Health, Healing, and Nutrition
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Health, Healing, and Nutrition

Bahá'u'lláh

Abdu'l-Bahá

Shoghi Effendi

Universal House of Justice

published in

Compilation of Compilations

Volume 1,  pp. 459-488

1991

I.

From the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh

Resort ye, in times of sickness, to competent physicians; We have not
set aside the use of material means, rather have We confirmed it through
this Pen, which God hath made to be the Dawning-place of His shining and
glorious Cause.
[note: A newer translation of this passage has been
substituted for the translation originally included.]

(Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitáb-i-Aqdas, p.
60
)

We have permitted you to read such sciences as are profitable unto you,
not such as end in idle disputation; better is this for you, if ye be of
them that comprehend.
[note: A newer translation of this passage has
been substituted for the translation originally included.]

(Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitáb-i-Aqdas, p.
48
)

Whatever competent physicians or surgeons prescribe for a patient
should be accepted and complied with, provided that they are adorned with
the ornament of justice.  If they were to be endued with divine
understanding, that would certainly be preferable and more desirable.

(Bahá'u'lláh, from a Tablet - translated from the Persian)

Well is it with the physician who cureth ailments in My
hallowed and dearly-cherished Name.

(Bahá'u'lláh, from a Tablet - translated from the Arabic)

In all circumstances they should conduct themselves with
moderation; if the meal be only one course this is more pleasing
in the sight of God; however, according to their means, they
should seek to have this single dish be of good quality.

(Bahá'u'lláh, "Kitáb-i-Badí'" - translated from the Persian)

Know thou that the soul of man is exalted above, and is
independent of all infirmities of body or mind.  That a sick
person showeth signs of weakness is due to the hindrances that
interpose themselves between his soul and his body, for the soul
itself remaineth unaffected by any bodily ailments.  Consider the
light of the lamp.  Though an external object may interfere with
its radiance, the light itself continueth to shine with
undiminished power.  In like manner, every malady afflicting the
body of man is an impediment that preventeth the soul from
manifesting its inherent might and power.  When it leaveth the
body, however, it will evince such ascendancy, and reveal such
influence as no force on earth can equal.  Every pure, every
refined and sanctified soul will be endowed with tremendous power,
and shall rejoice with exceeding gladness.

("Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh", rev. ed. (Wilmette:
Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1983), sec.
80
, pp.
153
-
54
)

O Befriended Stranger!

The candle of thine heart is lighted by the hand of My power,
quench it not with the contrary winds of self and passion.  The
healer of all thine ills is remembrance of Me, forget it not.
Make My love thy treasure and cherish it even as thy very sight
and life.

("The Hidden Words of Bahá'u'lláh", Persian no.
32
, rev. ed.
Wilmette: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1985), p.
43
)

Do not neglect medical treatment when it is necessary, but
leave it off when health has been restored....  Treat disease
through diet, by preference, refraining from the use of drugs; and
if you find what is required in a single herb, do not resort to a
compounded medicament.  Abstain from drugs when the health is
good, but administer them when necessary.

(Bahá'u'lláh, cited in J. E. Esslemont, "Bahá'u'lláh and the New
Era", 5th rev. ed. (Wilmette: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1987), p.

106
)

Verily the most necessary thing is contentment under all
circumstances; by this one is preserved from morbid conditions and
from lassitude.  Yield not to grief and sorrow: they cause the
greatest misery.  Jealousy consumeth the body and anger doth burn
the liver: avoid these two as you would a lion.

(Bahá'u'lláh, cited in "Bahá'u'lláh and the New Era", p.
108
)

II.

From the Writings and Utterances of `Abdu'l-Bahá

Thou shouldst endeavour to study the science of medicine.  It is is
extremely useful and serveth as the greatest instrument for the
dissemination of the Cause.  It is absolutely imperative that thou acquire
this bounty.  Strive day and night that thou mayest become highly qualified
in this science.  And when thou wishest to dispense treatment set thy heart
toward the Abhá Kingdom, entreating divine confirmations.

('Abdu'l-Bahá, from a Tablet - translated from the Persian)

Thou shouldst continue thy profession and at the same time try
to serve the Kingdom of God.

('Abdu'l-Bahá, from a Tablet - translated from the Persian)

Thou hast written about thy poor sight.  According to the
explicit divine text the sick must refer to the doctor.  This
decree is decisive and everyone is bound to observe it.  While
thou art there thou shouldst consult the most skilled and the most
famed eye specialist.

('Abdu'l-Bahá, from a Tablet - translated from the Persian)

One must obey the command of God and submit to medical
opinion.  Thou hast undertaken this journey to comply with His
command and not for the sake of healing, since healing is in the
hand of God, not in the hand of doctors.

('Abdu'l-Bahá, from a Tablet - translated from the Persian)

That the Most Great Name exerciseth influence over both
physical and spiritual matters is sure and certain.

('Abdu'l-Bahá, from a Tablet - translated from the Persian)

The child must, from the day of his birth, be provided with
whatever is conducive to his health; and know ye this: so far as
possible, the mother's milk is best for, more agreeable and better
suited to the child, unless she should fall ill or her milk should
run entirely dry....

('Abdu'l-Bahá, from a Tablet - translated from the Persian)

When thou wishest to treat nervous pains turn thy whole being
to the realm on high with thine heart detached from aught else
besides Him and thy soul enraptured by the love of God.  Then seek
confirmation of the Holy Spirit from the Abhá Kingdom, while
touching the affected part with utmost love, tenderness and
attraction to God.  When all these things are combined, be assured
that healing will take place.

('Abdu'l-Bahá, from a Tablet - translated from the Arabic)

Regarding the eating of animal flesh and abstinence therefrom, know
thou of a certainty that, in the beginning of creation, God determined the
food of every living being, and to eat contrary to that determination is not
approved.  For instance, beasts of prey, such as the wolf, lion and leopard,
are endowed with ferocious, tearing instruments, such as hooked talons and
claws.  From this it is evident that the food of such beasts is meat.  If
they were to attempt to graze, their teeth would not cut the grass, neither
could they chew the cud, for they do not have molars.  Likewise, God hath
given to the four-footed grazing animals such teeth as reap the grass like a
sickle, and from this we understand that the food of these species of animal
is vegetable.  They cannot chase and hunt down other animals.  The falcon
hath a hooked beak and sharp talons; the hooked beak preventeth him from
grazing, therefore his food also is meat.

