Bahá´í Faith

Brief History

The Bahá´í Faith is the world´s youngest independent religion. It arose from Islam, similarly as Christianity arose from Judaism. Its origin dates back to 1844 and it originated in Persia (today Irán). Its founder has been Mirza Husayn-'Ali-i-Nuri, who assumed the title Bahá´u´lláh (=Glory of God), from which the name of the faith has been derived. He also had his forerunner, the Báb (=the Gate), whose task was to announce the arrival of Bahá´u´lláh and can be compared to John the Baptist in Christianity. Together with his followers, Bahá´u´lláh was widely persecuted and he spent forty years of his lifetime in prison and exile, as bahá´ís have been viewed by Muslims as a break-away sect of Islam. Today, the bahá´í community has no clergy, churches, priests or monasteries. It has its own assemblies (legislative and administrative bodies) on local, national and world level, whose members are periodically elected by adult believers.

Deity

The Bahá´í Faith is strictly monotheistic. There is only one God, the unknowable Creator of all things. He has sent and will continue to send his Messengers (prophets and founders of main religions, e.g. Buddha, Krishna, Moses, Jesus, Muhammad, etc.) and through them reveals His Word. Thus bahá´ís believe that the essence of each religion, pure and free from human doctrines, is true, coming from the same Source. The varying practices of each religion are to be attributed to different needs, conditions and degree of humankind´s maturity in which they were revealed. Bahá´u´lláh brings the message and laws needed for this age.

Principles

The basic principles of the Bahá´í Faith are:

-unity of mankind andworld peace. The humankind is believed to be entering its maturity and therefore ready to unite and live in peace. Bahá´u´lláh says that in future, an international legislature, court, and executive will be formed. These will have the means to ensure general disarmament and at the same time protection of the freedom of states.

-eliminating any and every kind of prejudice is the basic means for achieving peace. Unity does not mean uniformity – instead, it is based on increased awareness of and respect for the intrinsic value of each separate culture.

-universal language. One language should be chosen from existing languages or it should be an artificial language. It should be taught besides the mother tongue everywhere in the world.

-equality of man and woman, the idea with which the Bahá´í Faith came up in a Muslim community a hundred and fifty years ago. Men and women have to be given equal education, rights and opportunities.

-harmony of science and religion. The truth (or reality) is one. As truth is one, it is not possible for something to be scientifically false and religiously true and vice versa. Science gives us the knowledge of how things work, religion teaches us morals. Educationand independent investigation of truth asre assigned high status as well.

Ethics

Soul of man is immortal. The purpose of life is to prepare oneself for afterlife, in which the progress of soul will continue. To get closer to God and to acquire virtues (love, piety, peacufullness, cleanliness, truthfullness, trustwothness, loyality, justice, honesty, politeness, hospitality, chastity, etc.), bahá´ís pray and study their holy writings daily, fast 19 days a year (no food, drink or smoking from sunrise to sunset), serve to humanity in various ways and follow all other laws set out by Bahá´u´lláh. Work is considered to be a kind of worship. Marriage is highly appreciated, divorce possible but disapproved of. Alcohol and drugs are strictly forbidden. Bahá´ís are not permitted to get involved in politics, they are required to be obedient to government though. Bahá'ís have their own calendar. Its year begins on March 21, the spring equinox.

Sacred Texts

Bahá´u´lláh wrote many writings, the most important of them being

-The Most Holy Book – sets out basic principles, laws and ordinances of the faith

-Hidden Words – deals with morality

-The Book of Certitude; Seven Valleys and Four Valleys.

All the writings are considered as the authentic word of God, as they are revealed directly by the founder of the faith (unlike in Christianity).

Today; Situation in the UK

Believed to be a sect of Islam or even “an espionage establishment", bahá´ís have been heavily persecuted. In Irán, they have been executed, imprisoned, discriminated in education, employment, pensions, practice of religious activities and their property has been confiscated. At the same time, they have been repeatedly offered relief from persecution if they were prepared to recant their Faith.

Nevertheless, the world-wide Bahá´í community cooperates with UNESCO and UNICEF.

The Bahá´í Faith was introduced to the British Isles at the end of the nineteenth century. Bahá´u´lláh also wrote a Tablet to Queen Victoria. Upon reading it, she remarked: “If this is of God, it will endure; if not, it can do no harm.“

There are approximately 5.800 registred believers in the UK today. In March 2002, in a massage commemorating the Bahá´í New Year, British Prime Minister Tony Blair commended the Bahá´í community of the UK for its “significant contribution“ to multiculturalism and interfaith dialogue.

"The earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens" Bahá´u´lláh

further information to be found at:

(BBC website on all religions)

(Milada Stanková, topic number 8 – Bahá´í Faith /not written in the schedule but individually arranged with the instructor of the course/)