Baha'i Holy Days

[arthra]

Baha'is will be observing the anniversary of the Ascension of Baha'u'llah this coming Sunday May 29th at 3:00 AM.

Usually Baha'is gather at private homes or Baha'i Centers for this observance and the day is a Holy Day on which work or school is suspended.

Ascension-

"Thus simply and serenely did Baha'u'llah pass the evening of His life on earth until, after an attack of fever, He passed away on the 29th of May, 1892, at the age of seventy-five. Among the last Tablets He revealed was His Will and Testament, which He wrote with His own hand and duly signed and sealed. Nine days after His death the seals were broken by His eldest son, in the presence of members of the family and a few friends, and the contents of the short but remarkable document were made known. By this will Abdu'l-Baha was constituted His father's representative and the expounder of His teachings, and the family and relatives of Baha'u'llah and all believers were instructed to turn to Him and obey Him. By this arrangement sectarianism and division were provided against and the unity of the Cause assured."

http://bahai-library.com/books/new.era/3.html

"In addition to the seven Holy Days ordained in these passages of the Kitab-i-Aqdas, the anniversary of the Martyrdom of the Bab was also commemorated as a Holy Day in the lifetime of Baha'u'llah and, as a corollary to this, Abdu'l-Baha added the observance of the Ascension of Baha'u'llah, making nine Holy Days in all. Two other anniversaries which are observed, but on which work is not suspended, are the Day of the Covenant and the anniversary of the Passing of Abdu'l-Baha. See the section on the Baha'i calendar in The Baha'i World, volume XVIII."

From Notes on the Kitab-i-Aqdas

[arthra]

Above is an actual photograph of the site where the Bab and his beloved disciple were martyred... The "X" on the pillar is where their bodies were suspended by ropes and fired upon by a battalion of riflemen...

The account is given in a book called the "Dawnbreakers" translated by Shoghi Effendi:

Sam Khan ordered his men to drive a nail into the pillar that lay between the door of the room that Siyyid Husayn occupied and the entrance to the adjoining one, and to make fast two ropes to that nail, from which the Bab and His companion were to be separately suspended.(1) Mirza Muhammad-'Ali begged Sam Khan to be placed in such a manner that his own body would shield that of the Bab.(2) He was eventually suspended in such a position that his head reposed on the breast of his Master. As soon as they were fastened, a regiment of soldiers ranged itself in three files, each of two hundred and fifty men, each of which was ordered to open fire in its turn until the whole detachment had discharged the volleys of its bullets.(3) The smoke of the firing of the seven hundred and fifty rifles was such as to turn the light of the noonday sun into darkness. There had crowded onto
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513
the roof of the barracks, as well as the tops of the adjoining houses, about ten thousand people, all of whom were witnesses to that sad and moving scene.
As soon as the cloud of smoke had cleared away, an astounded multitude were looking upon a scene which their eyes could scarcely believe. There, standing before them alive and unhurt, was the companion of the Bab, whilst He Himself had vanished uninjured from their sight. Though the cords with which they were suspended had been rent in pieces by the bullets, yet their bodies had miraculously escaped the volleys.(1) Even the tunic which Mirza Muhammad-'Ali was wearing had, despite the thickness of the smoke, remained unsullied. "The Siyyid-i-Bab has gone from our sight!" rang out the voices of the bewildered multitude. They set out in a frenzied search for Him, and found Him, eventually, seated in the same room which He had occupied the night before, engaged in completing His interrupted conversation, with Siyyid Husayn. An expression of unruffled calm was upon His face. His body had emerged unscathed from the shower of bullets which the regiment had directed against Him. "I have finished My conversation with Siyyid Husayn," the Bab told the farrash-bashi. "Now you may proceed to fulfil your intention."

Source:

http://bahai-library.com/books/dawnb...apters/23.html

Baha'is around the world gather for prayers about noon on July the ninth to observe this anniversary. Work and school attendance are suspended.

