blind imitation [taqlid]
Editorial introduction
The imitator, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá says, reports that such a man has seen and such a man has heard; he borrows the eyes, ears and conscience of others and has no will of his own. Taqlíd, blind imitation, is that quiet surrender, and most of us practise it without noticing, since a belief inherited from parents feels less like a choice than like the weather. Bahá’u’lláh insists that the one thing conducive to the world’s reformation is that people observe and hearken with their own eyes and ears, and the Báb commands His followers to break the chains of imitation in His name. The stakes are not merely intellectual: inherited prejudice walls communities off from one another, fuels war, and has veiled every generation from the Manifestation sent to it. Yet the alternative is not the sovereignty of personal preference; the same writings forbid following one’s idle fancies. The Buddha, warning the Kálámas against trusting repetition, tradition or apparent authority and pointing them to the fruits of a teaching, describes a kindred discipline [1]. Seeing for oneself requires humility, and leads on to the independent investigation of truth, the dismantling of prejudice and superstition, and the discovery of reality itself.
By the life of God! It hath been naught but imitation and limitation. That which is befitting and conducive to the salvation, prosperity and reformation of the world and its peoples is but one thing: that the servants should observe and hearken with their own eyes and ears.
If thou wishest a discerning eye and seekest for a hearing ear, set thou aside that which thou hast heard from fathers and ancestors, for such things are imitation--and then seek for the truth with the utmost attention until the divine confirmation may reach thee and the matter may be properly disclosed unto thee.
We have commanded the people in the Book not to follow their idle fancies. … O people! Follow not your own selves, but follow the ways of God which have been sent down in the Book from your Lord, the Most High, the Most Glorious.
My hope is that you will rid and purify yourselves of imitations so that your thoughts and minds will be broadened and elevated, that you will be seekers of the truth, the lovers of the servants of God and the cause of the oneness of humanity.
Everyone must do away with false prejudices and must even go to the other churches and mosques, for, in all of these worshiping places, the name of God is mentioned. Since all gather to worship God, what difference does it make? None of these worship satan. The Mohammedans must go to the churches of the Christians and of the Jews and vice-versa, the others must go to the Mohammedan mosques. They hold aloof from one another merely because of unfounded prejudices and dogmas.
Today the religious leaders suppose that religion consists of blind imitation of one's ancestors. Therefore each people clings to its traditions and considers them to be true.
Misconception of the Word of God and its meanings is another great veil which imagination throws over the soul and by which the Light is lost. Also, people inherit their belief from parents and ancestors and follow it blindly, too negligent to know and see for themselves.
They said: "We found our fathers following a religion, and we are guided by their footsteps."
Whenever I expound to them the mysteries of Thy knowledge and the gems of Thy wisdom, they say "We find not this in the books of our forefathers."
These are they whom naught hath prevented from the ways of unity save blind imitation, even as thou hearest in this day from the concourse of the Bayan, such that if they were asked why they have turned away from the Beauty of the Adored One, they would say: "We found mention of this in our books and we followed what was mentioned," though they understood not a single letter of the Book and comprehended not the essence of the Cause and its origin.
By Thy might, O my Beloved, We find none with vision to behold Thy signs with their own eyes. Rather, they see through the eyes of their leaders, affirm what they affirm, and deny what they deny, though Thou didst strictly forbid them from this.
Thou seest them shown the Light and thou sayest "Behold this Light of your Lord, the Mighty, the Generous" but they say "We deny what the leader denieth."
Say: O people of fairness, look not through his eyes but through Mine own, if ye be among the perceiving ones.
"You see how the heads of each of these religions have captured the souls of man and brought them under this narrow control.
Thus in every age the masses, putting their trust in their leaders and clergy, have risen up to deny and harm the truth and its chosen ones. They have supposed that the actions of famous people are the standard, and that imitating any scholar or learned person leads to divine good pleasure.
Another cause was that the people were not realizing facts by their own sight, but rather through the sight of the Pharisees. Some used to ask of the people and of an old king Nimrod (the enemy of Abraham): "Who was Abraham?" They used to ask of Pharaoh: "Who was Moses?" They used to ask Satan: "What kind of a man is Adam?" These questions were as veils to them.
