In the Bahá’í community, education and upbringing in the Bahá’í Faith are regarded as essential duties and non-negotiable imperatives. All children—regardless of gender or socioeconomic status, whether male or female, rich or poor—are expected to acquire foundational knowledge, particularly literacy skills such as reading and writing, on an equal basis. The emphasis on education and upbringing in the Bahá’í Faith reflects a broader institutional commitment to shaping the intellectual and moral development of the next generation.
According to Bahá’í teachings, moral upbringing is said to precede academic instruction. In this view, children must first be nurtured in ethical virtues before engaging in the acquisition of sciences, crafts, and technical skills. To implement this principle, Bahá’í institutions have developed specialized educational programs, including Golshan-e-Tawhid for preschool-aged children, Akhlaq classes for school-age youth, and Ruhi classes designed to organize the spiritual and intellectual framework of Bahá’ís and their surrounding communities. These programs aim to embed Bahá’í teachings from the earliest stages of life, beginning at birth.
Certain Bahá’í texts divide upbringing into three primary categories:
- Physical upbringing: the cultivation of bodily strength, physical health, and athletic activity.
- Human upbringing: the acquisition of knowledge, life skills, sciences, and vocational training.
- Spiritual upbringing: the development of moral principles and the nurturing of spiritual and emotional sensibilities.
An ideal educational system, from the Bahá’í perspective, should integrate all three dimensions simultaneously and harmoniously. Nevertheless, the overarching goal of Bahá’í institutional efforts in promoting this tripartite model is the preparation of future generations to embrace and perpetuate Bahá’í beliefs—a conclusion that becomes evident upon close examination of the educational structure itself.
In cases where parents lack the financial means or resources to educate all their children, Bahá’í leadership has issued contradictory recommendations, which merit further scrutiny. Workshop-style and group-based learning methods, often infused with play and recreation, as well as music education—presented as tools for unlocking children’s latent talents—are emphasized within Bahá’í pedagogy. These elements serve to make education and upbringing in the Bahá’í Faith more appealing to non-Bahá’í parents, thereby facilitating the institutional objectives with reduced resistance.
Legal Ambiguities in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas: A Critical Look at Bahá’í Education
To understand the views of Bahá’í leaders on the mandate of education and upbringing in the Bahá’í Faith, one must turn to the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, the central book of Bahá’u’lláh’s laws. This text comprises two distinct sections:
- First, the direct commandments of Bahá’u’lláh
- Second, a supplementary section of questions and answers posed by Bahá’ís regarding the application of those laws
It is within this latter section—the “Questions and Answers” appended to the Kitáb-i-Aqdas—that one encounters more confusion than clarity. Rather than reinforcing certainty, these responses often introduce interpretive ambiguity. As Dr. Eduard Schaefer notes in Turning Right into Wrong (p. 258), the purpose of these exchanges appears to be clarifying how laws should be implemented or understood. Yet, as some critics argue, this very function undermines the legal authority of the original text.
For instance, Shoghi Effendi writes in The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh (p. 250) that the “Questions and Answers” were compiled to facilitate better understanding of the laws. If this interpretive framework is accepted, then—as K. Borrman argues in The Kitáb-i-Aqdas (p. 55)—the Kitáb-i-Aqdas can no longer be regarded as a self-contained legal code. Its authority becomes entangled with the credibility of its commentaries and supplements, which sometimes contradict the original text.
A telling example is found in Note 76, which comments on Paragraph 48 of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas. This note addresses the topic of education and upbringing in the Bahá’í Faith, specifically the prioritization of girls’ education. It states:
“He (‘Abdu’l-Bahá) explains that the education and upbringing of girls is more obligatory than that of boys, because girls will one day become mothers, and mothers are the first educators of the next generation. Therefore, when a family cannot send all children to school, girls should be given preference.”
(Note 76 on Paragraph 48)
From this explanation, the reader might infer that prioritizing girls’ education is a direct commandment of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas. However, a close reading of Paragraph 48 reveals no such instruction. The original passage reads:
“Fathers must teach their sons and daughters to read and write and to study that which hath been laid down in the Holy Tablet… Whosoever educateth his son, or the son of another, it is as though he hath educated one of My sons.”
