`Abdu'l-Baha on Freedom of Conscience and Speech
Translated by
Juan R.I. Cole
Department of History
University of Michigan
`Abdu’l-Baha on Freedom of Conscience and Speech in the Baha’i Faith
Palo Alto, California, 9 October 1912: Before `Abdu’l-Baha left Palo Alto, a group again had the honor of gathering in the most holy court. Among his blessed utterances was an explanation of religious conflicts, especially those of the Christians. "Some said Christ was God, and some said he was the Word, while others called him a prophet. Because of these differences, conflicts arose among them, such that in the community there was enmity instead of spirituality, and estrangement rather than unity. But Baha’u’llah has closed the door on such differences. By arranging for interpretation to be carried out by an authoritative Interpreter of the Book, by establishing the Universal House of Justice--or in other words the Parliament of the [Baha’i] community--and by commanding that there be no interference in beliefs or conscience, He blocked such breaches from occurring. He even said that if two persons discussing some matter develope a dispute, such that it leads to a polarization, both are wrong and discredited."
(Mahmúd Zarqání, Kitáb-i Badá'i` al-Athár, 2 vols. (Hofheim-Langenhain: Bahá'í-Verlag, 1982), 1:294.)
The Three Types of Liberty
A Talk of `Abdu’l-Baha given in 7 April 1913 in Budapest
He is God.
Liberty is of three sorts. One is the divine freedom, that is confined to the essence of the Creator. He is autonomous and absolute. No one can compel Him with regard to anything at all.
Another form of liberty is that of the Europeans, which holds that human beings may do as they please on the condition that they not harm one another. This is the liberty of nature, and its highest degree is found in the animal world. This is the estate of the animal. Look at these birds, in what liberty they live. Whatever human beings might do, they can never be as free as animals. Rather, order stands in the way of freedom.
As for the third sort of liberty, it is under the divine laws and ordinances. This is the liberty of the human world, which severs the heart’s relationship with all things. It soothes all hardships and sorrow. The more the consciences of human beings progress, the more free their hearts become, and the more glad their spirits become.
In the religion of God there is freedom of thought, for no one can rule over the [individual’s] conscience save God. But [freedom of thought] exists only to the extent that it is not expressed in terms that depart from politeness.
In the religion of God there is no freedom of deeds. No one can transgress the divine law, even if in so doing he harms no one. For by the divine law is intended the training of oneself and others. For to God, harming oneself or harming others are the same, and both are reprehensible. In hearts there must be the fear of God, and human beings must not commit blameworthy deeds. Therefore, the freedom of deeds that exists in civil law does not exist in religion. As for freedom of thought, it must not transgress the bounds of politeness. And deeds are also linked to fear of God and the divine good-pleasure.
`Abdu'l-Hamíd Ishráq-Khávarí, ed., Má'idih-yi Asmání, 9 vols. (Tehran: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1973) 5:17-18.