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129-613: In the Baháʼí Faith , the Qiblih ( Arabic : قبلة ‎ , "direction") is the location to which Baháʼís face when saying their daily obligatory prayers . The Qiblih is fixed at the Shrine of Baháʼu'lláh , near Acre , in present-day Israel ; approximately at 32°56′37″N 35°5′31″E  /  32.94361°N 35.09194°E  / 32.94361; 35.09194 . In Bábism the Qiblih

258-847: A dungeon of Tehran . From the time of the initial exile from Iran, tensions grew between him and Subh-i-Azal , the appointed leader of the Bábís, who did not recognize Baháʼu'lláh's claim. Throughout the rest of his life Baháʼu'lláh gained the allegiance of almost all of the Bábís, who came to be known as Baháʼís, while a remnant of Bábís became known as Azalis , and are regarded by Bahá'ís as equivalent to apostates. He spent less than four months in Constantinople. After receiving chastising letters from Baháʼu'lláh, Ottoman authorities turned against him and put him under house arrest in Adrianople (now Edirne ), where he remained for four years, until

387-472: 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. Every human is seen to have a duty to recognize God through his Messengers , and to conform to their teachings. Through recognition and obedience, service to humanity and regular prayer and spiritual practice, the Baháʼí writings state that the soul becomes closer to God,

516-651: A canon of Baháʼí scriptures . This collection includes works by the Báb, who is regarded as Baháʼu'lláh's forerunner. Prominent among the works of Baháʼí literature are the Kitáb-i-Aqdas , the Kitáb-i-Íqán , Some Answered Questions , and The Dawn-Breakers . The word "Baháʼí" ( بهائی ) is used either as an adjective to refer to the Baháʼí Faith or as a term for a follower of Baháʼu'lláh . The proper name of

645-440: A definite mission and entrusted with a specific revelation.   In many of his writings Baháʼu'lláh states that denying any of the messengers of God is equivalent not only to denying all his messengers, but also God himself. Regarding the relationships between these educators, which Baháʼís refer to as Manifestations of God Baháʼu'lláh writes: God hath ordained the knowledge of these sanctified Beings to be identical with

774-552: A few acts of personal conduct that are prohibited or discouraged by Baháʼu'lláh's teachings: The observance of personal laws, such as prayer or fasting, is the sole responsibility of the individual. There are, however, occasions when a Baháʼí might be administratively expelled from the community for a public disregard of the laws, or gross immorality. Such expulsions are administered by the National Spiritual Assembly and do not involve shunning. While some of

903-456: A focal point for the obligatory prayers . When praying obligatory prayers the members of the Baháʼí Faith face in the direction of the Qiblih. It is a fixed requirement for the recitation of an obligatory prayer, but for other prayers and devotions one may follow what is written in the Qurʼan: "Whichever way ye turn, there is the face of God." "The dead should be buried with their face turned towards

1032-438: A man and a woman and to provide a stable and loving environment for the rearing of children. The Baháʼí teachings on marriage call it a fortress for well-being and salvation and place marriage and the family as the foundation of the structure of human society . Baháʼu'lláh highly praised marriage, discouraged divorce, and required chastity outside of marriage; Baháʼu'lláh taught that a husband and wife should strive to improve

1161-410: A new Manifestation of God would not appear within 1000 years of Baháʼu'lláh's message. Covenant in the Baháʼí Faith refers to two separate binding agreements between God and man. There is a distinction between a Greater Covenant which is made between every messenger from God and his followers concerning the next dispensation , and a Lesser Covenant that concerns successorship of authority within

1290-455: A quick summary of the Baháʼí teachings. They are derived from transcripts of speeches given by ʻAbdu'l-Bahá during his tour of Europe and North America in 1912. The list is not authoritative and a variety of such lists circulate. The Baháʼí Faith affirms gender equality; that men and women are equal. Baháʼu'lláh noted that there was no distinction in the spiritual stations of men and women. ʻAbdu'l-Bahá wrote that both men and women possess

1419-465: A royal decree of 1868 banished all Bábís to either Cyprus or ʻAkká . It was in or near the Ottoman penal colony of ʻAkká, in present-day Israel, that Baháʼu'lláh spent the remainder of his life. After initially strict and harsh confinement, he was allowed to live in a home near ʻAkká, while still officially a prisoner of that city. He died there in 1892. Baháʼís regard his resting place at Bahjí as

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1548-426: A series of divine educators which include, amongst others, Jesus , Buddha and Muhammad . The Baháʼí writings state that the essential nature of God’s messengers is twofold, being at once human and divine. They are divine in that they all come from the same god and expound his teachings. However, whilst they can be viewed in the same light they are also separate individuals known by different names, each fulfilling

1677-433: A somewhat broader and more advanced revelation that is rendered as a text of scripture and passed on through history with greater or lesser reliability but at least true in substance, suited for the time and place in which it was expressed. Specific religious social teachings (for example, the direction of prayer, or dietary restrictions) may be revoked by a subsequent manifestation so that a more appropriate requirement for

1806-596: A strong emphasis on social and ethical issues, a number of foundational texts have been described as mystical . These include the Seven Valleys and the Four Valleys . The Seven Valleys was written to a follower of Sufism , in the style of ʻAttar , the Persian Muslim poet, and sets forth the stages of the soul's journey towards God. It was first translated into English in 1906, becoming one of

1935-620: A successor to be appointed. In 1937, Shoghi Effendi launched a seven-year plan for the Baháʼís of North America, followed by another in 1946. In 1953, he launched the first international plan, the Ten Year World Crusade . 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. He announced in letters during

