Mashriqu’l-Adhkár

Baha'i Houses of Worship 

The first use of the term, Mashriqu’l-Adhkár, (the Dawning-place of the Praise of God)  with reference to gatherings, reflects the truth that any group of people in any locality in the world can create the spiritual environment of the Mashriqu’l-Adhkár when they gather together to pray;
the second, in conjunction with structures, indicates a dedicated space, an outward frame that reveals the inward reality;
and the third signals the emergence of a formal institution as the inward reality strengthens and is expressed through action.
In fact, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá described the Mashriqu’l-Adhkár as one of the most vital institutions in the world. Elaborating on this, the Universal House of Justice refers to it as the focal point of the community from which it emerges because it not only provides a space for worship but also encompasses dependencies; together, these embody two essential and inseparable aspects of Bahá’í life: worship and service.

The Emergence of Bahá’í Houses of Worship.
By Ann Boyles.