# Bahá'í Faith and Social Action *Exported from [Holy-Writings.com](https://www.holy-writings.com/) on 2026-06-20 — 1 clipping.* --- > BAHÁ'Í FAITH AND SOCIAL ACTION > > The Bahá'í is an independent world religion that pro- > motes social justice through social action by advanc- > ing processes leading to world peace. In the Bahá'í > value-hierarchy, social justice is the cardinal principle > of human society. On the theory that all human actions > flow from consciousness, Bahá'ís believe that world > peace can only be established on a foundation of > human solidarity—the harmony of races, religions, > and nations. The purpose of justice, according to > Bahá'u'lláh (1817–1892), prophet-founder of the > Bahá'í Faith, is the achievement of unity in human > society. International peace and security are unattain- > able, Bahá'u'lláh counsels, unless and until world > unity is firmly established. Acting globally through > interfaith alliances and national and international > agencies, including the United Nations, Bahá'ís > actively promote race unity, human rights, social and > economic development, moral development, and the > advancement of women. They draw international > attention, in particular, to human rights violations > against the Bahá'ís in Iran while advocating universal > human rights for all. Bahá'ís aim to achieve these > humanitarian goals through practical applications of > Bahá'í principles of unity. Bahá'í philosopher Alain > Locke (1885–1954), whose work is cited here to > depends on discovering necessary common values > scale. World democracy thus entails building infra- > structures that can best canalize efforts to achieve > > Bahá'í Faith and Social Action———209 > > social justice, to which Bahá'í institutions and pro- partisan politics as polarizing and divisive. While > grams of social action contribute. exercising their civic obligation in voting, individual > Bahá'ís distance themselves from the political theater > Bahá'ís at the United Nations of party politics. Embracing democracy, they shun > campaigning. Instead, Bahá'ís work with the body > Ethics-based and religious non-governmental organi- politic, applying Bahá'í principles to better society. > zations (RNGOs) are playing increasingly significant These principles include the following: > roles in their consultative collaborations with the > United Nations. As a RNGO, the Bahá'í International 1. Human unity > Community (BIC) represents a network of 182 demo- > 2. Social justice > cratically elected National Spiritual Assemblies that > act on behalf of over 5.5 million Bahá'ís worldwide. 3. Racial harmony > Accordingly, the BIC is the voice of the worldwide 4. Interfaith cooperation > Bahá'í community in international affairs. On the 60th 5. Gender equality > anniversary of the United Nations in October 2005, > 6. Wealth equity (economic justice) > the Bahá'í International Community issued a state- > ment, "The Search for Values in an Age of Transition," 7. Social and economic development > presenting its recommendations for human rights, 8. International law > development, democracy, and collective security. > 9. Human rights > Commending the international community's commit- > ment to democracy, the BIC stressed that democracy 10. Freedom of conscience > is good governance—an essentially moral exercise 11. Individual responsibility > (what Alain Locke calls a "moral democracy"). 12. Harmony of science and religion > Democracy will succeed only if it is coefficient with > 13. International scientific cooperation > personal integrity (gaining respect of the governed), > moral principles, transparency, objective need assess- 14. International standards/world intercommunication > ments, and ethical applications of scientific resources. 15. International language > Democracy, according to the BIC, must be rooted in > 16. Universal education > moral values that promote social welfare both within > and beyond the nation-state. Without this principled 17. Environmentalism > anchor, democracy falls prey to the excesses of indi- 18. World commonwealth > vidualism and nationalism, which tear at the fabric 19. World tribunal > of the community, both nationally and globally. As > 20. World peace > sociomoral forces, Bahá'í principles of unity serve as > a moral bedrock for building a world democracy. 