The Removal of All Prejudice

Contradictions Part – 2

7. Removing All Prejudice or Saying Non-Baha’is Are like Dry Wood That Are Only Worthy of Fire?

`Abdu’l-Bahā: We act to remove prejudice but others just talk.

“To reach the goal of (removing prejudice) we strive . . . but others just talk,”

Reference: `Abd al-Ḥamīd Ishrāq Khāwarī, Payām-i malakūt, p. 99.

Bahā’u’llāh: Non-Baha’is are like dry wood that are only worthy of fire.

“Anyone who has a garden will not allow the dry trees to remain in the garden and will definitely cut them and throw them in fire, for dry wood is only worthy of fire. Thus, O inhabitants of my orchard, protect yourselves from the wicked poisonous breath and void breeze which is socializing with the polytheists (deniers of Baha’ism) and the unaware (ghāfil),”

Reference: `Abd al-Ḥamīd Ishrāq Khāwarī, Mā’idiy-i āsimānī, vol. 8, p. 39.

8. Removing Prejudice or Depriving of All Graces, Those Who View Non-Baha’is as Humans?

`Abdu’l-Bahā: People must not regard themselves superior to others.

“One of Bahā’u’llāh’s teachings is mutual aid between humans. This aid is much greater than equality. It means that not only one must not see himself superior to others; rather, he must sacrifice his life and belongings for other people,”

Reference: `Abdu’l-Bahā, Makātīb (Egypt), vol. 3, p. 107.

Bahā’u’llāh: Whoever call my deniers humans, will be deprived of all of God’s graces.

“From this day, any individual that mentions as human a single person from those who deny me—whether that [denier] has a high or low stature—they will be excluded from all of (God’s) Merciful Graces, let alone trying to prove [those deniers] have dignity or stature,”

Reference: Bahā’u’llāh, Badī`, p. 140.

9. Removing Racial Prejudice or Calling All Black Africans Irrational Savages?

`Abdu’l-Bahā: Prejudice destroys the foundations of humanity.

“The fifth Baha’i principle is that sexual prejudice, religious prejudice, spiritual prejudice, national prejudice, and political prejudice are the destroyers of human foundations,”

Reference: `Abdu’l-Bahā, Khaṭābāt (Tehran), vol. 2, p. 147.

`Abdu’l-Bahā: The inhabitants of a land like Africa are all like wild savages and land-dwelling animals that lack common-sense and knowledge.

“The inhabitants of a land like Africa are all like wild savages and land-dwelling animals that lack common-sense and knowledge and are all wild. There is not a single wise and civilized person among them,”

Reference: `Abdu’l-Bahā, Makātīb (Egypt), vol. 1, pp. 331.

“The wild tribes have no superiority over animals. For example what is the difference between African blacks and American blacks? The [black Africans] are cows that God has created with human faces. The [black Americans] are civilized, intelligent, and have culture . . .”

Reference: `Abdu’l-Bahā, Khaṭābāt (Tehran), vol. 3, p. 48.

10. Having No Prejudice or Saying Turks Deserve Ridiculous Answers?

`Abdu’l-Bahā: “In the presence of God there is no [such thing] as English, French, Turk, or Persian. To God they are all the same.”

Reference: `Abd al-Ḥamīd Ishrāq Khāwarī, Payām-i malakūt, p. 45-46.

`Abdu’l-Bahā: Turks deserve ridiculous answers.

“When Djemal Pasha. . . reached Acre and asked to see me, I mounted a donkey and headed for his home. As soon as he saw me, he greeted me and sat me next to him and without hesitation said: “You are a corrupter of religion and that is why the government of Iran exiled you here . . .” I thought to myself that he is a Turk and I must give him a ridiculous and silencing answer,”

Reference: Asad-Allāh Fāḍil Māzandarānī, Asrār al-āthār khuṣūṣī,vol. 3,p. 42–43.

11. Removing All Prejudice or Discrimination between Men and Women?

`Abdu’l-Bahā: All people have equal rights.

“There is equality between people and complete brotherhood. Justice implies that the rights of humankind be protected and preserved and all have equal rights,”

Reference: `Abd al-Ḥamīd Ishrāq Khāwarī, Payām-i malakūt, p. 30.

Bahā’u’llāh and `Abdu’l-Bahā: Women are inferior to men, they take a smaller share of inheritance, and cannot be a member of the UHJ.

