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The Baha’i Faith and its Principles

The Baha’i Faith, the world’s newest independent belief system, teaches the oneness of God, the unity of humanity and the essential harmony of religion.

Founded by the prophet Baha’u’llah during the middle of the 19^th Century, the Baha’i Faith teaches peace, justice, love, altruism and unity. The Baha’i teachings promote the agreement of science and religion, the equality of the sexes and the elimination of all prejudice and racism. Baha’is work to unite humanity, spread kindness and serve others.

One of the central principles of the Baha’i Faith, called progressive revelation, teaches that all of the great religions—Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism, Christianity, Islam and many others—come from the same God and teach the same basic message. Baha’is accept the validity of each of the founders and prophets of the major world religions, and believe that every great Faith forms part of a single spiritual system progressively revealed by God to humanity.

Baha’is accept, respect and revere the religions of:

Abraham
Moses
Krishna
Zoroaster
Buddha
Jesus Christ
Muhammad, and
the sacred traditions of the prophets and teachers of the world’s indigenous peoples, whose names written history may never have recorded.

The Baha’i Faith encompasses, embraces and advances the past teachings of all those great Faiths, and Baha’is view Baha’u’llah as the most recent of these divine teachers and the fulfillment of the prophecies of past religions.

The Baha’i writings say that the Creator is an “unknowable essence,” far beyond the capacity of creation to comprehend. To aid and enlighten us, God provides humanity with divinely-inspired prophets and messengers throughout history, who founded the world’s great Faiths and brought ethical, moral and spiritual teachings to everyone.

Just about anywhere you go on the planet, you’ll find Baha’is—the Baha’i Faith is the world’s second-most widespread religion after Christianity, spanning the globe and working to unite it. Baha’is have no churches, gathering in democratically-led communities to work and worship together. The millions of Baha’is around the world come from every ethnicity, nationality, tribe, age, racial group, religious background and economic and social class. Gentle, peaceful, warm and welcoming, Baha’i communities embrace humanity in all its dignity and diversity.

The primary Baha’i principles advocate

the independent investigation of truth
world unity and global peace
equality of men and women
the eradication of all prejudice and racism
universal compulsory education for every child
the adoption of a global auxiliary language
a spiritual solution to the extremes of wealth and poverty
the essential harmony of science and religion
human rights for all people
an end to religious fundamentalism and division, and
unified global solutions to oppression, materialism, and the planet’s environmental crisis.

Baha’is believe in the independent investigation of reality, and encourage everyone to question dogma, tradition and superstition by embarking on a personal search to discover the truth. The Baha’i Faith has no clergy—instead, a distinctive system of democratically-elected councils at the local, national and international levels administer and guide Baha’i communities. This unprecedented administrative order, fundamentally different from any other system of religious or political authority, has now become the first functioning system of democratic global governance, vesting power and initiative in all the Baha’is worldwide.

A Short Baha’i History

The Baha’i Faith, founded by Baha’u’llah in 1863 in Persia, has since spread to every region, continent and nation on Earth. Baha’u’llah’s teachings emphasize justice, and in Persia’s profoundly unjust and corrupt society at the time, they created an uproar. Tortured, exiled and imprisoned for the last forty years of his life for his progressive teachings, Baha’u’llah (a title that means “The Glory of God”) and his followers suffered severe, genocidal persecution—more than 20,000 early Baha’is died for their beliefs. Even today, many Baha’is in Iran and other Middle Eastern countries still face persecution.

Baha’u’llah brought a new religious revelation, complete with more than a hundred volumes of his writings—the most prolific repository of sacred scripture ever given to humanity.

After his passing, Baha’u’llah’s son Abdu’l-Baha became his father’s successor and the authorized interpreter of his writings. A unique figure in the history of religion, Baha’is do not consider Abdu’l-Baha a prophet or a messenger of God, but instead regard him as the perfect exemplar of the Baha’i teachings.

Renowned throughout the world for his lifelong advocacy of world peace, racial harmony, gender equality and social justice, Abdu’l-Baha spent forty years of his life (1868-1908) as a prisoner for his belief in Baha’u’llah’s teachings. Freed from prison after the overthrow of the Ottoman Empire, he travelled the world in the early part of the 20^th Century, taking the Baha’i message of global unity and universal peace to Europe, Africa and North America.

