Kamál, 16 Sulțán (Sovereignty), 182 B.E.
Quotes for Reflection
Those souls who are employed in government departments should approach their duties with entire detachment, integrity and independence of spirit, and with complete consecration and sanctity of purpose. Content with the wages they are receiving, they should see that they do not stain their fair character through acts of bribery and fraud. Were one of the friends in this day to misappropriate so much as a single penny, the sacred mantle of God’s Cause would become sullied by his action and the shame of it would attach to the whole community. Heaven forbid! Nay, rather, the government and people should come to repose such trust in the Bahá’ís as to wish to commit all affairs of state throughout the provinces into the chaste, pure hands of God’s well-beloved. — ‘Abdu’l-Bahá 1
Question for Consideration
What would be the effect if “the government and people should come to repose such trust in the Bahá’ís as to wish to commit all affairs of state throughout the provinces into the chaste, pure hands of God’s well-beloved”?
Perplexity Pro Response 2
It would mean that public life had become so characterized by integrity and justice that the governing authorities would naturally turn to the Bahá’ís as the safest, most reliable trustees of collective affairs, because of their proven trustworthiness, detachment, and service to the common good. [1]
Nature of that trust
- The phrase implies a reputation so strong that both rulers and citizens would voluntarily prefer Bahá’ís to administer public functions, not through coercion or clerical rule, but because of consistent upright conduct and freedom from corruption. [1]
- It presupposes that Bahá’ís in government show “perfect integrity, probity and rectitude,” are content with modest wages, and refuse bribery or self‑interest, so that their moral standard itself becomes the proof of their fitness to serve. [1]
Effects on governance
- Administration of affairs by such people would make justice, honesty, and the protection of rights the norm in public institutions, reducing oppression, fraud, and abuse of power. [1]
- The resulting confidence in public officials would strengthen social cohesion and stability, since people would see government service as an arena of selfless service, not personal gain. [1]
Effects on the Bahá’í community
- The community’s honour would be safeguarded and elevated, because public office would be exercised in a way that “preserve[s] their fair name from blemish” and reflects the sanctity of the Cause. [1]
- Bahá’ís would demonstrate in practice that their Faith produces individuals who are “the trustees of God amongst His creatures,” thereby attracting hearts and opening doors for the Faith through deeds rather than words. [1]
Wider spiritual implications
- Society would receive a living example of how trustworthiness can act as “the greatest portal leading unto the tranquillity and security of the people,” showing that moral transformation is the foundation of sound governance. [1]
- Such a condition foreshadows the long‑term Bahá’í vision in which public life is increasingly shaped by spiritual principles—equity, detachment from wealth, and sincere service—rather than by factional interests or material ambition. [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/014704750 ↩︎
- Perplexity Pro. “Into the Chaste, Pure Hands of God’s Well-Beloved.” Edited by Steve Bosserman. February 1, 2026. https://www.perplexity.ai/search/those-souls-who-are-employed-i-Vg5ojVclT_KEYoycGv_leQ#0 ↩︎
Frameworks for Understanding the World 