The Bahá'í Faith is the youngest and second most widespread of the world's independent religions. Established in 1844, it has local communities in 235 countries and territories throughout the world. Bahá'ís belong to over 2,100 ethnic, racial and tribal groups. For more than a century, Bahá'í communities everywhere have been working to break down barriers of prejudice between peoples. At the heart of our belief is the conviction that humanity is a single people with a common destiny. In the words of Bahá'u'lláh, the Founder of the Bahá'í Faith, "The earth is but one country and mankind its citizens."

The Shrine of The Bab during sunset. Photo by Marco Abrar.

Bahá'u'lláh taught that there is one God Who progressively reveals His will to humanity. Each of the great world religions brought by the Messengers of God down through the ages - Moses, Krishna, Buddha, Zoroaster, Jesus, Muhammad - represent a successive stage in the spiritual development of the people of the world. Bahá'u'lláh, the most recent Messenger in this process, has brought teachings that address the moral, spiritual and technological challenges of the modern age.

Some of the teachings of the Bahá'í Faith is as follows:

The Oneness of God The Oneness of Mankind The Oneness of Religion Independent Investigation of Truth Religion, a Source of Unity Progressive Revelation Harmony between Science and Religion Consultation as a Means of Resolving Differences An International Auxiliary Language Universal Education The Elimination of All Forms of Prejudice Equality of Men and Women The Abolition of the Extremes of Wealth and Poverty Universal Peace

For more than a century, Bahá'í communities around the globe have been working to break down barriers of prejudice between peoples and have collaborated with other like-minded groups to promote the model of a global society.

At the heart of our belief is the conviction that humanity is a single people with a common destiny. In the words of Bahá'u'lláh, the Founder of our Faith, "The earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens."

The central theme of Bahá'u'lláh's message is that humanity is one single race and that the day has come for its unification in one global society. God, Bahá'u'lláh said, has set in motion historical forces that are breaking down traditional barriers of race, class, creed, and nation and that will, in time, give birth to a universal civilization. The principal challenge facing the peoples of the earth is to accept the fact of their oneness and to assist the processes of unification.

The Shrine of the Bab at night. Photo by Marco Abrar.

One of the purposes of the Bahá'í Faith is to help make this possible. A worldwide community of some five million Bahá'ís, representative of most of the nations, races and cultures on earth, is 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.

We invite you to learn more about our Faith - its perspective of the past, its understanding of the present, and its vision of the future. For more information, and other sites, please visit the links section.