The Baha'i Faith Index

'Abdu'l-Bahá (AB-dol ba-HAW) (1844-1921)

The son of Bahá'u'lláh, the Prophet-Founder of the Bahá'í Faith. In His Will and Testament, Bahá'u'lláh appointed 'Abdu'l-Bahá as the head of the Bahá'í community. 'Abdu'l-Bahá is also known by titles Bahá'u'lláh used in reference to His son: the 'Master', and the 'Center of the Covenant'. 'Abdu'l-Bahá is an Arabic name that means "Servant of God." 'Abdu'l-Bahá authored some 27,000 writings (mostly letters) which Bahá'ís consider scripture, and he is considered the infallible interpreter of his father's writings and a perfect example of how to live a Bahá'í life.

Most glorious. "Bahá" means glory, and "abhá" is its superlative form. Both are titles of Bahá'u'lláh and of His Kingdom.

The act of washing ones' hands and face for the obligatory prayer that Baha'i­s say daily.

See Auxiliary Board Member

Formerly known as Edirne, a city in the European part of modern Turkey. Baha'u'llah spent part of his exile here. From late in 1863 to summer of 1868, Baha'u'llah was resident in Edirne (Adrianople), to which he was exiled by Ottoman Sultan Abdulaziz (r. 1861-1876).

The relatives of the Báb. Literally, "twigs."

The relatives of Bahá'u'lláh. Literally, "branches."

The one-time prison city in present day Israel where Bahá'u'lláh was kept for the last 20 years of His life. He eventually passed on while still a prisoner, and is buried on the outskirts in the property of Bahjá­.

'Alá (a-LAW)

The Arabic word for "loftiness" and the name of the Baha'i­ month of fasting (March 2-20).

A greeting which means: 'God the All-Glorious'. Both refer to Baha'u'llah. By Greatest Name is meant that Baha'u'llah has appeared in God's Greatest Name, in other words, that He is the supreme Manifestation of God." -- Shoghi Effendi Rabbani, quoted in The Most Holy Book (Kitab-i-Aqdas) note #33; also quoted in Lights of Guidance #1551.

1910-2000 – Born Mary Maxwell, widow of Shoghi Effendi

A title of Bahá'u'lláh

A title of God. In the Bible it appears in the Book of Daniel. It also appears frequently in the Baha'i­ Holy Writings.

The Appointed Arm, also know as the "Learned," are member of Baha'i­ administration who are appointed to their position. All other administrative positions are filled by election (known as the elected arm). Appointed members are Counselors (appointed by the Universal House of Justice), Auxiliary Board Members (appointed by Counselors) and assistants (appointed by Auxiliary Board Members). Members of the Appointed Arm are characterized by their level of wisdom, maturity, and dedication to service.

An appointed administrative body created by the Universal House of Justice to take over and extend the functions of the Hands of the Cause of God. (The House does not have the power to appoint new Hands of the Cause.) Auxiliary Board members are appointed on the basis of their spiritual knowledge and primarily act as advisors to the Local Spiritual Assemblies and individuals in their areas.
See also: Continental Board of Counsellors, Hand of the Cause, International Teaching Center

An individual appointed by a Counselor who assists the Counselor in his or her work. An Auxiliary Board Member (sometimes called an ABM) then appoints assistants to get further help. A Counselor usually serves a very large area, like the Eastern Seaboard of the US, or perhaps an entire country. They appoint several ABMs to help them, subdividing their region into jurisdictions for the ABMs. The ABMs in turn finds assistants in each community in their jurisdiction.

Literally, "the days of Há" (Há being a letter in the Arabic alphabet associated with God). A four-day period (five in leap years) of charity, gift-giving and celebration that immediately preceeds the period of fasting.

