The faith was proclaimed by a young Iranian, who called himself The Báb. They are derived from transcripts of speeches given by ʻAbdu'l-Bahá during his tour of Europe and North America in 1912. [136], Baháʼís continue to be persecuted in some majority-Islamic countries, whose leaders do not recognize the Baháʼí Faith as an independent religion, but rather as apostasy from Islam. [66], Baháʼís see the Báb as the forerunner of the Baháʼí Faith, because the Báb's writings introduced the concept of "He whom God shall make manifest", a Messianic figure whose coming, according to Baháʼís, was announced in the scriptures of all of the world's great religions, and whom Baháʼu'lláh, the founder of the Baháʼí Faith, claimed to be. [80], Current initiatives of social action include activities in areas like health, sanitation, education, gender equality, arts and media, agriculture, and the environment. Obedience to government is not applicable when submission to law amounts to a denial of Faith. […] [25] The Baháʼí teachings state that the unification of humanity is the paramount issue in the religious and political conditions of the present world. This location, constructed in Haifa, Israel, continues to serve as the movement's headquarters and hosts a major annual conference in support of its beliefs. [143][145], During the reign of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, to divert attention from economic difficulties in Iran and from a growing nationalist movement, a campaign of persecution against the Baháʼís was instituted. Except for direct quotations from the Baha'i Writings, all opinions expressed on this blog are simply personal understandings and therefore not authoritative. Baha'i. [162] In March 2011 the sentences were reinstated to the original 20 years. His teachings are a revelation from God. “He restates in every age God's purpose and will. Abraham, Moses, Krishna, Buddha, Zoroaster, Christ, and Muhammad were Manifestations of God. [135] In recent years, an Office of the Environment and an Office for the Advancement of Women were established as part of its United Nations Office. Bahá'ís believe there is one God and that all the universe and creation belong to him. Beyond this lay the difficulty which the regime faced in harnessing the nationalist movement that had supported Musaddiq. [170] In fact it was the Iranian leader Naser al-Din Shah Qajar who banished Baháʼu'lláh from Iran to the Ottoman Empire and Baháʼu'lláh was later exiled by the Ottoman Sultan, at the behest of the Iranian Shah, to territories further away from Iran and finally to Acre in Syria, which only a century later was incorporated into the state of Israel. [79] He announced in letters during the Ten Year Crusade that it would be followed by other plans under the direction of the Universal House of Justice, which was elected in 1963 at the culmination of the Crusade. [64] Under the leadership of his son, ʻAbdu'l-Bahá, the religion gained a footing in Europe and America, and was consolidated in Iran, where it still suffers intense persecution. [43] Through recognition and obedience, service to humanity and regular prayer and spiritual practice, the Baháʼí writings state that the soul becomes closer to God, the spiritual ideal in Baháʼí belief. [174] Following a protracted legal process culminating in a court ruling favorable to the Baháʼís, the interior minister of Egypt released a decree on 14 April 2009, amending the law to allow Egyptians who are not Muslim, Christian, or Jewish to obtain identification documents that list a dash in place of one of the three recognized religions. [39][40] Baháʼís describe their faith as an independent world religion, differing from the other traditions in its relative age and in the appropriateness of Baháʼu'lláh's teachings to the modern context. [11] The House of the Báb in Shiraz, one of three sites to which Baháʼís perform pilgrimage, has been destroyed twice. [31][32] According to the Baháʼí teachings the human purpose is to learn to know and love God through such methods as prayer, reflection, and being of service to others. [112], While some of the laws from the Kitáb-i-Aqdas are applicable at the present time, others are dependent upon the existence of a predominantly Baháʼí society, such as the punishments for arson or murder. "[115], Baháʼu'lláh prohibited a mendicant and ascetic lifestyle. Science and religiondo not have to disagree, because they are looking at the same world from t… Abraham, Moses, Krishna, Buddha, Zoroaster, Christ, and Muhammad were Manifestations of God. Bahá'í at a glance; Beliefs. Religion is thus seen as orderly, unified, and progressive from age to age. Nationsshould learn to get along and co-operate with each other 8. [67] The main written works translated into English of the Báb's are collected in Selections from the Writings of the Báb out of the estimated 135 works.