Tag: investigation of reality

Daily Frameworks for 02 September 2026

‘Idál, 14 Asmá’ (Names), 183 B.E.

Quotes for Reflection

The purpose of consultation is to show that the views of several individuals are assuredly preferable to one man, even as the power of a number of men is of course greater than the power of one man. Thus consultation is acceptable in the presence of the Almighty, and hath been enjoined upon the believers, so that they may confer upon ordinary and personal matters, as well as on affairs which are general in nature and universal.

For instance, when a man hath a project to accomplish, should he consult with some of his brethren, that which is agreeable will of course be investigated and unveiled to his eyes, and the truth will be disclosed. Likewise on a higher level, should the people of a village consult one another about their affairs, the right solution will certainly be revealed. In like manner, the members of each profession, such as in industry, should consult, and those in commerce should similarly consult on business affairs. In short, consultation is desirable and acceptable in all things and on all issues. — ‘Abdu’l-Bahá [1]

Question for Consideration

Given that the most seemingly mundane, pedestrian exchange is potentially consultative and an opportunity to be there for one another, what conversations, if any, would warrant behaviors different from those outlined by the guidelines and qualities for effective Bahá’í consultation? [2] [3]

Perplexity Computer Response:

The ordinary virtues of Bahá’í consultation—love, courtesy, truthfulness, humility, detachment from one’s own view, attentive listening, and a sincere wish for another’s good—are broadly applicable to nearly every exchange. What changes is not the moral foundation, but the form, boundaries, pace, and purpose of the conversation.

In other words: most conversations can be consultative in spirit, but not every conversation should be conducted as a full consultative process aimed at a shared decision or consensus.

A useful distinction

Bahá’í consultation is especially suited to collective investigation of reality and to deciding on action for a shared concern. Its distinctive features include frank but courteous expression, freedom from argument and imposition, detachment from personal opinions, and—where a group has authority—moving toward a decision that members support in action. [4] [5]

A pedestrian encounter—“How are you?” “Could you help me carry this?” “What do you think of this book?”—may embody these qualities without needing formal elements such as a defined question, a systematic exploration of facts, or a decision.

The key question is:

Is this a conversation in which people are jointly seeking truth or deciding a shared course of action—or is another human need primary?

Where another need is primary, the consultative virtues remain, but certain typical consultation behaviors may be inappropriate or insufficient.

Conversations that call for a different emphasis

Kind of conversation

What should change

Why

Grief, shock, or acute distress

Prioritize presence, listening, tenderness, and practical care over analysis or solutions

A person may need companionship and emotional safety before they can reflect or decide

Confidential disclosures

Clarify and rigorously protect privacy; share information only with informed consent or where a serious safeguarding/legal duty applies

Confidentiality is expressly important, especially for personal problems and information received in a professional or institutional capacity. [6]

Crisis or imminent danger

Act quickly to secure safety, summon emergency or professional help, and use clear direction when needed

A prolonged, equal-footed deliberation can be dangerous when time matters

Abuse, coercion, harassment, or exploitation

Do not treat the situation as a symmetrical disagreement to be reconciled; believe, protect, document where appropriate, and connect the person with competent support

“Both sides” framing can conceal power imbalance and expose someone to further harm

Professional care or expert advice

Be transparent about competence and limits; refer to qualified help rather than presenting consultation as a substitute for medicine, mental-health care, law, finance, or safeguarding expertise

Consultation can help a person weigh choices, but it does not erase professional standards or the need for evidence-based expertise

Conflict with unequal power

Create conditions in which the less powerful person can speak freely; avoid pressuring disclosure, forgiveness, or consensus

Frankness is not genuine if one party risks retaliation, loss, or humiliation

Personal boundaries and consent

Treat “no,” silence, withdrawal, or “I don’t want to discuss this” as decisive; do not insist on fuller disclosure for the sake of mutual understanding

Consultation requires voluntary participation; consent is not something to negotiate away

Institutional or group decisions

Use the fuller discipline of consultation: define the question, gather relevant facts, distinguish confidential from open matters, hear diverse views, decide, then support implementation

This is the setting for which consultation’s decision-making practices are most directly designed. [4] [7]

Casual conviviality, play, art, and friendship

Allow spontaneity, humor, storytelling, silence, and disagreement without converting the exchange into problem-solving

Human fellowship is not valuable only when it produces a decision or solution

Cases where consultation should pause

A particularly important exception is when conversation has ceased to be genuinely consultative. The Bahá’í guidance itself says that if discussion becomes prolonged or gives rise to disputation, it should be deferred until a more propitious time. [4]

That can mean pausing when:

  • Tempers are escalating and participants are no longer able to listen fairly.
  • Someone is exhausted, dysregulated, intoxicated, afraid, or under acute pressure.
  • Essential facts are missing and the group is speculating.
  • A person needs time to reflect privately or seek counsel.
  • The discussion has become repetitive advocacy rather than a shared search for reality.
  • Continuing would breach confidentiality, compromise dignity, or put someone at risk.

