1: O Children of Men! Know ye not why We created you all from the same
dust?...
O Children of Men! Know ye not why We created you all from the same dust?
That no one should exalt himself over the other. Ponder at all times in
your hearts how ye were created. Since We have created you all from one
same substance it is incumbent on you to be even as one soul, to walk with
the same feet, eat with the same mouth and dwell in the same land, that
from your inmost being, by your deeds and actions, the signs of oneness
and the essence of detachment may be made manifest. Such is My counsel to
you, O concourse of light! Heed ye this counsel that ye may obtain the
fruit of holiness from the tree of wondrous glory.
("The Hidden Words of Baha'u'llah", Arabic no. 68, rev. ed. (Wilmette:
Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1985), p. 20) [1]
2: Exalted, immensely exalted is He Who hath removed differences and...
Exalted, immensely exalted is He Who hath removed differences and
established harmony. Glorified, infinitely glorified is He Who hath caused
discord to cease, and decreed solidarity and unity. Praised be God, the
Pen of the Most High hath lifted distinctions from between His servants
and handmaidens, and, through His consummate favours and all-encompassing
mercy, hath conferred upon all a station and rank of the same plane. He
hath broken the back of vain imaginings with the sword of utterance and
hath obliterated the perils of idle fancies through the pervasive power of
His might.
(From a Tablet - translated from the Persian) [2]
3: This Wronged One hath heard thy voice and that which thy inner and
outer...
This Wronged One hath heard thy voice and that which thy inner and outer
tongue hath uttered in praise of thy Lord. By the righteousness of God!
That which the people possess, and the treasures of the earth, and that
which the rulers and kings own, are not equal in this day to the singing
of His praise. The Lord of the Kingdom beareth witness unto this at this
glorious moment. And having heard thy groaning and lamentation, We are
responding with a Tablet which calleth out betwixt earth and heaven and
maketh mention of thee with words that immortalize what hath appeared from
thee in His love, in His service, in His remembrance and in His praise.
And He hath made that which hath issued forth from thy mouth a trust with
Him for thee. He is verily the Most Bounteous, the Most Generous. If thou
truly givest ear to that which hath been revealed for thee from My Supreme
Pen at this moment, thou shalt soar with the wings of eagerness in the
heaven of love for the Lord of the Day of the Covenant, and wilt say
during all the days of thy life: Thanks be unto Thee, O Thou the Desire of
the world, and praise be unto Thee, O Thou the Beloved of the people of
understanding. May all existence be a sacrifice for Thy favour, and all
that hath been and will ever be, a ransom for Thy Word, O Thou the Wronged
One amongst the people of enmity, O Thou in Whose grasp are the reins of
all who are in heaven and on earth....
In this Day the Hand of divine grace hath removed all distinctions. The
servants of God and His handmaidens are regarded on the same plane.
Blessed is the servant who hath attained unto that which God hath decreed,
and likewise the leaf moving in accordance with the breezes of His will.
This favour is great and this station lofty. His bounties and bestowals
are ever present and manifest. Who is able to offer befitting gratitude
for His successive bestowals and continuous favours?
(From a Tablet - translated from the Persian and Arabic) [3]
4: By My Life! The names of handmaidens who are devoted to God are
written...
By My Life! The names of handmaidens who are devoted to God are written
and set down by the Pen of the Most High in the Crimson Book. They excel
over men in the sight of God. How numerous are the heroes and knights in
the field who are bereft of the True One and have no share in His
recognition, but thou hast attained and received thy fill.
(From a Tablet - translated from the Persian) [4]
5: Verily the Pen of the Most High hath borne witness unto thy recognition
of...
Verily the Pen of the Most High hath borne witness unto thy recognition of
Him, thy love for Him and thy turning towards the Ancient Countenance at a
time when the world hath rejected Him, save those whom God, the Most High,
hath willed....
