Tasjil

Tasjil (Arabic: تسجیل, "Enrollment") is the process by which someone is officially confirmed as a follower of the Baháʼí Faith, under the auspices of Baháʼí administration. It is not only a matter of holding specific religious beliefs; it also encompasses a formalized administrative aspect of the Baháʼí Faith. Without undergoing the process of Tasjil, a person who merely identifies with the faith is technically not considered a Baháʼí.

History

Tasjil plays a historically significant role in conversions to the Baháʼí Faith. The process was institutionalized, influenced by prevailing Western trends, under the leadership of Shoghi Effendi and has been in practice since the 1930s. It is likely to take place in secret, similar to the conversions that occurred in Africa in the 1950s.

Admission process

The first step to becoming a Baháʼí is to accept the Stations of the Central Figures of the Faith, including the Báb, Baháʼu'lláh and ʻAbdu'l-Bahá, as well as the concept of progressive revelation which requires acknowledging all Manifestation of God. To initiate the procedure, the individual who wishes to become a Baháʼí must make a declaration of belief, typically in the form of a document. The application to enroll as a Baháʼí is then reviewed and considered for approval by a officials in the hierarchy. The administrative investigation may long even for years. Upon approval, a number is assigned to the person, signifying their status as a full-fledged member of the Baháʼí Faith. This grants them the right to attend Baháʼí feasts and events, full suffrage, and the responsibility to pay Huqúqu'lláh. The names of admitted individuals are recorded in confidential registers.

Requirements

The process is open to applicants who have reached the Baháʼí age of maturity, which is fixed at 15.

According to the announcement made by the Universal House of Justice, "The declarants need not know all the proofs, history, laws and principles of the Faith, but in the process of declaring themselves they must in addition to catching the spark of faith, become basically informed about the Central Figures of the Faith, as well as the existence of laws they must follow and an administration they must obey."

References

• Amanat, Mehrdad (September 15, 2009). "JUDEO-PERSIAN COMMUNITIES v. QAJAR PERIOD (2)". In Yarshater, Ehsan (ed.). Encyclopædia Iranica (Online ed.).
• Naficy, Hamid (2011). A Social History of Iranian Cinema, Vol. 3: The Islamicate Period, 1978–1984. Duke University Press. ISBN 0822348772.
• Sanasarian, Eliz (2000). Religious Minorities in Iran. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-77073-4.
• Adamson, Hugh C. (2006). Historical Dictionary of the Bahá'í Faith. Metuchen, N.J: Scarecrow Press. ISBN 978-0-8108-5096-5.
• Lee, Anthony (2011). The Baha'i Faith in Africa: Establishing a New Religious Movement, 1952-1962. Studies of Religion in Africa. Brilll. ISBN 978-90-04-20684-7.
• Neusner, Jacob (2003). World Religions in America. Westminster John Knox Press. ISBN 9781611640472.
• Warburg, Margit (2018). Citizens of the World: A History and Sociology of the Bahaʹis from a Globalisation Perspective. Brill. ISBN 9789047407461.