Relations of majority and minority

If any discrimination is to be tolerated, it should be in favor of the minority, racial or otherwise; duty to nurture, encourage, and safeguard every minority within it

"… If any discrimination is at all to be tolerated, it should be a discrimination not against, but rather in favour of the minority, be it racial or otherwise. Unlike the nations and peoples of the earth, be they of the East or of the West, democratic or authoritarian, communist or capitalist, whether belonging to the Old World or the New, who either ignore, trample upon, or extirpate, the racial, religious, or political minorities within the sphere of their jurisdiction, every organized community enlisted under the banner of Bahá’u’lláh should feel it to be its first and inescapable obligation to nurture, encourage, and safeguard every minority belonging to any faith, race, class, or nation within it. So great and vital is this principle that in such circumstances, as when an equal number of ballots have been cast in an election, or where the qualifications for any office are balanced as between the various races, faiths or nationalities within the community, priority should unhesitatingly be accorded the party representing the minority, and this for no other reason except to stimulate and encourage it, and afford it an opportunity to further the interests of the community…."

(Shoghi Effendi: Ibid., pp. 35, in Lights of Guidance, no. 1793)

Obligation to protect just interests of any minority within the community; to be even favored and given priority

"To discriminate against any tribe because they are in a minority is a violation of the spirit that animates the Faith of Bahá’u’lláh. As followers of God's Holy Faith it is our obligation to protect the just interests of any minority element within the Bahá’í Community. In fact in the administration of our Bahá’í affairs, representatives of minority groups are not only enabled to enjoy equal rights and privileges, but they are even favoured and accorded priority. Bahá’ís should be careful never to deviate from this noble standard even if the course of events of public opinion should bring pressure to bear upon them. The principles in the Writings are clear, but usually it is when these principles are applied that questions arise…."

(From a letter of the Universal House of Justice to a National Spiritual Assembly in Africa, February 8, 1970, in Lights of Guidance, no. 1797)

Only way to conduct work of Assembly is the supremacy of the will of the majority

"There is only one principle on which to conduct the work of an Assembly, and that is the supremacy of the will of the majority. The majority decisions must be courageously adopted and carried out by the Assembly, quite regardless of the opinionated adherence to their own views which any minority may cling to."

(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, November 20, 1941: The Local Spiritual Assembly, p. 19, in Lights of Guidance, no. 158)

The minority to follow the will of the majority

"The only way that society can function is for the minority to follow the will of the majority."

(From a letter of the Universal House of Justice to the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States, February 9, 1967, in Lights of Guidance, no. 1354)

See also

• Administrative privilege of minority groups within the Bahá'í community
• Affirmative action

To-dos for this page

• Link to quotes suggesting non-obedience to occur if a fundamental spiritual principle like recanting Faith is called for