Religion and moral life: the roots of a just civilization

Religion is an attitude toward God which reflects itself in our attitude towards men.

The word of God which the Supreme Pen hath recorded on the sixth leaf of the Most Exalted Paradise is the following: The light of men is Justice. Quench it not with the contrary winds of oppression and tyranny. The purpose of justice is the appearance of unity among men. The ocean of divine wisdom surgeth within this exalted word, while the books of the world cannot contain its inner significance.

The purpose of religion as revealed from the heaven of God's holy Will is to establish unity and concord amongst the peoples of the world; make it not the cause of dissension and strife. The religion of God and His divine law are the most potent instruments and the surest of all means for the dawning of the light of unity amongst men.

Every religion is the greatest divine effulgence, the cause of life amongst men, the cause of the honor of humanity, and is productive of life everlasting amongst humankind. Religion is not for enmity or hatred. It is not for tyranny or injustice.

Its spiritual influence refines the character suffers man to become humble and meek, places in his heart the fear of God, prompts him to devote his time to humanitarian deeds, spiritualizes his nature, exalts his ideals and enkindles his lamp. The greater the faith of man the more numerous will be his philanthropic actions. Faith is like unto the trees, deeds are like unto the fruits. Faith is like unto the lamp, deeds are like unto the light. Faith is like unto a beautiful body, deeds are like unto the spirit.

When asked about how to deal with people of bad character, He responded that divine power moderates character. A certain person from the Caucasus was a brigand who had killed many people. When he became a Baha'i, he became so meek that when someone shot at him with a revolver, he did not retaliate. Such a ferocious person became such a gentle soul. Therefore, character must be moderated so that souls may become aware, and this is not possible except through divine power.

The holy duty of the religious leaders is naught but to share of the knowledge of the waters of certitude, lead the people to the best conduct, save them from the valley of error, show them the highway of guidance, purify their characters through exhortations and counsels, save the sons of man from the wrath of God, strengthen their hopes for the divine favours, and urge them to acquire virtues and merits.

Universal benefits derive from the grace of the Divine religions, for they lead their true followers to sincerity of intent, to high purpose, to purity and spotless honor, to surpassing kindness and compassion, to the keeping of their covenants when they have covenanted, to concern for the rights of others, to liberality, to justice in every aspect of life, to humanity and philanthropy, to valor and to unflagging efforts in the service of mankind. It is religion, to sum up, which produces all human virtues, and it is these virtues which are the bright candles of civilization.

… The purpose of these statements is to make it abundantly clear that the Divine religions, the holy precepts, the heavenly teachings, are the unassailable basis of human happiness, and that the peoples of the world can hope for no real relief or deliverance without this one great remedy. This panacea must, however, be administered by a wise and skilled physician, for in the hands of an incompetent all the cures that the Lord of men has ever created to heal men's ills could produce no health, and would on the contrary only destroy the helpless and burden the hearts of the already afflicted.

For every era hath a spirit; the spirit of this illumined era lieth in the teachings of Baha'u'llah. For these lay the foundation of the oneness of the world of humanity and promulgate universal brotherhood. They are founded upon the unity of science and religion and upon investigation of truth. They uphold the principle that religion must be the cause of amity, union and harmony among men. They establish the equality of both sexes and propound economic principles which are for the happiness of individuals. They diffuse universal education, that every soul may as much as possible have a share of knowledge. They abrogate and nullify religious, racial, political, patriotic and economic prejudices and the like.

Since the friends of God are confirmed by heavenly power, I hope they will illuminate the lamp of human unity in all the gatherings of the world and the melody of universal peace will reach both East and West. Religion will become the cause of fellowship between people, and justice and fairness will raise its banner at the pole of the world. Religion will accord with science and promote peace and harmony. No ignorant prejudices will remain and the light of truth will be diffused.

The leaders of religions must be the means of binding the hearts together, establishing good-fellowship between the members of the human family, creating a desire for universal Peace and emphasizing more the essential unity of mankind.

These heavenly Messengers are the real Shepherds of humanity, for whenever They appear in the world They unite the scattered sheep.

All the Prophets have come to promote divine bestowals, to found the spiritual civilization and teach the principles of morality.

In brief, the moral and ethical world and the world of spiritual regeneration are dependent for their progressive being upon that heavenly Center of illumination. It gives forth the light of religion and bestows the life of the spirit, imbues humanity with archetypal virtues and confers eternal splendors. This Sun of Reality, this Center of effulgences, is the Prophet or Manifestation of God.

The moral world is only attained through the effulgence of the Sun of Reality and the quickening life of the divine spirit. For this reason the holy Manifestations of God appear in the human world.

A prophet brings a spiritual civilization, and after that is established, material progress follows.

A Greek philosopher living in the days of the youth of Christianity, being full of the Christian element, though not a professing Christian, wrote thus: 'It is my belief that religion is the very foundation of true civilization'. For, unless the moral character of a nation is educated, as well as its brain and its talents, civilization has no sure basis.

