Through His potency the Trees of Divine Revelation have yielded
their fruits, every one of which hath been sent down in the form
of a Prophet, bearing a Message to God's creatures in each of the
worlds whose number God, alone, in His all-encompassing
knowledge, can reckon. (ADJ Page 80)
When we contemplate this vast machinery of omnipresent power,
perceive this illimitable space and its innumerable worlds it
will become evident to us that the lifetime of this infinite
creation is more than six thousand years; nay, it is very, very
ancient. (FWU 108)
The world of Divinity presupposes creation, presupposes
recipients of bounty, presupposes the existence of worlds. No
Divinity can be conceived as separate from creation, for
otherwise it would be like imagining an empire without a people.
A king must needs have a kingdom, must needs have an army and
subjects. Is it possible to be a king and have no country, no
army, no subjects? This is an absurdity. If we say that there
was a time when there was no country, no army and no subjects,
how then could there have been a king and ruler? For these
things are essential to a king. Consequently, just as the reality
of Divinity never had a beginning--that is, God has ever been a
Creator, God has ever been a Provider, God has ever been a
Quickener, God has ever been a Bestower--so there never has been
a time when the attributes of God have not had expression. The
sun is the sun because of its rays, because of its heat. Were we
to conceive of a time when there was a sun without heat and
light, it would imply that there had been no sun at all and that
it became the sun afterward. So, likewise, if we say there was a
time when God had no creation or created beings, a time when
there were no recipients of His bounties and that His names and
attributes had not been manifested, this would be equivalent to a
complete denial of Divinity, for it would mean that Divinity is
accidental. To explain it still more clearly, if we think that
fifty thousand years ago or one hundred thousand years ago there
was no creation, that there were then no worlds, no human beings,
no animals, this thought of ours would mean that previous to that
period there was no Divinity. If we should say that there was a
time when there was a king but there were no subjects, no army,
no country for him to rule over, it would really be asserting
that there was a time when no king existed and that the king is
accidental. It is, therefore, evident that inasmuch as the
reality of Divinity is without a beginning, creation is also
without a beginning. This is as clear as the sun. When we
contemplate this vast machinery of omnipresent power, perceive
this illimitable space and its innumerable worlds, it will become
evident to us that the lifetime of this infinite creation is more
than six thousand years; nay, it is very, very ancient.
Notwithstanding this, we read in Genesis in the Old Testament
that the lifetime of creation is but six thousand years. This
has an inner meaning and significance; it is not to be taken
literally. For instance, it is said in the Old Testament that
certain things were created in the first day. The narrative
shows that at that time the sun was not yet created. How could
we conceive of a day if no sun existed in the heavens? For the
day depends upon the light of the sun. Inasmuch as the sun had
not been made, how could the first day be realized? Therefore,
these statements have significances other than literal. To be
brief: Our purpose is to show that the divine sovereignty, the
Kingdom of God, is an ancient sovereignty, that it is not an
accidental sovereignty, just as a kingdom presupposes the
existence of subjects, of an army, of a country; for otherwise
the state of dominion, authority and kingdom cannot be conceived
of. Therefore, if we should imagine that the creation is
accidental, we would be forced to admit that the Creator is
accidental, whereas the divine bounty is ever flowing, and the
rays of the Sun of Truth are continuously shining. No cessation
is possible to the divine bounty, just as no cessation is
possible to the rays of the sun. This is clear and obvious. Thus
there have been many holy Manifestations of God. One thousand
years ago, two hundred thousand years ago, one million years ago,
the bounty of God was flowing, the radiance of God was shining,
the dominion of God was existing. Why do these holy
Manifestations of God appear? What is the wisdom and purpose of
Their coming? What is the outcome of Their mission? It is
evident that human personality appears in two aspects: the image
or likeness of God, and the aspect of Satan. The human reality
stands between these two: the divine and the satanic. It is
manifest that beyond this material body, man is endowed with
another reality, which is the world of exemplars constituting the
heavenly body of man. (Prmlgtn Unvrsl Peace 462-464)
Existence is of two kinds: one is the existence of God which is
beyond the comprehension of man. He, the invisible, the lofty
and the incomprehensible, is preceded by no cause but rather is
the Originator of the cause of causes. He, the Ancient, hath had
no beginning and is the all-independent. The second kind of
existence is the human existence. It is a common existence,
comprehensible to the human mind, is not ancient, is dependent
and hath a cause to it. The mortal substance does not become
eternal and vice-versa; the human kind does not become a Creator
and vice-versa. The transformation of the innate substance is
impossible. (SFTW A-B 61)
The sciences of today are bridges to reality; if then they lead
not to reality, naught remains but fruitless illusion. By the
one true God! If learning be not a means of access to Him, the
Most Manifest, it is nothing but evident loss. (SFTW A-B 110)
If one were to travel through the deserts of Central Asia he
would observe how many cities, once great and prosperous like
Paris and London, are now demolished and razed to the ground.
