God in the Baháʼí Faith
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The Baháʼí conception of God is of an "unknowable essence" who is the source of all existence and known through the perception of human virtues. The Baháʼí Faith follows the tradition of monotheism and dispensationalism, believing that God has no physical form, but periodically provides divine messengers in human form that are the sources of spiritual education. In another sense, Baháʼí teachings on God are also panentheistic, seeing signs of God in all things, but the reality of God being exalted and above the physical world.[1][2]
Shoghi Effendi, head of the religion from 1921 to 1957, described God as "a personal God, unknowable, inaccessible, the source of all Revelation, eternal, omniscient, omnipresent and almighty".[3]
According to Baháʼí teachings, God communicates his will and purpose for humanity through intermediaries known as Manifestations of God, who are the prophets and messengers who have founded religions throughout human history. Accepting these Manifestations allows individuals to draw nearer to God and attain spiritual progress.
Baháʼís do not believe God has any human or physical form; the use of male pronouns in Baháʼí scripture is by convention rather than implicating gender. Various names are used to refer to God in the writings, the one deemed greatest being "All-Glorious" or Bahá in Arabic.
God
Baháʼís view God as the being responsible for the creation of all that exists.[4] The teachings state there is only one God and that his essence is absolutely inaccessible from the physical realm of existence and that, therefore, his reality is completely unknowable.[5] Thus, all of humanity's conceptions of God which have been derived throughout history are mere manifestations of the human mind and not at all reflective of His true nature.[6]
While God's essence is inaccessible, a subordinate form of knowledge is available by way of mediation by divine messengers, known as Manifestations of God.[7] The Manifestations of God reveal teachings that reflect God's will and purpose for humanity at a particular time in history.[8][9] By recognising these Manifestations, humanity can fulfil its inherent purpose to know and love its creator.[10] The Baháʼí teachings state that one can develop a closer relationship with God through prayer, study of the holy writings, development of praiseworthy qualities, and service to humanity.[11][12]
Although human cultures and religions differ in their
All praise to the unity of God, and all honor to Him, the sovereign Lord, the incomparable and all-glorious Ruler of the universe, Who, out of utter nothingness, hath created the reality of all things, Who, from naught, hath brought into being the most refined and subtle elements of His creation, and Who, rescuing His creatures from the abasement of remoteness and the perils of ultimate extinction, hath received them into His kingdom of incorruptible glory. Nothing short of His all-encompassing grace, His all-pervading mercy, could have possibly achieved it.
anthropomorphic and incarnationist beliefs.[15]Manifestations of God
The Baháʼí teachings recognize the founders of the world's major religions as manifestations of the one same God, and regard them as the primary means of knowing God's attributes.[18] Each revelation is thought to bring a greater degree of teachings and build upon those that came before, thus being essentially united in purpose.[13] Several extant religions were mentioned by Baháʼu'lláh as being divinely revealed: Sabeanism (religion of the Sabians), Hinduism, Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam. The divine origin of various other religions, that have since been lost to history, are assumed.[19]
These Manifestations of God are regarded as mirrors that reflect God's divine attributes, revealing aspects of God without being incarnations. Through these educators, humans are able to attain spiritual progress and draw nearer to God.[20]
Names of God
The Baháʼí scriptures refer to God by various titles and attributes, such as Almighty, All-Powerful, All-Wise, Incomparable, Gracious, Helper, All-Glorious, Omniscient and All-Loving.[21][22] Bahá'is believe the greatest of all the names of God is "All-Glorious" or Bahá in Arabic. Bahá is the root word of the following names and phrases: the greeting Alláh-u-Abhá (God is the All-Glorious), the invocation Yá Baháʼu'l-Abhá (O Thou Glory of the Most Glorious), Baháʼu'lláh (The Glory of God), and Baháʼí (Follower of the All-Glorious).[23] These are expressed in Arabic regardless of the language in use (see Baháʼí symbols).[24]
See also
- Baháʼí Faith and the unity of religion
- Conceptions of God
- Ethical monotheism
- Existence of God
- God in Abrahamic religions
- Prayer in the Baháʼí Faith
Citations
- ^ Momen 2003, p. 1.
- ^ Stockman 2013, p. 33.
- ^ Effendi 1944, p. 139.
- ^ a b Hatcher & Martin 1985, p. 125
- ^ Momen 1988
- ^ Momen 1997
- ^ Adamson 2007, pp. 186–188
- ^ Hatcher & Martin 1985, pp. 21, 171
- ^ Smith 2008, pp. 107–108
- ^ Smith 2008, p. 111
- ^ Smith 2008, pp. 117–118.
- ^ Hayes et al. 2006, p. 54.
- ^ a b Fathea'zam 2002, pp. 14–21.
- ^ Hatcher & Martin 1985, p. 126.
- ^ a b Smith 2008, p. 106
- ^ McLean & Lee 1997, p. 67,78
- ^ Research Department of the Universal House of Justice (2002). The Use of the Masculine Gender in the Bahá'í Writings.
- ^ Smith 2000, p. 164.
- ^ Smith 2000, p. 291.
- ^ Hatcher & Martin 1985, p. 190.
- ^ Adamson 2007.
- ^ Smith 2000, pp. 164–165
- ^ Faizi 2002
- ^ Smith 2000, pp. 167–168.
Bibliography
- Adamson, Hugh (2007). Historical Dictionary of the Baháʼí Faith. Oxford, UK: Scarecrow Press.
ISBN 9780810864672. ISBN 9781508530732.- Faizi, Abu'l-Qasim (2002). Conqueror of Hearts: Excerpts from Letters, Talks, and Writings of Hand of the Cause of God Abu'l-Qásim Faizí. Baháʼí Library Online.
- Fathea'zam, Hushmand (2002). The New Garden: An Introduction to the Bahá'í Faith. Juxta Publishing Limited.
ISBN 9788185091556. ISBN 9780060637934.- Hayes, Terril G.; Fisher, Betty J.; Hill, Richard A.; et al., eds. (2006) [1994]. The Journey of the Soul: Life, Death & Immortality. Baháʼí Publishing.
ISBN 9781931847285.- McLean, Jack; Lee, Anthony A. (1997), Revisioning the Sacred: New Perspectives on a Baha'i Theology, Kalimat Press,
ISBN 0933770960- Momen, Moojan (2003). "The God of Baháʼu'lláh". The Baha'i Faith and the World's Religions. Oxford, UK: George Ronald. pp. 1–38.
ISBN 9781851681204. ISBN 9780933770720. ISBN 9780521862516. ISBN 9781851681846. ISBN 978-1-4411-8781-9.- Momen, Moojan (2003). "The God of Baháʼu'lláh". The Baha'i Faith and the World's Religions. Oxford, UK: George Ronald. pp. 1–38.
Further reading
- Hall, Joshua (2022). "Bahá'u'lláh and the God of Avicenna". Journal of Bahá'í Studies. 31 (3). Ottawa: Association for Bahá'í Studies: 7–90.
S2CID 247483735. ISBN 81-7896-053-2.External links
- Bahai.org: God and His Creation