1. Unit Type
The Baháʼí Faith is a modern, global, monotheistic world religion with a centralized administrative order and no clergy. Its unity is institutional and doctrinal, not congregationally autonomous.
2. Naming
- Emic: Baháʼí Faith; Baháʼí; Dīn-i-Baháʼí.
- Etic: Modern prophetic religion; post-Islamic Abrahamic religion; universalist monotheism.
- Structural note: The name derives from Baháʼu’lláh (“Glory of God”) and is fully internal, stable, and non-polemical. No colonial residue in the core term.
3. Boundaries
- Inclusion:
- Explicit recognition of Baháʼu’lláh as a Manifestation of God
- Acceptance of the Baháʼí scriptures and institutions
- Enrollment within the Baháʼí administrative order
- Exclusion:
- Rejection of Baháʼu’lláh’s station
- Affiliation with schismatic groups outside the recognized institutions
- Syncretism:
- Doctrinally rejected. Other religions are affirmed as true in their time, but dual religious identity is not permitted.
- Diaspora:
- Fully internal; the religion is intentionally non-territorial.
Key boundary insight: Unity is enforced through doctrinal closure plus institutional authority, not ethnic lineage or ritual uniformity.
4. Time Span
- Origin: Mid–19th century Persia (1844 Bábí movement; 1863 declaration of Baháʼu’lláh).
- Key transformations:
- Bábí → Baháʼí separation
- Succession to `Abdu’l-Bahá → Shoghi Effendi → Universal House of Justice
- Status: Active, global, and self-understood as the latest stage of progressive revelation.
5. Geography
- Origin: Persia (Iran) and Ottoman lands (Baghdad, Acre).
- Distribution: Intentionally worldwide; present in nearly every country.
- Core vs peripheral: No sacred homeland; administrative centers exist, but geographic centrality is rejected.
6. Evidence Base
- Primary:
- Writings of the Báb, Baháʼu’lláh, `Abdu’l-Bahá
- Authoritative interpretations by Shoghi Effendi
- Legislative decisions of the Universal House of Justice
- Secondary:
- Historical records of 19th-century Persia/Ottoman Empire
- Scholarly studies of new religious movements
- Limitation:
- Heavy reliance on internal texts; persecution constrains external archival sources in Iran.
7. Dimensional Check
- Ritual: Minimal, standardized (daily prayer, fasting)
- Myth/Narrative: Historical-prophetic, textually anchored
- Doctrine: Central and explicit (progressive revelation, unity of humanity)
- Ethics/Law: Strong, universalist moral framework
- Institution: Primary anchoring dimension (elected administrative order)
- Material culture: Sparse, intentionally non-iconic
- Experiential: Secondary to obedience and service
Anchor determination:
The Baháʼí Faith is anchored in doctrinal–institutional unity with a universalist scope and explicit prophetic closure (until a future, foretold Manifestation).