Bahá'í Faith

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This article refers to the generally-recognized global Bahá'í community. See disambiguation for others.

Image:SeatofUHJ.jpg Template:Bahá'í

The Bahá'í Faith is an emerging global religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh, a 19th century Persian exile. "Bahá'í" is either an adjective referring to this religion, or the term for a follower of Bahá'u'lláh.

Bahá'í theology speaks of three interlocking unities: the oneness of God; the oneness of religion; and the oneness of humanity. These three principles have a profound impact on the theological and social teachings of this religion.

Bahá'ís believe that the history of Religion is an unfolding process of education planned by God, and that the founders of religions are God's messengers and teachers of this Plan. Bahá'u'lláh is seen as the most recent, pivotal, but not final of God's messengers. He claimed to be the One whose future coming was prophesied in religious scriptures of Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and other religions, and that his major purpose was to lay the spiritual foundations for a new global civilization of peace and harmony, which Bahá'ís expect to gradually arise by following Bahá'u'lláh's teachings and laws.

Contents

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Beliefs

Unity is very highly emphasized in the Bahá'í writings. Three core assertions of the Bahá'í Faith are the unity of God, the unity of religion, and the unity of mankind; a single, all powerful God, revealing His message through a series of divine messengers or educators, regarding them as one progressively revealed religion, to one single humanity, who all possess a rational soul and only differ according to colour and culture.

This idea is fundamental not only to explaining Bahá'í beliefs, but explaining the attitude Bahá'ís have towards other religions. Bahá'ís regard most other religions as divinely inspired, although they are now obsolete in their historical validity as a new superseding revelation has been given; Bahá'u'lláh in many places states that denying any of the previous religious founders, which Bahá'u'lláh termed Manifestations of God, is equivalent to denying all of them, and God Himself.

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God

Main article: Bahá'í teachings on God

Bahá'ís believe that there is one supernatural being, God, who has created all the creatures and forces in the universe. God is described as "a personal God, unknowable, inaccessible, the source of all Revelation, eternal, omniscient, omnipresent and almighty." (GPB, p. 139) Bahá'ís believe that although people have different concepts of God and His nature, and call Him by different names, everyone is speaking of the same one Being. God is taught to be a personal God in that God is conscious of His creation, has a mind, will and purpose. At the same time the Bahá'í teachings state that God is too great for humans to fully understand Him or to create a complete and accurate image of Him. Bahá'u'lláh attributed titles to God such as the All-Powerful, and the All-Loving, which are derived from the limited human experiences of power, love, or justice. Bahá'u'lláh teaches that human knowledge of God is limited to those attributes and qualities which are perceptible to us, and thus direct knowledge about the essence of God is not possible.

Furthermore Bahá'u'lláh states that the knowledge of the attributes of God is revealed to humanity through the messengers he sends to humanity. Bahá'ís believe, thus, that through daily prayer, meditation and study they can grow closer to God.

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Humanity

Main article: Bahá'í Faith and the unity of humanity

The Bahá'í writings teach that there is but one humanity and all people are equal in the sight of God. The Bahá'í Faith emphasizes the unity of humanity transcending all divisions of race, nation, gender, caste, and social class, while celebrating its diversity. The Bahá'í teachings state that the unification of mankind is the paramount issue and question in the religious and political conditions of the present world. The Bahá'í writings affirm the biological, political, and spiritual unity of mankind while emphasizing the value of cultural, national and individual diversity.

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Religion

Main article: Bahá'í Faith and the unity of religion

Bahá'ís believe in a process of progressive revelation, whereby religious figures including Jesus, Muhammad, Krishna, Abraham, Moses, Buddha and Zoroaster were all Manifestations of God. Bahá'ís also believe that some Biblical characters, such as Adam and Noah, actually existed and also were Manifestations of God. Religious history is interpreted as a series of "dispensations", where each Manifestation of God brings a somewhat broader and more advanced revelation for the time and place it appeared in. Specific social teachings, such as the direction of prayer or the permissibility of financial interest, can be revoked by a subsequent Manifestation, whereas certain general principles, such as neighbourliness or charity are universal and consistent. Bahá'ís do not believe that this process of progressive revelation has an end, but that a new Manifestation will come at least 1000 years after Bahá'u'lláh's revelation. [1] [2]

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Distinction

The Bahá'í Faith is not syncretic (a combination of religions), but is a distinct religious tradition, with its own scriptures, teachings, laws, and history, although in many ways it is indebted to the Shi'a Islamic milieu where it appeared. Bahá'ís describe their faith as an independent world religion, differing from the other great religious traditions only in its newness. Bahá'u'lláh is believed to fulfill the messianic promises, and other spiritual aspirations, of all these various predecessor faiths.

