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{{Baháʼí sidebar}}
'''Baháʼí marriage''' is union of a man and a woman. Its purpose is mainly spiritual and is to foster harmony, fellowship and unity between the two partners.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Kitáb-i-Aqdas|page=42|url=http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/b/KA/ka-5.html}}</ref> The [[Baháʼí Faith|Baháʼí]] teachings on [[marriage]] call it a ''fortress for well-being and salvation'' and place marriage and the family as the foundation of the structure of [[society|human society]].<ref>{{cite book|title=The Kitáb-i-Aqdas|page=205|url=http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/b/KA/ka-105.html}}</ref>

== Spiritual nature ==

The Baháʼí teachings on marriage see it as an eternal bond that survives past the lives of the partners in the physical life, and into the [[Baháʼí cosmology|spiritual worlds]]. Thus the teachings stress that during courting the partners must take the utmost care to become acquainted with each other's character. Furthermore, the husband and wife should be united not only physically, but also spiritually, so that they can improve the spiritual life of each other, and that they can spiritually advance towards God.<ref>{{cite book|title=Lights of Guidance|page=369|url=http://bahai-library.com/hornby_lights_guidance_2&chapter=2|editor=Helen Hornby}}</ref>

== Engagement ==

The [[Parenting|parents]] cannot interfere with the selection of the person their child wants to marry, but marriage has been conditioned, once the couple's wish is known, upon the permission of their parents.<ref name="Abdu'l-Bahá: Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Bahá, p. 118">{{cite book|title=Lights of Guidance|page=376|url=http://bahai-library.com/hornby_lights_guidance_2&chapter=2}}</ref> The purpose of this law is to foster unity between the two families, since the Baháʼí teachings see marriage and the family as the foundation of the structure and society, and having disunity between two families is not conducive to that. The consent of all parents is needed even if one of the partners is not a Baháʼí.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Kitáb-i-Aqdas|page=207|url=http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/b/KA/ka-109.html}}</ref>

Baháʼís{{who|date=December 2017}} see this aspect of Baháʼí marriage as combining marriages practices from the East and West;{{Citation needed|date=July 2011}} in the East arranged marriage is common, and in the west marriages sometimes go forward with no input from the parents. The Baháʼí marriage gives full freedom of the individuals to select their partner, but places certain gratitude and respect to the parents.

:"A couple should study each other's character and spend time getting to know each other before they decide to marry, and when they do marry it should be with the intention of establishing an eternal bond."<ref>The Universal House of Justice. ''Baha'i Marriage and Family Life''. November 2, 1982, p. 20.</ref>

===Waiting period===
The time between the official public announcement of the marriage and the wedding ceremony should not exceed 95 days.<ref>{{cite web|title=Baháʼu'lláh's Marriage Law|url=http://www.bahaimarriage.net/Baha'iMarriageLaws-BahaiCanadaExcerpt-Feb2011.pdf|pages=37–38|date=January–February 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=The Kitáb-i-Aqdas|page=120|url=http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/b/KA/ka-15.html}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|script-title=fa:گنجينه حدود و احكام|pages=166|url=http://reference.bahai.org/fa/t/c/|language=Persian}}</ref> The 95-day period of engagement is currently applicable only to Persian believers.<ref>National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United States. "[https://www.scribd.com/doc/279529/NSA-USA-Developing-Distinctive-Bahai-Communities Developing Distinctive Baha'i Communities]". Office of Assembly Development, Evanston, Illinois, 1998, p. 371.</ref>

== Ceremony ==

The Baháʼí marriage ceremony is done differently in each culture. The only compulsory part of the wedding is the reading of the wedding vows prescribed by [[Baháʼu'lláh]] which both the groom and the bride recite:

:''We will all, verily, abide by the Will of God.''<ref>Baháʼu'lláh. [http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/b/KA/ka-15.html#gr6 The Kitáb-i-Aqdas: The Most Holy Book]. Baháʼí Publishing Trust, 1973, p. 105.</ref> in the presence of two witnesses to be recorded through a Baháʼí [[Local Spiritual Assembly]]. Legal recognition depends on the civil laws of the country.

