Practices

• How do Bahá’ís spread their beliefs?
• How do I become a Bahá’í?
• Do Bahá’ís observe any dietary restrictions?

• Are Bahá’ís required to tithe a portion of their income?
• What are the laws in the Bahá’í Faith?
• What is the Bahá’í attitude towards homosexuality?

How do Bahá’ís spread their beliefs?

Bahá’u’lláh has stated that each Bahá’í has the duty to share the Faith with others but forbids the practice of proselytism. Thus, no pressure must be put on anyone to accept it, since independent investigation of truth is a fundamental right and responsibility of each individual. More >

How do I become a Bahá’í?

A person becomes a Bahá’í by recognizing Bahá’u’lláh as the Messenger of God for this age and accepting to follow His laws and teachings and the administrative institutions He established for the unification of humankind. People enroll in a Bahá’í community by signifying such belief and commitment, orally or in writing, to the responsible Bahá'í institution. More >

Do Bahá’ís observe any dietary restrictions?

Although there are no dietary restrictions in the Bahá’í Faith, the consumption of alcoholic beverages and the use of narcotic and hallucinogenic drugs is prohibited. More >

Are Bahá’ís required to tithe a portion of their income?

As an element of their life of service, Bahá’ís contribute regularly to the funds that support the work of the Faith in accordance with their means. This is a spiritual duty and a matter of individual conscience, without coercion or overview by the community. More >

What are the laws in the Bahá’í Faith?

The Bahá'í teachings include laws and prescriptions for the spiritual and moral life of the individual and for the governance and development of society. The laws for one’s personal life include, among others, daily prayer, observance of a period of fasting, the education of children, abstention from partisan politics, and the obligation to engage in a trade or profession. Other moral and ethical principles include prohibitions against backbiting, extramarital sex, gambling, and the nonmedical use of alcohol or drugs. Furthermore, Bahá'u'lláh delineated principles and institutions designed to set a pattern for the effective functioning of a unified society and the material well-being of the world’s peoples. More >

What is the Bahá’í attitude towards homosexuality?

Bahá’í law limits permissible sexual relations to those between a man and a woman in marriage. Believers are expected to abstain from sex outside matrimony. Bahá’ís do not, however, attempt to impose their moral standards on those who have not accepted the Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh. While requiring uprightness in all matters of morality, whether sexual or otherwise, the Bahá’í teachings also take account of human frailty and call for tolerance and understanding in regard to human failings. In this context, to regard homosexuals with prejudice would be contrary to the spirit of the Bahá’í teachings. More >