Community Life
- Are there Bahá’í activities in which I can participate?
- How is the Bahá’í community organized?
- How do Bahá’ís worship?
- How do the Bahá’ís relate to other religions?
- Where does money come from for Bahá’í activities and projects?
- What is the role of the individual in the Bahá’í Faith?
- What is the Bahá'í view of marriage and family?
- Are there any sects or branches of the Bahá’í Faith?
- Do Bahá’ís have places of worship?
Are there Bahá’í activities in which I can participate?
Bahá'ís have regular meetings for worship and social and educational activities for children, youth, and adults, open to all. Bahá’ís gather in study circles to explore in a participatory manner Bahá’u’lláh’s teachings. There are also activities for service, observances of Bahá’í holy days and other events to which all are welcome. Informal gatherings, sometimes referred to as “fireside meetings,” provide an open setting for asking questions and learning more about the Faith for oneself. More >
How is the Bahá’í community organized?
The Bahá’í community’s collective life is administered by nine-member consultative councils that are democratically elected, without nomination or electioneering, at the local, national and international levels. These are Local Spiritual Assemblies, National Spiritual Assemblies, and the Universal House of Justice. Additionally, appointed advisors assist and counsel local and national communities and institutions in their development. There is no clergy in the Bahá’í Faith. Local Bahá’í communities meet every 19 days for a “Feast,” a gathering that includes consultation on community activities as well as devotional and social portions. More >
How do Bahá’ís worship?
Bahá’ís worship God through prayer and meditation, by participating in devotional gatherings, and through active service to their communities. They individually recite one of three obligatory prayers each day as prescribed by Bahá’u’lláh. The Bahá’í scriptures offer much guidance on the uses of prayer and contain many prayers for various purposes and occasions. Moreover, work performed in the spirit of service is, according to the Bahá’í teachings, a form of worshipping God. More >
How do the Bahá’ís relate to other religions?
Bahá’u’lláh called upon the Bahá’ís to associate with the followers of all religions in a spirit of love and friendship. Bahá’ís see no intrinsic conflict with other religious communities, as they believe all the revealed faiths originate from the same Source, God, and are essentially one. More >
Where does money come from for Bahá’í activities and projects?
All activities of the Bahá’í community are supported by the voluntary contributions of individual believers. Bahá’ís neither seek nor accept funds from others for activities that relate to the internal development of the Bahá’í community. Funds from private, national, or international agencies are sometimes received for social and humanitarian initiatives, such as schools and agricultural projects that are designed to serve the community at large. More >
What is the role of the individual in the Bahá’í Faith?
The work of the Faith proceeds in three interactive and complementary spheres of activity: individual, community, and institutional. The role of the individual is accorded basic significance because the success of the community depends ultimately on the individual’s response to the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh. This role is expressed principally both in the initiatives taken by the individual to acquaint others with the Faith and in efforts to assist in building a united, functioning community. More >
What is the Bahá'í view of marriage and family?
The family is the basic unit of social life, and the progress of society depends on soundly functioning families. Monogamous marriage between a man and a woman is the foundation of family life. Bahá’u’lláh described matrimony as “a fortress for well-being and salvation” and identified the rearing of children as the fundamental, though not the only, purpose of marriage. More >
Are there any sects or branches of the Bahá’í Faith?
The Bahá’í Faith is protected from division by a Covenant established by Bahá’u’lláh. Instituted to preserve the unity of His followers and prevent schism after His passing, the Covenant calls on all Bahá’ís to turn for guidance to His eldest son, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, the appointed interpreter of His teachings, then to Shoghi Effendi, Guardian of the Faith until his passing in 1957, and subsequently to the Universal House of Justice, the elected international council. Those who do not, or cease to, observe these provisions of the Covenant cannot legitimately claim to be Bahá’ís. Despite efforts by individuals to divert authority to themselves, the Bahá'í community is a single, organically united body, free of schisms or factions. More >
Do Bahá’ís have places of worship?
Bahá’u’lláh called for temples of great beauty to be built eventually in every locality where Bahá’ís reside, each to be surrounded by institutions of social service. To date, seven have been built, at least one on each continent. While their architectural styles differ, they share certain features, such as nine entrances on nine sides, and are set in magnificent gardens (nine being the highest digit symbolizes completeness or unity). These temples are places for personal prayer and meditation, as well as collective worship, where sacred scriptures are recited and sung. More >