Abdu’l-Baha’s life, even in prison, focused primarily on humanitarian concerns. His humility; his love for all people; his abiding care and concern for the poor, the ill and the homeless, and his constant charitable efforts for those of every faith characterized his dedication to the ideal of service to others. The British government knighted him in 1920 for feeding the hungry and averting famine in Palestine during World War I. When he passed away in 1921, ten thousand people attended his funeral.

After Abdu’l-Baha’s passing, his grandson Shoghi Effendi became the Guardian of the Baha’i Faith, administering its affairs for the next 36 years. Shoghi Effendi led the global Baha’i community, guided its growth and helped create the conditions that led, after his passing, to the creation of the first Universal House of Justice—the unique democratically-elected international body that now governs the Faith.

How Baha’is Practice their Faith

Becoming a Baha’i simply means believing in Baha’u’llah and the Baha’i principles—Baha’is have no baptism, initiation or confirmation. In many places, new Baha’is sign a declaration card, which officially enrolls them in the Baha’i community.

Essentially a mystical system of belief, the Baha’i teachings focus on the soul’s relationship with the eternal, unknowable essence of God, and recommend daily prayer and meditation to everyone. Baha’is believe that the human spirit lives eternally, and so endeavor on this physical plane to illumine their souls with spiritual attributes—love, generosity, integrity, truthfulness, humility and selfless service to others.

Baha’is pray and meditate daily, and then endeavor to turn their inner spiritual life into action. Focused on bringing about the oneness of humanity and the unification of the world’s nations, Baha’is try to truly live their Faith’s principles by extending kindness and friendship to all people, regardless of their race, their beliefs, their class or their gender.

The Baha’i writings say that religion must be the source of unity and fellowship in the world—but if it produces enmity, hatred and bigotry, the absence of religion would be preferable:

Baha’u’llah taught, that Religion is the chief foundation of Love and Unity and the cause of Oneness. If a religion become the cause of hatred and disharmony, it would be better that it should not exist. To be without such a religion is better than to be with it. – Abdu’l-Baha, Abdu’l-Baha in London, p. 28.

Quotes from the Baha’i Writings

Unlike many religions of the past, Baha’is have the original writings of the Baha’i founder Baha’u’llah, of his son and successor Abdu’l-Baha, and of the Guardian of the Baha’i Faith, Shoghi Effendi. Baha’is rely on and revere those inspiring, powerful works—and of course they’re available to everyone. The Baha’i teachings have been translated into hundreds of languages, including tribal and indigenous ones, to make their inspiring message accessible to all the world’s people. The Baha’i writings call on every human being to investigate Baha’u’llah’s claim as the return of the prophets of the past religions, and the fulfillment of their promises of the dawn of a new day:

God’s purpose in sending His Prophets unto men is twofold. The first is to liberate the children of men from the darkness of ignorance, and guide them to the light of true understanding. The second is to ensure the peace and tranquility of mankind, and provide all the means by which they can be established. – Baha’u’llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah, p. 79.
The Revelation which, from time immemorial, hath been acclaimed as the Purpose and Promise of all the Prophets of God, and the most cherished Desire of His Messengers, hath now, by virtue of the pervasive Will of the Almighty and at His irresistible bidding, been revealed unto men. The advent of such a Revelation hath been heralded in all the sacred Scriptures… O ye lovers of the One true God! Strive, that ye may truly recognize and know Him, and observe befittingly His precepts. – Ibid., p. 5.
O son of spirit! My first counsel is this: Possess a pure, kindly and radiant heart, that thine may be a sovereignty ancient, imperishable and everlasting. – Baha’u’llah, The Hidden Words, p. 3.
That one indeed is a man who, today, dedicateth himself to the service of the entire human race. The Great Being saith: Blessed and happy is he that ariseth to promote the best interests of the peoples and kindreds of the earth. In another passage He hath proclaimed: It is not for him to pride himself who loveth his own country, but rather for him who loveth the whole world. The earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens. – Baha’u’llah, Tablets of Baha’u’llah, p. 167.
O contending peoples and kindreds of the earth! Set your faces towards unity, and let the radiance of its light shine upon you. Gather ye together, and for the sake of God resolve to root out whatever is the source of contention amongst you. Then will the effulgence of the world’s great Luminary envelop the whole earth, and its inhabitants become the citizens of one city, and the occupants of one and the same throne. – Baha’u’llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah, p. 217.
Man has two powers; and his development, two aspects. One power is connected with the material world, and by it he is capable of material advancement. The other power is spiritual, and through its development his inner, potential nature is awakened. These powers are like two wings. Both must be developed, for flight is impossible with one wing… We must strive unceasingly and without rest to accomplish the development of the spiritual nature in man, and endeavor with tireless energy to advance humanity toward the nobility of its true and intended station. – Abdu’l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 59.
I charge you all that each one of you concentrate all the thoughts of your heart on love and unity. When a thought of war comes, oppose it by a stronger thought of peace. A thought of hatred must be destroyed by a more powerful thought of love. Thoughts of war bring destruction to all harmony, well-being, restfulness and content.
Thoughts of love are constructive of brotherhood, peace, friendship, and happiness.
When soldiers of the world draw their swords to kill, soldiers of God clasp each other’s hands! So may all the savagery of man disappear by the Mercy of God, working through the pure in heart and the sincere of soul. Do not think the peace of the world an ideal impossible to attain!
Nothing is impossible to the Divine Benevolence of God.
If you desire with all your heart, friendship with every race on earth, your thought, spiritual and positive, will spread; it will become the desire of others, growing stronger and stronger, until it reaches the minds of all men. – Abdu’l-Baha, Paris Talks, pp. 29-30.

