fellowship with the wayward and ungodly
Editorial introduction
There are people whose conversation revives the withered and rescues the doubting, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá observes, and others whose very breath puts out the light of faith; association, He adds, is contagious. That is the whole difficulty of companionship: it forms us whether we intend it or not. Bahá’u’lláh tells the seeker to treasure the company of the righteous and shun the ungodly, and in the same writings commands His followers to consort with the followers of every religion in fragrance and joy and to treat even enemies with love. The two instructions are not in conflict once avoidance is understood rightly. There is a withdrawal that protects, done without harshness, censure or slander, leaving the other in the hand of God; and there is a hostility that is forbidden. The Dhammapada’s advice to walk with an equal or a better, or else alone, and its warning that nearness to the wise is not understanding them, sharpen the same discernment [1]. Severe language in some letters belongs to its own circumstances and licenses no label for whole groups. The road leads toward consorting with all, kindness and love to everyone, and the particular case of avoiding Covenant-breakers.
When any of the friends associate with the heedless ones, they should, with utmost kindness and joy, become the cause of their awareness and the means of their remembrance. Avoidance is of two kinds: One kind is to protect the Cause of God, and this should be done with spirit and fragrance, not with harshness and severity. The other kind stems from harshness, and this is not acceptable.
We are commanded to deal with the utmost love and kindness even with our enemies, how much more so with friends.
From the earliest days until now, this Wronged One's purpose hath been that the religion of God should not become a cause of hatred, and that all should act with and associate with those on earth in a spirit of fragrance and delight, save those souls from whom the odor of malice is diffused - in such case, avoidance is necessary....
Therefore, in the divine verses both fellowship with all peoples and avoidance of the people of hypocrisy and corruption have been revealed.
This is why in the Tablets of the Blessed Beauty there are both commands to associate with the faithful and promote the unity of humankind, and prohibitions against fellowship with the wicked and the necessity of avoiding the people of negation and denial.
Today, as it was Christmas, I went to visit some Christian friends. According to the command of the Blessed Beauty, I associate with all people in a spirit of joy and fragrance, but I do not associate with those individuals whose harm reaches the Cause.
In the sacred verses He says "Associate with the followers of all religions in a spirit of joy and fragrance," and elsewhere He says "Beware of associating with the wicked." If someone wishes to create doubts in hearts or invites one to idle amusement, one should not associate with them but should shun them.
There are persons with whom you associate and converse whose utterances are life-imparting, joy-giving. The withered and faded are refreshed, the joyless become happy, the extinct become enkindled and the lifeless are quickened with the breaths of the Holy Spirit. … On the other hand there are some persons whose very respiration extinguishes the light of faith; whose conversation weakens firmness and steadfastness in the Cause of God; whose company divert oneis attention from the kingdom of Abha.
This is why one must avoid the wicked and associate with the righteous.
In the Persian Hidden Words He states: "O My son! The company of the ungodly increaseth sorrow, whilst fellowship with the righteous cleanseth the rust from off the heart."
O servant of God! The blight of humankind is to associate with the foolish and to become estranged from the people of wisdom. For association is contagious.
Certainly one must avoid unworthy souls, otherwise morals become completely corrupted.
In the Persian Hidden Words it is stated: O Friend! In the garden of the heart plant only flowers of Love, and withdraw not from clinging to the Nightingale of Love and yearning. Esteem the friendship of the just but withdraw both mind and hand from the company of the wicked." It is also stated "O my Son, the company of the wicked increaseth sorrow and the fellowship of the righteous removeth the rust of the mind."
O servant of God! If thou seekest divine good-pleasure, associate and consort with the friends of God day and night, and avoid the foul odor of the heedless ones, for it causeth lassitude and removeth spirituality. Thou hast ever been and art still the recipient of divine favors. Rest thou assured. I beseech God that thou mayest be drawn nigh unto the Sacred Threshold.
Deliver the enclosed letter to him and say that the assistance and grace of the Divine Unity is conditional upon and dependent on the fellowship of one or two holy souls with perfect wisdom, and avoidance of heedless, hateful persons.
Then remind, from Our presence, all those small and great from whom thou dost detect the fragrance of truthfulness and on whose faces thou seest the radiance of delight. Then conceal the Cause from those whose faces are turned to thee but whose hearts are set towards thine enemies, and who scheme at every moment. Turn away from these, neither associate with them nor sit in their chambers, nor dwell in their habitations.
