Bahá Í Faith

Baháʼí Faith
The Baháʼí Faith is a relatively new religion[a] teaching

the essential worth of all religions and the unity of all
people.[b] Established by Baháʼu'lláh in the 19th century,
it initially developed in Iran and parts of the Middle East,
where it has faced ongoing persecution since its
inception.[13] The religion is estimated to have 5–8
million adherents, known as Baháʼís, spread throughout
most of the world's countries and territories.
The Baháʼí Faith has three central figures: the Báb (1819–
1850), considered a herald who taught his followers that
God would soon send a prophet similar to Jesus or Seat of the Universal House of Justice,
Muhammad, and was executed by Iranian authorities in governing body of the Baháʼís, in Haifa,
1850; Baháʼu'lláh (1817–1892), who claimed to be that Israel
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. After ʻAbdu'l-Bahá's death in 1921, 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 supreme governing institution of the worldwide Baháʼí community that
is located in Haifa, Israel, near the Shrine of 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
history; Buddha, Jesus, and Muhammad are noted as the most recent of these before the Báb and
Baháʼu'lláh. Baháʼís regard the world's major religions as fundamentally unified in purpose, though
varied in social practices and interpretations. The Baháʼí Faith stresses the unity of all people,
explicitly rejecting racism, sexism, and nationalism. At the heart of Baháʼí teachings is the goal of a
unified world order that ensures the prosperity of all nations, races, creeds, and classes.[14][15]
Letters which were written by Baháʼu'lláh and sent to various people, including some heads of
state, have been collected and assembled into a canon of Baháʼí scripture. This collection of
scripture includes works by his son ʻAbdu'l-Bahá, and 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.
Contents
Etymology
Beliefs
God
Religion
Human beings
Social principles
Covenant
Sacred texts
History
Báb
Baháʼu'lláh
ʻAbdu'l-Bahá
Shoghi Effendi
Universal House of Justice
Demographics
Social practices
Exhortations
Prohibitions
Marriage
Work
Places of worship
Calendar
Symbols
Socio-economic development
United Nations
Persecution
Iran
Egypt
See also
Notes
Citations
References
Books
Encyclopedias
Journals
News media
Other
Further reading
External links
Etymology
The word Baháʼí (‫ )بهائی‬is 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 the religion is the Baháʼí Faith, not Baháʼí or
Baha'ism (the latter, once common among academics, is regarded as derogatory by the
Baháʼís).[16][17] 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
(/bəˈhaɪ/), but the more accurate rendering of the Arabic is bə-HAH-ee (/bəˈhɑːʔiː/).
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.[16] Baháʼís prefer the orthographies Baháʼí, the Báb,
Baháʼu'lláh, and ʻAbdu'l-Bahá. "Bahai", "Bahais", "Bahaʼi", "the Bab", "Bahaullah" and "Bahaʼullah"
are often used when accent marks are unavailable.
Beliefs
The teachings of Baháʼu'lláh form the foundation of Baháʼí belief.
Three principles are central to these teachings: the unity of God, the
unity of religion, and the unity of humanity.[18] 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. Religion is
thus seen as orderly, unified, and progressive from age to age.[19]
God
The Baháʼí writings describe a single, personal, inaccessible,

