Bahá’í World/Volume 30/Introduction to the Bahá’í Community

The Bahá’í World
Volume 30

Introduction to the

Baha’i Community

n intercultural performance and service group travels through Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada, With the

aim of giving young native people a positive View of their

culture and heritage. A Russian journalist facilitates workshops for students in three Austrian schools to help them learn how to find positive solutions to moral dilemmas in their lives. In a drought— plagued region of Ethiopia, a community inaugurates a water pond project that Will benefit 300 households and more than 15,000 cattle. At the end of a large conference in Brazil, youth commit themselves to making positive changes in their communities, by starting moral education classes for children and a moral education theater group, and by becoming involved in community—building projects. In Papua New Guinea, people walk for up to two days to Witness the official opening of a new primary school in their region. In Stuttgart, Germany, organizers of a panel discussion invite members of diverse religious groups to come together to examine the topic “Religions against Violence,” looking at the peace—promoting elements of religions as well as their potential to generate conﬂict and war. A nongovernmental organization (NGO) in Ghana offers teachers, government ministries, other NGOs, and the media a moral leadership training seminar designed to assist participants to address social problems in that country. In Malaysia,

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a campaign for Asli children combines literacy training with spiritual education. And a performing arts group composed of youth from ten countries travels through Lesotho, performing music and dances on topics such as unity, the elimination of prejudice, drug abuse, and HIV/AIDS.

Although they come from diverse backgrounds and far—ﬂung areas of the planet, these people all share a united View of the world, its future, and their role in shaping it. They are Baha’is.

The Baha’i International Community, comprising members of the Baha’i Faith from all over the globe, now numbers more than five million souls. It represents 2,112 ethnic and tribal groups and live in more than 127,500 localities in 190 independent countries and 46 dependent territories. What was once regarded by some as a small, obscure sect was reported by the Britannica Boole 0f #76 Year 2001 to be the second—most widely spread independent religion in the world, after Christianity. Its member— ship cuts across all boundaries of class and race, governing itself through the establishment of local and national elected bodies known as Spiritual Assemblies. Its international center and the seat of its world governing council, known as the Universal House of Justice, are located in the Holy Land, in Haifa, Israel.

This article offers a brief introduction to the Baha’i community, its history, its spiritual teachings, and its aims and objectives.

Origins

In 1844, a young Persian merchant named Siyyid ‘Ali—Muhammad declared Himself to be the Promised Qa’im awaited by Shia Muslims. He adopted the title “the Bab,” which means “the Gate,” and His teachings quickly attracted a large following. Alarmed by the growing numbers of “Babis,” as His followers were known, the Muslim clergy allied themselves with ministers of the Shah in an effort to destroy the infant Faith. Several thousand Babis were persecuted, tortured, and killed in the following years, but the growth of the new religion continued even after the Ba’b Himself was imprisoned and later executed in July 1850. The horrific treatment of the Babis at the hands of the secular and religious authorities was recorded by a number OFWestern diplomats, scholars,

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and travelers, who expressed their admiration for the character and fortitude of the victims.

The Babl’ religion sprang from Islam in much the same manner that Christianity sprang from Judaism or Buddhism did from Hinduism. That is to say, it was apparent early in the Bab’s ministry that the religion established by Him was not merely a sect or a movement within Islam but an independent Faith. Furthermore, one of the main tenets of Babl’ belief was the Bab’s statement that He had been sent by God to prepare the way for One greater than Himself, Who would inaugurate an era of peace and righteousness throughout the world, representing the culmination of all past religious dispensations.

Mirza Husayn—‘Ali was one of the leading adherents of the Babl’ Faith Who was arrested and imprisoned during the tumultuous years of the Bab’s brief ministry. Because of pressure on the Persian Shah from European diplomats, He was spared from execution but was banished from Persia to Baghdad, Constantinople, Adrianople, and finally the penal colony of Acre in Palestine. Thus, the Persian government, which had secured the support of the rulers of the rival Ottoman Empire in suppressing the new movement, expected that His sphere of inﬂuence would be severely limited.

During His initial imprisonment, Mirza Husayn—‘All’ had received the first divine intimations that He was the Promised One of Whom the Bab had spoken. He adopted the title “Baha’u’llah,” which means “Glory of God,” and publicly declared His mission on the eve of His exile from Baghdad, in April 1863.

