84: THE NECESSITY OF FOLLOWING THE TEACHINGS OF THE DIVINE MANIFESTATIONS

Question.—Those who are blessed with good actions and universal benevolence, who have praiseworthy characteristics, who act with love and kindness toward all creatures, who care for the poor, and who strive to establish universal peace—what need have they of the divine teachings, of which they think indeed that they are independent? What is the condition of these people?

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Answer.—Know that such actions, such efforts and such words are praiseworthy and approved, and are the glory of humanity. But these actions alone are not sufficient; they are a body of the greatest loveliness, but without spirit. No, that which is the cause of everlasting life, eternal honor, universal enlightenment, real salvation and prosperity is, first of all, the knowledge of God.

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It is known that the knowledge of God is beyond all knowledge, and it is the greatest glory of the human world. For in the existing knowledge of the reality of things there is material advantage, and through it outward civilization progresses; but the knowledge of God is the cause of spiritual progress and attraction, and through it the perception of truth, the exaltation of humanity, divine civilization, rightness of morals and illumination are obtained.

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Second, comes the love of God, the light of which shines in the lamp of the hearts of those who know God; its brilliant rays illuminate the horizon and give to man the life of the Kingdom. In truth, the fruit of human existence is the love of God, for this love is the spirit of life, and the eternal bounty.

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If the love of God did not exist, the contingent world would be in darkness; if the love of God did not exist, the hearts of men would be dead, and deprived of the sensations of existence; if the love of God did not exist, spiritual union would be lost; if the love of God did not exist, the light of unity would not illuminate humanity; if the love of God did not exist, the East and West, like two lovers, would not embrace each other; if the love of God did not exist, division and disunion would not be changed into fraternity; if the love of God did not exist, indifference would not end in affection; if the love of God did not exist, the stranger would not become the friend.

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The love of the human world has shone forth from the love of God and has appeared by the bounty and grace of God.

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It is clear that the reality of mankind is diverse, that opinions are various and sentiments different; and this difference of opinions, of thoughts, of intelligence, of sentiments among the human species arises from essential necessity; for the differences in the degrees of existence of creatures is one of the necessities of existence, which unfolds itself in infinite forms.

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Therefore, we have need of a general power which may dominate the sentiments, the opinions and the thoughts of all, thanks to which these divisions may no longer have effect, and all individuals may be brought under the influence of the unity of the world of humanity. It is clear and evident that this greatest power in the human world is the love of God.

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It brings the different peoples under the shadow of the tent of affection; it gives to the antagonistic and hostile nations and families the greatest love and union.

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See, after the time of Christ, through the power of the love of God, how many nations, races, families and tribes came under the shadow of the Word of God. The divisions and differences of a thousand years were entirely destroyed and annihilated. The thoughts of race and of fatherland completely disappeared. The union of souls and of existences took place; all became true spiritual Christians.

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The third virtue of humanity is the goodwill which is the basis of good actions. Certain philosophers have considered intention superior to action, for the goodwill is absolute light; it is purified and sanctified from the impurities of selfishness, of enmity, of deception. Now it may be that a man performs an action which in appearance is righteous, but which is dictated by covetousness.

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For example, a butcher rears a sheep and protects it; but this righteous action of the butcher is dictated by desire to derive profit, and the result of this care is the slaughter of the poor sheep. How many righteous actions are dictated by covetousness! But the goodwill is sanctified from such impurities.

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Briefly, if to the knowledge of God is joined the love of God, and attraction, ecstasy and goodwill, a righteous action is then perfect and complete. Otherwise, though a good action is praiseworthy, yet if it is not sustained by the knowledge of God, the love of God, and a sincere intention, it is imperfect. For example, the being of man must unite all perfections to be perfect.

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Sight is extremely precious and appreciated, but it must be aided by hearing; the hearing is much appreciated, but it must be aided by the power of speech; the faculty of speech is very acceptable, but it must be aided by the power of reason, and so forth. The same is true of the other powers, organs and members of man; when all these powers, these senses, these organs, these members exist together, he is perfect.

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Now, today, we meet with people in the world who, in truth, desire the universal good, and who according to their power occupy themselves in protecting the oppressed and in aiding the poor: they are enthusiastic for peace and the universal well-being. Although from this point of view they may be perfect, if they are deprived of the knowledge and love of God, they are imperfect.

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Galen, the physician, in his book in which he comments on the treatise of Plato on the art of government,176 says that the fundamental principles of religion have a great influence upon a perfect civilization because “the multitude cannot understand the connection of explanatory words; so it has need of symbolical words announcing the rewards and punishments of the other world; and that which proves the truth of this affirmation,” he says, “is that today we see a people called Christians who believe in rewards and punishments; and this sect show forth beautiful actions like those which a true philosopher performs.

