“the accomplishment of unity between the colored and white will be an assurance of the world’s peace”

“Strive earnestly,” He [‘Abdu’l-Baha] again exhorts both races, “and put forth your greatest endeavor toward the accomplishment of this fellowship and the cementing of this bond of brotherhood between you. Such an attainment is not possible without will and effort on the part of each; from one, expressions of gratitude and appreciation; from the other, kindliness and recognition of equality. Each one should endeavor to develop and assist the other toward mutual advancement.… Love and unity will be fostered between you, thereby bringing about the oneness of mankind. For the accomplishment of unity between the colored and white will be an assurance of the world’s peace.” 

- Shoghi Effendi  (Quoting ‘Abdu’l-Baha in ‘The Advent of Divine Justice’)

A gathering of the white and colored races becomes “the magnet of the Concourse on high”

“When a gathering of these two races [“the white and colored”] is brought about,” He [‘Abdu’l-Baha] likewise asserts, “that assemblage will become the magnet of the Concourse on high, and the confirmation of the Blessed Beauty will surround it.” 

- Shoghi Effendi  (Quoting ‘Abdu’l-Baha in ‘The Advent of Divine Justice’)

The amazing effect of “the white and colored races meet together with infinite spiritual love and heavenly harmony”

“In the world of being,” He [‘Abdu’l-Baha] testifies, “the meeting is blessed when the white and colored races meet together with infinite spiritual love and heavenly harmony. When such meetings are established, and the participants associate with each other with perfect love, unity and kindness, the angels of the Kingdom praise them, and the Beauty of Bahá’u’lláh addresseth them, ‘Blessed are ye! Blessed are ye!’” 

- Shoghi Effendi  (Quoting ‘Abdu’l-Baha in ‘The Advent of Divine Justice’)

“show… kindness” to “those of a different race and color from yourself”

“If you meet,” is His [‘Abdu’l-Baha’s] admonition, “those of a different race and color from yourself, do not mistrust them, and withdraw yourself into your shell of conventionality, but rather be glad and show them kindness.” 

- Shoghi Effendi  (Quoting ‘Abdu’l-Baha in ‘The Advent of Divine Justice’)

“The diversity in the human family” is similar to different musical notes

“The diversity in the human family,” He [‘Abdu’l-Baha] claims, “should be the cause of love and harmony, as it is in music where many different notes blend together in the making of a perfect chord.” 

- Shoghi Effendi  (Quoting ‘Abdu’l-Baha in ‘The Advent of Divine Justice’)

“a divine purpose” in “variety in forms and coloring”

“This variety in forms and coloring,” He [‘Abdu’l-Baha] stresses, “which is manifest in all the kingdoms is according to creative Wisdom and hath a divine purpose.” 

- Shoghi Effendi  (Quoting ‘Abdu’l-Baha in ‘The Advent of Divine Justice’)

“numerous points of partnership and agreement exist between” “the white and colored races”: - “the one point of distinction is that of color”

“One of the important questions,” He[’Abdu’l-Baha] significantly remarks, “which affect the unity and the solidarity of mankind is the fellowship and equality of the white and colored races. Between these two races certain points of agreement and points of distinction exist which warrant just and mutual consideration. The points of contact are many.… In this country, the United States of America, patriotism is common to both races; all have equal rights to citizenship, speak one language, receive the blessings of the same civilization, and follow the precepts of the same religion. In fact numerous points of partnership and agreement exist between the two races, whereas the one point of distinction is that of color. Shall this, the least of all distinctions, be allowed to separate you as races and individuals?” 

- Shoghi Effendi  (Quoting ‘Abdu’l-Baha in ‘The Advent of Divine Justice’)

“In origin and intention of creation mankind is one. Distinctions of race and color have arisen afterward.”

“In origin and intention of creation mankind is one. Distinctions of race and color have arisen afterward.” “Man is endowed with superior reasoning power and the faculty of perception”; He [‘Abdu’l-Baha] further explains, “he is the manifestation of divine bestowals. Shall racial ideas prevail and obscure the creative purpose of unity in his kingdom?”