International Baha'i organization working with the UN, with offices in New York and Geneva. (http://www.bic.org/)

(ba-haw-oo-LAW) (1817-1892)

The Prophet-Founder of the Bahá'í Faith. Born into a wealthy family in Iran, His father worked in a high-ranking position in the Iranian government. Bahá'u'lláh never showed interest in the wealth and power of his family, and when he advocated the cause of the Báb, he was stripped of his property. For forty years, while teaching the Bahá'í Faith, Bahá'u'lláh was kept in prison and exile until his eventual death in 1892 outside of the prison city of Akka in Israel. He declared himself the Promised One of the world's religions in 1863 and, in spite of imprisonment and persecution, wrote thousands of letters and other documents, about 15,000 of which are extant.

(ba-haw-ee; American pronunciation, ba-HIGH)

Literally "follower of bahá." Also used as an adjective. (Usage thus is the same as the word "Christian.")

The burial site of Bahá'u'lláh, in modern day Israel. Bahjí is the holiest site for Bahá'ís, and the direction to which Bahá'ís face when they say their obligatory prayers. It is north of Haifa, the Israeli city that is the seat of the Shrine of the Báb and the Bahá'í world headquarters.

The most important Book written by the Báb, in which His laws are revealed.

The Báb (bawb), (1819-1850)

The Prophet-Founder of the Bábá­ Faith, a religious movement that's fundamental purpose was to prepare people for the coming of Bahá'u'lláh. In Arabic, The Báb means "The Gate."

(baw-bees)
Followers of the Báb.

A follower of the Báb. Upon Bahá'u'lláh's declaration of His mission most of the Bábis accepted Him and became Baha'i­s.

(be-shaw-RAWT) (Glad-Tidings)

One of Bahá'u'lláh's chief works of social ethics, composed in the 1870s or 1880s.

The Baha'i­ calendar is composed of nineteen months of nineteen days with an additional four (or five, in leap year) days to equal 364 days annually. The months are named after different attributes of God (Beauty, Light, Mercy, Splendor, etc.). The extra days 4-5 days are know as the Intercalary Days, and are designated as a time of celebration, gift giving and community service.

A symbol used in the Qur'án indicating the Word of God. ("The righteous shall drink of a cup tempered at the camphor fountain." Qur'án 76:5) A similar image occurs in the Bible, where Jesus refers to "the living water" (John 4:4-42).

Mount Carmel, in modern-day northern Israel. It is the site of the Baha'i World Centre and the caves of Elijah.

An appointed administrative body created by the Universal House of Justice to take over and extend the functions of the Hands of the Cause of God. (The Universal House of Justice does not have the power to appoint new Hands of the Cause.) The Counsellors are appointed on the basis of their spiritual knowledge and primarily act as advisors to the National Spiritual Assemblies in their areas.

See also: Auxiliary Board, Hand of the Cause, International Teaching Center

An individual appointed by the Universal House of Justice to serve a particular region or country. Counselors act as the representative of the Universal House of Justice, and are the highest position that an individual Baha'i­ can achieve today. Counselors are known as members of the "Appointed Arm," as opposed to the "Elected Arm" that is comprised of the Local and National Spiritual Assemblies, and the House of Justice Itself. Counselors are extremely well respected by the Baha'i­s of the world. They in turn appoint Auxiliary Board Members who their work.

The Word of God, which is the agent of creation. The term is only applied to those Holy Writings that can be authenticated as being the actual words of a Manifestation of God. Practically speaking, these are the Qur'án, the Writings of the Báb, and the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh.

See also: Manifestation of God

Otherwise known as "Nabil's Narrative," this is an account of the life of the Báb and the development of the Bábá­ religion by Nabá­l-i-Zarandá­, a companion of Bahá'u'lláh; it was edited and translated into English by Shoghi Effendi in 1932.

A card that is filled out by someone wanting to become a Baha'i­. Though the true definition of a Baha'i­ is anyone who believes in Bahá'u'lláh, signing a declaration card is the formalization of that belief. The declaration then registers the new Baha'i­ as a voting member of his or her Baha'i­ community.

