“Jesus Christ came to teach the people of the world this heavenly civilization and not material civilization. He breathed the breath of the Holy Spirit into the body of the world and established an illumined civilization. Among the principles of divine civilization He came to proclaim is the Most Great Peace of mankind. Among His principles of spiritual civilization is the oneness of the kingdom of humanity. Among the principles of heavenly civilization He brought is the virtue of the human world. Among the principles of celestial civilization He announced is the improvement and betterment of human morals.

“Today the world of humanity is in need of international unity and conciliation. To establish these great fundamental principles a propelling power is needed. It is self-evident that the unity of the human world and the Most Great Peace cannot be accomplished through material means. They cannot be established through political power, for the political interests of nations are various and the policies of peoples are divergent and conflicting. They cannot be founded through racial or patriotic power, for these are human powers, selfish and weak. The very nature of racial differences and patriotic prejudices prevents the realization of this unity and agreement. Therefore, it is evidenced that the promotion of the oneness of the kingdom of humanity, which is the essence of the teachings of all the Manifestations of God, is impossible except through the divine power and breaths of the Holy Spirit. Other powers are too weak and are incapable of accomplishing this.

“For man two wings are necessary. One wing is physical power and material civilization; the other is spiritual power and divine civilization. With one wing only, flight is impossible. Two wings are essential. Therefore, no matter how much material civilization advances, it cannot attain to perfection except through the uplift of spiritual civilization.

“All the Prophets have come to promote divine bestowals, to found the spiritual civilization and teach the principles of morality. Therefore, we must strive with all our powers so that spiritual influences may gain the victory. For material forces have attacked mankind. The world of humanity is submerged in a sea of materialism. The rays of the Sun of Reality are seen but dimly and darkly through opaque glasses. The penetrative power of the divine bounty is not fully manifest….

“I will pray for you so you may attain this everlasting happiness. When I arrived in this city, I was made very happy, for I perceived that the people here have capacity for divine bestowals and have worthiness for the civilization of heaven. I pray that you may attain to all merciful bounties.”4

In His message about “Divine Civilization,” (The Secret of Divine Civilization, written in 1875), ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s opening paragraph praises God for distinguishing and honouring the human essence.

“In the Name of God the Clement, the Merciful.

“Praise and thanksgiving be unto Providence that out of all the realities in existence He has chosen the reality of man and has honored it with intellect and wisdom, the two most luminous lights in either world. Through the agency of this great endowment, He has in every epoch cast on the mirror of creation new and wonderful configurations. If we look objectively upon the world of being, it will become apparent that from age to age, the temple of existence has continually been embellished with a fresh grace, and distinguished with an ever-varying splendor, deriving from wisdom and the power of thought.

“This supreme emblem of God stands first in the order of creation and first in rank, taking precedence over all created things. Witness to it is the Holy Tradition, ‘Before all else, God created the mind.’ From the dawn of creation, it was made to be revealed in the temple of man.”5

He summarizes in this brief statement the essence of the book. In the pages that follow, He explains that the divine religions are the true source of human perfection, materially as well as spiritually. These religions are the dawning-place of civilization and useful knowledge for all humanity. He establishes His argument on the verses of the Book of God that mention all the rules of wise governance:

“’And they enjoin what is just, and forbid what is unjust, and speed on in good works. These are of the righteous.’ And again: ‘that there may be among you a people who invite to the good, and enjoin the just, and forbid the wrong. These are they with whom it shall be well.’ And further: ‘Verily, God enjoineth justice and the doing of good … and He forbiddeth wickedness and oppression. He warneth you that haply ye may be mindful.’ And yet again, of the civilizing of human behavior: ‘Make due allowances; and enjoin what is just, and withdraw from the ignorant.’ And likewise: ‘…who master their anger, and forgive others! God loveth the doers of good.’ And again: ‘There is no righteousness in turning your faces toward the East or the West, but he is righteous who believeth in God, and the last day, and the angels, and the Scriptures, and the Prophets; who for the love of God disburseth his wealth to his kindred, and to orphans, and the needy and the wayfarer, and those who ask, and for ransom; who observeth prayer, and payeth the legal alms, and who is of those who perform their covenant when they have covenanted, and are patient under ills and hardships, and in time of trouble: these are they who are just, and these are they who fear the Lord.’ And yet further: ‘They prefer them before themselves, though poverty be their own lot.’ See how these few sacred verses encompass the highest levels and innermost meanings of civilization and embody all the excellencies of human character.6

In The Secret of Divine Civilization, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá unfolds the truth that all ideas, sciences, technologies, arts, wisdom, industries and various innovations are but the emanation of the divine burning flame that is placed in the human heart. History proves that all general benefits have been the result of divine religions.

The purpose of this explanation is to prove that the divine messages and divine teachings are the strongest foundation for human happiness. There can be no success for the people of the world without this balsamic medicine which separates the true from the false—on condition that it is administered by a competent physician. Otherwise, every remedy sent down from God’s Mercy for the healing of humanity, once fallen into the hands of incompetent physicians, will fail to heal the people; it will even become fatal for weak souls and a tribulation for the hearts of the learned. Whenever the reins of governance fall into the hands of ignorant ulamas, thick heavy veils of prejudice are raised which prevent the spread of the lights emanating from the Word of God.

A learned man had once written to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, and the words quoted above bring to mind ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s advice to him: “If you are thinking of ways and means to return this pure nation back to its original days and its high station, I swear by the One Who established it, and the sunrise that illumined and guided it, there can be nothing effective but a Divine Power that renews its old garment, and saves it from the depths into which it has fallen, and raises it to the heights of Glory.”7

1. ‘Abbás Al-‘Aqqad’s Visit to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
2. Mahmúd’s Diary: The Diary of Mírzá Mahmúd-i-Zarqání Chronicling ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s Journey to America, translated by Mohi Sobhani with the assistance of Shirley Macias (Oxford: George Ronald, 1998), p. 43.
3. King James Version.
4. The Promulgation of Universal Peace (Wilmette, Illinois: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1982), second edition, pp. 11-13.
5. The Secret of Divine Civilization (Wilmette, Illinois: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1990), pocket-size edition, p. 1.
6. Ibid., pp. 95-96. The following verses from the Qur’án are quoted: 3:110, 3:100, 16:92, 7:198, 3:128, 2:172, 59:9.
7. Makatíb ‘Abdu’l-Bahá (Cairo: The Kurdistan Publishing House, 1910), Volume I, pp. 117-18 (Personal and provisional translation).