The Baha’i Faith is a monotheistic religion founded in the nineteenth century by the Prophet Baha’u’llah. Baha’u’llah was a Follower of the Messianic movement Babism originating from the teachings of the Bab. Baha’u’llah declared Himself to be the Prophet predicted by the Bab and the Promised Messiah of the world. He was succeeded in leadership of the young Faith by His Son Abdu’l-Baha in 1892. The Bab, Baha’u’llah, and Abdu’l-Baha are known as the Three Central Figures of the Baha’i Faith. When Abdu’l-Baha died, leadership passed to His grandson Shoghi Effendi in 1921. Shoghi Effendi held the title of Guardian, a position established in the Baha’i writings for the protection of the Baha’i Faith. Today the Baha’i Faith is led by the Universal House of Justice (est. 1963).

In this informal speech of Abdu’l-Baha, He summarizes the general beliefs of the Baha’i Faith. The principles of the Baha’i Faith can be broadly outlined as such:

Oneness of Mankind – Baha’is uphold the principles of unity, diversity, and brotherhood.

The earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens. (Baha’u’llah, Tablet of Maqsud) The utterance of God is a lamp, whose light is these words: Ye are the fruits of one tree, and the leaves of one branch. Deal ye one with another with the utmost love and harmony, with friendliness and fellowship. (Baha’u’llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah)

2. Oneness of Religion – Baha’is believe in the unity of the world’s major religions. In addition to the Bab and Baha’u’llah, Baha’is honor Buddha, Krishna, Zoroaster, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad as Divine Messengers sent to teach and guide humanity. Religious Truth in the Baha’i Faith is an ongoing process. God sends Messengers over time to deliver Divine guidance to humanity. This process of continuous and periodical Revelation is known to Baha’is as progressive Revelation. The societal teachings of Prophets expressed in religious law vary with historical circumstances, but God’s eternal Truths remain steadfast.

Every Divine Revelation hath been sent down in a manner that befitted the circumstances of the age in which it hath appeared. (Baha’u’llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah)

3. Oneness of God – The Baha’i Faith is a monotheistic religion which asserts the existence of a single, eternal, and uncreated God. God is omniscient, omnipotent, and all-powerful, but He expresses love, concern, and affection to humanity. The only way humanity can learn about God is through Manifestations of God Who function as the Mouthpieces, Representatives, and Reflections of God on earth. Baha’u’llah, the Bab, Jesus, Muhammad, and Moses are a few of these Manifestations of God, a term which is roughly equivalent to Prophet.

4. Equality of Men and Women – The Baha’i Faith recognizes women and men as equals.

Women are not seen by Baha’is as incapable or inferior. Baha’i women hold leadership positions in the Faith, have careers, raise children and participate in Baha’i community life just as men do. On an international level, Baha’is work to end the struggles women face such as denial of education and gender-based discrimination and violence.

Women have equal rights with men upon earth; in religion and society they are a very important element. As long as women are prevented from attaining their highest possibilities, so long will men be unable to achieve the greatness which might be theirs. (Abdu’l-Baha, Paris Talks)

5. Independent Investigation of Truth – Baha’is consider it an obligation of every human being to individually study and discover Truth.

Another new principle revealed by His Holiness Bahá’u’lláh is the injunction to investigate truth; that is to say, no man should blindly follow his ancestors and forefathers. Nay, each must see with his own eyes, hear with his own ears and investigate the truth himself in order that he may follow the truth instead of blind acquiescence and imitation of ancestral beliefs. (Abdu’l-Baha, Baha’i World Faith – Abdu’l-Baha Section)

6. Abolishment of Racial Prejudice – Every human is recognized in the Baha’i Faith as a creation of God. Our relationship to God and self-worth is divorced from race, ethnicity, and skin color. As children of God, all humans deserve equal treatment regardless of race.

The diversity in the human family should be the cause of love and harmony, as it is in music where many different notes blend together in the making of a perfect chord. (Abdu’l-Baha, Paris Talks)

7. A Universal Language – Baha’is believe an international language will be established to promote unity, brotherhood, and peace. There is no set international language, but some Baha’is have proposed Esperanto as said language.

The day is approaching when all the peoples of the world will have adopted one universal language and one common script. When this is achieved, to whatsoever city a man may journey, it shall be as if he were entering his own home. (Baha’u’llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah)

8. Oneness of Science and Religion – Science and religion are one. Science is necessary for the physical advancement of society and religion for spiritual advancement.

Religion and Science are inter-twined with each other and cannot be separated. These are the two wings with which humanity must fly. One wing is not enough. Every religion which does not concern itself with Science is mere tradition, and that is not the essential. (Abdu’l-Baha, Abdu’l-Baha in London)

9. Establishment of Word Peace – It is the goal of Baha’is to establish word peace and an international government. Humanity is currently in state of upheaval. War, racism, hatred, and chaos prevail and will grow over time until world peace and a world government is finally established. The current state of the world shows both positive world-building aspects as well as negative degrading functions. Both play an active role in shaping society for the impending peace.

Soon will the present-day order be rolled up, and a new one spread out in its stead. (Baha’u’llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah) Yet so it shall be; these fruitless strifes, these ruinous wars shall pass away, and the Most Great Peace shall come. (Baha’u’llah’s statements to E.G. Browne, recorded in various sources)

10. Universal Education – Education is necessary for the advancement of human beings and society and for the fulfillment of true potential. Ignorance causes disbelief, strife and hatred. The solution is universal education regardless of race, gender, or social class. If a garden is not cultivated then it becomes filled with weeds and bristles, but through cultivation the garden grows flowers and fruits. The same is true of men and education. Education is a prerequisite for the spiritual, physical, intellectual, and moral development of every human.

The education of each child is compulsory. In addition to this wide-spread education each child must be taught a profession, art, or trade, so that every member of the community will be enabled to earn his own livelihood. (Abdu’l-Baha, Abdu’l-Baha on Divine Philosophy)

11. Religion as a Cause of Love – Religion should be the cause of love, kindness, unity, peace, and charity. This is religion in its purest form. Following a hateful and contemptuous religion is worse than following no religion.

My first counsel is this: Possess a pure, kindly and radiant heart, that thine may be a sovereignty ancient, imperishable and everlasting. (Baha’u’llah, The Arabic Hidden Words) The fundamental purpose animating the Faith of God and His Religion is to safeguard the interests and promote the unity of the human race, and to foster the spirit of love and fellowship amongst men. Suffer it not to become a source of dissension and discord, of hate and enmity. (Baha’u’llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah)

Baha’is apply the principles of the Baha’i Faith in their individual and community life. It is the duty of every Baha’i to show love and friendship to every person they come across. Baha’is have established schools and charities, but also work on a grassroots level to aid their local communities.