Bahá'í Faith

The Bahá'í Faith was founded during the 1860s by Bahá'u'lláh (1817-1892), an Iranian-born leader of Babi exiles in the Ottoman Empire. Bahá'ís (as its followers are called) recognize Bahá'u'lláh as the most recent in a series of divine "prophet-founders" that also includes Zarathustra, Krishna, Buddha, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, Muhammad, and the Bab. That is, just as Islam claims to supercede previous Abrahamic religions, so does the Bahá'í religion claim to supercede Islam (and Babism).

From its origins in the Persian and Ottoman Empires, the Bahá'í religion attracted a significant number of Western followers by World War I. During the 1960's it expanded into various Third World countries in South and Southeast Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, South America, and the Pacific. As a result it now enjoys a noteworthy geographic spread, with a membership drawn from hundreds of nations and ethnic groups.

Bahá'ís expect this process to continue into the indefinite future, until most of the world's people are Bahá'ís. Bahá'u'lláh's teachings, they believe, herald the gradual rise of a new global civilization characterized by world peace. "The earth is but one country," wrote Bahá'u'lláh (in the Lawh-i-Maqsud), "and mankind its citizens."

Nomenclature

The word "Bahá'í" (/baˈhaːʔiː/) comes from the Arabic word Bahá’ (بهاء), meaning "glory" or "splendor"--a term which forms part of Bahá'u'lláh's assumed title. Properly the term "Bahá'í" is either an adjective referring to the religion, or a noun for a follower of Bahá'u'lláh, but not a noun for the religion itself.

Members of the main body of Bahá'ís often refer to their religion as the "Bahá'í Faith," preferring "faith" to "religion," and treating it as part of the religion's name. Names like "Baha'ism," "Bahaism," "Behaism," etc. are sometimes encountered in older material, or in material by dissidents, but are avoided by mainstream Bahá'ís, partly because they object to being consider an "ism" ("Babism," however, meets with less objection). "Bahá'í religion" is also a common usage in academic circles.

Bahá'í institutions express a preference for the orthography "Bahá'í" (i.e. with diacritical marks), using a particular transcription system for Arabic and Persian based on a system used by academics in 1922, when the Bahá'í system was adopted. The academic systems have moved on in the subsequent eighty-five years, but the Bahá'í system, having been used in tens of thousands of pamphlets and books in all languages using the Roman alphabet, has acquired enormous momentum. The acute accents can also be written as horizontal lines (macrons) above the vowels. The "apostrophe" stands for a 'hamzih or glottal stop; otherwise English speakers might be tempted to pronounce ai as a diphthong. The spelling "Bahai" is also occasionally encountered.

Size

(CC) Photo: Michael Hoefner
Bahai House of Worship in Delhi, India

Attempts to estimate the number of Bahá'ís face problems common to many religions. Unlike most other religions, the religion's governing bodies register new members and add them to voting lists. This is essential because the governing bodies are elected by all adult believers. But no religion has a way to track people who drift away without officially resigning their membership. In a few nations and regions (such as Bolivia, where there is a popular Bahá'í radio station, and Northern Ireland), the government census actually gives a membership number larger than the official Bahá'í statistic. In countries where the Bahá'í Faith is illegal (as in some Muslim countries) or where national infrastructure is very limited, it is difficult to obtain a reliable count of the Bahá'ís. Recent estimates of the worldwide Bahá'í population range from more than a million to upwards of seven million. The official Bahá'í number is five to six million.

Observers often notice a discrepancy between government and Bahá'í figures. Official Bahá'í statistics give a Bahá'í population in India of 2.2 million, whereas the 1991 Indian census recorded a mere 5,575 Bahá'ís living there. The World Christian Encyclopedia identifies the Bahá'í Faith as the second-most widespread religion in the world (Christianity being number one and Islam, number three). Because nine adult Bahá'ís will form a local "spiritual assembly" but nine adult Christians or Muslims will usually not establish a church or mosque, Bahá'ís are often more visible than their numbers would suggest.

It has been said that the Bahá'í religion is the fastest-growing world religion, based on the rapid growth the religion experienced in the late sixties and seventies. Mormons make a similar claim. Both claims refers to percentile growth rather than an absolute number of new believers; denominations and small religions often find it easier to achieve rapid percentile growth than larger ones. The Bahá'í Faith, historically, grows in spurts, because of internal developments and external cultural factors. Since the mid 1980s, its growth has slowed in most areas of the world. Overall, in the twentieth century its membership grew roughly fifty fold, from about 100,000 in 1900 to about five million in 2000.

Leadership

Bahá'is conceive of human history in terms of prophetic dispensations of hundreds to thousands of years. For example, the dispensation of Christ is held to have lasted from the time of Christ to 622 C.E.; that of Muhammad from 622 to 1844. Humanity is now living in the "Bahá'í Era," the "millennium" of Bahá'u'lláh which is to last at least a thousand years (until at least 2853 C.E. and the appearance of the next Manifestation). Within this dispensation, Bahá'ís distinguish between a "Heroic Age" of the religion (1844-1921) characterized by the ministries of the Báb, Bahá'u'lláh and `Abdu'l-Bahá, and a "Formative Age" (starting in 1921) of institution-building. A "Golden Age" of world peace and unity is expected to arise in the distant future.

The Forerunner, the Báb

(CC) Photo: John Abassi
Shrine of the Bab in Haifa, Israel.

Mírzá `Alí-Muḥammad, called the Báb, was born on October 20, 1819, in Shiraz to a well-known merchant of the city. His father died soon after his birth and the boy was raised by his uncle Ḥájí Mírzá Siyyid `Alí, who was also a merchant.

Upon reaching manhood, he joined his uncle in the family business, a trading house, and became a merchant. In 1842 he married Khadíjih-Bagum and they had one son, Aḥmad, who died in infancy. A contemporary described Him as "very taciturn, and [he] would never utter a word unless it was absolutely necessary. He did not even answer our questions. He was constantly absorbed in his own thoughts, and was preoccupied with repetition of his prayers and verses. He was a handsome man with a thin beard, dressed in clean clothes, wearing a green shawl and a black turban."

On the evening of May 23, 1844, when he was 24 years old, he invited a young religious seeker into his house and announced that he was the promised one of Shi'ite Islam. He took the title of the Báb, meaning "the Gate," referring to the title of four successive spokesmen of the twelfth and last Imám of Shi'ite Islam. The title implied he claimed to be a spokesman or intermediary of the twelfth Imám, but he gradually made it clear that he was claiming to be the messianic return of that figure, whose advent was expected by some Muslims in that very year (the year 1260 in the Islamic calendar).

Gradually, the Báb attracted a group of followers. He also began to "reveal" texts, "reveal" referring to a process of rapid writing or dictation. He sent followers out with some of his texts to preach his message throughout the Shi'ite communities of Iran and Iraq. Because his messianic claim contradicted the commonly held understanding that Muhammad was the seal of the prophets until the Judgment Day, the Báb's message was highly controversial. His followers were persecuted and sometimes killed and he was placed under house arrest, then exiled to government forts on the remote Turkish-Iranian border. But he was never denied writing materials and thus he continued to compose texts. Nearly two hundred are extant today, though some exist in various scribal variants. Among them are the Qayyumu'l-Asmá, a metaphorical commentary on the qur'anic Surih of Joseph, and the Bayán or "Exposition," a book containing the laws and practices of the Báb's religion. A volume of extracts from his writings, Selections from the Writings of the Báb, was published in English in 1976.

Among his major teachings was the advent of another messianic figure, "He whom God would make manifest," described as an even greater divine messenger than himself. Various texts seemed to suggest the new figure would appear in nine or nineteen years, though other texts were interpreted to suggest the advent was hundreds of years in the future.

In July 1850, following Bábí uprisings in Tabarsi, Nayriz, and Zanjan, the premier, Amír Kabír, decided to execute the Báb, as a means of containing his movement. This decision was 'for reasons of state': the Báb had not led these uprisings (he had been in prison in Chihriq for the past two years), but his existence was felt to fuel disorder. The decision was disputed, both in the capital and in Tabriz, where the governor wanted no part of it. Amír Kabír bypassed the governor and instructed his brother, secretary of the army in the province, to perform the execution. The latter obtained a religious sanction for the Báb's execution, on the grounds of apostasy, from three leading mujtahids. These appear to have been reluctant, but acted under pressure. There was no hearing. The Báb was then executed by a firing squad in Tabriz. By then his movement embraced several tens of thousands of followers. It was particularly popular among young Shi'ite seminarians and clerics and the urban middle class, though it did attract rural villagers, a few tribesmen, and some Turkish-speaking Shi'ites. A large number of the Bábís had previously been members of the Shaykhís, a small Shi'ite sect that had expected the imminent return of the Twelfth Imam.

