Bahá’í World/Volume 12/Bahá’í Calendar, Festivals and Dates of Historic Significance
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4. BAHÁ’Í CALENDAR, FESTIVALS AND DATES OF HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE
FOREWORD
By DR. J. E. ESSLEMONT
From Bahá’u’lláh and the New Era
AMONG different peoples and at different times many different methods have been adopted for the measurement of time and fixing of dates, and several different calendars are still in daily use, e.g., the Gregorian in Western Europe, the Julian in many countries of Eastern Europe, the Hebrew among the Jews, and the Muḥammadan in Muslim countries.
The Báb signalized the importance of the dispensation which He came to herald, by inaugurating a new calendar. In this, as in the Gregorian Calendar, the lunar month is abandoned and the solar year is adopted.
The Bahá’í year consists of 19 months of 19 days each (i.e., 361 days), with the addition of certain “intercalary days” (four in ordinary and five in leap years) between the eighteenth and nineteenth months in order to adjust the calendar to the solar year. The Báb named the months after the attributes of God. The Bahá’í New Year, like the ancient Persian New Year, is astronomically fixed, commencing at the March equinox (March 21), and the Bahá’í era commences with the year of the Báb’s declaration (i.e., 1844 A.D., 1260 A.H.).
In the not far distant future it will be necessary that all peoples in the world agree on a common calendar.
It seems, therefore, fitting that the new age of unity should have a new calendar free from the objections and associations which make each of the older calendars unacceptable to large sections of the world’s population, and it is difficult to see how any other arrangement could exceed in simplicity and convenience that proposed by the Báb.
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{{BAHÁ’Í FEASTS, ANNIVERSARIES AND DAYS OF FASTING}}
Feast of Riḍván (Declaration of Bahá’u’lláh), April 21-May 2, 1863.
Feast of Naw-Rúz (New Year), March 21.
Declaration of the Báb, May 23, 1844.
The Day of the Covenant, November 26.
Birth of Bahá’u’lláh, November 12, 1817.
Birth of the Báb, October 20, 1819.
Birth of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, May 23, 1844.
Ascension of Bahá’u’lláh, May 29, 1892.
Martyrdom of the Báb, July 9, 1850.
Ascension of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, November 28, 1921.
Fasting seasons lasts 19 days beginning with the first day of the month of ‘Alá’, March 2 —the feast of Naw-Rúz follows immediately after.
{{BAHÁ’Í HOLY DAYS ON WHICH WORK SHOULD BE SUSPENDED}}
The first day of Riḍván,
The ninth day of Riḍván,
The twelfth day of Riḍván,
The anniversary of the declaration of the Báb,
The anniversary of the birth of Baha’u’llah,
The anniversary of the birth of the Báb,
The anniversary of the ascension of Bahá’u’lláh,
The anniversary of the martyrdom of the Báb,
The feast of Naw-Rúz.
NOTE: ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, in one of His Tablets addressed to a believer of Nayríz, Persia, has written the following: “Nine days in the year have been appointed on which work is forbidden. Some of these days have been specifically mentioned in the Book. The rest follows as corollaries to the Text. . . . Work on the Day of the Covenant (Fête Day of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá), however, is not prohibited. Celebration of that day is left to the discretion of the friends. Its observation is not obligatory. The days pertaining to the Abhá Beauty (Bahá’u’lláh) and the Primal Point (the Báb), that is to say these nine days, are the only ones on which work connected with trade, commerce, industry and agriculture is not allowed. In like manner, work connected with any form of employment, whether governmental or otherwise, should be suspended.”
As a corollary of this Tablet it follows that the anniversaries of the birth and ascension of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá are not to be regarded as days on which work is prohibited. The celebration of these two days, however, is obligatory.
Bahá’ís in East and West, holding administrative positions, whether public or private, should exert the utmost effort to obtain special leave from their superiors to enable them to observe these nine holy days.
