The Faculty of Justice

No light can compare with the light of justice.

Baha'u'llah has likened justice to a light saying, "The light of men is Justice." Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh And "We entreat God to deliver the light of equity and the sun of justice from the thick clouds of waywardness, and cause them to shine forth upon men. No light can compare with the light of justice. The establishment of order in the world and the tranquillity of the nations depend upon it." Epistle to the Son of the Wolf Light is the essential medium for the operation of the faculty of sight. If we examine the physical senses with which man has been endowed we find that sight distinguishes itself for giving man access to a constant, broad, and precise perspective far removed from his own position.

The faculty of hearing which can also reach far finds itself overwhelmed by constant information both when met by a diversity of sounds at once or over a long period of time. Touch is entirely localized and does not allow man to reach out into reality except in his most immediate surrounding. Taste, also localized deals only with that which enters the body. Smell, which also reaches out produces a strong but dull message related to the strongest fragrence.

Vision however receives continually the image of all things as light continually and steadily is poured out and reflected thereon. In this faculty mankind finds itself a most common medium for moving about confident that ones understanding is in keeping with reality, as experienced physically and as percieved by others, objective reality.

The images created are persistent and readily available, they can be revisited so long as the physical scenario is consistent and there is light. A mother hearing a disturbance in another room will go to the room and check verifying her suspicions with her sight. And the universal nature of the common phrase "see for yourself" reflects also this nature of thee power of sight. Similarly with Justice we are able to distinguish the objective, percieve truth and continually delineate its bounds, fair minded people will be able to quickly find many points of agreement in any situation as they both carry a sense of justice. Just as with light and the power of vision In this manner, with justice we are able to weigh a matter ourselves in light of own perspective. Baha'u'llah announces, "The best beloved of all things in My sight is Justice; turn not away therefrom if thou desirest Me, and neglect it not that I may confide in thee. By its aid thou shalt see with thine own eyes and not through the eyes of others, and shalt know of thine own knowledge and not through the knowledge of thy neighbor."The Hidden Words, and again, "What this Wronged One doth expect from everyone is justice and fairness. Let no one be content with mere hearing; rather doth it behoove everyone to ponder that which this Wronged One hath revealed." Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh

Similarly by the means of justice individuals are able to weigh situations, even those quite far removed from their own circumstances, with a high degree of correspondence to the conclusions drawn by others."And if thine eyes be turned towards justice," Baha'u'llah says, "choose thou for thy neighbor that which thou choosest for thyself."Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh Now if we are fair minded, which Bahá’u’lláh says "is one of the expressions of" The Tabernacle of Unity justice, in our dealings with others we will find ourselves treating all people with a great dignity through the operation of this single principle.

The faculty of sight is entirely dependent on a source of light. Baha'u'llah directs us to the lamp of religion, "Should the lamp of religion be obscured, chaos and confusion will ensue, and the lights of fairness and justice, of tranquility and peace cease to shine. Unto this will bear witness every man of true understanding."Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh Without the power of sight a blind individual is entirely dependent upon the perspectives and the accomodations made for by those with sight. Without acccess to religion and justice individuals become unable to draw accurate conclusions about the world. "Most of the people are bewildered in their drunkenness and wear on their faces the evidences of anger.... We point out to them those that led them astray. They see them, and yet recognize them not. Their eyes are drunken; they are indeed a blind people." Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh They end up running toward things that are harmful thinking they are helpful. Alchohol, conflict, pride, drugs, immoderation, and materialism."* Indeed, sugar is the portion of the parrot, while dung is the share of the beetle; the crow hath no part in the warbling of the nightingale, and the bat fleeth the rays of the sun.*" Days of Remembrance

Further to possess justice allows for the recognition of the Manifestations, "If the eye of justice be opened, it will readily recognize, in the light of that which hath been mentioned, that He, Who is the Cause and ultimate Purpose of all these things, is made manifest in this day."The Kitáb-i-Íqán, and again, "Verily He hath appeared with so great an authority that no man of vision, of hearing, of insight, of justice or of equity can ever deny Him. Unto this beareth witness in this resplendent Hour the Pen of Him Who is the Ancient of Days."Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh

The power of sight, so far reaching and potent is entirely lost when covered by so thin a veil as the eyelid. The veil of greed causes the obvious and common image produced by science to become darkened and mysterious. Smoking is good for health, pornography is healthy and such results. "O children of understanding! If the eyelid, however delicate, can deprive man’s outer eye from beholding the world and all that is therein, consider then what would be wrought if the veil of covetousness were to descend upon his inner eye. Say: O people! The darkness of greed and envy becloudeth the radiance of the soul even as the clouds obstruct the light of the sun. Should anyone hearken unto this utterance with a discerning ear, he will unfurl the wings of detachment and soar effortlessly in the atmosphere of true understanding." The Tabernacle of Unity

And finally the faculty of sight operates through the perception of contrast. The most visible scenes contain contrasting elements, those objects that reflect light are most distinguishable from those that do not. By the aid of justice those attitudes and habits which run contrary to the dictates of religion become readily visible even when wrapped in with valid religious belief. If the individual clings to justice they are guided toward truth even if it steers them away from their own tradition. Baha'u'llah vividly informs us, "We hope that thou wilt cause the light of justice to shine more brightly. By the righteousness of God! Justice is a powerful force. It is, above all else, the conqueror of the citadels of the hearts and souls of men, and the revealer of the secrets of the world of being, and the standard-bearer of love and bounty."Epistle to the Son of the Wolf and ‘Abdu’l‑Bahá wrote, "No power on earth can prevail against the armies of justice, and every citadel must fall before them; for men willingly go down under the triumphant strokes of this decisive blade, and desolate places bloom and flourish under the tramplings of this host. There are two mighty banners which, when they cast their shadow across the crown of any king, will cause the influence of his government quickly and easily to penetrate the whole earth, even as if it were the light of the sun: the first of these two banners is wisdom; the second is justice." The Secret of Divine Civilization