The Bahai Faith

“Ye are the fruits of one tree, and the leaves of one branch. Deal ye one with another with the utmost love and harmony, with friendliness and fellowship.”—Bahá’u’lláh (Gleanings, p. 288)
The Bahá’í Faith is an independent world religion devoted to building unity among all people. The Bahá’í Writings proclaim the oneness of the human family and the vital importance of eliminating all prejudices, including those of race, religion, class, and gender. Bahá’ís see unity as an essential prerequisite to the inevitable establishment of world peace.

The Bahá’í Teachings were set forth in the mid-nineteenth century by Bahá’u’lláh, “the Glory of God.” Born Mírzá Husayn-‘Alí, an Iranian nobleman, Bahá’u’lláh put aside a life of wealth and prestige in favor of service to humanity. Known for His generosity and wisdom, He was called “Father of the Poor” and spent His days providing comfort to the needy.
In 1844, word of a new religion, the Bábí Faith, reached Bahá’u’lláh. Siyyid ‘Alí-Muhammad, the Báb (“the Gate”) announced that He was the new divine Messenger promised by Muhammad. The Báb prepared His followers for another Manifestation of God Who would come after Him and unite all humanity. When Bahá’u’lláh learned of the Báb’s Message, He became a Bábí and began to champion the new faith. The Bábís faced intense persecution by the Muslim authorities, and thousands gave their lives as a result of their beliefs. The Báb was executed by a firing squad of 750 soldiers in 1850.

Caught up in the maelstrom of persecution, Bahá’u’lláh suffered four torturous months of imprisonment in a notorious underground dungeon known as the Síyáh-Chál, or “Black Pit.” Under the weight of heavy chains, in abominable conditions, as His fellow Bábís were daily sent to the executioner, Bahá’u’lláh witnessed a breathtaking vision. A glorious “Maid of Heaven” appeared, announcing Bahá’u’lláh’s Station as God’s newest Manifestation. Like the dove that appeared to Jesus Christ and the Angel Gabriel’s visitation to Muhammad, this vision marked the beginning of Bahá’u’lláh’s Revelation.

Upon release from prison, Bahá’u’lláh faced immediate exile to Baghdad. Thus began nearly forty years of exile and hardship. Bahá’u’lláh and His family were forced farther and farther from their home by authorities bent on squelching the Bahá’í Faith and its loyal adherents. Finally, Bahá’u’lláh and His companions arrived in the Holy Land, confined to the dismal penal colony of Acre, Israel. Each successive exile, though intended to silence Bahá’u’lláh, actually led to the growth of His Faith, as larger numbers of people became acquainted with the Bahá’í Teachings.
Throughout His life, Bahá’u’lláh revealed a constant stream of Sacred Writings. He confirmed the essential unity of all religions, explained mysteries of the Bible and the Koran, and proclaimed the exalted Station of God’s previous Manifestations, including Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad. He encouraged the independent investigation of truth. In Tablets sent to several of the world’s kings and rulers, He urged them to resolve their differences and presented principles for establishing world peace. He brought to light new standards of unity, promoting the oneness of humanity, the equality of women and men, universal education, the elimination of extreme wealth and poverty, and the adoption of a universal auxiliary language.

In the last years of His life, restrictions in Acre relaxed enough to allow Bahá’u’lláh to rent a home in the countryside, where He continued to reveal His Teachings and meet with visitors until His passing in 1892. In His Will, Bahá’u’lláh appointed His eldest Son, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá (“Servant of Bahá”), as Leader of the Bahá’í community and authorized Interpreter of the Bahá’í Writings. In doing so, Bahá’u’lláh became the only Manifestation of God to leave written instructions about the future of His Faith, thereby protecting the Bahá’í Faith from schism.
‘Abdu’l-Bahá, widely respected for His loving service to the Bahá’ís and to the larger community of Acre, guided the Bahá’ís until His passing in 1921. His appointed successor was Shoghi Effendi, His grandson, who served the Faith as Guardian until his death in 1956. The Universal House of Justice, the international governing body of the Faith, was elected in 1963. This nine-member institution is reelected every five years.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá and Shoghi Effendi assisted the worldwide Bahá’í community in building local and national administrative bodies. The Universal House of Justice continues this guidance today. In every city where nine or more adult Bahá’ís reside, a Local Spiritual Assembly is elected annually to direct local activities. Each country elects a similar body, known as the National Spiritual Assembly.

Today Bahá’ís are found in 236 countries and territories, and National Spiritual Assemblies number 182.* Bahá’ís around the globe are engaged in social and humanitarian service projects, striving to put the Bahá’í Teachings into action that benefits humanity. Bahá’ís also endeavor to create a warm and welcoming community life with devotional meetings, study classes for children and adults, and fellowship that celebrates unity in diversity.

To learn more about the Bahá’í Faith, contact the Bahá’í House of Worship or the Bahá’í community in your area. Further information is also available at http://www.bahai.us and http://www.bahai.org/. To order Bahá’í books, magazines, or videos, call the Bahá’í Distribution Service at 1-800-999-9019 or email bds@usbnc.org for more details.