Bahai

The Bahai faith began in Iran in the mid-nineteenth century, developing from Shi’a Islam to become a new religious system. It was founded by Bab (the Gate or Door), believed to be a descendent of the Prophet Mohammed, who in 1844 proclaimed himself the Messenger of God and foretold the coming of one greater than himself, who would bring a new age of peace and civilisation. He was followed by Baha’u’llah, who claimed to have received the divine revelation to fulfil the promises made by previous prophets of other religions, followed by his son Abdul’l-Baha, and succeeded by his grandson, Sughi Effend. Bahais believe that the scriptures written by the three central figures Bab, Baha’u’llah and Abdu’l-Baha, are the revealed message of God.

The Bahai religion is based on the belief that all religions are related to a single truth, and that they arise from time to time to meet the needs of evolution, and that divine revelation never ends and will ultimately lead to world unification. There has only ever been one God, whom people have addressed by different names. Bahais believe that each human being has a separate soul, which is related to, but distinct from the human body. Life in the world is seen as analogous to existence in the womb, and the process of death is likened to the process of birth; the world is a place for the development of the soul, which survives death. Heaven is a state of nearness to God and hell remoteness from God; each state follows the consequences of effort or the lack of them to develop spiritually.

Bahais are forbidden to proselytise, but they are always eager to share their vision and belief with enquirers, as teaching is done through knowledge and ‘pioneering’ (spreading the faith), and is carried by travelling to where there are no Bahais. They actively participate in inter-faith activities and invite interested outsiders to their celebratory functions. Men and women have equal status in Bahaism. Bahais give great importance to education, knowledge and to understanding the place of human beings in the world. In education they give priority to women, as they are the first educators of the next generation.

There are no specific dietary laws, although vegetarianism is encouraged, alcohol and habit-forming drugs are prohibited. Smoking is discouraged. The Bahai community is tightly structured and organised, and it forbids other Bahais to have social relations with those who have attempted to establish alternative authorities and groups.

Every Bahai over the age of fifteen recites one of three obligatory prayers and reads extracts from the scriptures, morning and evening. The Bahai faith has no set services or ordained priesthood. Their devotional practices consist of prayers, meditation and reading from scriptures in Houses of Worship or local Bahai centres and music is encouraged during devotional programmes. Most Bahai gatherings take place in people’s homes. These meetings, known as ‘Firesides’, which begin and end with prayers and include information and discussion. Houses of Worship are attractive buildings, each is nine-sided and surmounted by a dome, standing in extensive gardens with fountains, trees and flowers, and have additional buildings for educational, charitable and social purposes, for example, old people’s homes and orphanages.

Bahais have their own festivals, principal among them are: the feast Ridvan (21st April to 2nd May) and a period of fasting (2nd to 21stMarch), when Bahais abstain from food and drink from sunrise to sunset, a time for reflection on spiritual progress and detachment from material desires.