History of the Baha'i Faith - ReligionFacts ReligionFacts Baha'i Timeline History of the Baha'i Faith The Bahá'í Faith was founded in Iran in the mid-19th century by Mirza Hoseyn 'Ali Nuri, who is known as Bahá'u'lláh, which in Arabic: "Glory of God". The Bahai religion has a short, but important history and learning it is necessary to understanding the Bahai worldview. The Bahai faith has experienced in creased popularity in the West as its openness to all religions aligns with the religious relativism growing in that part of the world. (Also see Bahai beliefs) Like many other religions, Bahai has experienced seasons of peace as well as seasons of persecution; times of stagnation and times of increase. All of these moments work together to form the present state of the Bahai faith. Below the reader will find an overview of Bahai history along with links to more in-depth articles. The Bahai religion: past and present Historical and Religious Context As Christianity was born out of Judaism and Buddhism grew out of Hinduism, the Bahá'í Faith has its roots in Shi'ite Islam.

A major doctrine of "Twelver" Shi'ite Islam is the expected return of the 12th imam (successor of Muhammad), who will renew religion and guide the faithful. The Báb In 1844, Mirza 'Ali Mohammad of Shiraz in Iran proclaimed the imminent appearance of a new messenger of God who would overturn old beliefs and customs and usher in a new era. He identified himself as the forerunner of this prophet, assuming the title of "the Báb" (Persian: "Gateway"). The Báb's teachings quickly spread throughout modern-day Iran, provoking strong opposition from both the Shi'ite Muslim clergy and the government. The Báb was arrested and, after several years of incarceration, was executed by a firing squad in 1850. Large-scale persecutions of his adherents, the Babis, followed and ultimately cost 20,000 people their lives.

Bahá'u'lláh One of the Báb's earliest and most ardent disciples was Mirza Hoseyn 'Ali Nuri, who had assumed the name of Bahá'u'lláh (Persian: "Glory of God") when he renounced his social standing and joined the Babis. Bahá'u'lláh was arrested in 1852 and jailed in Tehran. During his imprisonment, he realized he was the prophet whose coming had been predicted by the Bab. He was released in 1853 and exiled to Baghdad, where his leadership revived the Babi community. In 1863, shortly before being moved by the Ottoman government to Constantinople, Bahá'u'lláh declared to his fellow Babis that he was the messenger of God foretold by the Bab. An overwhelming majority of Babis acknowledged his claim and thenceforth became known as Bahá'ís. Bahá'u'lláh was subsequently confined by the Ottomans in Adrianople (now Edirne, Turkey) and then exiled to Acre in Palestine (now ' Akko, Israel).

20th Century Before Bahá'u'lláh died in 1892, he appointed his eldest son, 'Abd ol-Baha (1844–1921), to be the leader of the Bahá'í community and the authorized interpreter of his teachings. 'Abd ol-Baha actively administered the movement's affairs and spread the faith to North America, Europe, and other continents. He appointed his eldest grandson, Shoghi Effendi Rabbani (1897–1957), as his successor. The Bahá'í faith underwent a rapid expansion beginning in the 1960s, and by the late 20th century it had more than 150 national spiritual assemblies (national governing bodies) and about 20,000 local spiritual assemblies worldwide. Persecution in Iran Since the Bahá'í Faith's birth, it has faced resistance and persecution from Iran. Many Bahá'ís, including the Bab, have become martyrs or imprisoned by the Iranian government. As is often the case, the persecution has arisen from a combination of religious and social factors.

Religiously, many Shi'ite Muslims regard the Bahá'í Faith as an Islamic heresy. Objectionable beliefs of the Bahá'ís include the idea that there are more prophets to come after Muhammad, that the Qur'an has been upstaged by Bahá'u'lláh's writings, that women should play an active role in society, that there is no importance of the holy war (jihad), and that clergy are not essential due to increased literacy. A major social factor leading to persecution of Bahá'ís is their emphasis on education, which places them in prominent occupations in society. This power and influence can be seen as threatening by the majority. Bahá'ís also deny the authority of Shi'ite jurisprudence and therefore the essence of Iran's government. Anti-Bahá'í sentiment increased under Ayatollah Khomeini. Although oppression slightly lessened in late 1988, Bahá'ís were still being accused of prostitution since their marriages are viewed as illegitimate, of spying since some of their conferences were in foreign cities, and of being Zionist supporters since their headquarters are in Haifa, Israel. Many Bahá'ís were arrested, tortured and executed.

The Bahá'í Faith Today Today, the Bahá'í Faith has as many as 7 million followers worldwide and is the second-most widely distributed religion after Christianity. Article Info Bahais Celebrate Unity, Diversity of Their Faith : Beliefs: The religion founded in the 19th Century in Persia has 5,000 Southland followers. - latimes Bahais Celebrate Unity, Diversity of Their Faith : Beliefs: The religion founded in the 19th Century in Persia has 5,000 Southland followers. May 23, 1992 |TAMMERLIN DRUMMOND | TIMES STAFF WRITER It was a warm, festive spiritual gathering at the home of an Anaheim Hills couple--one that Ghodisi Najafabadi could have only dreamed of in her native Iran, where hundreds of members of her Bahai faith have been tortured and killed for their religious beliefs. "People here are really open," Najafabadi, 47, marveled during a recent Bahai unity feast.

"In Iran, you had to be very quiet." Najafabadi, an Anaheim Hills resident who fled Iran after the fall of the shah, is a member of an obscure, low-key Eastern religion known as the Bahai faith, which claims 5,000 followers in the Southland. Later this month, Bahais around the world will commemorate the 100-year anniversary of the death of their founder--a 19th-Century Persian known as Baha' Allah who preached the oneness of the human race and urged followers to work toward uniting the world under one religion. A highlight of the anniversary year for Southland Bahais will be a daylong celebration May 30 at Mile Square Park in Fountain Valley. The Bahai Faith is one of the youngest and most socially progressive of world religions. Followers promote equality among the races, as evidenced by the high rate of marriage between members of different ethnic groups. And women are equal to men in all aspects of social and religious life. Bahais also believe all religions are divinely inspired. Jesus Christ, Mohammed, Buddha, Moses and Krishna are all revered as prophets sent to Earth to provide guidance.

