Excerpts from:
Gender equality - Bahaikipedia, an encyclopedia about the Bahá’í Faith
One of the main
teachings of the
Bahá’í Faith is
gender equality; that men and women are equal. The equality of the sexes is seen by Bahá’ís as a spiritual and moral standard that is essential for the unification of the planet and the unfoldment of world order, and in the importance of implementing the principle in individual,
family, and community life. Although men and women are equal in the Bahá’í Faith, this equality does not imply sameness. Men and women are seen as having different strengths and abilities that enable them to better fill different roles. Thus there are certain teachings that in some cases give preference to one of the genders (see
below).
The Bahá’í
teachings is that men and women are, and always have been equal in the sight of God. Bahá’u’lláh has written:
"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."
(Bahá’u’lláh, from a Tablet - translated from the Persian and Arabic.)
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Bahá’u’lláh, further writes that spiritual station of each person depends on their devotion to God, and that women who have a higher devotion excel over men:
"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."
(Bahá’u’lláh, from a Tablet- translated from the Persian.)
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