Tag: detachment

Daily Frameworks for 01 September 2026

Fidál, 13 Asmá’ (Names), 183 B.E.

Quotes for Reflection

Every one of the friends should highly praise the other and each should regard himself as evanescent and as naught in the presence of others. All matters should be consulted upon in the meeting and whatever is the majority vote should be carried out. I swear by the one true God, it is better that all should agree on a wrong decision, than for one right vote to be singled out, inasmuch as single votes can be sources of dissension, which lead to ruin. Whereas, if in one case they take a wrong decision, in a hundred other cases they will adopt right decisions, and concord and unity are preserved. This will offset any deficiency, and will eventually lead to the righting of the wrong. — ‘Abdu’l-Bahá [1]

Question for Consideration

What personal qualities contribute to productive Bahá’í consultation? [2] [3]

Perplexity Computer Response:

Productive Bahá’í consultation depends less on debate skill than on spiritual and moral qualities that make a group genuinely able to discover truth together. The central posture is to offer one’s view frankly, but hold it lightly—seeking the best understanding and the unity of the group rather than personal victory. [4]

Core qualities

‘Abdu’l‑Bahá identifies these as the “prime requisites” for people who consult:

  • Purity of motive: entering the discussion to serve the common good, not to advance status, defend a faction, or prevail personally.
  • Radiance of spirit: bringing encouragement, hope, warmth, and goodwill rather than cynicism, hostility, or gloom.
  • Detachment: separating oneself from one’s own idea, preferences, fears, and ego. A proposal can be expressed fully, then released for the group to examine.
  • Spiritual orientation: in Bahá’í terms, turning toward God and being motivated by devotion to divine principles rather than self-interest.
  • Humility and lowliness: recognizing that no one person possesses the whole truth; being ready to learn from every participant.
  • Patience and long-suffering: enduring difficulty, disagreement, delay, and imperfect outcomes without resentment or withdrawal.
  • A spirit of service: treating consultation as a responsibility to contribute to the welfare of the community, family, institution, or project—not as an arena for self-expression alone. [4]

How those qualities appear in practice

These inner dispositions show up as concrete habits:

  • Courtesy and dignity: speaking respectfully even when one strongly disagrees.
  • Care and moderation: expressing views clearly and candidly, but without exaggeration, pressure, sarcasm, or personal attack.
  • Truth-seeking: treating differing views as resources for investigation rather than threats to be defeated.
  • Frankness with calmness: contributing one’s actual judgment instead of remaining silent merely to avoid discomfort, while avoiding passion and rancor.
  • Deep listening: giving others’ ideas a fair hearing; not interrupting, belittling, or taking criticism of an idea as criticism of oneself.
  • Freedom from stubbornness: refusing to cling to a position once better insight emerges. The guidance explicitly warns that persistence in one’s own view can create discord and conceal truth.
  • Restraint and self-discipline: speaking to the point, avoiding impulsive comments, and not turning remarks toward individuals [4] [5]

The distinctive shift: idea over ownership

A particularly important quality is detachment from one’s own proposal. In a productive consultative setting, a person may say, “Here is a possible way to understand the problem,” rather than “This is my position and I must win.”

That shift allows the idea to become the group’s shared object of inquiry. Others can improve it, challenge it, combine it with another insight, or set it aside without diminishing the person who originally offered it. This is why humility, courage, and love work together: humility permits learning; courage permits honest speech; love protects unity amid difference. [6]

After a decision

Consultation also calls for maturity after the group reaches a decision. Participants are asked to support the result rather than continue campaigning for their preferred option. In the cited guidance, when differences remain, a majority decision is to be followed by all—preserving unity and enabling the group to learn from action rather than becoming paralyzed by continuing contention. [5]

A concise checklist

Before joining a consultation, someone might ask:

  • Am I here to serve the truth and the group, or to prove that I am right?
  • Can I state my real view clearly and courteously?
  • Can I listen without defensiveness or offense?
  • Can I revise or release my opinion if the evidence or collective insight points elsewhere?
  • Can I support the group’s decision sincerely, including when it was not my preference?

