Religion Must be the Source of Unity and Fellowship

1. Is the Principle \"Religion Must Be the Source of Unity and Fellowship in the World\" New?

`Abdu’l-Bahā:

This is a new principle brought forth by my father.[1]

`Abdu’l-Bahā:

All prophets came to create love and kindness among the people.[2]

[1] “He sets forth a new principle for this day in the announcement that religion must be the cause of unity, harmony and agreement among mankind. If it is the cause of discord and hostility, if it leads to separation and creates conflict, the absence of religion would be preferable in the world,” `Abdu’l-Bahā, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 454–455.

[2] “All the Prophets came to nurture the people so that the immature individuals could reach maturity and to bring about kindness and love among the people, not hatred and enmity,” `Abd al-Ḥamīd Ishrāq Khāwarī, Payām-i malakūt, p. 65.

2. Is Bābism a Religion?

`Abdu’l-Bahā:

If religion causes enmity and war, it is not a religion.[3]

Ponder on:

The conflicts among the Bābīs over the title of Him Whom God Shall Make Manifest.[4]The massacres and bloody wars that were started on the Bab’s orders in three different parts of Iran.[5] The Bab’s orders to behead and massacre those who did not believe in him.[6]

[3] “Religion must be the cause of unity and fellowship. If religion causes enmity it will have no result and having no religion is better. For it becomes the cause of enmity and hatred between humanity and whatever causes enmity is hated by God and whatever causes unity and fellowship is accepted and praised. If religion causes killing and savagery it is not religion and having no religion is better than that. For religion is meant to be a cure. If a cure causes sickness then of course, no cure is better than it. Thus, if religion causes war and slaughter, then of course, it is better to have no religion,” `Abd al-Ḥamīd Ishrāq Khāwarī, Payām-i malakūt, pp. 44–45.

[4] Twenty seven people among the Bābīs brought themselves forth as the Promised One in the Book of Bayān, such as Mīrzā Yaḥyā Ṣubḥ Azal, Mīrzā Ḥusayn `Alī Nūrī (Bahā’u’llāh), Mīrzā Asad-Allāh Dayyān, Mīrzā Muḥammad Nabīl Zarandī, Mīrzā Ghughā Darwīsh, and Sayyid Baṣīr Hindī. See Muḥammad `Alī Fayḍī, Ḥaḍrat Bahā\'u’llāh, pp. 103–104.

[5] See Nabīl Zarandī, The Dawn-Breakers: Nabīl’s Narrative of the Early Days of the Bahā’ī Revelation, chapters XIX, XXII, XIV.

[6] “The utterance of the [book or religion] of Bayān in the day of the appearance of his Highness A`lā (meaning the Bāb) was to behead, burn the books, destroy the monuments, and massacre [everyone] but those who believed [in the Bāb’s religion] and verified it,” `Abdu’l-Bahā, Makātīb (Egypt: 1330 AH), vol. 2, p. 266; “The unbelievers and the faithless have set their minds on four things: first, the shedding of blood [beheading]; second, the burning of books; third, the shunning of the followers of other religions; fourth, the extermination of other communities and groups. Now however, through the strengthening grace and potency of the Word of God these four barriers have been demolished, these clear injunctions have been obliterated from the Tablet and brutal dispositions have been transmuted into spiritual attributes.” Bahā’u’llāh, Tablets of Bahā’u’llāh Revealed After the Kitāb-i-Aqdas, p. 91.

3. Were the Bābī Wars Solely Defensive?

Baha’i History books:

The Bāb’s followers were a peaceful oppressed people who only defended their women and children against the evil Persians.[7]

Bahā’u’llāh and `Abdul’-Bahā:

The Bāb gave the order to massacre and behead all non-Bābīs.[8]

[7] “That humiliating episode was soon followed by a number of similar attempts on the part of the supporters of the governor, all of which utterly failed to achieve their purpose. Every time they rushed to attack the fort, Hujjat would order a few of his companions, who were three thousand in number, to emerge from their retreat and scatter their forces. He never failed, every time he gave them such orders, to caution his fellow-disciples against shedding unnecessarily the blood of their assailants. He constantly reminded them that their action was of a purely defensive character, and that their sole purpose was to preserve inviolate the security of their women and children. “We are commanded,” he was frequently heard to observe, “not to wage holy war under any circumstances against the unbelievers, whatever be their attitude towards us,” Nabīl Zarandī, The Dawn-Breakers: Nabīl’s Narrative of the Early Days of the Bahā’ī Revelation, p. 546.

[8] “The utterance of the [book or religion] of Bayān in the day of the appearance of his Highness A`lā (meaning the Bāb) was to behead, burn the books, destroy the monuments, and massacre [everyone] but those who believed [in the Bāb’s religion] and verified it,” `Abdu’l-Bahā, Makātīb (Egypt: 1330 AH), vol. 2, p. 266; “The unbelievers and the faithless have set their minds on four things: first, the shedding of blood [beheading]; second, the burning of books; third, the shunning of the followers of other religions; fourth, the extermination of other communities and groups. Now however, through the strengthening grace and potency of the Word of God these four barriers have been demolished, these clear injunctions have been obliterated from the Tablet and brutal dispositions have been transmuted into spiritual attributes.” Bahā’u’llāh, Tablets of Bahā’u’llāh Revealed After the Kitāb-i-Aqdas, p. 91.

