The Covenant of Bahá’u’lláh

Bahá’ís believe that the distinctive unity of the Bahá’í Faith stems from a promise from God to humanity that assures His continuing guidance after the passing of Bahá’u’lláh. This promise is referred to as the Covenant.

The idea of a covenant between man and God is, of course, familiar to the followers of many religions. Jews understand that God entered into a covenant with them, promising to guide them as long as they obeyed His laws. Christians, too, understand that Jesus entered into a new covenant with His followers.

For Bahá’ís, the Covenant made by Bahá’u’lláh is both a renewal of the promise of divine guidance and a system that ensures its continuance. Specifically, the Covenant can be understood to be synonymous with the line of succession after Bahá’u’lláh, as set down in the written scriptures of the Faith. This line goes from Bahá’u’lláh to His son, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, and then from ‘Abdu’l-Bahá to His grandson, Shoghi Effendi, and to the Universal House of Justice.

To be faithful to the Covenant of Bahá’u’lláh is to be obedient to Him as God’s Messenger. This means to accept the authority of His appointed successors and to adhere to the arrangements He made for the advancement of His Faith. To break the Covenant is to reject or deliberately attempt to usurp or undermine the authority Bahá’u’lláh has established, while still claiming to be a Bahá’í. Such an action constitutes an attack on the Faith’s unity — its distinguishing characteristic.

Anyone who persistently engages in such behavior becomes known as a Covenant-breaker and is therefore denied access to the Bahá’í community. Such a person can gain readmittance through genuine repentance.

Moral shortcomings, such as a failure to conform to Bahá’í standards, are not a breach of the Covenant. 

Links

• Covenant and the Foundations of Civil Society

  An exploration of the religious origins of the organizing principles of civil society, their secularization in the modern era, and the prospect of an inclusive global moral order based on the enduring concept of covenant. More >

• The Covenant of Bahá'u'lláh

  "So powerful is the light of unity," Bahá'u'lláh declared, "that it can illuminate the whole earth." "We, verily," He further stated, "have come to unite and weld together all that dwell on earth." Bahá'u'lláh made the oneness of humankind the central principle and goal of His Faith. More >

• Message of the Universal House of Justice

  Description of the Message of the UHJ to the NY Congress in 1992. More >

• The Protection of Diversity in the Bahá'í Community

  The keynote of the Bahá'í approach to social organization is not uniformity, but unity in diversity. Central to the Bahá'í Faith is a system of teachings and institutions that assure freedom of individual opinion, that protect individual rights irrespective of race, color, religion, nationality, class, or attitude toward the Faith, and that encourage the full participation of minorities in the life of the Bahá'í community. More >

• Hands of the Cause of God

  An emphasis on group leadership, as opposed to individual power, runs throughout the Bahá'í administrative system. Individuals do not set policy or make rules in Bahá'í institutions—Spiritual Assemblies make the decisions, although they may delegate specific executive responsibilities. More >

• From the Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Bahá

  Selections from the Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Bahá. More >

• The Book of the Covenant

  Description of the Book of the Covenant More >