But now coming to man, we see he hath neither
hooked teeth nor sharp nails or claws, nor teeth like iron sickles.  From
this it becometh evident and manifest that the food of man is cereals and
fruit.  Some of the teeth of man are like millstones to grind the grain, and
some are sharp to cut the fruit.  Therefore he is not in need of meat, nor
is he obliged to eat it.  Even without eating meat he would live with the
utmost vigour and energy.  For example, the community of the Brahmins in
India do not eat meat; notwithstanding this they are not inferior to other
nations in strength, power, vigour, outward senses or intellectual virtues.
Truly, the killing of animals and the eating of their meat is somewhat
contrary to pity and compassion, and if one can content oneself with
cereals, fruit, oil and nuts, such as pistachios, almonds and so on, it
would undoubtedly be better and more pleasing.

('Abdu'l-Bahá, from a Tablet - translated from the Persian)

Thou hast written regarding the four canine teeth in man, saying that
these teeth, two in the upper jaw and two in the lower, are for the purpose
of eating meat.  Know thou that these four teeth are not created for
meat-eating, although one can eat meat with them.  All the teeth of man are
made for eating fruit, cereals and vegetables.  These four teeth, however,
are designed for breaking hard shells, such as those of almonds.  But eating
meat is not forbidden or unlawful, nay, the point is this, that it is
possible for man to live without eating meat and still be strong.  Meat is
nourishing and containeth the elements of herbs, seeds and fruits; therefore
sometimes it is essential for the sick and for the rehabilitation of health.
There is no objection in the Law of God to the eating of meat if it is
required.  So if thy constitution is rather weak and thou findest meat
useful, thou mayest eat it.

('Abdu'l-Bahá, from a Tablet - translated from the Persian)

Thy letter was received.  I hope that thou mayest be protected and
assisted under the providence of the True One, be occupied always in
mentioning the Lord and display effort to complete thy profession.  Thou
must endeavour greatly so that thou mayest become unique in thy profession
and famous in those parts, because attaining perfection in one's profession
in this merciful period is considered to be worship of God.  And whilst thou
art occupied with thy profession, thou canst remember the True One.

("Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá" [rev. ed.],
(Haifa: Bahá'í World Centre, 1982), sec.
128
, pp.
145
-
46
)

O ye, God's loved ones!  Experience hath shown how greatly the
renouncing of smoking, of intoxicating drink, and of opium, conduceth to
health and vigour, to the expansion and keenness of the mind and to bodily
strength.  There is today a people* who strictly avoid tobacco, intoxicating
liquor and opium.  This people is far and away superior to the others, for
strength and physical courage, for health, beauty and comeliness.  A single
one of their men can stand up to ten men of another tribe.  This hath proved
true of the entire people: that is, member for member, each individual of
this community is in every respect superior to the individuals of other
communities. *
[note: Possibly 'Abdu'l-Bahá was referring to
the Sikhs; the description appears to apply to them.]

Make ye then a mighty effort, that the purity and
sanctity which, above all else, are cherished by 'Abdu'l-Bahá, shall
distinguish the people of Bahá; that in every kind of excellence the
people of God shall surpass all other human beings; that both outwardly and
inwardly they shall prove superior to the rest; that for purity, immaculacy,
refinement, and the preservation of health, they shall be leaders in the
vanguard of those who know.  And that by their freedom from enslavement,
their knowledge, their self-control, they shall be first among the pure, the
free and the wise.

("Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá", sec.
129
, p.
150
)

O thou distinguished physician!  ... Praise be to God that
thou hast two powers: one to undertake physical healing and the
other spiritual healing.  Matters related to man's spirit have a
great effect on his bodily condition.  For instance, thou shouldst
impart gladness to thy patient, give him comfort and joy, and
bring him to ecstasy and exultation.  How often hath it occurred
that this hath caused early recovery.  Therefore, treat thou the
sick with both powers.  Spiritual feelings have a surprising
effect on healing nervous ailments.

("Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá", sec.
130
, pp.

150
-
151
)

Although ill health is one of the unavoidable conditions of man, truly
it is hard to bear.  The bounty of good health is the greatest of all
gifts.

("Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá", sec.
132
, p.
151
)

When giving medical treatment turn to the Blessed Beauty, then follow
the dictates of thy heart.  Remedy the sick by means of heavenly joy and
spiritual exultation, cure the sorely afflicted by imparting to them
blissful glad tidings and heal the wounded through His resplendent
bestowals.  When at the bedside of a patient, cheer and gladden his heart
and enrapture his spirit through celestial power.  Indeed, such a heavenly
breath quickeneth every mouldering bone and reviveth the spirit of every
sick and ailing one.

("Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá" sec.
131
, p.
151
)

There are two ways of healing sickness, material means and spiritual
means.  The first is by the treatment of physicians; the second consisteth
in prayers offered by the spiritual ones to God and in turning to Him.  Both
means should be used and practised.

Illnesses which occur by reason of physical causes
should be treated by doctors with medical remedies; those which are due to
spiritual causes disappear through spiritual means.  Thus an illness caused
by affliction, fear, nervous impressions, will be healed more effectively by
spiritual rather than by physical treatment.  Hence, both kinds of treatment
should be followed; they are not contradictory.  Therefore thou shouldst
also accept physical remedies inasmuch as these too have come from the mercy
and favour of God, Who hath revealed and made manifest medical science so
that His servants may profit from this kind of treatment also.  Thou
shouldst give equal attention to spiritual treatments, for they produce
marvellous effects.

Now, if thou wishest to know the true remedy which
will heal man from all sickness and will give him the health of the divine
kingdom, know that it is the precepts and teachings of God.  Focus thine
attention upon them.

("Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá", sec
133
, pp.

151
-
52
)

O thou who art attracted to the fragrant breathings of God!  I have
read thy letter addressed to Mrs. Lua Getsinger.  Thou hast indeed examined
with great care the reasons for the incursion of disease into the human
body.  It is certainly the case that sins are a potent cause of physical
ailments.  If humankind were free from the defilements of sin and
waywardness, and lived according to a natural, inborn equilibrium, without
following wherever their passions led, it is undeniable that diseases would
no longer take the ascendant, nor diversify with such intensity.

But man hath perversely continued to serve his
lustful appetites, and he would not content himself with simple foods.
Rather, he prepared for himself food that was compounded of many
ingredients, of substances differing one from the other.  With this, and
with the perpetrating of vile and ignoble acts, his attention was engrossed,
and he abandoned the temperance and moderation of a natural way of life.
The result was the engendering of diseases both violent and diverse.

For the animal, as to its body, is made up of the
same constituent elements as man.  Since, however, the animal contenteth
itself with simple foods and striveth not to indulge its importunate urges
to any great degree, and committeth no sins, its ailments relative to man's
are few.  We see clearly, therefore, how powerful are sin and contumacy as
pathogenic factors.  And once engendered these diseases become compounded,
multiply, and are transmitted to others.  Such are the spiritual, inner
causes of sickness.

