Aniconism
Aniconism in the Bahá’í Faith refers to the practice of not displaying, and avoiding depictions of Bahá’u’lláh and other Manifestations of God outside of an appropriately reverent setting. The existence of such depictions are not considered offensive to Bahá’ís. With respect to the photographs of Bahá’u’lláh, Shoghi Effendi stated that believers should view these images only when they can be treated with the utmost respect and not let them be exposed to the public, even in their private homes.[1]
Shoghi Effendi has also written in the Directives from the Guardian regarding the portrait of the Báb:
| “ | The portrait of the Báb should be regarded as an inestimable privilege and blessing to behold, as past generations were denied a glimpse of the Face of the Manifestation, once He had passed on. | ” |
| — Shoghi Effendi, Directives from the Guardian[2] | ||
Two pictures of Bahá’u’lláh and a portrait of the Báb are on display at the World Centre in the International Archives building, where the Bahá’ís view it as part of their pilgrimage.
See also[edit]
Notes[edit]
- ↑ Lights of Guidance, Photograph of Bahá’u’lláh: From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, December 6, 1939
- ↑ Shoghi Effendi: Directives from the Guardian Published in 1973. Accessed on December 23, 2020 from http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/se/DG/dg-115.html.
References[edit]
- Jack Goody, Representations and Contradictions: Ambivalence Towards Images, Theatre, Fiction, Relics and Sexuality, London, Blackwell Publishers, 1997. ISBN 0631205268.
- Compiled by Helen Bassett Hornby (1988). Lights of Guidance: A Bahá’í Reference File. Bahá’í Publishing Trust, India. ISBN 81-85091-46-3.
