Founded 150 years ago, the Baha’i Faith is the youngest of the world’s independent religions. The vision of Baha’i Faith is a world where all races, creeds, and colors have blended into a single universal society. In just over 100 years, the Baha’i Faith embraced people from more than 2,100 ethnic, racial and tribal groups.
The Baha’is believe that the most important of these needs in this era is the realization of the oneness of humanity.
Baha’is do not follow rituals, rites or sermons-but have temples known as the ‘Baha’i house of worship’ in every continent. The Baha’i house of worship is sometimes referred to by the name of mašriqu-l-an Arabic phrase meaning “dawning-place of the remembrances of God.”
These houses of worship have become magnets for those from every faith and people with no faith, as a place to reflect, meditate and pray.
The Baha’is believe that every time a manifestation of God appears, a fuller measure of inspiration for the next stage awakening and progress of humanity is released into the world.
Human beings are said to be messengers of God. In the past, the sun of truth has shone through Noah, Abraham, Krishna, Moses, Zoroaster, Buddha, Jesus Christ and Muhammed. Baha’is believe that all the prophets of the past are in equal rank in purpose.
They are all divine gardeners helping the growth of the blessed tree of God.
The Baha’i doctrine states that both Baha’u’llah and The Bab are considered to be manifestations of God, where the ‘bab’ (gate) mission, which was to last only six years, was to prepare the way for the coming of a manifestation of God who would usher in the age of peace and justice promised in all the world’s religions: Bahá’u’lláh.Baha’is believe that Baha’u’llah has appeared for the current cycle of humanity and has provided the basis for the establishment of a new spiritual and temporal order.
Therefore, they believe that Baha’u’llah is the promised one.
In Sri-Lanka, the Baha’i Faith emerged in 1949 as an independent world religion. Since that time, growing numbers throughout the country, representing various, ethnic, racial, religious backgrounds and cultures have been finding inspiration and guidance in the teachings of the Baha’i Faith.
Members of the Baha’i community are working together with their neighbors and friends to promote and contribute to the well-being and progress of society.
On the October 21 and 22 this year, the Baha’i solar calendar places the bicentennial anniversaries of the birth of Baha’u’llah and the birth of the bab.
Over five million Baha’is in nearly 100,000 localities worldwide are preparing for major upcoming celebrations.
The global festivities involving people of thousands of ethnic backgrounds is demonstrative of a key message of Baha’u’llah’s life and teachings: that a special time has arrived for the entire human race as it gradually moves from a stage of collective adolescence to one of maturity and wholeness.
In addition, the Baha’is worldwide are looking forward to stunning new houses of worships being built.
These temples are being built in Chile, Cambodia, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, India (in Bihar Sharif, in addition to the one already in New Delhi), Papua New Guinea, and Vanuatu.
Embracing ideals that combine service and worship, Baha’is are engaged in a worldwide effort at community-building that, with no sectarian or congregational aspiration, aims to contribute to a pattern of collective life on earth that is informed by the uplifting teachings of Baha’u’llah and the bab—teachings that reinforce and amplify the teachings of all the world’s great religions.
The Baha’is are traditionally open to people from all communities and systems of beliefs. As such, the upcoming celebrations too are going to be open for all people who wish to participate.
Dinesh Thilakarathne,
Secretary,
The Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’i Faith in Lanka