Metaphors of 
Unity

Focus questions:
? To what degree of unity are we called? 
? What effect does this unity have on those within 
the Baha'i community? 
? What effect does it have on people in the larger 
community? 


"In these days it is incumbent upon everyone to 
adhere* tenaciously* unto unity and concord . . ." 

Bahá'u'lláh, Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh, p. 60.

"Become as true brethren in the one and indivisible 
religion of God, free from distinction, for verily God 
desireth that your hearts should become mirrors unto 
your brethren in the Faith, so that ye find yourselves 
reflected in them, and they in you."

The Báb, Selections from the Báb, p. 56.

"How good it is if the friends be as close as sheaves* 
of light, if they stand together side by side in a firm 
unbroken line. For now have the rays of reality from 
the Sun of the world of existence, united in adoration 
all the worshippers of this light; and these rays have, 
through infinite grace, gathered all peoples together 
within this wide-spreading shelter; therefore must all 
souls become as one soul, and all hearts as one heart. 
Let all be set free from the multiple identities that were 
born of passion and desire, and in the oneness of their 
love for God find a new way of life." 

'Abdu'l-Bahá, Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, p. 76.

"O Well-Beloved Ones! The tabernacle of unity hath 
been raised; regard ye not one another as strangers. Ye 
are the fruits of one tree, and the leaves of one 
branch." 

Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, p. 217.

"Be ye as the fingers of one hand, the members of one 
body."

Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, p. 140.

"Know ye not why We created you all from the same 
dust? That no one should exalt himself over the other. 
Ponder at all times in your hearts how ye were created. 
Since We have created you all from one same 
substance it is incumbent on you to be even as one 
soul, to walk with the same feet, eat with the same 
mouth and dwell in the same land, that from your 
inmost being, by your deeds and actions, the signs of 
oneness and the essence of detachment may be made 
manifest." 

Bahá'u'lláh, Hidden Words, Arabic # 68.

It is my hope that. . . these many rivers, each flowing 
along in diverse and separated beds, will find their way 
back to the circumambient* sea, and merge together 
and rise up in a single wave of surging oneness; that 
the unity of truth, through the power of God, will make 
these illusory differences to vanish away."

'Abdu'l-Bahá, Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, p. 30.

"One of the most paramount needs of the Cause . . . is 
that the friends should unite, should become really 
keenly conscious of the fact that they are one spiritual 
family, held together by bonds more sacred and eternal 
than those physical ties which make people of the 
same family." 

Letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, October 26, 1943, in 
Dawn of a New Day, p. 106.

"Wherefore, O ye beloved of the Lord, bestir 
yourselves, do all in your power to be as one, to live in 
peace, each with the others:  for ye are all the drops 
from but one ocean, the foliage of one tree, the pearls 
from a single shell, the flowers and sweet herbs from 
the same one garden. And achieving that, strive ye to 
unite the hearts of those who follow other faiths."

'Abdu'l-Bahá, Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, p. 280.

"Bring those who have been excluded into the circle of 
intimate friends." 

'Abdu'l-Bahá, in Compilation of Compilations, vol. 2, (youth) p. 415, 
#2234; also in Education p. 293, #648.



*Adhere: to cling to; to hold closely or firmly
*Tenacious: holding fast; characterized by keeping a firm 
hold; persistent, stubborn; cohesive; not easily pulled 
asunder
* Sheaf or sheaves: a bundle in which wheat or other 
grains are bound together after reaping
* Circumambient: surrounding or encompassing


	Practices that Undermine Unity


Read the following quotations and compile a list of 
practices mentioned. 

For each practice on your list, answer these focus 
questions:
?	Who is hurt by this practice? 
?	What damage does this practice do to unity?


" . . [there exists in the American community] the 
tendency of the friends to criticize each other at the 
slightest provocation, whereas the Teachings call upon 
them to encourage each other. Such tendencies are of 
course motivated by a deep love for the Faith, a desire 
to see it free of any flaw. But human beings are not 
perfect. The Local Assemblies and the friends must be 
helped through your example and through loving 
counsel to refrain from such a pattern of criticism, 
which stunts the growth and development of the 
community." 