Those questions capture the personal discipline that turns consultation from ordinary argument into a collaborative search for wiser action.

Footnotes

[1] Research Department of the Universal House of Justice. CONSULTATION: A COMPILATION. February 1978, Revised November 1990. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/435036250

[2] Perplexity Computer. “Personal qualities that contribute to effective Bahá’í consultation.” Edited by Steve Bosserman. August 31, 2026. https://www.perplexity.ai/search/450d8a96-43ac-48ca-8bd3-0c6c7d9fe953

[3] Transformative Leadership Education Staff. “Unite, Decide, Thrive: Using Consultation to Improve Decisions” (Free Online Course). Transformative Leadership Education. https://tinyurl.com/courseconsultation

[4] The Bahá’í Faith Staff. “Consultation Quotes.” Bahá’í International Community. https://www.bahai.org/beliefs/universal-peace/articles-resources/consultation-quotes

[5] National Teaching Committee-Youth and Student Activities Staff. “A New World Order: Deepening Portfolio #1.” Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1970. https://bahai.works/index.php?title=File:A_New_World_Order.pdf&page=37

[6] Bahai9 Wiki Contributors. “Consultation.” Bahai9. https://bahai9.com/wiki/Consultation

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.

Daily Frameworks for 30 August 2026

Jamál, 11 Asmá’ (Names), 183 B.E.

Quotes for Reflection

The question of consultation is of the utmost importance, and is one of the most potent instruments conducive to the tranquillity and felicity of the people. For example, when a believer is uncertain about his affairs, or when he seeketh to pursue a project or trade, the friends should gather together and devise a solution for him. He, in his turn, should act accordingly. Likewise in larger issues, when a problem ariseth, or a difficulty occurreth, the wise should gather, consult, and devise a solution. They should then rely upon the one true God, and surrender to His Providence, in whatever way it may be revealed, for divine confirmations will undoubtedly assist. Consultation, therefore, is one of the explicit ordinances of the Lord of mankind. — ‘Abdu’l-Bahá [1]

Question for Consideration

What approaches to interacting with the ideas of others contribute to effective Bahá’í consultation? [2] [3]

Perplexity Computer Response:

Effective Baháʼí consultation calls for treating ideas as shared contributions to a collective search for truth—not as personal territory to defend. It asks participants to listen carefully, express views frankly but courteously, detach from their own proposals, and revise their thinking readily when another perspective proves stronger. [4] [5]

Treat ideas as collective property

A central approach is to separate people from positions. Once someone offers an idea, it is understood to belong to the whole group for examination, improvement, combination with other ideas, or—if warranted—setting aside. This reduces defensiveness and shifts the question from “Whose idea wins?” to “What best serves the purpose before us?” [4] [6]

In practice, that means saying:

“Let’s test this proposal against the facts and our shared aim.”

rather than:

“My proposal is better than yours.”

This also makes it easier to build on someone’s suggestion without implying that one must endorse every part of it.

Listen to understand

Participants are encouraged to give serious, unhurried attention to views already expressed before forming or presenting their own response. The aim is not merely polite turn-taking; it is allowing another person’s insight to alter, enlarge, or correct one’s initial understanding. [4] [7]

Useful habits include:

  • Ask clarifying questions before objecting: “What problem do you think this would solve?”
  • Restate an idea fairly before offering a different view.
  • Look for the valid insight inside an incomplete or impractical proposal.
  • Avoid mentally rehearsing one’s rebuttal while another person speaks.
  • Welcome perspectives from people with different experience, expertise, age, culture, or role. [4] [6]

Be frank without belittling

Baháʼí consultation does not require vague agreement or suppressing disagreement. Participants should express their views with freedom, candor, moderation, and respect; however, they should not ridicule, dismiss, attack, or belittle another person’s thought. [5] [8]

The distinction is important:

Less constructive

More consultative

“That will never work.”

“I see a risk that it may not address X; could we test it against these conditions?”

