Sixth Grade
Worksheets
What is the Baha'i Faith?
Founded in 1844, the Baha'i Faith is one of the world's youngest religions. Its birthplace is Iran (formerly Persia), where Baha'is are heavily persecuted for their faith. It is viewed as a breakaway sect of Islam by many people.
The Baha'i Faith is named for Mirza Husayn-'Ali-i-Nuri, a Persian nobleman from Tehran. He was a follower of Siyyid 'Ali-Muhammad (known as the Bab), who had foretold the arrival of "One greater than Himself." Mirza claimed to be that One. He became Baha'u'llah, which means "glory of God." The Baha'is believe he was a prophet - or divine messenger - sent from God. He left his comfortable life behind to bring the world a message of peace and unity, though it meant being jailed, tortured, and exiled for spreading his beliefs. He died while living in what is now known as Israel, though it was Palestinian territory at the time.
The word that best describes the Baha'i Faith is unity. Baha'u'llah preached a message of one God, one religion (or at least one source from which all religions emerged), and a unified human race. He wrote, "The earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens." Therefore, it isn't surprising that Baha'is are huge proponents of world peace. Another famous quote of Baha'u'llah is, "The well-being of mankind, its peace and security, are unattainable unless and until its unity is firmly established."