The Bábí community, which was under increased persecution, turned to other leaders: the nineteen "Letters of the Living" the Báb had appointed and a titular head of the community, a teenager named Mírzá Yahyá (1831-1912), who took on the title of Subh-i-Azal. Another figure of considerable informal importance was Mírzá Husayn-`Alí, titled Bahá'u'lláh (1817-92), son of a member of the Shah's court. Mírzá Yahyá was his younger half brother, lived in Bahá'u'lláh's house, and may have been appointed titular head of the community so that Bábís could consult Bahá'u'lláh without endangering him.

In 1852, two vengeful Bábís failed in an assassination attempt against Naserud-Din Shah, Iran's king. This led to a series of pogroms that produced the deaths of hundred of Bábís and drove the community to near extinction. Ultimately, somewhere between two and twenty thousand Bábís were killed for their beliefs, often via ingenious public tortures.

The Founder, Bahá'u'lláh

(CC) Photo: John Abbassi
Entrance to the Shrine of the Bahá’u’lláh

Bahá'u'lláh was one of those caught up in the general persecution of the Bábís following the attempted assassination of the Shah. He was arrested on suspicion of involvement in the plot, all his extensive properties were confiscated, and he was confined in a pestilential subterranean dungeon for four months. But while there he experienced a mystical encounter with the "Maid of Heaven," an event that symbolically marked the beginning of his ministry as a divine messenger.

Cleared of all wrongdoing, Bahá'u'lláh was released from prison in December 1852, but to punish him for his involvement in the Bábí Faith, he was ordered into exile. He chose to go to Iraq. He was accompanied by his family, including Mirzá Yahyá. After two years in Baghdad, Bahá'u'lláh retreated into the wilderness for several years, where he lived as a dervish. He returned to Baghdad and began to organize that city's Bábí community and reestablished correspondence with the remnants of the Bábí community in Iran. More and more Bábís performed Shi'ite pilgrimage to the shrines of the Imams in southern Iraq, then came through Baghdad to meet Bahá'u'lláh and receive his advice and encouragement. He also began to reveal texts in the same manner as the Báb. When the Báb's uncle came through Baghdad in January, 1861, and asked Bahá'u'lláh a series of questions, Bahá'u'lláh responded by composing the Kitáb-i-Íqán or Book of Certitude--a 250-page book about Qur'anic and biblical prophecy, the relationship of the religions, and the spiritual development of the individual--in forty-eight hours. He also produced a short work of spiritual and ethical aphorisms, The Hidden Words. In response to questions posed by a Sufi master he composed The Seven Valleys, which talks about seven stages in the journey of the soul. The Four Valleys was a response to a different Sufi master and described the spiritual journeys of four different types of souls or personality types.

In 1863, the Iranian government petitioned the Turkish government to move Bahá'u'lláh farther from the Iranian border in order to reduce his influence in Iran. In response, Bahá'u'lláh was ordered to Istanbul, the imperial capital. On the verge of his departure, Bahá'u'lláh announced his claim to be the promised one of the Báb, "He whom God would make Manifest," thereby making public the status as a divine messenger he had already been expressing in his written works. Bábís were invited to accept him as the divine successor of the Báb; over the next decade, the vast majority did so and became Bahá'ís. In Istanbul Bahá'u'lláh made contacts with many ambassidors, which enabled him to convey public letters to various European monarchs announcing his claim to be the Promised One.

After some months in the capital, the Ottoman government sent Bahá'u'lláh to further exile in Edirne, a small city in Turkey near the modern borders of Turkey, Bulgaria, and Greece. There, a rift opened between the supporters of Subh-i-Azal and Bahá'u'lláh. Subsequent strife led to the decision of the Ottoman government to exile Bahá'u'lláh and most of his followers to Acre (Akko in Hebrew, `Akka in Arabic), a small prison city in what is today northern Israel. Subh-i-Azal and most of his followers were sent to Famagusta, Cyprus.

Bahá'u'lláh spent the rest of his life in or near Acre. The first two years involved a severe imprisonment that resulted in the deaths of two of Bahá'u'lláh's followers and of his youngest son. Subsequently he was allowed to live in a condition of house arrest within the city walls, then in rented houses outside the walls. He devoted the remaining years of his life to meeting with Bahá'í pilgrims, who spent months making the difficult journey to Acre, and revealing more texts.

His literary corpus eventually came to include some 15,000 works, covering a wide range of genres, including poetry (of several different types), theological treatises, polemical and apologetical essays, prayers, philosophical texts, and letters. His works are in Arabic, Persian, and a scholarly combination of both. His most important work, the Kitáb-i-Aqdas or Most Holy Book (composed circa 1877), established the basic laws of personal conduct of his religion and many principles of social reform. Bahá'u'lláh’s other prominent works, in addition to the previously mentioned writings from the Baghdad period (the Kitáb-i-Íqán, Hidden Words, Seven Valleys, and Four Valleys), include a series of epistles to kings, rulers and the Pope; a series of treatises after the Kitáb-i-Aqdas that explained and amplified its provisions; several lengthy and beautiful mystical prayers; several works about the authority and station of his eldest son, `Abdu'l-Bahá, including a will and testament appointing him as Bahá'u'lláh’s successor; and Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, Bahá'u'lláh’s last important work, which summarized many of his major teachings and reprised many of his most important passages.

The Master, `Abdu'l-Bahá

(CC) Photo: Lee Bey
Baha'i House of Worhsip in Wilmette, Illinois

Bahá'u'lláh’s eldest son, `Abbás, was born on May 23, 1844—the same day when the Báb declared his mission—and was raised in exile with his father. When Bahá'u'lláh passed away in 1892, he was 48 and had served as his father’s assistant, secretary, and representative for three decades. In that role he anonymously authored three works: A Traveler’s Narrative: Written to Illustrate the Episode of the Báb, a history of the Bábí and Bahá'í Faiths; The Secret of Divine Civilization, a work on the social and economic reform and development of Iran; and A Treatise on Politics, a work on government reorganization. Long addressed by Bahá'ís as “the Master” on Bahá'u'lláh’s command, he took the title of `Abdu'l-Bahá, “Servant of Bahá.” Bahá'u'lláh’s writings declared `Abbás the head of the Faith, exemplar of the Bahá'í life, and center of authority, which stirred jealousy and plotting on the part of his half brother, Muhammad-`Alí.

The Young Turk Revolution of 1908 freed Abdul-Baha from confinement in Acre. He was able to leave Ottoman territory for Europe and North America during the years 1911-1913. He spoke on the relationship between Bahá'í teachings and various liberal causes of the day (racial amity, women's suffrage, Esperanto) to universities audiences, peace societies, liberal Protestant and Reform Jewish congregations, theosophical lodges, Spiritualist churches, and women’s clubs. Kahlil Gibran drew his portrait and was very impressed by him. Tens of thousands of North Americans and Europeans heard of the Bahá'í Faith for the first time and the Bahá'í communities, first established on those continents in the early years of his ministry, were greatly strengthened. While in the United States he laid the cornerstone of the Bahá'í House of Worship in Wilmette, Illinois, outside Chicago. His talks were collected and published as The Promulgation of Universal Peace, Paris Talks, and `Abdu'l-Bahá in London, works that are of great interest in understanding Bahá'í teachings, but which nevertheless are not considered Bahá'í scripture because `Abdu'l-Bahá never reviewed the transcripts for accuracy. After he returned to Palestine, `Abdu'l-Bahá penned a series of epistles to the North American Bahá'ís titled Tablets of the Divine Plan, where he gave them the responsibility to take the Bahá'í Faith to every corner of the globe. He was a ceaseless correspondent, producing some 16,000 extant works, mostly letters to individuals and groups. Because Bahá'u'lláh stated that `Abdu'l-Bahá was authorized to interpret the Bahá'í teachings, all his writings are part of Bahá'í scripture.

After `Abdu'l-Bahá’s passing on November 28, 1921, his Will and Testament was made public. Composed in the first decade of the twentieth century, it explained how the Bahá'í world was to go about electing the Universal House of Justice, a supreme governing institution for the Faith established by Bahá'u'lláh. He also established the institution of the Guardianship, delineated the process whereby each Guardian would appoint his successor, and defined the complementary functions of the Guardianship and the Universal House of Justice respectively as interpretation of the Bahá'í texts and legislating on matters in which the texts were silent.

