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[1] “Using the sword has been completely abrogated and invasion has been completely prohibited. Even quarreling with other nations is not permissible,” `Abd al-Ḥamīd Ishrāq Khāwarī, Ganjīniy-i ḥudūd wa aḥkām, chap. 36, p. 272.
[2] See `Izziye Khānum (Khānum Buzurg), Tanbīh al-nā’imīn, pp. 11–12.
2. Universal Peace or Tormenting Bahā'u'llāh's Enemies?
`Abdu’l-Bahā:
“Our wish is the Oneness of Humanity and our goal is universal peace.”[3]
Bahā’u’llāh:
“Be like a flame of fire to my enemies and a river of eternal life to my friends”[4] “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).”[5] “God has made him (Bahā’u’llāh) a light for the monotheists (Baha’is) and a fire for the polytheists (non-Baha’is).”[6]
[3] `Abd al-Ḥamīd Ishrāq Khāwarī, Payām-i malakūt, p. 52.
[4] Bahā’u’llāh, Ad`iyyih-i ḥaḍrat-i maḥbūb, p. 184; The same quote can be found on p.196 on the typed version at: reference.bahai.org
[5] Bahā’u’llāh, Majmū`iy-i alwāḥ-i mubārak-ih, p. 216.
[6] Bahā’u’llāh, Āthār-i Qalam-i A`lā, vol. 2, no. 74, p. 372.
3. Should We Defend Ourselves If We Are Attacked?
`Abdu’l-Bahā:
If someone attacks or wants to kill you don’t defend yourself![7]
Shoghi:
Baha’is are perfectly justified in defending their lives![8]
Bahā’u’llāh:
No self-defense is allowed with weapons![9]
`Abdu’l-Bahā:
Self-defense is allowed when a savage tribe attacks with the intention of killing everybody![10]
[7] “If someone abuses me, shows me injustice and oppresses me, and wounds the place of my liver, I will never show aggression,” `Abdu’l-Bahā, Mufāwaḍāt, p. 189.
[8] Helen Bassett Hornby, Lights of Guidance: A Bahā’ī Reference File, no. 398.
[9] “As a religious body, Baha’i’s have, at the express command of Bahā’u’llāh, entirely abandoned the use of armed force in their own interests, even for strictly defensive purposes. In Persia, many many thousands of the Bābīs and Baha’is have suffered cruel deaths because of their faith. In the early days of the Cause, the Bābīs on various occasions defended themselves and their families by the sword with great courage and bravery. Bahā’u’llāh, however, forbade this . . .” J. E. Esslemont, Bahā’u’llāh and the New Era, pp.169–170.
[10] “It may happen that at a given time warlike and savage tribes may furiously attack the body politic with the intention of carrying on a wholesale slaughter of its members; under such a circumstance defense is necessary,” J. E. Esslemont, Bahā’u’llāh and the New Era, p. 171–172.
4. Weapons and Wars Are Prohibited or Not?
`Abdu’l-Bahā:
Wars are prohibited in the Baha’i creed.[11]
`Abdu’l-Bahā:
Sometimes to reach peace one must use war.[12]
[11] “In the Quran and [book of] Bayān, the order was [given] to invade other religions. But the book of Aqdas abrogated these orders, because using the sword has been completely abrogated and invasion has been completely prohibited,” `Abd al-Ḥamīd Ishrāq Khāwarī, Ganjīniy-i ḥudūd wa aḥkām, chap. 36, p. 272.
[12] “A conquest can be a praiseworthy thing, and there are times when war becomes the powerful basis of peace, and ruin the very means of reconstruction. If, for example, a high-minded sovereign marshals his troops to block the onset of the insurgent and the aggressor, or again, if he takes the field and distinguishes himself in a struggle to unify a divided state and people, if, in brief, he is waging war for a righteous purpose, then this seeming wrath is mercy itself, and this apparent tyranny the very substance of justice and this warfare the cornerstone of peace,” J. E. Esslemont, Bahā’u’llāh and the New Era, p. 172.
5. Is Aggression Forbidden?
Bahā’u’llāh:
All kinds of aggression and quarreling are prohibited.[13]
`Abdu’l-Bahā:
My father (Bahā’u’llāh) told his companions to hit the kabob seller in the mouth because he merely said the Bābīs have come again.[14]
[13] “Using the sword has been completely abrogated and invasion has been completely prohibited. Even quarreling with other nations is not permissible,” `Abd al-Ḥamīd Ishrāq Khāwarī, Ganjīniy-i ḥudūd wa aḥkām, chap. 36, p. 272.
[14] “When his holiness returned from Sulaymaniyah, he was strolling in the street one day with the late Āqā Mīrzā Muḥammad Qulī. A Kabob seller quietly said, ‘These Bābīs have appeared again!’ His holiness said to Mīrzā Muḥammad Qulī, ‘Hit him in the mouth!’ Mīrzā Muḥammad Qulī grabbed his beard and started hitting him in the head,” Ḥabīb Mu’ayyad, Khāṭirāti Ḥabīb, vol. 1, p.266.
6. Did Baha'ism Put an End to All Disputes and Fights?
`Abdu’l-Bahā:
Bahā’u’llāh dispelled all wars and battles between religions, governments, and tribes in Iran![15]
History shows otherwise!