The Universal House of Justice, letter dated May 19, 1994, in Rights 
and Responsibilities: The Complementary Roles of the Individual and 
Institutions, p. 46.

"The fact that we imagine ourselves to be right and 
everybody else wrong is the greatest of all obstacles in 
the path towards unity. . . ." 

'Abdu'l-Bahá, Paris Talks, p. 136.

"The beloved Master pointed out over and over again 
that unity and love among the friends promotes 
harmony and the rapid spread of the Faith, and that 
when these are sacrificed and disputes, anger and 
violent criticism take their place, the Cause cannot 
move forward." 

Letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, in Letters to Australia 
and New Zealand, pp. 57-58.

"Does not 'Abdu'l-Bahá wish us, as He looks down 
upon us with loving expectation from His glorious 
Station, to obliterate as much as possible all traces of 
censure, of conflicting discussions, of cooling remarks, 
of petty unnecessary observations that impede the 
onward march of the Cause, that damp the zeal of the 
firm believer and detracts from the sublimity of the 
Bahá'í Cause in the eyes of the inquirer?" 

Shoghi Effendi, in Bahá'í Administration, p. 19.

"That seeker must . . . refrain from idle talk. For the 
tongue is a smouldering fire, and excess of speech a 
deadly poison. Material fire consumeth the body, 
whereas the fire of the tongue devoureth both heart and 
soul. The force of the former lasteth but for a time, 
whilst the effects of the latter endure a century. 

"That seeker should also regard backbiting as grievous 
error, and keep himself aloof from its dominion, 
inasmuch as backbiting quencheth the light of the 
heart, and extinguisheth the life of the soul." 

Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitáb-i-Iqán, p. 193.

"O beloved of the Lord!  If any soul speak ill of an 
absent one, the only result will clearly be this:  he will 
dampen the zeal of the friends and tend to make them 
indifferent. For backbiting is divisive, it is the leading 
cause among the friends of a disposition to withdraw. . 
. . it would make the dust to settle so thickly on the 
heart that the ears would hear no more, and the eyes 
would no longer behold the light of truth." 
 
'Abdu'l-Bahá, Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, pp. 230-
231.

"In order to achieve this cordial unity one of the first 
essentials insisted on by Bahá'u'lláh and 'Abdu'l-Bahá 
is that we resist the natural tendency to let our 
attention dwell on the faults and failings of others 
rather than on our own. Each of us is responsible for 
one life only, and that is our own. Each of us is 
immeasurably far from being 'perfect as our heavenly 
father is perfect' and the task of perfecting our own 
life and character is one that requires all our attention, 
our will-power and energy.  If we allow our attention 
and energy to be taken up in efforts to keep others 
right and remedy their faults, we are wasting precious 
time. We are like ploughmen each of whom has his 
team to manage and his plough to direct, and in order 
to keep his furrow straight he must keep his eye on his 
goal and concentrate on his own task. If he looks to 
this side and that to see how Tom and Harry are 
getting on and to criticize their ploughing, then his 
own furrow will assuredly become crooked." 

Letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, May 12, 1925, in Lights 
of Guidance (5th ed.), p. 92, #318.

". . . the House of Justice points out that learning not to 
concern oneself with the faults of others seems to be 
one of the most difficult lessons for people to master, 
and that failing in this is a fertile cause of disputes 
among Bahá'ís as it is among men and women in 
general." 

Letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice, August 
13, 1980, in Lights of Guidance     (5th ed.), pp. 89-90, #309.


Practices that Build Unity

Read the following quotations and compile a list of 
practices mentioned. 

For each practice on your list, answer these focus 
questions:
?	What effect does this practice have on the individual 
who performs it?
?	What effect does this practice have on other individuals 
or the community as a whole?

"Strive ye by day and night to cultivate your unity to 
the fullest degree. Let your thoughts dwell on your 
own spiritual development, and close your eyes to the 
deficiencies of other souls. Act ye in such wise, 
showing forth pure and goodly deeds, and modesty and 
humility, that ye will cause others to be awakened."  

'Abdu'l-Bahá, Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, p. 203.