Baha’u’llah was still nominally a prisoner when He passed away near Acre in May 1892, although the authorities had gradually loosened their restrictions as they became acquainted with Him and the nature of His teachings. During the long years of His exile Baha’u’llah revealed the equivalent of more than 100 volumes of writings, consisting of the laws and ordinances of His dis— pensation, letters to the kings and rulers of the East and the West, mystical teachings, and other divinely inspired writings.

In His Will and Testament, Baha’u’llah appointed His eldest son, ‘Abbas Effendi, Who adopted the title “‘Abdu’l—Baha” (“Servant of Baha’i”), as His successor and the sole authoritative interpreter

of His teachings. ‘Abdu’l—Baha had shared His Father’s long exile

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and imprisonment and was freed only after a new regime was installed by the “Young Turk” movement in 1908. Shortly thereafter, at an advanced age, He embarked on an arduous journey to Europe and America where, from 1911 to 1913, He proclaimed Baha’u’llah’s message of universal brotherhood and peace to large audiences, consolidated ﬂedgling Baha’i communities, and warned of the potential catastrophe looming on Europe’s darkening horizon. By the outbreak of World War I in 1914, ‘Abdu’l—Baha’ had returned to His home in Haifa, just across the bay from Acre, and devoted Himself to caring for the local people, fending off famine by feeding them from stores of grain He had safeguarded for such an emer— gency. ‘Abdu’l-Baha’s humanitarian services and His promotion of intercultural harmony were recognized by the British govern— ment, which, at the end of the war, conferred upon Him a knighthood—a title He acknowledged but declined to use. He passed away in 1921 and is buried on Mount Carmel in a vault near the spot where He had interred the remains of the Bab some years before.

Among the legacies that ‘Abdu’l—Baha bequeathed to history was a series of letters called the Tablets of the Divine Plan, which He had addressed to the Baha’is of North America during the years of World War I. These 14 letters directed the recipients to scatter to countries on all continents and share with their populations the teachings of Baha’u’llah—a mandate that led to the global expansion of the Baha’i community.

Another legacy of ‘Abdu’l-Baha is His Will and Testament, which Baha’is regard as the Charter of the administrative order conceived by Baha’u’llah. This document appointed ‘Abdu’l—Baha’s eldest grandson, Shoghi Effendi, as Guardian of the Baha’i Faith and authorized interpreter of its teachings. Successorship to the Founders of the Baha’i Faith would be shared by the Guardian and an elected Universal House of Justice, whose complementary role would be to create legislation supplementing the Faith’s scriptures.

During the period of his Guardianship, from 1921 to 1957, Shoghi Effendi concentrated on four main areas: the development of the Baha’i World Centre in the environs of Haifa; the translation and interpretation of the Baha’i sacred writings; the rise and consolidation of the institutions of the Baha’i administrative order;

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and the implementation of ‘Abdu’l-Baha’s plan for the propagation of the Baha’i Faith around the world.

At the Baha’i World Centre, Shoghi Effendi effected the con— struction of a superstructure for the mausoleum containing the remains of the Bab, which had been brought secretly from Persia and interred by ‘Abdu’l—Baha in a spot designated by Baha’u’llah on Mount Carmel. Shoghi Effendi beautified and expanded the simple native stone structure, which is today a site of pilgrimage for Baha’l’s from all over the world. He enhanced the Baha’i properties and initiated construction of the International Baha’i Archives building to house the original Baha’i scriptures and artifacts from the early days of the Baha’i Faith. This building, the first on the arC—shaped path on the site designated as the world administrative center of the Baha’i community, was completed in 1957. Shoghi Effendi’s actions laid the foundations, literally and figuratively, for the further development of the Baha’i World Centre.

Shoghi Effendi was also instrumental in interpreting the writings of Baha’u’llah and ‘Abdu’l—Baha and in translating them from the original Persian and Arabic into English. The Guardian had served as secretary to ‘Abdu’l—Baha for a number of years and was a student at Oxford University at the time of his Grandfather’s passing. Shoghi Effendi’s mastery of Persian, Arabic, and English, coupled with the authority conferred upon him as the appointed interpreter of the Baha’i writings, made him uniquely qualified to undertake their translation. He also translated 7796 Dawn—Brm/eers, a history of the Babi’ Faith, authored God Passes By, a history of the first century of the Baha’i Faith, and wrote thousands of letters to communities and individuals around the world, elucidating passages from the writings and giving direction and impetus to Baha’i communities.

