Baháʼí symbols

Baháʼí symbols are symbols that have been used, or are used, to express identification with the Baháʼí
Faith. While the five-pointed star is the symbol of the religion,[1] being used to represent the human body
and Messengers of God, more common symbols include the nine-pointed star, the Greatest Name, and the
Ringstone symbol, representing perfection, and the Messengers of God.

Contents
Nine-pointed star
Five-pointed star
The Greatest Name
Ringstone symbol
Symbolic language
See also
Notes
References
External links

Nine-pointed star
According to the Abjad system of Isopsephy, the word Baháʼ has a
numerical equivalence of 9, and thus there is frequent use of the number
9 in Baháʼí symbols.[2] 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 Baháʼí Faith, it is commonly used as an
emblem representing "9", because of the association of number 9 with
perfection, unity and Baháʼ.

The number 9 also comes up several times in Baháʼí history and

teachings. On the significance of the number 9, Shoghi Effendi wrote: The nine-pointed star of the
Baháʼí Faith

"Concerning the number nine: the Baháʼís reverence this for

two reasons, first because it is considered by those interested
in numbers as the sign of perfection. The second
consideration, which is the more important one, is that it is
the numerical value of the word "Baháʼ"…
"Besides these two significances the number nine has no
other meaning. It is, however, enough to make the Baháʼís
use it when an arbitrary number is to be chosen."[3]
Its use on gravestone markers was approved by Shoghi Effendi, then head of the religion, in 1944.[4]

Five-pointed star
The five-pointed star, or haykal (Arabic: temple) is the
symbol of the Baháʼí Faith as mentioned by Shoghi
Effendi, head of the Baháʼí Faith in the first half of the
20th century: "Strictly speaking the 5-pointed star is
the symbol of our Faith, as used by the Báb and
explained by Him."[1] The five-pointed star has been
used as the outline of special letters or tablets by both
the Báb[5] and Baháʼu'lláh.[6]

Haykal is a loan word from the Hebrew word hēyḵāl,

An unidentified tablet which means temple and specifically Solomon's
in the Báb's Temple in Jerusalem. In Arabic, the word also means An unidentified tablet
handwriting. the body or form of something, particularly the human in the Báb's
body. [7] In the Baháʼí tradition, the haykal was handwriting.
established by the Báb — who told of Baháʼu'lláh's
coming — who represented the haykal as a five-pointed star representing the
human body as a head, two hands, and two feet.[7][8] 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 Baháʼ
(see below).[9][10]

In Baháʼu'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 Baháʼu'lláh himself.[7] In the Tablet,
the haykal is also used to refer to the word of God, which is revealed by the Manifestations of God.[11] He
also says in the same Tablet:

"O Living Temple! We have, in very truth,...ordained Thee to be the emblem of My Cause
betwixt the heavens and the earth..."[12]

The Greatest Name

In Islamic belief God has 99
names, and in some Islamic
traditions it is believed that there
is a special hidden 100th name,
which is the greatest.[2] In
Baháʼí belief the Greatest Name
Calligraphy of the is Baháʼ (‫)ﺑﻬﺎء‬, translated as
Greatest Name
"glory" or "splendour".[2] Many
symbols of the Baháʼí Faith
derive their significance from the Calligraphy of the Greatest Name
word Baháʼ, and it is the root word used in many other names
and phrases including Baháʼí (a follower of Baháʼ),
Baháʼu'lláh (Glory of God), ʻAbdu'l-Bahá (Servant of Glory), Yá Baháʼu'l-Abhá (O Thou Glory of the
Most Glorious), and Alláh-u-Abhá (God is Most Glorious).
 Baháʼu'lláh often referred to Baháʼís
in his writings as "the people of
Baháʼ", and in addition, the Báb sent
a tablet to Baháʼu'lláh with 360
derivatives of the word Baháʼ.[13][14]
Along with daily prayers, Baháʼís are
The word Baháʼ encouraged to recite the phrase
"Alláh-u-Abhá" 95 times in a form of
meditation.[15]

The symbol known as Greatest Name is an Arabic calligraphic

rendering of "Yá Baháʼu'l-Abhá" (‫ ﻳﺎ ﺑﻬﺎء اﻷﺑﻬﻰ‬usually translated
as "O Thou the Glory of the Most Glorious!"). This rendering was Arabic letters in the Greatest Name
originally drawn by the early Baháʼí calligrapher Mishkín
Qalam,[2] and later adopted by Baháʼís everywhere.

