Resource: Baha'i

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The Baha'i faith is a monotheistic religion descended from Islam. It was founded in 1863 in Persia (Iran) by Mirza Husayn Ali, who later became known as Baha'u'llah, which in Arabic means "Glory of God." Baha'u'llah had been a leader in the Babist movement, which was started by a young Iranian who called himself the Bab. The Bab declared that a new divinely sent messenger would soon appear, a proclamation that was an affront to the Muslim state in which he lived and ultimately led to his arrest. After the Bab's execution in 1850, Baha'u'llah was imprisoned by government officials in Tehran. For months, he experienced divine revelations and wrote letters and books outlining his ideas for human harmony. After his release, he began a life in exile and in 1863 declared himself to be the new messenger of God prophesied by the Bab.

Followers of Baha'i believe that Baha'u'llah is the most recent in a line of messengers of God that includes Abraham, Moses, Buddha, Krishna, Zoroaster, Christ, and Muhammad. The central theme of Baha'u'llah's message is one of unity, equality and respect for every human being. Followers of Baha'i emphasize improving the quality of human life, which includes ending poverty, providing educational opportunities for all, and attaining equality between men and women. Baha'is do not drink alcohol, discourage smoking, and view family life as the basis of human society. Generally, they do not participate in partisan politics, but work with philanthropic organizations to improve society.

For Baha'is, which means “follower of Baha’u’llah,” the main aim in life is to know and love God. Membership in the faith is open to all, and a person becomes a Baha'i when they accept Baha'u'llah as the most recent manifestation of God. Converts are not required to renounce their previous religion, but they cannot remain a member of it.

The Baha'i faith has no clergy or sacraments, and there are virtually no rituals. The faith is governed by local, national and international assemblies, with an emphasis on individual prayer and meditation to promote personal development. Worshippers are encouraged to gather in small groups and conduct simple services, but since prayer is seen as a private matter, this communal worship plays only a small role. Because there are no congregational prayers or hymns, the services mainly include readings from the scriptures of all religions, and prayers composed by the Bab and Baha’u’llah.

Today there are six million followers of the Baha'i faith worldwide, living in more than 200 countries. Each continent has a Baha'i house of prayer; the North American house of worship is in Wilmette, Ill. About 300,000 Baha'is still live in Iran, but they are closely monitored and cannot openly practice their religion.

Print Questions for Discussion

• Identify and briefly explain three key ideas espoused by Baha'u'llah.
• Why do Baha'is teach that if only one child can be educated it should be the girl?
• In the video, it is explained that Baha'is believe crises are necessary to lead nations closer to God. Consider this idea within the framework of the Altruism QuickTime Video and the response to the events on 9/11. What conclusions do you reach about this idea?
• Why were Baha'is persecuted and continue to be so?
• How could Baha'is be seen by some members of some of the other religions as a religious threat?