# Scholarship

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> Source: Bahá'í Library Online (bahai-library.com), curated by Jonah Winters. Used by permission of the curator. Original citation: Bahá'u'lláh, Scholarship, bahai-library.com.
> ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
> 
> Scholarship
> 
> Bahá'u'lláh
> 
> Abdu'l-Bahá
> 
> Shoghi Effendi
> 
> Universal House of Justice
> 
> Universal House of Justice, Research Department
> 
> , compiler
> 
> published in
> 
> Compilation of Compilations
> 
> Volume 3,  pp. 226-264
> 
> 2000
> 
> Contents:
> 
> Cover letter distributed to selected National Spiritual Assemblies in February 1995
> 
> 1.
> The Station of Scholarship
> 
> 1.1
> Importance of Knowledge and Learning
> 
> 1.2
> Characteristics of the "truly learned"
> 
> 1.3
> Scope of "Bahá'í Scholarship"
> 
> 1.4
> Appreciation of Scholarship
> 
> 2.
> Functions of Bahá'í Scholarship
> 
> 2.1
> Promotion of Human Welfare
> 
> 2.2
> Defence of the Faith
> 
> 2.3
> Expansion and Consolidation of the Bahá'í Community
> 
> 2.4
> Contribution to Scholarly Development ...
> 
> 3.
> General Principles and Guidelines
> 
> 3.1
> Spiritual Foundation
> 
> 3.2
> "Useful" Sciences
> 
> 3.3
> Attitudes of the Scholar
> 
> 3.4
> Methodological Issues
> 
> 3.5
> The Covenant
> 
> COVER LETTER DISTRIBUTED TO SELECTED NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLIES
> 
> 10 February 1995
> 
> To selected National Spiritual
> Assemblies
> 
> Dear Bahá'í Friends,
> 
> We have been asked by the Universal
> House of Justice to send you the enclosed copy of a compilation on scholarship
> prepared recently at its request by the Research Department at the Bahá'í World
> Centre.
> 
> It is the hope of the House of
> Justice that a study of this compilation will serve as a stimulus and a guide
> in the further development of Bahá'í scholarship, and that the unique features
> of this vital aspect of Bahá'í activity will be clarified through a perusal of
> its contents.
> 
> The House of Justice calls upon the
> members of the community of the Greatest Name, young and old, men and women
> alike, to strive to develop and offer to humanity a new model of scholarly
> activity along the lines set out in this compilation, animated by the spirit of
> inquiry into the limitless meaning of the Divine Teachings. This scholarly endeavour should be
> characterized by the welcome it offers to all who wish to be involved in it,
> each in his or her own way, by mutual encouragement and cooperation among its
> participants, and by the respect accorded to distinguished accomplishment and
> outstanding achievement. The
> spirit and approach should be far removed from the arrogance, contention, and
> exclusiveness which have too often sullied the name of scholarship in the wider
> society, and which have created barriers to the sound development of this
> worthy pursuit.
> 
> It is left to your discretion to
> determine the use you should make of the enclosed material.
> 
> With loving Bahá'í greetings,
> 
> For Department of the Secretariat
> 
> Enclosure
> 
> cc:
> 
> The
> Hands of the Cause of God
> 
> International Teaching Centre
> 
> Counsellors
> 
> The
> Station Of Scholarship
> 
> 1.1
> 
> Importance of Knowledge and Learning
> 
> FROM THE WRITINGS OF BAHÁ'U'LLÁH
> 
> 1.
> 
> Knowledge is one of the wondrous gifts of God. It is incumbent upon everyone to
> acquire it. Such arts and material
> means as are now manifest have been achieved by virtue of His knowledge and
> wisdom which have been revealed in Epistles and Tablets through His Most
> Exalted Pen – a Pen out of whose treasury pearls of wisdom and utterance and
> the arts and crafts of the world are brought to light.
> 
> ("Tablets
> of Bahá'u'lláh Revealed after the Kitáb-i-Aqdas". (Wilmette: Bahá'í Publishing Trust,
> 1988), p.
> 39
> .)
> 
> 2.
> 
> Knowledge is as wings to man's life, and a ladder
> for his ascent. Its acquisition is
> incumbent upon everyone. The
> knowledge of such sciences, however, should be acquired as can profit the
> peoples of the earth, and not those which begin with words and end with
> words. Great indeed is the claim
> of scientists and craftsmen on the peoples of the world.... In truth, knowledge is a veritable
> treasure for man, and a source of glory, of bounty, of joy, of exaltation, of
> cheer and gladness unto him. Thus
> hath the Tongue of Grandeur spoken in this Most Great Prison.
> 
> ("Tablets
> of Bahá'u'lláh Revealed after the Kitáb-i-Aqdas", pp.
> 51
> -
> 52
> )
> 
> FROM THE WRITINGS AND UTTERANCES OF 'ABDU'L-BAHÁ
> 
> 3.
> 
> Make every effort to acquire the advanced knowledge
> of the day, and strain every nerve to carry forward the divine civilization....
> 
> Included
> must be promotion of the arts, the discovery of new wonders, the expansion of
> trade, and the development of industry.
> 
> The methods of civilization and the beautification of the country must
> also be encouraged; and also to be inculcated is absolute obedience to the
> Government and total avoidance of any trace of sedition.
> 
> ('Abdu'l-Bahá,
> from a Tablet, translated from the Persian)
> 
> 4.
> 
> I most urgently request the friends of God to make
> every effort, as much as lieth within their competence, along these lines. The harder they strive to widen the
> scope of their knowledge, the better and more gratifying will be the
> result. Let the loved ones of God,
> whether young or old, whether male or female, each according to his
> capabilities, bestir themselves and spare no efforts to acquire the various
> current branches of knowledge, both spiritual and secular, and of the arts.
> 
> ('Abdu'l-Bahá,
> from a Tablet, translated from the Arabic)
> 
> 5.
> 
> All blessings are divine in origin, but none can be
> compared with this power of intellectual investigation and research, which is
> an eternal gift producing fruits of unending delight. Man is ever partaking of these fruits. All other blessings
> are temporary; this is an everlasting possession. Even sovereignty has its limitations and overthrow; this is
> a kingship and dominion which none may usurp or destroy. Briefly, it is an eternal blessing and
> divine bestowal, the supreme gift of God to man. Therefore, you should put forward your most earnest efforts
> toward the acquisition of science and arts. The greater your attainment, the
> higher your standard in the divine purpose. The man of science is perceiving
> and endowed with vision, whereas he who is ignorant and neglectful of this
> development is blind. The
> investigating mind is attentive, alive; the callous and indifferent mind is
> deaf and dead. A scientific man is a true index and representative of humanity,
> for through processes of inductive reasoning and research he is informed of all
> that appertains to humanity, its status, conditions and happenings. He studies the human body politic, understands
> social problems and weaves the web and texture of civilization. In fact, science may be likened to a
> mirror wherein the infinite forms and images of existing things are revealed
> and reflected. It is the very foundation of all individual and national
> development. Without this basis of
> investigation, development is impossible.
> 
> Therefore, seek with diligent endeavour the knowledge and attainment of
> all that lies within the power of this wonderful bestowal.
> 
> ("The
> Promulgation of Universal Peace:
> 
> Talks Delivered by 'Abdu'l-Bahá during His Visit to the United States
> and Canada in 1912" (Wilmette:
> 
> Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1982), p.
> 50
> )
> 
> FROM A LETTER WRITTEN ON BEHALF OF SHOGHI EFFENDI
> 
> 6.
> 
> Bahá'u'lláh considered education as one of the most
> fundamental factors of a true civilization. This education, however, in order to be adequate and
> fruitful, should be comprehensive in nature and should take into consideration
> not only the physical and the intellectual side of man but also his spiritual
> and ethical aspects.
> 
> (From a
> letter dated 9 July 1931 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual
> believer)
> 
> 1.2
> 
> Characteristics of the "truly learned"
> 
> FROM THE WRITINGS OF BAHÁ'U'LLÁH
> 
> 7.
> 
> Happy are ye, O ye the learned ones in Bahá. By the Lord! Ye are the billows of the Most Mighty Ocean, the stars of
> the firmament of Glory, the standards of triumph waving betwixt earth and
> heaven. Ye are the manifestations
> of steadfastness amidst men and the daysprings of Divine Utterance to all that
> dwell on earth.
> 
> ("The
> Kitáb-i-Aqdas", paragraph
> 173
> )
> 
> 8.
> 
> The Great Being saith: The man of consummate learning and the sage endowed with
> penetrating wisdom are the two eyes to the body of mankind. God willing, the
> earth shall never be deprived of these two greatest gifts.
> 
> ("Tablets
> of Bahá'u'lláh Revealed after the Kitáb-i-Aqdas", p.
> 171
> )
> 
> 9.
> 
> Know thou that he is truly learned who hath
> acknowledged My Revelation, and drunk from the Ocean of My knowledge, and
> soared in the atmosphere of My love, and cast away all else besides Me, and
> taken firm hold on that which hath been sent down from the Kingdom of My
> wondrous utterance. He, verily, is
> even as an eye unto mankind, and as the spirit of life unto the body of all
> creation. Glorified be the All-Merciful Who hath enlightened him, and caused
> him to arise and serve His great and mighty Cause. Verily, such a man is blessed by the Concourse on high, and
> by them who dwell within the Tabernacle of Grandeur, who have quaffed My sealed
> Wine in My name, the Omnipotent, the All-Powerful.
