Contributions of “the religion of God” to humanity

The religion of God reforms the moral side of the life of mankind. It is the spreader of the virtues of the world of humanity. It is the founder of divine perfections in the hearts of men. It is nearness to God. It is the cause of attraction and enkindlement with the fire of the love of God. It is conducive to the illumination of human consciousness. . . . All the prophets are sent by God for the guidance of the people, for the enlightenment of the minds of the inhabitants of the earth and for the promotion of the Word of Truth. 

- 'Abdu'l-Baha  (Words of Abdul-Baha, March 12, 1914, recorded by Mirza Ahmad Sohrab, Abdu'l-Bahá's secretary and translator from 1912 to 1919; 'Diary of Mirza Ahmad Sohrab'; Star of the West, vol. 8, no. 2, April 9, 1917)

Economy; Contentment; Profession; Poverty and wealth

Economy is the foundation of human prosperity. The spendthrift is always in trouble. Prodigality on the part of any person is an unpardonable sin. The fewer the habits, the better for the man. It is a divine virtue to be satisfied with very few things. Contentment is the antidote for all the social diseases. We must live an independent life. We must never live on others like a parasitic plant. Every person must have a profession, whether it be literary or manual, and must live a clean, manly, honest life, an example of purity to be imitated by others. Contentment is the master key to all success. If the members of my family starve I will not ask money from the people. It is more kingly to be satisfied with a crust of stale bread than to enjoy a good dinner composed of many delicious dishes the money for which comes out of the pockets of others. . . . A Bahai must be satisfied. There was a time that I lived on five cents a day and I was then much happier than I am now. The Persian Bahais often live in the utmost poverty and want, yet they never complain nor ask for money from any one. Begging they consider to be below their spiritual station. A man who is the beneficiary of the treasury of the Kingdom is not poor. There have been some rich Bahais in Persia, whose properties were entirely confiscated. Being thus reduced to utter destitution they went out cheerfully to work and in their turn spent all they made for the maintenance of the poorer Bahai families. Love, yea, love must be demonstrated through deeds. Love has never been a passive verb, a figure of speech; it has always been an active verb, an ideal reality. The sign of true faith is the service of the believers of God and service must always manifest itself in loving deeds and actions. . . .

A small business with a steady income is better than the wild, helter-skelter speculations of the financiers.

The mind of a contented person is always peaceful and his heart is at rest. He is like a monarch ruling over the whole world. How happily such a man helps himself to his frugal meals. How joyfully he takes his walks and how peacefully he sleeps!

- 'Abdu'l-Baha  (Words of Abdul-Baha, August 24, 1914, recorded by Mirza Ahmad Sohrab, Abdu'l-Bahá's secretary and translator from 1912 to 1919; 'Diary of Mirza Ahmad Sohrab'; Star of the West, vol. 8, no. 2, April 9, 1917)

Qualities a human being should develop

Chastity and purity of life are the two divine standards of the spiritual and moral law. The greater the aim of man the nobler his purpose. A man must ever be thoughtful of others and be polite and courteous toward his fellow-beings. This will win for him the good pleasure of the Lord and the satisfaction of the general public. One's sitting and rising, speech and conversation, social intercourse and communication should be based upon a firm foundation and be conducive to the glory of the world of humanity. 

- 'Abdu'l-Baha  (Words of Abdul-Baha, from the Diary of Mirza Ahmad Sohrab, September 4, 1913)

To become like children: - we “must become pure in heart”

His highness Christ, has addressed the world, saying: "Be like unto children." That is, men must become pure in heart. The hearts of children are of the utmost purity. But this is on account of weakness, not on account of strength. In the early period of childhood the hearts are pure; they have no hypocrisy nor stratagem and they cannot display any great intelligence.

But man becomes pure through the power of strength, through the power of intelligence and understanding. He becomes simple through the great power of reason. He becomes sincere through the power of intelligence not through the power of weakness. When man attains to the great state of perfection his heart becomes pure, his spirit becomes enlightened, his soul becomes tender and receives these qualities through great strength. This is the difference between the perfect man and the child. Both have the great, simple, underlying qualities. But the child through the power of weakness and the man through the power of strength. 

- 'Abdu'l-Baha  (Words of Abdul-Baha; Star of the West, Vol. 3, No. 3)

“Christ was the mirror; God was the Sun.” “The Sun of Truth reflected itself in the mirrors of Moses and Christ.”

