# Philosophy: Material and Spiritual

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> Source: Bahá'í Library Online (bahai-library.com), curated by Jonah Winters. Used by permission of the curator. Original citation: Peter Terry, Philosophy: Material and Spiritual, bahai-library.com.
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> 
> Philosophy:
> 
> Material and Spiritual
> 
> Compilation and Commentary by Peter Terry 1
> 
> 2005/2024
> 
> Let us begin with a definition of terms as they are used in the Baha’i source texts.
> 
> 'Abdu'l-Baha defined philosophy in "Some Answered Questions":
> 
> "Philosophy consists in comprehending the reality of things as they exist, according to the
> capacity and the power of man." ('Abdu'l-Baha, Some Answered Questions, Chapter 59, p. 221)2
> 
> And He reiterated that definition in one of His talks:
> 
> "Philosophy develops the mind. Christ and the Word of God are revealed through the
> Spirit. Plato says, “The mental conclusions are so and so.” Christ says, “Be led of the
> Spirit.” ('Abdu'l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 212)
> 
> In one of His Tablets to an American believer He wrote:
> 
> "In the Tablets of His Holiness BAHA'ULLAH, there are many philosophic questions. For
> example, the Tablet of Wisdom, but it has not yet been translated. It may be found that his
> honor Fazel Mazindarani gave this Tablet to a Persian expert to translate into English. In
> His Tablets He has encouraged and rather urged (the people) to study philosophy.
> Therefore, in the religion of BAHA'ULLAH philosophy is highly esteemed.
> 
> "As to life, however, it has had no beginning, nor will it have any end. The eternal grace of
> God has always been the cause of life. It has had no starting point and it will not approach
> any end. But concerning the degrees through which the soul has gone, these degrees are
> spiritual. Consider all the advancement of the word of humanity which is at present
> manifest and known. This has been realized through the spirit. The manifestation of the
> 
> 1 Prepared for presentation at ABS-NA annual conference in 2005; revised 12/6/2006 and 4/16/24.
> 
> 2 Citations in this paper from Some Answered Questions are from the translation available at the
> 
> time.
> 
> will of the Omnipotent, in the universe, means the manifestation of the divine laws and
> disciplines which are essential to the realities of beings, and in the world of the Kingdom
> they are ideals which in the appearance of the holy Manifestations (of God) are realized.
> 
> "The fruits of the deeds of man, i.e. the harvest of the reward of man's conduct, is gathered
> in the heavenly realm.
> 
> "But as to evolution, it is true of both the body and the spirit. Consider how many sciences,
> arts, discoveries and achievements have come into existence since the days of Moses till the
> present time through the progress of the human soul in knowledge and perfections.
> Similarly, how much the soul has evolved from the moral point of view. From the material
> standpoint, you can see also how much civilization has progressed." (Tablet addressed to Mr.
> Alwyn J. Baker, Berkeley, California, translated December 2, 1920, by Aziz'ullah Bahadur; published in Star of the
> West, Vol. 12, p. 194)
> 
> 'Abdu'l-Baha recommended that all be educated in philosophy:
> 
> "Among other teachings and principles Bahá’u’lláh counsels the education of all members
> of society. No individual should be denied or deprived of intellectual training, although
> each should receive according to capacity. None must be left in the grades of ignorance, for
> ignorance is a defect in the human world. All mankind must be given a knowledge of
> science and philosophy—that is, as much as may be deemed necessary. All cannot be
> scientists and philosophers, but each should be educated according to his needs and
> deserts." ('Abdu'l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, 108)
> 
> Shoghi Effendi reiterated this principle in two letters written by his secretary on his behalf:
> 
> "It is hoped that all the Bahá’í students will ... be led to investigate and analyze the
> principles of the Faith and to correlate them with the modern aspects of philosophy and
> science. Every intelligent and thoughtful young Bahá’í should always approach the Cause
> in this way, for therein lies the very essence of the principle of independent investigation of
> truth." (6 August 1933, on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer; published in many compilations of
> scholarship and in 1997 Aug 13, Letter on Science and Religion, p. 2)
> 
> "Philosophy, as you will study it and later teach it, is certainly not one of the sciences that
> begins and ends in words. Fruitless excursions into metaphysical hair-splitting is meant,
> not a sound branch of learning like philosophy…
> 
> "As regards your own studies: he would advise you not to devote too much of your time to
> the abstract side of philosophy, but rather to approach it from a more historical angle. As
> 
> to correlating philosophy with the Bahá’í teachings: this is a tremendous work which
> scholars in the future can undertake. We must remember that not only are all the teachings
> not yet translated into English, but they are not even all collected yet. Many important
> Tablets may still come to light which are at present owned privately." (From a letter dated 15
> February 1947 written on behalf Guardian to an individual believer; in The Unfolding Destiny of the British Baha'i
> Community, p. 445; and in Letters, 1999 Dec 13, Two Compilations on Scholarship - 1979 and 1983)
> 
> In the Tablet of Wisdom and other Writings, Baha’u’llah indicated that the origin of philosophy
> is not to be found in the Golden Age of the ancient Greeks, but in the Prophets of God:
> 
> “The sages aforetime acquired their knowledge from the Prophets, inasmuch as the latter
> were the Exponents of divine philosophy and the Revealers of heavenly mysteries.”
> (Baha’u’llah, Lawh-i-Hikmat, in Tablets of Baha’u’llah, pp. 144-145)
> 
> "The essence and the fundamentals of philosophy have emanated from the Prophets."
> (Baha'u'llah, Lawh-i-Hikmat, in Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 145)
> 
> He reiterates an Islamic tradition, that the father of philosophy was Idris, called a prophet in the
> Qur’an (19:56-57). He identifies Idris with Hermes, considered the founder of philosophy in the
> Hermetic tradition, whose writings were called “Hermetic” and “chrysolite tablets”:
> 
> "‘The first person who devoted himself to philosophy was Idris. Thus was he named. Some
> called him also Hermes. In every tongue he hath a special name. He it is who hath set forth
> in every branch of philosophy thorough and convincing statements. After him Balinus
> derived his knowledge and sciences from the Hermetic Tablets and most of the
> philosophers who followed him made their philosophical and scientific discoveries from his
> words and statements...’" (Baha'u'llah, Lawh al-Basit al-Haqiqa; cited in Tablets of Baha'u'llah, Note 1, p.
> 148)
> 
> "…the theories put forward by the Father of Philosophy regarding the mysteries of
> creation as given in his chrysolite tablets…" (Baha'u'llah, Lawh-i-Hikmat, in Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p.
> 147)
> 
> While it may be surmised that in its origins, philosophy was integrated, inasmuch as the Father
> of Philosophy “set forth in every branch of philosophy thorough and convincing statements,”
> philosophy was at some point differentiated into two branches. In some of His talks ‘Abdu’l-
> Baha refers to these two branches of the primordial philosophy as two kinds of philosophy:
> 
> "Philosophy is of two kinds: natural and divine. Natural philosophy seeks knowledge of
> physical verities and explains material phenomena, whereas divine philosophy deals with
> ideal verities and phenomena of the spirit. The field and scope of natural philosophy have
> 
> been greatly enlarged, and its accomplishments are most praiseworthy, for it has served
> humanity. But according to the evidence of present world conditions divine philosophy—
> which has for its object the sublimation of human nature, spiritual advancement, heavenly
> guidance for the development of the human race, attainment to the breaths of the Holy
> Spirit and knowledge of the verities of God—has been outdistanced and neglected. Now is
> the time for us to make an effort and enable it to advance apace with the philosophy of
> material investigation so that awakening of the ideal virtues may progress equally with the
> unfoldment of the natural powers. In the same proportion that the body of man is
> developing, the spirit of man must be strengthened; and just as his outer perceptions have
> been quickened, his inner intellectual powers must be sensitized so that he need not rely
> wholly upon tradition and human precedent. In divine questions we must not depend
> entirely upon the heritage of tradition and former human experience; nay, rather, we must
> exercise reason, analyze and logically examine the facts presented so that confidence will be
> inspired and faith attained. Then and then only the reality of things will be revealed to us.
> The philosophers of Greece—such as Aristotle, Socrates, Plato and others—were devoted
> to the investigation of both natural and spiritual phenomena. In their schools of teaching
> they discoursed upon the world of nature as well as the supernatural world. Today the
> philosophy and logic of Aristotle are known throughout the world. Because they were
> interested in both natural and divine philosophy, furthering the development of the
> physical world of mankind as well as the intellectual, they rendered praiseworthy service to
> humanity. This was the reason of the triumph and survival of their teachings and
> principles. Man should continue both these lines of research and investigation so that all
> the human virtues, outer and inner, may become possible. The attainment of these virtues,
> both material and ideal, is conditioned upon intelligent investigation of reality, by which
> investigation the sublimity of man and his intellectual progress is accomplished. Forms
> must be set aside and renounced; reality must be sought. We must discover for ourselves
> where and what reality is.
> 
> ('Abdu'l-Baha, address given in a private home on 20 September 1912; The Promulgation of Universal Peace, pp.
> 326-327)
> 
> "This endowment is the most praiseworthy power of man, for through its employment and
> exercise the betterment of the human race is accomplished, the development of the virtues
> of mankind is made possible and the spirit and mysteries of God become manifest.
> Therefore, I am greatly pleased with my visit to this university. Praise be to God that this
> country abounds in such institutions of learning where the knowledge of sciences and arts
> may readily be acquired.
> 
> "As material and physical sciences are taught here and are constantly unfolding in wider
> vistas of attainment, I am hopeful that spiritual development may also follow and keep
> 
> pace with these outer advantages. As material knowledge is illuminating those within the
> walls of this great temple of learning, so also may the light of the spirit, the inner and divine
> light of the real philosophy glorify this institution. The most important principle of divine
> philosophy is the oneness of the world of humanity, the unity of mankind, the bond
> conjoining East and West, the tie of love which blends human hearts."
> 
> ('Abdu'l-Baha, address given at Columbia University on 19 April 1912; in The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p.
> 31; Foundations of World Unity, p. 45)
> 
> In another talk, He refers to the two kinds of philosophy as two kinds of sciences:
> 
> "Scientific knowledge is the highest attainment upon the human plane, for science is the
> discoverer of realities. It is of two kinds: material and spiritual. Material science is the
> investigation of natural phenomena; divine science is the discovery and realization of spiritual
> verities. The world of humanity must acquire both. A bird has two wings; it cannot fly with
> one. Material and spiritual science are the two wings of human uplift and attainment. Both
> are necessary--one the natural, the other supernatural; one material, the other divine. By the
> divine we mean the discovery of the mysteries of God,              the comprehension of spiritual
> realities, the wisdom of God, inner significances of the heavenly religions and foundation of
> the law." (Talk at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Francis W. Breed, Cambridge, Massachusetts, on 23 May 1912; in The
> Promulgation of Universal Peace, p, 138)
> 
> "Baha'u'llah taught that in all schools and colleges sciences, both divine and material, should
> be taught, in order that the students may discover material realities and the realities of the
> Kingdom, for material realities and sciences are as the body and divine sciences are as the
> spirit. The body must live by the spirit. If the spirit does not exist the body then is dead.
