…the friends of God must manifest the mercy of the
Compassionate Lord in the world of existence and must show forth the bounty of
the visible and invisible King. They must purify their sight, and look upon mankind as the
leaves, blossoms and fruits of the tree of creation, and must always be
thinking of doing good to someone, of love, consideration, affection and
assistance to somebody. They must see no enemy and count no one as an
ill-wisher. They must consider everyone on the earth as a friend; regard the
stranger as an intimate, and the alien as a companion. They must not be bound
by any tie, nay, rather, they should be free from every bond. In this day the
one who is favored in the threshold of grandeur is the one who offers the cup
of faithfulness and bestows the pearl of gift to the enemies, even to the
fallen oppressor, lends a helping hand, and considers every bitter foe as an
affectionate friend.
- ‘Abdu’l-Baha (From a Tablet, Star of the West, vol. 11,
no. 8, August 1, 1920)
