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17: The status of woman in former times was exceedingly deplorable, for it was… |
The status of woman in former times was exceedingly deplorable, for it was
the belief of the Orient that it was best for woman to be ignorant. It was
considered preferable that she should not know reading or writing in order that
she might not be informed of events in the world. Woman was considered to be
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created for rearing children and attending to the duties of the household. If
she pursued educational courses, it was deemed contrary to chastity; hence
women were made prisoners of the household. The houses did not even have
windows opening upon the outside world. Bahá’u’lláh destroyed these ideas
and proclaimed the equality of man and woman. He made woman respected by
commanding that all women be educated, that there be no difference in the
education of the two sexes and that man and woman share the same rights. In
the estimation of God there is no distinction of sex. One whose thought is
pure, whose education is superior, whose scientific attainments are greater,
whose deeds of philanthropy excel, be that one man or woman, white or colored,
is entitled to full rights and recognition; there is no differentiation
whatsoever….
(“The Promulgation of Universal Peace: Talks Delivered by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá during His Visit to the United States and Canada in 1912”, p. 166) [17] |