However, they believe that Baha' Allah's teachings are more timely than those of earlier prophets. "I was receptive to the Bahai Faith because I believe that God gives updates," said Ed Diliberto, 56, a retired schoolteacher from Long Beach. "We accept that there is a Creator, but we have no concept of His essence. The prophets are intermediaries who appear from age to age . . ." Diliberto, a former Roman Catholic who is now an adviser to elected Bahai spiritual assemblies throughout Southern California, said he accepted the faith because it fills a void left by Christianity. "I believed in Christ, but I didn't feel that the modern form of Christianity met human needs," he said. "It seemed the needs of mankind had gone beyond what current religion could solve." The Bahai faith is an unusual religion by most standards: There are no churches or temples, and no clergy. Bahai teachings strictly prohibit the use of pressure tactics to win new followers. The faith spreads mostly through word of mouth and informal meetings known as firesides, to which prospective members are invited. There are about 110,000 Bahais living in the United States from all walks of life.

They range from jazz musician Dizzy Gillespie to U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Dorothy W. Nelson. Bahai membership is open to anyone who accepts the teachings of Baha' Allah. Among other things, Bahais are required to pray daily, fast 19 days a year and abstain from drugs, alcohol and other mind-altering substances. Before marrying, a couple must obtain the consent of both sets of parents. Under Bahai law, couples seeking a divorce must first undergo a mandatory, yearlong period of trial separation to determine whether their marital problems can be resolved. All local Bahai communities are governed by a nine-member spiritual assembly elected by members in their city. A nine-member body elected from the various Bahai communities around the country oversees national affairs. The world headquarters--known as the International House of Justice, which is also a nine-member elected body--is in Haifa, Israel. Bahai followers are encouraged to make a pilgrimage to Haifa and Acre, where the faith's founders are entombed. Until his death in 1892, Baha' Allah taught that all world religions--regardless of their origins--were part of a progressive divine plan for the education of the human race.

He urged his followers to work toward unifying competing faiths under a universal religion. It is this embracing of all religions that appealed most to Judy Afsahi Shad. "When I was growing up, my parents sent us to Baptist churches, Methodist and Assembly of God. But I just couldn't believe . . . if you weren't Christian, you were going to hell," said Shad, a high school teacher who lives in Anaheim Hills. "So when I found the Bahai faith, I thought, 'This is the way.' " MORE: UK calls on Iran to free jailed Bahá'ís and halt destruction of faith's cemetery | World news | The Guardian UK calls on Iran to free jailed Bahá'ís and halt destruction of faith's cemetery Foreign Office minister addresses desecration of cemetery where members of persecuted religious minority are buried Trucks line up to demolish the Bahá'í cemetery in Shiraz, Iran.

Thursday 15 May 2014 11.16 EDT First published on Thursday 15 May 2014 11.16 EDT Close This article is 2 years old Britain has expressed serious concerns about the ongoing destruction of a historic cemetery in southern Iran , where members of the country's most persecuted religious minority are buried. Iran's elite revolutionary guards have begun demolishing the Bahá'í cemetery in Shiraz, in the southern province of Fars, which is seen as an attempt to delete a dark episode from the history of mistreating Bahá'ís in the Islamic republic. The Bahá'í faith, which accepts all religions as having valid origins, was founded in Iran in the 19th century by its prophet, Bahá'u'lláh. There are about 300,000 Bahá'ís believed to be living in Iran, and about 6 million worldwide. At least 219 Bahá'í in Iran were executed because of their religious allegiance after the 1979 Islamic revolution, and some are believed to have been buried in Shiraz. Many were put to death because they refused to recant their faith.

Nearly 200 square metres have been excavated and 50 lorries lined up to remove material, but it was not clear on Thursday whether Iranian forces had reached the point of unearthing tombs. In Persian, Bahá'ís refer to the cemetery as Golestan-e-Javid (eternal garden). Britain's Foreign Office urged the Iranian authorities this week to stop the destruction and release seven leaders of the Bahá'í faith who have been imprisoned in Iran for the past six years, each serving a 20-year prison sentence. The Foreign Office's minister for the Middle East, Hugh Robertson, said: "Six years ago today, seven leaders of the Bahá'í faith in Iran were imprisoned for 20 years each for practising their religion. I call on the Iranian authorities to release them as a matter of urgency.

I was also deeply concerned to learn of the recent reports of the desecration of a Bahá'í cemetery in Shiraz, where approximately 950 Bahá'ís are buried." He added: "We urge the Islamic Republic of Iran to abide by its international commitments to ensure all Iranians are free to practise their religion without fear of persecution." Iran, which has Islam as its official religion, only recognises Christians, Jews and Zoroastrians as accepted religious minorities. It stepped up the persecution of its Bahá'í community following the 1979 Islamic revolution, accusing many of its members of having links with or spying for Israel, mainly because the Bahá'í governing body is based in Haifa. Iran has banned Bahá'ís since 1981 and deprived its members of many fundamental rights, including access to higher education and the right to own businesses. At least 136 Bahá'ís are in prison in Iran, including the faith's seven leaders: Fariba Kamalabadi, Vahid Tizfahm, Jamaloddin Khanjani, Afif Naeimi and Mahvash Sabet, Behrouz Tavakkoli and Saeid Rezaie.

