You have also asked for an explanation of why, in view of
the Bahá’í principle of equality of men and women, women are not allowed to
serve on the Universal House of Justice. We share with you the following
passages about this subject, taken from letters written on behalf of the
beloved Guardian to a National Spiritual Assembly and to an individual
believer.
“As regards the membership of the International House of
Justice, ‘Abdu’l‑Bahá states in
a Tablet that it is confined to men, and that the wisdom of it will be revealed
as manifest as the sun in the future. In any case the believers should know
that, as ‘Abdu’l‑Bahá Himself
has explicitly stated that sexes are equal except in some cases, the exclusion
of women from the International House of Justice should not be surprising. From
the fact that there is no equality of functions between the sexes one should
not, however, infer that either sex is inherently superior or inferior to the
other, or that they are unequal in their rights.” —14 December 1940
“Regarding your question, the Master said the wisdom of
having no women on the International House of Justice would become manifest in
the future. We have no other indication than this.” —17 September 1952
We must always remember Bahá’u’lláh’s exhortation, which is
quoted on page 22 of the Synopsis and Codification: “Weigh not the Book of God
with such standards and sciences as are current amongst you, for the Book
itself is the unerring balance established amongst men. In this most perfect
balance whatsoever the peoples and kindreds of the earth possess must be
weighed, while the measure of its weight should be tested according to its own
standard, did ye but know it.”
- The Universal House of Justice (From a letter
dated 24 July 1975 to an individual believer; The Compilation of Compilations,
vol. II, Women)
