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Universal and Lasting Peace by Firuz Kazemzadeh

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UNIVERSAL AND LASTING PEACE

Commentary on ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s Tablet to the Hague by Firuz Kazemzadeh. [Page 2]

UNIVERSAL AND LASTING PEACE

Commentary on ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s Tablet to the Hague by Firuz Kazemzadeh.

BAHÁ’Í PUBLISHING TRUST

WILMETTE, ILLINOIS [Page 3] Copyright © 1970 National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States of America

Printed in U.S.A. [Page 4] “There is not one soul whose conscience does not testify that in this day there is no more important matter in the world than that of Universal Peace.”

— ‘Abdu’l-Bahá [Page 5]

UNIVERSAL AND LASTING PEACE

"There is not one soul whose conscience does not testify that in this day there is no more important matter in the world than that of Universal Peace."1

THESE WORDS, written half a century ago, have never been more meaningful than now. Great nations, armed to the teeth, live in constant anticipation of catastrophe. Incredibly complicated and powerful weapons systems are built only to give way to other even more destructive ones. Humanity's very survival is no longer assured, and the fear of the holocaust is poisoning the life of the generation that has matured since the advent of the atomic age.

Reason, morality, and the will to live should long ago have forced world leaders to dedicate their greatest efforts to the search for peace. Yet today the pursuit of peace is no more earnest, no more intense, no more constant than in the past. Having failed to resolve their differences, to find a common ground, and to abandon nationalistic ambitions, the leaders of mankind have assigned "low priority" to the search for peace. While the threat of catastrophe remains undiminished, no realistic proposals to prevent conflict are seriously entertained by those who hold in their grasp the destiny of man.

Shortly after World War I had ended, and the memory of its horror was still fresh, peace became "popular." President Wilson's initiative in proposing the formation of a League of Nations was enthusiastically welcomed by the masses and reluctantly followed by the leaders. However, the League of Nations was

1. Citations are from ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, The Bahá’í Peace Program (New York: Bahá’í Publishing Committee, 1930), pp. 11-30. [Page 6] a purely political institution, a loose and far from universal association of sovereign states each of which reserved to itself the ultimate power to wage war. A vast majority of those who met at the Paris Peace Conference in 1919 paid lip service to the cause of peace while placing the narrow and selfish interests of their respective nations, classes, and parties above the interests of humanity. At the conference table and in the crowded corridors "the peacemakers" sowed the seeds of future conflicts. To them peacemaking had no spiritual dimension and they did not address themselves to the deeper levels in the nature of man.

It was then that ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, son of the Founder of the Bahá’í Faith and its spiritual leader, sent a letter to the Central Organization for a Durable Peace at The Hague. He praised its members as "pioneers among the well-wishers of the world of humanity" and vividly contrasted the evils of war with the blessings of peace.

"This recent war [He wrote] has proved to the world and the people that war is destruction while Universal Peace is construction; war is death while peace is life; war is rapacity and bloodthirstiness while peace is beneficence and humaneness; war is an appurtenance of the world of nature while peace is of the foundation of the religion of God; war is darkness upon darkness while peace is heavenly light; war is the destroyer of the edifice of mankind while peace is the everlasting life of the world of humanity; war is like a devouring wolf while peace is like the angels of heaven; war is the struggle for existence while peace is mutual aid and cooperation among the peoples of the world and the cause of the good-pleasure of the True One in the heavenly realm."

"There is not one soul," ‘Abdu’l-Bahá pro- [Page 7] claimed, "whose conscience does not testify that in this day there is no more important matter in the world than that of Universal Peace." The leaders of humanity, however, have conceived of peace in purely political terms while "... the wise souls who are aware of the essential relationships emanating from the realities of things consider that one single matter cannot, by itself, influence the human reality as it ought and should, for until the minds of men become united, no important matter can be accomplished. At present Universal Peace is a matter of great importance, but unity of conscience is essential..."