> 
> ("Tablets
> of Bahá'u'lláh Revealed after the Kitáb-i-Aqdas", pp.
> 207
> -
> 208
> )
> 
> 10.
> 
> Consider, how can he that faileth in the day of God's
> Revelation to attain unto the grace of the "Divine Presence" and to
> recognize His Manifestation, be justly called learned, though he may have spent
> aeons in the pursuit of knowledge, and acquired all the limited and material
> learning of men? It is surely
> evident that he can in no wise be regarded as possessed of true knowledge. Whereas, the most unlettered of all
> men, if he be honoured with this supreme distinction, he verily is accounted as
> one of those divinely-learned men whose knowledge is of God; for such a man
> hath attained the acme of knowledge, and hath reached the furthermost summit of
> learning.
> 
> ("The
> Kitáb-i-Iqán" (Wilmette: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1983), pp.
> 145
> -
> 146
> )
> 
> FROM THE WRITINGS OF 'ABDU'L-BAHÁ
> 
> 11.
> 
> ...there are those famed and accomplished men of learning,
> possessed of praiseworthy qualities and vast erudition, who lay hold on the
> strong handle of the fear of God and keep to the ways of salvation. In the mirror of their minds the forms
> of transcendent realities are reflected, and the lamp of their inner vision
> derives its light from the sun of universal knowledge. They are busy by night and by day with
> meticulous research into such sciences as are profitable to mankind, and they
> devote themselves to the training of students of capacity. It is certain that to their discerning
> taste, the proffered treasures of kings would not compare with a single drop of
> the waters of knowledge, and mountains of gold and silver could not outweigh
> the successful solution of a difficult problem. To them, the delights that lie outside their work are only
> toys for children, and the cumbersome load of unnecessary possessions is only
> good for the ignorant and base.
> 
> Content, like the birds, they give thanks for a handful of seeds, and
> the song of their wisdom dazzles the minds of the world's most wise....
> 
> ...the
> happiness and greatness, the rank and station, the pleasure and peace, of an
> individual have never consisted in his personal wealth, but rather in his
> excellent character, his high resolve, the breadth of his learning, and his
> ability to solve difficult problems....
> 
> For every
> thing, however, God has created a sign and symbol, and established standards
> and tests by which it may be known.
> 
> The spiritually learned must be characterized by both inward and outward
> perfections; they must possess a good character, an enlightened nature, a pure
> intent, as well as intellectual power, brilliance and discernment, intuition,
> discretion and foresight, temperance, reverence, and a heartfelt fear of
> God. For an unlit candle, however
> great in diameter and tall, is no better than a barren palm tree or a pile of
> dead wood....
> 
> An
> authoritative Tradition states:
> 
> "As for him who is one of the learned,
> 
> [1]
> 
> he must guard himself, defend his faith, oppose his passions and obey the
> commandments of his Lord. It is
> then the duty of the people to pattern themselves after him."
> 
> ("The
> Secret of Divine Civilization" (Wilmette: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1990),
> pp.
> 21
> -
> 22
> ; pp.
> 23
> -
> 24
> ; pp.
> 33
> -
> 34
> )
> 
> FROM LETTERS WRITTEN ON BEHALF OF SHOGHI EFFENDI
> 
> 12.
> 
> In connection with the question as to whether Bahá'ís
> should be familiar with the different sciences and branches of study, Shoghi
> Effendi wishes me to inform you that both Bahá'u'lláh and 'Abdu'l-Bahá have
> given a very high position to men of culture and knowledge and Bahá'u'lláh says
> in one of His Tablets that respect shown to such people is incumbent upon all
> Bahá'ís. Furthermore there is no doubt that familiarity with different branches
> of study widens one's point of view and we can then understand and realize the
> significance of the Bahá'í Movement and its principles much more.
> 
> (From a
> letter dated 14 December 1924 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an
> individual believer)
> 
> 13.
> 
> The Cause needs more Bahá'í scholars, people who not only
> are devoted to it and believe in it and are anxious to tell others about it,
> but also who have a deep grasp of the Teachings and their significance, and who
> can correlate its beliefs with the current thoughts and problems of the people
> of the world.
> 
> (From a
> letter dated 21 October 1943 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an
> individual believer)
> 
> 1.3
> 
> Scope of "Bahá'í Scholarship"
> 
> FROM A LETTER WRITTEN ON BEHALF OF THE UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF
> JUSTICE
> 
> 14.
> 
> At this early stage in the development of the Faith, it
> would not be useful to propound a highly restrictive definition of the term
> "Bahá'í scholarship". In
> a letter written on behalf of the House of Justice to an Association for Bahá'í
> Studies recently, it is stated that:
> 
> The House of Justice advises you not to attempt to define
> too narrowly the form that Bahá'í scholarship should take, or the approach that
> scholars should adopt. Rather
> should you strive to develop within your Association respect for a wide range
> of approaches and endeavours. No
> doubt there will be some Bahá'ís who will wish to work in isolation, while
> others will desire consultation and collaboration with those having similar interests. Your aim should be to promote an
> atmosphere of mutual respect and tolerance within which will be included
> scholars whose principal interest is in theological issues as well as those
> scholars whose interests lie in relating the insights provided by the Bahá'í
> teachings to contemporary thought in the arts and sciences.
> 
> A similar diversity should characterize the endeavours
> pursued by Bahá'í scholars, accommodating their interests and skills as well as
> the needs of the Faith. The course
> of world events, the development of new trends of thought and the extension of
> the teaching work all tend to highlight attractive and beneficial areas to
> which Bahá'í scholars might well direct their attention. Likewise, the expansion of the
> activities of the Bahá'í International Community in its relationship with
> United Nations agencies and other international bodies creates attractive
> opportunities for scholars to make a direct and highly valued contribution to
> the enhancement of the prestige of the Faith and to its proclamation within an
> influential and receptive stratum of society. As the Bahá'í community continues to emerge inexorably from
> obscurity, it will be confronted by enemies, from both within and without, whose
> aim will be to malign and misrepresent its principles, so that its admirers
> might be disillusioned and the faith of its adherents might be shaken; Bahá'í
> scholars have a vital role to play in the defence of the Faith through their
> contribution to anticipatory measures and their response to defamatory
> accusations levelled against the Faith.
> 
> Thus, there
> should be room within the scope of Bahá'í scholarship to accommodate not only
> those who are interested in theological issues and in the historical origins of
> the Faith, but also those who are interested in relating the Bahá'í Teachings
> to their field of academic or professional interest, as well as those believers
> who may lack formal academic qualifications but who have, through their
> perceptive study of the Teachings, acquired insights which are of interest to
> others....
> 
> The House of
> Justice wishes to avoid use of the terms "Bahá'í scholarship" and
> "Bahá'í scholars" in an exclusive sense, which would effectively
> establish a demarcation between those admitted into this category and those
> denied entrance to it. It is clear
> that such terms are relative, and that what is a worthy scholarly endeavour by
> a Bahá'í, when compared to the activities of those with whom he is in contact,
> may well be regarded as of vastly lesser significance when measured against the
> accomplishments of the outstanding scholars which the Faith has produced. The House of Justice seeks the creation
> of a Bahá'í community in which the members encourage each other, where there is
> respect for accomplishment, and a common realization that every one is, in his
> or her own way, seeking to acquire a deeper understanding of the Revelation of
> Bahá'u'lláh and to contribute to the advancement of the Faith.
> 
> (From a
> letter dated 19 October 1993 written on behalf of the Universal House of
> Justice to an individual believer)
> 
> 1.4
> 
> Appreciation of Scholarship
> 
> FROM THE WRITINGS OF BAHÁ'U'LLÁH
> 
> 15.
> 
> Respect ye the divines and learned amongst you, they whose
> conduct accords with their professions, who transgress not the bounds which God
> hath fixed, whose judgments are in conformity with His behests as revealed in
> His Book. Know ye that they are the lamps of guidance unto them that are in the
> heavens and on the earth. They who
> disregard and neglect the divines and learned that live amongst them – these
> have truly changed the favour with which God hath favoured them.
> 
> ("Gleanings
> from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh" (Wilmette: Bahá'í Publishing Trust,
> 1983), section
> LXVI
> )
> 
> 16.
> 
> O people of God!
> 
> Righteous men of learning who dedicate themselves to the guidance of
> others and are freed and well guarded from the promptings of a base and
> covetous nature are, in the sight of Him Who is the Desire of the world, stars
> of the heaven of true knowledge.
> 
> It is essential to treat them with deference. They are indeed fountains of soft-flowing water, stars that
> shine resplendent, fruits of the blessed Tree, exponents of celestial power,
> and oceans of heavenly wisdom.
> 
> Happy is he that followeth them.
> 
> Verily such a soul is numbered in the Book of God, the Lord of the
> mighty Throne, among those with whom it shall be well.
> 
> ("Tablets
> of Bahá'u'lláh Revealed after the Kitáb-i-Aqdas", pp.
> 96
> -
> 97
> )
> 
> 17.
> 
> Beware, O My loved ones, lest ye despise the merits of My
> learned servants whom God hath graciously chosen to be the exponents of His
> Name "the Fashioner" amidst mankind. Exert your utmost endeavour that ye may develop such crafts
> and undertakings that everyone, whether young or old, may benefit therefrom. We
> are quit of those ignorant ones who fondly imagine that Wisdom is to give vent
> to one's idle imaginings and to repudiate God, the Lord of all men; even as We
> hear some of the heedless voicing such assertions today.
