Throughout history, there have always been groups who have lobbied against discrimination towards women. The height of these campaigns occurred during the French Revolution at
the end of the eighteenth century. This ultimately resulted in the creation of the Feminist movements.[1]

These movements were caused by critical woes such as having been deprived of the right to vote, having been given improper education, having been viewed as the inferior sex, and having been victimized by  violence. They had started years before the advent of Baha’ism and had already gained much momentum and support in Western countries. There are many essays and books from those times that clearly show this matter. One of the earliest works was Mary Wollstonecraft’s Vindication of the Rights Of Woman (1792). During Bahā’u’llāh’s years, this topic was very hot in the West and a great number of writings have reached us from that era. Some of these works have words in them strikingly similar to what Baha’is propagate. For example, John Stuart Mill says the following words in the starting paragraph of his book, The Subjection of Women (1869):

That the principle which regulates the existing social relations between the two sexes—the legal subordination of one sex to the other—is wrong itself, and now one of the chief hindrances to human improvement; and that it ought to be replaced by a principle of perfect equality, admitting no power or privilege on the one side, nor disability on the other.[2]

Very similar to Bahā’u’llāh and `Abdu’l-Bahā’s claimed divine Revelations. Coincidence? Another famous women’s rights activist of those times was Anna Kingsford. She too like Bahā’u’llāh claimed to have visions and divine inspirations from childhood to when she died. Here is a sample of her inspirations from Clothed Within the Sun (1889):

I HEARD last night in my sleep a voice speaking to me, and saying–
1. You ask the method and nature of Inspiration, and the means whereby God revealeth the Truth.

2. Know that there is no enlightenment from without: the secret of things is revealed from within. 

3. From without cometh no Divine Revelation: but the Spirit within beareth witness. 

4. Think not I tell you that which you know not: for except you knowit, it cannot be given to you.

. . . 

9. And Illumination is the Light of Wisdom, whereby a man perceiveth heavenly secrets. 

10. Which Light is the Spirit of God within the man, showing unto him the things of God. 

11. Do not think that I tell you anything you know not; all cometh from within: the Spirit that informeth is the Spirit of God in the prophet . 

. . . 

15. There are many such, but their words are as the words of men who know not: these are not prophets nor inspired. 

. . . 

19. Of such beware, for they speak many lies, and are deceivers, working often for gain or for pleasure sake: and they are a grief and a snare to the faithful.

. . . 

24. By prayer, by fasting, by meditation, by painful seeking, hast thou attained that thou knowest.

 . . . 

27. Thou hast attained with patience, O prophet! God hath revealed the truth to thee from

Very similar to Bahā’u’llāh’s words. Here is another sample from her inspirations:

1. And now I show you a mystery and a new thing, which is part of the mystery of the fourth day of creation . . . But when the woman shall be created, God shall give unto her the kingdom; and she shall be first in rule and highest in dignity. 
7. Yea, the last shall be first; and the elder shall serve the younger. 
8. So that women shall no more lament for their womanhood: but men shall rather say, “O that we had been born women!” 
9. For the strong shall be put down from their seat; and the meek shall be exalted to their place. 
10. The days of the covenant of manifestation are passing away: the gospel of interpretation cometh. 11. There shall nothing new be told;
but that which is ancient shall be interpreted. 
12. So that man the manifestor shall resign his office; and woman the interpreter shall give light to the world. 
13. Hers is the fourth office: she revealeth that which the Lord hath manifested. 
14. Hers is the light of the heavens, and the brightest of the planets of the holy seven. 
15. She is the fourth dimension; the eyes which enlighten; the power which draweth inward to God. 
16. And her kingdom cometh; the day of the exaltation of woman. 
17. And her reign shall be greater than the reign of the man; for Adam shall be put down from his place; and she shall have dominion for ever. 
18. And she who is alone shall bring forth more children to God than she who hath an husband. 
19. There shall no more be a reproach against women: but against men shall be the reproach. 
20. For the woman is the crown of man, and the final manifestation of humanity.
21. She is the nearest to the throne of God, when she shall be revealed. 
22. But the creation of woman is not yet complete: but it shall be complete in the time which is at hand. 
23. All things are thine, O Mother of God: all things are thine, O Thou who risest from the sea; and Thou shalt have dominion over all the worlds.[4] 

The claims, words, and sentences are very similar to Bahā’u’llāh’s. Are we supposed to believe that anyone who utters sentences like these is connected to the Divine?

Other women’s rights titles include The Garden of Eden; or The Paradise Lost & Found[5] (1890), Woman, Church And State[6] (1893), and The Woman’s Bible[7] (1898).

Some of the verses of the Quran, revealed to the Prophet of Islam about 1400 years ago, are strikingly similar to what Baha’i leaders preached. For instance, `Abdu’l-Bahā says:

In the presence of God, there is no such thing as feminine or masculine. Whoever has better deeds and greater faith is closer to God. In the Divine world, there is no male or female. They are both the same.[8]

Now compare this with the following verses of the Quran:

Oh people! We created you from a male and a female. We made you nations and tribes, that you may know one another. The most honorable amongst you in the sight of God is the most pious.[9]

Whoever does good, whether male or female, and is a believer, then they will enter paradise and will be given sustenance without limit.[10]

Whoever does good deeds from amongst the
males and females, and is a believer, we will make them live a good life, and we will reward them by the best of what they used to do.[11]

Now compare these quotes with the following sayings from early Christian saints:

O womanly nature, overcoming the manly in the common struggle for salvation and demonstrating that male and female are distinctions of body and not of soul (Saint Gregory of Nazianzus [330–390 AD]).[12]

We understand that the virtue of man and woman is the same. For if there is One God for both, there is one Instructor for both, one church, one temperance, one sense of shame, a common nourishment, a united marriage, with respiration, sight, hearing, knowledge, hope, obedience and love all the same. The life of men and women is common; they also have in common grace, salvation, virtue and training . . . Therefore men and women also share in common the name, “human being” . . . We acknowledge that each race has the same nature and possesses the same virtue. With regard to humanity, a woman does not posses one nature while a man manifests another; they have the same nature and so also the same virtue . . . Since there is sameness with regard to the soul, women will attain the same virtue . . . It is possible for men and women equally to share in perfection (Saint Clement of Alexandria [150–215 AD]).[13]

Furthermore, Bahā’u’llāh, who was reared and nurtured in Iran, was quite familiar with the Shi’a Islamic beliefs regarding women. For instance women were urged to acquire knowledge just like men:

Acquiring knowledge is compulsory for every man and woman.[14]

The Prophet of Islam had urged his followers to show the greatest benevolence to women:

The best of you are those who are most benevolent to their wives and (amongst all people) I am the most benevolent to my wives.[15]

The first Shia Imam had strictly prohibited his followers from oppressing women:

They are a trust from God amongst you. Do not hurt or abuse them.[16]

Thus, this principle cannot be regarded as a novel teaching uniquely brought forth by Bahā’u’llāh.