2064-425: A united world federation, and some practical recommendations to encourage its realization involve the establishment of a universal language, a standard economy and system of measurement, universal compulsory education, and an international court of arbitration to settle disputes between nations. Nationalism, according to this viewpoint, should be abandoned in favor of allegiance to the whole of humankind. With regard to

2193-595: Is a distinct tradition with its own scriptures and laws , and not a sect of another religion. Most religious specialists now see it as an independent religion, with its religious background in Shiʻa Islam being seen as analogous to the Jewish context in which Christianity was established. Baháʼís describe their faith as an independent world religion, differing from the other traditions in its relative age and modern context. The Baháʼí writings state that human beings have

2322-628: Is achieved through his revelations via his Manifestations. In the Baháʼí religion God is often referred to by titles and attributes (e.g. the All-Powerful, or the All-Loving), and there is a substantial emphasis on monotheism . The Baháʼí teachings state that the attributes which are applied to God are used to translate Godliness into human terms and also to help individuals concentrate on their own attributes in worshipping God to develop their potentialities on their spiritual path. According to

2451-654: Is achieved through the recognition of the person of the Manifestation and through the understanding of his revelations via his Manifestations. In the Baháʼí Faith, God is often referred to by titles and attributes (for example, the All-Powerful, or the All-Loving), and there is a substantial emphasis on monotheism . Baháʼí teachings state that these attributes do not apply to God directly but are used to translate Godliness into human terms and to help people concentrate on their own attributes in worshipping God to develop their potential on their spiritual path. According to

2580-445: Is also viewed in harmony with true religion. Though Baháʼu'lláh and ʻAbdu'l-Bahá called for a united world that is free of war, they also anticipate that over the long term, the establishment of a lasting peace (The Most Great Peace) and the purging of the "overwhelming Corruptions" requires that the people of the world unite under a universal faith with spiritual virtues and ethics to complement material civilization. Shoghi Effendi ,

2709-474: Is an important place of pilgrimage for Baháʼís . 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. The writings of the Báb are considered inspired scripture by Baháʼís, though having been superseded by the laws and teachings of Baháʼu'lláh. The main written works translated into English of

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2838-475: Is assumed for all of these texts. Some of Baháʼu'lláh's most important writings include the Kitáb-i-Aqdas ("Most Holy Book"), which defines many laws and practices for individuals and society, the Kitáb-i-Íqán ("Book of Certitude"), which became the foundation of much of Baháʼí belief, and Gems of Divine Mysteries , which includes further doctrinal foundations. Although the Baháʼí teachings have

2967-457: Is described in the Baháʼí writings a single, personal, inaccessible, omniscient, omnipresent, imperishable, and almighty God who is the creator of all things in the universe. The existence of God and the universe is thought to be eternal, without a beginning or end. The Baháʼí teachings state that God is too great for humans to fully comprehend, or to create a complete and accurate image of, by themselves. Therefore, human understanding of God

3096-547: Is driven by their attraction to the beauty of God, as highlighted in Baha'u'llah's mystical writings, such as 'The Seven Valleys'. At the age of fifteen, children brought up in a Baháʼí family are enjoined to investigate different spiritual traditions and are free to choose whether or not they want to remain a Baháʼí. Bahá'ís are forbidden from communicating with Covenant-breakers and discouraged from reading their literature. Additionally, when Bahá'ís publish independent scholarship,

3225-425: Is limited to those attributes and qualities which are perceptible to us, as a result of which knowledge of God is not possible. Furthermore, Baháʼu'lláh states that knowledge of the attributes of God is revealed to humanity through his messengers . As our knowledge of things, even of created and limited things, is knowledge of their qualities and not of their essence, how is it possible to comprehend in its essence

3354-466: Is not an irrational blindness to fact. Shoghi Effendi asserts that Baháʼu'lláh "does not ask us to follow Him blindly" and encourages Baháʼís to "Read His [Baha'u'llah's] words, consider His teachings, and measure their value in the light of contemporary problems". The word faith, for Baha'is indicates a sense of "conscious knowledge" and conviction that is expressed in "the practice of good deeds". Faith must also involve sincerely and wholeheartedly serving

3483-418: Is offered to one single humanity, all of whom possess a rational soul and who only differ according to colour and culture. This idea is fundamental not only to explaining Baháʼí beliefs, but also to explaining the attitude Baháʼís have towards other religions, which they regard as divinely inspired.The acceptance of every race and culture in the world has brought Baháʼí demographics diversity, which has led to

3612-399: Is one religion which God reveals  progressively to mankind through his prophets/messengers as humanity matures and its capacity to understand grows. Baháʼí writings affirm that outward differences between the religions are due to the exigencies of the time and place in which each religion was revealed. Baháʼu'lláh claimed to be the most recent of God’s messengers, but not the last, in

3741-457: Is reflected in his creation. The purpose of creation is for the created to have the capacity to know and love its creator. In Baha'i belief, although human cultures and religions differ on their conceptions of God and his nature, the different references to God nevertheless refer to one and the same Being. The differences, rather than being regarded as irreconcilable constructs of mutually exclusive cultures, are seen as purposefully reflective of

3870-452: Is seen to be expressed in prophecy in the religious scripture of each religion, and each Manifestation of God, such as Abraham , Moses , Jesus , Muhammad , the Báb , and Baháʼu'lláh, prophesied the next Manifestation. In return, the followers of each religion are seen to have a duty to investigate the claims of the following Manifestations. The lesser covenant is a covenant that concerns

3999-399: Is the creator of all things in the universe. The existence of God and the universe are thought to be eternal, with no beginning or end. Even though God is not directly accessible, he is seen as being conscious of creation, with a will and a purpose which is expressed through messengers who are called Manifestations of God . The Baháʼí conception of God is of an "unknowable essence" who

