Nearly 60 years ago when the horizon of the Orient was in a
state of the utmost gloom, warfare existed and there was enmity between the
various creeds; darkness brooded over the children of men and foul clouds of
ignorance hid the sky - at such a time His Highness Bahá'u'lláh arose from the
horizon of Persia like unto a shining sun. He boldly proclaimed peace, writing
to the kings of the earth and calling upon them to arise and assist in the
hoisting of this banner. In order to bring peace out of the chaos, He
established certain precepts or principles.
The first principle Bahá'u'lláh urged was the independent
investigation of truth. "Each individual," He said, "is
following the faith of his ancestors who themselves are lost in the maze of
tradition. Reality is steeped in dogmas and doctrines. If each investigate for
himself, he will find that Reality is one; does not admit of multiplicity; is
not divisible. All will find the same
foundation and all will be at peace."
- ‘Abdu’l-Baha (From a talk, January
16, 1913, Clifton, England; Star of the West, vol. 4, no. 1, March 21, 1913)
