This image is a symbol of religious tolerance. At considerable risk to his personal freedom and safety, Ayatollah Abdol-Hamid Masoumi-Tehrani has gifted an exquisite calligraphic rendering to the Bahá’ís of the world, dedicating it particularly to believers living in Iran, the birthplace of their religion. The personally-prepared work features an exhortation from Bahá’u’lláh, founder of the Bahá’í Faith, Iran’s largest religious minority.
Consort with all religions with amity and concord, that they may inhale from you the sweet fragrance of God. Beware lest amidst men the flame of foolish ignorance overpower you. All things proceed from God and unto Him they return. He is the source of all things and in Him all things are ended.” (from the Kitab-i-Aqdas)
We can only hope that this courageous gesture of unity and inclusion signifies the emergence of a more tolerant attitude towards other Faiths in Iran. A fundamental message of our Faith is that “the earth is but one country and mankind its citizens”. We are one people and this makes Ayatollah Abdol-Hamid Masoumi-Tehrani gift so precious.
Read more at the Bahá’í World News Service.
one people one planet 