Attach not thyself to anything unless in it thou seest the reality of God
Detachment
Human society at present exerts a negative influence upon the soul of man. Instead of allowing him to live a life of virtue, service and sacrifice, it teaches him to pride himself on his ego and to seek to exalt himself above others, in the ultimate aim of achieving self-importance, extreme wealth, success and power. The Revelation of Baha’u'llah aims to reverse the process and suggests that true happiness consists in detachment from all else save God:
“If ye be seekers after this life and the vanities thereof, ye should have sought them while ye were still enclosed in your mothers' wombs, for at that time ye were continually approaching them, could ye but perceive it. Ye have, on the other hand, ever since ye were born and attained maturity, been all the while receding from the world and drawing closer to dust. Why, then, exhibit such greed in amassing the treasures of the earth, when your days are numbered and your chance is well-nigh lost? Will ye not, then, O heedless ones, shake off your slumber?” (Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 127)
“ Our greatest efforts must be directed towards detachment from the things of the world; we must strive to become more spiritual, more luminous, to follow the counsel of the Divine Teaching, to serve the cause of unity and true equality, to be merciful, to reflect the love of the Highest on all men, so that the light of the Spirit shall be apparent in all our deeds, to the end that all humanity shall be united, the stormy sea thereof calmed, and all rough waves disappear from off the surface of life's ocean henceforth unruffled and peaceful.” (Abdu'l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 87)
“Man must attach himself to an infinite reality, so that his glory, his joy, and his progress may be infinite. Only the spirit is real; everything else is as shadow. All physical perfections come to an end; but the divine virtues are infinite.” (Abdu'l-Baha, Divine Philosophy, p. 136)
“One heart may possess the capacity of the polished mirror; another, be covered and obscured by the dust and dross of this world…. What is the dust which obscures the mirror? It is attachment to the world, avarice, envy, love of luxury and comfort, haughtiness and self-desire; this is the dust which prevents reflection of the rays of the Sun of Reality in the mirror.” (‘Abdu’l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace)
Detachment does not suggest however that it is wrong to have possessions or wealth. It rather implies that whilst we enjoy what is available to us, our relationship with God is left uncompromised; a relationship that is based on service and obedience to His laws:
“Detachment does not consist in setting fire to one’s house, or becoming bankrupt or throwing one’s fortune out of the window, or even giving away all of one’s possessions. Detachment consists in refraining from letting our possessions possess us. A prosperous merchant who is not absorbed in his business knows severance. A banker whose occupation does not prevent him from serving humanity is severed. A poor man can be attached to a small thing.” (Abdu’l-Baha, Divine Philosophy, p. 135-136)
“All that has been created is for man who is at the apex of creation and who must be thankful for the divine bestowals, so that through his gratitude he may learn to understand life as a divine benefit. If we hold enmity with life, we are ingrates, for our material and spiritual existence is the outward evidences of the divine mercy. Therefore we must be happy and pass our time in praises, appreciating all things. But there is something else: detachment. We can appreciate without attaching ourselves to the things of this world. It sometimes happens that if a man loses his fortune he is so disheartened that he dies or becomes insane. While enjoying the things of this world we must remember that one day we shall have to do without them.
Attach not thyself to anything unless in it thou seest the reality of God.” (Abdu'l-Baha, Divine Philosophy, p. 134)
“Weakening one's self physically does not necessarily contribute to spiritual progress. Humility, kindness, resignation, and all these spiritual attributes emanating from great physical strength are acceptable to God. That an enfeebled man cannot fight is not accounted a virtue. Were physical weakness a virtue the dead would be perfect, for they can do nothing.
