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The beginning of all things is the knowledge of God...5 Baha'u'llah (1:4) True knowledge, therefore, is the knowledge of God, and this is none other than the recognition of His Manifestation in each Dispensation. 6 The Bab (1:5) The source of all learning is the knowledge of God, exalted be His glory, and this cannot be attained save though the knowledge of His Divine Manifestation.7 Baha'u'llah (1:6) Knowledge is a light which God casteth into the heart of whomsoever He willeth." It is this kind of knowledge which is and hath ever been praiseworthy, and not the limited knowledge that hath sprung forth from veiled and obscured minds.8 Baha'u'llah (1:7) Knowledge of God reaches and interacts only with pure hearts, just as the rays of the sun glow with full glory and power only in clean mirrors (1:8) As ignorance is the source and essence of all vices, so are knowledge and love for truth the sources and essence of all virtues: (1:9) The essence of all that We have revealed for thee is Justice, is for man to free himself from idle fancy and imitation, discern with the eye of oneness His glorious handiwork, and look into all things with a searching eye.9 Baha'u'llah (1:10) In the preceding statement, Baha'u'llah singles out five qualities: The ability to discern with the eye of oneness, to see the "big picture," as God does (1:12) Only a small minority can fulfill all these requirements. Once again we can see why, throughout all ages, truth has been suppressed and resisted. No wonder so many remain with the religion of their ancestors. If they met all the preceding requirements, they would have discovered the essential oneness of all great faiths. They would have lived in peace and harmony. They would have recognized the truth of One God, Many Faiths; One Garden, Many Flowers (1:13) References: |