Two aspects of education are found in the Bahá’í teachings. First is that God, through His Manifestations, is the supreme Educator. Second, a fundamental principle of the Bahá’í Faith is universal education; that is, all must be educated. The education of girls and women is seen as especially important because mothers are the first educators of the children.

Bahá’u’lláh wrote:

“Man is the supreme Talisman. Lack of a proper education hath, however, deprived him of that which he doth inherently possess. Through a word proceeding out of the mouth of God he was called into being; by one word more he was guided to recognize the Source of his education; by yet another word his station and destiny were safeguarded.  The Great Being saith: Regard man as a mine rich in gems of inestimable value. Education can, alone, cause it to reveal its treasures, and enable mankind to benefit therefrom…”
(Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 259-260)

“Unto every father hath been enjoined the instruction of his son and daughter in the art of reading and writing and in all that hath been laid down in the Holy Tablet…”
(The Kitáb-i-Aqdas, k48, p. 37)

“…Everyone, whether man or woman, should hand over to a trusted person a portion of what he or she earneth through trade, agriculture or other occupation, for the training and education of children, to be spent for this purpose…”
(Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 90)

‘Abdu’l-Bahá explained:

“…Bahá’u’lláh hath become manifest to educate all the peoples of the world. He is the Universal Educator, whether of the rich or the poor, whether of black or white, or of peoples from east or west, or north or south…”
(Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, p. 195)

“…Work ye for the guidance of the women…teach the young girls and the children, so that the mothers may educate their little ones from their earliest days, thoroughly train them, rear them to have a goodly character and good morals, guide them to all the virtues of humankind, prevent the development of any behaviour that would be worthy of blame, and foster them in the embrace of Bahá’í education. Thus shall these tender infants be nurtured at the breast of the knowledge of God and His love…”
(Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, p. 124-125)

FAITH

Faith can be considered as belief in divine truth. It has two aspects: belief and action.  Faith is personal and is an individual responsibility.

Bahá’u’lláh wrote:

“The essence of faith is fewness of words and abundance of deeds; he whose words exceed his deeds, know verily his death is better than his life.”

(Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 156)

“…True belief in God and recognition of Him cannot be complete save by acceptance of that which He hath revealed and by observance of whatsoever hath been decreed by Him and set down in the Book by the Pen of Glory.”

(Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 50)

“…Suffer not yourselves to be wrapt in the dense veils of your selfish desires, inasmuch as I have perfected in every one of you My creation, so that the excellence of My handiwork may be fully revealed unto men. It follows, therefore, that every man hath been, and will continue to be, able of himself to appreciate the Beauty of God, the Glorified. Had he not been endowed with such a capacity, how could he be called to account for his failure? If, in the Day when all the peoples of the earth will be gathered together, any man should, whilst standing in the presence of God, be asked: “Wherefore hast thou disbelieved in My Beauty and turned away from My Self,” and if such a man should reply and say: “Inasmuch as all men have erred, and none hath been found willing to turn his face to the Truth, I, too, following their example, have grievously failed to recognize the Beauty of the Eternal,” such a plea will, assuredly, be rejected.  For the faith of no man can be conditioned by any one except himself.”

(Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 143)