4. Is Baha\'ism a Religion?

`Abdu’l-Bahā:

If a religion causes divisions it is not a religion.[9]

Ponder On:

The conflicts between Bahā’u’llāh and his brother Mīrzā Yaḥyā.[10] The conflicts between `Abdu’l-Bahā and his brother Muḥammad `Alī.[11] The disputes between Shoghi and those who opposed his successorship.[12] The dispute between Rūḥiyyih Maxwell and Mason Remey.[13]

[9] “Religion should create unity and create links between the hearts. Jesus and the other divine prophets came to create unity and fellowship. If religion causes divisions, its non-existence is preferred.,” `Abd al-Ḥamīd Ishrāq Khāwarī, Payām-i malakūt, p. 59.

[10]The conflicts, feuds, and bloodshed between Bahā’u’llāh and his brother Mīrzā Yaḥyā Ṣubḥ Azal and their followers resulted in the exile of the Azalīs (the supporters of Mīrzā Yaḥyā Ṣubḥ Azal) to Cyprus and the Baha’is to Palestine.

[11] Bahā’u’llāh had willed that his successor would be Ghuṣn A`ẓam (`Abdu’l-Bahā’) and after him Ghuṣn Akbar (`Abdu’l-Bahā’s brother Muḥammad `Alī): “God has destined the station [for] Ghuṣn Akbar after his position (meaning `Abdu’l-Bahā’), for He is the Commanding Wise. We chose the Akbar after the A`ẓam, an order from the All Knowing and Aware (God). All must show kindness towards the two Ghuṣns . . . All must respect and admire the two Ghuṣns,” Bahā’u’llāh, Majmū`iy-i alwāḥ-i mubārak-ih, pp. 302–303. After Bahā’u’llāh’s death the two brothers differed on the amount of authority they had and fights ensued between them and their followers.

[12] According to Bahā’u’llāh’s orders the successor after `Abdu’l-Bahā was supposed to be his brother Ghuṣn Akbar. `Abdu’l-Bahā disobeyed this decree and instead appointed his own grandson Shoghi Effendi as his successor. This resulted in many differences and conflicts between Shoghi and many Baha’is who didn’t accept his authority.

[13] In contrast to what `Abdu’l-Bahā had prophesized, Shoghi was sterile and had no children to succeed him. In a bid to become his successor, an internal conflict erupted between Bahā’u’llāh’s followers. Amongst these conflicts, the most intense was the one between Shoghi’s widow (Rūḥiyyih Maxwell) and Mason Remey (President of the International Baha’i Council). Mason Remey claimed that the UHJ established by Rūḥiyyih Maxwell was illegitimate and in a countermove the UHJ excommunicated Mason Remey from the Baha’i community.

5. Is Baha\'ism the Cause of Hatred and Having No Religion Is Better than Being a Baha\'i?

`Abdu’l-Bahā:

If religion causes enmity and hatred it is not a religion.[14]

Bahā’u’llāh:

When I claimed to be He Whom God Shall make Manifest, such hatred and envy occurred that had never existed to such a degree from the beginning of creation and never will occur again.[15] I want to incite the fire of hatred in the chest of non-Baha’is.[16]

[14] “Religion must be the cause of unity and fellowship. If religion causes enmity it will have no result and having no religion is better. For it becomes the cause of enmity and hatred between humanity and whatever causes enmity is hated by God and whatever causes unity and fellowship is accepted and praised. If religion causes killing and savagery it is not religion and having no religion is better than that. For religion is meant to be a cure. If a cure causes sickness then of course, no cure is better than it. Thus, if religion causes war and slaughter, then of course, it is better to have no religion,” `Abd al-Ḥamīd Ishrāq Khāwarī, Payām-i malakūt, pp. 44–45.

[15] “In these days, however, such odours of jealousy are diffused, that—I swear by the Educator of all beings, visible and invisible—from the beginning of the foundation of the world—though it hath no beginning—until the present day, such malice, envy, and hate have in no wise appeared, nor will they ever be witnessed in the future,” Bahā’u’llāh, The Kitāb-i-Īqān, p. 249.

[16] “We did not want to meet you except to complete God’s proof upon you and those who are around you so that the fire of hatred would dwell in your chest and the chest of those who do not believe in the Lord of the Lords,” Bahā’u’llāh, Āthār-i Qalam-i A`lā, vol. 1, no. 97, p. 339.

