One of the principles posed by Baha’ism as a new important one is removing all prejudices principle by which human being’s enmities and fighting will be ended. As Abdul Baha has said: The fifth teaching of the Excellency Bahaullah is that sexual bigotry, religious bigotry and bigotry towards hometown are destroying the basis of human being and bigotry is destroying the bases of human kind. As long as these bigotries aren’t removed, the humane world won’t be comfortable.[1]”
However, to criticize the view and to state the difference between the blind bigotry and moral virtues such as zeal, loving homeland and etc , it should be said:
Several moral virtues are close to the moral wicked acts borders and if their limits and conditions aren’t cared enough, a moral virtue may be changed into a wicked act willingly or unwillingly. For instance, bravery and boldness which the first is considered as virtue and the second is considered as wicked act.
Bigotry and zeal are of these features which zeal is considered as moral virtue and the blind bigotry is assumed as the wicked act. The similarity between zeal and bigotry is that both are the reactions done by human beings for keeping their beliefs and possessions. However, they are different from other aspect.
The reaction of human being against theft and transgressors of property and chastity is praiseworthy that a nation react against enemys transgress to their land.
Fighting to defend homeland, religion and chastity are of the highest moral values to such an extent that Islam has called its dead people as martyrs. In Islam, zeal is considered as sign of faith :
“اَلْغِیْرَه مِنَ الایمان و البذاءِ مِنَ النِّفاقِ”
“Zeal is assign of faith and lack of it is a sign of hypocrisy”[۲]
Now, if Baha’ism considers lack of all kinds of bigotries as the meaning of zeal, it will make a mistake. Because zeal is a moral virtue and negating it is against temperament, humanity and rationality. As the messenger of Allah (P.H.) states:
“مَن کانَ فی قلبهِ حبّة مِن خردلٍ مِن عَصبیَّة بعثهُ اللهُ یومَ القیامة مع أعراب الجاهلیة[۳]”
[۱] Abbas Effendi, the Sermons, Western Germany; the national assembly of publishing the faith works, Bita, Vol. 2, p. 147.
[۲] The great scholar Majlesi, Beharul Anwar, Beirut: Al-Wafa institute, 1403 A.H., Vol. 71, p. 342.
[۳] Sheikh Koleini, Osoul Kafi, Tehran: Darul Kotob Al-Islamieh, 1365 S.H., Vol. 2, p. 308.
