Spiritual Path: Practical Feet
www.bahaisofnorthampton.org.uk
A Little Bit of History
As well as looking to the Holy Writings and Prayers revealed by Bahá’u’lláh Bahá’ís also use the writings and prayers of His predecessor the Báb. The Báb was a young man who, on May 23, 1844, announced the imminent appearance of the Messenger of God awaited by all the peoples of the world. The title Báb means "the Gate." The Báb declared that His purpose was to prepare mankind for this advent, like a gate opening to reveal the amazing truth that was to come.
The Báb’s teachings did not sit well with the rulers and clergy in Persia (now Iran) at that time. If people were to take up His teachings it would mean big changes that would give all the people opportunities and take power away from those at the top. The Báb was arrested, beaten, imprisoned, and finally on July 9, 1850 was executed in the public square of the city of Tabriz. Some 20,000 of His followers perished in a series of massacres throughout Persia. Today, the majestic building with the golden dome, overlooking the Bay of Haifa, Israel, and set amidst beautiful gardens, is the Shrine where the Báb's earthly remains are entombed
My Best Quote
“For me, this quote is really what religion is all about”
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The purpose of religion as revealed from the Heaven of God’s holy Will is to establish unity and concord amongst the peoples of the world; make it not the cause of dissension and strife
-Bahá’u’lláh
‘This is the changeless faith of God, eternal in the past, eternal in the future’ - Bahá’u’lláh
The Bahá’í Faith is a world religion whose purpose is to unite all the races and peoples of the world in one universal Cause and one common faith. Bahá’ís follow the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh, Who we believe is the Promised One of all Ages. The traditions of almost every people include the promise of a future when peace and harmony will be established on earth and humankind will live in prosperity. We believe that this promised hour has come and that Bahá’u’lláh is the great Personage Whose teachings will enable humanity to build a new world. In one of His writings, Bahá’u’lláh says:
‘That which the Lord hath ordained as the sovereign remedy and mightiest instrument for the healing of all the world is the union of all its people in one universal cause, one common faith.’
Bahá’u’lláh taught that the purpose of life on earth is for each individual to develop the spiritual and moral qualities that lay at the core of our very nature. Bahá'u'lláh refers to each human as being a "mine rich in gems of inestimable value." These "gems" or qualities can be "mined" or developed only when a person chooses to educate his/herself of the realities of life and turns to God. Prayer and meditation are essential tools to connect with the Divine source, as are using our spiritual qualities in our everyday lives such as being of service to others, being truthful, peaceful, creative, humble, joyful and generous, to name just a few. Although at times these goals can seem out of our reach (we all have bad days!), the wealth of guidance in the Bahá’í Writings encourage us to strive for something higher than the drudge of day-to-day life and also warn us that this development is for our own benefit so is something take to heart and work towards achieving.
The Official website for the Northampton Bahá’í Community
What is the Bahá’í Faith?
Bahá'u'lláh was born in 1817 and was a member of one of the great families of Persia. The family could trace its lineage to the ruling dynasties of Persia's imperial past, and was endowed with wealth and vast estates. He was offered a position in the court of the Shah but declined, choosing instead to devote His life to help the poor and destitute. Bahá'u'lláh became known for His generosity and kindliness which made Him deeply loved among His countrymen.
On hearing about the Báb and learning His teachings Bahá'u'lláh announced His support for Him. Engulfed in the waves of violence unleashed upon the Bábis after the Báb's execution Bahá'u'lláh suffered not only the loss of all His worldly endowments but was subjected to imprisonment, torture, and a series of banishments. The first was to Baghdad where, in 1863, He announced Himself as the One promised by the Báb. From Baghdad, Bahá'u'lláh was sent to Constantinople, to Adrianople, and finally to Acre, in the Holy Land, where He arrived as a prisoner in 1868.
From Adrianople and later from Acre, Bahá'u'lláh addressed a series of letters to the rulers of His day that are among the most remarkable documents in religious history. They proclaimed the coming unification of humanity and the emergence of a world civilization.
The kings, emperors, and presidents of the nineteenth century were called upon to reconcile their differences, curtail their armaments, and devote their energies to the establishment of universal peace.
Bahá'u'lláh passed away in 1892, at Bahji, just north of Acre, and is buried there. His teachings had already begun to spread beyond the confines of the Middle East, and His Shrine is today the focal point of the world community which these teachings have brought into being.
Bahá’u’lláh’s son ‘Abdu’l-Bahá was appointed as the leader of the Bahá’í Faith upon His fathers death. After a lifetime of imprisonment because of his beliefs ’Abdu’l-Bahá travelled extensively in the west in the later years of his life visiting England and giving talks on spiritual happiness in London and Manchester as well as other venues across the country. One of the roles of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá was to interpret the writings of Bahá’u’lláh’s, expounding upon and giving further clarification on their inner meanings.
Nearly 200 years later the Bahá’í community has grown on a global scale with some five million Bahá'ís, representative of most of the nations, races and cultures on earth, working to give Bahá'u'lláh's teachings practical effect. Their experience will be a source of encouragement to all who share their vision of humanity as one global family and the earth as one homeland.
Click here to see some of the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh.
You can find out more about the Bahá’í Faith please visit our links page for further reading.
Do you have questions about the Bahá’í Faith? Would you like to relax at a Tranquility Evening, learn about your spiritual nature or bring your children to a fun and creative class based on virtues? If so then please feel free to contact us, we’d love to hear from you.