THE ELIMINATION OF WAR and the establishment of universal peace, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá reiterated, depended upon the acceptance of certain teachings which Bahá’u’lláh, the Author of the Bahá’í Faith, had promulgated fifty years earlier. Though exiled from His native Persia and held prisoner most of His life, Bahá’u’lláh gave mankind sublime teachings which His followers have spread to the four corners of the earth. Central to Bahá’u’lláh’s message, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá informed the Hague Peace Organization, "... was the declaration of Universal Peace. People of different nations, religions and sects who followed Him came together to such an extent that remarkable gatherings were instituted consisting of the various nations [nationalities] and religions of the East. Every soul who entered these gatherings saw but one nation, one teaching, one pathway, one order, for the teachings of His Holiness Bahá’u’lláh were not limited to the establishment of Universal Peace. They embraced many teachings which supplemented and supported that of Universal Peace."

First among these teachings ‘Abdu’l-Bahá lists independent investigation of truth. Fifty years later, in a world dominated by propa- [Page 8] ganda and advertising, the need for each individual to "be saved from the darkness of imitation and attain to the truth" is more palpable than ever. Men everywhere disagree; yet "As reality is one and cannot admit of multiplicity, therefore different opinions must ultimately become fused into one."

Independent investigation of truth must lead men to the full acceptance of the oneness of humanity: "that all human beings are the sheep of God and He is the kind Shepherd." So central is this principle to the well-being of mankind that Bahá’u’lláh made unity the main purpose of religion. Never before in history had it been stated so explicitly "that religion must be the cause of fellowship and love. If it becomes the cause of estrangement then it is not needed, for religion is like a remedy; if it aggravates the disease then it becomes unnecessary."

Unity of mankind implies the abandonment of religious, racial, political, economic, and patriotic prejudices which have divided humanity into hostile sects, groups, parties, classes, and nations. "As long as these prejudices persist," ‘Abdu’l-Bahá wrote, "the struggle for existence must remain dominant, and bloodthirstiness and rapacity continue. Therefore, even as was the case in the past, the world of humanity cannot be saved from the darkness of nature and cannot attain illumination except through the abandonment of prejudices..."

In the twentieth century nationalism has been the most destructive of all social forces and ideologies. Legitimate love of country has been perverted and turned into hatred and fear of all nations except one's own. For ‘Abdu’l-Bahá "the patriotic" prejudice was a result of "absolute ignorance, for the surface of the earth is one native land." With sublime [Page 9] simplicity He conveyed to the Central Organization for a Durable Peace these profound truths:

"Every one can live in any spot on the terrestrial globe. Therefore all the world is man's birthplace. These boundaries and outlets have been devised by man. In the creation, such boundaries... were not assigned. Europe is one continent, Asia is one continent, Africa is one continent, Australia is one continent, but some of the souls, from personal motives and selfish interests, have divided each one of these continents and considered a certain part as their own country. God has set up no frontier between France and Germany; they are continuous....and if this conception of patriotism remains limited within a certain circle, it will be the primary cause of the world's destruction. No wise and just person will acknowledge these imaginary distinctions. Every limited area which we call our native country we regard as our mother-land, whereas the terrestrial globe is the mother-land of all, and not any restricted area. In short, for a few days we live on this earth and eventually we are buried in it, it is our eternal tomb. Is it worth while that we should engage in bloodshed and tear one another to pieces for this eternal tomb? Nay, far from it, neither is God pleased with such conduct nor would any sane man approve of it."

TO ACHIEVE UNITY

and peace man must abandon his prejudices and learn to see himself as the citizen of the world. He must also reconstruct his economic and political life and follow ways that would lead to the strengthening of international ties and the increase in the exchange of commodities between countries. The development of communication [Page 10] and transportation since 1919 has already led to substantial integration of the economies of nations. However, their political and cultural integration has been prevented by "patriotic prejudice".

The abandonment of political and economic prejudices would produce "universal benefits". Yet these will not lead to harmony and peace, says ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, unless they are justly distributed and the opportunity to participate in them is open to all as a right. Thus extremes of poverty and wealth must be eliminated, women must receive equal rights with men, and "Every child must be instructed in sciences [various branches of knowledge] as much as is necessary." Justice and right also are among the necessary conditions for the establishment of universal peace: "Until these are realized on the plane of existence, all things shall be in disorder and remain imperfect."

‘Abdu’l-Bahá proclaimed man's freedom, but not the freedom so commonly sought today, not freedom to indulge one's appetites, not freedom from those restraints which educate and humanize. Rather He proclaimed man's freedom "... that through the ideal Power he should be free and emancipated from the captivity of the world of nature; for as long as man is captive to nature he is a ferocious animal, as the struggle for existence is one of the exigencies of the world of nature. This matter of the struggle for existence is the fountain-head of all calamities and is the supreme affliction."