> 
> ("Tablets
> of Bahá'u'lláh Revealed after the Kitáb-i-Aqdas", pp.
> 150
> -
> 151
> )
> 
> FROM THE WRITINGS AND UTTERANCES OF 'ABDU'L-BAHÁ
> 
> 18.
> 
> ...the religion of God is the promoter of truth, the
> founder of science and knowledge, it is full of goodwill for learned men; it is
> the civilizer of mankind, the discoverer of the secrets of nature, and the
> enlightener of the horizons of the world.
> 
> Consequently, how can it be said to oppose knowledge? God forbid! Nay, for God, knowledge is the most
> glorious gift of man and the most noble of human perfections. To oppose knowledge is ignorant, and he
> who detests knowledge and science is not a man, but rather an animal without
> intelligence. For knowledge is
> light, life, felicity, perfection, beauty and the means of approaching the
> Threshold of Unity. It is the
> honour and glory of the world of humanity, and the greatest bounty of God. Knowledge is identical with guidance,
> and ignorance is real error.
> 
> ("Some
> Answered Questions" (Wilmette: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1984), p.
> 137
> )
> 
> 19.
> 
> There are certain pillars which have been established as
> the unshakeable supports of the Faith of God. The mightiest of these is learning and the use of the mind,
> the expansion of consciousness, and insight into the realities of the universe
> and the hidden mysteries of Almighty God.
> 
> To promote
> knowledge is thus an inescapable duty imposed on every one of the friends of
> God. It is incumbent upon that
> Spiritual Assembly, that assemblage of God, to exert every effort to educate
> the children, so that from infancy they will be trained in Bahá'í conduct and
> the ways of God, and will, even as young plants, thrive and flourish in the soft-flowing
> waters that are the counsels and admonitions of the Blessed Beauty.
> 
> ("Selections
> from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá" (Haifa: Bahá'í World Centre, 1982),
> section
> 97
> )
> 
> FROM A LETTER WRITTEN BY SHOGHI EFFENDI
> 
> 20.
> 
> The responsibilities of the members of the Spiritual
> Assemblies that are engaged in teaching the Cause of God in Eastern lands have
> been clearly laid down in the holy Texts….
> 
> They further
> impress upon them the virtue of trustworthiness and godliness, of purity of
> motive, kindliness of heart, and detachment from the fetters of this material
> world … They urge them to make detailed inquiry into the various branches of
> contemporary learning – arts and sciences alike – and to concentrate their
> attention on serving the general interests of the people; to deepen themselves
> by attentive study of the sacred Texts, and to apply the divine guidance they
> contain to the circumstances, needs and conditions of society today; to refrain
> from entering into the tangled affairs of political parties and to have neither
> concern for, nor involvement in, the controversies of politicians, the
> wranglings of theologians or any of the ailing social theories current amongst
> men.
> 
> They finally
> exhort them to be sincerely obedient, in both thought and word, to the laws
> duly enacted by the government of the realm, and to distance themselves from
> the methods, concepts and ill-grounded arguments of extreme traditionalists and
> modernists alike; to accord honour, veneration and respect to – and endorse the
> efforts of – exponents of the arts and sciences, and to esteem and revere those
> who are possessed of extensive knowledge and scholarly erudition; to uphold the
> right of freedom of conscience; and to abstain from criticizing and disparaging
> the manners, customs and beliefs of other individuals, peoples and nations.
> 
> (From a
> letter dated 30 January 1926 written by Shoghi Effendi to the Spiritual
> Assemblies in Iran, translated from the Persian)
> 
> Functions
> Of Bahá'í Scholarship
> 
> 2.1
> 
> Promotion of Human Welfare
> 
> FROM THE WRITINGS OF BAHÁ'U'LLÁH
> 
> 21.
> 
> 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.
> 
> ("Tablets
> of Bahá'u'lláh Revealed after the Kitáb-i-Aqdas", p.
> 169
> )
> 
> 22.
> 
> True learning is that which is conducive to the well-being
> of the world, not to pride and self-conceit, or to tyranny, violence and
> pillage.
> 
> (Bahá'u'lláh,
> from a Tablet, translated from the Persian)
> 
> FROM THE WRITINGS OF 'ABDU'L-BAHÁ
> 
> 23.
> 
> The primary, the most urgent requirement is the promotion
> of education. It is inconceivable that any nation should achieve prosperity and
> success unless this paramount, this fundamental concern is carried
> forward. The principal reason for the
> decline and fall of peoples is ignorance.
> 
> Today the mass of the people are uninformed even as to ordinary affairs,
> how much less do they grasp the core of the important problems and complex
> needs of the time.
> 
> It is
> therefore urgent that beneficial articles and books be written, clearly and
> definitely establishing what the present-day requirements of the people are,
> and what will conduce to the happiness and advancement of society. These should
> be published and spread throughout the nation, so that at least the leaders
> among the people should become, to some degree, awakened, and arise to exert
> themselves along those lines which will lead to their abiding honour. The
> publication of high thoughts is the dynamic power in the arteries of life; it
> is the very soul of the world.
> 
> Thoughts are a boundless sea, and the effects and varying conditions of
> existence are as the separate forms and individual limits of the waves; not
> until the sea boils up will the waves rise and scatter their pearls of
> knowledge on the shore of life....
> 
> Public
> opinion must be directed toward whatever is worthy of this day, and this is
> impossible except through the use of adequate arguments and the adducing of
> clear, comprehensive and conclusive proofs. For the helpless masses know nothing of the world, and while
> there is no doubt that they seek and long for their own happiness, yet
> ignorance like a heavy veil shuts them away from it....
> 
> It is,
> furthermore, a vital necessity to establish schools.... If necessary, education should even be
> made compulsory. Until the nerves
> and arteries of the nation stir into life, every measure that is attempted will
> prove vain; for the people are as the human body, and determination and the
> will to struggle are as the soul, and a soulless body does not move.
> 
> ("The
> Secret of Divine Civilization", pp.
> 109
> -
> 110
> ; pp.
> 111
> -
> 112
> )
> 
> FROM A LETTER WRITTEN ON BEHALF OF SHOGHI EFFENDI
> 
> 24.
> 
> The news of the co-operation of the Bahá'í young men and
> women in Montreal, their establishment of a group for study and discussion, the
> sane and sober expression of their methods as expressed in the programme you
> had enclosed, and their thoughtful and enthusiastic outlook upon the future,
> all these have helped to create the liveliest hopes and the deepest
> satisfaction in the heart of our Guardian. It is indeed with no little pleasure that he welcomes the
> active co-operation of his young friends in Montreal, and he sincerely trusts
> that with an adequate study of the proper teachings and their spiritual
> significance coupled with a sufficient knowledge of the problems and
> perplexities that the world is beset with, you will be able to render great
> services to the Cause and therefore to humanity.
> 
> (From a
> letter dated 20 March 1929 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual
> believer)
> 
> FROM A LETTER OF THE UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE
> 
> 25.
> 
> The further emergence of the Faith from obscurity is
> reflected in distinctive ways. In
> learned circles, in reference works and in the media, the Faith is increasingly
> being referred to as a "principal" or "major" world
> religion … The exposure of influential segments of the public to Bahá'í ideas
> in such areas as peace, the environment, status of women, education and
> literacy, has induced a response which increasingly calls upon the Bahá'ís to
> participate with others in a range of projects associated with governments or
> with non-governmental organizations.
> 
> Moreover,
> such exposure is creating in the public mind the realization that the Faith has
> answers to current problems and thus the expectation that the Bahá'í community
> should take a more active part in public affairs ….
> 
> Bahá'í
> projects of social and economic development have greatly multiplied and brought
> much credit to the community in the examples of the power of group initiative
> and voluntary consultative action that have been set in numerous places … Some
> projects have been so distinguished in their achievements as to be given public
> notice through the citations and awards of governments and international
> non-governmental agencies.
> 
> (From the
> 
> Ridván 1992
> Message written by the Universal House of Justice to the Bahá'ís of
> the World)
> 
> 2.2
> 
> Defence of the Faith
> 
> FROM THE WRITINGS OF BAHÁ'U'LLÁH
> 
> 26.
> 
> If any man were to arise to defend, in his writings, the
> Cause of God against its assailants, such a man, however inconsiderable his
> share, shall be so honoured in the world to come that the Concourse on high
> would envy his glory. No pen can depict the loftiness of his station, neither
> can any tongue describe its splendour.
> 
> For whosoever standeth firm and steadfast in this holy, this glorious,
> and exalted Revelation, such power shall be given him as to enable him to face
> and withstand all that is in heaven and on earth. Of this God is Himself a witness.
> 
> ("Gleanings
> from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh", section
> CLIV
> )
> 
> FROM THE WRITINGS OF 'ABDU'L-BAHÁ
> 
> 27.
> 
> The second of these spiritual standards which apply to the
> possessor of knowledge is that he should be the defender of his faith. It is obvious that these holy words do
> not refer exclusively to searching out the implications of the Law, observing
> the forms of worship, avoiding greater and lesser sins, practicing the
> religious ordinances, and by all these methods, protecting the Faith. They mean rather that the whole population
> should be protected in every way; that every effort should be exerted to adopt
> a combination of all possible measures to raise up the Word of God, increase
> the number of believers, promote the Faith of God and exalt it and make it
> victorious over other religions.
> 
> ("The
> Secret of Divine Civilization", p.
