GLOSSARY The Bahá’i Faith Bahá’i A congregation of Baha’is at a Community local, national or world-wide ‘Abdu’l-Baha Eldest son of Baha’u’llah and level, reflecting the ideal of named as His successor. Baha’i collective life. Knighted by King George V. The perfect exemplar of the Bahá’i World The spiritual and administrative Bahá’i way of life. Centre centre of the Baha’i Faith, consisting of the Shrine of Administrative The organisation of the Baha’i Baha’u’llah at Bahji [the Order Faith, which has developed Qiblah]; the Shrine of the Bab according to the principles and in Haifa (which includes the framework revealed in the Holy Shrine of ‘Abdu’l-Baha); and Writings, with freely-elected various other buildings in the (by secret ballot) administrative Haifa-Akka region of northern bodies at the local, national and Israel. international levels. There are no clergy in the Baha’i Faith, Baha’u’llah ‘The Glory of God’. Title of and self-promotion or Mirza Husayn-Ali (1817-1892). electioneering is prohibited. Prophet-Founder of the Bahá’i Faith and the Manifestation of Ali Muhammad, The actual name of the Báb God for this day. Siyyid Burial Ring Ring placed on the finger of the Arc, the The buildings of the Bahá’i deceased as part of the World Centre, arranged in an preparations for burial, and arc, on Mount Carmel. inscribed: ‘I came forth from God, and return unto Him, Ayyam-i-Ha The ‘Intercalary Days’, falling detached from all save Him, on the last 4 days of February (5 holding fast to His name, the in a leap year) before the last Merciful, the Compassionate’. month of the Bahá’i year, and given over to preparation for the Community A school for children of all ages annual Fast, hospitality, feasting School delivering Baha’i education, and and gift-giving. usually held weekly. Báb, the ‘The Gate’. Title assumed by Consultation A form of discussion between Siyyid Ali Muhammad (1819- individuals and within groups. 1850) the Forerunner of The method used by Bahá’is for Baha’u’llah and Prophet- decision-making within their Founder of the Bábi Faith. administrative bodies. According to Bahá’i writings, it Bábi A follower of the Báb. requires the “…subjugation of all egotism and unruly passions, Backbiting Saying mean or spiteful things the cultivation of frankness and about a person behind their back. freedom of though as well as Forbidden by Baha’u’llah in courtesy, openness of mind, and His Book of Laws (Kitab-i- wholehearted acquiescence in a Aqdas). majority decision.” Bahá’i A follower of Baha’u’llah. Covenant, the In general, the eternal promise of God towards mankind to bestow Bahá’i Calendar A solar calendar of 19 months of bounties in return for recognition 19 days, with 4 Intercalary days of His Messengers and (5 in a leap year) before the final obedience to His Laws. month. New Year’s day (Naw Fast, the A period of meditation, prayer Ruz) is at the Spring Equinox, and spiritual renewal, involving usually March 21. The Bahá’i abstinence from food and drink day begins and ends at sunset. between the hours of sunrise and sunset. It takes place every year Page 1 of 4 GLOSSARY in the last month of the Bahá’i calendar. House of Mashriqu’l-Adhkar [‘Dawning- Worship place of the mention of God’]; God God in essence is unknowable, Baha’i temple: at present there being exalted above human are 7 - Illinois USA, Kampala attributes and understanding. Uganda, Sydney Australia, Knowledge of God is through Frankfurt Germany, Panama His Manifestations or City Panama, Apia Samoa and Messengers who reflect His New Dehli India; each has a attributes [All-Knowing, distinctive architectural style Almighty, Ever-Forgiving, Most echoing local culture, but with Compassionate etc.] certain features in common [9 sided, central auditorium (no Greatest Name According to Islamic belief God pulpit or altar)] and intended of God, the has 99 names (compassionate, solely for the worship of God; merciful, etc.), and there is a open to all of any religion. hundredth name – ‘the greatest name’ – which has special Huququ’llah The ‘Right of God’: monetary potency. For Bahá’is this is payment to be made to the centre ‘Baha’ (glory), as used in the of the Faith, as a spiritual religious title of their Founder obligation, and once a person’s Baha’u’llah. excess assets exceed a certain amount. The payment is not Guardian, the Shoghi Effendi, grandson to solicited; it is entirely the ‘Abdu’l-Baha, and chosen by business of each Baha’i to him to be his successor, as follow this obligation established ‘Guardian’ of the