 Founder
/ Major Figures: - A prophet called the Bab proclaimed
he had a mission from God
- Mirza Husayn Ali Nuri, a Muslim and one of the Bab's
followers, became known as Baha'u'llah (The Glory of God); revered by Baha'is
as the Promised One of whom the Bab had spoken
- Abdu'l-Baha, eldest son
of Baha'u'llah, continued spreading the faith
Major beliefsBaha'is
believe that humankind is one family created by God. They believe in the: -
Oneness of God
- Oneness of religion
- Oneness of humankind
Baha'is
believe that the purpose of life is to know and worship God and to work for the
good of humankind. Because Baha'is affirm all faiths, they have been leaders
in interfaith dialogue. They believe that the world is gradually evolving
toward a full realization of essential unity, and, as grateful followers of Baha'u'llah's
teaching they seek to participate in the spiritual growth of the world by: - Eliminating
all kinds of prejudice
- Promoting the equality of woman and man in all
aspects of human society
- Advocating the unity of truth, so that scientific
and religious truths are in harmony
- Working for compulsory education for
all children throughout the world
- Working for peace through world governance
- Seeking
to eliminate the extremes of wealth and poverty
- Promoting free and independent
investigation of truth by every individual (adapted from
the official web site of Baha'i faith).
Baha'is recognize that
in spite of these high ideals for humanity, people can by their free will turn
from what is best and permit their undisciplined physical passions to hinder their
spiritual progress. But God is both just and merciful, ready to forgive those
who turn from their misdeeds. As believers perfect their spiritual path
by following the teachings of their founder and by works of goodness, they prepare
for the time of death where the soul will be separated from the body and will
continue its course of spiritual perfection.
Scripture / Sacred
WritingsThe writings and prayers of Baha'u'llah, the Bab,
and Abdu'l-Baha are most often used. The Bible, the Qu'ran, and other scriptures
are occasionally used in worship.
Worship and Spiritual Practice There
is no weekly worship service, but there is a regular community gathering called
the Nineteen-Day Feast, which includes worship, feasting, and business. This day
of worship is the first day of each of the nineteen months. After prayers and
readings from the sacred writings of Baha'u'llah and others, they hear reports
of Baha'i activities regional and worldwide and plan their communal life. Then
the worshippers have a social time of fellowship together.
There are no
clergy, and ritual, rites, and other ceremonies are not allowed. Scripture, either
sung or read, is central to worship. Music is very important, often accompanied
by guitar. The most common Baha'i meeting is the fireside, consisting usually
of hospitality and a discussion of the Baha'i Faith. Once a year they observe
a month-long fast from food and drink as a spiritual exercise to draw near to
God.
HistoryThe Baha'i Faith began in
1844 in Persia (present-day Iran) when a prophet called the Bab proclaimed to
the world that he had a mission from God. He was to prepare the way for the coming
of one who would unite the people of the world and lead them into an age of peace
for all. Baha'u'llah, one of the Bab's followers, was exiled to Baghdad
after the Bab was martyred in 1850. Before leaving Baghdad for further exile in
Constantinople, he gathered the followers of the Bab in a garden (the "Garden
of Paradise" or Ridvan) and revealed to them that he was the Promised One
of whom the Bab had spoken. Beginning in the 1870s, Baha'i teachers traveled
widely, making converts to the faith. After the death of Baha'u'llah, his eldest
son Abdu'l-Baha took up the work of spreading the faith to Europe and North America.
 Today,
the Baha'i Faith claims about five million members worldwide.
The first
community of Baha'is appeared in the United States in 1894 and there are currently
about 7,000 North American localities where Baha'is reside and 1,700 local assemblies.
They have built several schools and an administration and worship center
in Wilmette, Illinois.
CalendarThe Baha'i
calendar is a solar calendar with nineteen months of nineteen days each, beginning
on March 21. It includes four Intercalary Days before the nineteenth month. The
day of worship is the first day of each of the nineteen months. Baha'is have nine
holy days and observe the last month in their calendar as a month of fasting.
Administration
and Secular LifeThere are no clergy in the Baha'i faith. The
local assembly elects a nine-member administrative board to guide the community
in its activities of teaching, publicity, worship, financial dealings, counseling,
and so forth. The nine northeastern states have a regional council and
at the national level, the administrative center in Wilmette, Illinois, supervises
Baha'i ministries in the United States. In Haifa, Israel, a domed structure
faced with Grecian-styled columns houses the Universal House of Justice, a nine-member
council charged with the oversight of Baha'i communities in the whole world. Many
people make pilgrimages to Haifa because it was near there that Baha'u'llah died
in 1892. Baha'is have no special dietary restrictions, and they abstain
from drugs and alcohol. They are free to take part in public life so long
as they do not engage in partisan politics. They are required to obey the government
in control, and can take stands on moral and social issues. However they believe
that political involvement would be a compromise of their primary emphasis which
is on the progress of human civilization toward unity.
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A
Mission Study resource from the United Methodist Women