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So we all see clearly that they do not fear death, that they expect and desire nothing from the multitude but justice and equity, and they are considered as true philosophers.”

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Now observe what was the degree of the sincerity, the zeal, the spiritual feeling, the obligation of friendship, and the good actions of a believer in Christ, so that Galen, the philosophical physician, although he was not of the Christian religion, should yet bear witness to the good morals and the perfections of these people, to the point of saying that they were true philosophers.

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These virtues, these morals, were obtained not only through good actions, for if virtue were only a matter of obtaining and giving forth good, as this lamp is lighted and illuminates the house—without doubt this illumination is a benefit—then why do we not praise the lamp? The sun causes all the beings of the earth to increase, and by its heat and light gives growth and development: is there a greater benefit than that?

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Nevertheless, as this good does not come from goodwill and from the love and knowledge of God, it is imperfect.

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When, on the contrary, a man gives to another a cup of water, the latter is grateful and thanks him. A man, without reflecting, will say, “This sun which gives light to the world, this supreme bounty which is apparent in it, must be adored and praised.

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Why should we not be grateful and thankful to the sun for its bounty, when we praise a man who performs a simple act of kindness?” But if we look for the truth, we see that this insignificant kindness of the man is due to conscious feelings which exist; therefore, it is worthy of praise, whereas the light and heat of the sun are not due to the feelings and consciousness; therefore, they are not worthy of eulogy or of praise and do not deserve gratitude or thanks.

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In the same way, when a person performs a good action, although it is praiseworthy, if it is not caused by the love and knowledge of God, it is imperfect.

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Moreover, if you reflect justly, you will see that these good actions of other men who do not know God are also fundamentally caused by the teachings of God—that is to say, that the former Prophets led men to perform these actions, explained their beauty to them, and declared their splendid effects; then these teachings were diffused among men and reached them successively, one after the other, and turned their hearts toward these perfections.

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When men saw that these actions were considered beautiful, and became the cause of joy and happiness for mankind, they conformed to them.

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Wherefore these actions also come from the teachings of God. But justice is needed to see this, and not controversy and discussion. Praise be to God, you have been to Persia, and you have seen how the Persians, through the holy breezes of Bahá’u’lláh, have become benevolent toward humanity. Formerly, if they met anyone of another race, they tormented him and were filled with the utmost enmity, hatred and malevolence; they went so far as to throw dirt at him.

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They burned the Gospel and the Old Testament, and if their hands were polluted by touching these books, they washed them. Today the greater number of them recite and chant, as is suitable, the contents of these two Books in their reunions and assemblies, and they expound their esoteric teaching. They show hospitality to their enemies. They treat the bloodthirsty wolves with gentleness, like gazelles in the plains of the love of God.

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You have seen their customs and habits, and you have heard of the manners of former Persians. This transformation of morals, this improvement of conduct and of words, are they possible otherwise than through the love of God? No, in the name of God. If, by the help of science and knowledge, we wished to introduce these morals and customs, truly it would take a thousand years, and then they would not be spread throughout the masses.

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Today, thanks to the love of God, they are arrived at with the greatest facility.

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Be admonished, O possessors of intelligence!

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Footnotes 1.On the idea of God, cf. “The Divinity Can Only Be Comprehended through the Divine Manifestations,” p. 146; and “Man’s Knowledge of God,” p. 220.

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The reader will there see that the Bahá’í Faith has not an anthropomorphic conception of God, and that if it employs a customary terminology, it is careful to explain its symbolic meaning.2.Cf. Gen. 1:26.3.Cf. Gen. 1:26.4.Divine Manifestations are the founders of religions. Cf. “Two Classes of Prophets,” p. 164.5.The Báb’s descent was from Muḥammad.6.Cf. John 6:42.7.The Banú-Tamím, one of the most barbarous Arab tribes, practiced this odious custom.8.To Medina.9.Of ‘Umar.10.Cf. Jurjí Zaydán’s Umayyads and Abbasids, trans. D. S. Margoliouth.11.Copernicus.12.Cf.

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Qur’án 36:37.13.Cf. Qur’án 36:38.14.Galileo.15.The Báb is here designated by His title Ḥaḍrat-i-A‘lá, His Supreme Highness; but for the convenience of the reader we shall continue to designate Him by the name under which He is known throughout Europe—i.e., the Báb.16.Doctors of the religion of Islám.17.Jamál-i-Mubárak, the Blessed Beauty, the title which is here given to Bahá’u’lláh. He is also called Jamál-i-Qidám, the Preexistent, or Ancient Beauty.