> 41
> )
> 
> FROM LETTERS WRITTEN ON BEHALF OF SHOGHI EFFENDI
> 
> 28.
> 
> Shoghi Effendi was delighted to hear of your conversation
> with Sir .... How much he hopes to have such scholars obtain a true
> understanding of the spirit and teaching of the Cause and arise to dissipate
> that veil of misconceptions that is prejudicing the mind of the scholars in the
> western world. The Cause is in
> great need for such competent and spiritually minded men who after a thorough
> study of the Movement would share with the world the fruit of their labours.
> 
> (From a
> letter dated 11 March 1929 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual
> believer)
> 
> 29.
> 
> There is an answer in the teachings for everything;
> unfortunately the majority of the Bahá'ís, however intensely devoted and sincere
> they may be, lack for the most part the necessary scholarship and wisdom to
> reply to and refute the claims and attacks of people with some education and
> standing.
> 
> (From a
> letter dated 25 September 1942 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an
> individual believer)
> 
> 2.3
> 
> Expansion And Consolidation Of The Bahá'í Community
> 
> FROM THE WRITINGS OF 'ABDU'L-BAHÁ
> 
> 30.
> 
> Pure souls, such as Mírzá Abu'l-Fadl, upon him be the Glory
> of God, spend their nights and days in demonstrating the truth of the
> Revelation, by adducing conclusive and brilliant proofs and expanding the
> verities of the Faith, by lifting the veils, promoting the religion of God and
> spreading His fragrances.
> 
> ('Abdu'l-Bahá.
> from a Tablet, translated from the Persian)
> 
> FROM LETTERS WRITTEN ON BEHALF OF SHOGHI EFFENDI
> 
> 31.
> 
> We had heard through various channels the wonderful way
> your children had grown to speak about the Cause in public. Shoghi Effendi's hope is that they
> will, the three of them, become able and devoted speakers on the Cause and
> subjects akin to it. To do this
> properly they will need a firm foundation of scientific and literary training
> which fortunately they are obtaining.
> 
> It is just as important for the Bahá'í young boys and girls to become
> properly educated in colleges of high standing as it is to be spiritually
> developed. The mental as well as the spiritual side of the youth has to be
> developed before he can serve the Cause efficiently.
> 
> (From a
> letter dated 28 November 1926 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an
> individual believer)
> 
> 32.
> 
> The university training which you are receiving at present
> will be of immense help to you in your efforts to present the Message in
> intellectual circles. In these days when people are so sceptical about religion
> and look with so much contempt towards religious organizations and movements,
> there seems to be more need than ever for our young Bahá'ís to be well equipped
> intellectually, so that they may be in a position to present the Message in a
> befitting way, and in a manner that would convince every unbiased observer of
> the effectiveness and power of the Teachings.
> 
> (From a
> letter dated 5 May 1934 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual
> believer)
> 
> 33.
> 
> Young men and women in the Faith must be deep and
> thoughtful scholars of its teachings, so that they can teach in a way that will
> convince people that all the problems facing them have a remedy. They must grasp the Administration, so
> that they can wisely and efficiently administer the ever-growing affairs of the
> Cause; and they must exemplify the Bahá'í way of living. All this is not easy – but the Guardian
> is always encouraged to see the spirit animating such young believers as
> yourself. He has high hopes of what
> your generation will accomplish.
> 
> (From a
> letter dated 12 May 1944 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual
> believer)
> 
> 34.
> 
> If the Bahá'ís want to be really effective in teaching the
> Cause they need to be much better informed and able to discuss intelligently,
> intellectually, the present condition of the world and its problems. We need Bahá'í scholars, not only
> people far, far more deeply aware of what our teachings really are, but also
> well-read and well-educated people, capable of correlating our teachings to the
> current thoughts of the leaders of society.
> 
> We Bahá'ís
> should, in other words, arm our minds with knowledge in order to better
> demonstrate to, especially, the educated classes, the truths enshrined in our
> Faith.
> 
> (From a
> letter dated 5 July 1949 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual
> believer)
> 
> FROM A LETTER WRITTEN ON BEHALF OF THE UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF
> JUSTICE
> 
> 35.
> 
> The Universal House of Justice ... regards Bahá'í
> scholarship as of great potential importance for the development and
> consolidation of the Bahá'í community as it emerges from obscurity...
> 
> (From a
> letter dated 3 January 1979 written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice
> to participants in an academic seminar)
> 
> 2.4
> 
> Contribution to Scholarly Development
> 
> FROM LETTERS WRITTEN ON BEHALF OF SHOGHI EFFENDI
> 
> 36.
> 
> He was very happy to hear from you, and to see with what
> keen appreciation and interest you are studying the teachings of
> Bahá'u'lláh. One could truly say
> that the longer one studies them, the more one finds in them. They are the very essence from which
> thinkers and scientists and humanitarians of the future will derive inspiration
> and guidance for their work.
> 
> (From a
> letter dated 10 December 1942 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to a Bahá'í
> summer school)
> 
> 37.
> 
> Regarding the advice you requested
> from him concerning what studies you should specialize in with a view to
> teaching in the future: He would
> suggest either History, Economics or Sociology, as these are not only fields in
> which Bahá'ís take a great interest but also cover subjects which our teachings
> cast an entirely new light upon.
> 
> Your knowledge would be of use to the Cause in teaching it in the
> future, and you could also perhaps introduce the Bahá'í ideas into your
> lectures as an educator.
> 
> (From a
> letter dated 13 March 1944 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual
> believer)
> 
> FROM LETTERS WRITTEN BY OR ON BEHALF OF THE UNIVERSAL HOUSE
> OF JUSTICE
> 
> 38.
> 
> You are already a qualified practitioner in your field, and
> no doubt you give advice on the basis of what you have learned from study and
> experience – a whole fabric of concepts about the human mind, its growth,
> development and proper functioning, which you have learned and evolved without
> reference to the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh. Now, as a Bahá'í, you know that what Bahá'u'lláh teaches about
> the purpose of human life, the nature of the human being and the proper conduct
> of human lives, is divinely revealed and therefore true. However, it will inevitably take time
> for you not only to study the Bahá'í teachings so that you clearly understand
> them, but also to work out how they modify your professional concepts. This is, of course, not an unusual
> predicament for a scientist. How
> often in the course of research is a factor discovered which requires a
> revolution in thinking over a wide field of human endeavour. You must be guided in each case by your
> own professional knowledge and judgement as illuminated by your growing
> knowledge of the Bahá'í teachings; undoubtedly you will find that your own
> understanding of the human problems dealt with in your work will change and
> develop and you will see new and improved ways of helping the people who come
> to you. Psychology is still a very
> young and inexact science, and as the years go by Bahá'í psychologists, who
> know from the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh the true pattern of human life, will be
> able to make great strides in the development of this science, and will help
> profoundly in the alleviation of human suffering.
> 
> (6
> February 1973, published in "Messages from the Universal House of Justice,
> 1968-1973" (Wilmette: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1976), pp.
> 111
> -
> 112
> )
> 
> 39.
> 
> As the Bahá'í community grows it will acquire experts in
> numerous fields – both by Bahá'ís becoming experts and by experts becoming
> Bahá'ís. As these experts bring
> their knowledge and skill to the service of the community and, even more, as
> they transform their various disciplines by bringing to bear upon them the
> light of the Divine Teachings, problem after problem now disrupting society
> will be answered....
> 
> Paralleling
> this process, Bahá'í institutional life will also be developing, and as it does
> so the Assemblies will draw increasingly upon scientific and expert knowledge –
> whether of Bahá'ís or of non-Bahá'ís – to assist in solving the problems of
> their communities.
> 
> In time great
> Bahá'í institutions of learning, great international and national projects for
> the betterment of human life will be inaugurated and flourish.
> 
> (From a
> letter dated 21 August 1977 written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice
> to an individual believer)
> 
> 40.
> 
> Indeed, let them [the Bahá'í youth] welcome with confidence
> the challenges awaiting them.
> 
> Imbued with this excellence and a corresponding humility, with tenacity
> and a loving servitude, today's youth must move towards the front ranks of the
> professions, trades, arts and crafts which are necessary to the further
> progress of humankind – this to ensure that the spirit of the Cause will cast
> its illumination on all these important areas of human endeavour. Moreover,
> while aiming at mastering the unifying concepts and swiftly advancing
> technologies of this era of communications, they can, indeed they must, also
> guarantee the transmittal to the future of those skills which will preserve the
> marvelous, indispensable achievements of the past. The transformation which is to occur in the functioning of
> society will certainly depend to a great extent on the effectiveness of the
> preparations the youth make for the world they will inherit.
> 
> (From a
> letter dated 8 May 1985 written by Universal House of Justice to the Bahá'í
> Youth of the World)
> 
> 41.
> 
> The House of Justice recognizes that the questions you
> raise, concerning the offer of newly enrolled professionals to share their
> views with the Bahá'í community, are of vital and timely importance, especially
> as the Faith emerges from obscurity and increasing numbers of professionals
> from all walks of life are attracted to its Teachings. The process of integrating these
> experts into Bahá'í communities as well-grounded believers and tapping their
> potential as promoters and supporters of the Cause will require patient and
> loving guidance by Bahá'í institutions.
> 
> A great challenge will be to avoid undue disruption of this process of
> integration by abandoning such persons to the insensitive attitudes still
> present in communities not yet broadly diverse or accustomed to dealing with all
> ranks of society.
