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BAHAI
Eternal India
encyclopedia
Baha'i Faith teaches :
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God is one.
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All religions come from the same source.
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Mankind is one.
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Aims : The oneness of mankind on this planet.
A new religious and administrative system to
carry forward an ever advancing civilisation
V
CHRONOLOGY
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1817 - Baha'u'llah (His Holiness Mirza Husayn Ali) born in
Teheran.
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1819 - The Bab (His Holiness Mirza Ali Muhammad) born in
Shiraz.
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1844 - The Bab declares His mission in fulfilment of past
prophecies and to prepare the people for the coming of the
Promised One of all religions.
v
The Bayan, the Holy Book of the Bab is revealed.
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1850 - With a dedicated follower (Aqa Muhammad) the Bab
was executed by a Muslim firing squad in Tabriz.
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1852 - Baha'u'llah, imprisoned for His acceptance of the Bab,
receives His Revelation in the Siyah Chal dungeon in Teheran.
Banished to Iraq.
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1863 - Baha'u'llah declares His mission in Baghdad (Ancient
Babylon.)
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1868 - Proclamation to all the kings and ecclesiastical leaders
of the earth.
"O kings of the earth! He Who is the Sovereign Lord of all is
come. The kingdom is God's, the Omnipotent Protector, the
Self-Subsisting..."
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Baha'u'llah is exiled to the prison colony of Acca.
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1873 - Revelation of the Kitab-i-Aqdas, the Most Holy Book.
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1879 - Baha'u'llah shifts from the Prison of Acca to the Mansion
of Bahji.
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1892 - After 40 years of imprisonment, Baha'u'llah passes
away. He appoints His eldest son, 'Abdu' 1-Baha as the Centre
of His Mighty Covenant and the true Interpreter of His Words.
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1907 - The remains of the Bab are installed on the slopes of
Mount Carmel.
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1908 - 'Abdu' 1-Baha is freed after 56 years of imprisonment.
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1911 - 'Abdu'1-Baha undertakes His journeys to Europe and the
West to spread the Message of Baha'u'llah.
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1921-Abdu'l-Baha passes away. His eldest grandson, Shoghi
Effendi, appointed as the Guardian of the Baha'i faith.
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1948 - The Baha'i Faith is accredited to the United Nations as a
Non Governmental Organisation.
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1952 - The Baha'i ten year plan begins to spread the Message of
Baha'ullah to all parts of the world.
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1953 - The shrine of the Bab is completed.
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The First Baha'i House of worship of the West (Illinois, USA)
dedicated to humanity.
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1957 - Shoghi Effendi passes away. The Hands of the Cause,
appointed by him take up the leadership of the Baha'i Faith and
faithfully complete his plans.
1963 - The Universal House of Justice, the supreme institution
of the Baha'is of the world is elected, by the members of the
National Spiritual Assemblies. Every town or village elects its
own Local Spiritual Assembly every year. No propaganda or
canvassing for votes is permitted. The Universal House of
Justice is elected every five years.
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1968 - The centenary of Baha'u'llah's proclamation to the kings
celebrated by presentation of the book, "The Proclamation of
Baha'u'llah," to all rulers of earth.
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1985 - The year of peace, The Baha'i Message, "The Promise
of World Peace," is presented to all the governments and
peoples of the world.
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1986 - The Baha'i House of Worship, New Delhi is dedicated
to the peoples of the world. The Lotus shaped Mashriqu'l-
Adhkar becomes the most visited monument on this planet with
an average in 1993 of 2,83,955 visitors per month.
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There are seven Houses of Worship all over the world.
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1992 - The centenary of the Ascension of Baha'u'llah is
commemorated all over the world.
BAHAI'S IN INDIA
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India 2.5 million.
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Uttar Pradesh 8 lakhs; Madhya Pradesh 6 lakhs, Bhind (M.P)
1 lakh
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TEACHINGS
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The essential nature of God is beyond human comprehension.
God comprehends all things. He cannot be comprehended.
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The universe is without beginning in time. It is a perpetual
emanation of the First Great Cause - God.
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There is no such thing as positive evil. A bad man is a man with
the higher side of himself yet undeveloped. He needs to be
educated.
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Life in this world is only the embryonic stage of man's spiritual
progress. Death is nothing but a change of state. The soul of
man lives eternally.
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The reality of man is his thought. If a man's thought is forever
aspiring heavenwards, he becomes saintly.
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Heaven and hell are states of mind. Heaven is a state of
perfection, whereas hell is imperfection.
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People must search for truth inspite of all prejudices, customs
and traditions.
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People must systematically rid themselves of all prejudices
which divide them today. These include economic, racial,
colour, caste, creed and national prejudice.
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People must recognise that religion and science are in harmony
and work together for the progress of mankind.
Symbol of the Greatest Name
The symbol comprises three
levels The world of God, the
world of the Manifestation, the
world of man.
All joined by the Manifestation of God. The five pointed stars
represent the twin Prophets of this Day: The Bab and Baha'u'llah.
The symbol emphasises the basic belief of all religions that God
through His Messengers guides mankind at all times.
Origin : 19th Century
Place : Iran
Founders
: THE BAB AND BAHA'U'LLAH
Global Following : 5,742,000 (0.1%)
Global Spread : All Continents (220 countries)
Predominant
: Asia
Africa
Asia
Europ
e
South
America
North
America
Oceania
591
2,774
91
830
370
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