BAHAI
The majority of followers dwell in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, and these followers tend to focus on three main concepts of unity: God, religion, and human beings. The religion was founded by Baha u llah, the self-proclaimed messiah who spent most of his life imprisoned for his beliefs, teachings, and writings of the religion.
FAQ on Bahai (7)
1.What is the Bahai Faith?
The Bahai Faith is a independent, monotheistic global religion founded in 19th-century Persia (modern-day Iran). It is centered on the belief in one God who progressively reveals His will to humanity through successive divine messengers. It is recognized as one of the most geographically widespread religions in the world.
2.Who founded the Bahai Faith?
The religion was founded by Baha'u'llah (born Mirza Husayn-'Ali, 1817-1892), whose title means 'Glory of God' in Arabic. His mission was preceded by a herald known as The Bab ('The Gate'). Because of his progressive teachings, Baha'u'llah faced decades of exile, torture, and imprisonment by Persian and Ottoman authorities.
3.What are the main principles of the Bahai Faith?
The core principles focus on global unity and social progress. Main tenets include:
* The oneness of God and the fundamental unity of all world religions.
* The oneness of humanity, leading to the elimination of all forms of prejudice (racial, national, religious).
* The equality of men and women.
* The harmony between science and religion.
* The independent investigation of truth.
4.Is the Bahai Faith a sect of Islam?
No, it is a distinct, independent religion. While it emerged out of a Muslim context in Persia similar to how Christianity emerged out of Judaism, the Bahai Faith features its own unique laws, administration, and expansive volume of sacred scriptures revealed by Baha'u'llah.
5.What do Bahais believe about the afterlife, heaven and hell?
Bahais believe that the soul is immortal and continues to progress spiritually through an infinite series of spiritual realms after physical death. In Bahai theology, heaven and hell are not physical places; rather, heaven is a state of spiritual closeness to God, and hell is a state of spiritual remoteness or distance from God.
6.What are the rules on marriage and dating for Bahais?
Bahais are encouraged to associate with and marry individuals of any religious background or belief system. Bahai marriage laws strictly mandate monogamy (polygamy is forbidden) and require the consent of all living biological parents before a marriage can take place, which serves to preserve long-term family unity.
7.How do Bahais pray and worship? Do they have priests?
Anyone who accepts Baha'u'llah as the divine messenger for this day can become a Bahai. The registration process, known as a Declaration of Faith, is straightforward and often completed online through national Bahai websites. There are no mandatory rituals or forced conversion processes; enrollment simply allows individuals to formally participate in community voting, administration and internal funds.
