Baha'i religion. Baha'i religion New world religion Baha'i faith

(M, 2000)

New religious cults, although with some reservations, include faith Baha'i (Baha'iism), whose history begins in the middle of the 19th century. in Iraq. A young Iraqi merchant named Seyd Ali Muhammad, known as "Bab" (Arabic for "Gate"), announced his mission as the Messenger of God on May 23, 1844; his teachings attracted considerable public interest. Islamic leaders, concerned about the spread of the Bab's ideas, used their influence with the government to organize the persecution of the Bab and his followers. Bab was exiled to Iranian Azerbaijan and imprisoned in the bastion of Mah-Ku and Chikhrik. On July 9, 1850, he was shot in Tabriz. However, death only gave confidence to his followers in the validity of the Teacher’s prophecy that humanity would inevitably gain “unity”, that over time the “Promised One” would appear, who would unite all followers and would himself be a manifestation of the only true and living God.

Modern Baha'ism believes that the prophecy of the Bab has been fulfilled in Mirza Hussein Ali (1817-1892), whom the “initiates” more often call Baha-Allah (Baha-Ullah). He is recognized as a prophet, continuing the series of messengers of God, including Buddha, Christ and Muhammad, and at the same time - “Promised by all the prophets.” Bahá'u'lláh declared his eldest son Abbas Effendi (1844-1921), later known as 'Abdu'l-Bahá ("Servant of Bahá"), as his successor and interpreter of the teachings. In 1910-1913 'Abdu'l-Bahá traveled to Egypt, Europe, and North America, where he explained the teachings of the Baha'i faith. By the time of Abdu'l-Bahá's death, the Baha'i faith had followers in 35 countries.

Among the main provisions of Baha'ism: the existence of an unknowable creator God, the equality of all religions, the unity of humanity and the equality of all people before God, the independent search for truth by everyone, the harmony of science and religion, the equality of rights of men and women, the spiritual solution of economic problems, universal peace, international auxiliary language, rejection of racial, national and political prejudices, moral way of life. Baha'is avoid the use of alcohol and drugs, attach great importance to the institution of family, and especially emphasize the sanctity of marriage.

In Baha'ism, cultic practice is kept to a minimum. The reading of 3 obligatory prayers is prescribed. The communal services held on every 19th day consist of prayers and readings from the Baha'i scriptures and other world religions. Any work done in the spirit of service is also considered to be worship.

Once a year, from March 2 to March 20, Baha'is observe fasting, abstaining from food and drink from sunrise to sunset. Children under 15 years of age and elderly people over 70, the sick, pregnant and nursing mothers, travelers and people performing heavy physical labor are exempt from fasting. Upon reaching the age of 15, a person can declare his faith at the nearest Local Spiritual Assembly, which accepts him as a member of the Bahá'í community. You can also leave the community by notifying the Local Spiritual Assembly.

Baha'i temples are called Houses of Worship. They have a central dome and 9 arched entrances, symbolizing the unity and diversity of the human race. Houses of Worship are created as spiritual centers, including various auxiliary institutions of a scientific, educational and administrative nature. Baha'is make pilgrimages to the Holy Land, to Haifa and Akka, where the remains of Baha'Ullah and 'Abdu'l-Baha are buried.

Baha'is have no clergy. The coordination of the activities of each of the local communities is ensured by a council of nine members, elected once a year (April 21) by secret ballot of all adult members of the community. These councils, prescribed in the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, are called Houses of Justice, or Local Spiritual Assemblies. They are elected once a year, are responsible for organizing all the activities of the community and take care of the welfare of its members. According to the latest data, there are about 30 thousand Local Spiritual Assemblies in the world. Communities finance their work from voluntary donations from their members.

Once every nineteen days, the entire community gathers for worship, meetings on community affairs and deepening friendly relationships. Through the establishment of these Nineteen Day Meetings, the opinions and recommendations of each follower of the Bahá'í faith can be transmitted not only to the local, but also to the National Spiritual Assembly - right up to the World Center of the Bahá'í Faith. Other meetings of the local Bahá'í community are held during the ten festivals of the Bahá'í year and the two anniversaries associated with the life of 'Abdu'l-Bahá.

There are National Spiritual Assemblies in every country where there is a sufficiently large Baha'i community. They are also elected once a year by secret ballot using a two-stage election system. The National Spiritual Assembly is responsible for the administration of the affairs of the Bahá'í communities and for the organization of all their activities on a national scale. Currently, their number has reached 166.

The supreme body of the Bahá'í International Organization is the Universal House of Justice (located in Haifa, Israel). Its composition is elected by secret ballot of full members of the National Spiritual Assemblies for a period of 5 years.

The Universal House of Justice appoints advisors every 5 years from among outstanding and committed Bahá'ís. Currently there are 81 of them, 2 of them are Russian. There are five Continental Colleges of Advisors, which are subordinate to the Universal House of Justice. Each Continental College of Counselors appoints members of the Auxiliary Colleges for a five-year term, and they have direct contact with the Local Spiritual Assemblies and individual Bahá'ís. The number of members of the Auxiliary Boards reaches 702.

The global Bahá'í community is working with the UN, UNICEF, UNESCO, UNEP and WHO to advocate for a world federation, a common auxiliary language, a coordinated world economy, a universal education system, a unified code of human rights, a harmonized global communications mechanism, and a unified currency system. , weights and measures. Baha'i literature is published worldwide in 700 languages.