A number of Bahá'í students who are denied higher education met Mohammad Nourizad,a prominent journalist and film-maker, earlier this month. This week, a number of activists, including the celebrated lawyer, Nasrin Sotoudeh, marked the anniversary of six years' imprisonment in Iran of seven Bahá'í leaders. After assuming power as Iran's president, Hassan Rouhani appointed Ali Younesi, a former intelligence minister, to serve as his special assistant in minorities' affairs, in a move hailed by human rights activists, but there is no sign he is recognising Bahá'ís. The systematic persecution of Bahá'ís in Iran has been led by the country's hardliners, especially the revolutionary guards, rather than the government. In a conciliatory move to Iran's Jewish community, Younesi visited a synagogue in Shiraz recently. It is not clear if the cemetery's excavation was a warning signal from the guards to the government about a softeneing in its stance towards minorities.

Hosting service Bayan refused to comply with authorities after being told to disclose private information about a user Published: 13 May 2014 Baha’i Origins, Baha’i History, Baha’i Beliefs Share The Baha'i faith was founded in the mid-19th century C.E. in Iran. In 1844 Siyyid ‘Ali Mohammad, a Shiite Muslim, proclaimed that he was "the Bab," "the Gate," a special sort of interpreter of the Quran with special religious insight and prophetic abilities; he was the "Hidden Imam." The Bab's prophetic message spread in Iran, which angered both the government and the Shiite leadership. He was arrested and then executed. One of the Bab's disciples, Mirza Hoseyn ‘Ali Nuri, known as Baha'u'llah, spread the Bab's teachings; these teachings eventually evolved into the Baha'i faith, and it is Baha'u'llah who is most typically known as the founder of the tradition. Baha'i propounds that God is utterly transcendent and ultimately unknowable to humanity.

God's manifestation is understood in Baha'i to come not just through the Bab and Baha'u'llah, but also through the world's religious prophets, including Abraham, Moses, the Buddha, Krishna, and Muhammad. Baha'i sacred literature includes the writings and oral history of the Bab and Baha'u'llah. The Baha'i do not have any clergy; all spiritual authority is held by local and national councils called "Spiritual Assemblies." Baha'i is open to all who accept the teachings of Baha'u'llah. Baha'i religious practices and rituals include daily prayer and devotions. Baha'i followers are expected to fast for nineteen days a year and participate in the Nineteen Day Feast. Essential Baha'i theological tenets include the unity of humanity and the unity of all religions with the ultimate goal of creating a unified humanity without racial, ethnic, class, or religious prejudice. Baha'i has spread to virtually every country in the world, and Baha'i temples can be found on every continent except Antartica. Natalie Mobini explains what it means to be a Baha'i in today's world.

Baha'is Mark Centenary of US Visit by Religious Leader Baha'is Mark Centenary of US Visit by Religious Leader May 22, 2012 3:24 PM Print Server error Oops, as you can see, this is not what we wanted to show you! This URL has been sent to our support web team to the can look into it immediately. Our apologies. Please use Search above to see if you can find it elsewhere The Baha'i faith was founded in Iran in the 19th century, but its adherents believe the United States has a special spiritual destiny. Baha'is are celebrating the 100-year anniversary of a visit to the United States by Abdu'l Baha, whom they call "The Master." Abdu'l Baha arrived in the United States in April 1912 and traveled across the country by train. During the journey, he declared that America had the potential to "lead all nations spiritually." Abdu'l Baha, who was 68 at the time, was the son of the founder of the Baha'i faith, Baha'u'llah.

"For Baha'is, it marked the first time in religious human history, that a holy member of a prophet of God's family had come to Western shores," says Layli Miller-Muro, a member of the Baha'i leadership assembly in Washington. "Most religions begin in the East, and we don't often have a direct descendent able to come to the West." Abdu'l Baha's Landmark Visit to the U.S. Many Americans were impressed by Abdu'l Baha's speeches and a number converted, including the ancestors of some of the more than 2,000 people who attended a recent commemorative event in Washington. Miller-Muro said the reception given to Abdu'l Baha is comparable to the way the Dalai Lama often is welcomed in the West. "He was on the front page of various newspapers," she said. "He met with diplomats, Alexander Graham Bell, Theodore Roosevelt, and his presence was important because he was known for being a great man of this great religion and it was widely known that he had been imprisoned for over 50 years." More than 5 million Baha'is are estimated to live around the world.

They believe that all religions are valid as part of a progressive revelation of God's truth, and that Baha'u'llah, who was born in 19th century Persia and is now buried in Israel, was the most recent of God's messengers to humanity. "And so it would be silly as Baha'is to say that Baha'u'llah is any better than prophets of the past," Miller-Muro said. But Baha'is have had trouble in Islamic countries, mostly Iran, but also Egypt and Afghanistan. Muslims believe their Prophet Muhammed received God's final revelation. "Bahai religious groups reported arbitrary arrest and prolonged detention, expulsions from universities, and confiscation of property," the U.S. State Department's 2011 International Religious Freedom Report says about Iran. It says that about 300,000 Baha'is live in Iran, and under that country's application of Islamic law, they are considered to be apostates whose blood can be "spilled with impunity." "Their theology, their world view, their perspective, is in direct competition with the theological ideology of the Iranian regime," says Joseph Griebowski of the Institute on Religion and Public Policy .

He calls Baha'is "a wonderfully progressive and engaging religious community" and adds that while Iran is run by mullahs and restricts the liberties of women, Baha'is encourage female leadership and have no clergy. Rosita Najmi organizes regular Baha'i devotional gatherings at her home in Washington and invites non-Bahai friends and neighbors to join in the ritual, which involves reading from inspired writings by a variety of religious and secular authors. "The devotional gathering is one way in which Baha'is can interact with people of any or no religious background, as a way to have an exchange of an elevated conversation," says Najmi, who said she is grateful the United States allowed her family to come as religious refugees. "If I were in Iran, I would not have been able to go to college or university," she said. "I would have had very limited employment opportunities, and not because I am a woman, but because I am a Baha'i." Here, she studied at Harvard, one of America's most prestigious universities. "I experience great guilt, and great sadness, for my Baha'i brothers and sisters who really just do not have a choice," she said.