Development of the Administrative Order

Shoghi Effendi’s work in developing the Baha’i administrative order is one of the most dramatic legacies of his years as Guardian. The first step in this development was to encourage the organized, planned expansion of Baha’i communities in places where local and national Baha’i councils, known as Spiritual Assemblies, would

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12 THE BAHA’I’ WORLD 2001—2002

eventually be established. The Guardian effected this global expansion of Baha’i communities through a series of international plans of varying duration, during which 12 National Spiritual Assemblies were elected.

At the time of Shoghi Effendi’s sudden passing in 1957, the Baha’i community was in the middle of a global plan of expansion and consolidation called the Ten Year Crusade. During this period, which concluded in 1963—the centenary of Baha’u’llah’s declaration of His mission in the Garden of Ricivan in Baghdad—the goal was to open 132 new countries and major territories to the Faith and to expand existing communities in 120 countries and territories that had previously been opened. These ambitious targets were in certain instances actually exceeded by the end of the plan, in spite of the difficulties posed by the Guardian’s death.

‘Abdu’l-Baha, in His Will and Testament, had authorized the continuation of the Guardianship through the appointment by the Guardian of a successor from among his own sons, should he have them, or other direct descendants of Baha’u’llah. Such a designation was dependent upon the decision of Shoghi Effendi as to whether an individual could be named who met the demanding spiritual qualifications specified by ‘Abdu’l—Baha. Shoghi Effendi had no children and died without designating such a Guardian to follow him. He had, however, taken steps towards the election of the Universal House ofJustice, the supreme governing body of the Baha’i Faith. He had also appointed a number of individual Baha’l’s to an auxiliary institution of the Guardianship called Hands of the Cause of God. These individuals had been charged with protecting the unity of the Faith and collaborating with National Spiritual Assemblies around the world to ensure that the goals of the Ten Year Crusade were won. Upon Shoghi Effendi’s passing, these men and women guided the Baha’i community to complete the plan initiated by the Guardian and to hold the first election of the Universal House of Justice in 1963.

Conceived by Baha’u’llah Himself, the institution of the Universal House of Justice is established on principles laid down

in the Baha’i sacred writings. Its initial election, by the members of the 56 National Spiritual Assemblies that existed in April 1963,

l’/

clearly demonstrated the principle of unity so central to the Baha 1

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THE BAHA’I’ COMMUNITY 13

Faith, with the nine members coming from four continents and representing a variety of religious and ethnic backgrounds. Based on the authority conferred on it by the Founder of the Faith, the Universal House of Justice is now elected every five years and stands as the acknowledged central authority in the worldwide Baha’i community and has, during the past 38 years, launched eight global plans for the advancement of the Faith. From a worldwide population of 408,000 in 1963, the Baha’i community has grown to more than five million members; the number of National and Regional Spiritual Assemblies has grown

from 56 to 182; and the number of Local Spiritual Assemblies has increased from 3,555 to 11,746.

Spiritual and Moral Teachings and Baha’i Community Life

The force that unites this diverse body of people is the Vision achieved through their belief in Baha’u’llah as a Manifestation of God, in the social and administrative structures He established, and in the spiritual and moral teachings He propagated. Central to these spiritual teachings is the concept that there is only one God and that the world’s great religions have been established by Messengers or Manifestations of this Divine Reality—Abraham, Krishna, Moses, Buddha, Zoroaster, Jesus, and Muhammad—Who have been sent throughout history to deliver a divine message commensurate with humanity’s stage of development. Though the religions’ social teachings Change through this process of progressive revelation, the spiritual essence of all the major religions remains the same: humanity has been created to know and to worship God. The Baha’i perspective sees the cumulative benefits of progressively revealed religions as fiandamental to an “ever-advancing Civilization.” What divides various religious communities, Baha’is believe, comes not from God but from humanity and its accre— tions to the essential religious teachings brought by the divine Messengers.

At this stage of humanity’s development, the unity of the human race must be recognized, the equality of women and men must be established, the extremes of wealth and poverty must

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be eliminated, and the age—old promise of universal peace must be realized. Likening the development of the human race to that of an individual, the Baha’i writings say that we have passed through stages analogous to infancy and childhood and are now in the midst of a tumultuous adolescence, standing on the threshold of maturity. Baha’u’llah taught that humanity is destined to come of age, but the course it takes to achieve that goal is entirely in its own hands.