The Guardian, Shoghi Effendi Rabbani

Shoghi Effendi (1897-1957) was the eldest grandson of `Abdu'l-Bahá, through his eldest daughter, who was married to an Afnan (a member of the family of the Báb). He served as `Abdu'l-Bahá’s secretary; when `Abdu'l-Bahá died, he was studying at Oxford University in order to perfect his English so that he could serve as a translator. He was shocked, upon his return to Palestine, to discover he had been appointed the Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith. He took various major works by Bahá'u'lláh and `Abdu'l-Bahá—the Will and Testament of `Abdu'l-Bahá, The Tablets of the Divine Plan, and Bahá'u'lláh’s Tablet of Carmel—as the mandates for his thirty-six year ministry.

Because the first two focused on organization of the Faith and expansion of its membership, respectively, they complemented each other well. The membership of the American Bahá'í community had been flat at roughly 1,500 members for two decades. Within months of becoming Guardian, Shoghi Effendi wrote Bahá'í communities around the world and told them to elect nine-member local spiritual assemblies in order to organize activities. He asked Bahá'ís to establish National Spiritual Assemblies as well. Within a decade there were about 115 local spiritual assemblies outside Iran (statistics within the country were not yet available) and nine National Spiritual Assemblies.

The establishment of organization was not without controversy. Ahmad Sohrab, a prominent Iranian Bahá'í living in the United States, clashed with Bahá'í institutions over the role of his personal organization, the New History Society, took it outside the Bahá'í community, and used it as a vehicle to oppose the Faith. Luminaries such as Albert Einstein and Helen Keller spoke at the society's meetings in New York City. The organization, however, barely survived his death. Efforts by Ruth White, a very individualistic American Bahá'í, to oppose Bahá'í organization by claiming `Abdu'l-Bahá’s Will and Testament was a forgery, produced a brief independent Bahá'í group in Germany that soon dwindled away.

With organization came defined community life, systematic deepening of new members, and coordination of efforts to teach the Faith locally, hence membership began to increase. Greater human resources made possible systematic campaigns to establish the Faith in new countries, which brought new National Spiritual Assemblies in existence; by 1963 there were 56 National Spiritual Assemblies and there was a thin scattering of Bahá'ís everywhere outside the Communist world.

Shoghi Effendi also took Bahá'u'lláh’s Tablet of Carmel as his inspiration to expand and beautify the Bahá'í World Center, with its holy places located in and near Acre and on Mount Carmel in nearby Haifa. Notable was the construction of the Shrine of the Báb on Mount Carmel (`Abdu'l-Bahá having earlier brought the Báb’s remains to Palestine from Iran). He continued the task of translating that he had taken on with `Abdu'l-Bahá’s encouragement, producing a series of new translations into English of most of Bahá'u'lláh’s major works. His translations became the standard for later translations into English and were used as the basis for translating Bahá'í scriptures into other languages outside the Islamic world, from Icelandic to Vietnamese. He also produced a constant flow of letters and essays answering the questions of individuals and interpreting the Bahá'í teachings; altogether, 25,000 letters have been collected. Some have been assembled into significant compilations, such as The World Order of Bahá'u'lláh; others were of sufficient length to be published as small books, such as The Advent of Divine Justice and The Promised Day is Come. Shoghi Effendi also wrote one book, God Passes By (1944), a history of the Bahá'í Faith’s first century, and he edited, abridged, and translated Nabil’s Narrative, also called The Dawnbreakers, a major memoir by a Bábí who became a close follower and companion of Bahá'u'lláh.

The Hands of the Cause

Shoghi Effendi died suddenly on November 4, 1957. He left no will (which is a duty for Bahá'ís if they have property and descendants, which he did not). Based on a series of letters Shoghi Effendi wrote to the Bahá'í world about the Hands of the Cause of God, a group of distinguished servant-leaders of the Faith that he had appointed (based on guidance from Bahá'u'lláh and `Abdu'l-Bahá), the Hands took temporary charge of the Bahá'í Faith until 1963, when the ten year expansion plan Shoghi Effendi had set in motion in 1953 would end. They began to prepare for the 1963 election of the Universal House of Justice, which had not yet been established. This decision greater disturbed one Hand, Charles Mason Remey (1874-1974), who gradually came to believe that Shoghi Effendi had named him the Second Guardian. When he announced his claim in 1960, he acquired a following of one or two hundred, but subsequently the Remeyites disagreed over various matters, including who should be the Third Guardian, and broke into several groups, two of which (the Orthodox Bahá'ís and the Bahá'ís Under the Provision of the Covenant) remain active today.

The Universal House of Justice

Bahá'u'lláh's writings refer often to the House of Justice of nine male members, to be established in every city and worldwide. `Abdu'l-Bahá stated that temporarily, local Houses of Justice should be called local spiritual assemblies so that no one would confuse them with a court or political body. His Will and Testament stated that all the members of the nine-member National Spiritual Assemblies (which are national Houses of Justice) would elect the Universal House of Justice. The first election occurred in April, 1963, and subsequently the Universal House of Justice drafted its own constitution, which specifies that elections occur every five years. The April 2008 election will be the tenth election of the body.

The Universal House of Justice has continued the priorities set by Shoghi Effendi. They define the main goals of multi-year "plans” and deliver progress reports in the form of annual Ridvan messages. They issue statements about various teachings of the Bahá'í Faith and coordinate the answering of thousands of letters written by Bahá'ís to them every year. They have continued the development of Bahá'í institutions by inaugurating new institutions and have continued development of the Bahá'í world center in northern Israel. The latter has included restoration and beautification of holy places and construction of a series of monumental structures to house the international administration.

Governance

The Bahá'í religion lacks a professional clergy (though some of its leaders and staff receive salaries), and is governed by its "Administrative Order," a hierarchy of elected councils. These include

• Local Spiritual Assemblies (LSAs) — the most basic level of administration, associated with such localities as towns, cities, or counties. These consist of nine-member councils that are elected annually by and from among all local adult believers. In very large Bahá'í communities the Universal House of Justice may approve an alternative election system whereby the adult Bahá'ís elect delegates, who elect the Assembly.

• National Spiritual Assemblies (NSAs) — similarly-conceived nine-member councils, with national rather than local responsibilities. NSA's are elected annually by delegates chosen by all the adult Bahá'ís resident in an electoral unit. The number of delegates is set by the Universal House of Justice; the NSA then divides its area of jurisdiction into electoral units, each with roughly the same number of adult Bahá'ís, the exception being large cities, which are kept as a single electoral unit that elects two or more delegates based on its Bahá'í population. (It should be noted that the term "national" is used loosely in Bahá'í parlance. All of South America originally elected a single "national" Spiritual Assembly, which was later subdivided into regional assemblies and finally one NSA for each country on the continent. It is common for islands, island groupings, and territories geographically detached from the main section of a nation to have their own "national" Spiritual Assemblies, Alaska, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, and Sicily being examples.)

• Regional Bahá'í Councils — exist in certain countries such as Canada, India, and the United States, as an intermediate level in between the LSA's and NSA. They are elected annually by all the members of local spiritual assemblies in their region.

• The Universal House of Justice — a global body, the religion's highest authority. Its members are elected every five years, by an electoral college consisting of all the members of the NSAs. In contrast to other Bahá'í bodies, only men are eligible for election to the Universal House of Justice. Its "Seat" (headquarters) is located on Mount Carmel, in a campus of neoclassical buildings and Persian gardens overlooking the city of Haifa, Israel.

Bahá'í elections take place through secret ballot. All mentioning of names, all campaigning, and all nominating is forbidden; electors are to pray and vote their conscience after considering the personal qualities of people they know and the diversity of the body they are electing. Such a system prevents the extensive voter manipulation and elaborate promises that characterize most electoral campaigns in civil society and thus remove from the Bahá'í system a major cause of polarization of the electorate. Those elected, having never issued promises to press for certain changes, are free to look at issues in an unbiased fashion and to brainstorm together freely.

When an election is called, those eligible to vote have the option of voting by mail or in person (except regional council elections, which are almost always conducted by mail). Tellers count the votes and announce who received the plurality of votes. In the event of a tie, preference is given to members of minority groups.

The Bahá'í scriptures place great emphasis on consensus--not in the Quaker sense of waiting for agreement, but in the sense that consultation should result in unanimity. If unanimity is not possible, however, a majority vote can settle an issue. Those holding a minority position are urged to trust in and support the decision, because the only way to determine whether a decision was right is to implement it. If a decision is not supported, there may be no way to determine whether it failed because it was poorly made or because it could not be properly implemented.

