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| Zia Mody is a third generation Baha'i, she gives all her money to the Baha'i faith. But not everyone in India is as rich as her. |
I joined the Bahá'í Faith because I believed it was about truth, unity, and justice. But today, it feels more like a system built around endless fundraising. Every few months, new appeals arrive - for the National Fund, the Local Fund, the International Fund, and now again for the Shrine of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and the Bihar Sharif Temple. There are always pledge forms, emotional speeches, and reminders that giving to the Fund is a “test of faith.” What was once a spiritual gathering now feels more like a financial drive.
As an ordinary middle-class Indian, I find this very suffocating. Life is already expensive - with rent, education, food, and family responsibilities. Yet, Baha’i institutions keep pushing for more and more contributions. They tell us that money is a sign of devotion, but how much more can ordinary people give? Many of us are silently uncomfortable, but no one dares to say it aloud. The pressure is real, and the guilt for not contributing enough makes the whole experience unpleasant. It has reached a point where some of us hesitate to attend Feasts or gatherings just to avoid another fund appeal.
What makes it worse is that there are already wealthy Bahá'ís in India and abroad who give huge amounts of money. Zia Mody, one of the most powerful women in India, is a billionaire and a devoted Bahá'í. She donates crores of rupees to the Bahá’í Faith. With such massive contributions already coming in, it’s natural to ask: Where is all this money going? Why does the community still keep asking middle-class believers for more? Surely the funds given by just one or two wealthy individuals could sustain all Bahá’í activities in India for years.
The Bahá’í administration never gives a clear public account of how the money is spent. The Universal House of Justice receives Huququ’llah - 19% of people’s surplus wealth - but there’s no transparent report on where it goes. We are told not to question, only to trust. But this blind trust is difficult when we see continuous fundraising drives, increasing project costs, and no visible accountability. It begins to look less like a spiritual test and more like financial exploitation - using faith and guilt as tools to collect money.
Faith should lift people up, not weigh them down with pressure and financial burden. The Bahá'í administration must stop demanding constant contributions from ordinary Indians who are already struggling. Let the wealthy and the institutions handle the grand projects. Stop turning every Feast into a money-collection session. Spirituality cannot grow in an atmosphere of guilt and financial exhaustion. If this continues, many sincere believers will drift away - not because they lost faith in Bahá’u’lláh, but because the system made them feel like their worth depended on their wallet.
About Zia Mody, please check - https://www.livemint.com/Specials/ncVyyo9guGGrQX5qy2YLoO/My-giving-is-determined-by-my-religion--Zia-Mody.html
Shared via email by Mr. Rohit (surname removed for obvious reasons), Lucknow, India.
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