Implications of the Oneness of God
Believer in unity of God will view God as exalted above all comparisons[edit]
"He is indeed a true believer in the unity of God who, in this Day, will regard Him as One immeasurably exalted above all the comparisons and likenesses with which men have compared Him. He hath erred grievously who hath mistaken these comparisons and likenesses for God Himself. Consider the relation between the craftsman and his handiwork, between the painter and his painting. Can it ever be maintained that the work their hands have produced is the same as themselves? By Him Who is the Lord of the Throne above and of earth below! They can be regarded in no other light except as evidences that proclaim the excellence and perfection of their author."
- (Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings, sec. 160, pp. 336-337)
"Oneness" in "Oneness of God" does not refer to something we can understand[edit]
"He is a true believer in Divine unity who, far from confusing duality with oneness, refuseth to allow any notion of multiplicity to becloud his conception of the singleness of God, who will regard the Divine Being as One Who, by His very nature, transcendeth the limitations of numbers."
- (Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings, sec. 84, pp. 166-167)
"The reality of the Divinity is sanctified above singleness, then how much more above plurality."
- ('Abdu'l-Bahá, Some Answered Questions, Chapter 27, par. 3)
"We affirm these names and attributes not to affirm the perfections of God, but to deny that He has any imperfections."
- ('Abdu'l-Bahá, Some Answered Questions, Chapter 37, par. 6)
"THOU hast asked concerning the fundamentals of religion and its ordinances: Know thou that first and foremost in religion is the knowledge of God. This attaineth its consummation in the recognition of His divine unity, which in turn reacheth its fulfilment in acclaiming that His hallowed and exalted Sanctuary, the Seat of His transcendent majesty, is sanctified from all attributes. And know thou that in this world of being the knowledge of God can never be attained save through the knowledge of Him Who is the Dayspring of divine Reality."
Essential meaning of Unity of God (His Manifestation expresses the Unknowable's Will)[edit]
"...the essential names and attributes of God are identical with His Essence..."
- ('Abdu'l-Bahá, Some Answered Questions, Chapter 37, par. 7)
"The essence of belief in Divine unity consisteth in regarding Him Who is the Manifestation of God and Him Who is the invisible, the inaccessible, the unknowable Essence as one and the same."
- (Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings, sec. 84, p. 167)
Oneness of God in reference to equal station of all of God's Manifestations[edit]
"Beware, O believers in the Unity of God, lest ye be tempted to make any distinction between any of the Manifestations of his Cause, or to discriminate against the signs that have accompanied and proclaimed their Revelation. This indeed is the true meaning of Divine Unity, if ye be of them that apprehend and believe this truth."
- (Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings, p. 59)
Believer in one God sees God's signs in all things but does not believe creation is a partner of God[edit]
"He is really a believer in the Unity of God who recognizeth in each and every created thing the sign of the revelation of Him Who is the Eternal Truth, and not he who maintaineth that the creature is indistinguishable from the Creator."
"All existence is dependent upon Him, and from Him is derived the source of the sustenance of all things. This is what is meant by Divine unity; this is its fundamental principle."
- (Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, sec. 84, p. 166)
"The law of God is one; the evolution of existence is one; the divine order is one. All beings great and small are subject to one law and one order."
- ('Abdu'l-Bahá, Some Answered Questions, Chapter 51, par. 4)
Further quotations on all things reflecting the signs of God[edit]
"...all the forces of the universe, in the last analysis serve the Covenant"
"In the Name of Him Who is the Supreme Ruler over all that hath been and all that is to be"
- (Bahá'u'lláh, Kitáb-i-Aqdas, par. 1)
"Say: all things are of God"
- (Bahá'u'lláh, Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh, p. 222)
God's oneness seen in His gathering of all perfections (and man can, does, and ought to similarly reflect each of these)[edit]
"Now, the world of existence, indeed every created thing, proclaims but one of the names of God, but the reality of man is an all-encompassing and universal reality which is the seat of the revelation of all the divine perfections. That is, a sign of each one of the names, attributes, and perfections that we ascribe to God exists in man. If such were not the case, he would be unable to imagine and comprehend these perfections. For example, we say that God is all-seeing. The eye is the sign of His sight: If this faculty were lacking in man, how could we imagine the sight of God? For one born blind cannot imagine what it is to see, any more than one born deaf can imagine what it is to hear, or the lifeless what it is to be alive.