Well is it with thee for having adorned thyself with the ornament of the
love of God and for having been enabled to make mention of Him and utter
His praise. Divine grace, in its entirety, is in the mighty grasp of God,
exalted be He. He conferreth it upon whomsoever He willeth. How many a man
considered himself a celebrated divine and a repository of heavenly
mysteries, and yet when the slightest test visited him, he arose with such
opposition and denial as to cause the Concourse on high to moan and
lament. Through the bestowals of the Lord, however, and His infinite
favour, thou hast attained unto the hidden secret and the well-guarded
treasure. Preserve then, in the name of God, this lofty station and
conceal it from the eyes of betrayers. The glory shining from the horizon
of My Kingdom be upon thee and upon every handmaiden who hath attained the
splendours of My sublime Throne.
(From a Tablet - translated from the Persian and Arabic) [5]
6: We beseech God to aid all the leaves to attain the knowledge of the
Tree and...
We beseech God to aid all the leaves to attain the knowledge of the Tree
and deprive them not of the ocean of His generosity. In this day no regard
is paid to loftiness or lowliness, to poverty or wealth, to nobility and
lineage, to weakness or might. Whosoever recognizeth the incomparable
Beloved is the possessor of true wealth and occupieth a divine station.
Today, in the court of the True One, the queen of the world and her like
are not worth a mustard seed, because although she may speak in the name
of God, invoke the Lord of creation every day in the temple of her body,
and spend large sums of earthly wealth for the development of her nation,
she is deprived of recognition of the Sun of His Manifestation and is
barred from the True One in Whose remembrance she is engaged....
(From a Tablet - translated from the Persian and Arabic) [6]
7: Throughout the centuries and ages many a man hath waited expectant
for...
Throughout the centuries and ages many a man hath waited expectant for
God's Revelation, and yet when the Light shone forth from the horizon of
the world, all but a few turned their faces away from it. Whosoever from
amongst the handmaidens hath recognized the Lord of all Names is recorded
in the Book as one of those men by the Pen of the Most High. Offer thou
praise to the Beloved of the world for having aided thee to recognize the
Dayspring of His Signs and the Revealer of the evidences of His Glory.
This is a great bounty, a bounteous favour. Preserve it in the name of the
True One....
(From a Tablet - translated from the Persian and Arabic) [7]
Extracts From the Writings and Utterances of 'Abdu'l-Baha:
8: From the beginning of existence until the Promised Day men retained
superiority...
From the beginning of existence until the Promised Day men retained
superiority over women in every respect. It is revealed in the Qur'an:
"Men have superiority over women." But in this wondrous Dispensation, the
supreme outpouring of the Glorious Lord became the cause of manifest
achievements by women. Some handmaidens arose who excelled men in the
arena of knowledge. They arose with such love and spirituality that they
became the cause of the outpouring of the bounty of the Sovereign Lord
upon mankind, and with their sanctity, purity and attributes of the spirit
led a great many to the shore of unity. They became a guiding torch to the
wanderers in the wastes of bewilderment, and enkindled the despondent in
the nether world with the flame of the love of the Lord. This is a
bounteous characteristic of this wondrous Age which hath granted strength
to the weaker sex and hath bestowed masculine might upon womanhood....
(From a Tablet - translated from the Persian) [8]
9: O handmaid of God! In this wondrous dispensation in which the
Ancient...
O handmaid of God! In this wondrous dispensation in which the Ancient
Beauty and the Manifest Light--may my spirit be sacrificed for His loved
ones--hath risen from the horizon of age-old hopes, women have assumed the
attributes of men in showing forth steadfastness in the Cause of God, and
revealing the heroism and might of fearless men. They invaded the arena of
mystic knowledge and hoisted aloft the banner on the heights of certitude.
Thou, too, must make a mighty effort and show forth supreme courage. Exert
thyself and taste of the sweetness of a heavenly draught, for the sweet
taste of the love of God will linger on to the end that hath no end.
(From a Tablet - translated from the Persian) [9]
10: Render thanks to the Lord that among that race thou art the first...