[68]. Bahá'í beliefs promoted major social changes when they were first circulated in the 19th century: they supported gender and race equality; world government; freedom of expression and assembly; world peace; religious tolerance, and religious cooperation. This plan included extremely ambitious goals for the expansion of Baháʼí communities and institutions, the translation of Baháʼí texts into several new languages, and the sending of Baháʼí pioneers into previously unreached nations. [91] Any male Baháʼí, 21 years or older, is eligible to be elected to the Universal House of Justice; all other positions are open to male and female Baháʼís. BahaiTeachings.org is excited to share this animated introduction to the Baha'i Faith by Rainn Wilson. They share this belief in God's nature with Christians, Jews, and Muslims, although what each of these religions believes about the one and only God can be quite different. "[172], Baháʼí institutions and community activities have been illegal under Egyptian law since 1960. [62] Although they are distinct movements, the Báb is so interwoven into Baháʼí theology and history that Baháʼís celebrate his birth, death, and declaration as holy days, consider him one of their three central figures (along with Baháʼu'lláh and ʻAbdu'l-Bahá), and a historical account of the Bábí movement (The Dawn-Breakers) is considered one of three books that every Baháʼí should "master" and read "over and over again". A summary of the main Bahá’í beliefs is set out in the collected talks which ‘Abdu’l-Bahá gave in the USA. All Baháʼí community properties, including Baháʼí centers, libraries, and cemeteries, have been confiscated by the government and fatwas have been issued charging Baháʼís with apostasy. Bahá'í Beliefs on Death and Dying The Bahá'í faith posits three layers of existence: the concealed secret of the Divine Oneness; the intermediary world of spiritual reality; and the world of physical realty ("the world of possibility"). [27] The existence of God and the universe is thought to be eternal, without a beginning or end. From 1844-1850, when The Bab, the Herald of Baha’i Faith, unfurled his revelation, he taught a number of truths also deeply held by Indigenous peoples around the world. [67][73] In his Will, ʻAbdu'l-Bahá appointed Shoghi Effendi, his eldest grandson, as the first Guardian of the Baháʼí Faith. [41] Baháʼu'lláh is believed to have fulfilled the messianic expectations of these precursor faiths. If Jesus is God in the most literal sense, and Jesus is knowable, then God is knowable, and that Baha'i doctrine is exploded. The House of Justice then launched a nine-year plan in 1964, and a series of subsequent multi-year plans of varying length and goals followed, guiding the direction of the international Baháʼí community. The religion has three central figures: the Báb (1819–1850), considered a herald who taught that God would soon send a prophet in the same way of Jesus or Muhammad and who was executed by Iranian authorities in 1850; Baháʼu'lláh (1817–1892), who claimed to be that prophet in 1863 and faced exile and imprisonment for most of his life; and his son, ʻAbdu'l-Bahá (1844–1921), who was released from confinement in 1908 and made teaching trips to Europe and the United States. [167] These accusations against the Baháʼís have no basis in historical fact,[168][148][169] and the accusations are used by the Iranian government to use the Baháʼís as "scapegoats". [31], Baháʼí notions of progressive religious revelation result in their accepting the validity of the well known religions of the world, whose founders and central figures are seen as Manifestations of God. Baháʼu'lláh taught that religion is revealed in an orderly and progressive way by Manifestations of God, who are the founders of major world religions throughout history; Buddha, Jesus, and Muhammad are noted as the most recent of these before the Báb and Baháʼu'lláh. [11][149][150] Baha’is believe God is unknowable; therefore, God cannot incarnate Himself to be present among men. [42], The Baháʼí writings state that human beings have a "rational soul", and that this provides the species with a unique capacity to recognize God's status and humanity's relationship with its creator. The Baha’i Faith is a worldwide religion based on the teachings of Baha’u’llah (1817-1892). Bahá'ís often express these beliefs simply by speaking of the oneness of God, the oneness of religion, and the oneness of humankind. Baháʼu'lláh's Kitáb-i-Aqdas and The Will and Testament of ʻAbdu'l-Bahá are foundational documents of the Baháʼí administrative order. Bahá’í beliefs address such essential themes as the oneness of God and religion, the oneness of humanity and freedom from prejudice, the inherent nobility of the human being, the progressive revelation of religious truth, the development of spiritual qualities, the integration of worship and service, the fundamental equality of the sexes, the harmony between religion and science, the centrality of justice … Religion is thus seen as orderly, unified, and progressive from age to age. Baha’i - Is it compatible with Christianity The Baha’i religion does not force its new converts to reject their former beliefs and doctrines in order to embrace the tenets of the Baha’i faith. Some measure of divine guidance is assumed for all of these texts. [94] The World Christian Encyclopedia estimated 7.1 million Baháʼís in the world in 2000, representing 218 countries,[95] and 7.3 million in 2010[96] with the same source. The Baháʼí Faith is a medium-sized religion[109] and was listed in The Britannica Book of the Year (1992–present) as the second most widespread of the world's independent religions in terms of the number of countries represented. Summary of Bahá’í Beliefs. Currently, no country has a Baháʼí majority.[108]. The following are a few examples from Baháʼu'lláh's teachings on personal conduct that are required or encouraged of his followers: The following are a few examples from Baháʼu'lláh's teachings on personal conduct that are prohibited or discouraged. Baha’i Faith, religion founded in Iraq in the mid-19th century by Mirza Hosayn ‘Ali Nuri, who is known as Baha’ Allah. What Bahá'ís Believe Central tenets of the Bahá'í Faith, based on the questions in the Belief-O-Matic quiz. He is forced to leave Baghdad for Constantinople, then Adrianople, Baháʼu'lláh is forced into harsher confinement in ʻAkká, in present-day Israel, His Will appointed ʻAbdu'l-Bahá as successor, His Will appointed Shoghi Effendi as Guardian, The Universal House of Justice is first elected. [173], The Egyptian identification card controversy began in the 1990s when the government modernized the electronic processing of identity documents, which introduced a de facto requirement that documents must list the person's religion as Muslim, Christian, or Jewish (the only three religions officially recognized by the government). [45][46] The list is not authoritative and a variety of such lists circulate. [23], The teachings of Baháʼu'lláh form the foundation of Baháʼí belief. It is one of the most visited tourist attractions in the world. [28] The importance of self-exertion and service to humanity in one's spiritual life is emphasised further in Baháʼu'lláh's writings, where he states that work done in the spirit of service to humanity enjoys a rank equal to that of prayer and worship in the sight of God. [28] The conflicts escalated in several places to military sieges by the Shah's army. Believing in the oneness of humanity and the pursuit of world peace is foundational. “He restates in every age God's purpose and will. Bibliography. [e], At local, regional, and national levels, Baháʼís elect members to nine-person Spiritual Assemblies, which run the affairs of the religion. It was founded by Baha'u'llah in Iran in the 19th century. [28][90] The Universal House of Justice remains the supreme governing body of the Baháʼí Faith, and its 9 members are elected every five years by the members of all National Spiritual Assemblies. In May 2018, the Iranian authorities expelled a young woman student from university of Isfahan because she was Baháʼí. As the Báb's teachings spread, which the Islamic clergy saw as blasphemous, his followers came under increased persecution and torture. ISBN 978-0813528366; Momen, Moojan. BAHÁ'Í BELIEFS RELATED TO HEALTH CARE. [84][85] Additional lines of action include social action and participation in the prevalent discourses of society. The most severe persecutions have occurred in Iran, where more than 200 Baháʼís were executed between 1978 and 1998. The