.
Note
UNIVERSAL EDUCATION
One
of the teachings of Baha'u'llah
is that every child ( boy or girl ) must receive an education. If the parents
neglects the education of their children , they are responsible before
God.
This is the command of Baha'u'llah:
.
"
It is decreed that every father must educate
his sons and daughters in learning and in writing.... He who neglects that
which hath been commanded ( in this matter ) if
he
be rich, it is incumbent on the trustees of
the
House of Justice to recover
from
him the amount required for the education of his children; otherwise
(
i.e. if the parent be not capable ) the matter shall devolve upon
the
House
of Justice. Verily We have made it ( the House of Justice )
an
asylum for the poor and needy. "
.,
"
He who educates his son or any other children
, it is as though he hath educated one of My children.
"
.
The
education of children , therefore , is a compulsory and binding law for
all baha'is. If the parents can afford to educate their children but neglect
to do so, then the
Spiritual Assembly must force them to
see to their education . But if they are poor , the spiritual Assembly
must
provide for the education of the children through the funds of the
community.
.
From
the words of Baha'u'llah it is apparent that the education of children
is sacred task. He says:
.
"
He who educates his son or any children, it
is as though he hath educated one of My children."
..
Is
it not a privilege and great honour for us to educate one of Baha'u'llah's
children ? We can receive this honour if we only educated our own children
or those of other people.
.
We
cannot say that we need our young children to work at home or take the
cattle out to pasture, so they have no time to go to school. We must remember
that looking after the cattleor working in the field is not a command of
God, but education is. If we do not obey this command , we are responsible.
Similarly , we cannot say that our child is a girl and a girl does not
require any education. Abdu'l-Baha
has said that although there is equality between the rights of
men
and women but in the case of education , if priority must be given , it
must be
given
to girls because they will become the mothers of the future , and an
educated
mother can bring up better children.
..
..
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