To promote the development of a society in Which Baha’i ideals can be fully realized, Baha’u’llah established laws and moral teach— ings that are binding on Baha’i’s. Central to these is daily obligatory prayer. Study of and meditation upon the Baha’i sacred writings each morning and evening is also enjoined. Baha’is between the ages of 15 and 70, With certain exceptions, observe an annual 19- day, dawn—to-dusk fast. Baha’u’llah referred to prayer and fasting as the “twin pillars” of faith, an indication of their importance and the benefits to be gained from them. He also raised work to the level of worship. The main repository of Baha’u’llah’s laws is a volume entitled the Kitab-i—Aqdas, or the “Most Holy Book.”

There are no dietary restrictions in the Baha’i Faith, but the consumption of alcohol and the use of narcotic and hallucinogenic drugs are forbidden, as they aHect the mind and interfere with spiritual growth. Baha’u’llah counseled Baha’is to be honest and trustworthy, to render service to humanity with an abundance of deeds rather than mere words, to be chaste, and to avoid gossip and backbiting. He forbade lying, stealing, adultery, homosexual acts, and promis— cuity. The importance of the family is central to Baha’i community life, as is the moral and spiritual education of children.

Baha’is often gather together in their communities to study the sacred writings of their Faith and to pray, but a central feature in Baha’i community life is a meeting called the Nineteen Day Feast, at which all members join in worship, consult about com— munity affairs, and socialize. Pending the further development of Baha’i communities, these meetings often occur in rented facilities, people’s homes, or in local Baha’i centers. The Baha’i writings call for the erection in each community of a beautifully designed House of Worship, surrounded by gardens and functioning as a spiritual center of activity. A variety of social and humanitarian

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THE BAHA’f COMMUNITY 15

institutions are also to be established around it. Seven Baha’i’ Houses ofWorship presently exist, in Australia, Germany, India, Panama, Uganda, the United States, and Western Samoa, and sites have been purchased around the world for the construction of many more. The Houses of Worship are open to people of all faiths— or those professing no particular faith—for prayer and meditation. Services are nondenominational. There are no sermons, only readings and prayers from the Baha’i writings and scriptures of other faiths with music by an a Capella choir. This preserves the sacredness of the experience of hearing and meditating upon the Holy Word Without the interference of man-made concepts.

Aims, Objectives, and Activities

As the Universal House of Justice stated in a message addressed to the peoples of the world, written in October 1985, coinciding With the United Nations International Year of Peace, “Acceptance of the oneness of mankind is the first fundamental prerequisite for the reorganization and administration of the world as one country, the home of humankind.” The ultimate aim of the Baha’i Faith is the establishment of unity among all the peoples of the world, and it is because of its orientation towards unity on an international scale that the Baha’i community has been active at the United Nations since that organization’s inception. Today the Baha’i International Community, an active nongovernmental organization (NGO) that represents the collective voice of national Baha’i communities around the world, enjoys special status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). It is particularly involved in addressing human rights issues, the needs of women and children, and environmental concerns, as well as pursuing sound, sustainable development policies. To coordinate its inter— national efforts in these areas, the Baha’i International Community’s United Nations Office and Office of Public Information, as well as the Office of the Environment and the Office for the Advancement of Women, collaborate With National Spiritual Assemblies around the world. The Baha’i International Com— munity’s activities at the United Nations have earned it a reputation as one of the most effective religious NGOs in the UN system. Its

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national and international representatives took active roles in the major world summits and NGO forums sponsored by the United Nations during the 19905.

Baha’is look towards a day when a new international order will be established, a commonwealth to which all the nations of

the world will belong. As Shoghi Effendi wrote in 1936:

The unity of the human race, as envisaged by Baha’u’llah, implies the establishment of a world commonwealth in which all nations, races, creeds, and classes are closely and permanently united, and in which the autonomy of its state members and the personal freedom and initiative of the individuals that compose them are definitely and completely safeguarded. This commonwealth must, as far as we can visualize it, consist of a world legislature, whose members will, as the trustees of the whole of mankind, ultimately control the entire resources of all the component nations, and will enact such laws as shall be required to regulate the life, satisfy the needs, and adjust the relationships of all races and peoples. A world executive, backed by an international Force, will carry out the decisions arrived at, and apply the laws enacted by, this world legislature, and will safeguard the organic unity of the whole commonwealth. A world tribunal will adjudicate and deliver its compulsory and final verdict in all and any disputes that may arise between the various elements constituting this universal system.1