In Russia, the Baha'i faith was known even in the pre-revolutionary period. I.S. Turgenev knew about her. Leo Tolstoy treated her favorably. In Ashgabat in 1905, the world's first Baha'i House of Worship was built. Nowadays there are Russian and Georgian national spiritual assemblies operating in the CIS. In 1992, the Bahá'í World Congress took place in New York, at the same time satellite conferences were held in ten of the world's largest cities, including Moscow.

Currently, there are more than 350 Baha'i communities in Russia, most of which are not registered.

BAHA'I FAITH

The Baha'i Faith is an independent world religion, second in the world in geographical distribution after Christianity (according to the Encyclopedia Britannica).
Bahá'í communities exist in 188 countries and 45 dependent territories. They unite representatives of 2112 nations and nationalities, people from all social classes and cultures. The scriptures of the Baha'i Faith have been translated into 802 languages. Currently, the global Baha'i community has more than 5 million followers.

The founder of the Baha'i Faith is Baha'u'llah (1817-1892). Whose name means "Glory of God" in Arabic. Bahá'u'lláh announced His mission in 1863. His followers - Baha'is - believe that He is the last messenger of God today, continuing the mission of the founders of great religions such as Muhammad, Christ, Buddha, Moses.

The main theme of the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh is unity. He taught that God is one, that all religions are an expression of “unchangeable faith in God, eternal in the past, eternal in the future,” that humanity is one people called to live in peace and harmony. Bahá'ís advocate the unification of nations into a world community in which peace is maintained on the basis of the principle of collective security.

The Baha'i International Community is the name of the non-governmental organization that represents the global Baha'i community at the United Nations. It is registered in consultative status with the Department of Information, Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and the Children's Fund (UNICEF), and also has working relationships with the United Nations Health Program (WHO), the Environment Program (UNEP), and the Fund for Development women (UNIFEM), etc. The work of the Baha'i International Community is focused on such areas as socio-economic development of society, human rights, improving the status of women and moral education.

All financial resources used for the activities of Baha'i communities are generated exclusively from voluntary donations from followers of this religion. No outside financial assistance will be accepted.

There is no clergy in the Bahá'í Faith, since, in accordance with the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh, every person is capable and obliged to independently seek and perceive spiritual truths. All community affairs are managed through a unique system of administration, the main organs of which are democratically elected councils. Currently, there are more than 13 thousand Baha'i administrative bodies in the world at the local level and 181 at the national level. Leadership at the global level is carried out by the Universal House of Justice.

BASIC PRINCIPLES OF THE TEACHINGS OF THE BAHA'I FAITH

“There is no doubt that the peoples of the earth, to whatever origin or faith they may belong, draw their inspiration from one heavenly Source and serve one God. The difference between the commandments they follow is explained by the changing demands and needs of the age in which they were revealed "All of them, except for a few that are generated by human depravity, were commanded by God and reflect His Will and Providence." (Baha'u'llah)

Humanity is united in its diversity. Any prejudice that divides people, be it racial, national, class, political or religious, must become a thing of the past.

"You are the fruit of one tree and the leaves of one branch. Treat one another with the greatest love and gentleness, friendliness and fellowship. The Daylight of truth is My witness! The light of unity is so powerful that it can illuminate the whole earth." (Baha'u'llah)

Men and women should have equal rights and opportunities. They are like the two wings of a bird. Until one of the wings has the opportunity to express its full potential, the bird of humanity will not fly to its full potential.

“Divine Justice requires that the rights of both sexes be equally respected, since in the eyes of God neither is superior to the other. The dignity of man in the eyes of God does not depend on gender, but on the purity and illumination of the heart.” (Abdu'l-Baha)

Religion is meant to be in harmony with reason and science.
“There is no contradiction between true religion and science. If religion is opposed to science, then it becomes only a prejudice, for the opposite of knowledge is ignorance... If a person tries to fly, relying only on the wing of religion, he will quickly fall into the quagmire of superstition; but if he flies only on the wing of science, he will also not advance, but will fall into the hopeless swamp of materialism.” (Abdu'l-Baha)

True religion is the source of love and friendship. It is designed to unite people, and not to sow enmity between them.
“On this Day, the essence of Faith in God and His religions is that the various communities of the earth and the numerous creeds in no way give rise to the slightest feeling of enmity among people... Religious fanaticism and hatred are the fire that devours the world, its fury is indomitable... Fundamental intent ", which animates the Faith of God and His Law, is concluded in protecting the interests of the human race and strengthening its unity, and in spreading the spirit of love and friendship between people. Do not allow it to turn into a source of discord and strife, hatred and envy." (Baha'u'llah)

Each person is capable and obliged to independently seek the truth; he should not blindly accept traditional or new teachings.
"Since truth is one and indivisible, the differences that exist between nations are generated only by their adherence to prejudice. If people sought the truth, they would pave the way to unity." (Abdu'l-Baha)

All people should have the opportunity to receive a full education and upbringing.
“Look at a person as a mine full of priceless gems. Only education and upbringing can extract these treasures and help humanity turn them to their advantage.” (Baha'u'llah)

The world needs an international auxiliary language.
“The existence of a universal language would facilitate the relationship between all nations; then it would be enough for a person to know only two languages ​​- his native and international.” (Abdu'l-Baha)
It is necessary to create a world federation of peoples to achieve universal peace and harmony on the planet.
“The well-being of the human race, its peace and security are unattainable until its unity is firmly established.” (Baha'u'llah)

Another symbol of the Baha'i Faith is the special calligraphic writing of the Greatest Name. Its two most common forms are: one of them is the word “Baha” itself, the second is the exclamation “Ya-Baha-ul-Abha” (O you, Glorious Glory!), using the word “Abha” - the superlative degree of the word “Baha” ( this symbol is also called the "Greatest Name"). Below you can see the calligraphic inscription "Ya Baha-ul-Abha" placed in the center of the dome of the Baha'i Temple in Wilmette near Chicago, USA.

