Part of the series Bahá'í Faith

Central figures

Bahá'u'lláh The Báb · Abdu'l-Bahá Seat of the Universal House of Justice, governing body of the Baháís in Haifa Israel The Baháí Faith is an emerging global religion founded by Baháulláh, a 19th century Persian exile. ... Image File history File links Generic Bahai star File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Shrine of Baháulláh Baháulláh (Arabic: بهاء الله Glory of God) (b. ... Shrine of the Báb at night from above in Haifa, Israel. ... `Abdul-Bahá Sir `Abdu’l-Bahá `Abbás Effendi (May 23, 1844 - November 28, 1921) commonly known as `Abdu’l-Bahá (Arabic/Persian:عبد البهاء), was the son of Baháulláh, the Prophet-Founder of the Baháí Faith. ...

Selected scripture

Kitáb-i-Aqdas · Kitáb-i-Íqán The Hidden Words The Kitáb-i-Aqdas is the central book of the Baháí Faith, written by Baháulláh, the founder of the religion. ... The Kitáb-i-Íqán (Lit. ... {{Ba[[ == [[Media: --67. ...

Bahá'í Institutions

Administrative Order The Guardian Universal House of Justice Continental Counsellors Spiritual Assembly The Baháí administration refers to the administrative system of the Baháí Faith. ... Shoghi Effendi (1897-1957) Shoghi Effendi Rabbani (March 1, 1897 - November 5, 1957) was the Guardian of the Baháí Faith from 1921 until his death. ... Seat of The Universal House of Justice For the building, see the Seat of the Universal House of Justice The Universal House of Justice is the supreme governing institution of the Baháí Faith. ... The Continental Counsellors, more commonly known as simply Counsellors, are part of the administrative order of the Baháí Faith, and are part of a greater administrative branch called the Institution of the Counsellors, established by the Universal House of Justice in 1973. ... Spiritual Assembly is a term given by `Abdul-Bahá to refer to elected leadership councils that govern the Baháí Faith. ...

Holy cities

Haifa · Akká Shiraz · Baghdad Pilgrimage To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The Old City of Acre in the 19th or early 20th century, looking south-west from atop the Land Wall Promenade, the open space now a parking lot. ... Shirāz is Irans city of poets, as some of Persian poetrys giants are buried here. ... Location of Baghdad within Iraq Baghdad (Arabic: ) (Bexda in Kurdish) is the capital of Iraq and of Baghdad Governorate. ... A Baháí pilgrimage currently consists of visiting the holy places in Haifa, Akká, and Bahjí at the Baháí World Centre in Northwest Israel. ...

History

Bahá'í history · Timeline Bábís · Shaykh Ahmad The history of the Baháí Faith represents over 150 years of growth, and this article will attempt to provide more of the details than is possible in a more general overview of the Baháí Faith The religion claims to be part of a long religious tradition begun by Adam, and... This page is dedicated to providing a basic timeline of the Bábí movement and Baháí Faith. ... The room where The Báb declared His mission on May 23, 1844 in His house in Shiraz. ... Shaykh Ahmad-i-Ahsai (1753 - 1826), better known as Shaykh Ahmad, was the founder of a 19th century Shia religious movement in the Persian and Ottoman empires, whose followers were known as Shaykhis. ...

Key individuals

Shoghi Effendi Martha Root · Táhirih Badí' · Apostles Hands of the Cause Shoghi Effendi (1897-1957) Shoghi Effendi Rabbani (March 1, 1897 - November 5, 1957) was the Guardian of the Baháí Faith from 1921 until his death. ... One of the prominent traveling teachers of the Baháí Faith in the late 19th and early 20th century. ... Táhirih (literally The Pure One) and Qurrat al-Ayn (قرة العين, literally Comfort of the Eyes or Solace of the Eyes) are the religious titles of Fatima Baraghani (1814-1820, died 1852 - birth date uncertain, as birth records were destroyed at her execution), an influential poet and theologian of the B... Mirzá Áqá Buzurg-i-Nishapuri (born 1853-1870) often known better as Badí (literally wonderful), or by his title, the Pride of Martyrs was the son of Abdul-Majid-i-Nishapuri, a highly praised follower of the Báb and Baháulláh. ... The Apostles of Baháulláh were nineteen of the most eminent of the early followers of Baháulláh, the founder of the Baháí Faith. ... The Hands of the Cause in the Bahai Faith are a select group of appointed believers whose main function is to help propagate and protect the Bahai Faith on the international level. ...

Principal Teachings

Unity of humanity Unity of religion Gender equality Universal education Science and religion Auxilliary language The Bahai Faith emphasizes the unity of humanity transcending all divisions of race, nation, gender, caste, and social class. ... The Baháí Faith states that religion has the same foundation and that there is unity of religion. ... One of main teachings of the Baháí Faith is gender equality; that men and women are equal. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Baháí Faith. ... A fundamental principle of the Baháí Faith is the harmony of religion and science. ... Language Policy in the Baháí Faith focuses on a particular teaching; that the world should adopt an international auxiliary language, and everyone should have to learn only two languages, ideally one. ...

See Also

Symbols · Laws Teachings · Literature Calendar Index of Bahá'í Articles Baháí laws are laws and ordinances used in the Baháí Faith, according to the instructions of the Baháulláh, and written in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas. ... The Baháí teachings represent a considerable number of theological, social, and spiritual ideas that were established in the Baháí Faith by its central figures. ... Baháí literature, like much religious text, covers a variety of topics and forms, including scripture and inspiration, interpretation, history and biography, introduction and study materials, and apologia. ... The Baháí calendar, common to the Baháí Faith, is a solar calendar with regular years 365 days long and leap years 366 days long as explained within the Kitáb-i-Aqdas. ...