Baha'i Faith - Credo Reference Topic Page: Baha'i Faith Definition: Baha&#39;i Faith from The Macquarie Dictionary a religion founded in 1863 by Mirza Husain Ali, titled Bahá'u'lláh (Glory of God), as a development of the Babi Faith; the world centre is in the seaport Haifa, north-western Israel. Summary Article: Baha&#39;i Faith from The Hutchinson Unabridged Encyclopedia with Atlas and Weather Guide Image from: Many Bahá'í people recognize a... in Religious Holidays & Calendars Religion founded in the 19th century from a Muslim splinter group, Babism, by the Persian Baha'u'llah. His message in essence was that all great religious leaders are manifestations of the unknowable God and all scriptures are sacred. There is no priesthood: all Baha'is are expected to teach, and to work towards world unification. There are about 6 million Baha'is worldwide. Great stress is laid on equality regardless of religion, race, or gender. Drugs and alcohol are forbidden. Marriage is strongly encouraged; there is no arranged marriage, but parental approval must be given.

Baha'is are expected to pray daily, but there is no set prayer. During 2–20 March, adults under 70 fast from sunrise to sunset. Administration is carried out by an elected body, the Universal House of Justice. The Baha'i Faith claims that it incorporates what is best in all religions. Twenty thousand martyrs have given their lives rather than deny it. It has three central figures. The forerunner was Mirza Ali Muhammad, born in Shiraz in 1819, who adopted the title the Bab, meaning ‘the gate’, when he declared in 1844 that he was the ‘Mihdi’ or ‘Qa'im’ promised in the Koran to save the nations. Orthodox Muslims and the Persian State conspired to overthrow him, so that he spent most of his teaching life in prison, his followers zealously carrying on his work of proselytizing in the face of fierce persecution. He was finally shot in public at Tabriz in 1850. The body was recovered by his followers and hidden for 50 years in various places, eventually being enshrined on Mount Carmel, the chief centre of Baha'i pilgrimage.

In 1863 Husayn 'Ali, a Persian nobleman who took the name Baha'u'llah, meaning ‘The glory of God’, announced himself to be the One foretold not only by the Bab, but in the holy books of all religions, who will inaugurate an era of peace and spiritual well-being for mankind. As a Babi, he had already been deprived of his considerable possessions and banished to Baghdad; banishment to Constantinople, Adrianople, and the prison city of Acre followed. His writings include Kitab-i-Aqdas, Kitab-i-Iquan, and many letters, including proclamation of his claim to the chief sovereigns of the world, among them Queen Victoria. On his death in 1892, leadership passed to his eldest son, 'Abdu'l-Baha, the exemplar of the Baha'i Faith, who had shared his father's imprisonment since childhood. He was freed by the Turkish revolution of 1908, and made an extended tour of Europe and America 1911–13.

He was knighted in 1920 for the part he played in averting famine in Haifa during the war, and died in 1921. His will appointed his grandson Shoghi Effendi, then studying at Balliol College, Oxford, as guardian of the cause. Under his guidance, the administrative order of the Baha'i Faith developed. The Baha'i Faith is based on a belief in successive progressive revelations of God, none of which is final. Thus Muhammad was a great prophet and his doctrines were revealed, but neither his revelation nor that of Baha'u'llah precludes God from revealing himself further in future ages. The morality of the Baha'i Faith is high. The individual soul continues to exist after separation from the body and may draw even nearer to God throughout eternity. The Baha'i Faith claims to restore to mankind the power to achieve unity through love. The troubles of the present age are but a prelude to the necessary and inevitable unification of the human race. All prejudice, particularly of race, colour, class, or creed, is condemned; compulsory education, abolition of extremes of poverty and wealth, and equal status for men and women are among its social teachings.

It prohibits slavery, asceticism, mendicancy, and monasticism; prescribes monogamy; and discourages, but does not prohibit, divorce. A universal auxiliary language is advocated and collective security urged as a step towards a world commonwealth. weblinks Bahai News - Bahai radio broadcasts in Old South To be published Saturday, April 8, 2000 Bahai radio broadcasts in Old South Gustav Niebuhr / New York Times News Service HEMINGWAY, S.C. -- Williamsburg County, a rural slice of the Bible Belt an hour's drive from the Atlantic coast, is just the place one expects to find religious radio. Roadside signs testify that Jesus saves, and the steeples of Baptist and Pentecostal churches can seem as ubiquitous as the tall pines and the Spanish moss. Yet it is just this setting that makes WLGI, a 50,000-watt FM station outside this small town, such a surprise. On one recent morning it was broadcasting gospel music. But then came a station break, and a woman said: "Across America, Bahais are tapping into the power of unity to build racial harmony in their communities.

The Bahai faith attracts people like you from every race and nationality." The announcement included a toll-free number for more information. To listeners, WLGI is known as Radio Bahai (pronounced buh-HI), a 15-year-old project of one of the world's newer religions, a monotheistic faith that emerged in 19th-century Persia, now Iran. Bahai has gone global, with 5 million adherents in nearly 200 nations. The Promised One Bahais follow the teachings of a Persian nobleman, a prominent member of a popular religious movement of his time, who in 1863 declared that he was the Promised One, anticipated by all major faiths. From then on, he was known as Baha'u'llah, Arabic for the Glory of God. He taught that all humanity is a single race, that men and women are equal and that the world's major religions are all true expressions of God. Bahais accord him the status of divinely chosen Messenger, the latest in a line that in their belief includes Abraham, Krishna, Moses, Buddha, Jesus and Muhammad.