Christ was the mirror; God was the Sun. The Sun appeared with all its effulgence and splendor in the mirror; that is, the virtues, the perfections and the characteristics of God appeared in Christ. This is what is meant where it is written in the Bible that 'We have created man in our own image.' The perfect man is the visage and image of God, just as the mirror reflects the sun. We can not say that the sun has come down from heaven and has taken a place in the mirror. The sun is eternal, living in its own station. It had no ascent or descent, entrance or exit; but the rays and the heat of the sun have become fully reflected in the clear mirror. That is why Christ said the future is in the sun and the sun is in the future. The Sun of Truth reflected itself in the mirrors of Moses and Christ. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (Words of ‘Abdu’l-Baha; From an interview by a prominent rabbi, 1912, USA; ‘Star of the West, vol. 3, no. 6, June 24, 1912’).

“a vital position of responsibility for women”

If a mother is well educated, her children will also be well taught. If the mother is wise, the children will be wise; if the mother is religious, the children will also be religious. If the mother is a good woman, then the children will also be good. The future generations depends then on the mothers of today. Is this not a vital position of responsibility for women? 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (Discourses given by ‘Abdu’l-Baha in London and Paris’; Star of the West, vol. 3, no. 2, April 9, 1912)

“Nearness to God depends…on the luminosity of the heart”

Nearness to God depends not on sex but on the luminosity of the heart; he or she with the greatest faith, these are near to God. Women must try then to attain greater perfection to be man's equal in the world, to make such progress that men will be forced to own them as their equals in every respect. In Europe women have made greater progress than in the East, though they are not yet physically as far advanced as men. It is my hope that they may progress rapidly until humanity will be perfected. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (Discourses given by ‘Abdu’l-Baha in London and Paris’; Star of the West, vol. 3, no. 2, April 9, 1912)

“women have a superior disposition to men, they are more receptive, more sensitive, their intuition is more intense”

The capacity of women is the same as men; if she were educated with the same advantages the result would be the same; in fact women have a superior disposition to men, they are more receptive, more sensitive, their intuition is more intense… In the necessities of life women are superior to men, they are the cause of existence of men themselves. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (Discourses given by ‘Abdu’l-Baha in London and Paris’; Star of the West, vol. 3, no. 2, April 9, 1912)

“Moses laid down a few principles, but the results of those principles became apparent five hundred years afterward” “during the time of Solomon”

His Highness Moses laid the foundation but the result of His teachings became apparent during the time of Solomon. If there had been no Moses there would have been no Solomon. The sovereignty of Solomon was the outcome of the principles of Moses. If there had been no Moses the children of Israel would have been entirely lost, and up to this time they would have been slaves in the land of Pharoah. Their very name would have disappeared from the page of history. Moses laid down a few principles, but the results of those principles became apparent five hundred years afterward. If an inquirer is just he will realize that Moses laid with His own hand Solomonic universality. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (Words of ‘Abdu’l-Baha; From an interview by a prominent rabbi, 1912, USA; ‘Star of the West, vol. 3, no. 6, June 24, 1912’)

Sickness

Disease is of two kinds: (a) Material, and (b) Spiritual. For instance, a cut of the hand: if you pray for the cut to be healed, and do not stop it bleeding, you will not do much good, this needs a material remedy.

Sometimes if the nervous system is paralyzed through fear, a spiritual remedy is necessary. Madness, incurable otherwise, can be cured through prayer, but an abscess cannot be cured by prayer alone. Extreme cases need prayer. It often happens that sorrow makes one ill. That can be cured by spiritual means. Blindness is physical, not spiritual. They say our Lord cured blindness; it was blindness of the soul. (“They have eyes and see not, ears they have and hear not.’’) He brought on spiritual awakening. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (Discourses given by ‘Abdu’l-Baha in London and Paris’; Star of the West, vol. 2, no. 19, March 2, 1912)

“One must never accustom himself to anything the absence of which may disturb his comfort.”

“When I was in Paris one of the believers brought me a soft cushion and urged me to put it under my head. I became accustomed to it and as there is none in this hotel my neck has pained me all these nights. To be the slave of custom is the worst habit. I will have none of it! When I was young I often had a brick or a piece of rock as my pillow, and I slept soundly."

Haji Niaz said that he had a soft cushion with him and asked to be allowed to go out and bring it. Abdu’l-Baha answered:

"No, no! I must get accustomed to my natural ways. This would not do. One must never accustom himself to anything the absence of which may disturb his comfort." 

- 'Abdu'l-Baha  (Words of Abdul-Baha from the Diary of Mirza Ahmad Sohrab, July 17, 1913; Star of the West, vol. 8, no. 2, April 9, 1917)

The remarkable contributions of Christ

Again you will note that His Highness Christ was a Jew. Ponder well over this matter: The Jews were captives in the hand of the Romans; they were their slaves. From every standpoint they were scattered and impoverished. Nebuchadnezzar carried seventy thousand of them into captivity at Babylon. Even today the tombs of Esther and Daniel are there. And afterwards what did Titus, the Roman Emperor, not do! He entirely destroyed the foundation of the Jewish temple. The effect of the destruction of Titus is manifest up to this time for we see them scattered all over the world.

