The book outlines the essential laws and principles to be observed by his followers, lays the groundwork for bahai institutions, and articulates his vision for the. Bahai faith and christianity bahais of the united states. The bahai teachings promote the agreement of science and religion, the equality of the sexes and the elimination of. The basic beliefs and history of a religion is often found in its sacred or revered texts. This most holy book sets forth laws of god for the baha i dispensation, and ordains necessary institutions through which the integrity and the unity of baha ullahs faith can be safeguarded. The baha i faith is one of the newer world religions stemming originally from shiite islam in persia modernday iran.
As a baha i, i found this book to be most useful in understandig baha ullahs plan for a new world order. There are many holy books used by members of the bahai faith. The kitabiaqdas or aqdas is the central book of the baha. Baha ullah the kitab i aqdas the most holy book epistle to the son of the wolf gleanings from the writings of baha ullah the hidden words of baha ullah the kitab i iqan the book of certitude prayers and meditations proclamation of baha ullah the seven valleys and the four valleys tablets of baha ullah revealed after the kitab i aqdas. Its founder, bahaullah 18171892, is regarded by bahais as the most recent in the line of messengers of god that stretches back beyond recorded time and that includes abraham, moses, buddha, krishna, zoroaster, christ and muhammad.
Wilmette institute faculty notes, by brent poirier 1998. Keeping bahai prisoners, iran threatens the entire. I spent my afternoon studying claims of how the bahai leadership allegedly purged the 1992 english translation of their most holy book kitab alaqdas from elements which might be considered weird or offensive by their mosttargeted audience, tolerant, openminded people with mostly western backgrounds. As they say, those who established the bahai religion are said to be the most recent instance of the progressive revelation of a holy god. The most holy book contains obfuscations and distortions designed to protect the fortunes of the bahai faith and preventing the book to cause a drastic falloff in membership, as the text reveals a great disparity between the original message of the founder and what later came to be sold as the bahai faith. The writings of the bab and bahaullah are regarded as divine revelation the writings of abdulbaha are recognised as sacred the scriptures of other faiths, which. The bahai reference library is the authoritative online source of bahai writings. The bahai faith is the youngest of the worlds independent religions. Mar 17, 2015 it is for this reason that the discipline of daily prayer, meditation, and study of the holy writings constitutes an important part of the individual spiritual practice of bahais. Bahaullahs most important book is the book of laws, also called the most holy book kitabiaqdas, which was completed in the house of abbud around 1873. What are the top ten religions and what is the holy book for. Kitabelakdas the most holy book translated by anton haddad copied from the copy of mrs.
The bahai faith, the worlds newest independent global belief system, teaches the oneness of god, the unity of humanity and the essential harmony of religion. The babi and bahai religion is a short but comprehensive treatise in english on the teachings of mirza ali muhammad bab of shiraz iran and his successor who later broke away from bab and introduced his own religion, bahaism mirza husain ali bahaullah, was compiled by a. What are the top ten religions and what is the holy book. The kitabiaqdas the most holy book view on the new bahai reference library the kitabiiqan the book of certitude view on the new bahai reference library prayers and meditations by bahaullah view on the new bahai reference library proclamation of bahaullah. The one that states the principle laws, and will be gradually implement in the bahai community over centuries, is the kitabiaqdas. In 1873, bahaullah completed his most important work, the most holy book kitabiaqdas, written in the house of udi khammar, now part of the house of abbud. The work was written in arabic under the arabic title alkitabu laqdas arabic. Read about how baha ullah, the founder of the baha i faith, testified of jesus christ, and other ways that the baha i faith and christianity intersect. It was founded by bahaullah in iran in the 19th century.
