Peace

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PEACE

August 1985

Compiled by: The Research Department
of the Universal House of Justice



EXTRACTS FROM THE WRITINGS OF &BAHA'U'LLAH:


This is the Day in which God's most excellent favours have been poured
out upon men, the Day in which His most mighty grace hath been infused into all
created things. It is incumbent upon all the peoples of the world to reconcile
their differences, and, with perfect unity and peace, abide beneath the shadow
of the Tree of His care and loving-kindness. It behoveth them to cleave to
whatsoever will, in this Day, be conducive to the exaltation of their stations,
and to the promotion of their best interests....
("Gleanings from the Writings of &Baha'u'llah", rev. ed. (Wilmette:
&Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1983), p. 6) [1]


God's purpose in sending His Prophets unto men is twofold. The first is to
liberate the children of men from the darkness of ignorance, and guide them
to the light of true understanding. The second is to ensure the peace and
tranquillity of mankind, and provide all the means by which they can be
established.
("Gleanings from the Writings of &Baha'u'llah", pp. 79-80) [2]


O ye that dwell on earth! The distinguishing feature that marketh the
preeminent character of this Supreme Revelation consisteth in that We have ...
laid down the essential prerequisites of concord, of understanding, of complete
and enduring unity. Well is it with them that keep My statutes.
("Gleanings from the Writings of &Baha'u'llah", p. 97) [3]


The Great Being, wishing to reveal the prerequisites of the peace and
tranquillity of the world and the advancement of its peoples, hath written:
The time must come when the imperative necessity for the holding of a vast, an
all-embracing assemblage of men will be universally realized. The rulers and
kings of the earth must needs attend it, and, participating in its
deliberations, must consider such ways and means as will lay the foundations of
the world's Great Peace amongst men. Such a peace demandeth that the Great
Powers should resolve, for the sake of the tranquillity of the peoples of the
earth, to be fully reconciled among themselves. Should any king take up arms
against another, all should unitedly arise and prevent him. If this be done,
the nations of the world will no longer require any armaments, except for the
purpose of preserving the security of their realms and of maintaining internal
order within their territories. This will ensure the peace and composure of

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every people, government and nation. We fain would hope that the kings and
rulers of the earth, the mirrors of the gracious and almighty name of God, may
attain unto this station, and shield mankind from the onslaught of tyranny.
...The day is approaching when all the peoples of the world will have adopted
one universal language and one common script. When this is achieved, to
whatsoever city a man may journey, it shall be as if he were entering his own
home. These things are obligatory and absolutely essential. It is incumbent
upon every man of insight and understanding to strive to translate that which
hath been written into reality and action.... That one indeed is a man who,
today, dedicateth himself to the service of the entire human race. The Great
Being saith: Blessed and happy is he that ariseth to promote the best
interests of the peoples and kindreds of the earth. In another passage He hath
proclaimed: It is not for him to pride himself who loveth his own country, but
rather for him who loveth the whole world. The earth is but one country, and
mankind its citizens.
("Gleanings from the Writings of &Baha'u'llah", pp. 249-250) [4]


O ye rulers of the earth! Wherefore have ye clouded the radiance of the
Sun, and caused it to cease from shining? Hearken unto the counsel given you
by the Pen of the Most High, that haply both ye and the poor may attain unto
tranquillity and peace. We beseech God to assist the kings of the earth to
establish peace on earth. He, verily, doth what He willeth.

O kings of the earth! We see you increasing every year your expenditures,
and laying the burden thereof on your subjects. This, verily, is wholly and
grossly unjust. Fear the sighs and tears of this Wronged One, and lay not
excessive burdens on your peoples. Do not rob them to rear palaces for
yourselves; nay rather choose for them that which ye choose for yourselves.
Thus We unfold to your eyes that which profiteth you, if ye but perceive. Your
people are your treasures. Beware lest your rule violate the commandments of
God, and ye deliver your wards to the hands of the robber. By them ye rule, by
their means ye subsist, by their aid ye conquer. Yet, how disdainfull ye look y
upon them! How strange, how very strange!

Now that ye have refused the Most Great Peace, hold ye fast unto this,
the Lesser Peace, that haply ye may in some degree better your own condition
and that of your dependents.

O rulers of the earth! Be reconciled among yourselves, that ye may
need no more armaments save in a measure to safeguard your territories and
dominions. Beware lest ye disregard the counsel of the All-Knowing, the
Faithful.

Be united, O kings of the earth, for thereby will the tempest of discord
be stilled amongst you, and your peoples find rest, if ye be of them that
comprehend. Should any one among you take up arms against another, rise ye all
against him, for this is naught but manifest justice.
("Gleanings from the Writings of &Baha'u'llah", pp. 253-254) [5]

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The well-being of mankind, its peace and security, are unattainable unless
and until its unity is firmly established. This unity can never be achieved so
long as the counsels which the Pen of the Most High hath revealed are suffered
to pass unheeded.
("Gleanings from the Writings of &Baha'u'llah", p. 286) [6]


We pray God -- exalted be His glory -- and cherish the hope that He may
graciously assist the manifestations of affluence and power and the daysprings
of sovereignty and glory, the kings of the earth -- may God aid them through
His strengthening grace -- to establish the Lesser Peace. This, indeed, is the
greatest means for ensuring the tranquillity of the nations. It is incumbent
upon the Sovereigns of the world -- may God assist them -- unitedly to hold
fast unto this Peace, which is the chief instrument for the protection of all
mankind. It is Our hope that they will arise to achieve what will be conducive
to the well-being of man. It is their duty to convene an all-inclusive
assembly, which either they themselves or their ministers will attend, and to
enforce whatever measures are required to establish unity and concord amongst
men. They must put away the weapons of war, and turn to the instruments of
universal reconstruction. Should one king rise up against another, all the
other kings must arise to deter him. Arms and armaments will, then, be no more
needed beyond that which is necessary to ensure the internal security of their
respective countries. If they attain unto this all-surpassing blessing, the
people of each nation will pursue, with tranquillity and contentment, their own
occupations, and the groanings and lamentations of most men would be silenced.
We beseech God to aid them to do His will and pleasure. He, verily, is the
Lord of the throne on high and of earth below, and the Lord of this world and
of the world to come. It would be preferable and more fitting that the
highly-honoured kings themselves should attend such an assembly, and proclaim
their edicts. Any king who will arise and carry out this task, he, verily
will, in the sight of God, become the cynosure of all kings. Happy is he, and
great is his blessedness!
("Epistle to the Son of the Wolf", rev. ed. (Wilmette: &Baha'i
Publishing Trust, 1988), pp. 30-31) [7]


The sixth Glad-Tidings is the establishment of the Lesser Peace, details
of which have formerly been revealed from Our Most Exalted Pen. Great is the
blessedness of him who upholdeth it and observeth whatsoever hath been ordained
by God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
("Tablets of &Baha'u'llah Revealed after the &Kitab-i-Aqdas",
(Wilmette: &Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1988), p.23) [8]


... In all matters moderation is desirable. If a thing is carried to
excess, it will prove a source of evil. Consider the civilization of the West,
how it hath agitated and alarmed the peoples of the world. An infernal engine
hath been devised, and hath proved so cruel a weapon of destruction that its
like none hath ever witnessed or heard. The purging of such deeply-rooted and

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overwhelming corruptions cannot be effected unless the peoples of the world
unite in pursuit of one common aim and embrace one universal faith. Incline
your ears unto the Call of this Wronged One and adhere firmly to the Lesser
Peace.
("Tablets of &Baha'u'llah revealed after the &Kitab-i-Aqdas", p. 69)
[9]


First: It is incumbent upon the ministers of the House of Justice to
promote the Lesser Peace so that the people of the earth may be relieved from
the burden of exorbitant expenditures. This matter is imperative and
absolutely essential, inasmuch as hostilities and conflict lie at the root of
affliction and calamity.
("Tablets of &Baha'u'llah revealed after the &Kitab-i-Aqdas", p. 89)
[10]

In the abundance of Our grace and loving-kindness We have revealed specially
for the rulers and ministers of the world that which is conducive to safety and
protection, tranquillity and peace; haply the children of men may rest secure
from the evils of oppression. He, verily, is the Protector, the Helper, the
Giver of victory. It is incumbent upon the men of God's House of Justice to
fix their gaze by day and by night upon that which hath shone forth from the
Pen of Glory for the training of peoples, the upbuilding of nations, the
protection of man and the safeguarding of his honour.
("Tablets of &Baha'u'llah revealed after the &Kitab-i-Aqdas", p. 125)
[11]


... They that are possessed of wealth and invested with authority and
power must show the profoundest regard for religion. In truth, religion is a
radiant light and an impregnable stronghold for the protection and welfare of
the peoples of the world, for the fear of God impelleth man to hold fast to
that which is good, and shun all evil. Should the lamp of religion be
obscured, chaos and confusion will ensue, and the lights of fairness and
justice, of tranquillity and peace cease to shine. Unto this will bear witness
every man of true understanding.
("Tablets of &Baha'u'llah revealed after the &Kitab-i-Aqdas", p. 125)
[12]


We have enjoined upon all mankind to establish the Most Great Peace -- the
surest of all means for the protection of humanity. The sovereigns of the
world should, with one accord, hold fast thereunto, for this is the supreme
instrument that can ensure the security and welfare of all peoples and nations.
They, verily, are the manifestations of the power of God and the daysprings of
His authority. We beseech the Almighty that He may graciously assist them in
that which is conducive to the well-being of their subjects. A full
explanation regarding this matter hath been previously set forth by the Pen
of Glory; well is it with them that act accordingly.
("Tablets of &Baha'u'llah revealed after the &Kitab-i-Aqdas", p. 126)
[13]

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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. The progress of the world, the development of
nations, the tranquillity of peoples, and the peace of all who dwell on earth
are among the principles and ordinances of God. Religion bestoweth upon man
the most precious of all gifts, offereth the cup of prosperity, imparteth
eternal life, and showereth imperishable benefits upon mankind. It behoveth
the chiefs and rulers of the world, and in particular the Trustees of God's
House of Justice, to endeavour to the utmost of their power to safeguard its
position, promote its interests and exalt its station in the eyes of the world.
In like manner it is incumbent upon them to enquire into the conditions of
their subjects and to acquaint themselves with the affairs and activities of
the divers communities in their dominions. We call upon the manifestations of
the power of God -- the sovereigns and rulers on earth -- to bestir themselves
and do all in their power that haply they may banish discord from this world
and illumine it with the light of concord.
("Tablets of &Baha'u'llah revealed after the &Kitab-i-Aqdas",
pp. 129-130) [14]


Our hope is that the world's religious leaders and the rulers thereof will
unitedly arise for the reformation of this age and the rehabilitation of its
fortunes. Let them, after meditating on its needs, take counsel together and,
through anxious and full deliberation, administer to a diseased and sorely-
afflicted world the remedy it requireth.

The Great Being saith: The heaven of divine wisdom is illumined with the
two luminaries of consultation and compassion. Take ye counsel together in all
matters, inasmuch as consultation is the lamp of guidance which leadeth the
way, and is the bestower of understanding.
("Tablets of &Baha'u'llah revealed after the &Kitab-i-Aqdas", p. 168)
[15]


Take ye counsel together, and let your concern be only for that which
profiteth mankind and bettereth the condition thereof.... Regard the world as
the human body which, though created whole and perfect, has been afflicted,
through divers causes, with grave ills and maladies. Not for one day did it
rest, nay its sicknesses waxed more severe, as it fell under the treatment of
unskilled physicians who have spurred on the steed of their worldly desires and
have erred grievously. And if at one time, through the care of an able
physician, a member of that body was healed, the rest remained afflicted as
before. Thus informeth you the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.... 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. This verily is the
truth, and all else naught but error.

