The Baha’i Religion: Teachings and Practices

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Table of Contents

The Answers to Main Human Problems
The Main Principles
The Main Practices
The Devotees
References

Religion is a particular system of beliefs based on faith in the supernatural, which includes the observance of moral standards and rituals. Baha’is are an international religious community that traces its origins to the early 19th century. They follow the teachings of Baha’u’llah, born in Iran in 1817 and claimed to be the messenger of God for current-day humanity (Buck, 2021). The central concept of the Baha’i faith is the unity of God, humanity, and religion. Baha’is differ from followers of other world religions because they believe in progressive revelation. It means that Baha’u’llah revealed a series of divine laws and principles over time that should ultimately become part of all major religions.

The religion began in Shiraz, Persia, in 1844 when a young man announced a new message from God. He was known as the Bab, which means ‘The Gate’ (Ondich, 2021). This new prophet proclaimed that women should be emancipated, that moral and spiritual transformation was needed, and that the poor should be released from their misery. He also proclaimed that he was the forerunner of a new, worldwide revelation greater than his own. Bab’s claims to the Shia Muslim clergy were not merely heresy but an attack on the very foundations of Islam.

The Bab questioned the main thing on which this theological system was based – that Islam will meet all the needs of humanity until the Day of Judgment, and no new Divine Revelations have been given and will not be given the right to exist. During Bab’s execution in 1850, Baha’u’llah rose to prominence among the Babis. In 1852, Baha’u’llah was imprisoned and miraculously received the revelation which inspired the Baha’i faith and fulfilled Bab’s prophecies and promises (Momen, 2019). Baha’is believe that Baha’u’llah’s coming has been foretold in many world religions, hence his name. The Baha’i religion has a unique perspective on the main human problems and responds to them accordingly.

The Answers to Main Human Problems

The Baha’i faith pays close attention to human and societal problems. The problem of discrimination of any sort is addressed. Baha’is believe people should not be discriminated against based on race, ethnicity, gender, or religion. They also believe everyone has the same rights and can live in harmony. According to Baha’u’llah, all human beings are unified by God. It is not the elimination of differences that leads to unity but the growth of knowledge and genuine respect for those values inherent in each culture and individual. The root of enmity is not in the differences but in our attitude toward them, reflecting our immaturity, intolerance, and prejudices. One of the prevalent types of prejudice is that a person gives “excessive significance” to their belonging to a particular group and ascribes superiority over others.

Personal and global problems such as war, violence, and conflict are addressed. The Baha’i teachings explain the origins of war and conflict in human society, including the contention that most wars are started for profit. The root cause of conflicts that arise in the world is considered to be “unreasonable” adherence to certain traditions, movements, and worldview systems. The purpose of religion is to teach peace. Baha’is believe that world peace is the only true goal of civilization.

For example, a doctrine of holy war, jihad, can be mentioned. In Islam, this doctrine allows conversion to religions through weapons. It also permits Muslims to defend themselves against attack. Brought up within the Muslim system of values, the Babis believed that they had the right to defend themselves and their families from the attacks followers of Islam subjected to them. However, Bab elaborated on the fundamentals of jihad and urged his devotees to respect the basic laws of the society in which they live (Momen, 2018). By refusing to use force even to save his own life, the Bab irrefutably proved the peace-loving nature of his mission and his boundless faith in higher spiritual powers, which, according to him, were his only support from the very beginning.

The Main Principles

The Baha’i teachings stress the importance of completely transforming the human race’s priorities—from exclusive to inclusive, from material to spiritual, and from divisive to united. Baha’i teaches the oneness of God, the oneness of humankind, and the oneness of religions (Buck, 2021). All of it can be described as ‘unity.’

The oneness of God demonstrates that the Baha’i religion is monotheistic. God is considered to be unknowable and incomprehensible, a great mystery. There are some clues that God sends in the forms of prophets and messengers, but these always remain beyond comprehension (Buck, 2021). Although the Baha’i faith is unique and transcendent, it is not separate religion from other world faiths. Baha’is consider their beliefs central to all major religions (Palmer & Tavangar, 2021).

Baha’u’llah taught that the teachings of “Manifestations of God” is a part of all religions but have been misrepresented in contemporary times. The Manifestations of God include Abraham, Moses, Jesus, Muhammad, Zoroaster, Krishna, and the Buddha, and in the contemporary period, the Bab and Baha’u’llah (Ondich, 2021). Baha’is believe they simply re-discover the central teachings of a religious tradition lost in the modern era. The Baha’i understanding of God is more significant than all previous religions, with many teachings and practices unique to the Baha’i faith.

The oneness of humankind is expressed in the Baha’i faith that the time has come for the world to become one family. The religion asserts that humanity must come together as one (Jing et al., 2020). According to the concept of Baha’u’llah, unity is the combination of not homogeneous but diverse elements. The stages of development of human society are considered similar to the age periods of an individual’s life. At present, the period of the youth of humankind is ending, and it is approaching the era of maturity (Stockman, 2021). Devotees believe that in the current era, humanity can already recognize the uniqueness of God, the oneness of religions, and the unity of the human family. They believe that religious revelations will continue to come in the future to provide divine guidance for “an ever-evolving civilization.”

The third principle that the Baha’i religion is based on is the oneness of religion. Religious conflicts and wars are frowned upon, and the Baha’i Faith promotes focusing on similarities in religions and not considering differences as a reason for violence (Buck, 2021). The differences are not regarded as something negative and are only judged if they become a source of injustice.

