Q: What do you know about the Baha'i faith?
Response: Below is an extract from a succinct introduction to the Baha'i faith written for A Global Guide to Interfaith:
Reflections from around the world by Sandy and Jael Bharat, O-Books 2007.
Here are some important websites too, including one in France (the enquirer's email address indicated a location in France): http://bahai.fr/
This is the official international site: http://www.bahai.org/
And a new photo/text site about the story of Baha'u'llah's life: http://www.bahaullah.org/
The best way to find out about Baha'is is to meet them. Join a local interfaith group - or start one! Baha'is
are often very involved in interfaith activity.
THE BAHA'I FAITH AND RELIGIOUS PLURALISM
Parvine Foroughi, International Baha'i Centre, Israel
The central figures of the Bahá'í Faith are the Báb (1819-1850), Bahá'u'lláh (1817-1892), 'Abdu'l-Bahá (1844-1921),
and Shoghi Effendi (1896-1957)....
....While covering spiritual issues such as God and creation, Prophets (or Manifestations of God) and their relation to God, to each other, and to humankind, purpose of life,
life after death, worship, good and bad, and all that leads to personal spiritual salvation, the Bahá'í Faith also includes social teachings which lead to
the prosperity and happiness of the society as a whole. Teachings that fall in the second category are blueprints for the realization of unity of humankind and world peace.
They include elimination of all prejudices, independent investigation of truth, equality of men and women, education for all, abolition of extremes of poverty and wealth, an
international tribunal or world court, unity of science and religion, a universal auxiliary language, and many more.
The Bahá'í Faith's attitude towards 'Interfaith dialogue' is based on the following beliefs:
- Bahá'ís believe that despite different understandings of God, in essence God is unknowable, therefore all approaches to Him are acceptable provided that it is understood that God's reality transcends man's limited apprehension. This paves the way for dialogue with different faiths with a genuine desire to search for truth with humility and free from condemnation of other faiths.
- Bahá'ís also believe in the unity of all Faiths. It does not mean that all Faiths are similar in their views, but that they are all based on divine inspiration and provide different approaches to the same Reality. All religions have provided divine guidance, but societies evolve and need further dynamic and progressive guidance. Therefore, all faiths complement, rather than contradict, each other.
- Bahá'ís reject any discrimination based on race, colour, faith, gender, or nationality. Bahá'í teachings....aim to establish universal
peace based on the equality of people and the oneness of Truth.
.... [The] search for religious truth....must go on, and religious communities should be prepared to move with the times and embrace new understandings of divine realities.....
