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.
The Bahá'ís believe that there is one God for all of humanity. God is the creator of the universe and is unknowable to mankind. Since God is unknowable, He sends prophets to mankind in order to give the “Word of God”. Some of the great prophets are: Adam, Abraham, Moses, Krishna, Zoroaster, Buddha, Jesus Christ, Mohammed, The Bab, and Baha’u’llah. Since there is one God, all of humanity is considered to be one big family.
There is no clergy or priesthood and each person is responsible for his or her own relationship with God and studying the teachings. Each Baha’i takes time every day to pray, read from scripture, meditate, and reflect on how to translate Baha’i teachings into action. There are Bahá'í Houses of Worship that the Bahá'í followers may go to. These Houses of Worship welcome all religions. Their services include prayers, music, and reading of scriptures from the writings of the Bahá'í Messenger Baha’u’lla, as well as scriptures from many different religions.
This religion focuses on the way that one lives their life on a daily basis. Each Bahá'í member should pray each day, observe the nine Holy days, fast nineteen days a year, and if able make at least one pilgrimage in their lifetime to the Shrine of Bab.
The following are a few examples from Bahá'u'lláh's teachings on personal conduct that are prohibited or discouraged.
- Backbiting and gossip are prohibited and denounced.
- Drinking or selling alcohol is forbidden.
- Sexual intercourse is only permitted between a husband and wife, and thus premarital, extramarital, or homosexual intercourse are forbidden.
- Abstaining from partisan politics is required.
- Begging as a profession is forbidden.
The prayers that are to be done daily include both personal and recited prayers throughout the day. Along with these prayers, the followers are asked to meditate at the end of the day to reflect on all of the deeds they have done throughout that day. It is believed that through the Bahá'í Faith, humanity will achieve both social and spiritual maturity.
Sources:
http://www.religionfacts.com/bahai/practices.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bahá%27%C3%AD_Faith#Prohibitions