The Baha’i Faith
The Baha’i Faith is a worldwide religion based on the teachings of Baha’u’llah (1817-1892).
Baha’u’llah is the most recent in the series of Divine Messengers who founded the world religions as part of the progressive revelation of God’s guidance to humanity.
A central theme of the Baha’i Faith is that humanity is one family bound together in a common destiny: a global society.
Recognition of the oneness of humanity is the key feature of this age, an age in which humankind is approaching its collective maturity.
People of goodwill need to come together to collaborate in building a just and peaceful global society in which all individuals can fulfil their potential.
Key principles of the Baha’i Faith:
- equality of women and men
- harmony of science and religion
- abolition of extremes of poverty and wealth
- elimination of all forms of prejudice
- equal standard of human rights for all people
The Central Figures of the Baha’i Faith
(1819-1850)The Báb is the Herald of the Bahá’í Faith. In the middle of the 19th century, He announced that He was the bearer of a message destined to transform humanity’s spiritual life. His mission was to prepare the way for the coming of a second Messenger from God, greater than Himself, who would usher in an age of peace and justice.
(1817-1892)Bahá’u’lláh—the “Glory of God”—is the Promised One foretold by the Báb and all of the Divine Messengers of the past. Bahá’u’lláh delivered a new Revelation from God to humanity. Thousands of verses, letters and books flowed from His pen. In His Writings, He outlined a framework for the development of a global civilization which takes into account both the spiritual and material dimensions of human life. For this, He endured 40 years of imprisonment, torture and exile.
(1844-1921)In His will, Bahá’u’lláh appointed His oldest son, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, as the authorized interpreter of His teachings and Head of the Faith. Throughout the East and West, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá became known as an ambassador of peace, an exemplary human being, and the leading exponent of a new Faith.
(1897-1957)Appointed Guardian of the Bahá’í Faith by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, His eldest grandson, Shoghi Effendi, spent 36 years systematically nurturing the development, deepening the understanding, and strengthening the unity of the Bahá’í community, as it increasingly grew to reflect the diversity of the entire human race.
The Universal House of Justice »
(established 1963)The development of the Bahá’í Faith worldwide is today guided by the Universal House of Justice. In His book of laws, Bahá’u’lláh instructed the Universal House of Justice to exert a positive influence on the welfare of humankind, promote education, peace and global prosperity, and safeguard human honour and the position of religion.