Bahá’í Faith
“Wert thou to harken to the melodies of this mortal Bird, then wouldst thou seek out the undying chalice and pass by every perishable cup.” , The Seven Valleys
The Bahá’í Faith is practiced throughout the world today by millions of believers of all races, cultures and economic backgrounds. Bahá’ís believe in one God who communicates with His creatures by means of messengers, or Manifestations of God. Some of these Manifestations include Moses, Jesus, Mohammed, Zoroaster and Buddha. In our time, the two Bahá’í Manifestations include The Báb (or “Gate”) and Bahá’u’lláh (“The Glory of God”, pronounced buh-ha-oo-la).
The Bahá’í Faith began in 1844, in what was then Persia (now the country of Iran), when The Báb declared His mission. This was to prepare the faithful for He who was to follow, much as John the Baptist prepared his followers for the coming of Christ. The Báb revealed many prayers and scriptures during His short ministry, which ended when He and over 10,000 of His followers were martyred. Many of the remaining believers were impoverished and forced into exile. Among the exiles were Bahá’u’lláh and His family, including His young son ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. In 1863, while in exile in Iraq, Bahá’u’lláh declared His mission. Bahá’u’lláh spent the rest of His life in prison and exile, where He revealed the scriptures that guide the lives of present-day Bahá’ís.
Today, Bahá’ís in every corner of the globe practice the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, and their revealed prayers form the core of the believers' devotions.
Bahá’ís believe in one God, in the elimination of all forms of prejudice and intolerance, and in the basic agreement of science and religion. Bahá’ís encourage charity and hospitality, education, and unity. There are no Bahá’í clergy.
Many Bahá’í resources are available for you on the web. Here are a few places to get started:
- Bahai.org — the home of the Bahá’í Faith on the web.
- The Life of Bahá’u’lláh — the story of Bahá’u’lláh's life told in pictures.
- The Bahá’í Reference Library — Bahá’í writings in English, Farsi, and Arabic.
- The Bahá’í World News Service — current events in the Bahá’í world.
- Bahá’í eBooks — free downloadable Bahá’í eBooks in various formats.
But perhaps the best way to learn about the Faith is to attend an informal meeting Bahá’ís call a fireside in your own community. There you can enjoy a cup of tea with kind and friendly people who will be happy to answer your questions. If you live in North America, you may request literature or a phone call from a Bahá’í in your area by calling 1-800-22-UNITE. In other parts of the world, contact your National Bahá’í Community for more information.