Photo by Hush Naidoo Jade Photography
Course: Introducing Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh for Deepening, Devotion, Discourse (2024)
Faculty Mentor: Christopher Buck
Dr. Emilia Phillips is a board-certified urologist practicing in Beverly, Massachusetts, with an independent solo practice presently focusing on an integrative approach to the urologic care of women. Because of her noble profession as a medical doctor, I asked Dr. Phillips the following question, “As a practicing physician, what are your thoughts on Bahá’u’lláh’s metaphor of the ‘Divine Physician,’ if you don’t mind my asking?” As a faculty member, one must always be cautious and circumspect in asking a participant a direct question because, in a sense, it puts the participant on the spot. Moreover, the question was asked without advance notice and without knowing whether the participant would be comfortable responding to that invitation for reflection. In this case, I took a chance—with a happy result—as Dr. Phillips’ response is fascinating. Enjoy! —Chris Buck
Editor’s Note: See also “Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh for Deepening, Devotion, Discourse” by Marco Liuzzi.
by Emilia Phillips
It was interesting to discover, in reading the Lawh-i-Maqsúd (Tablet of Maqsúd), that many of the quotations referenced by the Universal House of Justice (UHJ) in their recent letter and many key quotations found in the early courses of the Ruhi Training Institute are derived from this tablet, of which I had previously read only excerpts.
The opening paragraph is a clear statement of the Eternal or Greater Covenant of God: how “through the potency of His sublime Word, [He] hath called into being the entire creation” and how in each age He “sent forth a divine Messenger to revive the dispirited and despondent souls with the living waters of His utterance.” These souls are in need of someone to “exhort them, guide them and to instruct and teach them,” so as to “acquaint the people with the divine purpose underlying the revelation of Books and the raising up of Messengers.” It is interesting that this purpose is equated with a realization of “the trust of God which is latent in the reality of every soul.” The UHJ states that all endeavors within these series of plans can be viewed from the lens of “awakening the energies latent in the human soul” (see UHJ letter 30 December 2021 – To the Conference of the Continental Boards of Counsellors).
The Lawh-i-Maqsúd continues with a clear statement of the purpose of all true religion, which is “to safeguard the interests and promote the unity of the human race, and to foster the spirit of love and fellowship amongst men.” This concept is echoed later by the statement that He “seeketh naught but to foster the spirit of love and fellowship amongst men, and to revive the world and ennoble its life. Bahá’u’lláh affirms that, “If the learned and worldly-wise men of this age were to allow mankind to inhale the fragrance of fellowship and love, every understanding heart would apprehend the meaning of true liberty, and discover the secret of undisturbed peace and absolute composure.” Hence, “whatever hath streamed from and is set down by the Pen of Glory . . . therein lie the welfare, security and true interests of all men” to safeguard it from “a fresh calamity every day and unprecedented commotions.” Therefore, it is “incumbent upon every man of insight and understanding to strive to translate that which hath been written into reality and action.” The latter statement is also used by the UHJ in recent messages.
Bahá’u’lláh laments that “[a] world in which naught can be perceived save strife, quarrels and corruption is bound to become the seat of the throne, the very metropolis, of Satan.” He calls on His audience to “behold the disturbances which, for many a long year, have afflicted the earth, and the perturbation that hath seized its peoples. It hath either been ravaged by war, or tormented by sudden and unforeseen calamities. …[T]he world is encompassed with misery and distress.” He describes how “winds of despair are, alas, blowing from every direction, and the strife that divideth and afflicteth the human race is daily increasing.” He reflects how “[t]he signs of impending convulsions and chaos can now be discerned, inasmuch as the prevailing order appeareth to be lamentably defective.” At the same time, He notes that “no man hath paused to reflect what the cause or source of that may be.” In essence, it is disunity caused by self-interest on the part of individuals and nations/peoples. Hence, in His Revelation, “The tabernacle of unity hath been raised.” Yet, He wonders, “How long will humanity persist in its waywardness? How long will injustice continue? How long is chaos and confusion to reign amongst men? How long will discord agitate the face of society?” Yet He expresses hope: “Please God, the peoples of the world may be led, as the result of the high endeavours exerted by their rulers and the wise and learned amongst men, to recognize their best interests.”
