In Praise of Wise Silence

Introduction

In a world where every moment a tongue finds speech and from every direction a cry arises, “silence” seems to have become a stranger. In this tumultuous age, where every institution and every individual feels compelled to voice an opinion on every event, silence has perhaps become the rarest and most unfamiliar jewel of human conduct. Yet amidst this turbulent clamor, the Universal House of Justice—that luminous and wise institution of the Baha’i world—through its timely silences, reveals another dimension of wisdom; a silence that springs not from weakness but from strength, not from ignorance but from knowledge, and not from indifference but from the highest form of love for humanity.

Silence, the Language of Wisdom

The Universal House of Justice, as the beating heart of the global Baha’i administrative order, in situations where the storm of politics engulfs the peoples of the world and waves of obscurity rise from every direction, instead of speaking, opens its lips to silence. But this silence is not of the kind born of unconscious muteness—rather, it is of the essence of “hidden speech.” This silence is itself the most eloquent cry; a cry in defense of that fundamental principle which Baha’u’llah named “the oneness of humankind” and proclaimed as the very purpose of divine creation.

The silence of the Universal House of Justice is like a mirror that stands before both sides of conflict, gazing equally upon both. It takes no step in favor of this one nor against that one, for in the Baha’i school, any partisanship in political conflicts is itself a form of “polytheism” against the unity of humanity. This silence is the manifestation of that profound wisdom which knows that “whoever falls into the snare of politics, remains far from unity.”

Silence, the Protection of the Oppressed

In the midst of the Iran-America war, when the fire of conflict blazed and the dust of accusation settled upon the face of Iran’s Baha’i community, the Universal House of Justice chose silence; but this silence was a guardianship of the very lives of that same oppressed community, who were writhing in their own blood beneath the blade of the accusation of “alignment with the enemy.”

The silence of the Universal House of Justice in that critical moment was the silence of a skilled physician who knew that any prescription written at the wrong time would only double the patient’s fever. It perceived that declaring a position in that dust-laden political atmosphere would not only fail to provide relief but would strengthen the very accusations fastened upon the Baha’i community. Thus, instead of crying out, it turned to “service”; instead of speech, it occupied itself with “action”; and instead of taking sides, it devoted itself to “constructive endeavor.”

Silence, the Choice of the Highest Form of Action

One of the deepest dimensions of the wisdom of the Universal House of Justice in these silences is that it has well understood that “reactive response” to crises is never as effective as “positive action.” Instead of speaking against war, it became occupied with promoting peace; instead of raising a cry against violence, it devoted itself to strengthening the moral foundations of its community; and instead of stepping into the political arena, it pursued the path of service to humanity.

This is the very “meaningful silence” which in Baha’i literature is referred to as “practical wisdom.” Through this intelligent choice, the Universal House of Justice teaches the peoples of the world that the strongest response to violence is not speech, but “peaceful living”; not cries, but “silent service”; and not battle, but “constructive endeavor.”

Silence, the Manifestation of Trust in a Radiant Horizon

The silence of the Universal House of Justice is also a sign of its deep trust in a brighter future—a future in which “universal peace” is not a distant ideal but an objective reality. It knows that history has always been written in favor of truth, and a day will come when humanity will regard all these fruitless conflicts as nothing but a dream and will step toward true unity.

Until that day, the Universal House of Justice, through its wise silence, shines like a lamp in the heart of darkness, giving glad tidings to the world that “after every night, there is a dawn” and “after every war, there is peace.” Its silence is itself a promise of the fulfillment of that divine pledge which Baha’u’llah gave to humanity: “O earth! The one true God shall transform thee into paradise.”

Conclusion

The timely silences of the Universal House of Justice are not a flaw but perfection; not a deficiency but an art; and not a weakness but a strength. These silences are the manifestation of that eternal wisdom which knows that “whenever speech brings harm, silence is worship.” Through this meaningful silence, the Universal House of Justice has rendered the highest service to the Baha’i community and to all the peoples of the world—a service whose name is “protection of unity” and whose mark is “safeguarding human dignity.”

Yes, the silence of the Universal House of Justice is itself the most eloquent cry in defense of the ideal of “the oneness of humankind”—an ideal which, transcending all conflicts and wars, has been envisioned as a golden horizon before the human race. And how beautiful is that silence which itself becomes the eloquent language of love.

“Silence is the best worship, when speech would bring corruption.”
— From the Sacred Threshold of Baha’u’llah