…the religion of God is the promoter of truth, the
establisher of science and learning, the supporter of knowledge, the civilizer
of the human race, the discoverer of the secrets of existence, and the
enlightener of the horizons of the world. How then could it oppose knowledge?
God forbid! On the contrary, in the sight of God knowledge is the greatest
human virtue and the noblest human perfection. To oppose knowledge is pure
ignorance, and he who abhors knowledge and learning is not a human being but a
mindless animal. For knowledge is light, life, felicity, perfection, and beauty,
and causes the soul to draw nigh to the divine threshold. It is the honour and
glory of the human realm and the greatest of God’s bounties. Knowledge is
identical to guidance, and ignorance is the essence of error.
Happy are those who spend their days in the pursuit of
knowledge, in the discovery of the secrets of the universe, and in the
meticulous investigation of truth! And woe to those who content themselves with
ignorance, who delight in thoughtless imitation, who have fallen into the abyss
of ignorance and unawareness, and who have thus wasted their lives!
- ‘Abdu’l-Baha (Table talks in Akka, authenticated by ‘Abdu’l-Baha; ‘Some
Answered Questions’ – 2014 revised translation by the Baha’i World Centre)