omniscient, omnipresent, imperishable, and almighty God who is the Baháʼí House of Worship in
creator of all things in the universe.[20] The existence of God and the Ingleside, Sydney, Australia
universe is thought to be eternal, without a beginning or end. [21]
Though inaccessible directly, God is nevertheless seen as conscious of
creation, with a will and purpose expressed through messengers called Manifestations of God.[22]
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 is
achieved through his revelations via his Manifestations.[23][24] 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 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.[23][24]
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.[23]
Religion
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.[25]
Religious history is interpreted as a series of dispensations, where
each manifestation brings 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,[26] suited for the time and place in which it was
expressed.[21] 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
the time and place may be established. Conversely, certain general
Symbols of many religions principles (for example, neighbourliness, or charity) are seen to be
on a pillar of the Baháʼí universal and consistent. In Baháʼí belief, this process of progressive
House of Worship in revelation will not end; it is, however, believed to be cyclical. Baháʼís
Wilmette, Illinois, U.S.
do not expect a new manifestation of God to appear within 1000 years
of Baháʼu'lláh's revelation.[27]
Baháʼís assert that their religion is a distinct tradition with its own scriptures and laws, and not a
sect of another religion.[28] The religion was initially seen as a sect of Islam because of its origins.
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.[29]
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.[30]
Baháʼu'lláh is believed to have fulfilled the messianic expectations of these precursor faiths.[31]
Human beings
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. Every human is seen to have a duty to recognize God
through his Messengers, and to conform to their teachings.[32]
Through recognition and obedience, service to humanity and
The ringstone symbol, representing
regular prayer and spiritual practice, the Baháʼí writings state
humanity's connection to God.
that the soul becomes closer to God, 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.[33]
The Baháʼí writings emphasize 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.[18] The Baháʼí
teachings state that the unification of humanity is the paramount issue in the religious and political
conditions of the present world.[21]
Social principles
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.[34] 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 the Baháʼí teachings often include a list of these principles,
and lists vary on wording and what is included.[35]
The concept of the unity of mankind, 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.[36] Another outgrowth of the concept is the need for 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.[37] Nationalism, according to this viewpoint, should be abandoned in favor of
allegiance to the whole of mankind. With regard to the pursuit of world peace, Baháʼu'lláh
prescribed a world-embracing collective security arrangement.[38]
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 is also viewed in harmony with true religion.[35] 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.[38]
Shoghi Effendi, 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 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; 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
the essential elements [which Baháʼu'lláh proclaimed].[39][40]
Covenant
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.[41] This practice has left the Baháʼí community unified
and avoided any serious fracturing.[42] The Universal House of Justice is the final authority to
resolve any disagreements among Baháʼís, and the dozen or so attempts at schism[43] have all
either become extinct or remained extremely small, numbering a few hundred collectively.[44][45]
The followers of such divisions are regarded as Covenant-breakers and shunned.[46]
Sacred texts
The canonical texts of 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 is assumed for all of these texts.[47]
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,[48] the Kitáb-i-Íqán ("Book of
Certitude"), which became the foundation of much of Baháʼí belief,[49] and Gems of Divine
Mysteries, which includes further doctrinal foundations. Although the Baháʼí teachings have a
strong emphasis on social and ethical issues, a number of foundational texts have been described
as mystical.[21] These include the Seven Valleys and the Four Valleys.[50] The Seven Valleys was
written to a follower of Sufism, in the style of ʻAttar, the Persian Muslim poet,[51] and sets forth the
stages of the soul's journey towards God. It was first translated into English in 1906, becoming one
of 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.[52]
History
Baháʼí timeline
The Baháʼí Faith traces its beginnings to the religion of the Báb and the 1817 Baháʼu'lláh
Shaykhi movement that immediately preceded it. The Báb was a merchant was born in
who began preaching in 1844 that he was the bearer of a new revelation from Tehran, Iran
God, but was rejected by the generality of Islamic clergy in Iran, ending in his
public execution for the crime of heresy.[53] The Báb taught that God would 1819 The Báb was
born in Shiraz,
soon send a new messenger, and Baháʼís consider Baháʼu'lláh to be that Iran
person.[54] Although they are distinct movements, the Báb is so interwoven
into Baháʼí theology and history that Baháʼís celebrate his birth, death, and 1844 The Báb
declaration as holy days, consider him one of their three central figures declares his
mission in
(along with Baháʼu'lláh and ʻAbdu'l-Bahá), and a historical account of the Shiraz, Iran
Bábí movement (The Dawn-Breakers) is considered one of three books that
every Baháʼí should "master" and read "over and over again".[55] 1850 The Báb is
publicly
The Baháʼí community was mostly confined to the Iranian and Ottoman executed in
Tabriz, Iran
empires until after the death of Baháʼu'lláh in 1892, at which time he had
followers in 13 countries of Asia and Africa.[56] Under the leadership of his 1852 Thousands of
son, ʻAbdu'l-Bahá, the religion gained a footing in Europe and America, and Bábís are
was consolidated in Iran, where it still suffers intense persecution.[13] executed
ʻAbdu'l-Bahá's death in 1921 marks the end of what Baháʼís call the "heroic Baháʼu'lláh is
imprisoned
age" of the religion.[57] and forced into
exile
Báb 1863 Baháʼu'lláh first

announces his
claim to divine
On the evening of 22 May 1844, Siyyid ʻAlí- revelation in
Muhammad of Shiraz gained his first convert Baghdad, Iraq.
and took on the title of "the Báb" (‫" الباب‬Gate"), He is forced to
referring to his later claim to the status of Mahdi leave Baghdad
for Istanbul,
of Shiʻa Islam.[13] His followers were therefore then
known as Bábís. As the Báb's teachings spread, Adrianople
which the Islamic clergy saw as blasphemous, his
followers came under increased persecution and 1868 Baháʼu'lláh is
torture.[21] The conflicts escalated in several forced into
harsher
places to military sieges by the Shah's army. The confinement in
Báb himself was imprisoned and eventually ʻAkká, in
executed in 1850.[58] Palestine
Baháʼís see the Báb as the forerunner of the 1892 Baháʼu'lláh