Render thanks to the Lord that among that race thou art the first
believer,(1) that thou hast engaged in spreading sweet-scented breezes,
and hast arisen to guide others. It is my hope that through the bounties
and favours of the Abha Beauty thy countenance may be illumined, thy
disposition pleasing, and thy fragrance diffused, that thine eyes may be
seeing, thine ears attentive, thy tongue eloquent, thy heart filled with
supreme glad-tidings, and thy soul refreshed by divine fragrances, so that
thou mayest arise among that race and occupy thyself with the edification
of the people, and become filled with light. Although the pupil of the eye
is black, it is the source of light. Thou shalt likewise be. The
disposition should be bright, not the appearance. Therefore, with supreme
confidence and certitude, say: "O God! Make me a radiant light, a shining
lamp, and a brilliant star, so that I may illumine the hearts with an
effulgent ray from Thy Kingdom of Abha...."
(From a Tablet - translated from the Persian) [10]
11: The establishment of a women's assemblage for the promotion of
knowledge is...
The establishment of a women's assemblage for the promotion of knowledge
is entirely acceptable, but discussions must be confined to educational
matters. It should be done in such a way that differences will, day by
day, be entirely wiped out, not that, God forbid, it will end in
argumentation between men and women. As in the question of the veil,
nothing should be done contrary to wisdom. The individual women should,
today, follow a course of action which will be the cause of eternal glory
to all womankind, so that all women will be illumined. And that lieth in
gathering to learn how to teach, in holding meetings to recite the verses,
to offer supplications to the kingdom of the Lord of evident signs, and to
institute education for the girls. Ponder the manner in which
Jinab-i-Tahirih used to teach. She was free from every concern, and for
this reason she was resplendent.
Now the world of women should be a spiritual world, not a political one,
so that it will be radiant. The women of other nations are all immersed in
political matters. Of what benefit is this, and what fruit doth it yield?
To the extent that ye can, ye should busy yourselves with spiritual
matters which will be conducive to the exaltation of the Word of God and
of the diffusion of His fragrances. Your demeanour should lead to harmony
amongst all and to coalescence and the good-pleasure of all....
I am endeavouring, with Baha'u'llah's confirmations and assistance, so to
improve the world of the handmaidens that all will be astonished. This
progress is intended to be in spirituality, in virtues, in human
perfections and in divine knowledge. In America, the cradle of women's
liberation, women are still debarred from political institutions because
they squabble. They are yet to have a member in the House of
Representatives. Also Baha'u'llah hath proclaimed: "O ye men of the House
of Justice." Ye need to be calm and composed, so that the work will
proceed with wisdom, otherwise there will be such chaos that ye will leave
everything and run away. "This newly born babe is traversing in one night
the path that needeth a hundred years to tread." In brief, ye should now
engage in matters of pure spirituality and not contend with men.
'Abdu'l-Baha will tactfully take appropriate steps. Be assured. In the end
thou wilt thyself exclaim, "This was indeed supreme wisdom!" I appeal to
you to obliterate this contention between men and women....
No one can on his own achieve anything. 'Abdu'l-Baha must be well pleased
and assist.
(From a Tablet - translated from the Persian) [11]
12: Know thou, O handmaid, that in the sight of Baha, women are accounted
the...
Know thou, O handmaid, that in the sight of Baha, women are accounted the
same as men, and God hath created all humankind in His own image, and
after His own likeness. That is, men and women alike are the revealers of
His names and attributes, and from the spiritual viewpoint there is no
difference between them. Whosoever draweth nearer to God, that one is the
most favoured, whether man or woman. How many a handmaid, ardent and
devoted, hath, within the sheltering shade of Baha, proved superior to the
men, and surpassed the famous of the earth.
The House of Justice, however, according to the explicit text of the Law
of God, is confined to men;(2) this for a wisdom of the Lord God's, which
will ere long be made manifest as clearly as the sun at high noon.
("Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Baha" [rev. ed.], (Haifa: Baha'i
World Centre, 1982), sec. 38, pp. 79-80) [12]
13: And among the teachings of Baha'u'llah is the equality of women and...
And among the teachings of Baha'u'llah is the equality of women and men.
The world of humanity has two wings--one is women and the other men. Not
until both wings are equally developed can the bird fly. Should one wing
remain weak, flight is impossible. Not until the world of women becomes
equal to the world of men in the acquisition of virtues and perfections,
can success and prosperity be attained as they ought to be.
("Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Baha", sec. 227, p. 302) [13]
14: Inasmuch as this is the century of light, it is evident that the Sun
of...
Inasmuch as this is the century of light, it is evident that the Sun of
Reality, the Word, has revealed itself to all humankind. One of the
potentialities hidden in the realm of humanity was the capability or
capacity of womanhood. Through the effulgent rays of divine illumination
the capacity of woman has become so awakened and manifest in this age that
equality of man and woman is an established fact....
...
In this day man must investigate reality impartially and without prejudice
in order to reach the true knowledge and conclusions. What, then,
constitutes the inequality between man and woman? Both are human. In
powers and function each is the complement of the other. At most it is
this: that woman has been denied the opportunities which man has so long
enjoyed, especially the privilege of education....
...
The truth is that all mankind are the creatures and servants of one God,
and in His estimate all are human. Man is a generic term applying to all
humanity. The biblical statement "Let us make man in our image, after our
likeness" does not mean that woman was not created. The image and likeness
of God apply to her as well. In Persian and Arabic there are two distinct
words translated into English as man: one meaning man and woman
collectively, the other distinguishing man as male from woman the female.
The first word and its pronoun are generic, collective; the other is
restricted to the male. This is the same in Hebrew.
To accept and observe a distinction which God has not intended in creation
is ignorance and superstition....
It is my hope that the banner of equality may be raised throughout the
five continents where as yet it is not fully recognized and established.
In this enlightened world of the West woman has advanced an immeasurable
degree beyond the women of the Orient. And let it be known once more that
until woman and man recognize and realize equality, social and political
progress here or anywhere will not be possible. For the world of humanity
consists of two parts or members: one is woman; the other is man. Until
these two members are equal in strength, the oneness of humanity cannot be
established, and the happiness and felicity of mankind will not be a
reality. God willing, this is to be so.
("The Promulgation of Universal Peace: Talks Delivered by 'Abdu'l-Baha
during His Visit to the United States and Canada in 1912", 2nd. ed.
(Wilmette: Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1982), pp. 74-77) [14]
15: Today questions of the utmost importance are facing humanity,
questions...
Today questions of the utmost importance are facing humanity, questions
peculiar to this radiant century....
One of these questions concerns the rights of woman and her equality with
man. In past ages it was held that woman and man were not equal--that is to
say, woman was considered inferior to man, even from the standpoint of her
anatomy and creation. She was considered especially inferior in
intelligence, and the idea prevailed universally that it was not allowable
for her to step into the arena of important affairs. In some countries man
went so far as to believe and teach that woman belonged to a sphere lower
than human. But in this century, which is the century of light and the
revelation of mysteries, God is proving to the satisfaction of humanity
that all this is ignorance and error; nay, rather, it is well established
that mankind and womankind as parts of composite humanity are coequal and
that no difference in estimate is allowable, for all are human. The
conditions in past centuries were due to woman's lack of opportunity. She
was denied the right and privilege of education and left in her
undeveloped state. Naturally, she could not and did not advance. In
reality, God has created all mankind, and in the estimation of God there
is no distinction as to male and female. The one whose heart is pure is
acceptable in His sight, be that one man or woman. God does not inquire,
"Art thou woman or art thou man?" He judges human actions. If these are
acceptable in the threshold of the Glorious One, man and woman will be
equally recognized and rewarded.
("The Promulgation of Universal Peace: Talks Delivered by 'Abdu'l-Baha
during His Visit to the United States and Canada in 1912", p. 133) [15]
16: The world of humanity consists of two parts: male and female. Each
is...
The world of humanity consists of two parts: male and female. Each is the
complement of the other. Therefore, if one is defective, the other will
necessarily be incomplete, and perfection cannot be attained. There is a
right hand and a left hand in the human body, functionally equal in
service and administration. If either proves defective, the defect will
naturally extend to the other by involving the completeness of the whole;
for accomplishment is not normal unless both are perfect. If we say one
hand is deficient, we prove the inability and incapacity of the other; for
single-handed there is no full accomplishment. Just as physical
accomplishment is complete with two hands, so man and woman, the two parts
of the social body, must be perfect. It is not natural that either should
remain undeveloped; and until both are perfected, the happiness of the
human world will not be realized.