The outer, physical causal factor in disease,
however, is a disturbance in the balance, the proportionate equilibrium of
all those elements of which the human body is composed.  To illustrate: the
body of man is a compound of many constituent substances, each component
being present in a prescribed amount, contributing to the essential
equilibrium of the whole.  So long as these constituents remain in their due
proportion, according to the natural balance of the whole — that is, no
component suffereth a change in its natural proportionate degree and
balance, no component being either augmented or decreased — there will
be no physical cause for the incursion of disease.

For example, the starch component must be present
to a given amount, and the sugar to a given amount.  So long as each
remaineth in its natural proportion to the whole, there will be no cause for
the onset of disease.  When, however, these constituents vary as to their
natural and due amounts — that is, when they are augmented or
diminished — it is certain that this will provide for the inroads of
disease.

This question requireth the most careful
investigation. The Báb hath said that the people of Bahá must
develop the science of medicine to such a high degree that they will heal
illnesses by means of foods.  The basic reason for this is that if, in some
component substance of the human body, an imbalance should occur, altering
its correct, relative proportion to the whole, this fact will inevitably
result in the onset of disease.  If, for example, the starch component
should be unduly augmented, or the sugar component decreased, an illness
will take control.  It is the function of a skilled physician to determine
which constituent of his patient's body hath suffered diminution, which hath
been augmented.  Once he hath discovered this, he must prescribe a food
containing the diminished element in considerable amounts, to re-establish
the body's essential equilibrium.  The patient, once his constitution is
again in balance, will be rid of his disease.

The proof of this is that while other animals have
never studied medical science, nor carried on researches into diseases or
medicines, treatments or cures — even so, when one of them falleth a
prey to sickness, nature leadeth it, in fields or desert places, to the very
plant which, once eaten, will rid the animal of its disease.  The
explanation is that if, as an example, the sugar component in the animal's
body hath decreased, according to a natural law the animal hankereth after a
herb that is rich in sugar.  Then, by a natural urge, which is the appetite,
among a thousand different varieties of plants across the field, the animal
will discover and consume that herb which containeth a sugar component in
large amounts.  Thus the essential balance of the substances composing its
body is re-established, and the animal is rid of its disease.

This question requireth the most careful
investigation. When highly-skilled physicians shall fully examine this
matter, thoroughly and perseveringly, it will be clearly seen that the
incursion of disease is due to a disturbance in the relative amounts of the
body's component substances, and that treatment consisteth in adjusting
these relative amounts, and that this can be apprehended and made possible
by means of foods.

It is certain that in this wonderful new age the
development of medical science will lead to the doctors' healing their
patients with foods.  For the sense of sight, the sense of hearing, of
taste, of smell, of touch — all these are discriminative faculties,
their purpose being to separate the beneficial from whatever causeth harm.
Now, is it possible that man's sense of smell, the sense that differentiates
odours, should find some odour repugnant, and that odour be beneficial to
the human body? Absurd!  Impossible!  In the same way, could the human body,
through the faculty of sight — the differentiator among things visible
— benefit from gazing upon a revolting mass of excrement? Never!
Again, if the sense of taste, likewise a faculty that selecteth and
rejecteth, be offended by something, that thing is certainly not beneficial;
and if, at the outset, it may yield some advantage, in the long run its
harmfulness will be established.

And likewise, when the constitution is in a state
of equilibrium, there is no doubt that whatever is relished will be
beneficial to health.  Observe how an animal will graze in a field where
there are a hundred thousand kinds of herbs and grasses, and how, with its
sense of smell, it snuffeth up the odours of the plants, and tasteth them
with its sense of taste; then it consumeth whatever herb is pleasurable to
these senses, and benefitteth therefrom. Were it not for this power of
selectivity, the animals would all be dead in a single day; for there are a
great many poisonous plants, and animals know nothing of the pharmacopoeia.
And yet, observe what a reliable set of scales they have, by means of which
to differentiate the good from the injurious.  Whatever constituent of their
body hath decreased, they can rehabilitate by seeking out and consuming some
plant that hath an abundant store of that diminished element; and thus the
equilibrium of their bodily components is re-established, and they are rid
of their disease.

At whatever time highly-skilled physicians shall
have developed the healing of illnesses by means of foods, and shall make
provision for simple foods, and shall prohibit humankind from living as
slaves to their lustful appetites, it is certain that the incidence of
chronic and diversified illnesses will abate, and the general health of all
mankind will be much improved.  This is destined to come about.  In the same
way, in the character, the conduct and the manners of men, universal
modifications will be made.

("Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá", sec.
134
, pp.

152
-
156
)

According to the explicit decree of Bahá'u'lláh one must
not turn aside from the advice of a competent doctor.  It is imperative to
consult one even if the patient himself be a well-known and eminent
physician.  In short, the point is that you should maintain your health by
consulting a highly-skilled physician.

("Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá", sec
135
, p.
156
)

It is incumbent upon everyone to seek medical treatment and to follow
the doctor's instructions, for this is in compliance with the divine
ordinance, but, in reality, He Who giveth healing is God.

("Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá", sec
136
, p.
156
)

O handmaid of God!  The prayers which were revealed to ask for healing
apply both to physical and spiritual healing.  Recite them, then, to heal
both the soul and the body.  If healing is right for the patient, it will
certainly be granted; but for some ailing persons, healing would only be the
cause of other ills, and therefore wisdom doth not permit an affirmative
answer to the prayer.

O handmaid of God!  The power of the Holy Spirit
healeth both physical and spiritual ailments.

("Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá", sec
139
, pp.

161
-
162
)

...every branch of learning, conjoined with the love of God, is
approved and worthy of praise; but bereft of His love, learning is barren
— indeed, it bringeth on madness.  Every kind of knowledge, every
science, is as a tree: if the fruit of it be the love of God, then is it a
blessed tree, but if not, that tree is but dried-up wood, and shall only
feed the fire.

O thou loyal servant of God and thou spiritual
healer of man! Whensoever thou dost attend a patient, turn thy face toward
the Lord of the heavenly Kingdom, ask the Holy Spirit to come to thine aid,
then heal thou the sickness.

("Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá", sec
154
, p.
181
)

...if a doctor consoles a sick man by saying, "Thank God you are
better, and there is hope of your recovery," though these words are contrary
to the truth, yet they may become the consolation of the patient and the
turning point of the illness. This is not blameworthy.

('Abdu'l-Bahá, "Some Answered Questions", 1st pocket-sized ed.
Wilmette: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1984), pp.
215
-
16
)

If the health and well-being of the body be expended in the path of the
Kingdom, this is very acceptable and praiseworthy; and if it be expended to
the benefit of the human world in general — even though it be to their
material benefit — and be a means of doing good, that is also
acceptable.  But if the health and welfare of man be spent in sensual
desires, in a life on the animal plane, and in devilish pursuits — then
disease were better than such health; nay, death itself were preferable to
such a life.  If thou art desirous of health, wish thou health for serving
the Kingdom.  I hope that thou mayest attain perfect insight, inflexible
resolution, complete health, and spiritual and physical strength in order
that thou mayest drink from the fountain of eternal life and be assisted by
the spirit of divine confirmation.

