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“Let your vision be world embracing.”
- Bahá’u’lláh
5 - 7 Years
England and Wales - KS1
Please scroll down - or click through - to find presentations and links to video materials, and in some cases, to lesson plans and worksheets.
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The Life of the Spirit
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Design for first Baháʼí House of Worship in Nepal
An Introduction to the Bahá'í Faith
God, the Creator of the universe, is all-knowing, all-loving and all-merciful. Just as the physical sun shines on the world, so the light of God is shed upon all Creation.
Throughout history, God has sent to humanity a series of divine Educators - known as Manifestations of God - whose teachings have provided the basis for the advancement of civilization.
These Manifestations have included Abraham, Krishna, Zoroaster, Moses, Buddha, Jesus, and Muhammad. Bahá’u’lláh, the latest of these Messengers, explained that the religions of the world come from the same Source and are in essence successive chapters of one religion from God.
Bahá’ís believe the crucial need facing humanity is to find a unifying vision of the future of society and of the nature and purpose of life. Such a vision unfolds in the writings of Bahá’u’lláh.
What are the Bahá’ís? What do they believe? What do they do? This presentation provides a basic introduction to the Faith.
The Central Figures
Bahá’u’lláh and His Covenant
The Bahá’í Faith began with the mission entrusted by God to two Divine Messengers - the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh.
Today, the distinctive unity of the Faith They founded stems from explicit instructions given by Bahá’u’lláh that have assured the continuity of guidance following His passing.
This line of succession, referred to as the Covenant, went from Bahá’u’lláh to His Son ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, and then from ‘Abdu’l-Bahá to His grandson, Shoghi Effendi, and the Universal House of Justice, ordained by Bahá’u’lláh.
A Bahá’í accepts the divine authority of the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh and of these appointed successors.
The Central Figures
In the middle of the 19th century a young merchant announced that He was the bearer of a message destined to transform the life of humanity.
At a time when His country, Iran, was undergoing widespread moral breakdown, His message aroused excitement and hope among all classes, rapidly attracting thousands of followers. He took the name “The Báb”, meaning “the Gate” in Arabic.
With His call for spiritual and moral reformation, and His attention to improving the position of women and the lot of the poor, the Báb’s prescription for spiritual renewal was revolutionary. At the same time, He founded a distinct, independent religion of His own, inspiring His followers to transform their lives and carry out great acts of heroism.
The Báb announced that humanity stood at the threshold of a new era. His mission, which was to last only six years, was to prepare the way for the coming of a Manifestation of God Who would usher in the age of peace and justice promised in all the world’s religions: Bahá’u’lláh.
The Báb
(1819-1850)
The Central Figures
Bahá’u’lláh
(1817-1892)
In the In the middle of the 19th century, God summoned Bahá’u’lláh—meaning the “Glory of God”—to deliver a new Revelation to humanity. For four decades thousands of verses, letters and books flowed from His pen. In His Writings, He outlined a framework for the development of a global civilization which takes into account both the spiritual and material dimensions of human life.
Bahá’u’lláh suffered 40 years of imprisonment, torture and exile for bringing God’s latest message to humanity. Today, His life and mission are becoming increasingly well-known across the planet. Millions of people are learning to apply His teachings to their individual and collective lives for the betterment of the world.
The Central Figures
‘Abdu’l-Bahá
(1844-1921)
In His Writings, Bahá’u’lláh instructed all to turn to His eldest Son, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, not only as the authorized interpreter of the Bahá’í Writings but also as the perfect exemplar of the Faith’s spirit and teachings.
Following Bahá’u’lláh’s passing, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s extraordinary qualities of character, His knowledge and His service to humanity offered a vivid demonstration of Bahá’u’lláh’s teachings in action, and brought great prestige to the rapidly expanding community throughout the world.
