temporary learning--arts and
sciences alike--and to concentrate their attention on serving the general
interests of the people; to deepen themselves by attentive study of the
sacred Texts, and to apply the divine guidance they contain to the
circumstances, needs and conditions of society today; to refrain from
entering into the tangled affairs of political parties and to have neither
concern for, nor involvement in, the controversies of politicians, the
wranglings of theologians or any of the ailing social theories current
amongst men.

They finally exhort them to be sincerely obedient, in both thought and
word, to the laws duly enacted by the government of the realm, and to
distance themselves from the methods, concepts and ill-grounded arguments
of extreme traditionalists and modernists alike; to accord honour,
veneration and respect to--and endorse the efforts of--exponents of the arts
and sciences, and to esteem and revere those who are possessed of
extensive knowledge and scholarly erudition; to uphold the right of
freedom of conscience; and to abstain from criticizing and disparaging the
manners, customs and beliefs of other individuals, peoples and nations.

(30 January 1926 to the Spiritual Assemblies in Iran, translated from the
Persian) [20]

2. FUNCTIONS OF BAHA'I SCHOLARSHIP

2.1 Promotion of Human Welfare

From the Writings of Baha'u'llah

21: "The Great Being saith: The learned of the day must direct the people
to..."

The Great Being saith: The learned of the day must direct the people to
acquire those branches of knowledge which are of use, that both the
learned themselves and the generality of mankind may derive benefits
therefrom. Such academic pursuits as begin and end in words alone have
never been and will never be of any worth. The majority of Persia's
learned doctors devote all their lives to the study of a philosophy the
ultimate yield of which is nothing but words.

("Tablets of Baha'u'llah Revealed after the Kitab-i-Aqdas", p. 169) [21]

22: "True learning is that which is conducive to the well-being of the
world, not..."

True learning is that which is conducive to the well-being of the world,
not to pride and self-conceit, or to tyranny, violence and pillage.

(From a Tablet, translated from the Persian) [22]

From the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Baha

23: "The primary, the most urgent requirement is the promotion of
education...."

The primary, the