The Baha'i religion is a new and young phenomenon in comparison with the largest and most widespread world religions on Earth, which have come a long way of formation and development. Bahaism originated in the 19th century and is not tied to the beliefs of any people. Followers consider their faith to be a separate, independent religion, not a sect or offshoot. The total number of believers is relatively small, numbering only a few million.
The Bahá'í religion also exists in Russia, moreover, it appeared here even before the events of the revolution. It is believed that its roots go back to Persia, from where it spread to India and the Russian Empire. The Baha'i religion was originally considered an Islamic sect by Muslims, since its emergence and postulates were seriously influenced by the Shiite branch of Islam. Today, even in the Muslim world, the new creed has been recognized as an independent religion.
The Bahá'í religion: where it all began
The 19th century was a time when adherents of Christianity and Islam believed in the imminent coming of a new Prophet, and the latter were busy searching for the newly-appeared Messiah. One of the seekers, Mullah Hussein, in 1844 accidentally met an unusual young man in Shiraz who believed that he was the new Prophet. His name was Sayyid Al Mohammed, aged 25, he wasshort, handsome and pious. He spent all his time meditating on the Qur'an and God. He composed verses and claimed that they were the divine revelation of Allah given to him. The young man called himself "baby", that is, "pointing the gate to God".
In the same year, the Prophet went even further. Holding on to the ring of the door of the Kaaba, he proclaimed himself the Messiah in front of the crowd. To say such a thing in such a sacred place was a real sacrilege. Despite the fact that the young man had followers, he was considered a troublemaker, undermining the foundations of Islam, and was sentenced to prison. Soon Sayyid was transferred to Maku Fortress.
According to the plan of the authorities, the Kurdish community living here was to accept the words of the young man with hostility. In fact, it turned out to be completely different, the Kurds were deeply imbued with his ideas. The transfer to a more remote area did not help - the sermons of the Bab so captured the minds of the people that even the Kurdish commandant could not resist them. In order to stop the spread of the teaching, the prophet was put on trial. The sentence included corporal punishment. The reaction to these events was immediate. The Babis organized an uprising, announcing the beginning of the decline of Islam. The problem had to be solved, and the authorities sentenced the Báb to death. But that was only the beginning. The Baha'i religion, whose source is the writings of the Báb, developed into an independent current thanks to another person.
Bahá'u'lláh
It was he who continued the work of the Báb. He was from a we althy, noble family, but after he believed in the new teaching, he abandoned everything.your state. Spreading the ideas of Sayyid, he ended up in prison, where he received a revelation from God. After this, Bahá'u'lláh proclaimed himself the man whose coming the Báb spoke of. Subsequently, thanks to him, the Baha'i religion arose. But these events were still far away. Like his predecessor, he was exiled to an area with a very bad climate, and then to a prison where the most dangerous criminals were imprisoned. But Baha'u'llah survived.
Moreover, he managed to write the "Most Holy Book", which became the basis of the Baha'i creed. His sermons were heard here too, and even the head of the local clergy fell under their influence. Pilgrims began to flock to the place of exile. Later, Baha'u'llah began to live in a private mansion, the name of which in translation meant "joy". He died immediately, catching a fever.
Fundamentals of Bahá'íism
The Baha'i (religion) can be briefly represented by a few simple postulates. constituting its essence. First, the statement is taken as an axiom that
there is only one God who created everything around. Secondly, it is believed that God did not single out ethnic groups and peoples when creating them. That is, all people are equal and have the same rights, regardless of race, nationality and skin color. Third, all religions are one. Bahá'ís believe that the source of all religions is one and that is God. The difference is due to the fact that religions developed in different conditions in different eras. This is what caused the change and transformation of the original single idea.
Bahai (religion) briefly says that people are equal regardless of not only ethnicity, but also gender. That is, the equality of men and women is recognized as a matter of course. The fundamental difference between Bahaism and other religions is the presence of a specific program, the steps that need to be taken to achieve a new world order. For example, one of these steps is the destruction of ignorance as a phenomenon. It is difficult to do this on a global scale, but within the community it is prescribed to send all children to schools. If the family does not have enough money for this, and the community for some reason cannot provide financial support and allocate money for the education of all children, then the choice should be made in favor of girls. This approach is considered the most rational, since the girl will become a mother in the future, and it is the mother who is the first mentor for the child.
That is how concern for future generations is manifested. It is also a compensation for the oppression women have suffered in the past.
Features of life
The Baha'i world religion has its own calendar. The year is divided into 19 months of 19 days each. The symbol of faith is the nine-pointed star. In the place where the community lives, there is an organ called the House of Justice. Three people are chosen annually from the community to manage the affairs and manage the lives of the cult's followers. Baha'is have a negative attitude towards alcohol and addictions.
The institution of the family occupies an important place in their system of values, and marriage as a union of a man and a woman is sacredrevered.
The Baha'i religion: creed, cult and organization
Unlike other religions, the cult part of the Bahá'ís is minimal. Any action done with the thought of serving God can be considered worship. It is obligatory to read only three prayers. At general meetings, which are held on the last day of the month, adherents of the religion read the texts of the Baha'i scriptures, as well as texts from other world religions. There is only one fast during the year and is observed from March 2 to March 20 inclusive. Children, the elderly, pregnant and lactating women, as well as travelers are exempted from it. To join a religion, a person who has reached the age of 15 must declare his desire at a spiritual meeting. The process of leaving the community is the same.
Houses of worship
This is the name of the temples of the followers of the Bahá'ís. They have one central dome as a symbol of the One God and nine arched entrances. They are a symbol of the unity and diversity of human thought in the world.
Houses of worship include not only a place for prayer and gathering, but also various auxiliary institutions. They are educational, educational and administrative in nature.
Clergy
The Baha'i religion does not recognize the institution of the clergy as such. All decisions are made at annual spiritual meetings, and decisions are made by secret ballot of all adult members of a particular community. The clergy as an institution is not needed by Baha'is, since for them any action performed with love for God and in the context of serviceTo him, it is already a cult practice that does not require intermediaries.
Leo Tolstoy on the Baha'i religion
At the time of the writer, the Baha'i religion was already known in Russia. Tolstoy and the Bahá'ís, so to speak, were well aware of each other. The writer, captured by a new idea, is in correspondence with the followers of religion around the world. Bahaism spread very quickly, picked up by the intelligentsia of different countries. Tolstoy spoke positively about Babism and believed that it had a great future in the Muslim world as a moral teaching about life.
Gabriel Sacy wrote three letters. He expounded the postulates of the new religion, its significance and the plight of its followers. In response, Tolstoy spoke out in defense of the Bahá'ís in a letter that was to be published in the Arab world.
Bahai Russia
The Baha'i religion in Moscow also has followers, despite the fact that representatives of the Orthodox clergy consider the religion a Muslim sect. Their number is not as numerous as in the Arab countries. Despite this, the community conducts educational activities and follows the postulates of faith. The Baha'i religion in Voronezh is just beginning to develop thanks to the activities of the followers of the religion. They conduct classes on the spiritual education of the Bahá'ís not only in their city, but also in Moscow. Most communities are not registered. The approximate number of followers in the main cities of Russia does not even reach 100 people. The Bahá'í religion in Voronezh is preached by Maria Skrebtsova and Alesya Lopatina.
