Ridvan: Baha’is wrap up the ‘Most Great Festival’ on sacred 12th day

April 24, 2017 by Leave a Comment

SUNSET , MONDAY, MAY 1: The most holy Baha’i festival worldwide is the 12-day period known as Ridvan, and today, that festival wraps up with a day reserved for the recollection of a pivotal day: the day Baha’u’llah’s and his family departed the garden for Constantinople. For many Baha’is, work and school are suspended all day.

During Ridvan, those of the Baha’i community gather, pray and hold celebrations. Local Spiritual Assemblies—that is, the governing bodies of Baha’i communities worldwide—are elected on the first day of Ridvan.

THE BAB, BAHA’U’LLAH & THE NAJIBIYYIH GARDEN

The festival of Ridvan recalls a sacred period when Baha’u’llah, the Promised One for Baha’is, entered and temporarily took up residence in the Najibiyyih Garden, in 1863.

The story of Ridvan, however, actually begins years before Baha’u’llah revealed his identity and took up temporary residence in Najibiyyih Garden—with a man who called himself “the Bab” (translated, the Gate). The year was 1844 CE when Siyyid Ali-Muhammad, of Shiraz, made the proclamation that he was the Bab—and that a Messianic figure was coming. Nine years later, the man known as Baha’u’llah experienced a revelation while imprisoned in Tehran, Iran: he was the Promised One foretold of by the Bab.

After release from prison, Baha’u’llah settled in Baghdad, which was becoming the center of the Babi (followers of the Bab) movement. Though he made no open claims related to his revelation, Baha’u’llah slowly began attracting more and more Babi followers. The growing Babi community, along with Baha’u’llah’s increasing popularity, caused the government to exile Baha’u’llah from Baghdad to Constantinople. After having packed his things, Baha’u’llah stayed in the Najibiyyih garden to both receive visitors and allow his family sufficient time to pack for the journey.

On April 22, 1863, Baha’u’llah moved to a garden across the Tigris River from Baghdad with his sons, secretary and a few others. In the Najibiyyih Garden, Baha’u’llah announced his prophetic mission to a small group of close friends and family. In addition, Baha’ullah made three announcements: that religious war was not permissible; that there would not be another Manifestation of God for 1,000 years; and that all the names of God are fully manifest in all things. For 11 days, Baha’u’llah stayed in the Najibiyyih Garden. On the 12th day, the entire group departed for Constantinople.

THE ‘MOST GREAT FESTIVAL’

Formerly known as the Najibiyyih Garden, the site was renamed by Baha’u’llah as “Ridvan,” meaning “paradise.” During the 12 days that he was in the garden, Baha’u’llah was hardly alone—visitors, family and friends filled the garden to pay tribute and spend time with Baha’u’llah. (Photos of the garden are at Bahaullah.org.)

 

Ascension of Baha’u’llah: Baha’is turn toward Bahji in reflections on unity

May 28, 2015 by Leave a Comment

SUNSET THURSDAY, MAY 28: A prisoner of decades, a man who wrote almost 100 volumes and changed the interfaith world is commemorated today, on the Baha’i observance of the Ascension of Baha’u’llah. The founder of the Baha’i faith, Baha’u’llah lived in Persia but was buried in Bahji, in the shrine where his body still lies, in 1892 CE. For this solemn holy day, many Baha’is attend a service or study the writings of Baha’u’llah. (Learn more from the Baha’i Library.) It is recorded that Baha’u’llah contracted a fever and died a few days later, surrounded by family and friends in his home, at 3 a.m. on May 29.

Did you know? Baha’u’llah’s shrine is surrounded by elaborate and extensive gardens, which are designed to symbolize the order of the world in the future. Baha’u’llah wrote often of the unity necessary for peace in the future.

From the time he first heard about the Bab and the emerging Badi faith, Baha’u’llah became a follower. At age 27, Baha’u’llah was visited by a messenger of the Bab and accepted the Badi faith. The next several decades would be filled with exile, imprisonment and tumult, as Baha’u’llah expanded upon the claims of the Bab and began writing volumes of his own. (Baha’i.org has more.) The Bab taught that Baha’u’llah was the Promised One, and that he had been but the Gate for Baha’u’llah.

LETTERS, TABLETS AND PROPHESIES

Through his years of exile and imprisonment, Baha’u’llah wrote a great deal. In addition to larger volumes, he composed personal tablets and letters for kings and rulers of the time–urging them to resist greed and anger in favor of peace. Many of the leaders, from a Russian czar to Napoleon III of France, disregarded Baha’u’llah’s warnings. Baha’u’llah predicted that if these leaders did not resolve their differences and halt the insatiable desire for land, materials and power, they would fall—and, one by one, the leaders realized the fate that Baha’u’llah had warned against.