If a man be just, kind, humble and merciful and his qualities are acquired through the will-power -- this is Godlike… A dumb person will not speak ill of any one, a paralysed hand cannot strike; but a strong arm can refrain from striking. Justice, love and kindness must be the instruments of strength, not of weakness.” (Abdu'l-Baha, Divine Philosophy, p. 98)
Detachment implies that, regardless of our present degree of prosperity — material or otherwise — our inner drive must essentially be spiritual in nature:
“Beware lest ye cling unto that which ye possess, or take pride in your fame and renown. That which behoveth you is to wholly detach yourselves from all that is in the heavens and on the earth.” (Baha'u'llah, The Summons of the Lord of Hosts, p. 44)
“Take heed lest pride deter you from recognizing the Source of Revelation, lest the things of this world shut you out as by a veil from Him Who is the Creator of heaven.” (Bahá’u’lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 211)
Detachment means to be unaffected by gains or losses:
“Should prosperity befall thee, rejoice not and should abasement come upon thee, grieve not, for both shall pass away and be no more.” Baha’u'llah, The Hidden Words
“The people of God have no dependence upon the conditions of this world; they neither become bittered with the bitterness of the cup, nor do they become intoxicated if the cup be sweet.” (Compilations, Baha’i Scriptures, p. 501)
We need also to be detached from personal desires:
“One who is imprisoned by desires is always unhappy; the children of the Kingdom have unchained themselves from their desires. Break all fetters and seek for spiritual joy and enlightenment; then, though you walk on this earth, you will perceive yourselves to be within the divine horizon. To man alone is this possible. When we look about us we see every other creature captive to his environment.” (Abdu'l-Baha, Abdu'l-Baha in London, p. 87)
We need to be also detached from fame (kingdom of name):
“Would it profit you in the least if, as ye fondly imagine, your names were to endure? Nay, by the Lord of all worlds! … Should your names fade from every mortal mind, and yet God be well pleased with you, ye will indeed be numbered among the treasures of His name, the Most Hidden.” (Bahá’u’lláh, The Summons of the Lord of Hosts, p. 47)
“We must seek no name nor fame…” (Abdu'l-Baha, Tablets of Abdu'l-Baha v3, p. 663)
“My name is 'Abdu'l-Bahá ("Servant of Bahá"). My qualification is 'Abdu'l-Bahá. My reality is 'Abdu'l-Bahá. My praise is 'Abdu'l-Bahá. Thraldom to the Blessed Perfection is my glorious and refulgent diadem, and servitude to all the human race my perpetual religion... No name, no title, no mention, no commendation have I, nor will ever have, except 'Abdu'l-Bahá. This is my longing. This is my greatest yearning. This is my eternal life. This is my everlasting glory." (‘Abdu’l-Baha, quoted by Shoghi Effendi, ‘The World Order of Baha'u'llah’, p. 139)
Be detach from blame or praise, from approval of others:
“Whether ye receive praise or blame; for all these things ye must care not at all.” (Abdu’l-Baha - Compilations, Baha'i Scriptures, p. 503)
“If one is praised and chosen by God, the accusation of all the creatures will cause no loss to him; and if the man is not accepted in the threshold of God, the praise and admiration of all men will be of no use to him.” (Abdu'l-Baha, Tablets of Abdu'l-Baha v1, p. 157)
“To be approved of God alone should be one’s aim.” (Abdu’l-Bahá, Star of the West, Vol. 6, No. 6, p. 44)
“At all times seeking the approval of men is many times the cause of imperilling the approval of God.” (Abdu’l-Bahá, Star of the West, June 24, 1915)
Detachment obviates that yearning for the temporary, allows for a clearer, moderate and more objective thought process which in turn provides a stepping stone for the development of our spiritual character and attaining true happiness:
“Could ye apprehend with what wonders of My munificence and bounty I have willed to entrust your souls, ye would, of a truth, rid yourselves of attachment to all created things, and would gain a true knowledge of your own selves — a knowledge which is the same as the comprehension of Mine own Being. Ye would find yourselves independent of all else but Me, and would perceive, with your inner and outer eye, and as manifest as the revelation of My effulgent Name, the seas of My loving-kindness and bounty moving within you.” (Baha’u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u'llah, p. 326-327)
“No man shall attain the shores of the ocean of true understanding except he be detached from all that is in heaven and on earth. Sanctify your souls, O ye peoples of the world, that haply ye may attain that station which God hath destined for you.” (Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 3)
“The happiness and greatness, the rank and station, the pleasure and peace, of an individual have never consisted in his personal wealth, but rather in his excellent character, his high resolve, the breadth of his learning, and his ability to solve difficult problems.” (Abdu'l-Baha, The Secret of Divine Civilization, p. 23)
“The heart is never at rest and never finds real joy and happiness until it attaches itself to the eternal. How foolish the bird that builds its nest in a tree that may perish when it could build its nest in an ever-verdant garden of paradise.
"Man must attach himself to an infinite reality, so that his glory, his joy, and his progress may be infinite. Only the spirit is real; everything else is as shadow. All physical perfections come to an end; but the divine virtues are infinite.” (Abdu'l-Baha, Divine Philosophy, p. 136)
"Man must attach himself to an infinite reality, so that his glory, his joy, and his progress may be infinite. Only the spirit is real; everything else is as shadow. All physical perfections come to an end; but the divine virtues are infinite."