From the Caspian Sea to the River Oxus there stretch wild and
desolate plains, deserts, wildernesses and valleys. For two days
and two nights the Russian railway traverseth the ruined cities
and uninhabited villages of that wasteland. Formerly that plain
bore the fruit of the finest civilizations of the past. Tokens
of development and refinement were apparent all around, arts and
sciences were well protected and promoted, professions and
industries flourished, commerce and agriculture had reached a
high stage of efficiency, and the foundations of government and
statesmanship were laid on a strong and solid basis. Today that
vast stretch of land hath become mostly the shelter and asylum of
Turkoman tribes, and an arena for the display of wild beasts.
The ancient cities of that plain, such as Gurgan, Nissa, Abyord
and Shahristan, famous throughout the world for their arts,
sciences, culture, industry, and well known for their wealth,
greatness, prosperity and distinction, have given way to a
wilderness wherein no voice is heard save the roaring of wild
beasts and where bloodthirsty wolves roam at will. (SFTW A-B
288-289)
In this mortal world every important matter hath an end; and
every remarkable achievement a termination; none having permanent
existence. For instance, consider how the important achievements
of the ancient world have been totally exterminated and not a
trace remaineth therefrom save the great Cause of the Kingdom of
God, which hath no beginning and will have no end. (SFTW A-B
311)
The philosophers of the ancients, the thinkers of the Middle
Ages and the scientists of this and the former centuries have all
agreed upon the fact that the best and the most ideal region for
the habitation of man is the temperate zone, for in this belt the
intellects and thoughts rise to the highest stage of maturity,
and the capability and ability of civilization manifest
themselves in full efflorescence. When you read history
critically and with a penetrating eye, it becomes evident that
the majority of the famous men have been born, reared and have
done their work in the temperate zone, while very very few have
appeared from the torrid and frigid zones. (TDP 65)
Question.--What is the real explanation of the cycles which
occur in the world of existence? Answer.--Each one of the
luminous bodies in this limitless firmament has a cycle of
revolution which is of a different duration, and every one
revolves in its own orbit, and again begins a new cycle. So the
earth, every three hundred and sixty-five days, five hours,
forty-eight minutes and a fraction, completes a revolution; and
then it begins a new cycle--that is to say, the first cycle is
again renewed. In the same way, for the whole universe, whether
for the heavens of for men, there are cycles of great events, of
important facts and occurrences. When a cycle is ended, a new
cycle begins; and the old one, on account of the great events
which take place, is completely forgotten, and not a trace or
record of it will remain. As you see, we have no records of
twenty thousand years ago, although we have before proved by
argument that life on this earth is very ancient. It is not one
hundred thousand, or two hundred thousand, or one million or two
million years old; it is very ancient, and the ancient records
and traces are entirely obliterated. (SAQ 160)
God is eternal and ancient; not a new God. His sovereignty is
of old, not recent; not merely existent these five or six
thousand years. This infinite universe is from everlasting. The
sovereignty, power, names and attributes of God are eternal,
ancient. His names presuppose creation and predicate His
existence and will. We say God is creator. This name creator
appears when we connote creation. We say God is the provider.
This name presupposes and proves the existence of the provided.
God is love. This name proves the existence of the beloved. In
the same way God is mercy, God is justice, God is life, etc.,
etc. Therefore as God is creator, eternal and ancient, there
were always creatures and subjects existing and provided for.