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4128-675: Is the only religion to have grown faster in every United Nations region over the past 100 years than the general population; Bahaʼi [sic] was thus the fastest-growing religion between 1910 and 2010, growing at least twice as fast as the population of almost every UN region." (See Growth of religion .) The largest proportions of the total worldwide Bahá'í population were found in sub-Saharan Africa (29.9%) and South Asia (26.8%), followed by Southeast Asia (12.7%) and Latin America (12.2%). Lesser populations are found in North America (7.6%) and

4257-417: Is the paramount issue in the religious and political conditions of the present world. When ʻAbdu'l-Bahá first traveled to Europe and America in 1911–1912, he gave public talks that articulated the basic principles of the Baháʼí Faith. These included preaching on the equality of men and women, race unity, the need for world peace, and other progressive ideas for the early 20th century. Published summaries of

4386-462: Is the source of all existence and known through the perception of human virtues. In another sense, Baháʼí teachings on God are also panentheistic , seeing signs of God in all things, but the reality of God being exalted and above the physical world. Baháʼí teachings state that God is too great for humans to fully comprehend, and based on them, humans cannot create a complete and accurate image of God by themselves. Therefore, human understanding of God

4515-508: The Tablet to The Hague . Additionally notes taken of a number of his talks were published in various volumes like Paris Talks during his journeys to the West . Baháʼu'lláh's Kitáb-i-Aqdas and The Will and Testament of ʻAbdu'l-Bahá are foundational documents of the Baháʼí administrative order. Baháʼu'lláh established the elected Universal House of Justice , and ʻAbdu'l-Bahá established

4644-648: The Baháʼí teachings . In this vein, in the 1970s, the Ruhi Institute was founded by Baháʼís in Colombia to offer short courses on Baháʼí beliefs, ranging in length from a weekend to nine days. The associated Ruhi Foundation, whose purpose was to systematically "consolidate" new Baháʼís, was registered in 1992, and since the late 1990s the courses of the Ruhi Institute have been the dominant way of teaching

4773-475: The Báb (1819–1850), executed for heresy, who taught that a prophet similar to Jesus and Muhammad would soon appear; Baháʼu'lláh (1817–1892), who claimed to be said prophet in 1863 and had to endure both exile and imprisonment; and his son, ʻAbdu'l-Bahá (1844–1921), who made teaching trips to Europe and the United States after his release from confinement in 1908. After ʻAbdu'l-Bahá's death in 1921,

4902-406: The Qiblih to which they turn in prayer each day. He produced over 18,000 works in his lifetime, in both Arabic and Persian, of which only 8% have been translated into English. 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 . ʻAbbás Effendi

5031-576: The Shah 's army. The Báb himself was imprisoned and eventually executed in 1850. 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. The Báb's tomb, located in Haifa , Israel,

5160-549: The essential worth of all religions and the unity of all people . Established by Baháʼu'lláh , it initially developed in Iran and parts of the Middle East, where it has faced ongoing persecution since its inception. The religion is estimated to have approximately 8 million adherents (known as Baháʼís) as of 2024, spread throughout most of the world's countries and territories. The Baháʼí Faith has three central figures:

5289-435: The unity of humanity . Bahá'ís 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. Religion is thus seen as orderly, unified, and progressive from age to age. Baháʼí writings describe a single, personal, inaccessible, omniscient, omnipresent, imperishable, and almighty God who

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5418-555: The "heroic age" of the religion. On the evening of 22 May 1844, Siyyid ʻAlí-Muhammad of Shiraz gained his first convert and took on the title of "the Báb " ( الباب "Gate"), referring to his later claim to the status of Mahdi of Shiʻa Islam . His followers were therefore known as Bábís . As the Báb's teachings spread, which the Islamic clergy saw as blasphemous, his followers came under increased persecution and torture. The conflicts escalated in several places to military sieges by

5547-668: The "luminous Shrine", "the place around which circumambulate the Concourse on High". The concept exists in other religions. Jews face Jerusalem, more specifically the site of the former Temple of Jerusalem . Muslims face the Kaaba in Mecca, which they also call the Qibla (another transliteration of Qiblih). Baháʼís do not worship the Shrine of Baháʼu'lláh or its contents, the Qiblih is simply

5676-537: The 1950s, the vast majority of Baháʼís were found in Iran; converts from outside Iran were mostly found in India and the Western world. From having roughly 200,000 Baháʼís in 1950, the religion grew to have over 4 million by the late 1980s, with a wide international distribution. As of 2008, there were about 110,000 followers in Iran. Most of the growth in the late 20th century was seeded out of North America by means of

5805-463: The 1970s into the 1990s across some countries in sub-Saharan Africa. The most intense opposition has been in Iran and neighboring Shia -majority countries, considered an attempted genocide by some scholars, watchdog agencies and human rights organizations. Meanwhile, in other times and places, the religion has experienced surges in growth. Before it was banned in certain countries, the religion "hugely increased" in sub-Saharan Africa . In 1989

5934-575: The Arabic is bə- HAH -ee ( / b ə ˈ h ɑː . iː / ). The accent marks above the letters, representing long vowels, derive from a system of transliterating Arabic and Persian script that was adopted by Baháʼís in 1923, and which has been used in almost all Baháʼí publications since. Baháʼís prefer the orthographies Baháʼí , the Báb , Baháʼu'lláh , and ʻAbdu'l-Bahá . When accent marks are unavailable, Bahai , Bahaʼi , or Bahaullah are often used. The Baháʼí Faith traces its beginnings to

6063-702: The Bahá'í administration requires them to submit their writing for " Baháʼí review ," wherein Baháʼís submit their material for vetting before it is published to ensure credibility from the administration's understanding, a practice which has been criticized by Juan Cole . The Bahá'í writings contain many references to spiritual qualities and values that individuals should strive to develop. The elements of good character include, among others, trustworthiness, truthfulness, faithfulness, sincerity, purity of motivation, service, justice, moderation, cleanliness, dignity and avoiding backbiting, balanced by reason and knowledge. God

