`Abdu’l-Bahā claims that for the human world to reach salvation complete equality between men and women must be established:

The salvation of the human world will not become complete unless there is complete equality between women and men.[1]

Not until complete equality is achieved between the rights of males and females, the human world will not make astonishing advancements.[2]

Men and women are equal in all rights. There is no distinction whatsoever.[3]

What `Abdu’l-Bahā is clearly claiming is that there is or must be complete and utter equality between men and women and their rights. This belief is illogical. Under no circumstances can two different groups with great differences in their emotional, psychological, and physical aspects be expected to be exactly equal and have perfectly identical rights. What is more rational, are rights which are proportional to males and rights which are proportional to females. When approached with these contradictions, the UHJ finally decided to give a new verdict on this matter in 1975:

Concerning your questions about the equality of men and women, this, as ‘Abdu’l-Bahā has often explained, is a fundamental principle of Bahā’u’llāh; 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 Bahā’ī 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).[4]

Does this letter solve the problem? No, for the UHJ has apparently forgotten that `Abdu’l-Bahā was saying there is absolutely no distinction and privilege and there is complete equality of rights and is contradicting him by claiming there are distinctions, privileges, and inequality of rights! Here is another justification from 1981:

You are quite right in stating that men and women have basic and distinct qualities. The solution provided in the teachings of Bahā’u’llāh is not, as you correctly observe, for men to become women, and for women to become men. ‘Abdu’l-Bahā gave us the key to the problem when He taught that the qualities and functions of men and women “complement” each other. He further elucidated this point when He said that the “new age” will be “an age in which the masculine and feminine elements of civilization will be more properly balanced” (22 April 1981 to an individual believer).[5]

This again contradicts the sayings of `Abdu’l-Bahā, for he had claimed there is no distinction at all. The two completely equal sexes, as taught by Bahā’u’llāh, have now been changed by the UHJ to two different sexes with complementary functions!

The last letter we will show from the UHJ basically contradicts itself for it claims there is equality but at the same time diversity:

It may be helpful to stress … that the Bahā’ī principle of the equality of men and women is clearly stated in the teachings, and the fact that there is diversity of function between them in certain areas does not negate this principle (23 August 1984 to two believers).[6]

Another irrational justification about this principle is `Abdu’l-Bahā’s reasoning that if men and women become equal then the foundations of war will be destroyed:

When all mankind shall receive the same opportunity of education and the equality of men and women be realized, the foundations of war will be utterly destroyed. Without equality this will be impossible because all differences and distinction are conducive to discord and strife. Equality between men and women is conducive to the abolition of warfare for the reason that women will never be willing to sanction it. Mothers will not give their sons as sacrifices upon the battlefield after twenty years of anxiety and loving devotion in rearing them from infancy, no matter what cause they are called upon to defend. There is no doubt that when women obtain equality of rights, war will entirely cease among mankind.[7]

Woman by nature is opposed to war; she is an advocate of peace. Children are reared and brought up by the mothers who give them the first principles of education and labour assiduously in their behalf. Consider, for instance, a mother who has tenderly reared a son for twenty years to the age of maturity. Surely she will not consent to having that son torn asunder and killed in the field of battle. Therefore, as woman advances toward the degree of man in power and privilege, with the right of vote and control in human government, most assuredly war will cease; for woman is naturally the most devoted and staunch advocate of international peace.[8]

These justifications are wrong on many levels. The partial implementation of complete equality between female and male roles in society has not stopped war, but instead caused women to become separated from their families in order to serve active combat roles in the military.

We have already shown the extent that this principle is implemented in Baha’i laws regarding the rights of men and women. These discriminations are not limited only to the rights concerning the two sexes. For instance:

• Non-Baha’i family members inherit nothing from Baha’is.[9]
• Shares of inheritance are not equal.[10]
• Ex-communicated Baha’is are deprived of all rights of socializing with Baha’is even if they are their closest relatives.[11]

It is up to you to draw your own conclusions!

[1] `Abdu’l-Bahā, Khaṭābāt (Tehran), vol. 2, p. 150.

[2] `Abd al-Ḥamīd Ishrāq Khāwarī, Payām-i malakūt, p. 235.

[3] `Abd al-Ḥamīd Ishrāq Khāwarī, Payām-i malakūt, p. 232.

[4] Various, A Compilation on Women, p. 14.

[5] Various, A Compilation on Women, p. 15.

[6] Various, A Compilation on Women, p. 15.

[7] Various, A Compilation on Bahā’ī Education (Research Department of the Universal House of Justice, Bahā’ī World Centre, 1976), p. 58.

[8] `Abdu’l-Bahā, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 375.

[9] “Bahā’u’llāh states that non-Bahā’īs have no right to inherit from their Bahā’ī parents or relatives,” Bahā’u’llāh, The Kitābi Aqdas, p. 184.

[10] The deceased’s property are split into 2520 portions. Out of these, 1080 are for the children, 390 for the wives, fathers 330, mothers 270, brothers 210, sisters 150, teachers 90.

[11] “A question was asked about the friends that, as a result of their ignorance and neglect, had been excluded from administrative affairs about whether they should be invited to public assemblies or not? He (Shoghi) said, ‘inviting them is not permitted.’ And it was asked about those that had been excluded from the community whether greeting and speaking with them was permitted? He replied, ‘if they have been spiritually excommunicated, speaking with them is not permitted in any way,’” Shoghi Effendi, Tauqī`āt-i mubārak-i (1945–1952), pp. 94–95.