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Demographics

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Bahá'í sources usually estimate the worldwide Bahá'í population to be above 5 million [3]. Encyclopedias and similar sources estimate from 2 to 8 million Bahá'ís in the world in the early twenty-first century, with most estimates between 5 and 6 million.

From its origins in the Persian and Ottoman Empires, the Bahá'í Faith had acquired a number of Western converts by World War I. Fifty years later its population shifted again, this time to the Third World, as a deliberate result of Bahá'í pioneering efforts. Most sources agree that India, Africa, South America, and the South Pacific have overtaken the Middle East and Western countries in terms of Bahá'í representation.

Image:BahaiLotusTemple.JPG

According to The World Almanac and Book of Facts 2004:

The majority of Bahá'ís live in Asia (3.6 million), Africa (1.8 million), and Latin America (900,000). According to estimates, the largest Bahá'í community in the world is in India, with 2.2 million Bahá'ís, next is Iran, with 350,000, and the USA, with 150,000. Aside from these countries, numbers vary greatly. Currently, no country has a Bahá'í majority. Guyana is the country with the largest percentage of Bahá'ís (7%).

The Britannica Book of the Year (1992–present) provides the following information:

  • The Bahá'í Faith is the second most widespread of the world's independent religions in terms of the number of countries where adherents live
  • It is established in 247 countries and territories throughout the world
  • Its members represent over 2,100 ethnic, racial, and tribal groups
  • It boasts approximately seven million adherents[4] worldwide [2005].
  • Bahá'í scriptures have been translated into over 800 languages.

Bahá'ís are generally quite proud of their multi-ethnic character, and like many religions they tend to believe that their Faith is uniquely destined to grow in numbers and influence.

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Teachings

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Summary

Shoghi Effendi, the appointed head of the Faith from 1921 to 1957, wrote the following summary of what he considered to be the distinguishing principles of Bahá'u'lláh's teachings, which, he said, together with the laws and ordinances of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas constitute the bed-rock of the Bahá'í Faith:

"The independent search after truth, unfettered by superstition or tradition; the oneness of the entire human race, the pivotal principle and fundamental doctrine of the Faith; the basic unity of all religions; the condemnation of all forms of prejudice, whether religious, racial, class or national; the harmony which must exist between religion and science; the equality of men and women, the two wings on which the bird of human kind is able to soar; the introduction of compulsory education; the adoption of a universal auxiliary language; the abolition of the extremes of wealth and poverty; the institution of a world tribunal for the adjudication of disputes between nations; the exaltation of work, performed in the spirit of service, to the rank of worship; the glorification of justice as the ruling principle in human society, and of religion as a bulwark for the protection of all peoples and nations; and the establishment of a permanent and universal peace as the supreme goal of all mankind—these stand out as the essential elements [which Bahá'u'lláh proclaimed]."
(God Passes By, p. 281)
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Social principles

The following 12 "principles" are frequently listed as a quick summary of the Bahá'í teachings. They are derived from transcripts of speeches given by `Abdu'l-Bahá during his tour of Europe and North America in 1912. The list is not authoritative and a variety of such lists circulate.

The first three of this list are commonly referred to as the Three Onenesses, and form a fundamental part of Bahá'í beliefs.

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Mystical teachings

Image:Sevenvalleys.jpg Although it concentrates on social and ethical issues as well, some of the Bahá'í Faith's foundational texts might be described as mystical. Shoghi Effendi has called the Seven Valleys Bahá'u'lláh's "greatest mystical composition." It was first translated into English in 1906, becoming one of the earliest available books of Bahá'u'lláh to the West. In it, he follows the path of a wayfarer on a spiritual journey passing through different stages, calling them "Seven Valleys" or "Seven Cities". The goal of the journey is to follow "the Right Path", "abandon the drop of life and come to the sea of the Life-Bestower", and "gaze on the Beloved".

