(The TEXT continues....)
. . .Although the great function of the Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh
in solving the intricacies of the Heavenly Books, facilitating the removal
of differences from among nations and establishing unity and harmony among
the sections of the human world is sufficient proof of the greatness and
thoroughness of the Bahá'í religion, nevertheless we will
now consider the laws and ordinances of this religion, explain their specific
virtues, their benefits and good results.
FIRST, a command which is particularly
a feature of the Bahá'í religion and is not found in the
other religions is "abstaining from crediting verbal traditions."(27)
It is well known to men of learning that it was the verbal tradition which
divided the Jews into two great sects. Such traditions are the basis
of the book of the Talmud, and caused the division of that one nation.
One of the two schisms called the rabbinim looks upon the teachings of
the Talmud as the law which needs to be followed and considered the greatest
means for the preservation and permanence of the Israelitish people.
But the other sect, Gharraim looks upon the Talmud as sheer heresy and
conducive to perdition. Thus, these two sects cannot possibly be
harmonized or cease mutual opposition.
Similarly in the Christian religion the main cause of schism and division were these verbal traditions which were termed "authoritative." Each one of the Christian churches, such as the Catholic, the Orthodox, the Jacobite, the Nestorian and others consider it obligatory to follow these traditions inherited from and handed down by the fathers of the Church, as the very text of the Holy Book.
Thus, when in any of the great Councils the question of the unification of the Christian people would be at issue, they would avail themselves of these inherited traditions which were opposed to unity and harmony. Likewise, in the religion of Islam, claiming these verbal traditions which were related of the Founder of that religion, subsequent to His death, was the cause of the division and separation into various of the principal sects, such as the Sunnite, the Shi'ite and the Kharajite, or into the secondary schools of Hanofite, Malakite, Shafiite, Haubilite, etc. Each of these holds to a set of traditions considered as authentic by their own sect.
But Bahá'u'lláh closed to the people of the world this door which is the greatest means for sedition; for He clearly announced that "in the religion of God all recorded matters are referable to the Book and all unrecorded matters are dependent upon the decision of the House of Justice."(28) Thus all narrations, relations and verbal traditions have been discredited among the Bahá'í people and the door of dissension, which is the greatest among the doors of hell, has been closed and locked.
SECOND: One of the laws and ordinances peculiar to the Bahá'í religion is the law prohibiting the interpreting of the Word of God. For interpretation of the Words and exposition of personal opinion has been one of the greatest means of dissension in the former religions, the cause of darkening of the horizon of faith and concealing the real meaning of the Book of God.
It is an evident fact that learned men differ in their minds, and the natural gifts of sagacity and intelligence or the lack of understanding and comprehension vary in degrees among them. Thus [once] the door of interpretation and perverting of the Words from their outward meaning is opened, strange opinions and curious contradictory interpretations will result and different sects will arise among the one people and one religious community.
Consequently Bahá'u'lláh has explicitly commanded His followers to wholly abandon the door of interpretation and follow the Words revealed in the Tablets according to their outward meaning(29), so that the events which have transpired among the past nations should not recur among the Bahá'í people, and the various sects due to difference in mentality and viewpoint should not become manifest in this new auspicious day, which is the day of the glorious Lord.(30)
Thus, one of the explicit commands of this great Manifestation is the ordinance abrogating differences which separate men. It is because one of the occasions of dissension is difference of scholars with regard to the station of the Manifestation(31) of the Cause. In former religions, even as testified by history, it has become evident that when in a question of this kind a difference has arisen between two doctors of religion, both parties were firm in their standpoints and held tenaciously to their sides, while the laity, according to their usage, would adhere some to one and some to the other, thus closing the doors to agreement and unity to such an extent that religious fraternity was changed into deep and bitter enmity, scientific dissension terminating in bloody strife and warfare. This is illustrated by differences which arose between Arius the priest and Alexander the Bishop of Constantinople, regarding the Trinity, in the fourth century, A.D.; also the Nestorian differences which took place in the fifth century between the Bishop of Constantinople and the other bishops, which caused terrible wars and the shedding of precious blood. The effect of these sad dissensions has lasted until the present day. These are clear proofs and evidences for the point at issue.(32)