...

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Consider these days in which the Ancient Beauty, He Who is the Most Great Name,
hath been sent down to regenerate and unify mankind. Behold how with drawn
swords they rose against Him, and committed that which caused the Faithful
Spirit to tremble. And whenever We said unto them: `Lo, the World Reformer
is come,' they made reply: `He, in truth, is one of the stirrers of
mischief'....
(Extracts from the Tablet to Queen Victoria, cited in Shoghi Effendi,
"The World Order of &Baha'u'llah: Selected Letters", rev. ed.
(Wilmette: &Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1982), pp. 39-40; p. 163) [16]


EXTRACTS FROM THE UTTERANCES OF &BAHA'U'LLAH:


... Praise be to God that thou hast attained!... Thou hast come to see a
prisoner and an exile.... We desire but the good of the world and happiness of
the nations; yet they deem us a stirrer up of strife and sedition worthy of
bondage and banishment.... That all nations should become one in faith and all
men as brothers; that the bonds of affection and unity between the sons of men
should be strengthened; that diversity of religion should cease, and
differences of race be annulled -- what harm is there in this?... Yet so it
shall be; these fruitless strifes, these ruinous wars shall pass away, and the
"Most Great Peace" shall come.... Do not you in Europe need this also? Is not
this that which Christ foretold?... Yet do we see your kings and rulers
lavishing their treasures more freely on means for the destruction of the human
race than on that which would conduce to the happiness of mankind.... These
strifes and this bloodshed and discord must cease, and all men be as one
kindred and one family.... Let not a man glory in this, that he loves his
country; let him rather glory in this, that he loves his kind....
(Words spoken to E. G. Browne, from his pen portrait of
&Baha'u'llah, J. E. Esslemont, "&Baha'u'llah and the New Era", 5th
rev. ed. (Wilmette: &Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1987), pp. 39-40) [17]


EXTRACTS FROM THE WRITINGS OF &ABDU'L-BAHA:


Know thou that all the powers combined have not the power to establish
universal peace, nor to withstand the overmastering dominion, at every time and
season, of these endless wars. Ere long, however, shall the power of heaven,
the dominion of the Holy Spirit, hoist on the high summits the banners of love
and peace, and there above the castles of majesty and might shall those banners
wave in the rushing winds that blow out of the tender mercy of God.
("Selections from the Writings of &Abdu'l-Baha", [rev. ed.] (Haifa:
&Baha'i World Centre, 1982), p. 174) [18]


Rest thou assured that in this era of the spirit, the Kingdom of Peace will
raise up its tabernacle on the summits of the world, and the commandments of
the Prince of Peace will so dominate the arteries and nerves of every people as
to draw into His sheltering shade all the nations on earth. From springs of
love and truth and unity will the true Shepherd give His sheep to drink.

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O handmaid of God, peace must first be established among individuals,
until it leadeth in the end to peace among nations. Wherefore, O ye &Baha'is,
strive ye with all your might to create, through the power of the Word of God,
genuine love, spiritual communion and durable bonds among individuals. This is
your task.
("Selections from the Writings of &Abdu'l-Baha", p. 246) [19]


So long as these prejudices [religious, racial, national, political] survive,
there will be continuous and fearsome wars.

To remedy this condition there must be universal peace. To bring this
about, a Supreme Tribunal must be established, representative of all
governments and peoples; questions both national and international must be
referred thereto, and all must carry out the decrees of this Tribunal. Should
any government or people disobey, let the whole world arise against that
government or people.
("Selections from the Writings of &Abdu'l-Baha", p. 249) [20]


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.

Therefore &Baha'u'llah, fifty years ago, expounded this question of
universal peace at a time when He was confined in the fortress of &Akka and
was wronged and imprisoned....

Among His teachings was the declaration of universal peace. ...the
teachings of &Baha'u'llah were not limited to the establishment of universal
peace. They embraced many teachings which supplemented and supported that
of universal peace.

...

In fine, such teachings are numerous. These manifold principles, which
constitute the greatest basis for the felicity of mankind and are of the
bounties of the Merciful, must be added to the matter of universal peace and
combined with it, so that results may accrue. Otherwise the realization of
universal peace by itself in the world of mankind is difficult. As the
teachings of &Baha'u'llah are combined with universal peace, they are like a
table provided with every kind of fresh and delicious food. Every soul can
find, at that table of infinite bounty, that which he desires. If the question
is restricted to universal peace alone, the remarkable results which are
expected and desired will not be attained. The scope of universal peace must
be such that all the communities and religions may find their highest wish
realized in it. The teachings of &Baha'u'llah are such that all the communities
of the world, whether religious, political or ethical, ancient or modern, find
in them the expression of their highest wish.

...

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For example, the question of universal peace, about which &Baha'u'llah says
that the Supreme Tribunal must be established: although the League of Nations
has been brought into existence, yet it is incapable of establishing universal
peace. But the Supreme Tribunal which &Baha'u'llah has described will fulfil
this sacred task with the utmost might and power. And His plan is this: that
the national assemblies of each country and nation -- that is to say
parliaments -- should elect two or three persons who are the choicest of that
nation, and are well informed concerning international laws and the relations
between governments and aware of the essential needs of the world of humanity
in this day. The number of these representatives should be in proportion to
the number of inhabitants of that country. The election of these souls who are
chosen by the national assembly, that is, the parliament, must be confirmed by
the upper house, the congress and the cabinet and also by the president or
monarch so these persons may be the elected ones of all the nation and the
government. The Supreme Tribunal will be composed of these people, and all
mankind will thus have a share therein, for every one of these delegates is
fully representative of his nation.+F1 When the Supreme Tribunal gives a ruling
on any international question, either unanimously or by majority rule, there
will no longer be any pretext for the plaintiff or ground of objection for the
defendant. In case any of the governments or nations, in the execution of the
irrefutable decision of the Supreme Tribunal, be negligent or dilatory, the
rest of the nations will rise up against it, because all the governments and
nations of the world are the supporters of this Supreme Tribunal. Consider
what a firm foundation this is! But by a limited and restricted League the
purpose will not be realized as it ought and should. This is the truth about
the situation, which has been stated....
("Selections from the Writings of &Abdu'l-Baha", pp. 297-298,
p. 304, pp. 306-307) [21]


True civilization will unfurl its banner in the midmost heart of the world
whenever a certain number of its distinguished and high-minded sovereigns --
the shining exemplars of devotion and determination -- shall, for the good and
happiness of all mankind, arise, with firm resolve and clear vision, to
establish the Cause of Universal Peace. They must make the Cause of Peace the
object of general consultation, and seek by every means in their power to
establish a Union of the nations of the world. They must conclude a binding
treaty and establish a covenant, the provisions of which shall be sound,
inviolable and definite. They must proclaim it to all the world and obtain for
it the sanction of all the human race. This supreme and noble undertaking --
the real source of the peace and well-being of all the world -- should be
regarded as sacred by all that dwell on earth. All the forces of humanity must
be mobilized to ensure the stability and permanence of this Most Great
Covenant. In this all-embracing Pact the limits and frontiers of each and
every nation should be clearly fixed, the principles underlying the relations
of governments towards one another definitely laid down, and all international
agreements and obligations ascertained. In like manner, the size of the
armaments of every government should be strictly limited, for if the
preparations for war and the military forces of any nation should be allowed to

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1. The translation of this sentence has been revised since the publication of
"Selections from the Writings of &Abdu'l-Baha".
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increase, they will arouse the suspicion of others. The fundamental principle
underlying this solemn Pact should be so fixed that if any government later
violate any one of its provisions, all the governments on earth should arise to
reduce it to utter submission, nay the human race as a whole should resolve,
with every power at its disposal, to destroy that government. Should this
greatest of all remedies be applied to the sick body of the world, it will
assuredly recover from its ills and will remain eternally safe and secure.

Observe that if such a happy situation be forthcoming, no government would
need continually to pile up the weapons of war, nor feel itself obliged to
produce ever new military weapons with which to conquer the human race. A
small force for the purposes of internal security, the correction of criminal
and disorderly elements and the prevention of local disturbances, would be
required -- no more. In this way the entire population would, first of all, be
relieved of the crushing burden of expenditure currently imposed for military
purposes, and secondly, great numbers of people would cease to devote their
time to the continual devising of new weapons of destruction -- those
testimonials of greed and bloodthirstiness, so inconsistent with the gift of
life -- and would instead bend their efforts to the production of whatever will
foster human existence and peace and well-being, and would become the cause of
universal development and prosperity. Then every nation on earth will reign in
honour, and every people will be cradled in tranquillity and content.

A few, unaware of the power latent in human endeavour, consider this
matter as highly impracticable, nay even beyond the scope of man's utmost
efforts. Such is not the case, however. On the contrary, thanks to the
unfailing grace of God, the loving-kindness of His favoured ones, the unrivaled
endeavours of wise and capable souls, and the thoughts and ideas of the
peerless leaders of this age, nothing whatsoever can be regarded as
unattainable. Endeavour, ceaseless endeavour, is required. Nothing short of
an indomitable determination can possibly achieve it. Many a cause which past
ages have regarded as purely visionary, yet in this day has become most easy
and practicable. Why should this most great and lofty Cause -- the day-star of
the firmament of true civilization and the cause of the glory, the advancement,
the well-being and the success of all humanity -- be regarded as impossible of
achievement? Surely the day will come when its beauteous light shall shed
illumination upon the assemblage of man.

The apparatus of conflict will, as preparations go on at their present
rate, reach the point where war will become something intolerable to mankind.

It is clear from what has already been said that man's glory and greatness
do not consist in his being avid for blood and sharp of claw, in tearing down
cities and spreading havoc, in butchering armed forces and civilians. What
would mean a bright future for him would be his reputation for justice, his
kindness to the entire population whether high or low, his building up
countries and cities, villages and districts, his making life easy, peaceful
and happy for his fellow beings, his laying down fundamental principles for
progress, his raising the standards and increasing the wealth of the entire
population.

...

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No power on earth can prevail against the armies of justice, and every
citadel must fall before them; for men willingly go down under the triumphant
strokes of this decisive blade, and desolate places bloom and flourish under
the tramplings of this host. There are two mighty banners which, when they
cast their shadow across the crown of any king, will cause the influence of his
government quickly and easily to penetrate the whole earth, even as if it were
the light of the sun: the first of these two banners is wisdom; the second is
justice. Against these two most potent forces, the iron hills cannot prevail,
and Alexander's wall will break before them. It is clear that life in this
fast-fading world is as fleeting and inconstant as the morning wind, and this
being so, how fortunate are the great who leave a good name behind them, and
the memory of a lifetime spent in the pathway of the good pleasure of God.

...

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. Today, the task befitting great rulers is to
establish universal peace, for in this lies the freedom of all peoples.
("The Secret of Divine Civilization", 2nd ed. (Wilmette: &Baha'i
Publishing Trust, 1983), pp. 64-67, 70-71) [22]


In cycles gone by, though harmony was established, yet, owing to the
absence of means, the unity of all mankind could not have been achieved.
Continents remained widely divided, nay even among the peoples of one and the
same continent association and interchange of thought were well nigh
impossible. Consequently intercourse, understanding and unity amongst all the
peoples and kindreds of the earth were unattainable. In this day, however,
means of communication have multiplied, and the five continents of the earth
have virtually merged into one.... In like manner all the members of the human
family, whether peoples or governments, cities or villages, have become
increasingly interdependent. For none is self-sufficiency any longer possible,
inasmuch as political ties unite all peoples and nations, and the bonds of
trade and industry, of agriculture and education, are being strengthened every
day. Hence the unity of all mankind can in this day be achieved. Verily this
is none other but one of the wonders of this wondrous age, this glorious
century. Of this past ages have been deprived, for this century -- the century
of light -- has been endowed with unique and unprecedented glory, power and
illumination. Hence the miraculous unfolding of a fresh marvel every day.
Eventually it will be seen how bright its candles will burn in the assemblage
of man.