It is interesting that a full authorized english language edition only became available late in the 20th century. I guess my question is do baha i people think that the quran is corrupted. For example, the holy book of christianity is the bible, the holy book of islam is the quran, and the holy book of the baha. Jul 29, 2008 beitostolen, norway the bahai book known as the kitabiaqdas, the most holy book, has been published in norwegian for the first time, bringing to about 30 the number of different language editions of the work. Niyaz, a great scholar in his own right, compiled the book from the scholarly literature of jamaat ahmadiyya, such as books and articles by hadrat maulana abul ata jalandhari, who was the first to publish, and bringit in public alaqdas the holy book of baais, which till then was not h. Buddhism 376 million followers tripitaka pali canon 5. Like, in islam we believe that mohammed pbuh is the last messanger and that previous holy books have been corrupted and altered by humans. Most holy book of bahai faith published in norwegian bwns. As is the kitabiaqdas, which translated means the most holy book. The bahai international community has called on the iranian government to release the bahais and all other prisoners of conscience, joining a chorus of voices that includes the u. It is, of course, essential readig for any baha i who wants a deeper and mature understanding of the cause.
The splainer is an occasional religion news service feature. Feb 28, 2018 such attitudes among bahais are intolerant, fanatical, and characteristic of cults rather than the major world religion for modern times that the bahai faith aspires to be. Sep 22, 2009 bahai religion may be unique in the way that it accepts all other faiths as true and valid. The kitabiaqdas or the most holy book the central book of the bahai faith the kitabiaqdas or the most holy book is the central book of the bahai faith containing not only its major laws but also exhortations, social principles and mystical and spiritual teachings. Bahais believe in peace, justice, love, altruism and unity. However, it has come to achieve a unique status of its own.
The bahai religion tries to place jesus christ alongside moses, abraham, krishna, zoroaster, buddha, and many more. The holy books of world religions sacred texts in world. But a number of its main teachings are in direct conflict with what the bible teaches, what jesus actually said, and what christianity is all about. Aug 20, 2005 bahai beliefs the bahai faith is monotheistic, believing in one, allpowerful creator god. It contains selected works of bahaullah, the bab, abdulbaha, shoghi effendi, and the universal house of justice, as well as other bahai texts. Difference between bahai and christianity difference between. So, what are the holy books of the five major world religions. The first duty prescribed by god for his servants is the recognition of him.
The concepts of unity and community are very important for followers of bahai, who believe that people should come together and collectively work to help humanity. Bahai holy scriptures consist of the writings of abdulbaha, bahaullah and the bab. Notes on the style of the kitabiaqdas, by suheil badi bushrui 1995. It is for this reason that the discipline of daily prayer, meditation, and study of the holy writings constitutes an important part of the individual spiritual practice of bahais. The most holy text is the kitabiaqbas, written by bahaullah. They share this belief in gods nature with christians, jews, and muslims, although what each of these religions believes about the one and only god can be quite different. His most important book, the kitabiaqdas the most holy book dates from the early akka period 1873 and contains laws, theology, social teachings, and instruction regarding bahai. In 2010, the court sided with the small bahai denominations and ruled that the name of the bahai religion is in the public domain. The baha i faith has distinguished itself as a unique world religion because of its size 5 million members, its. It is clear that there are many admirable teachings that are a part of the bahai religion. It was supplemented by later writings and by bahaullahs replies to a series of questions posed by one of his secretaries.
The one that states the principle laws, and will be gradually. Bahaullahs book of laws, written in arabic around 1873 while he was still imprisoned within the city of akka. His most important book, the kitab i aqdas the most holy book dates from the early akka period 1873 and contains laws, theology, social teachings, and instruction regarding baha i. Bahais accept the divine nature of the missions of abraham, moses, zoroaster, the buddha, jesus. The most holy book bahai world centre, 1992 translated by shoghi effendi et al. The bahai faith is the only religion to have grown faster in every united nations region over the past 100 years than the general population. An unofficial correlation of the passages from the synopsis and codification of the kitabiaqdas to the books textual passages. He also passed along a line in the bahai kitabiaqdas most holy book. Among the better known writings of bahaullah are, the most holy book, the book of certitude, gleanings from the writings of bahaullah, the hidden words and the seven valleys. Its founder, bahaullah 18171892, is regarded by bahais as the most recent in the line of messengers of god that. Why the bahai faith is incompatible with christianity. Bahaullah writes his most holy book the life of bahaullah. Bahai scripture comprises the writings of the bab and bahaullah, together with the writings of abdulbaha.