His Holiness Christ appeared and established unity among the Romans, the Greeks, the Chaldeans, the Assyrians, the Europeans and the Americans. He established a bond of unity between all the nations. All the great prophets, the kings and the worthies of the Israelitish nation could not make the Persians believe in Moses. All the prophets such as Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Nehemiah, et al., could not make one Zoroastrian believe in Moses. But one Jew came and many millions believe in Him. He spread His name in the East and in the West. He caused the Bible to be translated in all the languages of the world, and today nearly every home contains a Bible. He demonstrated throughout the world to all the nations of the world that the Israelitish people were the chosen people, that the Israelitish prophets were the prophets of God, that their books were the books of God, that their words were the words of God. This is evident. These are not intellectual or traditional evidences but they are such evidences as permit of no discussion. Look at America. You see a Bible in almost every house that you enter. See what Christ has accomplished. Witness what one soul who was crucified has accomplished.

“God judges man's deeds according to the intention which actuated them.”

God judges man's deeds according to the intention which actuated them. This authentic tradition has come down from the Prophet: 'A man's intention or will is better than his act.' This means that when a man has a good intention, that is. cherishes the desire In his heart for a righteous act. it is impossible that such an intention be anything but pure. Whereas, in acting, it is possible that selfish reasons may have prompted it. For instance, it is possible that a man performs a good deed with a view to personal interest: such a good deed done is not separated from hypocrisy and insincerity. But when a man cherishes a good intention, it is impossible that it be prompted by any prejudice or be intended for anything but good. In this sense. 'A man's intention is better than his act.'

It is possible that men may have a good intention to perform a worthy deed, but be without the means to execute it. For instance, a man may have the intention to succor the poor and assist the orphan, but be without the necessary means with which to carry it out. Such an intention will have its effect in the world of Existence, and will be accepted in the Kingdom of God. And if a man be enabled to put it into deeds it will be 'light upon light'

- 'Abdu'l-Baha  (Words of ‘Abdu’l-Baha recorded by Ali Kuli Khan, 'Abdu'l-Baha's English-language secretary during 1899 to 1901; ‘Ali-Kuli Khan 1906 Pilgrim Notes’)

“it is wrong to judge others. The end of man is not known to us.”

All religions teach that men should love one another and that a man must look to his own faults before he condemns another; that he must not think himself superior to his fellows, for we know not in the end who will be judged best. How many men there have been who began a saintly career and finally fell to the greatest humiliation. Look at Judas Iscariot, how well he began and how sadly he failed in the end.

On the other hand, remember Paul the Apostle. He was an enemy of Christ, but he became the best of His servants. Therefore we must keep in mind that it is wrong to judge others. The end of man is not known to us. How can we think ourselves superior to anyone? We must, therefore, have no prejudices. We must never say: "I am a believer, he is an infidel; I am of the elect, he is an outcast." We can never tell the final judgment. We must not judge, we must give help to those who are not so blessed as we are. We must instruct the ignorant, we must tend the child and bring it to maturity. When we see a man in the depths, we must take him by the hand and lift him to our side. We must think of those who have fallen as our friends, not our enemies. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (Discourses given by ‘Abdu’l-Baha in London and Paris’; Star of the West, vol. 3, no. 2, April 9, 1912)

“There are two classes of causes for illness: (a) Material, and (b) Spiritual.”

All healing is of God. There are two classes of causes for illness: (a) Material, and (b) Spiritual. If the sickness is of the body, a material remedy is needed; if of the soul, then a spiritual remedy. 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (Discourses given by ‘Abdu’l-Baha in London and Paris’; Star of the West, vol. 2, no. 19, March 2, 1912)

“Whatever good deeds man performs in this world have originally inculcated by the Prophets and Manifestations of God.”

Whatever good deeds man performs in this world have originally inculcated by the Prophets and Manifestations of God. Were it not for the Prophets' teachings, man would remain ignorant and heedless like unto the brute beasts… Material Philosophers say that they perform good deeds and therefore need no religion: not knowing that the very 'Good Deeds' they claim to perform have originally been taught by Divine Prophets. Hence true excellence consists in acknowledging the Manifestations of God and living up to their teachings. 

