faith: the Bahá'í World Center

The Universal House of Justice

The Universal House of Justice is the seat of the administrative order of the Faith. The nine members of this body are elected by members of the National Spiritual Assemblies of all the countries in which Bahá'ís reside. Those members are in turn elected by the believers.

The UHJ, which Bahá'ís often refer to as simply "the House," mediates on spiritual matters that pertain to the entire community of the Faith. The House also guides world teaching efforts and assigns special roles to certain believers with unique capacities. The members of the House are among the most distinguished followers of Bahá'u'llah, yet they approach their roles with humility, asking for guidance themselves before making decisions.

The seat of the Universal House of Justice is an imposing structure that sits high above the harbor. This view shows columns along the front of the building with the Mediterranean Sea in the background.

The Shrine of the Báb

The Shrine of the Báb holds the sacred remains of Siyyid 'Ali-Muhammad, one of the two major Prophets of the Bahá'í Faith, who assumed the title Bá or Gate when he declared His mission in 1844. His followers were persecuted and thousands were martyred for their beliefs. The Báb was martyred before a firing squad in 1850.

His Shrine, midway up the terraces of the Arc, is a place of pilgrimage for Bahá'ís worldwide.

The Shrine of the Báb illuminated at night

The Báb's remains were protected and hidden for sixty years at great personal risk by the believers. In an evening ceremony, by the light of a single lamp, his shoes, turban and cloak removed out of respect, Abdu'l-Bahá placed the Báb's remains within the sarcophagus, bowed his head on the wooden casket, and wept.

At night, the Shrine is lit like a jewel and shines brightly above the city. The site of the Shrine was chosen by Bahá'u'lláh.

The Center for the Study of the Sacred Texts

The Founders of the Bahá'í Faith wrote many books, letters and prayers. The original copies of many of these documents still exist today, and have been collected at the Center for the Study of the Sacred Texts.

Persian and Arabic-speaking scholars come to the World Center to examine and translate the writings under the guidance of the Universal House of Justice and other distinguished Bahá'ís. In addition to the sacred writings, there are many other artifacts preserved, including personal items once used by the Báb and Bahá'u'lláh. These present great challenges to the curators at the World Center. The Center for the Study of the Sacred Texts was constructed to aid their preservation efforts. This view is of the circular portico near the entrance.

The Mansion of Bahjí

Bahá'u'lláh spent many years in custody in the then prison-city of Akka, now Haifa, Israel. When He was finally released, He resided in the Mansion of Bahjí outside the city. This was a peaceful place of gardens and birds, and brought a long-denied measure of dignity and comfort to the remaining years of His life. The gardens at the mansion have been maintained and added to over the years, and confer a sense of beauty and peace.

The Shrine of Bahá'u'lláh

The Shrine of Bahá'u'lláh is located at the Mansion of Bahjí. His resting place is considered the holiest place in the Bahá'í world. This is a place of pilgrimage for Bahá'ís, where the friends pray with great devotion. Bahá'ís worldwide turn their faces towards His tomb when in prayer.

Members of the House and other distinguished believers who reside in the Holy Land often visit the sacred Shrines to pray for the souls of Bahá'ís departed for the Abhá Kingdom.

The Shrine of The Báb in Silhouette

In the midst of the Holy Land, where armies strive and families suffer, there is a mountaintop and a garden that are refuges of peace and spirituality. Bahá'ís regard these places as the center of their world.

Thanks to Marco Abrar for permitting the use of his photographs. Please visit his site at bahaipictures.com for many more images of the Bahá'í holy places.