Upon them be Baha’u’l-Abha!
O ye people of the Kingdom of Abha!
There are two influences tending toward prosperity and
progress which emanate from the forefront of advancement of the world of
humanity. They remind the negligent, awaken them that sleep, give sight to the
blind, hearing to the deaf, power of utterance to the mutes and life to the
dead.
One is the influence of civilization - that development of
the world of nature that concerns the material life of man. It promotes
physical advancement and cultivates the social virtues. The laws and deductions
of science, so indispensable to progress, are the product of the lofty thoughts
of sound minds, the accumulated results of the efforts of ancient and modern
scholars. The most effective power for the promotion and dissemination of this
influence is just government.
The other is the divine influence, the holy and spiritual
revelations, which insure eternal glory, everlasting happiness, the
illumination of the world, the appearance of merciful phenomena in the world of
humanity, and perpetual life. The fundamental basis thereof is the teachings
and the precepts of the prophets, the dictates and attraction of the
conscience, which belong to the realm of morality. Like unto the lamp they
illuminate and brighten the depths and recesses of human realities. the
effective power of this the Word of God.
But the advancement of civilization, material perfections
and human virtues will bear no fruit or result unless joined to the spiritual
perfections; merciful qualities and sound morals, and the happiness of the
human world, which is the original goal, will not be attained. For although
through the advancement of civilization and the adornment and refinement of the
material world, happiness is realized, and the sight of hopes fulfilled in
perfect beauty wins the heart, yet, concomitantly, great dangers, severe
ordeals and awful catastrophes are involved.
Now, when ye behold the order and regularity of countries, cities, and villages, the attractive adornment, the delicacy of the blessings, the suitability of implements, the ease of transportation and traveling, the extension of knowledge of the facts of the world of nature, the great inventions and gigantic undertakings and the fine and artistic discoveries, ye shall say that civilization is the cause of happiness and the development of the human world.
Yet again, when ye glance over the inventions of infernal
instruments of destruction, the creation of the forces of ruin, the discovery
of fiery means which cut at the root of life, it becomes plainly evident that
civilization is twin with savagery and a concomitant thereof, unless material
civilization be aided by divine guidance, merciful appearance, heavenly
thoughts, and become joined to the spiritual states, the perfections of the
kingdom (of God) and the divine bounties.
Now consider how the most civilized and populous countries
of the world have become storehouses of infernal articles (guns, etc.), the
dominions of the world a great barracks, the nations of the world armed hosts,
and the kings thereof commanding generals of the battlefield. Thus hath the
human world fallen into a great calamity!
Therefore this civilization and material development must be
led by the Great Guidance; the mundane world must be made the place for the
appearance of the bounties of the kingdom; material advancement must be made
twin with merciful revelation. Thus may the human world appear as the
representative of the (heavenly) assembly on the plane of existence, and the exposition
of divine evidence may reveal itself in the greatest sweetness and loveliness.
Thus may eternal happiness and glory find realization.
Praise be to God! For centuries and cycles the banner of
civilization has been raised, the human world has day by day advanced and
developed, the material world has flourished and outward perfections increased
until now the world of human existence has attained great capacity for the
spiritual teachings and the divine summons.
To illustrate: When a suckling babe has passed through the
material grades and has attained physical growth and development, the body
reaches the grade of maturity and attains capacity for the manifestation of
ideal perfections and intellectual virtues. Then the signs of the endowment of
perception, intelligence and knowledge, and the spiritual forces appear.
Likewise in the general world, when mankind accomplished
physical development, traveled through the grades of civilization and attained
the human wonders, virtues and endowments in their most consummate form, it
attained capacity for the appearance and extension of the spiritual divine
perfections and obtained worthiness for hearing the divine summons.
Then the ensign of the Kingdom was raised, spiritual virtues
and perfections became manifest, the sun of reality arose, the light of the
"Most Great Peace" dawned, the solidarity of the human world was
realized. We hope that the radiation of these lights may, day by day, become
intensified and these ideal virtues magnified. Thus may the great achievement
of the human world become evident and manifest, and the beloved of the love of
God may become with the utmost sweetness and beauty the representatives of the
(heavenly) assemblage.
O ye friends of God! Know ye verily that the happiness of
the world of humanity is dependent upon the unity and solidarity of mankind,
and that material and spiritual progress both rest upon universal friendliness
and love among human individuals.
