Infidel
The term infidel can have several meanings, all of which express the concept of infidelity, or unfaithfulness, to God or to religion.
Outside of Bahá'í contexts, the term is often used to convey a sectarian sentiment, referring to one who adheres to a religion different than one's own. Its use in this sense generally betrays a fanatical stance of religious exclusivity which is contrary to the Bahá'í principles of progressive revelation and the unity of religion, and contrary to Bahá'u'lláh's command to "[c]onsort with the followers of all religions in a spirit of friendliness and fellowship."[1]
Since Bahá'u'lláh taught that all the great religions of the world have the same Divine source, He often uses the term infidel in a different sense, to describe those who oppress or persecute the Founders of these religions or Their followers. More generally, infidel is used in referring to one who hates, or is an enemy of, God; this is the meaning most often encountered in Bahá'í works.
In the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh[edit]
Haters/enemies of God[edit]
One meaning of infidel, as used by Bahá'u'lláh, is one who hates the Light, or an enemy of God.
| “ | And likewise He saith: "Fain would they put out the light of God with their mouths! But though the infidels hate it, God will perfect His light." (Baha'u'llah, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 117)[note 1] | ” |
Oppressors or persecutors[edit]
In His Writings, Bahá'u'lláh also uses the term infidel to denote oppressors—specifically, those who oppressed the Manifestations of God or their followers:
| “ | Lauded be Thy name, O my God! Thou beholdest me in the clutches of my oppressors. Every time I turn to my right, I hear the voice of the lamentation of them that are dear to Thee, whom the infidels have made captives for having believed in Thee and in Thy signs, and for having set their faces towards the horizon of Thy grace and of Thy loving-kindness. And when I turn to my left, I hear the clamor of the wicked doers who have disbelieved in Thee and in Thy signs, and persistently striven to put out the light of Thy lamp which sheddeth the radiance of Thine own Self over all that are in Thy heaven and all that are on Thy earth. (Baha'u'llah, Prayers and Meditations by Baha'u'llah, p. 7) | ” |
Apart from using the term to describe those who oppressed and persecuted His followers,[note 2] Bahá'u'lláh also uses the term to refer to those who persecuted Him,[note 3] the Báb,[note 4] Muhammad and His followers,[note 5] and other Prophets and Imams.[note 6]
In the persecution of Bahá'ís[edit]
- See also: Persecution
The term infidel is used as a sectarian epithet against Bahá'ís in regions where they undergo persecution, such as Iran.
References[edit]
Notes[edit]
- ↑ See also Kitab-i-qan p. 126 quoting the Qur'an 9:33; Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh pp. 131, 187
- ↑ See also Gems of Divine Mysteries p.22; Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh pp. 135 180, 287, 306; Kitab-i-Iqan p. 224.
- ↑ See Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh pp. 42, 116, 224, 227, 281.
- ↑ See Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh p. 147.
- ↑ See Kitab-i-Iqan p.217.
- ↑ See Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh p. 89; Kitab-i-Iqan pp. 11, 241.
