An Introduction to the Baha'i Faith (Introduction to Religion)

In mid-nineteenth century Iran, a religious leader known as the Bab began preaching that he was sent by Allah to prepare the world for the return of the twelfth imam, who had mysteriously disappeared nearly a thousand years before. The Iranian government executed the Bab, but shortly afterwards a new religious leader emerged-- Baha'u'llah. Baha'u'llah proclaimed himself to be the return of the twelfth imam prophesied by the Bab.The Iranian government exiled Baha'u'llah, and he lived out the remainder of his life in what is today Israel / Palestine, under the sometimes suspicious, sometimes friendly rule of the Ottoman Empire. Upon his death in the late nineteenth century, Baha'u'llah was succeeded by his son. His son was not a borderline semi-divine prophet like Baha'u'llah, but he was still highly revered. The son died shortly after the First World War and was succeeded by his son (Baha'u'llah's grandson), who ruled in a much more "down to earth" fashion than his predecessors. Upon the grandson's death in the late-1950s, leadership of the Baha'i Faith passed to a collective, the Universal House of Justice, which is elected by Baha'is across the world.The Baha'i Faith teaches that there is one God who occasionally sends infallible Manifestations-- prophets-- to Earth to try and bring people into contact with God. These Manifestations include the major figures of the major world religions-- particularly the Abrahamic figures (Abraham, Moses, Jesus, Mohammad) but also some of the major figures from the Dharmic faiths (Krishna, Buddha). Baha'is believe that Baha'u'llah was the latest of these infallible Manifestations, and another Manifestation won't emerge for another thousand years. Baha'is also believe that Baha'u'llah's son was infallible and that the Universal House of Justice is infallible when acting as a collective-- the individual members are not infallible.The Baha'i Faith has a strong sense of world unity, and supports the mission of the United Nations and anti-racism endeavors. The Baha'i Faith is also evangelistic, and the only countries where there are no Baha'is are Vatican City and North Korea.Most interesting for me was learning how the Baha'i Faith is a "real" religion. In the West, the Baha'i Faith is often presented as akin to Unitarian Universalism-- that famously open-minded, wooly headed, "everybody's truth is their own" religion of hippies and granolas.But as the author shows, the Baha'i Faith's embrace of the oneness of humanity and the various Manifestations does not equate to believing "all religions are different paths to the same destination." Rather, Baha'is believe in the supremacy of Baha'u'llah's message, that those who reject Baha'u'llah are fundamentally wrong, and that world peace will require uniting all the world under the Baha'i Faith.The Baha'i Faith also has deep roots in Shia Islam, with the Quran being highly regarded.And the Baha'i Faith doesn't avoid the uglier aspects of religion: it ostracizes outspoken apostates, has a patriarchal leadership (only men can be elected to the Universal House of Justice), and it demands that homosexuals be celibate.That said, the Baha'i Faith is sympathetic to science and strives to avoid fundamentalism. Taken together with its message of human unity, the Baha'i Faith is, in some ways, a religion of the modern world. At the same time, the goals of human unity, social justice, and peace reflect the liberal reformist milieu of mid-nineteenth century Iran that the Bab and Baha'u'llah were a part of.

A good intro to the mechanics and history of this religion, I could have done with a bit more on theology, liturgy and religious practices, but there are plenty of more detailed accounts elsewhere. The book is easy to read and pitched at the right level for an interested dilettante. Jim..

This book features a comprehensive history of the Baha'i faith from the time of the Báb and the ministry of Bahá'u'lláh through to the present day. It explains Baha'i beliefs and festivals clearly and offers information on community and family life as well as the Baha'i contribution to social justice and involvement with the United Nations. The relationship between the Baha'i Faith and other religions is also discussed.There are certainly simpler and cheaper introductions to the Baha'i Faith available, but I feel that this one is well worth the money due to it's scope and detail.