Haifa and the Baha'i Religion

Haifa, an important port city for Israel, is also an important centre for the Baha'i religion. In Haifa, is to be found the Shrine of the Bab, who is considered by Baha'is to be an independent messenger of God and the Herald of Baha'u'llah, the Founder of the Baha'i Faith.

The golden dome of the Shrine was designed by Canadian architect William Sutherland Maxwell and completed in 1953 (see photos which show the Shrine from below and from above). The 18 terraces were designed in 1987 by Canadian architect Fariborz Sahba.

Baha'u'llah laid down principles, laws and institutions for a world civilization which include:
- abandonment of all forms of prejudice
- full equality between the sexes
- recognition of the common source and essential oneness of the world's great religions
- elimination of the extremes of poverty and wealth
- universal compulsory education
- right and responsibility of each person to search independently for truth
- establishment of a world federal system
- recognition that faith must be consistent with reason and that science and religion should be in harmony