The Bahá’í Faith

Becoming a Bahá’í

What does it mean to become a Bahá’í?

O God! Refresh and gladden my spirit. Purify my heart. Illumine my powers. I lay all my affairs in Thy hand. Thou art my Guide and my Refuge. I will no longer be sorrowful and grieved; I will be a happy and joyful being. O God! I will no longer be full of anxiety, nor will I let trouble harass me. I will not dwell on the unpleasant things of life. O God! Thou art more friend to me than I am to myself. I dedicate myself to Thee, O Lord.
`Abdu’l-Bahá

Becoming a Bahá’í means recognising Bahá’u’lláh as the Manifestation of God for this age and accepting to follow His laws and teachings and the Bahá’í way of life. To be a Bahá’í one must also accept the authority of the administrative institutions He established for the unification of humankind.

There are no rituals involved and any one can become a Bahá’í. Becoming a Bahá’í is a highly significant spiritual process, the implications of which are between the individual and God.

Why should I consider becoming a Bahá’í?

The vitality of men's belief in God is dying out in every land; nothing short of His wholesome medicine can ever restore it. The corrosion of ungodliness is eating into the vitals of human society; what else but the Elixir of His potent Revelation can cleanse and revive it? Is it within human power, O Hakim, to effect in the constituent elements of any of the minute and indivisible particles of matter so complete a transformation as to transmute it into purest gold? Perplexing and difficult as this may appear, the still greater task of converting satanic strength into heavenly power is one that We have been empowered to accomplish. The Force capable of such a transformation transcendeth the potency of the Elixir itself. The Word of God, alone, can claim the distinction of being endowed with the capacity required for so great and far-reaching a change.
Bahá’u’lláh

If you choose to become a Bahá’í you will join the rest of the global Bahá’í community in building and maintaining unity in the world. As Bahá’ís, we do this by putting into practice the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh; by applying the healing Medicine, brought by the Divine Physician, to the ills afflicting the world today.

For Bahá’ís the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh represent the Word of God revealed to humanity through His Manifestation for this time. Bahá’u’lláh teaches that the Word of God is endowed with a unique potency to transform human hearts and build a new world.

What do I need to know?

It is certainly not expected that an individual should know about all aspects of the Bahá’í Faith before becoming a Bahá’í. The individual should however be informed of fundamental Bahá’í concepts as well as basic Bahá’í laws and principles, in particular those relating to:

Will I have to practice all the Bahá’í laws?

It is not necessary that individuals be living according to Bahá’í standards at the time of their declaration, provided they are informed of the laws that would affect their personal conduct so that they do not enter the community under a misapprehension. It is however understood that they will then take steps to conform to those laws after declaring.

No Bahá’í can claim to be living the perfect Bahá’í life. But Bahá’ís accept all the laws of Bahá’u’lláh and strive daily to uphold them.

How do I become a Bahá’í?

To become a member of the Australian Bahá’í community, one needs to sign a Declaration Card. This is an administrative matter enabling the declarant to participate in the administrative functions of the Bahá’í community, including the Bahá’í elections, where the individual can vote and be elected to serve on Bahá’í institutions.

Completion of the Declaration Card should be treated as an important and significant event and not one to be handled in a light or hasty manner.

  • Bahá’í declaration card (PDF)

Contact someone to findout more

If you have any questions about the Bahá’í Faith or becoming a Bahá’í please contact:

Bahá’í Centre of Learning
9330 6999
Send email
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