The Baha’i faith is a new religion founded by Mirza Husayn ‘Ali (1817-1892), better known by the title of Baha’ullah (“the Glory of God”) in mid-19th century Persia. The word Baha’i comes from baha (glory, splendor) and qualifies the disciples of Baha’ullah. The religion developed from another syncretism, Babism, which was founded in 1844 by Mirza ‘Ali Muhammed of Shiraz, known by the name Bab, who proclaimed the imminent arrival of a new prophet, messenger of God, “The one that God will reveal.”{1} The Bab’s message spread quickly throughout all of Persia, provoking strong opposition from the Shiite clergy and repression from the Persian government. The Bab was arrested and after several years of imprisonment, was condemned to death. His followers faced a wave of repression in which 20,000 of them lost their lives.

Following a failed assassination attempt against Shah Nasiri-d-Din, carried out in August 1852 by two of Bab’s followers seeking to avenge their master, Baha’ullah, one of the Bab’s first disciples, was arrested. Although he proclaimed innocence, he was thrown in the ‘black hole’, a famous Tehran prison. According to sacred Baha’i texts, it was there that he became conscious of his mission as a divine messenger. Released in January 1853 and exiled to Baghdad, he headed up the Babi community there and undertook to renew the community’s faith. Worried, the Persian government encouraged the Ottoman authorities to distance Baha’ullah and the growing number of his disciples from the Persian border. Before leaving for Constantinople, Baha’ullah spent twelve days in a garden near Baghdad and it was there that he declared to a small number of Babis that he was the messenger of God whose arrival had been prophesized by the Bab. {2} That was in April 1863.

From Constantinople, where he spent four months, Baha’ullah was transferred to Andrianople (current day Edirne) from which he rendered his mission public through letters called Tablets, addressed to the leaders of Persia, Turkey, Russia, Prussia, Austria, Great Britain and France, as well as to the Pope and the Christian and Muslim clergy.

A great majority of Babis recognized Baha’ullah and became know as Baha’is. Bothered by their success and the rapid growth of their community, the Iranian consul in Edirne asked the Ottoman authorities to evict Baha’ullah. On order of the Ottoman sultan, this was done in 1868. Baha’ullah was exiled to Saint Jean d’Acre, another Ottoman town, where he died in 1892.

Before passing away, Baha’ullah designated his oldest son, ‘Abdu’l-Baha, Server of the Glory (1844-1921), as leader of the Baha’i community and authorized interpreter of his teachings. ‘Abdu’l-Baha not only administered the movement’s affairs from Palestine, he also actively engaged to spread the faith, traveling in Africa, Europe and America from 1910 to 1913. In turn he designated his oldest grandson, Shoghi Effendi Rabbani (1896-1957) as his successor and authorized interpreter of Baha’ullah’s teachings. {3}

During ‘Abdu’l-Baha’s ministry, Baha’i groups were established in North Africa, the Far East, Australia and the United States. Since then, the movement has spread nearly everywhere on the planet with particularly important communities in Africa, Iran, India, the United States and certain regions of South East Asia. The religion’s expansion in the Caucasus began as soon as its revelation but before analyzing in detail its progression in the Russian empire of the time, we will briefly present the religion’s theological principles.

Sacred literature and religious practice

The Baha’is believe that God revealed himself to men through different prophets throughout the centuries. They consider that the revelations of Krishna, Moses, Buddha, Christ or Mohammed complete one another, each one surpassing the previous one. {4} From this postulate derives the belief that Baha’ullah’s and ‘Abdu’l-Baha’s revelations surpass previous revelations from the Old and New Testaments, as well as from the Qur’an, without contradicting them. {5}This new revelation, which according to the Baha’i faith is superior to the others, has become necessary for a more mature and responsible humanity than that of ancient times. {6}They are additionally convinced that mankind is on the brink of a new era in which they will form one single nation and have one single religion. This evolutionist conception of humanity is a central point of the Baha’i social and religious vision which considers that “God is unique and all of his prophets are united. Humanity is singular and whole.” The Baha’is believe therefore in a unique God, creator of the world, and based upon these points, they follow the Abrahamic religions. They also share the same conception of humanity, placed by God at the summit of creation.

The Baha’is greatly insist upon humanity’s unity. They consider the current divisions between nations, races and religions as faults destined to disappear with the accession of their doctrine. That is why they are fervent supporters of United Nations institutions, in which they see the precursor signs of the global government they wish to see. {7} The Baha’is’ doctrine can be summarized in the words of Shoghi Effendi, Baha’ullah’s last successor: “The goal of a Baha’i’s life is to promote the unity of mankind. Our lives are directly linked to those of all human beings and we do not want a personal greeting, but a universal greeting. Our goal is to usher in a global civilization.” {8}

The Baha’is observe a strict code of conduct based upon their holy book, Kitab I Aqdas. The religion’s principal obligations are daily prayer and a one month fast in March, before the beginning of the New Year. They encourage personal spiritual life, supported by meditation upon the texts of Baha’ullah and Abdul Baha. Each day they also recite their three obligatory prayers while facing the directions of Saint-Jean d’Acre and Haifa, where their World Centre and Universal House of Justice are located. All drugs are strictly forbidden, particularly alcohol, and the use of tobacco is strongly discouraged. Marriage is extremely important and pre-marital sexual relations as well as adultery are also strictly forbidden. {9} The Baha’is follow a calendar of 19 months and 19 days, totaling 361 days. The four “remaining days” are dedicated to festivities. The first day of each month is marked by a celebration consisting of three parts. The first part is reserved for prayer and meditation upon the sacred texts. Following that, participants deal democratically with administrative questions concerning their group. Finally, the meeting ends with a meal and entertainment.


{1} For a historical and scientific view of the Baha’i faith, see Momen Mojan, The Babi and Baha’i Religions 1844-1944 : Some Contemporary Western Accounts, George Ronald, Oxford, 1981. See also the following book which continues to remain relevant, Hippolyte Dreyfus, Essai sur le baha'isme : son histoire, sa portée sociale, Paris puf 1962, 152 p. Finally, it is worth consulting the serious study by J-D. Martin, The Baha’i Faith : the Emerging Global Religion, San Francisco, 1984.

{2} Hippolyte DREYFUS, op.cit.

{3} Hippolyte DREYFUS, op.cit.

{4} Encyclopedia Britannica, op.cit.

{5} See the Encyclopedia of Religions and Humanity: http://www.bahai-biblio.org/centre-doc/dico/encyclopedie-religions.htm , 25 March 2006.

{6} Encyclopedia Britannica, op.cit.

{7} This belief in a universal government explains the Baha’is’ passion for the United Nations where they have permanent representation in several organizations in Geneva, Nairobi and New York.

{8} All of Shoghi Effendi’s works translated into French can be found at: http://www.religare.org/unity-mba.htm, as of 4 April 2006.

{9} See the Encyclopedia of Religions and Humanity: http://www.bahai-biblio.org/centre-doc/dico/encyclopedie-religions.htm , 25 March 2006.