". . . laugh, smile and rejoice in order that others may 
be made happy by you." 

'Abdu'l-Bahá, Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 218.

"One must see in every human being only that which 
is worthy of praise. When this is done, one can be a 
friend to the whole human race. If, however, we look 
at people from the standpoint of their faults, then being 
a friend to them is a formidable task. . . . 
 
"Thus is it incumbent upon us, when we direct our 
gaze toward other people, to see where they excel, not 
where they fail." 

'Abdu'l-Bahá, Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, p. 169.

"Humanity is not perfect. There are imperfections in 
every human being, and you will always become 
unhappy if you look toward the people themselves. But 
if you look toward God, you will love them and be 
kind to them, for the world of God is the world of 
perfection and complete mercy. Therefore, do not look 
at the shortcomings of anybody; see with the sight of 
forgiveness. The imperfect eye beholds imperfections. 
The eye that covers faults looks toward the Creator of 
souls."  

'Abdu'l-Bahá, Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 93.

". . . the Cause of the Ancient Beauty is the very 
essence of love, the very channel of oneness, existing 
only that all may . . . bless one another, praise one 
another; that each one may loose his tongue and extol 
the rest without exception, each one voice his gratitude 
to all the rest; that all should lift up their eyes to the 
horizon of glory, and remember that they are linked to 
the Holy Threshold; that they should see nothing but 
good in one another, hear nothing but praise of one 
another, and speak no word of one another save only to 
praise." 

'Abdu'l-Bahá, Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, pp. 229-
230.

"If . . . a person setteth about speaking well of another, 
opening his lips to praise another, he will touch an 
answering chord in his hearers and they will be stirred 
up by the breathings of God." 

'Abdu'l-Bahá, Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, p. 231.

"The real secret of universal participation lies in the 
Master's oft-expressed wish that the friends should 
love each other, constantly encourage each other, work 
together, be as one soul in one body, and in so doing 
become a true, organic healthy body animated and 
illuminated by the spirit. In such a body all will receive 
spiritual health and vitality from the organism itself, 
and the most perfect flowers and fruits will be brought 
forth." 

The Universal House of Justice, September 1964, in Messages from 
the Universal House of Justice, 1963-1986, p. 43.

"Let all your striving be for this, to become the source 
of life and immortality, and peace and comfort and joy, 
to every human soul, whether one known to you or a 
stranger, one opposed to you or on your side." 

'Abdu'l-Bahá, Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, pp. 256-
257.


Practicing Active Kindness

Focus questions:
?	What are ways in which individual believers can 
practice "active kindness"?
?	What are ways in which communities can practice 
"active kindness"?

"The people of the world not only need the laws and principles of 
the Bahá'í Faith – they desperately need to see the love that is 
engendered by it in the hearts of its followers, and to partake of 
that atmosphere of tolerance, understanding, forbearance and 
active kindness which should be the hallmark* of a Bahá'í 
Community." 

Letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, letter dated December 5, 1952, to an 
individual, in Lights of Guidance, p. 405.

"The oneness of mankind, which is at once the operating principle 
and ultimate goal of His Revelation, implies the achievement of a 
dynamic coherence* between the spiritual and practical 
requirements of life on earth."

The Universal House of Justice, October 20, 1983, in Messages of the Universal 
House of Justice, 1963-1986, p. 602.

"What the believers need is not only, as you state, to really study 
the teachings, but also to have more peace-makers circulating 
among them." 

Letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, to an individual believer, dated January 
11, 1950, in Lights of Guidance,     pp 89-90. 

"Be thou a summoner to love, and be thou kind to all the human 
race. Love thou the children of men and share in their sorrows. Be 
thou of those who foster peace. Offer thy friendship, be worthy of 
trust. Be thou a balm to every sore, be thou a medicine for every 
ill. Bind thou the souls together."  

'Abdu'l-Bahá, Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, p. 26.

"Assist the world of humanity as much as possible. Be the source 
of consolation to every sad one, assist every weak one, be helpful 
to every indigent one, care for every sick one, be the cause of 
glorification to every lowly one, and shelter those who are 
overshadowed by fear."

