golha wrote:When Bahá’u’lláh elaborates the Bahá’í law of inheritance in the page 183 of Kitab-al-Aqdas, He says:1. If the deceased is a father and his estate includes a personal residence, such residence passes to the eldest son (Q and A 34).
If the deceased father has one or more daughters, she(they) will have nothing!
Where is the equality of men and women?
The inheritance laws of the Aqdas, are in the case of intestacy. In the Aqdas it is revealed: "Unto everyone hath been enjoined the writing of a
will (59)." In which, a believer is free to dispose of his property and estate however he or she chooses.
Some may think that the inheritance laws that apply to intestacy are severe, and therefore serve as a motivation to write a will. Others may think that they serve to establish a balance in society where, in some cases women are afforded certain advantages (in being educated, for example) whereas men are afforded certain advantages in others, thus establishing certain necessary societal norms or functions.
But however you may choose to speculate about the reasoning, if you are seeking to discredit the Faith's sexual equality credentials, you'll have to do much better than that. The Baha'is are at the forefront of women's rights initiatives and activities all over the globe. If you look at what the Baha'is do in this regard (not just what we say) you will find yourself in a most awkward position, if it is your belief that Baha'is aren't truly for the equality of women.
You may be interested to know, if you didn't already, that Baha'i women were voting and serving on assemblies long before women's suffrage had come even to the most liberal countries of the west.
I'm sure you are also aware of Tahirih, poetess and holy martyr, who was a disciple of the Bab, a Letter of the Living and one of the 24 guardians you were inquiring about in another post.
At any rate, the practice of selecting a verse from a religious text out of context and without regard to the faith as a whole, then using it to incriminate or invalidate the faith being examined, is not a very honest or valid approach. By employing the same method, the Torah, the Evangel, the Qur'an, all become suspect and worthy of condemnation, but then again, few believers of their own faith will do such a thing to their own book. A good thing too, or what a faithless world it would be! As for the Baha'is, we are at a slight disadvantage in such tactics, because for us, they are all the books of God. It is highly unlikely that any of us will engage in the same type of criticism against your faith as you have sought to employ against ours.
I do wonder about your motivation and the motivation of those like you, who periodically come here with no apparent goal other than to cause disorder or attempt to discredit us. Being a religious man myself, and being curious and interested in all religions, I often peruse the websites and message boards of other religions. Never have I gone there to try and disprove it, or try to force my views on anyone else. But again, I'm at a disadvantage since as a Baha'i, I believe that at some fundamental level, they are all my co religionists.
If you share a different view than us, its ok. We are each entitled to our own search, and to our own beliefs. At the end of the day and the end of life we are each individually and ultimately accountable to our God. Luckily for humanity, God is the most compassionate, the most merciful, and the most forgiving.
I would invite you put aside your attacks, and give us a chance. What harm would be done if you actually investigated our faith free from your preconceived notions before making your conclusion? You might not become a Baha'i after doing so, but I think you might find that ours is a beautiful faith and that we are a good people. Maybe then you could "live and let live" so to speak. If you investigate with openness and find us to be something other than what I have suggested, then perhaps the admonitions in your own book might be sufficient reason for you not to cause discord with us:
"Say: O disbelievers! I worship not that which ye worship;
Nor worship ye that which I worship. And I shall not worship that which ye worship. Nor will ye worship that which I worship. Unto you your religion, and unto me my religion." (surat al-kafirun)
"And if he be a liar on him is the sin of his lie: but, if he is telling the Truth, then upon you will fall something of which he warns you: truly God guides not him who is a transgressor and liar!" (Qur'an 40:28).
"Let there be no compulsion in religion. Truth stands out clear from error; whoever rejects evil and believes in God hath grasped the most trustworthy handle, that never breaks. And God heareth and knoweth all things.
God is the Protector of those who have faith: from the depths of darkness He will lead them forth into light. Of those who reject faith their patrons are the Evil Ones: from light they will lead them forth into the depths of darkness. They will be companions of the fire, to dwell therein" (Qur'an 2:256-7).
Commit not disorder on the earth after it has been made so good. This will be better for you, if you will believe it! Lay not in ambush by every road in menace; nor mislead him who believeth in God, from His way, nor seek to make it crooked; and remember when ye were few and he multiplied you, and behold what hath been the end of the authors of disorder!
And if a part of you believe in that with which I am sent, and a part of
you believe not, then wait steadfastly until God shall judge between us, for He is the best of judges" (Qur'an 7:80).
Peace be upon you.