General Questions
Are contributions voluntary?
It is important to note that contributions must be entirely voluntary, and individual believers cannot be compelled to donate. The only way in which an Assembly may seek funds is by a general appeal to its community:
“… I feel urged to remind you of the necessity of ever bearing in mind the cardinal principle that all contributions to the Fund are to be purely and strictly voluntary in character. It should be made clear and evident to everyone that any form of compulsion, however slight and indirect, strikes at the very root of the principle underlying the formation of the Fund ever since its inception. While appeals of a general character, carefully-worded and moving and dignified in tone are welcome under all circumstances, it should be left entirely to the discretion of every conscientious believer to decide upon the nature, the amount, and purpose of his or her contribution for the propagation of the Cause.“
-Letter from Shoghi Effendi to a National Spiritual Assembly, 10 January 1926
Who may contribute to the Baha’i Funds?
Only Bahá’ís are permitted to contribute to the Bahá’í Funds.
“One of the distinguishing features of the Cause of God is its principle of non-acceptance of financial contributions for its own purposes from non-Bahá’ís: support of the Bahá’í Fund is a bounty reserved by Bahá’u’lláh to His declared followers. This bounty imposes full responsibility for financial support of the Faith on the believers alone.”
-Letter from the Universal House of Justice to the Bahá’ís of the World, Naw-Rúz 1974
What if a person who is not a Bahá’í wishes to make a contribution?
Giving to the Fund is a spiritual privilege open only to those who have accepted Bahá’u’lláh.
“One of the distinguishing features of the Cause of God is its principle of non-acceptance of financial contributions for its own purposes from non-Bahá’ís: support of the Bahá’í Fund is a bounty reserved by Bahá’u’lláh to His declared followers. (From a letter of the Universal House of Justice to the Bahá’ís of the World, Naw-Rúz 1974)
“Giving to the Fund, therefore, is a spiritual privilege, not open to those who have not accepted Bahá’u’lláh, of which no believer should deny himself. It is both a responsibility and a source of bounty.” (From a letter of the Universal House of Justice to all National Spiritual Assemblies, 7 August 1985)
Contributions from people who are not enrolled as Bahá’ís may be accepted with the provision that they will be used only for charitable and humanitarian purposes:
“In cases … when a friend or sympathiser of the Faith eagerly insists on a monetary contribution for the promotion of the Faith, such gifts should be accepted and duly acknowledged by the elected representatives of the believers with the express understanding that they would be utilised by them only to reinforce that section of the Bahá’í Fund exclusively devoted to philanthropic or charitable purposes.” (Letter from Shoghi Effendi to the Bahá’ís of the United States and Canada, 25 October 1929)
“The crucial point in deciding whether or not funds may be accepted from non-Bahá’í sources is the purpose for which the funds are to be used. As you know, it is absolutely forbidden in the Faith to accept from non-Bahá’ís contributions towards the work of the Cause itself. However, in addition to the work of spreading the Faith and establishing its institutions, Spiritual Assemblies also engage in humanitarian activities, and contributions from non-Bahá’í sources may be accepted towards such activities. Indeed, although we never ask individual non-Bahá’ís for funds, it sometimes happens that a person who has a great admiration for the Faith insists on contributing. In such a case the contribution may be accepted, with the express provision that it will be used only for charitable and humanitarian purposes.” (From a letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to a National Spiritual Assembly, 6 March 1983)
May children, one or both of whose parents are not Bahá’ís contribute to the Fund?
“The Universal House of Justice has received your letter asking whether children of non-Bahá’ís or children one of whose parents in a Bahá’í are allowed to contribute to Bahá’í funds, and we have been asked to say that in both cases, if the child wishes to be a Bahá’í and his parents do not object, he may be treated as any other Bahá’í child. However, if the parents object to their child’s being a Bahá’í, this contribution may be accepted for charitable purposes, including use for Bahá’í schools where both Bahá’ís and non-Bahá’ís are accepted as pupils.“
-Letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to the National Spiritual Assembly of India, 31 August 1975
Contact Us
If you wish to contact the Office of the Treasurer, please use the form below. If you wish to contact the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’í of the UK directly, you can do so via the Contact Us form at https://www.bahai.org.uk.