Consider other living beings; that is to say the animals
that graze, or fly, and those that are ferocious. The individual of every
ferocious kind is separated from its kin and the members of the same species,
and lives in loneliness. They exercise the utmost opposition and ferocity
towards each other. When they chance to meet they immediately engage in
contention and fighting, and use their claws and sharpen their teeth by
ferocity, such as atrocious lions or bloodthirsty wolves. Thus do the ferocious
animals that live solitary and fight for their living.
But as to the tame, domestic animals of good nature and pure
temperaments, such as those that fly and those that graze, they associate with
each other with the utmost love, and company by company they live together.
They spend their time in the greatest happiness, joy and gladness. The thankful
birds which are content with a few grains, practice the utmost joyousness
towards one another and sing myriads of melodies upon the pleasant plains,
mountains and valleys. Likewise the animals that graze, like the sheep, deer
and rabbit, live in a state of greatest friendliness, and fellowship with
happiness and unity in the pasturage of the green tablelands. But the dogs,
wolves, tigers and the blood thirsty hyenas and other ferocious animals shun
each other and wander lonely after their prey. Even when the animals that graze
and fly come to each other's nest or den, there is no opposition and
estrangement manifested, nay rather they treat one another with the utmost
friendliness and affection. On the contrary, when a ferocious animal approaches
the den of one of its kind, the two engage in contention. Even if one passes
through the neighborhood of the other, it is at once attacked and if possible
destroyed.
Therefore it becomes evident that friendliness and love even
in the animal kingdom are the result of good nature, pure temperament and
gentle behavior; while discord and estrangement characterize the ferocious
brutes of the plains.
The almighty God has not created in man the claws and teeth
of the lion; nay the human existence is made and fashioned after the best form
and for the most consummate innate virtues. Therefore it behooves man in homage
for this creation and gratitude for this bestowal that he should exercise
friendship and love for his kind, nay more, he should treat all living beings
with justice and equity.
Again consider that the comfort joy, rest and happiness of
mankind come from love and unity; that contentions and disputes are the
greatest causes of distress, misery, tribulation and unhappiness. But a
thousand times alas! that humanity is ignorant and negligent concerning these
matters, and every day becomes metamorphosed into the character of a savage
animal, one day a ferocious tiger, again a coiling and repulsive serpent.
The sublimity of man is derived from the qualities and
virtues which characterize the angels of the supreme concourse. Therefore when
good qualities and virtuous attributes appear in man, he is verily a heavenly
personage, an angel of the kingdom, a divine reality, a merciful manifestation.
And when he does contend and thirst for blood, he exceeds in ferocity the
basest of brutes, for while the bloodthirsty wolf will devour one sheep in the
night, in that time man will make away with a thousand victims.
For man has two aspects: one the sublimity of nature and
intellectual qualities, and the other the base animality and imperfections of
passion.
If you travel through the continents and countries of the
world, you will see, on one side, the signs of ruin and destruction and, on the
other, the signs and monuments of civilization and construction. As to the ruin
and destruction, they are the signs of contention and discord, of war and
battle. But order and construction are the results of the virtues of
friendliness and concord.
If one travel in the central desert of Asia, he will observe
how many cities as great and populous as Paris or London have been ruined. From
the Caspian Sea to the River Oxus naught is to be seen save forlorn and
deserted prairies and deserts. The Russian railway (the Trans-Caspian R. R.)
takes two days and two nights to traverse the ruined cities and destroyed
villages of that desert. There was a time when that land was very populous and
in the highest state of civilization and development; science and knowledge
were wide spread, the arts and professions established, commerce and
agriculture were in the utmost state of perfection, and civil government and
politics well organized.
Now, all this great region is the habitation of desolation
and shelters only the' nomadic Turkoman tribes and the wandering beasts of
prey. The cities of that land, as Gorgan, Tassa, Abiavard and Shahrastan, were
once famous in the world for sciences, knowledge, professions, wonders, wealth,
greatness, happiness and virtue. Now, no voice or murmur is to be heard in all
that land save the roar of ferocious brutes, and naught to be seen save the
wandering wolves.
This ruin and destruction was occasioned by the battles and
murders of the wars between Iran (Persia) and Turkan, which had become
different in customs and religion. Their godless leaders made public property
of the blood, the belongings and the privacy of each other. This is the
exposition of one instance.
Then, when you travel through the world and observe it, you
shall find all constructiveness and progressiveness to be signs of friendliness
and love, and all destructiveness and ruin the results of hatred and enmity.
Notwithstanding this obvious fact the human world does not
take warning nor wake up from its sleep of negligence. Men still engage in
discord and contention; they organize armed forces and long to charge on the
battlefield.
