The year 2017 marks the 200th birth anniversary of Bahá’u’lláh, the founder prophet of the Bahá’í Faith. Bahá’í communities across the globe are celebrating this momentous occasion with zeal and ardour.
The Bahá’í Faith originated in the mid-19th century, making it the newest independent religion in the world. The central teaching of the Faith is based on the oneness of God, unity of humanity and the essential harmony of all religions for peaceful co-existence.
Born on November 12, 1817, in Tehran, Bahá’u’lláh showed forth extraordinary qualities that indicated he was destined for a life of greatness. From an early age, Bahá’u’lláh chose to walk a path of service to humanity, instead of one of comfort and ease, and be-came known as a champion of the cause of justice.
Bahá’u’lláh’s father, a distinguished minister in the court of the king, had a dream about his son swimming in a limitless ocean; his body shining with a multitude of fish gathered around him, each holding onto one strand of his hair. Yet, unrestrained he moved above the waters as the fish followed. His father would later come to know that this dream symbolised the multitude of challenges that his son would face in his mission of ushering in humanity’s spiritual revival.
Bahá’u’lláh would single-handedly achieve sovereignty over all opposing forces despite the turmoil which His message would arouse among the people of the world.
Bahá’u’lláh, like all previous manifestations of God, endured a life of hardship for the greater Cause of humanity and spent 40 years in exile and imprisonment. It was at the outset of these try-ing years of tribulations and imprisonment that the Holy Spirit filled Bahá’u’lláh’s soul and revealed to Him that He was the Promised One for today.
Worldwide, Bahá’í communities are increasing their efforts to contribute towards building unity in diverse societies, in order to spread the guiding light of Bahá’u’lláh’s message and to bring an awareness that the most urgent and necessary requirement, in this day and age, is that of the recognition of the oneness of humanity and the unification of its diverse groupings.
Unlike previous ages, human unification is made possible with the help of modern communication which has virtually merged the five continents of earth.
The unification of mankind is inevitable yet dependent on the conscious and consistent efforts made to achieve it on an individual and collective level. In this age of increasing interdependence, self-sufficiency is no longer possible and Bahá’u’lláh exhorts us to “Regard ye not one another as strangers. Ye are the fruits of one tree and the leaves of one branch. So powerful is the light of unity that it can illuminate the whole earth.”
In line with Bahá’u’lláh’s divine teachings, the worldwide Bahá’í community in virtually every country and in thousands of locali-ties, exert efforts to demonstrate that human diversity should be not only tolerated, but rather celebrated.
In nature, a garden full of diverse colours, shapes, and fragrances has an uplifting spirit, where diversity enhances the attraction of each component. Much in the same vein, the garden of human community can, and should, see diversity as a source of enhance-ment of the strength, beauty and attraction of individual members, cultures, and talents. Such is the reality of our spiritual essence, and so should we endeavour to unlock our individual and collective potential.
Today the members of this community together with those of the wider society are engaged in building unity in diversity in differ-ent parts of India. Hon’ble President and Prime Minister of India have extended their felicitation messages to the Indian Bahá’í community.
President Ram Nath Kovind, in his greeting to the Indian Bahá’í community on this significant occasion of the Bicentenary of the birth of Bahá’u’lláh, says: “The bicentenary of His Birth provides an opportune time for all to meditate and draw inspiration from His message of equality and of the inherent nobility of all, regard-less of community, colour, or creed.” Addressing the Indian Bahá’í community in his message, the Hon’ble Prime Minister, Sri. Narendra Modi, says: “Its institutions and missions are much revered in our nation and its followers have contributed sig-nificantly in all walks of life. Its institutions like the Lotus Temple epitomize this spirit of fellowship and universal brother-hood.”
(Contributed by Shayaba Ngangom)