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ADDITIONAL MATERIAL GLEANED FROM NABÍL’S NARRATIVE (VOL. II), REGARDING THE BAHÁ’Í CALENDAR
The Badí‘ Calendar (Bahá’í Calendar) has been taken by me from the Kitáb-i-Asmá’, one of the works written by the Báb. As I have observed in these days that certain believers are inclined to regard the year in which Bahá’u’lláh departed from Baghdád to Constantinople as marking the beginning of the Badí‘ Calendar, I have requested Mírzá Áqá Ján, the amanuensis of Bahá’u’lláh, to ascertain His will and desire concerning this matter. Bahá’u’lláh answered and said: ”The year sixty A.H. (1844 A.D.), the year of the Declaration of the Báb, must be regarded as the beginning of the Badí‘ Calendar.’ The Declaration of the Báb took place on the evening preceding the fifth day of Jamádíyu’l-Avval, of the year 1260 A.H. It has been ordained that the solar calendar be followed, and that the vernal Equinox, the day of Naw-Rúz, be regarded as the New Year’s Day of the Badí‘ Calendar. The year sixty, in which the fifth day of Jamádíyu’l-Avval coincided with the sixty-fifth day after Naw-Rúz, has accordingly been regarded as the first year of the Badí‘ Calendar. As in that year, the day of Naw-Rúz, the vernal Equinox, preceded by sixty-six days the date of the Declaration of the Báb, I have therefore, throughout my history, regarded the Naw-Rúz of the year sixty-one
A.H. (the Naw-Rúz immediately following the Declaration of the Báb) as the first Naw-Rúz of the Badí‘ Calendar. I have accordingly considered the Naw—Rúz of this present year, the year 1306 A.H., which is the 47th solar year after the Declaration of the Báb, as the 46th Naw-Rúz of the Badí‘ Calendar.
Soon after Bahá’u’lláh had left the fortress of ‘Akká and was dwelling in the house of Malik, in that city, He commanded me to transcribe the text of the Badí‘ Calendar and to instruct the believers in its details. On the very day in which I received His command, I composed, in verse and prose, an exposition of the main features of that Calendar and presented it to Him. The versified copy, being now unavailable, I am herein transcribing the version in prose. The days of the week are named as follows:
Days A rabic N ame English N ame Translation lst Jalél Saturday Glory 2nd J amél Sunday Beauty 3 rd Kama] Monday Perfection 4th Fidél Tuesday Grace 5 th ‘Idal Wednesday J ustice 6th Istijlal Thursday M ajesty 7th Istiqlél Friday Independence
The names of the months, which are the same as the days of each month, are as follows:
M onth A rabic N ame T ranslation F irst Days 1st Bahá. Splendor March 21 2nd Jalél Glory April 9 3rd J amél Beauty April 28 4th ‘Azamat Grandeur May 17 5th Nfir Light J une 5 6th Rahmat Mercy June 24 7th Kalimat Words J uly 13 8th Kamal Perfection August 1 9th Asmá’ Names August 20
10th ‘Izzat Might September 8 1 1th Mashiyyat Will September 27 12th ‘Ilm Knowledge October 16 13th Qudrat Power November 4 14th Qawl Speech November 23 15th Masé’il Questions December 12 16th Sharaf Honor December 31 17th Sultan Sovereignty J anuary 19 18th Mulk Dominion February 7 19th ‘Alé.’ Loftiness March 2
Ayyám-i-Há (Intercalary Days) February 26 to March 1 inclusive—four in ordinary and five in leap years.
The first day of each month is thus the day of Bahá, and the last day of each month the day of ‘Alá’.
The Báb has regarded the solar year, of 365 days, 5 hours, and fifty odd minutes, as consisting of 19 months of 19 days each, with the addition of certain intercalary days. He has named the New Year’s Day, which is the Day of Naw-Rúz, the day of Baha, of the month of Bahá. He has ordained the month of ‘Alá’ to be the month of fasting, and has decreed that the day of Naw-Rúz should mark the termination of that period. As the Báb did not specifically define the place for the four days and the fraction of a day in the Badí‘ Calendar, the people of the Bayán were at a loss as to how they should regard them. The revelation of the Kitáb-i-Aqdas in the city of ‘Akká resolved this problem and settled the issue. Bahá’u’lláh designated those days as the “Ayyám-i-Há” and ordained that they should immediately
National Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds, Ṭihrán, Persia, Riḍván, 1951. (View taken from the air.)
