The Bahá’í Faith in Hong Kong
"Ye are the fruits of one tree, and the leaves of one branch. Deal ye one with another with the utmost love and harmony, with friendliness and fellowship.”
－Bahá’u’lláh
At a time of rapid change in the world, humanity needs a unifying vision of the nature and purpose of our lives and of the future of our society. Such a vision unfolds within the writings of Bahá’u’lláh, the Prophet Founder of the Bahá’í Faith.
Animated by the principle of the oneness of humanity, the Bahá’í community of Hong Kong is exploring with people of all backgrounds how Bahá'u'lláh’s teachings can be translated into action to contribute to the emergence of a peaceful and materially and spiritually prosperous civilization.
What Bahá'ís Do
Spiritual Education of Children
Children are the most precious treasure a community can possess. In them are the promise and guarantee of the future. The Hong Kong Bahá’í community offers training for teachers to conduct classes for the spiritual education of children. These classes cultivate the development of spiritual qualities—such as truthfulness, generosity, purity of heart, and kindness, to name a few--in order to prepare children to tend to their own spiritual development and contribute to the well-being of society.
Releasing the Powers of Junior Youth
The ages of 11-15 represent a special time in the lives of young people. During this period, such "junior youth" form their sense of identity and purpose, and their experiences have a profound influence on them throughout their lives. The Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Programme, offered by Bahá’ís and like minded friends in Hong Kong, seeks to assist junior youth to develop their powers of expression, to understand the constructive and destructive forces operating in society and to dedicate themselves to service to humanity.
Building Capacity for Service
Groups of friends gather regularly throughout Hong Kong to study the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh and explore their application to questions such how to strengthen bonds of friendship and establish meaningful patterns of communication among people of various backgrounds; how to make the education of children an integral part of their community life; and how to maintain an environment that helps young people develop their intellectual and spiritual capacities. The participation of people of all backgrounds in the process of study, consultation, action and reflection about these and other questions is warmly welcomed.
Fostering a Spirit of Communal Worship
In different neighborhoods in Hong Kong, friends of diverse backgrounds unite with one another in prayer and devotion. Meetings largely consist of reading prayers and passages from the Bahá’í sacred texts in an informal yet respectful atmosphere. These gatherings foster a spirit of communal worship and create an environment which stimulates meaningful conversations and efforts to serve the community.
“Wert thou to attain to but a dewdrop of the crystal waters of divine knowledge, thou wouldst readily realize that true life is not the life of the flesh but the life of the spirit…”