A pause is not a failure of consultation. It can be the most consultative response available because it protects the conditions—love, clarity, justice, and detachment—under which truth can emerge.

Not every difference needs resolution

An overly expansive use of “consultation” can unintentionally turn ordinary life into continuous adjudication. Some matters call not for a conclusion but for respectful coexistence:

  • A friend’s artistic taste.
  • Different spiritual temperaments or modes of devotion.
  • Preferences about food, recreation, clothing, or leisure.
  • A person’s need to narrate an experience without being corrected, diagnosed, or advised.
  • A private decision that belongs principally to one individual.

In these cases, the appropriate behavior may be curiosity rather than inquiry, appreciation rather than evaluation, or simply accompaniment rather than advice. The consultative quality is expressed by making room for the other person’s reality—not necessarily by jointly arriving at one view.

A practical rule

You might frame the matter this way:

  • Keep the virtues universal. Bring respect, candor, humility, truthfulness, patience, justice, and goodwill to every exchange.
  • Match the process to the need. Ask internally: Does this person need to be heard, protected, comforted, informed, accompanied, or joined in a decision?
  • Protect freedom and safety first. No conversation is truly consultative if it involves coercion, unsafe disclosure, manipulation, or disregard for confidentiality.
  • Use formal consultation where shared action is required. The more a decision affects a group, uses collective resources, or bears on others’ welfare, the more important it is to apply the full discipline of consultation.
  • Know when not to solve. Sometimes “I’m here,” “That sounds painful,” “Would you like help or simply company?” is more faithful to the spirit of consultation than offering an immediate view.

Thus, the most mundane exchange may indeed be an opportunity to be there for one another. But being there does not always mean consulting toward a conclusion. At times it means listening without directing, safeguarding without publicizing, acting decisively for safety, respecting a boundary, or leaving a difference peacefully unresolved.

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/178842202

[2] Perplexity Computer. “Distinctions in consultative conversations.” Edited by Steve Bosserman. September 1, 2026. https://www.perplexity.ai/search/68f275c0-c55e-4d89-86db-0f5cb73e4efc

[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. “Spaces of Consultation.” Bahá’í International Community. https://www.bahai.org/action/institutional-capacity/spaces-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] Universal House of Justice. “2 August 1982 – [To a National Spiritual Assembly]”. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/178842202

[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 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 24 August 2026

Kamál, 05 Asmá’ (Names), 183 B.E.

Quotes for Reflection

If in the first group of people who have gathered, unanimity is not achieved, new people shall be added, after which a group equal in number to the Greatest Name1 or fewer or greater shall be chosen from their midst by lots; whereupon the consultation shall be renewed; whatever is the result shall be obeyed. If the second time opinions again differ, repeat the process a third time. This time obey the majority vote. Verily He directeth whom He willeth to the straight Path. — Bahá’u’lláh [1]

Question for Consideration

How does effective Bahá’í consultation “open the mind to understanding truth from as many different perspectives as possible and then integrate those perspectives to achieve a more complete understanding of truth”? [2] [3]

Perplexity Computer Response:

Effective Bahá’í consultation opens the mind by turning discussion from a contest over whose view wins into a shared investigation of reality. Each participant contributes what they see, listens for what others see that they may have missed, and treats all ideas as resources for the group rather than as extensions of individual identity. The aim is not merely compromise, but a fuller, more truthful understanding that can guide unified action. [4] [5]

How the process broadens understanding

  • It separates people from their opinions. Once a view is offered, it is no longer “my position” to defend; the group may examine, refine, combine, or set it aside. This detachment makes intellectual revision possible without humiliation or loss of face. [4]
  • It makes diverse experience cognitively useful. Different social locations, expertise, temperaments, and practical encounters reveal different dimensions of a situation. Bahá’í consultation does not seek uniformity of perception; it seeks “unity in diversity,” in which genuine differences are explored constructively. [4] [6]
  • It disciplines dialogue through humility and courtesy. Participants are encouraged to speak freely, but with dignity, fairness, and respect. Such norms reduce defensiveness and allow people to hear unfamiliar or initially unwelcome insights rather than react to them as threats. [4] [5]
  • It directs attention toward facts and principles. Consultation begins with the reality of the matter—not personal preference—and asks what moral principles apply: justice, equality, stewardship, elimination of prejudice, the common good, and so forth. Principles help integrate partial observations into a coherent moral and practical judgment. [4] [7]
  • It treats disagreement as potentially generative. Differing views are not evidence that consultation has failed. Properly held, they expose assumptions, reveal neglected facts, and stimulate new insights that no individual perspective contained on its own. The goal is a more adequate account of the situation, not superficial agreement. [4] [8]

Integration is not simple compromise

Integration does not mean averaging all opinions or assuming every claim is equally sound. It means testing contributions against reality, relevant principles, and the collective purpose. A group might find that one perspective identifies the human impact of a proposal, another clarifies financial constraints, and a third exposes an unexamined justice issue. The integrated understanding is then one that preserves what is valid in each while revising the original framing of the problem.

