5- The Talk (another version)

The following source cites parts of the talk.  Its source is a document published in Egypt.

“First we speak of logical proofs”::
Discourse of knowledge in the Bahá’í writings

by Franklin Lewis

Published in Baha'i Studies Review, 10, pages 51-74
Association for Baha'i Studies English-Speaking Europe, 2001

Click to go to source

On May 23, 1912, at Clark University, in Worcester, Massachusetts, `Abdu'l-Bahá had used almost identical words. This talk is not included in translation in Promulgation of Universal Peace; a provisional rendering therefore follows the transliterated Persian: 

Pas ma`lum shod ke `elm a`zam-e manáqeb-e `álam-e ensani ast. `Elm `ezzat-e abadi ast, `elm hayát-e sarmadi ast...
Zirá `elm anvár ast va shakhs-e `álem mesl-e qendil-e derakhshande va tábán. Jami`-e khalq mayyet-and va `olamá zende...
Masháhir-e `olamá'e salaf rá moláheze konid ke setáre-ye `ezzat-eshán az ofoq-e abadi derakhshande ast va tá abad al-ábád báqi va bar qarár. Leházá neháyat-e sorur rá dáram ke dar in dár al-fonun házer-am. Omid-am chonán ast ke in markaz `azim shavad va be-anvár-e `olum jami`-e áfáq rá rowshan konad, kur há rá biná konad... Zirá `elm nur ast va jahl zolmat [41]

[So it is evident that knowledge is the greatest of the virtues of the human world. Knowledge is eternal might, knowledge is everlasting life... for knowledge is rays of light and the learned person is like a bright and shining lamp. All creatures are as dead, and the learned (`olamá) alive...Consider the famous learned ones of the past and how the star of their might shines from the horizon of eternity and will remain fixed and undying from the beginning to the end of eternity. Therefore, I am extremely happy to be in this academy (dár al-fonun).[42] My hope is that this centre will become great and illumine all horizons with the lights of knowledge (`olum), give sight to the blind... for knowledge is light and ignorance is darkness...] 

During the course of this same talk, `Abdu'l-Bahá praised the academic institutions of the United States, colleges and technical universities (madáres-e dár al-fonun-há). He expressed the hope that other countries would follow this example and establish schools for the training of children, and raise the banner of knowledge so that the world of humanity would be illuminated and the realities and mysteries of all beings become apparent and prejudices be dispelled.[43] Since these same institutions were champions of academic methodologies (sometimes considered materialist methodologies) and upheld theories, such as evolution, that were opposed by religious orthodoxy, `Abdu'l-Bahá's comments, in the context of those days, suggests support for such methodologies.