The Baha’i Faith was founded in 19th century Iran by Mirza Hosayn-Ali Nuri Baha’ullah (d. 1892) and developed from Babism, an Iranian messianic movement, and Shi’a Shaikhism. Baha’is acknowledge numerous prophets, including Muhammad, Jesus, Krishna, Buddha, and most recently Baha’ullah. The Baha’i Faith is monotheistic and universalist, recognizing the truth claims of other religious traditions. Followers believe in progressive revelation, such that each age has its prophet and revelations specific to that time. Both Sunni and Shi’a Muslims consider Baha’is to be heretical, and in Iran they face sometimes severe oppression. It is an international faith, with small communities in most countries.
Baha’i missionaries arrived in Syria in 1892 but failed to gain significant numbers of followers. Overall, the Syrian Baha’i community was largely made up of Iranian expatriates who had fled persecution in their native country. As of 2008, the Syrian Baha’i community numbered around 430 adherents.
Sources
J. Gordon Melton, “Syria,” Religions of the World, Second Edition: A Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Beliefs and Practices, (Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO, 2010), pp. 2788-2793.
M. Warburg, “Baha’i Faith,” The World’s Religions: Continuities and Transformations, eds. Peter Clarke and Peter Beyer (Abingdon: Routledge, 2009), pp. 39-54.