One difficulty the Bahá'í system sometimes faces is generating membership turnover, because in a system without campaigning, incumbents have a natural advantage, as they are already known. This has caused criticism of the Bahá'í electoral system. Secular systems, however, face a similar problem, with very high percentages of incumbents being reelected, often after bruising campaigns that leave a permanent tarnish on their reputation. It is common for members of Regional Councils or national committees--positions of great visibility--to be elected to NSAs. In the United States, historically, there has been a membership turnover on the NSA of one position (out of nine) two years out of three, usually because of retirement for health or personal reasons, though occasionally because the delegates voted for someone new.

In addition to the hierarchy of elected bodies, there is an appointed arm of Bahá'í administration. Every five years the Universal House of Justice appoints nine International Counselors, who serve as members of the International Teaching Center (ITC) in Haifa, Israel. The ITC serves as the right arm of the Universal House of Justice, encouraging the spread of the Bahá'í Faith and the development of its communities. The ITC also directs the Continental Counsellors, appointed by the Universal House of Justice every five years. Worldwide there are 99 Counsellors, functioning in five regional jurisdictions (the Americas, Africa, Asia, Australasia, and Europe). They in turn appoint Auxilliary Board members (ABMs) to five year terms. Currently there are 990 ABMs, each with jurisdiction over a region (in the United States, typically several states; in Europe it may be an entire country). ABMs usually work in pairs, one assigned responsibility for the propagation of the Bahá'í Faith, the other its protection against internal and external problems. They often appoint Assistants, who are assigned to a specific Bahá'í community or "cluster" (a group of localities) or to work with a specific population (like youth).

The Counselors and ABMs are constantly traveling to visit Bahá'í communities, find out how they are doing, encourage and inspire them, and remind them of the latest advice from the Universal House of Justice and International Teaching Center. They often speak at major events. Individuals and Bahá'í institutions often seek their advice and encouragement. Auxiliary Board members and their assistants play a major role in regional training institutes, agencies established regionally to educate Bahá'ís.

The Bahá'í Administrative Order exists to organize and direct the Bahá'í community. Local Spiritual Assemblies own Bahá'í Centers, organize local Bahá'í events, coordinate efforts to serve the greater (non-Bahá'í) community through social and economic development projects, and provide pastoral care for individuals (often through designated individuals or committees). They oversee Bahá'í marriages and funerals and grant Bahá'í divorces to couples who have completed a civil divorce. They ensure the education of Bahá'í children, youth, and adults in the Bahá'í teachings and practices. Regional Councils appoint regional training institutes and other committees (such as to encourage youth). National Spiritual Assemblies design national plans, own national properties (Bahá'í Centers or Houses of Worship), advise and encourage local Spiritual Assemblies, publish books, operate charities, and carry out many of the other tasks that a national denomination must do. The Universal House of Justice provides global direction and sets global policy.

One inevitable task of Bahá'í institutions is to discipline members who violate the Faith's ethical norms. While most American Protestant churches no longer discipline members--the members can too easily switch churches--it was very common in the nineteenth century, and is still a feature of Catholicism, Mormonism, and some other denominations. Local spiritual assemblies try to counsel members who are violating a Bahá'í ethical norm (for example, drinking alcohol or living with someone of the opposite sex without the benefit of marriage). If the violation continues, the local assembly can recommend to the NSA that some or all of the individual's administrative rights (to attend Feast, give money to the Faith, vote in Bahá'í elections, be voted for in elections) be removed. The rights will be restored when the cause of the violation is resolved.

More complicated and difficult decisions must be made when a Bahá'í attacks Bahá'í institutions in print or insists that certain reforms to Bahá'í ethics and practices be made. The Bahá'í Faith provides many avenues for discussing such matters in a civil fashion, but sometimes civility breaks down. If that happens, it may be necessary to counsel and warn individuals about the tone and content of their communications, a task that falls on Auxiliary Board members or Counselors under the advice of the Universal House of Justice. Such efforts have become controversial on rare occasions. In a few very rare cases, the Universal House of Justice has declared such individuals to be non-Bahá'ís, effectively expelling them from membership of the Bahá'í community (though they would still be allowed to attend Bahá'í events open to the public). Equally rarely, if a Bahá'í demonstrates not just a criticial attitude, but a desire to oppose the Bahá'í Faith and its institutions, the Universal House of Justice can declare him or her a Covenant breaker. Because of the oppositional stance of such individuals, Bahá'ís should not associate them (though they can carry out business transactions with them).

Occasionally it is necessary to suspend the operations of Local Spiritual Assemblies because of their inability to conduct their responsibilities competently or according to Bahá'í norms. The Universal House of Justice has occasionally dissolved National Spiritual Assemblies and called for their reelection, and National Spiritual Assemblies have had to do the same to local Spiritual Assemblies.

"Scripture"

The term "scripture" can be used in various ways in the field of comparative religion. Three of those uses generally apply in the Bahá'í context: "scripture" as referring to sacred Bahá'í texts, "scripture" as works used scripturally in a devotional context, and "scripture" as texts used to determine one's faith and practice.

The Spiritual Status of Bahá'í Texts

Since the Báb and Bahá'u'lláh are regarded as manifestations of God and thus as perfect revelators of the divine will, their writings are regarded as the revealed word of God and sacred. This understanding of the nature of their writings is grounded in statements in the writings themselves. Both the Báb and Bahá'u'lláh "revealed" texts according to a certain practice, typically reciting or chanting it as it came to them, with a secretary writing it down (Bahá'u'lláh's secretaries even developed a kind of Arabic shorthand to be able to keep up). Subsequently the text, often called a "tablet" (lawh in Arabic), was rewritten in standard Arabic script by the secretary and presented to Bahá'u'lláh, who made any corrections and authorized its distribution. Virtually all of Bahá'u'lláh's works were a response to a written or oral question. About 15,000 works by Bahá'u'lláh are extant in the archives of the Bahá'í World Center in Haifa. The Báb, on the other hand, often wrote Qur'anic commentaries, prayers, and mystical treatises without the prompting of a letter or visitor. Only about 190 of his compositions have survived the chaos of persecution.

Bahá'u'lláh appointed his son, `Abdu'l-Bahá, his successor, termed him "the Mystery of God," enjoined Bahá'ís to follow him, and empowered him to interpret the revealed word. `Abdu'l-Bahá was not a manifestation of God, but he is regarded as more than ordinary human being, Thus his writings are not considered revealed word, but are regarded as sacred and as scripture. `Abdu'l-Bahá was immensely prolific, penning letters in Arabic, Persian, and Ottoman Turkish, or dictating them to a secretary; some 16,000 compositions are extant. `Abdu'l-Bahá also gave hundreds of talks in Palestine, Europe, and North America that were taken down by audience members, edited, and published. But because the written notes of his talks may contain errors, unless `Abdu'l-Bahá reviewed, modified, and approved them, they are not considered authoritative Bahá'í texts.

`Abdu'l-Bahá appointed as his successor and Guardian of the Faith his grandson, Shoghi Effendi. He specifically stated that the Guardian was authorized to interpret the Bahá'í texts. Shoghi Effendi does not share the high station of his grandfather, but `Abdu'l-Bahá's Will and Testament does say that whatever Shoghi Effendi says is of God and must be obeyed. Thus Shoghi Effendi's writings--some 36,000 letters are extant--are not scripture, but they are authoritative interpretation and must be obeyed. The Universal House of Justice's writings are also authoritative and binding based on passages in `Abdu'l-Bahá's Will and Testament, but are not sacred or scripture.

"Scripture" in Devotional Context

Bahá'ís use the scriptures of other revealed religions--especially the Bible and Qur'an--in their devotional programs. In a worship context, they function equally to the writings of the Báb, Bahá'u'lláh, and `Abdu'l-Bahá. Writings by Shoghi Effendi and the Universal House of Justice are not used in devotional contexts and thus are not "scripture" in a devotional context.

Texts that Determine Faith and Practice

How one lives one's life, and the moral practices one follows, are determined by the texts of Bahá'u'lláh, `Abdu'l-Bahá, Shoghi Effendi, and the Universal House of Justice. Each clarifies the meaning of the texts of the prior authors. The writings of the Báb might be used to define points of Bahá'í metaphysics, but many of the Báb's laws and religious practices were later modified by Bahá'u'lláh and `Abdu'l-Bahá. The Bible and Qur'an would not be used as detailed guides how to live one's life because so many of their specific practices have been updated or abolished (for example, tithing has been replaced by huququ'lláh).

Beliefs

Baha'i literature often cites lists of ten to fifteen core principles formulated by Abdul-Baha during his tour of Europe and America. Particularly emphasized are the "three onenesses": the oneness of God, religion, and humanity.