A meeting held to discuss a Baha'i­ book or teaching at an advanced level.

To offer funds to help pay the expenses of pioneers. In general, pioneers pay their own expenses and secure jobs to support themselves in their new locations. However, Baha'i­ who are unable to pioneer are encouraged to offer financial support those who can.

See also: Homefront Pioneer, Pioneer

Adrianople, a city in the European part of modern Turkey. Baha'u'llah spent part of his exile here. From late in 1863 to summer of 1868, Baha'u'llah was resident in Edirne (Adrianople), to which he was exiled by Ottoman Sultan Abdulaziz (r. 1861-1876).

Members of the Elected Arm of the Baha'i­ Faith serve on the Local Spiritual Assembly, the Regional Council, the National Spiritual Assembly, and the Universal House of Justice. These individuals are elected by secret ballot, with no electioneering. They are elected for their loyalty, devotion, ability and experience.

The Fast is the last month of the Baha'i­ calendar, a 19-day period during which Baha'i­s refrain from eating and drinking between sunrise and sunset. It is essentially a period of meditation and prayer, of spiritual recuperation, during which the believer must strive to make the necessary readjustments in our inner life, and to refresh and reinvigorate the spiritual forces latent in our soul. Its significance and purpose are, therefore, fundamentally spiritual in character. Fasting is symbolic, and a reminder of abstinence from selfish and carnal desires. Children, the elderly, pregnant/nursing mothers and the sick are not required to fast.

The Baha'i­ Feast is held every nineteen days according to the Baha'i­ calendar. The Feast consists of three portions: Devotional, Administrative, and Social. The devotional portion is a time for Baha'i­s to gather together in prayer and worship. The administrative portion allows for the community to attend to its affairs as a group, and the social portion is so everyone can have a good time and enjoy the fellowship of the Baha'i­ community.

A fireside is a small meeting that is held in someone's home with the purpose of educating people about various aspects of the Baha'i­ Faith. Both Baha'i­s and non-Baha'i­s are welcome to attend.

The financial resource that supports the work of an administrative body. Baha'i­ Funds exist to support the Universal House of Justice, each National Spiritual Assembly, each Local Spiritual Assembly, each Continental Board of Counsellors, and other institutions as necessary. Only Baha'i­s can contribute to these Funds.

Some Islamic popular traditions hold that God has one hundred names or attributes of God; ninety-nine are known; and that the hundredth or Greatest Name would be revealed on the Day of Judgment. Bahá'u'lláh maintained that the Greatest Name was bahá (ba-HAW), "glory," and its superlative abhá (ab-HAW), "most glorious." Baha'i­s use various forms of the two as a prayer and a greeting. The most common are "Alláh-u-Abhá" ("The Glory of the All-Glorious") and "Ya Bahá'u'l-Abhá" ("O Thou the Glory of the All-Glorious").

1897-1957
Shoghi Effendi - Appointed by Abdu'l-Bahá as sole interpreter of the Sacred Scriptures of the Faith and its head until the Universal House of Justice could be elected in 1963. The official title of Shoghi Effendi, the grandson of Baha'u'llah.

The administrative center of the Baha'i­ Faith is located in the city of Haifa, Israel. This is also the location of the resting place of the Báb.

Hands of the Cause of God are individuals appointed by Bahá'u'lláh, 'Abdu'l-Bahá or Shoghi Effendi to assist the growth and development of the Baha'i­ Faith. Most Hands of the Cause have passed on, and the few that remain are quite elderly. They are the most highly respected individuals in the international Baha'i­ community.

A work composed by Bahá'u'lláh in 1858. It consists of seventy-one Arabic, and eighty-two Persian paragraph-sized sections. Each section consists of an aphorism on an ethical or spiritual topic.

There are nine Baha'i Holy Days that mark special events in Baha'i history. On a Holy Day, Baha'is are urged to suspend work, and spend the day commemorating it with family and community.

