What We Do
Bahá’ís hail from all walks of life. Young and old, men and women alike, they live alongside others in every land and belong to every nation. They share a common goal of serving humanity and refining their inner-lives in accordance with the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh. The community to which they belong is one of learning and action, free from any sense of superiority or claim to exclusive understanding of truth. It is a community that strives to cultivate hope for the future of humanity, to foster purposeful effort, and to celebrate the endeavours of all those in the world who work to promote unity and alleviate human suffering.
Bahá’u’lláh has drawn the circle of unity, He has made a design for the uniting of all the peoples, and for the gathering of them all under the shelter of the tent of universal unity. This is the work of the Divine Bounty, and we must all strive with heart and soul until we have the reality of unity in our midst, and as we work, so will strength be given unto us.
— ‘ABDU’L-BAHÁ
Responding to the needs of community​
Man is organic with the world. His inner life moulds the environment and is itself also deeply affected by it. The one acts upon the other and every abiding change in the life of man is the result of these mutual reactions.
In light of this, Bahá’ís have come to appreciate the operation of a two-fold purpose that is fundamental to their lives: to attend to their own spiritual and intellectual growth and to contribute to the transformation of society.
Service and Worship
At the heart of the pattern of community life, Bahá’ís around the world are trying to bring into being service and worship.
They are two distinct, yet inseparable elements that propel the life of the community forward. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá writes that, “Success and prosperity depend upon service to and worship of God”.
Bahá’ís also host gatherings in which friends, Bahá’ís and others alike, unite together in prayer, often in one another’s homes. Devotional meetings such as these serve to awaken spiritual susceptibilities within the participants, and in concert with the acts of service they perform, lead to a pattern of community life that is infused with the spirit of devotion and focused on the attainment of spiritual and material prosperity.
Children and Family Life
La cellule familiale constitue le fondement de la société humaine. Elle fournit un cadre essentiel à l’épanouissement des qualités et des capacités nobles. Par son fonctionnement harmonieux et l’entretien des liens d’amour qui unissent ses membres, elle illustre avec constance la vérité selon laquelle le bien-être individuel est profondément lié au progrès et au bonheur collectif.
L'un des rôles fondamentaux de la famille est d'élever des enfants capables de prendre en charge leur propre croissance spirituelle tout en contribuant activement au progrès de la civilisation. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá souligne que les parents ont le devoir sacré de s’efforcer de former leurs filles et leurs fils.
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Les parents bahá’ís, en tant que premiers responsables de l’éducation de leurs enfants, doivent constamment garder à l’esprit cette responsabilité essentielle. Cependant, l’éducation des enfants ne repose pas uniquement sur les parents. La communauté joue également un rôle crucial à cet égard.
Dans cette perspective, la communauté bahá’íe accorde une attention particulière à l’éducation spirituelle et morale des enfants. Parmi les premières activités menées par les Bahá’ís dans une localité figurent des classes ouvertes à tous, visant à cultiver ces dimensions fondamentales de l’éducation.
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La communauté bahá’íe, à tous les niveaux, attache une grande importance à répondre aux aspirations spirituelles des jeunes. Les aînés parmi eux manifestent souvent un vif désir d’assumer la responsabilité de contribuer au développement des plus jeunes. Ainsi, les activités éducatives destinées aux enfants figurent fréquemment parmi les premières initiatives à se développer au sein d’une communauté.
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Involvement in the Life of Society
Two complementary areas of endeavour are explored here. Social action describes a spectrum of activities, often undertaken at the grassroots, the purpose of which is to contribute to the material and social wellbeing of the wider community. Closely related are the efforts of Bahá’ís to contribute to the public welfare at the level of thought through participation in the discourses of society. Among individual members of the Bahá’í community this typically entails sharing ideas inspired by the Bahá’í teachings in a variety of social spaces. National Spiritual Assemblies coordinate Bahá’í efforts to contribute to discussions focussed on various aspects of social progress, while on the international stage, the Bahá’í International Community is present in a range of global networks concerned with issues such as the equality of men and women and sustainable development.