Shrine of the Báb in Haifa,
dies near
Israel Baháʼí Faith, because the Báb's writings ʻAkká
introduced the concept of "He whom God shall His Will
make manifest", a messianic figure whose appointed
coming, according to Baháʼís, was announced in the scriptures of all of the ʻAbdu'l-Bahá
as successor
world's great religions, and whom Baháʼu'lláh, the founder of the Baháʼí
Faith, claimed to be.[21] The Báb's tomb, located in Haifa, Israel, is an 1908 ʻAbdu'l-Bahá is
important place of pilgrimage for Baháʼís. The remains of the Báb were released from
brought secretly from Iran to the Holy Land and eventually interred in the prison
tomb built for them in a spot specifically designated by Baháʼu'lláh.[59] The 1921 ʻAbdu'l-Bahá
dies in Haifa
writings of the Báb are considered inspired scripture by Baháʼís, though
His Will
having been superseded by the laws and teachings of Baháʼu'lláh.[60] The appointed
main written works translated into English of the Báb are compiled in Shoghi Effendi
Selections from the Writings of the Báb (1976) out of the estimated 135 as Guardian
works.[61][62]
1957 Shoghi Effendi
dies in
England
Baháʼu'lláh
1963 The Universal
Mírzá Husayn ʻAlí Núrí was one of the early followers of the Báb,[63] and later House of
[64] [65] Justice is first
took the title of Baháʼu'lláh. In August 1852, a few Bábís made a failed elected
attempt to assassinate the Shah.[66] The Persian government responded by
killing and in some cases torturing about 50 Bábís in Tehran initially,[66]
further bloodshed was spread around the country: hundreds were reported in period newspapers
by October, and tens of thousands by the end of December.[67] 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.[68]
Shortly thereafter he was expelled from Iran and traveled to Baghdad, in the Ottoman Empire.[18]
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 a dungeon of Tehran.[18] 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.[69]
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 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.[70] He died there in 1892. Baháʼís
regard his resting place at Bahjí as the Qiblih to which they turn in prayer each day.[71]
He produced over 18,000 works in his lifetime, in both Arabic and Persian, of which only 8% have
been translated into English.[72] 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.[73]
ʻAbdu'l-Bahá
ʻAbbás Effendi 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.[74] 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 the principles of the Baháʼí Faith.[18]
As of 2020, there are over 38,000 extant documents containing
the words of ʻAbdu'l-Bahá, which are of widely varying
lengths.[75] Only a fraction of these documents have been
translated into English.[62] 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 the Tablet to The Hague.[75] Additionally notes taken
of a number of his talks were published in various volumes like
Paris Talks during his journeys to the West.
Shoghi Effendi
Baháʼu'lláh's Kitáb-i-Aqdas and The Will and Testament of ʻAbdu'l-Bahá