21. Search after truth > 22. Freedom of conscience > > Principles of Unity 23. Love of God > 24. Nobility of character (acquiring virtues) > In his epistle to Queen Victoria (c. 1869), Bahá'u'lláh > endorsed parliamentary democracy as an ideal form of 25. Advancing civilization (individual purpose) > governance. Referring to his own mission as that of a 26. Work as worship > "World Reformer," Bahá'u'lláh promulgated social > 27. Ideal marriage > principles that are wider in scope than the process > of electing governments. The Bahá'í community, in a 28. Family values > measured participation in political democracy, eschews 29. Model communities > > 30. Religious teleology (Progressive Revelation) employment if they identify themselves as Bahá'ís, to > 31. Bahá'í doctrinal integrity bar their promotion to any position of influence, and to > deny to all Bahá'ís the right to a higher education. No > 32. Bahá'í institutional support (the "Covenant") > Bahá'í can, in practice, attend university in Iran. Iranian > 33. Promoting Bahá'í values columnist Iqbal Latif calls Iran's denial of Bahá'ís' > access to a university education "intellectual cleansing" > In 1925, Alain Locke stated that Bahá'í principles— of their ethnic brothers by the clergy-dominated > and the leavening of America's national life with its regime. This phase of the anti-Bahá'í campaign has > power—are to be regarded as the salvation of democ- aptly been described as civil death—a cultural expurga- > racy. Only in this way can the fine professions of tion that collectively affects a community estimated to > American ideals best be realized. include more than 300,000 Iranians. > On March 20, 2006, the U.N. Special Reporter on > Freedom of Religion or Belief, Asma Jahangir, issued > Bahá'ís in Iran > a press release regarding a confidential letter sent > The Bahá'í Faith originated in Persia, now Iran, October 29, 2005, by the Chairman of the Command > where the Bahá'í community has experienced a cen- Headquarters of the Armed Forces in Iran. The press > tury and a half of persecution. In the years immedi- release informed government officials that the > ately following the 1979 Islamic revolution in Iran, Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, had instructed > clerics, with state sanction, ordered the arbitrary Command Headquarters to identify all Bahá'ís and > arrest of Bahá'ís, the use of torture, and the execution closely monitor their activities. In the wake of mount- > of more than 200 members (particularly elected ing media attacks on the Bahá'ís, such surveillance > members of Bahá'í administrative councils)— aggravates an already dangerous situation. Anti- > sometimes demanding that families pay for the bul- Bahá'í propaganda campaigns have typically pre- > lets used to kill their loved ones. Other actions taken ceded government-led assaults on the Bahá'ís in Iran. > against Bahá'ís include confiscation of property; In 2006, another U.N. special reporter reported that > seizure of bank assets; expulsion from schools and the regime is now confiscating family homes, thereby > universities; denial of employment; cancellation of worsening the economic strangulation. > pensions and demands that the government be reim- > bursed for past pension payments; desecration and > A New Model of Local Democracy > destruction of Bahá'í cemeteries and holy places; > criminalization of Bahá'í activities, thereby forcing In marked contrast to Iran's efforts to extirpate the > the dissolution of Bahá'í institutions; and pronounce- Bahá'í community, the Bahá'í Faith, as a global, > ment that Bahá'í marriages were illegal acts of pros- supranational community, represents a new social > titution. State-instigated incitements to violence took experiment. In its joint RNGO statement, "Family and > the form of relentless propaganda campaigns aimed Social Development" (1994), the BIC stresses that the > at inflaming anti-Bahá'í passions to instigate mob values of democracy and social justice must first be > violence and crimes against Bahá'ís. taught at home. The family, says the BIC, is the first > A new and insidious anti-Bahá'í strategy was environment to teach the values of local democracy, > formalized in a secret 1991 memorandum from the human rights, social responsibility, tolerance, and > Iranian Supreme Revolutionary Cultural Council on "the peace, thus enabling individual members to become > Bahá'í question." Personally endorsed by Ayatollah Ali advocates for social justice. These values, seen as the > Khamenei on February 25, 1991, this document advises spirit of democracy, extend to each local