“A woman’s question was referred to him who had asked why hasn’t God made any woman Prophets and why have all Divine Manifestations been men. He answered: ‘Although women and men share the same capacities and abilities, there is definitely no doubt that men are superior and stronger. Even in animals like pigeons, sparrows, peacocks, and other [birds] this advantage is visible,’”

Reference: Maḥmūd Zaraqānī, Badā’i` al-āthār, vol. 1, p. 153.

“The deceased’s property are split into 2520 portions. Out of these, 1080 are for the children, 390 for the wives, fathers 330, mothers 270, brothers 210, sisters 150, teachers 90”

Reference: `Abd al-Ḥamīd Ishrāq Khāwarī, Ganjīniy-i ḥudūd wa aḥkām, chap. 10, p. 117–119.

Women cannot be a member of UHJ

Reference: `Abd al-Ḥamīd Ishrāq Khāwarī, Ganjīniy-i ḥudūd wa aḥkām, chap. 27, p. 219.

A Summary and Conclusion

1) Is Removing All Prejudice a new principle?

The extreme form of removing all kinds of prejudice brought forward by Bahā’u’llāh is novel to an extent but nevertheless incorrect and unacceptable.

2) Did the leaders of Baha’ism act upon this principle?

There are numerous documented instances where Baha’i leaders have expressed, religious, racial, and sexual prejudice. This shows that those who created this principle didn’t adhere to it themselves.

3) Is this principle rational and logical?

No rational person will accept that all kinds of prejudice and zeal must be removed. In other religions, this fact has been explained by pointing out that having prejudice on what is right and favorable is not only good but also defendable.

Courtesy: Twelve Principles – A Comprehensive Investigation on the Bahai Teachings

Contradictions

Bahā’u’llāh:
“Contradiction has and will not ever have a way in the sanctified realm of the Divine Manifestations.”

Reference: Bahā’u’llāh, Badī`, p. 126.

1. Removing All Prejudice or Prohibition of Meeting with Non-Baha’is

`Abdu’l-Bahā: Have no prejudice and show no hatred towards any religion.

“Keep aloof from the scent of ignorant prejudice, enmity, vulgar hatred, and sexual, national and religious delusions, for they are all against God’s religion and His satisfaction and will deprive mankind of God’s graces . . . do not have the slightest hatred towards anyone from any nation, religion, tribe, sex, or land, rather show utmost compassion and friendship,”

Reference: Riyāḍ Qadīmī, Gulzār-i ta`ālim Bahā’ī, pp. 366–367.

Bahā’u’llāh and `Abdu’l-Bahā: Keep away from non-Baha’is and do not socialize with them.

“Do not socialize with those who deny God (meaning non-Baha’is) and his signs and keep away from their kind,”

Reference:`Abd al-Ḥamīd Ishrāq Khāwarī, Mā’idiy-i āsimānī, vol. 8, p. 39.

“In it incumbent on ever soul to keep away from the wicked breath of the polytheists (deniers of Baha’ism),”

Reference: `Abd al-Ḥamīd Ishrāq Khāwarī, Mā’idiy-i āsimānī, vol. 8, p. 39.

“Know that God has forbidden his friends from meeting with the polytheists (deniers of Baha’ism) and hypocrites,”

Reference: `Abd al-Ḥamīd Ishrāq Khāwarī, Mā’idiy-i āsimānī, vol. 4, p. 280. for more quotes refer to chapter 2.

2. Having No Prejudice or Considering All Non-Baha’is Ignorant and Unreasonable?

`Abdu’l-Bahā: Religious prejudice destroys the foundations of humanity.

“The fifth Baha’i principle is that sexual prejudice, religious prejudice, spiritual prejudice, national prejudice, and political prejudice are the destroyers of human foundations,”

Reference: `Abdu’l-Bahā, Khaṭābāt (Tehran), vol. 2, p. 147.

Bahā’u’llāh: Only Baha’is are knowledgeable and reasonable and non-Baha’is are ignorant and lack reason.

“From now on nobody is to be called knowledgeable, except those who have decorated themselves with the garment of this New Affair (meaning those who have become Baha’is),”

Reference: Bahā’u’llāh, Badī`, p. 138–139.

“If today, someone grasps all of the knowledge on earth but stops at the word ‘yes’ (meaning does not become a Baha’i), the Lord will not pay attention to him and he will be considered as the most ignorant amongst the people,”

Reference: Bahā’u’llāh, Iqtidārāt wa chand lauḥ dīgar, p. 111.