Trust no man save him whose breast hath been dilated by God through the light of faith, whom God hath confirmed in His Religion, and who is severed from all else save God and attracted by His Fragrances.
But, if you find a soul whose friendship or association is dangerous, which may perchance be the cause of harm to yourself, you should have only a formal acquaintanceship. Be kind and speak with such people not harshly, but leave them alone; do not mix with them. There are many bad people in the world; have nothing to do with them. Do not gossip about them.
However, we should eschew people with abhorrent behavior, such as, a thief, or philanderer, or a murderer. "Consort with all the religions" does not apply to such people. That is, if you know that someone sows the seeds of rebellion and enmity against the Blessed Beauty, then you should not associate with them.
It is effective and beneficial, but we came to meet the poor, not to see kings and princes. We meet with every seeker with perfect sincere love, but we have no desire or inclination to meet with leaders. Furthermore, such titles cause the souls to become frightened and bring about suspicion and misunderstandings. Therefore, do not send this letter at all - there is absolutely no need.
And in this connection the Tongue of Grandeur declares that if after associating with a person in three gatherings you observe no effect from you upon him, surely withdraw, for an effect from him upon you will become manifest.
For example, it has often been observed that some souls, with the utmost love and attraction and joy and fragrance, associated with materialists and the morally corrupt and became completely worthless and empty. Even in the Holy Land, the Protestants took one or two youth to their homes under the pretext of teaching language, and arranged some improper circumstances such as mixing with women. They nearly caused them to go completely astray through these means.
In contrast to the above, there are people whose breath will extinguish the fire of devotion, who will turn steadfastness into waywardness and beguile those focused on the Abha Kingdom, which is why it is revealed, "Do not associate with stonehearted."
Today there are many mindless ones who, like animals, are captive to the world of nature and unaware of the divine realm - whoever they befriend, they cast doubts. Gradually this deadly poison affects the souls of the listeners, for the measure of perception for the heedless in these days is the senses, and the measure of the senses is deficient.
The material men of this world are like poison to the spiritual. They are the calamities and inconveniences which a man meets within the worldly life. They are like people who are very much intoxicated and do not understand the bitter taste of the cup, while the conscientious and mindful understand its bitterness.
One may live in a place where there are foul odors and not be weakened by that odor, nor become ill, nor contract any sickness or disease. Likewise with heedless souls who harbor ill will and disease toward the Divine Cause and are unmindful of the Truth. When one associates and sits with such souls, one inevitably inhales foul odors which leave their mark.
… One must show utmost love and kindness to the followers of all religions, but if a person is a Baha'i and is of bad character and conduct, one must avoid that person even though he be a Baha'i.
Ponder upon this and understand what it means. One who associates with evil companions loses his reputation and his good name; from being good he becomes bad, from being virtuous he becomes impure, from being holy he becomes depraved. Do not take example from the vicious, do not permit your-selves to be corrupted by the evil-minded.
Association with outsiders is like unto a 'knife-edge file.' It wears and cuts away the spirit. One does not hear from them one joy-creating word.
Souls must be protected from frigid and cold souls. If you guard against them, they will remain healthy, otherwise they will become entirely ill. Strange it is that when a tree here becomes [afflicted], if you do not remedy it, it will spread to all. But if you cut it off, it will not spread to others.
The Iranian children in 'Akka were like angels, but alas, some of them associated with the Arabs or with ill-mannered children. When they argued, all their speech was in Persian, but then they would curse in Arabic since they were not taught similar words in Persian. When they became youth, they associated with non-Baha'is and became totally corrupt. Soon I had no choice but to expel them all.
… Therefore I exhort you to protect your children from the evil influence of the wayward.
No one can deny the plain fact that the association of those souls who have deviated from the path of rectitude is harmful. Who will advise you to hug a serpent to your breast or keep a scorpion in your sleeve? We must avail ourselves of the association of the righteous and withdraw our hand and mind from the company of the wickedness.
These are numerous instances in the Writings of Baha'u'llah, some of which we have just read, that we must hold aloof from the association of evil-doers and the sowers of the seeds of discord.
In light of these blessed utterances and the words of Christ, it is clear and evident that one must associate with souls who are firm in the Covenant and be intimate with the righteous, for an evil companion causes the contagion of evil character, like unto leprosy where it is impossible for one to associate and be intimate with a leper without contracting the disease. This is for protection and preservation.
