In every dispensation, there hath been the commandment of fellowship
and love, but it was a commandment limited to the community of those in mutual
agreement, not to the dissident foe. In this wondrous age, however, praised be
God, the commandments of God are not delimited, not restricted to any one group
of people, rather have all the friends been commanded to show forth fellowship
and love, consideration and generosity and loving-kindness to every community
on earth. Now must the lovers of God arise to carry out these instructions of
His: let them be kindly fathers to the children of the human race, and
compassionate brothers to the youth, and self-denying offspring to those bent
with years. The meaning of this is that ye must show forth tenderness and love
to every human being, even to your enemies, and welcome them all with unalloyed
friendship, good cheer, and loving-kindness. When ye meet with cruelty and
persecution at another’s hands, keep faith with him; when malevolence is
directed your way, respond with a friendly heart. To the spears and arrows
rained upon you, expose your breasts for a target mirror-bright; and in return
for curses, taunts and wounding words, show forth abounding love. Thus will all
peoples witness the power of the Most Great Name, and every nation acknowledge
the might of the Ancient Beauty, and see how He hath toppled down the walls of
discord, and how surely He hath guided all the peoples of the earth to oneness;
how He hath lit man’s world, and made this earth of dust to send forth streams
of light. (‘Abdu’l-Baha, ‘Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Baha’)