> Though the body be in utmost beauty, yet, if deprived of the outpourings of the spirit, it will
> be fruitless and of benefit to no one, nay, rather its non-existence were better than its
> existence." ("Two Kinds of Education," address of 'Abdu'l-Baha at Unitarian Church, Dublin, New Hampshire,
> United States, 11 August 1912, published in Star of the West, XIV:2, (May 1923), p. 44)
> 
> Some philosophers have devoted themselves to both kinds of philosophy, the material and the
> divine:
> 
> "The philosophers of Greece -- such as Aristotle, Socrates, Plato and others -- were devoted
> to the investigation of both natural and spiritual phenomena. In their schools of teaching
> they discoursed upon the world of nature as well as the supernatural world. Today the
> philosophy and logic of Aristotle are known throughout the world. Because they were
> interested in both natural and divine philosophy, furthering the development of the
> physical world of mankind as well as the intellectual, they rendered praiseworthy service to
> 
> humanity. This was the reason of the triumph and survival of their teachings and
> principles. Man should continue both these lines of research and investigation so that all
> the human virtues, outer and inner, may become possible. " (‘Abdu'l-Baha, The Promulgation of
> Universal Peace, p. 327)
> 
> ‘Abdu’l-Baha pointed out that some philosophers, notably amongst the ancient Greeks, and
> many in the modern West, are materialists, and deny the existence of the spiritual:
> 
> "The people of the world are divided into two classes. One class is the materialistic
> philosophers who deny the spirit and it immortality. The second class comprises the divine
> philosophers the wise men of God, the wise illuminati. They believe in the spirit and its
> immortality. Some of the Greek philosophers declared man to consist of simply the
> material elements. These material elements compose the cellular elements of the human
> organism, and when this composition is subjected to disintegration, the life of man becomes
> extinct. They taught that other than the body there is no spirit. It is body and body only.
> From these elements these human emanations have come. To them the eye and the ear are
> due; by them the sense of taste, smell and touch are caused; and when these element are
> decomposed, these senses are likewise decomposed. This is the statement of the
> materialistic philosophers.
> 
> "But the philosophers of God say, No! the spirit does exist; the spirit is living and eternal.
> Because of the objections of the materialistic philosophers, therefore, the wise men of God
> have advanced rational proofs in regard to the validity of the spirit. The materialistic
> philosophers do not believe in the books of God, and, hence, for them traditional proofs are
> no evidence; materialistic proofs are necessary. Consequently, the philosophizers and wise
> men of God have said that it is firmly established that existing phenomena may be resolved
> into grades; that is to say, the mineral, vegetable or animal kingdoms." (‘Abdu’l-Baha, Talk at
> the Theosophical Society, Boston, on July 24, 1912; in Star of the West, IV:7, pp. 115-117; VIII:7, pp. 85-86)
> 
> "The philosophers of the world are divided into two classes: materialists, who deny the
> spirit and its immortality, and the divine philosophers, the wise men of God, the true
> illuminati who believe in the spirit and its continuance hereafter. The ancient philosophers
> taught that man consists simply of the material elements which compose his cellular
> structure and that when this composition is disintegrated the life of man becomes extinct.
> They reasoned that man is body only, and from this elemental composition the organs and
> their functions, the senses, powers and attributes which characterize man have proceeded,
> and that these disappear completely with the physical body. This is practically the
> statement of all the materialists.
> 
> "The divine philosophers proclaim that the spirit of man is ever-living and eternal, and
> because of the objections of the materialists, these wise men of God have advanced rational
> proofs to support the validity of their statement. Inasmuch as the materialistic philosophers
> deny the Books of God, scriptural demonstration is not evidence to them, and materialistic
> proofs are necessary. Answering them, the men of divine knowledge have said that all
> existing phenomena may be resolved into grades or kingdoms, classified progressively as
> mineral, vegetable, animal and human…" (‘Abdu'l-Baha, Talk at the Theosophical Society, Boston, on
> July 24, 1912; in edited version, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 239)
> 
> "In schools and temples of learning knowledge of the sciences acquired is based upon
> material observations only; there is no realization of Divinity in their methods and
> conclusions -- all have reference to the world of matter. They are not interested in attaining
> knowledge of the mysteries of God or understanding the secrets of the heavenly Kingdom;
> what they acquire is based altogether upon visible and tangible evidences. Beyond these
> evidences they are without susceptibilities; they have no idea of the world of inner
> significances and are utterly out of touch with God, considering this an indication of
> reasonable attitude and philosophical judgment whereof they are self-sufficient and proud.
> 
> "As a matter of fact, this supposed excellence is possessed in its superlative degree by the
> animals. The animals are without knowledge of God; so to speak, they are deniers of
> Divinity and understand nothing of the Kingdom and its heavenly mysteries. As deniers of
> the Kingdom, they are utterly ignorant of spiritual things and uninformed of the
> supernatural world. Therefore, if it be a perfection and virtue to be without knowledge of
> God and His Kingdom, the animals have attained the highest degree of excellence and
> proficiency. Then the donkey is the greatest scientist and the cow an accomplished
> naturalist, for they have obtained what they know without schooling and years of laborious
> study in colleges, trusting implicitly to the evidence of the senses and relying solely upon
> intuitive virtues. The cow, for instance, is a lover of the visible and a believer in the
> tangible, contented and happy when pasture is plenty, perfectly serene, a blissful exponent
> of the transcendental school of philosophy. Such is the status of the material philosophers,
> who glory in sharing the condition of the cow, imagining themselves in a lofty station.
> Reflect upon their ignorance and blindness." (‘Abdu'l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, pp.
> 261-262)
> 
> "In these days there are new schools of philosophy blindly claiming that the world of
> nature is perfect. If this is true, why are children trained and educated in schools, and what
> is the need of extended courses in sciences, arts and letters in colleges and universities?
> What would be the result if humanity were left in its natural condition without education
> or training? All scientific discoveries and attainments are the outcomes of knowledge and
> education. The telegraph, phonograph, telephone were latent and potential in the world of
> 
> nature but would never have come forth into the realm of visibility unless man through
> education had penetrated and discovered the laws which control them. All the marvelous
> developments and miracles of what we call civilization would have remained hidden,
> unknown and, so to speak, nonexistent, if man had remained in his natural condition,
> deprived of the bounties, blessings and benefits of education and mental culture. The
> intrinsic difference between the ignorant man and the astute philosopher is that the former
> has not been lifted out of his natural condition, while the latter has undergone systematic
> training and education in schools and colleges until his mind has awakened and unfolded to
> higher realms of thought and perception; otherwise, both are human and natural.
> "God has sent forth the Prophets for the purpose of quickening the soul of man into higher
> and divine recognitions. He has revealed the heavenly Books for this great purpose. For
> this the breaths of the Holy Spirit have been wafted through the gardens of human hearts,
> the doors of the divine Kingdom opened to mankind and the invisible inspirations sent
> forth from on high. This divine and ideal power has been bestowed upon man in order that
> he may purify himself from the imperfections of nature and uplift his soul to the realm of
> might and power. God has purposed that the darkness of the world of nature shall be
> dispelled and the imperfect attributes of the natal self be effaced in the effulgent reflection
> of the Sun of Truth. The mission of the Prophets of God has been to train the souls of
> humanity and free them from the thralldom of natural instincts and physical tendencies.
> They are like unto Gardeners, and the world of humanity is the field of Their cultivation,
> the wilderness and untrained jungle growth wherein They proceed to labor. They cause the
> crooked branches to become straightened, the fruitless trees to become fruitful, and
> gradually transform this great wild, uncultivated field into a beautiful orchard producing
> wonderful abundance and outcome.
> 
> "If the world of nature were perfect and complete in itself, there would be no need of such
> training and cultivation in the human world--no need of teachers, schools and universities,
> arts and crafts. The revelations of the Prophets of God would not have been necessary, and
> the heavenly Books would have been superfluous. If the world of nature were perfect and
> sufficient for mankind, we would have no need of God and our belief in Him. Therefore,
> the bestowal of all these great helps and accessories to the attainment of divine life is
> because the world of nature is incomplete and imperfect. Consider this Canadian country
> during the early history of Montreal when the land was in its wild, uncultivated and
> natural condition. The soil was unproductive, rocky and almost uninhabitable-- vast forests
> stretching in every direction. What invisible power caused this great metropolis to spring
> up amid such savage and forbidding conditions? It was the human mind. Therefore, nature
> and the effect of nature's laws were imperfect. The mind of man remedied and removed
> this imperfect condition, until now we behold a great city instead of a savage unbroken
> wilderness. Before the coming of Columbus America itself was a wild, uncultivated expanse
> 
> of primeval forest, mountains and rivers--a very world of nature. Now it has become the
> world of man. It was dark, forbidding and savage; now it has become illumined with a
> great civilization and prosperity. Instead of forests, we behold productive farms, beautiful
> gardens and prolific orchards. Instead of thorns and useless vegetation, we find flowers,
> domestic animals and fields awaiting harvest. If the world of nature were perfect, the
> condition of this great country would have been left unchanged.
> 
> "If a child is left in its natural state and deprived of education, there is no doubt that it will
> grow up in ignorance and illiteracy, its mental faculties dulled and dimmed; in fact, it will
> become like an animal. This is evident among the savages of central Africa, who are
> scarcely higher than the beast in mental development.
