…the religion of God is the promoter of truth, the founder of science and
knowledge, it is full of goodwill for learned men; it is the civilizer of
mankind, the discoverer of the secrets of nature, and the enlightener of the
horizons of the world. Consequently, how can it be said to oppose knowledge?
God forbid! Nay, for God, knowledge is the most glorious gift of man and the
most noble of human perfections. To oppose knowledge is ignorant, and he
who detests knowledge and science is not a man, but rather an animal without
intelligence. For knowledge is light, life, felicity, perfection, beauty and
the means of approaching the Threshold of Unity. It is the honour and glory of
the world of humanity, and the greatest bounty of God. Knowledge is identical
with guidance, and ignorance is real error.
(“Some Answered Questions” (Wilmette: Bahá’í Publishing Trust,
1984), p. 137) [18]