No matter how far the material world advances, it cannot
establish the happiness of mankind. Only when material and spiritual
civilisation are linked and coordinated will happiness be assured. Then
material civilisation will not contribute its energies to the forces of evil in
destroying the oneness of humanity, for in material civilisation good and evil
advance together and maintain the same pace. For example consider the material progress of man in the last decade. Schools colleges,
hospitals, philanthropic institutions, scientific academies temples of
philosophy have been founded, but hand in hand with these evidences of
development, the invention and production of means and weapons for human
destruction have correspondingly increased...
All this is the outcome of material civilisation; therefore, although material
advancement furthers good purposes in life, at the same time it serves evil
ends ... If the moral precepts and foundations of divine civilisation become
united with the material advancement of man, there is no doubt that the
happiness of the human world will be attained and from every direction the glad
tidings of peace upon earth will be announced. Then humankind will achieve
extraordinary progress, the sphere of human intelligence will be immeasurably
enlarged, wonderful inventions will appear, and the spirit of God will reveal
itself; all men will consort in joy and fragrance, and eternal life will be
conferred upon the children of the Kingdom.
('Abdu'l-Bahá, ‘Promulgation of Universal Peace’; The Compilation of
Compilations, Vol.III, Social and Economic Development)