“You’re overlooking the obvious.”

“Another factor we may need to weigh is…”

“I disagree with you.”

“The evidence may point in a different direction because…”

“That’s my plan.”

“Here is a possible contribution for the group to examine.”

The focus stays on evidence, principles, consequences, and the common purpose—not motives, personalities, factions, or status.

Detach and change course readily

Detachment from one’s opinion is among the most demanding and fruitful disciplines of consultation. A person should offer an idea sincerely, then remain genuinely open to seeing it revised or replaced. The guidance emphasizes that, if an earlier view appears “more true and worthy,” one should accept it promptly rather than cling to one’s own position. [7]

This involves several dispositions:

  • Hold conclusions provisionally, especially when facts are incomplete.
  • Be willing to say, “I had not considered that; I think your point improves my view.”
  • Question one’s assumptions, preferences, and unconscious biases.
  • Do not equate yielding on a proposal with losing face or diminishing one’s contribution.
  • Seek the truth of the matter rather than a compromise between competing interests. [4]

In this sense, changing one’s mind is not weakness. It is evidence that consultation is working.

Support unity in action

After a decision is reached, the consultative posture continues. The group seeks unanimity where possible, but if a decision must be made by majority, all are called on to support it wholeheartedly in action rather than perpetuate an internal “opposition.” Experience in implementation then becomes further evidence: the group can reflect, learn, and adjust later if the decision proves mistaken or incomplete. [5] [6]

That sequence—free expression, dispassionate consideration, unity of action, and reflection on results—prevents consultation from becoming either debate for its own sake or superficial consensus.

At its best, Baháʼí consultation cultivates humility and courage together: enough courage to offer a needed perspective honestly, and enough humility to let the shared investigation of reality lead beyond one’s own initial view. [4] [7]

Footnotes

[1] Research Department of the Universal House of Justice. CONSULTATION: A COMPILATION. February 1978, Revised November 1990. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/226085464

[2] Perplexity Computer. “Interacting with the ideas of others.” Edited by Steve Bosserman. August 29, 2026. https://www.perplexity.ai/search/078d684d-29aa-4bc9-a47c-929ca8e5e9c2

[3] Transformative Leadership Education Staff. “Unite, Decide, Thrive: Using Consultation to Improve Decisions” (Free Online Course). Transformative Leadership Education. https://tinyurl.com/courseconsultation

[4] Lambshead, Jeremy. “Five helpful habits for effective consultation.” Bahá’ís of the United States, April 16, 2025. https://www.bahai.us/five-helpful-habits-for-effective-consultation/

[5] The Bahá’í Faith Staff. “Consultation Quotes.” Bahá’í International Community. https://www.bahai.org/beliefs/universal-peace/articles-resources/consultation-quotes

[6] Uplifting Words Staff. “Baha’i Consultation.” October 11, 2019. Uplifting Words. https://www.upliftingwords.org/post/prerequisites-and-conditions-of-bahai-consultation

[7] Naraqi, Anisa. “One Little Word that Will Help Solve Your Problems – and the World’s Too.” Baha’i Blog, May 15, 2014. https://www.bahaiblog.net/articles/bahai-life/latest-22-jan-2014-consultation/

[8] Bahá’í Quotes Staff. “Consultation.” Bahá’í Quotes. https://bahaiquotes.com/subject/consultation

Be the Voice of…

https://x.com/HRANA_English/status/2093244298481324188?s=20

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.

Daily Frameworks for 28 August 2026

Istiqlál, 09 Asmá’ (Names), 183 B.E.