Today, approximately 6 million Baha’is in 192 countries and territories across the globe observe this holy day. For the Ascension of Baha’u’llah, the faithful reflect on the messages of unity—and Baha’u’llah’s suggestion that all of the world’s major religions derive from the same source, in unity, as part of the same family.

First of Ridvan: Baha’is prepare for elections and 12-day ‘Most Great Festival’

April 20, 2015 by Leave a Comment

SUNSET MONDAY, APRIL 20 and SUNSET TUESDAY, APRIL 28 and SUNSET FRIDAY, MAY 1: The most holy Baha’i festival worldwide is the 12-day period known as Ridvan. Named “Ridvan” for “paradise,” this sacred festival commemorates Baha’u’llah’s time in the Najibiyyih Garden—after he was exiled by the Ottoman Empire—and the first announcement of his prophethood. For Baha’is, Ridvan is the “King of Festivals,” and the first, ninth and 12th days are occasions for work and school to be suspended.

RIDVAN: THE STORY OF BAHA’U’LLAH IN THE GARDEN

The story of Ridvan actually begins years before Baha’u’llah revealed his identity and took up temporary residence in the Najibiyyih Garden, with a man who called himself “the Bab” (translated, the Gate). The year was 1844 CE when Siyyid Ali-Muhammad, of Shiraz, made the proclamation that he was the Bab—and that a Messianic figure was coming. Nine years later, the man known as Baha’u’llah experienced a revelation while imprisoned in Tehran, Iran: he was the Promised One foretold of by the Bab.

After release from prison, Baha’u’llah settled in Baghdad, which was becoming the center of the Babi (followers of the Bab) movement. Though he made no open claims related to his revelation, Baha’u’llah slowly began attracting more and more Babi followers. The growing Babi community, along with Baha’u’llah’s increasing popularity, caused the government to exile Baha’u’llah from Baghdad to Constantinople. (Learn more from the Baha’i Library Online.) After having packed his things, Baha’u’llah stayed in the Najibiyyih garden to both receive visitors and allow his family sufficient time to pack for the journey.

Precisely 31 days after Naw-Ruz, on April 22, 1863, Baha’u’llah moved to a garden across the Tigris River from Baghdad with his sons, secretary and a few others. In the Najibiyyih Garden, Baha’u’llah announced his prophetic mission to a small group of close friends and family. In addition, Baha’ullah made three announcements: that religious war was not permissible; that there would not be another Manifestation of God for 1,000 years; and that all the names of God are fully manifest in all things. (Wikipedia has details.) For 11 days, Baha’u’llah stayed in the Najibiyyih Garden. On the ninth day, the rest of his family joined him; on the 12th day, the entire group departed for Constantinople.

THE ‘MOST GREAT FESTIVAL’

The festival of Ridvan begins two hours before sunset—the approximate time when Baha’u’llah entered the garden. During Ridvan, those of the Baha’i community gather, pray and hold celebrations. Local Spiritual Assemblies—that is, the governing bodies of Baha’i communities worldwide—are elected on the first day of Ridvan.

IN THE NEWS:
TEMPLE UPGRADES;
MILLIONS OF LEGOS FOR A CAUSE

The Baha’i House of Worship in Wilmette, Illinois—the oldest surviving Baha’i House of Worship in the world and the only one of its kind in the U.S.—is set to dedicate a new welcome center next month. (Chicago Tribune has the story.) The temple, which is on the National Register of Historic Places and welcomes a quarter million visitors each year, will experience its first major architectural addition since its opening in 1953.

With millions of Lego pieces, Chinese artist Ai Weiwei created the images of more than 176 human rights prisoners—including Baha’i prisoners Faran Hesami, Kamran Rahimian and Navid Khanjani—and has exhibited them at the Alcatraz museum. (See images here, in an article from Iran Press Watch.) Weiwei has named the prisoners, “The heroes of our time.”

World Religion Day: Baha’i interfaith holiday kicks off trio for religious diversity

January 17, 2014 by Leave a Comment

“O Thou kind Lord! Unite all. Let the religions agree and make the nations one, so that they may see each other as one family and the whole earth as one home.”
Portion of a Baha’i prayer, frequently read on World Religion Day

SUNSET SATURDAY, JANUARY 17: Take a few moments to consider unity through diversity, joining Baha’is in the observation of World Religion Day.

Initiated in 1950, World Religion Day follows an essential tenet of the Baha’i religion: the belief that all religions are one, with each prophet or messenger delivering God’s truth for his time and place. Though deeply engrained in the faith, the call to “consort with followers of all religions in a spirit of friendliness and fellowship” is particularly emphasized on World Religion Day. (Learn more about the religion at Bahai.org.) When a feeling of oneness amid world religions is lacking, Baha’is believe, true global peace can never be achieved.

