Founded in Iran in 1844, it now has more than five million adherents in 236 countries and territories. Its founder, Bahá'u'lláh (1817-1892), is regarded by Bahá'í's as the most recent in the line of Messengers of God that stretches back beyond recorded time and that includes Abraham, Moses, Buddha, Krishna, Zoroaster, Christ and Muhammad. The central theme of Bahá'u'lláh's message is that humanity
is one single race and that the day has come for its unification in one global society. God, Bahá'u'lláh said, has set in motion historical forces that are breaking down traditional barriers of race, class, creed, and nation and that will, in time, give birth to a universal civilization. The principal challenge facing the peoples of the earth is to accept the fact of their oneness and to assist the processes of unification. One of the purposes of the Bahá'í Faith is to help make this possible. Bahá’ís come from nearly every national, ethnic and religious background, making the Bahá’í Faith the second-most-widespread religion in the world. A worldwide community of some five million Bahá'í's, representative of most of the nations, races and cultures on earth, is working to give Bahá'u'lláh's teachings practical effect. Their experience will be a source of encouragement to all who share their vision of humanity as one global family and the earth as one homeland. What do Bahá’ís believe in?
» the abandonment of all forms of prejudice
» assurance to women of full equality of opportunity with men
» recognition of the unity and relativity of religious truth
» the elimination of extremes of poverty and wealth
» the realization of universal education
» the responsibility of each person to independently search for truth
» the establishment of a global commonwealth of nations
» recognition that true religion is in harmony with reason and the pursuit of scientific knowledge
Baha'is believe:
•the purpose of life is to know and worship God, to acquire virtues, to promote the oneness of humankind and to carry forward an ever-advancing civilization
•all humanity was created by one God and is part of one human race
•work performed in the spirit of service is a form of worship
•the soul, created at the moment of conception, is destined by God to reach the afterlife, where it will continue to progress until it attains the presence of God
Baha'is practice:
•daily prayer and communion with God
•high moral principles, including trustworthiness, chastity and honesty
•independent investigation of truth
•a life dedicated to the service of humanity
•fellowship with the followers of all religions
•avoidance of excessive materialism, partisan politics, backbiting, alcohol, drugs and gambling
How do the Bahá’ís relate to other religions? Bahá’ís associate with the followers of all religions in a spirit of love and friendship. Bahá’ís see no intrinsic conflict with other religious communities, as they believe all the revealed faiths originate from the same Source, God, and are essentially one.
