Photo by Mehdi-Thomas BOUTDARINE on Unsplash
Course: Writing about the Writings: The Art and Craft of the Personal Reflection Piece (2025)
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Sandra Hutchison
Reflection Piece by Margaret Crowther
“The sixth Ishráq is union and concord amongst the children of men. From the beginning of time the light of unity hath shed its divine radiance upon the world, and the greatest means for the promotion of that unity is for the peoples of the world to understand one another’s writing and speech. In former Epistles We have enjoined upon the Trustees of the House of Justice either to choose one language from among those now existing or to adopt a new one, and in like manner to select a common script, both of which should be taught in all the schools of the world. Thus will the earth be regarded as one country and one home. The most glorious fruit of the tree of knowledge is this exalted word: Of one tree are all ye the fruit, and of one bough the leaves. Let not man glory in this that he loveth his country, let him rather glory in this that he loveth his kind. Concerning this We have previously revealed that which is the means of the reconstruction of the world and the unity of nations. Blessed are they that attain thereunto. Blessed are they that act accordingly.” — Bahá’u’lláh
Bahá’u’lláh’s Tablet of Ishráqát, or “splendors,” was revealed after The Kitáb-i-Aqdas, in response to the questions of a Persian believer who worked as a coppersmith. I come from a line of linguists, so I have always been particularly interested in the sixth Ishráq, which concerns an international language. Though I myself was not destined to become a linguist, I have often felt drawn to reflect on Bahá’u’lláh’s teaching on the greatest means for the promotion of world unity: an international language.
In the sixth Ishráq, Bahá’u’lláh points to the importance of “union and concord” among the people of the world. He writes, “From the beginning of time, the light of unity hath shed its divine radiance upon the world….” What Bahá’u’lláh seems to be saying is that the idea of human unity is not new; it has been around since the beginning of time.This implies that Divine Revelation, which is referred to by the phrase “light of unity,” has shed “its divine radiance” throughout human history.
The sixth Ishráq is a light that leads to the goal of unity and concord. As Bahá’u’lláh tells us, it is “the greatest means for the promotion of unity is for the peoples of the world to understand one another’s writing and speech.” Bahá’u’lláh goes on to say that the Trustees of the House of Justice are, “to choose one language from among those now existing or to adopt a new one, and in like manner to select a common script, both of which should be taught in all the schools of the world.” This is not a suggestion: it is a teaching to be implemented by the trustees of the House of Justice, meaning the members of the Universal House of Justice, the highest governing authority in the Baha’i Faith today. In the implementation of this teaching, there is a promise of peace, so it is that Bahá’u’lláh writes: “Thus will the earth be regarded as one country and one home.”
In the sixth Ishráq, Bahá’u’lláh authorizes the trustees of the House of Justice to choose a world language from one of the existing languages or, alternatively, “to adopt a new one.” I am interested in how the path to a world language will unfold. Will the House of Justice choose to implement an invented language or one widely used today? This tablet indicates that a chosen international language and common script “be taught in all the schools of the world.” This directive presents immense potential for humanity to advance, mature, and initiate a global educational effort to teach an international language in schools worldwide. Unity is the goal, and language is the guide. Unity sheds its light, enabling humanity to see how an international language will help it reach the goal of “union and concord.” Whichever language becomes the chosen international language of the future, the goal will be to use it to facilitate communication and to reduce misunderstandings, and therefore, disunity among the nations and peoples of the world.
Statistically, English is the most widely used language in the world today. One scientist, a Dr. G. Muller, asserts that English is the best language for international communication among scientists and mathematicians. French, which has long been considered the language of diplomacy is an official language of the United Nations, the European Union, the IOC, and the International Red Cross. The official languages spoken at the United Nations include Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish. Though these languages are all widely used, English is the dominant language in the world today.
In the subsequent lines of the passage, Bahá’u’lláh uses the symbol of the tree of knowledge, which, for some, may bring to mind the Biblical story of the Garden of Eden in which Adam and Eve ate forbidden fruit from the tree of knowledge. However, I understand the tree to be a metaphor for the development of human learning, which is like a tree, with roots and upward expansive growth, branching patterns, buds, leaves, twigs, flowers, fruits, and seeds. Bahá’u’lláh tells us that the most glorious fruit is His own word, in particular, the following teaching: “Of one tree are all ye the fruit, and of one bough the leaves.” There is much about which to wonder in this. Using the tree metaphor again, He describes the unity of humanity as interdependent parts of something which, together, make a greater whole. The tree metaphor also calls to mind the ‘family trees’ that people use to map ancestry, pointing to the inter-relatedness of one human family.
Bahá’u’lláh elucidates His teaching further, warning against patriotic prejudice: “Let not a man glory in this that he loveth his country, let him rather glory in this that he loveth his kind.” He uses “glory” as a verb to mean the act of rejoicing triumphantly; and He instructs us to love one another for the sake of our shared humanity. These words are a source of encouragement. Language is a tool for communication and mutual understanding. As a tool it can be used for purposes of love or for hatred, depending on the conscience of the individual speaker or writer. I believe that this applies to how language might be used by nations as well.
An international language, I often remind myself, is not the goal; rather, it is the “greatest means to the goal of union and concord amongst the children of men.” Although I am often distracted by the anxiety of the age in which I live, I feel inspired by the vision of a unified global society emphasized in the sixth Ishráq. As Baha’u’llah writes there, “We have previously revealed that which is the means of the reconstruction of the world and the unity of nations.”
In conclusion, in the Tablet of Ishráqát, Bahaullah offers a prescription for the unification of humanity and for harmony amongst all people: an international language to be taught in the schools of the world. Understanding the importance of this initiative, I see how much this global effort will contribute to improving the well-being of humanity. I feel grateful for the message of hope and inspiration Bahá’u’lláh gives in the sixth Ishráq. For me, it serves as an antidote to the relentless stream of news about increasingly menacing weapons, wars, political disunity, and human suffering.