Consider, O servant, the bygone days and the centuries past, when at the appearance of every Prophet, those who claimed knowledge closed their eyes and clung to the words of those besides Him who have claimed knowledge, yet in the sight of God none are more ignorant than they among all created things past and future.
O thou Most Exalted Name! Look not upon these people except as sheep led by their shepherd whithersoever he willeth. Though in the Manifestation of Muhammad there appeared overwhelming power such that all on earth entered Islam without anyone gaining insight or knowing its proof, all who entered did so in like manner, and those who could present proof in knowledge were fewer than few.
Moreover, it is not known whom ye have deemed people of imitation and common folk, and whom ye have considered possessors of understanding and insight. Ye have adopted for yourselves a cause whereby ye have gone astray and committed wrong, yet ye perceive it not. Know that those possessed of insight and others are distinguished and set apart by their acceptance or denial. Whosoever succeeded in saying "yea" at the Most Holy, Most Exalted Manifestation is accounted with God among the righteous and those possessed of insight, and whoso did not is among the wicked and the immoral.
But those who did not believe in Him until the end of their lives are not People of the Book, but rather followers of blind imitation immersed in the darkness of desires.
They are not worthy to recognize the Manifestation of God in His own Day nor do they merit to be stirred by the Holy Fragrances. These are the people of imitation.
Verily that light (i.e., the Light of the Manifestation) shone forth from the horizon of the Manifestation, appeared upon the horizon of existence, and the darkness was changed into light; the Sun of Guidance dawned in the horizon of heaven, whereby the eyes which were looking unto the Kingdom of God were illuminated, the breasts which were filled with God's love were dilated, and the heavenly spirits were attracted by the magnet of the Holy Spirit, so that the hearts became as pure mirrors reflecting the godlike appearances and manifesting the heavenly lights--except the eyes which were in the veil of imitation of the forefathers (i.e., those who followed the theories of their fathers) were hindered from or veiled from witnessing that brilliant and godlike illumination, and the people held to the superstitions of the Pharisees and neglected the mystery of God and the glad-tidings (recorded) in the Holy Scriptures, which elucidated the appearance of the Lord of Hosts in the promised day.
They derive no benefit, for they know not Christ and, imitating their forebears and ancestors, raise a lifeless cry and worship their own vain imaginings.
Therefore, discussion and discourse with Westerners on this matter is easy, for they speak with rules and proofs, and one can respond accordingly. But discourse with these Persian imitators is most difficult, for what they say is mere assertion, without proof or evidence.
One of the chief reasons for this growing apathy is that the ministers of religion have taught that religion is opposed to science and reason and have thus enforced imitation.
When we consider the history of the people and government of France, it becomes clear that the reason for their irreligion, as well as their reluctance towards matters of spirituality, stems from the blind imitation of those religious leaders of the past who promoted, in the name of religion, all sorts of vain imaginings that were contrary to science and reason.
As a result, the people of this country have strayed entirely from the path of moderation, or fallen victim to the blind imitations and vain imaginings propounded by religious leaders, or clung to the motives of the materialists and arisen in hostility against the people of religion.
Their goals will not be achieved through political methods or nationalistic sentiments, especially when they are imitating others. The initiator is of course superior to the imitator.
The clouds of imitations have concealed the Sun of Reality and have prevented the lights of divine teachings from shining forth.
The imitations that have arisen have become the cause of conflict and strife between people.
Differences between religions are due to misunderstanding and imitation.
If the nations and peoples of today would abandon imitation and investigate reality, all would become united, for imitation differs but reality and the foundation of divine religions is one. Therefore these differences are from imitation, not from the divine religious foundations.
My message is the oneness of humanity and universal peace; the harmony of true science and religion; the equality of rights; the elimination of religious, racial and political prejudices; the truth of all the divine religions; the removal of religious imitations and superstitions; the education of women to such a degree that they may have equal rights with men; the adjustment of the economic condition of all people so that if a rich man enjoys honor and affluence, the poor man may also have a mat to lie on and a house to dwell in; the establishment of spiritual civilization; the reformation of human morals; the unity of all religions, so that when the people of the world recognize the truth of all religions, they may become united since truth is one - if they follow imitation, war and dissension shall remain, because imitations are the cause of differences.
"Some people" he said "are like unto the spiders. The more you [tear] to pieces their cobwebs of imagination and imitations the greater will it become their zeal to spin again.