The purpose of life in the Bahá'í scriptures is to acquire virtues, know God, develop spiritually, and carry forward an advancing civilization. The personal development is conceived as an organic process, like the development of a fetus, assisted by God's Messengers. Bahá'u'lláh taught of an afterlife in which the soul may progress infinitely through ever-more-exalted spiritual realms. Heaven and Hell are perceived as a reference to an individual's proximity to God, and not as exclusive or physical places.

Bahá'ís believe that while God's essence can never be fully fathomed, he can be understood through his "names and attributes." These are likened to gems and include such divine qualities as compassion or wisdom. The purpose of God in revealing himself to mankind is to bring out "the Mystic Gems out of the mine of man." [5]

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Study and worship

Bahá'í spirituality tends to consist of textual study, prayer, and recitation. Monasticism is forbidden, and Bahá'ís attempt to ground their spirituality in ordinary daily life. Performing useful work, for example, is not only required but considered a form of worship.

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The Covenant

Template:Main Bahá'ís have high regard for what is termed the "Greater Covenant", which they see as universal in nature, and from "time immemorial" has been carried through by the Manifestations of God of all ages. They also regard highly the "Lesser Covenant", which is viewed as unique to each revelation, and incorporates the distinguishing characteristics of these. At this time they view Bahá'u'lláh's revelation as a binding "Lesser Covenant" for his followers.

With unity as an essential teaching of the Faith, Bahá'ís follow an administration that they believe is divinely ordained, and therefore see attempts to create schisms and divisions as insignificant, doomed efforts which are contrary to the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh. Throughout the Faith's history schisms have occurred over the succession of authority. The followers of the various Bahá'í divisions, who in total, number in the low thousands, are regarded as Covenant-breakers and shunned, essentially excommunicated.

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History

Image:Babshrinenight.jpg Template:Main Bahá'ís regard the period from the Báb's 1844 declaration in Shiraz, to the 1921 passing of `Abdu'l-Bahá, as the Heroic, or the Apostolic Age of the Faith. This was the age when its founders lived, its martyrs died, and its foundations were established in several countries around the world.

After `Abdu'l-Bahá's passing, the Faith entered the Formative Age, which would be characterized by its rising administrative institutions, worldwide expansion, and a transition into the future Golden Age, the consummation of the Bahá'í dispensation.

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The Báb

Main articles: Báb, Bábism, Bahá'í/Bábí split

In 1844 Siyyid `Alí-Muhammad of Shiraz, Iran proclaimed that he was "The Báb" (Arabic: "The Gate"), after a Shi'a religious concept. His followers were therefore known as Bábís. As the Báb's teachings spread, the Islamic government saw it as a threat to state religion and Bábís were persecuted. Several military confrontations took place between government and Bábí forces. The Báb himself was imprisoned and eventually executed in 1850.

Bahá'ís see the Báb as the forerunner of the Bahá'í Faith, because the Báb's writings introduced the concept of "He whom God shall make manifest", a Messianic figure whose coming, according to Bahá'ís, was announced in the scriptures of all of the world's great religions, and whom Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the Bahá'í Faith, claimed to be in 1863.

The Báb's tomb is located in Haifa, Israel, and is an important place of pilgrimage for Bahá'ís. The remains of the Báb were brought secretly from Persia to the Holy Land and were eventually interred in the Shrine built for them in a spot specifically designated by Bahá'u'lláh.

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Bahá'u'lláh

Template:Main Husayn `Alí of Nur was one of the early followers of the Báb, who later took the title of Bahá'u'lláh. He was arrested and imprisoned for this involvement in 1852. He claimed that while incarcerated in the dungeon of the Síyáh-Chál in Tehran, he received the first intimations that he was the One anticipated by the Báb. (He shared this privately in 1863, and publicly in 1866.)

Shortly thereafter he was expelled from Persia to Baghdad, in the Ottoman Empire; then to Constantinople; then to Adrianople. During this time tensions grew between Bahá'u'lláh and Subh-i-Azal, the appointed leader of the Bábís, culminating in Bahá'u'lláh's 1866 declaration. While in Adrianople, he wrote letters to several rulers of the world, including Sultan Abd-ul-Aziz, declaring his mission as a Messenger of God. As a result Bahá'u'lláh was moved one final time, to the penal colony of `Akká, in present-day Israel.

