1. Baha’i
By: Cameron Reddig, Georgia Athens, Alex Schenck, Matthew Diggs, Michael (Pee wee) Oviedo, Nigel (Lightning bolt) Johnson

2. What Type of Religion Is it?
Monotheistic
Believe in God
Believe that Krishna, Zoroaster, Abraham, Moses, Buddha, Jesus, and Mohammed to be divine messengers sent by God to guide the world in its spiritual development and the advancement of civilization
Universal religion
Autonomous

3. Where is the heart/place of origin?
19th century Persia

4. Who founded the religion and when?
The original founder was Siyyid Kazim Rashti, AKA the Bab, in 1844, but he was executed in 1850
His follower Baha'u'llah claimed himself as the messenger to God and continued the Babs work in 1863
His teachings spread across the world, especially in the Middle East
Baha’i religious people are found in 236 countries

5. What are the types of diffusion?
Expansion diffusion because it has spread rapidly over the Middle East and Southwest Asia
Stimulus diffusion because Baha’i actually originated from Islam and was changed by people to create their own religion
Went from Persia to other Middle East countries and eventually around the world. Mostly in Asia and the Middle East.

6. Why and how did the religion spread where it did?
Baha'u'llah was exiled from Iran because of his teachings.
While he was exiled, he spread his teachings across the Middle East.
His ideas were world peace, democracy, civil rights, equal rights for women, and acceptance of scientific discoveries which were decades ahead of his time

7. Is it related to another religion?
Yes it is a branch off of Islam
The Bab decided to break off and find a new religion and message from God

8. Who are the key figures?
Baha’u’llah because he declared himself a messenger of God and was the main person who spread his teachings, after the Bab died
The Bab because he basically began the idea of Baha’i faith
Abdul-Baha, who continued the Baha’u’llah’s ideas alive during the late 19th and early 20th century, Baha’u’llah’s son

9. What are the top 3 major events of Baha’i?
1844 in Persia the Bab brought a new message from God
March 21- Naw Ruz(New Year): no work, dinner at sunset, prayer, gift giving
April 21- Festival of Ridvan: celebration of when Baha’u’llah resided in a garden in Baghdad when he proclaimed his mission as God’s messenger, communal prayers, no work or school, and reading of historical accounts
May 29- Ascension of Baha’u’llah: death of Baha’u’llah in 1892, no school or work, celebrate life that formed their faith, and read through his writings

10. What is the Distribution of the Religion?
How many people practice the religion worldwide?
The baha’i Faith states that it currently has about 6 million worldwide
1.8 million in Africa
3.6 million in Asia
0.13 million in Europe
0.91 in latin America
0.81 in Northern America
0.12 in Oceania
Including about 2.5million adherents in india, and 140,000 in the U.S

11. Where does it rank in number of followers compared to others to other religion?
2)Bahai is ranked the 14th largest religion followed by 7.4 million, and compared to other religions it is the youngest. For example, Christianity is one of the top followed religions with 2,039 million people who have faith in their religion.
3)Is this religion growing or shrinking in number of followers?
Baha’is religion continues to grow it is still looked upon by many muslims as a breakaway sect of islam. Bahai is a very heavily persecuted in some countries, particularly Iran.

12. Symbols

13. Baha’i Symbols
The symbol of the Greatest Name represents an invocation which can be translated either as 'O Glory of Glories' or 'O Glory of the All-Glorious.' The word glory used in this connection is a translation of the Arabic term Bahá, the name of Bahá'u'lláh.

14. Baha’i Symbols
The purpose of the symbol that appears on Bahá'í ringtones and other Bahá'í identity jewelry is a visual reminder of God's purpose for man, and for Bahá'ís in particular. Bahá'í identity jewelry often is a conversation starter about the Faith and may be considered a teaching and proclamation aid.

15. Baha’i Symbols
A simple nine-pointed star is generally used by Bahá'ís as a symbol of their Faith. The number nine has significance in the Bahá'í Revelation. Nine years after the announcement of the Báb in Shiraz, Bahá'u'lláh received the intimation of His mission in the dungeon in Teheran. Nine, as the highest single-digit number, symbolizes completeness. Since the Bahá'í Faith claims to be the fulfillment of the expectations of all prior religions, this symbol, as used for example in nine-sided Bahá'í temples, reflects that sense of fulfillment and completeness.

16. How Do People Becoming a Follower
Becoming a Baha’i is a heartfelt, spiritual and deeply personal decision. You really become a Baha’i once you begin believing in Baha’u’llah and in the teachings. The Baha’i faith has no clergy or initiation or baptism it just takes individual commitment.

17. Central Beliefs
Bahá’í beliefs into a few thematic areas—The Life of the Spirit; God and His Creation; Essential Relationships; and Universal Peace. Bahá'ís believe that there is only one God, the Creator of the universe. This one God has absolute control over His creation as well as complete knowledge of it .It also introduces the Universal House of Justice, the institution ordained by Bahá’u’lláh to which the entire Bahá’í community today turns for guidance in the application of the Bahá’í teachings. The main central belief is universal peace and unity.

18. Book
The Kitáb-i-Aqdas or Aqdas is the central book of the Bahá'í Faith written by Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the religion, 1853– 1873.

19. 6. What holy days does the religion have ?
March 21- Naw-ruz (Baha’i new year), April 21, First day of ridvan-festival of ridvan, April 29, The ninth day of ridvan, May 2, The twelfth day of ridvan, May 23, 1844-Declaration of the bab in shiraz, May 29, Ascension of baha'u'llah, July 9, The martyrdom of the bab, October 20, Birth of the bab in shiraz, November 12, Birth of baha’u’llah.
7. Does the religion require pilgrimages ? (If so, describe them)
Baha pilgrims pray and meditate at the shrine of Baha’u’llah and the shrine of Bab, as well as the beautiful gardens that surround them.
8. What calendars (if appropriate) does the religion use ?
The baha’i calendar.
9. What are the major divisions/branches/sects and their distribution?
The baha’i faith actually does not have any branches or sects. The baha’i faith is protected from division by a covenant established by baha’u’llah.

20. Architecture Of Places of Worship

21. Burial Sites

22. Religion's Impact on Communities

23. Sacred Sites

24. Works Cited http://www.bahai.org
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