The Main Practices

The spiritual principles of the Baha’i faith include compassion, generosity, honesty, personal integrity, humility, and altruistic service to others. To reach these values or so-called transformation, individuals should devote their lives to serving others. It can be achieved through different actions. The Baha’i faith practices include many forms of worship, including prayer, meditation, and yoga (Buck, 2021). One of the essential aspects of Baha’i practice is devotional worship, which involves meditating on God and expressing gratitude for His blessings. This worship can be done alone or in groups using various rituals such as reading prayers, singing songs, or dancing.

Additionally, people can do many different activities to show their love for God, such as offering Him through acts of service like volunteering at a shelter or hospital or donating money to charity. Another aspect of worship that people can practice is reading sacred texts, but without interpreting what is read, sometimes accompanied by chants in different languages. The Bible and Quran are considered holy books for many Baha’is. The main one is the “Most Holy Book” (Kitab-i-Aqdas), written by Baha’u’llah in 1873.

There are three obligatory prayers in the Baha’i practice. One of them can be chosen to perform. They include the Long Obligatory Prayer, the Medium Obligatory Prayer, and the Short Obligatory Prayer (Ondich, 2021). Prayer should be performed by believers alone with God 3 times a day and with obligatory ablution before it is performed; the direction of prayer is the tomb of the Báb in Haifa. The only one of the obligatory prayers prescribed to be performed together is the funeral prayer.

The dead Baha’is are buried in the ground (in coffins), and cremation is not allowed. A funeral ring is put on the finger of the deceased; before the funeral, a joint prayer for the dead is read. Every first day of the month, according to the Baha’i calendar, the Feast of the 19th day is held, which consists of 3 parts: the 1st – is prayer and meditation, the 2nd – is devoted to the discussion of current affairs, and the 3rd – friendly communication over a meal.

Another vital aspect of the Baha’i practice is fasting. It involves refraining from eating food and drinking liquids from sunrise to sunset on specific days during the year (Buck, 2021). These days are called a month of ‘Loftiness.’ It lasts from the 1st of March to the 20th of March. Fasting includes not only avoiding food and drinks but also tobacco. People eligible for fasting should be older than fifteen and younger than seventy. However, pregnant or menstruating women, sick or people involved in heavy physical labor should be exempted (Ondich, 2021). Eating together at an appropriate time can be a joint activity when Baha’i gather to pray together before food. Although fasting has many benefits, including helping one become more spiritual, it is not required to become a member.

The Devotees

To become a Baha’i, a person must accept Baha’u’llah’s unifying principles and commit to following the Baha’i path of spiritual development, which the faith outlines. There is the capacity of everyone to discover what is real for themselves, and there is no clergy in the Baha’i faith—Baha’i assemblies consist of assemblies democratically elected by the public. Baha’is gather in democratic communities where everyone is welcome and there are no barriers based on race or religion (Mahmoudi, 2021). There is no initiation ritual, baptism, or ceremony — to become a Baha’i; one must adopt the teachings of the faith and join a local community on an inward spiritual level. Children born into a Baha’i family may only declare themselves Baha’is when they reach the age of 15.

Each local community elects a local spiritual assembly of 9 members, which coordinates its life. At the country level, a national spiritual assembly is elected, the World House of Justice, elected by representatives of all national Baha’i communities. It is located in the city of Haifa (Israel) on Mount Carmel, which is a spiritual and administrative center of the international Baha’i community. The Shrine of Baha’u’llah is also located near Haifa. In addition to having consultative status in the UN Economic and Social Council and the Children’s Fund, the Baha’i International Community is a non-governmental organization that is registered with the UN. At the present time in the world, there are seven temples belonging to the followers of Baha’i, located in different parts of the world.

Baha’is are an essential part of the global community. This growing religious group has had many unique beliefs and practices central to their beliefs since the mid-19th century. Baha’is do not consider themselves a new religious movement, as they see themselves as an extension of the Babi movement, which started with Baha’u’llah. A lot is being done to ensure that as many people as possible in all parts of the earth learn about the new faith and the foundations of its teaching.

In many countries, publishing houses produce and distribute a wide variety of literature relating to the Baha’i Faith: from collections of Baha’u’llah’s works to scholarly commentaries, popular books, weekly newspapers, and magazines. Other mass media are also widely used: cinema, television, regional, radio, newspapers and announcements, and brochures. At the same time, the Baha’is strive to ensure that the Message of Baha’u’llah reaches all the earth’s people. Their purpose is to teach world peace, disseminate the teachings of Baha’u’llah, and build world peace.

References

Buck, C. (2021). Baha’i Faith: The Basics. Routledge.

Jing, Y., Zhu, J., & Han, Y. (2020). Secularity and Transformation of the Faith-Based Community: Ethnography of the Religious Charity of Baha’i in Macau. Religions, 11(12), 652. Web.

Mahmoudi, H. (2021). The Baha’i Faith: Interface Between the Secular and Religious. Abraham and the Secular, 91–110. Web.

Momen, M. (2018). Millennialist Narrative and Apocalyptic Violence. Journal of the British Association for the Study of Religion (JBASR), 20, 1. Web.

Momen, M. (2019). The Baha’i community of Iran. Cultural Genocide, 246–266. Web.

Ondich, J. (2021). World Religions: The Spirit Searching. Minnesota Libraries Publishing Project.

Palmer, D. A., & Tavangar, T. (2021). The Baha’i Faith and Covenantal Pluralism: Promoting Oneness, Respecting Difference. The Review of Faith & International Affairs, 19(2), 29–39. Web.

Stockman, R. H. (2021). The World of the Baha’i Faith. Routledge.

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