The Bahá'í Faith is the youngest of the world's independent religions. Its central theme is that humanity is one single race and that the day has come for its unity to be realised. It teaches that all religions are in their true purpose, the unfoldment of one spiritual truth .
The Bahá'í Faith was founded by Baha'u'llah, a mid-nineteenth century Persian Nobleman, who laid out a vision of the oneness and unity of humankind. He provided social and spiritual teachings as foundations of achieving this goal, and asserted that "the well-being of mankind, it's peace and security, are unattainable unless and until its unity is firmly established."
Although heavily persecuted in the land of its birth, His Faith struck a chord with the requirements of contemporary times, and by the early 19th Century there were Baha'i Communities in Europe, North America, South-East Asia and the Indian Subcontinent.
Unity in Diversity
According to the Encyclopedia Britannica , the Baha'i Faith is the second most widespread of the world's independent religions. Embracing people from around 2.1 thousand ethnic, racial and tribal groups, it is probably the most diverse organized body of people on the planet. Baha'i teachings challenge theories of human nature and address the challenges and prospects of our common future.
Principles of the Bahá'í Faith
The Bahá'í Faith gives both spiritual and practical social tools addressing the needs of humanity today. They are based on such principles as:
The oneness of humanity
The oneness of religion
The independent investigation of truth
Harmony of science and religion
The abolishment of prejudice
Work in the spirit of service being worship
The equality of women and men
Economic justice based on spiritual principles
The Bahá'í Faith in Australia
The Baha'i Faith was brought to Australia by Clara and Hyde Dunn, an English-Irish couple from America who arrived in Sydney in April 1920. Hyde Dunn gave talks about the Baha'i Faith as he worked his way around the Australian continent as a travelling salesman. Gradually a small Baha'i community grew up in different centres around the country. The first Australians to become Baha'is, late in 1922, were Oswald Whitaker, a Sydney optometrist, and Effie Baker, a Melbourne photographer.
By 1934 the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Australia and New Zealand was established, a national governing council elected by representatives of the Baha'is scattered across Australia and New Zealand . In 1957, with the election of a separate National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of New Zealand, the former body became the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Australia.
Sydney Olympics 2000 Commemorative Stamp featuring the Baha'i Temple in Mona Vale, NSW. It is one of seven in the world, and its nine sides symbolise the unity of the religions and peoples of the world. There is a service every Sunday morning, comprising of passages and prayers from the Writings of the World's great religions, some through accapella song by the Sydney Temple Choir. Services are open to people of all religious backgrounds.
In 1957 plans were announced to build a Baha'i House of Worship in Sydney. Officially dedicated in 1961, the Baha'i Temple occupies a prominent position in Mona Vale on Sydney 's northern beaches. It has been described by architectural historian Jennifer Taylor as one of four major religious edifices constructed in Sydney during the 20th century. It remains one of only seven Baha'i Houses of Worship in the world, with an eighth under way in Chile .
The gradual growth of the Baha'i community in Australia was accelerated with the resurgence of persecution of Baha'is in Iran that followed the 1979 revolution in the country of the religion's birth. The Australian government was active in its defence of the human rights of the Baha'is in Iran , and in March 1982 established a special humanitarian assistance program under which Iranian Baha'i refugees were eligible to migrate to Australia . Over the succeeding years several thousand Iranian Baha'is came to Australia , enriching the size and diversity of the Australian Baha'i community.
The Baha'i Faith for Beginners!
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the Bahá'í Faith?
A: It is the most recent of the world's independent religions.
Q: What is the main point of the Bahá'í Faith?
A: In a word, unity. Bahá'u'lláh teachings renew the timeless spiritual values of previous faiths, and bring new tools for building a united global society, in which peace "is not only possible, but inevitable."
Q: Where do Bahá'ís come from?
A: Bahá'ís come from thousands of ethnic, cultural, racial and tribal backgrounds, and from both religious and non-religious backgrounds. Bahá'ís come from one of about 124 000 localities, and Baha'i communities are established in 204 countries across the planet.
Q: How big is it?
A: There are more than five million Bahá'ís. In Australia, there are about 15,000 Bahá'ís.
Q: If it's so widespread how come I never heard about it?
A: I... don't know! It is the most recent independent world religion, its community is still very much in its earlier stages of growth, and there's a first time for everything. The Bahá'í Community is a strong and vibrant international community that plays a positive role in creating a better society.
Q: Who started it? And where did it start?
A: Bahá'ís trace the origin of their Faith to 1844, where a young merchant in Shiraz, Persia, titled The Báb ( meaning "the Gate"), declared His Divine Mission to a young seeker. The Báb proclaimed to the people of His time that he was preparing the way for a Promised Universal Teacher. This was fulfilled in Bahá'u'lláh , who proclaimed His Mission (as the Messenger of God for this age) in 1863 to a group of the Bab's followers, and years later, declared it by letter to the kings, rulers and religious leaders of the world, laying out the principles required to achieve peace in a new age. He suffered 40 years of imprisonment and was exiled from Tihrán in Iran over Constantinople/Istanbul in Turkey and Adrianople/Edirne in Turkey to 'Akká in the Holy Land, where He passed away in 1892. The Writings of Bahá'u'lláh are very challenging, and form the basis of Baha'i teachings and community. A unique aspect of the Baha'i Faith is the tremendous detail in which its early history, and the lives of its Twin Prophets, were recorded. The above explanation is brief rather than explanatory.
