Baháʼí Holy Days
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The Bahá'í Faith has eleven holy days, which are important anniversaries in the history of the religion. On nine of these holy days, work is suspended.[1] There is no fixed format for any of the holy days, and Bahá’í communities organize their own commemorative meetings.[2]
All but two of the holy days are scheduled annually on fixed dates in the Badí‘ Calendar. The Twin Holy Birthdays are scheduled annually according to a lunar calculation.[3]
Besides the eleven holy days, Bahá'ís also celebrate Ayyám-i-Há, a period of several extra days in the calendar (followed by the Nineteen Day Fast).
Table of dates
| Name[2] | Date on the Badí‘ Calendar | Number of Days after Naw-Rúz | Usual date on the Gregorian Calendar Naw-Rúz 20 March/Naw-Rúz 21 March |
Special time of celebration or commemoration[2] | Work Suspended[2] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Naw-Rúz (Bahá'í New Year) | Bahá 1 | March 20/21 | - | Yes | |
| First day of Riḍván | Jalál 13 | 31 | April 20/21 | 3 p.m. (Standard Time) | Yes |
| Ninth day of Riḍván | Jamál 2 | 39 | April 28/29 | - | Yes |
| Twelfth day of Riḍván | Jamál 5 | 42 | May 1/2 | - | Yes |
| Declaration of the Báb | ‘Aẓamat 8 | 64 | May 23/24 | 2 hours after sunset on preceding day | Yes |
| Ascension of Bahá'u'lláh | ‘Aẓamat 13 | 69 | May 28/29 | 3 a.m. (Standard Time) | Yes |
| Martyrdom of the Báb | Raḥmat 17 | 111 | July 9/10 | 12 noon | Yes |
| Birth of the Báb | First of the Twin Holy Birthdays; celebrated on the first day after the eighth new moon following Naw-Rúz (Ilm 7, October 21, in 2017)[3] | - | Yes | ||
| Birth of Bahá'u'lláh | Second of the Twin Holy Birthdays; celebrated on the second day after the eighth new moon following Naw-Rúz (Ilm 8, October 22, in 2017)[3] | - | Yes | ||
| Day of the Covenant | Qawl 4 | 250 | November 25/26 | - | No |
| Ascension of `Abdu'l-Bahá | Qawl 6 | 252 | November 27/28 | 1 a.m. (Standard Time) | No |
Historical dates
| Name[2] | Gregorian Dates[2] |
|---|---|
| Naw-Rúz (Bahá'í New Year) | March 21 |
| First day of Riḍván | April 21 |
| Ninth day of Riḍván | April 29 |
| Twelfth day of Riḍván | May 2 |
| Declaration of the Báb | May 24 |
| Ascension of Bahá'u'lláh | May 29 |
| Martyrdom of the Báb | July 10 |
| Birth of the Báb | October 20 |
| Birth of Bahá'u'lláh | November 12 |
| Day of the Covenant | November 26 |
| Ascension of `Abdu'l-Bahá | November 28 |
Holy days
General holy days
Naw-Rúz
Annually on Bahá 1. See Naw-Rúz
Holy days associated with the Báb
The Birth of the Báb
Annually in October or November. The Báb was born two years after Bahá'u'lláh, on the first of the Twin Holy Birthdays.
Declaration of the Báb
Annually on ‘Aẓamat 8. See Declaration of the Bab to Mullá Husayn
Martyrdom of the Báb
Annually on Raḥmat 17. See Martyrdom of the Báb
Holy days associated with Bahá'u'lláh
The Birth of Baha'u'llah
Annually in October or November. Bahá'u'lláh was born on the second of the Twin Holy Birthdays. See also: Birth of Baha'u'llah.
Festival of Ridván
The Festival of Ridván, a twelve-day festival that commemorates Bahá'u'lláh's announcement to be the Manifestation of God, is the most holy Bahá'í festival to which Bahá'u'lláh referred as the "Most Great Festival."[4] The first, ninth and twelfth days of the festival are celebrated as holy days.
Annually on Jalál 13, Jamál 2 and Jamál 5.
See Festival of Ridván.
Ascension of Bahá'u'lláh
Annually on ‘Aẓamat 13.
Holy days associated with `Abdu'l-Bahá
On these two holy days, the suspension of work is not required.
Day of the Covenant
Annually on Qawl 4. See Day of the Covenant
Ascension of `Abdu'l-Bahá
Annually on Qawl 6. See Ascension of `Abdu'l-Bahá
Twin Holy Birthdays
The Twin Holy Birthdays of the Báb and Bahá'u'lláh are celebrated on the first and second day following the eighth new moon after Naw-Rúz.[3][5] (In the Islamic lunar calendar, the births of the Báb and Bahá'u'lláh fell on consecutive days - the first and second day of Muharram, respectively, two years apart.[2][6])
See Twin Holy Birthdays and Birth of Baha'u'llah.
See also
References
- ^ National Spiritual Assembly of the United States (2006-03-05). "The Badi Calendar" (PDF). bahai.us. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 September 2006. Retrieved 2006-09-23.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ a b c d e f g Smith, Peter (2000). "holy days". A concise encyclopedia of the Bahá'í Faith. Oxford: Oneworld Publications. pp. 182–183. ISBN 1-85168-184-1.
- ^ a b c d The Universal House of Justice (2014-07-10). "To the Bahá'ís of the World". Retrieved 2014-07-10.
- ^ Walbridge, John (2003-10-02). "Ridvan". Retrieved 2006-09-23.
- ^ Momen, Moojan (2014). The Badí` (Bahá'í) Calendar: An Introduction.
- ^ Taherzadeh, Adib (1987). The Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh, Volume 4: Mazra'ih & Bahji 1877-92. Oxford, UK: George Ronald. p. 334. ISBN 0-85398-270-8.
Further reading
- Bahá'í World Centre (2017). Days of Remembrance - Selections from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh for Bahá’í Holy Days.
- Related documents on Bahá'í Library Online
External links
- Bahá'í Calendar, Bahá'í Events and Holy Days (types: Persian, Islamic, Gregorian)
- Feasts & Holy Days (dynamic display of Holy Days, adjusted by year for your position - correct before and after 2015)