> 
> Scholars and
> professionals are well accustomed to encountering new facts in the course of
> their research which require them to adjust previous thinking on various
> aspects of their discipline. In
> the case of their deepening in the Teachings of the Faith it naturally takes
> time for them to study and absorb so many new concepts. They must be assisted to acquire, as
> quickly as possible, profound knowledge of the Teachings. Gradually this knowledge will shed new
> light on their previous views. At
> the same time, Bahá'í communities will need to develop greater tolerance toward
> ideas that may not coincide with their current understanding, and remain open
> to new insights....
> 
> Newly
> enrolled professionals and other experts provide a great resource for the
> development of Bahá'í scholarship.
> 
> It is hoped that, as they attain a deeper grasp of the Teachings and
> their significance, they will be able to assist Bahá'í communities in
> correlating the beliefs of the Faith with the current thoughts and problems of
> the world. In some instances
> Bahá'ís of a particular profession have come together in special conferences or
> organized themselves into an association for this purpose. This also allows them to support one
> another as Bahá'ís and to take advantage of their professional status to
> promote the interests of the Faith.
> 
> Current examples of professional associations of this type are the
> Bahá'í Justice Society and the Bahá'í Medical Association, both in the United
> States. Special encouragement
> should therefore be given to believers of unusual capacity to consecrate their
> abilities to the service of the Cause through the unique contribution they can
> make to this rapidly developing field of Bahá'í endeavour.
> 
> (From a
> letter dated 18 April 1989 written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice
> to a National Spiritual Assembly)
> 
> General
> Principles And Guidelines
> 
> 3.1
> 
> Spiritual Foundation
> 
> FROM THE WRITINGS OF BAHÁ'U'LLÁH
> 
> 42.
> 
> Therefore, hath it been said: "Knowledge is a light which God casteth into the heart
> of whomsoever He willeth." It
> is this kind of knowledge which is and hath ever been praiseworthy, and not the
> limited knowledge that hath sprung forth from veiled and obscured minds. This limited knowledge they even
> stealthily borrow one from the other, and vainly pride themselves therein!
> 
> ("The
> Kitáb-i-Iqán", p.
> 46
> )
> 
> 43.
> 
> We have decreed, O people, that the highest and last end of
> all learning be the recognition of Him Who is the Object of all knowledge; and
> yet, behold how ye have allowed your learning to shut you out, as by a veil,
> from Him Who is the Dayspring of this Light, through Whom every hidden thing
> hath been revealed.
> 
> ("The
> Kitáb-i-Aqdas", paragraph
> 102
> )
> 
> FROM THE WRITINGS AND UTTERANCES OF 'ABDU'L-BAHÁ
> 
> 44.
> 
> Although to acquire the sciences and arts is the greatest
> glory of mankind, this is so only on condition that man's river floweth into
> the mighty Sea, and draweth from God's ancient source His inspiration. When this cometh to pass, then every
> teacher is as a shoreless ocean, every pupil a prodigal fountain of
> knowledge. If, then, the pursuit
> of knowledge leadeth to the beauty of Him Who is the object of all knowledge,
> how excellent that goal; but if not, a mere drop will perhaps shut a man off
> from flooding grace, for with learning cometh arrogance and pride, and it
> bringeth on error and indifference to God.
> 
> The sciences
> of today are bridges to reality; if then they lead not to reality, naught
> remains but fruitless illusion. By
> the one true God! If learning be
> not a means of access to Him, the Most Manifest, it is nothing but evident
> loss.
> 
> ("Selections
> from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá", section
> 72
> )
> 
> 45.
> 
> 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-Bahá", section
> 154
> )
> 
> 46.
> 
> 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.
> 
> ("The
> Promulgation of Universal Peace", p.
> 138
> )
> 
> FROM A LETTER WRITTEN ON BEHALF OF SHOGHI EFFENDI
> 
> 47.
> 
> Between the truth which comes from God through His
> Prophets, and the glimmerings, often misunderstood and misinterpreted, of truth
> which come from the philosophers and thinkers, there is an immense
> difference. We must never, under
> any circumstances, confuse the two.
> 
> Bahá'u'lláh
> has said that learning can be the veil between the soul of man and the eternal
> truth; in other words, between man and the knowledge of God. We have seen that many people who
> become very advanced in the study of modern physical sciences are led to deny
> God, and to deny His Prophets.
> 
> That does not mean that God and the Prophets have not existed and do not
> exist. It only means that
> knowledge has become a veil between their hearts and the light of God.
> 
> (From a
> letter dated 22 April 1954 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual
> believer)
> 
> FROM LETTERS WRITTEN ON BEHALF OF THE UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF
> JUSTICE
> 
> 48.
> 
> Just as there is a fundamental difference between divine
> Revelation itself and the understanding that believers have of it, so also
> there is a basic distinction between scientific fact and reasoning on the one
> hand and the conclusions or theories of scientists on the other. There is, and can be, no conflict
> between true religion and true science:
> 
> true religion is revealed by God, while it is through true science that the
> mind of man "discovers the realities of things and becomes cognizant of
> their peculiarities and effects, and of the qualities and properties of
> beings" and "comprehendeth the abstract by the aid of the
> concrete". However, whenever
> a statement is made through the lens of human understanding it is thereby
> limited, for human understanding is limited; and where there is limitation
> there is the possibility of error; and where there is error, conflicts can
> arise. For example, at the present
> time many people are convinced that it is unscientific to believe in God, but,
> as human enlightenment progresses, the scientists and philosophers of the
> future will not be, in the words of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, "deniers of the
> Prophets, ignorant of spiritual susceptibilities, deprived of the heavenly
> bounties and without belief in the supernatural".
> 
> (From a
> letter dated 26 December 1975 written on behalf of the Universal House of
> Justice to an individual believer)
> 
> 49.
> 
> The combination of absolute loyalty to the Manifestation of
> God and His Teachings, with the searching and intelligent study of the
> Teachings and history of the Faith which those Teachings themselves enjoin, is
> a particular strength of this Dispensation. In past Dispensations the believers have tended to divide
> into two mutually antagonistic groups:
> 
> those who held blindly to the letter of the Revelation, and those who
> questioned and doubted everything. Like all extremes, both these can lead into
> error. The beloved Guardian has
> written that "The Bahá'í Faith ... enjoins upon its followers the primary
> duty of an unfettered search after truth...." Bahá'ís are called upon to follow the Faith with
> intelligence and understanding.
> 
> Inevitably believers will commit errors as they strive to rise to this
> degree of maturity, and this calls for forbearance and humility on the part of
> all concerned, so that such matters do not cause disunity or discord among the
> friends.
> 
> (From a
> letter dated 7 October 1980 written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice
> to an individual believer)
> 
> 50.
> 
> The House of Justice suggests that the issues raised in
> your letter might best be considered in light of the statements in the Bahá'í
> Writings which disclose the relationship between the Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh
> and the knowledge which is acquired as a result of scholarly endeavours. Bahá'u'lláh asserts that:
> 
> Unveiled
> and unconcealed, this Wronged One hath, at all times, proclaimed before the
> face of all the peoples of the world that which will serve as the key for
> unlocking the doors of sciences, of arts, of knowledge, of well-being, of
> prosperity and wealth....
> 
> It
> is evident that the Bahá'í Writings illuminate all areas of human endeavour and
> all academic disciplines. Those
> who have been privileged to recognize the station of Bahá'u'lláh have the
> bounty of access to a Revelation which casts light upon all aspects of thought
> and inquiry, and are enjoined to use the understanding which they obtain from
> their immersion in the Holy Writings to advance the interests of the Faith.
> 
> Those
> believers with the capacity and opportunity to do so have repeatedly been
> encouraged in their pursuit of academic studies by which they are not only
> equipped to render much needed services to the Faith, but are also provided
> with the means to acquire a profound insight into the meaning and the
> implications of the Bahá'í Teachings.
> 
> They discover also that the perceptions gained from a deeper
> understanding of the Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh clarify the subjects of their
> academic inquiry.
> 
> It
> is useful to review a number of statements written by Shoghi Effendi on this
> subject. To a believer who had
> completed advanced academic studies in a subject related to the Teachings the
> Guardian stated, in a letter written on his behalf:
> 
> It is hoped that all the Bahá'í students will follow
> the noble example you have set before them and will, henceforth, be led to
> investigate and analyse 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.
> 
> When
> he was informed of the enrolment of a scientist in the Faith, the response set
> out in the letter written on his behalf was:
> 
> We need very much the sound, sane, element of
> thinking which a scientifically trained mind has to offer. When such intellectual powers are
> linked to deep faith a tremendous teaching potential is created....
> 
> His
> secretary wrote, on another occasion, that:
> 
> Shoghi Effendi has for years urged the Bahá'ís (who
> asked his advice, and in general also) to study history, economics, sociology,
> etc., in order to be au courant with all the progressive movements and thoughts
> being put forth today, and so that they could correlate these to the Bahá'í
> teachings. What he wants the
> Bahá'ís to do is to study more, not to study less. The more general knowledge, scientific and otherwise, they
> possess, the better. Likewise he
> is constantly urging them to really study the Bahá'í teachings more deeply.
> 
> In
> the simultaneous endeavour to pursue their studies and to delve deeply into the
> Bahá'í Teachings, believers are enjoined to maintain a keen awareness that the
> Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh is the standard of truth against which all other
> views and conclusions are to be measured.