\
[15] “In a time when Iran was infested with war and battle and there were wars between religions and faiths, and religions had enmity towards each other and avoided one another and regarded others as impure, and there was war between governments, tribes, and lands, in such a time and such darkness, his highness Bahā’u’llāh appeared and dispelled those darkness’s,” `Abd al-Ḥamīd Ishrāq Khāwarī, Payām-i malakūt, p. 72.
7. Can a Conquering Lands Be Praiseworthy?
`Abdu’l-Bahā:
Yes it can.[16]
`Abdu’l-Bahā:
We must not go to war over these lands![17]
[16] “A conquest can be a praiseworthy thing, and there are times when war becomes the powerful basis of peace, and ruin the very means of reconstruction,” J. E. Esslemont, Bahā’u’llāh and the New Era, p. 172.
[17] “It is clear that man lives on this land for a few years [and once he dies] will go under it (i.e. buried in it) forever and it is his eternal grave. Is it worth it to go to war over this eternal graveyard?” `Abd al-Ḥamīd Ishrāq Khāwarī, Payām-i malakūt, pp. 104–105.
8. When Will Universal Peace Be Established?
`Abdu’l-Bahā:
Universal peace will be established in 1957.
Prophecy was not fulfilled and was removed from Baha’i books![18]
[18] “Perhaps the most important change in Bahā'u'llāh and the New Era was made on page 212 of the 1923 edition. Recorded as a Bahā'ī prophecy concerning the "Coming of the Kingdom of God," Esslemont cited Abdu'l-Bahā's interpretation of the last two verses of the Book of Daniel from the Bible. He stated that the 1335 days spoken of by Daniel represented 1335 solar years from Muhammad's flight to Medina in 622 A.D., which would equal 1957 A.D.. When asked "'What shall we see at the end of the 1335 days?'," Abdu'l-Bahā's reply was: "'Universal Peace will be firmly established, a Universal language promoted. Misunderstandings will pass away. The Bahā'ī Cause will be promulgated in all parts and the oneness of mankind established. It will be most glorious!'" In editions published after his death, Esslemont's words have been changed to say that Abdu'l-Bahā "reckoned the fulfillment of Daniel's prophecy from the date of the beginning of the Muhammadan era" and one of Abdu'l-Bahá's Tablets is quoted on the same subject in which he writes, "'For according to this calculation a century will have elapsed from the dawn of the Sun of Truth . . . Esslemont recorded Abdu'l-Bahā as declaring explicitly that the prophecy was to be computed from the Hijra or 622 A.D. and that specific conditions would exist in the world upon it's fulfillment in 1957. When it became apparent that this Bahā'ī prophecy would not be fulfilled, it was replaced with the ambiguous material which has remained in the text to the present,” Vance Salisbury, A Critical Examination of 20th-Century Baha'i Literature. http://bahai-library.com/salisbury_critical_examination_literature (retrieved 22/2/2014).
`Abdu’l-Bahā:
Iranians will sacrifice themselves for England and England will sacrifice itself for Iran![19]
`Abdu’l-Bahā:
America is at Peace with All countries and is worthy of raising the flag of peace and brotherhood![20]
`Abdu’l-Bahā:
America does not intend to attack another country![21]
Bahā’u’llāh:
“If ye be slain, it is better for you than to slay”[22]
`Abdu’l-Bahā:
“If someone assaults, injures, oppresses and wounds me, I will offer no resistance, and I will forgive him.”[23]
`Abdu’l-Bahā:
“If someone oppresses another, shows him injustice, and abuses him, and the [oppressed] counters likewise, then this act is revenge and is despicable.”[24]
`Abdu’l-Bahā:
“In the early days of the Cause the Bābīs on various occasions defended themselves and their families by the sword, with great courage and bravery. Bahā’u’llāh, however, forbade this.”[25]
[19] ““My coming here will be a cause of friendship between Iran and England. A complete relationship will be forged. The [relationship] will increase to such an extent that people from Iran will sacrifice their lives for England and likewise England will sacrifice itself for Iran,” `Abdu’l-Bahā, Khaṭābāt (Egypt), vol. 1, p. 23.
[20] “America is a noble nation, a standard-bearer of peace throughout the world, shedding her light to all regions. Other nations are not untrammeled and free of intrigues like the United States, and are unable to bring about Universal Peace. But America, thank God, is at peace with all the world, and is worthy of raising the flag of brotherhood and International Peace,” J. E. Esslemont, Bahā’u’llāh and the New Era, pp.242–243.
[21] “Undoubtedly, the American people and nation, have no intention of colonizing [another country] or expanding the circle of the countries [borders] and do not seek to attack other nations and countries,” `Abdu’l-Bahā, Khaṭābāt (Tehran), vol. 2, p. 69.
[22] J. E. Esslemont, Bahā’u’llāh and the New Era, pp.169–170.
[23] `Abdu’l-Bahā, Some Answered Questions, p. 271.
[24] `Abdu’l-Bahā, Mufāwaḍāt, pp. 186–187.
[25] J. E. Esslemont, Bahā’u’llāh and the New Era, pp.169–170.
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