Bahais believe that all were sent by God in successive eras to teach humankind, a process called progressive revelation. Amid the musical programming, Baha'u'llah's words (along with readings from the Bible and other sacred texts) can be heard on WLGI, whose signal spans eastern South Carolina, touching metropolitan Charleston and the resorts of Myrtle Beach, and reaches into North Carolina as well. "We say prayers for folks," said Ernest Hilton, 42, the station's associate manager. "A lot of folks call us in the mornings for prayers for people who are ill or who have passed on," he said, displaying a leather-bound Bahai prayer book. The Bahai faith counts about 130,000 members in the United States. Minnesota has about ..... World headquarters are in Haifa, Israel, and American administrative offices are in suburban Chicago. The faith operates six radio stations. Only one is in North America -- in Hemingway. The obvious question is, why here? Well, this state is important to Bahais, and has been ever since thousands of South Carolinians converted in the 1970s.

"From my understanding," said Lanita Barnes, a Bahai who moved to South Carolina from Southern California to administer many of the faith's local programs, "there was never a true civil rights movement in South Carolina," at least nothing approaching the history-making events of Montgomery or Selma. But when Bahais began working in the area, promoting their ideal of racial unity with a religious rather than secular message, they won a hearing. Hilton, who is black, grew up nearby and attended a Bahai youth gathering in 1980. "I sat, I listened, and I was really impressed with the racial makeup of the event," Hilton said. "I thought back to Martin Luther King's dream, because there were black kids, Persian kids, white kids, Orientals. And these kids were talking about how they could change the planet." Faith-based school The Bahais have had property in Hemingway since 1972, when the faith established a school focused on social and economic development. Called the Louis G. Gregory Institute, it occupies a largely wooded tract where the air is alive with dragonflies and the chatter of birds.

Barnes, who serves as administrator, says relations with neighboring churches have been amicable, with ministers invited to events at the institute. (What surely helps is that Bahais abstain from aggressive proselytizing, teach a personal morality whose standards -- no gambling or alcohol, for instance -- fit well in a culturally conservative area and regard Christianity as a divinely revealed faith. The station also runs free announcements about local churches' events on its community calendar.) Bahai emphasizes religious service, and the institute attracts volunteers, such as Nancy Nawi, 19, of Norwood, N.J., who grew up in a Bahai family and will enter Smith College in the fall. "I know people who had come down here, who had volunteered down here," she said. "People would talk about Radio Bahai down in South Carolina." The institute (whose initials give WLGI its call letters) is named for an early convert, a South Carolinian born in 1874 to former slaves. He earned a law degree at Howard University in Washington and flirted with black nationalism before finding the faith in 1909. Thereafter, he traveled widely preaching racial unity, often in the segregated South. Twice, Booker T.

Washington invited him to speak at Tuskegee Institute, the predominantly black school that Washington founded in Alabama. One recent graduate of Tuskegee University works at the station. He is Jonathan Graham, who grew up in the nearby town of Kingstree and embraced the faith at 15, after encountering a Bahai youth group. Like Hilton, he was impressed with the message of racial unity. "Here in the faith, it's all about us getting the world together," said Graham, now 30. "That's what appealed to me." Bahai is a relatively new world religion. It was started in the 1860s by a Persian (Iranian) nobleman who declared he was the Promised One anticipated by all faiths. He changed his name to Baha'u'llah, Arabic for the Glory of God. Bahais say the core of their belief is that humanity is a single people with a common destiny. In the words of Bah'u'llah, "The Earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens." The faith also teaches that the world's major religions are all true expressions of God.

Bahais said their faith has become the second most widespread of the world's independent religions, embracing more than 5 million members from more than 200 countries. About 800 live in the Twin Cities metro area; statewide the total is about 1,200, a Bahai spokeswoman said. Two Websites have information about Bahais: and . ©Copyright 2000, New York Times. Page last updated/revised 040700 Baha'i Baha'i {bah - hah' - ee} General Information Baha'i is a religious movement founded in the 19th century by the Persian Bahaullah. It claims members in practically every country of the world. Objecting to polygamy, slavery of any kind, religious prejudices, and politicized religion, Baha'is call for world peace and harmony. The ideals of a world federalist government and a new world language are also a part of their teachings. Recognition of the common ground of all religions is seen as fostering this move toward global unity; Krishna, Buddha, Moses, Zarathustra, Jesus, and Muhammad are all recognized as divine manifestations, a series of prophets culminating in Bahaullah.

Nonresistance, respect for persons, and legal recognition of the equal rights of both sexes constitute additional aspects of Baha'i teaching. By the time of Bahaullah's death in 1892, the Baha'i faith had won adherents throughout the Middle East. Under his son Abbas Effendi (or Abdul Baha, 1844 - 1921), who succeeded him as the movement's leader, it spread to Europe and the United States. Abbas Effendi was succeeded by his grandson, Shoghi Effendi (1897 - 1957). Since Shoghi Effendi's death, the Baha'is have been governed by elected leaders. Divided into more than 130 national assemblies and more than 26,000 local assemblies, they are estimated to number about 2 million worldwide. Since the establishment of the Islamic Republic of Iran in 1979, the discrimination to which Baha'is have always been subjected in the country of their origin has escalated into outright persecution.

Text Font Face E-mail Bibliography: W Hatcher and J D Martin, The Baha'i Faith (1985); W M Miller, The Baha'i Faith: Its History and Teachings (1974); P Smith, The Babi and Baha'i Religions (1987). Baha'i Advanced Information The Baha'i faith aims at a universal community of the human race; unity of all religions; and peace; for the whole world. Its founder was Baha'u'llah, lived in Persia in the latter half of the nineteenth century. He and his followers believe in the teachings of Moses and Jesus, Krishna and Buddha, Zoroaster, Muhammed, and the other major religious figures of history. All are considered correct and are to be reconciled into a comprehensive world religion for all men. Each of the planet's six inhabited continents has one Temple. Each has unique architecture, but all have nine - symmetry, with nine identical entry doors so that members of each of the nine major religions of the world are welcomed. Services are weekly with meditation available between. The services include readings from scriptures of the world's religions.