For example, a community deciding how to respond to youth disengagement might move beyond the initial question, “Which program should we offer?” Through consultation, young people may describe exclusion, parents may name practical barriers, educators may identify developmental needs, and others may connect the issue to prejudice or lack of meaningful service. The group can then see the matter more truthfully—as a question of belonging, capacity, relationships, and opportunity—rather than only programming.

From insight to shared learning

Bahá’í consultation also integrates perspectives through action and reflection. The group reaches a decision, supports it collectively, observes its effects, and consults again in light of experience. This turns truth-seeking into an iterative learning process: understanding is tested in practice and refined rather than treated as a final possession. [5] [7]

Thus, effective consultation is both an epistemic and moral practice: it enlarges what a group can know by requiring openness to multiple perspectives, and it enables the group to act as one by orienting those perspectives toward truth, justice, and collective well-being.

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/760839253

[2] Perplexity Computer. “Understanding truth from many different perspectives.” Edited by Steve Bosserman. August 23, 2026. https://www.perplexity.ai/search/0f2d1215-59c9-44aa-a248-f54611a8ad27

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

[4] Bahá’í International Community Staff. “Transforming Collective Deliberation: Valuing Unity and Justice.” Bahá’í International Community, February 3, 2010. https://www.bahai.org/documents/bic/transforming-collective-deliberation-valuing-unity-justice

[5] Research Department of the Universal House of Justice. SOCIAL ACTION. August 2020. Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/331917619

[6] Bahá’í International Community Staff. “Consultation and the Protection of Diversity.” Bahá’í International Community. https://www.bahai.org/documents/bic/consultation-protection-diversity

[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/

[8] Vreeland, Sonjel. “Consultation: A Perspective.” Baha’i Blog, October 25, 2015. https://www.bahaiblog.net/articles/bahai-life/introduction-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 22 August 2026

Jalál, 03 Asmá’ (Names), 183 B.E.

Quotes for Reflection

In all things it is necessary to consult. This matter should be forcibly stressed by thee, so that consultation may be observed by all. The intent of what hath been revealed from the Pen of the Most High is that consultation may be fully carried out among the friends, inasmuch as it is and will always be a cause of awareness and of awakening and a source of good and well-being. — Bahá’u’lláh [1]

Question for Consideration

Based on the guidelines for Bahá’í consultation, what are some possible reasons for groups having difficulty arriving at decisions? [2] [3]

Perplexity Computer Response:

In Bahá’í consultation, difficulty reaching a decision often points less to a lack of intelligence or options than to a breakdown in the conditions that make collective truth-seeking possible. The guidance identifies purity of motive, humility, patience, detachment, and a spirit of unity as essential qualities. [4]

Possible reasons include:

  • Attachment to personal views. When participants defend “my idea” rather than treating every proposal as a shared resource for inquiry, persistence can turn consultation into argument and obscure the truth. [5] [6]
  • Unclear question or inadequate facts. A group may debate solutions before it has clearly defined the problem, established relevant facts, or agreed on the principles and purpose that should guide its choice. [5] [7]
  • Private agendas or impure motives. Personal interests, status concerns, or a predetermined desired outcome can make members less open to evidence and to one another. [4] [7]
  • Insufficient frankness or courtesy. Some members may withhold needed perspectives; alternatively, people may speak with passion, contempt, or defensiveness rather than calm dignity and mutual respect. [8] [9]
  • Weak listening and lack of detachment. Taking disagreement personally, belittling others’ ideas, or failing to revise one’s understanding prevents the group from genuinely investigating reality. [8] [9]
  • Lack of unity after discussion. Even a sound decision is hard to implement when members continue to criticize it rather than support it, learn from results, and return to consultation if correction is needed. [4] [6]

A useful diagnostic is to ask whether the group is treating consultation as a contest over preferred outcomes or as a shared search for truth and unity. Which of these obstacles seems most likely in the kind of group setting you have in mind?

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/737437268

[2] Perplexity Computer. “What are some possible reasons for groups having difficulty arriving at decisions?” Edited by Steve Bosserman. August 21, 2026. https://www.perplexity.ai/search/6afe764e-77ae-42b8-85c3-1923db6d96c5

[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] 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/

[6] Uplifting Words Staff. “Baha’i Decision Making Process.” Uplifting Words, May 14, 2024. https://bahaiquotes.com/subject/individual-initiative

[7] Warwick Bahá’í Bookshop. “Bahá’í Consultation – Making Successful Decisions.” Bahá’í Library Online. https://bahai-library.com/warwick_consultation

[8] One Country Staff. “Transforming Collective Deliberation: Valuing Unity and Justice.” Bahá’í International Community. https://www.onecountry.org/story/transforming-collective-deliberation-valuing-unity-and-justice

[9] Hornby, Helen, ed. LIGHTS OF GUIDANCE: A BAHÁʾÍ REFERENCE FILE. 2nd rev. and enl. Ed. 1983. Reprint, New Delhi, India: Baháʾí Publishing Trust, 1988, 176. https://bahai.works/Lights_of_Guidance/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.