('Abdu'l-Bahá, cited in "Bahá'u'lláh and the New Era", pp.
114
-
15
)

I ever pray on her behalf and beg from God His divine remedy and
healing.  As in this Dispensation consultation with expert doctors is highly
advisable and acting in accordance with their prescriptions obligatory, it
is well for her to undergo an operation if deemed necessary by such
doctors.

('Abdu'l-Bahá, cited in "Star of the West", vol.  12, no. 7 July
1921), p. 134)

Therefore, it is evident that this spirit is different from the body,
and that the bird is different from the cage, and that the power and
penetration of the spirit is stronger without the intermediary of the body.
Now, if the instrument is abandoned, the possessor of the instrument
continues to act.  For example, if the pen is abandoned or broken, the
writer remains living and present; if a house is ruined, the owner is alive
and existing. This is one of the logical evidences for the immortality of
the soul.

There is another: this body becomes weak or heavy
or sick, or it finds health; it becomes tired or rested; sometimes the hand
or leg is amputated, or its physical power is crippled; it becomes blind or
deaf or dumb; its limbs may become paralyzed; briefly, the body may have all
the imperfections.  Nevertheless, the spirit in its original state, in its
own spiritual perception, will be eternal and perpetual; it neither finds
any imperfection, nor will it become crippled.  But when the body is wholly
subjected to disease and misfortune, it is deprived of the bounty of the
spirit, like a mirror which, when it becomes broken or dirty or dusty,
cannot reflect the rays of the sun nor any longer show its bounties.

We have already explained that the spirit of man is
not in the body because it is freed and sanctified from entrance and exit,
which are bodily conditions.  The connection of the spirit with the body is
like that of the sun with the mirror.  Briefly, the human spirit is in one
condition.  It neither becomes ill from the diseases of the body nor cured
by its health; it does not become sick, nor weak, nor miserable, nor poor,
nor light, nor small — that is to say, it will not be injured because
of the infirmities of the body, and no effect will be visible even if the
body becomes weak, or if the hands and feet and tongue be cut off, or if it
loses the power of hearing or sight.  Therefore, it is evident and certain
that the spirit is different from the body, and that its duration is
independent of that of the body; on the contrary, the spirit with the utmost
greatness rules in the world of the body; and its power and influence, like
the bounty of the sun in the mirror, are apparent and visible.  But when the
mirror becomes dusty or breaks, it will cease to reflect the rays of the
sun.

('Abdu'l-Bahá, "Some Answered Questions", pp.
228
-
29
)

Question:
- Some people heal the sick by spiritual means —
that is to say, without medicine.  How is this?

Answer:
- Know that there are four kinds of curing and healing
without medicine.  Two are due to material causes, and two to spiritual
causes.

Of the two kinds of material healing, one is due to
the fact that in man both health and sickness are contagious.  The contagion
of disease is violent and rapid, while that of health is extremely weak and
slow.  If two bodies are brought into contact with each other, it is certain
that microbic particles will pass from one to the other.  In the same way
that disease is transferred from one body to another with rapid and strong
contagion, it may be that the strong health of a healthy man will alleviate
a very slight malady in a sick person.  That is to say, the contagion of
disease is violent and has a rapid effect, while that of health is very slow
and has a small effect, and it is only in very slight diseases that it has
even this small effect.  The strong power of a healthy body can overcome a
slight weakness of a sick body, and health results.  This is one kind of
healing.

The other kind of healing without medicine is
through the magnetic force which acts from one body on another and becomes
the cause of cure.  This force also has only a slight effect.  Sometimes one
can benefit a sick person by placing one's hand upon his head or upon his
heart. Why?  Because of the effect of the magnetism, and of the mental
impression made upon the sick person, which causes the disease to vanish.
But this effect is also very slight and weak.

Of the two other kinds of healing which are
spiritual — that is to say, where the means of cure is a spiritual
power — one results from the entire concentration of the mind of a
strong person upon a sick person, when the latter expects with all his
concentrated faith that a cure will be effected from the spiritual power of
the strong person, to such an extent that there will be a cordial connection
between the strong person and the invalid.  The strong person makes every
effort to cure the sick patient, and the sick patient is then sure of
receiving a cure.  From the effect of these mental impressions an excitement
of the nerves is produced, and this impression and this excitement of the
nerves will become the cause of the recovery of the sick person.  So when a
sick person has a strong desire and intense hope for something and hears
suddenly the tidings of its realization, a nervous excitement is produced
which will make the malady entirely disappear.  In the same way, if a cause
of terror suddenly occurs, perhaps an excitement may be produced in the
nerves of a strong person which will immediately cause a malady.  The cause
of the sickness will be no material thing, for that person has not eaten
anything, and nothing harmful has touched him; the excitement of the nerves
is then the only cause of the illness.  In the same way the sudden
realization of a chief desire will give such joy that the nerves will be
excited by it, and this excitement may produce health.

To conclude, the complete and perfect connection
between the spiritual doctor and the sick person — that is, a
connection of such a kind that the spiritual doctor entirely concentrates
himself, and all the attention of the sick person is given to the spiritual
doctor from whom he expects to realize health — causes an excitement of
the nerves, and health is produced.  But all this has effect only to a
certain extent, and that not always.  For if someone is afflicted with a
very violent disease, or is wounded, these means will not remove the disease
nor close and heal the wound — that is to say, these means have no
power in severe maladies, unless the constitution helps, because a strong
constitution often overcomes disease.  This is the third kind of
healing.

But the fourth kind of healing is produced through
the power of the Holy Spirit.  This does not depend on contact, nor on
sight, nor upon presence; it is not dependent upon any condition. Whether
the disease be light or severe, whether there be a contact of bodies or not,
whether a personal connection be established between the sick person and the
healer or not, this healing takes place through the power of the Holy
Spirit.

('Abdu'l-Bahá, "Some Answered Questions", pp.
254
-
256
)

Yesterday at table we spoke of curative treatment and spiritual
healing, which consists in treating maladies through the spiritual
powers.

Now let us speak of material healing.  The science
of medicine is still in a condition of infancy; it has not reached maturity.
But when it has reached this point, cures will be performed by things which
are not repulsive to the smell and taste of man — that is to say, by
aliments, fruits and vegetables which are agreeable to the taste and have an
agreeable smell.  For the provoking cause of disease — that is to say,
the cause of the entrance of disease into the human body — is either a
physical one or is the effect of excitement of the nerves.