All races, nationalities, and creeds are welcomed into their fellowship, in recognition that we all originated from the same "tree." There is no ritual and no clergy. "Teachers" and "pioneers" are unpaid assistance for students. Marriage and funeral services are simple and flexible. Virtually no buildings or assets are owned (except for the 6 Temples), so there is little emphasis on monetary or worldly concerns. Local meetings are generally in constituents' homes, with a few conventions for interspersal of knowledge. Most religions look for differences in competing religions in order to criticize those believers as having wrong beliefs. Baha'i look for agreements with other religions in order to build common foundations for the eventual universal religion. Funds which are given to the Baha'i go almost exclusively to publishing a large assortment of writings (many written by Baha'u'llah) which generally emphasize the commonalities of beliefs of the world's religions. These writings have been translated into over 700 languages! Principles Advanced Information Doctrines Baha'is follow the teaching of Mirza Husayn Ali Nuri (1817-1892) whose title is Baha Allah ('splendour of God').

Baha Allah believed himself to be the prophet foretold by Sayid Ali Muhammad Shirazi, the founder of the Babi movement. Baha Allah taught that God had become manifest in many different forms such as Abraham, Moses, Zoroaster, the Buddha, Jesus, Muhammad, the Bab and Baha Allah himself. Baha Allah is not, however, the final and definitive manifestation of God. Other prophets will come, but not for at least 1000 years. There are no initiation rites, priesthood or sacraments in the Baha'i religion. Baha'is are required to pray every day; to meet at the first day of each Baha'i month for celebration; to fast from dawn to sunset during the month of 'Ala; to avoid drugs or alcohol; to avoid membership of political parties; and to observe particular holy days such as the birth of Baha Allah and the martyrdom of the Bab. Emphasis is placed on the unity of humanity and the absolute equality of men and women. Baha'is see themselves working towards the establishment of a world government which will eradicate extremes of wealth and poverty. There is no single Baha'i sacred text. The writings of Baha Allah are, however, treated as sacred.

The most important of these are: The Most Holy Book, The Book of Certitude, The Hidden Words, The Seven Valleys, and Epistle to the Son of the Wolf. History Mirza Husayn Ali Nuri was converted as a young man to the teachings of the Babi. In 1852 he was thrown into Tehran prison during the first wave of persecution against the Babis. On his release in January 1853 he went to Baghdad where he became the de facto head of the Babi community there. In 1863 he proclaimed himself to be the messiah foretold by the Bab. Such was his influence that the Ottoman authorities decided to move him from Baghdad to Istanbul and from there to Edirne (in Turkey). In 1868 Husayn Ali and many followers were exiled to Acre in Palestine where Husayn Ali was imprisoned for nine years in the fortress in Acre. Shortly after his release he went to live in Bahji, near Haifa, where he remained until his death in 1892.

On the death of Baha Allah, the movement came under the leadership of his eldest son 'Abbas Effendi (1844-1921), who acquired the title 'Abd al-Baha ("servant of the glory of God"). After a spell in prison under the Ottoman Turks he undertook three missionary journeys: to Egypt (1910), to Europe (1911), and to the United States and Europe (1912-1913). Lecturing to large audiences, he both consolidated Baha'ism in these parts of the world and systematised his father's teachings. 'Abbas Effendi was succeeded by his grandson, Shoghi Effendi (1897-1957), who directed his energies into developing the Baha'i communities in Europe and North America. Under his leadership the Baha'i community came to be organised within a system based on local and national assemblies. When he died in 1957 he left no heirs, and the movement's organisation was placed under the jurisdiction of a body known as the Council of the Hands of the Cause. In 1962 the International House of Justice was established in Haifa.

This body is reelected every five years. Today Baha'i communities can be found in almost every country in the world. In Iran they continue to represent the largest minority religious group, and have suffered particularly during the period of the Iranian revolution. Symbols Baha'is believe that God's greatest name is Baha (glory, splendour). The name is used by Baha'is when they are addressing one another, and is often found on rings or wall hangings. A second expression, Ya Baha 'u' -l Abha (O Thou the Glory of the All-Glorious), is represented in the form of calligraphy. The number 9 is regarded as possessing important mystical properties and is sometimes used for decoration. The Baha'i place of worship is called in Arabic the mashriq al-adhkar (which means the "place where the uttering of the name of God arises at dawn"). The mashriq is a nine sided building in keeping with the mystical qualities of the number 9. Adherents There are Baha'i communities in most countries of the world.

It is estimated that there are between 3 to 4 million Baha'is in the world today (Harris et al 1994, 30). The largest Baha'i community is in India with about 1 million members. In Iran the Baha'is remain the largest minority group with about 300,000 adherents (ibid.). Headquarters / Main Centre The international Baha'i centre is located in Haifa, Israel. J.I.McGrath Overview of World Religions Project Bahaullah {bah - hah - ul - lah'} General Information Bahaullah ("Splendor of God") is the title assumed around 1866 by the Iranian religious leader Mirza Husayn Ali, b. Nov. 12, 1817. He proclaimed himself to be the person announced by the Bab as the one who would bring his work to completion. The Baha'i movement, which arose from Bahaullah's teaching, spread as far as Europe and the United States during the time of Abbas Effendi, the son and successor of Bahaullah.

The latter died, while in exile in Acre, Palestine, on May 29, 1897. Willem A Bijlefeld Bibliography: S Effendi, The World Order of Baha'u'llah (1974); W M Miller, The Baha'i Faith: Its History and Teachings (1974). Babism {bah' - bizm} General Information Babism is a religious movement founded by Mirza Ali Muhammad of Shiraz (Iran), who announced his divine election as the Bab in 1844. This title, meaning "doorway to knowledge," was understood by many to imply that Muhammad of Shiraz claimed to have received a divine manifestation surpassing in significance the revelation granted to the prophet Muhammed, and that his book of revelation, the Bayan, overshadowed the Koran. Understandably, serious tensions arose, and the Bab was executed (1850). When an attempt to assassinate the Shah failed in 1852, the persecution of the Babis intensified.

