If any individual should speak ill of one who is absent, it
is incumbent on his hearers, in a spiritual and friendly manner, to stop him,
and say in effect: would this detraction serve any useful purpose? Would it
please the Blessed Beauty, contribute to the lasting honour of the friends,
promote the holy Faith, support the Covenant, or be of any possible benefit to
any soul? No, never! On the contrary, it would make the dust to settle so
thickly on the heart that the ears would hear no more, and the eyes would no
longer behold the light of truth.
- ‘Abdu’l-Baha (‘Selections from the Writings
of ‘Abdu’l-Baha’)