Towards the end of his life, the strict and harsh confinement was gradually relaxed, and he was allowed to live in a home near Akká, while still officially a prisoner of that city. He died there in 1892. Bahá'ís regard his resting place at Bahji as the Qiblih to which they turn in prayer each day.

During his lifetime, Bahá'u'lláh left a large volume of writings. The Kitáb-i-Aqdas, and the Book of Certitude are recognized as primary Bahá'í theological works, and the Hidden Words and the Seven Valleys as primary mystical treatises.

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`Abdu'l-Bahá

Template:Main Bahá'u'lláh was succeeded by his eldest son, `Abdu'l-Bahá in 1892, at a time when only a handful of Bahá'ís existed in the West. He was designated as the "Centre of the Covenant" and "Head of the Faith," Bahá'u'lláh designated him in his will as the sole authoritative interpreter of Bahá'u'lláh's writings. [6]

`Abdu'l-Bahá had shared his father's long exile and imprisonment. This imprisonment continued until `Abdu'l-Bahá's own release as a result of the "Young Turk" revolution in 1908.

Following his release he led a life of travelling, speaking, and maintaining correspondence with communities of believers and individuals, expounding the principles of the Bahá'í Faith. `Abdu'l-Bahá died in Haifa on November 28, 1921 and is now buried in one of the front rooms in the Shrine of the Báb.

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Bahá'í administration

Image:Willandtestofabdulbaha.jpg Template:Main Bahá'u'lláh's Kitáb-i-Aqdas and The Will and Testament of `Abdu'l-Bahá are foundation documents of the Bahá'í administrative order. Bahá'u'lláh established the elected Universal House of Justice; and `Abdu'l-Bahá established the appointed hereditary Guardianship and clarified the relationship between the two institutions. In his Will, `Abdu'l-Bahá appointed his eldest grandson, Shoghi Effendi, as the first Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith.

Shoghi Effendi throughout his lifetime translated the sacred writings of the Faith; developed global plans for the expansion of the Bahá'í community; developed the Bahá'í World Centre; carried on a voluminous correspondence with communities and individuals around the world; and built the administrative structure of the Faith, preparing the community for the election of the Universal House of Justice.

With the unexpected passing of Shoghi Effendi in 1957, the Faith was left without a clear candidate for Guardian, due to the absence of male descendants of Bahá'u'lláh. After the election of the Universal House of Justice in 1963, it then ruled that given the unique situation and the provisions of the Will and Testament of `Abdu'l-Bahá, it was not possible to appoint another Guardian. A small group of believers followed Mason Remey, who proclaimed he was the second Guardian of the Faith, and do not follow the Universal House of Justice. This group has since subsequently split into several other Bahá'í divisions, whose combined population is in the low thousands, with each adhering to their own administrations. The Universal House of Justice today remains the supreme governing body of the Bahá'í Faith, and its 9 members are elected every five years by the members of all National Spiritual Assemblies. Any male Bahá'í, 21 years or older, is eligible to be elected to the Universal House of Justice; all other positions are open to male and female Bahá'ís.

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Involvement in society

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Work ethic

Far from being an ascetic tradition, Bahá'u'lláh deprecated a mendicant and ascetic lifestyle, encouraging Bahá'ís to "Be anxiously concerned with the needs of the age ye live in, and centre your deliberations on its exigencies and requirements" [7]. Moreover work, Bahá'ís are instructed, when done in the spirit of service to humanity is given a rank equal to that of prayer and worship[8].

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United Nations

Bahá'u'lláh wrote of the need for world government in this age of humanity's collective life. Because of this emphasis many Bahá'ís have chosen to support the United Nations since its inception. The "Bahá'í International Community", an agency under the direction of the Universal House of Justice in Haifa has consultative status with the following organizations:

The Bahá'í International Community has offices at the United Nations in New York and Geneva and representations to United Nations regional commissions and other offices in Addis Ababa, Bangkok, Nairobi, Rome, Santiago, and Vienna. In recent years an Office of the Environment and an Office for the Advancement of Women were established as part of its United Nations Office.

The Bahá'í Faith has also undertaken joint development programs with various other United Nations agencies.

In the 2000 Millennium Forum of the United Nations a Bahá'í was invited as the only non-governmental speaker during the summit [9]. See this article for further information on the relationship between the Bahá'í International Community and the United Nations.