239 Days in America, Day 223: November 19, 1912 | New York

The Trouble With J. P. Morgan’s Millions 1

‘ABDU’L-BAHÁ’S AUTOMOBILE halted in front of 33 East 36th Street in the early afternoon on Monday, November 18, 1912. His party of six ascended a broad flight of steps between two sleek Assyrian lionesses who kept watch in pink Tennessee marble before the recessed portico of an Italian Renaissance villa in midtown Manhattan.

The architect of the place, Charles Follen McKim of the renowned firm McKim, Mead & White, had suffered a nervous breakdown over this building—or, more precisely, over having to accommodate the insistent demands and fastidious tastes of his client. On other projects McKim might have done as he pleased, but one simply did not say no to J. Pierpont Morgan. …

The titan of Wall Street had invited ‘Abdu’l-Bahá for a private interview this afternoon here, at his private library. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá entered through heavy bronze doors into the illuminated splendor of a vaulted rotunda. Mosaic panels, and columns of veined skyros and cippoline marble, textured the space and at ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s feet a colorful marble floor unfurled, inlaid with pieces from the Roman Forum and a central disc of deep purple porphyry. The domed ceiling of blue and white stucco bore paintings and reliefs of classical figures that Henry Siddons Mowbray had modeled on Raphael and installed beneath the gentle light of a central oculus. Gazing upward, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá could see murals inspired by Pinturicchio, which adorned lunettes over the main entrance and above doors to the East and West rooms, depicting scenes and legendary lovers from Greek and Roman epics, Arthurian romances, Dante’s Divine Comedy, and Renaissance lyric poetry. Morgan received guests in the West Room, his large, plush study. His son-in-law wrote that no one could really know him who hadn’t seen him sitting quietly in front of the fire; chomping on a big black cigar; playing solitaire beneath the coffered wooden ceiling; enveloped by the bright red damask silk that lined the study’s walls.

But today he wasn’t there. Some urgent business matter had arisen, and, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá learned, Morgan wouldn’t be able to come. …

Final Days in America: New York City 2

On November 19 Mahmúd noted, “A number of school children gathered near the Beloved saying, ‘Who is this person who looks like Christ?’ Miss Juliet Thompson spoke to them outside the house about the Beloved Cause and the life of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. They asked to interview Him and they were invited to come. …”

Tuesday, November 19, 1912 3

The Master spent the day at the home of Mrs Krug in the utmost happiness. A number of the believers and His companions were also very happy to witness the Master’s joy, the influence of the Cause of God and the power of the Covenant of God.

In the afternoon, at a public meeting attended chiefly by women, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá spoke on the equality of the rights of women and their education and progress through the Manifestation of this supreme age. He encouraged them to acquire the perfections and virtues of the world of humanity.

Later, at the home of Mr and Mrs Kinney, He asked Mr [Hooper] Harris to speak at the meeting of the friends.

As Mr MacNutt‘s apparent equivocation and lack of firmness seemed to be causing his degradation in the eyes of the friends, he came to the Master and implored Him to recommend him to them. The Master replied, ‘The remedy depends upon your sincere repentance and your open denouncement of the violators in the meetings of the friends.’ In compliance, Mr MacNutt rose and gave an account of his journey to Chicago and his meeting with [Ibrahim George] Kheiralla. Some felt that he spoke ambiguously. The Master asked him to explain his actions in plain words so that the friends might be satisfied and this blemish on his character be removed. Again he testified in clear terms of his faith in the Covenant and his rejection of the Covenant-breakers. The Master went to the podium and expressed His pleasure at Mr Harris’s talk and for Mr MacNutt’s words of repentance. The Master then went upstairs and called Mr [William] Hoar, Mr Harris, Mr [Arthur P.] Dodge and other friends to Him and asked them to embrace Mr MacNutt and exhorted them to have the utmost love and unity among themselves. He encouraged and inspired them to spread the divine word and to diffuse the fragrances of God. He told them that they must sacrifice all other affairs for the accomplishment of this great affair.

Despite this, the Master and the friends, in their inmost hearts, were saddened by Mr MacNutt’s earlier actions. Some felt that he was not trying hard enough to show his humility and firmness in the Covenant. After the Master’s departure from America, Mr MacNutt went to California and other regions of America. The believers stayed away from him. He wrote many letters of repentance to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, who sent him many encouraging and kind words.

18 November 1912, Talk at Home of Mr. and Mrs. Frank K. Moxey, 575 Riverside Drive, New York 4

At such a time Bahá’u’lláh dawned from the eastern horizon like the glory of the sun. He renewed the basis of the religions of God, destroyed blind adherence to ancestral forms and established in their stead love and spiritual fellowship so that no strife, discord or hostility remained. This reconciliation of divergent sects is visible and evident. They now live together in love and unity. If you should enter one of their meetings, you would realize that they have become as one race, one native land, one religion; that they associate together in brotherhood and agreement. Praise be to God! These blind imitations and this darkness have ceased to exist, and the reality of the oneness of humanity has been practically proven.