Again, consider organization and decomposition, existence
and non-existence. Every being is composed of many different constituents, the
existence of everything is the expression of organization. That is to say: when
by divine genesis organization of certain elements occurs, a being is produced.
All existent beings are after this fashion. But when a defect appears in that
compound and decomposition sets in, the parts separate and that being
disintegrates and becomes non-existent. Thus annihilation of things is an
expression of their decomposition and disintegration. The affinity and
organization of the elements makes possible the existence.
To sum up: the attraction and affinity of things are the
cause of fructification and production, and estrangement and disunion among
things the cause of death and annihilation. By attraction and affinity all
living beings such as plants, animals and men are realized. From disagreement
and estrangement dissemination results and annihilation follows. Verily the
life of the human world is that which is conducive to unity, attraction and
concord of mankind.
When you pass a farm and observe a prosperous plantation
with symmetry and beauty, full of plants and flowers with an organized
community, ye see proof of the fact that the farm and garden are under the care
and cultivation of a skillful farmer; but if ye see confusion and disorder, it
is an evidence that the place is bereft of the care of the gardener and a wild
and uncultivated plantation results.
Therefore it is evident that unity and concord are the
result of the education of the real educator, while separation and dissension
are evidence of savagery and the lack of the training of God.
If an opponent object, saying: The nations, peoples, tribes
and sects of the world have different ethics, morals, conducts, tastes and
temperaments and their thoughts and opinions vary, how then can real unity
become realized or absolute accord among humanity be established? We will say
that difference (or disagreement) is of two kinds: One sort is the cause of
annihilation and that is like the disagreement of warring nations and fighting
tribes who destroy one another, ruin homes and cause comfort and peace to
depart, exhibiting ferocity and blood thirstiness. The other difference (or
disagreement) is an expression of variety that is itself perfection, and the
means of manifesting the graces of the All-Glorious.
Look at the flowers of the gardens. Although members of
different families, having various colors, different forms and shapes, yet
because they absorb the selfsame water and grow and thrive by the same breeze
and are reared by the same heat and light of the one sun, this difference and
variety produces greater beauty and grace and each appears more beautiful by
contrast with the other.
When the complete proof, which is the effectiveness of the
Word of God, obtains, this difference in nature's ethics, habits and thoughts
results in the diversification and adornment of the human world.
Moreover this difference and variety is inherent and innate
in the parts and members of man, which afford the means for revealing
perfections, and since these members and parts (of the human organism) are
under the control of the king of the spirit, the spirit interpenetrates the
parts and governs even the veins and arteries. This difference and variety then
is no barrier to oneness and love governed by the spirit. This diversity is
indeed the greatest power of unity.
Should a garden have its trees with their branches, leaves,
blossoms and fruit all of one kind, color, shape and arrangement it would have
no beauty and sweetness whatever. But if it possess various hues, different
leaves, blossoms and fruits, each will intensify the decorative effect and
beauty of the other. The garden will become perfect and excel in beauty,
delicacy, freshness, sweetness and magnificence.
Likewise, the difference and variety of thoughts, opinions
morals and temperaments of the human world when under the guidance of the one
power and the influence of the word of oneness, will shine forth with the
utmost greatness, beauty, sublimity and perfection.
Today no power save the great power of the Word of God,
which comprehends the realities of things, can gather to gather under the shade
of the same tree, the minds and hearts of the world of humanity. It is the
motive power of all things; it is the mover of souls and the controller and
governor of the human world.
Praise be to God! Today the light of the Word of God shines
upon all horizons. From every nation, tribe and denomination, souls are coming
under the influence of the Word (of God) and have agreed and united with the
utmost concord and harmony. Many an assembly shall be organized whose members
will be representatives of different nations, tribes and peoples. If one attend
such a meeting, he will be surprised and will imagine that those present are of
one birth and nation, one people with the same thoughts and opinions, when, as
a matter of fact, one may be an American, another a European; one from
Hindustan (India) another from Turkestan; one an Arab, another a Tajik; one
Persian, another Greek. Notwithstanding this they consort together with joy and
sing together in the utmost unity, harmony, love and solidarity in liberty and
wisdom. This is through the effect of the Word of God.
If all the powers of the world should convene, they could
not organize an assembly like unto these assemblies. Here with such remarkable
love, attraction and zeal, different people unite in one assembly and raise
their voices in unison in the center of the world. They cause the abolishment
of war and murder, and the realization (and establishment) of universal peace,
and the friendliness and unity of the world of humanity. Can any power
withstand the power of The Word of God? No, verily, the proof is clear and the
evidence complete.