“The general criterion is what we mentioned and any soul who has success in it, meaning recognizes and realizes the Sunrise of Manifestation (meaning himself), will be mentioned in the Divine Book as someone who possesses reason or else he will be (mentioned as) ignorant even if he himself thinks that his reason equals that of the whole world,”

Reference: `Abd a l-Ḥamīd Ishrāq Khāwarī, Mā’idiy-i āsimānī, vol. 7, p. 160.

“No one has denied or will deny what has been revealed by the Ancient Pen (meaning himself) in this Most Great Manifestation regarding society, unity, manners, rites, and being occupied with what has benefits for the people, except that he completely lacks reason,”

Reference: Bahā’u’llāh, Iqtidārāt wa chand lauḥ dīgar, p. 168.

3. Removing Prejudice or Claiming Each Baha’i worth More than a Million Non-Baha’is?

`Abdu’l-Bahā: People must not regard themselves superior to others.

Reference: `Abdu’l-Bahā, Makātīb (Egypt), vol. 3, p. 107.

Bahā’u’llāh: “My friends are the pearls of [this] order and all others are earthly pebbles . . . a single one of these (Baha’is) is more precious than a million others (non-Baha’is),”

Reference: `Abd al-Ḥamīd Ishrāq Khāwarī, Mā’idiy-i āsimānī, vol. 4, p. 353.

4. Removing Prejudice or Depriving Non-Baha’is from Their Share of Inheritance?

`Abdu’l-Bahā: All people have equal rights.

“There is equality between people and complete brotherhood. Justice implies that the rights of humankind be protected and preserved and all have equal rights,”

Reference:`Abd al-Ḥamīd Ishrāq Khāwarī, Payām-i malakūt, p. 30.

Bahā’u’llāh: Non-Baha’is do not inherit from their Baha’i parents.

Reference: Bahā’u’llāh, The Kitābi Aqdas, p. 184.

5. Removing All Prejudice or Calling Non-Baha’is Animals

`Abdu’l-Bahā: The truth can only be exposed when all religions remove prejudice.

Reference: `Abd al-Ḥamīd Ishrāq Khāwarī, Payām-i malakūt, p.18.

Bahā’u’llāh: Non-Baha’is are animals.

“Today, according to the decree of the Point of Bayān (meaning the Bāb), those individuals who turn away from this Novel Affair (meaning Baha’ism) are deprived of the garb of being called and described [as humans?] and are assembled and mentioned as animals in the presence of God,”

Reference: Bahā’u’llāh, Badī`, p. 213.

“Do not see the polytheists (deniers of Baha’ism) but as earthworms and their sounds but the buzzing of flies,”

Reference: Bahā’u’llāh, Āthār-i Qalam-i A`lā, vol. 1, no. 20, p. 183.

“O group of polytheists (deniers of Baha’ism), if you take pride in your name remaining amongst the animals or being mentioned amongst the livestock, then take pride in that for you are worthy of it,”

Reference: Bahā’u’llāh, Āthār-i Qalam-i A`lā, vol. 2, no. 81, p. 452.

“Oh you donkeys! Whatever God says is the truth and will not become void by the words of the polytheists (deniers of Baha’ism),”

Reference: Bahā’u’llāh, Badī`, p. 174.

“When the one who turned away from God halted (in accepting me) and fell off the path, in that moment his body left the garb of humanness and appeared and became visible in the skin of animals. Sanctified is He who changes the beings how he likes,”

Reference: Bahā’u’llāh, Badī`, p. 110.

6. Removing All Prejudice or Calling Non-Baha’is Bastards

`Abdu’l-Bahā: “This century, is the century of progress. These prejudices are unjustified. These are rooted in ignorance.”

Reference: `Abd al-Ḥamīd Ishrāq Khāwarī, Payām-i malakūt, p. 25.

Bahā’u’llāh: Non-Baha’is are Bastards.

“Whoever denies this apparent exalted luminous grace (meaning Baha’ism), it is worthy that he asks his state from his mother and he will soon be returned to the bottom of hell,”

Reference: `Abd al-Ḥamīd Ishrāq Khāwarī, Mā’idiy-i āsimānī, vol. 4, pp. 355 and `Abd al-Ḥamīd Ishrāq Khāwarī, Ganj-i shāygān, p. 78.

