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Important.ca Major Religions & Spiritual Beliefs Home: Religion: Bahai: Symbols and their Meanings. Bahai Religious Symbols
Bahai Faith Religous Symbols and their MeaningsThe symbols of the religion are derived from the Arabic word Bahá’ (بهاء "splendor" or "glory"), with a numerical value of 9, which is why the most common symbol is the nine-pointed star. The ringstone symbol and calligraphy of the Greatest Name are also often encountered. The former consists of two stars interspersed with a stylized Bahá’ whose shape is meant to recall the three onenesses, while the latter is a calligraphic rendering of the phrase Yá Bahá'u'l-Abhá (يا بهاء الأبهى "O Glory of the Most Glorious!").Five-pointed star The five-pointed star, or haykal (Arabic: temple) is the official symbol of the Bahá'í Faith as mentioned by Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith: "Strictly speaking the 5-pointed star is the symbol of our Faith, as used by the Báb and explained by Him." The five-pointed star has been used as the outline of special letters or tablets by both the Báb and Bahá'u'lláh.
Haykal is a loan word from the Hebrew word hek'l which means temple and specifically Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem. In Arabic, the word also means the body or form of something, particularly the human body. In the Bahá'í tradition, the haykal was established by the Báb — the person who told of Bahá'u'lláh's coming — who represented the haykal as a five-pointed star representing the human body as a head, two hands, and two feet. The Báb wrote many letters, tablets, prayers and more in the shape of a five-pointed star, including some that included many derivatives of the word Bahá’. In Bahá'u'lláh's writings, specifically the Súriy-i-Haykal (Tablet of the Temple), while the meaning of temple remains present, the haykal is used mainly to mean the human body, but particularly the body of the Manifestation of God — a messenger from God — and the person of Bahá'u'lláh himself. The combination of the use of haykal as a temple and a human body is combined to refer to a human temple, specifically the body of the Manifestation of God. In the Tablet, the haykal is also used to refer the word of God, which is revealed by the Manifestations of God.
Bahá'u'lláh often referred to Bahá'ís in his writings as "the people of Bahá’", and in addition, the Báb sent a tablet to Bahá'u'lláh with 360 derivatives of the word Bahá’. Along with daily prayers, Bahá'ís are encouraged to recite the phrase "Alláh-u-Abhá" 95 times in a form of meditation. The word Bahá’ in symbology: Calligraphy of the Greatest Name
Since the symbol refers more directly to the Name of God and of the Messenger of God, than any other symbol in the Bahá'í Faith, it is not generally used in a casual manner or to adorn the personal artifacts that are put to common use. The symbol can usually be seen in Bahá'í homes and rings that are produced on a limited scale.
The number 9 also comes up several times in Bahá'í history and teachings. On the significance of the number 9, Shoghi Effendi wrote:
"Besides these two significances the number nine has no other meaning. It is, however, enough to make the Bahá'ís use it when an arbitrary number is to be chosen."
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According to the Abjad system of Isopsephy, the word Bahá' has a numerical equivalence of 9, and thus there is frequent use of the number 9 in Bahá'í symbols. The most commonly used symbol connected to the number 9 is the nine-pointed star; there is no particular design of the nine-pointed star that is used more often than others. While the star is not a part of the teachings of the Bahá'í Faith, it is commonly used as an emblem representing "9", because of the association of number 9 with perfection, unity and Bahá’.
The ringstone symbol was designed by `Abdu'l-Bahá, Bahá'u'lláh's son and successor, and as its name implies, is the most common symbol found on rings worn by Bahá'ís, but it is also used on necklaces, book covers, and paintings. It consists of two stars (haykal) interspersed with a stylized Bahá’. The lower line is said to represent humanity and the world of creation, the upper line the world of God, and the middle line represents the special station of Manifestation of God and the world of revelation; the vertical line is the Primal Will or Holy Spirit proceeding from God through the Manifestations to humanity. The position of Manifestation of God in this symbol is said to be the linking point to God. The two stars or haykals represent Bahá'u'lláh and the Báb.