One should “under all conditions and circumstances, …be forgiving, …love his enemy and … consider an ill-wisher as a well-wisher.”

Among the teachings of Baha'u'llah is one requiring man, under all conditions and circumstances, to be forgiving, to love his enemy and to consider an ill-wisher as a well-wisher. Not that he should consider one as being an enemy and then put up with him, or to simply endure him, or to consider one as inimical and be forbearing toward him. This is declared to be hypocrisy. This love is not real. Nay, rather, you must see your enemies as friends, ill-wishers as well wishers and treat them accordingly. That is to say, your love and kindness must be real. Your well wishing must be reality, not merely forbearance, for forbearance, if not of the heart, is hypocrisy. The people of Reality will not accept it. (Excerpt From a talk by ‘Abdu’l-Baha in Oakland, California, at the home of Helen Goodall, October 3, 1912; Star of the West, vol. 4, no. 11, September 27, 1913) (To read the entire talk please visit Talks of ‘Abdu’l-Baha)