Baha’i Faith Organised, administered by elected bodies

Religions - The Baha'i Faith Quiz - How the Bahá’ís are Organised (Questions)

The Bahá’í community is administered by elected bodies. These bodies operate at local, national and at worldwide level. These bodies are necessary because the Bahá’í Faith has no clergy and no professional learned class – indeed, no individual leader at any level. Every adult Bahá’í may vote, and indeed should do so. There are no nominations and no canvassing and it is a secret ballot. Every voter should regard it as a spiritual act and vote for those people who best combine spiritual qualities (such as humility, justice, compassion, for example) with ability and experience. Voting should always be accompanied by prayer.

Bahá’í elections for Local Spiritual Assemblies are held once a year. Every adult Bahá’í in the area is eligible to vote and be voted for. On which day does voting take place?

[ ]	Naw Rúz
[ ]	1st day of Ridván
[ ]	12th Day of Ridván
[ ]	Day of the Covenant

Who elects the National Spiritual Assembly in each country?

[ ]	Members of the Local Spiritual Assemblies
[ ]	Every adult Bahá’í has a vote
[ ]	Adult Bahá’ís elect delegates who then elect the National Spiritual Assembly
[ ]	Local Spiritual Assemblies elect delegates who then elect the National Spiritual Assembly

What criteria should a Bahá’í use when choosing who to vote for?

[ ]	The one with the most experience
[ ]	The one who has the most spiritual qualities
[ ]	The one who is the most able
[ ]	The one who best combines spiritual qualities with ability and experience

The Universal House of Justice, which is the world body, is elected every 5 years. Who elects this body?

[ ]	Every adult Bahá’í has a vote
[ ]	The Local Spiritual Assemblies elect delegates who then elect the Universal House of Justice
[ ]	Members of the National Spiritual Assemblies
[ ]	The National Spiritual Assemblies elect delegates who then elect the Universal House of Justice

When is the International Convention held, at which the Universal House of Justice is elected?

[ ]	During the Ridván festival
[ ]	At Naw Rúz
[ ]	During the month of fasting
[ ]	The Day of the Covenant

Ideally decisions made by a Bahá’í body should be unanimous but if necessary they can be made by majority vote. What should someone do who did not vote for a particular decision?

[ ]	Try to make it work
[ ]	Try to make it fail
[ ]	Tell everyone he or she voted against it and that it is a bad idea
[ ]	Stand on the side-lines and wait to see what happens

The Local Spiritual Assembly consults the community at the Nineteen Day Feast, which is held every Bahá’í month. Who is allowed to speak at this meeting?

[ ]	The Local Spiritual Assembly members
[ ]	The local adult Bahá’ís
[ ]	Any adult Bahá’í attending, regardless of where they are from
[ ]	Any Bahá’í of any age attending, regardless of where they are from

Bahá’í meetings are run using a special system of Bahá’í consultation. If an individual has an idea that they wish to suggest to the group, how should they go about it?

[ ]	They should explain it thoroughly, twice, to make sure everyone has properly understood it
[ ]	They should type up a paper giving all the background to the suggestion, and bring copies to the meeting
[ ]	They should offer the idea as a gift to the group
[ ]	They should wait quietly, in a spirit of humility, until the group has exhausted every other alternative

What attitude should a Bahá’í have towards other people’s ideas at a meeting?

[ ]	They should listen with respect
[ ]	They should find a polite and tactful way of moving the group towards a quick decision
[ ]	They should listen very closely to each speaker, noting carefully points which need to be argued against later
[ ]	If the other speaker begins to get less interesting, they should start praying silently to themselves

10.

Whenever a Bahá’í institution takes a decision, which of these should be an overriding principle?

[ ]	The decision should be one which can be implemented easily, with no likelihood of difficulties or fuss
[ ]	The wishes of the local population must come first, as every Bahá’í institution is based on a grass-roots election
[ ]	The decision should be one which is in the best interests of mankind as a whole
[ ]	The decision should be one which does not involve unnecessary expenditure, as managing community funds is a sacred trust

Religions - The Baha'i Faith Quiz - How the Bahá’ís are Organised (Answers)

Bahá’í elections for Local Spiritual Assemblies are held once a year. Every adult Bahá’í in the area is eligible to vote and be voted for. On which day does voting take place?

