That everyone is equal before the law is a basic principle of modern, effective government. The Bahá'í writings endorse this principle and expand on it. The Bahá'í writings state:

The Law must reign, and not the individual; thus will the world become a place of beauty and true brotherhood will be realized. Having attained solidarity, men will have found truth.

A system of laws is essential for any society. Those who wish to commit acts that would harm others need to be restrained. People who contribute as useful members of society should be able to safely enjoy the fruits of their labours.

To maintain good health, a society needs to encourage positive actions, such as by honouring achievement and providing economic rewards for valuable services. It also needs to punish crimes, by imposing fines, imprisonment and so forth, when necessary.

However, the greatest protection against anti-social behaviour is not the fear of punishment but the enlightened conscience of the individual. The Bahá'í writings state:

There is thus a great difference between the prevention of crime through measures that are violent and retaliatory, and so training the people, and enlightening them, and spiritualizing them, that without any fear of punishment or vengeance to come, they will shun all criminal acts. They will, indeed, look upon the very commission of a crime as a great disgrace and in itself the harshest of punishments.

As well as pointing out the importance of obedience to the laws made by governments, the Bahá'í teachings emphasise the need to live according to the laws of God. These are spiritual laws such as the injunctions in the Holy Books of all religions to be truthful, kind, generous, loving and just.

The Bahá'í community has some specific standards and laws which Bahá'ís live by, for their personal development. In brief, these include guidance on matters such as the importance of daily prayer and meditation, the sanctity of marriage, avoidance of drugs and alcohol, honesty in business dealings, and so forth.

Further information

Bahá'í laws regarding prayer and fasting are discussed in the section of this site on Prayer.

Bahá'í ideas about marriage are explained in the section on Marriage and family life.

Quotations in context

Click on the links below to search for quotations from this page, in the Bahá'í reference library.

• "The Law must reign, and not the individual; thus will the world become a place of beauty and true brotherhood will be realized."
• "There is thus a great difference between the prevention of crime through measures that are violent and retaliatory, and so training the people, and enlightening them..."