MashriqulAdhkar

Mashriqu'l-Adhkar, meaning "Dawning-place of the Remembrance of God" in Arabic, is a Bahá’í term for a spiritual and social complex centered on a House of Worship. In Bahá’í thought, a Mashriqu'l-Adhkar combines a central temple with a network of accompanying institutions intended to serve both devotional and humanitarian needs of a community.

The central feature is the House of Worship itself, a nonsectarian space open to people of all backgrounds for prayer, reflection, and remembrance of God. Services typically involve devotional readings and contemplative activities rather than sermons or clergy-led instruction. Surrounding the temple are outlying facilities—such as schools, libraries, clinics, hospitals, and other social and educational centers—designed to support the spiritual purpose of the complex by addressing material and social needs.

Historically, the concept appears in Bahá’í writings as a model for the harmonious development of spiritual life and social service. The Mashriqu'l-Adhkar is not envisioned as a single building but as a unified complex, with the temple at its heart and various humanitarian institutions forming its service arm. Several Mashriqu'l-Adhkar temples have been established around the world, with prominent examples including the Bahá’í House of Worship in Wilmette, Illinois, and others in Kampala, Uganda, and Sydney, Australia. Each site reflects local conditions while adhering to the Bahá’í principles of unity, inclusivity, and service.

The concept remains a guiding ideal within the Bahá’í Faith, illustrating how worship and social action can be integrated to promote peace, education, and well-being across communities.