As religion inculcates morality, it is therefore the truest philosophy, and on it is built the only lasting civilization.

They have been of the opinion that the greatest means for the development of humanity is reformation of morals; whereas, the most potent factor for the reformation of morals is religion, for man anticipates reward from GOD for his good morals, is hopeful of life eternal and fears Divine retribution. Hence he is perforce striving for the acquisition of good morals, and when his attention is directed to the Kingdom of GOD he will surely improve in morals.

Religious teachings are essential for the proper development of the mind and the spirit. If religious instruction is not given to the children they will grow heedless and forget moral susceptibilities. They will laugh at all moral obligations.

These matters are to show that civilization cannot be attained except through faith and certitude. Man cannot attain to justice, fairness, compassion, kindness, patience and forgiveness except through faith.

Man must possess the religion of God which is the source of all valour, moral and intellectual.

Aforetime this most exalted Word descended from the Supreme Pen: The tabernacle of world order is upheld by two pillars - reward and punishment.

In the conduct of life, man is actuated by two main motives: "The Hope for Reward" and "The Fear of Punishment."

This hope and this fear must consequently be greatly taken into account by those in authority who have important posts under Government. Their business in life is to consult together for the framing of laws, and to provide for their just administration.

The tent of the order of the world is raised and established on the two pillars of "Reward and Retribution."

They whom God hath endued with insight will readily recognize that the precepts laid down by God constitute the highest means for the maintenance of order in the world and the security of its peoples. He that turneth away from them is accounted among the abject and foolish.

That which has been inscribed by the Supreme Pen in the preamble of the Book of Divine Protection is this blessed and exalted Word: Know, O peoples of the earth, that the fear of God hath ever been the primary cause of tranquility, and the source of order and peace in creation. For this matter preserves the servants and adorns the world with continuing betterment. Had the nations abroad held fast to this, assuredly these affairs which have caused terror in the world and the perturbation of peoples' hearts would not have occurred or appeared.

Religion is, verily, the chief instrument for the establishment of order in the world, and of tranquillity amongst its peoples. The weakening of the pillars of religion hath strengthened the foolish, and emboldened them, and made them more arrogant. Verily I say: The greater the decline of religion, the more grievous the waywardness of the ungodly. This cannot but lead in the end to chaos and confusion.

This is why in the Ishraqat He explicitly states that religion is a manifest light and an impregnable fortress for the protection and tranquility of the peoples of the world. Should the lamp of religion be obscured, chaos and confusion will ensue, and the lights of justice and equity and the sun of peace and security will cease to shine.

For if we wish to arrange and organize the world of mankind in accordance with the present religious imitations and thereby to establish the felicity of the world of mankind, it is impossible and impracticable--for example, the enforcement of the laws of the Torah and also of the other religions in accordance with present imitations. But the essential basis of all the Divine Religions which pertains to the virtues of the world of mankind and is the foundation of the welfare of the world of man, is found in the teachings of Baha'u'llah in the most perfect presentation.

That which the Lord hath ordained as the sovereign remedy and mightiest instrument for the healing of all the world is the union of all its peoples in one universal Cause, one common Faith. This can in no wise be achieved except through the power of a skilled, an all-powerful and inspired Physician. … Each time that Most Mighty Instrument hath come, and that Light shone forth from the Ancient Dayspring, He was withheld by ignorant physicians who, even as clouds, interposed themselves between Him and the world. It failed, therefore, to recover, and its sickness hath persisted until this day.

He Who hath come to build anew the whole world, behold, how they that have joined partners with God have forced Him to dwell within the most desolate of cities!

These holy Manifestations of God establish eternal institutions for humanity in all worlds, even in this dusty realm, but alas that human souls do not appreciate their worth.

Religion, as in the past is still the world's sole hope, but not that form of religion which our ecclesiastical leaders strive vainly to preach. Divorced from true religion, morals lose their effectiveness and cease to guide and control man's individual and social life. But when true religion is combined with true ethics, then moral progress becomes a possibility and not a mere ideal.

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All the spiritual and social movements existing in the world, and undoubtedly there are many of them, have some spark of the divine truth. Their very existence shows that they have something to offer to man and fulfil some purpose. But what the world needs, at such a critical moment in its history, is not a mere palliative. It needs a movement that goes deep into its social and spiritual illness and brings about a complete, fundamental change - a change that will include in its scope both the social and spiritual reform of man. But such a movement cannot be inaugurated save by a messenger of God, revealed by Him for that very object.

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Religion, as we are all aware, reaches to the roots of motivation. When it has been faithful to the spirit and example of the transcendent Figures who gave the world its great belief systems, it has awakened in whole populations capacities to love, to forgive, to create, to dare greatly, to overcome prejudice, to sacrifice for the common good and to discipline the impulses of animal instinct. Unquestionably, the seminal force in the civilizing of human nature has been the influence of the succession of these Manifestations of the Divine that extends back to the dawn of recorded history.

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