But the principal causes of disease are physical,
for the human body is composed of numerous elements, but in the measure of
an especial equilibrium.  As long as this equilibrium is maintained, man is
preserved from disease; but if this essential balance, which is the pivot of
the constitution, is disturbed, the constitution is disordered, and disease
will supervene.

For instance, there is a decrease in one of the
constituent ingredients of the body of man, and in another there is an
increase; so the proportion of the equilibrium is disturbed, and disease
occurs.  For example, one ingredient must be one thousand grams in weight,
and another five grams, in order that the equilibrium be maintained.  The
part which is one thousand grams diminishes to seven hundred grams, and that
which is five grams augments until the measure of the equilibrium is
disturbed; then disease occurs.  When by remedies and treatments the
equilibrium is reestablished, the disease is banished.  So if the sugar
constituent increases, the health is impaired; and when the doctor forbids
sweet and starchy foods, the sugar constituent diminishes, the equilibrium
is reestablished, and the disease is driven off. Now the readjustment of
these constituents of the human body is obtained by two means — either
by medicines or by aliments; and when the constitution has recovered its
equilibrium, disease is banished.  All the elements that are combined in man
exist also in vegetables; therefore, if one of the constituents which
compose the body of man diminishes, and he partakes of foods in which there
is much of that diminished constituent, then the equilibrium will be
established, and a cure will be obtained.  So long as the aim is the
readjustment of the constituents of the body, it can be effected either by
medicine or by food.

The majority of the diseases which overtake man
also overtake the animal, but the animal is not cured by drugs.  In the
mountains, as in the wilderness, the animal's physician is the power of
taste and smell.  The sick animal smells the plants that grow in the
wilderness; he eats those that are sweet and fragrant to his smell and
taste, and is cured.  The cause of his healing is this.  When the sugar
ingredient has become diminished in his constitution, he begins to long for
sweet things; therefore, he eats an herb with a sweet taste, for nature
urges and guides him; its smell and taste please him, and he eats it.  The
sugar ingredient in his nature will be increased, and health will be
restored.

It is, therefore, evident that it is possible to
cure by foods, aliments and fruits; but as today the science of medicine is
imperfect, this fact is not yet fully grasped.  When the science of medicine
reaches perfection, treatment will be given by foods, aliments, fragrant
fruits and vegetables, and by various waters, hot and cold in
temperature.

This discourse is brief; but, if God wills, at
another time, when the occasion is suitable, this question will be more
fully explained.

('Abdu'l-Bahá, "Some Answered Questions", pp.
257
-
59
)

We should all visit the sick.  When they are in sorrow and
suffering, it is a real help and benefit to have a friend come.
Happiness is a great healer to those who are ill.  In the East it
is the custom to call upon the patient often and meet him
individually.  The people in the East show the utmost kindness and
compassion to the sick and suffering.  This has greater effect
than the remedy itself.  You must always have this thought of love
and affection when you visit the ailing and afflicted.

("The Promulgation of Universal Peace: Talks Delivered by
'Abdu'l-Bahá during His Visit to the United States and Canada in
1912" 2nd. ed. (Wilmette: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1982), p.
204
)

All true healing comes from God!  There are two causes for
sickness, one is material, the other spiritual.  If the sickness
is of the body, a material remedy is needed, if of the soul, a
spiritual remedy.

If the heavenly benediction be upon us while we are
being healed then only can we be made whole, for medicine is but the outward
and visible means through which we obtain the heavenly healing. Unless the
spirit be healed, the cure of the body is worth nothing.  All is in the
hands of God, and without Him there can be no health in us!

There have been many men who have died at last of the
very disease of which they have made a special study.  Aristotle, for
instance, who made a special study of the digestion, died of a gastronomic
malady.  Aviseu was a specialist of the heart, but he died of heart disease.
God is the great compassionate Physician who alone has the power to give
true healing.

("Paris Talks: Addresses given by 'Abdu'l-Bahá in Paris in
1911-1912", 11th ed. (London: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1979), p.

19
)

When an illness is slight a small remedy will suffice to heal it, but
when the slight illness becomes a terrible disease, then a very strong
remedy must be used by the Divine Healer....

("Paris Talks: Addresses given by 'Abdu'l-Bahá in Paris in
1911-1912" p.
27
)

This is worship: to serve mankind and to minister to the needs
of the people.  Service is prayer.  A physician ministering to the
sick, gently, tenderly, free from prejudice and believing in the
solidarity of the human race, he is giving praise.

("Paris Talks: Addresses given by 'Abdu'l-Bahá in Paris in
1911-1912", p.
177
)

The healing that is by the power of the Holy Spirit needs no
special concentration or contact.  It is through the wish or
desire and the prayer of the holy person.  The one who is sick may
be in the East and the healer in the West, and they may not have
been acquainted with each other, but as soon as that holy person
turns his heart to God and begins to pray, the sick one is healed.
This is a gift belonging to the Holy Manifestations and those who
are in the highest station.

('Abdu'l-Bahá, cited in "Bahá'u'lláh and the New Era" p.
109
)

"What will be the food of the future?" "Fruit and grains.  The
time will come when meat will no longer be eaten.  Medical science
is only in its infancy, yet it has shown that our natural diet is
that which grows out of the ground.  The people will gradually
develop up to the condition of this natural food."

('Abdu'l-Bahá, cited in Julia M. Grundy.  "Ten Days in the Light
of 'Akka", rev. ed. (Wilmette: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1979), pp.
8-9)

III.

From letters written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi

In regard to the question as to whether people ought to kill animals
for food or not, there is no explicit statement in the Bahá'í
Sacred Scriptures (as far as I know) in favour or against it.  It is
certain, however, that if man can live on a purely vegetarian diet and thus
avoid killing animals, it would be much preferable.  This is, however, a
very controversial question and the Bahá'ís are free to
express their views on it.

(In a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, 9 July 1931 to
an individual believer)

'Abdu'l-Bahá does often state that the medical science will
much improve.  With the appearance of every Revelation a new
insight is created in man and this in turn expresses itself in the
growth of science.  This has happened in past dispensations and we
find its earliest fruits in our present day.  What we see however
is only the beginning.  With the spiritual awakening of man this
force will develop and marvelous results will become manifest.

(In a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, 14 January 1932
to two believers)

Bahá'u'lláh tells us that in case of disease we should
pray but at the same time refer to competent physicians, and abide by their
considered decision.  Shoghi Effendi wishes you therefore to find whether
your son has really become ill, and if he is, then follow the directions of
the doctor.  Being versed in the medical sciences they can treat better than
even a loving mother can.  You can render your assistance by praying for him
and at the same time helping the physicians to treat him.