The oneness of God

The Bahá'í religion is monotheistic. It views God as having attributes one can describe and discuss, such as omnipotence, mercy, justice, and omniscience. Bahá'í prayers often end with references to God's attributes, enabling worshippers to meditate on them and to cultivate in their spiritual lives. But God is also understood to transcend human understanding and to be "sactified above all attributes." This aspect of God, God's essence, is unknowable to limited beings such as humans.

God reveals Godself to the world through creation, for all created things reflect an attribute of God (human beings reflect all of God's attributes) and through revelation to prophets and Manifestations. Manifestations are rare human beings who are empowered to serve as God's mouthpiece on earth and reflect God's qualities perfectly. Knowing a Manifestation is tantamount to knowledge of God. Lesser prophets (such as Isaiah) receive revelation as well, but are under the shadow of a Manifestation (in the case if Isaiah, Moses). Other figures are also described as have special divine authority, but are not Manifestations, such as `Abdu'l-Bahá (Bahá'u'llah's son), the Shi'i imams, and "seers." The Bahá'í concepts of God and the Manifestation are expansions and modifications of certain Shí'í understandings. They are somewhat different from the classic Christian doctrine of the trinity in that Christ is not part of the Godhead, though He is viewed as occupying the spiritual station of the Manifestations, which is qualitatively different from the station of an ordinary human being. The trinity is seen as a useful metaphor for understanding God, but not as a metaphysical description of the relationship between Jesus Christ and God.

The Bahá'í scriptures also describe the spiritual reality of the next world. The spiritual development of human beings in the physical world is a basis for judgment and advancement in the spiritual world, conceived as an endless expanse of ever-higher realms through which a soul may advance. "Heaven" and "hell" respectively refer to nearness or distance from God.

In an early writing, the "Tablet of All Food" (Lawh-i-Kullu't-Ta'ám), Bahá'u'llah utilizes common Sufi terminology to describe five levels between God and the physical world:

• Háhút — "He-ness", i.e. God in his unapproachable essence
• Láhút — roughly, "Divinity", the root being the same as the word for God (al-Lah Allah)
• Jabarút — the world of "Spirits" (ruh), or archetypes
• Malakút — "the Kingdom", the heaven of the angels
• Násút — the human, mortal world.

The oneness of religion

Bahá'í scripture sees all the major religions of the world as having been inspired by a Manifestation of God (mazhar-i-iláhí), such as Abraham, Moses, Jesus, Muhammad, Zarathustra, Krishna, Buddha, the Báb, and Bahá'u'lláh. Bahá'í scriptures also note that the Sabaean religion (an ancient Middle Eastern religion mentioned in the Qur'án) was founded by a Manifestation, whose name is lost. Two Arab tribal prophets, Sálih and Húd, may also be considered Manifestations; Noah and Adam may be considered legendary or mythic Manifestations. The names of many Manifestations and prophets from the distant past have been lost; other Manifestations are to arise in the far future, after at least 1000 years have passed from the time of Bahá'u'lláh.

The Bahá'í doctrine of progressive revelation holds that each successive Manifestation builds on the teachings of previous Manifestations in that part of the world, thereby guiding human social and spiritual evolution. Bahá'í scripture speaks of two types of teachings given by Manifestations: eternal spiritual teachings, such as marriage, and contingent teachings suitable for a particular time and place, such as how marriages are to be conducted and arranged. Historically, both types of teachings have undergone considerable development after the death of the Manifestation; the initial teaching may have been sketchy and required elaboration, and the cultural and social context of any religion's teachings constantly change. Hence a few statements of Jesus become the basis of the concept of the trinity; the concept of reincarnation, absent in the earliest Hindu scriptures, becomes highly developed; and the social teachings of Moses and Muhammad are codified in the talmud and sharí'ah. Bahá'ís view the differences in the forms of the major religions as arising from the different social teachings of the Manifestations, the language and terms initially used, and in the ways the traditions subsequently are elaborated over centuries.

Not all religions are included in the Bahá'í list of faiths founded on a revelation. Bahá'u'llah, `Abdu'l-Bahá, and Shoghi Effendi were never asked about Jainism, Sikhism, and Taoism. `Abdu'l-Bahá described Confucius as an inspired philosopher. Tribal religions are assumed to contain divine truth, but the Bahá'í authoritative texts do not mention the names of particular Manifestations (though Bahá'ís often speculate about figures such as the White Buffalo Calf Woman and Deganawidah).

Many religions have embodied their foundational teachings in scripture, though the concept of scripture has varied widely among religions and within any particular religion throughout its history. The role of writing has changed over time; some cultures regarded religious teachings as too sacred to record in mundane writing systems, or their scriptures were written down at a time when there were no concepts of fixed authorship or the fixed nature of a text. Writing technology has evolved; cheap paper has provided a convenient medium, scrolls have been replaced by more convenient books, punctuation has made writing much clearer in conveying meaning, and the printing press has made standardized books possible. As a result, the quality and reliability of scriptures as a transmission system of the original teachings generally has improved over time. Scriptures have endured and proved their ability to inspire humans and societies. Bahá'ís respect and venerate the sacred nature of the scriptures of other religions and occasionally utilize them in their worship. Shoghi Effendi, when asked about the reliability of the Qur'án versus the Bible, noted that the Qur'án was a more reliable record when the two works appear to contradict.

Most religions speak about a prophetic figure to some in the future to consumate the religious tradition and establish paradise on Earth. The Bahá'í authoritative texts identify Bahá'u'llah as the fulfillment of the millennarian expectations of various other religions: the Second Coming of Christ, the Mahdí and Qá'im of Islamic eschatology, the future Buddha Maitreya, the Shah Bahram of Zoroastrianism, and "He Whom God Shall Manifest" of the Báb. Bahá'ís note that 1844 was the year of the "Great Disappointment" from Adventism, as well as marking the thousandth year after the occultation of the Shí'í Hidden Imám.

Bahá'u'llah urged his follows to "consort with the followers of all religions in a spirit of friendliness and fellowship" (Tarázát, second Taráz); and Bahá'ís have done so actively, taking part in numerous interfaith gatherings. Belonging to more than one religion is, however, forbidden.

The oneness of humanity

Baha'i teaching emphasizes that humanity was created "from the same stock" and thus has a single origin. Humans are biologically one species; racial differences are relatively minor in importance. A common Baha'i expression is that of "unity in diversity," like a garden consisting of numerous species of flowers. Related to the biological oneness of humanity is the need for social unity. The Baha'i writings say that humanity, historically, is moving toward a global future with a world governing system to coordinate the nations.

The equality of men and women

The Baha'i religion explicitly champions the equality of men and women, making this one of its major principles. While its major figures and recognized prophets have been exclusively male, Baha'i history celebrates a number of prominent women including Tahirih (a Babi heroine, not actually a Baha'i), Navváb (one of Baha'u'llah's wives), Queen Marie of Romania, Bahíyyih Khánum (one of Baha'u'llah's daughters), Martha Root (a prominent Baha'i missionary), and Lidia Zamenhof (daughter of the Esperanto founder).

A number of provisions of the Baha'i religion discriminate on the basis of gender. Women may not serve on the Universal House of Justice, its highest body, and in the case of intestate inheritance, if the deceased is a man the female heirs (other things being equal)receive less than their male counterparts (an inequality inherited from Muslim family law). On the other hand, in the event that Baha'i parents find themselves unable to afford to educate both sons and daughters, they are instructed to give priority to girls.

The elimination of all forms of prejudice

This provision is closely related to the Baha'i teachings on the unity of humanity, and the equality of men and women. Critics point to other "forms of prejudice" which the Baha'i religion has not sought to eliminate. Shoghi Effendi specified that the Baha'i religion is opposed to homosexuality, though Baha'is add that gays and lesbians ought to be treated with politeness and goodwill. Additionally, Baha'i antipathy towards Bayanis (remnant Babis) and the so-called "covenant breaker" groups may qualify as forms of religious prejudice.

World peace, under a world government

Baha'is expect the immanent arrival of "the Lesser Peace", in which world leaders shall (in the words of 'Abdul-Baha) "...establish a board of international arbitration; that from all nations and governments of the world there should be delegates selected for a congress of nations which should constitute a universal abitral court of justice to settle international disputes". Some older Baha'i literature suggests that the advent of the Lesser Peace would occur prior to the year 2000. This peace is not conceived in a utopian fashion: it is to be based on laws, a tribunal, and ultimately backed by force. In the Lawh-i-Maqsud, Baha'u'llah writes: "Should any king take arms against another, all should unitedly arise and prevent him."

This is to be followed by "the Most Great Peace", a more distant time when "Warfare and strife will be uprooted, disagreement and dissension pass away and universal peace unite the nations and peoples of the world. All mankind will dwell together as one family, blend as the waves of one sea, shine as stars of one firmament, and appear as fruits of the same tree."

