The Baha’i Faith in Lebanon

Deep Historical Roots: The Arrival of the Baha’i Faith in the Land of the Cedars

The beginnings of the Baha’i presence in Lebanon date back to the 1870s, a pivotal period that witnessed the arrival of the first individuals, predominantly Iranians. This influx was not a random migration but was intrinsically linked to the spiritual center of the Baha’i Faith at that time. During that era, the founder of the Baha’i Faith, Baháʼu’lláh, had been exiled to Acre (now Akko), which was then part of the Ottoman Beirut Vilayet. This geographical proximity to the Faith’s new center encouraged the spread of its teachings in surrounding areas, including Lebanon.

The Baha’i presence was not limited to early immigrants; over time, as they interacted with the local population, several Lebanese families began to embrace the principles and teachings of the nascent Baha’i Faith. By the late 19th century, the Baha’i presence was firmly established in various Lebanese regions, especially in the Beirut area and the Western Beqaa. This period also saw significant visits from pivotal figures in Baha’i history, such as ʻAbdu’l-Bahá, Baháʼu’lláh’s eldest son and the Center of His Covenant, further strengthening the foundations of the nascent Baha’i community in Lebanon. Over the decades, these small communities grew, preserving their teachings and values within Lebanon’s diverse environment.

Challenges of Official Recognition: The Unrecognized Nineteenth Sect

Despite this long history and entrenched presence, the Baha’i community in Lebanon faces a major structural challenge: it is not recognized as one of the eighteen officially recognized religious sects in the Lebanese constitution. This lack of recognition places Baha’is in a unique and complex legal situation, leading to a number of daily difficulties in their lives and official transactions.

One of the most prominent of these challenges lies in personal status registration. In official records, the religion of Baha’is is not explicitly recorded. Instead, they are forced to register under the religion of their ancestors prior to the family’s conversion to the Baha’i Faith, which is often the Shi’a sect or other historical religions in the region. This means their true religious identity is not reflected in official state documents, which can cause them problems in legal and social dealings.

Another, perhaps more pressing, challenge relates to marriage and personal status issues. There are no Baha’i spiritual courts or special courts in Lebanon to conduct marriages according to Baha’i law, unlike the recognized sects. This forces Lebanese Baha’is to resort to civil marriage abroad, often in Cyprus or Turkey, and then attempt to register these civil marriages in Lebanon. Although civil marriages contracted abroad are legally recognized in Lebanon, the process itself constitutes a financial and logistical burden on Baha’i couples and highlights the gap in legal recognition of their faith.

Numbers and Spread: A Modest but Vibrant Community

Estimates regarding the number of Baha’is in Lebanon vary, but they generally indicate a small minority. While some sources estimate their number in the hundreds, figures from the Association of Religion Data Archives (based on the World Christian Encyclopedia) indicated approximately 3,900 Baha’is in 2005 and 2,832 in 2010. More recent estimates suggest around 1,000 Baha’is or slightly more. Regardless of the exact figures, the Baha’i presence is primarily concentrated in specific areas, such as the town of Beit Mery on the outskirts of Beirut, in addition to Baha’i cemeteries in Mashghara and Khalde, affirming their deep roots in Lebanese territory.

Despite their small size, the Baha’i community in Lebanon is characterized by its vitality and commitment to the principles of its faith, which emphasize unity, harmony, justice, and peace. Baha’is practice their worship and prayers individually, as there are no clergy or priests in the Baha’i Faith. The affairs of their communities are managed through democratically elected Spiritual Assemblies, reflecting the principle of consultation and collective action.

Community Contributions and Overcoming Challenges: Quiet Integration

Despite legal challenges, Baha’is in Lebanon have not isolated themselves from their society’s fabric. Instead, they have consistently sought to integrate and make positive contributions. This is evidenced by notable examples, such as the appointment of the Baha’i academic and researcher Dr. Bishr Rouayri (or Bishrou’i Rouhani, according to some sources) as an advisor to President Amine Gemayel in the 1980s. Bishr Rouayri was not merely a political advisor but is also a renowned scholar of Gibran Khalil Gibran’s works, with numerous publications on him, and currently holds the Gibran Khalil Gibran Chair for Values and Peace at the University of Maryland. This indicates a level of acceptance and interaction with Baha’is in Lebanese cultural and political circles, despite the absence of official religious recognition.

Baha’is in Lebanon, like Baha’is worldwide, strive to apply the teachings of their faith that call for unity among humankind, equality of men and women, the harmony of religion and science, and the independent investigation of truth. They seek to contribute to building a better society through service, promoting ethical values, and disseminating principles of peaceful coexistence. Although they may not have large houses of worship like the “Mashriqu’l-Adhkár” found in a few countries worldwide, they practice their rituals in their homes or in private Baha’i centers and celebrate their holy days, such as the Festival of Ridván, with a spirit of prayer and supplication.

In conclusion, the Baha’i presence in Lebanon represents a unique model of a religious minority striving to live peacefully and integrate into a complex society, despite the lack of full official recognition. Their story reflects the resilience of individuals and the power of principles, affirming that contribution to nation-building does not stop at the boundaries of legal recognition but extends to commitment to noble human values and the constant pursuit of community service…More