The Bahá’í Faith is an independent world religion, the purpose of which is to unite all the races and peoples of the world and to establish a new civilization rooted in the oneness of humanity and founded on justice, equality, and unity in diversity. Bahá’ís are the followers of Bahá’u’lláh, the Glory of God, the Promised One of all Ages and the great spiritual Educator of our time.
Bahá’u’lláh teaches that God is unknowable in His essence and that we cannot understand the nature of God. However, God’s love touches our lives and our beings ceaselessly. In an Eternal Covenant, God never leaves us alone and without guidance. “In every era of history, God has opened the gates of grace to the world by providing us with one of His Manifestations charged with providing the moral and spiritual stimulus that human beings need to cooperate and advance”.1 Some of the past Manifestations of God are Moses, Krishna, Buddha, Jesus and Muhammed. “These spiritual and social visionaries, stainless mirrors of virtue, set out teachings and truths that answered the urgent needs of the age. As the world now faces its most pressing challenges yet, we acclaim Bahá’u’lláh, [born in 1817], as such a Figure—indeed, as the One Whose teachings will bring the maturation of humanity, ushering in the long-promised time when all the peoples of the world will live side by side in peace and unity.”2 Our responsibility in the Eternal Covenant is to recognize these Manifestations of God whenever and wherever They are sent, and to obey the brilliant transformational guidance which They provide us.
Bahá’u’lláh’s Revelation contains laws, principles and truths which make possible the unification of the human family and the construction of a world which is both materially and spiritually prosperous. The need for all of humanity to receive Bahá’u’lláh’s healing Message grows greater every day. In this turbulent stage of the world's transition from adolescence to maturity, humanity is gripped by intense crises and challenges. Growing extremes of wealth and poverty fuel instability in world affairs. Religious extremism is warping the character of communities and nations. Failure on the part of institutions and leaders has led to the decline of public trust. Social consensus about right and wrong, truth and error, has been largely eroded. Amidst a growing crisis of identity, prejudices of all kinds rear their ugly heads. More and more suffer from the effects of disunity.
The course which humanity takes to achieve its noble destiny may very well be tortuous. Bahá’ís understand however that the suffering and crises afflicting all the peoples of the world are symptoms of an old world order falling apart. Amidst the forces of disintegration which tear at the fabric of society can also be seen forces of integration—of new ways of being and doing coming into existence. It is the task of every individual who is alive to Bahá’u’lláh’s Vision to align themselves with these integrative processes. The Universal House of Justice explains:
“A heart that has embraced love for the whole of humanity will certainly be pained when confronted by the suffering that so many endure because of disunity. But the friends of God cannot shut themselves off from the increasing turmoil of the society that surrounds them; they must guard themselves, too, from becoming enmeshed in its conflicts or falling into its adversarial methods. No matter how bleak conditions may appear at any given time, no matter how dismal the immediate prospects for bringing about unity, there is no cause for despair. The distressing state of the world can only spur us to redouble our commitment to constructive action. 'These are not days of prosperity and triumph' cautions Bahá’u’lláh. 'The whole of mankind is in the grip of manifold ills. Strive, therefore, to save its life through the wholesome medicine which the almighty hand of the unerring Physician hath prepared.'”3
There are many reasons to be hopeful. We know that world peace is not only possible but inevitable and promised by the Sacred Scriptures of many Faiths. It is our sure and happy ending and the beginning of another future chapter of a fully-united humanity. This peace will grow out of the seeds already planted. The seeds of justice, equity and reciprocity are growing even as opposing forces gasp their dying breaths. Unity will appear from universal justice. Peace will appear from this unity. But we must work together to bring this into reality. No-one is excluded from this process.
In every corner of the globe, Bahá’ís and their like-minded friends strive to build unity by systematically applying Bahá’u’lláh’s Teachings to their daily lives. “From villages, neighbourhoods, towns and cities are arising institutions, communities, and individuals dedicated to labouring together for the emergence of a united and prospering world that might truly deserve to be called the kingdom of God on earth”.4 The work of the Bahá’í community is not accidental but is systematic and highly organized. All acts of service are undertaken within an evolving framework for action which is refined by the head of the Faith in the light of growing experience. The essence of the current world-wide plan is a process of community building set in motion by four core activities: devotional meetings (gatherings for prayer and meditation on the Creative Word), classes for the spiritual education of children (ages 6–11), groups for the spiritual empowerment of junior youth (ages 12–15), and circles of study which enable youth and adults to acquire the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed to carry out specific acts of service, i.e., to develop an ever-increasing capacity for building community. When these four core activities are sustained and grow in number to embrace an entire local population, the effect is profound. Through the systematic spiritual education which children, youth and adults receive, communities become capable of addressing the challenges they face and of working in unity to build a better world. By applying the instruments of the current Plan, “under a wide diversity of conditions, in virtually any cluster, it is possible for an expanding nucleus of individuals to generate a movement towards the goal of a new World Order”5 or in other words, building a new world civilization rooted in the recognition of the oneness of humanity. “Beloved friends: The devoted efforts that you and your like-minded collaborators are making to build communities founded on spiritual principles, to apply those principles for the betterment of your societies, and to offer the insights arising - these are the surest ways you can hasten the fulfilment of the promise of world peace.”6
“To those who are yet to become familiar with the Teachings of Bahá’u’lláh, a simple invitation is extended: seize this opportunity to find out who He was and what He represents. Put to the test the remedy He has prescribed. His coming offers sure proof that the human race, threatened by numerous perils, has not been forgotten. When so many people of goodwill throughout the world have for so long beseeched God for an answer to the problems that beset them in their common homeland, is it so surprising that He should have answered their prayer? ”7
1 Universal House of Justice, October 2017, to all who celebrate the Glory of God
2 Ibid.
3 Universal House of Justice, 18th January 2019, to the Bahá’ís of the world
4 Universal House of Justice, October 2017, to all who celebrate the Glory of God
5 Universal House of Justice, 28th December 2010, to the Conference of the Continental Boards of Counsellors
6 Universal House of Justice, 18th January 2019, to the Bahá’ís of the world
7 Ibid.