Fidál, 11 Kalimát (Words), 182 B.E.
Social Action: The Nature of Bahá’í Social and Economic Development
Quotes for Reflection:
The relationship between teaching and social and economic development needs to be considered both in terms of certain fundamental principles and in the context of the processes which characterize the growth of the Bahá’í community. You are well aware of the relevant principles, which include the following: Bahá’ís should give the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh liberally and unconditionally to humanity so that people may apply them to pressing social issues and uplift themselves materially and spiritually; in their dealings with society at large, the friends should be upright and avoid any trace of deception; social and economic development projects should not be used as an inducement to conversion; and funds from non-Bahá’ís should not be utilized for strictly Bahá’í purposes. None of these diminishes the importance of the sacred obligation to teach the Cause. Teaching should remain the dominating passion of the life of every individual believer, and growth a major concern of the Bahá’í community.
As the Bahá’í community has moved from one stage to the next, the range of activities that it has been able to undertake has increased. Its growth has been organic in nature and has implied gradual differentiation in functions. When the Bahá’í community was small in size, all of its interactions with society at large easily fitted together under the designation of direct and indirect teaching. But, over time, new dimensions of work appeared—involvement in civil society, highly organized diplomatic work, social action, and so on—each with its own aims, methods and resources. In a certain sense, it is possible to refer to all of these activities as teaching, since their ultimate purpose is the diffusion of the divine fragrances, the offering of Bahá’u’lláh’s Revelation to humankind, and service to society. But, in practice, it seems more fruitful to treat them as distinct but complementary lines of action. For example, simply designating certain social and economic development endeavors indirect teaching may cause confusion in at least two ways: On the one hand, it may give the impression that development activities should have as their primary and immediate objective the recruitment of new believers, which is, of course, not the case. On the other, it may suggest to some friends that they are fulfilling their obligation to teach merely by participating in social action.
Social and economic development is an important area of activity in and of itself. Its justification should not be sought in its ability to produce enrollments; it complements teaching and also contributes to it. Naturally, when endeavors in the development field are successful, they increase the public’s interest in the Faith and create new teaching opportunities for the Bahá’í community, opportunities which the friends should seize upon through their expansion and consolidation activities. — Universal House of Justice 1
Question for Consideration
How has the work of the Bahá’í community in service to society evolved in its relationship to direct and indirect teaching?
Perplexity Pro Response 2
Foundational Principles
From its earliest days, the Bahá’í community has approached the relationship between service to society and teaching the Faith according to several fundamental principles:
- Teaching is considered a sacred obligation: Sharing the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh freely and unconditionally is seen as a duty.
- Service should be marked by integrity: Bahá’ís are encouraged to be upright and avoid any appearance of manipulation in their societal interactions.
- Development should not be proselytizing: Social and economic development projects must not serve as inducements for conversion.
- Resource usage is principled: Funds from non-Bahá’ís are not used for strictly Bahá’í purposes.
Together, these principles guide how the Bahá’í community balances service and teaching as it interacts with society.
Early Stages: Unified Approach
When the Bahá’í community was small, nearly all activities—whether acts of service, social engagement, or direct sharing of the Faith—were considered “teaching,” either direct (explicit proclamation) or indirect (demonstrating principles through action). In this phase, distinctions between different kinds of activities were minimal.
Growth and Differentiation
As the Bahá’í community matured and expanded:
- Organic Growth: The community’s capacity increased, and a broader array of activities emerged, including civil society engagement, structured diplomatic participation, organized social action, and advocacy for human rights.
- Emergence of Complementary Lines: While all such activities ultimately aim to “offer Bahá’u’lláh’s Revelation to humankind” and uplift society, the Bahá’í community increasingly treats these areas—teaching, social action, advocacy—as distinct, though complementary, lines of action.
- Development as Its Own Aim: Social and economic development, for example, is no longer seen as simply a method of indirect teaching. Its value is recognized intrinsically, not merely as a tool for producing new believers.
Clarified Relationship Between Service and Teaching
This evolution brought about greater clarity:
- Avoiding Misconceptions: Calling social action “indirect teaching” can be misleading—it might suggest the main aim is to gain converts, or that participation alone fulfills the obligation to share the Faith. The community now avoids this conflation.
- Recognition of Complementarity: Service to society—through development projects, educational efforts, or public discourse—stands as a vital expression of Bahá’í ideals which complements, but does not replace, proactive teaching.
- Mutual Reinforcement: Positive and impactful service naturally generates curiosity and interest, opening opportunities for sharing the teachings. When development endeavors succeed, they draw attention to the Faith, which the community can build upon in their expansion and consolidation activities.
Contemporary Practice
Today, the Bahá’í community balances these lines of action:
- Teaching remains central: Sharing the message of Bahá’u’lláh is still held as the “dominating passion” and essential responsibility.
- Service is valued in itself: Bahá’í social and economic development activities aim at material and spiritual upliftment, not conversion. They are planned and executed with integrity and respect for all.
- Openness to Opportunities: When service activities do generate interest in the Faith, Bahá’ís are encouraged to respond with thoughtful and open-hearted teaching, while maintaining the distinction between service and proselytizing.
This nuanced and principled approach reflects the organic and maturing nature of the Bahá’í community’s relationship to humanity, aiming both to serve and to uplift society spiritually and materially, while respecting personal freedom and ethical standards.
- Research Department of the Universal House of Justice. “Social Action.” Bahá’í Reference Library, August 2020. https://www.bahai.org/r/224521653. ↩
- Perplexity Pro. “Evolution of Bahá’í Service to Society and Its Relationship to Teaching.” Edited by Steve Bosserman. July 21, 2025. https://www.perplexity.ai/search/the-relationship-between-teach-KlYcfQzxTTCgOlNihxGByw. ↩
Frameworks for Understanding the World 