chairman of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom said that it seems that the government has already predetermined the outcome of the case and is violating international human rights law. [28], Each of the 19 months is given a name which is an attribute of God; some examples include Baháʼ (Splendour), ʻIlm (Knowledge), and Jamál (Beauty). Bahá'ís believe there is one God and that all the universe and creation belong to him; God is omnipotent, perfect and has complete knowledge of life Another policy which appears to contradict the faith's promotion of equality is the exclusion of all women from serving on its highest religious court, the Universal House of Justice. [143] During that campaign, initiated by Mulla Muhammad Taghi Falsafi, the Baha'i center in Tehran was demolished at the orders of Tehran military governor, General Timor Bakhtiar. The Baháʼí teachings speak of a "Greater Covenant",[49] being universal and endless, and a "Lesser Covenant", being unique to each religious dispensation. The Baha’i Faith is … The Bahá'í faith is one of the youngest of the world's major religions. God treats all humans as equal 5. It provides a brief overview of the Baha’i Faith beliefs and then situates those beliefs in direct dialogue with the current environmental crisis. According to a US panel, attacks on Baháʼís in Iran increased under Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's presidency. 'Note on transliteration, dates and names', in Brookshaw & Fazel, eds. It is natural that Bahá’ís would wish to share their religious beliefs with others and, should any person feel within his or her heart the spark of faith, he or she is welcome—indeed, is invited—to become an active member of the Bahá’í community, contributing to its continuing growth and vibrancy. The Baha'i faith was founded in the mid-19th century C.E. pp. There are specific requirements for Baháʼí burial that include a specified prayer to be read at the interment. The Baha'i faith was founded in the mid-19th century C.E. The beliefs of the Baha’i faith are a mixture of many religions. After initially strict and harsh confinement, he was allowed to live in a home near ʻAkká, while still officially a prisoner of that city. [88] Annually, on 21 April, the Universal House of Justice sends a 'Ridván' message to the worldwide Baháʼí community,[89] that updates Baháʼís on current developments and provides further guidance for the year to come. Baháʼís observe 11 Holy Days throughout the year, with work suspended on 9 of these. Prominent among Baháʼí literature are the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, the Kitáb-i-Íqán, Some Answered Questions, and The Dawn-Breakers. [28] These include the Seven Valleys and the Four Valleys. Since the Islamic Revolution of 1979 Iranian Baháʼís have regularly had their homes ransacked or have been banned from attending university or from holding government jobs, and several hundred have received prison sentences for their religious beliefs, most recently for participating in study circles. Bahá’u’lláh (1817-1892), the Founder of the Baha'i Faith, is recognized as the most recent in a line of Divine Messengers that includes … [28], Most Baháʼí meetings occur in individuals' homes, local Baháʼí centers, or rented facilities. Baha’i Religion | Faith, Beliefs, God, & More.. Baha’i Religion. Baha'i: Beliefs. Baha'is believe that God periodically reveals his will through divine messengers, whose purpose is to transform the character of humankind and to develop, within those who respond, moral and spiritual qualities. [74], Shoghi Effendi throughout his lifetime translated Baháʼí texts; developed global plans for the expansion of the Baháʼí community; developed the Baháʼí World Centre; carried on a voluminous correspondence with communities and individuals around the world; and built the administrative structure of the religion, preparing the community for the election of the Universal House of Justice. It was in or near the Ottoman penal colony of ʻAkká, in present-day Israel, that Baháʼu'lláh spent the remainder of his life. Baha'i Beliefs The Bahá'í Faith is monotheistic, believing in one, all-powerful creator God. [133] The Baháʼí International Community is an agency under the direction of the Universal House of Justice in Haifa, and has consultative status with the following organizations:[134][135], The Baháʼí International Community has offices at the United Nations in New York and Geneva and representations