-  Shoghi Effendi  (Quoting ‘Abdu’l-Baha in ‘The Advent of Divine Justice’)

“we do not find the creatures [animals] separated because of color… how can it be justified among human beings”

“Throughout the animal kingdom,” He [‘Abdu’l-Baha] explains, “we do not find the creatures separated because of color. They recognize unity of species and oneness of kind. If we do not find color distinction drawn in a kingdom of lower intelligence and reason, how can it be justified among human beings, especially when we know that all have come from the same source and belong to the same household?” 

- Shoghi Effendi  (Quoting ‘Abdu’l-Baha in ‘The Advent of Divine Justice’)

“Color is not important; the heart is all-important.”

“Color is not important; the heart is all-important. It mattereth not what the exterior may be if the heart is pure and white within. God doth not behold differences of hue and complexion. He looketh at the hearts. He whose morals and virtues are praiseworthy is preferred in the presence of God; he who is devoted to the Kingdom is most beloved. In the realm of genesis and creation the question of color is of least importance.” 

- ‘Abdu’l-Baha  (Quoted by Shoghi Effendi in ‘The Advent of Divine Justice’)

“all are one in the color and beauty of servitude to Him [God]”

“In the estimation of God,” He [‘Abdu’l-Baha] states, “all men are equal. There is no distinction or preference for any soul, in the realm of His justice and equity.” “God did not make these divisions,” He affirms; “these divisions have had their origin in man himself. Therefore, as they are against the plan and purpose of God they are false and imaginary.” “In the estimation of God,” He again affirms, “there is no distinction of color; all are one in the color and beauty of servitude to Him.” 

- Shoghi Effendi  (Quoting ‘Abdu’l-Baha in ‘The Advent of Divine Justice’)

“God is no respecter of persons on account of either color or race.”

“God,” ‘Abdu’l Bahá Himself declares, “maketh no distinction between the white and the black. If the hearts are pure both are acceptable unto Him. God is no respecter of persons on account of either color or race. All colors are acceptable unto Him, be they white, black, or yellow. Inasmuch as all were created in the image of God, we must bring ourselves to realize that all embody divine possibilities.” 

- Shoghi Effendi  (Quoting ‘Abdu’l-Baha in ‘The Advent of Divine Justice’)

“Bahá’u’lláh once compared the colored people to the black pupil of the eye surrounded by the white.”

“Bahá’u’lláh,” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá moreover has said, “once compared the colored people to the black pupil of the eye surrounded by the white. In this black pupil is seen the reflection of that which is before it, and through it the light of the spirit shineth forth.” 

- Shoghi Effendi  (Quoting ‘Abdu’l-Baha in ‘The Advent of Divine Justice’)

“various races of humankind lend a composite harmony and beauty of color to the whole”

“Bahá’u’lláh hath said,” writes ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, “that the various races of humankind lend a composite harmony and beauty of color to the whole. Let all associate, therefore, in this great human garden even as flowers grow and blend together side by side without discord or disagreement between them.” 

- Shoghi Effendi  (Quoting ‘Abdu’l-Baha in ‘The Advent of Divine Justice’)

“diversity of religion should cease, and differences of race be annulled”

“We desire but the good of the world and the happiness of the nations,” He proclaims, “…that all nations should become one in faith and all men as brothers; that the bonds of affection and unity between the sons of men should be strengthened; that diversity of religion should cease, and differences of race be annulled.” 

- Shoghi Effendi  (Quoting Bahá’u’lláh in ‘The Advent of Divine Justice’)

“Close your eyes to racial differences, and welcome all with the light of oneness.”

“O ye discerning ones!” Bahá’u’lláh has written, “Verily, the words which have descended from the heaven of the Will of God are the source of unity and harmony for the world. Close your eyes to racial differences, and welcome all with the light of oneness.” 