Quotes for Reflection

One consecrated soul is preferable to a thousand other souls. If a small number of people gather lovingly together, with absolute purity and sanctity, with their hearts free of the world, experiencing the emotions of the Kingdom and the powerful magnetic forces of the Divine, and being at one in their happy fellowship, that gathering will exert its influence over all the earth. The nature of that band of people, the words they speak, the deeds they do, will unleash the bestowals of Heaven, and provide a foretaste of eternal bliss. The hosts of the Company on high will defend them, and the angels of the Abhá Paradise, in continuous succession, will come down to their aid. — ‘Abdu’l-Bahá [1]

Question for Consideration

What are the implications of participants in Bahá’í consultation possessing differing degrees of personal agency and how can the group forestall or mitigate potential negative consequences? [2] [3]

Perplexity Computer Response:

Differing degrees of personal agency can make Bahá’í consultation either richer or more vulnerable. People bring unequal confidence, knowledge, social status, time, language fluency, material security, and freedom from coercion; unless the group actively addresses those differences, “consultation” can quietly become deference to the most powerful, articulate, informed, or socially secure participant.

Bahá’í teachings frame consultation as a collective search for truth in which participants should express views freely, without fear of censure or belittlement, and offer opinions as contributions rather than possessions to be defended. [4] [5]

What unequal agency changes

Personal agency is the practical ability to form a view, express it, influence a decision, and act on the group’s conclusions. In a consultative setting, uneven agency may arise from:

  • Differences in spiritual or intellectual self-confidence.
  • Age, gender, race, class, education, disability, language, or organizational position.
  • Unequal access to information, preparatory time, or relevant experience.
  • Dependence on other participants for livelihood, housing, approval, safety, or belonging.
  • Previous experiences of dismissal, prejudice, conflict, or abuse.

These differences are not merely interpersonal inconveniences. They shape what evidence enters the conversation, whose lived experience is recognized as relevant, and whether consent to a decision reflects genuine conviction or reluctant compliance.

Potential negative consequences

PatternLikely consequence
Confident speakers dominateThe group mistakes verbal fluency or status for sound judgment; important realities remain unheard.
Less-powerful members self-censorThe consultation loses candor and becomes falsely harmonious rather than genuinely unified.
Expertise is treated as authorityKnowledgeable participants may unintentionally close inquiry, while the group loses the corrective value of multiple perspectives.
Participants defer prematurelyA decision may gain superficial unanimity but lack shared understanding, ownership, and follow-through.
Social vulnerability goes unaddressedFear of embarrassment, retaliation, or relational loss can make free expression impossible; this directly violates a basic condition of successful consultation. [4]
Inequality is spiritualizedCalls for unity or detachment can be misused to silence valid concerns about power, injustice, harm, or exclusion.

The result can be poor decisions, weakened trust, dependency on a few “strong” personalities, and a culture in which participation is formally open but substantively unequal.

A constructive Bahá’í reading

The remedy is not to demand that every person arrive with identical capacity. That would be unrealistic and can itself become exclusionary. Rather, the group should treat the development of every participant’s capacity to investigate, articulate, deliberate, and serve as part of its collective responsibility.

The teachings join independent investigation with consultation: individuals are to investigate reality for themselves, while consultation enables a group to reach common understanding and define collective action through a respectful, fair-minded exchange of views. Thus, individual agency and collective unity are not competing ideals. Healthy unity depends on people being able to contribute authentically; agency becomes fruitful when it is exercised with humility, detachment, and a commitment to the common good. [5] [6]

