…as the Guardian's secretary has written on his behalf,
"The task of bringing up a Baha'i child, as emphasized time and again in
Baha'i Writings, is the chief responsibility of the mother, whose unique
privilege is indeed to create in her home such conditions as would be the most
conducive to both his material and spiritual welfare and advancement. The
training which a child first receives through his mother constitutes the
strongest foundation for his future development..." A corollary of this
responsibility of the mother is her right to be supported by her husband -- a
husband has no explicit right to be supported by his wife. This principle of
the husband's responsibility to provide for and protect the family can be seen
applied also in the law of intestacy which provides that the family's dwelling
place passes, on the father's death, not to his widow, but to his eldest son;
the son at the same time has the responsibility to care for his mother.
(From a
letter dated 24 December 1980 written on behalf of the Universal House of
Justice to an individual believer)