“Whoever has the enmity of this servant (meaning Bahā’u’llāh) in his heart, certainly Satan has entered their mother’s bed,”

Reference: `Abd al-Ḥamīd Ishrāq Khāwarī, Ganj-i shāygān, p. 79.

Courtesy: Twelve Principles – A Comprehensive Investigation on the Bahai Teachings

Is This Principle Correct From a Rational and Logical Perspective?

Not all forms of prejudice and zeal can be considered bad. For instance, national prejudice and zeal, in times of foreign intervention, is by no means detestable, rather it is necessary. Bahā’u’llāh even detests national prejudice and pride:

“There is no pride in loving ones country, rather [there is only pride] in loving the whole world.”

Reference: Bahā’u’llāh, Ishrāqāt wa chand lauḥ dīgar, pp. 20–21.

`Abdu’l-Bahā further advocates this belief:

“We title every fenced patch [of land] homeland and fancifully call it mother[land], whilst planet Earth is everybody’s mother[land], not this fenced patch. We live a few days on this earth and will finally be buried in it. It is our eternal grave. Is it reasonable to shed blood over this eternal grave and rip each-other apart? Of course not! Neither God is satisfied with nor does any rational person admit [such a thing]. Pay attention to the blessed animals which have no territorial disputes and have complete friendship with one-another and live in groups. For instance, if an eastern pigeon, a western pigeon, a northern pigeon, and a southern pigeon, come together at a single location, they immediately show affection to each other. All blessed animals and birds are like this too. As for predatory animals, as soon as they see each other, they attack and tear one another apart. It is impossible for them to live in a unit land.”

Reference: `Abdu’l-Bahā, Makātīb (Egypt), vol. 3, pp. 105–106.

Are our mother lands just a patch of fenced off earth that we shouldn’t care about?

Should we only care about the earth as a whole?

If a foreign force invades us what do we do?

Should we lay down our arms, and allow them to invade, just like what `Abdu’l-Bahā did when the British invaded Palestine?

History shows that this attitude is not limited to laying down arms and in extreme cases results in serving the enemy. It was because of this attitude that `Abdu’l-Bahā was awarded the title of Knighthood for his service to the invading forces. The same invading forces who in a few years, would lay the foundations for a nation whose very foundations were based on national and tribal prejudice: A Jewish country for a Jewish people. Is this how prejudice is removed?

Baha’is relate `Abdu’l-Bahā’s Knighthood to humanitarian services. This title is given to a person who serves the British Empire, not to someone who provides humanitarian services to people being oppressed under an invading army. What is more ironic, is the fact that the title of knighthood is provided by the invading forces, not the defenders.

This attitude was not only limited to `Abdu’l-Bahā’. During the Russian wars with Persia, Bahā’u’llāh was imprisoned for his alleged role in plotting to kill Nāṣir al-Dīn Shah. In a series of events, whose reason was never revealed, the Russian government exerted pressure on the Iranian government to free Bahā’u’llāh from prison. These efforts bore fruit and Bahā’u’llāh was released after four months. A tablet was revealed by Bahā’u’llāh to thank the Russian government:

“In the days when this Wronged One was sore-afflicted in prison, the minister of the highly esteemed government (of Russia)—may God, glorified and exalted be He, assist him! exerted his utmost endeavor to compass My deliverance. Several times permission for My release was granted. Some of the `ulamās of the city, however, would prevent it. Finally, My freedom was gained through the solicitude and the endeavor of His Excellency the Minister . . . His Imperial Majesty, the Most Great Emperor—may God, exalted and glorified be He, assist him!—extended to Me for the sake of God his protection—a protection which has excited the envy and enmity of the foolish ones of the earth.”

Reference: Shoghi Effendi, God Passes By, p. 106

Pay attention to Bahā’u’llāh’s prayers for the Russian government. He asks God, twice, to “assist” the government whose country is invading his homeland! Why? Only because they secured his release from prison. Bahā’u’llāh doesn’t even care that this government is the same government who is responsible for the deaths of thousands of people in his homeland in their bid to conquer it and take over its natural resources. It seems that the only thing he cares about is his own freedom.

Bahā’u’llāh claims that the Russians extended their protection for him “for the sake of God.” One wonders if the Russians truly offered protection for the followers of a group who were inciting civil war in a country that they were at war with, merely “for the sake of God”.

This does not mean that prejudice and zeal are justified in every case. Extreme neutrality is just as problematic as extreme prejudice. Defending one’s country, family, or tribe during certain times of danger does not mean that one should defend every unjust action that happens in it. Clearly this is not a case of black and white.