> 
> They are urged to be modest about their accomplishments, and to bear in
> mind always the statement of Bahá'u'lláh that:
> 
> The heart must needs therefore be cleansed from the
> idle sayings of men, and sanctified from every earthly affection, so that it
> may discover the hidden meaning of divine inspiration, and become the treasury
> of the mysteries of divine knowledge.
> 
> (From a
> letter dated 19 October 1993 written on behalf of the Universal House of
> Justice to an individual believer)
> 
> 3.2
> 
> "Useful" Sciences
> 
> FROM THE WRITINGS OF BAHÁ'U'LLÁH
> 
> 51.
> 
> It is permissible to study sciences and arts, but such
> sciences as are useful and would redound to the progress and advancement of the
> people. Thus hath it been decreed
> by Him Who is the Ordainer, the All-Wise.
> 
> ("Tablets
> of Bahá'u'lláh Revealed after the Kitáb-i-Aqdas", p.
> 26
> )
> 
> FROM THE WRITINGS OF 'ABDU'L-BAHÁ
> 
> 52.
> 
> The individual should, prior to engaging in the study of
> any subject, ask himself what its uses are and what fruit and result will
> derive from it. If it is a useful
> branch of knowledge, that is, if society will gain important benefits from it,
> then he should certainly pursue it with all his heart. If not, if it consists in empty,
> profitless debates and in a vain concatenation of imaginings that lead to no
> result except acrimony, why devote one's life to such useless hairsplittings
> and disputes.
> 
> ("The
> Secret of Divine Civilization", p.
> 106
> )
> 
> FROM LETTERS WRITTEN ON BEHALF OF SHOGHI EFFENDI
> 
> 53.
> 
> The choice you have made for your course of study is surely
> most interesting and will be of inestimable service in your work for the Cause.
> Even though every branch of study will have some interest for a Bahá'í who is
> looking how the spirit of the Cause and of the new age is awakening the minds,
> yet a study of the condition of society will better show us the needs of the
> world, hence the part that the Teachings can play in satisfying them.
> 
> (From a
> letter dated 5 January 1930 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an
> individual believer)
> 
> 54.
> 
> 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-splittings 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 of Shoghi Effendi to an individual
> believer)
> 
> FROM A LETTER WRITTEN ON BEHALF OF THE UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF
> JUSTICE
> 
> 55.
> 
> In response to your letter of … in which you seek guidance
> on the question of chosen professions vis-a-vis the statement of Bahá'u'lláh
> concerning sciences which begin in words and end in mere words and the pursuit
> of study in pure mathematics and the classics, the Universal House of Justice
> has instructed us to share with you an excerpt from a letter to an individual
> believer written in 1947 on behalf of the beloved Guardian: 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-splittings is meant, not a sound branch of learning like
> philosophy.
> 
> In
> these words the Guardian has enunciated the general principle. Turning to the specific instance of the
> science of pure mathematics, the reference in the Eleventh Glad Tidings (Bahá'í
> World Faith, p. 195) regarding such sciences as are profitable, which lead and
> conduce to the elevation of man-kind,
> 
> [2]
> 
> must be placed in the context of the meaning of sciences as employed by the
> Manifestation. Bahá'u'lláh's
> comment about sciences which begin and end in mere words does not apply to the
> systematic study of natural phenomena in order to discover the laws of order in
> the physical universe, an order which mathematics seeks to explore. Pure mathematics frequently has
> application in practical matters, such as, for example, group theory or the
> study of fundamental particles.
> 
> As
> for classical studies, we are to share with you the following excerpt from a
> letter dated 30 November 1932 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an
> individual who had asked a question about the skills of story writing and
> whether such occupation would be classed as those sciences that begin and end
> in words".
> 
> What Bahá'u'lláh meant primarily with "sciences
> that begin and end in words" are those theological treatises and
> commentaries that encumber the human mind rather than help it to attain the
> truth. The students would devote
> their life to their study but still attain no where.
> 
> Bahá'u'lláh surely never meant to include
> story-writing under such a category; and shorthand and typewriting are both
> most useful talents, very necessary in our present social and economic life.
> 
> What you could do, and should do, is to use your
> stories to become a source of inspiration and guidance for those who read them.
> With such a means at your disposal you can spread the spirit and teachings of
> the Cause; you can show the evils that exist in society, as well as the way
> they can be remedied. If you
> possess a real talent in writing you should consider it as given by God and
> exert your efforts to use it for the betterment of society.
> 
> The
> House of Justice hopes that you will be able to satisfy your friends on these
> matters and encourage them to prepare for their Bahá'í service and be able to
> contribute to the welfare of humanity.
> 
> (From a
> letter dated 24 May 1988 written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to
> an individual believer)
> 
> 3.3
> 
> Attitudes of the Scholar
> 
> FROM THE WRITINGS OF BAHÁ'U'LLÁH
> 
> 56.
> 
> Amongst the people is he whose learning hath made him
> proud, and who hath been debarred thereby from recognizing My Name, the
> Self-Subsisting; who, when he heareth the tread of sandals following behind
> him, waxeth greater in his own esteem than Nimrod. Say: O rejected
> one! Where now is his abode? By God, it is the nethermost fire. Say: O concourse of divines! Hear ye not the shrill voice of My Most Exalted Pen? See ye not this Sun that shineth in
> refulgent splendour above the All-Glorious Horizon? For how long will ye worship the idols of your evil
> passions? Forsake your vain
> imaginings, and turn yourselves unto God, your Everlasting Lord.
> 
> ("The
> Kitáb-i-Aqdas", paragraph
> 41
> )
> 
> 57.
> 
> Show forbearance and benevolence and love to one
> another. Should any one among you
> be incapable of grasping a certain truth, or be striving to comprehend it, show
> forth, when conversing with him, a spirit of extreme kindliness and
> good-will. Help him to see and
> recognize the truth, without esteeming yourself to be, in the least, superior
> to him, or to be possessed of greater endowments.
> 
> ("Gleanings
> from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh", section
> V
> )
> 
> 58.
> 
> Beware lest ye contend with any one, nay, strive to make
> him aware of the truth with kindly manner and most convincing exhortation. If your hearer respond, he will have
> responded to his own behoof, and if not, turn ye away from him, and set your
> faces towards God's sacred Court, the seat of resplendent holiness.
> 
> Dispute
> not with any one concerning the things of this world and its affairs, for God
> hath abandoned them to such as have set their affection upon them.
> 
> ("Gleanings
> from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh", section
> CXXVIII
> )
> 
> 59.
> 
> Warn, O Salmán, the beloved of the one true God, not to
> view with too critical an eye the sayings and writings of men. Let them rather approach such sayings
> and writings in a spirit of open-mindedness and loving sympathy. Those men, however, who, in this Day,
> have been led to assail, in their inflammatory writings, the tenets of the
> Cause of God, are to be treated differently. It is incumbent upon all men, each according to his ability,
> to refute the arguments of those that have attacked the Faith of God. Thus hath it been decreed by Him Who is
> the All-Powerful, the Almighty.
> 
> ("Gleanings
> from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh", section
> CLIV
> )
> 
> FROM THE WRITINGS OF 'ABDU'L-BAHÁ
> 
> 60.
> 
> Good behaviour and high moral character must come first,
> for unless the character be trained, acquiring knowledge will only prove
> injurious. Knowledge is
> praiseworthy when it is coupled with ethical conduct and virtuous character;
> otherwise it is a deadly poison, a frightful danger. A physician of evil character, and who betrayeth his trust,
> can bring on death, and become the source of numerous infirmities and diseases.
> 
> ('Abdu'l-Bahá,
> from a Tablet, translated from the Persian)
> 
> FROM LETTERS WRITTEN BY OR ON BEHALF OF THE UNIVERSAL HOUSE
> OF JUSTICE
> 
> 61.
> 
> … the believers must recognize the importance of
> intellectual honesty and humility.
> 
> In past dispensations many errors arose because the believers in God's
> Revelation were over-anxious to encompass the Divine Message within the
> framework of their limited understanding, to define doctrines where definition
> was beyond their power, to explain mysteries which only the wisdom and
> experience of a later age would make comprehensible, to argue that something
> was true because it appeared desirable and necessary. Such compromises with essential truth, such intellectual
> pride, we must scrupulously avoid.
> 
> (27 May
> 1966, published in "Wellspring of Guidance: Messages 1963-1968" (Wilmette: Bahá'í
> Publishing Trust, 1976), pp.
> 
> 87
> -
> 88
> )
> 
> 62.
> 
> When studying at school or university Bahá'í youth will
> often find themselves in the unusual and slightly embarrassing position of
> having a more profound insight into a subject than their instructors. The Teachings of Bahá'u'lláh throw
> light on so many aspects of human life and knowledge that a Bahá'í must learn,
> earlier than most, to weigh the information that is given to him rather than to
> accept it blindly. A Bahá'í has
> the advantage of the divine Revelation for this Age, which shines like a
> searchlight on so many problems that baffle modern thinkers; he must therefore
> develop the ability to learn everything from those around him, showing proper
> humility before his teachers, but always relating what he hears to the Bahá'í
> teachings, for they will enable him to sort out the gold from the dross of
> human error.
> 
> (10 June
> 1966 to Bahá'í Youth in every Land, published in "Wellspring of Guidance:
> Messages 1963-1968", pp.
> 95
> -
> 96
> )
> 
> 63.