Beware, beware of meeting or associating with these corrupt souls, for they have no purpose except self and passion, and no intention except sedition and corruption.
As commanded, association with Husayn-i-Sukhtih is not permitted, for he is consumed with the fire of hatred and is deprived of justice and fairness, unless he should return. Leave him to himself, placing your trust in God, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.
And whenever you observe anyone who has the slightest unseemly movement or from whom you detect an unholy fragrance, you must absolutely and immediately shun and avoid them, for harm to the Cause of God lies in association with such ones. For certain souls have appeared who are captives to self and passion yet speak the name of Truth. These souls are worse than deadly poison to the Cause of God. Great caution is necessary.
And thou, O servant, fear God and associate not with those from whose hearts and souls thou perceivest the winds of hypocrisy, and avoid them and abide under a preserved protection.
Beware lest thou consort with the deceitful ones. Turn thy face from their faces and thine ears from their melodies, lest thou shouldst inhale the poisonous fumes from their souls and find thyself far removed from the shore of the sea.
Beware lest thou draw nigh unto them whose hearts thou findest veiled from the mention of the name of thy Lord, and associate not with them in any place, and be of them who have detached themselves from such as have disbelieved in the signs of God, the Inaccessible, the Mighty, the Wondrous.
O servants of the All-Merciful! Take not the unbelievers as friends in place of those who have precedence among the believers.
And thou, walk thou in the footsteps of thy brother, then remember thy Lord at all times, and consort not with them who have disbelieved and associated partners with God and who were far removed from the court of nearness.
Shun those who have disbelieved, then remember thy Ancient Lord. He, verily, preserveth whom He willeth and aideth those who have turned unto Him. He is, in truth, powerful over all things.
Grieve not because of the wicked ones. They are assuredly the companions of the fire and shall enter their abodes therein.
However, it behooveth thee not to turn to those from whom thou perceivest the fragrance of aversion, nor to draw near unto them, nor to associate with them. Thus have We commanded Our servants who have believed in God, the Almighty, the Most Powerful, the All-Wise.
When you see one who is immersed in his desires, listen not to what he says. … O My creation, behold Me!" When you detect from anyone the fragrance of aversion, draw not near to him - thus does the Lord of the seen and unseen command you.
When ye behold those on whose faces shineth the light of the All-Merciful, remind them of this momentous News. And when ye find those who have turned away, avoid them and remain in an impregnable fortress.
Associate with My loved ones and shun Mine enemies. Thus doth the Pen of might and glory command thee.
Unite with the loved ones of God and shun the devils who whisper in the breasts of men and call them to rebellion. By God! They are but in manifest error.
And God's greatest commandment is that association with those souls known for their hatred of the Truth is never permitted. Therefore shun them that you may prosper.
We counsel thee and those who have believed in that which hath been sent down in the Book of God, the King of this wondrous Day: Shun those who have turned away and consort with My servants who have turned towards Me.
O Majid!
… Consort not with Mine enemies, nor turn thy attention unto them, save when thou arisest to champion My Cause.
And if thou findest the people heedless of the Cause and intoxicated with love, turn away from them and set thy face toward God.
Draw not nigh unto those who have wronged lest their torment touch thee, for they have no life in them. Walk with them toward thy goal, for this is permitted to the believers in the Book of God."
And if thou findest in thy heart My love, then cleave unto it; otherwise, keep aloof therefrom and be of those who turn aside.
Further quotations · supplied wording and references
Question: 'How should one associate with people of bad character?' … There are certain evils whose consequences affect the doer only and do not extend to others. Of course, with discretion and tact, we must try to warn and educate wrongdoers. They are sick; we must bring healing to them. But there are actions which are injurious to others. Association with persons who commit such deeds leads to a deterioration of morals and therefore to mingle with them is not advisable, except for persons of perfect integrity, who can also impart education.
Should a traveler fail to find a companion equal or better, rather than suffer the company of a fool, he should resolutely walk alone.... A fool may associate with a wise man throughout his life and remain untouched by his wisdom, even as a spoon cannot taste the flavor of soup. (Dhammapada 5.2,5.5)
We know absence of light is darkness, but no one would assert darkness was not a fact. It exists even though it is only the absence of something else. So evil exists too, and we cannot close our eyes to it, even though it is a negative existence. We must seek to supplant it by good, and if we see an evil person is not influenceable by us, then we should shun his company for it is unhealthy.
For thought and discussion