Bahai

’i

Bahai’i universalizing

exclusivist no branches not a branch of Islam

Divine

Messengers from the Creator

Divine

Messengers from the Creator

Divine

Messengers from the Creator

Divine

Messengers from the Creator

Divine

Messengers from the Creator

Divine

Messengers from the Creator

Divine

Messengers from the Creator

Divine

Messengers from the Creator

Baha’ullah The final divine

messenger

Born 1817 in Persia

Arrested and exiled

for his preaching

Branch

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Branch

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Branch

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Branch

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Branch

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Branch

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Branch

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Branch

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Baha’i Holy

Places

Most holy site – the Bahji Palace, final resting place of the earthly remains of Baha’ullah . . . ACRE

Holy site – Shine of the Bab, the tomb of the Bab who prophesied the coming of Baha’ullah . . . HAIFA

Administrative headquarters – Universal House of Justice and Archives Building. . . HAIFA

Baha’i

Temples 7 buildings – one on every

inhabited continent and another in

Oceania

All have central dome

All have 9 doors

Baha’i Temples

OCEANIA: Apia, Western Samoa

Baha’i Temples

AUSTRALIA: Sydney, Australia

Baha’i Temples

AFRICA: Kampala, Uganda

Baha’i Temples

SOUTH AMERICA: Panama City

Baha’i Temples

EUROPE: near Frankfurt, Germany

Baha’i Temples

NORTH AMERICA: Wilmette, Illinois (Near

Chicago)

Baha’i Temples

ASIA: New Delhi, India

The first House of Worship was built in

Russia, in the city of Ashkhabad in Central

Asia (red). Completed around 1908, the

Ashkhabad House of Worship served the

Bahá'í community of that region until 1938,

when the site was appropriated by the

Soviet Government. The building was

demolished in 1962 after being damaged by

an earthquake.

Around the world, more than 120 sites have so far been set aside

for future Houses of Worship (light green). Ultimately, every local

Bahá'í community will have its own House of Worship. Like the

first one in Ashkhabad, each will become the focus of community

life, as well as a center for social, scientific, educational, and

humanitarian services.

Now… about that Panama,

South American temple…

Columbia, under construction

Diffusion of the

Baha’i No formal missionaries

Followers encouraged to move to locations with few or no Baha’i adherents and there become involved in a positive way in order to encourage interest in the faith

Spread word to neighbors through activity and involvement in local affairs

Growth

There are two distinct elements to the Bahá'í administration, the

elected and appointed. The highest elected body is the Universal

House of Justice, which possesses "the exclusive right to legislate

on matters not explicitly revealed in the Most Holy Book." The

highest appointed authority is the Institution of the Guardianship,

which is a hereditary authority and has the exclusive "right of the

interpretation of the Holy Writ solely conferred upon him."

Baha’i

Administration