The Primary Characteristic of True Believers.” Edited by Steve Bosserman. January 19, 2025. https://www.perplexity.ai/search/the-primary-characteristic-of-uwpd.BZ5Q2OryJWZ6fQSpg#0 ↩︎
Frameworks for Understanding the World 