Behold how its light is now dawning upon the world's darkened horizon.
The first candle is unity in the political realm, the early glimmerings of
which can now be discerned. The second candle is unity of thought in world
undertakings, the consummation of which will ere long be witnessed. The third

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candle is unity in freedom which will surely come to pass. The fourth candle
is unity in religion which is the corner-stone of the foundation itself, and
which, by the power of God, will be revealed in all its splendour. The fifth
candle is the unity of nations -- a unity which in this century will be
securely established, causing all the peoples of the world to regard themselves
as citizens of one common fatherland. The sixth candle is unity of races,
making of all that dwell on earth peoples and kindreds of one race. The
seventh candle is unity of language, i.e., the choice of a universal tongue in
which all peoples will be instructed and converse. Each and every one of these
will inevitably come to pass, inasmuch as the power of the Kingdom of God will
aid and assist in their realization.
(Cited in Shoghi Effendi, "The World Order of &Baha'u'llah", pp.
38-39, and "The Promised Day Is Come", rev. ed. (Wilmette:
&Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1980), pp. 120-121) [23]


...every great Cause in this world of existence findeth visible expression
through three means: first, intention; second, confirmation; third, action.
Today on this earth there are many souls who are promoters of peace and
reconciliation and are longing for the realization of the oneness and unity of
the world of humanity; but this intention needeth a dynamic power, so that it
may become manifest in the world of being. In this day the divine instructions
and lordly exhortations promulgate this most great aim, and the confirmations
of the Kingdom also support and aid the realization of this intention.
Therefore, although the combined forces and thoughts of the nations of the
world cannot by themselves achieve this exalted purpose, the power of the Word
of God penetrateth all things and the assistance of the divine Kingdom is
continuous. Erelong it will become evident and clear that the ensign of the
Most Great Peace is the teachings of &Baha'u'llah, and the tent of union and
harmony among nations is the Tabernacle of the divine Kingdom, for therein the
intention, the power and the action, all three, are brought together. The
realization of everything in the world of being dependeth upon these three
elements.
(From a Tablet - translated from Persian) [24]


As far as possible, rest thou not for a moment, travel to the North and
South of the country and summon all men to the oneness of the world of humanity
and to universal peace, saying: O people! &Baha'u'llah laid the foundation
of universal peace fifty years ago. He even addressed Epistles to the kings
wherein He declared that war could destroy the foundation of the world of
humanity, that peace is conducive to everlasting life and that dire peril
awaited mankind. Also three years before the outbreak of the world war
&Abdu'l-Baha travelled to America and most of Europe, where he raised His
voice before all gatherings, societies and churches, appealing: O ye
assemblage of men! The continent of Europe hath virtually become an arsenal
filled with explosives. There are vast stores of destructive material hidden
underground, liable to burst forth at a single spark, causing the whole earth
to quake. O ye men of understanding! Bestir yourselves that perchance this
accumulation of volatile material may not explode. But the appeal went
unheeded and consequently this murderous war broke out.

- 11 -
+P 12

The bulk of humanity now realiseth what a great calamity war is and how
war turneth man into a ferocious animal, causing prosperous cities and villages
to be reduced to ruins and the foundations of the human edifice to crumble.
Now, since all men have been awakened and their ears are attentive, it is time
for the promulgation of universal peace -- a peace based on righteousness and
justice -- that mankind may not be exposed to further dangers in the future.
Now is the dawn of universal peace, and the first streaks of its light are
beginning to appear. We earnestly hope that its effulgent orb may shine forth
and flood the East and the West with its radiance. The establishment of
universal peace is not possible save through the power of the Word of God...
(From a Tablet - translated from the Persian) [25]


Chaos and confusion are daily increasing in the world. They will attain
such intensity as to render the frame of mankind unable to bear them. Then
will men be awakened and become aware that religion is the impregnable
stronghold and the manifest light of the world, and its laws, exhortations and
teachings the source of life on earth.
(From a Tablet - translated from the Persian) [26]


EXTRACTS FROM THE UTTERANCES OF &ABDU'L-BAHA:


Today the world of humanity is in need of international unity and
conciliation. To establish these great fundamental principles a propelling
power is needed. It is self-evident that the unity of the human world and the
Most Great Peace cannot be accomplished through material means. They cannot be
established through political power, for the political interests of nations are
various and the policies of peoples are divergent and conflicting. They cannot
be founded through racial or patriotic power, for these are human powers,
selfish and weak. The very nature of racial differences and patriotic
prejudices prevents the realization of this unity and agreement. Therefore, it
is evidenced that the promotion of the oneness of the kingdom of humanity,
which is the essence of the teachings of all the Manifestations of God, is
impossible except through the divine power and breaths of the Holy Spirit.
Other powers are too weak and are incapable of accomplishing this.
("The Promulgation of Universal Peace: Talks Delivered by
&Abdu'l-Baha during His Visit to the United States and Canada in
1912", 2nd. ed. (Wilmette: &Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1982),
pp. 11-12) [27]


We will pray that the ensign of international peace may be uplifted and that
the oneness of the world of humanity may be realized and accomplished. All
this is made possible and practicable through your efforts. May this American
democracy be the first nation to establish the foundation of international
agreement. May it be the first nation to proclaim the universality of mankind.
May it be the first to upraise the standard of the Most Great Peace, and
through this nation of democracy may these philanthropic intentions and

- 12 -
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institutions be spread broadcast throughout the world. Truly, this is a great
and revered nation. Here liberty has reached its highest degree. The
intentions of its people are most praiseworthy. They are, indeed, worthy of
being the first to build the Tabernacle of the Most Great Peace and proclaim
the oneness of mankind. I will supplicate God for assistance and confirmation
in your behalf.
("The Promulgation of Universal Peace: Talks Delivered by
&Abdu'l-Baha during His Visit to the United States and Canada in
1912", pp. 36-37) [28]


Today the greatest need of the world of humanity is discontinuance of the
existing misunderstandings among nations. This can be accomplished through the
unity of language. Unless the unity of languages is realized, the Most Great
Peace and the oneness of the human world cannot be effectively organized and
established because the function of language is to portray the mysteries and
secrets of human hearts. The heart is like a box, and language is the key.
Only by using the key can we open the box and observe the gems it contains.
Therefore, the question of an auxiliary international tongue has the utmost
importance.... It is my hope that it may be perfected through the bounties of
God and that intelligent men may be selected from the various countries of the
world to organize an international congress whose chief aim will be the
promotion of this universal medium of speech.
("The Promulgation of Universal Peace: Talks Delivered by
&Abdu'l-Baha during His Visit to the United States and Canada in
1912", pp. 60-61) [29]


...because I find the American nation so capable of achievement and this
government the fairest of western governments, its institutions superior to
others, my wish and hope is that the banner of international reconciliation may
first be raised on this continent and the standard of the Most Great Peace be
unfurled here. May the American people and their government unite in their
efforts in order that this light may dawn from this point and spread to all
regions, for this is one of the greatest bestowals of God. In order that
America may avail herself of this opportunity, I beg that you strive and pray
with heart and soul, devoting all your energies to this end: that the banner
of international peace may be upraised here and that this democracy may be the
cause of the cessation of warfare in all other countries.
("The Promulgation of Universal Peace: Talks Delivered by
&Abdu'l-Baha during His Visit to the United States and Canada in
1912", pp. 83-84) [30]


In past ages humanity has been defective and inefficient because it has been
incomplete. War and its ravages have blighted the world; the education of
woman will be a mighty step toward its abolition and ending, for she will use
her whole influence against war. Woman rears the child and educates the youth
to maturity. She will refuse to give her sons for sacrifice upon the field of

- 13 -
+P 14

battle. In truth, she will be the greatest factor in establishing universal
peace and international arbitration. Assuredly, woman will abolish warfare
among mankind....
("The Promulgation of Universal Peace: Talks Delivered by
&Abdu'l-Baha during His Visit to the United States and Canada in
1912", p. 108) [31]


All of us know that international peace is good, that it is conducive to human
welfare and the glory of man, but volition and action are necessary before it
can be established. Action is essential. Inasmuch as this century is a
century of light, capacity for action is assured to mankind. Necessarily the
divine principles will be spread among men until the time of action arrives.
Surely this has been so, and truly the time and conditions are ripe for action
now....
("The Promulgation of Universal Peace: Talks Delivered by
&Abdu'l-Baha during His Visit to the United States and Canada in
1912", p. 121) [32]


This has come to pass. The powers of earth cannot withstand the
privileges and bestowals which God has ordained for this great and glorious
century. It is a need and exigency of the time.... Let this century be the
sun of previous centuries, the effulgences of which shall last forever, so that
in times to come they shall glorify the twentieth century, saying the twentieth
century was the century of lights, the twentieth century was the century of
life, the twentieth century was the century of international peace, the
twentieth century was the century of divine bestowals, and the twentieth
century has left traces which shall last forever.
("The Promulgation of Universal Peace: Talks Delivered by
&Abdu'l-Baha during His Visit to the United States and Canada in
1912", pp. 125-26) [33]


The most momentous question of this day is international peace and
arbitration, and universal peace is impossible without universal suffrage.
Children are educated by the women. The mother bears the troubles and
anxieties of rearing the child, undergoes the ordeal of its birth and training.
Therefore, it is most difficult for mothers to send to the battlefield those
upon whom they have lavished such love and care. Consider a son reared and
trained twenty years by a devoted mother. What sleepless nights and restless,
anxious days she has spent! Having brought him through dangers and
difficulties to the age of maturity, how agonizing then to sacrifice him upon
the battlefield! Therefore, the mothers will not sanction war nor be satisfied
with it. So it will come to pass that when women participate fully and equally
in the affairs of the world, when they enter confidently and capably the great
arena of laws and politics, war will cease; for woman will be the obstacle and
hindrance to it. This is true and without doubt.
("The Promulgation of Universal Peace: Talks Delivered by
&Abdu'l-Baha during His Visit to the United States and Canada in
1912", pp. 134-35) [34]

- 14 -
+P 15

Now the glorious and brilliant twentieth century has dawned, and the divine
bounty is radiating universally....

Truly, this can be called the miracle of centuries, for it is replete with
manifestations of the miraculous. The time has come when all mankind shall be
united, when all races shall be loyal to one fatherland, all religions become
one religion, and racial and religious bias pass away. It is a day in which
the oneness of humankind shall uplift its standard and international peace,
like the true morning, flood the world with its light....
("The Promulgation of Universal Peace: Talks Delivered by
&Abdu'l-Baha during His Visit to the United States and Canada in
1912", p. 153) [35]


He promulgated the adoption of the same course of education for man and
woman. Daughters and sons must follow the same curriculum of study, thereby
promoting unity of the sexes. When all mankind shall receive the same
opportunity of education and the equality of men and women be realized, the
foundations of war will be utterly destroyed. Without equality this will be
impossible because all differences and distinction are conducive to discord and
strife. Equality between men and women is conducive to the abolition of
warfare for the reason that women will never be willing to sanction it.
Mothers will not give their sons as sacrifices upon the battlefield after
twenty years of anxiety and loving devotion in rearing them from infancy, no
matter what cause they are called upon to defend. There is no doubt that when
women obtain equality of rights, war will entirely cease among mankind.
("The Promulgation of Universal Peace: Talks Delivered by
&Abdu'l-Baha during His Visit to the United States and Canada in
1912", p. 175) [36]


The world is in greatest need of international peace. Until it is
established, mankind will not attain composure and tranquillity. It is
necessary that the nations and governments organize an international tribunal
to which all their disputes and differences shall be referred. The decision of
that tribunal shall be final. Individual controversy will be adjudged by a
local tribunal. International questions will come before the universal
tribunal, and so the cause of warfare will be taken away.
("The Promulgation of Universal Peace: Talks Delivered by
&Abdu'l-Baha during His Visit to the United States and Canada in
1912", p. 301) [37]


I find these two great American nations [the United States and Canada] highly
capable and advanced ... it is my hope that these revered nations may become
prominent factors in the establishment of international peace and the oneness
of the world of humanity...
("The Promulgation of Universal Peace: Talks Delivered by
&Abdu'l-Baha during His Visit to the United States and Canada in
1912", p. 318) [38]

- 15 -
+P 16

The world of humanity is possessed of two wings: the male and the female.
So long as these two wings are not equivalent in strength, the bird will not
fly. Until womankind reaches the same degree as man, until she enjoys the same
arena of activity, extraordinary attainment for humanity will not be realized;
humanity cannot wing its way to heights of real attainment. When the two wings
or parts become equivalent in strength, enjoying the same prerogatives, the
flight of man will be exceedingly lofty and extraordinary. Therefore, woman
must receive the same education as man and all inequality be adjusted. Thus,
imbued with the same virtues as man, rising through all the degrees of human
attainment, women will become the peers of men, and until this equality is
established, true progress and attainment for the human race will not be
facilitated.