Often the Greatest Name can be seen in a Bahá'í home framed on the wall (but of course not used as an icon or anything like that). But the nine-pointed star - in a wide variety of variations - can be placed almost anywhere, including on T-shirts.
In the Bahá'í Faith, the dissemination of images of the Messengers of God - the Bab and Bahá'u'lláh - is not allowed, in order to prevent them from being turned into icons (or, conversely, from being treated with insufficient respect). These images can only be seen on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land when visiting the International Baha'i Archives.
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BAHA'I TEMPLES

Baha'i Temples (Houses of Worship) are open to all people, regardless of religion. Naturally, it is not priests who serve in the temple, but volunteers, volunteers for a certain period of time, whose functions include maintaining the temple and receiving visitors; they also develop and conduct prayer programs several times a day, which include the recitation of prayers and scriptures (both of the Baha'i Faith and other religions), and the singing of prayers a cappella (without the accompaniment of musical instruments). Anyone can also go to the temple and pray on their own.
The first Baha'i temple was built in Ashgabat. In the future, Houses of Worship will be erected in every locality, but so far only 8 Bahá'í temples have been built - one for each continent or island group. The temple in Ashgabat was destroyed, and now the "Asian" temple is the last and most beautiful Baha'i temple "Lotus" in New Delhi, India.

Lotus Temple

The Lotus Temple in Delhi is the seventh house of prayer in the world, which was built by Baha'is - followers of a new type of religion that combines all the beliefs known to us.
The Lotus Temple is located near the city of New Delhi in India. Construction began in 1978 and was completed on December 22, 1986, largely funded by Baha'i prisoners in Iran. Architect Fariborz Sahba, Canadian of Iranian origin. Previously, on the site where this temple was built, there was the legendary village of Bakha Pur (translated from Hindi as “Bah’s Dwelling”).

The Lotus Temple looks like a huge and beautiful lotus flower, which is built of concrete and covered with white Greek marble on the outside. The “flower” consists of 27 large petals (Number 27 is a symbol of the World Soul, a symbol of the Universe, and the numbers contained in it are symbols of the elements and components of the Universe, it turns out that the World Soul, which is the basis and form of the world composition and order, contains contains the same elements as the number 27), which are arranged in 3 rows. Around the petals there are 9 square-shaped artificial mini-pools.
The central hall is 75 meters in diameter, 31 meters in height, with a capacity of 1,300 seats.

During the construction of the Lotus Temple, not a single straight line was used, and the ventilation system of the temple was borrowed from engineers of ancient times and therefore cool fresh air always enters the room, which first passes through the entire system of water pools near the temple.
If you look at the Lotus Temple from above, it seems as if it “grew” out of the water.
Whole people are led into the central hall of the Lotus Temple 9 doors.
In Arabic (as in many others), each letter has a numerical correspondence; therefore, each word also corresponds to a certain number. For the word "Baha" this number is 9, so it is considered sacred by the Baha'is, and one of the symbols of the Baha'i Faith is nine pointed star(and therefore the temples have a nine-sided plan). Below you see the dome of the Lotus Temple from the inside.

Before entering the temple, you must take off your shoes. Entrance to the Lotus Temple is absolutely free, however, video and photography, as well as various noisy and loud sounds are prohibited in the Lotus Temple, as well as in the Taj Mahal Mausoleum.

Prophecies about the Temple

450 years ago, Shah Akbar, the greatest of the Mughal dynasty, dreamed of his majestic palace, of the unification of all the peoples of India under the banner of a single universal faith: “And I dreamed that stone by stone I erected a sacred temple. Not a pagoda or a mosque or a church, but something sublime and simpler with the gates open for the breath of heaven and truth and peace and love and justice found and settled in it.”

Its founder Bahá'u'lláh (1817-1892) is revered as the last in a line of "manifestations of God", which, in addition to Bahá'u'lláh, includes Abraham, Moses, Buddha, Zarathustra, Krishna, Jesus Christ, Muhammad, and the Báb. The World Center is located in Haifa.

Basic provisions

The Bahá'í teachings are sometimes seen as a syncretic combination of previous religious beliefs. Although the religious movement initially arose within the mainstream of Shiite Islam, today most religious scholars believe that the Baha'i faith has become an independent religion.

According to Bahá'ís, the religion is entirely based on the teachings of its founder Bahá'u'lláh. There is a point of view that Baha'i is not a cult branch, a reformist movement or a sect within the framework of any other religion; it cannot be called simply a philosophical system.

In 1925, an Islamic court in Egypt defined the Bahá'í faith as a distinct religion, but not a sect of Islam.

However, in history and at the present time, other opinions on this matter are known. Thus, according to the Oxford Illustrated Encyclopedia of World History, Baha'ism is a branch of Babism.

In Islam, the teaching is regarded as apostasy, and therefore in Iran and some other Muslim countries Baha'is were subjected to persecution.