to United Nations regional commissions and other offices in Addis Ababa, Bangkok, Nairobi, Rome, Santiago, and Vienna. Bahá'í beliefs about God. It was first translated into English in 1906, becoming one of the earliest available books of Baháʼu'lláh to the West. Throughout the rest of his life Baháʼu'lláh gained the allegiance of most of the Bábís, who came to be known as Baháʼís. The origins of the Bahá’í Faith and the source of its distinctive unity, The eternal soul, the purpose of life, and the development of spiritual qualities, God, revelation, humanity, the natural world, and the advancement of civilization, The development of relationships among individuals, communities, and institutions that reflect the principle of the oneness of humanity, The principles required for the attainment of peace and the building of a new global civilization. [111] There are, however, occasions when a Baháʼí might be administratively expelled from the community for a public disregard of the laws, or gross immorality. If Jesus is God in the most literal sense, and Jesus is knowable, then God is knowable, and that Baha'i doctrine is exploded. We expect that the Baha'i policy towards homosexuality and the role of women in the court will cause increasing friction within the religion over time. In the 2000 Millennium Forum of the United Nations a Baháʼí was invited as the only non-governmental speaker during the summit. Worldwide in 1979 there were 129 officially recognized Baháʼí socio-economic development projects. [124] The ringstone symbol and calligraphy of the Greatest Name are also often encountered. [68] Among the more well known are The Secret of Divine Civilization, the Tablet to Auguste-Henri Forel, and Some Answered Questions. It was founded by Baha'u'llah in Iran in the 19th century. [130], The religion entered a new phase of activity when a message of the Universal House of Justice dated 20 October 1983 was released. In English, the word Baháʼí is used either as an adjective to refer to the Baháʼí Faith or as a term for a follower of Baháʼu'lláh. Baháʼís do not expect a new manifestation of God to appear within 1000 years of Baháʼu'lláh's revelation. Embalming or cremating the body is strongly discouraged. Therefore, human understanding of God is achieved through his revelations via his Manifestations. As the anti-Shah movement gained ground and support, revolutionary propaganda was spread which alleged that some of the Shah's advisors were Baháʼís. [c], The older term "Bahaʼism" (or "Bahaism") is still used,[16][17][18][19][20] for example as a variant of "Bahai Faith" by the US Library of Congress,[21] but it is now less common[22] and the Baháʼí community prefers "Baháʼí Faith". This includes works by his son ʻAbdu'l-Bahá, and the Báb, who is regarded as Baháʼu'lláh's forerunner. The teachings of Baháʼu'lláh form the foundation of Baháʼí belief. The latter do not serve as clergy, which the Baháʼí Faith does not have. Baháʼí teachings state that the attributes applied to God are used to translate Godliness into human terms and to help people concentrate on their own attributes in worshipping God to develop their potentialities on their spiritual path. [75][76][77], In 1937, Shoghi Effendi launched a seven-year plan for the Baháʼís of North America, followed by another in 1946. The laws, when not in direct conflict with the civil laws of the country of residence, are binding on every Baháʼí. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press, 2000. Centers of Learning The Baha’is of the United States operate three year-round conference and retreat centers that offer a wide range of programming for adults, youth and children. e. The Baháʼí Faith ( / bəˈhɑːiː, bəˈhaɪ /; Persian: بهائی ‎ Bahāʼi) is a new religion teaching the essential worth of all religions, and the unity of all people. [71] During the period in Adrianople, he began declaring his mission as a Messenger of God in letters to the world's religious and secular rulers, including Pope Pius IX, Napoleon III, and Queen Victoria. Two of these houses of worship are national while the other three are going to be local temples. [25] He unexpectedly died after a brief illness on 4 November 1957, in London, England, under conditions that did not allow for a successor to be appointed. Doctrinal beliefs are contained in The Kitáb-i-Iqán (The Book of Certitude), whilst Bahá’u’lláh’s Hidden Words is a collection of ethical sayings. [133] By 2017 there were an estimated 40,000 small