How to Become a Baha'i

Joining the Faith

Study the Baha'i faith's central teachings, if you haven't already. Learn the role of Baha'i Faith's Central Figures: The Bab, Baha'u'llah, and 'Abdul-Baha. Become familiar with the central principles by looking them up online, reading Baha'i books, or simply talking to Baha'is. The Baha'i Faith aims to bring people all around the world together and unite them under a common cause and faith. Baha'is believe in one God that created all of humanity. A key tenet is the independent investigation of truth; each individual is responsible to discover the truth for themselves. This directly pertains to the process of becoming a Baha'i. Ask Baha'is for literature or buy books online, or check your library. Baha'u'llah and the New Era is a great introduction.

Recognize Baha'u'llah as the messenger of God. To be a Baha'i means to follow the teachings of Baha'u'llah, the Prophet-Founder. Baha'is believe that God and his teachings can help humans create a peaceful, sustainable civilization. Baha'u'llah's teachings were recorded in tablets and letters He wrote during his lifetime. Many of these writings have been compiled in various books that you can read to gain a better understanding of His teachings.

Commit to studying and following Baha'u'llah's teachings. Once you're a member of the Baha'i Faith, you will have embarked on a lifelong spiritual journey of growth and fulfillment. Spend time every day thinking about Baha'u'llah's teachings and trying to put them into practice in your daily life. Living your life by the teachings of Baha'u'llah is a central component to successfully making this spiritual journey.

Declare to the Baha'i community that you want to join the Faith. This is the only physical component involved in joining the Baha'i Faith. There are different means of making this declaration that vary from place to place. If you're not sure how to do this, ask a member of your local Baha'i community for guidance. For example, in the United States, the Baha'is of the United States website has an online form that you can fill out to make your declaration of your desire to join. In other countries, you may be asked to sign a Baha'i declaration card. Sometimes making this declaration could be as simple as telling a member of your Baha'i community that you'd like to join the Faith.

Following the Faith

Strive to follow the Baha'i laws and apply them as you see fit. Baha'u'llah has revealed laws that you and other Baha'is are expected to follow. These laws include daily prayer and daily reading of Baha'u'llah's Writings, so aim to do these every day to follow Baha'i laws as closely as possible. Because there is no rigid hierarchy or strict doctrine in the Baha'i Faith, members of the Faith are granted some leeway in deciding how best to apply the Baha'i laws to their daily lives.

Perform prayers and other spiritual practices on a daily basis. You should pray every day to remind yourself of your spiritual journey and to not get caught up in ephemeral and material concerns. You should also reflect on your thoughts and deeds each day as part of your spiritual journey of growth and development. As part of these spiritual practices, strive to avoid divisive or harmful behavior. This could be something as extreme as physical violence or as common as partisan politics.

Gather in your local Baha'i community every 19 days. Every 19 days, Baha'is gather together in their communities to celebrate the 19 Day Feast. This represents both a social gathering and a spiritual assemblage, in which you and other Baha'is can worship together and strengthen the spiritual bonds of your community. The gathering also allows members of the community to come together to discuss practical matters concerning the community.

Fast for 19 days before the Baha'i New Year. The fast represents an opportunity for spiritual renewal for members of the Baha'i Faith. The Baha'i New Year is celebrated around the world on the date of the Spring Equinox in the Northern Hemisphere. If you're not sure when this date is, you can either ask a fellow Baha'i in your community or look up when the next Spring Equinox is online. Note that pregnant people, the elderly, the sick, children, and those engaged in heavy labor are generally not expected to take part in the fast.

Be active in your community to be part of the spiritual collective. There are 4 “core activities” that Baha'is engage in in their communities: devotional gatherings, children's classes, junior youth groups, and study circles. Each Baha'i community around the world hosts these activities on a regular basis, so it shouldn't be too hard for you to join them. Contact Baha'is in your area and ask them what activities are in your area so you may participate in Baha'i Community life.