About a human

Speaking about man and his purpose, Baha'is teach that the physical body is the form of existence of people on Earth, but the original essence of each person is the soul, which distinguishes people from animals. Life in this world, according to Bahá’u’lláh, is similar to the life of a child in the womb: the moral, intellectual and spiritual qualities that a person cultivates in himself with the help of God will be the “organs and limbs” necessary for the development of his soul in worlds beyond earthly existence . After the body dies, the soul continues to live. She sets out on a journey to God through many worlds or planes of existence. A successful spiritual journey to God in traditional terms is like living in heaven. In case of failure, the soul remains far from God, and its existence becomes hell. In turn, the soul develops and strengthens only through a person’s relationship with God, which is carried out through prayer, meditation, study of the revelations of the Prophets, moral self-discipline and service to humanity in the area where each individual can best realize his abilities.

Story

The Baha'i Faith originated in the mid-19th century in Persia and currently unites over 5 million followers in 188 countries and 45 dependent territories. These are representatives of many peoples, nationalities and tribes, people from different social strata. Parts of Baha'i scriptures have been translated into more than 800 languages.

The development of the Bahá'í faith, according to Shoghi Effendi's classification, is divided into several periods of development. The "Heroic" (or "Apostolic") Age lasted from 1844 to 1921, until the death of 'Abdu'l-Bahá; it finally ended in 1932 with the death of Bahiyeh Khanum, the eldest of Baha'u'llah's daughters. Now is the “Era of Formation” or “Era of Transition”, when the foundation of the Bahá'í Administration is being built and strengthened and this faith is emerging from obscurity. The last stage in the development of faith will be the “Golden Age”, when it will become the basis for the entire social life of people. In pre-revolutionary Russia there were several large Baha'i communities. The world's first Baha'i temple was built at the beginning of the 20th century in Ashgabat.

Bab

On May 23, 1844, in the Persian city of Shiraz, a young merchant Seyyid Ali-Muhammad, known as “Bab” (Arabic for gate), proclaimed the imminent appearance of the Messenger of God, “expected by all the peoples of the world.” Although, according to him, he himself was the bearer of divine revelation, the main goal was to prepare humanity for the “new Epiphany.” Islamic spiritual leaders were hostile to the Bab's preaching and used their influence to persecute the Bab and his followers. Bab was arrested, imprisoned and executed on July 9, 1850 in a square in the city of Tabriz.

Status of the Bab from the Bahá'í Religion Point of View

For followers of the Baha'i religion, the Bab is an independent Manifestation of God and at the same time the Predecessor of Baha'u'llah. Shoghi Effendi defines the status of the Bab in the following terms:

• The dual nature of the Revelation of the Báb. On the one hand, the Báb was an independent Manifestation of God, on the other hand, he positioned Himself as the “Gateway” to “The One Whom God Will Reveal” - a Manifestation of God that would be immeasurably greater than Himself.
• The main reason for the greatness of the Bab, His primary role, is His rank as a self-sufficient Epiphany.
• As the Forerunner, the Báb is associated with the Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh. The Bahá'í world order was generated by the double Revelation of the Bab and Bahá'u'lláh. The very moment of the beginning of the Bahá'í Revelation - the Proclamation of the Bab to Mullah Hussein on May 23, 1844.
• The Bab gave rise to a new prophetic cycle, which replaced the previous one, the Adamic one. The creative energy released at the birth of His Revelation and the spiritual impulse of His mission and His martyrdom endowed humanity with the potential necessary to reach maturity; Currently, this energy is shaking the existing balance of the world order in order to ultimately lead it to a state of global unity.
• The greatness of the Báb is not diminished by the brevity of His Revelation (the Proclamation of Bahá'u'lláh took place only 19 years after the Proclamation of the Báb) and the brevity of the time during which His laws were valid.
• The Bab was the personification of the fulfillment of prophecies of all world religions. He was the "Ushidar-Mah" of the Zoroastrian scriptures, the return of Prophet Elijah to the Jewish tradition, the second coming of John the Baptist for Christians, and the "second scourge" of the Book of Revelation; Qaim and Mahdi, expected by Muslims.
• The popular view in the West that the Báb was merely the “inspired forerunner” of Bahá’u’lláh prompted Shoghi Effendi to undertake the translation of Nabil Zarandi’s The Dawn Messengers, a monumental historical account of the person and era of the Báb, “to enable a better understanding and to perceive more closely the enormous significance of the exalted status of the Bab.”

Bahá'u'lláh

Mirza Hussein Ali, a native of the Noor region, better known as Bahá'u'lláh ("Glory of God"), was born in 1817 into an aristocratic family descended from the ruling dynasties of Persia's imperial past and possessing considerable wealth and vast lands. Refusing the court positions due to his birth, Bahá'u'lláh became famous for his generosity and affability, which earned him the love of his compatriots.

Bahá'u'lláh became one of the first and most prominent followers of the Báb. Sharing the fate of many Baha'is after the execution of the Bab, Baha'u'llah lost all his property and possessions, was imprisoned and tortured. From his first exile in Baghdad in 1863, Bahá'u'lláh declared that he was the one whose coming was promised by the Báb. From Baghdad, Bahá'u'lláh was exiled first to Constantinople, then to Adrianople, and finally to Acre, where he was taken in 1868.

In Adrianople and Acre, Bahá'u'lláh wrote a series of collective and individual addresses to the rulers of that time, calling on them to witness the coming of the Day of God and to recognize the Promised One foretold in the Scriptures of their religions. He also advised them to reconcile their differences, reduce armaments and adopt a system of collective security, when aggression against one of the countries would be immediately stopped by the intervention of the united forces of all other states.

Bahá'u'lláh died on May 29, 1892, in the town of Bahji, north of Acre, and was buried there. At that time, his teachings had already spread beyond the Middle East.