Time does not allow us to make mention of the numerous sects and divisions of the Gnostics and others, of which the church historians have counted more than thirty,(33) and incorporated them under the term: "Born of philosophy." All seekers of full accounts are referred to authoritative books on the subject,(34) in order that they may clearly recognize that all these divisions and sects came from the disagreements of the doctors as to the degree and station of His Holiness Christ, and their persistence in their respective opinions. The subject of disagreement by the doctors as to the station of the Manifestation of God has been one of those abstruse and difficult questions to solve which proved beyond the power of great minds and baffled a mighty king like Constantine the Great. For notwithstanding the assistance and co-operation of the great bishops of the East and the West, he could not reconcile the various parties to the Aryan controversy.(35) Nay, during this long time the power of local councils, the sword of European powers and the verdicts of Inquisitional Boards failed to remove the divisions and schisms(36) caused by metaphysical discussions. But the removal of this indissoluble knot and incurrable disease by the easiest of means has been announced in the Bahá'í literature, for Bahá'u'lláh in one of His holy Tablets has clearly revealed the following: "Since men differ in their degree of knowledge, if two persons should be found to possess different viewpoints as regards the degree and station of the Manifestation of God, both are acceptable before God, for, in accord with the blessed verse: 'Verily we have created souls different in degrees;' God has created men different in understanding and diverse in manners. But if those having two points of view engage in conflict and strife while expressing their views, both of them are rejected. For, by knowing the Manifestation of God it is intended to unify the hearts, cultivate souls and to teach the truth of God, whereas conflict and strife of two persons with two different points of view would do harm to the Cause of God. Consequently both of them are referred to the fire." This was the purport of the blessed Tablet in brief. Accordingly in this Holy Cause no one has power to create inharmony,(37) and because of fear of falling,(38) no one dares to persist in his own opinion at the expense of harmony.(39)
FOURTH: Among the specific laws laid down in the Cause of Bahá'u'llah is the law "prohibiting slavery."(40) No mention of this is made in other religions. As none of the Heavenly Books has forbidden this traffic all the humanitarian instincts which actuated Great Powers to abolish and destroy it could not withhold the common people from this abominable practice, which has cost the governments and nations great trouble and expense. For instance, the freeing of the slaves constitutes one of the important responsibilities of the Egyptian government. This necessitates a heavy drain upon the state treasury. Furthermore, the trial and indictment of those guilty of this nefarious traffic brings great affliction and often ruin upon many noted families.
FIFTH: Among the laws peculiar to this Great Cause is the law making it "obligatory upon all to engage in allowable professions as a means of support, and obedience to this law is accepted as an act of worship." Were a man of insight to consider this strong command, he would testify to the great benefit it contributes towards regulating the affairs of civilization and removing impediments and calamities from human society. For it is evident how in this present day innumerable souls designated as monks, anchorites, hermits, religious devotees, dignitaries and others, although sound in body and limb, abstain from occupation and trade, passing their time in indolence and idleness and living upon the proceeds of the labor of others. In reality such men are as atrophied limbs upon the body of humanity and a heavy burden to the men of industry and agriculture. When by a law of religion these innumerable souls abandon idleness and indolence and engage in useful occupations, one can well realize how much this will contribute to the common wealth and remove the difficulties of the body-politic.(41)
SIXTH: The law making education of children of both (42) sexes compulsory. This law is also one of the commands explicitly revealed in this most great Cause, and concerning which no mention is made in any of the other religions. For in the other religions the education of the masses is made dependent upon the law of the government. If in former times a government would fail to issue a decree providing for compulsory education, and this failure would result in decadence of learning and knowledge, the nation would take no thought of it, nor would the people consider themselves and the government responsible. For no law concerning this subject has been revealed in the Heavenly Books. But when a law is laid down in the Heavenly Book of a nation, every individual member will consider himself bound to execute it, and no one will fail to heed that law, for they will not be dependent upon the government to carry it out.
SEVENTH: The command prohibiting cursing and execration and making it obligatory upon all to abstain from uttering that which may offend men. For, as is evident in moral science, cursing, reviling and speaking harsh words and offensive phrases is one of the greatest causes of alienating hearts, filling minds with rancor, creating hatred and animosity among the peoples and igniting the fire of calamitous warfare among men. Thus it is said by wise men: "Verily, war begins in words;" and the poet Firdousi has said: "A mere word is the cause of warfare." Another verse illustrating this point at issue is "The wound inflicted by the tongue is deeper than that inflicted by the sword." Were one to ponder over the differences and schisms already spoken of which arose among the Christian peoples, creating different sects and schools, such as the Aryans, Nestorians, Gnostics, et al., kindling the fire of terrible battlefields and violent calamities, he would clearly find from the testimony of authentic history that the principal and initial cause of such divisions and disasters was the difference of opinion between two religious doctors, which would result in discussion and controversy. In order to overcome his opponent and demonstrate the correctness of his own view, or because of believing his own opinion correct, each would so persist in his attitude that it would finally lead to harshness towards the other. This harshness would gradually lead to insinuating remarks and annoying statements which in time would culminate in reviling, execration, fighting and even bloodshed.(43)
Now the harmful outcome of these religious fights and their evil effect upon human society needs no mentioning here. For the calamities caused by these differences during the past ages are recorded in the historical books of every nation, and the hardships which have continued down to our time as the painful result of those dissensions are evident to the people of understanding.