[ ]	Naw Rúz
[x]	1st day of Ridván
[ ]	12th Day of Ridván
[ ]	Day of the Covenant

It happens on the same day all over the world.

Who elects the National Spiritual Assembly in each country?

[ ]	Members of the Local Spiritual Assemblies
[ ]	Every adult Bahá’í has a vote
[x]	Adult Bahá’ís elect delegates who then elect the National Spiritual Assembly
[ ]	Local Spiritual Assemblies elect delegates who then elect the National Spiritual Assembly

Bahá’ís elect delegates on a regional basis to attend the National Convention, which is normally held during the Ridván festival.

What criteria should a Bahá’í use when choosing who to vote for?

[ ]	The one with the most experience
[ ]	The one who has the most spiritual qualities
[ ]	The one who is the most able
[x]	The one who best combines spiritual qualities with ability and experience

A person’s qualities should be privately (and humbly) assessed by the voter “without the least trace of prejudice” and, as previously stated, aided by prayer.

The Universal House of Justice, which is the world body, is elected every 5 years. Who elects this body?

[ ]	Every adult Bahá’í has a vote
[ ]	The Local Spiritual Assemblies elect delegates who then elect the Universal House of Justice
[x]	Members of the National Spiritual Assemblies
[ ]	The National Spiritual Assemblies elect delegates who then elect the Universal House of Justice

The election takes place at the International Convention held at the Bahá’í World Centre in the Holy Land.

When is the International Convention held, at which the Universal House of Justice is elected?

[x]	During the Ridván festival
[ ]	At Naw Rúz
[ ]	During the month of fasting
[ ]	The Day of the Covenant

At this convention the members of the National Spiritual Assemblies have the opportunity to meet one another and discuss matters on a world scale.

Ideally decisions made by a Bahá’í body should be unanimous but if necessary they can be made by majority vote. What should someone do who did not vote for a particular decision?

[x]	Try to make it work
[ ]	Try to make it fail
[ ]	Tell everyone he or she voted against it and that it is a bad idea
[ ]	Stand on the side-lines and wait to see what happens

This preserves the unity of the community. Also, if it turns out to be the wrong decision, this will become obvious much more quickly and failure cannot simply be blamed on sabotage.

The Local Spiritual Assembly consults the community at the Nineteen Day Feast, which is held every Bahá’í month. Who is allowed to speak at this meeting?

[ ]	The Local Spiritual Assembly members
[ ]	The local adult Bahá’ís
[ ]	Any adult Bahá’í attending, regardless of where they are from
[x]	Any Bahá’í of any age attending, regardless of where they are from

This is a form of direct community participation, and enables everyone to offer their contribution.

Bahá’í meetings are run using a special system of Bahá’í consultation. If an individual has an idea that they wish to suggest to the group, how should they go about it?

[ ]	They should explain it thoroughly, twice, to make sure everyone has properly understood it
[ ]	They should type up a paper giving all the background to the suggestion, and bring copies to the meeting
[x]	They should offer the idea as a gift to the group
[ ]	They should wait quietly, in a spirit of humility, until the group has exhausted every other alternative

The idea, once offered, is considered as belonging to the group and is not identified with the person who originally suggested it. It can therefore be discussed objectively by everyone.

What attitude should a Bahá’í have towards other people’s ideas at a meeting?

[x]	They should listen with respect
[ ]	They should find a polite and tactful way of moving the group towards a quick decision
[ ]	They should listen very closely to each speaker, noting carefully points which need to be argued against later
[ ]	If the other speaker begins to get less interesting, they should start praying silently to themselves

Everyone has the duty to offer their thoughts and all ideas have value. `Abdu’l-Bahá said: “The shining spark of truth cometh forth only after the clash of differing opinions.”

10.

Whenever a Bahá’í institution takes a decision, which of these should be an overriding principle?

[ ]	The decision should be one which can be implemented easily, with no likelihood of difficulties or fuss
[ ]	The wishes of the local population must come first, as every Bahá’í institution is based on a grass-roots election
[x]	The decision should be one which is in the best interests of mankind as a whole
[ ]	The decision should be one which does not involve unnecessary expenditure, as managing community funds is a sacred trust

Bahá’u’lláh said of legislators: “They must regard themselves as the custodians of all that dwell on earth.”