I have always thought that I understood the significance of oneness of humanity as a goal for humanity since to me the world’s survival depends on it. Moreover, as a Baha’i, I grew up hearing it all the times, so this was imprinted on my psyche.

Since I was interested and thought that I had learned the meaning and implication of it, I read more and more of the writers, poets, philosophers and great thinkers who talked about this concept. I realized that their ideas were more of a slogan or a cliché. They were very inspiring no doubt but without any practical suggestion for how to achieve it.

Recently I was reading about the nature of man and his purpose. I realized there is more to this that I had imagined. After some spiritual readings, I realized that the whole creation of our earth was made for man and his ultimate destiny which was to achieve the unity of humankind or establishing the Kingdom of God on earth. To live a life that God has desired us to live. That meant to nurture our spiritual nature and live as a spiritual being the way He intended us to live.

“The successive Founders of all past Religions Who, from time immemorial, have shed, with ever-increasing intensity, the splendor of one common Revelation at the various stages which have marked the advance of mankind towards maturity may thus, in a sense, be regarded as preliminary Manifestations, anticipating and paving the way for the advent of that Day of Days when the whole earth will have fructified, and the tree of humanity will have yielded its destined fruit.”  – Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh, p.166

Can you believe that from the inception of the universe, all these billions and millions of years this has been the goal for mankind given by our Creator so that it is achieved? That is amazing.

After this realization, I tried to examine with new insight into the implication of this discovery and try to see what all these years I missed that I have to relearn?  I came across this quotation that enabled me to look at the details of God’s plan for us to work on. It clearly pinpoints the areas that we have to work to get there.

“Let there be no mistake. The principle of the Oneness of Mankind—the pivot round which all the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh revolve is no mere outburst of ignorant emotionalism or an expression of vague and pious hope. Its appeal is not to be merely identified with a reawakening of the spirit of brotherhood and good-will among men, nor does it aim solely at the fostering of harmonious cooperation among individual peoples and nations. Its implications are deeper, its claims greater than any which the Prophets of old were allowed to advance. Its message is applicable not only to the individual, but concerns itself primarily with the nature of those essential relationships that must bind all the states and nations as members of one human family. It does not constitute merely the enunciation of an ideal, but stands inseparably associated with an institution adequate to embody its truth, demonstrate its validity, and perpetuate its influence. It implies an organic change in the structure of present-day society, a change such as the world has not yet experienced… It calls for no less than the reconstruction and the demilitarization of the whole civilized world—a world organically unified in all the essential aspects of its life, its political machinery, its spiritual aspiration, its trade and finance, its script and language, and yet infinite in the diversity of the national characteristics of its federated units.”  – Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh, p.43

There is no doubt in my mind that the unity of mankind is inevitable. The question of how and where the changes have to happen to achieve it has to be answered. I try to share my understanding of the whole concept. To create a world that is “Organically unified in all the essential aspects of its life” there has to be a fundamental transformation in all areas of life.

You may ask how it can be done. I have simplified the whole concept for me and the practical way of doing it is to introduce spirituality and humanity into every aspects of life. For me there are two ways of working towards this goal. First internal which means working to learn more, meditate more, purifying my life and becoming more spiritual each day. Second external, offer whatever I have learned spiritually or I have gained and then look for any opportunity I get to contribute in all my life’s activities. In this small way I try to play my part. We all have a part to play. This contribution could be in a form a word or action..

I picked these below headings directly from the quote that indicate a few areas that have to be thoroughly re-examined and be infused with the new spirit.

-The reawakening of the spirit of brotherhood and good-will among men

– Harmonious cooperation

– The relationships that must bind the nations as members of one family

– An organic change in the structure of present-day society

– The reconstruction and the demilitarization of the whole civilized world

– A world organically unified in all the essential aspects of its life:

                       its political machinery

                       its spiritual aspiration

                       its script and language

                       its trade and finance

I will discuss one of them here:

Trade and finance which are parts of economic system

The present economic system is sick and is dying. It cannot meet the needs of humanity. The gap between rich and poor is getting wider and wider, which has increased the suffering of the masses. It is time to re-examine the fundamental assumptions that this system was built on and replace them with humane, moral and spiritual ones. A shift in thinking is needed. By introducing spirituality into our economic activities, we can take steps to lay the foundation for a better economic future. We have the solutions and the technology to build a new system; all we need is the resolve and the will. Everyone has an inherent power to contribute.

By introducing more of the spiritual qualities in our lives, we are laying the foundation for such a society and such an economic system. Some of our goals may seem idealistic, but that is precisely what we are, idealists. We are dreaming of a better world and are ready to make sure that it is established. No great achievement can take place without a goal or dream. Without them, the ever-advancing civilization would not have progressed from the Stone Age to where we are now.

How privileged are we to live in a time that the goal of the oneness of mankind is getting closer even though we have to deal with the chaos and confusions related to the coming event of the birth of Baha’u’llah’s World Order. We have all the tools and the blueprint for the unity of humankind and as people are getting closer in physical connection and the degree of separation being of humanity reduced, the challenge now is to bring the hearts and minds of the people closer through spirituality.