The utterance of God is a lamp, whose light is these words: Ye are the fruits of one tree, and the leaves of one branch. Deal ye one with another with the utmost love and harmony... So powerful is the light of unity that it can illuminate the whole earth.
Interpretation
This quote emphasizes the importance of unity and love among humanity.
Bahá'u'lláh uses the metaphor of a lamp to convey how divine guidance illuminates the path for humanity. He describes people as part of a singular tree, suggesting that despite individual differences, all are interconnected and should treat one another with love and harmony, highlighting the transformative power of unity to bring enlightenment and peace to the world.
In practice
In a speech about community cohesion during a local event.
That one indeed is a man who, today, dedicateth himself to the service of the entire human race. The Great Being saith: Blessed and happy is he that ariseth to promote the best interests of the peoples and kindreds of the earth. It is not for him to pride himself who loveth his own country, but rather for him who loveth the whole world. The earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens.
Religious fanaticism and hatred are a world-devouring fire, whose violence none can quench.
So powerful is the light of unity that it can illuminate the whole earth.
Let your vision be world embracing rather than confined to your own self.
Noble have I created thee, yet thou hast abased thyself. Rise then unto that for which thou wast created.
Say: o brethren! Let deeds, not words, be your adorning.
Cruelty to animals is one of the most significant vices of a low and ignoble people. Wherever one notices them, they constitute a sign of ignorance and brutality which cannot be painted over even by all the evidence of wealth and luxury.
'Culture' is a finite segment of the meaningless infinity of the world process, a segment on which human beings confer meaning and significance.
Of our relation to all creation we can never know anything whatsoever. All is immensity and chaos. But, since all this knowledge of our limitations cannot possibly be of any value to us, it is better to ignore it in our daily conduct of life.
When people talk, they lay lines on each other, do a lot of role playing, sidestep, shilly-shally and engage in all manner of vagueness and innuendo. We do this and expect others to do it, yet at the same time we profess to long for the plain truth, for people to say what they mean, simple as that. Such hypocrisy is a human universal.
Africa's not a color - it's a place.
Hypocrisy is wretched because the hypocrite says with his tongue what is not in his heart. He wrongs his tongue and oppresses his heart. But if the heart is sound, the condition of the tongue follows suit. We are commanded to be upright in speech, which is a gauge of the heart's state.
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