(Kitáb-i-Aqdas, Paragraph 48)
This passage makes no mention of girls being given precedence. On the contrary, it emphasizes the education of sons—whether one’s own or another’s. Thus, the claim of female educational priority found in Note 76 is not only absent from the original text but stands in direct contradiction to it.
This discrepancy illustrates a broader tendency within Bahá’í supplementary texts to embellish, reinterpret, or even retroactively legislate concepts not present in the foundational scripture. As a result, new interpretations emerge that were not originally articulated in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, leading to tensions between the core text and its commentaries.
In summary, Note 76’s interpretation of Paragraph 48 is not aligned with the original wording of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas; in fact, it contradicts it. Bahá’u’lláh’s own words suggest that the responsibility for education lies with fathers, and that sons—not daughters—are given educational precedence. This raises important questions about the coherence and legal consistency of education and upbringing in the Bahá’í Faith as presented across its canonical and interpretive sources.
Certainly, Moon. Here’s a precise, fluent, and professional English translation of your text, with the keyword Bahá’í education highlighted and the cited statements rendered clearly and accurately:
Bahá’í Education: From Moral Virtue to Mortal Threat?
Bahá’u’lláh considers the education of children so vital that he declares killing an uneducated child preferable to allowing them to live in ignorance. He writes:
“Therefore, O lovers of God and handmaidens of the Merciful, educate the children with heart and soul, and instruct them in the school of virtue and perfection. In this matter, let there be no slackness or neglect. Indeed, it is better to kill a child than to leave him ignorant, for the innocent child would become afflicted with manifold deficiencies…” (9)
This perspective raises serious questions about the boundaries and flexibility of the concept of Bahá’í education: Is education confined solely to childhood? Is the possibility of transformation and learning in adulthood overlooked? And do such teachings align with the principles of human rights and human dignity?
‘Abdu’l-Bahá echoes this sentiment:
“In this matter, let there be no slackness or neglect. Indeed, it is better to kill a child than to leave him ignorant, for the innocent child would become afflicted with manifold deficiencies, and be held accountable before God, and condemned and rejected by the people.” (10)
A close reading of these statements reveals that Bahá’í education is not merely a spiritual or moral imperative—it is framed as a determinant of life or death, even for Bahá’í children. Such a pedagogical stance not only fails to enhance the value of the teachings of Bahá’í leaders, but in practice may amount to symbolic violence or indirect exclusion of members from the community.
Fundamental questions remain unanswered: Can adults still be educated? What is the role of parents? What is society’s responsibility toward children who lack access to education?
Perhaps it is time to revisit the concept of Bahá’í education with a more critical and humane lens.
Contradictions in Bahá’í Education: From the Oneness of Humanity to Educational Segregation
Despite the Bahá’í community’s emphasis on the importance of Bahá’í education, the official and historical teachings of Bahá’í leaders reveal a form of structural discrimination within their educational system. This discrimination not only contradicts the principle of the oneness of humanity—a central tenet of the Bahá’í Faith—but also raises serious questions about the flexibility and inclusivity of Bahá’í education.
One explicit statement from Bahá’í leadership reads:
“It is absolutely not permissible for the children of the friends to attend the schools of others, for that is the abasement of the Cause of God, and they would be entirely deprived of the bounties of the Blessed Beauty. For they would be educated differently and become a source of disgrace to the Bahá’ís.” (11)
This passage not only prohibits Bahá’í children from attending non-Bahá’í schools, but also frames such attendance as a form of “abasement” and a loss of divine favor. Such a view calls into question the freedom to choose one’s educational path and reveals that Bahá’í education, in practice, is accompanied by significant restrictions.