'Abdu'l-Bahá

Abbas Effendi, the eldest son of Bahá'u'lláh, was born on May 23, 1844. Together with other members of the family, he accompanied Bahá'u'lláh in all his exiles and imprisonments. After his father's death, he took the name 'Abdu'l-Bahá (that is, "Servant of Bahá") in order to emphasize his loyalty to him. Before his death, Bahá'u'lláh appointed him as the sole authorized interpreter of his teachings. Followers of the Bahá'í Faith see 'Abdu'l-Bahá as a model for the perfect Bahá'í way of life.

In 1898, while Abdu'l-Bahá was still a prisoner of the Ottoman Empire, the first Baha'i pilgrims from the West arrived in Acre. After his release from prison in 1908, 'Abdu'l-Bahá undertook several journeys to Egypt, Europe and the Americas. There he proclaimed Bahá'u'lláh's message of unity and social justice in religious communities, trade unions, university departments, journalists and government officials, and during numerous public meetings.

'Abdu'l-Bahá died in 1921, having spent the years of his life strengthening the foundation of the Bahá'í Faith and spreading it throughout the world.

Shoghi Effendi

In his will, 'Abdu'l-Bahá appointed his grandson Shoghi Effendi Rabbani (1897-1957) as the "Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith" and interpreter of the Bahá'í teachings. Shoghi Effendi worked for 36 years until his death in 1957. Over the years, he translated many of the writings of Bahá'u'lláh and 'Abdu'l-Bahá into English, clarified their meaning, accelerated the establishment of local and national Bahá'í institutions, and carried out many plans to spread the Bahá'í faith throughout the world.

Social practice

Symbols

The generally accepted symbols of the Bahá'í Faith are the nine-pointed star, the calligraphic spelling of the "Greatest Name" (Arabic: Ya-Baha-ul-Abha - "O Glory of the All-Glorious!"), and the calligraphic spelling of the name Bach (Arabic: بهاء - "glory" ).

The "Bach" symbol symbolizes the continuous connection between the three worlds - the world of people, Manifestations and God, united by the Holy Spirit.

Basic principles of the creed of Bahá'u'lláh

• Recognition of the common source and irrefutable unity of all the major religions of the world.
• Independent search for truth by every believer.
• Refusal of all types of prejudices (racial, national, religious, class, political).
• Recognition that true religion is always in harmony with reason and scientific knowledge.
• The importance and necessity of universal education.
• Implementation of equality between men and women.
• Eliminating extreme forms of poverty and wealth.
• Establishment of a federal system of the world community based on the principles of universal security and international justice.
• The need for every individual to follow high personal moral principles.
• A universal auxiliary language, such as Esperanto, with the help of which people of different nations can freely understand each other.
• Consistent creation of a new world civilization based on the priority of the principles of spirituality.
• Refusal of fanaticism.
• Quitting gambling.
• Avoiding alcohol or drug use. Except as prescribed by a doctor.

Calendar

Administration

In his will, Bahá'u'lláh appointed his eldest son Abbas Effendi (Abdu'l-Bahá) as interpreter of the Bahá'í Scriptures. 'Abdu'l-Bahá, in turn, appointed his eldest grandson Shoghi Effendi as "Guardian of the Faith", with the same right of sole interpretation of the Scriptures. Shoghi Effendi did not appoint anyone as his successor, but did everything possible to prepare the election of the first composition of the Universal House of Justice.

By 1963, the Bahá'í community was large enough to finally elect a representative Universal House of Justice. 56 National Spiritual Assemblies (prototypes of national Houses of Justice) took part in the first elections. The Universal House of Justice is re-elected every five years, National and Local Spiritual Assemblies - every year. Thus, since 1963, the affairs of the world Bahá'í community have been governed only by elected bodies.

Bahá'ís have no priests; each believer comprehends the truth independently. The Baha'i lifestyle includes daily prayers, participation in activities with people of different nationalities and social status, abstinence from alcohol and drugs, and the sanctity of marriage. Once a year, from March 2 to March 20, Baha'is observe fasting, abstaining from eating and drinking from sunrise to sunset. Any work done in the spirit of service to humanity is considered as worship.

National and local spiritual gatherings

Every year, 182 national spiritual assemblies are elected in the Bahá'í world (the number has remained unchanged since 2001). There are no spiritual assemblies (neither local nor national) in Iran, where Bahá'ís continue to face persecution. There are more than 13 thousand local spiritual assemblies (community self-government bodies at the level of an individual locality (regional significance); data for 2005).

Shrines and temples

Baha'i World Center

The world administrative and spiritual center of the Bahá'í religion is located in northern Israel. It is also a place of pilgrimage for Baha'is from all over the world. In the city of Haifa, on the slopes of Mount Carmel, there are the so-called “Bahá’í gardens”, including the Shrine of the Bab, which residents call the “Bahá’í Temple”, and the terraces framing it, as well as a complex of administrative buildings forming an arc: the building of the International Training Center, the residence of the Universal House of Justice , Center for Textual Studies and International Archives. Other shrines associated with the life of Bahá'u'lláh are located in and around the city of Acre, including the holiest site for Bahá'ís, the Shrine of Bahá'u'lláh at Bahji.

On July 8, 2008, at its meeting in Quebec, Canada, the UNESCO World Heritage Committee inscribed the Bahá'í World Center on the World Heritage Register. Thus, the Baha'i Gardens in Haifa and Bahji became the first sites on the UNESCO register that are associated with religious traditions that arose in the modern period of history.