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But we shall designate Him as Bahá’u’lláh, the title by which He is known in the West.18.Exiled first to Baghdád, then to Constantinople, then to Adrianople, He was imprisoned in Akká (Acre), “the Greatest Prison,” in 1868.19.The penetrating judgment of Bahá’u’lláh upon this occasion overcame the malignity of His enemies, who, it was certain, would never agree in choosing what miracle to ask for.20.‘Iráq; as opposed to that district of Írán known then as ‘Iráq-i-‘Aẓam and now called Arák.21.Adrianople.22.Napoleon III.23.One of Bahá’u’lláh’s works written after His declaration.24.Son of a French Consul in Syria with whom Bahá’u’lláh had friendly relations.25.Name given to the epistles of Bahá’u’lláh.26.Valí.27.Cf.

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p. 30, n. 1. In giving such importance to this example of the good sense of Bahá’u’lláh, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá means to emphasize the uselessness of miracles as a proof of the truth of the Manifestations of God. Cf. “Miracles,” p. 100.28.A cry used as a declaration of faith by the Bahá’ís, literally, “Oh Thou the Glory of Glories!”29.Bahá’u’lláh.30.Akká.31.Cf. “Miracles,” p. 100.32.See Dan. 9:24.33.Cf. Num. 14:34.34.Cf. Dan.

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12:6–7.35.The reference appears in verses 11 and 12.36.Varaqat-Ibn-Nawfal, Khadíjah’s cousin.37.The year 1290 from the proclamation of the mission of Muḥammad was the year 1280 of the Hejira, or 1863–64 of our era. It was at this epoch (April 1863) that Bahá’u’lláh, on leaving Baghdád for Constantinople, declared to those who surrounded Him that He was the Manifestation announced by the Báb.

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It is this declaration which the Bahá’ís celebrate by the Feast of Ridván, this name being that of the garden at the entrance of the city, where Bahá’u’lláh stayed during twelve days, and where He made the declaration.38.Rev. 11:3.39.This sentence is the Persian translation of the Arabic text of the Qur’án which has been quoted.40.Rev. 11:4.41.Cf. Rev. 11:5.42.Rev. 11:6.43.Cf. Rev. 11:6.44.Cf. Rev. 11:6.45.Rev. 11:7.46.Cf. Rev. 11:7.47.Cf. Rev. 11:7.48.Rev. 11:8.49.Rev. 11:9.50.Another name for the Qur’án, signifying the Distinction.51.Cf. Rev. 11:10.52.Cf. Rev.

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11:11.53.Ḥájí Mullá Muḥammad-Alíy-i-Barfúrúshí, one of the chief disciples of the Báb and one of the nineteen Letters of the Living.54.Rev. 11:12.55.The Báb and Jináb-i-Quddús.56.Rev. 11:12.57.Cf. Rev. 11:13.58.Cf. Rev. 11:13.59.Rev. 11:14.60.Ez. 30:1–3.61.Rev. 11:15.62.Rev. 11:16–17.63.i.e., His most complete manifestation.64.Rev. 11:18.65.Rev. 11:18.66.Cf. Rev. 11:18.67.Cf. Rev. 11:18.68.Rev. 11:19.69.Rev. 11:19.70.Rev.

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11:19.71.One of the works of Bahá’u’lláh, in which He expressly points to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá as being the One to Whom all must turn after His death.72.One of the works of Bahá’u’lláh, in which He expressly points to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá as being the One to Whom all must turn after His death.73.Rev. 21:2.74.Cf. Rev. 12:3–4.75.Cf. Rev. 12:4.76.Cf. Rev. 12:6.77.Lit., the pivot.78.Extract from the letter to Náṣiri’d-Dín Sháh.79.Cf.

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Qur’án 19:17.80.Qur’án 36:35.81.This conversation shows the uselessness of discussions upon such questions; the teachings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá upon the birth of Christ will be found in the following chapter.82.Cf. John 1:12–13.83.Gen. 2:7.84.Acts 15:20.85.i.e., of Christ, Whom the Muslims frequently designate by the title of Rúhu’lláh, the Spirit of God.86.Cf. John 6:51, 50.87.Matt. 26:26.88.Matt. 8:22; John 3:6.89.Cf. Matt. 13:14 and John 12:40–41.90.Cf. Matt.

