A new site about the life of the Báb

The Báb - Prophet and Herald of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh

…Following the story of His life as we celebrate the upcoming bicentenary of His Birth (1819)

A new site containing explanations by the Báb

The Báb Explains...

House of the Báb

Duties of the International Teaching Centre

The duties of the International Teaching Centre, including those announced previously and those now being assigned to it, are as follows:

• To assume full responsibility for co-ordinating, stimulating and directing the Continental Boards of Counsellors, acting also as liaison between them and the Universal House of Justice.

• To be fully informed of the situation of the Cause in all parts of the world and, from this knowledge, to make reports and recommendations to the Universal House of Justice and give advice to the Continental Boards of Counsellors.

• To watch over the security and ensure the protection of the Faith of God.

• To be alert to possibilities for the extension of the teaching work and the development of economic and social life both within and without the Baha'i community, and to draw the attention of the Universal House of Justice and the Continental Boards of Counsellors to such possibilities, making recommendations for action.

• To determine and anticipate needs for literature, pioneers and travelling teachers and to work out teaching plans, both regional and global, for the approval of the Universal House of Justice.

• To direct the work of the Continental Pioneer Committees.

• To administer the expenditure of the International Deputization Fund.

• To administer an annual budget that will be provided from the Baha'i International Fund, allocating therefrom to the Continental Boards of Counsellors monies for special teaching projects and literature subvention, and, when necessary, contributions to the Continental Funds. 

- The Universal House of Justice  (From a message dated 19 May 1983, addressed to the followers of Baha'u'llah throughout the world; ‘Messages from the Universal House of Justice 1963-1986’)

“Bahá'ís may take an oath, if required, on any sacred book”

In reply to your letter of September 12th the Universal House of Justice asked us to refer you to a letter on this subject written on behalf of the beloved Guardian on July 11th, 1956 to your National Spiritual Assembly:

"Regarding taking oaths, there is nothing in the Teachings on this subject. As a Bahá'í is enjoined by Bahá'u'lláh to be truthful, he would express his truthfulness, no matter what the formality of the law in any local place required of him. There can be no objection to Bahá'ís conforming to the requirements of the law court whatsoever they may be in such matters, as in no case would they constitute in any way a denial of their own beliefs as Bahá'ís.”

The above decision makes it clear that Bahá'ís may take an oath, if required, on any sacred book. The Universal House of Justice considers that it may be preferable for them to do so on a Bahá'í book, if possible. 

- The Universal House of Justice  (From a letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to the National Spiritual of the United Kingdom, September 20, 1973; compilation: ‘Lights of Guidance’)

Baha’u’llah praises Prophet Muhammad

Blessing and peace be upon Him [Muhammad] through Whose advent Bathá [Mecca] is wreathed in smiles, and the sweet savours of Whose raiment have shed fragrance upon all mankind—He Who came to protect men from that which would harm them in the world below. Exalted, immensely exalted is His station above the glorification of all beings and sanctified from the praise of the entire creation. Through His advent the tabernacle of stability and order was raised throughout the world and the ensign of knowledge hoisted among the nations. May blessings rest also upon His kindred and His companions through whom the standard of the unity of God and of His singleness was uplifted and the banners of celestial triumph were unfurled. Through them the religion of God was firmly established among His creatures and His Name magnified amidst His servants. I entreat Him—exalted is He—to shield His Faith from the mischief of His enemies who tore away the veils, rent them asunder and finally caused the banner of Islám to be reversed amongst all peoples. 

- Baha’u’llah  (‘Tablets of Baha’u’llah revealed after the Kitab-i-Aqdas’)

1943: Ali-Kuli Khan recalls his first pilgrimage to Haifa in early 1900

Hear and download

“…participating in the courses of an institute is not a requirement to be fulfilled by all believers.”

It is natural that any given educational program would not appeal to everyone, and clearly participating in the courses of an institute is not a requirement to be fulfilled by all believers. In no way, then, should those who do not wish to take part feel that they are disobeying the directives of the Universal House of Justice. It does ask, however, that everyone, even those not involved, support the institute process and not impede its steady progress. 

- The Universal House of Justice  (From a letter dated 26 June 2002 written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer)

New York 1949: Baha'i Delegates to United Nations International Conference of Non-Governmental Organizations

Left to right: Amin Banani, Mildred Mottahedeh, Hilda Yen, and Matthew Bullock

 (The Baha'i World 1950-1954)

A “feature of Baha'i administration unparalleled in the religions of the past”

The existence of institutions of such exalted rank, [Hands, Counsellors, Auxiliary Boards]  comprising individuals who play such a vital role, who yet have no legislative, administrative or judicial authority, and are entirely devoid of priestly functions or the right to make authoritative interpretations, is a feature of Baha'i administration unparalleled in the religions of the past. The newness and uniqueness, of this concept make it difficult to grasp; only as the Baha'i Community grows and the believers are increasingly able to contemplate its administrative structure uninfluenced by concepts from past ages, will the vital interdependence of the "rulers" and "learned" in the Faith be properly understood, and the inestimable value of their interaction be fully recognized. 