Practices that mitigate harm

  • Create conditions for real safety. Begin with an explicit norm that disagreement is welcome, no one will be ridiculed or penalized for speaking, and concerns about harm or inequity will be taken seriously. Where violence, abuse, or intimidation is present, ordinary consultation is not enough; safety and protection must come first. [4]
  • Share information before deliberation. Circulate relevant facts, questions, guidance, and constraints in accessible formats ahead of time. This reduces the advantage held by those with insider knowledge or more preparation time.
  • Structure participation rather than relying on spontaneity. Use a round in which each person can speak without interruption; invite written reflections or anonymous input when useful; pause before decisions; and have the facilitator actively seek views that have not yet been heard. “Who sees this differently?” is often more helpful than “Does everyone agree?”
  • Separate people from proposals. Treat an idea as belonging to the group once voiced. Participants can amend, challenge, combine, or abandon proposals without making disagreement feel like a personal rejection. This operationalizes the principle of detachment from one’s own opinion.
  • Value situated experience alongside formal expertise. A specialist can clarify evidence and consequences, but people directly affected by a decision may perceive dimensions that technical analysis misses. Seek both kinds of knowledge deliberately.
  • Name power dynamics without accusation. A chair or facilitator can say: “We have heard several views from those with institutional responsibility; before moving on, we need the perspective of those who will bear the practical consequences.” This is not divisive—it improves the group’s contact with reality.
  • Build agency between meetings. Offer mentoring, study, skill-building, language access, child care, transportation, flexible meeting times, and opportunities for people to take meaningful responsibility. Agency is strengthened through repeated practice, not merely encouragement.
  • Use provisional action and learning. When certainty is unavailable, make a time-limited decision, identify indicators to watch, assign review responsibility, and revisit it. Bahá’í-oriented guidance describes consultation as a process of learning in action, not a demand for infallibility from any individual or group. [7]
  • Distinguish unity from silence. Unity after a decision means supporting the agreed course and learning from its results; it does not require pretending that concerns never existed. A group can record reservations, protect dissenters from stigma, and agree on conditions that would trigger reconsideration.

A useful facilitation question

Before deciding, a group might ask:

“Whose ability to participate freely may be limited here, what knowledge or experience are we missing, and what must we change so that this decision reflects a fuller investigation of reality?”

That question turns unequal agency from an unspoken defect into a shared field of service. It protects the dignity of quieter or less-secure participants while also helping more influential members use their capacity constructively: not to prevail, but to make fuller participation—and therefore wiser collective action—possible.

Footnotes

[1] Research Department of the Universal House of Justice. CONSULTATION: A COMPILATION. February 1978, Revised November 1990. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/690802263

[2] Perplexity Computer. “Personal agency in Bahá’í consultation.” Edited by Steve Bosserman. August 27, 2026. https://www.perplexity.ai/search/efb14e4a-4905-41c0-8fca-660857debb56

[3] Transformative Leadership Education Staff. “Unite, Decide, Thrive: Using Consultation to Improve Decisions” (Free Online Course). Transformative Leadership Education. https://tinyurl.com/courseconsultation

[4] Research Department of the Universal House of Justice. FAMILY LIFE: A COMPILATION. Bahá’í Reference Library, March 2008. https://www.bahai.org/r/582622718

[5] ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. THE PROMULGATION OF UNIVERSAL PEACE. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/820079356

[6] Research Department of the Universal House of Justice. SOCIAL ACTION: A COMPILATION. Bahá’í Reference Library, August 2020. https://www.bahai.org/r/974297387

[7] Lambshead, Jeremy. “Five helpful habits for effective consultation.” Bahá’ís of the United States, April 16, 2025. https://www.bahai.us/five-helpful-habits-for-effective-consultation/

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.

Daily Frameworks for 28 June 2026

Jamál, 05 Raḥmat (Mercy), 183 B.E.

Quotes for Reflection

Whoso cleaveth to justice, can, under no circumstances, transgress the limits of moderation. He discerneth the truth in all things, through the guidance of Him Who is the All-Seeing. The civilization, so often vaunted by the learned exponents of arts and sciences, will, if allowed to overleap the bounds of moderation, bring great evil upon men. Thus warneth you He Who is the All-Knowing. If carried to excess, civilization will prove as prolific a source of evil as it had been of goodness when kept within the restraints of moderation. Meditate on this, O people, and be not of them that wander distraught in the wilderness of error. The day is approaching when its flame will devour the cities, when the Tongue of Grandeur will proclaim: “The Kingdom is God’s, the Almighty, the All-Praised!” — Bahá’u’lláh [1]

Question for Consideration

What is the Bahá’í perspective on materialism? [2]

Gemini/NotebookLM Response

The Bahá’í perspective views materialism as a profound distortion of human reality and purpose, characterizing it not simply as the possession of goods, but as a mindset that treats material matter, wealth, status, and physical pleasure as ultimate realities while denying the primacy of the spirit [3].

