Online Reporter
Flora Teckie
As we celebrate Mother’s Day, it is appropriate to honour motherhood, and appreciate and value the role of mothers in our lives as our first mentors and educators.
Mothers, according to the Bahá’í Writings, “are the first educators, the first mentors; and truly it is the mothers who determine the happiness, the future greatness, the courteous ways and learning and judgement, the understanding and the faith of their little ones”.
While both mother and father share in the overall responsibility of educating their children, the mother is given recognition as their first educator.
The Bahá’í Writings further state that “from the very beginning mothers must rear their infants in the cradle of good morals—for it is the mothers who are the first educators—so that, when the child cometh to maturity, he will prove to be endowed with all the virtues and qualities that are worthy of praise”.
Therefore, our daughters must be adequately trained to be able to educate their sons and daughters. They need to have both intellectual and spiritual education to become good educators themselves.
Education is a human right
As a human right, education must be provided for all. Girls and boys must be given equal opportunity to access education.
Children need a nurturing environment and wise guidance, particularly in the first years of their lives, to develop both a sound character and a well-trained mind.
According to the Bahá’í Writings, “If the mother is educated then her children will be well taught. When the mother is wise, then will the children be led into the path of wisdom. If the mother is religious she will show her children how they should love God. If the mother is moral she guides her little ones into the ways of uprightness. It is clear therefore that the future generation depends on the mothers of today”.
Girls must be educated, not only because of the service they will render to humanity as mothers and first educators of the next generation, but as women, they will make special contributions to the creation of a just world order.
Mother’s role in advancement of our communities
Mothers can be the primary agents for empowering individuals to transform their communities. They can instil in their sons and daughters self-esteem and respect for others – necessary for the betterment of their communities and advancement of civilisation.
The Bahá’í International Community states that, “The advancement of civilisation now requires the full participation of everyone, including women. Women must, therefore, be educated, not only for the service they render to humanity as the first educators of children, but ultimately, for the special contributions women must make to the creation of a just world order, an order characterised by such compassion, vigour and scope has never been seen in history”.
It is through educated mothers that the benefits of knowledge can be most effectively and rapidly diffused in our communities. Therefore, there is need to create the conditions in which girls and boys can develop to their full potential.
The advancement and well-being of society depends on the development of the potential virtues and abilities of everyone – whether men or women, boys or girls.
Mother’s contribution to building a peaceful world
Mothers play a central role in the development of families, communities, and nations. They can be the primary agents for empowering individuals to transform society.
It is the Bahá’í view that the recognition of the equality of women and men, and the full and equal participation of women in all spheres of life, are essential in the abolition of war, and the ultimate establishment of a united world.
The Bahá’í Writings state that, “…when perfect equality shall be established between men and women, peace may be realised for the simple reason that womankind in general will never favour warfare. Women will not be willing to allow those whom they have so tenderly cared for to go to the battlefield” and “when women participate fully and equally in the affairs of the world … war will cease”.
The Bahá’í vision of equality of women and men rests on the central spiritual principle of ‘the oneness of humanity’. In the context of the oneness of our human family, gender equality is not only a requirement of justice, but a prerequisite for peace and prosperity.
There is need to create the conditions in which girls and women can develop to their full potential remembering that, “The happiness of mankind”, according to the Bahá’í Writings, “will be realised when women and men coordinate and advance equally, for each is the complement and helpmeet of the other”.
In addition to honouring our mothers, as the first educators and mentors of our children, we recognise and value their crucial role in building a better and peaceful world civilisation.
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Website: www.bahai.org