- 'Abdu'l-Baha  (Words of ‘Abdu’l-Baha recorded by Ali Kuli Khan, 'Abdu'l-Baha's English-language secretary during 1899 to 1901; ‘Ali-Kuli Khan 1906 Pilgrim Notes’)

'Abdu'l-Baha's explanation of a verse in Bible: “To him that hath shall be given, and from him that hath not shall be taken away even that he hath.”

On Wednesday, June 13. 1906, while at luncheon, my wife asked 'Abdu'l-Baha concerning the interpretation of the following verse of the Gospel: "To him that hath shall be given, and from him that hath not shall be taken away even that he hath.” [Mt 13:12. 25:29; Mk 4:25; Lk 8:18. 19:26]

In answer 'Abdu'l-Baha said in part:

"This is the exposition of one of the great questions of Divine Wisdom which Christ has couched in this brief and simple utterance. The great question is this: In the world of existence, pause (or discontinuation of progress) marks the beginning of fall and decadence. For instance, as long as the bird soars or moves upward in the air. it is in progress. But no sooner it pauses than it begins to descend. Or, as long as a merchant lives on the interest or income produced by his capital his business is successful and in progress. But no sooner he begins to consume his capital than the beginning of his decadence is reached and he inclines toward bankruptcy. Hence it is customary amongst men of trade and business to say of one who draws on his capital for self-sustenance. 'It is all over with him.' Now by the word of Christ. To him that hath shall be given,' is meant briefly: To him that hath the capital of Truth and Faith shell be given an increase of such when he employs this capital by living up to the requirements of Faith, and by communicating them to others in word and deed. Thus he who is endowed with any degree of capacity and ability must constantly exert himself in order to increase them, or he will see the beginning of failure and decadence. For this pause is like unto consuming ones capital, or allowing his capacity to decrease and thus fulfilling in himself the verdict. 'And from him that hath not shall be taken away even that he hath."'

- 'Abdu'l-Baha  (Words of ‘Abdu’l-Baha recorded by Ali Kuli Khan, 'Abdu'l-Baha's English-language secretary during 1899 to 1901; ‘Ali-Kuli Khan 1906 Pilgrim Notes’)

The Power of the Holy Spirit and the Prophets of God

In the teachings of Baha’u’llah it is written: "Whatever progress is made by man, he always needs the Power of the Holy Spirit, for the power of man is limited and the Divine Power is without limit."

In history we have seen that all truly great men who have helped on the progress of humanity have been inspired by the Holy Spirit. Often these men were, at first, insignificant.

The Prophets of God have not all come out of learned schools of philosophy, they were mostly men of simple origin, lacking the knowledge of reading and writing. The power by which they were raised above men, and by which they became teachers of the Truth, was the Power of the Holy Spirit. Their influence on humanity, by virtue of this power, was great and penetrating.

Now look at the philosophers in comparison, men of great learning and abnormal intellect: Plato, Aristotle, Pliny and Socrates—their influence on the world of humanity was limited and restrained. Plato with all his wonderful knowledge and philosophy never moved a man to the extent that he would sacrifice his life for the teaching, while simple men filled with the Holy Spirit influenced humanity to such an extent that thousands would die to uphold their teaching.

Wealth: its pitfalls and challenges; how it should be viewed from a spiritual point of view

Wealth becomes the cause of heedlessmess to many souls with the exception of those who are believers in God and read the verses of God. For this reason his holiness Christ hath said: "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven." But blessed is the rich man whose wealth and opulence do not prevent him from turning his face toward God and whose heart is not attached to his possessions. Such a rich man is the light of the world.

Today Baron Rothschild came to Haifa. He is one of the wealthiest men of Europe. He is much interested in the Jewish colonization of Palestine and is devoting much of his time and attention to this problem. Now he has gone to Tiberias. He is busy all the time. He could not stay longer than one hour.

All the people are toiling and laboring to attain to the station of a rich man. Life to many rich men is nothing but a heavy burden. They are "wood carriers." Instead of a blessing wealth becomes a great calamity to them. The supervision of their colossal fortunes and their proper financial administration becomes the sole object of their lives. Day and night, asleep and awake, they think and work to make their piles larger and that of others smaller till finally they become more money machines devoid of any other feeling or of higher emotions, wild-eyed, always hungering for more. Greed and selfishness become the dominant influences of their lives. Grab, grab, grab; right and left they grab at everything. In the mad rush and struggle for more lucre, for more worldly goods they walk over the bodies of the toilers and the children. They become the embodiment of heartlessness and cruelty. Pride and haughtiness lord it over them and they become mere tools in the hands of sordid, fiendish passion. . . . Wealth has a tempting and drawing quality. It bewilders the sight of its charmed victims with showy appearances and draws them on and on to the edge of yawning chasms. It makes a person self-centered, self-occupied, forgetful of God and of holy things.