I consider the American people a highly civilized and intelligent nation, a nation investigating truth and reality. It is my hope that through the efforts of this noble nation the solidarity of humanity may be continually advanced, that the illumination of the human world may become widespread, that the banner of universal peace may be held aloft, the lamp of the oneness of the human world be ignited and the hearts of the East and West be conjoined. Then the reality of the divine religions shall become resplendent and refulgent, indicating that they were meant to be the cause of unity and love and that through them heavenly bestowals have ever been conferring light upon the human world.

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

The Master encouraged women to acquire the perfections and virtues of the world of humanity

Celebrating the Centenary: The Master in America

Curated by Anne Perry

November 19, 1912

  1. Menon, Jonathan. “The Trouble With J. P. Morgan’s Millions.” 239 Days in America, 19 Nov. 2012, https://239days.com/2012/11/19/the-trouble-with-j-p-morgans-millions/. ↩
  2. Ward, Allan L. 239 Days: ʻAbdu’l-Bahá’s Journey in America. Wilmette, Ill: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1979, 187. ↩
  3. ’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=9#section241 ↩
  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, 446-447. https://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/abdul-baha/promulgation-universal-peace/32#729562953 ↩

239 Days in America, Day 198: October 25, 1912 | Sacramento

‘Abdu’l-Bahá at the “Home of Truth” 1

“‘ABDU’L-BAHÁ HARDLY REQUIRES an introduction, as nearly all who are present have been looking forward to his coming to Sacramento.” The speaker was Christine Fraser from The Home of Truth, a branch of the New Thought movement gaining momentum in America at the turn of the twentieth century. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá had left San Francisco that morning, on October 25, 1912, arriving in Sacramento by noon. At 8:30 p.m. that same evening, an audience gathered in the Assembly Hall of the Hotel Sacramento to hear him speak. …

‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s talk drew parallels between the lives of Jesus and Bahá’u’lláh, both of whom were subjected to persecution for challenging the religious authorities of the day. Then, to this crowd accustomed to mystical explorations, he enumerated a number of practical principles that he characterized as “true religion.” True religion caused unity, peace, and love, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá remarked, while religious imitations led to war and strife. The main reason that people turn to irreligion or atheism, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá argued, was because “the blind imitations or dogmatic interpretations current among men do not coincide with the postulates of reason. . . .” All should investigate reality for themselves, he explained: “Reality is one; and when found, it will unify all mankind.”

California 2

On His last day in San Francisco, Friday, October 25, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá told them:

“I have come to say good-bye. How grateful we should be to the Blessed beauty who has created such affection in our hearts. This attar that I am sprinkling on you is a fragrance from the paradise of Abhá. …

“These days of meeting were days of happiness. … I beg of God to bring forth the results of these friendships so that they may become the Cause of enlightenment to the world and of guidance to all who live on earth.”

‘Abdu’l-Bahá left San Francisco by train on Friday morning, October 25, and arrived in Sacramento at noon.

Friday, October 25, 1912 3

Today we were to depart from San Francisco. The Master’s residence was full to capacity with a multitude of friends. The power of the Cause, the influence of the Covenant of God and the ardor of the friends were overwhelming. What warmth and affection this gathering of true lovers generated in the early hours of the morning! When they heard the Master coming downstairs, everyone rose reverently. When they saw His feet on the stairs they raised the cry of Alláh-u-Abhá, their eyes fixed intently on His face, like sun-loving iguanas. Seeing the ardor and attraction of the friends, the Master was deeply moved, His face transformed. He anointed all with attar of rose and said to them:

“Here I want to bid you farewell. This meeting and assemblage are very moving. This is the last draught in the goblet! How thankful we must be to the Blessed Perfection that He has brought the hearts so near to each other. This attar that I give you is but a token of the fragrance of the Abhá Paradise — the best of all fragrances. I am very sad to be separated from you and I do not know how to express it. It is not possible to give tongue to the feelings of the heart. I am greatly moved because I saw the love of Bahá’u’lláh in you, I witnessed the light of Bahá’u’lláh in your beings. I am so moved that I cannot speak. I leave it to your hearts to feel what I feel. Although I am going away from you, you have your place in my heart. I will never forget you. When I reach the Shrine of Bahá’u’lláh, I shall lay my head on the Sacred Threshold and beseech confirmation for every one of the friends. These days of our meeting were blissful days. They cannot be bettered. I met you every day and I always found the hearts attracted, the eyes turned unto the Abhá Kingdom. There cannot be better days. Do you not forget them and I shall not. I beg of God that the results of this amity shall become evident, that it shall lead to spirituality in the world, to impart guidance to all who dwell on this earth. I hope for such results from this gathering that it will not be like other gatherings of people who forget each other as soon as they disperse. It is certain that because this gathering has been a divine assemblage, it will never be forgotten and whenever recollected it will produce fresh delight. This is my wish.”

He was sad as He left the house. Some of the friends begged His permission to accompany Him to Sacramento, the capital of California. Among them were Mrs Goodall, Mrs Cooper and other wonderful handmaidens of God such as Mrs Ralston, who are serving the Cause with heart and soul.

