The Bahá’i Faith: Beliefs

The Bahá’i Faith is the youngest of the world’s independent religions The Bahá’i Faith is the youngest of the world’s independent religions. It began in Iran, then known as Persia, in 1863 and is found in almost every part of the world. The main Bahá'i vision is of a peaceful and united world, and the following slides set out the teachings which Bahá’is live by. The quotes on this presentation are from the writings of Bahá’u’lláh, the Founder of the Bahá’i Faith, and from other Bahá’i writings.

Baha’i Teachings Independent investigation of truth Oneness of God Oneness of religion Progressive revelation Oneness of mankind Universal Education Equality of men and women Elimination of prejudice Abolition of extremes of wealth and poverty Universal auxiliary language The harmony of science and religion The promise of world peace

Independent investigation of truth Bahá’is believe that every one of us has the right and the duty to search for truth for ourselves. “See through thine own eyes and not through the eyes of others… know of thine own knowledge and not through the knowledge of thy neighbour.” “He does not ask us to follow Him blindly…God has endowed man with a mind to operate as a torchlight and guide him to the truth.”

Oneness of God Bahá’is believe that there is only one God, the Creator, no matter how He is worshipped or what name is used to describe Him. God is essentially beyond human comprehension. “Every created thing in the whole universe is but a door leading unto His knowledge.”

Oneness of Religion Bahá'is believe that the universe was created by one God, Who is known by many names. All religions come from the same source, and Bahá'is believe that the people of all religions should respect each other and work together to bring peace.

Progressive Revelation Bahá’is believe that God’s instruction to mankind has been progressive – each Messenger building on the teachings of the one before as humanity develops materially and spiritually. “Every age requires a fresh measure of the light of God.” “God’s purpose in sending His prophets unto men is twofold. The first is to liberate the children of men from the darkness of ignorance and guide them to the light of true understanding. The second is to ensure the peace and tranquility of mankind, and provide all the means by which they can be established.”

Oneness of Humanity Bahá'is believe that all people belong to one human family, whatever our race, country or background. We should try to understand and get on with those who are different from us, and learn to live in unity. Unity does not mean having to give up our own ways of life – our differences make the world a fascinating place!

Getting Rid of Prejudice “All prejudice, whether of religion, race, politics or nations, must be renounced, for these prejudices have caused the world’s sickness.” “The fact that we imagine ourselves to be right and everybody else wrong is the greatest of all obstacles of the path toward unity”

Equality of Men and Women “ Among the teachings… is the equality of women and men. The world of humanity has two wings. Not until both wings are equally developed can the bird fly.” “ Among the teachings… is the equality of women and men. The world of humanity has two wings. Not until both wings are equally developed can the bird fly.”

Education for All There are many children in the world who are not allowed to go to school, but Bahá’u’lláh taught that every child should be able to. “Regard man as a mine rich in gems of inestimable values, education can alone, cause it to reveal its treasures and enable mankind to benefit there from.”

One universal auxiliary language All countries should agree on a language which everyone would learn as well as their own to make it easier to understand each other. Бейбітшілік Peace शांति Paix שלום سلام

The Harmony of Science and Religion “There is no contradiction between true religion and science” – ‘Abdu'l-Bahá “Religion and science are the two wings upon which man’s intelligence can soar…”

The Promise of World Peace “Peace must first be established among individuals, until it leadeth in the end to peace among nations” “The wellbeing of mankind, its peace and security, are unattainable unless and until its unity is firmly established.”

“The Earth is but one country And mankind its citizens”

Acknowledgements Thanks go to: the Bahá'i Media Bank, media.bahai.org for all images used. to Paddy and Ann Vickers for their freely-available worksheets, downloadable from http://re.bahai.org.uk With grateful thanks to the Farmington Institute for the opportunity to develop these materials: http://www.farmington.ac.uk