In the Baha'i Faith, like in other religions, some of the laws are different in their practice and implementation when compared to same category laws in other religions. One example of this is the direction people turn to during the daily obligatory prayers (point of adoration - or Qibleh). Monotheistic religions originating in the Middle East all consider the Dome of the Rock to be a sacred place, and during the early days of Islam, prophet Muhammad lead His people in prayer facing its direction. Later, the Qibleh (point of adoration) was changed to the Kaabah in Mecca. In this particular example, the Qura'n gives the reason for this change, as God testing the people to see who obeys the Messenger of God and who does not. [Qur'an 2:143]
Different religions can also have different places that they consider sacred or holy which may not be holy for the other religions.
Another example is that of fasting and lent. Both share the idea or principle of showing readiness to give up worldly desires - symbolized by food and drink- in obedience to God. Yet the practice differs from one religion to another in many aspects such as the time of year, the duration, the type of things one gives up ... etc.
Religions that came later in history, while introducing new ways of conduct and different daily practices, continued affirming the truth and validity of former religions. For example we know that Christians believe in the Old Testament and that Christ in many of His talks affirmed the Torah by referring to it and quoting many of its passages, yet we know that He annulled certain laws such as the law of the Sabath, and prohibited divorce (as a couple of examples). Also, we read in the Holy Qur'an that abrogating certain laws does not take away from or reject the validity of older religions. We read that, on the contrary, the new Prophet or the new religion always came to affirm and confirm the divine nature of prior religions. Prophet Muhammad came to affirm the truth of the Torah and the Evangel(*) [Qur'an 3:3], yet He brought to the world a whole new set of laws and practices that differed from those of Christianity and Judaism.
We even see that within the same religion there can be abrogation of some laws over the passage of a few years replacing them with new laws, a fact that caused some people to become shaken in their faith, when they failed to recognize that God "doeth what He willeth" and " ordaineth what He pleaseth" .. and "He shall not be asked of His doings." :
None of our revelations do We abrogate or cause to be forgotten, but We substitute something better or similar: knowest thou not that Allah hath power over all things? Knowest thou not that to Allah belongeth the dominion of the heavens and the earth? And besides Him ye have neither patron nor helper. [ Qur'an 2:106-107]
When We substitute one revelation for another, - and Allah knows best what He reveals, - they say, "Thou art but a forger": but most of them understand not. Say, the Holy Spirit has brought the revelation from thy Lord in Truth, in order to strengthen those who believe, and as a Guide and Glad Tidings to Muslims. [Qur'an 16:101 - 102]
The Baha'i Faith in turn, fully ascertains the divine origin of the religions that came before it and recognizes the laws and ordinances revealed by these religions. It however goes one step further in that it recognizes all these religions as only one religion. In Baha'u'llah's words, [this religion is] "the changeless Faith of God, eternal in the past, eternal in the future".
In a statement of the Baha'i World Center we further read:
"It is, therefore, an inadequate recognition of the unique station of Moses, Buddha, Zoroaster, Jesus, Muhammad-or of the succession of Avatars who inspired the Hindu scriptures-to depict their work as the founding of distinct religions. Rather are they appreciated when acknowledged as the spiritual Educators of history, as the animating forces in the rise of the civilizations through which consciousness has flowered" ... (**)
"These principles and laws, these firmly-established and mighty systems", Baha'u'llah asserts, "have proceeded from one Source, and are the rays of one Light. That they differ one from another is to be attributed to the varying requirements of the ages in which they were promulgated." (**)
It should be clear that by having its own laws and practices, the Baha'i Faith does not abrogate or annul previous religions, as it sees itself as an integral part of the one religion of God, bringing to a struggling humanity, the laws and ordinances that God has willed for us, for this new day and age. And if Baha'i prayers or fasting times or other laws are slightly different from those of other religions, it does not mean that the Baha'i Faith has come to supplant or annul or destroy any other religion, just as Christianity did not come to destroy Judaism, nor Islam to destroy Christianity.
Footnotes:
(*) (Old and New Testaments)
(**) (One Common Faith -2005)