"Thus, the divinity of God, which is the totality of all perfections, reveals itself in the reality of man—that is, the divine Essence is the sum total of all perfections, and from this station it casts a ray of its splendour upon the human reality. In other words, the Sun of Truth is reflected in this mirror. Thus man is a perfect mirror facing the Sun of Truth and is the seat of its reflection. The splendour of all the divine perfections is manifest in the reality of man, and it is for this reason that he is the vicegerent and apostle of God."
- ('Abdu'l-Bahá, Some Answered Questions, Chapter 37, par. 7)
Belief in the unity of God in this Dispensation must be expressed by living a life with its perfections and virtues[edit]
"...in this holy Dispensation, the crowning glory of bygone ages and cycles, true Faith is no mere acknowledgement of the Unity of God, but rather the living of a life that will manifest all the perfections and virtues implied in such belief...."
- ('Abdu'l-Bahá, in "Bahá'í Year Book" ["The Bahá'í World"], vol. 1 (New York: Bahá'í Publishing Committee, 1926), p. 12; in Excellence in All Things, no. 19)
Oneness of God evident in uniqueness--another word for oneness--in creation[edit]
"...the earthly realm is the mirror of the heavenly kingdom; and the material world is in accordance with the spiritual world. Now observe that in the sensible world the divine appearances are not repeated, for no created thing can be identical with another in every way. The sign of Divine Unity is present and visible in all things. If all the granaries of the world were filled with grain, you would be hard pressed to find two grains that are absolutely identical and indistinguishable in every respect: some difference or distinction is bound to remain between them. Now, as the proof of the Divine Unity exists within all things, and the oneness and singleness of God is visible in the realities of all beings, the recurrence of the same divine appearance is in no wise possible."
- ('Abdu'l-Bahá, Some Answered Questions, revised translation, par. 81:6, used in thus proving the impossibility of physical reincarnation)
"...the signs of oneness are evident and plain in all existence. If thou shouldst gather all existent beings, thou wouldst be unable to find two alike in all states and qualities; of necessity there is a difference. Thus the signs of oneness are manifest and evident in all things. How much more is the Creator of all things!"
Signs of one God evident in other people[edit]
"O Son of Man! Deny not My servant should he ask anything from thee, for his face is My face; be then abashed before Me."
- (Bahá'u'lláh, The Hidden Words, Arabic, number 30).
"We fain would hope that the people of Bahá may be guided by the blessed words: "Say, all things are of God." This exalted utterance is like unto water for quenching the fire of hate and enmity which smouldereth within the hearts and breasts of men. By this single utterance contending peoples and kindreds will attain the light of true unity."
- (Bahá'u'lláh, Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh, p. 222)
Not to believe in self as a god[edit]
"In brief, dissensions among various sects have opened the way to weakness. Each sect hath picked out a way for itself and is clinging to a certain cord. Despite manifest blindness and ignorance they pride themselves on their insight and knowledge. Among them are mystics who bear allegiance to the Faith of Islám, some of whom indulge in that which leadeth to idleness and seclusion. I swear by God! It lowereth man's station and maketh him swell with pride. Man must bring forth fruit. One who yieldeth no fruit is, in the words of the Spirit [Jesus.], like unto a fruitless tree, and a fruitless tree is fit but for the fire."
"That which the aforesaid persons have mentioned concerning the stations of Divine Unity will conduce in no small measure to idleness and vain imaginings. These mortal men have evidently set aside the differences of station and have come to regard themselves as God, while God is immeasurably exalted above all things."
- (Bahá'u'lláh, Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh, p. 60)