("The Promulgation of Universal Peace: Talks Delivered by 'Abdu'l-Baha
during His Visit to the United States and Canada in 1912", p. 134) [16]
17: The status of woman in former times was exceedingly deplorable, for it
was...
The status of woman in former times was exceedingly deplorable, for it was
the belief of the Orient that it was best for woman to be ignorant. It was
considered preferable that she should not know reading or writing in order
that she might not be informed of events in the world. Woman was
considered to be created for rearing children and attending to the duties
of the household. If she pursued educational courses, it was deemed
contrary to chastity; hence women were made prisoners of the household.
The houses did not even have windows opening upon the outside world.
Baha'u'llah destroyed these ideas and proclaimed the equality of man and
woman. He made woman respected by commanding that all women be educated,
that there be no difference in the education of the two sexes and that man
and woman share the same rights. In the estimation of God there is no
distinction of sex. One whose thought is pure, whose education is
superior, whose scientific attainments are greater, whose deeds of
philanthropy excel, be that one man or woman, white or colored, is
entitled to full rights and recognition; there is no differentiation
whatsoever....
("The Promulgation of Universal Peace: Talks Delivered by 'Abdu'l-Baha
during His Visit to the United States and Canada in 1912", p. 166) [17]
18: Woman's lack of progress and proficiency has been due to her need of
equal...
Woman's lack of progress and proficiency has been due to her need of equal
education and opportunity. Had she been allowed this equality, there is no
doubt she would be the counterpart of man in ability and capacity. The
happiness of mankind will be realized when women and men coordinate and
advance equally, for each is the complement and helpmeet of the other.
("The Promulgation of Universal Peace: Talks Delivered by 'Abdu'l-Baha
during His Visit to the United States and Canada in 1912", p. 182) [18]
19: He establishes the equality of man and woman. This is peculiar to
the...
He establishes the equality of man and woman. This is peculiar to the
teachings of Baha'u'llah, for all other religions have placed man above
woman.
("The Promulgation of Universal Peace: Talks Delivered by 'Abdu'l-Baha
during His Visit to the United States and Canada in 1912", p. 455) [19]
20: Women have equal rights with men upon earth; in religion and society
they...
Women have equal rights with men upon earth; in religion and society they
are a very important element. As long as women are prevented from
attaining their highest possibilities, so long will men be unable to
achieve the greatness which might be theirs.
("Paris Talks: Addresses given by 'Abdu'l-Baha in Paris in 1911-1912",
10th ed. (London: Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1979), p. 133) [20]
21: In the world of humanity ... the female sex is treated as though
inferior, and...
In the world of humanity ... the female sex is treated as though inferior,
and is not allowed equal rights and privileges. This condition is due not
to nature, but to education. In the Divine Creation there is no such
distinction. Neither sex is superior to the other in the sight of God. Why
then should one sex assert the inferiority of the other, withholding just
rights and privileges as though God had given His authority for such a
course of action? If women received the same educational advantages as
those of men, the result would demonstrate the equality of capacity of
both for scholarship.
In some respects woman is superior to man. She is more tender-hearted,
more receptive, her intuition is more intense.
("Paris Talks: Addresses given by 'Abdu'l-Baha in Paris in 1911-1912", p.
161) [21]
22: Divine Justice demands that the rights of both sexes should be
equally...
Divine Justice demands that the rights of both sexes should be equally
respected since neither is superior to the other in the eyes of Heaven.
Dignity before God depends, not on sex, but on purity and luminosity of
heart. Human virtues belong equally to all!
("Paris Talks: Addresses given by 'Abdu'l-Baha in Paris in 1911-1912", p.
162) [22]
23: In the Dispensation of Baha'u'llah, women are advancing side by side
with...
In the Dispensation of Baha'u'llah, women are advancing side by side with
men. There is no area or instance where they will lag behind: they have
equal rights with men, and will enter, in the future, into all branches of
the administration of society. Such will be their elevation that, in every
area of endeavour, they will occupy the highest levels in the human world.