Houses of Worship - Baha'i Temples

The Bahá'ís call their temples "Houses of Worship", or Mashriqu'l-Adhkar (Arabic: "Place of the Rising of God's Praise"). Bahá'u'lláh commanded that in every locality where Bahá'ís live, a temple with nine entrances and one dome, symbolizing the unity of religions, should be erected.

The first Baha'i House of Worship was built in 1908 in Ashgabat according to the design of the Russian architect Volkov (seriously damaged by an earthquake in 1948 and demolished in 1963). There are currently 7 Baha'i Houses of Worship, called "Mother Temples" on each continent or part of the world: in India (Asia), Australia, USA (North America), Germany (Europe), Panama (Central America), Uganda (Africa) , The State of Samoa (Oceania) and Chile (South America).

Some of the Bahá'í temples have received wide public recognition. Thus, the “Mother Temple” of the Baha'is in North America was named one of the seven wonders of Illinois, and the Lotus Temple in New Delhi received a number of prestigious architectural awards.

Baha'is in Iran

The Iranian authorities at all times classified the Baha'is as “unprotected infidels” who have no rights, despite the fact that they are the largest religious minority in Iran, whose number (350 thousand people) significantly exceeds the number of all other religious minorities in the country, together taken

At the end of September 1998, it became known about the arrests in different cities of the country of over 36 teachers and staff of the Bahá'í Institute of Higher Education (BIHE), established to provide Bahá'í youth with an alternative education; IVOB property and equipment were confiscated.

Number of followers

The 1998 Encyclopædia Britannica Yearbook puts the figure at 6.67 million, but Bahá'ís believe it was significantly overestimated at the time, preferring to say there were about 5 million. It also states that follower growth today is 5.5% per year worldwide.

In Russia, the total number of Baha'is at the end of 2004 was 3,676. In Ukraine, since August 2005, there have been slightly more than 600 Baha'is. At the beginning of 2008, there were about 350 Baha'is in Belarus.

The Baha'i International Community is recognized by the UN as a non-governmental organization with consultative status. It is accredited by the UN Economic and Social Council and the International Children's Organization UNICEF and cooperates with these organizations in many areas.

Baha'is in Russia, USSR, CIS

When the Russian administration was established in Turkestan, the first Baha'is - refugees from Iran - began to settle there, starting in 1882. After some time, Ashgabat became a real refuge for Baha'is. Before the 1917 Revolution, Bahá'í communities existed in at least fourteen cities throughout the Russian Empire, including Ashgabat, Baku, Bukhara, Moscow, Tashkent and Tbilisi, but all were destroyed during the Soviet era. Beginning in 1991, local Baha'i communities began to appear in some large cities of Russia and other CIS countries. Currently, there are 43 local spiritual congregations in the Russian Federation. The total number of settlements where Baha'is live reached 424 by the beginning of 2004. The centralized religious organization "Community of Followers of the Baha'i Faith in Russia" is registered with the Ministry of Justice under number 218.

Mentions of Baha'is in Russian culture

• Chingiz Aitmatov, “Meeting with a Baha’i”
• Alexander Gorodnitsky, Song “Bahai Temple”
• Plays by Isabella Grinevskaya

see also

Notes

1. Ibrahim T. K. Baha'ism// New philosophical encyclopedia / ; National social-scientific fund; Pred. scientific-ed. Council V. S. Stepin, deputy chairmen: A. A. Guseinov, G. Yu. Semigin, academician. secret A. P. Ogurtsov. - 2nd ed., rev. and additional - M.: Mysl, 2010. - ISBN 978-5-244-01115-9.- Archived
2. Encyclopedia of Religion / Lindsay Jones. - USA: Thomson Gale, 2005. - T. 2.
3. Kitab-i-Aqdas, K182
4. Ioannesyan Yu. A. Bahai religion // Orthodox encyclopedia. - M.: Church-scientific center Orthodox encyclopedia, 2002. - T. IV. - S. Pages. - 752 s. - 39,000 copies. - ISBN 5-89572-009-9.- Archived from the original on 05-11-2012.
5. , With. 37.
6. Stockman, Robert. The Baha"i Faith and Syncretism // . - 1997.
7. Van der Vyer, J.D. Religious human rights in global perspective: religious perspectives. - Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, 1996. - P. 449. - ISBN 90-411-0176-4.
8. Udo Schaefer. Is the Baha'i faith a sect or a religion?
9. 1925, a Muslim court in the city of Beba considered the case of the marriages of seven Baha'i men with Muslim women. Because the Bahá'í Faith was recognized as a separate religion, “entirely independent,” with its own “beliefs, principles, and laws,” marriages were dissolved. (unavailable link)

Baha'ism- a religious doctrine that arose in the 19th century based on Islam, in a short time grew from the level of a sect to one of the significant world religions.

Baha'ism is a religion Abrahamic- Judaism, Christianity and Islam. All these teachings have in common the presence scriptures(Bible, Koran, etc.), belief in one God and him prophets(in Baha'ism they are called epiphanies). Currently, the Baha'i faith has more than 5 million adherents and it is widespread in almost all countries of the world.

The key difference between Baha'ism is the desire for uniting all people, regardless of their religion, recognition multiple paths to God, maximum tolerance.

Baha'ism interprets the concept of heaven and hell in a unique way. According to the Baha'is, paradise- this is the approach of the soul to God, and hell- removal of the soul from God. Interaction with God and movement along the spiritual path is carried out through prayer, meditation, study of holy books, adherence to moral standards and fulfillment of one’s duties in serving humanity in the chosen field.