Bahá'í > government officials to expel Bahá'ís from universities community. The Universal House of Justice (the > once Bahá'í identity becomes known. The directive— world Bahá'í governing body) speaks of the Nineteen- > still in force—instructs officials to refuse Bahá'ís Day Feast (a Bahá'í worship service and consultative > > Bahá'í Faith and Social Action———211 > > meeting held roughly every 3 weeks throughout the the first nation to proclaim the unity of mankind. May > year) as an arena of democracy at the very root of it be the first to unfurl the standard of the Most Great > society. This is where the Local Spiritual Assembly Peace." This prayer envisions America's role in build- > (the Bahá'í council annually elected by plurality vote ing a world democracy—not by force, but by exam- > with no campaigning allowed) and the members of the ple, in accordance with universal, moral principles. > community meet on common ground, where individ- > uals are free to offer their gifts of thought, whether Strengthening Human Rights > new ideas or constructive criticism, to the building > processes of an advancing civilization. Based on these The BIC notes that the rise of democracy worldwide is > and similar practices, the Universal House of Justice a positive trend wherever nations have adopted free > speaks of Bahá'u'lláh having prescribed a system that elections, representational governance, and strong > combines democratic practices with the application of human rights standards. In promoting social democracy, > knowledge through consultative processes. American Bahá'ís have taken leadership roles in advo- > cating U.S. ratification of U.N. human rights treaties, > including the U.N. Convention to Eliminate Racial > Interfaith Cooperation > Discrimination; the International Covenant on Civil and > In accordance with Bahá'u'lláh's call to peace and Political Rights; the International Convention on the > fellowship among religions, Bahá'ís have taken part Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide; > in the Parliament of the World's Religions, the World and the International Convention against Torture and > Bank's World Faiths Development Dialogue, and the Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or > Committee of RNGOs at the United Nations. In 1950, Punishment. Current ratification efforts center on the > the annually elected governing body of the American Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of > Bahá'í community, the National Spiritual Assembly Discrimination Against Women and the Convention of > of the Bahá'ís of the United States (NSA) inaugurated the Rights of the Child. > World Religion Day to promote interfaith ecumenism. > In April 2002, the Universal House of Justice issued > Promoting Race Unity > a public letter addressed "To the World's Religious > Leaders." This letter called on religious leaders world- In 1921, the NSA of the United States and Canada > wide to achieve common cause through a greater inaugurated a series of race amity conferences in > appreciation of their common ground and to unequiv- Washington, D.C., and throughout the United States, > ocally renounce all claims to exclusivity or finality, as in a historic contribution to what Alain Locke (who > such claims have precluded religious unity and have joined the Bahá'í Faith in 1918) called a "racial > been the single greatest factor in justifying religious democracy" or, more broadly, a "social democracy." > hatred and violence. The spirit of efforts (which Locke personally helped > organize) to promote interracial harmony lives on > today. In 1957, the NSA inaugurated Race Unity > America's World Role > Day (second Sunday in June)—an event now recog- > On December 23, 2001, shortly after the infamous nized by the United Nations—to promote interracial > 9/11 terrorist attacks, the NSA of the Bahá'ís of the harmony. In 1991, the NSA issued "The Vision of > United States published a statement, "The Destiny of Race Unity," a statement addressed to all Americans. > America and the Promise of World Peace," as a full- Since racism is really a global issue, the NSA had > page advertisement in the New York Times. It closes urged the United States to become a party to the > with an excerpt from a Bahá'í prayer: "May this International Convention on the Elimination of > American Democracy be the first nation to establish All Forms of Racial Discrimination, which was > the foundation of international agreement. May