The Baha'i House of Worship is dedicated to the praise of God. The House
of Worship forms the central edifice of the Mas{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}riqu'l-Ad{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}kar (the
Dawning-place of the Praise of God), a complex which, as it unfolds in the
future, will comprise in addition to the House of Worship a number of
dependencies dedicated to social, humanitarian, educational, and
scientific pursuits. 'Abdu'l-Baha describes the Mas{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}riqu'l-Ad{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}kar as
"one of the most vital institutions in the world", and Shoghi Effendi
indicates that it exemplifies in tangible form the integration of "Baha'i
worship and service". Anticipating the future development of this
institution, Shoghi Effendi envisages that the House of Worship and its
dependencies "shall afford relief to the suffering, sustenance to the
poor, shelter to the wayfarer, solace to the bereaved, and education to
the ignorant". In the future, Baha'i Houses of Worship will be constructed
in every town and village.
54. The Lord hath ordained that those of you who are able shall make
pilgrimage to the sacred House #32
Two sacred Houses are covered by this ordinance, the House of the Bab in
S{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}iraz and the House of Baha'u'llah in Bag{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}dad. Baha'u'llah has
specified that pilgrimage to either of these two Houses fulfils the
requirement of this passage (Q and A 25, 29). In two separate Tablets,
known as Suriy-i-Hajj (Q and A 10), Baha'u'llah has prescribed specific
rites for each of these pilgrimages. In this sense, the performance of a
pilgrimage is more than simply visiting these two Houses.
After the passing of Baha'u'llah, 'Abdu'l-Baha designated the Shrine of
Baha'u'llah at Bahji as a place of pilgrimage. In a Tablet, He indicates
that the "Most Holy Shrine, the Blessed House in Bag{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}dad and the
venerated House of the Bab in S{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}h{~COMBINING MACRON BELOW~}iraz" are "consecrated to pilgrimage",
and that it is "obligatory" to visit these places "if one can afford it
and is able to do so, and if no obstacle stands in one's way". No rites
have been prescribed for pilgrimage to the Most Holy Shrine.