The evident reasons underlying this are as follows: Woman by nature is
opposed to war; she is an advocate of peace. Children are reared and brought
up by the mothers who give them the first principles of education and labour
assiduously in their behalf. Consider, for instance, a mother who has tenderly
reared a son for twenty years to the age of maturity. Surely she will not
consent to having that son torn asunder and killed in the field of battle.
Therefore, as woman advances toward the degree of man in power and privilege,
with the right of vote and control in human government, most assuredly war will
cease; for woman is naturally the most devoted and staunch advocate of
international peace.
("The Promulgation of Universal Peace: Talks Delivered by
&Abdu'l-Baha during His Visit to the United States and Canada in
1912", p. 375) [39]


A Supreme Tribunal shall be elected by the peoples and governments of
every nation, where members from each country and government shall assemble in
unity. All disputes shall be brought before this Court, its mission being to
prevent war.
("Paris Talks: Addresses given by &Abdu'l-Baha in Paris in
1911-1912", 11th ed. (London: &Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1979),
p. 132) [40]


A Supreme Tribunal shall be established by the peoples and Governments of
every nation, composed of members elected from each country and Government.
The members of this Great Council shall assemble in unity. All disputes of an
international character shall be submitted to this Court, its work being to
arrange by arbitration everything which otherwise would be a cause of war. The
mission of this Tribunal would be to prevent war.
("Paris Talks: Addresses given by &Abdu'l-Baha in Paris in
1911-1912", p. 155) [41]


As to the question of disarmament, all nations must disarm at the same
time. It will not do at all, and it is not proposed, that some nations shall
lay down their arms while others, their neighbours, remain armed. The peace of

- 16 -
+P 17

the world must be brought about by international agreement. All nations must
agree to disarm simultaneously...

No nation can follow a peace policy while its neighbour remains warlike.
There is no justice in that. Nobody would dream of suggesting that the peace
of the world could be brought about by any such line of action. It is to be
brought about by a general and comprehensive international agreement, and in no
other way...

Simultaneous action, he went on, is necessary in any scheme of
disarmament. All the governments of the world must transform their battleships
and warcraft into merchant vessels. But no one nation can by itself start in
upon such a policy and it would be folly should one power attempt to do so ...
it would simply invite destruction....

...

Are there any signs that the permanent peace of the world will be
established in anything like a reasonable period? &Abdu'l-Baha was asked.

It will be established in this century, he answered. It will be universal
in the twentieth century. All nations will be forced into it.

...

Economic pressure will tell?

Yes: the nations will be forced to come to peace and to agree to the
abolition of war. The awful burdens of taxation for war purposes will get
beyond human endurance...

No, said &Abdu'l-Baha in conclusion, I repeat, no nation can disarm
under these circumstances. Disarmament is surely coming, but it must come, and
it will come, by the universal consent of the civilized nations of the earth.
By international agreement they will lay down their arms and the great era of
peace will be ushered in.

In this and no other way can peace be established upon the earth.
(Extracts from interview with newspaper reporter, quoted in
"&Abdu'l-Baha in Canada" (Thornhill: &Baha'i Canada Publications,
1987), pp. 34-35) [42]


Once the Parliament of Man is established and its constituent parts
organized, the governments of the world having entered into a covenant of
eternal friendship will have no need of keeping large standing armies and
navies. A few battalions to preserve internal order, and an International
Police to keep the highways of the seas clear, are all that will be necessary.
Then these huge sums will be diverted to other more useful channels, pauperism
will disappear, knowledge will increase, the victories of Peace will be sung by
poets and bards, knowledge will improve the conditions and mankind will be
rocked in the cradle of felicity and bliss. Then, whether a government is

- 17 -
+P 18

constitutional or republican, hereditary monarchy or democratic, the rulers
will devote their time to the prosperity of their nations, the legislation of
just and sane laws and the fostering of closer and more amicable relations with
their neighbours -- thus will the world of humanity become a mirror reflecting
the virtues and attributes of the Kingdom of God.

By a general agreement all the governments of the world must disarm
simultaneously... It will not do if one lays down the arms and the other
refuses to do so. The nations of the world must concur with each other
concerning this supremely important subject, thus they may abandon together the
deadly weapons of human slaughter. As long as one nation increases her
military and naval budget, another nation will be forced into this crazed
competition through her natural and supposed interests....

...

Now the question of disarmament must be put into practice by all the
nations and not only by one or two. Consequently the advocates of Peace must
strive day and night, so that the individuals of every country may become
peace-loving, public opinion may gain a strong and permanent footing, and day
by day the army of International Peace be increased, complete disarmament be
realized and the Flag of Universal Conciliation be waving on the summit of the
mountains of the earth.

...

The ideals of Peace must be nurtured and spread among the inhabitants of
the world; they must be instructed in the school of Peace and the evils of war.
First: The financiers and bankers must desist from lending money to any
government contemplating to wage an unjust war upon an innocent nation.
Second: The presidents and managers of the railroads and steamship companies
must refrain from transporting war ammunition, infernal engines, guns, cannons
and powder from one country into another. Third: The soldiers must petition,
through their representatives, the Ministers of War, the politicians, the
Congressmen and the generals to put forth in a clear, intelligible language the
reasons and the causes which have brought them to the brink of such a national
calamity. The soldiers must demand this as one of the prerogatives.
&Demonstrate to us", they must say, "that this is a just war, and we will then
enter into the battlefield otherwise we will not take one step.... Come forth
from your hiding-places, enter into the battlefield if you like to attack each
other and tear each other to pieces if you desire to air your so-called
contentions. The discord and feud are between you; why do you make us,
innocent people, a party to it? If fighting and bloodshed are good things,
then lead us into the fray by your presence!"

In short, every means that produces war must be checked and the causes
that prevent the occurrence of war be advanced; -- so that physical conflict
may become an impossibility. On the other hand, every country must be properly
delimited, its exact frontiers marked, its national integrity secured, its
permanent independence protected, and its vital interests honoured by the
family of nations. These services ought to be rendered by an impartial,
international Commission. In this manner all causes of friction and

- 18 -
+P 19

differences will be removed. And in case there should arise some disputes
between them, they could arbitrate before the Parliament of Man, the
representatives of which should be chosen from among the wisest and most
judicious men of all the nations of the world.
("Star of the West", vol. 5, no. 8 (August 1914), pp. 115-117) [43]


Every century holds the solution of one predominating problem. Although
there may be many problems, yet one of the innumerable problems will loom large
and become the most important of all. ...in this luminous century the greatest
bestowal of the world of humanity is Universal Peace, which must be founded, so
that the realm of creation may obtain composure, the East and the West, which
include in their arms the five continents of the globe, may embrace each other,
mankind may rest beneath the tent of oneness of the world of humanity, and the
flag of universal peace may wave over all the regions....

...

Today the true duty of a powerful king is to establish a universal peace;
for verily it signifies the freedom of all the people of the world. Some
persons who are ignorant of the world of true humanity and its high ambitions
for the general good, reckon such a glorious condition of life to be very
difficult, nay rather impossible to compass. But it is not so, far from it.
("Star of the West". vol. 7, no. 14 (November 1916), p. 136) [44]


O ye individuals of humanity, find ye means for the stoppage of this wholesale
murder and bloodshed. Now is the appointed time! Now is the opportune time!
Arise ye, show ye an effort, put ye forward an extraordinary force, and unfurl
ye the Flag of Universal Peace and dam the irresistible fury of this raging
torrent which is wreaking havoc and ruin everywhere.
("Star of the West", vol. 18, no. 11 (February 1928), p. 345) [45]


By what process, continued the questioner, will this peace on earth be
established? Will it come at once after a universal declaration of the Truth?

No, it will come about gradually, said &Abdu'l-Baha. A plant that
grows too quickly lasts but a short time. You are my family, and he looked
about with a smile, my new children! if a family lives in unison, great
results are obtained. Widen the circle; when a city lives in intimate accord
greater results will follow, and a continent that is fully united will likewise
unite all other continents. Then will be the time of the greatest results, for
all the inhabitants of the earth belong to one native land.
("&Abdu'l-Baha in London: Addresses, and Notes of Conversations",
Commemorative ed. (London: &Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1987),
p. 106) [46]

- 19 -
+P 20


EXTRACTS FROM THE WRITINGS OF SHOGHI EFFENDI:


Dearly-beloved friends! Humanity, whether viewed in the light of man's
individual conduct or in the existing relationships between organized
communities and nations, has, alas, strayed too far and suffered too great a
decline to be redeemed through the unaided efforts of the best among its
recognized rulers and statesmen -- however disinterested their motives, however
concerted their action, however unsparing in their zeal and devotion to its
cause. No scheme which the calculations of the highest statesmanship may yet
devise, no doctrine which the most distinguished exponents of economic theory
may hope to advance, no principle which the most ardent of moralists may strive
to inculcate, can provide, in the last resort, adequate foundations upon which
the future of a distracted world can be built. No appeal for mutual tolerance
which the worldly-wise might raise, however compelling and insistent, can calm
its passions or help restore its vigour. Nor would any general scheme of mere
organized international co-operation, in whatever sphere of human activity,
however ingenious in conception or extensive in scope, succeed in removing the
root cause of the evil that has so rudely upset the equilibrium of present day
society. Not even, I venture to assert, would the very act of devising the
machinery required for the political and economic unification of the world -- a
principle that has been increasingly advocated in recent times -- provide in
itself the antidote against the poison that is steadily undermining the vigour
of organized peoples and nations. What else, might we not confidently affirm,
but the unreserved acceptance of the Divine Programme enunciated, with such
simplicity and force as far back as sixty years ago, by &Baha'u'llah,
embodying in its essentials God's divinely-appointed scheme for the unification
of mankind in this age, coupled with an indomitable conviction in the unfailing
efficacy of each and all of its provisions, is eventually capable of
withstanding the forces of internal disintegration which, if unchecked, must
needs continue to eat into the vitals of a despairing society. It is towards
this goal -- the goal of a new World Order, Divine in origin, all-embracing in
scope, equitable in principle, challenging in its features -- that a harrassed
humanity must strive.

To claim to have grasped all the implications of &Baha'u'llah's
prodigious scheme for world-wide human solidarity, or to have fathomed its
import, would be presumptuous on the part of even the declared supporters of
His Faith. To attempt to visualize it in all its possibilities, to estimate
its future benefits, to picture its glory, would be premature at even so
advanced a stage in the evolution of mankind.

