It doesn’t take much digging to find strife and misery in the world. In Edmonton alone, CTV reported that 2022 saw more violent crimes than any previous year and that violent incidents had risen more than 6% since January 2023. 1
Here is what one anguished 14 year old recently said to his mother:
“What if we’re living in the part of human history that people in the future look back on as the worst time to be alive, when everything was crumbling and we hadn’t figured things out yet? What if I die right as they invent immortality or something? I’m so worried about that.” 2
Almost 200 years ago, Baháʼu’lláh, Founder of the Bahá’í Faith, foresaw this worldwide angst:
“The winds of despair are, alas, blowing from every direction, and the strife that divides and afflicts the human race is daily increasing. The signs of impending convulsions and chaos can now be discerned, inasmuch as the prevailing order appears to be lamentably defective.” 3
But Baháʼu’lláh did not stop there. He further explained that this condition was a result of humanity’s immaturity and that although it feels insurmountable now, we are headed towards a glorious future. As a human race we are passing from childhood and the tumultuousness of adolescence into adulthood. He likened the process of our current suffering to the cries of a woman in labour about to give birth to a child. The pain is part of the process that brings a child into the world. That child of humanity to which Baha’u’llah referred, is the unification of all the peoples of the world. This understanding of the oneness of humanity will ultimately result in the elimination of war and the establishment of both unity and justice in human affairs.
‘ʻAbdu’l-Bahá wrote:
“Baháʼu’lláh has drawn the circle of unity, He has made a design for the uniting of all the peoples, and for the gathering of them all under the shelter of the tent of universal unity. This is the Divine Bounty. And we must strive with heart and soul until we have the reality of unity in our midst. As we work, so shall strength be given unto us.” 4
So what is this design? Where does it start and what are we supposed to do with it?
The Universal House of Justice wrote in 1985:
“World peace is not only possible but inevitable. It is the next stage in the evolution of the planet.”
Lest readers think this is merely an ideal with no practical substance, the document written for the rulers of the world by the Universal House of Justice to explain this blueprint, highlighted keys necessary to achieve world peace. “To the peoples of the world: The promise of world peace” not only outlines principles and teachings, it reminds us that a world where everyone is safe, human interests are protected and where we are all free to learn, work and express our talents, is one we will have to work towards. We cannot be spectators sitting skeptically on the side and pointing to every problem as proof that no progress is being made.
From the perspective of Baháʼu’lláh’s teachings on world peace, here are just a few that show their vision and depth. After each paraphrase of the principle, there is a suggested task that individuals, irrespective of beliefs and affiliations, can start putting into action. The principles and teachings of Baháʼu’lláh give us hope while the efforts we put forward towards putting them into action ensure success.
1. Human nature is not incorrigibly aggressive, rather a “mine rich in gems of inestimable value” 5, whose treasures become accessible through an education that is both material and spiritual.
Task: Our homework is to embrace a belief in the ability of the human spirit to transform, and devote ourselves to discovering it.
2. Human happiness is founded on spiritual behaviour as expressed in the virtues found in all the world religions and the writings of all humanity’s great thinkers.
Task: Our duty is to develop virtues rather than vices and to become the embodiments of heavenly characteristics.
3. Prejudice is a stain on the history of humanity. We are all created equal by God. To eliminate prejudice as the social construct that it is, we must learn to see each other as members of the same human family.
Task: Our task is to eradicate prejudice within our own hearts, replacing it with a deep love and concern for all peoples, then to stand up for and uphold the rights of those who are oppressed.
4. Women and men are equal and obstacles to the establishment of equal numbers of women in all areas of human endeavour and governance must be removed. Men and women working together towards solving the problems of society is necessary if we are to abolish war once and for all.
Task: In this principle men are called to uphold and safeguard the ability and rights of women, and women are called to take their rightful place alongside men to build a peaceful world.
5. Science and religion agree. Science alone becomes materialistic and religion alone becomes dogmatic and superstitious. Truth is one and is found in both science and religion.
Task: Our task is to approach both scientific and religious discoveries with an open mind and recognize their evolving and diverse contributions to human knowledge.
6. Extremes of wealth and poverty are signs of tyranny and injustice. The misery and grinding poverty of billions of people is made worse by the continuous spending on war, armaments and weapons of mass destruction that are bringing the world to a completely avoidable disaster.
Task: To address the extremes of wealth and poverty requires developing a consciousness of the role of service. To serve the development of vibrant communities in our own neighborhoods requires regular allocation of time. Collectively we can solve the problems of our communities from both material and spiritual perspectives.
7. The foundation for world peace will require a meeting of all the rulers of the earth, with the aim of bringing an end to war and the voluntary decision to stop making all weapons of war, with safeguards to ensure its application. Baha’u’llah outlined this meeting, what conditions will lead up to it and what kind of follow up decisions and actions will be needed to ensure a lasting peace.
Task: We can support this process by focusing on the capacity of humanity to do great things, to practice promoting unity, to set noble goals, and to show altruistic actions.
Baháʼu’lláh teaches that we have every reason to be hopeful for the future. He sowed the seeds of world peace with His teachings for world unity and peace and lived a life that exemplified it in every possible way. He gifted the world with a blueprint for world peace, we have the design and the plan. Now it is up to us to build it. 6 Our task in the progress towards a hopeful future is to create the conditions for the seeds of peace to grow.
In support of this goal, the Edmonton Bahá’í Community is offering a series of “fireside discussions” featuring keynote speakers. The first of this series is a presentation on Baháʼu’lláh’s vision of world peace, Saturday May 13, 7 PM, by Dr. Navid Pourmokhtari, a Political Science professor at the University of Alberta. 7 If you are concerned about hope and peace for your future, join like-minded friends during this stimulating and interactive presentation!
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/fireside-chat-the-bahai-concept-of-peace-tickets-628178106627
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- https://edmonton.ctvnews.ca/2022-saw-more-violent-crimes-in-edmonton-than-any-other-year-police-1.6365433
- From a Facebook post.
- The World Order of Baháʼu’lláh, pgs 31-33
- ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Paris Talks, section 15.
- Baháʼu’lláh, Tablets of Baháʼu’lláh, p. 161
- The Universal House of Justice, The Promise of World Peace, p. 1.
- Navid Pourmokhtari holds a PhD in Political Science from the University of Alberta. His research interests lie in the areas of comparative politics and international relations studies. His publications have appeared in Third World Quarterly, International Sociology, Against the Current, the Journal of Human Trafficking, Jadaliyya, Sociology of Islam, Legal Pluralism and Critical Social Analysis, Foucault Studies, and the Journal of International Women’s Studies. Pourmokhtari is the author of Iran’s Green Movement: Everyday Resistance, Political Contestation and Social Mobilization (2021), published by Routledge.