Some Baha’i Prayers

Thou seest me, O my Lord, with my face turned towards the heaven of Thy bounty and the ocean of Thy favor, withdrawn from all else beside Thee. I ask of Thee, by the splendors of the Sun of Thy revelation on Sinai, and the effulgences of the Orb of Thy grace which shineth from the horizon of Thy Name, the Ever-Forgiving, to grant me Thy pardon and to have mercy upon me. Write down, then, for me with Thy pen of glory that which will exalt me through Thy Name in the world of creation. Aid me, O my Lord, to set myself towards Thee, and to hearken unto the voice of Thy loved ones, whom the powers of the earth have failed to weaken, and the dominion of the nations has been powerless to withhold from Thee, and who, advancing towards Thee, have said: “God is our Lord, the Lord of all who are in heaven and all who are on earth!” – Baha’u’llah, Baha’i Prayers, p. 75.
Thy name is my healing, O my God, and remembrance of Thee is my remedy. Nearness to Thee is my hope, and love for Thee is my companion. Thy mercy to me is my healing and my succor in both this world and the world to come. Thou, verily, art the All-Bountiful, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. – Ibid., p. 85.
O Thou compassionate Lord, Thou Who art generous and able! We are servants of Thine sheltered beneath Thy providence. Cast Thy glance of favor upon us. Give light to our eyes, hearing to our ears, and understanding and love to our hearts. Render our souls joyous and happy through Thy glad tidings. O Lord! Point out to us the pathway of Thy kingdom and resuscitate all of us through the breaths of the Holy Spirit. Bestow upon us life everlasting and confer upon us never-ending honor. Unify mankind and illumine the world of humanity. May we all follow Thy pathway, long for Thy good pleasure and seek the mysteries of Thy kingdom. O God! Unite us and connect our hearts with Thy indissoluble bond. Verily, Thou art the Giver, Thou art the Kind One and Thou art the Almighty. – Abdu’l-Baha, Baha’i Prayers, p. 99.
O God, my God! Thou art my Hope and my Beloved, my highest Aim and Desire! With great humbleness and entire devotion I pray to Thee to make me a minaret of Thy love in Thy land, a lamp of Thy knowledge among Thy creatures, and a banner of divine bounty in Thy dominion.
Number me with such of Thy servants as have detached themselves from everything but Thee, have sanctified themselves from the transitory things of this world, and have freed themselves from the promptings of the voicers of idle fancies.
Let my heart be dilated with joy through the spirit of confirmation from Thy kingdom, and brighten my eyes by beholding the hosts of divine assistance descending successively upon me from the kingdom of Thine omnipotent glory.
Thou art, in truth, the Almighty, the All-Glorious, the All-Powerful. – Ibid., pp. 56-57.
O My Lord! O my Lord!
I am a child of tender years. Nourish me from the breast of Thy mercy, train me in the bosom of Thy love, educate me in the school of Thy guidance and develop me under the shadow of Thy bounty. Deliver me from darkness, make me a brilliant light; free me from unhappiness, make me a flower of the rose garden; suffer me to become a servant of Thy threshold and confer upon me the disposition and nature of the righteous; make me a cause of bounty to the human world, and crown my head with the diadem of eternal life.
Verily, Thou art the Powerful, the Mighty, the Seer, the Hearer. – Ibid., pp. 36-37.