Fidál, 07 Raḥmat (Mercy), 183 B.E.
Quotes for Reflection
To state the matter briefly, the Teachings of Bahá’u’lláh advocate voluntary sharing, and this is a greater thing than the equalization of wealth. For equalization must be imposed from without, while sharing is a matter of free choice.
Man reacheth perfection through good deeds, voluntarily performed, not through good deeds the doing of which was forced upon him. And sharing is a personally chosen righteous act: that is, the rich should extend assistance to the poor, they should expend their substance for the poor, but of their own free will, and not because the poor have gained this end by force. For the harvest of force is turmoil and the ruin of the social order. On the other hand voluntary sharing, the freely chosen expending of one’s substance, leadeth to society’s comfort and peace. It lighteth up the world; it bestoweth honor upon humankind. — ‘Abdu’l-Bahá [1]
Question for Consideration
From a Bahá’í perspective, how can spiritual principles be applied in the voluntary/informal sector to find ways that work and begin to transform the public and private sectors? [2]
Perplexity Deep Research Response: Part I
Why the Voluntary/Informal Sector Is the Right Starting Point
The Structural Argument
The Bahá’í International Community has described the failure of modern development in frank terms: “The failure to place economics into the broader context of humanity’s social and spiritual existence has led to a corrosive materialism in the world’s more economically advantaged regions, and persistent conditions of deprivation among the masses of the world’s peoples.” [3] Both the public and private sectors are deeply embedded in this failure. Their structures, funding mechanisms, performance metrics, and incentive systems were largely designed within — and reinforce — a materialist worldview that equates progress with economic growth, efficiency with profit, and success with the accumulation of power or wealth. [4]
The voluntary/informal sector, by contrast, is not governed by quarterly earnings reports or electoral cycles. It is animated, at least potentially, by intrinsic motivation: the desire to serve, to belong to something meaningful, and to contribute to the common good. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá noted that “the Teachings of Bahá’u’lláh advocate voluntary sharing, and this is a greater thing than the equalization of wealth,” [1] furthermore, “voluntary sharing, the freely-chosen expending of one’s substance, leadeth to society’s comfort and peace. It lighteth up the world; it bestoweth honour upon humankind.” [1] [4] [5] This is the language of the voluntary sector at its best.
Crucially, the Bahá’í teachings do not advocate for a withdrawal from material engagement or a purely charitable model of voluntary action. Rather, they point toward a sector that can pioneer new forms of cooperation, consultation, and purposeful service — demonstrating at small scale what can later become standard in society at large. As the Universal House of Justice stated, each person who participates in economic life in accordance with spiritual principles adds to “a growing storehouse of knowledge” [4] [6] that benefits all.
The Epistemological Argument
The voluntary sector also offers freedom to learn — to experiment, fail, reflect, and try again — without the catastrophic consequences that attend failed experiments in state policy or corporate strategy. The Bahá’í model of social change is explicitly organized around what it calls a “culture of learning“: “characterized by constant action, reflection, consultation, and study,” [7] carried out at the community level. [7] “Baháʼís do not pretend to have all the solutions to the problems facing humanity. Rather, we seek to learn our way forward by applying first principles to the systematic generation, application, and diffusion of knowledge about social transformation.” [8]
This epistemological humility — grounded in service rather than ideology — is uniquely possible in a voluntary context. Participants are free to ask: “What actually cultivates human dignity, cooperation, and justice?” rather than “What maximizes revenue?” or “What wins votes?” [9]
Footnotes
[1] ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. SELECTIONS FROM THE WRITINGS OF ‘ABDU’L-BAHÁ. Bahá’i Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/957373581
[2] Perplexity Deep Research. “The Voluntary/Informal Sector as a Laboratory: Bahá’í Spiritual Principles and the Transformation of Society.” Edited by Steve Bosserman. June 29, 2026. https://www.perplexity.ai/computer/a/9ecfa362-6f2c-499e-b451-8198a188f127
[3] Bahá’í International Community Staff. “Valuing Spirituality in Development.” Bahá’í International Community, February 18, 1998. https://www.bic.org/statements/valuing-spirituality-development
[4] International Environment Forum Staff. “The Economy: A Bahá’í Perspective.” IEFWorld. https://iefworld.org/economy_comp
[5] Research Department of the Universal House of Justice. SOCIAL ACTION. August 2020. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/331917610
[6] Universal House of Justice. “1 March 2017 – To the Bahá’ís of the World.” Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/904550633
[7] Universal House of Justice. “26 November 2012 – To all National Spiritual Assemblies.” Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/045714051
[8] Zabihi, Selvi Adaikkalam. “The Baháʼí Experience: Religious Community and Social Change.” Great Transition Initiative, November 2023. https://greattransition.org/gti-forum/movement-experiments-adaikkalam-zabihi/
[9] Dahl, Arthur Lyon. “Rethinking Business and the Economy based on Spiritual Principles.” IEFWorld, November 20, 2018. https://iefworld.org/ddahl18k
Be the Voice of…
Therefore, all souls should consider it incumbent upon them to investigate reality. Reality is one; and when found, it will unify all mankind. Reality is the love of God. Reality is the knowledge of God. Reality is justice. Reality is the oneness or solidarity of mankind. Reality is international peace. Reality is the knowledge of verities. Reality unifies humanity. — ‘Abdu’l-Bahá The Promulgation of Universal Peace | Bahá’í Reference Library.
Frameworks for Understanding the World 