The Bab's successor fled to Baghdad with his half brother Mirza Husayn Ali, who was later on recognized by most followers as the Bahaullah ("Splendor of God"). The religious movement led by the Bahaullah became known as Baha'i. Willem A Bijlefeld Bibliography: H M Balyuzi, The Bab (1973); W M Miller, The Baha'i Faith: Its History and Teachings (1974); P Smith, The Babi and Baha'i Religions (1987). Babis Advanced Information Doctrines The Babis follow the teaching of Sayyid 'Ali Muhammad Shirazi (1819-50), who is known as the Bab (the "gate"). He was regarded by his followers as the "Gate of God" and later as the Hidden Imam who would bring to an end Islamic law and inau gurate a new prophetic cycle. Prior to his death the Bab prophesied the coming of a messianic figure whom he called 'Him whom God shall make manifest'. The holy book of the Babis is the Bayan (Declaration).

History The Babis emerged in a period of great millenarian expectations, for the year 1844 was to mark the 1000th anniversary of the disappearance of the twelfth Imam. In this year Sayyid 'Ali Muhammad Shirazi claimed himself to be the Gate to the Hidden Imam. Later, he actually identified himself as the Hidden Imam, and gained many followers. A series of violent insurrections by the Bab's followers led to his arrest in 1845 and execution in 1850. The movement itself was violently persecuted, with its followers either exiled to Baghdad or imprisoned and executed. Among those exiled was Mirza Husayn 'Ali Nuri, who in 1864 proclaimed himself to be the prophet foretold by the movement's founder. The movement then split between those who accepted Mirza Husayn's claim (later known as Baha'is) and the minority (the Azalis) who continued to follow the then leader Subh-i Azal. Since the 19th century the movement has declined in strength and today perhaps only a few hundred Babis remain.

Symbols The number 19 assumed an important symbolic value within the Babi tradition, providing the basis upon which communal organization and the Babi calendar is based. Babis also wear talismans and engraved stones around their necks or ringstones in order to protect them from misfortune. Adherents There are very few Babis today, perhaps only a few hundred. Headquarters / Main Centre The movement has no headquarters as such. Its adherents are dotted around Iran. J.I.McGrath Overview of World Religions Project The individual articles presented here were generally first published in the early 1980s. This subject presentation was first placed on the Internet in May 1997. This page - - Haifa (Tel Aviv, Nazareth) Haifa (Tel Aviv, Nazareth) Haifa (Tel Aviv, Nazareth) Spilling down from the pine-covered heights of Mt. Carmel, Haifa is a city with a vertiginous setting that has led to comparisons with San Francisco. The most striking landmark on the mountainside is the gleaming golden dome of the Baha'i Shrine, set amid utterly beautiful garden terraces.

The city is the world center for the Baha'i faith, and its members provide informative walking tours of the flower-edged 100-acre spot, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. At the top of the hill you'll find some small but interesting museums, the larger hotels, and two major universities. At the bottom is the lovingly restored German Colony, a perfect area for strolling. Israel's largest port and third-largest city, Haifa was ruled for four centuries by the Ottomans and gradually spread its tendrils up the mountainside into a cosmopolitan city whose port served the entire Middle East. The climate is gentle, the beaches beautiful, and the locals friendly. You won't see the religious garb of Jerusalem or the tattoos and piercings of Tel Aviv in this diverse but fairly conservative city. In fact, you can't always tell at a glance who is part of an Arab or Jewish Israeli family, or if someone is a more recent immigrant from the former Soviet Union.

Israel’s "city on the hill" is divided into three main levels, each crisscrossed by parks and gardens: the port down below; Hadar, a commercial area in the middle; and Merkaz Carmel (known as "the Merkaz"), with the posher hotels and many restaurants, on the crest of Mt. Carmel. Thanks to the beneficence of the Baha'is, you can enjoy a walking tour that takes you through the stunning terraces that lie like multicolored jewels from the crest of the city at Mt. Carmel to the German Colony below. Dining There are plenty of restaurants near the large hotels at the top of the city in Merkaz Carmel. Another popular place to eat is along Ben Gurion Boulevard in the German Colony, where the evening hours are whiled away at sidewalk terraces. The port area is being gentrified, so there are always new restaurants opening up. Dress is casual, Israeli style. Douzan Inside this old German Templer building graced by a pleasant outdoor terrace, a huge metal lamp studded with colored glass casts lacy designs on the walls, lending to the Oriental decor.

The food, much of it prepared by the owner's mother, is an eclectic combination of French and local Arabic cuisines. Her specialty is kubbeh, deep-fried torpedoes of cracked wheat kneaded with minced beef, pine nuts, onions, and exotic spices. A variation on the dish is sfeeha, puff pastry topped with delicately minced beef, onions, and pine nuts. For dessert, try the mouhalabieh, a delicious Middle Eastern custard topped by dried fruits. Nadima Sabithi Eatery A one-woman show at the heart of the Christian Arab neighborhood Wadi Nisnas (Arabic for Mongoose Valley), Nadima has been running her home kitchen–style eatery for some 40 years, serving up the day's offerings on a row of gas burners. There's always a seasoned rice, majadera (rice with lentils), and vegetables stuffed with meat, while the vegetables themselves are a veritable menu of wild herbs and roots, including okra, spinach, mallow (known here as hubeizeh), and chicory. Hotels Haifa's best-known hotels are at the top of the hill in the Merkaz Carmel area.