'Abdu'l-Bahá, Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 453.

"Concern yourselves with one another. Help along one another's 
projects and plans. Grieve over one another. Let none in the whole 
country go in need. Befriend one another until ye become as a single 
body, one and all. . . ."  

'Abdu'l-Bahá, in Consultation, pp. 98-99.

* Hallmark: an official mark or stamp indicating a standard of 
purity, used in marking gold or silver; any mark or special 
indication of genuineness or good quality; a distinguishing 
feature or characteristic
* Coherence: natural or logical connection; consistency


Sample Ways to Practice "Active 
Kindness"

"Unity-grams"

Selections from the Writings coupled with loving wishes 
and suggestions that the recipient offers prayers for the 
unity of the community and send the "unity-gram" on to 
other members of the community, either anonymously or 
with a personal note. See a sample on the following page. 

Events, such as a special dinner, to unite different 
groups within the community

For example, a family in Skokie, Illinois, decided to bridge 
a perceived gulf between Persian- and American-born 
believers, spurred by a youth who asked his parents 
whether more could be done to create unity. They held a 
unity gathering in their home, where Persian friends could 
tell of coming to America and American friends could 
share elements of their lives. Feasting on Persian delicacies, 
the believers heard stories of courage and patience and felt 
drawn closer together. The gathering was so successful that 
another family is making sure the gatherings continue 
regularly.

Events to honor a particular segment of the community 

For example, youth in the greater Philadelphia, 
Pennsylvania area organized a special night of honor for 
the region's older Bahá'ís to help strengthen the bond 
among members of the community. The gathering ended 
with each older community member receiving a rose. 


Add ideas that your group or other groups come up 
with that you would like to consider further:




Sample "UNITY-GRAM"

"O well-beloved ones! The tabernacle of unity hath been 
raised; regard ye not one another as strangers. Ye are the 
fruits of one tree, and the leaves of one branch." 
Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh, p. 164.

"How good it is if the friends be as close as sheaves of 
light. . . ." 
Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, p. 76.

"Concern yourselves with one another. Help along one 
another's projects and plans.  Grieve over one another. Let 
none in the whole country go in need. Befriend one another 
until ye become as a single body, one and all. . . ." 
'Abdu'l-Bahá, in Consultation, pp. 98-99.

". . . the Cause of the Ancient Beauty is the very essence of 
love, the very channel of oneness, existing only that all may 
become the waves of one sea, and bright stars of the same 
endless sky, and pearls within the shell of singleness, and 
gleaming jewels quarried from the mines of unity; that they 
may become servants one to another, adore one another, 
bless one another, praise one another; that each one may 
loose his tongue and extol the rest without exception, each 
one voice his gratitude to all the rest; that all should lift up 
their eyes to the horizon of glory, and remember that they 
are linked to the Holy Threshold; that they should see 
nothing but good in one another, hear nothing but praise of 
one another, and speak no word of one another save only to 
praise." 
Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, pp. 229-30.

"If you desire with all your heart, friendship with every 
race on earth, your thought, spiritual and positive, will 
spread; it will become the desire of others, growing 
stronger and stronger, until it reaches the minds of all 
men." – Paris Talks, pp. 29-30.

You have just received a UNITY-GRAM.

Please take a moment to reread these passages. Feel the warmth of the 
love that radiates to you from your Bahá'í family. Sense the prayers 
for your growth and happiness that accompany this UNITY-GRAM. 
Consider offering a prayer for the unity of the community.

As you sit quietly, see which member of the community comes to 
mind as someone to whom you can send a copy of this UNITY-
GRAM. It may be someone that you know well or someone you would 
like to get to know better. It may be someone you see often or 
someone you haven't seen for some time. It may be someone with 
whom you are very close or someone from whom you have felt 
distant. If more than one person comes to mind, send a UNITY-
GRAM to each. You may want to include a personal note.

Ponder a moment on how many UNITY-GRAMs might flow through 
our community. What connections and patterns might they make? 
What results might they have?

"We love to see you at all times consorting in amity and 
concord within the paradise of My good pleasure, and to 
inhale from your acts the fragrance of friendliness and 
unity, of loving kindness and fellowship." – Bahá'u'lláh, 
Gleanings, p. 315.


