INTRODUCTION:
Bahai religion is one of the latest religions in the history of religion. It is primarily Islamic but one can identify the religious truths from non-Islamic, religions incorporated into its stream. It aims at one Universal faith that will unite the whole human kind into one race and hence to evolve world peace where every one will accept and love everyone. But in its early stages those who belonged to Bahai faith were considered as Muslim heretics. This is a radical modern movement emerging from Shi'a Islam.
This religion evolved from the teachings of two religious visionaries of the 19th century in Persia.
1. Mirza Ali Muhammed (1820-50): He claimed that he was the latest spiritual leader and called himself 'Bab', which meant 'The Gate'. He was executed by the persian authorities under the accusations of an attempt to assasinate the Shah. He did not attract many followers.
2. Mirza Husain Ali: He was born inTehron, Iran in 1817. He was a follower of Bab. He called himself 'Baha U Allah', which meant 'splendor of God or Glory of God.' He claimed prophetic status and said that he was the manifestation of God fortold by Bab.His duty is to redeem the world at the end of the age and to interpret God's will for a new era. Bahai traditions say that Baha U Allah did not undergo any formal education. He was imprisioned by the king because of his claims. He claimed to have had a dramatic religious experience during his stay in the prison. He was exiled to Bagdad along with the other Babis. He gradually imposed spiritual influence on the Babi exiles whose number increased. In 1863 he declared himself to a small group of followers as manyuzhiruhu'allah, which means 'he whom God shall manifest'.
He was imprisioned and exiled many more times and between 1868 and 1877 he was kept in house arrest with his family. He started writing the fundamental Bahai scripture between 1871-1873 called Kitab-i-Aqdas (the most holy book). He died on 1892. His followers increased after his death.The movement is represented in over 70,000 centers all over the world. especially in South-West Asia, Europe, Africa, North and South America and South East Asia.
BASIC TEACHINGS:
Bahai teaching accepts all religions. It is based on the philosophy that the history of mankind goes in cycles. One such cycle began 6000 years ago with Adam as the first prophet. According to Bahai teaching Moses, Krishna, Buddha, Zarathustra, Christ and Muhammed are all successos of Adam whom God used in different epochs. Thus all their teachings contain truth which Baha U Allah accomodates in his movement. He is the manifestation of God in the present age. Therefore the ultimate aim is to unite human race into one single faith and to establish peace in the world. This could be achieved only by maintaining one single language which will be auxillary language - English, a single currency and uniform judicial and police system.
The mandate of Baha U Allah as God's Messiah and fulfillment of promises of all religions for the present age was to teach the true religion of God and to fill the world with peace and justice and to save it from the immoral values of modern civilization. According to its teachings the state of perfect peace and harmony will be achieved after an internal change that will take place in people and the society.
As Baha U Allah is a manifestation of God all his writings are sacred. this can be interpretted only by his son Abdul-Baha whom Baha U Allah nominated as an authorized interpreter. Abdul-Baha at his death nominated his grandson Shoghi Effendi to be his successor.
Bahai teaching addresses existential problems faced by an individual and it is open to science. It promotes: equality of all human beings, non-violence, abstention from alcohol, daily private prayers, fasting meditation, prayer for the dead, removal of prejudice and rejection of military service. It is open to Scriptures of other religions, advocates monogamy, but divorce is allowed. Social and religious issues went hand in hand in the teachings which aimed at new age peace.Though Bahai faith had its roots in Islam Baha U Allah rejected polygamy, slavery and the concept of holy war (Jihad). He promoted equality between sexes.
Teachings of Quran was modified and explained in a metaphorical sense. This religion did not believe in angels or evil spirits. Heaven and hell were only treated in symbolic sense. It tried to reconcile science and religion this attracted the educated.
COMMENT AND CONCLUSION:
The teachings of Bahai religion sounds very attractive and its principles aims high ideals of peace, unity, equality, justice and the like. but it is more a political system under the covering of religion. How could one prove that it is not another 'Ideal-World' dream of another ambitious leader like Alexander the Great, who tried to bring the world under a single rule and language (Greek). Alexander used power and warfare as his tool, unlike the recent Baha U Allah who had used an another dreadful monster 'Religion' to achieve his goal. This was presented in a way which is more acceptable by the society.
The syncretic approach of Bahaism is very noble.It promotes tolerance towards other religions. This theology sounds expansive and deep on the superficial level. But when it is scrutinized closely, it would only lead to confusion and not to the Truth.To give a simple example, the teaching says that Buddha and Muhammed are manifestations of God indifferent epochs in different forms. If it is so then one would wonder what is this God who manifests himself in different forms trying to convey. Should one accept the gentle spirituality of Buddha through abstinence from all forms of evil and non violence or the brutality of holy war and indulgence through polygamy and all such practices? The teachings of Bahai rejects holywar but it was promoted by Muhammed whom the Bahai traditions considers as one of the manifestation of God. where is the Ultimate Truth that everyone is striving to achieve?
It is all confused and bungled up within itself. This cannot lead one to the Ultimate Truth. But it would do better if it gets out of the covering of 'Religion' and expose itself as a political policy, what it really is. Besides the above reasons the claims of the Baha U Allah that he is the fulfillment of the promises in all religions is highly questionable.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
KRITZEK,J..,"BAHAISM" in the New Catholic Encyclopedia, vol.2, NEWYORK: McGraw Hill Book Company, 1967.
NINIAN SMART, The Religious Experience Of Mankind, NEWYORK: 1967.
NINIAN SMART, The World's Religions, GREAT BRITAIN: Cambridge university Press,1989.
SCHILLING,W., "UNITY AND PEACE" in The World's Religions, AUSTRALIA: A Lion HandBook,1982.
RAUSH,D.A., World Religions - A Simple Guide, LONDON: SCM Press LTD., 1982.
END-NOTES
1 NINIAN SMART, THE WORLD'S RELIGIONS, GREAT BRITAIN, p.479.
2 SCHILLING,W., "UNITY AND PEACE" in the THE WORLD'S RELIGIONS, AUSTRALIA, p.268.
3 KRIZECK, J., "BAHAISM" in the NEW CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA, NEWYORK p.14
4 NINIAN SMART, THE WORLD'S RELIGIONS, GREAT BRITAIN, p.480.
5 KRIZECK, J., "BAHAISM" in the NEW CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA, vol.2, NEWYORK, p.14,
6 NINIAN SMART, THE RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE OF MAN KIND, NEWYORK,1969,p.534.
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