Students and adults alike sat around a table as they discussed spiritual concepts of equality, the attributes of God, and meditation all to the tune of peaceful music filtering through the air last night at the Baha’i Devotional Meeting.

A devotional meeting is a self-reflective gathering where participants analyze spiritual elements in their lives.

“Equality is one of the major tenets of the faith,” said Dr. Farid Sabet, leader of the discussion “ Jan, my wife, is the force behind us being together.”

Farid Sabet grew up in Northern Iran and attended school in Tehran . During the meeting, he contributed stories of women in the Middle East not being treated like men.

According to teachings of Baha’u’llah, husbands and wives should be treated equally and should be on the same societal level. Marriage is referred to by Baha’u’llah as a, “ fortress for well-being and salvation.”

“Atheists and Agnostics confuse me,” Sabet said. “I think there is a lot of frustration today with what God is. I don’t believe in the same God as a lot of the fundamentalists. My God doesn’t exclude anyone which is one thing I love about the Baha’i Faith.”

Sabet said that the essence of God is unknown but God’s attributes are known. Through all of religion history, He mentioned different “divine teachers” of different faiths that helped humanity understand these attributes.

One way Baha’i believers get closer to God is through meditation, the act of clearing your mind of “cluttered thought” and seeking the spirit within one’s self. Fasting also helps believers focus on God and “focus on spiritual progress.”

“We refrain from eating or drinking from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and also we refrain from sex,” said Sharon Dranko, sophomore fashion merchandising major. “Since our Calendar goes for 19 months we fast from March 2 to March 21. We celebrate New Year and have a pot luck dinner.”

Jan Sabet, Farid’s wife and organizer of the event, said The Baha’i Campus Association will have another Devotional Meeting April 8th. Students can access more information on the Kent State Calendar.

“For Kent students, this is a chance for them to see unity amongst religions,” Jan said.

Contact religion reporter Ryan Friend at [email protected].