[smkolins]

I just notived a calendar section to the board. Perhaps religions could contribute their religious holy days... with some kind of link to an explanation and some stories or something.....

[arthra]

Baha'is around the world will soon be celebrating the anniversary of the Birth of the Bab. This day is a Holy Day on which work and school are suspended from sunset October 19th to sunset October 20th.


From "Baha'u'llah and the New Era":


"Mirza Ali Muhammad, Who afterwards assumed the title of Bab (i.e. Gate), was born at Shiraz, in the south of Persia, on the 20th of October 1819 A.D.

He was a Siyyid, that is, a descendant of the Prophet Muhammad. His father, a well-known merchant, died soon after His birth, and He was then placed under the care of a maternal uncle, a merchant of Shiraz, who brought Him up. In childhood He learned to read, and received the elementary education customary for children."

From an episode from the early life of the Bab told by Shaykh 'Abid:

"One day," he [Shaykh 'Abid] related, "I asked the Báb to recite the opening words of the Qur'án: 'Bismi'lláhi'r-Rahmáni'r-Rahim.' He hesitated, pleading that unless He were told what these words signified, He would in no wise attempt to pronounce them. I pretended not to know their meaning. 'I know what these words signify,' observed my pupil; 'by your leave, I will explain them.' He spoke with such knowledge and fluency that I was struck with amazement. He expounded the meaning of 'Alláh,' of 'Rahmán,' and 'Rahim,' in terms such as I had neither read nor heard. The sweetness of His utterance still lingers in my memory. I felt impelled to take Him back to His uncle and to deliver into his hands the Trust he had committed to my care. I determined to tell him how unworthy I felt to teach so remarkable a child. I found His uncle alone in his office. 'I have brought Him back to you,' I said, 'and commit Him to your vigilant protection. He is not to be treated as a mere child, for in Him I can already discern evidences of that mysterious power which the Revelation of the Sáhibu'z-Zamán [the Lord of the Age, one of the titles of the promised Qá'im] alone can reveal. It is incumbent upon you to surround Him with your most loving care. Keep Him in your house, for He, verily, stands in no need of teachers such as I.' Hájí Mírzá Siyyid Ali [11] sternly rebuked the Báb. 'Have You forgotten my instructions?' he said. 'Have I not already admonished You to follow the example of Your fellow-pupils, to observe silence, and to listen attentively to every word spoken by Your teacher?' Having obtained His promise to abide faithfully by his instructions, he bade the Báb return to His school. The soul of that child could not, however, be restrained by the stern admonitions of His uncle. No discipline could repress the flow of His intuitive knowledge. Day after day He continued to manifest such remarkable evidences of superhuman wisdom as I am powerless to recount." At last His uncle was induced to take Him away from the school of Shaykh 'Abid, and to associate Him with himself in his own profession.

Source:

Shoghi Effendi, The Dawn-Breakers, pp. 75-76.

[arthra]

Work and school are suspended for Baha'is on November 12th as Baha'is throughout the world observe a Holy Day celebrating the birth of Baha'u'llah, the Founder of the Baha'i Faith. Most often Baha'is gather in their homes or an occasional Baha'i Center for prayers and some refreshments along with informal socializing.

Baha'u'llah was born Mirza Husayn Aliy-i-Nuri at dawn on 12 November 1817 in Tehran, Persia. He was of royal Persian blood and believed to be a descendent of Yazdigird III the last Sassanian monarch.

His father Mirza Abbas also known as Mirza Buzurg who was a prominent minister of the province of Nur and his wife was Khadijih Khanum.

"Magnified be Thy name, O Lord my God! I know not what the water is with which Thou hast created me, or what the fire Thou hast kindled within me, or the clay wherewith Thou hast kneaded me. The restlessness of every sea hath been stilled, but not the restlessness of this Ocean which moveth at the bidding of the winds of Thy will. The flame of every fire hath been extinguished except the Flame which the hands of Thine omnipotence have kindled, and whose radiance Thou hast, by the power of Thy name, shed abroad before all that are in Thy heaven and all that are on Thy earth. As the tribulations deepen, it waxeth hotter and hotter.

