Traditions and beliefs

Like christianity baha is belives in god and that jesus is his son

Like Islam, Bahá’ís believe that God has sent many prophets, including Jesus and Muhammad. Bahá’ís have no priests, ministers or prayer leaders, and have very little public ritual. Daily private prayer and study are essential parts of individual Bahá’í life, and the Bahá’í community meets regularly for worship and consultation.

The primary belief is in the oneness of the human race. The Bahá’í goal is lasting world peace and unity which Bahá’ís believe can be reached only when the barriers of prejudice – from gender imbalance to racism – have been broken.

Bahá’ís believe all humans are equal, part of God’s creation and on a spiritual journey which begins in the womb, continues throughout life and goes on after death. There is no concept of “heaven” or “hell” – at least, not as places. To Bahá’ís, “heaven” is closeness to God and “hell” is distance from God. In this life, we make choices which bring us closer to God: developing honesty, generosity, justice in our dealings with others, and other spiritual qualities.

Like people of all religions, Bahá’ís believe that actions in this life prepare us for the next. Bahá’ís pray and meditate, hold an annual fast, and study the Bahá’í writings. The Bahá’í teachings make clear that work done in the spirit of service is equivalent to worship. This practical expression of the Bahá’í Faith takes many forms. There are Bahá’í social and economic development projects around the world – schools, village literacy projects, healthcare, and the development of village democracies. All work done in service to others, Bahá’ís believe, takes us closer to God.

After death, Bahá’ís believe that the journey towards God continues – and, if we use our time in this life well, we will already have made progress in this journey. Bahá’ís do not believe that non-believers will not reach God, but they will not have come as far along the way. Bahá’ís believe that in the end, however, we are all dependent on God’s mercy.

Bahá’u’lláh’s main message was that the earth is truly one country, and that lasting peace will be impossible until we really live with this in our hearts and minds. Bahá’ís regard world peace as being not just desirable, but inevitable. However Bahá’ís are not pacifists. The religion took no stance on the Iraq war, for example or any other conflict. It takes no sides in the political controversies of the day. Nor do Bahá’ís have any quarrel with the other great religions. Bahá’ís believe that all the religions come from one divine source: God. They are parts of a single historical process taking humankind from its beginnings to the global civilisation that Bahá’ís believe will be the inevitable development in human life.