IT WAS FREEDOM to develop the distinctively human part of man's nature, freedom to spiritualize oneself, freedom to transcend one's limitations that ‘Abdu’l-Bahá recommended [Page 11] as a prerequisite for the creation of a harmonious and peaceful society.

Here ‘Abdu’l-Bahá touched the central problem of modern civilization, a civilization which has produced almost unlimited material power yet has starved man's inner self.

"And among the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh [‘Abdu’l-Bahá writes] is that although material civilization is one of the means for the progress of the world of mankind, yet until it becomes combined with Divine civilization, the desired result, which is the felicity of mankind, will not be attained. Consider! These battleships that reduce a city to ruins within the space of an hour are the result of material civilization; likewise the Krupp guns, the Mauser rifles, dynamite, submarines, torpedo boats, armed aircraft and bombing aeroplanes—all these weapons of war are the malignant fruits of material civilization. Had material civilization been combined with Divine civilization, these fiery weapons would never have been invented. Nay, rather, human energy would have been wholly devoted to useful inventions and would have been concentrated on praiseworthy discoveries. Material civilization is like a lamp-glass. Divine civilization is the lamp itself and the glass without the light is dark. Material civilization is like the body. No matter how infinitely graceful, elegant and beautiful it may be, it is dead. Divine civilization is like the spirit, and the body gets its life from the spirit, otherwise it becomes a corpse. It has thus been made evident that the world of mankind is in need of the breaths of the Holy Spirit. Without the spirit the world of mankind is lifeless, and without this light the world of mankind is in utter darkness. For the world of nature is an animal world. Until man is born again from the world of nature, that [Page 12] is to say, becomes detached from the world of nature, he is essentially an animal, and it is the teachings of God which convert this animal into a human soul."

Once awakened to his own humanity by the teachings of God, man embarks on the great journey of constructing and maintaining civilizations. He is at all times in danger of losing his way, of following false leaders, of succumbing to the promptings of his own untamed nature. For man "religion is a mighty bulwark." It preserves and protects both the individual and society more securely than any other force: "If the edifice of religion shakes and totters, commotion and chaos will ensue and the order of things will be utterly upset, for in the world of mankind there are two safeguards that protect man from wrongdoing. One is the law which punishes the criminal; but the law prevents only the manifest crime and not the concealed sin; whereas the ideal safeguard, namely, the religion of God, prevents both the manifest and the concealed crime, trains man, educates morals, compels the adoption of virtues and is the all-inclusive power which guarantees the felicity of the world of mankind."

"BAHÁ’U’LLÁH’S teachings are numerous. They constitute, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá declared, "The greatest basis for the felicity of mankind. . . They must be "added to the matter of Universal Peace and combined with it. . Otherwise the realization of Universal Peace (by itself) in the world of mankind is difficult." Fifty years after ‘Abdu’l-Bahá wrote these prophetic words mankind has not yet established peace. The basic principles stated by Bahá’u’lláh more than a century ago have not received universal recognition and acceptance. Attempts are still being made at [Page 13] peacemaking in a vacuum—even though ‘Abdu’l-Bahá warned that "If the question is restricted to Universal Peace alone, the remarkable results which are expected and desired will not be attained."

Universal Peace is not only composed of myriad component parts, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá wrote. Universal Peace must also guarantee all peoples the fulfillment of their highest aspirations. The salient characteristic of the Bahá’í Faith is that it can unite members of all races, nations, and religions. "At present the teachings of His Holiness Bahá’u’lláh are such," ‘Abdu’l-Bahá declared, "that all the communities of the world, whether religious, political or ethical, ancient or modern, find in the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh the expression of their highest wish."

Believers in every religion have been able to find in the Bahá’í Faith "a religion that perfectly conforms with present conditions, which in reality effects the immediate cure of the incurable disease, which relieves every pain, and bestows the infallible antidote for every deadly poison." Traditional religions cannot serve as the basis for the establishment of world unity. They were born and matured in other ages and under totally different conditions than those of the present. Their specific laws and theologies belong to the past. "But the essential basis of all the Divine Religions which pertains to the virtues of the world of mankind and is the foundation of the welfare of the world of man, is found in the teachings of His Holiness Bahá’u’lláh in the most perfect presentation."