Behold, then, O my God, how Thy Light hath been compassed with the onrushing winds of Thy decree, how the tempests that blow and beat upon it from every side have added to its brightness and increased its splendor. For all this let Thee be praised.

I implore Thee, by Thy Most Great Name, and Thy most ancient sovereignty, to look upon Thy loved ones whose hearts have been sorely shaken by reason of the troubles that have touched Him Who is the Manifestation of Thine own Self. Powerful art Thou to do what pleaseth Thee. Thou art, verily, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise."

- Bahá'u'lláh

[I, Brian]

Well, I think this thread has been running well over a year.

Art, do you have a brief summary of the holidays and dates of Baha'i holidays in any given year, to close this thread with?

[BruceDLimber]

Originally Posted by I, Brian

Well, I think this thread has been running well over a year.

Art, do you have a brief summary of the holidays and dates of Baha'i holidays in any given year, to close this thread with?

Patience, Brian:

There are two more Baha'i holy days before the year ends! :-)

Bruce

[I, Brian]

Not covered already in an 18-month old thread? Ah, some people are slacking.

More seriously, though, I think it'll be a good idea to have general lists of Holy Days for various religions posted up on the main part of the site.

A thread like this may serve to provide useful background info to such a list for learning more about Baha'i calendar events, but I'd prefer to see any remaining holidays covered, and then a Q&A where members may have questions relating to the calendar and holidays. May even be better addressing those on a new thread, as this one is getting a bit long for general reference.

[BruceDLimber]

BAHA'I HOLY DAYS

March 21 Naw-Ruz (Baha'i New Year)
April 21-May 2 The Festival of Ridvan (Declaration of Baha'u'llah)
The first, ninth, and twelfth days are holy days.
May 23 The Declaration of the Bab
May 29 The Ascension (death) of Baha'u'llah
July 9 The Martyrdom of the Bab
October 20 The Birth of the Bab
November 12 The Birth of Baha'u'llah
November 26 The Day of the Covenant
November 28 The Ascension (death) of 'Abdu'l-Baha

The Baha'i day begins and ends at sunset, so these days are often celebrated on the evening before the date listed.

Baha'is suspend work on all holy days except the last two.

There are other regular events, including Nineteen-day Feasts (typically held every 19 days at the beginning of each Baha'i month) and Ayyam-i-Ha, the Intercalary Days, four or five days of celebrating and partying held February 26-March 2 (these days make the calendar year come out even to fit the solar year).

[I, Brian]

Thanks for the info, Bruce - if I may ask, how does the Baha'i calendar differ from the Gregorian one? I gather it is based on the lunar calendar, much as the Islamic calendar? If so, is it very similar to the Muslim calendar in many regards? I think a list of months and when they fall in relation to the Gregorian one would be very helpful and much appreciated.

[9Harmony]

Originally Posted by I, Brian

Thanks for the info, Bruce - if I may ask, how does the Baha'i calendar differ from the Gregorian one? I gather it is based on the lunar calendar, much as the Islamic calendar? If so, is it very similar to the Muslim calendar in many regards? I think a list of months and when they fall in relation to the Gregorian one would be very helpful and much appreciated.