6192-607: The Baháʼí Faith are the writings of the Báb , Baháʼu'lláh, ʻAbdu'l-Bahá, Shoghi Effendi and the Universal House of Justice , and the authenticated talks of ʻAbdu'l-Bahá. The writings of the Báb and Baháʼu'lláh are considered as divine revelation, the writings and talks of ʻAbdu'l-Bahá and the writings of Shoghi Effendi as authoritative interpretation, and those of the Universal House of Justice as authoritative legislation and elucidation. Some measure of divine guidance

6321-462: The Baháʼí Faith around the world. By 2013 there were over 300 Baháʼí training institutes around the world and 100,000 people participating in courses. The courses of the Ruhi Institute train communities to self-organize classes for the spiritual education of children and youth, among other activities. Additional lines of action the Universal House of Justice has encouraged for the contemporary Baháʼí community include social action and participation in

6450-477: The Baháʼí Faith is given quite prominent emphasis. Its literature gives a principle of universal, or compulsory education. The Baháʼí teachings focus on promoting a moral and spiritual education, in addition to the arts, trades, sciences and professions. Baháʼu'lláh wrote that the spiritual capacities of each individual could not be achieved without spiritual education, and thus children needed to have spiritual/religious education from an early stage. He also stressed

6579-449: The Baháʼí Faith is the Universal House of Justice , situated in Haifa , Israel . The Baháʼí administration has four charter scriptural documents, Key to the function of Baháʼí organization is the principle of consultation. This refers to the method of non-adversarial discussion and decision-making which is described in the Baháʼí writings, and which is used in all levels of Baháʼí administration. Consultation strives to move beyond

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6708-405: The Baháʼí Faith state that it is necessary to eliminate the extremes of wealth and poverty. ʻAbdu'l-Bahá noted both poverty and extreme wealth disallowed for a compassionate society, as poverty demoralized people and extreme wealth overburdened people. Baháʼu'lláh wrote that rich should take care of the poor, as the poor are a divine trust. The Baháʼí teachings state of multiple ways of addressing

6837-419: The Baháʼí community unified and free of any serious fracturing. The Universal House of Justice is the final authority to resolve any disagreements among Baháʼís, and the few attempts at schism have all either become extinct or remained extremely small, numbering a few hundred adherents collectively. The followers of such divisions are regarded as Covenant-breakers and shunned. The canonical texts of

6966-518: 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. He unexpectedly died after a brief illness on 4 November 1957, in London, England, under conditions that did not allow for

7095-485: The Baháʼí teaching that girls should be given priority in education as they potentially would be the children's first educator. In terms of Baháʼí administration, all positions except for membership on the Universal House of Justice are open to men and women. No specific reason has been given for this exception, but ʻAbdu'l-Bahá has stated that there is a wisdom for it, which would eventually become clear. Regardless rates of women serving at national levels of governance in

7224-408: The Baháʼí teachings often include a list of these principles, and lists vary in wording and what is included. The concept of the unity of humankind , seen by Baháʼís as an ancient truth, is the starting point for many of the ideas. The equality of races and the elimination of extremes of wealth and poverty, for example, are implications of that unity. Another outgrowth of the concept is the need for

7353-570: 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 humankind. 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 station and humanity's relationship with its creator. Every human is seen to have a duty to recognize God through his messengers , and to conform to their teachings. Through recognition and obedience, service to humanity and regular prayer and spiritual practice,

7482-457: 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. 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. Religious history is interpreted as a series of dispensations , where each manifestation brings

7611-484: The Baháʼí writings state that the soul becomes closer to God, the spiritual ideal in Baháʼí belief. When a human dies, the soul passes into the next world, where its spiritual development in the physical world becomes a basis for judgment and advancement in the spiritual world. Baháʼís' believe in the eternal life of the soul rather than reincarnation. Heaven and Hell are taught to be spiritual states of nearness or distance from God that describe relationships in this world and

7740-425: The Baháʼí writings stress the importance of world unity and that of its peoples, unity is not equated with uniformity, the writings affirming the value of cultural, national and individual diversity through the principle of " Unity in diversity ," and stating that whilst recognizing the unity of mankind, cultural diversity should be celebrated. Unity in diversity is commonly explained in the Baháʼí writings through

7869-438: The Baháʼí writings this process of revelation is eternal, contrary to many other belief systems which believe in the finality of their prophet/messenger. The general theme of the successive and continuous religions founded by Manifestations of God is that there is an evolutionary tendency, and that each Manifestation of God brings a greater measure of revelation (or religion) to humankind than the previous one. Differences between

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7998-576: The Báb . According to Baháʼí teachings , religion is revealed in an orderly and progressive way by a single God through Manifestations of God , who are the founders of major world religions throughout human history; the Buddha , Jesus , and Muhammad are cited as the most recent of these Manifestations of God before the Báb and Baháʼu'lláh. Baháʼís regard the world's major religions as fundamentally unified in their purpose, but divergent in their social practices and interpretations. The Baháʼí Faith stresses

8127-687: The Báb are compiled in Selections from the Writings of the Báb (1976) out of the estimated 135 works. Mírzá Husayn ʻAlí Núrí was one of the early followers of the Báb, and later took the title of Baháʼu'lláh. In August 1852, a few Bábís made a failed attempt to assassinate the Shah , Naser al-Din Shah Qajar . The Shah responded by ordering the killing and in some cases torturing of about 50 Bábís in Tehran. Further bloodshed spread throughout

