Equality of Men and Women
The Baha’is believe that women and men are absolutely equal in the sight of God. Baha’u’llah advocated a firm partnership between women and men in achieving equality, encouraging both to access to education and their participation in every field-from the arts and sciences to business and international relationships. This belief is internally a spiritual essence.
At the same time, Baha’is are convinced with the recognition that women can bring distinctive characteristics to human interaction, such as compassion, nurturing, cooperation and empathy.
COMPULSORY ACADEMIC AND MORAL EDUCATION
According to the Baha’i writings:
Comprehensive education is the birthright of every human being. No nation can prosper unless every citizen has access to education, and to the sciences and arts necessary for material progress.
At the same time, Baha’is believe education must also incorporate the study and practice of the moral qualities and attributes necessary to equip every individual with the inspiration and vision to become a positive member of a worldwide society.
For families and communities in which resources are limited, it is encouraged that girls be the first priority in receiving an education, as educated mothers are the most effective conduits for diffusing knowledge and moral education throughout an entire society.
UNIVERSAL AUXILIARY LANGUAGE
To enable the world’s diverse peoples to communicate effectively with each other, Baha’u’llah strongly encouraged governments to choose an international ‘’auxiliary” language. Such a language, He taught, could either be drawn from existing languages or developed as a fresh worldwide tongue specifically for international communication.
It should, He said, be studied by children in every country alongside their mother tongue. This would allow the beauty and insights unique to individual cultures expressed through language to be preserved. At the same time, the modern need for communication across national and cultural borders could be met.
HARMONY OF SCIENCE AND RELIGION
The Baha’i teachings stress that there is an essential harmony of science and religion. The study of both science and religion are regarded as equally valuable lines of human inquiry, as they can provide with an understanding of the environment in which we live, and with the inspiration and insight necessary for fruitful and happy lives, as well as the means to utilize the resources available to us responsibly and sustainably.
Hence, science is the fruit of the human mind and is regarded by Baha’is as a divine gift, which supplies us with technological discoveries and invention. Faith, the fruit of the spiritual search, enables us to use these discoveries wisely and fairly so that they do not become the instruments of warfare or the destruction of our environment.
Rather than rejecting the role of reason in exploring and investigating religion, the Baha’i teachings view the human mind and its reasoning ability as a distinguishing and God-given characteristic of our humanity. Baha’is are encouraged to subject religious scripture to the vigorous inquiry so that disagreements over scriptural truth that have given rise to conflict and war in the past should come to an end.
ONENESS OF GOD
Baha’is worship one God, who we believe is the source of all the world’s great religion. This does not mean that the world’s religions are identical. Rather a belief that throughout history, God has sent Messengers at various times and to different regions of the world. These Messengers have revealed fresh spiritual laws and guidance as changes in societies and cultures made this necessary. Each religion, then, is a part of a single unfolding Divine plan.
ONENESS OF MANKIND
Baha’is believe in one God, Who is the source of all the world’s great religions. This does not mean that the world’s Faiths are identical. Rather a belief that throughout history, God has sent Messengers at various times and to different regions of the world. These Messengers have revealed spiritual laws and guidance as changes in societies and cultures made this necessary. Each religion is a part of a single unfolding Divine plan.
The central theme of the teachings of Baha’u’llah is unity.
The responsibility of Baha’is is to overcome barriers of prejudice in collaboration with like-minded organizations to promote the global society. At the heart of this conviction is that humanity is one family whose diverse members share a common destiny of unity and peace. In the words of Baha’u’llah:
The earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens.
ONENESS OF RELIGION
Since the founders of all world’s great religions are Manifestations of God, possessed of the Holy Spirit and acting as intermediaries between God and Man, Baha’is believes that all the religions are in essence one.
Study of the great religions shows that all teach love, justice, detachment, honesty, purity, selflessness, wisdom, faithfulness, humility, forgiveness, charity, respect for parents, contentment, obedience, mercy, trustworthiness, sincerity, truthfulness, compassion, righteousness and a host of other virtues. All are founded on the same ultimate reality.
Baha’u’llah who is the Prophet Founder of the Baha’i Faith teaches us that God is one. Though He may be known by so many names depending on the different languages that exist across the World, He is in the truest essence one. He is the Creator of heavens and earth.
Baha’u’llah also teaches us that men throughout the ages have sought after the same reality through their understanding of it has been different. They have used different names and worshipped in different names; but they are in truth, fellow believers in this mysterious Power which is greater than themselves. God is the unknowable essence. He is a spirit.