The most advanced political and economic notions and the most progressive attitudes on issues of race are also to be found in the teachings of the Bahá’í Faith. "These teachings," says ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, "constitute the all- [Page 14] inclusive power among all men and are practicable." The question of Universal Peace is itself an example of the practicability of the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh:

"...although the League of Nations has been brought into existence, yet it is incapable of establishing Universal Peace. But the Supreme Tribunal which His Holiness Bahá’u’lláh has described will fulfill 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 men 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. From among these people the members of the Supreme Tribunal will be elected, and all mankind will thus have a share therein, for every one of these delegates is fully representative of his nation. 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 and dilatory, the rest of the nations will rise up against it, because all the governments and nations of the world [Page 15] 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."

NEITHER will the purpose of establishing permanent and universal peace be attained in our day through the agency of a limited and restricted institution such as the United Nations. The League was undoubtedly a step in the right direction, yet it failed. National ambitions, ingrained prejudices, isolationism, and apathy prevented the member states from abdicating a portion of their sovereignty to the League. As a result it was paralyzed, deserted, and died in obscurity in the midst of a world war it should have prevented. The United Nations has not yet been put to such a test. However, since the United Nations came into being in 1945 the world has witnessed several wars, two of which are currently under way. The United Nations has been able to prevent or settle only a few of the major conflicts of the last twenty years. Neither the League nor the United Nations has been able to touch the hearts of mankind, to inspire allegiance, or to instill a higher loyalty than that traditionally given to a nation state. The quest for world peace must itself become transformed into a spiritual search, into a religious experience. Fifty years ago, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá pointed to the source of such a transforming power:

"Consider how powerful are the teachings of His Holiness Bahá’u’lláh. At a time when His Holiness was in the prison of ‘Akká and was under the restrictions and threats of two bloodthirsty kings, notwithstanding this fact, His teachings spread with all power in Persia and other countries. . . . for fifty years the [Page 16] Bahá’ís in Persia and most regions have been under severe restrictions and the threat of sword and spear. Thousands of souls have given their lives in the arena of sacrifice and have fallen as victims under the sword of oppression and cruelty... All this oppression and cruelty, rapacity and bloodthirstiness did not hinder or prevent the spread of the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh. They spread more and more every day, and their power and might became more evident."

The power inherent in the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh transformed individuals and built communities composed of members of many races, peoples, religions, and creeds. They have been united by love for mankind into a fellowship that conquered division, reconciled enmities, and dispelled suspicions. Unity brings strength, while division leads to social decomposition. The annihilation of things, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá wrote, "consists in the decomposition and separation of elements." The union of diverse flowers, leaves, and fruits constitutes the beauty of a garden. "Likewise, when difference and variety of thoughts, forms, opinions, characters and morals of the world of mankind come under the control of one Supreme Power, that influence of composition among the elements is the cause of life, while dissociation and separation is the cause of death. In short, attraction and harmony of things are the cause of the production of fruits and useful results, while repulsion and inharmony of things are the cause of disturbance and annihilation. From harmony and attraction, all living contingent beings, such as plant, animal and man, are realized, and from inharmony and repulsion decay sets in and annihilation becomes manifest. Therefore whatever is the [Page 17] cause of harmony, attraction and union among men is the life of the world of humanity, and whatever is the cause of difference, of repulsion and of separation is the cause of the death of mankind."

Is such union possible? ‘Abdu’l-Bahá would answer:

"Should any one object that, since the communities and nations and races and peoples of the world have different formalities, customs, tastes, temperaments, morals, varied thoughts, minds and opinions, it is therefore impossible for ideal unity to be made manifest and complete union among men to be realized, we say that differences are of two kinds: One leads to destruction, and that is like the difference between warring peoples and competing nations who destroy one another, uproot each other's families, do away with rest and comfort and engage in bloodshed and rapacity. That is blameworthy. But the other difference consists in variation. This is perfection itself and the cause of the appearance of Divine bounty. Consider the flowers of the rose garden. Although they are of different kinds, various colors and diverse forms and appearances, yet as they drink from one water, are swayed by one breeze and grow by the warmth and light of one sun, this variation and this difference cause each to enhance the beauty and splendor of the others. The differences in manners, in customs, in habits, in thoughts, opinions and in temperaments is the cause of the adornment of the world of mankind. This is praiseworthy. Likewise this difference and this variation, like the difference and variation of the parts and members of the human body, are the cause of the appearance of beauty and perfection. As these different parts [Page 18] and members are under the control of the dominant spirit, and the spirit permeates all the organs and members, and rules all the arteries and veins, this difference and this variation strengthen love and harmony and this multiplicity is the greatest aid to unity."

