Baha'u'llah
Edirne Passport Photo
1868
"Whatsoever hath led the children of men to shun one another, and hath
caused dissensions and divisions amongst them, hath, through the
revelation of these words, been nullified and abolished."
(Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 95)
"Let them see no one as their enemy, or as wishing them ill, but think
of all humankind as their friends; regarding the alien as an intimate,
the stranger as a companion, staying free of prejudice, drawing no
lines."
(Abdul-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdul-Baha, p. 1)
A fundamental teaching of Bahá'u'lláh is the oneness of the world of
humanity. Addressing mankind, He says: "Ye are all leaves of one tree
and the fruits of one branch." By this it is meant that the world of
humanity is like a tree, the nations or peoples are the different limbs
or branches of that tree and the individual human creatures are as the
fruits and blossoms thereof. In this way His Holiness Bahá'u'lláh expressed the oneness of humankind whereas in all religious teachings
of the past, the human world has been represented as divided into two
parts, one known as the people of the Book of God or the pure tree and
the other the people of infidelity and error or the evil tree. The
former were considered as belonging to the faithful and the others to
the hosts of the irreligious and infidel; one part of humanity the
recipients of divine mercy and the other the object of the wrath of
their Creator. His Holiness Bahá'u'lláh removed this by proclaiming
the oneness of the world of humanity and this principle is specialized
in His teachings for He has submerged all mankind in the sea of divine
generosity. Some are asleep; they need to be awakened. Some are ailing;
they need to be healed. Some are immature as children; they need to be
trained. But all are recipients of the bounty and bestowals of God.
(Abdul-Baha, Baha'i World Faith - Abdul-Baha Section, p. 246)
"This movement eludes organization -- it is the realization of a new
spirit. The foundation of that spirit is the love of God; and its
method, the love and service of mankind. Many who have never heard of
this revelation teach its laws and spiritual truths. These people are
performing what Baha'u'llah hath commanded though they never heard of
him. The power of Baha'u'llah's words is compelling -- therefore, you must know and love them. For instance, in the spring season trees burst
forth into verdure, though they are not conscious of the sunshine, of
the falling rain or the gentle breeze -- nevertheless, the power of
nature urges them on to yield forth their fruits."
(Abdul-Baha, Divine Philosophy, p. 14) www.reformbahai.org