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International plans

In 1939 Shoghi Effendi launched a seven year plan, followed by another in 1946, alluding to the significance of the year 1963. In 1953 Shoghi Effendi launched the Ten Year World Crusade, with extremely ambitious goals for the expansion of Bahá'í communities and institutions, the translation of Bahá'í literature into several new languages, and the sending of Bahá'í pioneers into previously unreached nations. He announced in letters of the Ten Year Crusade's being followed by other plans under the direction of the Universal House of Justice, and referred to the various National Spiritual Assemblies being formed as "pillars" of the House of Justice, which was elected in 1963 at the culmination of the Crusade. The House of Justice then launched a nine year plan in 1964, and a series of subsequent multi-year plans of varying length and goals followed, guiding the direction of the international Bahá'í community.

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Current international plan

Image:Five year plan logo.jpg Since the late 1990's, the House of Justice has been directing communities to prepare for large-scale expansion, organizing localities into "clusters", creating new institutions such as Regional Councils and strengthening the various "training institutes".

The current five-year plan (2001-2006) focuses on developing institutions and creating the means to "sustain large-scale expansion and consolidation" (Riḍván 158). Since 2001, the Bahá'ís around the world have been specifically encouraged to focus on children's classes, devotional gatherings, and a systematic study of the Faith, known as study circles. A new focus was added in December 2005 with the addition of "junior youth" classes to the core activities, focusing on education for those between 11 and 14.

The years from 2006 until 2021 will represent three successive five-year plans, culminating in the centennial anniversary of the passing of `Abdu'l-Bahá, and the completion of the first century of the Formative Age of the Bahá'í Faith.

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Study circles

Image:Ruhi 1.jpg Template:Main Along with a focus on consolidation has come a system designed to systematically bring Bahá'í education to the grassroots level. The "study circles" are intended to be sustainable and self-perpetuating on a large scale. Participants complete a sequence of workbooks in small groups, led by a tutor. Upon completion of the sequence, a participant can then go on to facilitate study circles for others.

The most popular study program is the Ruhi Institute, a study course originally designed for use in Colombia, but which has received wide recognition. The first book studies three themes: the Bahá'í writings, prayer, and life and death. Subsequent themes include the education of children, the lives of the Báb and Bahá'u'lláh, the joy of teaching, and others.

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Social practices

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Laws

Template:Main The laws of the Bahá'í Faith primarily come from the Kitáb-i-Aqdas ("The Most Holy Book"). Most are applied by individual Bahá'ís, as a matter of free choice. Some may be enforced to some degree by the administrative order, while others are dependent upon the existence of a predominantly Bahá'í society, which is expected to gradually come into being. Bahá’í laws are expected to be gradually applied on the levels of an individual and society. (Kitáb-i-Aqdas, p. 5)

Bahá'u'lláh did not see these laws as rigid legalistic framework, concerned with enforcement and punishment. He stated that laws are an indispensable part of human spiritual progress and part of the mystic path.

"Think not that We have revealed unto you a mere code of laws. Nay, rather, We have unsealed the choice Wine with the fingers of might and power."
(Bahá'u'lláh, Kitáb-i-Aqdas, v. 5, p. 21) [10]

These are a few examples of laws and basic religious observances of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas which have been codified by Shoghi Effendi, the appointed interpreter of the Bahá'í writings:

  • Recite an obligatory prayer each day after reaching the age of maturity, deemed to be 15. There are three such prayers among which one can be chosen each day.
  • Pray and meditate daily.
  • Backbiting and gossip is prohibited and denounced.
  • Adult Bahá'ís in good health observe a nineteen-day sunrise-to-sunset fast each year from March 2 through March 20.
  • Bahá'ís are forbidden to drink alcohol or to take drugs, unless prescribed by doctors.
  • Sexual relationships are permitted only between a husband and wife, and thus homosexual acts are not permitted. See Homosexuality and Bahá'í Faith.
  • Gambling is strictly forbidden, as well as the consumption of narcotics such as opium.
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Marriage

Template:Main Bahá'u'lláh taught that marriage is the commitment of the two parties one to the other, and their mutual attachment of mind and heart, to become "loving companions and comrades and at one with each other for time and eternity... Husband and wife should be united both physically and spiritually, that they may ever improve the spiritual life of each other..." [11] He highly praised the institution of marriage, declaring it an eternal command of God, also discouraging divorce, and requiring chastity outside of marriage.