A point which is debated within Baha'i circles, is that of whether Baha'i institutions such as the UHJ will constitute the future world government (at a time when most of the world's people have converted); or whether these will retain a purely spiritual function, serving parallel to secular institutions like the United Nations.

Since world unity is the primary theme of Baha'u'llah's dispensation, some Baha'is speculate that the mission of the next prophet may involve interplanetary unity.

Harmony between religion and science

Baha'is view conflict between science and religion as misguided, since "truth is one", and each discipline is reliable within its own sphere of authority. In Paris Talks Abdul-Baha says: "Should a man try to fly with the wing of religion alone he would quickly fall into the quagmire of superstition, whilst on the other hand, with the wing of science alone he would also make no progress, but fall into the despairing slough of materialism."

A certain tension can be observed between this sentiment, and the Baha'i attribution of varying degrees of infallibility to its major figures, whose writings occasionally touch on scientific subjects. Baha'u'llah, for example, stated that "every planet [has] its own creatures," a generalization which at this writing appears to be scientifically false. Abdul-Baha apparently denied that human beings evolved from animals. Shoghi Effendi viewed homosexuality as a curable disease, a position now generally rejected by psychiatry. Baha'is have reacted by reinterpreting the writings in ways which are more congenial with modern science; insisting that current science is wrong; or reconsidering the question of infallibility.

Does the Baha'i endorsement of "science" extend to secular scholarship in general, for example in the field of religious history? While a number of conflicts in this area have occurred – for example, over the number of Babi deaths in Iran (scholar Denis MacEoin suggests a figure ten times smaller than Abdul-Baha's "20,000") – the Baha'i presumption seems to be that conducted properly, scholarship can only bolster Baha'i theology. In a 1998 position paper, the Universal House of Justice laments the domination of secular approaches to "researching, understanding, and writing about historical events, and the elements of these methods which the House of Justice regards as being influenced by materialism."

Independent investigation of truth

The point of this teaching is that spiritual seekers ought not to be satisfied with the religion of their ancestors or upbringing, but should investigate various religions for themselves, ideally becoming convinced of the claims of the Baha'i religion. It is also related to the principle of harmony between science and religion, since a religious teaching contradicted by science is held to be irrational, and therefore unworthy of belief.

Critics point to various Baha'i policies which they say are inconsistent with this principle--among them the warnings against reading "covenant breaker" material, or the requirement to submit writings on the Baha'i religion for pre-publication censorship ("Baha'i review"). The response is that the "independent investigation of truth" applies to those who have not yet become Baha'is. Once one accepts the stations of Baha'u'llah and his successors, however, the Baha'i acquires a new obligation, namely to accept whatever these have revealed or commanded.

Universal compulsory education

Baha'i theology conceives of human spiritual evolution in terms of "education", with the prophets as teachers. Conversely, education is conceived in spiritual terms. Baha'u'llah wrote: "Regard man as a mine rich in gems of inestimable value. Education can, alone, cause it to reveal its treasures, and enable mankind to benefit therefrom."

Baha'i parents have a duty to educate their children (if they are able), a duty which is shared by Baha'i assemblies. Said education must at least include moral and spiritual instruction; reading and writing; training in a useful trade or profession; and in the universal auxiliary language, as soon as one is chosen. Baha'i writings also mention foreign languages, mathematics, science, technology, commerce, industry, the liberal arts, and religion as subjects suitable for study.

A universal auxiliary language

Baha'u'llah urged that the nations of the world, through representatives, agree on "one universal language and one common script". Baha'is believe that such a council will one day be held (though as a practical matter, interest in it seems to have waned somewhat).

While the choice of language is reserved to this committee, many early Baha'is including 'Abdul Baha favored Esperanto (or a reformed version of it). Baha'u'llah spoke highly of the Arabic language, without recommending it directly; while today English is also frequently mentioned as a candidate. For purposes of international communication, the religion's working languages are English and Persian.

Obedience to government, non-involvement in politics

Baha'is have an obligation to obey the government of the country in which they live, in all things except the renunciation of their faith (should this be commanded). They are forbidden to participate in partisan politics, on the grounds that partisan behavior contradicts the Baha'i emphasis on human unity. They may however accept appointment to nonpolitical positions such as judges, and are encouraged to vote in elections.

Faced with military conscription, Baha'is are instructed to request alternative service consistent with the principle of pacifism. Should this be denied, the principle of obedience to government then applies, and the Baha'i must accept military service.

Some dispute has occurred concerning the range of activities which qualify as partisan or political. For example, the UHJ has clarified that Baha'is may not take part in activities sponsored by Amnesty International or the World Council of Churches.

Elimination of extremes of wealth and poverty

In contrast with some varieties of Communism, Baha'is accept the necessity of private property, and inequality of wealth, urging only the establishment of progressive taxation and a social safety net. Though the details of these must await the emergence of future Baha'i governments, Baha'i literature rues the prevalence of a "materialism" which blinds societies to spiritual truths, such as the necessity of helping the poor.

Practices

(CC) Photo: Shiraz Chakera
Bahai Temple in Kampala, Uganda.

Bahá'u'lláh's book of laws, the Kitab-i-Aqdas, prescribes a number of practices. The book represents a revision of Bábí law, which in turn revises Islamic law (fiqh). In it, Bahá'ís are enjoined to

• Recite an obligatory prayer each day. There are three such prayers, among which one may be chosen. Each has its own instructions; the short obligatory prayer is to be said at noontime; the medium obligatory prayer is to be recited thrice daily.
• Recite the "greatest name" (of God) 95 times each day. This meditative practice resembles the Sufi practice of reciting dhikr.
• Read from and meditate on Bahá'í scripture every morning and evening.
• Avoid backbiting and gossip.
• Engage in useful work. (This would include unpaid labor such as parenting.)
• Observe a nineteen-day sunrise-to-sunset fast each year from March 2 through March 20. The fast is not binding on Bahá'ís under the age of 15 or over the age of 70 or who are ill, pregnant, traveling, nursing babies, or engaging in heavy labor.
• Abstain from alcohol and drugs, unless prescribed by doctors.
• Abstain from all sexual relationships outside of heterosexual, monogamous marriage.
• Receive the permission of their parents (if living) in order to marry.
• Observe a "year of waiting" before completing a divorce. During the year, efforts at reconciliation should be made.
• Abstain from gambling.
• Pay to the Universal House of Justice a religious tax called huququ'lláh (the "Right of God," analogous to the Shi'ite khums or "fifth") consisting of 19% of their surplus net-worth (i.e. those things that they do not need to live comfortably) at least once in their lifetime, after the discharge of all debts.
• Pay zakát (similar to Islamic zakát, though the details are not finalized as the law is not yet in effect)
• Make a pilgrimage (technically a "visitation") to Haifa and Acre at least once in their lives, if they are able.

While some of the laws from the Kitáb-i-Aqdas are applicable at the present time, others have yet to come into effect.

The observance of personal laws such as prayer or fasting, while a universal obligation, is the sole responsibility of the individual. Other laws may be enforced to a degree by the administrative order (such as laws regarding marriage and sexuality), while still others are dependent upon the existence of a predominantly Bahá'í society, which is expected gradually to come into being.

Feast

Bahá'ís are urged to attend "Feast" every Bahá'í month (nineteen days). Sponsored by the local Bahá'í community, Feast consist of a devotional portion (where Bahá'ís pray, recite scripture, and sing), a business portion (where reports about the local Bahá'í community's progress are made and discussed), and a social portion. Outsiders are barred from the business portion, but may attend the other portions. Feast is the heart of Bahá'í community life, as the Bahá'í Faith does not require weekly gatherings for worship. In communities with a local Spiritual Assembly, it is the primary vehicle for the Assembly and the community to interact. In communities with hundreds or thousands of Bahá'ís, the community is divided into sectors, each holding its own feast.

Core Activities

Since 2003, the Universal House of Justice has urged Bahá'í communities to establish and progressively strengthen four core activities: devotional meetings, which can be sponsored by communities in their Centers or in rented facilities or by individuals in their homes; children's classes and youth classes, both community sponsored for the entire municipality or individually sponsored in one's home for one's neighborhood; and study circles, which involve groups of people coming together to study a systematic curriculum on the Bahá'í Faith. The current standard curriculum for study circles are the seven Ruhi Books, which cover basic Bahá'í concepts and impart basic skills, such as hosting home devotionals, childrens classes, youth classes, and carrying out home visits to fellow believers and inquirers. All core activities, including study of the Ruhi books, are open to the public, and Bahá'ís are encouraged to involve their neighbors and friends in them.

