Treating Others Fairly

Just about everyone says they believe in the basic concept of fairness.  But we all know the world does not often practice that belief.  The Baha’i teachings, to remedy that disparity, focus on fairness and justice, calling the world’s people to be fair.  Baha’u’llah emphasized in his teachings the foundational position of fairness and justice – and asked us all to:

Be fair to yourselves and to others, that the evidences of justice may be revealed, through your deeds, among Our faithful servants.  Beware lest ye encroach upon the substance of your neighbor.  Prove yourselves worthy of his trust and confidence in you, and withhold not from the poor the gifts which the grace of God hath bestowed upon you.  He, verily, shall recompense the charitable, and doubly repay them for what they have bestowed. – Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah, p. 278.

In the Hidden Words Baha’u’llah says: 

O Son of Spirit!

The best beloved of all things in My sight is Justice; turn not away therefrom if thou desirest Me, and neglect it not that I may confide in thee. By its aid thou shalt see with thine own eyes and not through the eyes of others, and shalt know of thine own knowledge and not through the knowledge of thy neighbor.  Ponder this in thy heart; how it behooveth thee to be.  Verily justice is My gift to thee and the sign of My loving-kindness.  Set it then before thine eyes. – pp. 3-4.

Of course, fairness and justice stem from trustworthiness, one of the finest, most admirable and best human qualities and virtues.  When you can completely trust another person to have your best interests at heart and to be fair in their judgment, it constructs a solid foundation for justice.  But when trust erodes – when one instance of lying or not following through on a commitment or being unfair occurs – then the basic underpinnings of all good human relations begins to dissipate. Both honesty and trustworthiness, highly praised in Baha’u’llah’s writings, benefit everyone.  He says trustworthiness: 

…is the door of security for all that dwell on earth and a token of glory on the part of the All-Merciful. He who partaketh thereof hath indeed partaken of the treasures of wealth and prosperity. Trustworthiness is the greatest portal leading unto the tranquility and security of the people. In truth the stability of every affair hath depended and doth depend upon it. All the domains of power, of grandeur and of wealth are illumined by its light. – Tablets of Baha’u’llah, p. 37.

The Baha’i teachings urge everyone to recognize and adhere to the beauty of the truth:

Beautify your tongues, O people, with truthfulness, and adorn your souls with the ornament of honesty.  Beware, O people, that ye deal not treacherously with any one.  Be ye the trustees of God amongst His creatures, and the emblems of His generosity amidst His people.  They that follow their lusts and corrupt inclinations, have erred and dissipated their efforts.  They, indeed, are of the lost.  Strive, O people, that your eyes may be directed towards the mercy of God, that your hearts may be attuned to His wondrous remembrance, that your souls may rest confidently upon His grace and bounty, that your feet may tread the path of His good-pleasure.  Such are the counsels which I bequeath unto you.  Would that ye might follow My counsels! – Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah, p. 297.