He encourages patience: “Ours is the duty to remain patient in these circumstances until relief be forthcoming from God, the Forgiving, the Bountiful.” Of interest, “constructive resilience,” a term that has been used to describe the response to intense and unjust persecution of the Bahá’í minority in Iran, is very much in keeping with this counsel of patience. However, this patience is not passive but replete with effort to remedy the foundational root causes of all injustices and tyranny – the state of being negligent or blind to one’s innate nobility and the very high potential station destined for each and every one. Hence the attention to the spiritual as well as material education of children and the population!
Bahá’u’lláh affirms that “Man is the supreme Talisman. Lack of a proper education hath, however, deprived him of that which he doth inherently possess. . . . Education can, alone, cause [him]to reveal [his] treasures, and enable mankind to benefit therefrom.” Undoubtedly, He states, “were man to appreciate the greatness of his station and the loftiness of his destiny he would manifest naught save goodly character, pure deeds, and a seemly and praiseworthy conduct.”
He beseeches God that “He may, through the power of the hand of loving-kindness and spiritual education, purge and purify certain souls from the defilement of evil passions and corrupt desires, that they may arise and unloose their tongues for the sake of God, that perchance the evidences of injustice may be blotted out and the splendour of the light of justice may shed its radiance upon the whole world.” He affirms, following the aforementioned statements, that “[t]he people are ignorant, and they stand in need of those who will expound the truth.”
Ignorance can be lifted most effectively through “The Word of God,” which is “the king of words” and has a “pervasive influence” that “ is incalculable.” In fact, “The Word is the master key for the whole world, inasmuch as through its potency the doors of the hearts of men, which in reality are the doors of heaven, are unlocked.” Hence the creation of the Ruhi Training Institute, which is a seamless educational institution available to all from age 5 through adulthood and the purpose of which is to connect participants to the Word of God and invite engagement through service to the greater community, thereby effecting both an inner and outer transformation!
As individuals, we are encouraged to develop our power of utterance, for “[n]o man of wisdom can demonstrate his knowledge save by means of words.” The words uttered should be “both impressive and penetrating. However, no word will be infused with these two qualities unless it be uttered wholly for the sake of God and with due regard unto the exigencies of the occasion and the people.” We are cautioned that moderation is needed. Furthermore, for effect, “refinement” is encouraged and conditioned on detachment and purity of heart: “As to its influence, this is conditional upon refinement which in turn is dependent upon hearts which are detached and pure. As to its moderation, this hath to be combined with tact and wisdom as prescribed in the Holy Scriptures and Tablets.”
We are exhorted that “[i]n all circumstances one should seize upon every means which will promote security and tranquillity among the peoples of the world.” And elsewhere: “Great is the station of man. Great must also be his endeavours for the rehabilitation of the world and the well-being of nations.” This obligation is especially germane to those in positions of power, as Bahá’u’lláh makes abundantly clear in many statements:
“The heaven of statesmanship is made luminous and resplendent by the brightness of the light of these blessed words which hath dawned from the dayspring of the Will of God: It behoveth every ruler to weigh his own being every day in the balance of equity and justice and then to judge between men and counsel them to do that which would direct their steps unto the path of wisdom and understanding.”
“If the rulers and kings of the earth, the symbols of the power of God, exalted be His glory, arise and resolve to dedicate themselves to whatever will promote the highest interests of the whole of humanity, the reign of justice will assuredly be established amongst the children of men, and the effulgence of its light will envelop the whole earth.”
“Blessed and happy is he that ariseth to promote the best interests of the peoples and kindreds of the earth.”