6. Are Other Peoples\' Beliefs Any of Our Business?

`Abdu’l-Bahā:

Other people’s beliefs are none of our business. Issues of faith are relevant to God and he will handle them on the Day of Judgment. God has not made us the police of the peoples’ actions.[17]

Bahā’u’llāh:

Torment the deniers of Baha’ism.[18]

[17] “Why should we say this [person] is a follower of Moses and that [person] a follower of Jesus, this [person] is a follower of Mohammad, and that [person] is a follower of Buddha? This is none of our business. God has created everyone and it is our duty to be kind to all. Belief related issues are God’s business and he will give rewards and punishments on the Day of Judgment.  God has not made us in charge of them,” `Abdu’l-Bahā, Khaṭābāt(Tehran), vol. 2, pp. 284–285.

[18]““And you, oh friends of God, be clouds of grace for those who believe in God and his signs, and be certain torment for those who do not believe in God and are polytheists (deniers of Baha’ism),” Bahā’u’llāh, Majmū`iy-i alwāḥ-i mubārak-ih, p. 216.

7. Befriending the Enemies or Being like Flame of Fire to Them?

Bahā’u’llāh:

“If, God forbid, you have an enemy, do not see him as an enemy but rather a friend. Deal with your friends in the same way you deal with your enemy.”[19]

Bahā’u’llāh:

“Be like a flame of fire to my enemies and a river of eternal life to my friends.”[20] “We did not want to meet you except to complete God’s proof upon you and those who are around you so that the fire of hatred would dwell in your chest and the chest of those who do not believe in the Lord of the Lords.”[21]

[19]`Abdu’l-Bahā, Khaṭābāt (Egypt), vol. 1, p. 154.

[20] Bahā’u’llāh, Ad`iyyih-i ḥaḍrat-i maḥbūb (Egypt: Published by Faraj-Allāh Dhakī al-Kurdī, 1339 AH), p. 184.

[21] Bahā’u’llāh, Āthār-i Qalam-i A`lā, vol. 1, no. 97, p. 339.

8. Kindness or Violence?

`Abdu’l-Bahā:

When everyone was in utmost hatred and spite, Bahā’u’llāh invited the word to kindness and fellowship and brought about unity and agreement.[22]

Bahā’u’llāh’s Sister:

Bahā’u’llāh and his followers murdered many people in Baghdad.[23]

[22] “We consider Bahā’u’llāh to be the highest mentor of the human world. At a time that the darkness of division had overwhelmed the East and the nations of the East were in utter enmity and hatred, the religions were in utter avoidance with each other and thought of each other as impure and were always busy with war and quarrels, it was as this time that Bahā’u’llāh rose like the sun from the Eastern horizon. He invited all to kindness and socialization and commenced on advising and nurturing them, and guided [people] from all nations and faiths. He healed the different nations and faiths and made them reach utter unity and harmony, such that when you enter their communities you wouldn’t know which is an Israelite and which a Muslim,” `Abdu’l-Bahā, Khaṭābāt (Tehran), vol. 2, p. 54.

[23] “They gathered a group of hooligans from different provinces of Iran and from the same places fugitives who had never believed in any religion and had no faith in any prophet and had no work but manslaughter and had no occupation but stealing peoples’ property. Even though they claimed they were following [the customs] of Ḥusayn (the grandson of the Prophet Muḥammad who was ruthlessly murdered by Shimr on the orders of Yazīd) they summoned a group of Shimr-like people around themselves. The breath of any soul who uttered anything but what they were satisfied with was suffocated. They beat any head which made the slightest sound other than accepting their guardianship. They cut every throat which showed other than humbleness towards them. They pierced every heart which had love towards other than them,” `Izziye Khānum (Khānum Buzurg), Tanbīh al-nā’imīn, pp. 11–12.

9. Is Religion a Cause of Fellowship or Fear?

`Abdu’l-Bahā:

Religion must be a cause of fellowship. It must cause kindness. It must cause links among humanity.[24]

`Abdu’l-Bahā:

In Iraq, Bahā’u’llāh had caused such fear in the heart of the Muslims, that not a single person dared to protest against him.[25]

Bahā’u’llāh:

Once my followers conquer the lands they will cleanse them from non-Baha’is and everyone will fear them![26]

[24] “The third principle of his highness Bahā’u’llāh is that religion must be the source of fellowship. It must cause links among humanity,” `Abdu’l-Bahā, Khaṭābāt (Tehran), vol. 2, p. 146.

[25] “He threw an earthquake upon the pillars of Iraq and always left the people of discord (the Shia) in fear and apprehension. His grandeur hadinfiltrated the arteries and nerves to such an extent that not a single person dared to disapprove of himnor had the audacity to speak bad of him in the middle of the night in Karbala and Najaf,” `Abdu’l-Bahā, Makātīb(Egypt), vol. 2, p. 177.

[26] “God will soon take out from the sleeves of power the hands of strength and dominance and will make the Servant (Bahā’u’llāh) victorious and will cleanse the earth from the filth of every rejected polytheist (deniers of Baha’ism). And they will stand by the cause and will conquer the lands using my mighty eternal name and will enter the lands and they will be feared by all the servants,” Bahā’u’llāh, Āthār-i Qalam-i A`lā, vol. 2, no. 90, p. 587.

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