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 the appointed hereditary Guardianship
and clarified the relationship between the two institutions.[76] 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.[77]
Throughout his lifetime, Shoghi Effendi 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.[18] 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.[78][79]
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.[80] 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.
Universal House of Justice
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 the weak and the
poor.[82]
The Baháʼí House of Worship,
Starting with the Nine Year Plan that began in 1964, the
Wilmette, Illinois, is the oldest
Universal House of Justice has directed the work of the Baháʼí
surviving Baháʼí House of Worship
community through a series of multi-year international
in the world.[81]
plans.[83][84] 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 the
Baháʼí teachings.[85] 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.[85] 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 the Baháʼí Faith around the world.[85] By 2013 there were over 300
Baháʼí training institutes around the world and 100,000 people participating in courses.[86] The
courses of the Ruhi Institute train communities to self-organize classes for the spiritual education
of children and youth, among other activities.[86] Additional lines of action the Universal House of
Justice has encouraged for the contemporary Baháʼí community include social action and
participation in the prevalent discourses of society.[87]
Annually, on 21 April, the Universal House of Justice sends a 'Ridván' message to the worldwide
Baháʼí community,[88] that updates Baháʼís on current developments and provides further
guidance for the year to come.[c]
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 the function of propagating the teachings and
protecting the community. The latter do not serve as clergy, which the Baháʼí Faith does not
have.[21][89] 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.[90] 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.[91]
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.[92]
Demographics
As of around 2020, there were about 8 million Bahá'ís
in the world.[93][94] In 2013, two scholars of
demography wrote that, "The Baha'i Faith 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."[95] (See Growth of religion.)
The largest proportions of the total world Bahá'í The Lotus Temple, the first Baháʼí House of
population [96] were found in sub-Saharan Africa Worship of India, built in 1986. It attracts an
(29.9%) and South Asia (26.8%), followed by estimated 4.5 million visitors a year.
Southeast Asia (12.7%) and Latin America (12.2%).
Lesser populations are found in North America (7.6%)
and 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,[97] Panama,[98] Belize,[99] Bolivia,[100]
Zambia,[101] and Papua New Guinea;[102] and the third-largest in Chad,[103] and Kenya.[104]
From the Bahá'í Faith's origins in the 19th century until the 1950s, the vast majority of Baháʼís
were found in Iran; converts from outside Iran were mostly found in India and the Western
world.[105] From having roughly 200,000 Baháʼís in 1950,[106] the religion grew to having over 4
million by the late 1980s, with a widespread international distribution.[105][107] Most of the growth
in the late 20th century was seeded out of North America by means of the planned migration of
individuals.[108] Yet, rather than being a cultural spread from either Iran or North America, in
2001, sociologist David Barrett wrote that the Baháʼí Faith is, "A world religion with no racial or
national focus".[109] However, the growth has not been even. From the late 1920s to the late 1980s
the religion was harassed and banned in the Soviet-led Eastern Bloc,[110][111][112] and then again
from the 1970s into the 1990s across some countries in sub-Saharan Africa.[83][113] The most
intense opposition has been in Iran and neighboring Shia-majority countries,[114] considered by
some scholars and watch agencies as a case of attempted genocide.[13][115][116][117] Meanwhile in
other times or places the religion has experienced surges in growth. Before it was banned in certain
countries, the religion "hugely increased" in sub-Saharan Africa.[118] In 1989 the Universal House
of Justice named Bolivia, Bangladesh, Haiti, India, Liberia, Peru, the Philippines, and Taiwan as
countries where growth in the religion had been notable in the previous decades.[119] Bahá'í
sources claimed "more than five million" Bahá'ís in 1991-2.[120] 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.[121][122][123]
Because Bahá'ís do not represent the majority of the population in any country,[124] and most often
represent only a tiny fraction of countries' total populations,[125] there are problems of under-
reporting.[126] In addition, there are examples where the adherents have their highest density
among minorities in societies who face their own challenges.[127][128]
Social practices
Exhortations
The following are a few examples from Baháʼu'lláh's teachings on personal conduct that are
required or encouraged of his followers:
Baháʼís over the age of 15 should individually recite an obligatory prayer each day, using fixed
words and form.[129]
In addition to the daily obligatory prayer, Baháʼís should offer daily devotional prayer and
should meditate and study sacred scripture.[130]
Adult Baháʼís should observe a Nineteen-Day Fast each year during daylight hours in March,
with certain exemptions.[131]
There are specific requirements for Baháʼí burial that include a specified prayer to be read at
the interment. Embalming or cremating the body is strongly discouraged.
Baháʼís should make a 19% voluntary payment on any wealth in excess of what is necessary
to live comfortably, after the remittance of any outstanding debt. The payments go to the
Universal House of Justice.[131]
Prohibitions
The following are a few examples from Baháʼu'lláh's teachings on personal conduct that is
prohibited or discouraged:
Backbiting and gossip are prohibited and denounced.[132]

Drinking or selling alcohol is forbidden.[133]
Sexual intercourse is only permitted between a husband and wife, and thus premarital,
extramarital, or homosexual intercourse are forbidden.[134] (See also Homosexuality and the
Baháʼí Faith)
Participation in partisan politics is forbidden.[135]
Begging as a profession is forbidden.[136]
The observance of personal laws, such as prayer or fasting, is