In this context, Bahá’u’lláh discusses pivotal ideas with respect to governance – i.e., the centrality of the principle of justice, “the twin pillars of reward and punishment,”“tolerance and righteousness,” and the twin “luminaries of consultation and compassion,” as well as the wisdom of an auxiliary universal language and collective security:
“The time must come when the imperative necessity for the holding of a vast, an all-embracing assemblage of men will be universally realized. The rulers and kings of the earth must needs attend it, and, participating in its deliberations, must consider such ways and means as will lay the foundations of the world’s Great Peace amongst men. Such a peace demandeth that the Great Powers should resolve, for the sake of the tranquillity of the peoples of the earth, to be fully reconciled among themselves. Should any king take up arms against another, all should unitedly arise and prevent him. If this be done, the nations of the world will no longer require any armaments, except for the purpose of preserving the security of their realms and of maintaining internal order within their territories. This will ensure the peace and composure of every people, government and nation. We fain would hope that the kings and rulers of the earth, the mirrors of the gracious and almighty name of God, may attain unto this station, and shield mankind from the onslaught of tyranny.”
“Among the things which are conducive to unity and concord and will cause the whole earth to be regarded as one country is that the divers languages be reduced to one language and in like manner the scripts used in the world be confined to a single script. It is incumbent upon all nations to appoint some men of understanding and erudition to convene a gathering and through joint consultation choose one language from among the varied existing languages, or create a new one, to be taught to the children in all the schools of the world.”
The importance of material education – that is, acquisition of “arts and sciences . . . which will result in advantage to man, will ensure his progress and elevate his rank” – is emphasized alongside the spiritual. Interestingly, moderation is prescribed here as well, with a cautionary note: “Whatsoever passeth beyond the limits of moderation will cease to exert a beneficial influence. Consider for instance such things as liberty, civilization and the like. However much men of understanding may favourably regard them, they will, if carried to excess, exercise a pernicious influence upon men.”
The importance that all engage in some form of work, profession or craft is highlighted: “To engage in some profession is highly commendable, for when occupied with work one is less likely to dwell on the unpleasant aspects of life.” I wonder about how this will play out in the future as jobs are increasingly being eliminated through technology, especially with the unique challenge that the development of artificial intelligence (AI) seems to pose in this regard
In His closing prayer, Bahá’u’lláh beseeches on our behalf: “Oh Lord! Illumine their hearts with the effulgent light of Thy knowledge and brighten their eyes with the shining splendour of the day-star of Thy favours . . . [A]ttire the people of the world with the raiment of goodly deeds and purge them from evil inclinations.” May it be so!!
Instructor’s comments
Emilia:
A fine personal reflection!
Worthy of writing up as an article for BahaiTeachings.org, if you’re interested in doing so.
The reason I included selected articles from BahaiTeachings.org as readings for each Unit is that it’s a venue not only for teaching the Bahá’í Faith, but for engaging in public discourse as well.
So the selected articles from BahaiTeachings.org are posted as non-scholarly readings for each Unit as examples of engaging in public discourse, especially since the Wilmette Institute strongly encourages participants to engage in public discourse as an action outcome, in keeping with one of the major goals of the current Nine Year Plan.
In good faith,
Chris
**************************************
Emilia:
Greetings. Kindly forgive this tardy reply. Thanks for your detailed reflection on the Tablet of Maqsúd.
As a practicing physician, what are your thoughts on Bahá’u’lláh’s metaphor of the “Divine Physician,” if you don’t mind my asking?
Keep up the good work!
Chris
Emilia’s response:
Well, that’s an interesting question. Of course, in many instances Bahá’u’lláh identifies Himself as a Divine Physician and this is echoed on many occasions by ‘Abdu’l‑Bahá, Shoghí Effendi, and the Institutions of our Faith. At first glance, one might be tempted to say that obviously, as a Divine Physician, He is able to diagnose the maladies afflicting mankind – i.e., disunity, prejudice, selfishness, dishonesty and general lack of integrity, limited perspectives – and He also prescribes the remedies, on a personal and societal level (which have been laid out in the Tablets we are studying), with the difference being that a physician on this earthly plane has to undergo years of training before being able to make diagnoses and prescribe remedies, whereas for the Divine Physician this is imparted or “innate.”