All we can reasonably venture to attempt is to strive to obtain a glimpse
of the first streaks of the promised Dawn that must, in the fullness of time,
chase away the gloom that has encircled humanity. All we can do is to point
out, in their broadest outline, to what appear to us to be the guiding
principles underlying the World Order of &Baha'u'llah, as amplified and
enunciated by &Abdu'l-Baha, the Centre of His Covenant with all mankind and
the appointed Interpreter and Expounder of His Word.

- 20 -
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That the unrest and suffering afflicting the mass of mankind are in no
small measure the direct consequences of the World War and are attributable to
the unwisdom and short-sightedness of the Framers of the Peace Treaties only a
biased mind can refuse to admit....

It would be idle however to contend that the war, with all the losses it
involved, the passions it aroused and the grievances it left behind, has solely
been responsible for the unprecedented confusion into which almost every
section of the civilized world is plunged at present. Is it not a fact -- and
this is the central idea I desire to emphasize -- that the fundamental cause of
this world unrest is attributable, not so much to the consequences of what must
sooner or later come to be regarded as a transitory dislocation in the affairs
of a continually changing world, but rather to the failure of those into whose
hands the immediate destinies of peoples and nations have been committed, to
adjust their systems of economic and political institutions to the imperative
needs of a fast evolving age? Are not these intermittent crises that convulse
present-day society due primarily to the lamentable inability of the world's
recognized leaders to read aright the signs of the times, to rid themselves
once for all of their preconceived ideas and fettering creeds, and to reshape
the machinery of their respective governments according to those standards that
are implicit in &Baha'u'llah's supreme declaration of the Oneness of Mankind
-- the chief and distinguishing feature of the Faith He proclaimed?....

How pathetic indeed are the efforts of those leaders of human institutions
who, in utter disregard of the spirit of the age, are striving to adjust
national processes, suited to the ancient days of self-contained nations to an
age which must either achieve the unity of the world, as adumbrated by
&Baha'u'llah, or perish. At so critical an hour in the history of
civilization it behoves the leaders of all the nations of the world, great and
small, whether in the East or in the West, whether victors or vanquished, to
give heed to the clarion call of &Baha'u'llah and, thoroughly imbued with a
sense of world solidarity, the sine qua non of loyalty to His Cause, arise
manfully to carry out in its entirety the one remedial scheme He, the Divine
Physician, has prescribed for an ailing humanity. Let them discard, once for
all, every preconceived idea, every national prejudice, and give heed to the
sublime counsel of &Abdu'l-Baha, the authorized Expounder of His teachings.
You can best serve your country, was &Abdu'l-Baha's rejoinder to a high
official in the service of the federal government of the United States of
America, who had questioned Him as to the best manner in which he could promote
the interests of his government and people, if you strive, in your capacity as
a citizen of the world, to assist in the eventual application of the principle
of federalism underlying the government of your own country to the
relationships now existing between the peoples and nations of the world.

...

Some form of a world super-state must needs be evolved, in whose favour all the
nations of the world will have willingly ceded every claim to make war, certain
rights to impose taxation and all rights to maintain armaments, except for
purposes of maintaining internal order within their respective dominions. Such
a state will have to include within its orbit an international executive

- 21 -
+P 22

adequate to enforce supreme and unchallengeable authority on every recalcitrant
member of the commonwealth; a world parliament whose members shall be elected
by the people in their respective countries and whose election shall be
confirmed by their respective governments; and a supreme tribunal whose
judgement will have a binding effect even in such cases where the parties
concerned did not voluntarily agree to submit their case to its consideration.
A world community in which all economic barriers will have been permanently
demolished and the interdependence of Capital and Labour definitely recognized;
in which the clamour of religious fanaticism and strife will have been for ever
stilled; in which the flame of racial animosity will have been finally
extinguished; in which a single code of international law -- the product of the
considered judgement of the world's federated representatives -- shall have as
its sanction the instant and coercive intervention of the combined forces of
the federated units; and finally a world community in which the fury of a
capricious and militant nationalism will have been transmuted into an abiding
consciousness of world citizenship -- such indeed, appears, in its broadest
outline, the Order anticipated by &Baha'u'llah, an Order that shall come to be
regarded as the fairest fruit of a slowly maturing age.

...

Let there be no misgivings as to the animating purpose of the world-wide
Law of &Baha'u'llah. Far from aiming at the subversion of the existing
foundations of society, it seeks to broaden its basis, to remould its
institutions in a manner consonant with the needs of an ever-changing world.
It can conflict with no legitimate allegiances, nor can it undermine essential
loyalties. Its purpose is neither to stifle the flame of a sane and
intelligent patriotism in men's hearts, nor to abolish the system of national
autonomy so essential if the evils of excessive centralization are to be
avoided. It does not ignore, nor does it attempt to suppress the diversity of
ethnical origins, of climate, of history, of language and tradition, of thought
and habit, that differentiate the peoples and nations of the world. It calls
for a wider loyalty, for a larger aspiration than any that has animated the
human race. It insists upon the subordination of national impulses and
interests to the imperative claims of a unified world. It repudiates excessive
centralization on one hand, and disclaims all attempts at uniformity on the
other. Its watchword is unity in diversity such as &Abdu'l-Baha Himself has
explained.

...

Its [the principle of the Oneness of Mankind] implications are deeper, its
claims greater than any which the Prophets of old were allowed to advance. Its
message is applicable not only to the individual, but concerns itself primarily
with the nature of those essential relationships that must bind all the states
and nations as members of one human family. It does not constitute merely the
enunciation of an ideal, but stands inseparably associated with an institution
adequate to embody its truth, demonstrate its validity, and perpetuate its
influence. It implies an organic change in the structure of present-day
society, a change such as the world has not yet experienced. It constitutes a
challenge, at once bold and universal, to outworn shibboleths of national
creeds -- creeds that have had their day and which must, in the ordinary course

- 22 -
+P 23

of events as shaped and controlled by Providence, give way to a new gospel,
fundamentally different from, and infinitely superior to, what the world has
already conceived. It calls for no less that the reconstruction and the
demilitarization of the whole civilized world -- a world organically unified in
all the essential aspects of its life, its political machinery, its spiritual
aspiration, its trade and finance, its script and language, and yet infinite in
the diversity of the national characteristics of its federated units.

It represents the consummation of human evolution -- an evolution that has
had its earliest beginnings in the birth of family life, its subsequent
development in the achievement of tribal solidarity, leading in turn to the
constitution of the city-state, and expanding later into the institution of
independent and sovereign nations.

...

To take but one instance. How confident were the assertions made in the
days preceding the unification of the states of the North American continent
regarding the insuperable barriers that stood in the way of their ultimate
federation! Was it not widely and emphatically declared that the conflicting
interests, the mutual distrust, the differences of government and habit that
divided the states were such as no force, whether spiritual or temporal, could
ever hope to harmonize or control? And yet how different were the conditions
prevailing a hundred and fifty years ago from those that characterize
present-day society! It would indeed be no exaggeration to say that the
absence of those facilities which modern scientific progress has placed at the
service of humanity in our time made of the problem of welding the American
states into a single federation, similar though they were in certain
traditions, a task infinitely more complex than that which confronts a divided
humanity in its efforts to achieve the unification of all mankind.

Who knows that for so exalted a conception to take shape a suffering more
intense that any it has yet experienced will have to be inflicted upon
humanity? Could anything less than the fire of a civil war with all its
violence and vicissitudes -- a war that nearly rent the great American Republic
-- have welded the states, not only into a Union of independent units, but into
a Nation, in spite of all the ethnic differences that characterized its
component parts? That so fundamental a revolution, involving such far-reaching
changes in the structure of society, can be achieved through the ordinary
processes of diplomacy and education seems highly improbable. We have but to
turn our gaze to humanity's blood-stained history to realize that nothing short
of intense mental as well as physical agony has been able to precipitate those
epoch-making changes that constitute the greatest landmarks in the history of
human civilization.

Great and far-reaching as have been those changes in the past, they cannot
but appear, when viewed in their proper perspective, except as subsidiary
adjustments preluding that transformation of unparalleled majesty and scope
which humanity is in this age bound to undergo. That the forces of a world
catastrophe can alone precipitate such a new phase of human thought is, alas,
becoming increasingly apparent. That nothing short of the fire of a severe

- 23 -
+P 24

ordeal, unparalleled in its intensity, can fuse and weld the discordant
entities, that constitute the elements of present-day civilization, into the
integral components of the world Commonwealth of the future is a truth which
future events will increasingly demonstrate.

The prophetic voice of &Baha'u'llah warning, in the concluding passages
of the "Hidden Words", "the peoples of the world" that "an unforeseen calamity
is following them and that grievous retribution awaiteth them" throws indeed a
lurid light upon the immediate fortunes of sorrowing humanity. Nothing but a
fiery ordeal, out of which humanity will emerge, chastened and prepared, can
succeed in implanting that sense of responsibility which the leaders of a
new-born age must arise to shoulder.

I would again direct your attention to those ominous words of
&Baha'u'llah which I have already quoted: "And when the appointed hour is
come, there shall suddenly appear that which shall cause the limbs of mankind
to quake."

Has not &Abdu'l-Baha Himself asserted in unequivocal language that
"another war, fiercer than the last, will assuredly break out"?

Upon the consummation of this colossal, this unspeakably glorious
enterprise -- an enterprise that baffled the resources of Roman statesmanship
and which Napoleon's desperate efforts failed to achieve -- will depend the
ultimate realization of that millenium of which poets of all ages have sung and
seers have long dreamed. Upon it will depend the fulfilment of the prophecies
uttered by the Prophets of old when swords shall be beaten into ploughshares
and the lion and the lamb lie down together. It alone can usher in the Kingdom
of the Heavenly Father as anticipated by the Faith of Jesus Christ. It alone
can lay the foundation for the New World Order visualized by &Baha'u'llah -- a
World Order that shall reflect, however dimly, upon this earthly plane, the
ineffable splendours of the &Abha Kingdom.

One word more in conclusion. The proclamation of the Oneness of Mankind
-- the head corner-stone of &Baha'u'llah's all-embracing dominion -- can under
no circumstances be compared with such expressions of pious hope as have been
uttered in the past. His is not merely a call which He raised, alone and
unaided, in the face of the relentless and combined opposition of two of the
most powerful Oriental potentates of His day -- while Himself an exile and
prisoner in their hands. It implies at once a warning and a promise -- a
warning that in it lies the sole means for the salvation of a greatly suffering
world, a promise that its realization is at hand.

Uttered at a time when its possibility had not yet been seriously
envisaged in any part of the world, it has, by virtue of that celestial potency
which the Spirit of &Baha'u'llah has breathed into it, come at last to be
regarded, by an increasing number of thoughtful men, not only as an approaching
possibility, but as the necessary outcome of the forces now operating in the
world.

- 24 -
+P 25

Surely the world, contracted and transformed into a single highly complex
organism by the marvellous progress achieved in the realm of physical science,
by the world-wide expansion of commerce and industry, and struggling, under the
pressure of world economic forces, amidst the pitfalls of a materialistic
civilization, stands in dire need of a restatement of the Truth underlying all
the Revelation, of the past in a language suited to its essential requirements.
And what voice other than that of &Baha'u'llah -- the Mouthpiece of God for
this age -- is capable of effecting a transformation of society as radical as
that which He has already accomplished in the hearts of those men and women, so
diversified and seemingly irreconcilable, who constitute the body of His
declared followers throughout the world?

