I recently saw an advert in a magazine featuring the Bahá'í House of Worship in New Delhi.

In this advert a famous lighting manufacturer was promoting a new range of lamps which they had used to light the building.

This House of Worship has won many awards for its unique architecture which represents the Bahá'í belief in the unity of religions and the unity of God, with nine doors to welcome people of all religions to worship together.

I wonder if the manufacturer of the lamps realised that by lighting up the House of Worship it symbolised the central principle of the Bahá'í Faith - that of unity.

Bahá'u'lláh, Founder of the Bahá'í Faith, proclaimed: "So powerful is the light of unity that it can illuminate the whole earth."

"O contending peoples and kindreds of the earth!" said Bahá'u'lláh.

"Set your faces towards unity, and let the radiance of its light shine upon you. Gather ye together, and for the sake of God resolve to root out whatever is the source of contention amongst you … There can be no doubt whatever that the peoples of the world, of whatever race or religion, derive their inspiration from one heavenly Source, and are the subjects of one God.

"O Thou kind Lord! … Gather all people beneath the shadow of Thy bounty and cause them to unite in harmony, so that they may become as the rays of one sun, as the waves of one ocean, as the fruit of one tree. May they drink from the same fountain. May they be refreshed by the same breeze. May they receive illumination from the same source of light. Thou art the Giver, the Merciful, the Omnipotent."