Hi Brian,

The Months

The names of the months in the Bahá'í ( Badí) calendar were given by the Báb, who drew them from the nineteen names of God invoked in a prayer said during the month of fasting in Shí'ih Islam. They are:
1. Bahá - Splendour - 21 March - 8 April
2. Jalál - Glory - 9 April - 27 April
3. Jamál - Beauty - 28 April - 16 May
4. 'Azamat - Grandeur - 17 May - 4 June
5. Núr - Light - 5 June - 23 June
6. Rahmat - Mercy - 24 June - 12 July
7. Kalimát - Words - 13 July - 31 July
8. Kamál - Perfection - 1 August - 19 August
9. Asmá' - Names - 20 August - 7 September
10. 'Izzat - Might - 8 September - 26 September
11. Mashíyyat - Will - 27 September - 15 October
12. 'Ilm - Knowledge - 16 October - 3 November
13. Qudrat - Power - 4 November - 22 November
14. Qawl - Speech - 23 November - 11 December
15. Masá'il - Questions - 12 December - 30 December
16. Sharaf - Honour - 31 December 18 January
17. Sultán - Sovereignty - 19 January - 6 February
18. Mulk - Dominion - 7 February - 25 February
19. 'Alá - Loftiness - 2 March - 20 March

more information can be found here...

http://www.bahaindex.com/modules.php...howpage&pid=66

[I, Brian]

Thanks for that - much appreciated.

[smkolins]

Originally Posted by I, Brian

Thanks for the info, Bruce - if I may ask, how does the Baha'i calendar differ from the Gregorian one? I gather it is based on the lunar calendar, much as the Islamic calendar? If so, is it very similar to the Muslim calendar in many regards? I think a list of months and when they fall in relation to the Gregorian one would be very helpful and much appreciated.

Basically the calendar is fitted to a solar calendar. 19 months of 19 days, plus as many days as needed to fit the solar year. There are also cycles for 19 years, and other units. Not exactly solar, but closer to solar than lunar.... And of course the calendar starts with the Declaration of the Bab. So we are in year 162.

[Popeyesays]

Originally Posted by smkolins

Basically the calendar is fitted to a solar calendar. 19 months of 19 days, plus as many days as needed to fit the solar year. There are also cycles for 19 years, and other units. Not exactly solar, but closer to solar than lunar.... And of course the calendar starts with the Declaration of the Bab. So we are in year 162.

Actually the calendar year begins with Naw Ruz (21st of March), though the cycle of the calendar begins with the year 1260 AH (1844AD).

Regards,
Scott

[BruceDLimber]

Hi, Brian! :-)

A couple additional details on the calendar:

As was mentioned, the Baha'i calendar is solar. Between the eighteenth and nineteenth months, during February 26-March 2, are the Intercalary Days (aka "Ayyam-i-Ha"); these, added to the 19x19 (361) days of the rest of the year make the calendar come out even. This is a period of celebration and partying for Baha'is.

The 19th (last) month, Ala / Loftiness, is the Baha'i fasting period, during which Baha'is ages 15-70 abstain from food and drink from sunrise to sunset each day. This is a period of reflection on what is important in life, and of preparation for the New Year which immediately follows.

Elections for our Local Spiritual Assemblies are indeed held yearly on the first day of Ridvan (April 20/21). Later during the twelve-day Ridvan period (April 21-May 2) the delegates we elected at our conventions in the fall gather and elect the National Spiritual Assembly, and near the end of Ridvan every five years, the National Spiritual Assemblies gather in Haifa, Israel to elect the Universal House of Justice, our supreme elected body (five-year term). (Some countries also have Regional Baha'i Councils between the local and national levels; these are elected by all a nation's Local Spiritual Assembly members each year on the Day of the Covenant, November 25/26.)

Every Baha'i month, each Baha'i community world wide celebrates the Nineteen-day Feast. This is an internal meeting for Baha'is, and consists of three parts: devotional (prayers, readings, and often music), administrative (announcements, reading of mail, financial matters, consultation on plans, etc.), and social (light refreshment and fellowship). Feast is ordinarily held during the first day of each month (either the day listed on the calendar or the evening before <as the Baha'i day, like those of all Abrahamic religions, begins at sunset, but Feast may be postponed to later in the month if necessary. (Some National Spiritual Assemblies send out a newsreel video every few months; we often watch these during the social portion of the Feast.) As Feasts typically happen every 19 days, they obviously fall on every day of the week sooner or later.

So see? Now you're an expert, and can impress your friends at parties! :-)

Regards,

Bruce