Among the teachings of Baha'u'llah is one requiring man,
under all conditions and circumstances, to be forgiving, to love his enemy and
to consider an ill-wisher as a well-wisher. Not that he should consider one as
being an enemy and then put up with him, or to simply endure him, or to
consider one as inimical and be forbearing toward him. This is declared to be hypocrisy.
This love is not real. Nay, rather, you must see your enemies as friends,
ill-wishers as well wishers and treat them accordingly. That is to say, your
love and kindness must be real. Your well-wishing must be reality, not merely
forbearance, for forbearance, if not of the heart, is hypocrisy. The people of
Reality will not accept it.
- 'Abdu'l-Baha
(Excerpt From a talk by ‘Abdu’l-Baha in Oakland, California, at the home
of Helen Goodall, October 3, 1912; Star of the West, vol. 4, no. 11, September
27, 1913)