Established by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of the United States for the third Sunday of January, World Religion Day brings interfaith panels and discussions, conferences and multi-faith gatherings to Baha’i communities. While followers of Baha’u’llah’s religion recognize Baha’u’llah in a primary way—as one who brought a message of unity that is essential for our time—adherents also accept such religious figures as Abraham, Krishna, Zoroaster, Moses, Buddha, Jesus and Muhammad. World Religion Day was created to raise awareness of similarities between the spiritual principles of various faiths.

SPOTLIGHT: RELIGIOUS DIVERSITY

In the coming weeks, two other holidays will highlight interfaith and religious diversity: the World Sabbath of Religious Reconciliation—this year, January 25—and the United Nations Interfaith Harmony Week, observed the first week of February. Both events encourage dialogue among faiths and the recognition of similarities.

IN THE NEWS:
PROGRESS REPORT ON THE BAHA’I TEMPLE IN CHILE

Baha’is hail from almost every nation, culture and ethnic group around the world, and recently, news publications have been focusing on the faith in Chile—and, more specifically, the first temple of its kind being built in the region. (Read a news article here.) Almost a century ago, an American woman traveled in hardship around South America, spreading awareness of the Baha’i faith that had begun just decades earlier. The religion stuck, and today, the first Baha’i temple is in progress in Santiago. The temple’s unique look will reflect concepts in the Baha’i faith, with an exterior made of cast-glass pieces and panels of marble to honor the daylight that will spill in and out of the structure. Upon completion, the temple will be three stories high and accompanied by an underground service tunnel.

Birth of Baha’u’llah: Baha’is recall anniversary with gatherings for unity

November 11, 2014 by Leave a Comment

SUNSET TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 11: The birthday of Baha’u’llah—the founder of the Baha’i faith—is celebrated with excitement by the faithful. One of nine holy days in the Baha’i calendar, the Birth of Baha’u’llah is rapidly approaching a centennial: Baha’u’llah was born on November 12, 1817.

Baha’is were instructed by Abdu’l-Baha, the son of Baha’u’llah, to observe the holy day in community.

As Baha’u’llah’s mission was to foster universal peace, his birthday is an occasion for community prayers. Gatherings and programs are held in homes, at local and national Baha’i centers and at Baha’i houses of worship.

BAHA’U’LLAH:
THE MAKING OF A FOUNDER

Mirza Husayn Ali was born November 12, 1817, in Tehran, Persia (now Iran). The son of a wealthy government minister, Baha’u’llah was born into wealth and prestige. His family’s lineage could be traced to the ruling dynasties of Persia’s past, and at the time of his birth, Mirza Husayn Ali’s family still exercised influence over the court of the Shah. (Learn more from Baha’i.org.)

From a young age, Mirza Husayn Ali was rumored to be “different” than his peers. The child was wise beyond his years, showed immense compassion for the poor and displayed an unusually alert mind. (Wikipedia has details.) Of his childhood, Abdu’l-Baha says, “It was usual for them to say, ‘Such a child will not live,’ for it is commonly believed that precocious children do not reach maturity.”

Mirza Husayn Ali did reach maturity, though not without tumult. When he showed support for the Bab and the emerging Babi religion, Mirza Husayn’s life began to crumble. In 1863, Mirza Husayn announced himself as the One promised by the Bab, and became known as Baha’u’llah. As the years passed, Baha’u’llah was subject to exile, violence and imprisonment. (View photos of significant places in Baha’u’llah’s life here.)

BIRTH OF BAHA’U’LLAH: 2015 UPDATE

In questions submitted to Baha’u’llah after he wrote the Kitab-i-Aqdas, Baha’u’llah described his own birthday and the birthday of the Bab as “twin birthdays” that are one in the “sight of God.” Though the birthdays have been celebrated according to the solar calendar each year in most of the world—and Baha’u’llah’s birthday fixed on November 12—that will change in 2015.

The Universal House of Justice announced that from March 20, 2015 onward, the “twin birthdays” will be observed on the first and second days following the eighth new moon after Naw-Ruz. Therefore, from March 2015, the Birth of Baha’u’llah will no longer be celebrated on a fixed date, and will change annually.

Ridvan: Baha’is observe 12-day festival of Baha’u’llah’s prophethood

December 20, 2014 by Leave a Comment

SUNSET SUNDAY, APRIL 20 and SUNSET MONDAY, APRIL 28 and SUNSET THURSDAY, MAY 1: The “Most Great Festival” has arrived for Baha’is worldwide, in a 12-day engagement known as Ridvan. So named for the Garden of Ridvan, outside of Baghdad, the Festival of Ridvan recognizes the 12 days that Baha’u’llah spent in the Garden of Ridvan, in 1863. After being exiled by the Ottoman Empire, Baha’u’llah resided in the Garden to accept visitors while his family packed in preparation for a move to Constantinople.

