Enrolment

A class of Bahá'í children in a government school in Daidanaw, Myanmar, where a large proportion of residents are Bahá’ís.

Enrolment is a general term for the process of individuals expressing their belief in Bahá’u’lláh and asking to be regarded or recognized as Bahá’ís. Throughout history, depending on circumstances, enrolments have been carried out formally and informally, orally and in writing. Enrolment is commonly seen as a sort of rite of passage marking a new stage in an individual's spiritual life; the process of enrolment is thus very personal and often adapts to individual situations.

The process of enrolment can be divided into two main parts: the individual's expression of belief, and the recognition of the individual's belief by the Bahá’í community and its institutions. Bahá’ís often refer to the expression of belief as declaration: someone declares himself or herself to be a Bahá’í. In some cases, the individual is asked to (or chooses to) formalize this statement of belief by signing a declaration card. Once the individual's declaration is recognized, local Bahá’í institutions then carry out the process of registration: that is, they register a new member of the community by adding them to a membership list, "roll" or database. Among other reasons, registration is important for the maintenance of voter's lists, i.e., lists of adult Bahá’ís eligible for participation in elections and in other functions of Bahá’í administration.

Although the process of enrolment may be simple, there are generally certain requirements asked of prospective members before their enrolment is accepted. These generally include: knowledge of the station of Bahá’u’lláh, His Covenant, and the Central Figures of the Faith; knowledge of Bahá’í teachings; awareness of divinely revealed laws and willingness to learn about them and strive to follow them; and awareness of the divinely appointed Bahá’í administrative order and willingness to participate in and rely on Bahá’í administration. The precise requirements, methods and practical aspects of enrollment have evolved over time based on experience, and generally vary based on institutional capacity and the civil requirements of various regions.

Methods of enrolment

In the early days of the Bahá’í Faith, enrolments often happened informally as spiritual seekers learned of the religion and its message through social connections or befriending Bahá’í teachers. Such enrolments were often expressed orally, at which point new believers would be integrated into the life of their local Bahá’í community. In many cases, early believers would formalize their enrolment by writing a letter indicating their acceptance of the Faith. As membership in the Bahá’í community swelled in the early 20th century, it became more common (especially in the West) to require the signing of a declaration card or registration card as a part of the formal enrolment process. This procedure is still followed in many places, although it is widely seen as an optional part of the enrolment process rather than a requirement.

See also

• Statistics