No Unity, No World Peace

The central purpose and principle of the Baha’i Faith – the promulgation of universal peace – is not just a Baha’i goal. As Abdu’l-Baha said in the U.S. in 1912, universal peace is the goal of every religion:

The central purpose of the divine religions is the establishment of peace and unity among mankind. Their reality is one; therefore, their accomplishment is one and universal. … strife and warfare are the very destroyers of human foundations, whereas peace and amity are the builders and safeguards of human welfare. … How urgent their necessity and demand for peace, with its comfort and progress, instead of war, which blasts and destroys the foundation of all human attainment.

The Baha’i vision for our human future centers on recognizing and realizing the oneness of the planet, establishing bonds of unity between all peoples and nations, and finding our way, as a species, to a just and lasting global peace. Each day, millions of Baha’is celebrate, honor, and work diligently toward this compelling ideal, while participating in a global community with peace at its core.

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Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian of the Baha’i Faith and an Oxford-educated scholar and historian, summarized what that remarkable attainment might look like when he outlined the Baha’i vision of the unification of humanity in his book “The World Order of Baha’u’llah,” written in March of 1936:

The unity of the human race, as envisaged by Baha’u’llah, implies the establishment of a world commonwealth in which all nations, races, creeds and classes are closely and permanently united, and in which the autonomy of its state members and the personal freedom and initiative of the individuals that compose them are definitely and completely safeguarded. 

This commonwealth must, as far as we can visualize it, consist of a world legislature, whose members will, as the trustees of the whole of mankind, ultimately control the entire resources of all the component nations, and will enact such laws as shall be required to regulate the life, satisfy the needs and adjust the relationships of all races and peoples. 

A world executive, backed by an international Force, will carry out the decisions arrived at, and apply the laws enacted by, this world legislature, and will safeguard the organic unity of the whole commonwealth. 

A world tribunal will adjudicate and deliver its compulsory and final verdict in all and any disputes that may arise between the various elements constituting this universal system. 

A mechanism of world inter-communication will be devised, embracing the whole planet, freed from national hindrances and restrictions, and functioning with marvelous swiftness and perfect regularity. 

A world metropolis will act as the nerve center of a world civilization, the focus towards which the unifying forces of life will converge and from which its energizing influences will radiate. 

A world language will either be invented or chosen from among the existing languages and will be taught in the schools of all the federated nations as an auxiliary to their mother tongue. 

A world script, a world literature, a uniform and universal system of currency, of weights and measures, will simplify and facilitate intercourse and understanding among the nations and races of mankind. 

In such a world society, science and religion, the two most potent forces in human life, will be reconciled, will cooperate, and will harmoniously develop. 

The press will, under such a system, while giving full scope to the expression of the diversified views and convictions of mankind, cease to be mischievously manipulated by vested interests, whether private or public, and will be liberated from the influence of contending governments and peoples. 

The economic resources of the world will be organized, its sources of raw materials will be tapped and fully utilized, its markets will be coordinated and developed, and the distribution of its products will be equitably regulated.

National rivalries, hatreds, and intrigues will cease, and racial animosity and prejudice will be replaced by racial amity, understanding and cooperation. 

The causes of religious strife will be permanently removed, economic barriers and restrictions will be completely abolished, and the inordinate distinction between classes will be obliterated.

Destitution on the one hand, and gross accumulation of ownership on the other, will disappear. 

The enormous energy dissipated and wasted on war, whether economic or political, will be consecrated to such ends as will extend the range of human inventions and technical development, to the increase of the productivity of mankind, to the extermination of disease, to the extension of scientific research, to the raising of the standard of physical health, to the sharpening and refinement of the human brain, to the exploitation of the unused and unsuspected resources of the planet, to the prolongation of human life, and to the furtherance of any other agency that can stimulate the intellectual, the moral, and spiritual life of the entire human race. 

This stirring, powerful Baha’i vision of a new world order characterized by justice, peace, and unity inspires Baha’is and their supporters all around the globe. Together, they work toward the day when the unifying forces of life culminate in a world filled with hope, joy, and harmony.

How do Baha’is intend to get to this peaceful world?

Primarily, Baha’is believe, unity precedes peace. In his writings Baha’u’llah expressed it this way:

The well-being of mankind, its peace and security, are unattainable unless and until its unity is firmly established. This unity can never be achieved so long as the counsels which the Pen of the Most High hath revealed are suffered to pass unheeded. 

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The phrase “the Pen of the Most High” refers to Baha’u’llah himself, in his role as a divine messenger and the most recent founder of a worldwide Faith. His counsels, contained in the voluminous Baha’i teachings, construct a detailed and yet expansive global peace plan, complete with a fully-drawn blueprint of the elements necessary for its establishment. This series of essays attempts to outline that plan and its blueprint.

If this unique vision stirs your soul and intrigues your mind, you may want to learn more about how the Baha’i peace plan actually aspires to bring a just and peaceful world into being. Toward that goal we’ll first examine, in the next essay in this series, how the Baha’i teachings recommend we disarm our planet.