> 
> The House of Justice agrees that it is most important for
> the believers, and especially those who hold positions of responsibility in the
> Administrative Order, to react calmly and with tolerant and enquiring minds to
> views which differ from their own, remembering that all Bahá'ís are but
> students of the Faith, ever striving to understand the Teachings more clearly
> and to apply them more faithfully, and none can claim to have a perfect
> understanding of this Revelation.
> 
> At the same time all believers, and scholars in particular, should
> remember the many warnings in the Writings against the fomenting of discord
> among the friends. It is the duty
> of the institutions of the Faith to guard the community against such dangers …
> [I]t cannot be denied that some of the statements that have been made recently
> in the name of Bahá'í scholarship by certain individuals have betrayed an
> intemperance, and a lack of appreciation of many of the fundamental teachings
> of the Faith, that would understandably arouse alarm in the breasts of the most
> tolerant of believers.
> 
> (From a
> letter dated 18 July 1979 written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice
> to an individual believer)
> 
> 64.
> 
> The House of Justice feels that Bahá'í scholars must beware
> of the temptations of intellectual pride.
> 
> 'Abdu'l-Bahá has warned the friends in the West that they would be
> subjected to intellectual tests, and the Guardian reminded them of this
> warning. There are many aspects of
> western thinking which have been exalted to a status of unassailable principle
> in the general mind, that time may well show to have been erroneous or, at
> least, only partially true. Any
> Bahá'í who rises to eminence in academic circles will be exposed to the
> powerful influence of such thinking.
> 
> One of the problems of modern times is the degree to which the different
> disciplines have become specialized and isolated from one another. Thinkers are now faced with a challenge
> to achieve a synthesis, or at least a coherent correlation, of the vast amount
> of knowledge that has been acquired during the past century. The Bahá'ís must be aware of this
> factor and of the moderation and all-embracing nature of this Revelation ….
> 
> In
> the application of the social laws of the Faith, most of the difficulties can
> be seen to arise not only from outright disobedience, but also from the actions
> of those who, while careful to observe the letter of the law, try to go as far
> as it will permit them away from the spirit which lies at its heart. A similar tendency can be noted among
> some Bahá'í scholars. The great advances in knowledge and understanding in the
> vital field of Bahá'í scholarship will be made by those who, while well versed
> in their subjects and adhering to the principles of research, are also
> thoroughly imbued with love for the Faith and the determination to grow in the
> comprehension of its teachings.
> 
> (From a
> letter dated 23 March 1983 written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice
> to an individual believer)
> 
> 3.4
> 
> Methodological Issues
> 
> FROM THE WRITINGS OF BAHÁ'U'LLÁH
> 
> 65.
> 
> 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.
> 
> ("The
> Kitáb-i-Aqdas", paragraph
> 99
> )
> 
> 66.
> 
> When the eyes of the people of the East were captivated by
> the arts and wonders of the West, they roved distraught in the wilderness of
> material causes, oblivious of the One Who is the Causer of Causes, and the
> Sustainer thereof, while such men as were the source and the wellspring of
> Wisdom never denied the moving Impulse behind these causes, nor the Creator or
> the Origin thereof. Thy Lord
> knoweth, yet most of the people know not.
> 
> ("Tablets
> of Bahá'u'lláh Revealed after the Kitáb-i-Aqdas", p.
> 144
> )
> 
> FROM THE UTTERANCES OF 'ABDU'L-BAHÁ
> 
> 67.
> 
> There are only four accepted methods of comprehension –
> that is to say, the realities of things are understood by these four methods.
> 
> The
> first method is by the senses – that is to say, all that the eye, the ear, the
> taste, the smell, the touch perceive is understood by this method. Today this method is considered the
> most perfect by all the European philosophers: they say that the principal method of gaining knowledge is
> through the senses; they consider it supreme, although it is imperfect, for it
> commits errors. For example, the
> greatest of the senses is the power of sight … The sight believes the earth to
> be motionless and sees the sun in motion, and in many similar cases it makes
> mistakes. Therefore, we cannot
> trust it.
> 
> The
> second is the method of reason, which was that of the ancient philosophers, the
> pillars of wisdom; this is the method of the understanding. They proved things
> by reason and hold firmly to logical proofs; all their arguments are arguments
> of reason. Notwithstanding this,
> they differed greatly, and their opinions were contradictory. They even changed their views – that is
> to say, during twenty years they would prove the existence of a thing by
> logical arguments, and afterward they would deny it by logical arguments – so
> much so that Plato at first logically proved the immobility of the earth and
> the movement of the sun; later by logical arguments he proved that the sun was
> the stationary center, and that the earth was moving … Therefore, it is evident
> that the method of reason is not perfect, for the differences of the ancient
> philosophers, the want of stability and the variations of their opinions, prove
> this. For if it were perfect, all
> ought to be united in their ideas and agreed in their opinions.
> 
> The
> third method of understanding is by tradition – that is, through the text of
> the Holy Scriptures – for people say, "In the Old and New Testaments, God
> spoke thus." This method
> equally is not perfect, because the traditions are understood by the
> reason. As the reason itself is
> liable to err, how can it be said that in interpreting the meaning of the
> traditions it will not err, for it is possible for it to make mistakes, and
> certainty cannot be attained. This is the method of the religious leaders;
> whatever they understand and comprehend from the text of the books is that
> which their reason understands from the text, and not necessarily the real
> truth; for the reason is like a balance, and the meanings contained in the text
> of the Holy Books are like the thing which is weighed. If the balance is untrue, how can the
> weight be ascertained?
> 
> Know
> then: that which is in the hands
> of people, that which they believe, is liable to error. For, in proving or disproving a thing,
> if a proof is brought forward which is taken from the evidence of our senses, this
> method, as has become evident, is not perfect; if the proofs are intellectual,
> the same is true; or if they are traditional, such proofs also are not
> perfect. Therefore, there is no
> standard in the hands of people upon which we can rely.
> 
> But
> the bounty of the Holy Spirit gives the true method of comprehension which is
> infallible and indubitable. This
> is through the help of the Holy Spirit which comes to man, and this is the
> condition in which certainty can alone be attained.
> 
> ("Some
> Answered Questions", pp.
> 297
> -
> 299
> )
> 
> FROM LETTERS WRITTEN ON BEHALF OF THE UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF
> JUSTICE
> 
> 68.
> 
> The concern was expressed that many of the friends, holding
> that there is only one "correct" view of the history and teachings of
> the Faith, react critically to unfamiliar views. This has already been covered in statements made by the
> Universal House of Justice itself, for example that on pages
> 88
> -
> 89
> of
> "Wellspring of Guidance".
> 
> As you point out in your letter, divine Revelation is infallible and
> proceeds from an all-encompassing knowledge of the Truth, but when individual
> Bahá'ís attempt to apply Sacred Texts to any specific problem or situation they
> do so using their own minds which are of limited understanding. Thus, just as people can differ from
> one another in their use of reason in making deductions from available
> evidence, so they can also differ in their understanding and application of a
> passage of divine Revelation. The
> Bahá'í principle of the harmony between science and religion requires, as you
> say, that a Bahá'í scholar must use his intelligence to arrive at a solution of
> a specific problem if there is an apparent conflict between a Sacred Text and
> other evidence; and also he must accept the fact that some problems may defy
> his comprehension….
> 
> By
> conveying the comments of the Research Department on the … Seminar
> 
> [3]
> 
> the House of Justice did not intend to imply that there was only one valid
> methodology for Bahá'í historians to follow. It merely wished to alert Bahá'í scholars to the dangers
> that are inherent in the paths that some of them are following at the present
> time. Historical research is
> largely a matter of evaluating evidence and deducing probabilities. Historical evidence, moreover, is
> always fragmentary, and may also be accidentally erroneous or even intentionally
> fabricated. The House of Justice
> realizes that you are fully aware of this, but it stresses the point because it
> does not see how a Bahá'í historian can in all honesty claim to be a faithful
> believer on the one hand and, on the other, challenge in his writings the
> veracity and honour of the Central Figures of the Faith or of its Guardian.
> 
> The
> fact that the Faith, as the Guardian states, "enjoins upon its followers
> the primary duty of an unfettered search after truth", should reassure any
> aspiring Bahá'í historian that there can be no question of any requirement to
> distort history in the so-called "interests" of the Faith. On the
> contrary, the combination of profound faith and freedom of thought is one of
> the great strengths of the Bahá'í religion. It does, however, place a great responsibility upon Bahá'í
> historians to put forward their views and conclusions with moderation and due
> humility. In this connection one
> of the Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh states:
> 
> Thou hast written that one of the friends hath
> composed a treatise. This was mentioned in the Holy Presence, and this is what
> was revealed in response: Great
> care should be exercised that whatever is written in these days doth not cause
> dissension, and invite the objection of the people. Whatever the friends of the one true God say in these days
> is listened to by the people of the world. It hath been revealed in the Lawh-i-Hikmat: "The unbelievers have inclined
> their ears towards Us in order to hear that which might enable them to cavil
> against God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting." Whatever is written
> should not transgress the bounds of tact and wisdom, and in the words used
> there should lie hid the property of milk, so that the children of the world
> may be nurtured therewith, and attain maturity. We have said in the past that one word hath the influence of
> spring and causeth hearts to become fresh and verdant, while another is like
> unto blight which causeth the blossoms and flowers to wither. God grant that authors among the
> friends will write in such a way as would be acceptable to fair-minded souls,
> and not lead to cavilling by the people.
> 
> (From a
> letter dated 18 July 1979 written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice
> to an individual believer)
> 
> 69.
