ABORTION & THE BAHA'I FAITH

(please print-out this short article for personal study, and deepenings)

Dear Friends,

The subject of "Race Unity" used to be a hotly debated political issue in the United States. But because it was a "political issue" did not prevent the Baha'is from discussing it. The Baha'i Faith has a stand on race unity, and it is very clear. Likewise, the Faith has a stand on the subject of abortion". Some Baha'is feel that since abortion is "a political issue", it cannot be discussed. This is nonsense. Baha'is are forbidden to become involved in partisan politics, but abortion is a _moral_ issue; as is homosexuality, race unity, equality of men and women, etc. All these are fundamentally _moral_ issues, and the Baha'is must let their stand on these issues be known. Here are some quotes on the subject of abortion from official Baha'i sources:

"The practice of abortion--which is absolutely criminal as it involves the

deliberate destruction of human life--is forbidden in the Faith." (Shoghi

Effendi to an individual believer, 25 August 1939)

"Regarding the practice of abortion; as no specific reference has been made

to the subject in the writings of Baha'u'llah, it devolves upon the

International House of Justice to definitely pronounce upon it. There can be

no doubt, however, that this practice, involving as it does the destruction

of human life, is to be strongly deprecated." (Letter written on behalf of

Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, 13 November 1940)

Letters from Shoghi Effendi or written on his behalf are _binding_ upon all Believers; meaning they must accept these directives as authoritative. The English words "strongly deprecated" means "vehemently spoken against". To speak well of abortion, or to remain silent on the issue, is not to 'speak against' it as the Guardian directed. The term "forbidden" does not mean "suggested", "advised against" or "recommended". The phrase "forbidden in the Cause" does not mean "permitted in the Cause" or "not forbidden in the Cause".

The Jewish Mishnah (Oral Law) forbade abortion in all cases except when the life (not 'life-style') of the mother was immediately in peril. Muhammad did not abrogate this. However, in the Middle-Ages, Muslim jurists began to interpret Islam under the 'light' of Aristolian logic. Aristotle (the ancient pagan Greek philosopher) believed that a fetus did not become "human" until the soul entered it. This became known as the "time of quickening". In Persia, during the 19th century, abortion was allowed until the time of quickening (about the 120th day); when the mother could feel the infant in the womb move. Persian Muslim women were thus allowed to procure abortions until the time of quickening. Various potions were available to enduce miscarriages. The Bab, knowing that the human soul came into being at the time of conception, forbade all abortions in His _Commentary on the Surih of Joseph_; called by Baha'u'llah The Bab's first and greatest work.

The Bab wrote that both divorce and abortion (at that time only done before the time of quickening) were "haram" (an Arabic word which means "absolutely forbidden"). Baha'u'llah abrogated the prohibition against divorce in the Kitab-i-Aqdas, but He never abrogated the prohibition against abortion. All Divine Laws not abrogated remain in force.

The Universal House of Justice has written:

"Abortion merely to prevent the birth of an unwanted child is strictly

forbidden in the Cause. There may, however, be instances in which an

abortion would be justified by medical reasons, and legislation on this

matter has been left to the Universal House of Justice." (Lights of

Guidance, 2nd edition, p.34)

When they wrote "Abortion merely to prevent the birth an unwanted child is stricktly forbidden in the Cause" it is interpreted by Baha'is in the following ways:

a) abortion is a personal choice.

b) abortion is not in any way forbidden in the Faith.

c) abortion merely to prevent the birth of an unwanted child is forbidden,

but, of course, no abortions are ever done for _merely_ this reason, so all

abortions are permissible.

d) abortion as a form of birth-control is forbidden in the Faith. Forbidden

means forbidden.

e) abortion is a political issue, so we can't discuss it (i.e. we can't even

tell New Believers what the Guardian and House said about it)

f) abortion merely to prevent an unwanted child is forbidden, but to condemn

others for this is to unloving, and Baha'is are forbidden to be unloving

towards others, so we cannot condemn abortion.