> 
> "The conclusion is irresistible that the splendors of the Sun of Truth, the Word of God,
> have been the source and cause of human upbuilding and civilization. The world of nature
> is the kingdom of the animal. In its natural condition and plane of limitation the animal is
> perfect. The ferocious beasts of prey have been completely subject to the laws of nature in
> their development. They are without education or training; they have no power of abstract
> reasoning and intellectual ideals; they have no touch with the spiritual world and are
> without conception of God or the Holy Spirit. The animal can neither recognize nor
> apprehend the spiritual power of man and makes no distinction between man and itself, for
> the reason that its susceptibilities are limited to the plane of the senses. It lives under the
> bondage of nature and nature's laws. All the animals are materialists. They are deniers of
> God and without realization of a transcendent power in the universe. They have no
> knowledge of the divine Prophets and Holy Books--mere captives of nature and the sense
> world. In reality they are like the great philosophers of this day who are not in touch with
> God and the Holy Spirit-- deniers of the Prophets, ignorant of spiritual susceptibilities,
> deprived of the heavenly bounties and without belief in the supernatural power. The
> animal lives this kind of life blissfully and untroubled, whereas the material philosophers
> labor and study for ten or twenty years in schools and colleges, denying God, the Holy
> Spirit and divine inspirations. The animal is even a greater philosopher, for it attains the
> ability to do this without labor and study. For instance, the cow denies God and the Holy
> Spirit, knows nothing of divine inspirations, heavenly bounties or spiritual emotions and is
> a stranger to the world of hearts. Like the philosophers, the cow is a captive of nature and
> knows nothing beyond the range of the senses. The philosophers, however, glory in this,
> saying, "We are not captives of superstitions; we have implicit faith in the impressions of
> the senses and know nothing beyond the realm of nature, which contains and covers
> everything." But the cow, without study or proficiency in the sciences, modestly and quietly
> views life from the same standpoint, living in harmony with nature's laws in the utmost
> dignity and nobility.
> 
> "This is not the glory of man. The glory of man is in the knowledge of God, spiritual
> susceptibilities, attainment to transcendent powers and the bounties of the Holy Spirit. The
> glory of man is in being informed of the teachings of God. This is the glory of humanity.
> Ignorance is not glory but darkness. Can these souls who are steeped in the lower strata of
> ignorance become informed of the mysteries of God and the realities of existence while
> Jesus Christ was without knowledge of them? Is the intellect of these people greater than
> the intellect of Christ? Christ was heavenly, divine and belonged to the world of the
> Kingdom. He was the embodiment of spiritual knowledge. His intellect was superior to
> these philosophers, His comprehension deeper, His perception keener, His knowledge more
> perfect. How is it that He overlooked and denied Himself everything in this world? He
> attached little importance to this material life, denying Himself rest and composure,
> accepting trials and voluntarily suffering vicissitudes because He was endowed with
> spiritual susceptibilities and the power of the Holy Spirit. He beheld the splendors of the
> divine Kingdom, embodied the bounties of God and possessed ideal powers. He was
> illumined with love and mercy, and so, likewise, were all the Prophets of God." (‘Abdu’l-
> Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, pp. 309-312)
> 
> Perhaps His lengthiest discourse on this subject was at the Open Forum in San Francisco, which
> was witnessed by Mirza Mahmud Zarqani, who wrote about it as follows:
> 
> "Another meeting was held at the Open Forum in San Francisco. Although the audience
> was composed mostly of philosophers and professors, they were all humbled by the talk.
> The Master's profound words contrasted the philosophy of the East with that of the West,
> elucidated the power beyond nature and explained the inherent distinction between
> mankind and other creatures. He concluded with the assertion that if philosophers believed
> that the highest perfection was not to believe in abstract and spiritual truth, it would be
> preferable to go to the cow, who, without any formal training, already had this attribute.
> When the Master uttered these words, everyone burst into laughter. This kind of humor,
> delivered in such a light-hearted manner, is popular and accepted by the Americans and so
> brought smiles and joy to the audience. At the conclusion of the Master's talk, when a
> philosopher stood up, several were heard to say to one another that the cow takes the lead
> in not believing in intellectual thought."
> 
> [http://bahai-library.com/?file=zarqani_mahmuds_diary.html&chapter=8]
> 
> This is the transcript of the Open Forum talk rendered into English:
> 
> "Although I was feeling indisposed this evening, yet owing to the love I entertain for you I
> have attended this meeting. For I have heard that this is an open forum, investigating
> reality; that you are free from blind imitations, desiring to arrive at the truth of things, and
> 
> that your endeavors are lofty. Therefore, I have thought it expedient to discourse upon the
> subject of philosophy, which is alike interesting to the East and the West, enabling us to
> consider the analogies and differences between the philosophical teachings of the Orient
> and Occident.
> 
> "The criterion of judgment in the estimation of western philosophers is sense perception.
> They consider that which is tangible or perceptible to the senses to be a reality—that there
> is no doubt of its existence. For example, we prove the existence of this light through the
> sense of sight; we visualize this room; we see the sun, the green fields; we use our sense of
> sight to observe them. The opinion of these philosophers is that such perception is reality,
> that the senses are the highest standard of perception and judgment, in which there can
> neither be doubt nor uncertainty. In the estimation of the philosophers of the Orient,
> especially those of Greece and Persia, the standard of judgment is the intellect. They are of
> the opinion that the criterion of the senses is defective, and their proof is that the senses are
> often deceived and mistaken. That which is liable to mistake cannot be infallible, cannot be
> a true standard of judgment.
> 
> "Among the senses the most powerful and reliable is that of sight. This sense views a
> mirage as a body of water and is positive as to its character, whereas a mirage is
> nonexistent. The sense of vision, or sight, sees reflected images in a mirror as verities, when
> reason declares them to be nonexistent. The eye sees the sun and planets revolving around
> the earth, whereas in reality the sun is stationary, central, and the earth revolves upon its
> own axis. The sense of sight sees the earth as a plane, whereas the faculty of reason
> discovers it to be spherical. The eye views the heavenly bodies in boundless space as small
> and insignificant, whereas reason declares them to be colossal suns. The sense of sight
> beholds a whirling spark of fire as a circle of light and is without doubt as to it, whereas
> such a circle is nonexistent. A man sailing in a ship sees the banks on either side as if they
> were moving, whereas the ship is moving. Briefly, there are many instances and evidences
> which disprove the assertion that tangibilities and sense impressions are certainties, for the
> senses are misleading and often mistaken. How, then, can we rightly declare that they
> prove reality when the standard or criterion itself is defective?
> 
> "The philosophers of the East consider the perfect criterion to be reason or intellect, and
> according to that standard the realities of all objects can be proved; for, they say, the
> standard of reason and intellect is perfect, and everything provable through reason is
> veritable. Therefore, those philosophers consider all philosophical deductions to be correct
> when weighed according to the standard of reason, and they state that the senses are the
> assistants and instruments of reason, and that although the investigation of realities may be
> conducted through the senses, the standard of knowing and judgment is reason itself. In
> 
> this way the philosophers of the East and West differ and disagree. The materialistic
> philosophers of the West declare that man belongs to the animal kingdom, whereas the
> philosophers of the East--such as Plato, Aristotle and the Persians --divide the world of
> existence or phenomena of life into two general categories or kingdoms: one the animal
> kingdom, or world of nature, the other the human kingdom, or world of reason.
> "Man is distinguished above the animals through his reason. The perceptions of man are of
> two kinds: tangible, or sensible, and reasonable, whereas the animal perceptions are
> limited to the senses, the tangible only. The tangible perceptions may be likened to this
> candle, the reasonable perceptions to the light. Calculations of mathematical problems and
> determining the spherical form of the earth are through the reasonable perceptions. The
> center of gravity is a hypothesis of reason. Reason itself is not tangible, perceptible to the
> senses. Reason is an intellectual verity or reality. All qualities are ideal realities, not
> tangible realities. For instance, we say this man is a scholarly man. Knowledge is an ideal
> attainment not perceptible to the senses. When you see this scholarly man, your eye does
> not see his knowledge, your ear cannot hear his science, nor can you sense it by taste. It is
> not a tangible verity. Science itself is an ideal verity. It is evident, therefore, that the
> perceptions of man are twofold: the reasonable and the tangible, or sensible.
> "As to the animal: It is endowed only with sense perception. It is lacking the reasonable
> perception. It cannot apprehend ideal realities. The animal cannot conceive of the earth as
> a sphere. The intelligence of an animal located in Europe could never have planned the
> discovery of the continent of America. The animal kingdom is incapable of discovering the
> latent mysteries of nature--such as electricity--and bringing them forth from the invisible to
> the plane of visibility. It is evident that the discoveries and inventions transcend the animal
> intelligence. The animal cannot penetrate the secrets of genesis and creation. Its mind is
> incapable of conceiving the verity of ether. It cannot know the mysteries of magnetism
> because the bestowals of abstract reason and intellect are absent in its endowment. That is
> to say, the animal in its creation is a captive of the senses. Beyond the tangibilities and
> impressions of the senses it cannot accept anything. It denies everything. It is incapable of
> ideal perception and, therefore, a captive of the senses.
> 
> "Virtue, or perfection, belongs to man, who possesses both the capacity of the senses and
> ideal perception. For instance, astronomical discoveries are man's accomplishments. He
> has not gained this knowledge through his senses. The greater part of it has been attained
> through intellect, through the ideal senses. Man's inventions have appeared through the
> avenue of his reasonable faculties. All his scientific attainments have come through the
> faculty of reason. Briefly, the evidences of intellect or reason are manifest in man. By them
> he is differentiated from the animal. Therefore, the animal kingdom is distinct and inferior
> to the human kingdom. Notwithstanding this, the philosophers of the West have certain
> syllogisms, or demonstrations, whereby they endeavor to prove that man had his origin in
> 
> the animal kingdom; that although he is now a vertebrate, he originally lived in the sea;
> from thence he was transferred to the land and became vertebrate; that gradually his feet
> and hands appeared in his anatomical development; then he began to walk upon all fours,
> after which he attained to human stature, walking erect. They find that his anatomy has
> undergone successive changes, finally assuming human form, and that these intermediate
> forms or changes are like links connected. Between man and the ape, however, there is one
> link missing, and to the present time scientists have not been able to discover it. Therefore,
> the greatest proof of this western theory of human evolution is anatomical, reasoning that
> there are certain vestiges of organs found in man which are peculiar to the ape and lower
> animals, and setting forth the conclusion that man at some time in his upward progression
> has possessed these organs which are no longer functioning but appear now as mere
> rudiments and vestiges.
> 
> "For example, a serpent has a certain appendage which indicates that at one time it was
> possessed of long limbs, but as this creature began to find its habitation in the holes of the
> earth, these limbs, no longer needed, became atrophied and shrunk, leaving but a vestige,
> or appendage, as an evidence of the time when they were lengthy and serviceable. Likewise,
> it is claimed man had a certain appendage which shows that there was a time when his
> anatomical structure was different from his present organism and that there has been a
> corresponding transformation or change in that structure. The coccyx, or extremity of the
> human spinal column, is declared to be the vestige of a tail which man formerly possessed
> but which gradually disappeared when he walked erect and its utility ceased. These
> statements and demonstrations express the substance of western philosophy upon the
> question of human evolution.