Cause of God. in the Kitab-i-Aqdas. The payment is not considered Haifa City by which Baha’u’llah was acceptable to God unless it is first brought to Israel as a offered in a spirit of joy. prisoner in 1868, which He visited 3 times in later life, and Husayn-Aliy-i- The actual name of Baha’u’llah where He revealed instructions Nuri, Mirza for the establishment of the Bahá’i World Centre. Kitab-i-Aqdas The Most Holy Book, Baha’u’llah’s Book of Laws, Hidden Words A collection of short verse-like revealed in Akka, Palestine, in of Baha’u’llah, passages revealed by 1873, which He commanded to the Baha’u’llah in Baghdad in be implemented gradually with 1858, some in Arabic and some tact and wisdom, as some of its in Persian, concerning subjects provisions clearly point to a such as the relationship between future society very different God and humanity. from that of today. Holy Day Baha’is have nine Holy Days on Local Spiritual Baha’i administrative council of which significant events in the Assembly; LSA nine persons elected by secret Faith are commemorated, and ballot in any locality where there which occur at set times during are at least nine Baha’is over the the year. age of 21. The LSA is elected at Ridvan, and has responsibility Holy Land The land of Israel, Holy to four for the activities and spiritual religions, including the Bahá’i welfare of the local community. Faith. Martyr Originally, in both English and Holy Writings The Word of God as revealed to Arabic, witness: one who bears the Bab and Baha’u’llah. witness to a belief by submitting Unlike these, the writings of to death rather renouncing their ‘Abdu’l-Baha are not regarded faith. There were many as divinely revealed, but are thousands of Babi martyrs in the included as ‘sacred scripture’. time of the Báb, and Bahá’is are Page 2 of 4 GLOSSARY still put to death today for which they should be said. The refusing to recant. prayer is one of the few associated with simple rituals: Meditation No formal system of meditation; preceded by ablutions and usually consists of individual recited standing facing in the contemplation of the Word of direction of the Qiblah, in God, often in a state of prayer. private. Messengers of Also called Manifestations of Pilgrimage A journey made to a Shrine or God God, these are special beings Holy Place. At the present time who reflect the attributes of God Bahá’i pilgrimage consists of and reveal His message to visiting the Shrines of the Báb mankind. They include Adam, and Baha’u’llah in and around Moses, the Buddha, Jesus, Haifa, Israel. Muhammad, and more recently the Bab and Baha’u’llah. Progressive Baha’i doctrine relating the Revelation various recognised world Mount Carmel The mountain spoken of by Isiah religions as different stages in as the ‘mountain of the Lord’. the evolution of one religion. Site of the Bahá’i World The Baha’i Faith is regarded as Centre, including several Bahá’i the latest (but not the last) of Holy Places such as the Shrine these. Each Manifestation of of the Báb. God brings divine teachings appropriate for the spiritual Naw Ruz ‘New Day’. The Bahá’i New capacity of the people of the day, Year. It occurs on the Spring but always including the same Equinox, usually March 21. moral and spiritual truths. This festival marks the end of the Fast and is a time of joyous Qiblah The ‘point of adoration’ to celebration. which believers turn in prayer; for Bahá’is this is the Shrine Nine-pointed Has become a symbol of the (tomb) of Baha’u’llah near star Bahá’i Faith (like the crescent Haifa for Islam); the number nine as the highest single digit Revelation The transmission of the Word of symbolizes unity, perfection and God through His Messengers, as comprehensiveness; the ‘revealed’ teachings or verses. numerical equivalent of ‘Baha’ These were written down either is 9, and there are 9 members on by Baha’u’llah Himself, or by each Spiritual Assembly, the His amanuensis and checked by Houses of Worship are 9-sided Baha’u’llah for accuracy later. representing the 9 major religions of the world. Ridvan Holy Day (21 April) marking the day of Baha’u’llah’s declaration Nineteen Day The principal gathering of of His mission [also the name of Feast Bahá’is of a particular locality. the garden in Baghdad in which The Nineteen Day Feast is, He made His announcement to ideally, held on the first day of some of His followers. This day the Bahá’i month and brings has been chosen as the day on together the members of the which most Baha’i elections take Bahá’i community for three place.