Shoghi Effendi went on to describe the tremendous benefits to humanity resulting from such a world order:

The enormous energy dissipated and wasted on war, whether economic or political, will be consecrated to such ends as will extend the range of human inventions and technical development, to the increase of the productivity of mankind, to the extermination of disease, to the extension of scientific research, to the raising of the standard of physical health, to the sharp- ening and refinement of the human brain, to the exploitation of the unused and unsuspected resources of the planet, to the prolongation of human life, and t0 the furtherance of any other

1 Shoghi Effendi, The erd Order of Balm’ ’u’lla’lv: Selected Letters, 2d rev. ed. (Wilmette: Baha’i Publishing Trust, 1993), p. 203.

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agency that can stimulate the intellectual, the moral, and spiritual life of the entire human race.2

To make its aims and objectives widely known and to promote its perspective on various issues, the Baha’i International Community not only collaborates With like—minded organizations within and outside of the United Nations, but it engages in public information efforts to bring the spiritual and social principles of the Faith to the attention of people everywhere. The persecution of the Baha’r’s in Iran since the 1979 Iranian revolution has prompted wide dissemination of information about the Baha’i Faith in the international news media. More than two hundred members of the Faith have been executed for their belief, Which is considered as heresy by the regime, and thousands more have been imprisoned, fired from their jobs, or had their homes confiscated or their pen— sions cut off as a result of government orders. Baha’is around the world have responded in unity to this ongoing persecution in Iran— the land in Which their religion was born—by petitioning their governments to take action against this injustice. It is, to some degree, as a result of these efforts that the persecutions have not been more extreme, although Iran’s Baha’l’s still face the possibility of arbitrary imprisonment and execution, and are still denied fundamental rights and ifreedoms.3

The Baha’i community has also taken a proactive approach in promulgating its Views. The statement on peace issued by the Universal House ofJustice in 1985, entitled T/ae Promise OfW/orld Peace, sparked a worldwide campaign of presentations and public awareness programs throughout the International Year of Peace and since, aimed at government figures, leaders of thought, and the general population. The centenary of Baha’u’llah’s passing in 1992 was commemorated, in part, With the publication of a statement detailing His life, teachings, and mission, designed to increase knowledge of the Baha’i Faith among members of the public. A statement presenting the Baha’i perspective on social

2 Shoghi Effendi, VVMM Order ofBa/M’u’lldb, p. 204. 3 See pp. 143—47 and 291—93 for further information on the continuing persecution of Iran’s Baha’i community.

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development, 7776 Prosperity ofHumankina’, was disseminated at the World Summit for Social Development in Copenhagen in March 1995, and later that year a statement entitled Turning Point for All Nations was released as a contribution to discussions on the future of the United Nations during its 50th anniversary. In 1999, the Baha’i International Community released W170 Is Witing the Future? Reflections on the Twentieth Century.

The Baha’i community has also been continually engaged in a series of international teaching plans. It has seen rapid expansion in different parts of the world, perhaps most notably in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union, Where national Baha’i communities have been established in recent years following the collapse of long—standing political barriers. New national governing bodies are also being formed elsewhere, as the Universal House of Justice deems communities to have reached a sufficient level of maturity.

The existence and growth of the Baha’i community offers irrefutable evidence that humanity, in all its diversity, can learn to live and work together in harmony. While Baha’is are not unaware of the turmoil in the world surrounding them, their View is succinctly depicted in the following words, taken from 7776 Prosperity 0f Humankindz

A world is passing away and a new one is struggling to be born. The habits, attitudes, and institutions that have accumulated over the centuries are being subjected to tests that are as necessary to human development as they are inescapable. What is required of the peoples of the world is a measure of faith and resolve to match the enormous energies with Which the Creator of all things has endowed this spiritual springtime of the race.4

The source of this faith and resolve is the message offered by the teachings of Baha’u’llah, a message that deserves the thoughtful consideration of all those who yearn for peace and justice in the world.

4 Baha’i International Community’s Office of Public Information, The Prosper— ity ofHumankind (1995). See The Ba/M’z’ W'orld 1994—95, pp. 273—96, for the complete text of this statement.