There is no doubt that divine sovereignty is eternal. Sovereignty
necessitates subjects, ministers, trustees and others subordinate
to sovereignty. Could there be a king without country, subjects
and armies? If we conceive of a time when there were no
creatures, no servants, no subjects of divine lordship we
dethrone God and predicate a time when God was not. It would be
as if He had been recently appointed and man had given these
names to Him. The divine sovereignty is ancient, eternal. God
from everlasting was love, justice, power, creator, provider, the
omniscient, the bountiful. As the divine entity is eternal,
the divine attributes are co-existent, co-eternal. The divine
bestowals are therefore without beginning, without end. God is
infinite; the works of God are infinite; the bestowals of God are
infinite. (FWU 102)
Bahá'u'lláh says, "The universe hath neither beginning nor
ending." He has set aside the elaborate theories and exhaustive
opinions of scientists and material philosophers by the simple
statement, "There is no beginning, no ending." (Prmlgtn Unvrsl
Peace 220)
Therefore, if we should imagine that the creation is accidental,
we would be forced to admit that the Creator is accidental,
whereas the divine bounty is ever flowing, and the rays of the
Sun of Truth are continuously shining. No cessation is possible
to the divine bounty, just as no cessation is possible to the
rays of the sun. This is clear and obvious. Thus there have been
many holy Manifestations of God. One thousand years ago, two
hundred thousand years ago, one million years ago, the bounty of
God was flowing, the radiance of God was shining, the dominion of
God was existing. (Prmlgtn Unvrsl Peace 463)
The Spiritual Meetings, which are organized in this cycle of
God and this divine century, have never had their simile or
likeness in bygone cycles. (TAB Vol. I 10)
Though Pythagoras, and Plato during the latter part of his life,
adopted the theory that the annual movement of the sun around the
zodiac does not proceed from the sun, but rather from the
movement of the earth around the sun, this theory had been
entirely forgotten, and the Ptolemaic system was accepted by all
mathematicians. But there are some verses revealed in the Qur'an
contrary to the theory of the Ptolemaic system. One of them is
"The sun moves in a fixed place," which shows the fixity of the
sun, and its movement around an axis. Again, in another verse,
"And each star moves in its own heaven." Thus is explained the
movement of the sun, of the moon, of the earth, and of other
bodies. When the Qur'an appeared, all the mathematicians
ridiculed these statements and attributed the theory to
ignorance. Even the doctors of Islam, when they saw that these
verses were contrary to the accepted Ptolemaic system, were
obliged to explain them away. It was not until after the
fifteenth century of the Christian era, nearly nine hundred years
after Muhammad, that a famous astronomer made new observations
and important discoveries by the aid of the telescope, which he
had invented. The rotation of the earth, the fixity of the sun,
and also its movement around an axis, were discovered. It became
evident that the verses of the Qur'an agreed with existing facts,
and that the Ptolemaic system was imaginary. In short, many
Oriental peoples have been reared for thirteen centuries under
the shadow of the religion of Muhammad. During the Middle Ages,
while Europe was in the lowest depths of barbarism, the Arab
peoples were superior to the other nations of the earth in
learning, in the arts, mathematics, civilization, government and
other sciences. The Enlightener and Educator of these Arab
tribes, and the Founder of the civilization and perfections of
humanity among these different races, was an illiterate Man,
Muhammad. (SAQ 23-24)
This limitless universe is like the human body, all the members
of which are connected and linked with one another with the
greatest strength. How much the organs, the members and the
parts of the body of man are intermingled and connected for
mutual aid and help, and how much they influence one another! In
the same way, the parts of this infinite universe have their
members and elements connected with one another, and influence
one another spiritually and materially. (SAQ 245-246)
The second is the station of the rational soul, which is the
human reality. This also is phenomenal, and the Holy
Manifestations share it with all mankind. Know that,
although the human soul has existed on the earth for prolonged
times and ages, yet it is phenomenal. As it is a divine sign,
when once it has come into existence, it is eternal. The spirit
of man has a beginning, but it has no end; it continues
eternally. In the same way the species existing on this earth
are phenomenal, for it is established that there was a time when
these species did not exist on the surface of the earth.
Moreover, the earth has not always existed, but the world of
existence has always been, for the universe is not limited to
this terrestrial globe. The meaning of this is that, although
human souls are phenomenal, they are nevertheless immortal,
everlasting and perpetual; for the world of things is the world
of imperfection in comparison with that of man, and the world of
man is the world of perfection in comparison with that of things.
When imperfections reach the station of perfection, they become
eternal. This is an example of which you must comprehend the
meaning. (SAQ 151-152)
The reflection of the divine perfections appears in the reality
of man, so he is the representative of God, the messenger of God.
If man did not exist, the universe would be without result, for
the object of existence is the appearance of the perfections of
God.
Therefore, it cannot be said there was a time when man was not.
All that we can say is that this terrestrial globe at one time
did not exist, and at its beginning man did not appear upon it.