In the Garden of Ridvan, several key principles of the Baha’i faith were established through a series of announcements. (Learn more from the Baha’i Library Online.) In the years since Baha’u’llah’s stay in the Garden, the first, ninth and 12th days of the Festival of Ridvan have been regarded as especially holy.

Did you know? “Ridvan” means “Paradise” in Arabic.

The story of the Festival of Ridvan actually begins 20 years before Baha’u’llah ever resided in the Garden—and, more specifically, with another man, by the name of Siyyid Ali-Muhammad of Shiraz. In 1844 CE, Siyyid Ali-Muhammad announced that he was “The Bab,” or “The Gate,” who would make way for a Messianic figure to come: for “He whom God shall make manifest.” Nine years later, in 1853, a man called Baha’u’llah claimed his mission as the Promised One—the One foretold of by the Bab. (Wikipedia has details.) Ever increasing in popularity among the people—particularly the Babis, the followers of the Bab—Baha’u’llah’s power was feared by authorities, and he and his family were eventually exiled to Constantinople.

Prior to his departure for Constantinople, Baha’u’llah knew that crowds of Babis and visitors would flock to him—and so, to allow his family opportunity to pack for the trip, Baha’u’llah temporarily resided in the Najibiyyih garden. On the ninth day in the Garden of Ridvan, Baha’u’llah’s family joined him; on the 12th day, the entire family left the Garden, journeying toward Constantinople.

What, exactly, was announced in the Garden of Ridvan?
While departing from the “Most Great House” in Baghdad, Baha’u’llah compared his journey to the Garden of Ridvan as similar to Muhammad’s trip from Mecca to Medina. Once in the Garden, according to Baha’i tradition, Baha’u’llah declared to a small group that he was, indeed, “He whom God shall make manifest.” Furthermore, Baha’u’llah made three announcements: that permission for religious war was annulled; that there would not be another Manifestation of God for another 1,000 years; and that all names of God are manifest in all things. This time in the Garden provided a time of transition, when Babi followers would be renewed as members of the new Baha’i faith. During Ridvan today, elections take place for the local and national governing bodies.

IN THE NEWS:
NEW WEBSITE;
UN TO CONTINUE PROBE IN IRAN

A new website for the Baha’i Faith has recently been announced: the international governing body of the Baha’is, the Universal House of Justice, has launched a fresh interface: The new website can be viewed here.

The United Nations Human Rights Council has voted to extend the mandate of its investigation into Iran, hoping to improve human rights for Baha’is in the country. United Nations Baha’i Representative Diane Ala’i states, “The vote today to extend the mandate of Ahmed Shaheed is a powerful signal that the world expects action—not just words—from President Rouhani and his government on human rights.” Read more details in this news story.

Nineteen Day Fast: Baha’is observe ‘Ala’ with prayer, introspection

March 01, 2014 by Leave a Comment

“Fasting is the cause of awakening in man. The heart becomes tender and the spirituality of man increases.”
Abdu’l-Baha, son and successor of Baha’u’llah

SUNDOWN SATURDAY, MARCH 1: The month of Ala has begun, and for faithful Baha’is, that means one thing: fasting. For precisely 19 days, able Baha’is will conduct a sunrise-to-sunset fast, refraining from food and water for the sake of spiritual growth. During this period of intense prayer and self-reflection, Baha’is work to establish a closer relationship with God. Instituted by the Bab, the fast was later accepted by Baha’u’llah, the founder of the Baha’i faith. Baha’u’llah established the rules of the Nineteen-Day Fast in his book of laws, the Kitab-i-Aqdas.

BEGINNING OF THE BAHA’I FAITH
AND THE NUMBER ‘19’

Before the Baha’i faith, there was the Babi faith, which was founded by the Bab. As part of the Babi faith, the Bab created the Badi calendar, made of 19 months of 19 days each; the last month, he declared, would be a month of fasting. (Wikipedia has details.) The continuation of this fasting month was, however, dependent upon the forthcoming Him Whom God Shall Make Manifest.

Did you know? Baha’i months and days of the week are named after the attributes of God. Ala translates into “Loftiness.”

In time, the Messianic figure of the Baha’i faith was realized in a man named Baha’u’llah. Baha’u’llah accepted both the calendar and the fasting month established by the Bab, with the exception of altered fasting rules and regulations. Today, the Baha’i Nineteen-Day Fast is obligatory for men and women between the ages of 15 and 70, who are in good health and who are not traveling (other restrictions apply, too. Learn more from the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of the United States.)

The Nineteen-Day Fast concludes with the New Year, Naw-Ruz: the first day of spring.

Want more on this observance?