Perhaps some one may advance an objection saying that ordinances prohibiting anathema and execration are found in the other Heavenly Books, as, for instance, the commands of His Holiness Christ, well-known as the Sermon on the Mount, wherein He most lucidly states, "Whoever calleth another a fool is in danger of hell-fire." In the Koran it is stated: "Curse not those who claim (spiritual mission) without the permission of God, thus without knowledge cursing God as an enemy." The answer to this objection is evident to the people of insight, for such ordinances and prohibitions are considered as educational commands in the estimation of the learned and not as laws and enactments of religion. Consider this command of the Sermon on the Mount, wherein He states: "Whosoever is angry with his brother falsely is subject to the law." Again He says: "Store not for yourselves treasures;" and again: "Be not concerned with the morrow." Also: "Whosoever smiteth thee on the right cheek turn to him the other also;" and "Whosoever desireth thy garment give him also thy cloak." Then later on He says: "Whosoever asks of thee, give unto him, and whosoever would borrow of thee, prevent him not."
It is fully evident that the learned and doctors of the Christian and Mohammedan religions have not considered these ordinances as imperative. Men of intelligence versed in the law and jurisprudence have not deemed those who disobeyed these laws deserving of punishment and trial. Nay, as already mentioned, they have unanimously accounted them as educational laws. Moreover some of those laws are such that the doctors have not considered those slighting them as transgressors or evil-doers before God. For instance, "If anyone smites you upon the one cheek, turn to him the other," "He who begs of you, give to him," "He who seeks to borrow from you, do not refuse him." The above statement will clearly show why such commands and ordinances are not considered by the leaders of the Christian peoples as imperative and obligatory and why they could not remove cursing and execration from among the community.
But in the Bahá'í religion the commands prohibiting cursing, reviling, swearing and blasphemy have been revealed as imperative and obligatory laws. The responsibility attaching to the violators has been revealed in various Tablets. Emphatic commands have been issued in regard to the purity of pen and tongue, prohibiting the writing or speaking of that which will offend men. For example, although in various Tablets such as the "Ishrakhat" and others, the law prohibiting cursing and execration has been explicitly laid down, nevertheless Bahá'u'lláh, during His latter days, in the Blessed "Book of the Covenant" fortified and emphasized the above law by addressing the following command to the people of the world:
"O ye people of the world! I exhort ye towards that which is the cause of the elevation of your station! Hold fast to the fear of God and adhere to the hem of kindliness! Verily I say unto you, the tongue is for the mention of good; defile it not with unseemly words. Verily God has forgiven the past. Hereafter all must utter that which is seemly. Shun anathema, execration and that whereby man is perturbed. The station of man is great. Some time ago this lofty word was revealed from the treasury of the Pen of Abha: 'Today is a great, blessed Day! That which was latent in man is today revealed and become manifest. The station of man is great, should he adhere to veracity and truth and remain firm and steadfast in the Cause.'"
Every intelligent soul who reflects upon this utterance: "Verily, God has forgiven the past; hereafter all must utter that which is seemly," "Shun anathema, execration and that whereby man is perturbed," will clearly see how emphatic an ordinance has been given forth ratifying the prohibition of anathema and execration. Because according to the law current among the people of knowledge the purport of this blessed utterance is an explicit prohibition concerning anathema and execration.
The intended purpose thereof is the unpardonable position of the one who violates this mighty command and decisive ordinance.
In this case, to the people of insight it is evident, manifest and firmly established that the prohibition as regards anathema and execration is a specialized ordinance and one of the particular commandments of this greatest Dispensation. Thus, through the favor of God the Most High, from the traces of the Supreme Pen, this unseemly action and the ordeals resulting therefrom may disappear from among the people of the world and the glad-tidings recorded in the third verse of the 22nd chapter of the Revelation of St. John concerning the events of the day of the Manifestation--namely: "Hereafter there shall be no more cursing," shall be realized.