precede the month of ‘Alá’, which is the month of fasting. He enjoined upon His followers to devote these days to feasting, rejoicing, and charity. Immediately upon the termination of these intercalary days, Bahá’u’lláh ordained the month of fasting to begin. I have heard it stated that some of the people of the Bayán, the followers of Mirzá Yaḥyá, have regarded these intercalary days as coming immediately after the month of ‘Alá’, thus terminating their fast five days before the day of Naw-Rúz. This, notwithstanding the explicit text of the Bayán which states that the day of Naw-Rúz must needs be the first day of the month of Bahá, and must follow immediately after the last day of the month of ‘Alá’. Others, aware of this contradiction, have started their fasting on the fifth day of the month of ‘Alá’, and included the intercalary days within the period of fasting.
Every fourth year the number of the intercalary days is raised from four to five. The day of Naw-Rúz falls on the 21st of March only if the vernal Equinox precedes the setting of the sun on that day. Should the vernal Equinox take place after sunset, Naw-Rúz will have to be celebrated on the following day.
The Báb has, moreover, in His writings, revealed in the Arabic tongue, divided the years following the date of His Revelation, into cycles of nineteen years each. The names of the years in each cycle are as follows:
1. Alif A.
2. Bé’ B.
3. Ab Father.
4. D61 D.
5. Báb Gate.
6. Vév V.
7. Abad Eternity. 8. Jéd Generosity. 9. Bahá Splendor. 10. Hubb Love.
11. Bahhéj Delightful. 12. Javéb Answer. 13. Abad Single.
14. Vahhéb Bountiful. 15. Vidéd Affection. 16. Badi Beginning. l7. Bahi Luminous. l8. Abhá Most Luminous. 19. Váḥid Unity.
Each cycle of nineteen years is called Váḥid. Nineteen cycles constitute a period
called Kull-i-Shay’. The numerical value of the word “Váḥid” is nineteen, that of “Kulli-Shay’ ” is 361. “Váḥid” signifies unity, and is symbolic of the unity ot God.
The Báb has, moreover, stated that this system of His is dependent upon the acceptance and good-pleasure of “Him Whom God shall make manifest.” One word from Him would suffice either to establish it for all time, or to annul it forever.
For instance, the date of the 21st of April, 1930, which is the first day of Riḍván, and which according to the Kitáb-i—Aqdas must coincide with the “thirteenth day of the second Bahá’í month," and which fell this year (1930) on Monday, would, according to the system of the Badí‘ Calendar, be described as follows:
“The day of Kamál, the day of Qudrat, of the month of Jalál, of the year Bahháj, of the fifth Váḥid, of the first Kull-i-Shay’."
Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds of the Bahá’ís of Germany and Austria, Frankfurt-am-Main, Germany, newly erected, April, 1951.
HISTORICAL DATA GLEANED FROM NABÍL’S NARRATIVE (VOL. II) REGARDING BAHÁ’U’LLÁH
A. BAG_HDAD
Arrival latter part Jamédiyu’LhThéni, 1269 A.H. March 12—April 10, 1853 A.D.
Departure for Sulayméniyyih on Wednesday, April 10, 1854 AD.Rajab 12, 1270 A.H.
B. SULAYMANiYYIH
Before reaching Sulayméniyyih, He lived for a time on the Sar-Galfi mountain.
During His absence from Baghdád, His family transferred their_ residence from House of Hájí ‘AliMadad to that of Sulaymén-i(filanném.
Nabil arrived at Bag_hdéd 6 months after Bahá’u’lláh’s departure for Sulayméniyyih.
C. BAG_HDAD
Arrived from Sulayméniyyih on Wednesday, March 19, 1856 AD. —Rajab 12, 1272 A.H.
Departure from Mazra‘iy-i-Vasllshésll: Thursday, March 26, 1863 A.D.——Shavvél 5, 1279 A.H.
Tablet of the Holy Mariner revealed while in the Mazra‘iy-i—Vasilsllésll.
Departure from Bag_hdéd for Constantinople, Wednesday afternoon (first day of Riḍván), April 22, 1863 A.D.—m1i'l—Qa‘dih 3, 1279 A.H.
