Bahá'í Nine-Pointed Star Meaning: The Number Nine and the Bahá'í Faith

The nine-pointed star is the emblem most widely associated with the Bahá'í Faith, an independent world religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh in nineteenth-century Persia. The star represents the number nine, which has special significance for Bahá'ís. Strictly speaking, though, it is not the official symbol of the Faith.

Why nine?

In the abjad system, which gives each letter of the Arabic alphabet a numerical value, the word Bahá, "glory", adds up to nine. Shoghi Effendi, who led the Bahá'í community in the first half of the twentieth century, explained that Bahá'ís revere the number for two reasons: it is traditionally a sign of perfection, being the highest single digit, and, more importantly, it is the numerical value of "Bahá".

An emblem, not a creed

According to Shoghi Effendi, the nine-pointed star "is not a part of the teachings of our Faith", but only an emblem representing the number nine. The five-pointed star, the haykal ("temple"), used by the Báb, the forerunner of Bahá'u'lláh, is the symbol of the Faith in the strict sense. The Universal House of Justice, the governing body of the Bahá'í Faith, has noted that because many people regard the nine-pointed star as a Bahá'í symbol, it should be used only in dignified and appropriate ways.

Nine in Bahá'í architecture

The number nine also shapes Bahá'í buildings. Bahá'í Houses of Worship have nine sides, following the instruction of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, and seen from above they often form a nine-pointed star. The star also appears on Bahá'í gravestones, a use Shoghi Effendi approved.

Not an Islamic symbol

The Bahá'í Faith emerged in a Muslim society, but it is a separate religion with its own scriptures, laws and institutions, and its members do not regard it as a branch of Islam. Describing the nine-pointed star as an Islamic symbol is incorrect.

The nine-pointed star in jewellery

For Bahá'ís, and for friends of the Faith, a nine-pointed star is a quiet sign of identity and devotion. Worn respectfully, it honours the unity and perfection the number nine represents. See the AURYN nine-pointed star charm.