> 
> The House of Justice had hoped that the publication of the
> statement
> 
> [4]
> 
> would stimulate discussion among Bahá'í scholars and encourage them to examine
> more profoundly all aspects of their work, and the effect it has upon both
> Bahá'í and non-Bahá'í audiences.
> 
> The aim was not to instruct scholars to abandon any specific methodology
> but to warn them of the dangers of taking for granted the a priori assumptions
> of modern non-Bahá'í scholars and of allowing their thinking and their
> understanding of the Faith to be limited by criteria which they themselves, as
> Bahá'ís, would know to be in error.
> 
> It was also the hope of the House of Justice that Bahá'í scholars would
> realize the significance of the manner in which they express themselves, and that
> they would guard against use of the proud and scornful language with which some
> had been publicly referring to their fellow believers who, nevertheless, were
> devotedly trying to serve the Faith of God.
> 
> (From a
> letter dated 8 October 1980 written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice
> to an individual believer)
> 
> 70.
> 
> From your letter the House of Justice understands that you
> desire to find ways of conveying spiritual truths in logical ways and
> demonstrating their validity through scientific proofs. There can be no objection to such an
> attitude. 'Abdu'l-Bahá Himself
> used such a method. The danger
> Bahá'í scholars must avoid is the distortion of religious truth, almost
> forcibly at times, to make it conform to understandings and perceptions current
> in the scientific world. True
> Bahá'í scholars should guard against this. In a letter to a National Spiritual Assembly dated 21 July
> 1968, the House of Justice wrote:
> 
> While it may often be the part of wisdom to approach
> individuals or an audience from a standpoint of current knowledge, it should never
> be overlooked that the Revelation of the Manifestation of God is the standard
> for all knowledge, and scientific statements and theories, no matter how close
> they may come to the eternal principles proclaimed by God's Messenger, are in
> their very nature ephemeral and limited.
> 
> Likewise, attempting to make the Bahá'í Faith relevant to modern society
> is to incur the grave risk of compromising the fundamental verities of our
> Faith in an effort to make it conform to current theories and practices.
> 
> (From a letter
> dated 7 June 1983 written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to an
> individual believer)
> 
> 71.
> 
> The principal concern of the House of Justice is over a
> methodological bias and discordant tone which seem to inform the work of
> certain of the authors. The
> impression given is that, in attempting to achieve what they understand to be
> academic objectivity, they have inadvertently cast the Faith into a mould which
> is essentially foreign to its nature, taking no account of the spiritual forces
> which Bahá'ís see as its foundation.
> 
> Presumably the justification offered for this approach would be that
> most scholars of comparative religion are essentially concerned with
> discernable phenomena, observable events and practical affairs and are used to
> treating their subject from a western, if not a Christian, viewpoint. This approach, although understandable,
> is quite impossible for a Bahá'í, for it ignores the fact that our world-view
> includes the spiritual dimension as an indispensable component for consistency
> and coherence, and it does not beseem a Bahá'í to write ... about his Faith as
> if he looked upon it from the norm of humanism or materialism.
> 
> In
> other words, we are presented in such articles with the spectacle of Bahá'ís
> trying to write as if they were non-Bahá'ís. This leads to these authors' drawing conclusions and making
> implications which are in conflict with Bahá'í teachings and with the reality
> of the Faith. A good Bahá'í
> author, when writing for such a publication, should be fully capable of adopting
> a calmly neutral and expository tone, without falling into the trap of
> distorting the picture by adopting what is, in essence, a materialistic and
> localized stance.
> 
> (From a
> letter dated 4 October 1994 written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice
> to a National Spiritual Assembly)
> 
> 3.5
> 
> The Covenant
> 
> FROM LETTERS WRITTEN BY OR ON BEHALF OF SHOGHI EFFENDI
> 
> 72.
> 
> Concerning the course of study you may follow … The Cause
> is such that we can serve it no matter what our profession may be. The only necessity is that we be
> spiritually minded and not be guided by purely material considerations. We should also not let our studies
> detain us from deepening our knowledge of the literature of the Cause.
> 
> (From a
> letter dated 9 November 1931 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an
> individual believer)
> 
> 73.
> 
> In their efforts to achieve this purpose they must study
> for themselves, conscientiously and painstakingly, the literature of their
> Faith, delve into its teachings, assimilate its laws and principles, ponder its
> admonitions, tenets and purposes, commit to memory certain of its exhortations
> and prayers, master the essentials of its administration, and keep abreast of
> its current affairs and latest developments. They must strive to obtain, from sources that are authoritative
> and unbiased, a sound knowledge of the history and tenets of Islám – the source
> and background of their Faith – and approach reverently and with a mind purged
> from preconceived ideas the study of the Qur'án which, apart from the sacred
> scriptures of the Bábí and Bahá'í Revelations, constitutes the only Book which
> can be regarded as an absolutely authenticated Repository of the Word of
> God. They must devote special
> attention to the investigation of those institutions and circumstances that are
> directly connected with the origin and birth of their Faith, with the station
> claimed by its Forerunner, and with the laws revealed by its Author.
> 
> (From a
> letter dated 25 December 1938 written by Shoghi Effendi to the Bahá'ís of the
> West, published in "The Advent
> of Divine Justice" (Wilmette: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1990), p.
> 49
> )
> 
> 74.
> 
> The Guardian feels that a sound knowledge of history,
> including religious history, and also of social and economic subjects, is of
> great help in teaching the Cause to intelligent people; as to what subjects
> within the Faith you should concentrate on he feels that the young Bahá'ís
> should gain a mastery of such books as the "Gleanings", "The
> Dawn-Breakers", "God Passes By", the "Iqán", "Some
> Answered Questions" and the more important Tablets. All aspects of the Faith should be
> deeply studied – and … they need to know more about the Administration.
> 
> (From a
> letter dated 4 May 1946 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual
> believer)
> 
> 75.
> 
> It seems what we need now is a more profound and
> co-ordinated Bahá'í scholarship in order to attract such men as you are
> contacting. The world has – at
> least the thinking world – caught up by now with all the great and universal
> principles enunciated by Bahá'u'lláh over 70 years ago, and so of course it
> does not sound "new" to them.
> 
> But we know that the deeper teachings, the capacity of His projected
> World Order to re-create society, are new and dynamic. It is these we must learn to present
> intelligently and enticingly to such men!
> 
> (From a
> letter dated 3 July 1949 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual
> believer)
> 
> 76.
> 
> He was very pleased to hear you do a lot of lecturing for
> the Cause; this is a very important field of service and one you should devote
> as much time to as possible. The
> public must hear of the Faith, and new ways and means must be devised to bring
> it to their attention. He also
> urges you to study the teachings themselves more deeply. Bahá'í scholarship is needed really
> more than worldly scholarship, for one is spiritual, the other more or less
> transient. There is a real lack in
> the Cause of people who know the teachings thoroughly, especially their deeper
> truths, and who can consequently teach the souls properly and lay a permanent
> foundation, one that tests and trials will not shake down.
> 
> (From a
> letter dated 27 August 1951 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an
> individual believer)
> 
> FROM COMMUNICATIONS OF THE UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE
> 
> 77.
> 
> In the field of Bahá'í scholarship we feel that it is most
> important not to stifle the development of Bahá'í scholars by an attitude of
> censorship or undue criticism. We
> believe that both the International Teaching Centre and the Boards of
> Counsellors can render valuable services in this area by encouraging budding
> scholars and by promoting within the Bahá'í community an atmosphere of
> tolerance for the views of others.
> 
> At the same time the fundamental core of the believers' faith should be
> strengthened by an increasing awareness of the cardinal truth and vital
> importance of the Covenant, and an ever-growing love for Bahá'u'lláh.
> 
> (10
> February 1981 memorandum from the Universal House of Justice to the International Teaching Centre)
> 
> 78.
> 
> There can be no doubt that the progress of the Cause from
> this time onward will be characterized by an ever-increasing relationship to
> the agencies, activities, institutions and leading individuals of the
> non-Bahá'í world. We shall acquire
> greater stature at the United Nations, become better known in the deliberations
> of governments, a familiar figure to the media, a subject of interest to
> academics, and inevitably the envy of failing establishments. Our preparation for and response to
> this situation must be a continual deepening of our faith, an unwavering
> adherence to its principles of abstention from partisan politics and freedom
> from prejudices, and above all an increasing understanding of its fundamental
> verities and relevance to the modern world.
> 
> (From the
> 
> Ridván 1984
> Message written by the Universal House of Justice to the Bahá'ís of
> the World)
> 
> Notes:
> 
> [1]
> 
> ''Ulamá', from the Arabic `alima, to know, may be
> translated learned men, scientists, religious authorities.
> 
> [2]
> 
> Cf. “Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh Revealed after the
> Kitáb-i-Aqdas”, p.
> 26
> . Page 20 What Bahá'u'lláh meant primarily with “sciences
> that begin and end in words” are those theological treatises and commentaries
> that encumber the human mind rather than help it to attain the truth. The students would devote their life to
> their study but still attain no where.
> 
> [3]
> 
> “The Challenge and Promise of Bahá'í Scholarship” [Ed. - see the memorandum
> here
> .],
> prepared by the Research Department.
> 
> As published in “The Bahá'í World” (Haifa: Bahá'í World Centre, 1981),
> vol. XVII, pp. 195-196, this statement was inadvertently attributed to the
> Universal House of Justice.
> 
> [4]
> 
> Ibid.
> 
> METADATA
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