If a soul opens the eye of equity, he will become amazed and
surprised and will testify justly that all the nations and peoples of the world
should be grateful and thankful to the teachings of Baha’u’llah. For these
teachings make tame every ferocious animal, give speed to those that only move,
transform human souls into angels of heaven and make the world of humanity the
center of the manifestation of mercy. All are compelled thereby to obey and be
loyal to the government.
Today no kingdom in all the world is confident and at ease,
for security and confidence have disappeared from humanity. Kings and subjects
are alike in danger.
The sect today which obeys the government with perfect
religions honesty, and practices the utmost integrity towards the nations is
this oppressed sect. The proof thereof is the following: All the tribes in
Persia and Turkestan are thinking of their own petty interests; if they obey
the government it is either with the hope of favor or through fear of
punishment. But the Baha’is are well-wishers of and obedient to the powers (or
governments) and are loving and kind to all the nations.
This obedience and adherence are enjoined as duties upon all
by the Beauty of Abha (Baha'u'llah) in clear texts. Therefore in compliance
with the commandment of God they practice the utmost honesty and good will
toward the governments. If any man commit a wrong against the government he
must hold himself responsible before God and consider himself a sinner
deserving of punishment. Notwithstanding this it is amazing how some of the
ministers of (political) affairs account all other sects as well-disposed, but
the Baha’is as ill-disposed.
Praise be to God! (an expression of wonder when thus used.)
In these latter days when a great general uprising and commotion took place in
Teheran and other cities of Iran (Persia) it was clearly evidenced that not a
single Baha’i interfered in these affairs nor troubled the populace, and for
this reason they were blamed and criticized by others, for they had obeyed the
Blessed Beauty (Baha’u’llah) and interfered not at all in political matters nor
disturbed any sect. They were occupied with their own affairs, trades and
professions.
All the friends of God testify that ‘Abdu'l-Baha is entirely
true to, and exhibits good-will towards the governments and nations of the
world, especially, the two sublime governments of the East (Persia and Turkey),
for these two countries were respectively the native land and habitation of His
holiness, Baha’u’llah. In all the epistles and writings He has commended and
praised these two kingdoms, and has asked aid for them from the threshold of
oneness. The Beauty of Abha - may my soul be a sacrifice for His beloved!-
prayed in behalf of their majesties, the two sovereigns (the Shah and the
Sultan). Praise be to God! Notwithstanding these decisive arguments, each day
an event occurs and difficulties appear. But we and the beloved of God must not
grow lax in the least in our honesty and good-will, nay rather in the utmost
devotion and trustworthiness remain steadfast in our sincerity and engage in
philanthropic prayers.
O beloved of God! These days are the time for firmness and
the period for steadfastness and constancy in the Cause of God. You must not
look upon the personality of ‘Abdu'l-Baha, for he will eventually bid ye
farewell. Nay, ye must observe the Word of God. If the Word of God is in the
ascendant, be happy, joyous and thankful, even if Abdu'l-Baha be under a sword
or beneath fetters and chains; for importance is in the holy temple of the
Cause of God, and not in the physical mould of ‘Abdu’l-Baha.
The beloved of God must be confirmed with such a firmness
that if every moment a hundred like ‘Abdul-Baha become the target of arrows, no
change should occur in their decision or intension, no transformation in their
zeal or attraction to God, and no abatement in their occupation in the service
of the Cause of God.
‘Abdul-Baha is the servant of the Word of the Blessed Beauty
and the manifestation of absolute servitude in the threshold of the Lord. He
has no other station, grade, class or power. This is my utmost hope, my abiding
paradise, my Masjide Aska* (Most Holy Sanctuary) and my Sadratu’l Montaha
(Divine Guidance)
The great Manifestation was fulfilled and consummated in the
Blessed Beauty of Abha (Baha'u'llah) and his holiness the Supreme (the great
Báb) was the herald of the Blessed Beauty - may my spirit be a sacrifice to
them! Thus was it ended and for a thousand years all shall receive illumination
from His lights and obtain (favor) from the sea of his favors.
O ye beloved of God! This is my wish for ye and counsel to
ye. Blessed is he who is aided by God to comply with what is written on this
leaf.
Upon Ye be Baha’u’l-Abha!
(Signed) ‘Abdu’l-Baha Abbas
(Star of the West, vol. 6, no. 9, August 20, 1915)