Planning Sheet for
"Daily Deeds of Constructive 
Spiritual Living"


". . . translate the ideals of the Cause into daily deeds 
of constructive spiritual living. . ."  

Letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, in Centers of Bahá'í 
Learning, p. 10, #25.

"The friends must, at all times, bear in mind that they 
are, in a way, like soldiers under attack. The world is 
at present in an exceedingly dark condition spiritually; 
hatred and prejudice, of every sort, are literally tearing 
it to pieces. We, on the other hand, are the custodians 
of the opposite forces, the forces of love, of unity, of 
peace and integration, and we must constantly be on 
our guard, whether as individuals or as an Assembly or 
Community, lest through us these destructive, negative 
forces enter into our midst. In other words we must 
beware lest the darkness of society become reflected in 
our acts and attitudes, perhaps all unconsciously. Love 
for each other, the deep sense that we are a new 
organism, the dawn-breakers of a New World Order, 
must constantly animate our Bahá'í lives. . ."

Letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, in Lights of Guidance, 
pp. 405-6.

"One can hardly imagine what a great influence 
genuine love, truthfulness and purity of motives exert 
on the souls of men. But these traits cannot be acquired 
by any believer unless he makes a daily effort to gain 
them. . . ."  

Shoghi Effendi, July 22, 1946, in Living the Life, p. 8.


How will I build unity in my community by decreasing 
a negative practice?




How will I build unity in my community by cultivating 
a positive practice?





How will I use my unity metaphor to strengthen and 
assist me in my efforts in these areas?


Assurances of Divine Confirmations

"Try with all your hearts to be willing channels for God's Bounty. For I say unto you 
that He has chosen you to be His messengers of love throughout the world, to be His 
bearers of spiritual gifts to man, to be the means of spreading unity and concord on the 
earth. Thank God with all your hearts that such a privilege has been given unto you. 
For a life devoted to praise is not too long in which to thank God for such a favour."  

'Abdu'l-Bahá, Paris Talks, p. 68.

"By looking for the good in others, by praising and encouraging our fellow believers 
in their endeavours, by acting mercifully and lovingly towards them, forgiving instead 
of insisting that they be brought to justice because we feel they may have wronged us, 
by trying all the time to purify the motives of our conduct in the hope that our services 
will be acceptable in the sight of Bahá'u'lláh, and by constant prayer that He may 
forgive our shortcomings and aid us to radiantly, patiently and selflessly promote the 
vital interests of our Cause, we can become the sources of unity in the community and 
instruments in the hands of the Almighty to use according to His Will and Purpose." 

Letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice, December 25, 1983, in Behold Me: Bahá'í 
Writings on Unity, p. 88, #197.

"Bahá'u'lláh has drawn the circle of unity, He has made a design for the uniting of all 
the peoples, and for the gathering of them all under the shelter of the tent of universal 
unity.  This is the work of the Divine Bounty, and we must all strive with heart and 
soul until we have the reality of unity in our midst, and as we work, so will strength be 
given unto us."

'Abdu'l-Bahá, Paris Talks, p. 54.

"So intensely hath the glory of Divine Unity penetrated souls and hearts that all are 
now bound one to another with heavenly ties, and all are even as a single heart, a 
single soul. Wherefore reflections of the spirit and impressions of the Divine are now 
mirrored clear and sharp in the deep heart's core. I beg of God to strengthen these 
spiritual bonds as day followeth day, and make this mystic oneness to shine ever more 
brightly, until at last all shall be as troops marshalled together beneath the banner of 
the Covenant within the sheltering shade of the Word of God; that they may strive 
with all their might until universal fellowship, close and warm, and unalloyed love, 
and spiritual relationships, will connect all the hearts in the world. Then will all 
humankind, because of this fresh and dazzling bounty, be gathered in a single 
homeland. Then will conflict and dissension vanish from the face of the earth, then 
will mankind be cradled in love for the beauty of the All-Glorious." 

'Abdu'l-Bahá, Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, pp. 19-20.


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