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Bahá'í

`Abdu’l-Bahá

Upon the death of Bahá’u’lláh in 1892, his son Abbas Effendi (1844-1921 CE), took the title `Abdu’l-Bahá (“Servant of Bahá’u’lláh”) and assumed the role given him by Bahá’u’lláh as the new head of the Bahá’í community. During his tenure he consolidated the Bahá’í community by opening schools, initiating women's activities, and encouraging all Bahá’ís to observe the Holy Days and feasts. He did much to establish the Bahá’í Faith in Europe and North America. He wrote prolifically, producing over 30,000 letters providing authoritative guidance to the Bahá’ís. Before his death he designated his... Read more about `Abdu’l-Bahá

Nineteen Day Feast

The Bahá’í community generally gathers on the first evening of each Bahá’í month, or once every nineteen days. Each Feast has three portions: worship, administrative and socializing. The devotional portion tends to center on two activities: the reading of scripture, especially the writings of the Báb, Bahá’u’lláh, and `Abdu’l-Bahá, and live or recorded music. The administrative portion of a feast focuses on community activities and concerns. All Feasts close with refreshments.

The Bahá’í Faith

The Bahá’í Faith first took shape in 1863 when Bahá’u’lláh (1817-1892) declared himself a divine messenger and the messianic figure predicted by the Bab (1819-1850). The religion stresses the oneness of God, the divine origin of all the world’s major religions and their main ethical teachings, the essential harmony of science and religion, the common foundation of all religions, the equality of men and women, and the need to eliminate prejudice of all kinds. The Faith is based on the writings of Bahá’u’lláh, the Báb and `Abdu’l-Bahá, which are considered sacred texts. The Bahá’í Faith is... Read more about The Bahá’í Faith

Becoming a Bahá’í

To convert to the Bahá’í Faith, one must simply state one’s understanding of Bahá’í  scripture and declare one’s belief. Bahá’í  children are raised to become active members in the Bahá’í  community and tradition, beginning obligatory prayers at the age of fifteen.... Read more about Becoming a Bahá’í

Feasts, Firesides, and Core Activities

Bahá’í  worship includes scriptural reading, musical performance, monthly feasts, and fireside discussions of Bahá’í ideas with respected community members. There are no clergy, so any community member may lead worship.  A relatively new set of Bahá’í  non-worship core activities include adult study circles, devotional meetings, and youth programs.... Read more about Feasts, Firesides, and Core Activities

Human Equality

The central principles of the Bahá’í Faith are the oneness of God, the oneness of religion, and the oneness of mankind. In line with this belief in human equality, when Abdu'l-Baha visited the United States in 1912, he emphasized the particular importance of addressing racial justice and gender equality in the United States. Throughout the tradition's history, Bahá’ís have been active in pursuing racial justice, gender equality, and interfaith engagement, and this is reflected in both policies and selection of leaders.... Read more about Human Equality

Worldwide Expansion

In the late 19th century, many Bahá’ís were persecuted and fled throughout the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and the United States. The Bahá’í  tradition first spread in the United States through immigrant Bahá’í teachers, and the religion grew worldwide through the international efforts of Bahá’í  leadership. The Bahá’í  Faith is one of the most diverse and widespread world religions, comprised of over 5 million people residing in more than 200 countries and representing more than 2,100 different ethnic groups. ... Read more about Worldwide Expansion

The Báb and Baha’u’llah

In the mid to late-19th century, the Bahá’í faith emerged out of the Twelver Shi’ite Muslim community in Iran. Siyyid ‘Ali-Muhammad of Shiraz (later named the Báb, or “gate”) claimed to be a Messenger of God and his follower, Mirza Husayn-’Ali (named Baha’u’llah, or “The Glory of God”) claimed to receive divine revelations from God. Both were persecuted and imprisoned in their lives but created large bodies of writing, including Baha’u'llah’s Kitab-i-Aqdas, the central Bahá’i book which outlines basic Bahá’í laws and practices.... Read more about The Báb and Baha’u’llah

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