the sole responsibility of the individual.[137] 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.[138]
Baháʼí gardens in Haifa, Israel
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.[139] The laws, when
not in direct conflict with the civil laws of the country of residence, are binding on every
Baháʼí.[140][141]
Marriage
The purpose of marriage in the Baháʼí Faith is mainly to foster spiritual harmony, fellowship and
unity between a man and a woman and to provide a stable and loving environment for the rearing
of children.[142] 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.[143]
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 the spiritual life of
each other.[144] Interracial marriage is also highly praised throughout Baháʼí scripture.[143]
Baháʼís intending to marry are asked to obtain a thorough understanding of the other's character
before deciding to marry.[143] Although parents should not choose partners for their children, once
two individuals decide to marry, they must receive the consent of all living biological parents,
whether they are Baháʼí or not. The Baháʼí marriage ceremony is simple; the only compulsory part
of the wedding is the reading of the wedding vows prescribed by Baháʼu'lláh which both the groom
and the bride read, in the presence of two witnesses.[143] The vows are "We will all, verily, abide by
the Will of God."[143]
Work
Baháʼu'lláh prohibited a mendicant and ascetic lifestyle.[136] Monasticism is forbidden, and Baháʼís
are taught to practice spirituality while engaging in useful work.[21] 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.[21]
Places of worship
Bahá'í devotional meetings in most communities currently take place in people's homes or Bahá'í
centres, but in some communities Bahá'í Houses of Worship (also known as Bahá'í temples) have
been built.[145] Bahá'í Houses of Worship are places where both Baháʼís and non-Baháʼís can
express devotion to God.[146] They are also known by the name Mashriqu'l-Adhkár (Arabic for
"Dawning-place of the remembrance of God").[147] Only the holy scriptures of the Bahá'í Faith and
other religions can be read or chanted inside, and while readings and prayers that have been set to
music may be sung by choirs, no musical instruments may be played inside.[148] Furthermore, no
sermons may be delivered, and no ritualistic ceremonies
practiced.[148] All Bahá'í Houses of Worship have a nine-sided
shape (nonagon) as well as nine pathways leading outward and
nine gardens surrounding them.[149] There are currently eight
"continental" Bahá'í Houses of Worship and some local Bahá'í
Houses of Worship completed or under construction.[79] The
Bahá'í writings also envision Bahá'í Houses of Worship being
surrounded by institutions for humanitarian, scientific, and
educational pursuits,[147] though none has yet been built up to Baháʼí House of Worship,
such an extent.[150] Langenhain, Germany
Calendar
The Baháʼí calendar is based upon the calendar established by the Báb. The year consists of 19
months, each having 19 days, with four or five intercalary days, to make a full solar year.[18] The
Baháʼí New Year corresponds to the traditional Iranian New Year, called Naw Rúz, and occurs on
the vernal equinox, near 21 March, at the end of the month of fasting. Once every Baháʼí month
there is a gathering of the Baháʼí community called a Nineteen Day Feast with three parts: first, a
devotional part for prayer and reading from Baháʼí scripture; second, an administrative part for
consultation and community matters; and third, a social part for the community to interact
freely.[145]
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).[151] The Baháʼí week is familiar in that it
consists of seven days, with each day of the week also named after an attribute of God. Baháʼís
observe 11 Holy Days throughout the year, with work suspended on 9 of these. These days
commemorate important anniversaries in the history of the religion.[152]
Symbols
The symbols of the religion are derived from the Arabic

word Baháʼ (‫" بهاء‬splendor" or "glory"), with a
numerical value of nine. This numerical connection to
the name of Baháʼu'lláh, as well as nine being the
highest single-digit, symbolizing completeness, are
why the most common symbol of the religion is a nine-
pointed star, and Baháʼí temples are nine-
sided.[153][25] The nine-pointed star is commonly set
on Baháʼí gravestones.[154]
The calligraphy of the Greatest Name
The ringstone symbol and calligraphy of the Greatest
Name are also often encountered. The ringstone
symbol consists of two five-pointed stars interspersed
with a stylized Baháʼ whose shape is meant to recall God, the Manifestation of God, and the world
of man;[154] the Greatest Name is a calligraphic rendering of the phrase Yá Baháʼu'l-Abhá (‫يا بهاء‬
‫" األبهى‬O Glory of the Most Glorious!") and is commonly found in Baháʼí temples and homes.[154]
Socio-economic development
Since its inception the Baháʼí Faith has had
involvement in socio-economic development
beginning by giving greater freedom to women,[156]
promulgating the promotion of female education as a
priority concern,[157] and that involvement was given
practical expression by creating schools, agricultural
co-ops, and clinics.[156]
The religion entered a new phase of activity when a

message of the Universal House of Justice dated 20
October 1983 was released. Baháʼís were urged to seek
out ways, compatible with the Baháʼí teachings, in
Students of School for Girls, Tehran, 13
which they could become involved in the social and
August 1933. This photograph may be of the
economic development of the communities in which
students of Tarbiyat School for Girls which was
they lived. Worldwide in 1979 there were 129 officially
established by the Baháʼí Community of
recognized Baháʼí socio-economic development Tehran in 1911; the school was closed by
projects. By 1987, the number of officially recognized government decree in 1934.[155]
development projects had increased to 1482.[83]
Current initiatives of social action include activities in

areas like health, sanitation, education, gender equality, arts and media, agriculture, and the
environment.[158] Educational projects include schools, which range from village tutorial schools to
large secondary schools, and some universities.[159] By 2017, the Baháʼí Office of Social and
Economic Development estimated that there were 40,000 small-scale projects, 1,400 sustained
projects, and 135 Baháʼí-inspired organizations.[158]
United Nations
Baháʼu'lláh wrote of the need for world government in this age of humanity's collective life.
Because of this emphasis the international Baháʼí community has chosen to support efforts of
improving international relations through organizations such as the League of Nations and the
United Nations, with some reservations about the present structure and constitution of the
UN.[159] 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:[160][161]
United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)

