Meeting of the Parliament
Meeting date: Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Official Report
718KB pdf
Time for Reflection
Good afternoon. The first item of business this afternoon is time for reflection. Our time for reflection leader today is Allan Forsyth, chair of the Bahá’í Council for Scotland.
Allan Forsyth (Bahá’í Council for Scotland): It is a great honour and joy to speak to you today on behalf of the Scottish Bahá’í community, and it is extra special because the next 12 months mark the centenary of the most significant event in our community’s history.
A century ago, Abdu’l-Bahá, the son of Bahá’u’lláh, founder of the Bahá’í Faith and head of the community, had just been released from a lifetime as a prisoner of conscience in the Ottoman empire. Despite advanced age and poor health, he undertook a journey to the west to share his father’s message about the oneness of humanity.
On 6 January 1913, Abdu’l-Bahá’s journey brought him to Edinburgh, where he stayed at 7 Charlotte Square as a guest of Dr Alexander Whyte, then moderator of the Free Church of Scotland. Although Abdu’l-Bahá was received well wherever he travelled, I am very proud that in Scotland his reception was particularly warm and enthusiastic. At a talk at Freemasons hall, hundreds had to wait disappointedly outside a packed venue. The Scotsman and the Edinburgh Evening Dispatch gave extensive and positive reports. Even our weather relented: for four days in early January it was mild and sunny!
In a packed schedule, Abdu’l-Bahá met and talked with all—city officials, clerics, academics and schoolchildren. He talked about many subjects: the necessity of the equality of men and women; the harmony of science and religion; the reality that all the world’s faiths have the same divine source and purpose.
I would like to leave you with one idea Abdu’l-Bahá shared that inspires the work of Bahá’ís in communities all around Scotland as we seek to assist children, youth and adults from all backgrounds to recognise and develop their spiritual capacities and to become agents of constructive and lasting social change. He taught that true happiness lies in service to others. His father, Bahá’u’lláh, said:
“Blessed and happy is he that ariseth to promote the best interests of the peoples and kindreds of the earth … Man’s merit lieth in service and virtue and not in the pageantry of wealth and riches.”
The implications of that for society are profound. If we assume that every human being has the potential to find fulfilment through their unique contribution to their community, Scotland will flourish. If we treat ourselves as primarily interested in material gain, insurmountable obstacles will abound.
As Abdu’l-Bahá left Edinburgh for London, he dictated a telegram with these words: “Scotland is illumined”. He was in no doubt where our destiny lies.