The Holy Land refers to Israel, as the Baha'i­ Administrative Center. It is considered Holy not only because it contains sites that are Holy for Jews, Christians and Muslims, but also because it contains the resting places of the Báb, Bahá'u'lláh, and 'Abdu'l-Bahá.

A Baha'i­ who leaves his or her home and takes up residence elsewhere in the same country for the purpose of spreading Bahá'u'lláh's teachings.

See also: Deputize, Pioneer

The governing council of a local or national Baha'i­ community in the future, and of the Baha'i­ world today. Local and national houses of justice are temporarily styled spiritual assemblies.

A temple in which Baha'i­ worship services are held. At present there are only seven Baha'i­ Houses of Worship in the world, but in time every Baha'i­ community will have one, with associated dependencies such as a university and a home for the aged.

See also: House of Worship.

Literally, "the right of God". A payment made to the House of Justice by Baha'i­s based upon their wealth. The payment is equal to 19% of one's wealth, excluding certain items such as one's home and its furnishings, and is made only one time. If one's wealth increases, a payment of 19% of the increase is called for. If one's wealth decreases, no additional payments are required until it rises above the level previously "cleared".

See also: Mithqál.

An appointed administrative body created by the Universal House of Justice to take over and extend the functions of the Hands of the Cause of God. (The House does not have the power to appoint new Hands of the Cause.) The members of the Centre are appointed on the basis of their spiritual knowledge and primarily act as advisors to the Universal House of Justice.

See also: Auxiliary Board, Continental Board of Counsellors, Hand of the Cause of God

(esh-raw-GAWT) (Splendors)

One of Bahá'u'lláh's works on social ethics, composed in response to questions by a prominent Persian Baha'i­ in the 1870s or 1880s.

A river in paradise that is the source of all other rivers. Bahá'u'lláh mentions it in a symbolic sense in a number of places in His Writings.

Kitáb-i-Aqdas (ke-TAWB-e-AQ-das)
The "Most Holy Book" of Bahá'u'lláh, it was composed about 1873 and contains the main laws, ordinances, and principles of the Baha'i­ Faith.

(ke-TAWB-e ee-GAWN) (Book of Certitude)

A work composed by Bahá'u'lláh in 1862 in response to a list of questions prepared by an uncle of the Báb. It consists of interpretation of biblical and quranic terms, images, and prophecies, as well as containing many ethical and spiritual exhortations.

A Knight of Bahá'u'lláh is the first Baha'i­ to travel to a country or territory.

A title provided by the Báb to the first eighteen disciples of the Bábí Religion. In some understandings the Báb places himself at the head of this list (as the first letter). In this article, the former notation will be used except when specifically said otherwise.

The Local Spiritual Assembly (or LSA) is responsible for administering the affairs of the Baha'i­ Faith at the local level. The Assembly may also be called upon for counsel or advice. It is composed of nine elected members of the community. The Local Assembly is elected once a year.

Sadratu'l-Muntahá" in Arabic. In the English translation of the Baha'i­ Writings, the term sometimes appears translated and sometimes untranslated. The Lote Tree is "the tree beyond which there is no passing." In ancient times, the Arabs planted such a tree to mark the end of a road. In the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, the Lote Tree generally refers to the Manifestation of God. The implication is that the Manifestation of God occupies a station to which ordinary human beings can neither attain nor surpass.

See also: Sadratu'l-Muntahá

A Baha'i­ term for the founders of the major world religions, who are seen as mouthpieces of divine revelation and examples of a divine life. Baha'i­ scripture clearly identifies ten historic individuals as Manifestations: the founder of the Sabaean religion, mentioned in the Qur'án; Abraham; Moses; Jesus Christ; Muhammad; Krishna; Zoroaster; Buddha; the Báb; and Bahá'u'lláh.

