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Flora Teckie Features Correspondent
As the places of worship continue to be closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Bahá’í communities all around the world used online celebrations to mark the 176th anniversary of the beginning of their Faith on May 23.

The online facilities also offered the possibility for friends and relatives who live far apart to celebrate this important Holy Day together.

The Bahá’í Faith — the youngest of the world’s independent religions — began with the mission entrusted by God to two Divine Messengers — the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh.

In 1844, The Báb — the Herald of the Bahá’í Faith — announced that He was the bearer of a message destined to transform humanity’s spiritual life.

In some respects, the Báb’s role can be compared to John the Baptist in the founding of Christianity.

His primary mission was to prepare the way for the coming of Bahá’u’lláh, who would usher in an age of peace and justice.

Bahá’u’lláh (1817–1892), is regarded by the Bahá’ís as the most recent in the line of Messengers of God. As in the case of the other Messengers of God, Bahá’u’lláh was the direct recipient of Revelation from God.

Revelation, in the Bahá’í view, is the infallible and direct conveyance of God’s creative Word that is accessible only to the Messengers of God who transmit it to mankind.

This innate, divinely revealed knowledge enables them to establish laws and teachings that correspond to human needs and conditions at a given time in history.

Bahá’u’lláh outlined a framework for the development of a global civilisation which takes into account both the spiritual and material dimensions of human life.

His writings offer spiritual guidance as well as directives for personal and social conduct.

They are designed to reshape the divisive society of the present world and usher in an era of peace and justice.

In His Writings, Bahá’u’lláh confirms that there is only one God, the Creator of the universe and its absolute Ruler.

Although people may pray to God in different languages and call Him by different names, nevertheless they have in mind the same Almighty Creator.

According to His Writings, the reality of God is beyond our understanding, though we may find expressions of His attributes in every created thing.

The principle of the oneness of humankind is “the pivot round which the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh revolve . . .”

The conviction that we all belong to one human family is at the heart of the Bahá’í Faith.

The belief in oneness of humanity does not imply uniformity. Rather, the Bahá’í Writings affirm the principle of unity in diversity.

More than the mere tolerance of differences or celebration of superficial aspects of diverse cultures, the diversity of the human family should be the cause of abiding love and harmony, “as it is in music where many different notes blend together in the making of a perfect chord.”

According to the Bahá’í Writings: “There is perfect brotherhood underlying humanity, for all are servants of one God and belong to one family under the protection of divine providence,” and regarding the purpose of religion the Bahá’í Scriptures state: “The fundamental purpose animating the Faith of God and His Religion is to safeguard the interests and promote the unity of the human race, and to foster the spirit of love and fellowship amongst men”.

Through inspiration from the Bahá’í teachings, Bahá’ís worldwide, work to improve their own lives and contribute to the advancement of civilisation.

An important concept in teachings of Bahá’u’lláh is that refinement of one’s inner character and service to humanity should go hand in hand.

For example, Bahá’ís are not only expected to pray and reflect daily in their personal lives, but also to make effort to bring a devotional spirit to their surroundings.

They are not only asked to deepen their own knowledge of the Faith, but to share this knowledge also with others. Bahá’ís regard the “love of mankind” and service to its interests as the “worthiest and most laudable objects of human endeavour”.

The Bahá’í community is one of learning and action, free from any sense of superiority or claim to exclusive understanding of truth. It is a community that strives to cultivate hope for the future of humanity, to foster purposeful effort, and to celebrate the endeavours of all those in the world who work to promote unity and alleviate human suffering.

The worldwide Baha’i community is composed of people from virtually every racial, ethnic and religious background.

With followers in at least 233 countries and dependent territories, the Bahá’í Faith has become the second-most widespread Faith in its geographic reach and is among the fastest growing world religions.

Bahá’í literature has been translated into more than 800 languages.

The Bahá’í Faith does not have a priesthood or professional clergy. Bahá’í communities are administered and guided by elected institutions which operate at local, national and international levels.

The Bahá’í International Community enjoys a long standing consultative status with the United Nations and has been involved in a wide range of activities which include peace building, promoting human rights, equality of men and women, sustainable development, health and education.

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Website: www.bahai.org