Abdul-Hossein Ayati, a prominent and trusted Bahá’í missionary, writes in his book:
“Sending children to non-Bahá’í schools—such as those of Muslims, Protestants, Jews, and Zoroastrians—is a grave sin and has been prohibited by Bahá’í leaders.” (12)
This perspective reflects a rigid boundary within Bahá’í education, and implicitly rejects other religious and cultural traditions. In such an environment, educational interaction with others is not encouraged—it is deemed sinful.
Fazel Mazandarani, quoting ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, writes:
“You mentioned that the daughters of the friends are attending the schools of other nations. In truth, although these children receive some instruction in those schools, the morals of the teachers influence them, and the casting of doubts alters the hearts of the girls. Therefore, the lovers of God must prepare and establish schools for the girls and teach them divine morals.” (13)
This statement expresses concern over the moral influence of non-Bahá’í teachers and the potential for “casting doubts” in the hearts of Bahá’í girls. It serves as justification for educational segregation and further underscores that Bahá’í education is not only about instruction, but about controlling the learning environment and limiting interaction with others.
Taken together, these statements reveal a policy of separation within Bahá’í education that, in countries with integrated and multi-faith educational systems, stands in stark contrast to the principle of the oneness of humanity—one of the Faith’s foundational slogans.
Is it not time to revisit the concept of Bahá’í education with a more open, humane, and globally aligned perspective?
Certainly, Moon. Here’s a fluent, precise, and professional English translation of your text. The keyword Bahá’í education is highlighted throughout, and all citations are translated accurately and faithfully:
Double Standards in Bahá’í Teachings and Proselytizing Activities
While Bahá’í leaders prohibit Bahá’í children from attending non-Bahá’í educational institutions—describing such attendance as “the abasement of the Cause of God”—Bahá’í proselytizing efforts in various countries, especially in the developing world, reveal a contradictory practice: non-Bahá’í children are invited, often without parental consent, to prayer gatherings, study circles, and educational classes, where they are exposed to both direct and indirect religious messaging. This glaring contradiction raises serious questions about the integrity and consistency of Bahá’í education policies.
According to the Declaration of the Rights of the Child (adopted by the UN General Assembly on November 20, 1959) and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (adopted on November 23, 1989 and ratified by over 166 countries), children under the age of 18 must be protected from religious and racial indoctrination and from efforts to change their faith. Yet in practice, Bahá’í education programs—such as children’s classes, junior youth groups, and study circles—are often designed and implemented with the goal of attracting and converting non-Bahá’í children.
The Universal House of Justice, the supreme governing body of the Bahá’í Faith, explicitly states in its message to the Continental Counsellors dated December 28, 2010:
“In this year’s Ridván message, we described the dimensions of the learning process that, over the course of four successive Plans, has steadily accelerated and enhanced the capacity of the friends to operate at the grassroots. The vision is truly astonishing. More than 350,000 individuals around the world have completed the first course of the institute, and the ability to foster a distinctive pattern of life characterized by prayer has markedly increased.”
“In diverse settings across all continents… the total number of individuals potentially able to serve as teachers of children’s classes has nearly doubled over five years, reaching approximately 130,000. This increase has enabled the Bahá’í community to respond to spiritual needs. During the same period, a sixfold increase in the capacity to assist junior youth in navigating this critical stage of life is a sign of the community’s commitment to this age group.”
“Opportunities arising from the personal initiatives of the friends, or perhaps the efforts of a Homefront pioneer, determine how the process of growth begins in a given geographic area. A study circle composed of a few friends or colleagues, a class for a handful of neighborhood children, a group for junior youth after school hours, a devotional gathering for friends and relatives—each of these activities can serve as a stimulus for growth…”
“The coherence achieved among core activities within each geographic area must reach a level where, collectively, a nascent program for the sustained expansion and consolidation of the Cause of God becomes evident. That is, devotional gatherings, children’s classes, and junior youth groups—regardless of their composition or size—are conducted by individuals who have completed the institute’s sequence of courses and are committed to the vision of personal and collective transformation that these courses promote. This marks the first movement of human resources into the field of systematic action and the initial sign of progress in a process of sustainable growth…”
These statements make clear that Bahá’í education programs are not limited to Bahá’í children. They are actively extended to non-Bahá’í children under the guise of spiritual and educational engagement, but with the underlying aim of religious conversion. Meanwhile, the same leaders prohibit Bahá’í children from attending non-Bahá’í schools, deeming such exposure a source of “disgrace” and “deprivation of the bounties of the Blessed Beauty.”