8256-463: The Báb is so interwoven into Baháʼí theology and history that Baháʼís celebrate his birth, death, and declaration as holy days , and consider him one of their three central figures (along with Baháʼu'lláh and ʻAbdu'l-Bahá). 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". The Baháʼí community

8385-522: The Divine Reality, which is unlimited? ... Knowing God, therefore, means the comprehension and the knowledge of His attributes, and not of His Reality. This knowledge of the attributes is also proportioned to the capacity and power of man; it is not absolute. The Baháʼí writings abound with names and attributes of God through which human beings are able to have a degree of understanding of him as one, personal yet unknowable supreme reality; however,

8514-519: The Faith becoming the second most widespread faith in the world, its literature being translated into over 800 languages. The Baháʼí view of God is essentially monotheistic . God is the imperishable, uncreated being who is the source of all existence. He is described as "a personal God, unknowable, inaccessible, the source of all Revelation, eternal, omniscient , omnipresent and almighty ". Though transcendent and inaccessible directly, his image

8643-432: The Faith; the basic unity of all religions; the condemnation of all forms of prejudice, whether religious, racial, class or national; the harmony which must exist between religion and science; the equality of men and women, the two wings on which the bird of human kind is able to soar; the introduction of compulsory education; the adoption of a universal auxiliary language ; the abolition of the extremes of wealth and poverty;

8772-582: The Middle East/North Africa (6.2%), while the smallest populations in Europe (2.0%), Australasia (1.6%), and Northeast Asia (0.9%). In 2015, the internationally recognized religion was the second-largest international religion in Iran, Panama, Belize, Bolivia, Zambia, and Papua New Guinea; and the third-largest in Chad, and Kenya. From the Bahá'í Faith's origins in the 19th century until

8901-542: The Ottoman Empire. 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. In 1863, at the time of his removal from Baghdad, Baháʼu'lláh first announced his claim of prophethood to his family and followers, which he said came to him years earlier while in

9030-459: The Qiblih. This also is in accordance with what is practiced in Islam . There is also a congregational prayer to be recited. Besides this there is no other ceremony to be performed" (From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, July 6, 1935). Bah%C3%A1%CA%BC%C3%AD Faith The Baháʼí Faith is a monotheistic religion founded in the 19th century that teaches

9159-655: 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. Since 1963, the Universal House of Justice has been the elected head of the Baháʼí Faith. The general functions of this body are defined through the writings of Baháʼu'lláh and clarified in the writings of Abdu'l-Bahá and Shoghi Effendi. These functions include teaching and education, implementing Baháʼí laws, addressing social issues, and caring for

9288-603: The Universal House of Justice named Bolivia , Bangladesh , Haiti , India , Liberia , Peru , the Philippines , and Taiwan as countries where the growth of the religion had been notable in the previous decades. Bahá'í sources claimed "more than five million" Bahá'ís in 1991–92. However, since around 2001 the Universal House of Justice has prioritized statistics of the community by their levels of activity rather than simply their population of avowed adherents or numbers of local assemblies. Because Bahá'ís do not represent

9417-406: The Universal House of Justice; all other positions are open to male and female Baháʼís. Malietoa Tanumafili II of Samoa , who became Baháʼí in 1968 and died in 2007, was the first serving head of state to embrace the Baháʼí Faith. The teachings of Baháʼu'lláh form the foundation of Baháʼí beliefs. Three principles are central to these teachings: the unity of God , the unity of religion , and

9546-473: The analogy of flowers in a garden in which the different coloured flowers enhance the beauty of the garden. It [the Faith] does not ignore, nor does it attempt to suppress, the diversity of ethnic origins, of climate, of history, of language and tradition, of thought and habit, that differentiate the peoples and nations of the world... Its watchword is unity in diversity... The Baháʼí teachings state that there

9675-426: The appearance of successive messengers was like the annual coming of Spring, bringing new life to a world which has come to neglect the teachings of the previous messenger. He also used an analogy of the world as the human body, and revelation as a robe of "justice and wisdom". Baháʼu'lláh mentioned in the Kitáb-i-Íqán that God will renew the "City of God" about every thousand years, and specifically mentioned that

9804-409: The appointed hereditary Guardianship and clarified the relationship between the two institutions. In his Will, ʻAbdu'l-Bahá appointed Shoghi Effendi, his eldest grandson, as the first Guardian of the Baháʼí Faith. Shoghi Effendi served for 36 years as the head of the religion until his death. Throughout his lifetime, Shoghi Effendi translated Baháʼí texts ; developed global plans for the expansion of

9933-464: The beliefs of others or relying upon superstition and tradition as sources of knowledge. This principle is a fundamental obligation. The Baháʼí writings state that, to truly investigate truth, we must abandon our prejudices and that, since the essential Truth underlying reality is one, independent investigation will also be a powerful step towards the oneness of humanity. The Baha'i teachings state that humans are unique among all other forms of life in

10062-525: The country and hundreds were reported in period newspapers by October, and tens of thousands by the end of December. Baháʼu'lláh was not involved in the assassination attempt but was imprisoned in Tehran until his release was arranged four months later by the Russian ambassador, after which he joined other Bábís in exile in Baghdad. Shortly thereafter he was expelled from Iran and traveled to Baghdad , in

10191-429: The earliest available books of Baháʼu'lláh to the West. The Hidden Words is another book written by Baháʼu'lláh during the same period, containing 153 short passages in which Baháʼu'lláh claims to have taken the basic essence of certain spiritual truths and written them in brief form. As of around 2020, there were about 8 million Bahá'ís in the world. In 2013, two scholars of demography wrote that, "The Baha'i Faith

10320-417: The embracing of cultural diversity since humanity is enriched by the various cultures throughout the world. The Baháʼí teachings also state that having an international auxiliary language would remove the pressure from the natural aggrandizement of majority language groups and thus preserve minority languages, since each person would keep their own mother-tongue, and thus minority cultures. The teachings of