scale projects, 1,400 sustained projects, and 135 Baháʼí inspired organizations. The Baha'i faith is an independent world religion that originated in Persia (now Iran) in the middle of the 19th century. The Bahá'í Faith is an Abrahamic religion started in the 1800s by an Iranian person called Bahá'u'lláh who was born in Tehran, Iran.Followers of this religion call themselves Bahá'ís.The name Bahá'u'lláh is Arabic for "The Glory of God". The remains of the Báb were brought secretly from Iran to the Holy Land and eventually interred in the tomb built for them in a spot specifically designated by Baháʼu'lláh. These beliefs are: belief in one God Every human is seen to have a duty to recognize God through his messengers, and to conform to their teachings. [11] ʻAbdu'l-Bahá's death in 1921 marks the end of what Baháʼís call the "heroic age" of the religion. The former consists of two five-pointed stars interspersed with a stylized Baháʼ whose shape is meant to recall the three onenesses,[125] while the latter is a calligraphic rendering of the phrase Yá Baháʼu'l-Abhá (يا بهاء الأبهى "O Glory of the Most Glorious!"). Mírzá Husayn ʻAlí Núrí was one of the early followers of the Báb, and later took the title of Baháʼu'lláh. This idea of progressive revelation is of central significance for the Bahá'í Faith. The faith was proclaimed by a young Iranian, who called himself The Báb. Bahá'u'lláh came to make all humans become one family 2. The Baha’i Faith is a dynamic world religion with several million adherents from a variety of different religious and cultural backgrounds. These days commemorate important anniversaries in the history of the religion.[123]. God treats men and women as equal 6. Except for direct quotations from the Baha'i Writings, all opinions expressed on this blog are simply personal understandings and therefore not authoritative. The Baháʼí Faith was ranked by Foreign Policy magazine as the world's second fastest growing religion by percentage (1.7%) in 2007.[110]. [25] In Baghdad, his leadership revived the persecuted followers of the Báb in Iran, so Iranian authorities requested his removal, which instigated a summons to Constantinople (now Istanbul) from the Ottoman Sultan. There are also appointed individuals working at various levels, including locally and internationally, which perform the function of propagating the teachings and protecting the community. Beliefnet Later, the Universal House of Justice was founded as the governing body for the religion. Sources summarize the Baháʼí Faith as teaching, "the essential worth of all religions, the unity of all peoples, and the equality of the sexes". There are around six million Bahá’ís in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. ISBN 0853983844; Momen, Moojan. [146] In the late 1970s the Shah's regime consistently lost legitimacy due to criticism that it was pro-Western. The Baha’i Faith is a global faith community, established in virtually every country in the world. Baháʼu'lláh and ʻAbdu'l-Bahá established rules and institutions for an authoritative line of succession of leadership, in order to maintain unity and prevent schism. The Baha’i Faith is a global faith community, established in virtually every country in the world. It is natural that Bahá’ís would wish to share their religious beliefs with others and, should any person feel within his or her heart the spark of faith, he or she is welcome—indeed, is invited—to become an active member of the Bahá’í community, contributing to its continuing growth and vibrancy. The Greater Covenant is viewed as a more enduring agreement between God and humanity, where a Manifestation of God is expected to come to humanity about every thousand years, at times of turmoil and uncertainty. The Bahá’í Faith teaches that individuals should seek the assistance of competent physicians for medical treatment. There is only One God, but he has many names 3. ISBN 978-0813528366; Momen, Moojan. He said that a messenger would soon arrive from God, who would be the latest in a line of prophets including Moses, Muhammad and Jesus Christ. The payments go to the, This page was last edited on 19 January 2021, at 18:24. Prejudices(unkind beliefs about people without knowing them first) should be fixed 7. The Bahá'í Faith is an Abrahamic religion started in the 1800s by an Iranian person called Bahá'u'lláh who was born in Tehran, Iran.Followers of this religion call themselves Bahá'ís.The name Bahá'u'lláh is Arabic for "The Glory of God".