Q: Which god do you worship?
A: Probably the same one you do! Bahá'ís believe that there is only one God, an unknowable essence who has given guidance to the world's peoples and nations over time, through different Messengers, in a process tracing back to beyond recorded religion and will not end with the Bahá'í Faith. In a nutshell, we believe there is in reality only one "Cause of God" that has renewed the same spiritual values in different religions and that God is called by different names because different languages and traditions use different words. So, Baghwan, Allah, Yahweh, Jehovah, Kalou and the myriad other names all describe the one divine source, (who we call) God. We believe that God is called by different names because different languages and traditions use different words! Blindly clinging to names rather than investigating the spirit has been at the cause of much religious strife and fanaticism, which has undermined religion's real purpose.
Q: If all religions are in fact from the same source, then why do they have such starkly different teachings?
A: The spiritual values and teachings of all religions are the same, and this will never change (such as the Golden Rule). But their social teachings differ because they are meant to guide humanity in their particular time. As humanity develops towards maturity, its needs and requirements change, and new social teachings help guide it onwards. So in fact their social teachings must be different! Without new social teachings suited to the time, progress is very difficult.
Q: Fighting is human nature. Isn't it naive to think peace is possible?
A: Bahá'u'lláh wrote: "the well-being of mankind, it's peace and security are unattainable..." But he continued with "unless and until it's unity is firmly established". What the Baha'i Faith is all about is the tools that aim to achieve the unity first. Unity has a great transformative power once it is established. This is a process that takes time, and a lot of darned hard collaborative work on behalf of peoples, nations and the international community. But at the same time, who could have ever envisaged equal rights for genders or races even last century? One thing's for certain, that things always change, and we are living in times of great change.
Q: What does "Bahá'í" mean?
A: The word Baha'i is an Arabic word which means "of Glory" in the context "follower of". So quite literally it means "follower of Glory", or "follower of Light". The name also pertains to the fact that the name of the founder of the Baha'i Faith is Bahá'u'lláh (meaning "Glory of God"), of which Bahá'ís subscribe to His teachings and are the followers of.
Q: What do you do in your religion?
A: All sorts of stuff! By nature, the core of faith is a mystical connection or relationship with the Creator, and this is no different in the Baha'i Faith. But a mystical or spiritual path should be walked with practical feet, and Bahá'ís around the world work as communities developing socio-economic justice, in areas such as global education, equality of men and women, multi-faith dialogue, health and moral education, race unity and reconciliation, the list goes on... They do this by participating in the administration of their Faith as well as engaging in the affairs of the wider community. For example, the Baha'i International Community has a long history of active and consultative involvement at different agencies of the United Nations.
Q: How do you spread your religion?
A: Bahá'ís like to share their beliefs with those who are interested to hear about them, because they believe their Faith provides the answers to the problems facing our society. In His Writings, Bahá'u'lláh encouraged Bahá'ís to teach their Faith by words and deeds, but He categorically forbid preaching or proselytising. At the end of the day, religious (or non-religious) conviction is a personal choice. Everyone has a right to "independent investigation for truth".
Q: What is "independent investigation for truth"?
The Baha'i Faith teaches that all humans should have the privilege and responsibility of personally investigating for truth with an open mind and heart, unbiased by previously accumulated knowledge or the beliefs of our ancestors, peers, traditions or societies. We should be willing to remove culturally accumulated bias from our mindset because it can close us off from greater possibilities. This certainly applies to investigating the truth of religion, but also to all matters of personal choice in life. Progress of any sort is dependent on change, which is dependent on investigation rather than blind imitation of those around us.
Q: Is the Bahá'í Faith Muslim? Is Baha'i an offshoot of Islam?
A: No. Neither is it Buddhist or Christian. However the Baha'i Faith was born out of a predominantly Muslim society (mid-19th century Persia), just as Christianity was born out of a predominantly Jewish society.
Q: Do Bahá'ís believe in Jesus?
A: Yes. To quote the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh: "Know thou that when the Son of Man yielded up His breath to God, the whole creation wept with a great weeping. By sacrificing Himself, however, a fresh capacity was infused into all created things, its evidences, as witnessed in all the peoples of the earth, are now manifest before thee. The deepest wisdom which the sages have uttered, the profoundest learning which any mind hath unfolded, the arts which the ablest hands have produced, the influence exerted by the most potent of rulers, are but manifestations of the quickening power released by His transcendent, His all-pervasive and resplendent Spirit. We testify that when He came into the world, He shed the splendor of His glory upon all created things... Blessed is the man who, with a face beaming with light, hath turned towards Him."