10449-412: The equality of men and women, the two wings on which the bird of human kind is able to soar; the introduction of compulsory education; the adoption of a universal auxiliary language ; the abolition of the extremes of wealth and poverty; the institution of a world tribunal for the adjudication of disputes between nations; the exaltation of work, performed in the spirit of service, to the rank of worship ;

10578-422: The essential elements [which Baháʼu'lláh proclaimed]. Baháʼís highly value unity, and Baháʼu'lláh clearly established rules for holding the community together and resolving disagreements. Within this framework, no individual follower may propose 'inspired' or 'authoritative' interpretations of scripture, and individuals agree to support the line of authority established in Baháʼí scriptures. This practice has left

10707-403: The essential equality of human beings, and the abolition of prejudice. Humanity is seen as essentially one, though highly varied; its diversity of race and culture are seen as worthy of appreciation and acceptance. Doctrines of racism, nationalism, caste, social class, and gender-based hierarchy are seen as artificial impediments to unity. The Baháʼí teachings state that the unification of humanity

10836-399: The evidences of His Truth, and the signs of His glory. Baháʼís believe that God reveals his will to mankind progressively at different times and in different places through messengers/prophets referred to as Manifestations of God, each of whom successively establishes a covenant and a religion .   Each messenger in turn establishes a covenant and founds a religion . According to

10965-496: The extremes of wealth and poverty including institutional means, such as Huqúqu'lláh , as well as creating a sense of mutual concern. While the Baháʼí teachings promote the elimination of extremes of wealth and poverty they do not promote communism and instead legitimize individual property. ʻAbdu'l-Bahá further noted that wealth by itself was not evil, and could be used for good. Baháʼu'lláh taught that every individual must investigate truth for themselves, not blindly following

11094-430: The fact that we possess a "rational soul". Therefore, we must foster this capacity for reason. Abdu'l Baha writes that "God has given us rational minds for this purpose, to penetrate all things, to find truth". Alongside reason, the Baha'i teachings also state that faith is an attribute of the human soul. While it is sometimes assumed that there is an opposition between heart and mind or faith and reason, for Baha'is, faith

11223-455: The family to tribes and then nations. Each messenger proclaimed eternal moral and spiritual truths which were renewed by succeeding messengers, each of whose teachings reflected the distinct spiritual and material evolution of humanity at the time. According to the Baháʼí view, as humanity's spiritual capacity and receptivity has increased over time, the extent to which these spiritual truths are expounded changes. Baháʼu'lláh explained that

11352-470: The foundation of the Baháʼí Faith: The independent search after truth, unfettered by superstition or tradition ; the oneness of the entire human race , the pivotal principle and fundamental doctrine of the Faith; the basic unity of all religions; the condemnation of all forms of prejudice , whether religious, racial, class or national; the harmony which must exist between religion and science ;

11481-401: The function of propagating the teachings and protecting the community. The latter do not serve as clergy, which the Baháʼí Faith does not have. 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. Any male Baháʼí, 18 years or older, is eligible to be elected to

11610-408: The glorification of justice as the ruling principle in human society, and of religion as a bulwark for the protection of all peoples and nations; and the establishment of a permanent and universal peace as the supreme goal of all mankind—. Central to the teachings of the Baháʼí Faith are the three basic assertions, Oneness of God , Oneness of Religion and Oneness of Humanity, also referred to as

11739-447: The head of the religion from 1921 to 1957, wrote the following summary of what he considered to be the distinguishing principles of Baháʼu'lláh's teachings, which, he said, together with the laws and ordinances of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas constitute the bedrock of the Baháʼí Faith: The independent search after truth, unfettered by superstition or tradition; the oneness of the entire human race, the pivotal principle and fundamental doctrine of

11868-402: The importance of secular education in that one's work and vocation is socially important. The Baháʼí teachings state it is the obligation of the parents to provide for the education of their children, and that special importance should be given to the education of girls. As part of the focus on the unity of humankind, the Baháʼí teachings see improved communication between peoples throughout

11997-427: The institution of a world tribunal for the adjudication of disputes between nations; the exaltation of work, performed in the spirit of service, to the rank of worship; the glorification of justice as the ruling principle in human society, and of religion as a bulwark for the protection of all peoples and nations; and the establishment of a permanent and universal peace as the supreme goal of all mankind—these stand out as

12126-570: The knowledge of His own Self. Whoso recognizeth them hath recognized God. Whoso hearkeneth to their call, hath hearkened to the Voice of God, and whoso testifieth to the truth of their Revelation, hath testified to the truth of God Himself. Whoso turneth away from them, hath turned away from God, and whoso disbelieveth in them, hath disbelieved in God ... They are the Manifestations of God amidst men,

12255-418: The lack of communication between peoples of different languages undermines efforts toward world peace due to misunderstandings of language; he urged that humanity should choose an auxiliary language that would be taught in schools in addition to one's own native language, so that people could understand one another. He stated that until an auxiliary language is adopted, complete unity between the various parts of

12384-425: The laws in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas are applicable at the present time, other laws are dependent upon the existence of a predominantly Baháʼí society, such as the punishments for arson and murder. The laws, when not in direct conflict with the civil laws of the country of residence, are binding on every Baháʼí. The purpose of marriage in the Baháʼí Faith is mainly to foster spiritual harmony, fellowship and unity between

12513-400: The leadership of the religion fell to his grandson Shoghi Effendi (1897–1957). Baháʼís annually elect local, regional, and national Spiritual Assemblies that govern the religion's affairs, and every five years an election is held for the Universal House of Justice , the nine-member governing institution of the worldwide Baháʼí community that is located in Haifa , Israel, near the Shrine of