The Colony hotel, one of the city's newest lodgings, is in the downtown area, as is the Port Inn hostel-guesthouse; both offer more affordable stays. Within easy reach of the city, the Carmel Forest Resort Spa is quiet and pampering. Nightlife Haifa at night may not pulse like Tel Aviv, but there are more than a few things to do after dark. For information on performances and other special events in and around Haifa, check Friday's Jerusalem Post or the Haaretz newspaper; both publish separate weekend entertainment guides. In balmy weather, a stroll along the Louis Promenade and then along Panorama Road, with lovely views of nighttime Haifa, is a relaxing way to end the day. Shopping Haifa is studded with modern shopping malls with boutiques, eateries, and movie theaters, not to mention drugstores, photography stores, and money-exchange desks. Sights Hof HaShaket North of the Leonardo Hotel, and next to the Rambam Medical Center, the quiet Hof HaShaket offers separate gender days: Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday for women; Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for men; Saturday for everyone.

Tikotin Museum of Japanese Art Established in 1957 by renowned collector Felix Tikotin, this graceful venue on the crest of Mt. Carmel adheres to the Japanese tradition of displaying beautiful objects that are in harmony with the season, so exhibits change every three months. The Japanese atmosphere, created in part by sliding doors and partitions made of wood and paper, enhances a display of scrolls, screens, pottery and porcelain, lacquer and metalwork, paintings from several schools, and fresh-flower arrangements. The library, the largest of its kind in Israel, houses some three-thousand volumes related to Japanese art. Baha'i Shrine and Gardens The most striking feature of the stunning gardens that form the centerpiece of Haifa is the Shrine of the Bab, whose brilliantly gilded dome dominates the city's skyline. The renovated shrine gleams magnificently with 11,790 gold-glazed porcelain tiles.[]Haifa is the world center for the Baha'i faith, founded in Iran in the 19th century. It holds as its central belief the unity of mankind. Religious truth for Baha'is consists of progressive revelations of a universal faith.

Thus the Baha'is teach that great prophets have appeared throughout history to reveal divine truths, among them Moses, Zoroaster, Buddha, Jesus, Muhammad, and most recently, the founder of the Baha'i faith, Mirza Husayn Ali, known as Baha'u'llah—"the Glory of God." The Shah and then the Ottomans exiled Baha'u'llah (1817–92) from his native Persia to Akko, where he lived as a prisoner for almost 25 years. The Baha'is' holiest shrine is on the grounds of Baha'u'llah's home, where he lived after his release from prison and where he is now buried, just north of Akko.[]Here in Haifa, at the center of the shrine's pristinely manicured set of 19 garden terraces, is the mausoleum built for the Bab (literally, the "Gate"), the forerunner of this religion, who heralded the coming of a new faith to be revealed by Baha'u'llah. The Persian authorities martyred Bab in 1850.

Baha'u'llah's son and successor built the gardens and shrine and had the Bab's remains reburied here in 1909. The building, made of Italian stone and rising 128 feet, gracefully combines the canons of classical European architecture with elements of Eastern design and also houses the remains of Baha'u'llah's son. The dome glistens with some 12,000 gilded tiles imported from the Netherlands. Inside, the floor is covered with rich Oriental carpets, and a filigree veils the serene inner shrine.[]The magnificent gardens, with their gravel paths, groomed hedges, and 12,000 plant species, are a sight to behold: stunningly landscaped circular terraces extend from Yefe Nof Street for 1 km (½ mile) down the hillside to Ben Gurion Boulevard, at the German Colony. The terraces are a harmony of color and form—pale pink-and-gray-stone flights of stairs and carved urns overflowing with red geraniums set off the perfect cutouts of emerald green grass and floral borders, dark green trees, and wildflowers, with not a leaf out of place anywhere.

The gardens, tended by 120 dedicated gardeners, are one of Israel's 11 UNESCO World Heritage sites.[]Three areas are open to the public year-round, except on Baha'i holidays: the shrine and surrounding gardens (80 Hatzionut Avenue, near Shifra Street); the upper terrace and observation point (Yefe Nof Street); and the entry at the lower terrace (Hagefen Square, at the end of Ben Gurion Boulevard). Free walk-in tours in English are offered at noon every day except Wednesday. These depart from 45 Yefe Nof Street, near the top of the hill. Note: the Shrine of the Bab is a pilgrimage site for the worldwide Baha'i community; visitors to the shrine are asked to dress modestly (no shorts). German Colony Although it runs along a single boulevard, "The Colony" packs in history (with explanatory placards), interesting architecture, great restaurants, and wonderful spots for people-watching. Ben Gurion Boulevard was the heart of a late-19th-century colony established by the German Templer religious reform movement. Along either side are robust two-story chiseled limestone houses with red-tile roofs.

Many bear German names, dates from the 1800s, biblical inscriptions on the lintels, and old wooden shutters framing narrow windows.[]Neglected for years, the German Colony is now one of the city's loveliest (and flattest) strolls. It's best to start your exploration around Yaffo (Jaffa) Street so that you're walking toward the stunning Baha'i Gardens. Along the way you can have a meal or a cup of coffee, explore the shops in the City Centre Mall, and learn about the history of the Templers. Any time of day is pleasant, but evening, when the cafés and restaurants are brimming with people, is best.[]The Templers' colony in Haifa was one of seven in the Holy Land. The early settlers formed a self-sufficient community; by 1883 they had built nearly 100 houses and filled them with as many families. Industrious workers, they introduced the horse-drawn wagon—unknown before their arrival—to Haifa. They also built with their own funds a pilgrimage road from Haifa to Nazareth.

The Germans' labors gave rise to modern workshops and warehouses, and it was under their influence that Haifa began to resemble a modern city, with well-laid-out streets, gardens, and attractive homes.[]Haifa's importance to Germany was highlighted in 1898, when Kaiser Wilhelm II sailed into the bay, on the first official visit to the Holy Land by a German emperor in more than 600 years. In the 1930s, many Templers began identifying with German nationalism and the Nazi party, and during World War II the British deported them as nationals of an enemy country.

Question: Which religious faith was founded in the 19th century, in what is now Iran and has its headquarters in Haifa(Israel)?
Answer: BAHA'I