Baha'i

“The Bahá'í Faith is the youngest of the world's independent religions, marking its origin in 1844. In the century and a half since then it has spread around the globe, gaining adherents in 235 countries and territories. Its five million members are drawn from over 2,100 ethnic, racial and tribal groups, making it one of the most diverse organizations in the world.

Bahá'ís believe in one God who is unknowable in His essence, who created the universe and all that it contains and from whom all creation continuously emanates.

Because God is unknowable, He has out of His love for us sent Messengers to teach us about Him and to provide guidance for our lives, both as individuals and as societies. God will never leave us without His guidance. He has sent these Messengers from the beginning and will continue to send them, at approximately one thousand-year intervals, for as long as mankind endures. All the world's religions were established by these Messengers. Thus, all religions are in their essence one, successive stages in a never-ending cycle of progressive revelation. Although outwardly they appear to differ, inwardly they all teach the same basic truths. Their apparent differences are to be attributed to the differing requirements and capacities of the people for whom they were revealed. Bahá'ís accept Abraham, Moses, Zoroaster, Krishna, the Buddha, Jesus, Muhammad, the Báb and Bahá'u'lláh as Messengers of God.

There is only one human race. All people are one, regardless of racial, ethnic, economic, national or religious background. Our differences lend strength and beauty to humanity and should not be a cause for division and hatred. Accordingly, all forms of prejudice must be eliminated, the equality of women must be firmly established, extremes of wealth and poverty must be eliminated and everyone must receive an education. Bahá'ís actively pursue these and other humanitarian goals as means for advancing the unity of humanity.

The time for world peace is now at hand. The rulers of the world must fix borders and levels of armaments, then practice collective security to reduce the threat of war. A universal auxiliary language must be chosen to facilitate communication among all the world's peoples. A model for a future global society is found in the Bahá'í administration, which provides for nonpolitical elections, a spiritual process of consultation and unified action once decisions are made. Governments can take the first steps to reduce the threat of war, but only through the global application of Bahá'u'lláh's principles will a true and lasting peace, "the Most Great Peace," be established. As hard as it may be to envision this happening right now, world peace is not only possible but inevitable.

Individual spiritual practice includes daily prayer, study of the Holy Writings and a brief period of fasting in March of each year. Bahá'í communities gather once each 19 days for worship, consultation on community affairs and socializing. There is no clergy, so worship consists primarily of reading from the Holy Writings, often with musical interludes or accompaniment.
The spiritual principles which govern Bahá'í life are much the same as those found in other religions. Honesty, trustworthiness, courtesy, purity of motive, charity, justice, love and unity are all enjoined. Backbiting is forbidden. Because there is no clergy, every Bahá'í has a duty to teach others about the religion. When teaching, Bahá'ís must use tact and wisdom, and avoid both proselytizing and argument.”

“One of the most important things that Bahá'u'lláh did was to make it clear that the quest for personal spiritual development (the mystical quest) is the central concern of religion. This is something that has not always been clear in other religions. In the majority orthodox interpretation of Judaism and both Sunni and Shi`i Islam for example, the central concern of the religion is the following of a Holy Law, the correct performance of rituals and the correct pattern of life. Bahá'u'lláh annuls most of the provisions of the Holy Law, saying in effect that such rigid frameworks were necessary in the childhood of humanity but now that humanity has reached maturity, decisions on the pattern of one's life should be left to the ethical judgement and sense of dignity and moderation of the individual. Instead, he refocuses the energies of the followers of his religion on the spiritual development of the individual. From now on, the mystic quest is to be everyone's concern. Using the term that in Sufism signifies the mystical union of the lover and the Beloved (wisál), Bahá'u'lláh calls this day, "the Day whereon the Finger of majesty and power hath opened the seal of the Wine of Reunion (wisál), and called all who are in the heavens and all who are on the earth."

Thus while the mystical quest is a religious interest of a minority in other religions (the members of Sufi orders, the ascetics in Hinduism, the monks in Christianity and Judaism, etc.), in the Bahá'í Faith, it becomes a central concern of the whole community. While in other religions, separate communities need to be set up in order to cater for the minority who wish to pursue the mystical quest (Sufi orders, Christian and Buddhist monastic communities), in the Bahá'í Faith, the whole community is engaged in the mystical quest and thus the Bahá'í community itself is the mystic community. The Bahá'í administrative order thus becomes the organization of a mystic community.”

"The Seven Valleys is a book written in Persian by Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the Bahá'í Faith. The book follows the path of the soul on a spiritual journey passing through different stages, from this world to other realms which are closer to God, as first described by the 12th Century Sufi poet Farid al-Din Attar in his Conference of the Birds. The stages are accomplished in order, and the goal of the journey is to follow "the Right Path", "abandon the drop of life and come to the sea of the Life-Bestower", and "gaze on the Beloved". In the conclusion of the book, he mentions: "These journeys have no visible ending in the world of time, but the severed wayfarer—if invisible confirmation descend upon him and the Guardian of the Cause assist him—may cross these seven stages in seven steps, nay rather in seven breaths, nay rather in a single breath, if God will and desire it."

The valley of search is described as the first step that a seeker must take in his path. Bahá'u'lláh states that the seeker must cleanse his heart, and not follow the paths of his forefathers. It is explained that ardour and patience are required to traverse this valley.

The next valley is the "Valley of Love". Bahá'u'lláh describes how love burns away reason, causing pain, madness and single minded endeavour. He writes that the fire of love burns away the material self, revealing instead the world of the spirit.

The Valley of Knowledge is the knowledge of God, and not one based on learning; it is explained that pride in one's knowledge and accomplishments often disallows one to reach true understanding, which is the knowledge of God. It is explained that the seeker, when in this valley, begins to understand the mysteries contained within God's revelation, and finds wisdom in all things including when faced with pain and hardship, which he understands to be God's mercy and blessing. This valley is called the last limited valley.

The next stage is the valley of unity, and it is explained that the seeker now sees creation not by its limitations, but sees the attributes of God in all created things. The seeker, it is written, is detached from earthly things, is not concerned with his own self and has no ego; instead he praises God for all of creation.

The next valley for the seeker is the valley of contentment, where it is explained, that the seeker becomes independent from all things, and even though he may look poor or is subjected to suffering, he will be endowed with wealth and power from the spiritual worlds and will inwardly be happy. Happiness is explained to be the attribute of the true believer, and it cannot be achieved by obtaining material things, since material things are transitory.

In the valley of wonderment the seeker, it is written, is struck dumb by the beauty of God; the seeker becomes conscious of the vastness and glory of creation, and discovers the inner mysteries of God's revelation. Being led from one mystery of creation to the next, it is explained that the seeker continues to be astonished by the works of God.

The final valley is the valley of true poverty and absolute nothingness, and it is the furthermost state that the mystic can reach. The seeker, it is explained is poor of all material things, and is rich in spiritual attributes. It is explained that it is the state of annihilation of self in God, but not an existential union: the essences of God's self and the mystic's self remain distinct, in contrast to what appears to be a complete union in other traditions.” ~ Wikipedia

Photos ~ Bahá'u'lláh
            ~ Bahá'í House of Worship, Wilmette, Illinois