▁that ▁during ▁cour ting ▁the ▁partners ▁must ▁take ▁the ▁ut most ▁care ▁to ▁become ▁acquaint ed ▁with ▁each ▁other ' s ▁character . ▁Furthermore , ▁the ▁husband ▁and ▁wife ▁should ▁be ▁un ited ▁not ▁only ▁phys ically , ▁but ▁also ▁spirit ually , ▁so ▁that ▁they ▁can ▁improve ▁the ▁spiritual ▁life ▁of ▁each ▁other , ▁and ▁that ▁they ▁can ▁spirit ually ▁advance ▁towards ▁God . ▁ ▁Eng agement ▁▁ ▁The ▁parents ▁cannot ▁inter f ere ▁with ▁the ▁selection ▁of ▁the ▁person ▁their ▁child ▁wants ▁to ▁marry , ▁but ▁marriage ▁has ▁been ▁condition ed , ▁once ▁the ▁couple ' s ▁wish ▁is ▁known , ▁upon ▁the ▁permission ▁of ▁their ▁parents . ▁The ▁purpose ▁of ▁this ▁law ▁is ▁to ▁fost er ▁unity ▁between ▁the ▁two ▁families , ▁since ▁the ▁Bah á ʼ í ▁teach ings ▁see ▁marriage ▁and ▁the ▁family ▁as ▁the ▁foundation ▁of ▁the ▁structure ▁and ▁society , ▁and ▁having ▁dis unity ▁between ▁two ▁families ▁is ▁not ▁condu ci ve ▁to ▁that . ▁The ▁consent ▁of ▁all ▁parents ▁is ▁needed ▁even ▁if ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁partners ▁is ▁not ▁a ▁Bah á ʼ í . ▁ ▁Bah á ʼ ís ▁see ▁this ▁aspect ▁of ▁Bah á ʼ í ▁marriage ▁as ▁combining ▁mar ri ages ▁practices ▁from ▁the ▁East ▁and ▁West ; ▁in ▁the ▁East ▁arranged ▁marriage ▁is ▁common , ▁and ▁in ▁the ▁west ▁mar ri ages ▁sometimes ▁go ▁forward ▁with ▁no ▁input ▁from ▁the ▁parents . ▁The ▁Bah á ʼ í ▁marriage ▁gives ▁full ▁freedom ▁of ▁the ▁individuals ▁to ▁select ▁their ▁partner , ▁but ▁places