> 
> "The philosophers of the Orient in reply to those of the western world say: Let us suppose
> that the human anatomy was primordially different from its present form, that it was
> gradually transformed from one stage to another until it attained its present likeness, that
> at one time it was similar to a fish, later an invertebrate and finally human. This
> anatomical evolution or progression does not alter or affect the statement that the
> development of man was always human in type and biological in progression. For the
> human embryo when examined microscopically is at first a mere germ or worm. Gradually
> as it develops it shows certain divisions; rudiments of hands and feet appear--that is to say,
> an upper and a lower part are distinguishable. Afterward it undergoes certain distinct
> changes until it reaches its actual human form and is born into this world. But at all times,
> even when the embryo resembled a worm, it was human in potentiality and character, not
> animal. The forms assumed by the human embryo in its successive changes do not prove
> that it is animal in its essential character. Throughout this progression there has been a
> transference of type, a conservation of species or kind. Realizing this we may acknowledge
> 
> the fact that at one time man was an inmate of the sea, at another period an invertebrate,
> then a vertebrate and finally a human being standing erect. Though we admit these
> changes, we cannot say man is an animal. In each one of these stages are signs and
> evidences of his human existence and destination. Proof of this lies in the fact that in the
> embryo man still resembles a worm. This embryo still progresses from one state to another,
> assuming different forms until that which was potential in it--namely, the human image--
> appears. Therefore, in the protoplasm, man is man. Conservation of species demands it.
> 
> "The lost link of Darwinian theory is itself a proof that man is not an animal. How is it
> possible to have all the links present and that important link absent? Its absence is an
> indication that man has never been an animal. It will never be found.
> 
> "The significance is this: that the world of humanity is distinct from the animal kingdom.
> This is the teaching of the philosophers of the Orient. They have a proof for it. The proof is
> that the animals are captives of nature. All existence and phenomena of the lower
> kingdoms are captives of nature; the mighty sun, the numberless stars, the kingdoms of the
> vegetable and mineral, none of these can deviate one hair's breadth from the limitation of
> nature's laws. They are, as it were, arrested by nature's hands. But man breaks the laws of
> nature and makes them subservient to his uses. For instance, man is an animate earthly
> being in common with the animals. The exigency of nature demands that he should be
> restricted to the earth; but he, by breaking the laws of nature, soars in the atmosphere high
> above it. By the application of his intellect he overcomes natural law and dives beneath the
> seas in submarines or sails across them in ships. He arrests a mighty force of nature such as
> electricity and imprisons it in an incandescent lamp. According to the law of nature he
> should be able to communicate at a distance of, say, one thousand feet; but through his
> inventions and discoveries he communicates with the East and with the West in a few
> moments. This is breaking the laws of nature. Man arrests the human voice and reproduces
> it in a phonograph. At most his voice should be heard only a few hundred feet away, but he
> invents an instrument which transmits it one thousand miles. In brief, all the present arts
> and sciences, inventions and discoveries man has brought forth were once mysteries which
> nature had decreed should remain hidden and latent, but man has taken them out of the
> plane of the invisible and brought them into the plane of the visible. This is contrary to
> nature's laws. Electricity should be a latent mystery, but man discovers it and makes it his
> servant. He wrests the sword from nature's hand and uses it against nature, proving that
> there is a power in him which is beyond nature, for it is capable of breaking and subduing
> the laws of nature. If this power were not supernatural and extraordinary, man's
> accomplishments would not have been possible.
> 
> "Furthermore, it is evident that in the world of nature conscious knowledge is absent.
> Nature is without knowing, whereas man is conscious. Nature is devoid of memory; man
> possesses memory. Nature is without perception and volition; man possesses both. It is
> evident that virtues are inherent in man which are not present in the world of nature. This
> is provable from every standpoint.
> 
> "If it be claimed that the intellectual reality of man belongs to the world of nature--that it is
> a part of the whole--we ask is it possible for the part to contain virtues which the whole
> does not possess? For instance, is it possible for the drop to contain virtues of which the
> aggregate body of the sea is deprived? Is it possible for a leaf to be imbued with virtues
> which are lacking in the whole tree? Is it possible that the extraordinary faculty of reason
> in man is animal in character and quality? On the other hand, it is evident and true,
> though most astounding, that in man there is present this supernatural force or faculty
> which discovers the realities of things and which possesses the power of idealization or
> intellection. It is capable of discovering scientific laws, and science we know is not a
> tangible reality. Science exists in the mind of man as an ideal reality. The mind itself,
> reason itself, is an ideal reality and not tangible.
> 
> "Notwithstanding this, some of the sagacious men declare: We have attained to the
> superlative degree of knowledge; we have penetrated the laboratory of nature, studying
> sciences and arts; we have attained the highest station of knowledge in the human world;
> we have investigated the facts as they are and have arrived at the conclusion that nothing is
> rightly acceptable except the tangible, which alone is a reality worthy of credence; all that
> is not tangible is imagination and nonsense.
> 
> "Strange indeed that after twenty years training in colleges and universities man should
> reach such a station wherein he will deny the existence of the ideal or that which is not
> perceptible to the senses. Have you ever stopped to think that the animal already has
> graduated from such a university? Have you ever realized that the cow is already a
> professor emeritus of that university? For the cow without hard labor and study is already
> a philosopher of the superlative degree in the school of nature. The cow denies everything
> that is not tangible, saying, "I can see! I can eat! Therefore, I believe only in that which is
> tangible!"
> 
> "Then why should we go to the colleges? Let us go to the cow." ('Abdu'l-Baha, The Promulgation
> of Universal Peace, pp. 355-361)
> 
> Shoghi Effendi upheld this interpretation of the origin of human beings:
> 
> We cannot prove man was always man for this is a fundamental doctrine, but it is based on
> the assertion that nothing can exceed its own potentialities, that everything, a stone, a tree,
> an animal and a human being existed in plan, potentially, from the very "beginning" of
> creation. We don't believe man has always had the form of man, but rather that from the
> outset he was going to evolve into the human form and species and not be a haphazard
> branch of the ape family.
> 
> You see our whole approach to each matter is based on the belief that God sends us
> divinely inspired Educators; what they tell us is fundamentally true, what science tells us
> today is true; tomorrow may be entirely changed to better explain a new set of facts.
> 
> When `Abdu'l-Bahá says man breaks the laws of nature, He means we shape nature to
> meet our own needs, as no animal does. Animals adapt themselves to better fit in with and
> benefit from their environment. But men both surmount and change environment.
> Likewise when He says nature is devoid of memory He means memory as we have it, not
> the strange memory of inherited habits which animals so strikingly possess.
> 
> These various statements must be taken in conjunction with all the Bahá'í teachings; we
> cannot get a correct picture by concentrating on just one phrase. (From a letter written on behalf
> of the Guardian, dated 7 June 1946; in Arohanui: Letters from Shoghi Effendi to New Zealand, #75)
> 
> Shoghi Effendi critiqued the general reliance of the West upon a “purely materialistic
> philosophy”:
> 
> "That the forces of irreligion, of a purely materialistic philosophy, of unconcealed
> paganism have been unloosed, are now spreading, and, by consolidating themselves, are
> beginning to invade some of the most powerful Christian institutions of the western world,
> no unbiased observer can fail to admit." (From a letter written by the Guardian and dated 11 March 1936
> to the Bahá’ís of the West, published in The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh: Selected Letters, pp. 180-81)
> 
> 'Abdu'l-Baha praised the benefits accruing from the development of science and philosophy,
> what He called “material civilization”, but critiqued the development of material philosophy to
> the neglect of spiritual philosophy:
> 
> "No matter how far the material world advances, it cannot establish the happiness of
> mankind. Only when material and spiritual civilization are linked and coordinated will
> happiness be assured. Then material civilization will not contribute its energies to the
> forces of evil in destroying the oneness of humanity, for in material civilization good and
> evil advance together and maintain the same pace. For example, consider the material
> progress of man in the last decade. Schools and colleges, hospitals, philanthropic
> 
> institutions, scientific academies and temples of philosophy have been founded, but hand in
> hand with these evidences of development, the invention and production of means and
> weapons for human destruction have correspondingly increased. In early days the weapon
> of war was the sword; now it is the magazine rifle. Among the ancients, men fought with
> javelins and daggers; now they employ shells and bombs. Dreadnoughts are built,
> torpedoes invented, and every few days new ammunition is forthcoming." ('Abdu'l-Baha, The
> Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 109)
> 
> "The teacher of material principles is limited. The philosophers who claimed to be the
> educators of mankind were at most only able to train themselves. If they educated others, it
> was within a restricted circle; they failed to bestow general education and development.
> This has been conferred upon humanity by the power of the Holy Spirit.
> 
> "For example, Christ educated and developed mankind universally. He rescued nations
> and peoples from the bondage of superstition and idolatry. He summoned them all to the
> knowledge of the oneness of God. They were dark, they became illumined; they were
> material, they became spiritual; earthly they were, they became heavenly. He enlightened
> the world of morality. This general, universal development is not possible through the
> power of philosophy. It is only attainable through the pervading influence of the Holy
> Spirit. Therefore, no matter how far the world of humanity advances, it fails to attain the
> highest degree unless quickened by the education and divine bestowals of the Holy Spirit.
> This ensures human progress and prosperity." ('Abdu'l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace,
> pp. 205-206)
> 
> "It is my hope that you may be the means of changing this wild jungle of materialism into a
> fruitful orchard, this thorny thicket into a rose garden. May Europe become the divine
> university wherein heavenly sciences and divine arts are taught and learned!
> 
> "By heavenly sciences I mean divine philosophy and spiritual teachings; by the songs and
> fragrances of the rose garden I mean the mysteries of the kingdom of kingdoms, the secrets
> of the degrees of existence and the knowledge of the results of human life.
> 
> "This universe is not created through the fortuitous concurrences of atoms; it is created by
> a great law which decrees that the tree bring forth certain definite fruit. Verily, this
> universe contains many worlds of which we know nothing.
> 
> "Is the materialistic philosophy of this Europe, so much praised by contemporary agnostics
> and atheists, a philosophy to be admired? Are these people wooers of the spirit? Nay, they
> have drowned that capacity and are out of touch with the kingdom of reality. Is this an
> enviable goal to which humanity may aspire? Is this a system of philosophy through which
> 
> people may become glorified? No, by God, the philosophy of glory needs no scholastic
> curriculum.
> 
> "Strive so that these people may be released from their nature worship and become like
> sons of wisdom from the city of light. We speak one word and by it we intend one and
> seventy meanings." ('Abdu'l-Baha on Divine Philosophy, pp. 139-141)
> 
> I have quoted a number of passages which refer to divine sciences, spiritual sciences and divine
> philosophy. But what do these terms mean? The material sciences and material philosophies
> are well known to us, but how are we to identify the other wing? 'Abdu'l-Baha helps us by
> describing divine philosophy in some of His talks:
> 
> "Some one has asked this question, “What are the proofs through which one can establish
> the existence of God?”
