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There are several symbols used to express identification with theBaháʼí Faith: thenine-pointed star, a calligraphy known as the "Greatest Name", the Ringstone Symbol, or a five-pointed star.
According to theAbjad system ofisopsephy, the word Baháʼ has a numerical equivalence of9, and thus there is frequent use of the number 9 in Baháʼí symbols.[1] The most common of these is thenine-pointed star,.svg)
; 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:
Concerning the number nine: the Baháʼí's 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 "Bahá"[.]
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.[2]
Its use on gravestone markers was approved by Shoghi Effendi, then head of the religion, in 1944.[3]
On 13 September 2022, the symbol was added toUnicode asU+1F7D9 🟙NINE POINTED WHITE STAR.
Thefive-pointed star,pentagram, orhaykal (Arabic: temple) is a symbol of theBaháʼí Faith as mentioned byShoghi 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 theBáb and explained by Him."[4] The five-pointed star has been used as the outline of special letters ortablets by both the Báb[5] and Baháʼu'lláh.[6]
Haykal is atetragram loan word from theHebrew wordhēyḵāl, which means temple and specificallySolomon's Temple in Jerusalem. In Arabic, the word also means the body or form of something, particularly thehuman body.[7] In the Baháʼí tradition, thehaykal was established by the Báb—and represents 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 wordBaháʼ (see below).[9][10] In other Persian and Arabic Baháʼí Writings, haykal is also used in a general context to refer to corporate organisations, the human body politic, etc.
Baháʼu'lláh wrote theSúriy-i-Haykal (Tablet of the Temple) in the shape of a five-pointed star.[6] "Haykal" has been rendered with the consonants HYKL in English translations of the Tablet. While the meaning of temple remains present, the haykal is used mainly to mean the human body, but particularly the body of theManifestation 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]
In Islam,God has 99 names, and in some Muslim traditions it is believed that there is a special hidden 100th name, which is the greatest.[1] In the Baháʼí Faith, this 'Greatest Name' isBaháʼ (بهاء), translated as "glory, splendour.[1] Many symbols of the Baháʼí Faith derive their significance from the word Baháʼ. 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", andAlláh-u-Abhá "God is Most Glorious".
Baháʼu'lláh often referred to Baháʼís in his writings as "the people of Baháʼ". The Báb sent a tablet to Baháʼu'lláh with 360 derivatives of the word Baháʼ.[13][14] Along with daily prayers, Baháʼís are encouraged to recite the phrase "Alláh-u-Abhá" 95 times in a form of meditation.[15]
The symbol known as Greatest Name is a calligraphic rendering of "Yá Baháʼu'l-Abhá" (Arabic:يا بهاء الأبهى,romanized: Yā bahāʾ al-Abhá,lit. 'most glorious splendour!'), usually translated as "O Thou the Glory of the Most Glorious!"). This rendering was originally drawn by the early Baháʼí calligrapherMishkín-Qalam,[1] and later adopted by Baháʼís everywhere.
Since the symbol refers more directly to the Name of God and theManifestation of God than any other symbol in the Baháʼí Faith, it is not generally used casually 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]
TheRingstone 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 covers, and paintings. It consists of two stars (haykal) interspersed with a stylizedBaháʼ. The lower line is said to represent humanity and the world of creation, the upper line the world of God, and the middle line represents the special station ofManifestation of God and the world ofrevelation; 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] It is also probably no coincidence that the shape of the symbol bears similarity to the Chinese characters for king王,Jade Emperor 玉帝, and master主.[19]
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