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24:29–30.91.Kitáb-i-Íqán, one of the first works of Bahá’u’lláh, written at Baghdád, before the declaration of His manifestation.92.John 3:13.93.In these conversations, as the reader will have already observed, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá desires rather to indicate the meaning of certain passages of the Scriptures than to quote the exact text.94.Masíkh—i.e., the monster. In Arabic there is a play upon the words Masíh, the Messiah, and masíkh, the monster.95.Cf. 1 Thess. 5:2; 2 Pet. 3:10.96.Cf. “Pantheism,” p.

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290.97.The Divine Manifestation.98.John 17:5.99.i.e., the Reality of Christ.100.Abu’l-bashar, i.e., the father of man, is one of the titles given by the Muslims to Adam.101.Cf. John 6:41, 50, 58.102.Cf. Gen. 2:16–17.103.Cf. Gen. 3:5.104.Cf. Gen. 3:11–15,22105.Bahá’u’lláh.106.Bahá’u’lláh.107.Cf. John 6:51.108.Jews and Christians.109.Matt. 8:22.110.Matt. 22:14.111.Matt. 22:14.112.Cf. “The Causes of Differences in the Characters of Men,” p. 212.113.Cf. p. 110, n. 2.114.Cf. John 1:19–21.115.Cf. John 1:21.116.i.e., the individuality.117.Matt.

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16:18.118.It is well known that Peter’s real name was Simon, but Christ called him Cephas, which corresponds to the Greek word petras, which means rock.119.Cf. Matt. 16:14–18.120.Cf. Qur’án 6:104.121.From a hadíth.122.Qur’án 59:2.123.i.e., in the kingdom of man, where alone the Spirit manifests immortality. Cf. “Five Aspects of Spirit,” p. 143; “The State of Man and His Progress after Death,” p. 235, etc.124.Cf. John 14:11; 17:21125.John 1:1.126.The Manifestation.127.The Manifestation.128.Cf. “Soul, Spirit and Mind,” p. 208.129.Cf. John 1:1.130.Matt. 6:9; Luke 11:2.131.John 1:1.132.Cf.

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Exod. 20:4–5; Deut. 5:8–9.133.Num. 20:23–24.134.Cf. Qur’án 48:1–2.135.Matt. 19:16, 17.136.The Manifestation of God.137.Kitáb-i-Aqdas: i.e., The Most Holy Book. The principal work of Bahá’u’lláh, which contains the greater part of the commandments. It is the basis of the principles of the Bahá’í Faith.138.The House of Justice (Baytu’l-Adl) is an institution created by Bahá’u’lláh. He refers to two levels of this institution: the Local Houses of Justice, responsible for each town or village, and the Universal House of Justice.

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‘Abdu’l-Bahá, in His Will and Testament, added an intermediate level, the Secondary Houses of Justice. It is only on the Universal House of Justice that infallibility has been conferred. At the present time, to stress their purely spiritual functions, the Local and Secondary Houses of Justice are designated Local and National Spiritual Assemblies.139.Qur’án 23:14.140.Man.141.i.e., if we admit, for example, that man had formerly been a quadruped, or had had a tail.142.Cf. Gen.

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1:26.143.This subject, of emanation and manifestation, is more fully explained in the following chapter.144.Cf. “Real Preexistence,” p. 280.145.John 1:1.146.John 1:1.147.Cf. John 14:11; 17:21.148.Bahá’u’lláh.149.Cf. Gen. 9:25.150.i.e., therefore people cannot be blamed for their character.151.Cf. Rev. 22:13.152.Cf. “The Difference between Man and the Animal,” p. 185.153.Cf.

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John 3:5.154.John 1:13.155.Qur’án 23:14.156.One farsakh is equivalent to about four miles.157.It is a Persian custom to reckon distance by time.158.Mírzá Yaḥyá Subh-i-Azal, half-brother of Bahá’u’lláh, and His irreconcilable enemy.159.“Veiled spirits” here signify rational souls, souls not possessing the spirit of faith. Cf. “Soul, Spirit and Mind,” p. 208.160.Rom. 9:21.161.Cf. Matt. 5:39.162.A Bahá’í sitting with us at table.163.Matt. 8:22.164.The infernal tree mentioned in the Qur’án.165.i.e., of the Circle of Existence.166.Lit., bringing forth.167.Lit., producing something new.168.Cf.

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Qur’án 37:180.169.Qur’án 59:2.170.Bahá’u’lláh.171.Lit., the unity of existence.172.God.173.i.e., an intellectual existence.174.gods.175.i.e., infinite continuation of causes and effects.176.Cf. Ibn Ábí Usaybíá, Üyün al-anbá fí tabaqát al-átibbá (Cairo: 1882) tom. i., pp. 76–77.

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