> 
> "Humanity is divided into two classes:—one is satisfied with the knowledge of divinity
> through its attributes and the other strives to understand the mysteries of divinity and be
> informed of the fundamental principles of divine philosophy. I will speak to you of the
> scientific proofs which establish the existence of God and I will not quote the scriptural
> proofs from the Old and New Testaments, or the Koran, with which you are more or less
> familiar." ('Abdu'l-Baha on Divine Philosophy, pp. 103-104)
> 
> "Material virtues have attained great development, but ideal virtues have been left far
> behind. If you should ask a thousand persons, “What are the proofs of the reality of
> Divinity?” perhaps not one would be able to answer. If you should ask further, “What
> proofs have you regarding the essence of God?” “How do you explain inspiration and
> revelation?” “What are the evidences of conscious intelligence beyond the material
> universe?” “Can you suggest a plan and method for the betterment of human moralities?”
> “Can you clearly define and differentiate the world of nature and the world of Divinity?”—
> you would receive very little real knowledge and enlightenment upon these questions. This
> is due to the fact that development of the ideal virtues has been neglected. People speak of
> Divinity, but the ideas and beliefs they have of Divinity are, in reality, superstition. Divinity
> is the effulgence of the Sun of Reality, the manifestation of spiritual virtues and ideal
> powers. The intellectual proofs of Divinity are based upon observation and evidence which
> constitute decisive argument, logically proving the reality of Divinity, the effulgence of
> mercy, the certainty of inspiration and immortality of the spirit. This is, in reality, the
> science of Divinity. Divinity is not what is set forth in dogmas and sermons of the church.
> Ordinarily when the word Divinity is mentioned, it is associated in the minds of the hearers
> with certain formulas and doctrines, whereas it essentially means the wisdom and
> 
> knowledge of God, the effulgence of the Sun of Truth, the revelation of reality and divine
> philosophy." ('Abdu'l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 326)
> 
> "But according to the evidence of present world conditions divine philosophy—which has
> for its object the sublimation of human nature, spiritual advancement, heavenly guidance
> for the development of the human race, attainment to the breaths of the Holy Spirit and
> knowledge of the verities of God—has been outdistanced and neglected. Now is the time for
> us to make an effort and enable it to advance apace with the philosophy of material
> investigation so that awakening of the ideal virtues may progress equally with the
> unfoldment of the natural powers. In the same proportion that the body of man is
> developing, the spirit of man must be strengthened; and just as his outer perceptions have
> been quickened, his inner intellectual powers must be sensitized so that he need not rely
> wholly upon tradition and human precedent. In divine questions we must not depend
> entirely upon the heritage of tradition and former human experience; nay, rather, we must
> exercise reason, analyze and logically examine the facts presented so that confidence will be
> inspired and faith attained. Then and then only the reality of things will be revealed to
> us…The attainment of these virtues, both material and ideal, is conditioned upon
> intelligent investigation of reality, by which investigation the sublimity of man and his
> intellectual progress is accomplished. Forms must be set aside and renounced; reality must
> be sought. We must discover for ourselves where and what reality is. In religious beliefs
> nations and peoples today are imitators of ancestors and forefathers. If a man’s father was
> a Christian, he himself is a Christian; a Buddhist is the son of a Buddhist, a Zoroastrian of
> a Zoroastrian. A gentile or an idolator follows the religious footsteps of his father and
> ancestry. This is absolute imitation. The requirement in this day is that man must
> independently and impartially investigate every form of reality…
> 
> "The purport of our subject is that, just as man is in need of outward education, he is
> likewise in need of ideal refinement; just as the outer sense of sight is necessary to him, he
> should also possess insight and conscious perception; as he needs hearing, at the same time
> memory is essential; as a body is indispensable to him, likewise a mind is requisite; one is a
> material virtue, the other is ideal. As human creatures fitted and qualified with this dual
> endowment, we must endeavor through the assistance and grace of God and by the exercise
> of our ideal power of intellect to attain all lofty virtues, that we may witness the effulgence
> of the Sun of Reality, reflect the spirit of the Kingdom, behold the manifest evidences of the
> reality of Divinity, comprehend irrefutable proofs of the immortality of the soul, live in
> conscious at-one-ment with the eternal world and become quickened and awake with the
> life and love of God." ('Abdu'l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, pp. 326-327, 328)
> 
> While 'Abdu'l-Baha honors the contributions of all philosophers, He also sets forth the
> limitations of philosophy:
> 
> "The influence of the wisest philosophers, without this Spirit Divine, has been
> comparatively unimportant, however extensive their learning and deep their scholarship.
> 
> "The unusual intellects, for instance, of Plato, Aristotle, Pliny and Socrates, have not
> influenced men so greatly that they have been anxious to sacrifice their lives for their
> teachings; whilst some of those simple men so moved humanity that thousands of men have
> become willing martyrs to uphold their words; for these words were inspired by the Divine
> Spirit of God! The prophets of Judah and Israel, Elijah, Jeremiah, Isaiah and Ezekiel, were
> humble men, as were also the apostles of Jesus Christ." ('Abdu'l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 164)
> 
> "The greatest philosophers without this Spirit are powerless, their souls lifeless, their
> hearts dead! Unless the Holy Spirit breathes into their souls, they can do no good work. No
> system of philosophy has ever been able to change the manners and customs of a people for
> the better. Learned philosophers, unenlightened by the Divine Spirit, have often been men
> of inferior morality; they have not proclaimed in their actions the reality of their beautiful
> phrases.
> 
> "The difference between spiritual philosophers and others is shown by their lives. The
> Spiritual Teacher shows His belief in His own teaching, by Himself being what He
> recommends to others." ('Abdu'l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 165)
> 
> "The will of every sovereign prevaileth during his reign, the will of every philosopher
> findeth expression in a handful of disciples during his lifetime, but the Power of the Holy
> Spirit shineth radiantly in the realities of the Messengers of God, and strengtheneth Their
> will in such wise as to influence a great nation for thousands of years and to regenerate the
> human soul and revive mankind. Consider how great is this power! It is an extraordinary
> Power, an all-sufficient proof of the truth of the mission of the Prophets of God, and a
> conclusive evidence of the power of Divine Inspiration." ('Abdu'l-Baha, Tablet to August Forel, pp.
> 27-28)
> 
> "In reality they are like the great philosophers of this day who are not in touch with God
> and the Holy Spirit—deniers of the Prophets, ignorant of spiritual susceptibilities, deprived
> of the heavenly bounties and without belief in the supernatural power. The animal lives this
> kind of life blissfully and untroubled, whereas the material philosophers labor and study
> for ten or twenty years in schools and colleges, denying God, the Holy Spirit and divine
> inspirations. The animal is even a greater philosopher, for it attains the ability to do this
> without labor and study. For instance, the cow denies God and the Holy Spirit, knows
> 
> nothing of divine inspirations, heavenly bounties or spiritual emotions and is a stranger to
> the world of hearts. Like the philosophers, the cow is a captive of nature and knows
> nothing beyond the range of the senses. The philosophers, however, glory in this, saying,
> “We are not captives of superstitions; we have implicit faith in the impressions of the senses
> and know nothing beyond the realm of nature, which contains and covers everything.” But
> the cow, without study or proficiency in the sciences, modestly and quietly views life from
> the same standpoint, living in harmony with nature’s laws in the utmost dignity and
> nobility." ('Abdu'l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, pp. 311-312)
> 
> "Teachers are of two kinds: universal and special. The universal Instructors are the
> Prophets of God, and the special teachers are the philosophers. The philosophers are
> capable of educating and training a limited circle of human souls, whereas the holy, divine
> Manifestations of God confer general education upon humanity." ('Abdu'l-Baha, The
> Promulgation of Universal Peace, pp. 400-401)
> 
> "The philosophers of old had the strongest resolve to improve human morals and strove to
> the utmost in this regard, but at most they succeeded in refining their own characters, not
> the virtues of all mankind. Refer to history and you will find that this is clear and evident.
> But the power of the Holy Spirit brings forth the universal virtues with which man is
> potentially endowed, illuminates the human world, bestows true exaltation, and trains all
> people. Thus, the well-wishers of the world must endeavor to attract by this attractive
> power the confirmations of the Holy Spirit." ('Abdu'l-Baha, Lawh-i-Tanazu'-i-Baqa; published in
> Khitabat,    pp.    711-713;     translated     by    Keven   Brown   and   posted   to:   http://bahai-
> library.com/provisionals/tanazu.baqa.html)
> 
> "…The Bible and the Gospel are most honored in the estimation of all the Bahais. One of
> the spiritual utterances of his holiness Christ in his sermon on the mount is to me
> preferable to all the writings of the philosophers. It is the religious duty of every Bahai to
> read and comprehend the meanings of the Old and New Testaments." (July 19, 1914, in Diary of
> Mirza Ahmad Sohrab; in Star of the West, VII:4, 27)
> 
> Baha'u'llah considers those philosophers who believe in God to be superior to those who do not:
> 
> "Verily, the philosophers have not denied the Ancient of Days. Most of them passed away
> deploring their failure to fathom His mystery, even as some of them have testified. Verily,
> thy Lord is the Adviser, the All-Informed." (Baha'u'llah, Lawh-i-Hikmat, in Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p.
> 145)
> 
> "The majority of the truly wise and learned have, throughout the ages, as it hath been
> recorded by the Pen of Glory in the Tablet of Wisdom, borne witness to the truth of that
> 
> which the holy Writ of God hath revealed. Even the materialists have testified in their
> writings to the wisdom of these divinely-appointed Messengers, and have regarded the
> references made by the Prophets to Paradise, to hell fire, to future reward and punishment,
> to have been actuated by a desire to educate and uplift the souls of men." (Baha'u'llah,
> Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 157)
> 
> While 'Abdu'l-Baha praises both kinds of philosophy, He favors the conclusions of the divine
> philosophers over those of the material philosophers:
> 
> "Now concerning philosophers, they are of two schools. Thus Socrates the wise believed in
> the unity of God and the existence of the soul after death; as his opinion was contrary to
> that of the narrow-minded people of his time, that divine sage was poisoned by them. All
> divine philosophers and men of wisdom and understanding, when observing these endless
> beings, have considered that in this great and infinite universe all things end in the mineral
> kingdom, that the outcome of the mineral kingdom is the vegetable kingdom, the outcome
> of the vegetable kingdom is the animal kingdom and the outcome of the animal kingdom
> the world of man." ('Abdu'l-Baha, Tablet to August Forel, pp. 13-14)
> 
> "…some of the philosophers of Europe think that one species evolves into another species.