As the train passed two or three stations beyond San Francisco, it reached a bay where there are ferries on whose decks are two railroad tracks that can be joined to the tracks on the banks. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá spent His time visiting with the friends and completing an article about the history of Bahá’u’lláh’s time and His teachings. The train arrived in Sacramento at noon.

An elegant woman [Christine Fraser], 4 who had previously received a promise from the Master, was at the station. She begged Him to grace her home with His presence. He accepted and we rode in her automobile to her home. Mrs Goodall and Mrs Cooper enthusiastically assisted the other friends accompanying the Master. En route the Master remarked to us, ‘Let us consult together about staying at this lady’s house.’ When we arrived at her home, the Master requested that Mrs Goodall and Mrs Cooper be telephoned and asked to come. When they arrived we could see that they too did not wish Him to stay at the house. The Master then said, ‘We must act according to the consultation with the friends.’

After the Master bestowed His kindness on the hostess, He said:

“You desired greatly that we should come to your house. We have come. We shall also take luncheon here. But at night we will stay in the hotel, for in each city we have stayed at hotels. Notwithstanding the supplications of the friends to stay in their homes, we have not accepted these invitations. But today we have come to your house.”

The Master spoke in this vein until the woman finally agreed. He then went to the Hotel Sacramento. On the way He spoke and said, ‘I desire to act always according to the counsel and wishes of the friends unless it is a very important matter which is not good for the Cause of God, then I do hold tenaciously to whatever is advantageous to the Cause.’ Continuing, He said: ‘The value of my conduct and fellowship is not known yet, but it shall be known later.’

A meeting was held in the evening in the salon of the hotel. A large number of friends and seekers were attracted to the teachings and discourses of the Master. Since it was evident that there were much interest among the audience, the friends announced there would be a public meeting the following morning in the same hall.

Talk at Hotel Sacramento, Sacramento, California 5

The first teaching is that man should investigate reality, for reality is contrary to dogmatic interpretations and imitations of ancestral forms of belief to which all nations and peoples adhere so tenaciously. These blind imitations are contrary to the fundamental basis of the divine religions, for the divine religions in their central and essential teaching are based upon unity, love and peace, whereas these variations and imitations have ever been productive of warfare, sedition and strife. 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.

In brief, His theme was that reality underlies all the great religious systems of the world. He summoned the nations and peoples of the world to it. Hostile nations because of their acceptance of the reality of His words became unified. Strife, discord and contention among them passed away; they attained a station of utmost love. At present in Asia those who have accepted His teachings and followed His example, although formerly most hostile and bitter toward each other, now associate in brotherhood and fellowship. The strife and warfare of past times have ceased among them. Jews, Zoroastrians, Christians, Muslims and others have attained to a superlative state of love and agreement through Bahá’u’lláh. They now consort together as one family. They have investigated reality. Reality does not accept multiplicity, nor is it subject to divisibility. These irreconcilable peoples have become unified and agreed.

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

A heartrending departure from San Francisco

Celebrating the Centenary: The Master in America

Curated by Anne Perry

October 25, 1912

  1. Jones, Caitlin Shayda. “‘Abdu’l-Bahá at the ‘Home of Truth.’” 239 Days in America, 25 Oct. 2012, https://239days.com/2012/10/25/abdul-baha-speaks-to-the-home-of-truth/. ↩
  2. Ward, Allan L. 239 Days: ʻAbdu’l-Bahá’s Journey in America. Wilmette, Ill: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1979, 170-171. ↩
  3. ’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=8#section216 ↩
  4. Caton, Peggy. “A History of the Sacramento Bahá’í Community, 1912-1991 .” Community Histories: Studies in the Bábí and Bahá’í Religions, 1. ed, vol. 6, Kalimát Press, 1992, pp. 241–80. https://bahai-library.com/caton_community_histories_sacramento ↩
  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, 372-373. https://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/abdul-baha/promulgation-universal-peace/27#628985716 ↩

239 Days in America, Day 180: October 7, 1912 | San Francisco

A Trip Down Market Street, April 14, 1906 1

IN THE WEEK AHEAD, the coming days stand out as some of the most eventful of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s entire trip to America. He addresses 2,000 at Leland Stanford Junior University in Palo Alto, speaks on evolution at the Open Forum in San Francisco, and is welcomed to Temple Emanu-El by its chief Rabbi, Dr. Martin Meyer, where he delivers his longest talk in America. He then prepares to visit Phoebe Hearst’s 1,900 acre estate, the Hacienda del Pozo de Verona, just outside of San Francisco in Pleasanton.

California 2

On Monday [October 7], at a meeting arranged by Mr. Yamamoto, He addressed the Japanese YMCA at the Japanese Independent Church in Oakland, the talk being translated first into English, and then into Japanese. 3 From that time on some of the Japanese inquirers were present in almost every gathering.