Should we not have prejudice towards the truth?

Are truth and falsehood the same?

Are the oppressed and the oppressor the same?

When the Nazi’s invaded France in World War II, should the French have laid down their arms and ignored the situation, because the entire earth is their homeland, not just France?

This is a clear example of the classic situation in which, in an attempt to remedy one extreme, someone has fallen into the opposite extreme.

It is up to you to draw your own conclusions!

Courtesy: Twelve Principles – A Comprehensive Investigation on the Bahai Teachings

Did the Founders of Baha’ism Refrain From Prejudice?

4- Baha’is Have No Prejudice.

`Abdu’l-Bahā says:

Praise God that you have accepted this great affair that is the light of the horizons and the promoter of the oneness of humanity. You detest all prejudice and show utmost compassion and kindness to all religions. You love all humanity.

Reference: `Abdu’l-Bahā, Makātīb (Egypt), vol. 3, pp. 81–82.

We must not desire ourselves and must regard others as better than ourselves, even those who are not believers . . . we must see all people superior to ourselves . . . we must see other peoples shortcomings as our own shortcomings for if we didn’t have shortcomings ourselves we couldn’t have seen the shortcomings of others. Man must always see himself as imperfect and others perfect.

Reference: `Abd al-Ḥamīd Ishrāq Khāwarī, Ganjīniy-i ḥudūd wa aḥkām, chap. 49, p. 326–327.

5- Baha’is Have No Prejudice but Non-Baha’is Are Animals

According to Bahā’u’llāh non-Baha’is are animals:

Reference: Bahā’u’llāh, Badī`, p. 213.

“Do not see the polytheists (deniers of Baha’ism) but as earthworms and their sounds but the buzzing of flies,”

Reference: Bahā’u’llāh, Āthār-i Qalam-i A`lā, vol. 1, no. 20, p. 183.

Reference: Bahā’u’llāh, Āthār-i Qalam-i A`lā, vol. 2, no. 81, p. 452.

Instead of preaching to non-Baha’is, `Abdu’l-Bahā should have reminded his father that:

“This century, is the century of progress. These prejudices are unjustified. These are rooted in ignorance.”

Reference: `Abd al-Ḥamīd Ishrāq Khāwarī, Payām-i malakūt, p. 25.

Is considering non-Baha’is to be non-humans not a clear sign of prejudice? Whose words should Baha’is adhere to? `Abdu’l-Bahā who claims prejudice is rooted in ignorance? Or Bahā’u’llāh who insists on having prejudice?

6- Baha’is Are Jewels and Other People Worthless Rocks

If any creed or group had claimed that they themselves were jewels and all other people were worthless pieces of rock, would Baha’is not have expressed their dissatisfaction because of such blatant prejudice?

Why is it acceptable for Bahā’u’llāh to utter such words:

“My friends are the pearls of [this] order and all others are earthly pebbles . . . a single one of these (Baha’is) is more precious than a million others (non-Baha’is).”

Reference: `Abd al-Ḥamīd Ishrāq Khāwarī, Mā’idiy-i āsimānī, vol. 4, p. 353.

Why must one show such ignorance, as `Abdu’l-Bahā puts it, by having all this prejudice:

“We must neither say bad things nor quarrel. We must know that all are the servants of one God and are encompassed with his sea of mercy . . . see how ignorant people can be by being prisoners of such prejudice.”

Reference: `Abd al-Ḥamīd Ishrāq Khāwarī, Payām-i malakūt, p. 25.

Even though the words of the leaders of this creed have a high degree of prejudice in them, `Abdu’l-Bahā announces with great pride that:

“We must thank God a hundred thousand times every moment, that thank-god, we have been freed from ignorant prejudice and are kind to all of God’s sheep.”

Reference: `Abdu’l-Bahā, Makātīb (Egypt), vol. 3, p. 43.

7- Non-Baha’is Inherit Nothing from Baha’i Parents

If in the Baha’i creed, religious prejudice has really been abolished, and all people, regardless of their religion have equal rights, then why are non-Baha’is deprived of their share of inheritance from their deceased parents?

“Bahā’u’llāh states that non-Baha’is have no right to inherit from their Bahā’ī parents or relatives,”

Reference: Bahā’u’llāh, The Kitābi Aqdas, p. 184.