(In a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, 9 April 1933 to
an individual believer)

In the "Book of Aqdas" Bahá'u'lláh urges us that when we
obtain any physical ailment we should refer to the doctor and abide by his
decision.  Physical and spiritual forces have both to be used to secure the
speedy recovery of the patients; no partial treatment is sufficient....

(In a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, 1 June 1933 to
an individual believer)

Healing through purely spiritual forces is undoubtedly as
inadequate as that which materialist physicians and thinkers
vainly seek to obtain by resorting entirely to mechanical devices
and methods.  The best result can be obtained by combining the two
processes: spiritual and physical.

(In a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, 12 March 1934 to
an individual believer)

With regard to your question concerning spiritual healing:
Such a healing constitutes, indeed, one of the most effective
methods of relieving a person from either his mental or physical
pains and sufferings.  'Abdu'l-Bahá has in His "Paris Talks"
emphasized its importance by stating that it should be used as an
essential means for effecting a complete physical cure.  Spiritual
healing, however, is not and cannot be a substitute for material
healing, but it is a most valuable adjunct to it.  Both are,
indeed, essential and complementary.

(In a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, 16 February 1935
to an individual believer)

With reference to your question concerning spiritual healing: Its
importance, as you surely know, has been greatly emphasized by
'Abdu'l-Bahá, Who considered it, indeed, as an essential part of
physical processes of healing.  Physical healing cannot be complete and
lasting unless it is reinforced by spiritual healing. And this last one can
be best obtained through obedience to the laws and commandments of God as
revealed to us through His Manifestations.  Individual believers, however,
can also help by imparting healing to others.  But the success of their
efforts depends entirely on their strict adherence to the Teachings, and
also on the manner in which they impart them to others.  According to
Bahá'u'lláh man cannot obtain full guidance directly from God.
He must rather seek it through His Prophets.  Provided this principle is
clearly understood and explained, the Guardian sees no harm that the friends
should try to effect spiritual healing in others.  Any such cure effected,
however, should be done in the name of Bahá'u'lláh and in
accordance with His teachings.  For God, and God alone, is the Supreme and
Almighty Physician, and all else are but instruments in His hands.

(In a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, 23 May 1935 to
an individual believer)

As to your question concerning the meaning of physical suffering and
its relation to mental and spiritual healing: Physical pain is a necessary
accompaniment of all human existence, and as such is unavoidable.  As long
as there will be life on earth, there will be also suffering, in various
forms and degrees. But suffering, although an inescapable reality, can
nevertheless be utilized as a means for the attainment of happiness.  This
is the interpretation given to it by all the Prophets and saints, who, in
the midst of severe tests and trials, felt happy and joyous and experienced
what is best and holiest in life. Suffering is both a reminder and a guide.
It stimulates us to better adapt ourselves to our environmental conditions,
and thus leads the way to self-improvement.  In every suffering one can find
a meaning and a wisdom.  But it is not always easy to find the secret of
that wisdom.  It is sometimes only when all our suffering has passed that we
become aware of its usefulness.  What man considers to be evil turns often
to be a cause of infinite blessings.  And this is due to his desire to know
more than he can.  God's wisdom is, indeed, inscrutable to us all, and it is
no use pushing too far trying to discover that which shall always remain a
mystery to our mind.

(In a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, 29 May 1935 to
an individual believer)

Regarding your questions concerning the condition of the soul during
illness: The passages in the "Gleanings" make it quite clear that physical
ailments, no matter how severe, cannot bring any change in the inherent
condition of the soul.  As Bahá'u'lláh says: "The spirit is
permanent and steadfast in its station".* The veil or hindrance that
interposes between soul and body during physical disease is sickness itself.
Sickness reveals a lack of balance in the human organism, an absence of
equilibrium in the forces essential for the normal functioning of the human
body. *
[note: The words quoted here are from a translation appearing
in
Bahá'í Scriptures
p.
228
.  The passage as translated
by Shoghi Effendi appears in
Gleanings
, section
LXXX
, as follows:
"...the soul itself remaineth unaffected by any bodily ailments."]

(In a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, 8 March 1936 to
an individual believer)

As to your question regarding the possibility of an artificial
production of life by means of an incubator: this is essentially a matter
that concerns science, and as such should be investigated and studied by
scientists.

(In a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, 31 December
1937to an individual believer)

As to the possibility of conception without the presence of a male
sperm in the future: this is a question which lies entirely within the
province of science, and which future scientists will have to investigate.

(In a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, 27 February 1938
to an individual believer)

The Teachings bear no reference to the question of
telepathy. It is a matter that concerns psychology.

(In a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, 28 February 1938
to an individual believer)

The eating of pork is not forbidden in the Bahá'í
Teachings.

(In a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, 27 March 1938 to
an individual believer)

These investigations you have so painstakingly pursued in the field of
medical science, and on a subject which is still puzzling the minds of all
the leading scientists in the world, cannot but be of a captivating interest
and of a great value to all medical research workers.

It is significant that you as a believer should have
undertaken a work of this nature, as we all know that the powers released by
the Manifestation of Bahá'u'lláh in this day are destined in
the course of time to reveal themselves through the instrumentality of His
followers, and in every conceivable field of human endeavour.

That you should increasingly prove, through your
continued researches in the domain of medicine, to be one of those
instruments is the fervent hope of our beloved Guardian....

(In a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, 29 November 1938
to an individual believer)

Such hindrances, no matter how severe and insuperable they may
at first seem, can and should be effectively overcome through the
combined and sustained power of prayer and of determined and
continued effort....

(In a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, 6 February 1939
to an individual believer)

The Bahá'í Teachings do not only encourage marital life,
considering it the natural and normal way of existence for every sane,
healthy and socially-conscious and responsible person, but raise marriage to
the status of a divine institution, its chief and sacred purpose being the
perpetuation of the human race — which is the very flower of the entire
creation — and its elevation to the true station destined for it by
God.

That there should be, however, certain individuals
who by reason of some serious deficiency, physical or mental, would be
incapacitated to contract marriage and enjoy the blessings of an enduring
and successful marital life is only too evident, but these constitute only a
very small section of humanity, and are therefore merely an exception, and
their condition cannot possibly invalidate what an all-wise and loving
Providence has decreed to be the normal way to a fruitful and constructive
social existence.

The exact conditions and circumstances under which
such incapacitated individuals should be advised or even prevented perhaps
from entering into any sort of marital existence have not been specified in
the Bahá'í Writings, but will have to be defined later on by
the Universal House of Justice.  In the mean time, those believers who
consider themselves as falling into the above category would do well, before
taking any final decision themselves, to consult medical experts, who are
both conscientious and competent, and to abide by their recommendation.