- The Universal House of Justice  (From a message dated 24 April 1972; ‘Messages from the Universal House of Justice 1963-1986’)

The station of the Letters of the Living

…the Letters of the Living, the Báb’s chosen disciples, whose station is ten thousand times more glorious than any which the apostles of old have attained… 

- Baha’u’llah  (Quoted by Shoghi Effendi in a message dated 8 February 1934, printed as ‘The Dispensation of Baha'u'llah’ in ‘The World Order of Baha'u'llah’)

Will “human souls continue to be conscious one of another after their separation from the body?” – Baha’u’llah explains

And now concerning thy question whether human souls continue to be conscious one of another after their separation from the body. Know thou that the souls of the people of Bahá, who have entered and been established within the Crimson Ark, shall associate and commune intimately one with another, and shall be so closely associated in their lives, their aspirations, their aims and strivings as to be even as one soul. They are indeed the ones who are well-informed, who are keen-sighted, and who are endued with understanding. Thus hath it been decreed by Him Who is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

The people of Bahá, who are the inmates of the Ark of God, are, one and all, well aware of one another’s state and condition, and are united in the bonds of intimacy and fellowship. Such a state, however, must depend upon their faith and their conduct. They that are of the same grade and station are fully aware of one another’s capacity, character, accomplishments and merits. They that are of a lower grade, however, are incapable of comprehending adequately the station, or of estimating the merits, of those that rank above them. Each shall receive his share from thy Lord. Blessed is the man that hath turned his face towards God, and walked steadfastly in His love, until his soul hath winged its flight unto God, the Sovereign Lord of all, the Most Powerful, the Ever-Forgiving, the All-Merciful.

Circa 1953 - The group that formed the second Local Spiritual Assembly in Japan in 1954

Baha'i Group in Hyogo-ken, Osaka, Japan, in front of their Baha'i Hall, the gift of Mr. Nonreddin Momtazi, second from right, front row. Miss Agnes Alexander, early pioneer to Japan, seated third from right. This group formed the second Local Spiritual Assembly in Japan on April 21, 1954. 
(The Baha'i World 1950-1954)

Prophets before Adam; changes in language, speech, and writing; God’s creation and His Manifestations; ancient natural disasters – Baha’u’llah explains

And now regarding thy question, “How is it that no records are to be found concerning the Prophets that have preceded Adam, the Father of Mankind, or of the kings that lived in the days of those Prophets?” Know thou that the absence of any reference to them is no proof that they did not actually exist. That no records concerning them are now available, should be attributed to their extreme remoteness, as well as to the vast changes which the earth hath undergone since their time.

Moreover such forms and modes of writing as are now current amongst men were unknown to the generations that were before Adam. There was even a time when men were wholly ignorant of the art of writing, and had adopted a system entirely different from the one which they now use. For a proper exposition of this an elaborate explanation would be required.

Consider the differences that have arisen since the days of Adam. The divers and widely-known languages now spoken by the peoples of the earth were originally unknown, as were the varied rules and customs now prevailing amongst them. The people of those times spoke a language different from those now known. Diversities of language arose in a later age, in a land known as Babel. It was given the name Babel, because the term signifieth “the place where the confusion of tongues arose.”

The “very essence of the principle of independent investigation of truth”

It is hoped that all the Bahá'í students will ... be led to investigate and analyse the principles of the Faith and to correlate them with the modern aspects of philosophy and science. Every intelligent and thoughtful young Bahá'í should always approach the Cause in this way, for therein lies the very essence of the principle of independent investigation of truth. 

- Shoghi Effendi  (From a letter dated 6 August 1933, written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer; compilation: ‘Science and Technology’, compiled by Research Department of the Universal House of Justice and attached to a Memorandum from the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice, dated 13-August 1997)   

A brief account of Shoghi Effendi's birth, childhood and youth

• Birth

• Childhood and Youth

A major objective of training institutes

A major object of the recent emphasis on establishing training institutes is to increase the capacity of individuals to teach the Cause effectively. Study circles, which are local extensions of an institute, are intended to serve this purpose. While it is highly desirable to include seekers in study circles wherever possible, the individual believer retains the inescapable duty to teach the Faith on his or her own initiative. 

- The Universal House of Justice  (From a letter dated 31 October 2002 written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer)

To aim for “unanimity in all things” during decision-making consultations of Local and National Spiritual Assemblies

Indeed it has ever been the cherished desire of our Master 'Abdu'l-Bahá that the friends in their councils, local as well as national, should by their candour, their honesty of purpose, their singleness of mind, and the thoroughness of their discussions achieve unanimity in all things. Should this in certain cases prove impracticable the verdict of the majority should prevail, to which decision the minority must under all circumstances gladly, spontaneously and continually submit. 

 - Shoghi Effendi  (From a letter dated 29 January 1925 written to the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States and Canada, published in 'Bahá'í Administration: Selected Messages 1922-1932'; also in The Compilation of Compilations vol. II)

2016: Features of “an evolving framework for action” – identified by the Universal House of Justice

During this period, the adoption of an evolving framework for action has enabled the friends to

• progressively nurture and refine essential capacities, giving rise to 
• simple acts of service at first,
• leading to more elaborate patterns of action, which in turn demanded
• the development of capacities still more complex. 
• In this way, a systematic process of human resource development and community building has been started in thousands of clusters—and, in many of them, become far advanced.
• The focus has not been solely on the individual believer, or the community, or the institutions of the Faith; all three inseparable participants in the evolution of the new World Order are being stimulated by the spiritual forces released through the unfoldment of the Divine Plan.

• The signs of their progress are more and more apparent:
• in the confidence that countless believers have acquired to share accounts of Bahá’u’lláh’s life and discuss the implications of His Revelation and peerless Covenant;
• in the growing contingents of souls who, as a result, have been attracted to His Cause and are contributing to the achievement of His unifying vision;
• in the ability of Bahá’ís and their friends, at the very grassroots of the community, to describe in eloquent terms their experience of a process capable of transforming character and shaping social existence;
• in the significantly larger numbers of those indigenous to a country who, as members of Bahá’í institutions and agencies, are now guiding the affairs of their communities;