Literally, "the dawning-place of the mention of God." A temple in which Baha'i­ worship services are held. At present there are only seven Baha'i­ Houses of Worship in the world, but in time every Baha'i­ community will have one, with associated dependencies such as a university and a home for the aged.

See also: House of Worship.

A title of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, given to him by Bahá'u'lláh. This is a translation of áqá, a title of respect applied to the eldest son of a family by his siblings.

Better known as Madame Rúhíyyih Rabbáni (1910-2000), wife of Shoghi Effendi and a leading Bahá'í dignitary.

Contemplation and reflection on something, particularly the Holy Writings. Although there is no set formula or technique for Baha'i­ meditation, Shoghi Effendi likened it to listening for God's answer to prayer.

Literally, "One Who is guided." A title of the 12th Imám in Shá­'ih Islám, and therefore also a title of the Báb, who is the "return" of that Imám.

A unit of weight used by Bahá'u'lláh to fix the amount of gold or silver to be paid for various purposes, such as Huqáºqu'lláh, dowries, and fines. Note 78 to the Kitáb-i-Aqdas (pp200-1) states that the mithqál used by Baháá­s is smaller than the traditional mithqál; nine mithqáls are equivalent to 32.775 grams or 1.05374 troy ounces.

See also: Huqáºqu'lláh.

Mount Carmel, in modern-day northern Israel. It is the site of the Baha'i World Centre and the caves of Elijah.

The National Spiritual Assembly is a body of nine elected members who administer the affairs of a National Baha'i­ Community. They also provide guidance to Local Spiritual Assemblies. The National Assembly is elected once a year.

The Baha'i­ New Year begins on Naw Ruz (pronounced 'Naw rooz'). This falls on March 21, and coincides with the spring equinox.

Regular community gatherings, occurring on the first day of each month of the Bahá'í calendar (and so most often nineteen days apart from each other). Each gathering consists of a Devotional, Administrative, and Social part. The devotional part of the Nineteen Day Feast can be compared to Sunday Services in Christianity or Friday Prayers in Islam, though the non-congregational nature of the Bahá'í Faith limits the usefulness of the comparison.

Baha'i­s say an obligatory prayer on a daily basis. There are actually three different prayers to choose from. The short prayer is to be said once between noon and sunset, the medium prayer is to be said at morning, noon and night, and the long prayer is to be said once in a twenty four hour period.

A Baha'i­ who leaves his or her home and takes up residence in another country for the purpose of spreading Bahá'u'lláh's teachings.

See also: Deputize, Homefront Pioneer

When Baha'i­s travel overseas with the intention of developing the Faith in a locality, this is termed "pioneering". It should be noted that this differs from missionary undertakings in that Baha'i­s are forbidden to proselytize.

The Baha'i­ belief that the major religions have been founded by Manifestations of God and that the Manifestations succeed one another, each bringing a greater measure of divine truth to humanity.

Literally, "He who arises." The Promised One of Islám. Baha'i­s believe that the Báb was the Qá'im.

The "Point of Adoration" toward which one turns during prayer. In former times the Qiblih had been Jerusalem. Muhammad changed the Qiblih to Mecca. The Báb specified that "The Qiblih is indeed He Whom God will make manifest [Bahá'u'lláh]; whenever He moveth, it moveth, until He shall come to rest." Bahá'u'lláh confirmed this, so that today the Qiblih is the Shrine of Bahá'u'lláh at Bahjá­, where His earthly remains rest.

Literally, "the Solace of the Eyes." The Báb gave this name to Táhirih after she embraced His Cause. (Bahá'u'lláh later gave her the name Táhirih, which means "the Pure One.") In some of His Writings, the Báb also refers to Himself as Qurratu'l-'Ayn.

The Regional Council is an elected body of nine Baha'i­s who assist in the administration of the community at a regional level. In terms of the size of the population it serves, a Regional Council lies between a Local Spiritual Assembly and the National Spiritual Assembly.