Monday, October 07, 1912 4

While tea was being served in the morning, the Master recalled the events of last night, saying:

“The pastor said: ‘The messenger of God will speak in the church of God.’ No one will believe it unless they see it themselves. No matter to whom you may write these words, they will think it an exaggeration and will not believe it to be true.”

Among those visiting the Master today was the Mayor of Berkeley. He questioned the Master about economic issues and received useful answers. In conclusion ‘Abdu’l-Bahá said:

“We must strive until mankind achieves everlasting felicity. Laws are needed which can both preserve the ranks of individuals and secure peace and stability for them because society is like an army, which needs a general, captains, lieutenants and privates. Not all can be captains nor can all be soldiers. The grades of responsibility are essential and the differences of rank a necessity. Just as a family needs old and young, master and mistress, servants and attendants, likewise society needs organization and structure. However, all must be part of an order which will ensure that each lives in complete comfort within his own station. It should not be that the master lives in comfort while the servant is in pain; that is injustice. Similarly, it is impossible that all be either servants or masters; then there would be no order.”

The mayor asked, ‘Will these things be realized soon?’ The Master replied:

“As these laws are in conformity with the demands of the time, they will unfailingly prevail, although they will be implemented gradually. Everything can be prevented or resisted except the demands of the time. The time is ripe for the governments to remedy these ills. Relief must be brought to the toiling masses. Otherwise, if these ills are allowed to become chronic, their cure will be difficult and they will precipitate a great revolution.”

The Master then gave an account of the unity and self-sacrifice of the friends of the East and expounded on various aspects of the true economic laws, which He had written while in Dublin. The mayor was so impressed that he could not help expressing his sincere admiration. He then invited the Master to an important meeting to be held in the city that evening. Because this meeting had political aims as its objective, the Master tendered His apologies.

This evening the Master spoke to a Bahá’í gathering at a hall on the subjects of divine civilization, spiritual capacity and heavenly power. The fragrances of the bounties of God subdued every heart, particularly those of the friends visiting from Honolulu and those from the vicinity. After the meeting ‘Abdu’l-Bahá remarked: ‘I love the friends of Honolulu very much. I wish that I could go to that area and to Japan to see how much capacity for the Cause of God they possess.’

At the request of a Jewish friend, the Master spoke to some Jews who had come, saying:

“The day and age promised by the divine Prophets has appeared. This is the day in which Zion dances with joy. The day has come in which Carmel is revived and is rejoicing. That day has come for you to return to Palestine and see how it is flourishing.”

Talk to Japanese Young Men’s Christian Association, Japanese Independent Church, Oakland, California 5

It is a great happiness to be here this evening, especially for the reason that the members of this Association have come from the region of the Orient. For a long time I have entertained a desire to meet some of the Japanese friends. That nation has achieved extraordinary progress in a short space of time—a progress and development which have astonished the world. Inasmuch as they have advanced in material civilization, they must assuredly possess the capacity for spiritual development. For this reason, I have an excessive longing to meet them. Praise be to God! This pleasure is now afforded me, for here in this city I am face to face with a revered group of the Japanese. According to report the people of the Japanese nation are not prejudiced. They investigate reality. Wherever they find truth, they prove to be its lovers. They are not attached tenaciously to blind imitations of ancient beliefs and dogmas. Therefore, it is my great desire to discourse with them upon a subject in order that the unity and blending together of the nations of the East and the nations of the West may be furthered and accomplished. In this way religious, racial and political prejudice, partisan bias and sectarianism will be dispelled amongst men. Any kind of prejudice is destructive to the body politic.

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

The Master comments on the pastor’s introduction

Celebrating the Centenary: The Master in America

Curated by Anne Perry

October 7, 1912

  1. Menon, Jonathan. “October 7, 1912: The Week Ahead.” 239 Days in America, 7 Oct. 2012, http://stagingtwo39.wpengine.com/2012/10/07/october-7-1912-the-week-ahead/. ↩
  2. Ward, Allan L. 239 Days: ʻAbdu’l-Bahá’s Journey in America. Wilmette, Ill: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1979, 166. ↩
  3. Mr. Shinji Yamamoto, in a telephone conversation on January 23, 1979, confirmed that his father, Kanichi Yamamoto, arranged the meeting. ↩
  4. ’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=8#section198 ↩
  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, 343. https://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/abdul-baha/promulgation-universal-peace/27#831412130 ↩

239 Days in America, Day 177: October 4, 1912 | San Francisco

America’s Unique Geopolitical Position 1

“MY GREATEST HAPPINESS THIS morning is this,” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá told a reporter from the San Francisco Chronicle on October 3, 1912, “That I have come to such a modern and progressive city. Praise be to God everything is beautiful and there seems to be much joy here.” …

On the other hand, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá asserted, “The American democracy is not founded upon warlike doctrines. Hence it becomes this democracy to uphold international peace and spread it throughout the world.” But he was advocating more than diplomatic niceties. America, he said, had the ability to use its moral suasion and industrial power to forge an international court of arbitration backed by a binding global collective security agreement that could banish international war. “In case any Government or nation should prove rebellious concerning any decision of the court,” he told the Chronicle, “the other nations should coalesce to force it into obedience.”

