Splendor in Israel

Before coming to Israel, I knew that both the Jewish faith and the Christian faith were based here. I also knew that Jerusalem was the third holiest city in the Islamic faith. What I didn’t realize was that the holiest sites of yet another major religion are also in Israel. . .the Bahai faith.

The youngest of the major monotheistic religions, the Bahai faith, was established in Persia (modern-day Iran) in 1844. In that year, Siyyid `Alí-Muhammad, a Persian citizen, declared himself to be the “Bab” (the “gate”), delivering a message from God. The Bab traveled throughout Iran teaching religious history. He claimed that God has sent messengers in the past (Abraham, Moses, Buddha, Jesus, Mohammed, etc.) each of whom established a religion that suited the needs of humanity in that time period. The Bab prophesized that another such messenger would come shortly to deliver a new message. Muslim clerics did not support these teachings and the Bab and his followers were persecuted and imprisoned. In 1850, the Bab was executed. The Bab’s body was eventually moved from Iran to its present day resting place in Haifa, Israel.

Mírzá Husayn `Alí Núrí was an early follower of the Bab who was imprisoned in Tehran in 1852. While in prison, he received a vision telling him that he was the fulfillment of the Bab’s prophecies. At this point, he took the title of Bahá'u'lláh (“Glory of God”). Bahaullah was eventually released from prison but was expelled from Persia and put under the watch of the Ottoman Empire. In 1868, Bahaullah was banished to the Ottoman penal colony of Acco, in present-day northern Israel. It was here that he lived his final 24 years, continuing his teachings and writings. Bahaullah was buried in Acco, Israel on the property of the home where he spent his final years. Today, followers of the Bahai faith face Acco in prayer each day.

The word “Bahai” comes from “Baha,” the Arabic word for “glory” or “splendor.” This refers to the message brought to mankind by Bahaullah. The basic tenant of the Bahai faith is the oneness of the human race -- the belief that all people are the same and should unify in one global society. They preach the unity of all religions and harmony between religion and science. They condemn all forms of prejudice (based on sex, religion, race, class, or national origin). The Bahai support worldwide compulsory education, as well as the creation of a universal auxiliary language – a language that all people in the world learn (in addition to their mother tongue) to aid in unity among all peoples. Overall, the Bahai believe that the supreme goal for mankind is the establishment of a permanent and universal peace.

 

The structure of the Bahai faith borrowed a lot from Islam – daily obligatory prayer, an annual three-week fast from sunrise to sunset, the prohibition of drugs and alcohol, and a pilgrimage to the holiest site for the faith – Acco, Israel. Today there are over 5 million Bahai followers in 200 different countries and territories.

Today, shrines have been built to house the graves of the two founders of the Bahai faith. Both shrines are surrounded by beautiful gardens which have been declared an UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

The gardens surrounding the shrine of the Bab in Haifa have 18 terraces climbing the mountain which were landscaped at a cost of $250 million and require 100 full-time gardeners to maintain!

These beautiful gardens are open to the public free of charge and I spent several hours wandering the gardens at both of these shrines.

How lucky I am since millions of Bahai around the world plan pilgrimages to these sites!

Non-Bahai are allowed to enter the burial site of the Bahaullah in Acco – but pictures are not permitted and modest dress is required.

I immediately felt so peaceful and tranquil when I entered. There are plants growing inside and incense burning – both of which make it smell so fresh and so pleasant. The skylights filled the room with light – it was a beautiful spot. While I am not Bahai, I definitely felt a spiritual connection in that place and felt lucky to have visited.

Aside from these two shrines, there are only seven Bahai Houses of Worship worldwide: Wilmette, Illinois, USA; Kampala, Uganda; Sydney, Australia; Frankfurt, Germany; Panama City, Panama; Tiapapata, Samoa; and Delhi, India. It’s funny that I’ve driven past the Bahai temple in Wilmette (just north of Chicago) hundreds of times. This is the oldest and largest of all Bahai Houses of Worship.

I always wondered about the Bahai religion but never took the time to find out. It took a trip halfway around the world to inspire me to enter a Bahai shrine and learn a bit more. It seems although I’m very far away, I’m learning more about my home!

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