Bahá'ís intending to marry "should study each other's character and spend time getting to know each other before they decide to marry, and when they do marry it should be with the intention of establishing an eternal bond." [12] Although parents should not choose partners for their children, once two individuals decide to marry, they must receive the consent of all living parents, even if one partner is not a Bahá'í. Interracial marriage is highly praised in the Bahá'í teachings.

The Bahá'í marriage ceremony is simple. The only compulsory part of the wedding is the reading of the wedding vows proscribed by Bahá'u'lláh which both the groom and the bride read, in the presence of two witnesses. The vows are:

"We will all, verily, abide by the Will of God." [13]
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Places of worship

Template:Main Most Bahá'í meetings occur in individuals' homes, local Bahá'í centers, or rented facilities. Worldwide, there are currently seven Bahá'í Houses of Worship, basically one per continent, with an eighth under design. Bahá'í writings refer to an institution called a Mashriqu'l-Adhkár (Dawning-place of the Mention of God), which is to form the center of a complex of institutions including a hospital, university, and so on. Only the first ever Mashriqu'l-Adhkár in 'Ishqábád, Turkmenistan, was built to such a degree.

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Symbols

Image:Bahaistar.jpg Template:Main The official symbol of the Bahá'í Faith is the five-pointed star, but a nine-pointed star is more frequently used. The ringstone symbol and calligraphy of the Greatest Name are also often encountered. The former consists of two stars interspersed with a stylized Bahá’ (Template:ArB "splendor" or "glory") whose shape is meant to recall the three onenesses. The Greatest Name is Yá Bahá'u'l-'Abhá (Template:ArB "O Glory of the Most Glorious!")

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Calendar

Template:Main The Bahá'í calendar is based upon the calendar established by the Báb. The year consists of 19 months of 19 days, with 4 or 5 intercalary days, to make a full solar year. The Bahá'í New Year corresponds to the traditional Persian New Year, called Naw Rúz, and occurs on the vernal equinox, March 21, at the end of the month of fasting. Bahá'í communities gather at the beginning of each month at a meeting called a Feast for worship, consultation and socializing.

Each of the 19 months is given a name which is an attribute of God; some examples include Bahá’ (Splendour), ‘Ilm (Knowledge), and Jamál (Beauty). The Baha'i week is familiar in that it consists of seven days, with each day of the week also named after an attribute of God; some examples include Istiqlál (Independence), Kamál (Perfection) and ‘Idál (Justice).

Bahá'ís observe 11 Holy Days throughout the year, with work suspended on 9 of these. These days commemorate important anniversaries in the history of the Faith.

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Persecution

Template:Main Bahá'ís continue to be persecuted in Islamist ruled countries, especially Iran, where over 200 believers were executed between 1978 and 1998. Since the Islamic Revolution of 1979, Iranian Bahá'ís have regularly had their homes ransacked or been banned from attending university [14] or holding government jobs, and several hundred have received prison sentences for their religious beliefs, most recently for participating in study circles. Bahá'í cemeteries have been desecrated and property seized and occasionally demolished, including the House of Mírzá Burzurg, Bahá'u'lláh's father. The House of the Báb in Shiraz has been destroyed twice, and is one of three sites to which Bahá'ís perform pilgrimage. [15] [16] [17].

Even more recently the situation of Bahá'ís has worsened; the United Nations Commission on Human Rights revealed a October 2005 confidential letter from Command Headquarters of the Armed Forces of Iran to identify Bahá'ís and to monitor their activities [18] and in November 2005 the state-run and influential Kayhan [19] newspaper, whose managing editor is appointed by Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Khamenei [20], ran nearly three dozen articles defaming the Bahá'í Faith [21].

