Baha'i

Founder / Major Figures:

A prophet called the Bab proclaimed he had a mission from God
Mirza Husayn Ali Nuri, a Muslim and one of the Bab's followers, became known as Baha'u'llah (The Glory of God); revered by Baha'is as the Promised One of whom the Bab had spoken
Abdu'l-Baha, eldest son of Baha'u'llah, continued spreading the faith

Major beliefs

Baha'is believe that humankind is one family created by God. They believe in the:
Oneness of God
Oneness of religion
Oneness of humankind
Baha'is believe that the purpose of life is to know and worship God and to work for the good of humankind.
Because Baha'is affirm all faiths, they have been leaders in interfaith dialogue.
They believe that the world is gradually evolving toward a full realization of essential unity, and, as grateful followers of Baha'u'llah's teaching they seek to participate in the spiritual growth of the world by:
Eliminating all kinds of prejudice
Promoting the equality of woman and man in all aspects of human society
Advocating the unity of truth, so that scientific and religious truths are in harmony
Working for compulsory education for all children throughout the world
Working for peace through world governance
Seeking to eliminate the extremes of wealth and poverty
Promoting free and independent investigation of truth by every individual (adapted from the official web site of Baha'i faith).
Baha'is recognize that in spite of these high ideals for humanity, people can by their free will turn from what is best and permit their undisciplined physical passions to hinder their spiritual progress. But God is both just and merciful, ready to forgive those who turn from their misdeeds.
As believers perfect their spiritual path by following the teachings of their founder and by works of goodness, they prepare for the time of death where the soul will be separated from the body and will continue its course of spiritual perfection.

Scripture / Sacred Writings

The writings and prayers of Baha'u'llah, the Bab, and Abdu'l-Baha are most often used. The Bible, the Qu'ran, and other scriptures are occasionally used in worship.

Worship and Spiritual Practice

There is no weekly worship service, but there is a regular community gathering called the Nineteen-Day Feast, which includes worship, feasting, and business. This day of worship is the first day of each of the nineteen months. After prayers and readings from the sacred writings of Baha'u'llah and others, they hear reports of Baha'i activities regional and worldwide and plan their communal life. Then the worshippers have a social time of fellowship together.
There are no clergy, and ritual, rites, and other ceremonies are not allowed. Scripture, either sung or read, is central to worship. Music is very important, often accompanied by guitar.
The most common Baha'i meeting is the fireside, consisting usually of hospitality and a discussion of the Baha'i Faith.
Once a year they observe a month-long fast from food and drink as a spiritual exercise to draw near to God.

History

The Baha'i Faith began in 1844 in Persia (present-day Iran) when a prophet called the Bab proclaimed to the world that he had a mission from God. He was to prepare the way for the coming of one who would unite the people of the world and lead them into an age of peace for all.
Baha'u'llah, one of the Bab's followers, was exiled to Baghdad after the Bab was martyred in 1850. Before leaving Baghdad for further exile in Constantinople, he gathered the followers of the Bab in a garden (the "Garden of Paradise" or Ridvan) and revealed to them that he was the Promised One of whom the Bab had spoken.
Beginning in the 1870s, Baha'i teachers traveled widely, making converts to the faith. After the death of Baha'u'llah, his eldest son Abdu'l-Baha took up the work of spreading the faith to Europe and North America.
Today, the Baha'i Faith claims about five million members worldwide.
The first community of Baha'is appeared in the United States in 1894 and there are currently about 7,000 North American localities where Baha'is reside and 1,700 local assemblies.
They have built several schools and an administration and worship center in Wilmette, Illinois.

Calendar

The Baha'i calendar is a solar calendar with nineteen months of nineteen days each, beginning on March 21. It includes four Intercalary Days before the nineteenth month.
The day of worship is the first day of each of the nineteen months. Baha'is have nine holy days and observe the last month in their calendar as a month of fasting.

Administration and Secular Life

There are no clergy in the Baha'i faith. The local assembly elects a nine-member administrative board to guide the community in its activities of teaching, publicity, worship, financial dealings, counseling, and so forth.
The nine northeastern states have a regional council and at the national level, the administrative center in Wilmette, Illinois, supervises Baha'i ministries in the United States.
In Haifa, Israel, a domed structure faced with Grecian-styled columns houses the Universal House of Justice, a nine-member council charged with the oversight of Baha'i communities in the whole world. Many people make pilgrimages to Haifa because it was near there that Baha'u'llah died in 1892.
Baha'is have no special dietary restrictions, and they abstain from drugs and alcohol.
They are free to take part in public life so long as they do not engage in partisan politics. They are required to obey the government in control, and can take stands on moral and social issues. However they believe that political involvement would be a compromise of their primary emphasis which is on the progress of human civilization toward unity.