United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM)
United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
World Health Organization (WHO)
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.[161] 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.
The Baháʼí Faith has also undertaken joint development programs with various other United
Nations agencies. In the 2000 Millennium Forum of the United Nations a Baháʼí was invited as one
of the only non-governmental speakers during the summit.[162]
Persecution
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. The most severe persecutions
have occurred in Iran, where more than 200 Baháʼís
were executed between 1978 and 1998.[163] The rights
of Baháʼís have been restricted to greater or lesser
extents in numerous other countries, including Egypt,
Afghanistan,[164] Indonesia,[165] Iraq,[166]
Morocco,[167] Yemen,[168] and several countries in sub-
Saharan Africa.[83]
The Baháʼí cemetery in Yazd after its
desecration by the Iranian government
Iran
The most enduring persecution of Baháʼís has been in

Iran, the birthplace of the religion.[169] When the Báb started attracting a large following, the clergy
hoped to stop the movement from spreading by stating that its followers were enemies of God.
These clerical directives led to mob attacks and public executions.[13] Starting in the twentieth
century, in addition to repression aimed at individual Baháʼís, centrally directed campaigns that
targeted the entire Baháʼí community and its institutions were initiated.[170] In one case in Yazd in
1903 more than 100 Baháʼís were killed.[171] Baháʼí schools, such as the Tarbiyat boys' and girls'
schools in Tehran, were closed in the 1930s and 1940s, Baháʼí marriages were not recognized and
Baháʼí texts were censored.[170][172]
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.[d] An approved and coordinated anti-Baháʼí campaign (to incite public passion against
the Baháʼís) started in 1955 and it included the spreading of anti-Baháʼí propaganda on national
radio stations and in official newspapers.[170] During that campaign, initiated by Mulla
Muhammad Taghi Falsafi, the Bahá'í center in Tehran was demolished at the orders of Tehran
military governor, General Teymur Bakhtiar.[173] In the late 1970s the Shah's regime consistently
lost legitimacy due to criticism that it was pro-Western. As the anti-Shah movement gained ground
and support, revolutionary propaganda was spread which alleged that some of the Shah's advisors
were Baháʼís.[174] Baháʼís were portrayed as economic threats, and as supporters of Israel and the
West, and societal hostility against the Baháʼís increased.[170][175]
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.[163] Baháʼí cemeteries have been desecrated and property has been seized and
occasionally demolished, including the House of Mírzá Buzurg, Baháʼu'lláh's father.[13] The House
of the Báb in Shiraz, one of three sites to which Baháʼís perform pilgrimage, has been destroyed
twice.[13][176] In May 2018, the Iranian authorities expelled a young woman student from
university of Isfahan because she was Baháʼí.[177] In March 2018, two more Baháʼí students were
expelled from universities in the cities of Zanjan and Gilan because of their religion.
According to a US panel, attacks on Baháʼís in Iran increased under Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's