EIGHTH: Relative to the carrying of arms except in time of necessity. This ordinance is not to be found in other religions, but in the Bahá'í religion it is considered as one of the imperative and essential commands. The great utility of this law is most evident and manifest. How many souls who are not able to control excessive anger have given vent to it by the use of arms ready at hand? If the murderer had not been armed, often after one hour the violence of his anger would have subsided and no crime would have resulted.(44) These are the minor evil results of carrying arms. There are other greater evils continually manifested by people who carry arms; which are productive of great revolutions and excessive losses for the governments and nations. The details of this are not in keeping with brevity and are conducive to prolongation, nevertheless the afflictions of the nations and ordeals of the people are evident to people of perception.
NINTH: The question relative to the necessity of the creation of the House of Justice and institution of the National Assemblies (45) and Constitutional Governments. This command is likewise specialized to this evident religion and is not mentioned in the others.(46) For under other religions it is possible for despotic governments to be restored and founded... [whereas, on the other hand,] the love of the permanence, establishment and endurance of religious ordinances and the fear of going contrary to them is so deeply rooted in human souls, by reason of the fear of God, that they [constitutional governments founded upon religious ordinances] would not pass away a thousand years and would not be superseded except through the renewal of the religion and the reform of laws.
In short, these are some of the special commands of the Bahá'í religion which the writer of these lines has submitted in accordance with this opportune occasion. The consideration of brevity has made it necessary to omit the mentioning of other special commandments in this Most Great Dispensation.
Among them are ethics and conditions requisite for a wife's knowledge of her traveling or absent husband. Another concerns the prohibition of haughtiness and egotism. Another is a command as to the purity of all things, with recommendation and encouragement to observe sanitary measures of cleanliness, and to shun utterly all that leads to filth and uncleanliness. Among them is a command directing the agreement of nations in the abolition of warfare and battles, and the conservation of the conditions of prosperity and peace. (47)
. . .justice to this most important subject would necessitate
the compilation of a large volume and not a short article.
EDITOR'S FOOTNOTES:
(27) Another principle closely related to this is "the independent investigation
of truth." But this teaching is a double-edged sword. While
independent investigation means that each person has the right to arrive
at his own opinion, it also means that he, alone, is responsible for his
own soul's destiny. In other words, he must arrive at his conclusions
through his own reasoning and experience, rather than inherit them.
Though others may intercede through prayer for him, no inherited tradition
can intercede on his behalf. Ultimately he is responsible for himself
before God. "Because others have erred in their judgement, I too
have erred," is not an excuse before
God. The text, above, refers specifically to "verbal" traditions,
though blindly following any tradition, without regard for its origin or
authenticity is irresponsible.
(28) The "House of Justice" refers, here, to the "Universal House of Justice" which resides in the Holy Land. It is the supreme administrative body of the Bahá'i Faith. Its nine members are elected every five years as representatives of the world-wide Bahá'í community.
(29) "I have said this to you in figures; the hour is coming when I shall no longer speak to you in figures but tell you plainly of the Father..." Gospel of St. John 16:25.
(30) "In that day you will ask me no questions." Gospel
of St. John 16:23.
(31) The understanding of the "station" of the Manifestation is essentially
the question surrounding the Trinity controversy, a burning if not sometimes
humorous subject during the fourth century. It concerned the discussion
of the true nature of Christ, which was debated, not only in the churches,
but on the street corners, in homes and at the market place. The
brother of the famous Gregory of Nyassa, Basil, wrote of the Eastern city
of Constantinople: "This city is full of mechanics and slaves who are all
of them profound theologians, and preach in the shops and the streets.
If you desire a man change a piece of silver he informs you wherein the
Son differs from the Father; if you ask the price of a loaf. . .you are
told that the Son is inferior to the Father; and if you inquire whether
the bath is ready, the answer is, the Son was made out of nothing." Decline
and Fall of the Roman Empire, Gibbon, III, p. 75.
(32) "Early in the fifth century a dispute . . .was taken up by the
fanatical Egyptian monks and the ignorant populace of Alexandria.
[The 'One Divine Nature' doctrine was made a rallying cry against Greek
reasoning and thought.] A council of the entire Church, held at Chalcedon
in A.D. 451, adopted a compromise formula which neither emphasized the
'humanity' of Christ. . .nor subordinated it to His Divinity. . . The result
was a violent. . .reaction: the Patriarch of Alexandria was murdered
on Good Friday in his own cathedral and his body dragged through the streets
by the mob." G.E. Kirk, A Short History of the Middle East (London:
Methuen and Co. Ltd., 1957), p. 9.
"It is recorded that at the time of the reinstatement
of the Arian Bishop Macedonius, in Constantinople, three thousand people
lost their lives in the fighting. . . Probably more Christians were slaughtered
by Christians in these two years, than by all the persecutions of Christians
by pagans in the history of Rome." William Sears, The Wine of Astonishment,
(Great Britain: The Garden City Press Ltd., 1963), p. 102.