But from the beginning which has no beginning, to the end which
has no end, a Perfect Manifestation always exists. This Man of
Whom we speak is not every man; we mean the Perfect Man. For the
noblest part of the tree is the fruit, which is the reason of its
existence. If the tree had no fruit, it would have no meaning.
Therefore, it cannot be imagined that the worlds of existence,
whether the stars or this earth, were once inhabited by the
donkey, cow, mouse and cat, and that they were without man! This
supposition is false and meaningless. The word of God is clear
as the sun. This is a spiritual proof, but one which we cannot
at the beginning put forth for the benefit of the materialists.
(SAQ 196-197)
In the beginning of his formation the mind and spirit also
existed, but they were hidden; later they were manifested. In
the womb of the world mind and spirit also existed in the embryo,
but they were concealed; afterward they appeared. So it is that
in the seed the tree exists, but it is hidden and concealed; when
it develops and grows, the complete tree appears. In the same
way the growth and development of all beings is gradual; this is
the universal divine organization and the natural system. The
seed does not at once become a tree; the embryo does not at once
become a man; the mineral does not suddenly become a stone. No,
they grow and develop gradually and attain the limit of
perfection. (SAQ 198-199)
Some people believe that the divinity of God had a beginning.
They say that before this particular beginning man had no
knowledge of the divinity of God. With this principle they have
limited the operation of the influences of God. For example,
they think there was a time when man did not exist, and that
there will be a time in the future when man will not exist. Such
a theory circumscribes the power of God, because how can we
understand the divinity of God except through scientifically
understanding the manifestations of the attributes of God?
How can we understand the nature of fire except from its heat,
its light? Were not heat and light in this fire, naturally we
could not say that the fire existed. Thus, if there was a
time when God did not manifest His qualities, then there was no
God, because the attributes of God presuppose the creation of
phenomena. For example, by present consideration we say that God
is the creator. Then there must always have been a creation -
since the quality of creator cannot be limited to the moment when
some man or men realize this attribute. The attributes that we
discover one by one - these attributes themselves necessarily
anticipated our discovery of them. Therefore, God has no
beginning and no ending; nor is His creation limited ever as to
degree. Limitations of time and degree pertain to things
created, never to the creation as a whole. They pertain to the
forms of things, not to their realities. The effulgence of God
cannot be suspended. The sovereignty of God cannot be
interrupted. As long as the sovereignty of God is
immemorial, therefore the creation of our world throughout
infinity is presupposed. When we look at the reality of this
subject, we see that the bounties of God are infinite, without
beginning and without end. (FWU 52-53)
God's graces and bounties are without limit, and the coming of
the Manifestations of God are not circumscribed by time. (FWU
53)
It is confirmed through evidences and proofs that every being
universally acts upon other beings, either absolutely or through
association. Finally, the perfection of each individual
being--that is to say, the perfection which you now see in man or
apart from him, with regard to their atoms, members or powers--is
due to the composition of the elements, to their measure, to
their balance, to the mode of their combination, and to mutual
influence. When all these are gathered together, then man
exists. As the perfection of man is entirely due to the
composition of
the atoms of the elements, to their measure, to the method of
their combination, and to the mutual influence and action of the
different beings--then, since man was produced ten or a hundred
thousand years ago from these earthly elements with the same
measure and balance, the same method of combination and mingling,
and the same influence of the other beings, exactly the same man
existed then as now. This is evident and not worth debating. A
thousand million years hence, if these elements of man are
gathered together and arranged in this special proportion, and if
the elements are combined according to the same method, and if
they are affected by the same influence of other beings, exactly
the same man will exist. For example, if after a hundred
thousand years there is oil, fire, a wick, a lamp and the lighter
of the lamp--briefly, if there are all the necessaries which now
exist, exactly the same lamp will be obtained. (SAQ 179)
Know that, although the human soul has existed on the earth for
prolonged times and ages, yet it is phenomenal. As it is a
divine sign, when once it has come into existence, it is eternal.
The spirit of man has a beginning, but it has no end; it
continues eternally. In the same way the species existing on
this earth are phenomenal, for it is established that there was a
time when these species did not exist on the surface of the
earth. Moreover, the earth has not always existed, but the world
of existence has always been, for the universe is not limited to
this terrestrial globe. The meaning of this is that, although
human souls are phenomenal, they are nevertheless immortal,
everlasting and perpetual; for the world of things is the world
of imperfection in comparison with that of man, and the world of
man is the world of perfection in comparison with that of things.