12642-465: The majority of the population in any country, and most often represent only a tiny fraction of countries' total populations, there are problems of under-reporting . In addition, there are examples where the adherents have their highest density among minorities in societies who face their own challenges. 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

12771-413: The next, and not physical places of reward and punishment achieved after death. "Baháʼí administration" or "Baháʼí administrative order" is the administrative system of the religion which directly rests on the teachings of the religion penned by its central figures – especially Baháʼu'lláh and ʻAbdu'l-Bahá. It is split into two parts, the elected and the appointed . The supreme governing institution of

12900-487: The planned migration of individuals. Yet, rather than being a cultural spread from either Iran or North America, in 2001, sociologist David B. Barrett wrote that the Baháʼí Faith is, "A world religion with no racial or national focus". However, the growth has not been even. From the late 1920s to the late 1980s, the religion was banned and adherents of it were harassed in the Soviet -led Eastern Bloc , and then again from

13029-516: The prevalent discourses of society. Annually, on 21 April, the Universal House of Justice sends a ' Ridván ' message to the worldwide Baháʼí community, that updates Baháʼís on current developments and provides further guidance for the year to come. At local, regional, and national levels, Baháʼís elect members to nine-person Spiritual Assemblies , which run the affairs of the religion. There are also appointed individuals working at various levels, including locally and internationally, which perform

13158-433: The principal Baháʼí teachings is the elimination of all forms of prejudice , including racial, gender, economic and social. . The Baháʼí teachings state that while ethnic and cultural diversity will continue to exist, humanity's first allegiance will be with the human race rather than any subsidiary group such as race, nation , or ethnic group . There will be an end not only to war, but also to inter-group rivalry. While

13287-587: The principle in individual, family, and community life. While the Baháʼí teachings assert the full spiritual and social equality of women to men, there are some aspects of gender distinctiveness or gender differentiation in certain areas of life. Men and women are seen as having different strength and abilities that enable them to better fill different roles. Thus there are certain teachings that give preference to men in some limited circumstances and some that give preference to women. One of these aspects relate to biological fact of potential motherhood for women, and thus

13416-527: The principles of the Baháʼí Faith. As of 2020, there are over 38,000 extant documents containing the words of ʻAbdu'l-Bahá, which are of widely varying lengths. Only a fraction of these documents have been translated into English. Among the more well known are The Secret of Divine Civilization , Some Answered Questions , the Tablet to Auguste-Henri Forel , the Tablets of the Divine Plan , and

13545-409: The public interest. Thus in the Baha'i Faith, as one writer puts it, "reason is necessary but not sufficient". Both faith and reason are required to attain reality and truth. Baháʼís are encouraged to meditate and reflect daily on the Baháʼí writings in what has been termed "an eternal or unending process" of seeking the truth. This journey can have a mystical element in which the seeker after truth

13674-422: The pursuit of world peace, Baháʼu'lláh prescribed a world-embracing collective security arrangement. Other Baháʼí social principles revolve around spiritual unity. Religion is viewed as progressive from age to age, but to recognize a newer revelation one has to abandon tradition and independently investigate. Baháʼís are taught to view religion as a source of unity, and religious prejudice as destructive. Science

13803-491: The recognition of the messenger, acceptance and application of his teachings and laws made regarding the successorship of authority within the religion. In Baháʼí belief the manner in which the Covenant of Baháʼu'lláh was clearly put forth is seen as being a fundamental defining feature of the religion and a powerful protector of the unity of the Baháʼí Faith and its adherents. The following principles are frequently listed as

13932-423: The religion after the messenger dies. The greater covenant refers to the covenant made between each messenger from God, which the literature of the Baháʼí Faith name Manifestations of God , and his followers regarding the coming of the next Manifestation from God. According to Baháʼu'lláh God has promised that he will send a succession of messengers that will instruct humankind. In Baháʼí belief, this covenant

14061-419: The religion exceed those in general society: in 2010 the world average for female members of parliaments was 19%, while the world average of women serving on national assemblies had reached rates of 39%. The harmony of science and religion is a central tenet of the Baháʼí teachings. The principle states that that truth is one, and therefore true science and true religion must be in harmony, thus rejecting

14190-509: The religion is the "Baháʼí Faith", not Baháʼí or Baháʼism (the latter, once common among academics, is regarded as derogatory by the Baháʼís). It is derived from the Arabic "Baháʼ" ( بهاء ), a name Baháʼu'lláh chose for himself, referring to the 'glory' or 'splendor' of God. In English, the word is commonly pronounced bə- HYE ( / b ə ˈ h aɪ / ), but the more accurate rendering of

14319-509: The religion of the Báb and the Shaykhi movement that immediately preceded it. The Báb was a merchant who began preaching in 1844 that he was the bearer of a new revelation from God, but was rejected by the generality of Islamic clergy in Iran, ending in his public execution for the crime of heresy. The Báb taught that God would soon send a new messenger, and Baháʼís consider Baháʼu'lláh to be that person. Although they are distinct movements,

14448-478: The revelations brought by the Manifestations of God are not inherent attributes of the Manifestations of God, but are instead attributed to the various worldly, societal and human factors, differences which are   in accordance with the "conditions", "varying requirements of the age" and "spiritual capacity" of humanity. These differences are recognised as being required due to the fact that human society has gradually evolved through higher stages of unification from

14577-402: The same potential for virtues and intelligence, and compared the two genders and the progress of civilization to the two wings of a bird where each wing is needed to provide flight. In this sense, the equality of the sexes is seen as Baháʼís as a spiritual and moral standard that is essential for the unification of the planet and the unfoldment of world order, and in the importance of implementing