Baha'ism with historical point of view is divided into a number of stages:

• Apostolic- from 1844 to 1921 (ends with the death of 'Abdu'l-Bahá),
• The century of formation— is currently underway (strengthening the Baha’i administration, spreading Baha’ism),
• Golden age- the time when Baha'ism will become the moral and religious basis of people's lives.

Story emergence Baha'ism intersects in many ways with the origins of Christianity and Islam - the emergence prophet, persecution, martyrdom death, development of community from sect to religion. On May 23, 1844, a merchant from the Persian city of Shiraz (his name was Bab, which translates from Arabic as “gate”), announced the news of the appearance in the near future new messenger of God. The Bab's sermons were negative accepted by Islamic leaders, as a result of which the Bab was arrested and then shot. His followers were subjected to severe persecution - over 9 years more than 20 thousand people.

According to the tenets of Baha'ism, the Bab in his spiritual status surpasses everyone The prophets born before him - Muhammad, Jesus, Moses, etc. It is believed that the life and death of the Bab were reflected in the prophecies of all religions: for Zoroastrians it is associated with Ushidar Mah, for Jews it appears as the returning Prophet Elijah, for Christians - the Bab is the incarnation of John the Baptist.

But immediate founder of Baha'ism it is not considered Bab, but Bahá'u'lláh. He was born in 1817 into a rich and noble Persian family. Becoming a follower of the Bab, Bahá'u'lláh like many others suffered repression from the authorities, he lost all his fortune and was expelled from the country. In 1863, Bahá'u'lláh declared that he was the one about whom coming soon prophesied the Bab. After the death of Bahá'u'lláh, the Bahá'í community was led by his son 'Abdu'l-Bahá, and then by Shoghi Effendi.

Baha'ism includes a number of postulates, the recognition of which is a prerequisite for the believer:

• Unity all religions;
• The absence of mediation between God and man, while every believer must seek the truth on your own;
• Tolerance— absence of oppression on racial, gender, religious and other grounds;
• Harmony of religion and scientific knowledge;
• Striving for the Universal education;
• Social justice - fight against poverty;
• Striving for political unification the world community as a single federation;
• Creation of a new civilization based on spiritual priorities;
• Personal follow moral principles, refusal of fanaticism, gambling, alcohol and drug consumption.

In everyday life, Baha'ism imposes a number of obligations on its followers, for example, a Baha'i must read three obligatory prayers, observe fast once a year, greet members of your community with the words " Allah-u-Akhba", which translates from Arabic - "God is glorified."

Interestingly, the Baha'i faith has its own own calendar, in which the year is divided into 19 months of 19 days each.

Initially, Baha'ism paid great attention to issues administrative management community. This is how every city should choose " House of Justice", which includes nine or more representatives of the local community, to manage all its affairs. At a higher level of hierarchy there are national Houses of justice, crowned by a pyramid World house of justice. The latter is located in the city of Haifa, in Israel. The House of Justice was first elected in 1963.

Baha'is actively build temples of their faith, called Houses of Worship. Ideally, such a temple should be created in every area where there is a Baha'i community. Externally the temple has nine entrances and one dome, which symbolizes the unity of world religions. The world's first house of worship was built on the territory of the Russian Empire in Ashgabat.

In its short history, Baha'ism has done big way, having reached international recognition along with world religions. Considering that the moral and spiritual tenets of Baha'ism consonant aspirations in spiritual search modern man(unity of religions, tolerance, value of science and education) it can be assumed that in the near future the number of followers of Baha'ism will only grow.

Booklet text -

Brief introduction

Baha'i religion

The Baha'i religion is an independent world religion, divine in origin, comprehensive in scope. It is a religion with broad views, scientific in methods, with humanitarian principles, dynamically affecting the hearts and minds of people. It proceeds from the unity of God, recognizes the unity of his Prophets and adheres to the principle of the unity of the human race.

A Brief History of the Baha'i Religion

In every era, the life-giving word of God is transmitted to humanity through his messengers, the Prophets. The three main figures of the Baha'i religion are the Bab (1819-1850), Baha'u'lla (1817-1892) and 'Abdu'l Baha (1844-1921).

Bab

On May 23, 1844, a young man known in Persia as Bab (Gate), announced the upcoming appearance of a new Spiritual Person, and called himself his Forerunner. His teachings spread widely, but were not accepted in orthodox circles. Baba was persecuted and executed in 1850. Over the next 20 years, more than 20,000 of the Bab's followers were brutally murdered.

Baha"u"lla

Baha"u"lla, which means "Glory of God", was born into a noble family. Since childhood, he was distinguished by unprecedented wisdom, intelligence and knowledge. After joining the Baba movement, he was imprisoned and tortured. In 1853, while in prison, Baha'u'llah received a revelation that he was the one whose appearance the Bab had foretold. In 1863, while exiled in Baghdad, Baha'u'lla publicly announced this. He was endlessly persecuted by the clergy. From Baghdad he was sent to Constantinople, then Adrianople, and finally to Akka, Palestine (1868). Bakha"u"lla died in 1892. He is buried at Bahji near Mount Carmel.

During Bah'u'llah's life, his religion spread beyond Persia and the Ottoman Empire: in the Caucasus, Turkestan, India, Burma, Egypt, and Sudan. During the years of exile, Bahá'u'llah discovered thousands of inspired Scriptures, which, along with the works of the Báb and 'Abdu'l-Bahá, are the Holy Scriptures of the Bahá'í religion. These Scriptures are unique. For the first time in the history of religion, they came to us in the form of manuscripts written personally by Bahá'u'lla or recorded by a secretary and signed by him.