When imperfections reach the station of perfection, they become
eternal. This is an example of which you must comprehend the
meaning. (SAQ 151-152)
For all existing beings, terrestrial and celestial, as well as
this limitless space and all that is in it, have been created and
organized, composed, arranged and perfected as they ought to be;
the universe has no imperfection, so that if all beings became
pure intelligence and reflected for ever and ever, it is
impossible that they could imagine anything better than that
which exists. (SAQ 177)
Therefore, it cannot be said there was a time when man was not.
All that we can say is that this terrestrial globe at one time
did not exist, and at its beginning man did not appear upon it.
But from the beginning which has no beginning, to the end which
has no end, a Perfect Manifestation always exists. This Man of
Whom we speak is not every man; we mean the Perfect Man. (SAQ
196)
But from the beginning of man's existence he is a distinct
species. ... admitting that the traces of organs which have
disappeared actually exist [in the human body], this is not a
proof of the impermanence and the non-originality of the
species. At the most it proves that the form, and fashion, and
the organs of man have progressed. Man was always a distinct
species, a man, not an animal. -- Some Answered Questions, pp.
211, 212, 213, 214. (Baha-&-New Era 1980 207)
For the teachings of His Highness BAHA'O'LLAH are the keys to all
the doors. Every hidden secret will become discovered and every
hidden mystery will become manifest and apparent.*** (TAB Vol.
III 692)
The
learned men, that have fixed at several thousand years the life
of this earth, have failed, throughout the long period of their
observation, to consider either the number or the age of the
other planets. Consider, moreover, the manifold divergencies that
have resulted from the theories propounded by these men. Know
thou that every fixed star hath its own planets, and every planet
its own creatures, whose number no man can compute. (GLEANINGS
163)
Mention hath been made in certain books of a deluge which caused
all that existed on earth, historical records as well as other
things, to be destroyed. Moreover, many cataclysms have occurred
which have effaced the traces of many events. Furthermore, among
existing historical records differences are to be found, and each
of the various peoples of the world hath its own account of the
age of the earth and of its history. Some trace their history as
far back as eight thousand years, others as far as twelve
thousand years. To any one that hath read the book of Juk it is
clear and evident how much the accounts given by the various
books have differed. Please God thou wilt turn thine eyes
towards the Most Great Revelation, and entirely disregard these
conflicting tales and traditions. (GLEANINGS 174-175)
O SON OF MAN! Veiled in My immemorial being and in the ancient
eternity of My essence, I knew My love for thee; therefore I
created thee, have engraved on thee Mine image and revealed to
thee My beauty.(Hidden Words)
O SON OF MAN! I loved thy creation, hence I created thee.
Wherefore, do thou love Me, that I may name thy name and fill thy
soul with the spirit of life. (Hidden Words; BWF 156)
This latter world hath neither beginning nor end. It would be
true if thou wert to contend that this same world is, as decreed
by the All-Glorious and Almighty God, within thy proper self and
is wrapped up within thee. It would equally be true to maintain
that thy spirit, having transcended the limitations of sleep and
having stripped itself of all earthly attachment, hath, by the
act of God, been made to traverse a realm which lieth hidden in
the innermost reality of this world. Verily I say, the creation
of God embraceth worlds besides this world, and creatures apart
from these creatures. In each of these worlds He hath ordained
things which none can search except Himself, the All-Searching,
the All-Wise. Do thou meditate on that which We have revealed
unto thee, that thou mayest discover the purpose of God, thy
Lord, and the Lord of all worlds. In these words the mysteries of
Divine Wisdom have been treasured. We have refrained from
dwelling upon this theme owing to the sorrow that hath
encompassed Us from the actions of them that have been created
through Our words, if ye be of them that will hearken unto Our
Voice. (Tblts of Bahá'u'lláh 187-188)
Know thou, moreover, that the people aforetime have produced
things which the contemporary men of knowledge have been unable
to produce. (Tblts of Bahá'u'lláh 150)
Yes, it may be that one of the parts of the universe, one of the
globes, for example, may come into existence, or may be
disintegrated, but the other endless globes are still existing;
the universe would not be disordered nor destroyed; on the
contrary, existence is eternal and perpetual. As each globe has a
beginning, necessarily it has an end, because every composition,
collective or particular, must of necessity be decomposed; the
only difference is that some are quickly decomposed, and others
more slowly, but it is impossible that a composed thing should
not eventually be decomposed. It is necessary, therefore,
that we should know what each of the important existences was in
the beginning--for there is no doubt that in the beginning the
origin was one: the origin of all numbers is one and not two.