A Mindset of “Crude Materialism”

Bahá’í writings describe “crude” or “crass” materialism as a “cancerous” force that has become a dominant global faith, often capturing centers of power and information [4] [5] [6]. Philosophically, this view reduces human beings to “purely self-interested economic units” and “insatiable consumers,” depicting them as slaves to animal impulses and self-interest [4] [6] [7].

The sources highlight two primary facets of this perspective:

  • The Denial of Spirit: Materialism treats consciousness and the soul as mere by-products of the brain, leading to a “disenchanted” world characterized by a loss of meaning and spiritual susceptibility [3] [8] [9].
  • A “Devouring Flame”: Shoghi Effendi described rampant materialism as a “devouring flame” that precipitated world-shaking crises, social conflict, and the breakdown of traditional morality [5] [6].

The Impact on Individuals and Society

The Bahá’í perspective identifies several destructive consequences of a materialistic worldview:

  • Psychological Pathologies: It traps individuals in a “perpetual cycle of neediness,” where escalating desires lead to anxiety, loneliness, and a sense of isolation and despair [3] [8].
  • Social Maladjustments: It breeds a culture of consumerism that encourages the satisfaction of “basest and most selfish desires,” resulting in the widening of the gap between the rich and the poor and the “pillage of natural resources” [4] [6] [10].
  • Moral Decline: Under a materialistic lens, qualities like greed, lust, and pride acquire social and economic value, often disguised as “social progress” or “civil rights” [4] [6].

The Bahá’í Alternative: Dynamic Coherence

The Bahá’í Faith does not advocate for asceticism or the shunning of material goods [6] [11]. Instead, it promotes a “dynamic coherence” between the material and spiritual dimensions of life [3] [12] [13].

  • Material Civilization as the “Body”: Material civilization is compared to a lamp-glass or a body, while divine civilization is the lamp’s light or the soul. Without the “spirit,” material achievements remain “lifeless” and “dead” [4] [13] [14].
  • Wealth as a “Means,” Not an “End”: Wealth is considered “praiseworthy in the highest degree” if it is acquired through honest effort and expended for philanthropic purposes, the promotion of knowledge, or the common good [4] [10] [15]. However, to make the accumulation of wealth the central purpose of life is deemed “unworthy” [4] [10].
  • Work as Worship: Engaging in a trade or profession is mandated and elevated to the rank of worship when performed in a spirit of service to humanity [4] [15].
  • The “Two Wings” of Science and Religion: Science and religion are described as the two wings upon which human intelligence soars. Science without religion leads to the “despairing slough of materialism,” while religion without science falls into the “quagmire of superstition” [6] [13] [16].

The Path to Detachment

Detachment in the Bahá’í context is not defined by the lack of possessions, but by the attitude of the heart. It consists of “refraining from letting our possessions possess us” [17]. The goal is for individuals to be “detached in the spirit,” where “extreme wealth or utter poverty” would be equal to them in their pursuit of God [17]. This perspective encourages moderation, contentment with little, and the recognition that true happiness derives from spiritual enlightenment rather than constant acquisition [4] [8] [15].

Footnotes

[1] Bahá’u’lláh. GLEANINGS FROM THE WRITINGS OF BAHÁ’U’LLÁH. Bahá’i Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/042388414

[2] Gemini/NotebookLM. “Denial of Spirit and a Devouring Flame: Materialism in Bahá’í Thought.” Edited by Steve Bosserman. June 27, 2026. https://notebooklm.google.com/notebook/bf32a658-8f5f-4c88-ac6c-9751a44ce68e

[3] Perplexity Computer. “Bahá’í Perspective on Materialism.” Edited by Steve Bosserman. June 26, 2026. https://www.perplexity.ai/search/c3ff785b-c0b3-4cf0-a1e3-e99bff378e56

[4] International Environment Forum Staff. “Baha’i Quotations on Environment and Sustainable Development.” International Environment Forum. https://iefworld.org/cmpquotes.htm