Firesides and Deepenings

A venerable Bahá'í activity is the fireside, an informal meeting, in someone's home or in a public place, to discuss the Bahá'í Faith, especially for inquirers. In some communities, firesides have been held weekly in a particular home for decades. A more in-depth study of a particular Bahá'í text or teaching is termed a deepening. They are also sponsored either by individuals in their homes or by Bahá'í communities in Bahá'í Centers or rented public places.

Places of Worship

Most Baha'i meetings occur in individuals' homes, local Baha'i centers, or rented facilities.

Baha'i 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 Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, was built to such a degree, but was seized during the 1917 Russian Revolution and later destroyed by earthquake.

Worldwide, there are currently seven Bahá'í Houses of Worship, basically one per continent, with an eighth under construction in Chile. These are nine-sided, domed structures which in several cases are noteworthy for their architecture.

Symbols

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!")

Calendar and Holy Days

The Baha'i calendar is based upon the Badi ("Unique" or "Peerless") calendar established by the Báb. The year consists of nineteen months of nineteen days, with four or five intercalary days, to make a full solar year. Each of the nineteen months is given a name which is an attribute of God; some examples include Bahá’ (Splendor), ‘Ilm (Knowledge), and Jamál (Beauty). Bahá'í communities gather each month, usually on the first day, at a meeting called a Nineteen Day Feast for worship, consultation, and socializing. The calendar begins with Bahá'í New Year, which corresponds to the traditional Persian New Year, called Naw Ruz. It occurs on the vernal equinox March 21, at the end of the month of fasting.

In addition, Bahá'ís observe nine Holy Days throughout the year on which work is suspended. They commemorate important anniversaries in Bahá'í history: three connected with the Báb (his birth, the declaration of his mission, and his martyrdom), five connected with Bahá'u'lláh (his birth, passing, and the first, ninth, and twelfth days of Ridván, the twelve-day festival commemorating the public declaration of his mission), and Naw-Ruz. The passing of `Abdu'l-Bahá is commemorated as a holy day, but Bahá'ís are not required to suspend work on that day. The Day of the Covenant is the final Bahá'í holy day and commemorates Bahá'u'lláh's appointment of `Abdu'l-Bahá as the head of his covenant. It is also a holy day on which the suspension of work is not required. `Abdu'l-Bahá established the Day of the Covenant because Bahá'ís wanted to celebrate his birthday, which falls on the Holy Day of the Declaration of the Báb.

Persecution

Bahá'ís are persecuted in several Muslim countries, especially Iran, whose government claims that they are a heretical group with ties to Israel and other enemy nations. The United Nations and various human rights groups regularly condemn Iran's treatment of its unrecognized Bahá'í minority, which numbers some 300,000.

Persecution of the Iranian Bahá'í community goes all the way back to its founding in the mid nineteenth century. Severe outbreaks occurred in 1903 and 1955. From 1955 to 1978, the Shah's government largely ignored the Bahá'í community, which meant that discrimination was allowed and anti-Bahá'í organizations were allowed to operate. The founding of the Islamic Republic in 1979 brought systematic persecution of the Bahá'í community by agents of the state (police, prisons, courts). Some 201 Bahá'ís have been executed; fifteen more have disappeared and are presumed dead. Most of these deaths occurred in the first few years after the Islamic Revolution. The most recent execution was of Ruhollah Rohani in 1998 (supposedly for converting a woman to the Bahá'í Faith, a claim the woman repeatedly denied). Another Bahá'í, Zabihullah Mahrami, died in 2005 while serving a life prison term (allegedly for espionage on behalf of Israel).[23]

Several holy places relating to Babism or the Bahá'í religion have been destroyed, inclding the house of the Báb in Shiraz. In 1993, a Bahá'í cemetery in Tehran was bulldozed in order to build a municipal center. In April 2004, Iranian authorities demolished the shrine and gravesite of Muhammad-Alí Bárfurúshí (Quddus), a Bábí leader. The following June, the Tehran house of Bahá'u'lláh's father was destroyed.

Bahá'ís have been barred from higher education in Iran since about 1980. International pressure on Iran has forced the university doors open for a very small number of Bahá'ís, many of whom were abruptly dismissed from university after a few months. In response, the Bahá'í community of Iran organized an "underground" university, the Bahá'í Institute of Higher Education, in 1987. The government has made several attempts to break it up, most notably in 1998, when buildings used by BIHE were raided, computers, libraries, and laboratory equipment was confiscated, and faculty were arrested. Much of the university's teaching is now offered via the internet. Over one hundred of its graduates have veen accepted into graduate programs outside Iran based on the strenghth of their education; because of circumstances in Iran, BIHE cannot pursue recognition or accreditation.

Iranian Bahá'ís are also subject to arbitrary arrest and detention. For example, 54 youth in Shiraz were arrested for proselytism in May 2006, even though their project was to bring literacy to a poor neighborhood and some of the youth volunteers were Muslims. The Muslims were immediately released; the Bahá'ís were jailed for days and in some cases, months. Bahá'í parents often find their children barred from attending local schools and must travel across town to find another public school that will accept their children. Bahá'í marriages are not recognized, placing the status of families in legal jeopardy. Bahá'í physicians are unable to attend patients in hospitals. Bahá'ís may be denied insurance benefits when they make a claim and are denied pension benefits. Bahá'í-owned businesses may be boycotted. Many businesses will not hire Bahá'ís; no government agencies will hire Bahá'ís. The results of such policies, after three decades, is the progressive impoverishment of the Iranian Bahá'í community.

A 2005 letter from an Iranian military official referred to instructions by Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to the effect that Bahá'ís should be monitored, with a view to suppressing their rights.[24]

The Bahá'í religion has also been seriously persecuted in Egypt. The community received recognition from the Egyptian government in 1925, but this was withdrawn by Nasser in 1960. Periodic arrests of Baha'is made their lives very difficult. The situation of Bahá'ís in Egypt made a turn for the worse in 2006 and 2007.[25] The country's supreme court ruled that Bahá'ís do not have the right to identity cards bearing the name of their religion. (On Qur'anic grounds, only the three major Abrahamic faiths are recognized.) Whereas previously Egyptian Bahá'ís had been allowed to write in the name of their religion, or leave the line blank, the new system now compels them to either accept another designation, or forego identity documents. Without an identity card, an Egyptian citizen cannot open a bank account, apply for most jobs, obtain a driver's license or passport, attend university, and is subject to arrest. Bahá'ís sued in court for the right to leave the religion line on their identification cards blank and won the case, but the decision has not yet been implemented by the government. Their case has been taken up by Egyptian human rights organizations and extensively debated on Arab television and in newspapers.[26]

Not all Muslims countries limit the freedom of the Bahá'ís. In Pakistan they are relatively free; indeed, President Pervez Musharraf congratulated the Bahá'ís on the occasion of their celebration of the Feast of Ridvan in April 2008.[27] Restrictions on Bahá'ís still exist in a few formerly communist countries. Official government recognition of the Bahá'í Faith in Vietnam allowed that Bahá'í community to elect a National Spiritual Assembly for the first time in thirty-three years in March, 2008.[28]

Sect or religion?

Bahá'ís consider theirs to be an "independent world religion" whose relationship to Islam is similar to that of Christianity to Judaism, or of Buddhism to Hinduism. That is to say, while Bahá'ís recognize Islam as their parent religion, and the source of their basic theology and practice, they categorically reject a Muslim identity for themselves. Much Bahá'í literature insists on the religion's equal status with "other" major world religions (size notwithstanding). Terms such as "sect" are rejected on theological grounds as they tend to reduce the Bahá'í religion to a subset of Islam.

This perspective became normative under the leadership of Shoghi Effendi after 1921. Previously, some Bahá'ís of Muslim background saw themselves as Muslims, albeit of a special sect; whereas some early Western converts assumed the Bahá'ís to be an ecumenical group open to members of any religion. While a Muslim court in Egypt recognized the Bahá'ís as an independent religion in the 1930s, most Islamic authorities see them as apostates, former Muslims, and therefore worthy of death.

Because of its acceptance of the divine origin of the major world religions, the Bahá'í religion is often assumed to be an example of syncretism. In addition to Shi'i Islam, whose influence on basic Bahá'í theology and praxis is extensive, some secondary elements resemble aspects of Christianity, Judaism, and Zoroastrianism. This is partly by virtue of the societies in which the Bahá'í religion has developed, and is partly due to the personal backgrounds of its early converts. Outsiders sometimes claim to detect influence from Theosophy or Marxism. By contrast, few influences from Hinduism or Buddhism can be identified other than the names of Krishna and Buddha--figures who are regarded as divine messengers. (That Buddhists would disagree with this formulation is attributed to the corruption of the teachings given by their founders.) Bahá'ís recognize that their religion has elements from the previous world's religions, but point out that the same can be said of Christianity (which derives its basic theology from Judaism and some of its practices from Greek religion and culture) or any other religion, which must arise in, and interact with, a specific religious and cultural milieu. Bahá'ís see their religion as based on a divine revelation and subsequent divine guidance, where innovation involves the divine acceptance or rejection of existing ideas and practices.