Though our knowledge of God is limited, His love for us has never failed. Baha’u’llah says God has communicated this love in every age through a man Whom He has chosen to be his mouthpiece on earth. The Messenger of God among us conveys, in terms which we can understand – through His life and teachings – the boundless love of God for His creation. He comes at a time when the world needs Him the most through we in our ignorance are seldom aware of our need. This chosen special being is called a Manifestation of God.
It is through this Manifestation of God that we learn of God’s Teachings for a particular dispensation. The Teachings of all these Devine Teachers are never in contradiction with each other but rather build on each other. Baha’u’llah teaches us that He is the Manifestation for this dispensation and that all that have accepted His teachings and called themselves Baha’is have accepted that God is one, Religion is one and that Mankind is one.
Equality of Men and Women
The Baha’is believe that women and men are absolutely equal in the sight of God. Baha’u’llah advocated a firm partnership between women and men in achieving equality, encouraging both to access to education and their participation in every field-from the arts and sciences to business and international relationships. This belief is internally a spiritual essence.
At the same time, Baha’is are convinced with the recognition that women can bring distinctive characteristics to human interaction, such as compassion, nurturing, cooperation and empathy.
COMPULSORY ACADEMIC AND MORAL EDUCATION
According to the Baha’i writings:
Comprehensive education is the birthright of every human being. No nation can prosper unless every citizen has access to education, and to the sciences and arts necessary for material progress.
At the same time, Baha’is believe education must also incorporate the study and practice of the moral qualities and attributes necessary to equip every individual with the inspiration and vision to become a positive member of a worldwide society.
For families and communities in which resources are limited, it is encouraged that girls be the first priority in receiving an education, as educated mothers are the most effective conduits for diffusing knowledge and moral education throughout an entire society.
UNIVERSAL AUXILIARY LANGUAGE
To enable the world’s diverse peoples to communicate effectively with each other, Baha’u’llah strongly encouraged governments to choose an international ‘’auxiliary” language. Such a language, He taught, could either be drawn from existing languages or developed as a fresh worldwide tongue specifically for international communication.
It should, He said, be studied by children in every country alongside their mother tongue. This would allow the beauty and insights unique to individual cultures expressed through language to be preserved. At the same time, the modern need for communication across national and cultural borders could be met.
HARMONY OF SCIENCE AND RELIGION
The Baha’i teachings stress that there is an essential harmony of science and religion. The study of both science and religion are regarded as equally valuable lines of human inquiry, as they can provide with an understanding of the environment in which we live, and with the inspiration and insight necessary for fruitful and happy lives, as well as the means to utilize the resources available to us responsibly and sustainably.
Hence, science is the fruit of the human mind and is regarded by Baha’is as a divine gift, which supplies us with technological discoveries and invention. Faith, the fruit of the spiritual search, enables us to use these discoveries wisely and fairly so that they do not become the instruments of warfare or the destruction of our environment.
Rather than rejecting the role of reason in exploring and investigating religion, the Baha’i teachings view the human mind and its reasoning ability as a distinguishing and God-given characteristic of our humanity. Baha’is are encouraged to subject religious scripture to the vigorous inquiry so that disagreements over scriptural truth that have given rise to conflict and war in the past should come to an end.
ONENESS OF GOD
Baha’is worship one God, who we believe is the source of all the world’s great religion. This does not mean that the world’s religions are identical. Rather a belief that throughout history, God has sent Messengers at various times and to different regions of the world. These Messengers have revealed fresh spiritual laws and guidance as changes in societies and cultures made this necessary. Each religion, then, is a part of a single unfolding Divine plan.
ONENESS OF MANKIND
Baha’is believe in one God, Who is the source of all the world’s great religions. This does not mean that the world’s Faiths are identical. Rather a belief that throughout history, God has sent Messengers at various times and to different regions of the world. These Messengers have revealed spiritual laws and guidance as changes in societies and cultures made this necessary. Each religion is a part of a single unfolding Divine plan.
The central theme of the teachings of Baha’u’llah is unity.
The responsibility of Baha’is is to overcome barriers of prejudice in collaboration with like-minded organizations to promote the global society. At the heart of this conviction is that humanity is one family whose diverse members share a common destiny of unity and peace. In the words of Baha’u’llah:
The earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens.
ONENESS OF RELIGION
Since the founders of all world’s great religions are Manifestations of God, possessed of the Holy Spirit and acting as intermediaries between God and Man, Baha’is believes that all the religions are in essence one.
Study of the great religions shows that all teach love, justice, detachment, honesty, purity, selflessness, wisdom, faithfulness, humility, forgiveness, charity, respect for parents, contentment, obedience, mercy, trustworthiness, sincerity, truthfulness, compassion, righteousness and a host of other virtues. All are founded on the same ultimate reality.