Through the potency of the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh differences and conflicts give way to harmony and fellowship. "Praise be to God," says ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, "in this day the light of the Word of God has shone forth upon all regions, and from all sects, communities, nations, tribes, peoples, religions and denominations, souls have gathered under the shadow of the Word of Oneness...

TO CONCLUDE

His message to the Central Organization for a Durable Peace at The Hague, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá quotes a letter written during the first World War and addressed to the people of the world. He reiterates some of the basic principles of the Bahá’í Faith and calls upon the followers of Bahá’u’lláh to "purify their sight" and always to think of doing good:

"They must see no enemy and count no one as an ill wisher. They must consider every one on the earth as a friend; regard the stranger as an intimate, and the alien as a companion. They must not be bound by any tie, nay, rather, they should be free from every bond. ... O ye dear friends! The world is engaged in war and struggle, and mankind is in the utmost conflict and danger. The darkness of unfaithfulness has enshrouded the earth and the illumination of faithfulness has become concealed. All nations and tribes of the world have sharpened their claws and are warring and fighting with each other. The edifice of man is shattered. Thousands of families are wandering disconsolate. Thou- [Page 19] sands of souls are besmeared with dust and blood in the arena of battle and struggle every year, and the tent of happiness and life is overthrown. The prominent men become commanders and boast of bloodshed, and glory in destruction. One says: 'I have severed with my sword the necks of a nation,' and one: 'I have levelled a kingdom to the dust'; and another: 'I have overthrown the foundation of a government.' This is the pivot around which the pride and glory of mankind are revolving. In all regions friendship and uprightness are denounced and reconciliation and regard for truth are despised. The herald of peace, reformation, love and reconciliation is the Religion of the Blessed Beauty which has pitched its tent on the apex of the world and proclaimed its summons to the people.

"Then, O ye friends of God! Appreciate the value of this precious Revelation, move and act in accordance with it and walk in the straight path and the right way. Show it to the people. Raise the melody of the Kingdom and spread abroad the teachings and ordinances of the loving Lord so that the world may become another world, the darkened earth may become illumined and the dead body of the people may obtain new life. Every soul may seek everlasting life through the breath of the Merciful. Life in this mortal world will quickly come to an end, and this earthly glory, wealth, comfort and happiness will soon vanish and be no more. Summon ye the people to God and call the souls to the manners and conduct of the Supreme Concourse. To the orphans be ye kind fathers, and to the unfortunate a refuge and shelter. To the poor be a treasure of wealth, and to the sick a remedy and healing. Be a helper of every oppressed one, the protector of every destitute one, be ye ever mindful to serve any [Page 20] soul of mankind. Attach no importance to self-seeking, rejection, arrogance, oppression and enmity. Heed them not. Deal in the contrary way. Be kind in truth, not only in appearance and outwardly. Every soul of the friends of God must concentrate his mind on this, that he may manifest the mercy of God and the bounty of the Forgiving One. He must do good to every soul whom he encounters, and render benefit to him, becoming the cause of improving the morals and correcting the thoughts so that the light of guidance may shine forth and the bounty of His Holiness the Merciful One may encompass. Love is light in whatsoever house it may shine and enmity is darkness in whatsoever abode it dwell.

"O friends of God! Strive ye so that this darkness may be utterly dispelled and the Hidden Mystery may be revealed and the realities of things made evident and manifest."

Thus fifty years ago ‘Abdu’l-Bahá addressed those who were trying, however unsuccessfully, to establish a durable peace. Since then several wars, great and small, have demonstrated the inadequacy of the conventional diplomacy and of the traditional nation-state system to prevent armed conflict. Modern wars tend to be total wars. Peace too must be total. To achieve peace modern man will have to undertake a complete reconstruction of society and self. Habits of living and habits of thought will have to change. False values will have to be abandoned. Outworn attitudes will have to be shed and new, constructive ones acquired. The task is enormously complex yet absolutely essential. To those who undertake it ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s words will continue to provide guidance and inspiration.