Beyond this, however, to me, Bahá’u’lláh seems to be a trainer of physicians, Who teaches His practitioners about the spectrum of diseases and principles of therapies and trains them to use skills of perception and observation to refine the application of these remedies. He constructs an administrative order that continues to function in this role, and all of us who are within His Covenant are the physician trainees and practitioners who go out to “practice.” Flexibility to apply the teachings is built in through our Institutions and processes of cycles of consultation, action, and reflection.
It is interesting that in its November 2023 Letter, the Universal House of Justice (UHJ) states that the choicest fruit of the last 100 years is “the conscious grasp of the process of learning and its extension world-wide.” We are exhorted by the UHJ to constantly read our reality and constantly refine our engagement. This is exactly what physicians do – they are constantly taking in new accumulated experience and applying it in their practice. It’s not a static trade but a highly dynamic one. With each day, new knowledge and experience is garnered and techniques refined. For example, when cancer is diagnosed, the prescribed treatment will always be its eradication, but how that eradication is achieved undergoes refinement. The way I practice today is certainly not the same as when I started a few decades ago, but the underlying principles that I have been taught help me evolve my practice to what is currently best practice – although it is important to understand that “best practice” is always changing!
Some quotes on the Divine Physician
“Its sickness is approaching the stage of utter hopelessness, inasmuch as the true Physician is debarred from administering the remedy, whilst unskilled practitioners are regarded with favor, and are accorded full freedom to act.”
Bahá’u’lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, XVI
“No man, however acute his perception, can ever hope to reach the heights which the wisdom and understanding of the Divine Physician have attained. Little wonder, then, if the treatment prescribed by the physician in this day should not be found to be identical with that which he prescribed before. How could it be otherwise when the ills affecting the sufferer necessitate at every stage of his sickness a special remedy?”
Bahá’u’lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, XXXIV
“That which the Lord hath ordained as the sovereign remedy and mightiest instrument for the healing of all the world is the union of all its peoples in one universal Cause, one common Faith. This can in no wise be achieved except through the power of a skilled, an all-powerful and inspired Physician. This, verily, is the truth, and all else naught but error.”
Bahá’u’lláh, Summons of the Lord of Hosts, para. 176
“The All-Knowing Physician hath His finger on the pulse of mankind. He perceiveth the disease, and prescribeth, in His unerring wisdom, the remedy … We can well perceive how the whole human race is encompassed with great, with incalculable afflictions. We see it languishing on its bed of sickness, sore-tried and disillusioned. They that are intoxicated by self-conceit have interposed themselves between it and the Divine and infallible Physician. Witness how they have entangled all men, themselves included, in the mesh of their devices. They can neither discover the cause of the disease, nor have they any knowledge of the remedy. They have conceived the straight to be crooked, and have imagined their friend an enemy.”
Bahá’u’lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, CVI
“The Prophets of God should be regarded as physicians whose task is to foster the well-being of the world and its peoples, that, through the spirit of oneness, they may heal the sickness of a divided humanity. To none is given the right to question their words or disparage their conduct, for they are the only ones who can claim to have understood the patient and to have correctly diagnosed its ailments … These are not days of prosperity and triumph. The whole of mankind is in the grip of manifold ills. Strive, therefore, to save its life through the wholesome medicine which the almighty hand of the unerring Physician hath prepared.”
Bahá’u’lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, XXXIV
[Editor’s Note: Emilia provided additional quotations from ‘Abdu’l-Baha, and the Universal House of Justice.]
PS I don’t believe your reply was “tardy” at all!
