June 18, 2023 will mark 40 years since 10 Baha’i women were hanged in Shiraz. Their only ‘crime’ was their refusal to renounce their beliefs in a faith that promotes the principles of gender equality, unity, justice, and truthfulness. This collection highlights Baha’i Blog content relating to the ongoing persecution of Baha’is in Iran.
The Baha’i Faith is a world religion whose purpose is to unite all the races and peoples of the world. Members of the Baha’i Faith are called Baha’is which means “follower of Baha’u’llah”.
In the traditions of almost every people there is a promise of a future when peace and harmony will be established on earth and humankind will live in prosperity. Baha’is believe that Baha’u’llah is the One who fulfils that promise by bringing teachings to enable humanity to build a new world.
In one of His Writings, Bahá’u’lláh says: “That which the Lord hath ordained as the sovereign remedy and mightiest instrument for the healing of all the world is the union of all its peoples in one universal Cause, one common Faith.”
You can learn more about Baha’u’llah’s teachings by watching the introductory video below, or visit the official website of the Australian Baha’i Community.
Find a Baha’i Community near you in Australia
Here in Australia, you can find your local Baha’i community by visiting the website of the Australian Baha’i Community to use your postcode to look up the nearest community.
The Baha’i Faith originated from the Bábí faith of the mid-19th century, whose creator (the Báb) believed that God would soon send a prophet in the same manner as Christ or Muhammad.[4] Bahá’u’lláh (1817–1892) declared in 1863 that he was this prophet.
Baháʼu’lláh taught that religion is orderly and progressively revealed by one God through Manifestations of God who are the founders of major world religions throughout history; Buddha, Jesus, and Muhammad being the most recent in the period before the Báb and Baháʼu’lláh.
The four introductory topic areas below have some links to pertinent sections on the official Baha’i site, Bahai.org, as well as links to related Baha’i Blog posts. The Baha’i Blog posts explore Baha’i beliefs and activities from a personal perspective and we hope that this will add another dimension to the information available to you as you learn about the Baha’i Faith.
The Importance of Service in the Baha’i Faith In the Baha’i Faith, the concept of “service” plays an important role, and we believe that service to others gives meaning and purpose to life.
A Personal Reflection on Social Action The Baha’i community is striving to translate Baha’u’llah’s teachings into reality in order to contribute to world unity and collective spiritual and material prosperity.
Community-Building and the Reframing of Service Baha’is and their friends around the world are currently engaged in a process of community-building that primarily consists of four core activities.
‘To Serve Humanity’ Through the diverse voices of a few of the 80,000 young people who participated in the 114 gatherings.
The Baha’i Faith and Human Rights Globe-spanning efforts to eradicate prejudice, uphold human rights, and build bonds of love and amity between people of all backgrounds will ultimately triumph.
Consultation: A Perspective Consultation is a distinctive and unifying method of decision-making that is used by Baha’is whether at home, among friends, or while serving on committees or institutions at any level.
Accompaniment is So Important When we arise to serve together, we should remember that rather than many, we are in fact one.
Meaningful and Distinctive Conversations What seems most crucial is that we elevate our daily conversations in order to find others who have similar visions of the most effective ways to spiritually transform our communities.
Baha’u’llah and His Covenant
Baha’u’llah and His Covenant The Baha’i Faith began with the mission entrusted by God to two Divine Messengers—the Bab and Baha’u’llah. Today, the distinctive unity of the Faith They founded stems from explicit instructions given by Baha’u’llah that have assured the continuity of guidance following His passing. This line of succession, referred to as the Covenant, went from Baha’u’llah to His Son ‘Abdu’l-Baha, and then from ‘Abdu’l-Baha to His grandson, Shoghi Effendi, and the Universal House of Justice, ordained by Baha’u’llah. A Baha’i accepts the divine authority of the Bab and Baha’u’llah and of these appointed successors.
The Bab – What was He like? He has inspired generation after generation to consecrate themselves to the Faith of which He was the Herald and to devote themselves to the challenging task of unifying humanity in a global society of justice and love.
The Declaration of The Bab Baha’is view the Bab as a Messenger of God, who had a role that can be likened to John the Baptist in heralding the coming of the latest Manifestation of God: Baha’u’llah.
The Life of the Bab The Bab took this title of “the gate” to signify him being the herald of the Baha’i Faith and the symbolic gate to a new religious cycle.
The Martyrdom of the Bab and Jesus Christ There are numerous similarities between them, with regards to their lives, their ministries and the events surrounding their Martyrdom.
The Shrine of the Bab and its Significance Today the Shrine of the Bab continues to serve as a beacon of light reminding us of the transformative power and impact of the Bab’s Revelation.
The Birth of Baha’u’llah One of the spiritual proofs of the divine origins of the Manifestations is the innate wisdom that they demonstrate as children.
Abdu’l-Baha: Unique Abdu’l-Baha was the exemplar of the perfect Baha’i life. And in His unique example, God shows us the good of which mortal human beings are capable.
When I Meet Abdu’l-Baha The person’s face is warmth and light itself. It is love itself, a love that is all-consuming, all-embracing.
The Mystery of Abdu’l-Baha How one man, in a lifetime lived mostly in exile and imprisonment, managed to affect so many lives around him and lead a nascent faith to spread from one corner of the globe to become a world religion, is a remarkable expression of the mystery of Abdu’l-Baha.
Searching for the Footsteps of Abdu’l-Baha He had come, He told reporters, for the cause of universal peace, the oneness of humanity, and fundamental unity of the divine religions.
The Apostle of Peace and the Great War As the world commemorates the centenary of World War I, it is timely to recount the story of one who predicted with sublime accuracy the outbreak of that conflict and who also explained and developed a peace plan highly relevant to humanity today.
Following the Example of Abdu’l-Baha Abdu’l-Baha, was Baha’u’llah’s eldest son and appointed successor, and He is considered the perfect example of how to live according to the Baha’i teachings.
Baha’u’llah and the New Era This book, available online, offers readers a thorough introduction to the Baha’i Faith written by one of its early adherents.
So you’ve become a Baha’i. Now what? When I made the decision to become a Baha’i nearly five years ago, it was definitely a highlight in my spiritual journey.
Religion. What is it Good For? Religion has produced some of the greatest achievements of humanity but this fact is often obscured today as people and the media focus on the horrors resulting from its power.
Religion: A Cause of Prejudice? Religion has caused prejudice. This is a fact. But from a Baha’i perspective, it is True religion that will ultimately eliminate prejudice.
Do Baha’is Believe in Miracles? The belief in the possibility of miracles has never been rejected in the Baha’i teachings. Their importance, however, has been minimized.
Do Baha’is Believe in Dreams? Perhaps you have experienced dreams of spiritual import or dreams that have answered questions.
Unique Aspects of Baha’i Marriage Some very simple, yet profound, directions for the formation of healthy marriages which will contribute to a unified world.
Why is the Baha’i World Centre in Israel? How did this land on the shores of the Mediterranean come to be associated with the Baha’i Faith, a religion born in Persia, more than 1500 kilometers away?
Toward a New World Order? As it pertains to subjects such as politics and governance, economics, society, and religion.
We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia.
We recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and community. We pay our respects to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and their cultures; and to elders both past and present.
Baha’i Blog is a non-profit independent initiative
The views expressed in our content reflect individual perspectives and do not represent the official views of the Baha’i Faith.