circumcision and the head covering of women?

[paul]

what did the bahai prophets teach on such religious traditions as circumcision and the covering of the head of women

[BruceDLimber]

Greetings!

About circumcision, so far as I know, nothing! (And please remember that requirement had already been abolished once already, 1900 years earlier, by Christianity.)

As to dress and head-covering, individuals are free to dress as they choose (with the caveat, basically, not to make a fool of oneself).

And the equality of men and women is stressed, taught, and lived, so that head coverings aren't an issue for Baha'is, and are generally never used.

Do keep the questions coming!

Best regards, :-)

Bruce

[paul]

but doesn't islam still teach these things, and early christianity taught the covering of the head of the woman, i think with other religions women cover their heads, ecspecially when praying.
and the country and culture the bahai prophets may have been brought up in, would they have been circumicised and their wives cover their heads?

[BruceDLimber]

Originally Posted by paul

but doesn't islam still teach these things, and early christianity taught the covering of the head of the woman, i think with other religions women cover their heads, ecspecially when praying.
and the country and culture the bahai prophets may have been brought up in, would they have been circumicised and their wives cover their heads?

First off, this was never an actual teaching of Islam AS REVEALED, but rather a later human addition (some would say corruption).

Our founders may have been circumcised, but that's because They were Muslim at the time, prior to later receiving the new Revelation that began the Baha'i Faith--just as Christ was originally Jewish, of course! . . .

And as to what other religions teach, this is irrelevant to Baha'is because we follow our own scriptures and social laws, which are for THIS DAY rather then for some other millenia ago!

Both Babis and Baha'is generally do not cover their heads or wear veils, as I trust the precedent of Tahireh (which you can read in the Dawn-Breakers in the chapter about the Conference at Badasht--please see www.bahai-library.org) makes clear!

Peace,

Bruce

[paul]

Originally Posted by BruceDLimber

First off, this was never an actual teaching of Islam AS REVEALED, but rather a later human addition (some would say corruption).

Our founders may have been circumcised, but that's because They were Muslim at the time, prior to later receiving the new Revelation that began the Baha'i Faith--just as Christ was originally Jewish, of course! . . .

And as to what other religions teach, this is irrelevant to Baha'is because we follow our own scriptures and social laws, which are for THIS DAY rather then for some other millenia ago!

Both Babis and Baha'is generally do not cover their heads or wear veils, as I trust the precedent of Tahireh (which you can read in the Dawn-Breakers in the chapter about the Conference at Badasht--please see www.bahai-library.org) makes clear!

Peace,

Bruce

i couldn't find what your talking about.
have you a link to what the prophets of your religion spoke on this?

thanks
paul

[lunamoth]

Here is what I found:

159
It hath been forbidden you to carry arms unless
essential, and permitted you to attire yourselves in silk.
The Lord hath relieved you, as a bounty on His part, of
the restrictions that formerly applied to clothing and to 77
the trim of the beard. He, verily, is the Ordainer, the
Omniscient. Let there be naught in your demeanour of
which sound and upright minds would disapprove, and
make not yourselves the playthings of the ignorant.
Well is it with him who hath adorned himself with the
vesture of seemly conduct and a praiseworthy character.
He is assuredly reckoned with those who aid their Lord
through distinctive and outstanding deeds.

(Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 76)

175. The Lord hath relieved you ... of the restrictions
that formerly applied to clothing and to the trim
of the beard. # 159

Many rules about dress had their origins in the laws and
traditional practices of the world's religions. For example,
the Shi'ih clergy adopted for themselves a distinctive headdress
and robes and, at one time, forbade the people to
adopt European attire. Muslim practice, in its desire to
emulate the custom of the Prophet, also introduced a
number of restrictions with regard to the trim of the
moustache and the length of the beard.
Bahá'u'lláh removed such limitations on one's apparel
and beard. He leaves such matters to the "discretion" of the
individual, and at the same time calls upon the believers not
to transgress the bounds of propriety and to exercise
moderation in all that pertains to dress.

(Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 241)

lunamoth

[paul]

Originally Posted by lunamoth

Here is what I found:





lunamoth

thanks lunamoth

[BruceDLimber]

Originally Posted by paul

i couldn't find what your talking about.
have you a link to what the prophets of your religion spoke on this?

Hi again!

You can find The Dawn-Breakers at the site I listed, www.bahai-library.org under "Books." The story of Tahireh is in the chapter about the Conference at Badasht.

Briefly, at that time and place all women were expected to wear the veil in public.

But during this conference, Tahireh (whose name means "the Pure") suddenly appeared without her veil to signalize the break from Islam to the new Divine Revelation (the Babi Faith, which was the Baha'i Faith's precursor) being announced! This caused consternation among the others: some remained faithful, some were greatly upset (at least initially), and one even committed suicide.

Our Central Figures never addressed the veil directly, and the Baha'i scriptures simply counsel moderation in dress, and not making oneself a plaything of the foolish....

So as I said, it has never been Baha'i practice to wear the veil.

Best,

Bruce