The Nineteen Day Fast (March 2 - March 20) is a nineteen-day period of the year, during which members of the Bahá'í Faith adhere to a sunrise to sunset fast. March 2 is the 61st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (62nd in leap years). ... March 20 is the 79th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (80th in Leap years). ... Seat of the Universal House of Justice, governing body of the Baháís in Haifa Israel The Baháí Faith is an emerging global religion founded by Baháulláh, a 19th century Persian exile. ... Fasting is the act of willingly abstaining from some or all food and in some cases drink, for a period of time. ...

Background

The Bahá'í fast resembles fasting practices of several other religions. Lent is a period of fasting for Christians, Yom Kippur and many other holidays for Jews, and the Fast of Ramadan is practiced by Muslims. The Bahá'í fasting most resembles the Fast of Ramadan, except that the period of fasting is defined as a fixed Bahá'í month, whereas Muslims fast during a lunar month, whose specific dates vary from year to year. Fasting is the act of willingly abstaining from some or all food and in some cases drink, for a period of time. ... In Western Christianity, Lent is the forty-day period between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday (Pascha). ... Yom Kippur (יום כיפור yom kippÅ«r) is the Jewish holiday of the Day of Atonement. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Ramadan (religious observances). ... Baháí Months - national names Baháulláh confirmed the Bábs calendar (the Badí Calendar) that starts on the 21st of March of the Gregorian Calendar. ... In lunar calendars, a lunar month is the time between two successive similar syzygies (new moons or full moons). ...

Definition

Fasting is observed from sunrise to sunset during the Bahá'í month of `Ala' (between March 2nd through March 20th). Bahá'u'lláh established the guidelines in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas. It is the complete abstaining from both food and drink (including abstaining from smoking). Observing the fast is an individual obligation, and is binding on all Bahá'ís who have reached the age of maturity (15 years) until the age of 70. Fasting is the act of willingly abstaining from some or all food and in some cases drink, for a period of time. ... Baháí Months - national names Baháulláh confirmed the Bábs calendar (the Badí Calendar) that starts on the 21st of March of the Gregorian Calendar. ... Shrine of Baháulláh Baháulláh (Arabic: بهاء الله Glory of God) (b. ... The Kitáb-i-Aqdas is the central book of the Baháí Faith, written by Baháulláh, the founder of the religion. ...

Spiritual nature

Along with obligatory prayer, it is one of the greatest obligations of a Bahá'í. Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith, explains that "It is essentially a period of meditation and prayer, of spiritual recuperation, during which the believer must strive to make the necessary readjustments in his inner life, and to refresh and reinvigorate the spiritual forces latent in his soul. Its significance and purpose are, therefore, fundamentally spiritual in character. Fasting is symbolic, and a reminder of abstinence from selfish and carnal desires." Shoghi Effendi (1897-1957) Shoghi Effendi Rabbani (March 1, 1897 - November 5, 1957) was the Guardian of the Baháí Faith from 1921 until his death. ...

Laws concering fasting

There are a certain amount of laws and practices associated with the Nineteen Day Fast, and when Bahá'ís are exempted from fasting.

• The period of fasting begins with the termination of the Intercalary Days and ends with the festival of Naw-Ruz.
• Abstinence from food, drink and smoking from sunrise to sunset.
• Fasting is obligatory for men and women once they attain the age of 15.
• Vowing to fast in an other month other than the month of `Ala' is allowed.
• If one eats unconsciously during the fasting hours, this is not breaking the Fast as it is an accident.
• In regions of extremly high latitude where the duration of days and nights vary considerably, clocks will be used to determine the beginning and the end of the fasting period.

Baháí Months - national names Baháulláh confirmed the Bábs calendar (the Badí Calendar) that starts on the 21st of March of the Gregorian Calendar. ... Norouz is celebration of the coming of Spring and the Iranian new year Norouz (also spelled Noe-Rooz, Norouz, Norooz, Noruz, Novruz, Noh Ruz, Nauroz, Nav-roze, Navroz, Naw-Rúz, Nevruz or Nowrouz and in Persian نوروز) is the traditional new year holiday in Iran, Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and...

Exemptions from fasting

The following exemptions to the obligation of fasting are provided, but one may still choose to fast if they so wish:

• The following are guidelines for travelling during the fast:
  • The traveller is exempt if the journey exceeds 9 hours.
  • When travelling by foot, the traveller is exempt if the journey exceeds 2 hours.
  • If the traveller breaks their journey for more than 19 days, only for the first three days are they exempt from fasting.
  • Those that reach home during the Fast must start fasting from the day of their arrival.
• Those who are ill.
• Those who are younger than 15 or older than 70.
• Women who are pregnant.
• Women who are nursing.
• Women who are menstruating (instead they must perform an ablution and recite the verse Glorified be God, the Lord of Splendour and Beauty 95 times a day).
• Those who are engaged in heavy labour (these people are advised to show respect for the law of fasting by using discretion and restraint).

Ablution may refer to the practice of removing sins or diseases through the use of ritual washing, or the practice of using ritual washing as one part of a ceremony to remove sin or disease. ...

See also

• Bahá'í calendar
• Bahá'í laws

The Baháí calendar, common to the Baháí Faith, is a solar calendar with regular years 365 days long and leap years 366 days long as explained within the Kitáb-i-Aqdas. ... Baháí laws are laws and ordinances used in the Baháí Faith, according to the instructions of the Baháulláh, and written in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas. ...

References

• Bahá'u'lláh (1873). The Kitáb-i-Aqdas: The Most Holy Book, Wilmette, Illinois, USA: Bahá'í Publishing Trust. ISBN 0853989990.