That such a mighty conception is fast budding out in the minds of men,
that voices are being raised in its support, that its salient features must
fast crystallize in the consciousness of those who are in authority, few indeed
can doubt. That its modest beginnings have alrady taken shape in the
world-wide Administration with which the adherents of the Faith of
&Baha'u'llah stand associated only those whose hearts are tainted by prejudice
can fail to perceive.
(28 November 1931 to the &Baha'is of the West, pubished in "The
World Order of &Baha'u'llah: Selected Letters", pp. 33-37, 40-43,
45-48) [47]


No machinery falling short of the standard inculcated by the &Baha'i
Revelation, and at variance with the sublime pattern ordained in His teachings,
which the collective efforts of mankind may yet devise can ever hope to achieve
anything above or beyond that "Lesser Peace" to which the Author of our Faith
has Himself alluded in His writings. "Now that ye have refused the Most Great
Peace," He, admonishing the kings and rulers of the earth, has written, "hold
ye fast unto this the Lesser Peace, that haply ye may in some degree better
your own condition and that of your dependents." Expatiating on this Lesser
Peace, He thus addresses in that same Tablet the rulers of the earth: "Be
reconciled among yourselves, that ye may need no more armaments save in a
measure to safeguard your territories and dominions... Be united, O kings of
the earth, for thereby will the tempest of discord be stilled amongst you, and
your peoples find rest, if ye be of them that comprehend. Should any one among
you take up arms against another, rise ye all against him, for this is naught
but manifest justice."

The Most Great Peace, on the other hand, as conceived by &Baha'u'llah -- a
peace that must inevitably follow as the practical consequence of the
spiritualization of the world and the fusion of all its races, creeds, classes
and nations -- can rest on no other basis, and can be preserved through no
other agency, except the divinely appointed ordinances that are implicit in the
World Order that stands associated with His Holy Name....

...

The Revelation of &Baha'u'llah, whose supreme mission is none other but the
achievement of this organic and spiritual unity of the whole body of nations,
should, if we be faithful to its implications, be regarded as signalizing
through its advent the coming of age of the entire human race. It should be

- 25 -
+P 26

viewed not merely as yet another spiritual revival in the ever-changing
fortunes of mankind, not only as a further stage in a chain of progressive
Revelations, nor even as the culmination of one of a series of recurrent
prophetic cycles, but rather as marking the last and highest stage in the
stupendous evolution of man's collective life on this planet. The emergence of
a world community, the consciousness of world citizenship, the founding of a
world civilization and culture -- all of which must synchronize with the
initial stages in the unfoldment of the Golden Age of the &Baha'i Era -- should,
by their very nature, be regarded, as far as this planetary life is concerned,
as the furthermost limits in the organization of human society, though man, as
an individual, will, nay must indeed as a result of such a consummation,
continue indefinitely to progress and develop.

...

The whole of mankind is groaning, is dying to be led to unity, and to
terminate its age-long martyrdom. And yet it stubbornly refuses to embrace the
light and acknowledge the sovereign authority of the one Power that can
extricate it from its entanglements, and avert the woeful calamity that
threatens to engulf it.

Ominous indeed is the voice of &Baha'u'llah that rings through these
prophetic words: "O ye peoples of the world! Know, verily, that an unforeseen
calamity followeth you, and grievous retribution awaiteth you. Think not that
which ye have committed hath been effaced in My sight." And again: "We have a
fixed time for you, O peoples. If ye fail, at the appointed hour, to turn
towards God, He, verily, will lay violent hold on you, and will cause grievous
afflictions to assail you from every direction. How severe, indeed, is the
chastisement with which your Lord will then chastise you!"

Must humanity, tormented as she now is, be afflicted with still severer
tribulations ere their purifying influence can prepare her to enter the
heavenly Kingdom destined to be established upon earth? Must the inauguration
of so vast, so unique, so illumined an era in human history be ushered in by so
great a catastrophe in human affairs as to recall, nay surpass, the appalling
collapse of Roman civilization in the first centuries of the Christian Era?
Must a series of profound convulsions stir and rock the human race ere
&Baha'u'llah can be enthroned in the hearts and consciences of the masses, ere
His undisputed ascendancy is universally recognized, and the noble edifice of
His World Order is reared and established?

The long ages of infancy and childhood, through which the human race had
to pass, have receded into the background. Humanity is now experiencing the
commotions invariably associated with the most turbulent stage of its
evolution, the stage of adolescence, when the impetuosity of youth and its
vehemence reach their climax, and must gradually be superseded by the calmness,
the wisdom, and the maturity that characterize the stage of manhood. Then will
the human race reach that stature of ripeness which will enable it to acquire
all the powers and capacities upon which its ultimate development must depend.

...

- 26 -
+P 27

Unification of the whole of mankind is the hall mark of the stage which
human society is now approaching. Unity of family, of tribe, of city-state,
and nation have been successively attempted and fully established. World unity
is the goal towards which a harassed humanity is striving. Nation-building has
come to an end. The anarchy inherent in state sovereignty is moving towards a
climax. A world, growing to maturity, must abandon this fetish, recognize the
oneness and wholeness of human relationships, and establish once for all the
machinery that can best incarnate this fundamental principle of its life.

...

The unity of the human race, as envisaged by &Baha'u'llah, implies the
establishment of a world commonwealth in which all nations, races, creeds and
classes are closely and permanently united, and in which the autonomy of its
state members and the personal freedom and initiative of the individuals that
compose them are definitely and completely safeguarded. This commonwealth
must, as far as we can visualize it, consist of a world legislature, whose
members will, as the trustees of the whole of mankind, ultimately control the
entire resources of all the component nations, and will enact such laws as
shall be required to regulate the life, satisfy the needs and adjust the
relationships of all races and peoples. A world executive, backed by an
international Force, will carry out the decisions arrived at, and apply the
laws enacted by, this world legislature, and will safeguard the organic unity
of the whole commonwealth. A world tribunal will adjudicate and deliver its
compulsory and final verdict in all and any disputes that may arise between the
various elements constituting this universal system. A mechanism of world
inter-communication will be devised, embracing the whole planet, freed from
national hindrances and restrictions, and functioning with marvellous swiftness
and perfect regularity. A world metropolis will act as the nerve centre of a
world civilization, the focus towards which the unifying forces of life will
converge and from which its energizing influences will radiate. A world
language will either be invented or chosen from among the existing languages
and will be taught in the schools of all the federated nations as an auxiliary
to their mother tongue. A world script, a world literature, a uniform and
universal system of currency, of weights and measures, will simplify and
facilitate intercourse and understanding among the nations and races of
mankind. In such a world society, science and religion, the two most potent
forces in human life, will be reconciled, will co-operate, and will
harmoniously develop. The press will, under such a system, while giving full
scope to the expression of the diversified views and convictions of mankind,
cease to be mischievously manipulated by vested interests, whether private or
public, and will be liberated from the influence of contending governments and
peoples. The economic resources of the world will be organized, its sources of
raw materials will be tapped and fully utilized, its markets will be
co-ordinated and developed, and the distribution of its products will be
equitably regulated.

National rivalries, hatreds, and intrigues will cease, and racial
animosity and prejudice will be replaced by racial amity, understanding and
co-operation. The causes of religious strife will be permanently removed,
economic barriers and restrictions will be completely abolished, and the
inordinate distinction between classes will be obliterated. Destitution on the
one hand, and gross accumulation of ownership on the other, will disappear.

- 27 -
+P 28

The enormous energy dissipated and wasted on war, whether economic or
political, will be consecrated to such ends as will extend the range of human
inventions and technical development, to the increase of the productivity of
mankind, to the extermination of disease, to the extension of scientific
research, to the raising of the standard of physical health, to the sharpening
and refinement of the human brain, to the exploitation of the unused and
unsuspected resources of the planet, to the prolongation of human life, and to
the furtherance of any other agency that can stimulate the intellectual, the
moral, and spiritual life of the entire human race.

A world federal system, ruling the whole earth and exercising
unchallengeable authority over its unimaginably vast resources, blending and
embodying the ideals of both the East and the West, liberated from the curse of
war and its miseries, and bent on the exploitation of all the available sources
of energy on the surface of the planet, a system in which Force is made the
servant of Justice, whose life is sustained by its universal recognition of one
God and by its allegiance to one common Revelation -- such is the goal towards
which humanity, impelled by the unifying forces of life, is moving.
(11 March 1936, published in "The World Order of &Baha'u'llah:
Selected Letters", pp. 162-63, 201-4) [48]


The world-shaking ordeal which &Baha'u'llah, as quoted in the foregoing pages,
has so graphically prophesied, may find it [the American nation] swept, to an
unprecedented degree, into its vortex. Out of it it will probably emerge,
unlike its reactions to the last world conflict, consciously determined to
seize its opportunity, to bring the full weight of its influence to bear upon
the gigantic problems that such an ordeal must leave in its wake, and to
exorcise forever, in conjunction with its sister nations of both the East and
the West, the greatest curse which, from time immemorial, has afflicted and
degraded the human race.

Then, and only then, will the American nation, moulded and purified in the
crucible of a common war, inured to its rigours, and disciplined by its
lessons, be in a position to raise its voice in the councils of the nations,
itself lay the corner-stone of a universal and enduring peace, proclaim the
solidarity, the unity, and maturity of mankind, and assist in the establishment
of the promised reign of righteousness on earth. Then, and only then, will the
American nation, while the community of the American believers within its heart
is consummating its divinely appointed mission, be able to fulfill the
unspeakably glorious destiny ordained for it by the Almighty, and immortally
enshrined in the writings of &Abdu'l-Baha. Then, and only then, will the
American nation accomplish "that which will adorn the pages of history,"
"become the envy of the world and be blest in both the East and the West."
(25 December 1938, published in "The Advent of Divine Justice"
(Wilmette: &Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1984), pp. 90-91) [49]


The world is, in truth, moving on towards its destiny. The
interdependence of the peoples and nations of the earth, whatever the leaders
of the divisive forces of the world may say or do, is already an accomplished

- 28 -
+P 29

fact. Its unity in the economic sphere is now understood and recognized. The
welfare of the part means the welfare of the whole, and the distress of the
part brings distress to the whole. The Revelation of &Baha'u'llah has, in His
own words, "lent a fresh impulse and set a new direction" to this vast process
now operating in the world. The fires lit by this great ordeal are the
consequences of men's failure to recognize it. They are, moreover, hastening
its consummation. Adversity, prolonged, world wide, afflictive, allied to
chaos and universal destruction, must needs convulse the nations, stir the
conscience of the world, disillusion the masses, precipitate a radical change
in the very conception of society, and coalesce ultimately the disjointed, the
bleeding limbs of mankind into one body, single, organically united, and
indivisible.

...

To the general character, the implications and features of this world
commonwealth, destined to emerge, sooner or later, out of the carnage, agony,
and havoc of this great world convulsion, I have already referred in my
previous communications. Suffice it to say that this consummation will, by its
very nature, be a gradual process, and must, as &Baha'u'llah has Himself
anticipated, lead at first to the establishment of that Lesser Peace which the
nations of the earth, as yet unconscious of His Revelation and yet unwittingly
enforcing the general principles which He has enunciated, will themselves
establish. This momentous and historic step, involving the reconstruction of
mankind, as the result of the universal recognition of its oneness and
wholeness, will bring in its wake the spiritualization of the masses,
consequent to the recognition of the character, and the acknowledgement of the
claims, of the Faith of &Baha'u'llah -- the essential condition to that ultimate
fusion of all races, creeds, classes, and nations which must signalize the
emergence of His New World Order.