Q: How do Bahá'ís worship?
A: In the Baha'i Faith prayer is a personal and private connection between an individual and God, and there are obligatory prayers which a Baha'i should recite daily in private. There are no clergy or rituals in the Baha'i Faith. Bahá'ís communities all over the world meet every nineteen days for what is called a "feast", which is a meeting consisting of devotions, community news and consultation, and social fellowship. Feasts form the hub of Baha'i community life. Ideally, the style in which the feast is held differs in different countries and cultures, as a reflection of Baha'i unity in diversity. Devotional meetings, community building activities, community services and public festivals, Baha'i Holy Day celebrations, music and arts, socio-economic development projects, study circles and many other activities are also integral to Baha'i community life. Uniquely, the Baha'i sacred texts, do not define worship simply as prayer, meditation and fasting, but also as work done in the spirit of service, as well as art which acts to inspire and empower. In many ways, putting the principles and values of one's faith into action is a form of worship.
Q: Are there any strict laws in the Bahá'í Faith? Are there many laws and prohibitions in the Baha'i Faith?
A: Interesting question!!! Any law is stricter than no law. At the same time one can appreciate the need for law. True liberty is actually derived from law. If there were no traffic lights or signs, all cars would be free to move as they please but how much effective movement would we have, and how much tragedy? No matter how good a driver one may be, it would still be difficult, and traffic signs would make it easier to travel safely! Like the Prophet-founders of other religions, Bahá'u'lláh has laid down laws and ordinances of two levels. There are those which are personal to each human being. Examples of personal laws include prayer and meditation, fasting, prohibition of alcohol and drugs (except for medical purposes), prohibition of sexual relations outside of marriage, no backbiting, honesty and integrity, and so on... Then there are laws to govern how a society runs, and Bahá'u'lláh has given such guidance for achieving a prosperous and peaceful future world order. This is the stuff of books and essays, you'll have to look into it!
Q: Who leads the Bahá'í Faith now?
A: The Bahá'ís have no clergy. One reason is that the laws and principles of the Faith are laid out in thousands of volumes and letters by Bahá'u'lláh Himself, as well as by the appointed interpreter of His Writings, His son Abdu'l-Bahá. Because education and literacy is becoming widespread, the individual is entrusted with study of the Writings, and though communities and Baha'i institutions hold courses and functions for collective study and worship, no one holds a position of authority or privilege. Annually, every Baha'i community, by secret ballot and based on a prayerful conscience, elects a nine-member Local Spiritual Assembly (LSA) to guide the affairs of their community. This takes place at the national level to form a National Spiritual Assembly, to whom all LSAs are responsible. It also takes place every five years at the international level to form the global governing body of the Faith, the Universal House of Justice. The Universal House of Justice is seated in Haifa, Israel, and its guidance is followed by the Baha'i world community. This administrative system provides a forum for simultaneous diverse grassroots level initiative coupled with global guidance and harmony of action. In Baha'i elections, campaigning is strictly forbidden. Though the institutions formed have authority to the community, individual members do not. Assembly members simply provide this administrative service to the community and are generally unpaid. Sometimes service can be a full-time job, such as for the elected members of the Universal House of Justice - then salary applies. Interestingly though, members of the Universal House of Justice in the Baha'i World Centre receive the same modest salary that applies to others who serve there, such as gardeners and the like. Local, National and International agencies of various roles and functions act as arms of these elected institutions. Baha'i administration and the consultative process that underpins it, is a unique model of governance
Q: What is a "Manifestation of God"?
A: Bahá'u'lláh used this terminology to describe those Prophets and Messengers of God who, acting like a mirror to the sun, reflect God's attributes. These have included Krishna, Buddha, Zoroaster, Abraham, Moses, Christ, Mohammad, The Bab and Bahá'u'lláh, and in fact extend into unknown Figures of inspiration in pre-recorded time. The Baha'i writings teach that these Figures have a dual reality, in that whilst they are physically normal Men with individual characteristics, They are also Divine Figures inspired from the same Source. The analogy is often used that whilst a spotless mirror is not the sun, it reflects the sun perfectly and fully, and in that regard is the sun! And whilst God is ultimately unknowable and beyond our plane of comprehension, Manifestations act as intermediaries that allow us to know God and follow His guidance. Manifestations of God are often persecuted, mocked, tortured and killed by the people of their time, who fail to appreciate or recognise Them, but in time They have a great influence on society. This seems to be the case no matter how many times the cycle repeats itself. It also took place with the Baha'i Faith. The Bab, a gentle Figure who brought new teachings of hope and emancipation to a fanatic and prejudiced society, was executed brutally in public after a short ministry. Bahá'u'lláh, who the poor and desolate knew as their Father, lived a life of suffering, imprisonment and exile for His message of universal brotherhood and peace.
"The earth is but one country and mankind its citizens." Baha'u'llah
For More Information...
For more information on the Baha'i Faith check out the official sites:
