Elimination of Prejudice

Among all the obstacles to human unity, prejudice is perhaps the most pervasive and destructive. The Bahá'í Faith identifies prejudice — whether based on race, religion, nationality, class, or gender — as a primary barrier to the realisation of humanity's collective potential. 'Abdu'l-Bahá identified the elimination of all forms of prejudice as one of the most urgent tasks of the present age.

Racial prejudice receives particular attention in Bahá'í teachings. The Bahá'í community worldwide has been called to demonstrate — in its own life and practice — what genuine racial unity looks like: not tolerance, not mere coexistence, but the full integration of people of all backgrounds into one loving community.

Religious prejudice — the belief that one's own religion is the sole truth and that followers of other faiths are misguided — is equally condemned. The principle of progressive revelation provides the theological foundation for religious tolerance: all true religions come from the same God.

The antidote to prejudice, in Bahá'í teaching, is the independent investigation of truth. Each person is called to search for truth for themselves — not to inherit their parents' prejudices uncritically, but to examine evidence with an open and honest mind. This is a demanding standard, requiring humility, courage, and a genuine love of truth above all else.