- Shoghi Effendi  (Quoting Bahá’u’lláh in ‘The Advent of Divine Justice’)

“the watchword of the entire body of the American believers”: - “Freedom from racial prejudice, in any of its forms”

Freedom from racial prejudice, in any of its forms, should, at such a time as this when an increasingly large section of the human race is falling a victim to its devastating ferocity, be adopted as the watchword of the entire body of the American believers, in whichever state they reside, in whatever circles they move, whatever their age, traditions, tastes, and habits. It should be consistently demonstrated in every phase of their activity and life, whether in the Bahá’í community or outside it, in public or in private, formally as well as informally, individually as well as in their official capacity as organized groups, committees and Assemblies. It should be deliberately cultivated through the various and everyday opportunities, no matter how insignificant, that present themselves, whether in their homes, their business offices, their schools and colleges, their social parties and recreation grounds, their Bahá’í meetings, conferences, conventions, summer schools and Assemblies. It should, above all else, become the keynote of the policy of that august body which, in its capacity as the national representative, and the director and coordinator of the affairs of the community, must set the example, and facilitate the application of such a vital principle to the lives and activities of those whose interests it safeguards and represents. 

- Shoghi Effendi  (‘The Advent of Divine Justice’)

The “duty of every Bahá’í community”: - To include in its representative institutions “divers minority elements within it”

In the light of this principle, [“discrimination…in favor of the minority”] and bearing in mind the extreme desirability of having the minority elements participate and share responsibility in the conduct of Bahá’í activity, it should be the duty of every Bahá’í community so to arrange its affairs that in cases where individuals belonging to the divers minority elements within it are already qualified and fulfill the necessary requirements, Bahá’í representative institutions, be they Assemblies, conventions, conferences, or committees, may have represented on them as many of these divers elements, racial or otherwise, as possible. The adoption of such a course, and faithful adherence to it, would not only be a source of inspiration and encouragement to those elements that are numerically small and inadequately represented, but would demonstrate to the world at large the universality and representative character of the Faith of Bahá’u’lláh, and the freedom of His followers from the taint of those prejudices which have already wrought such havoc in the domestic affairs, as well as the foreign relationships, of the nations. 

- Shoghi Effendi  (‘The Advent of Divine Justice’)

The only “discrimination” that can “be tolerated” by the Faith: - “discrimination…in favor of the minority”

If any discrimination is at all to be tolerated, it should be a discrimination not against, but rather in favor of the minority, be it racial or otherwise. Unlike the nations and peoples of the earth, be they of the East or of the West, democratic or authoritarian, communist or capitalist, whether belonging to the Old World or the New, who either ignore, trample upon, or extirpate, the racial, religious, or political minorities within the sphere of their jurisdiction, every organized community enlisted under the banner of Bahá’u’lláh should feel it to be its first and inescapable obligation to nurture, encourage, and safeguard every minority belonging to any faith, race, class, or nation within it. So great and vital is this principle that in such circumstances, as when an equal number of ballots have been cast in an election, or where the qualifications for any office are balanced as between the various races, faiths or nationalities within the community, priority should unhesitatingly be accorded the party representing the minority, and this for no other reason except to stimulate and encourage it, and afford it an opportunity to further the interests of the community. 

- Shoghi Effendi  (‘The Advent of Divine Justice’)

“every differentiation of class, creed, or color must automatically be obliterated”

To discriminate against any race, on the ground of its being socially backward, politically immature, and numerically in a minority, is a flagrant violation of the spirit that animates the Faith of Bahá’u’lláh. The consciousness of any division or cleavage in its ranks is alien to its very purpose, principles, and ideals. Once its members have fully recognized the claim of its Author, and, by identifying themselves with its Administrative Order, accepted unreservedly the principles and laws embodied in its teachings, every differentiation of class, creed, or color must automatically be obliterated, and never be allowed, under any pretext, and however great the pressure of events or of public opinion, to reassert itself. 

- Shoghi Effendi  (‘The Advent of Divine Justice’)

“Let them call to mind, fearlessly and determinedly, the example and conduct of ‘Abdu’l Bahá while in their midst.”

Let them call to mind, fearlessly and determinedly, the example and conduct of ‘Abdu’l Bahá while in their midst. Let them remember His courage, His genuine love, His informal and indiscriminating fellowship, His contempt for and impatience of criticism, tempered by His tact and wisdom. Let them revive and perpetuate the memory of those unforgettable and historic episodes and occasions on which He so strikingly demonstrated His keen sense of justice, His spontaneous sympathy for the downtrodden, His ever-abiding sense of the oneness of the human race, His overflowing love for its members, and His displeasure with those who dared to flout His wishes, to deride His methods, to challenge His principles, or to nullify His acts. 