The Bahá'í religion is sometimes treated as a New Religious Movement (NRM) by those who accept 19th-century movements as "new." As such it would be grouped with Tenrikyo or Caodaism--and indeed, constitutes one of the largest and most established of such groups. No other NRM claiming to be an independent religion can boast such a widespread and diverse body of believers.

Ex-Bahá'ís sometimes accuse their former religion of qualifying as a cult in the pejorative sense. A comparison with Mormonism is particularly apt. Both groups are open about their beliefs, boast more than 150 years of tradition (though with major changes), and are now led by institutions rather than charismatic leaders. Like Catholicism and Mormonism, both have expelled some dissidents and liberal scholars, and taken various steps to maintain the authority of its leadership and the perceived integrity of its teachings.

Divisions

An important concept in understanding Bahá'í history is the "Covenant." The "Greater Covenant" encompasses previous dispensations and refers to the belief that each divine messenger promises a future divine teacher, a promise fulfilled by Bahá'u'lláh. The "Lesser Covenant" binds the major prophet and his followers. Examples of the latter would include Jesus's recognition of the primacy of the Apostle Peter and Muhammad's appointment of Ali as his successor, as per the Shi'a claim. In the Bahá'í case, Bahá'u'lláh appointed his son, `Abdu'l-Bahá, as his successor in several documents; `Abdu'l-Bahá wrote a will appointing his grandson, Shoghi Effendi, as his successor; and Bahá'u'lláh, `Abdu'l-Bahá, and Shoghi Effendi all defined the future nature, functioning, and establishment of a worldwide elected governing body, the Universal House of Justice, in their writings.

Because of the clearly defined written instructions about who would head the Faith and what authority they would possess, efforts to split the Bahá'í religion have had limited success. Consequently, the Bahá'í community can be viewed as a mainstream of the several million Bahá'ís who recognize the Universal House of Justice as their religion's supreme body, and a series of smaller groups with no more than a few hundred members who reject the Universal House of Justice. Groups that split from the mainstream when Bahá'u'lláh died (thereby rejecting the leadership of `Abdu'l-Bahá) or when `Abdu'l-Bahá died (thereby rejecting the authority of Shoghi Effendi) never acquired more than a hundred or so members, and are now essentially extinct. Groups that were established after Shoghi Effendi's passing have tended to split. None of the groups have been large enough to establish a publishing company; they have remained dependent on the mainstream for Bahá'í literature. Among the groups are:

• The Free Baha'i Faith — based on the claims of Ruth White who, after the 1921 death of `Abdul-Bahá, accused Shoghi Effendi of forging a will naming himself as successor. Iranians familiar with `Abdu'l-Bahá's handwriting and style rejected her arguments, even those who had opposed `Abdu'l-Bahá and Shoghi Effendi. White's claims were revived during the 1970s by Hermann Zimmer, who organized this group. It is also known as the World Union of Universal Religion and Universal Peace. It appears to be extinct.
• The Orthodox Bahá'í Faith — It was established by Charles Mason Remey, who claimed to be the Second Guardian (after Shoghi Effendi. The claim was based, among other things, on the fact that Shoghi Effendi had appointed Remey head of the International Bahá'í Council, a body intended to be an embryonic forerunner of the Universal House of Justice. The group grew to a few hundred members, primarily in the United States, France, and Pakistan. Remey had his followers organize national Bahá'í councils similar to National Spiritual Assemblies, but then disbanded the bodies. He also appointed a second International Bahá'í Council, which included Joel Bray marangella as President. But Remey, in addition to writing a letter to Marangella appointing him the third Guardian, also wrote a similar letter to Donald Harvey. On Remey's death the group split over the question of leadership. Marangella gathered more members and proved more organizationally capable; the Orthodox Bahá'í Faith continues under his leadership. Marangella has appointed several Hands of the Cause and has encouraged his followers to elect national and local Bahá'í councils. They are active on the internet. Donald Harvey has died and his group has withered away.
• Bahá'ís under the Provisions of the Covenant — It was established by Leland Jensen (1914-96), one of the followers of Mason Remey, who left the Orthodox Bahá'í Faith and claimed that Pepe Remey, Mason Remey's adopted son, was the Third Guardian (even though Pepe Remey rejected the claim). Jensen came to see himself as the de facto head of the Bahá'í Faith and promulgated a series of new teachings based on interpretation of biblical prophecy. Jensen issued many predictions of global cataclysm from the 1970s to the 1990s, mostly focusing on a Soviet nuclear attack (his group retreated to fallout shelters several times). He also said halley's comet would collide with the Earth. After his death, a second International Bahá'í Council ran the BUPC until Neal Chase made a claim to be third Guardian in 2001. But many rejected Chase claim and the group, which perhaps numbered 100-200 members at its peak, split into two sects.
• The Reform Baha'i Faith — founded 2004 by Frederick Glaysher, who aspires to unite liberal, ex-, and "unenrolled" Baha'is under a common banner. Its activities are limited mainly to the internet. It is not clear the "group" includes anyone other than Glaysher.

For Bahá'ís, to accept Bahá'u'lláh while rejecting any of his clearly designated successors is "covenant breaking." Because of the clear nature of the succession, rejection or radical reinterpretation of the documents is seen as an egotistical and irrational act with grievous spiritual consequences. Members of different Bahá'í groups are generally instructed not to associate with one another. Since most groups that have broken from the mainstream focus much of their message on why the mainstream is wrong--a message of little interest to outsiders--if mainstream Bahá'ís refuse to associate with them, they have little hope of recruiting new members.

Some observers state they see the rise of Bahá'í fundamentalism in recent years. Baha'i tradition incorporates classic liberal emphases (such as feminism and race unity) as well as conservative ones (such as obedience to authority). Outsiders are more likely to encounter the former in conversation with Bahá'ís than the latter. Because of the lack of nominations and campaigning in Bahá'í elections (which will be discussed later) the Bahá'í community exhibits few internal divisions, including a conservative / liberal split, and it is official Bahá'í policy to discourage the labeling of members.

Internal controversies

In 1980 British academic Denis MacEoin quit the religion, complaining of a lack of freedom of speech and publication. At issue were his outspoken views (reflected in his dissertation on Babism, as well as numerous academic publications) to the effect that "received" Baha'i historical understandings are in error on many points.

In 1987, an unofficial Baha'i magazine called Dialogue (published by liberal Baha'is in California) submitted for "Baha'i review" (i.e. pre-publication censorship, required of Baha'is intending to write on their religion) an editorial by David Langness called "A Modest Proposal". The editorial urged various reforms, including the abolution of censorship as well as term limits for Baha'i leaders. The U.S. NSA reacted harshly, leading to the (voluntary) closure of the magazine.

With the advent of the internet during the late 1980s and early 1990s, several disputes arose between Baha'is posting online, and Baha'i administrative institutions. One issue was that of whether material posted on the internet qualified as a "publication" requiring "review". Another was that of whether Baha'is could be punished, or even expelled, for their personal views. The UHJ later complained of a "campaign of internal opposition to its teachings [...] currently being carried on through the use of the Internet" by "persons technically trained in Middle East studies."

In 1996, the UHJ investigated six Baha'i participants on the internet mailing list Talisman, including Juan Cole, and John and Linda Walbridge (all academics with specialties in Islam). In the course of the invesigation, the six were threatened with disenrollment as covenant-breakers. Four of them including Cole, Langness, and the Walbridges, resigned their membership in the Baha'i religion. Others, notably children's author Michael McKenny, were expelled from the religion as a result of such conflicts. Some of these have retained a Baha'i identity as "unenrolled Baha'is." A prominent example is New Zealand poet Alison Marshall, expelled in 2000.

In 2005 Sen McGlinn was expelled from the Baha'i community, ostensibly for introducing himself as a "Baha'i theologian" in his book Church and State: A Postmodern Political Theology.

In 2006 the U.S. NSA declared] a boycott of Kalimat Press, a Baha'i-oriented academic publisher run by Anthony Lee. Its objection was that Kalimat had published certain books (all of which, ironically, had passed Baha'i censorship) inimical to the Faith. The boycott quickly spread to other countries as well.The circulation of a petition protesting the decision led discussions of whether Baha'is are allowed to petition their institutions.