14706-405: The same time celebrating its diversity. ʻAbdu'l-Bahá states that the unification of mankind has now become "the paramount issue and question in the religious and political conditions of the world." The Baháʼí writings affirm the biological, political, and spiritual unity of mankind, Baháʼu'lláh stating: Ye are the fruits of one tree, and the leaves of one branch. Deal ye one with another with

14835-478: The spiritual ideal in Baháʼí belief. According to Baháʼí belief when a human dies the soul is permanently separated from the body and carries on in the next world where it is judged based on the person's actions in the physical world. Heaven and Hell are taught to be spiritual states of nearness or distance from God that describe relationships in this world and the next, and not physical places of reward and punishment achieved after death. The Baháʼí writings emphasize

14964-403: The spiritual life of each other. Interracial marriage is also highly praised throughout Baháʼí scripture. Bah%C3%A1%CA%BC%C3%AD teachings During the course of  ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s journeys to the west during 1911 and 1912-1913 he clearly summarized the basic principles underlying Baháʼu’llah’s teachings, which together with the laws and ordinances of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas constitute

15093-477: The teachings nevertheless reject conceptions of him as being anthropomorphic, pantheistic or incarnationist. The Baháʼí teachings state that one draw closer to God through prayer, meditation, study of the holy writings, and service. The Baháʼí writings teach that humanity is one, with all people being equal in the sight of God. The Baháʼí Faith emphasizes that the unity of humanity transcends all divisions of race , nation , gender , caste , and social class , at

15222-417: The time and place may be established. Conversely, certain general principles (for example, neighbourliness, or charity) are seen to be universal and consistent. In Baháʼí belief, this process of progressive revelation will not end; it is, however, believed to be cyclical. Baháʼís do not expect a new manifestation of God to appear within 1000 years of Baháʼu'lláh's revelation. Baháʼís assert that their religion

15351-464: The unity of god , unity of religion, and unity of mankind. The Baháʼí writings state that there is a single, all-powerful god who reveals his message through a series of divine messengers or educators whose teachings are regarded as contributing to the “carrying forward of an ever advancing civilisation", a process which is viewed as a succession of revelations from God and described as "progressive revelation". This one progressively revealed religion

15480-415: The unity of all people as its core teaching; as a result, it explicitly rejects notions of racism, sexism, and nationalism. At the heart of Baháʼí teachings is the desire to establish a unified world order that ensures the prosperity of all nations, races, creeds, and classes. Letters and epistles by Baháʼu'lláh, along with writings and talks by his son ʻAbdu'l-Bahá, have been collected and assembled into

15609-442: The utmost love and harmony, with friendliness and fellowship. The Baháʼí writings stress that the whole human race is one unified unit, one distinct species, Baháʼu'lláh stating, "We created you all from the same dust". The Baháʼí writings further stress that differences between various races, nations, and ethnic groups are either superficial (e.g. skin colour) or are the result of differences in background or education.. One of

15738-399: The varying needs of the societies to which the divine messages were revealed. The Baháʼí teachings state that God is too great for humans to be able to create an accurate conception of him. In Baháʼí understanding, the attributes attributed to God, such as All-Powerful and All-Loving are derived from limited human experiences of power and love. Baháʼu'lláh taught that the knowledge of God

15867-422: The view that science and religion are in conflict. ʻAbdu'l-Bahá asserted that science without religion leads to materialism, and religion without science leads to superstition; he also affirmed that reasoning powers are required to understand the truths of religion. ʻAbdu'l-Bahá condemned civilizations based solely on materialistic beliefs which he said would bring about moral problems. The theme of education in

15996-538: The weak and the poor. Starting with the Nine Year Plan that began in 1964, the Universal House of Justice has directed the work of the Baháʼí community through a series of multi-year international plans . Starting with the Nine-Year Plan that began in 1964, the Baháʼí leadership sought to continue the expansion of the religion but also to "consolidate" new members, meaning increase their knowledge of

16125-424: The world as a vital part of world unity and peace . The Baháʼí teachings see the current multiplicity of languages as a major impediment to unity, since the existence of so many languages cuts the free flow of information and makes it difficult for the average individual to obtain a universal perspective on world events. Baháʼu'lláh taught that the lack of a common language is a major barrier to world unity since

16254-407: The world would continue to be unrealized. Baháʼu'lláh stressed, however, that the auxiliary language should not suppress existing natural languages, and that the concept of unity in diversity must be applied to languages. The Baháʼí teachings state that cultural heterogeneity is compatible with unity, and that at the present time in the history of humankind, the Baháʼí teaching of unity requires

16383-577: Was Baháʼu'lláh's eldest son, known by the title of ʻAbdu'l-Bahá ("Servant of Bahá"). His father left a will that appointed ʻAbdu'l-Bahá as the leader of the Baháʼí community. ʻAbdu'l-Bahá had shared his father's long exile and imprisonment, which continued until ʻAbdu'l-Bahá's own release as a result of the Young Turk Revolution in 1908. Following his release he led a life of travelling, speaking, teaching, and maintaining correspondence with communities of believers and individuals, expounding

16512-465: Was mostly confined to the Iranian and Ottoman empires until after the death of Baháʼu'lláh in 1892, at which time he had followers in 13 countries of Asia and Africa. 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. ʻAbdu'l-Bahá's death in 1921 marks the end of what Baháʼís call

16641-534: Was originally identified by the Báb with " the One Whom God will make manifest ", a messianic figure predicted by the Báb. Baháʼu'lláh , the Prophet-founder of the Baháʼí Faith claimed to be the figure predicted by the Báb. In the Kitáb-i-Aqdas , Baháʼu'lláh confirms the Báb's ordinance and further ordains his final resting-place as the Qiblih for his followers. ʻAbdu'l-Bahá describes that spot as

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