it be finally ratified in 1994. In 1997, sponsored by the > > National Spiritual Assembly, a video, called "The in all facets of governance as a practical necessity. > Power of Race Unity," was broadcast on the Black These Bahá'í-sponsored initiatives represent, but do > Entertainment Network and on other networks not exhaust, efforts by the worldwide Bahá'í commu- > across America. The video characterizes the Bahá'í nity and its democratically elected institutions to pro- > Faith as a "spiritual democracy." mote social justice through social action. > —Christopher G. Buck > Social and Economic Development > See also Democracy; Human Rights Watch; Religious > Economic solutions to global poverty require that eco- Activism > nomic values be predicated on spiritual values. In pro- > moting economic justice and prosperity (what Alain > Locke calls "economic democracy"), Bahá'í commu- Further Readings > nities have launched more than 1,500 development Bahá'í International Community. (2005, April 30). Bahá'í > projects worldwide, including more than 600 schools International Community response to the Secretary > and seven radio stations broadcasting educational, General's Report, "In Larger Freedom: Towards > health, and agricultural programs. Projects are tracked Development, Security and Human Rights for All." > http://www.bahai.ch/pdf/LargerFreedom.pdf > by the Bahá'í Office of Social and Economic > Bahá'í International Community. (2005, October). The search > Development, an agency of the Bahá'í World Center for values in an age of transition: A statement of the Bahá'í > in Haifa, Israel. Published in December 2004, In International Community on the occasion of the 60th > Service to the Common Good: The American Bahá'í anniversary of the United Nations (BIC Document No. > Community's Commitment to Social Change profiled, 05-1002). http://www.bic-un.bahai.org/pdf/05-1002.pdf > from among more than 400 Bahá'í-sponsored initia- Bahá'í International Community. (2006, January). A new > framework for global prosperity: Bahá'í International > tives, a handful of projects in the fields of education, > Community's submission to the 2006 Commission on > health care, race unity, community development, and Social Development on the review of the First United > women's rights. These projects include, among Nations Decade for the Eradication of Poverty (BIC > others: Health for Humanity, Tahirih Justice Center, Document No. 06-0101). http://www.bic-un.bahai > Women for International Peace and Arbitration, .org/pdf/06-0101.pdf > Bahá'í Institute for Race Unity, Native American Berger, J. (2003, March). Religious nongovernmental > organizations: An exploratory analysis. Voluntas: > Bahá'í Institute, Children's Theater Company, and > International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit > Parent University. In what Locke calls "cultural Organizations, 14(1), 15–39. > democracy," one must not forget the various Bahá'í Buck, C. (2003). Islam and minorities: The case of the > artists, American Indian dancers, Bahá'í-sponsored Bahá'ís [Special issue]. Studies in Contemporary Islam, > musical groups, ballets, and youth dance workshops 5(1–2). English: http://www.iranian.com/Opinion/ > that reinforce progressive social values. 2005/June/Bahai/Images/BuckBahais2005Eng.pdf; Farsi: > http://www.iranian.com/Opinion/2005/June/Bahai/Images/ > BuckBahais2005.pdf > Advancement of Women Buck, C. (2005). Alain Locke: Faith and philosophy. > Los Angeles: Kalimát Press. > In "The Search for Values in an Age of Transition: Gervais, M. (2004). The Baha'i curriculum for peace > A Statement of the Bahá'í International Community education. Journal of Peace Education, 1(2), 205–224. > on the Occasion of the 60th Anniversary of the United Ghanea, N. (2003). Human rights, the UN and the Bahá'ís in > Nations" (October 2005), the BIC states that a healthy Iran. Leiden, Netherlands: Martinus Nijhoff. > Hassall, G. (2000). Rights to human and social development: > democracy must be founded on the principle of the > A survey of the activities of the Bahá'í International > equality of men and women. Member states of the Community. In T. Tahririha-Danesh (Ed.), Bahá'í-inspired > United Nations, in their efforts to promote democ- perspectives on human rights (pp. 102–122). Hong Kong: > racy, must vigilantly work for the inclusion of women Juxta. http://www.juxta.com/main.cfm?SID=22 > > — *Bahá'í Faith and Social Action (Used by permission of the curator)*