'Abdu'l-Bahá

In his will, Bahá'u'llah appointed his eldest son 'Abdu'l-Bahá (Servant of Bahá)

leader of the Baha'i community and sole authorized interpreter of the teachings. From the age of nine (from 1853), Abdu'l-Bahá accompanied his father in exile. During the years of Abdu'l-Bahá's ministry, the faith spread to the USA, Canada, Great Britain, and Europe. He died on November 28, 1921 in Haifa and was buried on Mount Carmel in the Tomb of the Bab.

According to Abdu'l-Bahá's will, his eldest grandson Shoghi Effendi was appointed guardian of the faith in order to protect the religion from schism and ensure the unity of believers.

Shoghi Effeidi

Under the leadership of Shoghi Effendi, the faith spread throughout the world and the Baha'i administrative order was formed. His works significantly expanded the horizons of faith. Shoghi Effendi worked hard for 36 years. He died in November 1957. As never before in the history of world religion, for 113 years the Baha'i religion has strengthened and developed under the protection of continuous leadership.

Baha'i Administration

The governance of the Bahá'í community is carried out in accordance with the principles laid down by Bahá'u'llah and through the institutions created by him. These institutions are governed by elected bodies at the local, national and international levels. Elections exclude nomination, propaganda and campaigning. At all levels of administration, decisions are made through consultation. All members of the elected body are equal to express their own opinions.

At the International level - Universal House of Justice

Consists of 9 members who are elected for a period of 5 years by National Spiritual Assemblies around the world. The Universal House of Justice is located in Haifa, the world center of the Baha'i religion. The spiritual center of faith is the Holy Land. At the direction of Bahá'u'llah, a world administrative body was founded here, and three main figures of the religion are buried here. The Universal House of Justice directs the spread of the faith and implements the principles of the doctrine.

At the National level – National Spiritual Assembly

An elected body of 9 members who govern the affairs of the Baha'i community at the national level. Each year, Bahá'ís elect delegates to a national convention where the election of the National Spiritual Assembly takes place. The National Spiritual Assembly coordinates and directs the activities of Bahá'ís, and also determines the development of the faith in its country.

At the Local Level - Local Spiritual Assembly

The governance of the Bahá'í community begins at the local level with the election of a Local Spiritual Assembly, consisting of nine members who direct the affairs of the community in their locality.

The Baha'i religion and the UN

The Baha'i community has had accredited representation at the UN as a non-governmental organization since 1948. It has the right of advisory vote with the UN Socio-Economic Council and the Children's Fund (UNICEF). Many National Spiritual Assemblies of Bahá'ís are officially listed as UN information centers.

International Status of the Baha'i Religion

In a short period of 148 years, the Bahá'ís created a global community of 1,820 different ethnic groups in more than 360 countries, territories and islands, truly representing a cross-section of the human race. Bahá'í literature has been translated into more than 740 languages. Such is the life-giving power and efficiency of the Divinely Inspired Administration.

Baha'i Principles

Basic principles proclaimed by Bahá'u'lla:

A) Unity of Humanity- The principle of the unity of humanity is the basis of the teachings of Bahá'u'llah.

The unity of the world is the last stage in human evolution on the path to maturity. The unity of the world will become possible only when everyone realizes that the unity of humanity is the main spiritual principle of our life.

b) Independent search for truth– For the first time in the history of mankind, the independent search for truth is becoming a practical reality. A sincere search for truth requires much more from a person than blind faith.

V) The common basis of all religions– Baha'is believe that all religions are Divine in origin. All of them were revealed by God in different places, at different times, in accordance with the needs and capabilities of people.

G) Harmony of science and religion- Baha'u'lla teaches that science and religion exist in harmony with each other. True religion and true science have never contradicted each other. These are complementary aspects of truth.

d) Equality between men and women- For the first time in the history of religion, Baha"u"lla proclaimed the principle of equality between men and women.

This principle is firmly woven into the fabric of the social order he developed and is enshrined in laws that give men and women equal rights in society.

e) Elimination of all kinds of prejudices– The best cure for prejudice is awareness of the unity of humanity. Once a person spiritually realizes the unity of humanity, he will overcome his own prejudices.

and) Universal compulsory education– Knowledge is one of God’s greatest gifts to man. Those who deprive themselves of the opportunity to gain knowledge limit their lives.

h) Universal peace– The basis of the Bahai religious teachings is the unity of humanity and the establishment of universal peace.

Other Bahá'í Principles include:

a) Adoption of a universal language.

b) Elimination of extremes in the manifestation of poverty and wealth.

c) World Tribunal to resolve disputes between nations.

d) The rise of justice as the ruling principle in society.

e) Raising conscientious work to the rank of prayer.

f) Religion as the basis for the protection of all peoples and nations.

g) Spiritual resolution of economic problems.

h) Loyalty to the government of your country.

"Do not be proud that you love your country, but be proud that you love the whole world. The earth is one country and humanity is its citizens."

Baha"u"lla

After a brief introduction, we cordially invite you to delve deeper into the Baha'i religion on your own - and determine what is most acceptable to you in our program.

For further information, contact the Bahá'ís in your area or write to:

Baha'i House of Worship

Bahapur, Kalkaji

New Delhi -110019

The Regional Spiritual Assembly

of the Baha"is of Russia.

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