“A more fervent hope and a fonder desire concerning the American people,” he concluded, “is that their instrumentality shall be such as to enlarge the scope of this scheme and that earnest concerted action from the nations of the world will result therefrom.”

California 2

On October 4, after an afternoon visit to Golden Gate Park, Abdu’l-Bahá sent one of His frequent telegrams to the Persian friends, informing them of the events of His historic journey. This time He reported, “‘We are in utmost joy among the friends of San Francisco. The confirmations are really overwhelming and the happiness overflowing.’”

Friday, October 04, 1912 3

After morning prayers, two Japanese Bahá’ís came to see ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. The Master expressed His happiness on seeing their faith and sincerity in the Cause, saying:

“This is an historic event. It is out of the ordinary that an Iranian should meet Japanese people in San Francisco with such love and harmony. This is through the power of Bahá’u’lláh and calls for our thankfulness and happiness. If it be said that Bahá’u’lláh brought a man from heaven and another from earth and caused them to meet midway between the earth and heaven, do not be surprised. The power of Bahá’u’lláh makes all difficulties simple. I like the Japanese greatly because they are audacious and intelligent. Whatever they turn their attention to, it becomes a success.”

The visitors invited the Master to come to Japan to promote the potential of the Japanese people and asked His permission to contribute articles on the Faith to the Japanese newspapers. He readily granted their request and showed them great kindness.

In the afternoon a representative from the [San Francisco] Post came to interview the Master, who said to him:

“In this enlightened age everything has been renewed — sciences have been renewed, new arts have come into being, new skills have appeared, new thoughts have been expressed, new inventions have come to light and new discoveries have been made. In reality, the world of being has become a new world. Thus, the principles of religion also must be renewed.”

To a journalist from the [San Francisco] Bulletin He said:

“God created man after His own image and likeness . . . but now, behaving contrarily, man has become more merciless and fearless than rapacious beasts. A beast kills only one animal each day for his food, while merciless man tears apart a hundred thousand people in a day merely for fame and dominion. Should a wolf tear a sheep apart, they would kill it; but if a man massacres a hundred thousand men in blood and dust, he is given an ovation and is pronounced a marshall or a general. If a man kills another or sets fire to a house, he is condemned as a murderer; but if he annihilates an army and overturns a country, he is called a conqueror and is admired. If a man steals a dollar he is thrown into prison but if he plunders the homes of people and lays waste a city he is called a commander and is praised.”

25 September 1912, Talk at Second Divine Science Church, 3929 West Thirty-eighth Avenue, Denver, Colorado 4

In the early part of the nineteenth century the horizon of Persia was shrouded in great darkness and ignorance. The people of that country were in a condition of barbarism. Hatred and bigotry prevailed among the various religions; bloodshed and hostility were frequent among sects and denominations of belief. There were no evidences of affiliation and unity; violent prejudice and antagonism ruled the hearts of men. At such a time as this Bahá’u’lláh proclaimed the first principle of His mission and teaching—the oneness of the world of humanity. His second announcement was the investigation of reality; the third was the oneness of the foundations of the divine religions. Through spiritual education He led the people out of darkness and ignorance into the clear light of truth, illuminated their hearts with the splendor of knowledge, laid a true and universal basis for religious teachings, cultivated the virtues of humanity, conferred spiritual susceptibilities, awakened inner perceptions and changed the dishonor of prejudiced souls to the highest degree of honor and capacity. Today in Persia and the Orient you will find the followers of Bahá’u’lláh united in the closest ties of fellowship and love. They have abandoned religious prejudices and have become as one family. When you enter their meetings, you will find Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, Zoroastrians, Jews and representatives of other beliefs present, all conjoined in a wonderful unity without a trace of bigotry or fanaticism, and the light of the oneness of the world of humanity reflected in their faces. Day by day they are advancing, manifesting greater and still greater love for each other. Their faith is fixed upon the unification of mankind, and their highest purpose is the oneness of religious belief. They proclaim to all humanity the sheltering mercy and infinite grace of God. They teach the reconciliation of religion with science and reason. They show forth in words and deeds the reality of love for all mankind as the servants of one God and the recipients of His universal bounty. These are their thoughts, their beliefs, their guiding principles, their religion. No trace of religious, racial, patriotic or political prejudice can be found among them, for they are real servants of God and obedient to His will and command.

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

The Master shows great kindness to two Japanese Bahá’ís

Celebrating the Centenary: The Master in America

Curated by Anne Perry

October 4, 1912

  1. Menon, Jonathan. “America’s Unique Geopolitical Position.” 239 Days in America, 4 Oct. 2012, https://239days.com/2012/10/04/abdul-baha-assesses-americas-unique-geopolitical-position/ ↩
  2. Ward, Allan L. 239 Days: ʻAbdu’l-Bahá’s Journey in America. Wilmette, Ill: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1979, 166. ↩
  3. ’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=8#section195 ↩
  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, 341. https://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/abdul-baha/promulgation-universal-peace/26#685192122 ↩