Baha'i

What do Baha’i believe?

Bahá’ís believe that there is one God, that all humanity is one family, and that there is a fundamental unity underlying religion. They recognize that the coming of Bahá'u'lláh has opened the age for the establishment of world peace, when, as anticipated in the sacred scriptures of the past, all humanity will achieve its spiritual and social maturity, and live as one united family in a just, global society. Back to top  >

Who is Bahá’u’lláh?

Bahá’u’lláh is recognized by millions throughout the world as the Messenger of God for this age. The Bahá’í Faith is founded on His teachings. Born in 1817 to a prominent family in Iran, He showed from childhood an unusual intellectual precocity, although unschooled in the kind of learning prevalent in 19th century Iran; He demonstrated, too, a particular devotion to relief of the condition of the poor. His given name was Mírza Husayn ‘Alí, but He identified Himself as Bahá’u’lláh, which means “Glory of God,” a title by which He was addressed by His Forerunner, the Báb. Because of His teachings, He was banished into an exile, eventually lasting forty years, that took Him to the Holy Land. It was there that He passed away in 1892. Back to top  >

What is the Bahá’í Faith?

The Bahá’í Faith, founded by Bahá'u'lláh, represents essentially the renewal of religion with teachings relevant to contemporary needs and the requirements of humanity’s collective future. It rests on a broad base of sacred scriptures that both nourish the soul and provide laws and principles of social interaction. Back to top  >

What are some basic teachings of the Bahá’í Faith?

While restating basic spiritual teachings brought by all the Messengers of God, the Bahá’í Faith brings new social principles appropriate to the needs of a global society, such as the oneness of mankind, the equality of rights and opportunities for men and women, the abolition of all forms of prejudice, the essential harmony of science and religion, universal education, the need for a universal auxiliary language, and the elimination of extremes of poverty and wealth. Back to top  >

Who is the Báb?

Bahá’ís believe that the Báb (1819-1850) was an independent Messenger of God, whose mission was to inaugurate a new cycle in humanity’s spiritual development. His writings prepared the way for the mission of Bahá’u’lláh. The Báb was executed in 1850 at the instance of Islamic clergy who felt their position threatened by the principles He taught. Back to top  >

Where and when did the Bahá’í Faith originate?

The Bahá’í Faith was inaugurated in 1863 when Bahá’u’lláh announced His mission in Baghdad, during the early stage of His exile from Iran. Back to top  >

How many Bahá’ís are there?

There are currently more than five million Bahá’ís resident in some 100,000 localities in every part of the world. The Faith is recognized as the second-most geographically widespread religion after Christianity. Back to top  >

Does the Bahá’í Faith have an international center?

The Bahá’í World Centre is established in the Haifa/’Akká area of Israel, the location of Bahá’u’lláh’s exile in 1868 and His death in 1892. The area is today the site of the Faith’s most sacred shrines—the resting places of Bahá’u’lláh and His Forerunner, the Báb—and the seat of the Faith’s international governing body. Back to top  >

Who is the head of the Bahá’í Faith?

Bahá’u’lláh called for the creation of a system of democratically elected councils at the local, national and international levels. The Head of the Faith is the Universal House of Justice, the nine-person international council elected by secret ballot by the members of all the national councils. Back to top  >

What holidays do Bahá’ís observe?

Bahá’ís observe eleven holy days each year. These include days associated with the lives of Bahá’u’lláh and the Báb, as well as the Bahá’í new year, on March 21. The most important of the other holidays is Ridván, a twelve-day period in April/May that commemorates Bahá’u’lláh’s declaration of His mission. The holy days are commemorated with community gatherings for prayer, reflection, and fellowship. On nine of these holy days, Bahá’ís abstain from work. Back to top  >

 

 

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