The Baha'i Faith and People with Disabilities:

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 1 in 4 adults (28.7 percent) in the United States have some type of disability. They are our neighbors, coworkers, family members, and friends. Every gathering, class, and conversation in our communities is an opportunity to welcome them, to learn from them, and to build together.

Community Building

In neighborhoods and villages around the world, Bahá’ís and their friends take part in four core activities: children’s classes, spiritual empowerment programmes for young people, devotional gatherings, and circles of study that build capacity for service. In the United States, Bahá’ís describe study circles as connecting the study of Bahá’í Sacred Texts to acts of service.

In its Riḍván 2010 message, the Universal House of Justice described circles of study, open to all, where people of varied backgrounds advance on equal footing, and emphasized that “every soul feel welcome to join the community in contributing to the betterment of society.”

Devotional gatherings can serve as portals into the life of the community, and the relationships that begin there grow as friends pray, study, and serve together. Bahá’í communities are reflecting on this question:

What is your community learning about welcoming and accompanying diverse people into the institute process, and what helps their participation deepen over time?

People with Disabilities are a part of the diversity of the human family.

“Bring those who have been excluded into the circle of intimate friends.” -‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Additional Tablets, Extracts and Talks

Bahá’ís are also exploring how to draw creatively on A Common Endeavor: Realizing the Promise of America, a statement from the Bahá’ís of the United States, in conversations, institute activities, public gatherings, and other spaces for discussion. It asks:

“Contributors at the grassroots do not have all the answers, but are working on questions that are crucial to our common endeavor. How do we foster faith in the capacity of all so that everyone’s contributions are sincerely welcomed and encouraged?” -The Bahá’ís of the United States, A Common Endeavor: Realizing the Promise of America

Justice Demands Universal Participation

The Riḍván 2010 message continues:

“Justice demands universal participation. Thus, while social action may involve the provision of goods and services in some form, its primary concern must be to build capacity within a given population to participate in creating a better world. Social change is not a project that one group of people carries out for the benefit of another.” -The Universal House of Justice, Riḍván 2010 Message

The same paragraph links participation to knowledge:

“Access to knowledge is the right of every human being, and participation in its generation, application and diffusion a responsibility that all must shoulder in the great enterprise of building a prosperous world civilization—each individual according to his or her talents and abilities.” -The Universal House of Justice, Riḍván 2010 Message

For a blind participant, that may mean a study book in Braille or that works with a screen reader. For a Deaf participant, captions or a sign language interpreter. For a friend who uses a wheelchair, a gathering held where everyone can enter. Small choices like these open the door to full participation.

Structures, Rules, and Systems

In its 1 March 2017 letter on economic life, the Universal House of Justice wrote:

“There is no justification for continuing to perpetuate structures, rules, and systems that manifestly fail to serve the interests of all peoples.” -The Universal House of Justice, 1 March 2017 – To the Bahá’ís of the World

In our communities it is critical that we apply this guidance to accessibility. Meeting places, websites, registration forms, schedules, and study materials are all structures. Each can be planned from the start in consultation with People with Disabilities, who know where the barriers are.

Gems of Inestimable Value

The Riḍván 2010 message speaks of “seeing in their fellow human beings gems of inestimable value.” ‘Abdu’l-Bahá said:

“A man is blinded, but his spirit continues the same. He loses his hearing, his hand is cut off, his foot amputated; but his spirit remains the same. He becomes lethargic, he is afflicted with apoplexy; but there is no difference, change or alteration in his spirit.” -‘Abdu’l-Bahá, The Promulgation of Universal Peace

Historic Highlights

‘Abdu’l-Bahá, the perfect exemplar, was the host of many gatherings and events. From the many stories of his travels and engagements, we know that his attention, care, and focus were on unity and justice, and always on inclusion of those who were considered to be historically marginalized populations, including People with Disabilities.

On August 6, 1988, the Bahá’í International Community gave a statement on human rights and disability to the United Nations Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities in Geneva. It observed:

“[A]ll sectors of society must work to integrate disabled persons into the life of society and give them equal opportunities in schools, the workplace and the community at large. Society will be the loser if it fails to benefit from the talents of disabled persons.” -Bahá’í International Community, Human Rights and Disability, 6 August 1988

Two years later, on July 26, 1990, President George H. W. Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) into law. As he lifted his pen, he declared: “Let the shameful wall of exclusion finally come tumbling down.” (George Bush Presidential Library)

Bahá’í Administrative Services for People with Disabilities

• The Bahá’í Service for the Blind is a committee of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States.
• The Deaf and Hard of Hearing Task Force, appointed by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States, has existed off and on since the 1980s. Its mission is to ensure that Deaf and Hard of Hearing people can participate in Bahá’í activities.
• A Journey of Courage: From Disability To Spiritual Ability, compiled by Frances Mezei and Shirlee Smith.
• The Bahá’í World Centre released an audio described version of An Expansive Prospect.

Striving to Remove Barriers That Prevent Us from Building Vibrant, Diverse, Inclusive, Accessible Communities!

We invite every community to reflect and consult on how to move forward effectively. Questions to bring to your next devotional gathering, class, group, or study circle:

• What is your community learning about welcoming and accompanying diverse people into the institute process, and what helps their participation deepen over time?
• Do the demographics of your community reflect the demographics of People with Disabilities in society, where 28.7 percent of adults in the United States have some type of disability? If not, what barriers may be preventing this?
• Are devotional gatherings held in places and formats where everyone can take part, so they can serve as portals into the life of the community?
• Were People with Disabilities part of the planning from the start, including entry to the space, materials for screen readers, large print, and braille, and captions, audio description, and sign language interpretation?
• Does every person have a way to contribute, not only to attend?

Learn what barriers may be preventing full participation, consult together on the next steps, and take specific steps. Join us in our efforts!