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The theme of education in the Bahá'í Faith is given emphasis. Its literature gives a principle of universal and compulsory education, which is identified as one of key principles alongside monotheism and the unity of humanity. Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the Bahá'í Faith wrote: :"Regard man as a mine rich in gems of inestimable value. Education can, alone, cause it to reveal its treasures, and enable mankind to benefit therefrom." ::Bahá'u'lláh, ''Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh'', p. 161. () The Bahá'í teachings focus on promoting a moral and spiritual education, in addition to the arts, trades, sciences and professions. The emphasis on education is a means for social and national improvement. Since all Bahá'ís have the duty to do work that is useful to humanity, Bahá'í education is meant to prepare Bahá'ís to perform such work. ==Purpose== One purpose of universal compulsory education is implied in the Bahá'í Short Obligatory Prayer which states that the God's primary reason for creating humanity is so that each of us would come to know and love Him. Clearly one purpose of education would be to facilitate this process. But religious education, however critical, should not lead to division and conflict. Bahá'u'lláh writes: :"Schools must first train the children in the principles of religion, so that the Promise and the Threat recorded in the Books of God may prevent them from the things forbidden and adorn them with the mantle of the commandments; but this in such a measure that it may not injure the children by resulting in ignorant fanaticism and bigotry." ::Bahá'u'lláh, ''Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh'', p. 67. () This principle is most commonly applied by Bahá'ís in the form of social-welfare projects and children's classes. The emphasis on education as a means for social and national improvement is shown in the following quote by `Abdu'l-Bahá, the son and appointed successor of Bahá'u'lláh: :"The primary, the most urgent requirement is the promotion of education. It is inconceivable that any nation should achieve prosperity and success unless this paramount, this fundamental concern is carried forward. The principal reason for the decline and fall of peoples is ignorance. Today the mass of the people are uninformed even as to ordinary affairs, how much less do they grasp the core of the important problems and complex needs of the time." ::`Abdu'l-Bahá, ''The Secret of Divine Civilization'', p. 109. () 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Bahá'í Faith and education」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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