Observe how people are drowning in the sea of imitation, having no insight of their own. They cling to whatever they have heard, while for thousands of years they have been submerged in the ocean of vain imaginings without finding any result, and they are still asleep.
Then he said:
"People are running after dogmas; they are holding fast to blind imitations; they are following the creed of ancestors and forefathers.
How long these superannuated ideas? How long this ignorance?
O worshipper of truth! People worship their idle fancies, immerse themselves in imitation and are entirely alienated from the hidden secrets of God.
They are immersed in a sea of blind imitation and have cast away the secrets of your Lord, the All-Glorified. They have firmly clung to the weakest cords and left the firm cord, the 'Urvatu'l-Vuthqa; holding fast to misconceptions which are weaker than spider's web.
It hath become clear that ye are ravens who have learned the ways of the nightingale. Ye wander in the realm of fancy and imitation, deprived of the blessed garden of unity.
The vain imaginings of former generations have deprived the people from the dawning-place of verses and the dayspring of names and attributes.
And when asked "By what proof have you turned away from God?" they say what their forefathers said before. These are indeed among the people of error.
Some complaints have occurred and continue to occur due to blind imitation.
Now again has the cycle of blind imitation begun to move, and soon all shall walk according to their desires, turn away from the essence of piety, become occupied with incidental matters, and remain heedless of the ultimate purpose.
They imprison him who has broken the chains of blind imitation by the hand of divine decree, and they object to him who calls them to the pure wine of divine unity from the cup of the bounty of their Lord, the All-Knowing, the Most Generous.
Beware lest the conditions of blind imitation prevent thee from the Dayspring of divine unity. Break asunder the chains of idle fancy through this Name whereby the horizon of certitude hath shone forth.
God willing, We hope you will break the chains of imitation with the strength of certitude and enter the pleasant expanse of detachment.
Blessed is the soul whom neither the chains of blind imitation nor the power of those who would set limits has prevented from the Dayspring of Divine Unity or deprived of the ocean of the All-Merciful's utterance.
Glory be upon thee and upon thy son, and upon those who have broken the chains of blind imitation through this Name whereby the gates have been opened.
Cast behind thee the kingdom of blind imitation, then speak forth in remembrance of thy Lord among the worlds.
We are servants who have shattered the chains of blind imitation through the Most Great Name of God and have detached ourselves from those who disbelieved in Him in Whom they had believed, whose eyes were covered with the veils of idle fancy and who were among the heedless.
Blessed is the soul who today has shattered the chains of blind imitation and the idols through the Name of God, exalted be His glory, and has attained true unity.
Break the chains of blind imitation through My Name, the All-Powerful over creation.
We called all to the Path - among the people were those who clung to vain imaginings, turning away from God, the Lord of all mankind, and among them were those who broke the chains of blind imitation and hastened unto Him with clear certitude.
The glory shining forth from the horizon of My Most Exalted Pen be upon the people of Baha who have cast behind them the books of the learned, holding fast to this mighty Book.
O thou seeker of the Divine Light!
Whosoever is freed from Self and Illusion, released from the claws of Passion and Lust and holds aloof from the thorn and thistle--like dogmas-- he will undoubtedly attain to the world of Truth, will be emancipated from darkness and ushered into the Kingdom of Light.
Today His Holiness, Baha'u'llah is the Center of this Light, Which saveth the people from the darkness of blind imitations, racial, personal and political prejudices and leadeth (them) to the Oneness of spirit; to the oneness of the heart, and to eternal Love.
The darkness of superstitions and imitations is being dispelled.
These teachings are what the world needs in this luminous age, for this is not an age of blind imitation; it is the age of light, and the century in which mysteries will be made manifest.
Today the happiness of all is solely dependent on concord and harmony; therefore all must strive so that the decaying outdated blind imitations may be eradicated and the truth, which consists in the unity of the human race, may be established, so that all people of the East and West may become brothers and sisters, that the illumination emanating from the Kingdom of God may develop all, and that the banner of the unity of the human race may wave on the highest summit of the world.
You are detached from every thought and your greatest wish is to render a heavenly service to the world of humanity, so that the various denominations and the different religions may cast off the garment of blind imitation and put on the robe of truth, so that they may kindly grow together and refrain from prejudices which are based on ignorance, so that they may become the flowers of one garden and the waves of one ocean.
For thought and discussion