Rest thou assured. Look not upon their present state. In future, the world
of womankind will shine with lustrous brilliance, for such is the will and
purpose of Baha'u'llah. At the time of elections the right to vote is the
inalienable right of women, and the entrance of women into all human
departments is an irrefutable and incontrovertible question. No soul can
retard or prevent it.
But there are certain matters, the participation in which is not worthy of
women. For example, at the time when the community is taking up vigorous
defensive measures against the attack of foes, the women are exempt from
military engagements. It may so happen that at a given time warlike and
savage tribes may furiously attack the body politic with the intention of
carrying on a wholesale slaughter of its members; under such a
circumstance defence is necessary, but it is the duty of men to organize
and execute such defensive measures and not the women--because their hearts
are tender and they cannot endure the sight of the horror of carnage, even
if it is for the sake of defence. From such and similar undertakings the
women are exempt.
As regards the constitution of the House of Justice, Baha'u'llah addresses
the men. He says: "O ye men of the House of Justice!"
But when its members are to be elected, the right which belongs to women,
so far as their voting and their voice is concerned, is indisputable. When
the women attain to the ultimate degree of progress, then, according to
the exigency of the time and place and their great capacity, they shall
obtain extraordinary privileges. Be ye confident on these accounts. His
Holiness Baha'u'llah has greatly strengthened the cause of women, and the
rights and privileges of women is one of the greatest principles of
'Abdu'l-Baha. Rest ye assured! Ere long the days shall come when the men
addressing the women, shall say: 'Blessed are ye! Blessed are ye! Verily
ye are worthy of every gift. Verily ye deserve to adorn your heads with
the crown of everlasting glory, because in sciences and arts, in virtues
and perfections ye shall become equal to man, and as regards tenderness of
heart and the abundance of mercy and sympathy ye are superior'.
(From a Tablet to an individual believer - translated from the Persian,
published in "Paris Talks: Addresses given by 'Abdu'l-Baha in Paris in
1911-1912", p. 182-84) [23]
24: The woman of the East has progressed. Formerly in India, Persia and...
The woman of the East has progressed. Formerly in India, Persia and
throughout the Orient, she was not considered a human being. Certain Arab
tribes counted their women in with the live stock. In their language the
noun for woman also meant donkey; that is, the same name applied to both
and a man's wealth was accounted by the number of these beasts of burden
he possessed. The worst insult one could hurl at a man was to cry out,
"Thou woman!"
From the moment Baha'u'llah appeared, this changed. He did away with the
idea of distinction between the sexes, proclaiming them equal in every
capacity.
In former times it was considered wiser that woman should not know how to
read or write; she should occupy herself only with drudgery. She was very
ignorant. Baha'u'llah declares the education of woman to be of more
importance than that of man. If the mother be ignorant, even if the father
have great knowledge, the child's education will be at fault, for
education begins with the milk. A child at the breast is like a tender
branch that the gardener can train as he wills.
The East has begun to educate its women. Some there are in Persia who have
become liberated through this cause, whose cleverness and eloquence the
'ulama cannot refute. Many of them are poets. They are absolutely
fearless.
...
I hope for a like degree of progress among the women of Europe--that each
may shine like unto a lamp; that they may cry out the proclamation of the
kingdom; that they may truly assist the men; nay, that they may be even
superior to the men, versed in sciences and yet detached, so that the
whole world may bear witness to the fact that men and women have
absolutely the same rights. It would be a cause of great joy for me to see
such women. This is useful work; by it woman will enter into the kingdom.
Otherwise, there will be no results.
("'Abdu'l-Baha on Divine Philosophy" (Boston: Tudor Press, 1918), pp.
81-83) [24]
25: The world in the past has been ruled by force, and man has dominated
over...
The world in the past has been ruled by force, and man has dominated over
woman by reason of his more forceful and aggressive qualities both of body
and mind. But the balance is already shifting; force is losing its
dominance, and mental alertness, intuition, and the spiritual qualities of
love and service, in which woman is strong, are gaining ascendancy. Hence
the new age will be an age less masculine and more permeated with the
feminine ideals, or, to speak more exactly, will be an age in which the
masculine and feminine elements of civilization will be more evenly
balanced.
