Zoe
After having several conversations with a Bahá’í friend, I initially felt that this Faith is too good to be true, there is no way that people can actually live up to these spiritual principles and be that nice! But then I began living with Bahá’ís. I saw the way they actually put their beliefs into practice in the community and became amazed at their strength of character. When I am with Bahá’ís, I am so joyful. This is because they bring people together.
Where I live, in London, the idea of community is often very fragile or doesn’t exist, or else communities are so tightly knit that they exclude certain people. But through living with Bahá’ís and developing daily habits such as praying together, studying the Bahá’í Writings and opening up our student home to the community, I have felt that I am truly part of a family where all are welcome.
Zehra
I am of Turkish Cypriot origin and became a Bahá’í after having spent twenty years searching for ‘my religion’. I tried and explored many Faiths but could not find one that sustained me spiritually. Several years ago I decided to change my life and went to live in a new age spiritual community of 6 people, on the Island of Erraid in North West Scotland. After a year on the Island a group of women visited. One of them shone like a light and I wanted to know more about her and her religion. She was a Bahá’í. I went to visit her and six months after I visited one of the Bahá’í communities nearby I decided to join the Faith. I knew through the teachings that Bahá’u’lláh was a Prophet of God and I have found great joy through the Bahá’í Faith and its way of living. Wherever I go in the world I have friends through the community activities and together we work for the unity of mankind.
The UK is a diverse country and is home to many cultures, yet we all are still trying to learn what the oneness of humankind actually means.
Bahá’ís live across the United Kingdom, from the Shetland Islands in the north and Cornwall in the southwest
How to meet the Bahá’ís near you
Vibrant Bahá’í communities can be found throughout England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.
But you’d be unlikely to recognise a Bahá’í if you passed him or her in the street. Bahá’ís come from every social, ethnic and religious background and have no special form of dress.
You would have to speak to a Bahá’í, and hear about the story of Bahá’u’lláh, the Founder of the Faith, or experience the warmth of the community in its different activities, to see how Bahá’ís strive to improve our society.
We warmly invite you to meet Bahá’ís near you to learn more about the Bahá’í Faith and to have conversations about how the betterment of your community.
Unity
The core principle of the Bahá’í Faith is unity. The UK is a diverse country and is home to many cultures, yet we all are still trying to learn what the oneness of humankind actually means. Community does not grow just because we live next door to people or have similar backgrounds and lives.
The Bahá’í teachings say that united communities, which improve the lives of its members and its neighbouring societies, are built by having a common purpose: to find our individual happiness in serving the common good.
Translating Bahá’í teachings into reality
Bahá’ís and their friends are now translating Bahá’u’lláh’s revolutionary teachings for the betterment of the world into reality. Central to His vision are the oneness of humankind, the equality of the sexes, the elimination of the extremes of wealth and poverty, and many other ideals.
In learning how to achieve Bahá’u’lláh’s vision for humanity, Bahá’ís across the UK and around the world are engaged in a unique social experiment. They are participating in educational activities that try to empower individuals, of all ages, to recognise and develop their spiritual nature and help bring positive change to their neighbourhoods.
Learning how to serve our communities
Devotional gatherings try to create a new spiritual atmosphere in neighbourhoods, through prayer and reflection on Bahá’í Writings.
Circles of study, drawing from concepts in the Bahá’í Writings, gather in homes and other informal settings, families, friends, neighbours, and colleagues gather to consider teachings from the Bahá’í Writings on the purpose of life, the nature of reality and the significance of service, and seek to put the learning acquired into practice.
Classes for children and teenagers give these young people a chance to realise their spiritual sides early on in life, to unleash their potential.
Genuine friendships – meaningful conversations
The idea behind these is to forge ties of genuine friendship – based on a common understanding of our lives and how to contribute to our society – between participants of diverse background. By sharing meaningful conversations on spiritual issues, the social barriers that often divide people are broken down. It is a vivid expression of Bahá’u’lláh’s vision for the oneness of humankind.
A mine rich in gems
These activities also show us, as we participate, an exciting vision of who we can be. Bahá’ís believe that people are “a mine rich in gems of inestimable value” and that only a complete education – spiritual, as well as academic, vocational and physical – can cause us to reveal our treasures. By discovering our true worth, we become able to help our communities.
Meeting a Bahá’í hopefully starts with one of these meaningful conversations. And after that, building a new, positive and spiritual sense of community in our neighbourhoods can start with anyone. Bahá’u’lláh’s teachings – not for an elite but for all of us.