Most Baháʼí marriage ceremonies consist of the reading of Baháʼí writings, prayers and music followed by a talk about the spiritual nature of Baháʼí marriage, and then the reading of the vows.

== Laws ==

There are a number of laws that concern Baháʼí marriage

*Marriage is not obligatory, but is highly recommended.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Kitáb-i-Aqdas|page=149|url=http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/b/KA/ka-17.html}}</ref>
*Only married couples may engage in sexual activity.
*Both partners must be at least 15 years of age at the time of engagement. (The civil laws of their country must be obeyed)
*Marriage is conditional on the consent of both parties and their parents.<ref name="The Kitáb-i-Aqdas">{{cite book|title=The Kitáb-i-Aqdas|page=150|url=http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/b/KA/ka-17.html}}</ref>
*Marriage with non-Baháʼís is permitted<ref name="The Kitáb-i-Aqdas"/> (see [[Interreligious marriage#Baháʼí Faith|Interreligious marriage]]).
*The period of engagement must not exceed ninety-five days (not currently universally applicable).<ref name="The Kitáb-i-Aqdas"/>
*A marriage is conditional on the payment of a dowry. The payment, if the husband lives in a city, is nineteen [http://bahai-library.com/writings/bahaullah/aqdas/glossary.html#Mithqal mithqáls] (approx. 2.22 troy ounces) of pure gold, and if the husband lives in a village the same amount in silver. However, it is preferable to content oneself with the lowest level that is nineteen mithqáls of silver for both city and village dwellers.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Kitáb-i-Aqdas|page=209|url=http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/b/KA/ka-112.html}}</ref> Baháʼu'lláh also set a maximum permitted dowry amount of 95 mithqáls (approx. 11.1 troy ounces). (Not currently universally applicable)<ref>{{cite web|title=Laws from the Kitab-i-Aqdas Not Yet Binding|url=http://bahai-library.com/uhj_laws_not_binding|author=Universal House of Justice}}</ref>

==Children and parenting==

Following the natural and appropriate extension of the union of marriage, children, whether adopted or biological, should be raised in this same spiritual atmosphere. Formal duties exist between parents and children (of education and obedience, training and respect.) Second to discovering God for oneself is respect for one's parents. Reversing the degradation of women and children is a subject of much attention in the Baháʼí Faith.{{cn|date=December 2020}}

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}

== References ==

*{{cite book
|author=ʻAbdu'l-Bahá
|authorlink=ʻAbdu'l-Bahá
|year=1911
|title=ʻAbdu'l-Bahá in London
|publisher=Baháʼí Publishing Trust: 1982
|location=London, UK
|isbn=0-900125-50-0
|url=http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/ab/ABL/
}}

*{{cite book
|author=Baháʼu'lláh
|authorlink=Baháʼu'lláh
|year=1873
|title=The Kitáb-i-Aqdas: The Most Holy Book
|publisher=Baháʼí Publishing Trust
|location=Wilmette, Illinois, USA
|isbn=0-85398-999-0
|url=http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/b/KA/
}}

*{{cite book
|author=Universal House of Justice
|authorlink=Universal House of Justice
|year=2001
|title=Letter: Applicability of the Laws and Ordinances of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas
|publisher=The Baháʼí World Centre Department of the Secretariat
|location=Haifa, Israel
|id=
|url=http://bahai-library.com/uhj_applicability_laws_aqdas
}}
* [http://bahai-library.com/uhj_relationship_husband_wife Relationship between Husband and Wife] by the [[Universal House of Justice]], 1980.
* [http://bahai-library.com/uhj_violence_against_women Violence Against Women and Children] by Universal House of Justice, 1993.
* [http://bahai-library.com/nolley_bahai_population_india Notes on Baháʼí population in India] by Charles Nolley and William Garlington, 1997.

==External links==
* [http://www.bahai.org/action/family-life-children/family-life Bahai.org: Family Life and Children]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Baha'i marriage}}
[[Category:Bahá'í practices|Marriage]]
[[Category:Marriage and religion]]

Baháʼí marriage - Revision history

imported>AnomieBOT at 00:19, 7 December 2020