(In a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, 15 April 1939 to
an individual believer)

Also with regard to the practice of circumcision; the Teachings bear no
reference to this matter, and it is therefore not enjoined upon the
believers.

(In a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, 14 December 1940
to the National Spiritual Assembly of India and Burma)

Regarding your question about vaccination: these are technical matters
which have not been specifically mentioned in the teachings, and
consequently the Guardian cannot make any statement about them.  No doubt
medical science will progress tremendously as time goes by, and the
treatment of disease become more perfect.

(In a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, 22 January 1944
to an individual believer)

As to your question about healing: although there is no objection to
your helping others to regain their health, he does not feel you should
associate the name Bahá'í with your work, as it gives a wrong
impression; we have no "Bahá'í healers" as Christian Science
and various other sects have.  You are a Bahá'í and a healer,
and that is quite different.

(In a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, 13 December 1945
to an individual believer)

The Tablet to a Physician was addressed to a man who was a student of
the old type of healing prevalent in the East and familiar with the
terminology used in those days, and He addresses him in terms used by the
medical men of those days.  These terms are quite different from those used
by modern medicine, and one would have to have a deep knowledge of this
former school of medicine to understand the questions
Bahá'u'lláh was elucidating.

The Guardian never goes into technical matters, as this
is not his work.  Bahá'u'lláh has recommended that people seek
the help and advice of experts and doctors; He does not say which school
they should belong to.

Likewise there is nothing in the teachings about whether
people should eat their food cooked or raw; exercise or not exercise; resort
to specific therapies or not; nor is it forbidden to eat meat.

Bahá'u'lláh says teaching is the greatest
of all services, but He does not mean one should give up medicine to teach.

(In a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, 18 December 1945
to an individual believer)

The greatest form of healing which the Bahá'ís can
practice is to heal the spiritually sick souls of men by giving this
greatest of all Messages to them.  We can also try to help them, both
physically and spiritually, through prayer.

(In a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, 25 March 1946 to
an individual believer)

There is nothing in the teachings which would forbid a
Bahá'í to bequeath his eyes to another person or for a
Hospital; on the contrary it seems a noble thing to do.

(In a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, 6 September 1946
to an individual believer)

He feels you should certainly think of your future and earning your
living, and if chiropractic is the work you wish to go in for, you should
continue your education; when you are finished it would be highly
meritorious to enter the pioneer field, as for many years to come
Bahá'í teachers will be needed in distant lands.

(In a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, 31 March 1947 to
an individual believer)

...you should not neglect your health, but consider it the means which
enables you to serve.  It — the body — is like a horse which carries the
personality and spirit, and as such should be well cared for so it can do
its work!  You should certainly safeguard your nerves, and force yourself to
take time, and not only for prayer and meditation, but for real rest and
relaxation....

(In a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, 23 November 1947
to an individual believer)

Very little is as yet known about the mind and its workings. But one
thing is certain: Bahá'ís can and do receive a very remarkable
help and protection in this world, one which often surprises their doctors
very much!

(In a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, 9 April 1948 to
an individual believer)

The Guardian knows nothing about your kind of healing, nor would he
care to go into the question in detail, as he has no time for such matters.
But he can lay down for your guidance certain broad principles: there is no
such thing as Bahá'í healers or a Bahá'í type of
healing.  In His Most Holy Book (the Aqdas) Bahá'u'lláh says
to consult the best physicians, in other words doctors who have studied a
scientific system of medicine; He never gave us to believe He Himself would
heal us through 'healers', but rather through prayer and the assistance of
medicine and approved treatments.

Now, as long as your healing is in no opposition to
these principles, as long as you do not try and take the place of a regular
doctor in trying to heal others, but only give them your kind of help
through constructive suggestion — or whatever it may be — and do
not associate this help with being a channel of the direct grace of
Bahá'u'lláh, the Guardian sees no harm in your continuing your
assistance to others.  But you must conscientiously decide whether in view
of the above you are really justified in continuing.  He will pray for your
guidance and happiness.

(In a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, 8 June 1948 to
an individual believer)

He does not feel that you should try to do anything special about the
capacity you feel to help people when they are ill. This does not mean you
should not use it, when the occasion arises, such as it did recently.  But
he means you should not become a "healer" such as the Christian Scientists
have, and we Bahá'ís do not have.

(In a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, 25 December 1949
to an individual believer)

We have no reason to believe that the healing of the Holy Spirit cannot
be attracted by ordinary human beings.  But this is rare, a mystery, and a
gift of God.

(In a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, 26 March 1950 to
an individual believer)

There is nothing in our teachings about Freud and his method.
Psychiatric treatment in general is no doubt an important contribution to
medicine, but we must believe it is still a growing rather than a perfected
science.  As Bahá'u'lláh has urged us to avail ourselves of
the help of good physicians Bahá'ís are certainly not only
free to turn to psychiatry for assistance but should, when advisable, do so.
This does not mean psychiatrists are always wise or always right, it means
we are free to avail ourselves of the best medicine has to offer us.

(In a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, 15 June 1950 to
the National Spiritual Assembly of the British Isles)

...as we are a religion and not qualified to pass on scientific matters
we cannot sponsor different treatments.  We are certainly free to pass on
what we have found beneficial to others.

(In a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, 30 September
1950 to an individual believer)

The Guardian sees no reason why you should not continue to help sick
people.  As he wrote some of the believers regarding this matter previously,
as long as you do not say you are healing them as a Bahá'í, or
because you are a Bahá'í (because we have no "healers" in the
Cause as such) there can be certainly no objection to your doing it.  On the
contrary, to be able to help another soul who is in suffering is a great
bounty from God.

(In a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, 5 October 1950
to an individual believer)

There is nothing in the Teachings about chiropractic as a method of
healing.  People are free to turn to it if they please and find help through
it.

(In a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, 10 February 1951
to an individual believer)

Regarding your question: there are very few people who can get along
without eight hours sleep. If you are not one of those, you should protect
your health by sleeping enough.  The Guardian himself finds that it impairs
his working capacity if he does not try and get a minimum of seven or eight
hours.

(In a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, 15 September
1951 to two believers)

There is nothing in the teachings about Socialized Medicine. All these
details are for the House of Justice to decide.

(In a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, 18 February 1951
to an individual believer)

Every day medical science is progressing, and it is quite possible that
some new form of treatment or some new doctor may be able to get you on your
feet.  He will certainly pray that this may be so.

(In a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, 24 February 1952
to an individual believer)

So you see he cannot possibly pronounce on the merits of Dianetics.
The believers are free to investigate new things, and use them if they prove
of real value and no harm.

