Gender Equality and its influence on the coming together of the world of humanity
First presented at the Irfan Colloquia Session #100
Louhelen Bahá'í School: Davison, Michigan, USA
October 7–10, 2010
(see list of papers from #100)
Bahá'u'lláh in His Arabic Hidden Words has proclaimed:
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.
(Bahá'u'lláh, The Arabic Hidden Words)
Bahá'u'lláh brought this Counsel to a world tormented for ages and centuries by the dark forces of superstition and prejudice. The world of humanity, He announced, needed to open its eyes to the beauty of its oneness, of love and of unity. From the beginning of time, brother has fought with brother, tribes have gone to battle with other tribes, and nations have waged war with other nations not fully understanding in their hearts that -- although outwardly possessed of differences -- they are one in essence.
Referring to numerous excerpts from the Bahá'í Writings, this paper attempts to demonstrate that the basis for attaining a full acceptance of this concept of oneness and the foremost catalyst for creating true harmony is a true understanding of gender equality.
Abdu'l-Bahá stated:
... 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.
(`Abdu'l-Bahá, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 74)
In this age of enlightenment it is not difficult to understand therefore that it will be impossible to resolve the differences between various races or nations while the concept of equality between men and women in any given society has not been fully understood, accepted and implemented. Bahá'u'lláh proclaimed this equality a century and a half ago not merely as an ideal or a utopian dream, but as a basic factor deeply rooted in the fundamentals of His teachings and firmly woven into His new World Order.
This paper hopes to demonstrate this fact by drawing upon Bahá'u'lláh's own counsels and other statements made by the Centre of His Covenant.
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