Then it is evident that in the beginning matter was one, and that
one matter appeared in different aspects in each element; thus
various forms were produced, and these various aspects as they
were produced became permanent, and each element was specialized.
But this permanence was not definite, and did not attain
realization and perfect existence until after a very long time.
Then these elements became composed, and organized and combined
in infinite forms; or rather from the composition and combination
of these elements innumerable beings appeared.
(BWF 296-298)
In like manner the mind proveth the existenCe of an unseen
Reality that embraceth all beings, and that existeth and
revealeth itself in all stages, the essence whereof is beyond the
grasp of the mind. (BWF 338)
Know assuredly that God's creation hath existed from eternity,
and will continue to exist forever. Its beginning hath had no
beginning, and its end knoweth no end. His name, the Creator,
presupposeth a creation, even as His title, the Lord of Men, must
involve the existence of a servant. (GLEANINGS 150)
Though all the dwellers of heaven and earth unite to glorify the
least of Thy signs, wherein and whereby Thou hast revealed
Thyself, yet would they fail, how much more to praise Thy holy
Word, the creator of all Thy tokens. (BP 122)
O Thou kind Lord! Thou hast created all humanity from the same
stock. (BP 101)
Some people believe that the divinity of God had a beginning.
They say that before this particular beginning man had no
knowledge of the divinity of God. With this principle they have
limited the operation of the influences of God. For example,
they think there was a time when man did not exist, and that
there will be a time in the future when man will not exist. Such
a theory circumscribes the power of God, because how can we
understand the divinity of God except through scientifically
understanding the manifestations of the attributes of God? (FWU
52-53)
No. 7 No. But 'Abdu'l-Bahá stated there are other worlds than
ours which are inhabited by beings capable of knowing God. (Lght
Dvn Gdnc Vol 2 82)
And it is your Lord that knoweth best all beings that are in the
heavens and on earth: (AY Ali trans. Quran Surih 17:55)
Not one of the beings in the heavens and the earth but must come
to (God) Most Gracious as a servant. (AY Ali trans. Quran Surih
19:93)
And when the Garden is brought near--
14 (Then) shall each soul know what it has put forward.
15 So verily I call to witness the planets--that recede,
16 Go straight, or hide; (AY Ali trans. Quran Surih 81:13-16)
It is He Who created the Night and the Day, and the sun and the
moon: all (the celestial bodies) swim along, each in its rounded
course. (AY Ali Quran Surih 21:33)
"Regarding your questions: There is no record in history, or in
the teachings, of a Prophet similar in Station to Bahá'u'lláh,
having lived 500,000 years ago. There will, however, be one
similar to Him in greatness after the lapse of 500,000 years, but
we cannot say definitely that His Revelation will be
inter-planetary in scope. We can only say that such a thing may
be possible. What Bahá'u'lláh means by His appearance in 'other
worlds' He has not defined, as we could not visualize them in our
present state, hence He was indefinite, and we cannot say whether
He meant other planets or not..." (From a letter written on
behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, December 24,
1941) (Lights of Guidance 472.)
"Regarding the passage on p. 163 of the 'Gleanings'; the
creatures which Bahá'u'lláh states to be found in every planet
cannot be considered to be necessarily similar or different from
human beings on this earth. Bahá'u'lláh does not specifically
state whether such creatures are like or unlike us. He simply
refers to the fact that there are creatures in every planet. It
remains for science to discover one day the exact nature of these
creatures." (From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to
an individual believer, February 9, 1937) (Lights of Guidance
478.)
"As to your question whether the power of Bahá'u'lláh extends
over our solar system and to higher worlds: while the Revelation
of Bahá'u'lláh, it should be noted, is primarily for this planet,
yet the spirit animating it is all-embracing, and the scope
therefore cannot be restricted or defined." (From a letter
written on behalf of the Guardian to an individual believer, July
14, 1938) (Lights of Guidance 481.)
He had been speaking of the great technological and scientific
strides of the age; it would be meet, He said, if ways and means
of reaching other planets were now devised. ('Abdu'l-Bahá by HM
Balyuzi Pg 377)
Today, man is possessed of such power that he can travel in
space and may soon reach other planets. On the other hand, such
achievements if not coupled with spiritual progress will bring
in their wake man's destruction upon this earth. (Rev Baha V. 1
Taherzadeh 120)
I also understand that 'Abdu'l-Bahá's "Tablet of the Universe"
contains important statements on this topic. -D.T.