(33) This treatise was written in 1911.
(34) See some of the books listed in these footnotes; e.g. Kirk, Wells, et. al.
(35) H.G. Wells asserts in his history that "we find all the Christian
communities so agitated and exasperated by tortuous and elusive arguments
about the nature of God as to be largely negligent of the simpler teachings
of charity, service and brotherhood that Jesus had inculcated." Outline
of History, Wells, p. 545.
The present war between Iráq and Irán in the 1980's represents
in some measure a war between factions within a religion: Shi'ites vs.
Sunnites. At the time of this writing, over one million people have
lost their lives.
(36) The present war between Iráq and Irán in the 1980's
represents in some measure a war between factions within a religion: Shi'ites
vs. Sunnites. At the time of this writing (1988), over one million
people have lost their lives.
(37) There is no clergy in the Bahá'í Faith. All
the affairs of the community are decided through elected representative
bodies called Spiritual Assemblies, which consult and decide by consensus.
It is this group decision-making process, probably more than any other
principle of the Bahá'í Faith, to which Bahá'ís
attribute the self-sustaining character of their work in developing countries.
(38) Since disagreement which creates disunity and disharmony is prohibited by the Law of this dispensation, the freedom to wrangle has been removed. Previous dispensations felt the freedom to wrangle and thus were without what has been referred to in every dispensation as "the fear of God" in this regard--a fear recognized by the Bahá'ís as a great protection and benefit--a wise attitude with which to approach one's destiny, when coupled with the love of God. (The love for God transcends both the fear of infernal punishment and desire for heavenly reward, neither of which are worthy approaches to God. To worship God out of fear is an unacceptable approach to God; likewise to worship Him in hope of Paradise is comparable to worshiping Paradise instead of God. It is written that only through the love for God can one draw nearer to God.)
(39) "As regards the statement of our own views and explanations of
the teachings: Shoghi Effendi [Appointed Guardian of the Faith] believes
that we should not restrict the liberty of the individual to express his
own views so long as he makes it clear that these views are his own.
In fact, such explanations are often helpful and are conducive to a better
understanding of the teachings. God has given man a rational power
to be used and not killed.
"This does not, however, mean that the absolute
authority does not remain in the revealed Words. We should try and
keep as near to the authority as we can and show that we are faithful to
it by quoting from the Works of Bahá'u'lláh in establishing
our points. To discard the authority of the revealed Words is heretic
and to suppress completely individual interpretation of the Words is also
bad. We should try to strike a happy medium between these two extremes."
Shoghi Effendi, Principles of Bahá'í Administration,
(London: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1950), p. 25.
(40) Though Americans and Europeans may tend to think that this law has already served its purpose, let us be aware that even today slavery has re-emerged in some of the African countries.
(41) When the people begin to regard their work as worship, many accidents and injustices will be removed from the society. Consider how many fatal airline crashes will be avoided when maintenance and flight crews do more than "just get by." Consider the patients which physicians treat more as cases than as persons, and who regard their work more as a business than as a service to mankind. (How much does this increase the risk at which patients are placed?) When work becomes worship, service will take on new meanings.
(42) Contrary to the practice in most countries, education of the female children is preferable, should there have to be a choice, for the mother is the first educator of the child and these girls will become the educators of the next generation.
(43) The editor recalls reading various historical accounts of political debates in the chambers of government councils degenerating into fist fights. In newspaper reports of the 1980's (and these are considered civilized times?), both in European and Japanese Parliaments and in the Houses of Congress in this American democracy, physical blows have been exchanged for physical words.
(44) On the front page of the Sunday, August 28, 1988, Boston Globe
a story describes a New Hampshire man going into his next door neighbor's
house and killing him with a shotgun. In recent years we have heard
of a man going into a city council meeting in a small town in Ohio, and
killing the council members for not taking care of fixing the road in front
of his house. Another man, fired from his job at the post office
in Oklahoma, went in and shot dead several postal employees (former co-workers)
on the job.
(45) Each year, through a special processes without electioneering
or nominations, the members of the local Bahá'í communities
elect a national representative body called the National Spiritual Assembly
which in turn every five years elects the international governing body,
The Universal House of Justice.
(46) This statement and the remainder of the paragraph are explained
in depth in the writings of Abdu'l-Baha.
(47) Bahá'u'lláh has called for the assemblage of a vast
body of the representatives of all nations and has delineated the procedures
and principles by which a universal peace agreement can be reached--one
which will be binding and enforceable.
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