About

The Baha'i Faith

The Bahá’í Faith is a world religion that is being embraced by millions of people in all parts of the world. Its teachings provide a compelling vision of a united and prosperous global society, in which the entire human family lives in perfect peace.
The Bahá’í community of South Africa is spread across all nine provinces, and is representative of our country’s rich cultural diversity. In villages, townships, towns and cities throughout South Africa, Bahá’ís are striving to give expression to their beliefs by contributing to the advancement of their communities.

Bahá’ís are the followers of Bahá’u’lláh, a Divine Messenger Whose beautiful teachings and principles provide a foundation for humanity to build a peaceful society. These principles include the essential oneness of humankind, the elimination of all forms of prejudice, the unity of all religions, the full equality of women and men, the centrality of justice in all human endeavours, the importance of education, and true life as the life of the soul.

Bahá’u’lláh established a powerful and dynamic Covenant with humankind, which binds together and unites the Bahá’í community in all its diversity. Bahá’u’lláh appointed His eldest Son, Abdu’l-Bahá as the Centre of this Covenant, and established an Administrative Order that serves as a channel through which the spirit of the Faith flows, invigorating individual and collective efforts to contribute to the wellbeing of society.

What Bahá'ís Believe

In thousands upon thousands of locations around the world, the teachings of the Bahá’í Faith inspire individuals and communities as they work to improve their own lives and contribute to the advancement of civilization. Bahá’í beliefs address such essential themes as the oneness of God and religion, the oneness of humanity and freedom from prejudice, the inherent nobility of the human being, the progressive revelation of religious truth, the development of spiritual qualities, the integration of worship and service, the fundamental equality of the sexes, the harmony between religion and science, the centrality of justice to all human endeavours, the importance of education, and the dynamics of the relationships that are to bind together individuals, communities, and institutions as humanity advances towards its collective maturity.

History of the Bahá’í Faith in South Africa

Of the 200 years since the Birth of Bahá’u’lláh, the Bahá’ís have had a presence in South Africa for 112 of those years, continuously from 1905. However, it was not until 1953 when a world-wide “Crusade” to bring the Bahá’í Faith to all countries began, that community development in South Africa moved steadily forward.

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