presidency.[178][179] The United Nations Commission on Human Rights revealed an October 2005
confidential letter from Command Headquarters of the Armed Forces of Iran ordering its members
to identify Baháʼís and to monitor their activities. Due to these actions, the Special Rapporteur of
the United Nations Commission on Human Rights stated on 20 March 2006, that she "also
expresses concern that the information gained as a result of such monitoring will be used as a basis
for the increased persecution of, and discrimination against, members of the Baháʼí faith, in
violation of international standards. The Special Rapporteur is concerned that this latest
development indicates that the situation with regard to religious minorities in Iran is, in fact,
deteriorating."[180]
On 14 May 2008, members of an informal body known as the "Friends" that oversaw the needs of
the Baháʼí community in Iran were arrested and taken to Evin prison.[178][181] The Friends court
case has been postponed several times, but was finally underway on 12 January 2010.[182] Other
observers were not allowed in the court. Even the defense lawyers, who for two years have had
minimal access to the defendants, had difficulty entering the courtroom. 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.[182]
Further sessions were held on 7 February 2010,[183] 12 April 2010[184] and 12 June 2010.[185] On 11
August 2010 it became known that the court sentence was 20 years imprisonment for each of the
seven prisoners[186] which was later reduced to ten years.[187] After the sentence, they were
transferred to Gohardasht prison.[188] In March 2011 the sentences were reinstated to the original
20 years.[189] On 3 January 2010, Iranian authorities detained ten more members of the Baha'i
minority, reportedly including Leva Khanjani, granddaughter of Jamaloddin Khanjani, one of
seven Baha'i leaders jailed since 2008 and in February, they arrested his son, Niki Khanjani.[190]
The Iranian government claims that the Baháʼí Faith is not a religion, but is instead a political
organization, and hence refuses to recognize it as a minority religion.[191] However, the
government has never produced convincing evidence supporting its characterization of the Baháʼí
community.[192] The Iranian government also accuses the Baháʼí Faith of being associated with
Zionism.[193] These accusations against the Baháʼís appear to lack basis in historical fact[e],[175][194]
with some arguing they were invented by the Iranian government in order to use the Baháʼís as
"scapegoats".[195]
In 2019, the Iranian government made it impossible for the Baháʼís to legally register with the
Iranian state. National identity card applications in Iran no longer include the “other religions”
option effectively making the Baháʼí Faith unrecognized by the state.[196]
Egypt
During the 1920s, Egypt's religious Tribunal recognized the Baha'i Faith as a new, independent
religion, totally separate from Islam, due to the nature of the 'laws, principles and beliefs' of the
Baha'is.
Baháʼí institutions and community activities have been illegal under Egyptian law since 1960. 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.[197]
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). Consequently, Baháʼís were unable to obtain government
identification documents (such as national identification cards, birth certificates, death certificates,
marriage or divorce certificates, or passports) necessary to exercise their rights in their country
unless they lied about their religion, which conflicts with Baháʼí religious principle. Without
documents, they could not be employed, educated, treated in hospitals, travel outside of the
country, or vote, among other hardships.[198] 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.[199] The
first identification cards were issued to two Baháʼís under the new decree on 8 August 2009.[200]
See also
Outline of the Baháʼí Faith
Baháʼí studies
Baháʼí Faith in fiction
Criticism of the Baháʼí Faith
List of Baháʼís
Baháʼí Faith by country
Terraces (Baháʼí), the Hanging Gardens of Haifa
Notes
a. The Baháʼí Faith is described in reliable sources as a 'religion', 'sect',[1] 'relatively new
religion',[2] 'world religion',[3] 'major world religion',[4] 'megareligion',[5] 'independent world
religion',[6] 'new religious movement',[7] 'alternative religion',[8] and other attempts to convey
that it is new (relative to well-established faiths), not mainstream, and with no racial or national
focus.
b. Sources summarize the Baháʼí Faith as teaching, "the essential worth of all religions, the unity
of all peoples, and the equality of the sexes",[9] "the essential unity of all religions and the unity
of humanity",[10] "the spiritual unity of mankind and advocates peace and universal
education",[11] "the unity of all peoples under God",[4] or "religious unity... the Oneness of
Humanity... the equality of all human beings regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, or social
class".[12]
c. All Ridván messages can be found at Bahai.org (http://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-text
s/the-universal-house-of-justice/messages).
d. In line with this is the thinking that the government encouraged the campaign to distract
attention from more serious problems, including acute economic difficulties. Beyond this lay the
difficulty which the regime faced in harnessing the nationalist movement that had supported
Musaddiq.(Akhavi 1980, pp. 76–78)
e. The Iranian leader Naser al-Din Shah Qajar banished Baháʼu'lláh from Iran to the Ottoman
Empire, fron where he was later exiled by the Ottoman Sultan, at the behest of the Iranian
Shah to territories further from Iran and finally to Acre, which only a century later was
incorporated into the state of Israel.
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news.bahai.org/story/707). Baháʼí International Community. Retrieved 16 June 2009.
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Baháʼís using a "dash" instead of religion" (http://news.bahai.org/story/726). Retrieved
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p://news.bahai.org/story/1163).