[5] Effendi, Shoghi. CITADEL OF FAITH: America Passing Through Crisis. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/043294559

[6] International Environment Forum Staff. “Scientific and Spiritual Dimensions of Climate Change – Unit 6: Materialism.” International Environment Forum. https://iefworld.org/ssdcc6b

[7] Bahá’í World News Service Staff. “Alternatives to consumer culture focus of new Baha’i document” BWNS – Bahai.org, May 5, 2010. https://news.bahai.org/story/770/alternatives-consumer-culture-focus-new-bahai-document

[8] Abdu’l-Missagh Ghadirian. “Materialism and Discontent: Bahá’í Perspectives.” Wilmette Institute on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVDt7B7HKU0

[9] Saiedi, Nader. “’Abdu’l-Bahá’s Critique of Materialist Philosophy.” Bahá’í Faith Modern Perspectives on YouTube, August 13, 2022. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SExC9z0mdnU

[10] Universal House of Justice. “2 April 2010 – To the Believers in the Cradle of the Faith.” Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/389489026

[11] Uplifting Words Staff. “Baha’i Faith’s Perspective on Wealth: A Balance of Material and Spiritual Prosperity.” Uplifting Words, July 16, 2023. https://www.upliftingwords.org/post/bahai-faiths-perspective-on-wealth-a-balance-of-material-and-spiritual-prosperity

[12] Bahá’í International Community Staff. “Oral Statement to the 49th Session of the United Nations Commission for Social Development.” United Nations, February 14, 2011. https://www.un.org/esa/socdev/csocd/2011/bahai.pdf

[13] Office of Social and Economic Development. “The Worldwide Bahá’í Community’s Approach to Social and Economic Development.” Uplifting Words, March 31, 2019/Updated April 11, 2019. https://www.upliftingwords.org/post/the-worldwide-bahai-community-s-approach-to-social-and-economic-development

[14] Perry, Anne Gordon. “Battling Our Attachment to the Things of this World.” BahaiTeachings.org. https://bahaiteachings.org/battling-attachment-things-world/

[15] International Environment Forum Staff. “The Economy: A Bahá’í Perspective.” International Environment Forum. https://iefworld.org/economy_comp

[16] Bahaipedia Staff. “Science.” Bahaipedia.org. https://bahaipedia.org/Science

[17] Poyer, Lin. “The Role of Material Goods in Spiritual Development.” Bahá’í Library Online. https://bahai-library.com/pdf/p/poyer_material_goods.pdf

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.

239 Days in America, Day 58: June 07, 1912 | New York

Out and About in New York 1

Since ‘Abdu’l-Bahá had returned from Chicago on May 11, he had been living on the top floor of the Hudson Apartment House at 227 Riverside Drive, but the landlord had asked him to leave because the constant stream of visitors was too much for his staff to handle. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá then moved for a few days to the home of Edward and Carrie Kinney, just around the corner at 780 West End Avenue. But before returning from Milford, he had asked his staff to rent the new house on West 78th Street.

There was already a gathering waiting to meet him. When speaking to them he compared the material advances of America to “a glass of the utmost transparency and purity,” the purpose of which is to bring about “divine civilization,” which acts as the “shining lamp.” Unlike the other famous Eastern visitors to America, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá did not condemn the industrial success of the nation. Instead, “the more people advance in the material realm, he said, “the more their capacity for attaining spirituality is augmented.” He continued: “The sounder the body, the greater is the resplendency and manifestation of the spirit.” The material world does not impede spirituality, but rather “the dogmas and imitations that are contrary to true science and a sound mind.”

Friday, June 7, 1912 2

One of our companions showed such grave negligence and impudence that the heart of the beloved Master as well as our own hearts were saddened. However, observing his behavior and the forbearance of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, we have not written about his actions, which were often the source of grief to the Master.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá had accepted an invitation from church leaders in Philadelphia and left New York, even though He was exhausted and greatly grieved. Nevertheless, He gave two talks to the friends in Philadelphia, one during the day and the other in the evening. He spoke on the importance of the steadfastness of the friends and their devotion and sincerity to the Cause and acceptance of afflictions in the path of God. He stated that the purpose of the Supreme Manifestation of Abhá in enduring the severest persecutions and afflictions, and the troubles and martyrdoms suffered by so many innocent souls, was for the purification of the souls, the detachment of the hearts, the happiness of the spirits and the spirituality of the friends.

