| The future 'Divine Civilization, the
establishment of which is the primary mission of the Bahá'í Faith',16 whose foundations — laws, institutions and principles of 'Divine
Economy' — were laid down by Bahá'u'lláh in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas and
further defined by 'Abdu'l-Bahá in his Will and Testament and whose
distinguishing features are described by Shoghi Effendi in his series of
eleven letters published in the volume entitled The World Order of
Bahá'u'lláh. These documents constitute 'a pattern for future society, a
supreme instrument for the establishment of the Most Great Peace,
and the one agency for the unification of the world, and the
proclamation of the reign of righteousness and justice upon the
earth.'17 The guiding principle of the World Order of Bahá'u'lláh is the
unity of mankind. Based on this principle, a world federation, or
commonwealth, is to be established uniting the nations, races, creeds
and classes, while preserving the autonomy of its states and individual
personal freedom. This world community will be characterized by
recognition and preservation of the diversity of nations and peoples
while sharing a wider loyalty as citizens of the planet. Its achievement
will represent, in the words of Shoghi Effendi, 'the consummation of
human evolution'18 and will signal the Golden Age of the Bahá'í Era.
Before it can be achieved, however, humanity will suffer a period of
world catastrophe and calamity. |