Since the symbol refers more directly to the Name of God and of the Messenger of God, than any other
symbol in the Baháʼí Faith, it is not generally used in a casual manner or to adorn the personal artifacts that
are put to common use.[16] The symbol can usually be seen in Baháʼí homes and rings that are produced on
a limited scale.[16]

Ringstone symbol
The ringstone symbol was designed
by ʻAbdu'l-Bahá,[17] and, as its name
implies, is the most common symbol
found on rings worn by Baháʼís, but
it is also used on necklaces, book
Ringstone symbol on covers, and paintings. It consists of
jewelry two stars (haykal) interspersed with a
stylized Baháʼ. The lower line is said
to represent humanity and the world An artistic representation of the
of creation, the upper line the world of God, and the middle line Baháʼí Ringstone Symbol
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 Baháʼu'lláh and the
Báb.[18]

Symbolic language
The writings of Baháʼu'lláh contain many allegories and symbolic language, often taken from nature (e.g.,
the sun, clouds, trees, rivers, oceans, valleys, mountains, gardens, birds, etc.), referring to spiritual
principles. Christopher Buck analyses a selection of six key scenarios (the Promised One, the Covenant,
illumination, lover and the beloved, the Maid of Heaven, the crimson ark and the Holy Mariner) and six
root metaphors (physician, wine/water of life, mirror/gems, the journey, lote-tree/Sinai, paradise).[19] Other
analysis has been done by Baháʼí scholars John Hatcher,[20] William Collins,[21] and Ruhiyyih
Khanum.[22]
A true understanding of the multiple meanings in the sacred texts
can only be reached by a purification of the heart, together with the
guidance of the Manifestations of God and their appointed
interpreters. Baháʼís are free to hold to their own understanding of
the texts, as long as they do not force it on others, realize that their
understanding is limited, and that they all follow the binding
authority of the appointed interpreters.[23][24]