Works Revealed During This Period
Houses Occupied During This Period
Qullu’t-Ta‘ém
Prayers Qasidiy-i-Varqé‘iyyih
Saqiyas—G_hayb-iBaqé
Tafsir-i-Hurfifét-iMuqatta’ih Sahifiy-i-Sllaniyyih Haft-Védi (Seven Valleys) Tafsir-i—Hfi Lawh-i-Hliriyyih Kitáb-i-qu’m Kalim ét-i-Makm’mih (Hidden Words) Subhéna—Rabbiya’l‘Alé Shikkar-Shikanshavand Hfir—i-‘Uj éb Halih-Halih-Yé Bisllérat (flmlému’l-Igluld Az-B égh-i-Iléhi BézéVIT-Bidih-Jémi
House of Hájí ‘AliMadad (in old Baghdád)
House of Sulayméni-G_hanném
[Page 557]
BAHA’I CALENDAR AND FESTIVALS 557
C. BAQIDAD—continued
Sériy—i-Sabr revealed on first day of Riḍván.
Arrival at Garden of Najibiyyih (Garden of Riḍván), April 22, 1863 A.D.—D_hi’1—Qa‘dih 3, 1279 A.H.
Arrival of Bahá’u’lláh’s Family at Garden of Riḍván on eighth day after first of Riḍván.
Departure from Garden of Riḍván for Constantinople last day of Riḍván, at noon on Sunday, May 3, 1863 A.D.—D_hi’l-Qa‘dih 14, 1279 A.H.
Length of overland journey from Garden of Riḍván to Sémsun on Black Sea: 110 days.
Works Revealed Houses Occupied During This During This Period Period
Malláhu’l-Quds (Holy Mariner)
Sfiriy—i-Sabr
Firayjét (arrival early afternoonstayed seven days), arrived on Sunday, May 3, 1863 A.D.—D_hi’1Qa‘dih 14, 1279 A.H. (Firayjét is about 3 miles distant from Baghdád)
Juday_dih,
Dili-‘Abbés,
Qarih-Tapih,
Saléhiyyih (stayed two nights),
Dust-Igiurmétu,
Téwuq,
Karkuk (stayed two days),
Irbil,
Zéb River,
Bartallih,
Mosul (stayed 3 days),
Zékbfi,
Jazirih,
Nisibin,
Hasan-Aqé,
Mérdin,
Diyér-Bakr,
Ma‘dan-Mis,
K_hérput (stayed 2 or 3 days),
Ma‘dan-Nuqrih,
Dilik-Tésh,
Sivés,
Tuqét,
Amasia (stayed 2 days),
Iléhiyyih (while approaching Sémsun, “Lawh-i—Hawdaj” was revealed), (last day of overland journey),
Sémsun (stayed 7 days), Black Sea port. Sailed in a Turkish steamer about sunset for Constantinople,
Sinope (arrived next day about noon), Black Sea port: stayed few hours,
Anyébuli (arrived next day).
D. CONSTANTINOPLE
Works Revealed Dur- Houses Occupied During This Period ing This Period
Duration
Arrival at noon on Subhénika-Yé-HL’I House of Shamsi Big lmonth
Sunday, August 16, Lawh—i—‘Abdu’l-‘Aziz (2-story, near Ighir 1863, AD. Va-Vukala’. Rabi‘u’l-Avval 1, 1280 A.H.
gih Sharaf Mosque) J
[Page 558]
558
THE BAHA’I WORLD
D. CONSTANTINOPLEcontinued
Length of sea voyage from Sémsfin to Constantinople 3 days.
Length of journey from Constantinople to Adrianople 12 days.
Works Revealed During This Period
Houses Occupied During This Period
Duration
House of Visi Péflxé (3-story, near Sulgén Muhammad Mosque)
3 months
1. Kfigik-Qlakmaglih (3 hours from Constantinople—spent one night)
2. Buy&k-Chakmacifih (arrived about noon)
3. Salvari
4. Birkés
5. Bábé-iski
E. ADRIANOPLE
Arrival on Saturday, December 12, 1863
A.D.——Rajab 1, 1280 AR.
Length of stay: 4 years, 8 months, 22 days.
Length of overland
journey from Constantinople to Adrianople: 12 days.
