-- provisional translation
O ye lovers of Truth and servants of the world of humanity!
Since a sweet scent was wafted towards me from the rose
garden of your thoughts and aspirations, my heartfelt wish compels me to write
you this letter.
You will see how the world is upset with internal conflicts,
and many lands are dyed in human blood, nay the earth is kneaded with gore. The
flame of war is so ablaze that such terrible struggle finds no parallel in the
war records of any of the middle or recent ages. Heads have become like grains
and the ruined cities completely wrecked and thriving towns annihilated.
Fathers have lost their sons, sons are made fatherless, and mothers have shed
tears of blood over the death of their youthful sons. Children are made
orphans, women are helpless, and the world of humanity is forced backward in
all respects. The wailing cry of fatherless children is raised abroad and
mothers' pathetic lamentation reaches the high heavens.
The source of all these catastrophes is racial fanaticism,
patriotic fanaticism, religious fanaticism and political fanaticism. The source
of these fanaticisms is ancient imitations, religious imitations, racial
imitations, patriotic imitations and political imitations. As long as following
such imitations persists, the very foundation of humanity is wrecked and the
world of man is in great jeopardy.
Now, in such a shining age when the realities have become
manifest, and the mysteries of the universe are disclosed, the morn of Truth
has dawned and the world is illuminated - is it allowable that such dreadful
war should occur to throw the world of humanity into manifest loss? No, by God!
His Highness Christ called all men to peace and
reconciliation and ordered His Holiness Peter to sheath his sword. This was the
council and commandment of His Highness Christ. But now all the Christians have
drawn their swords! How can this be relevant to that clear text of the Gospel?
In sum: Sixty years ago His Holiness Baha’u’llah dawned from
the dayspring of Persia like unto the Sun and proclaimed that the horizon of
the world is dark and this darkness will provoke dire results and violent wars
will ensue.
From the prison of 'Akka He clearly warned the Emperor of
Germany that a fierce war will break out and Berlin will be filled with wailing
and lamentation.
Likewise, while He suffered wrong and imprisonment at the
hand of the Turkish Sultan, and was verily incarcerated in the fortress of
'Akka - He explicitly wrote the Sultan that Constantinople shall be seized by a
great revolution of such violence that women and children shall weep and
lament.
In short, He wrote all the crowned heads and presidents of republics
what has been exactly fulfilled; and certain teachings were revealed from the
Supreme Pen relative to the prevention of war, which have been published
throughout the world.
These teachings are, First: Independent investigation of
reality, for blind imitation deadens man's senses, and when an untrammeled
search for reality is made, the world of humanity will be released from the
shackles of blind imitation.
Second: The oneness of the world of humanity. All men are
God's sheep and God is the tender shepherd and shows supreme love to His whole
flock; nor has He distinguished any above others. "Thou shalt find no
difference in the Creation of the Merciful One. All are His servants and all
seek His Bounty." (Qur'an).
Third: Religion is the strongest fort, but it must be the
cause of harmony and not the cause of hatred and animosity, and if it causes
hatred and hostility, it is useless. For religion is like unto a remedy; If the
remedy causes disease, it is better to abandon it.
Similarly, religious fanaticism, racial fanaticism, national
fanaticism, political fanaticism, all such prejudices destroy the foundation of
humanity, and all these lead to bloodshed and the destruction of mankind.
Consequently, as long as those prejudices persist, hideous warfare will
continue.
The remedy of this disease is Universal Peace, and such
peace must be organized on behalf of all the powers and nations in a Supreme
Tribunal and all national and political questions be referred to it for
solution. Whatever that Supreme Tribunal rules, the same shall be carried out,
and if any state or nation fails to execute it, the whole world shall arise
against it.
These teachings also include the equality of men and women
in all rights and privileges, etc.
It has thus become clear and manifest that these teachings
are the life of the world of humanity and the ideal spirit.
Now since you are the servants of the world of humanity, you
must strive with your heart and soul, in order that the human world may be
delivered from the darkness of material manhood and natural prejudices and
attain to the light of the Divine World. Praise be to God, ye are informed of
all the laws, commandments and principles.
Today the world of humanity will not find peace and
tranquility except through these teachings, and this darkness will not,
otherwise, be dispelled, these chronic diseases be cured. Nay, these would,
otherwise, be aggravated from day to day. The Balkans will not rest, but become
worse than before; the subjugated natives will not sit quiet, nay they will
cling to every instrumentality until the flame of war will be rekindled. New
popular movements will concentrate their entire energy upon the realization of
their aims. The northern movement (Russian Sovietism) will attain great importance
and will be spread.
You should, therefore, endeavor with a shining heart,
merciful spirit and heavenly power and Divine confirmation in order to become a
Lordly Bounty to the world of humanity and become the cause of rest and
tranquility to mankind. (World Order magazine, October 1941)