See also
Baháʼí cosmology
Talismans in the Bábí and Baháʼí Faiths

Notes
1. Effendi 1973, p. 52 Nightingale, symbolizing Baháʼu'lláh,
2. Smith, Peter (2000), "greatest name" (https://books.goog by calligrapher Mishkín-Qalam.
le.com/books?id=pYfrAQAAQBAJ), A concise
encyclopedia of the Baháʼí Faith, Oxford: Oneworld
Publications, pp. 167–168, ISBN 1-85168-184-1 – via
Google Books
3. On behalf of Shoghi Effendi, published in Hornby 1983,
p. 414
4. Universal House of Justice (January 24, 1999). "The
Nine-Pointed Star: History and Symbolism" (http://bahai-
library.com/uhj_nine_pointed_star/?file=uhj_nine_point
ed_star). Baháʼí Library Online. Retrieved Sep 14, 2014
– via Baháʼí Library Online.
5. Moojan Momen (2019). The Star Tablet of the Bab (http
s://blogs.bl.uk/asian-and-african/2019/10/the-star-tablet-
of-the-bab.html). British Library Blog.
6. Bayat, Mohamad Ghasem (2001). An Introduction to the
Súratu'l-Haykal (Discourse of The Temple) (https://bahai
-library.com/bayat_surat_haykal) in Lights of Irfan, Book
2.
7. Walbridge 1995, pp. 165–169
8. Faizi 1968, pp. 19
9. Riggs 1981, pp. 70
10. Faizi 1968, pp. 9
11. Taherzadeh 1984, pp. 134
12. Baháʼu'lláh (2002) [1868]. The Summons of the Lord of
Hosts (http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/b/SLH/slh-4.html#g
r36). Haifa, Israel: Baháʼí World Centre. p. 21. ISBN 0-
85398-976-1.
13. Riggs 1981, pp. 126
14. Lambden, Stephen (1993), "The Word Baháʼ:
Quintessence of the Greatest Name" (http://bahai-library.
com/lambden_quintessence_greatest_name), Baháʼí
Studies Review, 3 (1) – via Baháʼí Library Online
15. Smith, Peter (2000), "prayer" (https://books.google.com/
books?id=pYfrAQAAQBAJ), A concise encyclopedia of
the Baháʼí Faith, Oxford: Oneworld Publications,
pp. 274–275, ISBN 1-85168-184-1 – via Google Books
16. Hornby 1983, pp. 267–268
17. Faizi 1968, pp. 11
18. ʻAbdu'l-Bahá, published in Hornby 1983, p. 271
19. Buck, Christopher (1999). Paradise and Paradigm (htt
p://bahai-library.com/buck_paradise_paradigm). SUNY
Press. pp. 181–225. ISBN 9780791497944 – via Baháʼí
Library Online.
20. Hatcher, J.S. (1997). The Ocean of His Words: A
Reader's Guide to the Art of Baháʼu'lláh. Wilmette,
Illinois, USA: Baháʼí Publishing Trust. ISBN 0-87743-
259-7.
21. Collins, William (1990). "Sacred Mythology and the
Baháʼí Faith" (https://web.archive.org/web/2011071821
4616/http://www.bahai-studies.ca/journal/files/jbs/2.4%2
0Collins.pdf) (PDF). Journal of Baháʼí Studies. 2 (4): 1–
15. doi:10.31581/JBS-2.4.1(1990) (https://doi.org/10.315
81%2FJBS-2.4.1%281990%29). Archived from the
original (http://www.bahai-studies.ca/journal/files/jbs/2.
4%20Collins.pdf) (PDF) on 2011-07-18. Retrieved
2016-06-24.
22. Rabbani, Ruhiyyih (1984). The Desire of the World:
Materials for the Contemplation of God and His
Manifestation for This Day. (http://www.bahaiebooks.org/
the-desire-of-the-world) George Ronald, Oxford, UK.
Includes a list of names of God and titles of Baháʼu'lláh
in the Baháʼí writings.
23. Smith, Peter (2000), "interpretation" (https://books.googl
e.com/books?id=pYfrAQAAQBAJ), A concise
encyclopedia of the Baháʼí Faith, Oxford: Oneworld
Publications, p. 227, ISBN 1-85168-184-1 – via Google
Books
24. Saiedi, Nader (2000). Logos and Civilization - Spirit,
History, and Order in the Writings of Baháʼu'lláh. USA:
University Press of Maryland and Association for Baha'i
Studies. p. 152. ISBN 1883053609. OL 8685020M (http
s://openlibrary.org/books/OL8685020M).

References
Effendi, Shoghi (1973), Directives from the Guardian (http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/se/DG/d
g-141.html), Hawaii Baháʼí Publishing Trust, p. 52
Faizi, Abu'l-Qasim (1968), Explanation of the Symbol of the Greatest Name (http://bahai-libra
ry.com/faizi_symbol_greatest_name), New Delhi: India Baháʼí Publishing Trust – via Baháʼí
Library Online
Hornby, Helen, ed. (1983), Lights of Guidance: A Baháʼí Reference File (http://bahai-library.c
om/hornby_lights_guidance), New Delhi: India Baháʼí Publishing Trust, ISBN 81-85091-46-
3 – via Baháʼí Library Online
 MacEoin, Denis (1997), Hinnells, John R. (ed.), A New Handbook of Living Religions,
Blackwell Publishers, ISBN 0-631-18275-6
Riggs, Robert F. (1981), Apocalyspe Unsealed, New York: Philosophical Library, ISBN 0-
8022-2367-2
Taherzadeh, Adib (1984), The Revelation of Baháʼu'lláh, Volume 3: 'Akka, The Early Years
1868-77 (http://www.peyman.info/cl/Baha'i/Others/ROB/V3/Cover.html), Oxford, UK: George
Ronald, ISBN 0-85398-144-2
Walbridge, John (1995), Sacred Acts, Sacred Space, Sacred Time, Oxford: George Ronald,
ISBN 0-85398-406-9

External links
The Art of the Greatest Name (http://havcamwiltrav.tripod.com/oldsite/greatest_name.htm)
The Nine-Pointed Star, History and Symbolism (https://web.archive.org/web/201201041022
23/http://bahai-library.com/uhj_nine_pointed_star) - by the Universal House of Justice, 1999
Story of the Ringstone Symbol (https://web.archive.org/web/20070105172904/http://spiritual-
education.org/ringstone.pdf) - www.spiritual-education.org
Greatest Name Song and Poem Site used with permission, a public site (http://www.Godspa
ssword.com)

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