And why does `Abdu’l-Bahā insist that there are equality of rights:

“There is equality between people and complete brotherhood. Justice implies that the rights of humankind be protected and preserved and all have equal rights.”

Reference: `Abd al-Ḥamīd Ishrāq Khāwarī, Payām-i malakūt, p. 30.

How can such discriminatory laws be considered just and manifestations of complete brotherhood?

How are they not examples of clear religious prejudice?

Perhaps Baha’u’llah has a totally new definition for prejudice.

8- Racial prejudice in Baha’i teachings

Reference: `Abdu’l-Bahā, Makātīb (Egypt), vol. 1, pp. 331

“The wild tribes have no superiority over animals. For example, what is the difference between African blacks and American blacks? The [black Africans] are cows that God has created with human faces. The [black Americans] are civilized, intelligent, and have culture,”

Reference: `Abdu’l-Bahā, Khaṭābāt (Tehran), vol. 3, p. 48.

9- Sexual Prejudice

`Abdu’l-Bahā:

“To reach the goal of (removing prejudice) we strive . . . but others just talk.”

Reference: `Abd al-Ḥamīd Ishrāq Khāwarī, Payām-i malakūt, p. 99.

Now let us see if this is true:

A woman’s question was referred to him who had asked why hasn’t God made any woman Prophets and why have all Divine Manifestations been men. He answered, ‘Although women and men share the same capacities and abilities, there is definitely no doubt that men are superior and stronger. Even in animals like pigeons, sparrows, peacocks, and other [birds] this advantage is visible,’

Reference: Maḥmūd Zaraqānī, Badā’i` al-āthār, vol. 1, p. 153.

“The deceased’s property are split into 2520 portions. Out of these, 1080 are for the children, 390 for the wives, fathers 330, mothers 270, brothers 210, sisters 150, teachers 90”

Reference: `Abd al-Ḥamīd Ishrāq Khāwarī, Ganjīniy-i ḥudūd wa aḥkām, chap. 10, p. 117–119.

Women cannot be a member of the Universal House of Justice.

Reference: `Abd al-Ḥamīd Ishrāq Khāwarī, Ganjīniy-i ḥudūd wa aḥkām, chap. 27, p. 219.

10- What is the position of Non Baha’is

“Do not socialize with those who deny God (meaning non-Baha’is) and his signs and keep away from their kind,”

“In it incumbent on ever soul to keep away from the wicked breath of the polytheists (deniers of Baha’ism),”

Reference: `Abd al-Ḥamīd Ishrāq Khāwarī, Mā’idiy-i āsimānī, vol. 8, p. 39.

“Know that God has forbidden his friends from meeting with the polytheists (deniers of Baha’ism) and hypocrites,”

Reference: `Abd al-Ḥamīd Ishrāq Khāwarī, Mā’idiy-i āsimānī, vol. 4, p. 280. for more quotes refer to chapter 2.

“God will soon take out from the sleeves of power the hands of strength and dominance and will make the Servant (Bahā’u’llāh) victorious and will cleanse the earth from the filth of every rejected polytheist (deniers of Baha’ism). And they will stand by the cause and will conquer the lands using my mighty eternal name and will enter the lands and they will be feared by all the servants,”

Reference: Bahā’u’llāh, Āthār-i Qalam-i A`lā, vol. 2, no. 90, p. 587.

Courtesy: Twelve Principles – A Comprehensive Investigation on the Bahai Teachings

The Removal of All Prejudice

“The fifth Baha’i principle is that sexual prejudice, religious prejudice, spiritual prejudice, national prejudice, and political prejudice are the destroyers of human foundations and any form of prejudice ruins the basis of humankind. Not until these prejudices are removed, will the human world attain tranquility. The proof for [this claim] is that all wars and battles and all enmities and hatreds which have occurred amongst humans were either the result of national prejudice or the result of political prejudice. The human world has not seen peace for 6000 years and the reason for this lack of peace is these prejudices. Until there is prejudice, there will be war, there will be hatred, there will be enmity, and there will be inconvenience. If the human world is to attain comfort, we must dump all these prejudices or else tranquility will be impossible.”

Reference: `Abdu’l-Bahā, Khaṭābāt (Tehran), vol. 2, pp. 147–148.

Did the Founders of Baha’ism Refrain From Prejudice?