(In a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, 30 August 1952
to an individual believer)

He was sorry to hear you have been ill, and urges you to cooperate
fully with your doctors in order to regain your health as soon as possible
and be free to serve the Cause.

(In a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, 19 July 1953 to
an individual believer)

The beloved Guardian says that the question of circumcision has nothing
to do with the Bahá'í Teachings; and the believers are free to
do as they please in the matter.

(In a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, 27 March 1954 to
an individual believer)

He is pleased to see that you are feeling better, and will certainly
pray for your full recovery.  Before having any serious operation, you
should consult more than one qualified physician.

(In a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, 8 April 1954 to
an individual believer)

Regarding various matters raised in your letters: There is nothing in
the Teachings to prevent a Bahá'í from willing his body for
medical research after death.  However, it should be made clear that the
remains must be buried eventually and not cremated, as this is according to
Bahá'í law.

(In a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, 26 June 1956 to
the National Spiritual Assembly of Canada)

There is nothing in the Teachings against leaving our bodies to medical
science.  The only thing we should stipulate is that we do not wish to be
cremated, as it is against our Bahá'í Laws.

As many people make arrangements to leave their bodies
to medical science for investigation, he suggests that you inquire, either
through some lawyer friend or through some hospital, how you could do this,
and then make the necessary provision in your will, stipulating that you
wish your body be of service to mankind in death, and that, being a
Bahá'í, you request that your remains not be cremated and not
be taken more than an hour's journey from the place you die.

The spirit has no more connection with the body after it
departs, but, as the body was once the temple of the spirit, we
Bahá'ís are taught that it must be treated with respect.

(In a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, 22 March 1957 to
an individual believer)

IV.

From letters written on behalf of The Universal House of Justice

One of the friends of Persia wrote to Shoghi Effendi and asked this
question: "Is it true that 'Abdu'l-Bahá has said that biochemical
homeopathy, which is a form of food medicine, is in conformity with the
Bahá'í medical concept?" The beloved Guardian's reply to this
question in a letter dated 25th November, 1944 was as follows: "This
statement is true, and the truth thereof will be revealed in the future."
(The question and answer are translated from the Persian.)

The Universal House of Justice has also asked us to
inform you that it does not wish the above statement to be circulated in
isolation from the many and varied other texts in the Writings on medicine.
However, you may share it with any of your friends who are interested.

(12 November 1975, written by the Universal House of Justice to an
individual believer)

No specific school of nutrition or medicine has been associated with
the Bahá'í teachings.  What we have are certain guidelines,
indications and principles which will be carefully studied by experts and
will, in the years ahead, undoubtedly prove to be invaluable sources of
guidance and inspiration in the development of these medical sciences.
Moreover, in this connection the Guardian's secretary has stated on his
behalf that "It is premature to try and elaborate on the few general
references to health and medicine made in our Holy Scriptures." The
believers must guard against seizing upon any particular text which may
appeal to them and which they may only partially or even incorrectly
understand....

In the

Kitáb-i-Aqdas

Bahá'u'lláh has stated: "Whenever ye fall ill, refer to
competent physicians.  Verily, We have not abolished recourse to material
means, rather have We affirmed it through this Pen which God hath made the
Dawning Place of His luminous and resplendent Cause."  The secretaries of
the Guardian have conveyed his guidance on this point in many letters to
individual believers in passages such as these: "...refer to competent
physicians, and abide by their considered decisions"; "...invariably consult
and follow the treatment of competent and conscientious physicians..." and
"...consult the best physicians ... doctors who have studied a scientific
system of medicine."  Thus the obligation to consult physicians and to
distinguish between doctors who are well trained in medical sciences and
those who are not is clear, but the Faith should not be associated with any
particular school of medical theory or practice.  It is left to each
believer to decide for himself which doctors he should consult, bearing in
mind the principles enunciated above.

In matters of diet, as in medicine, the Universal House
of Justice feels that the believers should be aware that a huge body of
scientific knowledge has been accumulated as a guide to our habits and
practices.  Here too, as in all other things, the believers should be
conscious of the two principles of moderation and courtesy in the way they
express their opinions and in deciding whether they should refuse food
offered to them or request special foods.

There are, of course, instances where a believer would
be fully justified in abstaining from or eating only certain foods for some
medical reason, but this is a different matter and would be understood by
any reasonable person.

(24 January 1977, written by the Universal House of Justice to an
individual believer)

In matters of health, particularly regarding diet and nutrition, the
House of Justice advises the friends to seek the help and advice of experts
and doctors.  This is what Bahá'u'lláh has recommended and He
does not indicate which school of thought or practice they should belong to.
However, as you particularly ask about references in the Old Testament as
they relate to meat and fish, the House of Justice has asked us to quote for
you the following excerpt taken from a letter written on behalf of the
beloved Guardian by his secretary to an individual believer:

"...there is nothing in the teachings about whether people should
eat their food cooked or raw; exercise or not exercise; resort to
specific therapies or not; nor is it forbidden to eat meat."

(19 June 1977, written by the Universal House of Justice to an
individual believer)

The Universal House of Justice has received your letter of 19th January
1978 enquiring the Bahá'í point of view on the vivisection of
animals.  The beloved Guardian was asked a similar question to which his
secretary replied on his behalf, on 29 November 1955: "As there is no
definite and conclusive statement on Vivisection in the Bahá'í
Teachings, this is a matter which the International House of Justice will
have to pass upon in the future."

The House of Justice does not wish to legislate upon
this matter at the present time.  It is left to the consciences of the
individual friends, who should make their decisions in light of the
teachings concerning animals and their treatment.

In this connection the House of Justice instructs us to
say that in a Tablet in which He stresses the need for kindness to animals,
'Abdu'l-Bahá states that it would be permissible to perform an
operation on a living animal for the purposes of research even if the animal
were killed thereby, but that the animal must be well anaesthetized and that
the utmost care must be exercised that it does not suffer.

(9 March 1978, written by the Universal House of Justice to the
National Spiritual Assembly of Italy)

In matters of diet, as in medicine, the Universal House of Justice
feels that the believers should be aware that a huge body of scientific
knowledge has been accumulated as a guide to our habits and practices.  But
it must be clearly understood that no specific school of nutrition or
medicine has been associated with the Bahá'í teachings.  What
we have are certain guidelines, indications and principles which will be
carefully studied by experts and will, in the years ahead, undoubtedly prove
to be invaluable sources of guidance and inspiration in the development of
these medical sciences.  Moreover, in this connection the Guardian's
secretary has stated on his behalf that "It is premature to try and
elaborate on the few general references to health and medicine made in our
Holy Scriptures."  The believers must guard against seizing upon any
particular text which may appeal to them and which they may only partially
or even in correctly understand.

(11 July 1978, written by the Universal House of Justice to an
individual believer)

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