In light of this, can one not conclude that Bahá’í education is marked by a fundamental duality and contradiction? Is it not time to reexamine this concept with greater transparency, fairness, and alignment with the principles of child rights and human dignity?
Bahá’í Proselytizing and Organizational Conduct: Violating Child Rights Under the Banner of Bahá’í Education
Despite the fact that the Universal House of Justice’s recommendations for expanding Bahá’í teaching and educational activities clearly contradict the principles of the Declaration of the Rights of the Child (adopted November 20, 1959) and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (adopted November 23, 1989)—ratified by over 166 countries and implemented in most jurisdictions—Bahá’í missionaries and pioneers, who consider themselves bound by institutional directives, are willing to violate national and international laws, even at the cost of losing their homes, being expelled from host countries, paying financial penalties, or facing legal prosecution.
These individuals act with confidence that the global Bahá’í community—often supported materially and politically by certain governments—will defend them through public statements, diplomatic pressure, online advocacy campaigns, and organized protests.
The following three documented cases from different countries illustrate how Bahá’í education programs targeting non-Bahá’í children have been implemented without parental consent and in clear violation of local laws:
🔹 Indonesia:
Although Bahá’í proselytizing has been officially banned in Indonesia since 1960, in 2009 several non-Indonesian Bahá’í pioneers were arrested and deported for proselytizing to 9- and 10-year-old children and attempting to convert them, following complaints from their parents.
🔹 Uzbekistan:
In accordance with national laws prohibiting religious proselytizing aimed at changing the faith of children and adolescents under the age of 15, several local and foreign Bahá’ís were arrested for conducting Bahá’í education programs targeting minors.
🔹 China:
In 2006, two Iranian-born Bahá’í pioneers from Canada held Bahá’í moral education classes for Chinese children. After complaints from parents and legal proceedings in the relevant courts, the individuals were convicted and expelled from the country.
These examples demonstrate that Bahá’í education, despite its spiritual and pedagogical appearance, has in some cases been used as a tool for religious proselytizing and conversion of non-Bahá’í children—without parental consent and in violation of both national and international legal frameworks.
This raises pressing questions: Can the implementation of Bahá’í education programs for non-Bahá’í children—without parental approval and in contradiction to host country laws—be ethically or legally justified? Is it not time to reexamine these activities through a more responsible, equitable, and child-rights-centered lens?
Conclusion
In nearly every country around the world, proselytizing to children and attempting to change their religion before the age of 18 is prohibited, and violators are considered legally culpable. Nevertheless, Bahá’í missionaries—under the guise of moral instruction and organizing educational or recreational circles for children—continue to conduct such classes and present content that contradicts the beliefs and values of local communities, all in an effort to promote the system of Bahá’í education.
By Hossein Eshqi – Senior Expert in the Field of Social Sciences, India
References:
- Makátíb, Vol. 1, p. 343
- Collection of Sacred Works on Bahá’í Education, p. 109
- Lawḥ-i-Maqṣúd (Tablet of Maqṣúd), Bahá’u’lláh, p. 13
- Collection of Sacred Works on Bahá’í Education, p. 20
- Collection of Sacred Works on Bahá’í Education, p. 60
- Collection of Sacred Works on Bahá’í Education, p. 57
- Lawḥ-i-Maqṣúd, Bahá’u’lláh, p. 13
- Collection of Sacred Works on Bahá’í Education, pp. 48–49
- Ayyám-i-Malakút (Days of the Kingdom), Ishráq Khávarí, p. 220
- Makátíb, Vol. 1, p. 334
- Makátíb, Vol. 5, p. 170
- Kashf al-Ḥīl, Vol. 1, Third Edition, p. 115
- Amr va Khalq (Command and Creation), Vol. 3, p. 339
