Is Human Suffering Preventable or Inevitable?
In a world beset by ills and groaning under the burden of appalling suffering, the democratically-elected leadership body of the world's Baha'is, the Universal House of Justice, believes that the solution lies not in coercion, dictates, oppression, war, or violence, but through love, understanding, and cooperation.
The prophet and founder of the Baha'i Faith, Baha'u'llah, revealed a remedy for the world's suffering, which the Universal House of Justice testifies to be the justice, love, and mercy of God. This remedy, they believe, is not a new invention, but the teachings of the latest messenger of God and Divine Physician for our ailing age.
Everyone experiences some form of pain, whether it be physical illness, emotional distress, mental health issues, loss and grief, trauma, abuse, discrimination, or social or economic inequality. The Baha'i teachings offer a way to alleviate and manage this suffering.
One key aspect of these teachings is prayer and spiritual awakening. Baha'i teachings emphasize prayer as a means to awaken the soul’s inherent light and divine reflection, helping individuals transcend pain and find inner peace. Prayer is seen not only as communication with God but as a transformative experience that reveals one’s true spiritual identity and purpose.
The teachings also encourage hope and patience in adversity. Humans are affirmed to be immersed “in a sea of God’s blessings,” which empowers people to endure suffering with trust rather than despair.
Serving others is considered a sacred act that connects individuals with divine qualities, enhancing both personal and collective well-being. This service is seen as a form of prayer and healing, fostering spiritual growth, strengthening hope and patience, and encouraging service to others, which nurtures the soul’s true potential and unity with the Divine.
The Baha'i teachings also assert that while material progress contributes to worldly happiness, spiritual progress is essential for true happiness and eternal joy. This offers a broader perspective on suffering and its alleviation.
The teachings offer a spiritual shelter and guidance to humanity during times of rapid change and uncertainty, helping to reduce anxiety and social hardship by promoting unity and constructive action. Together, these principles help individuals and communities transform suffering into opportunities for growth, healing, and deeper connection to God and humanity.
The transformative writings of Baha'u'llah, Abdu'l-Baha, Shoghi Effendi, and the Universal House of Justice are available online at https://www.bahai.org/library/. Reading these writings may transform the reader, as well.
While service and welfare organizations, international charities and foundations, world bodies like UNESCO and WHO, NGOs, and volunteer organizations attempt to ease the pain of the world and its people, the Baha'i approach to this task is evolutionary and multifaceted. It involves the spiritual transformation of individuals, the establishment of an administrative system based on justice, and the implementation of programs of social and economic development.
In the face of continuous suffering, the Universal House of Justice offers a cure that involves the application of Baha'i teachings. Sorrow and suffering are inescapable parts of the human condition, but with the guidance of these teachings, we can find a path towards healing, unity, and spiritual growth.
- The Baha'i teachings, as the remedy for world suffering, address not only physical illness and social economic inequality but also emotional distress, mental health issues, and trauma.
- The Baha'i approach to easing the pain of the world includes the spiritual transformation of individuals and the implementation of programs of social and economic development.
- The teachings encourage hope and patience in adversity, affirming that humanity is immersed "in a sea of God's blessings," which empowers people to endure suffering with trust rather than despair.
- The Baha'i teachings also encompass science, health-and-wellness, mental-health, and therapies-and-treatments, along with general news and politics, as they offer a broader perspective on suffering and its alleviation.
