A Compilation on Bahai Education Part 16

"116: Shoghi Effendi was deeply saddened to learn from your letter... of the..."

Shoghi Effendi was deeply saddened to learn from your letter... of the rather serious situation which your daughter's conduct and her general att.i.tude towards the Cause have created...

Although he highly deplores this fact, and is fully aware of the bad repercussions which it may have on the Cause, yet he feels that nothing short of your motherly care and love and of the counsels which you and the friends can give her, can effectively remedy this situation. Above all, you should be patient, and confident that your efforts to that end are being sustained and guided through the confirmations of Baha'u'llah. He is surely hearing your prayers, and will no doubt accept them, and thus hasten the gradual and complete materialization of your hopes and expectations for your daughter and for the Cause.

The Guardian would advise you, therefore, not to take any drastic action with regard to your daughter's attendance at the meetings... For in this way there is much greater chance to reform her character than through force or any other drastic method. Love and kindness have far greater influence than punishment upon the improvement of human character.

The Guardian, therefore, trusts that by this means you will succeed in gradually introducing a fundamental change in your daughter's life, and also in making of her a better and truer believer. He is fervently praying on her behalf that she may fully attain this station.

(From a letter dated 26 January 1935 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer) [116]

"117: The Guardian sees no objection that reference be made to the fact that the..."

The Guardian sees no objection that reference be made to the fact that the teaching cla.s.ses and conferences which the believers are now organizing might evolve in the distant future into departments of education, or such inst.i.tutions of learning as will be established in the future Baha'i social order.

(From a letter dated 12 July 1938 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer) [117]

"118: As regards your plans: the Guardian fully approves indeed of your view..."

As regards your plans: the Guardian fully approves indeed of your view that no matter how urgent and vital the requirements of the teaching work may be you should under no circ.u.mstances neglect the education of your children, as towards them you have an obligation no less sacred than towards the Cause.

Any plan or arrangement you may arrive at which would combine your twofold duties towards your family and the Cause, and would permit you to resume active work in the field of pioneer teaching, and also to take good care of your children so as to not jeopardize their future in the Cause would meet with the whole-hearted approval of the Guardian.

(From a letter dated 17 July 1938 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer) [118]

"119: The Guardian wishes me to a.s.sure you, in particular, of his supplications..."

The Guardian wishes me to a.s.sure you, in particular, of his supplications on behalf of your children, that they may, through Divine confirmations and a.s.sistance, and under your loving care and protection, receive such training as may lead them to fully recognize and unreservedly accept the Faith, and provide them with the necessary spiritual equipment to effectively and loyally serve and promote its interests in the future.

As a Baha'i mother you have certainly a most sacred and weighty responsibility for their spiritual development in the Cause, and you should from now endeavour to instil into their hearts the love of Baha'u'llah and thus prepare them for the full recognition and acceptance of His Station once they attain the age and capacity to do so.

(From a letter dated 20 April, 1939 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer) [119]

"120: With regard to your activities in connection with the training and..."

With regard to your activities in connection with the training and education of Baha'i children: needless to tell you what a vital importance the Guardian attaches to such activities, on which so much of the strength, welfare and growth of the Community must necessarily depend.

What a more sacred privilege, and also what a weightier responsibility than the task of rearing up the new generation of believers, and of inculcating into their youthful and receptive minds the principles and teachings of the Cause, and of thus preparing them to fully a.s.sume, and properly discharge the weighty responsibilities and obligations of their future life in the Baha'i Community.

(From a letter dated 28 April, 1939 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to a National Committee and an individual believer) [120]

"121: You have asked him for detailed information concerning the Baha'i..."

You have asked him for detailed information concerning the Baha'i educational programme: there is as yet no such thing as a Baha'i curriculum, and there are no Baha'i publications exclusively devoted to this subject, since the teachings of Baha'u'llah and 'Abdu'l-Baha do not present a definite and detailed educational system, but simply offer certain basic principles and set forth a number of teaching ideals that should guide future Baha'i educationalists in their efforts to formulate an adequate teaching curriculum which would be in full harmony with the spirit of the Baha'i Teachings, and would thus meet the requirements and needs of the modern age.

These basic principles are available in the sacred writings of the Cause, and should be carefully studied, and gradually incorporated in various college and university programmes. But the task of formulating a system of education which would be officially recognized by the Cause, and enforced as such throughout the Baha'i world is one which [the] present-day generation of believers cannot obviously undertake, and which has to be gradually accomplished by Baha'i scholars and educationalists of the future.

(From a letter dated 7 June, 1939 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer) [121]

"122: With regard to the statement attributed to 'Abdu'l-Baha and which you..."

With regard to the statement attributed to 'Abdu'l-Baha and which you have quoted in your letter regarding a "problem child": these statements of the Master, however true in their substance, should never be given a literal interpretation. 'Abdu'l-Baha could have never meant that a child should be left to himself, entirely free. In fact Baha'i education, just like any other system of education, is based on the a.s.sumption that there are certain natural deficiencies in every child, no matter how gifted, which his educators, whether his parents, schoolmasters, or his spiritual guides and preceptors, should endeavour to remedy. Discipline of some sort, whether physical, moral or intellectual, is indeed indispensable, and no training can be said to be complete and fruitful if it disregards this element. The child when born is far from being perfect. It is not only helpless, but actually is imperfect, and even is naturally inclined towards evil. He should be trained, his natural inclinations harmonized, adjusted and controlled, and if necessary suppressed or regulated, so as to ensure his healthy physical and moral development. Baha'i parents cannot simply adopt an att.i.tude of non-resistance towards their children, particularly those who are unruly and violent by nature. It is not even sufficient that they should pray on their behalf. Rather they should endeavour to inculcate, gently and patiently, into their youthful minds such principles of moral conduct and initiate them into the principles and teachings of the Cause with such tactful and loving care as would enable them to become "true sons of G.o.d" and develop into loyal and intelligent citizens of His Kingdom. This is the high purpose which Baha'u'llah Himself has clearly defined as the chief goal of every education.

(From a letter dated 9 July 1939 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer) [122]

"123: The task of bringing up a Baha'i child, as emphasized time and again in..."

The task of bringing up a Baha'i child, as emphasized time and again in Baha'i writings, is the chief responsibility of the mother, whose unique privilege is indeed to create in her home such conditions as would be most conducive to both his material and spiritual welfare and advancement. The training which a child first receives through his mother const.i.tutes the strongest foundation for his future development, and it should therefore be the paramount concern of your wife...to endeavour from now imparting to her new-born son such spiritual training as would enable him later on to fully a.s.sume and adequately discharge all the responsibilities and duties of Baha'i life.

(From a letter dated 16 November 1939 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer) [123]

"124: With regard to your little daughter ...; he is truly rejoiced and..."

With regard to your little daughter ...; he is truly rejoiced and encouraged to realize how eager you both are to provide her with a thoroughly Baha'i training, and is confident that under your wise and devoted care, and through the unfailing protection and guidance of Baha'u'llah she will in time develop into a devoted and loyal servant of the Faith.