The Bahá’í Faith

The teachings of the Bahá’í Faith are vast in their scope, exploring such themes as the nature and purpose of Revelation, the inherent nobility of the human being, the cultivation of spiritual qualities, and humanity’s interactions with the natural world. The Bahá’í Writings are also replete with references to universal peace—“the supreme goal of all mankind”—as well as explanations of the social principles with which this peace is associated. Bahá’ís do not view these principles as mere statements of vague aspiration—they are understood as matters of immediate and practical concern for individuals, communities, and institutions alike.

The Covenant

The Bahá’í Faith began with the mission entrusted by God to two Divine Messengers—the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh. Today, the distinctive unity of the Faith They founded stems from explicit instructions given by Bahá’u’lláh that have assured the continuity of guidance following His passing. This line of succession, referred to as the Covenant, went from Bahá’u’lláh to His Son ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, and then from ‘Abdu’l-Bahá to His grandson, Shoghi Effendi, and the Universal House of Justice, ordained by Bahá’u’lláh. A Bahá’í accepts the divine authority of the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh and of these appointed successors.

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‘Abdu’l-Baha (translated “Servant of the Glory”) – The Center of the Covenant and Perfect Exemplar

Upholding unity as the fundamental principle of His teachings, Bahá’u’lláh established the necessary safeguard to ensure that His religion would never suffer the same fate as others that split into sects after the deaths of their Founders. In His Writings, He instructed all to turn to His eldest Son, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, not only as the authorized interpreter of the Bahá’í Writings but also as the perfect exemplar of the Faith’s spirit and teachings.

Following Bahá’u’lláh’s passing, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s extraordinary qualities of character, His knowledge and His service to humanity offered a vivid demonstration of Bahá’u’lláh’s teachings in action, and brought great prestige to the rapidly expanding community throughout the world.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá devoted His ministry to furthering His Father’s Faith and to promoting the ideals of peace and unity. He encouraged the establishment of local Bahá’í institutions, and guided nascent educational, social and economic initiatives. After His release from a lifetime of imprisonment, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá set out on a series of journeys which took Him to Egypt, Europe and North America. Throughout His life, He presented with brilliant simplicity, to high and low alike, Bahá’u’lláh’s prescription for the spiritual and social renewal of society.

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Shoghi Effendi, Guardian of the Bahá’í Faith

For 36 years, with extraordinary foresight, wisdom and devotion, Shoghi Effendi systematically nurtured the development, deepened the understanding, and strengthened the unity of the Bahá’í community, as it increasingly grew to reflect the diversity of the entire human race.

Under Shoghi Effendi’s direction, the unique system designed by Bahá’u’lláh for administering the affairs of the community evolved rapidly throughout the world. He translated the Bahá’í Scriptures into English, developed the Faith’s spiritual and administrative centre in the Holy Land, and, in the thousands of letters he penned, offered profound insights into the spiritual dimension of civilization and the dynamics of social change, unveiling an awe-inspiring vision of the future towards which humanity is moving.

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The Universal House of Justice

The Universal House of Justice is the international governing council of the Bahá’í Faith. 

The Universal House of Justice is a nine-member body, elected every five years by the entire membership of all national Bahá’í assemblies. Bahá’u’lláh conferred divine authority upon the Universal House of Justice to exert a positive influence on the welfare of humankind, promote education, peace and global prosperity, and safeguard human honour and the position of religion. It is charged with applying the Bahá’í teachings to the requirements of an ever-evolving society and is thus empowered to legislate on matters not explicitly covered in the Faith’s Sacred Texts.

Since its first election in 1963, the Universal House of Justice has guided the Bahá’í world community to develop its capacity to participate in building a prosperous global civilization. The guidance provided by the Universal House of Justice ensures unity of thought and action in the Bahá’í community as it learns to translate the Bahá’í Teachings into reality.