Due to these actions, the Special Rapporteur of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights stated on March 20, 2006 that she "also expresses concern that the information gained as a result of such monitoring will be used as a basis for the increased persecution of, and discrimination against, members of the Bahá'í faith, in violation of international standards. ... The Special Rapporteur is concerned that this latest development indicates that the situation with regard to religious minorities in Iran is, in fact, deteriorating." [22]

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See also

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References

  • {{cite book 
|author=`Abdu'l-Bahá
|authorlink=`Abdu'l-Bahá
|origyear=1912
|year=1982
|title=The Promulgation of Universal Peace
|edition=Hardcover
|publisher=Bahá'í Publishing Trust
|location=Wilmette, Illinois, USA
|id=ISBN 0877431728
|url=http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/ab/PUP/
}} Talks Delivered by `Abdu'l-Bahá during His Visit to the United States and Canada in 1912.
  • {{cite book 
|author=`Abdu'l-Bahá
|authorlink=`Abdu'l-Bahá
|year=1978
|title=Selections From the Writings of `Abdu'l-Bahá
|edition=Hardcover
|publisher=Bahá'í Publishing Trust
|location=Wilmette, Illinois, USA
|id=ISBN 0853980810
|url=http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/ab/SAB/index.html
}}
  • {{cite book 
|author= `Abdu'l-Bahá
|editor=Browne, E.G., Tr.
|year= 1891
|title= A Traveller's Narrative: Written to illustrate the episode of the Bab
|publisher= Cambridge University Press
|url= http://www.h-net.org/~bahai/diglib/books/A-E/B/browne/tn/hometn.htm
}}
  • {{cite book 
|author=`Abdu'l-Bahá
|authorlink=`Abdu'l-Bahá
|origyear=1901-08
|year=1992
|title=The Will And Testament of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
|publisher=Bahá'í Publications Australia
|location=Mona Vale, N.S.W, Australia
|id=ISBN 0909991472
|url=http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/ab/WT/
}}
  • {{cite book 
|author=Bahá'u'lláh
|authorlink=Bahá'u'lláh
|year=1976
|title=Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh
|publisher=Bahá'í Publishing Trust
|location=Wilmette, Illinois, USA
|id=ISBN 0877431876
|url=http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/b/GWB/
}}
  • {{cite book 
|author=Bahá'u'lláh
|authorlink=Bahá'u'lláh
|origyear=1873
|year=1992
|title=The Kitáb-i-Aqdas: The Most Holy Book
|publisher=Bahá'í Publishing Trust
|location=Wilmette, Illinois, USA
|id=ISBN 0853989990
|url=http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/b/KA/
}}
  • {{cite book 
|author=Britannica (Eds.)
|year=1992
|title=Britannica Book of the Year 
|publisher=Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. Chicago, 
|id=}}
  • {{cite book 
|first=Shoghi
|last=Effendi
|authorlink=Shoghi Effendi
|year=1944
|title=God Passes By
|publisher=Bahá'í Publishing Trust
|location=Wilmette, Illinois, USA
|id=ISBN 0877430209
|url=http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/se/GPB/
}}
  • {{cite book 
|author=Hatcher, W.S.
|coauthors=& Martin, J.D.
|year= 1998
|title=The Bahá'í Faith: The Emerging Global Religion
|publisher=Bahá'í Publishing Trust
|location=Wilmette, Illinois, USA
|id= ISBN 0877432643
}}
  • {{cite book 
|last= Heggie
|first=James
|year= 1986
|title= Bahá'í References to Judaism, Christianity and Islam
|publisher= George Ronald
|location=Oxford, UK
|id= ISBN 0853982422
}}.
  • {{cite book 
|last= Momen
|first=Moojan
|year= 1994
|title= Buddhism and the Bahá'í Faith
|publisher= George Ronald
|location=Oxford, UK
|id= ISBN 0853983844
}}.
  • {{cite book 
|last= Momen
|first=Moojan
|year= 2000
|title= Islam and the Bahá'í Faith, An Introduction to the Bahá'í Faith for Muslims
|publisher=George Ronald
|location=Oxford, UK
|id= ISBN 0-853984468
}}.
  • {{cite book 
|last= Momen
|first=Moojan
|year= 1990
|title= Hinduism and the Bahá'í Faith
|publisher= George Ronald
|location=Oxford, UK
|id= ISBN 0853982996
}}.
  • {{cite book 
|last=Townshend
|first=George
|year= 1986|title= Christ and Bahá’u’lláh
|publisher= George Ronald
|location=Oxford, UK
|id= ISBN 0853980055
}}.
  • {{cite book 
|last=Motlagh
|first=Hudishar 
|title=I Shall Come Again 
|publisher=Global Perspective 
|year=1992 
|id=ISBN 0-937661-01-5
}}
  • {{cite book 
|last=Schaefer
|first=Udo 
|title=Making the Crooked Straight: A Contribution to Bahá'í Apologetics 
|publisher=George Ronald
|location=Oxford, UK
|year=2000 
|id=ISBN 0-85398-443-3
}}
  • {{cite book 
|last=Taherzadeh
|first=Adib
|year= 1972
|title= The Covenant of Bahá'u'lláh
|publisher= George Ronald
|location=Oxford, UK
|id= ISBN 0853983445
}}
  • {{cite book 
|first=George
|last=Townshend
|authorlink=George Townshend (Bahá'í)
|year=1966
|title=Christ and Bahá’u’lláh
|publisher=George Ronald
|location=Oxford, UK
|id=ISBN 0853980055
}}
  • {{cite book 
|author= Universal House of Justice
|authorlink= Universal House of Justice
|year= 2001
|title= Century of Light
|publisher=Bahá'í Publishing Trust
|location=Wilmette, Illinois, USA
|id= ISBN 0877432945
|url= http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/bic/COL/
}}
[edit]

