Who are the Bahá'ís?

Bahá'ís are members of the Bahá'í Faith, the second most widespread of the world's independent religions, established in 235 countries and territories throughout the world. Bahá'ís come from over 2,100 ethnic, racial, and tribal groups and number some 5 million worldwide.

For more than a century, Bahá'í communities around the globe have been working to break down barriers of prejudice between peoples and have collaborated with other like-minded groups to promote the model of a global society. At the heart of their belief is the conviction that humanity is a single people with a common destiny. In the words of Bahá'u'lláh, the Founder of our Faith, "The earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens."

Bahá'u'lláh taught that there is one God Who progressively reveals His will to humanity. Each of the great religions brought by the Messengers of God - Moses, Krishna, Buddha, Zoroaster, Jesus, Muhammad - represents a successive stage in the spiritual development of civilization. Bahá'u'lláh, the most recent Messenger in this line, has brought teachings that address the moral and spiritual challenges of the modern world.
-Preceding paragraphs from www.bahai.org

What do Bahá'ís believe?

"The Bahá'í Faith upholds the unity of God, recognizes the unity of His Prophets, and inculcates the principle of the oneness and wholeness of the unification of mankind, asserts that it is gradually approaching, and claims that nothing short of the transmuting spirit of God, working through His Mouthpiece in this day [Bahá'u'lláh], can ultimately succeed in bringing it about. It moreover enjoins upon its followers the primary duty of an unfettered search after truth, condemns all manner of prejudice and superstition, declares the purpose of religion to be the promotion of amity and concord, proclaims its essential harmony with science, and recognizes it as the foremost agency for the pacification and orderly progress of human society. It unequivocally maintains the principle of equal rights, opportunities and privileges for men and women, insists on compulsory education, eliminates extremes of poverty and wealth, abolishes the institution of priesthood, prohibits slavery, asceticism, mendicancy and monasticism, prescribes monogamy, discourages divorce, emphasizes the necessity of strict obedience to one's government, exalts any work performed in the spirit of service to the level of worship, urges either the creation or the selection of an auxiliary international language, and delineates the outlines of those institutions that must establish and perpetuate the general peace of mankind."
-Taken from the Consitution of the Bahá'í Club

Bahá'í Quotes

Quotes from Bahá'u'lláh:
  • "This is the day in which God's most excellent favors have been poured out upon men, the Day in which His most mighty grace hath been infused into all created things. It is incumbent upon all the peoples of the world to reconcile their differences, and, with perfect unity and peace, abide beneath the shadow of the Tree of His care and loving-kindness."
  • "So powerful is the light of unity that it can illuminate the whole earth."
  • "The well-being of mankind, its peace and security, are unattainable unless and until its unity is firmly established."
  • "The earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens."
  • "Women and men have been and will always be equal in the sight of God."
  • "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."

    Quotes from `Abdu'l-Bahá (the son of Bahá'u'lláh):

  • "Do not be content with showing friendship in words alone; let your heart burn with loving-kindness for all who may cross your path"
  • "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."

    More Information

     Official Web page for the Bahá'í International Community
    Official Web page for the Bahá'ís of the United States
    Bahá'í World News Service


    Photos

    The Bahá'í house of worship for North America - Wilmette, Illinois - aerial view

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