> For example, that the animal evolved until it became a human being. But the prophets
> teach that this theory is unacceptable, as we have explained already in the book 'Some
> Answered Questions'." ('Abdu'l-Baha, Commentary on Lawh-i-Hikmat; in Ma'idiy-i-Asmani, II, pp. 68-70;
> Amr va Khalq, Volume I, pp. 168-169; translated by Keven Brown; published in Journal of Baha'i Studies 2:3
> (1989-1990), p. 28)
> 
> "The philosophers of the world are divided into two classes: materialists, who deny the
> spirit and its immortality, and the divine philosophers, the wise men of God, the true
> illuminati who believe in the spirit and its continuance hereafter…The divine philosophers
> proclaim that the spirit of man is ever-living and eternal, and because of the objections of
> the materialists, these wise men of God have advanced rational proofs to support the
> validity of their statement. Inasmuch as the materialistic philosophers deny the Books of
> God, scriptural demonstration is not evidence to them, and materialistic proofs are
> necessary. Answering them, the men of divine knowledge have said that all existing
> phenomena may be resolved into grades or kingdoms, classified progressively as mineral,
> vegetable, animal and human, each of which possesses its degree of function and
> intelligence." ('Abdu'l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 240)
> 
> "Consequently, the materialistic philosophers consider the criterion of the senses to be first
> and foremost.
> 
> "But in the estimation of the divine philosophers this proof and assurance is not reliable;
> nay, rather, they deem the standard of the senses to be false because it is imperfect."
> ('Abdu'l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 253)
> 
> "The materialists hold to the opinion that the world of nature is complete. The divine
> philosophers declare that the world of nature is incomplete. There is a wide difference
> between the two. The materialists call attention to the perfection of nature, the sun, moon
> and stars, the trees in their adornment, the whole earth and the sea—even unimportant
> phenomena revealing the most perfect symmetry. The divine philosophers deny this
> seeming perfection and completeness in nature’s kingdom, even though admitting the
> beauty of its scenes and aspects and acknowledging the irresistible cosmic forces which
> control the colossal suns and planets." ('Abdu'l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 329)
> 
> "The philosophers of the East consider the perfect criterion to be reason or intellect, and
> according to that standard the realities of all objects can be proved; for, they say, the
> standard of reason and intellect is perfect, and everything provable through reason is
> veritable. Therefore, those philosophers consider all philosophical deductions to be correct
> when weighed according to the standard of reason, and they state that the senses are the
> assistants and instruments of reason, and that although the investigation of realities may be
> conducted through the senses, the standard of knowing and judgment is reason itself. In
> this way the philosophers of the East and West differ and disagree. The materialistic
> philosophers of the West declare that man belongs to the animal kingdom, whereas the
> philosophers of the East—such as Plato, Aristotle and the Persians—divide the world of
> existence or phenomena of life into two general categories or kingdoms: one the animal
> kingdom, or world of nature, the other the human kingdom, or world of reason." ('Abdu'l-
> Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, pp. 356-357)
> 
> "Some men and women glory in their exalted thoughts, but if these thoughts never reach
> the plane of action they remain useless: the power of thought is dependent on its
> manifestation in deeds. A philosopher’s thought may, however, in the world of progress
> and evolution, translate itself into the actions of other people, even when they themselves
> are unable or unwilling to show forth their grand ideals in their own lives. To this class the
> majority of philosophers belong, their teachings being high above their actions. This is the
> difference between philosophers who are Spiritual Teachers, and those who are mere
> philosophers: the Spiritual Teacher is the first to follow His own teaching; He brings down
> into the world of action His spiritual conceptions and ideals. His Divine thoughts are made
> manifest to the world. His thought is Himself, from which He is inseparable. When we find
> a philosopher emphasizing the importance and grandeur of justice, and then encouraging a
> rapacious monarch in his oppression and tyranny, we quickly realize that he belongs to the
> 
> first class: for he thinks heavenly thoughts and does not practise the corresponding
> heavenly virtues.
> 
> "This state is impossible with Spiritual Philosophers, for they ever express their high and
> noble thoughts in actions." ('Abdu'l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 18)
> 
> "Consequently, the great divine philosophers have had the following epigram: All things
> are involved in all things." ('Abdu'l-Baha, in Foundations of World Unity (Wilmette: Bahá’í Publishing
> Trust, 1972), pp. 51-52; in Letters, 1992 June 08, Gaia Concept, Nature, p. 5)
> 
> "Is the materialistic philosophy of this Europe, so much praised by contemporary agnostics
> and atheists, a philosophy to be admired? Are these people wooers of the spirit? Nay, they
> have drowned that capacity and are out of touch with the kingdom of reality. Is this an
> enviable goal to which humanity may aspire? Is this a system of philosophy through which
> people may become glorified? No, by God, the philosophy of glory needs no scholastic
> curriculum.
> 
> "Strive so that these people may be released from their nature worship and become like
> sons of wisdom from the city of light. We speak one word and by it we intend one and
> seventy meanings." ('Abdu'l-Baha on Divine Philosophy, pp. 116-141)
> 
> Why would 'Abdu'l-Baha favor divine philosophers and philosophers of the East over material
> philosophers and philosophers of the West? Does He regard all philosophers of the West to be
> materialists? Shoghi Effendi pointed out that this was not the case in a letter written on his
> behalf:
> 
> "We must not take many of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s statements as dogmatic finalities, for there are
> other points which when added to them round out the picture. For instance, when He calls
> Aristotle and Plato philosophers of the East, He is obviously placing them in that category
> because He believes they belong more correctly to Eastern culture than to Central
> European and the New World cultures of the West. When He calls the philosophers of the
> West materialistic this does not for a moment mean He includes all Western philosophers
> for, as you truly point out, many of them have been very spiritual in their concepts...."
> (From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, dated 7 June 1946; published in Arohanui - Letters to New
> Zealand, p. 88)
> 
> ‘Abdu’l-Baha likewise asserted that the revelation of Baha’u’llah is a higher and more complete
> standard of truth than that which has been discovered and promulgated by scientists and
> philosophers:
> 
> "Bahá'u'lláh says, "The universe hath neither beginning nor ending." He has set aside the
> elaborate theories and exhaustive opinions of scientists and material philosophers by the
> simple statement, "There is no beginning, no ending." The theologians and religionists
> advance plausible proofs that the creation of the universe dates back six thousand years;
> the scientists bring forth indisputable facts and say, "No! These evidences indicate ten,
> twenty, fifty thousand years ago," etc. There are endless discussions pro and con.
> Bahá'u'lláh sets aside these discussions by one word and statement. He says, "The divine
> sovereignty hath no beginning and no ending." By this announcement and its
> demonstration He has established a standard of agreement among those who reflect upon
> this question of divine sovereignty; He has brought reconciliation and peace in this war of
> opinion and discussion." (‘Abdu'l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 220)
> 
> Baha’u’llah proclaimed the existence of this higher standard in Kitab-i-Aqdas:
> 
> "Say: O leaders of religion! Weigh not the Book of God with such standards and sciences
> as are current amongst you, for the Book itself is the unerring Balance established amongst
> men. In this most perfect Balance whatsoever the peoples and kindreds of the earth possess
> must be weighed, while the measure of its weight should be tested according to its own
> standard, did ye but know it." (Baha’u’llah, Kitab-i-Aqdas, #99)
> 
> No, not all Western philosophers are materialists…but those Western philosophers who have
> adhered to the standard of the senses, to empiricism are limited in the scope of their awareness of
> reality, for reality has spiritual as well as material dimensions, dimensions which can not be
> perceived by the senses as well as dimensions which can be perceived by the senses. What do
> divine philosophers, philosophers from the East have access to which material Western
> philosophers deny? Consider the origins, the foundations, the fundamentals, the essentials of
> divine philosophy, as described by Baha'u'llah and 'Abdu'l-Baha:
> 
> “The sages aforetime acquired their knowledge from the Prophets, inasmuch as the latter
> were the Exponents of divine philosophy and the Revealers of heavenly mysteries.”
> (Baha’u’llah, Lawh-i-Hikmat, in Tablets of Baha’u’llah, pp. 144-145)
> 
> "The essence and the fundamentals of philosophy have emanated from the Prophets."
> (Baha'u'llah, Lawh-i-Hikmat, in Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 145)
> 
> "…the theories put forward by the Father of Philosophy regarding the mysteries of
> creation as given in his chrysolite tablets…" (Baha'u'llah, Lawh-i-Hikmat, in Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p.
> 147)
> 
> "‘The first person who devoted himself to philosophy was Idris. Thus was he named. Some
> called him also Hermes. In every tongue he hath a special name. He it is who hath set forth
> in every branch of philosophy thorough and convincing statements. After him Balinus
> derived his knowledge and sciences from the Hermetic Tablets and most of the
> philosophers who followed him made their philosophical and scientific discoveries from his
> words and statements...’" (Baha'u'llah, Lawh al-Basit al-Haqiqa; cited in Tablets of Baha'u'llah, Note 1, p.
> 148)
> 
> In keeping with the principle set forth in Lawh-i-Hikmat, that "the essence and the
> fundamentals of philosophy have emanated from the Prophets", the Guardian reiterates
> that point, writing, "Nor should a review of the outstanding features of Bahá’u’lláh’s
> writings during the latter part of His banishment to ‘Akká fail to include a reference to the
> Lawh-i-Hikmat (Tablet of Wisdom), in which He sets forth the fundamentals of true
> philosophy…" (Shoghi Effendi, God Passes By, p. 219)
> 
> The "essence and fundamentals" of divine philosophy in the Baha'i Dispensation and Cycle may
> be considered therefore to have "emanated from" Baha'u'llah and His chosen ones. In Kitab-i-
> Iqan, Baha'u'llah referred to the principle of progressive revelation and applied it to His own
> Book:
> 
> "That city is none other than the Word of God revealed in every age and dispensation. In
> the days of Moses it was the Pentateuch; in the days of Jesus the Gospel; in the days of
> Muhammad the Messenger of God the Qur’án; in this day the Bayan; and in the
> dispensation of Him Whom God will make manifest His own Book—the Book unto which
> all the Books of former Dispensations must needs be referred, the Book which standeth
> amongst them all transcendent and supreme." (Baha'u'llah, Kitab-i-Iqan, pp. 199-200)
> 
> In another of His Tablets He wrote:
> 
> "Weigh it with the just Balance that ye possess, the Balance of the testimony of the
> Prophets and Messengers of God." (Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 281)
> 
> If the "Book of God", the "testimony of the Prophets and Messengers of God" is the "most
> perfect Balance", the "just Balance" then surely the Book of Baha'u'llah, "the Book unto which
> all the Books of former Dispensations must needs be referred, the Book which standeth amongst
> them all transcendent and supreme" is the superlative Balance. Hence, we may look to His
> Book as the source for the divine philosophy of the present and future alike.      As was cited
> above, the Guardian indicated that Baha’u’llah "sets forth the fundamentals of true philosophy"
> in Lawh-i-Hikmat.
> 
> Baha'u'llah indicates that the Prophets of God "speak a twofold language" (Baha'u'llah, Kitab-i-
> Iqan, p. 254).
> 
> "One language, the outward language, is devoid of allusions, is unconcealed and unveiled;
> that it may be a guiding lamp and a beaconing light whereby wayfarers may attain the
> heights of holiness, and seekers may advance into the realm of eternal reunion." (Baha'u'llah,
> Kitab-i-Iqan, pp. 254-255)
> 
> While this "outward language" prescribes specific counsels and commandments meant to serve
> as the foundations of human belief and behavior, "the other language is veiled and concealed"
> (Baha'u'llah, Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 255) and no one "apprehendeth the meaning of these utterances
> except them whose hearts are assured, whose souls have found favour with God, and whose
> minds are detached from all else but Him. In such utterances, the literal meaning, as
> generally understood by the people, is not what hath been intended." (Baha'u'llah, Kitab-i-Iqan,
> p. 255) Furthermore, "if the Sun of Truth were suddenly to reveal, at the earliest stages of its
> manifestation, the full measure of the potencies which the providence of the Almighty hath
> bestowed upon it, the earth of human understanding would waste away and be consumed;
> for men’s hearts would neither sustain the intensity of its revelation, nor be able to mirror
> forth the radiance of its light. Dismayed and overpowered, they would cease to exist."
> (Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, XXXVIII, p. 87)
> 
> "It hath been decreed by Us that the Word of God and all the potentialities thereof shall be
> manifested unto men in strict conformity with such conditions as have been foreordained
> by Him Who is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. We have, moreover, ordained that its veil of
> concealment be none other except its own Self. Such indeed is Our Power to achieve Our
> Purpose. Should the Word be allowed to release suddenly all the energies latent within it,
> no man could sustain the weight of so mighty a Revelation. Nay, all that is in heaven and on
> earth would flee in consternation before it.
> 
> "Consider that which hath been sent down unto Muhammad, the Apostle of God. The
> measure of the Revelation of which He was the bearer had been clearly foreordained by
> Him Who is the Almighty, the All-Powerful. They that heard Him, however, could
> apprehend His purpose only to the extent of their station and spiritual capacity. He, in like
> manner, uncovered the Face of Wisdom in proportion to their ability to sustain the burden
> of His Message. No sooner had mankind attained the stage of maturity, than the Word
> revealed to men’s eyes the latent energies with which it had been endowed—energies which
> manifested themselves in the plenitude of their glory when the Ancient Beauty appeared, in
> the year sixty, in the person of Ali-Muhammad, the Báb." (Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the
> Writings of Baha'u'llah, XXXIII, pp. 76-77)
> 
> The revelation of truth is gradual correlated with the development of humankind, and while the
> overall process of that development is progressive and inexorable, the pace of the unfolding is
> not. Baha'u'llah wrote:
> 
> "We now perceive that veils thicker than the ones We have already torn asunder have
> intervened, obstructing the vision and causing the light of understanding to be obscured."
> (Baha'u'llah, Tarazat, in Tablets of Baha’u’llah, p. 41)
> 
> "It was intended that at the time of the manifestation of the One true God the faculty of
> recognizing Him would have been developed and matured and would have reached its
> culmination. However, it is now clearly demonstrated that in the disbelievers this faculty
> hath remained undeveloped and hath, indeed, degenerated." (Baha'u'llah, Tajalliyat, in Tablets of
> Baha’u’llah, pp. 52-53)
> 
> "This humble servant is filled with wonder, inasmuch as all men are endowed with the
> capacity to see and hear, yet we find them deprived of the privilege of using these
> faculties." (Baha'u'llah, Lawh-i-Maqsud, in Tablets of Baha’u’llah, p. 171)
> 
> "Methinks people's sense of taste hath, alas, been sorely affected by the fever of negligence
> and folly, for they are found to be wholly unconscious and deprived of the sweetness of His
> utterance. How regrettable indeed that man should debar himself from the fruits of the
> tree of wisdom while his days and hours pass swiftly away." (Baha'u'llah, Lawh-i-Maqsud, in
> Tablets of Baha’u’llah, pp. 173-174)
> 
> The Guardian reiterated this principle in one of his letters:
> 
> "Yet, if we but call to mind the practice generally adopted by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, we cannot fail
> to perceive the wisdom, nay the necessity, of gradually and cautiously disclosing to the eyes
> of an unbelieving world the implications of a Truth which, by its own challenging nature, it
> is so difficult for it to comprehend and embrace.
> 
> "It was He, our beloved ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, our true and shining Exemplar, who with infinite
> tact and patience, whether in His public utterances or in private converse, adapted the
> presentation of the fundamentals of the Cause to the varying capacities and the spiritual
> receptiveness of His hearers. He never hesitated, however, to tear the veil asunder and
> reveal to the spiritually ripened those challenging verities that set forth in its true light the
> relationship of this Supreme Revelation with the Dispensations of the past. Unashamed and
> unafraid when challenged to assert in its entirety the stupendous claim of Bahá’u’lláh,
> Bahá’ís, whether laboring as individuals or functioning as an organized community, feel
> certain that in the face of the apathy, the gross materialism, and the superficiality of society
> 
> today, a progressive disclosure of the magnitude of the claim of Bahá’u’lláh would
> constitute the most effective means for the attainment of the end so greatly desired by even
> the staunchest and most zealous advocate of the Faith." (Shoghi Effendi, Baha'i Administration, p.
> 125)
> 
> This application of the divine teachings revealed by the Prophets of God to the problems and
> questions that perplex humanity is hence not a process fixed in time and reserved for the
> Prophets and their chosen ones alone.        'Abdu'l-Baha describes the process whereby the
> spiritually attuned in divine philosophy in the Islamic Dispensation were able to solve the
> problems posed to them:
> 
> "They divided Divine philosophy into two parts: one kind is that of which the knowledge
> can be acquired through lectures and study in schools and colleges. The second kind of
> philosophy was that of the Illuminati, or followers of the inner light. The schools of this
> philosophy were held in silence. Meditating, and turning their faces to the Source of Light,
> from that central Light the mysteries of the Kingdom were reflected in the hearts of these
> people. All the Divine problems were solved by this power of illumination.
> 
> "This Society of Friends increased greatly in Persia, and up to the present time their
> societies exist. Many books and epistles were written by their leaders. When they assemble
> in their meeting-house they sit silently and contemplate; their leader opens with a certain
> proposition, and says to the assembly ‘You must meditate on this problem’. Then, freeing
> their minds from everything else, they sit and reflect, and before long the answer is
> revealed to them. Many abstruse divine questions are solved by this illumination.
> 
> "Some of the great questions unfolding from the rays of the Sun of Reality upon the mind
> of man are: the problem of the reality of the spirit of man; of the birth of the spirit; of its
> birth from this world into the world of God; the question of the inner life of the spirit and
> of its fate after its ascension from the body.
> 
> "They also meditate upon the scientific questions of the day, and these are likewise solved.
> 
> "These people, who are called ‘Followers of the inner light’, attain to a superlative degree
> of power, and are entirely freed from blind dogmas and imitations. Men rely on the
> statements of these people: by themselves—within themselves—they solve all mysteries.
> 
> "If they find a solution with the assistance of the inner light, they accept it, and afterwards
> they declare it: otherwise they would consider it a matter of blind imitation. They go so far
> as to reflect upon the essential nature of the Divinity, of the Divine revelation, of the
> 
> manifestation of the Deity in this world. All the divine and scientific questions are solved by
> them through the power of the spirit.
> 
> "Bahá’u’lláh says there is a sign (from God) in every phenomenon: the sign of the intellect
> is contemplation and the sign of contemplation is silence, because it is impossible for a man
> to do two things at one time—he cannot both speak and meditate.
> 
> "It is an axiomatic fact that while you meditate you are speaking with your own spirit. In
> that state of mind you put certain questions to your spirit and the spirit answers: the light
> breaks forth and the reality is revealed.
> 
> "You cannot apply the name ‘man’ to any being void of this faculty of meditation; without
> it he would be a mere animal, lower than the beasts.
> 
> "Through the faculty of meditation man attains to eternal life; through it he receives the
> breath of the Holy Spirit—the bestowal of the Spirit is given in reflection and meditation.
> 
> "The spirit of man is itself informed and strengthened during meditation; through it affairs
> of which man knew nothing are unfolded before his view. Through it he receives Divine
> inspiration, through it he receives heavenly food.
> 
> "Meditation is the key for opening the doors of mysteries. In that state man abstracts
> himself: in that state man withdraws himself from all outside objects; in that subjective
> mood he is immersed in the ocean of spiritual life and can unfold the secrets of things-in-
> themselves. To illustrate this, think of man as endowed with two kinds of sight; when the
> power of insight is being used the outward power of vision does not see.
> 
> "This faculty of meditation frees man from the animal nature, discerns the reality of
> things, puts man in touch with God.
> 
> "This faculty brings forth from the invisible plane the sciences and arts. Through the
> meditative faculty inventions are made possible, colossal undertakings are carried out;
> through it governments can run smoothly. Through this faculty man enters into the very
> Kingdom of God.
> 
> "Nevertheless some thoughts are useless to man; they are like waves moving in the sea
> without result. But if the faculty of meditation is bathed in the inner light and
> characterized with divine attributes, the results will be confirmed.
> 
> "The meditative faculty is akin to the mirror; if you put it before earthly objects it will
> reflect them. Therefore if the spirit of man is contemplating earthly subjects he will be
> informed of these.
> 
> "But if you turn the mirror of your spirits heavenwards, the heavenly constellations and
> the rays of the Sun of Reality will be reflected in your hearts, and the virtues of the
> Kingdom will be obtained.
> 
> "Therefore let us keep this faculty rightly directed—turning it to the heavenly Sun and not
> to earthly objects—so that we may discover the secrets of the Kingdom, and comprehend
> the allegories of the Bible and the mysteries of the spirit.
> 
> "May we indeed become mirrors reflecting the heavenly realities, and may we become so
> pure as to reflect the stars of heaven." ('Abdu'l-Baha, Paris Talks, pp. 173-176)
> 
> Baha'u'llah left it to the various ranks3 of the House of Justice to respond to the specific
> requirements of the times and situations in which the people of the future would exist:
> 
> "Inasmuch as for each day there is a new problem and for every problem an expedient
> solution, such affairs should be referred to the Ministers of the House of Justice that they
> may act according to the needs and requirements of the time." (Baha'u'llah, Bisharat and
> Ishraqat, in Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 27)
> 
> "Unto the Most Holy Book every one must turn, and all that is not expressly recorded
> therein must be referred to the Universal House of Justice." ('Abdu'l-Baha, The Will and
> Testament, p. 19)
> 
> Shoghi Effendi expresses confidence that Baha'is will solve problems posed to them the specific
> answers for which are not found in the Writings of the Faith:
> 
> "We must turn aside from these vain imaginings and suppositions and philosophizings of
> the world, and fix our eyes upon the clear stream of the Teachings of Bahá’u’lláh. Out of
> these Teachings, and the society which they will create on this planet, will come a solution
> to all of the problems of men. Gradually, greater scholars, more deeply spiritual thinkers,
> will be able to answer from a Bahá’í standpoint many of these questions. It is not necessary
> that they should be in the divine text; they can be studied and learned in the future; but at
> present we have not had time to evolve the Bahá’í scholars who can deal with these subjects
> in detail, and take upon themselves to answer the abstruse points and the many unfounded
> doctrines which are advanced by modern philosophers." (From a letter dated 22 April 1954 written
> 
> on behalf of the Guardian to an individual believer; published in Letters, 1999 Dec 13, Two Compilations on
> Scholarship - 1979 and 1983)
> 
> "As to correlating philosophy with the Bahá’í teachings: this is a tremendous work which
> scholars in the future can undertake. We must remember that not only are all the teachings
> not yet translated into English, but they are not even all collected yet. Many important
> Tablets may still come to light which are at present owned privately." (From a letter dated 15
> February 1947 written on behalf of the Guardian to an individual believer; published in Letters, 1999 Dec 13, Two
> Compilations on Scholarship - 1979 and 1983, p. 2)
> 
> The field of divine philosophy is not synonymous with the study of metaphysical questions in the
> Jewish yeshiva, the Christian seminary, the Muslim madrasa. It is a field of knowledge that has
> its antecedents, going back to the philosopher Idris/Hermes/Enoch, to Empedocles and
> Pythagoras, Socrates, Hippocrates, Plato and Aristotle, according to Baha'u'llah in the Lawh-i-
> Hikmat and Lawh al-Basit al-Haqiqa. It is a field of knowledge associated by 'Abdu'l-Baha with
> the Persian Islamic philosophers, which included the forerunners of the Bab, Shaykh Ahmad-i-
> Ahsa'i and Siyyid Kazim-i-Rashti. And it is also a field renewed and redefined by none other
> than the Founder and Expounder of the Baha'i Revelation, and hence reborn in this new Age and
> Cycle.
> 
> It is clear that Baha'u'llah did not wish His followers to be preoccupied with the philosophical
> musings of past or contemporary philosophers, particularly those famous Persian philosophers
> whom He described as follows:
> 
> "The Great Being saith: The learned of the day must direct the people to acquire those
> branches of knowledge which are of use, that both the learned themselves and the
> generality of mankind may derive benefits therefrom. Such academic pursuits as begin and
> end in words alone have never been and will never be of any worth. The majority of
> Persia’s learned doctors devote all their lives to the study of a philosophy the ultimate yield
> of which is nothing but words." (Baha’u’llah, Lawh-i-Maqsud, in Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 169)
> 
> Those familiar with the Writings of the Bab have observed that He was severely critical of both
> Mulla Sadr al-Din al-Shirazi (Mulla Sadra), the most outstanding philosopher of the School of
> Isfahan, and Muhammad Ibn 'Ali Ibnu'l-'Arabi (Ibn 'Arabi), the most famous and influential
> Islamic mystical writer. Baha'u'llah strongly critiqued the leading exponent of Iranian philosophy
> of His own day, Haji Mulla Hadi Sabzivari, writing:
> 
> "The sage of Sabzivar hath said: ‘Alas! Attentive ears are lacking, otherwise the
> whisperings of the Sinaic Bush could be heard from every tree.’ In a Tablet to a man of
> 
> Local, Intermediate, International.
> 
> wisdom who had made enquiry as to the meaning of Elementary Reality [Lawh al-Basit al-
> Haqiqa], We addressed this famous sage in these words: ‘If this saying is truly thine, how is
> it that thou hast failed to hearken unto the Call which the Tree of Man hath raised from
> the loftiest heights of the world? If thou didst hear the Call yet fear and the desire to
> preserve thy life prompted thee to remain heedless to it, thou art such a person as hath
> never been nor is worthy of mention; if thou hast not heard it, then thou art bereft of the
> sense of hearing.’ In brief, such men are they whose words are the pride of the world, and
> whose deeds are the shame of the nations." (Baha'u'llah, Kalimat-i-Firdawsiyyih, in Tablets of
> Baha'u'llah, p. 61)
> 
> Nor did Baha'u'llah focus His critique upon selected individuals alone:
> 
> "Each sect hath picked out a way for itself and is clinging to a certain cord. Despite
> manifest blindness and ignorance they pride themselves on their insight and knowledge.
> Among them are mystics who bear allegiance to the Faith of Islam, some of whom indulge
> in that which leadeth to idleness and seclusion. I swear by God! It lowereth man’s station
> and maketh him swell with pride. Man must bring forth fruit. One who yieldeth no fruit is,
> in the words of the Spirit [Jesus Christ]4, like unto a fruitless tree, and a fruitless tree is fit
> but for the fire5." (Baha'u'llah, Kalimat-i-Firdawsiyyih, in Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 60)
> 
> "Do thou beseech God to enable thee to remain steadfast in this path, and to aid thee to
> guide the peoples of the world to Him Who is the manifest and sovereign Ruler, Who hath
> revealed Himself in a distinct attire, Who giveth utterance to a Divine and specific Message.
> This is the essence of faith and certitude. They that are the worshipers of the idol which
> their imaginations have carved, and who call it Inner Reality, such men are in truth
> accounted among the heathen. To this hath the All-Merciful borne witness in His Tablets."
> (Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, CLX, p. 338)
> 
> The Baha’i principle of the agreement of science and religion has been widely understood by
> believers to indicate that they are in exact agreement about everything. Some even cite isolated
> statements attributed to ‘Abdu’l-Baha in support of regarding science as the standard whereby
> religious truth can be discerned and distinguished from superstition and religious
> fundamentalism and fanaticism. In other words, the way to tell if religious teachings are true is
> to determine if they are in harmony with science. What is undeniable, regardless of what
> position one takes, is that there are many conflicts between the Baha’i teachings and
> contemporary scientific consensus. For example, there is a consensus among psychologists,
> 
> Gospel of Matthew 3:10, 7:19, 13:40
> Baha’u’llah, Suriy-i-Haykal, in The Summons of the Lord of Hosts, p. 70; Kitab-i-Aqdas, Q&A, #105,
> p. 139; Tablets of Baha’u’llah, pp. 60, 257; Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, p. 223;
> ‘Abdu’l-Baha on Divine Philosophy, p. 110]
> 
> psychiatrists, neurologists and medical doctors that homosexuality is natural and hence not
> abnormal and of any concern. Likewise, there is wide agreement among scientists that the
> moderate imbibing of wine is not harmful, along with the moderate usage of marijuana, moderate
> practice of masturbation, moderate engagement in pre-marital sex with consenting partners of the
> same age and of either gender, and that gender can be changed without damage to the psyche of
> the person. There is a consensus amongst most scientists that abortion is not comparable to
> murder, because a fetus is not a human being. All of these instances of scientific consensus are
> in conflict with the religious teachings of many religions, including those of the Baha’i Faith.
> Does that imply that religion must change, that the Baha’i teachings that are in conflict with
> these scientific findings are outdated and must be abandoned in favor of what scientists agree to
> be true?
> 
> The answer is an unequivocal “no”. Revelation reveals a more comprehensive truth than
> science, because it includes the metaphysical dimension of reality that empirical science cannot
> verify and therefore cannot affirm as true. The Manifestation of God knows more and with more
> accuracy than any human being or group of human beings…every computer, every artificial
> intelligence. Hence, the true meaning of the harmony of science and religion is not what many
> of us think. It affirms that when science is in harmony with religion, and vice versa, when each
> domain takes account of the other, agreement can be arrived at. The bridge from science, which
> ‘Abdu’l-Baha often calls material philosophy to religion is divine philosophy. This is the
> intermediate reality, the correlation between earth and heaven, matter and spirit, rational analysis
> of empirical data and intuitive perception of spiritual realities. It is this bridge that will
> ultimately make it possible for humanity to develop both materially and spiritually in a balanced
> and mutually supportive fashion. However, this is not an absolute equality. Even as divine
> philosophy is the sister of prophethood, so material philosophy is the servant of divine
> philosophy. If material philosophy is not dedicated to the best of outcomes for all of humanity, it
> has and will continue to do great harm. It is undeniable that the inordinate and irresponsible
> dumping of human waste products, many of them highly toxic to all living things, has corrupted
> and burdened the natural order of our planet, and that it will only get much worse if we do not
> listen to the teachings of divine philosophy, and transform waste into food. Everything has to be
> recycled and nothing harmful to the planet should be utilized. ‘Abdu’l-Baha has stated that if
> humanity does not place equal or greater emphasis on divine philosophy and religion as it does
> on material philosophy and its outcomes, it will be increasingly difficult to live on planet earth,
> and there is no other home for us in the known universe. We learn to live here in harmony with
> each other and nature, or we become extinct, we commit suicide. Do we want life or death? If it
> is death then we can continue to value material philosophy, science, technology over divine
> philosophy, religion and living in harmony with the earth, sky and water. If it is life then we
> need to subordinate science to religion, not to suppress it but to guide it in the right direction.
> 
> ‘Abdu’l-Baha wrote:
> 
> "O thou son of the Kingdom! All things are beneficial if joined with the love of God; and
> without His love all things are harmful, and act as a veil between man and the Lord of the
> Kingdom. When His love is there, every bitterness turneth sweet, and every bounty
> rendereth a wholesome pleasure. For example, a melody, sweet to the ear, bringeth the very
> spirit of life to a heart in love with God, yet staineth with lust a soul engrossed in sensual
> desires. And every branch of learning, conjoined with the love of God, is approved and
> worthy of praise; but bereft of His love, learning is barren — indeed, it bringeth on
> madness. Every kind of knowledge, every science, is as a tree: if the fruit of it be the love of
> God, then is it a blessed tree, but if not, that tree is but dried-up wood, and shall only feed
> the fire." (Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, #154)
>
> — *Philosophy: Material and Spiritual (Used by permission of the curator)*