Sleep and waking, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá observes, are what the body’s own essential relationships require of it at different hours; and such relationships, He says, run through every created thing as a divine trust. Nature itself is nothing other than the necessary relations inherent in the realities of things, each reality a requisite of every other, the whole held in order by an unseen unifying power, as the body is held by the mind. From this follow large claims: that religion consists in those same necessary relationships, that divine law is the resolution of truth, reason and justice rather than an imposition of will, and that peace depends on a constellation of connected matters rather than any single one. Marcus Aurelius, meditating on the connection of all things, reasons from a Stoic cosmos toward practical attention [1]; the Bahá’í teaching asks what such connectedness obliges us to do, and warns that human intelligence alone cannot encompass it. The journey leads on to interconnectedness, to the law of cause and effect, and to the question of what religion really is.
All created things are interconnected through essential relationships which are a divine trust. At times these relationships require prosperity for a soul, and at times they require less than that. For example, the essential relationships in the human body sometimes require wakefulness and sometimes require sleep.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, 1920-Jul-14, to Jamshid Khudadad Farsi -- AB02512)
02
Now concerning nature, it is but the essential properties and the necessary relations inherent in the realities of things. And though these infinite realities are diverse in their character yet they are in the utmost harmony and closely connected together. As one's vision is broadened and the matter observed carefully, it will be made certain that every reality is but an essential requisite of other realities. Thus to connect and harmonize these diverse and infinite realities an all-unifying Power is necessary, that every part of existent being may in perfect order discharge its own function.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Lawh-i-Dr Forel (Tablet to Dr Forel), 1921-Sep-21, to Auguste Forel -- AB00020)
03
But the wise souls who are aware of the essential relationships emanating from the realities of things consider that one single matter cannot, by itself, influence the human reality as it ought and should, for until the minds of men become united, no important matter can be accomplished. At present universal peace is a matter of great importance, but unity of conscience is essential, so that the foundation of this matter may become secure, its establishment firm and its edifice strong.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Lawh-i-Lahih (Tablet to the Hague), 1919-Dec-17, to Central Organization for a Durable Peace (the Hague) -- AB00016)
04
But the divine philosophers hold that the excellence or baseness of things depends upon both reason and religious law. Thus, the prohibitions on murder, theft, treachery, falsehood, hypocrisy, and iniquity are based on reason: Every rational mind can grasp that these are all vile and reprehensible. For if you merely prick a man with a thorn he will cry out in pain: How well must he realize then that murder, according to reason, is vile and reprehensible.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Chapter 76, The Justice and Mercy of God, 1904-Jun ca. -- AB00779)
05
'The Laws of God are not imposition of will, or of power, or pleasure, but the resolutions of truth, reason and justice.'
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words spoken on 1911-Nov-15 in Paris -- ABU1959)
06
In short, the composition and decomposition, the gathering and scattering and journeying of all creatures must proceed according to the natural order, divine rule, and the most great law of God, so that no marring nor impairment may affect the essential relationships which arise out of the inner realities of created things.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, 1902-Jun, to Dreyfus-Barney, Laura et al -- AB00273)
07
But concerning the degrees through which the soul has gone, these degrees are spiritual. Consider all the advancement of the word of humanity which is at present manifest and known. This has been realized through the spirit. The manifestation of the will of the Omnipotent, in the universe, means the manifestation of the divine laws and disciplines which are essential to the realities of beings, and in the world of the Kingdom they are ideas which in the appearance of the holy Manifestations (of God) are realized.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, 1920-Dec-02, to Alwyn Baker -- AB01223)
08
Briefly, the universal Manifestations of God are aware of the truths underlying the mysteries of all created things, and thus they found a religion that is based upon and consonant with the prevailing condition of humanity. For religion consists in the necessary relationships deriving from the realities of things.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Chapter 40, The Knowledge of the Divine Manifestations, 1904 ca. -- AB00780)
09
For the true Order and Law are those inherent properties and necessary conditions in the realities of things, and the essence of existing realities needs these relations.
If thou canst promote this order and organization and this heavenly Law so that thou mayest truly become organizer of the spiritual souls and the arranger of the pearls of the mercy of the All-Merciful One.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, to Muhammad Hasan Nizamul-Ulama -- AB09545)
10
However, some among the ancients through the power of detachment gained knowledge of certain cosmic mysteries and obtained awareness of relationships and connections that exist between created things - they became aware of certain hidden secrets in the realities of things and deduced some future events from the relationships between existing things. This cannot be denied, as mentioned in the Kitab-i-Iqan regarding the brilliant star that indicated the birth of Christ. But the superstitions contained in astrological books are absolutely not to be trusted.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, 1906 ca., to Haji Muhammad Rida -- AB03340)
Further quotations · supplied wording and references
11
The most distinguished of them concluded that the laws must be derived from the necessary relations (ravabit-i-daruriyyih) inherent in the reality of things (haqayiq-i-ashya'). But the divine Manifestation asserted that to institute such laws is beyond human capacity, for human intelligence cannot encompass the realities of things, nor can it comprehend the essential relationships of such realities. Therefore, divine law is necessary, as it embraces the realities and penetrates all things.
These rules and relationships that constitute the basis of human happiness and that attend the descent of the divine favours are none other than the divine law and the social order that ensure the felicity, the integrity and the security of the human race. Were one to investigate the matter with care and to gaze with the eye of true insight, it would become evident that this law [shari'at] and this order [nizam] consist in the necessary relationships deriving from the realities of things [ravabit-i-dharuriyyih ast kih munba'ith az haqa'iq-i-ashyast]. How could they otherwise bring order to the body politic or be conducive to the well-being and happiness of human society?
(Abdu'l-Baha, provisional translation from Siyasiyyih, para. 43)