Bahá'í Origins and Key Organisations in the UK 

• Bahá'ís have been in the UK since 1899, with some of the religion’s formative history taking place in London. Shoghi Effendi (1897-1957), who became Guardian of the Faith and Interpreter of Scripture, lived here.

• Bahá'ís in the UK include Iranians, reflecting the geographical origins of the religion. However, the community also includes Bahá'ís from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds.

• There are no organised traditions and movements in the Bahá'í Faith (See A Short Introduction to the Bahá'í Faith).

• The Bahá'ís are organised locally in Local Spiritual Assemblies of at that can be formed when there are at least 9 Bahá'ís in a locality who are over the age of 21. There are also Local Groups which are formed  where there are not sufficient Bahá'ís to create a Local Spiritual Assembly.

• The Bahá'í Community of the United Kingdom is the representative body of the religion in the UK.

Written by Professor Paul Weller