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"First you must select one (a marriage partner), and then it depends on the consent of the father and mother. Before your selection they have no right of interference." ('Abdul-Baha) (79:6) To a Westerner this may seem a little unnecessary. However, it should be remembered again that the Baha'i Faith is for the whole world, and in many societies marriages are still arranged by families without reference to those who are to be married. Secondly, it is required that consent be given to the marriage be all of the living (and mentally capable) parents of the couple. (79:7) "As We desired to bring about love and friendship and the unity of the people, therefore, We made it conditional upon the consent of the parents also, that enmity and ill feeling might be avoided.".... (Baha'u'llah) (80:1) "When the parents are Baha'is they should, of course, act objectively in withholding or granting their approval. They cannot evade this responsibility by merely acquiescing in their child's wish..." (Uhj) (80:3) Sometimes, of course, this condition can result in long delays in the marriage, but if the intended partners are sure of themselves they will endure and most likely the parents, impressed with such standards, will eventually see that their reservations were unnecessary. This law has served to educate the parents as well as the intended partners to a higher spiritual level..
(80:4)
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