Zimpapers Logo

Flora Teckie

Correspondent

Bahá’ís of Harare join the Bahá’í communities in over 100 000 localities worldwide to celebrate the 203rd anniversary of the birth of Bahá’u’lláh on October 19. 

Born in 1817 in Persia, Bahá’u’lláh began at age 27 an undertaking that has gradually captured the imagination and loyalty of millions of people from virtually every race, culture, class, and nation on earth. 

Bahá’u’lláh — meaning the “Glory of God” — is regarded by the Bahá’ís as a divine Educator and the most recent in the line of Messengers of God.

“The appearance of every such Educator, as recorded in the Sacred Texts of the world’s great faiths, is a pivotal event that propels the advancement of civilization”.

In 1863 Bahá’u’lláh announced that He was the bearer of a new revelation from God that would bring unity to the peoples of the world.

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’s revealed new laws and teachings to lay the foundation of a global civilisation.

His Writings constitute over a hundred volumes — which form the core of the Sacred Scripture of the Bahá’í Faith.

In His Writings, He outlined a framework for the reconstruction of human society at all levels.  From His Writings, the worldwide Bahá’í community draws its inspiration, discovers its moral bearing and derives creative energy.

Bahá’u’lláh confirms that there is only one God. 

Although people may pray to God  in different languages and call Him by different names, nevertheless they have in mind the same Almighty Creator. The followers of Bahá’u’lláh recognise the divine origin of all the major world religions and honour and revere their Founders.

A central theme in Bahá’u’lláh’s message is that humanity is one, that the diversity of ethnic backgrounds adds to the beauty and perfection of the whole, and that the day has come for the unification of humanity into one global society. 

As Bahá’u’lláh proclaims: “The earth, is but one country, and mankind its citizens.”  He further affirms that the unification of mankind, the last stage in the evolution of humanity towards maturity is inevitable … and he regards the “love of mankind” and service to its interests as the worthiest and most laudable objects of human endeavour”. 

The Writings of Bahá’u’lláh cover a vast range of subjects from social issues such as the oneness of humanity, racial integration, the equality of men and women, universal education, disarmament, to those questions that affect the innermost life of the human soul. 

His Writings address also essential themes as the freedom from all types of prejudice, the inherent nobility of the human being, the progressive revelation of religious truth, the crucial need for development of spiritual qualities, the importance of integrating worship and service, the centrality of justice to all human endeavours, and the dynamics of the relationships that are to bind together individuals, communities, and institutions as humanity advances towards its collective maturity.

“Baha’u’llah’s teachings testify to the nobility of the human spirit. The society He envisions is one worthy of that nobility and founded on principles that guard and reinforce it. The oneness of the human family He places at the core of collective life; the equality of women and men He unequivocally asserts. He reconciles the seemingly counteracting forces of our own age-science and religion, unity and diversity, freedom and order, individual rights and social responsibilities”.

The followers of Bahá’u’lláh are urged to have a high sense of moral rectitude in their activities, purity, chastity and integrity in their individual lives, and complete freedom from prejudice in their dealings. 

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

While sharing a common goal of serving humanity, Bahá’ís try to refine their own character in accordance with the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh.

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.

As the governing council of the Bahá’í international community states, the Bahá’í communities worldwide, “seek to bring about spiritual, social, and material progress simultaneously. …(They) define themselves by their commitment to the oneness of humanity. They value the rich diversity represented by all the world’s kindreds, while maintaining that one’s identity as a member of the human race has precedence before other identities and associations. They affirm the need for a global consciousness, arising from a shared concern for the well-being of humankind, and they count all the peoples of the earth as spiritual brothers and sisters”.

For feedback please contact: [email protected]  or  [email protected]  Website: www.bahai.org