Establishment of Modern Schools in Iran was a Map for Enrichment of Baha’i Community

Abstract

Baha’i writers and missionaries claim that Baha’is pay special attention to education and that Baha’is are the pioneers and the first providers of modern science education and pioneers in the establishment of modern schools in Iran.

However, the study of the history of the establishment of modern schools in Iran shows that the background of Iranians familiarity with European-style modern schools and the teaching of new sciences and the history of the establishment of modern schools in Iran are about eighty years before the establishment of the first modern-style Baha’i school in Iran, and this Baha’is claim is incorrect.

 

The Baha’ism isn’t pioneer in modern school

In this study, it was found that, the familiarity of Baha’is with modern sciences and new schools has nothing to do with the teachings and writings of the Bab, Bahaullah and ‘Abdu’l-Baha’; rather

Abdu’l-Bahá got acquainted with these schools by studying the publications and observing the European-style schools in the Ottomans Territory. Therefore, the discussion of the Baha’is pioneers in the establishment of new modern schools has no place.

 

The motivation of Baha’ism in development of modern school in Iran

The main motivation of the Baha’i leaders to establish the school was teaching and converting Muslim students and influence their parents. Therefore, it can be found that the Baha’ism as a political organization for various reasons has put its agenda in the establishment and development of schools; such as:

1- Propagation of religion,

2- Intellectual alignment of Iranian society,

3- Generational education of the Baha’i community,

4- Protection of religious and political thought of Baha’i adolescents and youths,

5- Creating or strengthening unity and solidarity among Baha’is

6- Attracting non-Baha’is from teachers to students,

7- Political propaganda by highlighting the role of Baha’is in the reform

process, especially in modern education in Iran,

8- And finally countering the anti-Baha’i vision among Iranians [1]

 

The support of the NSA of America in modern school

In addition, interactions with governments and foreign support have been effective in this regard [1].

Because the Iranian Baha’is were not very familiar with new sciences, they asked for help from the American Baha’i National Assembly to establish and strengthen their school, and they sent some migrant women missionaries to Iran.

The articles in the Baha’i World Annals, Baha’i Chronicles, and Najme Bakhtar Magazine show that the American Baha’i missionary women were missioned to Iran with the propagative purposes and in the framework of the propagative immigration program of the National Assembly of the American Baha’is.

Innovation; The absurd claim of Baha’ism in modern schools

The modern method of education claimed by the Baha’is, not only wasn’t the

 Innovation or inspiration from the Baha’i teachings, but also Abbas Effendi and the other Baha’is extracted it from evolution and progress of education in the Western countries and Ottoman territory, while other Iranians also got to know these innovations and benefited of them before Baha’is.

 

Conclusion

Therefore, with the emphasis of the Ministry of Education during the era of Reza Shah on the necessity of following all missionary schools and Private and Baha’i from the regulations of the Iranian government and their prohibition to preach, the Baha’i community (led by Shoghi Effendi) refused to remove Baha’i rules and agreed to close Baha’i schools.

The closure of these schools (2-3 percent) did not have the least impact on the educational process of the country compared to the total number of students in Iran [2].

 

Reference:

1. Mahdi Mahmoodi Cherati; Reasons and political-religious backgrounds for the establishment and development of Baha’i schools with emphasis on the contemporary history of Iran, Scientific Quarterly Researches of Islamic Republic, Vol 11, No.3 (42) Autumn 1401 pp.7-31.
2. Mohammad Gogani, Hamid Farnagh; Modern school and new educational system in contemporary Iran, Baha’i Shenasi Quarterly, No. 24 Winter1402 , pp. 52-103

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