First among the great principles revealed by Him is that of
the investigation of reality. The meaning is that every individual member of
humankind is exhorted and commanded to set aside superstitious beliefs,
traditions and blind imitation of ancestral forms in religion and investigate
reality for himself. Inasmuch as the fundamental reality is one, all religions
and nations of the world will become one through investigation of reality. The
announcement of this principle is not found in any of the sacred Books of the
past.
(‘Abdu’l-Baha, from a talk, November 15, 1912, New York; ‘The
Promulgation of Universal Peace’)