A quick review of Baha’i scripture and history shows that Baha’i leaders have shown great a great amount of prejudice regarding different matters. We will now enumerate some of these instances:

1- The Bāb

Some of the most extreme and most violent prejudice and zeal in Baha’i history can be found in the laws and actions of the Bāb:

The order to destroy all non-Bābī books.

Reference: The Bāb, Farsi Bayān: “Chapter six of the sixth unit which is about destroying all books but those that have been written or will be written about this order (meaning the Bab’s creed).”

The order to destroy all monuments.

Reference: “The utterance of the [book or religion] of Bayān in the day of the appearance of his Highness A`lā (meaning the Bāb) was to behead, burn the books, destroy the monuments, and massacre [everyone] but those who believed [in the Bāb’s religion] and verified it,” `Abdu’l-Bahā, Makātīb (Egypt: 1330 AH), vol. 2, p. 266

The order to exile or massacre all non-Bābī people.

Reference: The Bāb, Farsi Bayān: “The sixteenth chapter of the seventh unit which is about [the decree] that all rulers who rise who are [followers] of the religion of the Bayan, leave no-one in their land who is not a follower of this religion. This is compulsory upon all the people too”; “The utterance of the [book or religion] of Bayān in the day of the appearance of his Highness A`lā (meaning the Bāb) was to behead, burn the books, destroy the monuments, and massacre [everyone] but those who believed [in the Bāb’s religion] and verified it,” `Abdu’l-Bahā, Makātīb (Egypt: 1330 AH), vol. 2, p. 266.

Prohibition of teaching any book but those that the Bāb had revealed.

Reference: The Bāb, Farsi Bayān: “The tenth chapter of the fourth unit which is about [the decree] that it is prohibited to teach any book but the book of Bayān.”

The order to confiscate the wealth of non-Bābīs.

Reference: The Bāb, Farsi Bayan: “The fifth chapter of the fifth unit which is about the decree of taking the property of those who do not believe in [the religion] of Bayan and giving it back if they become believers in this religion, except in the lands where taking [property] is not possible.”

Even with all these savage and irrational laws, Baha’i prejudice and zeal towards the Bāb is so great that he is regarded by them as one of the greatest prophets of God. Bahā’u’llāh had so much zeal with respect to the Bāb that he had uttered that a single word from his book was more dear to him than anything in the skies and on the earth.

Reference: “I [swear by] He who in His hand is my soul and my essence, a single letter from the Bayān is dearer to me than everything that is in the heavens and the earth,” Asad-Allāh Fāḍil Māzandarānī,Asrār al-āthār khuṣūṣī, vol. 5, p. 333.

2- Removal of Prejudice: Only for Non-Baha’is

If all prejudice and zeal must be put aside, even religious zeal, then Baha’is too, must put aside their religious beliefs and stop preaching their religion to others. As we previously showed, when `Abdu’l-Bahā speaks about setting aside religious prejudice, he only addresses non-Baha’is:

“Zoroastrians say we are right, Jews say we are right, Christians say we are right, and Buddhists say we are right. How can the [one who is really] right be shown? The follower of Moses must put aside prejudice, the Christian must put aside prejudice, and the Buddhist must put aside prejudice. Not until this is performed will it be possible to expose the truth . . . [no one] should have prejudice.”

Reference: `Abd al-Ḥamīd Ishrāq Khāwarī, Payām-i malakūt, p.18.

Why have Baha’is been excluded from this order?

Why shouldn’t they too put aside prejudice?

Why don’t Baha’is practice what they preach?

Why does `Abdu’l-Bahā state that words needs actions but his own words remain only as words:

“Words need actions. Words without actions are like a bee without honey or a tree without fruits.”

Reference: Riyāḍ Qadīmī, Gulzār-i ta`ālim Bahā’ī, p. 1.

3- Baha’i Attitude Toward Deniers

The Baha’i corpus is filled with sentences about the need to put aside all prejudice. For example:

Reference: Riyāḍ Qadīmī, Gulzār-i ta`ālim Bahā’ī, pp. 366–367.

But when it concerns Baha’ism directly, this is no longer the case and a very disturbing prejudice can be seen in Bahā’u’llāh’s orders:

“We must avoid deniers in all affairs and must not become fond of them or sit and converse with them even for a moment, for by God the [effect of] evil individuals on pure individuals is like fire on dry wood and heat on cold snow.”

Reference: `Abd al-Ḥamīd Ishrāq Khāwarī, Mā’idiy-i āsimānī, vol. 8, pp. 39.