Departure from Adrianople on Wednesday, August 12, 1868 A.D.—Rabi‘u’t_1_1—”l“_l'12ini 22, 1285 A.H.
Works Revealed Dur Houses Occupied Dur
(Tablet to the Shéh
of Persia)
Lawh—i-Nuqtih
ing This Period ing This Period Duratlon Sfiriy-i-Ashéb l. lghén—i-‘Aréb 3 nights (caravanserai, two-story, near Lawh-i-Hajj I house of ‘IzzatAqé) ‘6 £6 ‘5 II Kitáb-i-Badi‘ 2. House in Murédiy- 1 week Sfiriy-i-Mulfik yih quarter, near (Tablet of the Takyiy-i-Mawlavi Kings) SL’Iriy-i-Amr 3. House in Murédiy— 6 months SL’lriy-i-Damm yih quarter, near Alváḥ-i-Laylatu'l- house 2 Quds 4. K_héniy-i-Amru’lláh Munéjéthéy-i—Siyém (several stories, (Prayers for Fast- near Sultan-Salim ing) Mosque) Lawh-i—Sayyéh 5. House of Ridé Big 1 year Lawh-i-Népulyfin I 6. House of Amru’lláh 3 months? (First Tablet to (3-story. North Napoleon III) of Sultan—Salim Mosque) Lawh-i—Sultén 7. House of ‘Izzat-Aqé 11 months
1. UZL’m-Kupri
2. Kashénih (arrived about noon. Lawh-i-Ra’is (Tablet of Ra’is) was
this place)
revealed in
3. Gallipoli
(length of journey from Adrianople to Gallipoli about 4 days)
(after a few days’ stay sailed before noon in Austrian steamer for Alexandria, Egypt)
\OOOQQUIJK
vessel for ‘Akká.)
. Madelli (arrived about sunset—left at night) . Smyrna (stayed 2 days, left at night) . Alexandria (arrived in the morning, transshipped and left at night for Haifa) . Port Said (arrived morning, left the same day at night) . Jafla (left at midnight) . Haifa (arrived in the morning, landed and after a few hours left on a sailing
F. ‘AKKA
Arrival on Monday, August 31, AD. 18 68—Jamédiyu’1Avval 12, 1285 A.H.
Purest Branch died on Thursday, June 23, 1870 A.D.—Rabi‘u’l-Avval 23, 1287 A.H.
Works Revealed Dur Houses Occupied Dur
ing This Period ing This Period Duran”
Kitáb-i-Aqdas l. Barracks 2 years, 2
Lawh-i-Népulyl’m 11 months, (Second Tablet to 5 days Napoleon III)
Lawh-i-Malikih 2. House of Malik 3 months (Tablet to Queen 3. House of Rébi‘ih Victoria)
Lawh-i-Malik-i-Rfis 4. House of Mansfir 2 or 3 (Tablet to the months Czar)
Sfiriy—i—Haykal 5. House of ‘Abbfid
Lawh—i—Burhén Lawh-i—Ru’yé Lawh—i—Ibn-i-D_hi’b
(where Kitáb-i Aqdas was re vealed) Mazra‘ih
the Wolf) Lawh-i-Pép Passed away May 29, 1892 AD.
Pope)
(Epistle to Son of 6.
(Tablet to the
7. Qasr (Mansion, where He passed away)
DATES OF HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE DURING THE FIRST ONE HUNDRED AND TEN YEARS OF THE BAHÁ’Í FAITH
Declaration of the Mission of the Báb in Shíráz ................ May 23, 1844
Departure of the Báb on His pilgrimage to Mecca ................... September, 1844
Arrival of the Báb in Máh-Kúh, Ádhirbáyján ..................... Summer, 1847
Incarceration of the Báb in Chihríq, Ádhirbáyján .......... April, 1848
Conference of Badasht ............................................ June, 1848
Interrogation of the Báb in Tabríz, Ádhirbáyján .................. July, 1848
Martyrdom of the Báb in Tabríz, Ádhirbáyján .................... July 9, 1850
Attempt on the life of Náṣiri’d-Dín Sháh .................... August 15, 1852
Imprisonment of Bahá’u’lláh in the Síyáh Chál of Ṭihrán ........ August, 1852
Banishment of Bahá’u’lláh to Baghdád ....................... January 12, 1853
Withdrawal of Bahá’u’lláh to Kurdistán ............................. April 10, 1854
Return of Bahá’u’lláh from Kurdistán ............................... March 19, 1856
Declaration of the Mission of Bahá’u’lláh ........................... April 22,1863
Arrival of Bahá’u’lláh in Constantinople .......................... August 16, 1863
Arrival of Bahá’u’lláh in Adrianople ............................ December 12, 1863
Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds of the Bahá’ís of Kampala, Uganda, British East Africa, April, 1952.
Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds of the Bahá’ís of Paris, France, 1953.
Departure of Bahá’u’lláh from Adrianople .......................... August 12, 1868
Arrival of Bahá’u’lláh in ‘Akká. .................................. August 31, 1868
Death of the Purest Branch ...........................................June 23, 1870
Ascension of Bahá’u’lláh ..............................................May 29, 1892
First public reference to the Faith in America ................. September 23, 1893
Establishment of the first Bahá’í center in the West ............... February, 1894
Arrival of the first group of Western pilgrims in ‘Akká ......... December 10, 1898
Arrival of the Báb’s remains in the Holy Land .................... January 31, 1899
Reincarceration of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in ‘Akká .......................... August 20, 1901
Commencement of the construction of the Mashriqu’l-Adhkár of ‘Ishqábád .............. November 28, 1902
Release of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá from His incarceration .................... September, 1908
Interment of the Báb’s remains on Mt. Carmel ....................... March 21, 1909
Opening of the first American Bahá’í Convention .................... March 21, 1909
‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s departure for Egypt ................................ September, 1910
‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s arrival in London ................................ September 4, 1911
‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s arrival in America .................................. April 11, 1912
Laying of the corner-stone of the Mashriqu’l-Adhkár in Wilmette, Ill., by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá .................................... May 1, 1912
‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s return to the Holy Land ........................... December 5, 1913
Unveiling of the Tablets of the Divine Plan ........................... April, 1919
Commencement of the construction of the Mashriqu’l-Adhkár in Wilmette, Illinois .............. December, 1920
Passing of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá ......................................... November 28, 1921
Verdict of the Muḥammadan Court in Egypt pronouncing the Faith to be an independent religion ................................................. May 10, 1925
Martha Root’s first interview with Queen Marie of Rumania .........January 30, 1926
Resolution of the Council of the League of Nations upholding the claim of the Bahá’í community to the House of Bahá’u’lláh in Baghdád ........................ March 4, 1929
Passing of the Greatest Holy Leaf....................................... July, 1932
Inception of the First American Seven-Year Pl.......................... April, 1937
Completion of exterior ornamentation of the Mashriqu’l-Adhkár in Wilmette, Illinois ........................ 1943
Centenary celebration of the Founding of the Bahá’í Faith and opening of first All-American Bahá’í Convention ....................................... May 23, 1944
Inception of Second American Seven-Year Plan .......................... April, 1946
Completion of Arcade and Parapet of the Shrine of the Báb on Mt. Carmel ...................................... July 9, 1950
Commemoration of Centenary of the Martyrdom of the Báb ............... July 9, 1950
Completion of interior ornamentation of the Mashriqu’l-Adhkár in Wilmette, Illinois ............... October, 1952
Inauguration of the Centenary Celebrations of the birth of Bahá’u’lláh’s Prophetic Mission ..................... October, 1952
First Bahá’í Intercontinental Teaching Conference, Kampala, Uganda, Africa .......................... February 12-18, 1953
Bahá’í dedication of the Mashriqu’l-Adhkár in Wilmette, Illinois ................. May 1, 1953
Public dedication ..................................................... May 2, 1953
All-America Bahá’í Intercontinental Teaching Conference, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A., and the inauguration of the Ten-Year International Bahá’í Teaching and Consolidation Plan ................ May 3—6, 1953
Third Bahá’í Intercontinental Teaching Conference, Stockholm, Sweden .................................... July 21-26, 1953
Fourth Bahá’í Intercontinental Teaching Conference, New Delhi, India ................................... October 7-15, 1953
Completion of the construction of the Shrine of the Báb ................................................... October, 1953