Because of His extreme exhaustion, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá did not attend some of the meetings and gave His apologies. But the friends, with increasing fervor and ardor, resembling moths in the court of union, sang His praises and glories like unto enchanted nightingales, desiring neither sleep nor rest.

New York, Philadelphia, New York 3

The next day, [June 7] Mahmúd noted, “One of the servants showed such negligence and impudence that the Most Holy Heart and the hearts of the servants of the Holy Threshold were made sad.”

Talk at Church of the Ascension, Fifth Avenue and Tenth Street, New York, 02 June 1912

Question: Is peace a greater word than love?

Answer: No! Love is greater than peace, for peace is founded upon love. Love is the objective point of peace, and peace is an outcome of love. Until love is attained, peace cannot be; but there is a so-called peace without love. The love which is from God is the fundamental. This love is the object of all human attainment, the radiance of heaven, the light of man. 4

Question: What will be the food of the united people?

Answer: As humanity progresses, meat will be used less and less, for the teeth of man are not carnivorous. For example, the lion is endowed with carnivorous teeth, which are intended for meat, and if meat be not found, the lion starves. The lion cannot graze; its teeth are of different shape. The digestive system of the lion is such that it cannot receive nourishment save through meat. The eagle has a crooked beak, the lower part shorter than the upper. It cannot pick up grain; it cannot graze; therefore, it is compelled to partake of meat. The domestic animals have herbivorous teeth formed to cut grass, which is their fodder. The human teeth, the molars, are formed to grind grain. The front teeth, the incisors, are for fruits, etc. It is, therefore, quite apparent according to the implements for eating that man’s food is intended to be grain and not meat. When mankind is more fully developed, the eating of meat will gradually cease. 5

’Abdu’l-Bahá in America, 1912-2012: Calling America to It’s Spiritual Destiny

Mahmud: June 7 – Though exhausted and greatly grieved the Master went to Philadelphia to fulfill a scheduled event

Celebrating the Centenary: The Master in America

Curated by Anne Perry

June 7-8, 1912

  1. Jones, Caitlin Shayda. “Out and About in New York.” 239 Days in America, 7 June 2012, https://239days.com/2012/06/07/new-york-new-york/. ↩
  2. ’Abdu’l-Bahá, and Mirza Mahmud-i-Zarqani. Mahmúd’s Diary: The Diary of Mírzá Mahmúd-i-Zarqání Chronicling ’Abdu’l-Bahá’s Journey to America. Edited by Shirley Macias. Translated by Mohi Sobhani. Oxford: George Ronald, 1998. https://bahai-library.com/zarqani_mahmuds_diary&chapter=4#section75 ↩
  3. Ward, Allan L. 239 Days: ʻAbdu’l-Bahá’s Journey in America. Wilmette, Ill: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1979, 87. ↩
  4. ʻAbduʼl-Bahá. The Promulgation of Universal Peace: Talks Delivered by ʻAbduʼl-Bahá during His Visit to the United States and Canada in 1912. Edited by Howard MacNutt. 2nd ed. Wilmette, Ill: Baháʼí Publishing Trust, 1982, 169. https://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/abdul-baha/promulgation-universal-peace/12#943259481. ↩
  5. ʻAbduʼl-Bahá. The Promulgation of Universal Peace: Talks Delivered by ʻAbduʼl-Bahá during His Visit to the United States and Canada in 1912. Edited by Howard MacNutt. 2nd ed. Wilmette, Ill: Baháʼí Publishing Trust, 1982, 170-171. https://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/abdul-baha/promulgation-universal-peace/12#984611638. ↩