- Shoghi Effendi  (‘The Advent of Divine Justice’)

“A long and thorny road, beset with pitfalls, still remains untraveled, both by the white and the Negro exponents of the redeeming Faith of Bahá’u’lláh.”

White and Negro, high and low, young and old, whether newly converted to the Faith or not, all who stand identified with it must participate in, and lend their assistance, each according to his or her capacity, experience, and opportunities, to the common task of fulfilling the instructions, realizing the hopes, and following the example, of ‘Abdu’l Bahá. Whether colored or noncolored, neither race has the right, or can conscientiously claim, to be regarded as absolved from such an obligation, as having realized such hopes, or having faithfully followed such an example. A long and thorny road, beset with pitfalls, still remains untraveled, both by the white and the Negro exponents of the redeeming Faith of Bahá’u’lláh. On the distance they cover, and the manner in which they travel that road, must depend, to an extent which few among them can imagine, the operation of those intangible influences which are indispensable to the spiritual triumph of the American believers and the material success of their newly launched enterprise. 

- Shoghi Effendi  (‘The Advent of Divine Justice’)

“the corrosion” of “racial prejudice”: - “has bitten into the fiber, and attacked the whole social structure of American society”

As to racial prejudice, the corrosion of which, for well-nigh a century, has bitten into the fiber, and attacked the whole social structure of American society, it should be regarded as constituting the most vital and challenging issue confronting the Bahá’í community at the present stage of its evolution. The ceaseless exertions which this issue of paramount importance calls for, the sacrifices it must impose, the care and vigilance it demands, the moral courage and fortitude it requires, the tact and sympathy it necessitates, invest this problem, which the American believers are still far from having satisfactorily resolved, with an urgency and importance that cannot be overestimated. 

- Shoghi Effendi  (‘The Advent of Divine Justice’)

Baha’i teachings do not advocate “any form of asceticism, or of excessive and bigoted puritanism”

It must be remembered, however, that the maintenance of such a high standard of moral conduct is not to be associated or confused with any form of asceticism, or of excessive and bigoted puritanism. The standard inculcated by Bahá’u’lláh seeks, under no circumstances, to deny anyone the legitimate right and privilege to derive the fullest advantage and benefit from the manifold joys, beauties, and pleasures with which the world has been so plentifully enriched by an All-Loving Creator. “Should a man,” Bahá’u’lláh Himself reassures us, “wish to adorn himself with the ornaments of the earth, to wear its apparels, or partake of the benefits it can bestow, no harm can befall him, if he alloweth nothing whatever to intervene between him and God, for God hath ordained every good thing, whether created in the heavens or in the earth, for such of His servants as truly believe in Him. Eat ye, O people, of the good things which God hath allowed you, and deprive not yourselves from His wondrous bounties. Render thanks and praise unto Him, and be of them that are truly thankful.” 

- Shoghi Effendi  (‘The Advent of Divine Justice’)

“The drinking of wine is…forbidden”: “Become ye intoxicated with the wine of the love of God”

“The drinking of wine,” writes ‘Abdu’l Bahá, “is, according to the text of the Most Holy Book, forbidden; for it is the cause of chronic diseases, weakeneth the nerves, and consumeth the mind.” “Drink ye, O handmaidens of God,” Bahá’u’lláh Himself has affirmed, “the Mystic Wine from the cup of My words. Cast away, then, from you that which your minds abhor, for it hath been forbidden unto you in His Tablets and His Scriptures. Beware lest ye barter away the River that is life indeed for that which the souls of the pure-hearted detest. Become ye intoxicated with the wine of the love of God, and not with that which deadeneth your minds, O ye that adore Him! Verily, it hath been forbidden unto every believer, whether man or woman. Thus hath the sun of My commandment shone forth above the horizon of My utterance, that the handmaidens who believe in Me may be illumined.” 

- Shoghi Effendi  (Quoting ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and Baháu’lláh in ‘The Advent of Divine Justice’)