CNN (16 May 2008). "Iran's arrest of Baha'is condemned" (http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/
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WORLD/meast/01/12/Iran.bahai.trial/). Retrieved 4 February 2018.
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ion.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/meast/09/16/iran.bahai.sentences/index.html). Retrieved
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Djavadi, Abbas (8 April 2010). "A Trial in Tehran: Their Only 'Crime' – Their Faith" (http://www.rf
erl.org/content/A_Trial_In_Tehran_Their_Only_Crime__Their_Faith/2006448.html). Radio Free
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Freedman, Samuel G. (26 June 2009). "For Bahais, a Crackdown Is Old News" (https://www.ny
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Iran Human Rights Documentation Center (15 May 2008). "IHRDC Condemns the Arrest of
Leading Baháʼís" (http://www.iranhrdc.org/english/news/press-statements/3116-ihrdc-condemn
s-the-arrest-of-leading-bah%C3%A1%E2%80%99%C3%ADs.html) (Press release). Retrieved
17 May 2008.
"Iran Razing Dome of Bahai Temple" (https://nyti.ms/2zT84eS). The New York Times. 24 May
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Siegal, Daniel (11 August 2010). "Court sentences leaders of Bahai faith to 20 years in prison"
(http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/babylonbeyond/2010/08/iran-court-sentences-leaders-of-bahai
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The Jerusalem Post. 14 February 2010. Retrieved 25 September 2013.
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ran_Bahai_Leaders_Scheduled_In_Court_On_Election_Anniversary/2061066.html). Radio
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Sullivan, Amy (8 December 2009). "Banning the Baha'i" (http://content.time.com/time/specials/
packages/article/0,28804,1945379_1944604_1944622,00.html). Time. Retrieved 23 February
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Washington TV (20 January 2010). "Date set for second court session for seven Baha'is in
Iran" (http://news.kodoom.com/en/iran-politics/date-set-for-second-court-
session/story/699231/). Retrieved 21 January 2010.
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e.org/web/20220427001103/https://www.thearda.com/QL2010/QuickList_40.asp). Archived
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Retrieved 14 August 2022.
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ww.bahai.org/documents/osed/betterment-world.pdf?a28125bc) (PDF). Retrieved 3 May 2018.
Bigelow, Kit (16 November 2005). Kit Bigelow, Director of External Affairs, the National Spiritual
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huricane.nsf/view01/5E72D6B7B624AABBC125713700572D09?opendocument). United
Nations. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20060426122357/http://www.unhchr.ch/hurican
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erg_bahai_apocalypticism). Baha'i Apocalypticism: The Concept of Progressive Revelation
(Master of Arts thesis). Department of History of Religion at the Faculty of Theology, Lund
University, Sweden. Retrieved 1 May 2007.
Netherlands Institute of Human Rights (8 March 2006). "Iran, Islamic Republic of" (https://web.
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M/CaseLaw/uncom.nsf/0/e7b8824bdd987268c1256fa8004a8753?OpenDocument) on 2 May
2006. Retrieved 31 May 2006.
Further reading
Hartz, Paula (2009). World Religions: Baha'i Faith (https://bahai-library.com/hartz_bahai_faith)
(3rd ed.). New York, NY: Chelsea House Publishers. ISBN 978-1-60413-104-8.
Smith, Peter (2008). An Introduction to the Baha'i Faith. Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press. ISBN 978-0-521-86251-6.
Stockman, Robert, ed. (2022). The World of the Bahá'í Faith. Abingdon, UK: Routledge.
doi:10.4324/9780429027772 (https://doi.org/10.4324%2F9780429027772). ISBN 978-1-138-
36772-2. S2CID 244692979 (https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:244692979).
Warburg, Margit (2006). Citizens of the world: a history and sociology of the Bahaʹis from a
globalisation perspective. Leiden: Brill. ISBN 978-90-474-0746-1. OCLC 234309958 (https://ww
w.worldcat.org/oclc/234309958).
External links
bahai.org (https://www.bahai.org) – The website of the worldwide Bahá’í community
Bahá’í Media Bank (https://media.bahai.org/) – Photographs for download
Bahá’í Reference Library (https://www.bahai.org/library/) – Online source of Authoritative
Bahá’í writings in English, Farsi, and Arabic
Baháʼí Faith (https://curlie.org/Society/Religion_and_Spirituality/Baha'ism/) at Curlie
Baha'i (https://opb.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/awr09.socst.world.glob.bahai/bahai/) –
Video at PBS Learning Media
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Bahá Í Faith

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Baháʼí Faith

The Baháʼí Faith is a relatively new religion[a] teaching

The Baháʼí writings describe a single, personal, inaccessible,

Baháʼí notions of progressive religious revelation result in their

The Baháʼí writings state that human beings have a "rational

Báb 1863 Baháʼu'lláh first

Baháʼís see the Báb as the forerunner of the 1892 Baháʼu'lláh

Baháʼu'lláh's Kitáb-i-Aqdas and The Will and Testament of ʻAbdu'l-Bahá

Universal House of Justice

Backbiting and gossip are prohibited and denounced.[132]

The observance of personal laws, such as prayer or fasting, is

The symbols of the religion are derived from the Arabic

The religion entered a new phase of activity when a

Current initiatives of social action include activities in

United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)

The most enduring persecution of Baháʼís has been in

According to a US panel, attacks on Baháʼís in Iran increased under Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Baháʼí_Faith&oldid=1121765280"

This page was last edited on 14 November 2022, at 01:04 (UTC).

Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0;

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