Brief background about the Baha'i Faith:

"Founded a century and a half ago, the Baha'i Faith is today among the fastest-growing of the world's religions.

With more than five million followers, who reside in virtually every nation on earth, it is the second-most widespread faith, surpassing every religion but Christianity in its geographic reach.

Baha'is reside in more than 100,000 localities around the world, an expansion that reflects their dedication to the ideal of world citizenship."

"There is only one God, the Creator of the universe. Throughout history, God has revealed Himself to humanity through a series of divine Messengers- each of whom has founded a great religion.

The Messengers have included Abraham, Krishna, Zoroaster, Moses, Buddha, Jesus, and Muhammad. This succession of divine Teachers reflects a single historic "plan of God" for educating humanity about the Creator and for cultivating the spiritual, intellectual, and moral capacities of the human race.

The goal has been to prepare the way for a single, global, and ever-advancing civilization. Knowledge of God's will for humanity in the modern age was revealed just over 100 years ago by Baha'u'llah, who is the latest of these divine Messengers."

Baha'u'llah ...

• • was the founder of the Baha'i Faith

• • lived from 1817 to 1892

• • was a Persian nobleman

• • suffered 40 years of exile and imprisonment

• • revealed more than 100 volumes of sacred writings

• • was the most recent in the line of Messengers from God that includes Abraham, Krishna, Moses, Buddha, Zoroaster, Christ, and Muhammad