(J. E. Esslemont, "Baha'u'llah and the New Era", 5th rev. ed. (Wilmette:
Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1987), p. 149) [25]
Extracts From Letters Written on Behalf of Shoghi Effendi:
26: If presented properly the position of women in the Baha'i teachings
will...
If presented properly the position of women in the Baha'i teachings will
surely attract much attention, for it is not only legal but also spiritual
and educational. Our ideals are so high and at the same time so
practicable that all other views will fall short if compared to them.
(7 January 1931 to the National Spiritual Assembly of India and Burma)
[26]
27: As regards your question concerning the membership of the Universal
House...
As regards your question concerning the membership of the Universal House
of Justice: there is a Tablet from 'Abdul-Baha in which He definitely
states that the membership of the Universal House is confined to men, and
that the wisdom of it will be fully revealed and appreciated in the
future. In the local as well as the national Houses of Justice, however,
women have the full right of membership. It is, therefore, only to the
International House that they cannot be elected. The Baha'is should accept
this statement of the Master in a spirit of deep faith, confident that
there is a divine guidance and wisdom behind it which will be gradually
unfolded to the eyes of the world.
(28 July 1936 to an individual believer) [27]
28: As regards the membership of the International House of Justice,...
As regards the membership of the International House of Justice,
'Abdu'l-Baha states in a Tablet that it is confined to men, and that the
wisdom of it will be revealed as manifest as the sun in the future. In any
case the believers should know that, as 'Abdu'l-Baha Himself has
explicitly stated that sexes are equal except in some cases, the exclusion
of women from the International House of Justice should not be surprising.
From the fact that there is no equality of functions between the sexes one
should not, however, infer that either sex is inherently superior or
inferior to the other, or that they are unequal in their rights.
(14 December 1940 to the National Spiritual Assembly of India and Burma)
[28]
Extracts From Letters Written by the Universal House of Justice:
29: It is apparent from the Guardian's writings that where Baha'u'llah...
It is apparent from the Guardian's writings that where Baha'u'llah has
expressed a law as between a man and a woman it applies, mutatis mutandis,
between a woman and a man unless the context should make this impossible.
For example, the text of the "Kitab-i-Aqdas" forbids a man to marry his
father's wife (i.e. his step-mother), and the Guardian has indicated that
likewise a woman is forbidden to marry her step-father....
(28 April 1974 to an individual believer) [29]
30: Concerning your questions about the equality of men and women, this,
as...
Concerning your questions about the equality of men and women, this, as
'Abdu'l-Baha has often explained, is a fundamental principle of
Baha'u'llah; therefore the Laws of the "Aqdas" should be studied in the
light of it. Equality between men and women does not, indeed
physiologically it cannot, mean identity of functions. In some things
women excel men, for others men are better fitted than women, while in
very many things the difference of sex is of no effect at all. The
differences of function are most apparent in family life. The capacity for
motherhood has many far-reaching implications which are recognized in
Baha'i Law. For example, when it is not possible to educate all one's
children, daughters receive preference over sons, as mothers are the first
educators of the next generation. Again, for physiological reasons, women
are granted certain exemptions from fasting that are not applicable to
men.
(24 July 1975 to an individual believer) [30]
31: The primary question to be resolved is how the present world, with
its...
The primary question to be resolved is how the present world, with its
entrenched pattern of conflict, can change to a world in which harmony and
co-operation will prevail.
World order can be founded only on an unshakable consciousness of the
oneness of mankind, a spiritual truth which all the human sciences
confirm. Anthropology, physiology, psychology, recognize only one human
species, albeit infinitely varied in the secondary aspects of life.
Recognition of this truth requires abandonment of prejudice--prejudice of
every kind--race, class, colour, creed, nation, sex, degree of material
civilization, everything which enables people to consider themselves
superior to others.
Acceptance of the oneness of mankind is the first fundamental prerequisite
for reorganization and administration of the world as one country, the
home of humankind. Universal acceptance of this spiritual principle is
essential to any successful attempt to establish world peace....
(October 1985 to the Peoples of the World) [31]