External links

Template:Wikiquote Template:Wikinews

[edit]

Official websites of the Bahá'í International Community

[edit]

Other Bahá'í websites

  • Bahá'í Research Web Application, a comprehensive web-based tool to reseach the Bahá'í Writings in many languages. Site maintained by an individual Bahá'í.
  • Bahá'í Association of the University of Georgia, one of the oldest Bahá'í sites on the internet. Links to information in multiple languages, simple to follow but comprehensive information, and largest archive of media coverage of the Bahá'í Faith. Site maintained by an individual Bahá'í.
  • Bahá'í Library Online, an academically-oriented site with a large number of primary and secondary source materials on the Bahá'í Faith.
  • H-Bahai, part of the H-net series, H-Bahai concentrates on the scholarly study of Shaykhism, the Bábí Faith, and the Bahá'í Faith.
  • Bahá'í Study Center, varied Bahá'í resources, including online videos and talking books.
  • BBC Religion and Ethics special: Bahá'í, BBC on the Bahá'í Faith.
  • ReligionFacts.com: Bahá'í Faith, objective guide to the Bahá'í Faith
  • Ocean, a privately-developed, free downloadable reference library and research engine, containing the full text of the Bahá'í writings and many other scriptures in English, and over 1000 volumes from among the world's religious literature. Smaller selections in six other major languages. (Typographical accuracy of texts varies.)
  • Religious Studies and Bahá'í Studies Articles and papers authored as drafts towards a short encyclopedia of the Bahá'í Faith.
  • The Bahá'í Religion Academic introduction to the Bábí and Bahá'í religions from an Islamic studies perspective.
  • Islam and the Bahá'í Faith The relationship between the two religions (in English and Arabic).
  • Bahá'u'lláh A web site on the life and teachings of Bahá'u'lláh. Includes a history and selected Writings.

Usage note: The correct orthographies are "Bahá'í", "Bahá'ís", "Báb", "Bahá'u'lláh", and "`Abdu'l-Bahá": Bahá'ís use a particular and specific transcription of Arabic in their publications. Because of typographic limitations, the forms "Bahai", "Bahais", "Baha'i", "Bab", "Bahaullah" and "Baha'u'llah" are often used as a common spelling and are satisfactory for certain electronic uses.

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ar:بهائية az:Bahailik bs:Baha'i ca:Fe Bahà'í cs:Baha'i da:Bahai de:Baha'i et:Baha'i usk es:Bahaísmo eo:Bahaa Kredo eu:Bahaismo fa:دین بهایی fr:Bahaïsme ko:바하이 신앙 hr:Bahá'í io:Bahaa Kredo id:Baha'i ia:Fide Bahá'í it:Fede Bahá'í he:האמונה הבהאאית kw:Fay Bahá'í lt:Bahaizmas lb:Baha'i hu:Bahá'í ms:Bahai nl:Bahá'í ja:バハーイー教 no:Bahai nn:Bahai pl:Bahaizm pt:Fé Bahá'í ro:Bahaism ru:Бахаизм sh:Bahaizam simple:Bahá'í Faith sk:Bahá'í sl:Bahá'í fi:Bahá'í sv:Bahai ta:பஹாய் சமயம் th:บาไฮ tr:Bahailik zh:巴哈伊信仰

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