Then will the coming of age of the entire human race be proclaimed and
celebrated by all the peoples and nations of the earth. Then will the banner
of the Most Great Peace be hoisted. Then will the world wide sovereignty of
&Baha'u'llah -- the Establisher of the Kingdom of the Father foretold by the
Son, and anticipated by the Prophets of God before Him and after Him -- be
recognized, acclaimed, and firmly established. Then will a world civilization
be born, flourish, and perpetuate itself, a civilization with a fullness of
life such as the world has never seen nor can as yet conceive. Then will the
Everlasting Covenant be fulfilled in its completeness. Then will the promise
enshrined in all the Books of God be redeemed, and all the prophecies uttered
by the Prophets of old come to pass, and the vision of seers and poets be
realized. Then will the planet, galvanized through the universal belief of its
dwellers in one God, and their allegiance to one common Revelation, mirror,
within the limitations imposed upon it, the effulgent glories of the
sovereignty of &Baha'u'llah, shining in the plenitude of its splendour in the
&Abha Paradise, and be made the footstool of His Throne on high, and acclaimed
as the earthly heaven, capable of fulfilling that ineffable destiny fixed for
it, from time immemorial, by the love and wisdom of its Creator.
(28 March 1941, published in "The Promised Day Is Come", pp. 122-124)
[50]

- 29 -
+P 30

The principle of collective security He [&Baha'u'llah] unreservedly urges;
recommends the reduction in national armaments; and proclaims as necessary and
inevitable the convening of a world gathering at which the kings and rulers of
the world will deliberate for the establishment of peace among the nations.
("God Passes By", rev. ed. (Wilmette: &Baha'i Publishing Trust,
1987), pp. 217-218) [51]


During this Formative Age of the Faith, and in the course of the present
and succeeding epochs, the last and crowning stage in the erection of the
framework of the Administrative Order of the Faith of &Baha'u'llah -- the
election of the Universal House of Justice -- will have been completed, the
"&Kitab-i-Aqdas", the Mother-Book of His Revelation, will have been codified
and its laws promulgated, the Lesser Peace will have been established, the
unity of mankind will have been achieved and its maturity attained, the Plan
conceived by &Abdu'l-Baha will have been executed, the emancipation of the
Faith from the fetters of religious orthodoxy will have been effected, and its
independent religious status will have been universally recognized...

...

...we cannot fail to perceive the workings of two simultaneous processes,
generated as far back as the concluding years of the Heroic Age of our Faith,
each clearly defined, each distinctly separate, yet closely related and
destined to culminate, in the fullness of time, in a single glorious
consummation.

One of these processes is associated with the mission of the American
&Baha'i community, the other with the destiny of the American nation. The one
serves directly the interests of the Administrative Order of the Faith of
&Baha'u'llah...

The other process dates back to the outbreak of the First World War that
threw the Great Republic of the West into the vortex of the first stage of a
world upheaval. It received its initial impetus through the formulation of
President Wilson's Fourteen Points, closely associating for the first time that
Republic with the fortunes of the Old World. It suffered its first set-back
through the dissociation of that Republic from the newly-born League of Nations
which that President had laboured to create. It acquired added momentum
through the outbreak of the Second World War, inflicting unprecedented
suffering on that Republic, and involving it still further in the affairs of
all the continents of the globe. It was further reinforced through the
declaration embodied in the Atlantic Charter, as voiced by one of its chief
progenitors, Franklin D. Roosevelt. It assumed a definite outline through the
birth of the United Nations at the San Francisco Conference. It acquired added
significance through the choice of the City of the Covenant itself as the seat
of the newly-born organization, through the declaration recently made by the
American President related to his country's commitments in Greece and Turkey,
as well as through the submission to the General Assembly of the United Nations
of the thorny and challenging problem of the Holy Land, the spiritual as well
as the administrative centre of the World Faith of &Baha'u'llah. It must,
however long and tortuous the way, lead, through a series of victories and

- 30 -
+P 31

reverses, to the political unification of the Eastern and Western Hemispheres,
to the emergence of a world government, and the establishment of the Lesser
Peace, as foretold by &Baha'u'llah and foreshadowed by the Prophet Isaiah. It
must, in the end, culminate in the unfurling of the banner of the Most Great
Peace, in the Golden Age of the Dispensation of &Baha'u'llah.
(5 June 1947 to the &Baha'is of West, published in "Citadel of
Faith: Messages to America 1947-1957" (Wilmette: &Baha'i Publishing
Trust, 1980), p. 6, pp. 32-33) [52]


The raising of this Edifice will in turn herald the construction, in the
course of successive epochs of the Formative Age of the Faith, of several other
structures, which will serve as the administrative seats of such divinely
appointed institutions as the Guardianship, the Hands of the Cause, and the
Universal House of Justice. These Edifices will, in the shape of a far-flung
arc, and following a harmonizing style of architecture, surround the
resting-places of the Greatest Holy Leaf, ranking as foremost among the members
of her sex in the &Baha'i Dispensation, of her Brother, offered up as a ransom
by &Baha'u'llah for the quickening of the world and its unification, and of
their Mother, proclaimed by Him to be His chosen "consort in all the worlds of
God". The ultimate completion of this stupendous undertaking will mark the
culmination of the development of a world-wide divinely-appointed
Administrative Order whose beginnings may be traced as far back as the
concluding years of the Heroic Age of the Faith.

This vast and irresistible process, unexampled in the spiritual history of
mankind, and which will synchronize with two no less significant developments
-- the establishment of the Lesser Peace and the evolution of &Baha'i national
and local institutions -- the one outside and the other within the &Baha'i
world -- will attain its final consummation, in the Golden Age of the Faith,
through the raising of the standard of the Most Great Peace, and the emergence,
in the plenitude of its power and glory, of the focal Centre of the agencies
constituting the World Order of &Baha'u'llah. The final establishment of this
seat of the future &Baha'i World Commonwealth will signalize at once the
proclamation of the sovereignty of the Founder of our Faith and the advent of
the Kingdom of the Father repeatedly lauded and promised by Jesus Christ.

This World Order will, in turn, in the course of successive Dispensations
of the &Baha'i Cycle, yield its fairest fruit through the birth and flowering
of a civilization, divinely inspired, unique in its features, world-embracing
in its scope, and fundamentally spiritual in its character -- a civilization
destined as it unfolds to derive its initial impulse from the spirit animating
the very institutions which, in their embryonic state, are now stirring in the
womb of the present Formative Age of the Faith.
(27 November 1954 to the National Spiritual Assembly of the United
States, published in "Messages to the &Baha'i World, 1950-1957"
(Wilmette: &Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1971), pp. 74-75) [53]

- 31 -
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EXTRACTS FROM LETTERS WRITTEN ON BEHALF OF SHOGHI EFFENDI:

The world is in great turmoil, and what is most pathetic is that it has learned
to keep away from God, Who alone can save it and alleviate its sufferings. It
is our duty, we who have been trusted with the task of applying the divine
remedy given by &Baha'u'llah, to concentrate our attention upon the
consummation of this task, and not rest until the peace foretold by the
Prophets of God is permanently established....
(9 December 1931 to the &Baha'is of Tokyo) [54]


Shoghi Effendi wrote his last general letter to the western friends
because he felt that the public should be made to understand the attitude the
&Baha'i Faith maintains towards the prevailing economic and political
problems. We should let the world know what the real aim of &Baha'u'llah was.
Up to the present Unity of Mankind was only of an academic importance. Now it
is becoming more and more a subject for international statesmen to think of.
It is coming to the field of practical politics. It is therefore a wonderful
chance for us to come to the front and expound the teaching which is the goal
and aim of the social precepts of &Baha'u'llah. Shoghi Effendi hopes that the
friends will re-echo this call to an organic unity of mankind until it forms
part of the conscious faith of every living man in the world. Great judgement
should be however practised lest we be misunderstood and our Faith be classed
among radical movements.
(28 January 1932 to the National Spiritual Assembly of the United
States and Canada) [55]


Shoghi Effendi wishes me to acknowledge the receipt of your letter dated
January 26th 1932 which accompanied a printed copy of his last general letter.
He thanks you both for this as well as for the one hundred copies you are
shipping to him. He is deeply gratified to learn that the friends find it
interesting and worthwhile enough as to make its subject-matter the topic of
their teaching campaign. He sincerely hopes that this will also awaken some of
the friends to the importance of this teaching of the Cause and stimulate them
to make a thorough and deep study of it. For it undoubtedly forms the goal of
the social precepts of the Faith. There is no reason why the &Baha'is should
not take the lead in advocating such a federation of the world, towards which
the world is driven by forces it cannot control....
(16 February 1932 to the National Spiritual Assembly of the United
States and Canada) [56]


The different nations of the world will never attain peace except after
recognizing the significance of the teachings and whole-heartedly upholding
them for through those precepts all international problems will be solved and
every man will secure the spiritual environment in which his soul can evolve
and produce its highest fruits.
(15 January 1933 to an individual believer) [57]

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The Guardian has also read with deep interest all the enclosed papers. He
is firmly convinced that through perseverance and concerted action the cause of
Peace will eventually triumph over all the dark forces which threaten the
welfare and progress of the world today. But such purely human attempts are
undoubtedly ineffective unless inspired and guided by the power of faith.
Without the assistance of God, as given through the message of &Baha'u'llah,
peace can never be safely and adequately established. To disregard the
&Baha'i solution for world peace is to build on foundations of sand. To
accept and apply it is to make peace not a mere dream, or an ideal, but a
living reality. This is the point which the Guardian wishes you to develop, to
emphasize again and again, and to support by convincing arguments. The
&Baha'i peace programme is, indeed, not only one way of attaining that goal.
It is not even relatively the best. It is, in the last resort, the sole
effective instrument for the establishment of the reign of peace in this world.
This attitude does not involve any total repudiation of other solutions offered
by various philanthropists. It merely shows their inadequacy compared to the
Divine Plan for the unification of the world. We cannot escape the truth that
nothing mundane can in the last resort be enduring, unless supported and
sustained through the power of God.
(25 September 1933 to an individual believer) [58]


Whatever our shortcomings may be, and however formidable the forces of darkness
which besiege us today, the unification of mankind as outlined and ensured by
the World Order of &Baha'u'llah will in the fullness of time be firmly and
permanently established. This is &Baha'u'llah's promise, and no power on
earth can in the long run prevent or even retard its adequate realization. The
friends should, therefore, not lose hope, but fully conscious of their power
and their &role they should persevere in their mighty efforts for the
extension and the consolidation of &Baha'u'llah's universal dominion on earth.
(6 November 1933 to an individual believer) [59]


As regards the International Executive referred to by the Guardian in his
"Goal of a New World Order", it should be noted that this statement refers by
no means to the &Baha'i Commonwealth of the future, but simply to that world
government which will herald the advent and lead to the final establishment of
the World Order of &Baha'u'llah. The formation of this International
Executive, which corresponds to the executive head or board in present-day
national governments, is but a step leading to the &Baha'i world government of
the future, and hence should not be identified with either the institution of
the Guardianship or that of the International House of Justice.
(17 March 1934 to two believers) [60]


In connection with your teaching work: what the Guardian wishes you to
particularly emphasize in all your talks is the supreme necessity for all
individuals and nations in this day to adopt in its entirety the social
programme given by &Baha'u'llah for the reconstruction of the religious,
economic and political life of mankind. He wishes you to explain and analyze
the elements that help in raising this Divine World Order in the light of the

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present-day events and conditions in the world. Special stress, he feels,
should be laid on the impending necessity of establishing a supranational and
sovereign world state, as the one described by &Baha'u'llah. With the world
becoming increasingly subject to tumults and convulsions never experienced
before, the realization of such a necessity is entering into the consciousness
of not only the wise and learned, but of the common people as well. The
believers should, therefore, seize this opportunity and make a supreme effort
to present, in a convincing and eloquent language, those social and
humanitarian teachings of the Faith which we believe to constitute the sole
panacea for the innumerable ills afflicting our present-day world.
(15 November 1935 to two believers) [61]