The unveiling by God to humanity of something previously hidden. The Manifestations of God and the minor prophets are the recipients of revelations from God. The term is also frequently used to describe revealed Writings such as the Qur'án or the Writings of the Báb and Bahá'u'lláh.

Ridván is the name of the 12-day festival that marks the holiest time in the Baha'i­ calendar. An Arabic word meaning 'Paradise,' the 12 Days of Ridván (pronounced 'Rizwan') are named after the 12 Days that Bahá'u'lláh spend with his family and followers in the Garden of Ridván outside of Baghdad. It was during this time that Bahá'u'lláh officially declared himself to be a Prophet of God.

Hand of the Cause and wife of the Guardian. Her full name is Amatu'l-Baha Ruhiyyih Khánum, and her maiden name (before marrying Shoghi Effendi) was Mary Sutherland Maxwell

Lote Tree" in English. In the English translation of the Baha'i­ Writings, the term sometimes appears translated and sometimes untranslated. The Lote Tree is "the tree beyond which there is no passing." In ancient times, the Arabs planted such a tree to mark the end of a road. In the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, the Lote Tree generally refers to the Manifestation of God. The implication is that the Manifestation of God occupies a station to which ordinary human beings can neither attain nor surpass.

See also: Lote Tree, Manifestation of God

A work composed by 'Abdu'l-Bahá in 1875 detailing the role of religion in the development of civilization, and social reforms that Iran should undergo in order to become a modern nation. It serves as one of the Baha'i­ Faith's major treatises on social reform.

Specifically, an individual who is investigating the Baha'i­ Faith out of a desire to determine its spiritual truth. More broadly, anyone searching for spiritual truth in any form.

A mystical work composed by Bahá'u'lláh between 1856 and 1862, in response to questions asked him by a Sufi leader. It is Bahá'u'lláh's major mystical work.

The city in Iran where the Báb declared His mission on May 23, 1844.

(1896-1957)
The great grandson of Bahá'u'lláh, Shoghi Effendi led the Baha'i­ world after the death of his Grandfather, 'Abdu'l-Bahá, in 1921 He was given the title of The Guardian.

The Shrine in which the Báb is buried. It stands on Mount Carmel in Haifa, Israel.

An elected administrative body consisting of nine members with jurisdiction over a specified region. At present, Local Spiritual Assemblies (LSAs) govern the affairs of local Baha'i­ communities, while National Spiritual Assemblies (NSAs) govern the affairs of national Baha'i­ communities. In the future, these Spiritual Assemblies will evolve into Houses of Justice at their respective levels.

See also: House of Justice

The translation of the Arabic word surih (pronounced soo-RAY) or, more commonly, the word lawh (pronounced loh), used in many of the titles of some of the writings of the Báb, Bahá'u'lláh, and 'Abdu'l-Bahá.

In 1850, the Bab, founder of the Babi Faith and forerunner of the Baha'i Faith, is executed together in this city in modern-day Iran, formerly Persia.

(ta-ja-lee-YAWT) (Effulgences)

One of Bahá'u'lláh's most important social and ethical works, composed about 1885.

(ta-raw-ZAWT) (Ornaments)

One of Bahá'u'lláh's major ethical and social works, composed in the 1870s or 1880s.

The supreme governing body of the Baha'i­ world, the Universal House of Justice is elected by the Baha'i­s of the world once every five years. Like other Baha'i­ institutions, it has nine members. The Universal House of Justice meets in Haifa, Israel, and administers the Baha'i­ community at a global level.

Shorthand for "Holy Writings," usually used specifically to denote the Baha'i­ Holy Writings, which consist of the authenticated Writings of the Báb, Bahá'u'lláh, and 'Abdu'l-Bahá.

Baha'i­s, especially youth, are encouraged to spend a year offering volunteer service to communities around the world. This service is generally related to assisting the growth and development of Baha'i­ communities and participation in social and economic development projects.