With reference to your question concerning &Abdu'l-Baha's reference to
"unity in the political realm": this unity should be clearly distinguished
from the "unity of nations". The first is a unity which politically
independent and sovereign states achieve among themselves; while the second is
one which is brought about between nations, the difference between a state and
a nation being that the former, as you know, is a political entity without
necessarily being homogeneous in race, whereas the second implies national as
well as political homogeneity.
(26 July 1936 to an individual believer) [62]


As regards your teaching work: the Guardian has already advised you to
stress in your talks the idea of a world superstate, and the concept of the
Oneness of Mankind underlying it. In addition, he wishes you also to emphasize
the fact that humanity, taken as a whole, has entered the most critical and
momentous stage of its evolution, the stage of maturity. This idea of the
coming of age of mankind constitutes the central core of the &Baha'i
Teachings, and is the most distinguishing feature of the Revelation of
&Baha'u'llah. A proper understanding of this concept gives the key to an
adequate appreciation of the tremendous claim made by the Author of the Faith,
both with regard to His own station, and to the incomparable greatness of His
Dispensation.
(12 October 1936 to an individual believer) [63]


With reference to the question you have asked concerning the time and
means through which the Lesser and Most Great Peace, referred to by
&Baha'u'llah, will be established, following the coming World War: Your view
that the Lesser Peace will come about through the political efforts of the
states and nations of the world, and independently of any direct &Baha'i plan
or effort, and the Most Great Peace be established through the instrumentality
of the believers, and by the direct operation of the laws and principles
revealed by &Baha'u'llah and the functioning of the Universal House of Justice
as the supreme organ of the &Baha'i superstate -- your view on this subject is
quite correct and in full accord with the pronouncements of the Guardian as
embodied in "The Unfoldment of World Civilization".
(14 March 1939 to the National Spiritual Assembly of the United
States and Canada, and to an individual believer) [64]

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Though it is premature to try and endeavour to foresee on what basis
various nations would be represented on any international council, or in any
international form of government, it is clear that from the &Baha'i standpoint
it could only be carried out on a basis of true justice; and justice does not
imply one race having a preponderating vote over some other race's
representatives, and thus being in a position to dominate them.
(12 April 1942 to an individual believer) [65]


What &Abdu'l-Baha meant about the women arising for peace is that this a
matter which vitally affects women, and when they form a conscious and
overwhelming mass of public opinion against war there can be no war. The
&Baha'i women are already organized through being members of the Faith and the
Administrative Order. No further organization is needed. But they should,
through teaching and through the active moral support they give to every
movement directed towards peace, seek to exert a strong influence on other
women's minds in regard to this essential matter.
(24 March 1945 to two believers) [66]


The Seven Lights of Unity will not necessarily appear in the order given.
A product of the second may well be universal culture.
(19 November 1945 to an individual believer) [67]


The teachings of &Baha'u'llah will establish a new way of life for
humanity. Those who are &Baha'is must endeavour to establish this way of life
just as rapidly as possible. Now that the hour has arrived when the &Baha'i
Faith is gaining prominence, and is being reviewed by so many peoples, it is
necessary that the adherents of the Faith should live up to the high ideals of
the Faith in every way. In this way they can demonstrate that the &Baha'i
Faith does create a new way of life, which brings to the individual a complete
association with the Will of God, and thus the establishment of a peaceful and
universal society. Divisional attachments are of men, while universal service
is of God.

The Guardian is now anxious that all the friends achieve a universal
consciousness and universal way of life.
(20 November 1955 to an individual believer) [68]


World government will come, but we do not know the date.
(15 August 1957 to an individual believer) [69]

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EXTRACTS FROM LETTERS OF THE UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE:


When &Baha'u'llah proclaimed His Message to the world in the nineteenth
century He made it abundantly clear that the first step essential for the peace
and progress of mankind was its unification. As He says, "The well-being of
mankind, its peace and security are unattainable unless and until its unity is
firmly established." ("The World Order of &Baha'u'llah", p. 203) To this day,
however, you will find most people take the opposite point of view: they look
upon unity as an ultimate, almost unattainable goal and concentrate first on
remedying all the other ills of mankind. If they did but know it, these other
ills are but various symptoms and side effects of the basic disease --
disunity.

&Baha'u'llah has, furthermore, stated that the revivification of mankind
and the curing of all its ills can be achieved only through the instrumentality
of His Faith....

...

We are told by Shoghi Effendi that two great processes are at work in the
world: the great Plan of God, tumultuous in its progress, working through
mankind as a whole, tearing down barriers to world unity and forging humankind
into a unified body in the fires of suffering and experience. This process
will produce, in God's due time, the Lesser Peace, the political unification of
the world. Mankind at that time can be likened to a body that is unified but
without life. The second process, the task of breathing life into this unified
body -- of creating true unity and spirituality culminating in the Most Great
Peace -- is that of the &Baha'is, who are labouring consciously, with detailed
instructions and continuing Divine guidance, to erect the fabric of the Kingdom
of God on earth, into which they call their fellow men, thus conferring upon
them eternal life.
(8 December 1967, published in "Wellspring of Guidance: Messages
1963-1968", 1st rev. ed. (Wilmette: &Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1976),
pp. 131-34) [70]


It is true that &Abdu'l-Baha made statements linking the establishment of
the unity of nations to the twentieth century. For example: "The fifth candle
is the unity of nations -- a unity which, in this century, will be securely
established, causing all the peoples of the world to regard themselves as
citizens of one common fatherland." And, in The "Promised Day Is Come",
following a similar statement quoted from "Some Answered Questions", Shoghi
Effendi makes this comment: "This is the stage which the world is now
approaching, the stage of world unity, which, as &Abdu'l-Baha assures us,
will, in this century, be securely established."

There is also this statement from a letter written in 1946 to an
individual believer on behalf of the beloved Guardian by his secretary:

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All we know is that the Lesser and the Most Great Peace will come
-- their exact dates we do not know. The same is true as regards
the possibility of a future war; we cannot state dogmatically it
will or will not take place -- all we know is that mankind must suffer
and be punished sufficiently to make it turn to God.
(29 July 1974) [71]


EXTRACTS FROM LETTERS WRITTEN ON BEHALF OF THE UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE:


...the &Baha'i Faith aims to eliminate all war, including nuclear. The funda-
mental purpose of our Faith is unity and the establishment of peace. This
goal, which is the longing of people throughout an increasingly insecure world,
can only be achieved through the Teachings of &Baha'u'llah. Since it is only
the &Baha'is who can give these Teachings to mankind, the friends must weigh
carefully how they will spend their time and energy and guard against
associating with activities which unduly distract them from their primary
responsibility of sharing the Message of &Baha'u'llah.
(4 July 1982 to an individual believer) [72]


At the present time, the subject of nuclear disarmament has become very
much a political issue, with demonstrations taking place not only in the United
States but also in England and some western European countries. To single out
nuclear disarmament falls short of the &Baha'i position and would involve the
Faith in the current disputes between nations. It is very clear that &Baha'is
believe disarmament, not only of nuclear weapons but of biological, chemical
and all other forms, is essential...
(12 January 1983 to an individual believer) [73]


Concerning the transition from the present system of national sovereignty
to a system of world government, the House of Justice fully agrees with your
view that the &Baha'is must now do all in their power to promote this
transition. This requires several related activities, all of which are goals
of the present Seven Year Plan. One is the establishment as rapidly as
possible of firmly grounded efficiently functioning Local Spiritual Assemblies
in every part of the world, so that seekers everywhere will have a point of
reference to which they can turn for guidance and for the Teachings of the
Faith. A second is the deepening of the believers, of all ages, in their
understanding of and obedience to the Teachings. A third is the proclamation
of the Faith to all strata of society, and in particular to those in authority
and to leaders of thought so that those who hold the direction of peoples in
their hands will learn accurately about the nature and tenets of the Faith and
will grow to respect it and implement its principles. A fourth is the
promotion of &Baha'i scholarship, so that an increasing number of believers will
be able to analyse the problems of mankind in every field and to show how the
Teachings solve them. A fifth is the development of relations between the
&Baha'i International Community and the United Nations both directly with the
highest UN institutions and at a grass-roots level in areas of rural
development, education, etc.

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As you are no doubt aware, the Guardian indicated that the development of
mankind from its present chaotic condition to the stage of the &Baha'i World
Commonwealth would be a long and gradual one. The coming into existence of a
World Authority and the initiation of the Lesser Peace, is one major
transformation in this process, and will be followed by other stages of the
development of the Faith as outlined by Shoghi Effendi in his writings.
Undoubtedly, as these developments are taking place, the counsel the
institutions of the Faith can give to governments, the pattern of world
administration offered by the &Baha'i community and the great humanitarian
projects which will be launched under the aegis of the Universal House of
Justice, will exercise a great influence on the course of progress.
(19 January 1983 to an individual believer) [74]


It is true that &Baha'is are not pacifists since we uphold the use of force in
the service of justice and upholding law. But we do not believe that war is
ever necessary and its abolition is one of the essential purposes and brightest
promises of &Baha'u'llah's revelation. His specific command to the kings of the
earth is: "Should any one among you take up arms against another, rise ye all
against him, for this is naught but manifest justice." (Tablet to Queen
Victoria, "The Proclamation of &Baha'u'llah", p. 13) The beloved Guardian has
explained that the unity of mankind implies the establishment of a world
commonwealth, a world federal system, "...liberated from the curse of war and
its miseries in which Force is made the servant of Justice..." whose world
executive "backed by an international Force,...will safeguard the organic unity
of the whole commonwealth." This is obviously not war but the maintenance of
law and order on a world scale. Warfare is the ultimate tragedy of disunity
among nations where no international authority exists powerful enough to
restrain them from pursuing their own limited interests. &Baha'is therefore ask
to serve their countries in non-combatant ways during such fighting; they will
doubtless serve in such an international Force as &Baha'u'llah envisions,
whenever it comes into being.
(11 September 1984 to an individual believer) [75]


&Baha'u'llah's principal mission in appearing at this time in human history
is the realization of the oneness of mankind and the establishment of peace
among the nations; therefore, all the forces which are focused on accomplishing
these ends are influenced by His Revelation. We know, however, that peace will
come in stages. First, there will come the Lesser Peace, when the unity of
nations will be achieved, then gradually the Most Great Peace -- the spiritual
as well as social and political unity of mankind, when the &Baha'i World
Commonwealth, operating in strict accordance with the laws and ordinances of
the Most Holy Book of the &Baha'i Revelation, will have been established through
the efforts of the &Baha'is.

As to the Lesser Peace, Shoghi Effendi has explained that this will
initially be a political unity arrived at by decision of the governments of
various nations; it will not be established by direct action of the &Baha'i
community. This does not mean, however, that the &Baha'is are standing aside
and waiting for the Lesser Peace to come before they do something about the

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peace of mankind. Indeed, by promoting the principles of the Faith, which are
indispensable to the maintenance of peace, and by fashioning the instruments of
the &Baha'i Administrative Order, which we are told by the beloved Guardian is
the pattern for future society, the &Baha'is are constantly engaged in laying
the groundwork for a permanent peace, the Most Great Peace being their ultimate
goal.

The Lesser Peace itself will pass through stages; at the initial stage the
governments will act entirely on their own without the conscious involvement of
the Faith; later on, in God's good time, the Faith will have a direct influence
on it in ways indicated by Shoghi Effendi in his "The Goal of a New World
Order". In connection with the steps that will lead to this latter stage, the
Universal House of Justice will certainly determine what has to be done, in
accordance with the guidance in the Writings, such as the passage you quoted
from "Tablets of &Baha'u'llah", page 89. In the meantime, the &Baha'is will
undoubtedly continue to do all in their power to promote the establishment of
peace.
(31 January 1985 to an individual believer) [76]




Revised September 1990



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