Birth of the Báb

The Bahai'i holiday of the Birth of the Báb takes place on October 20.

The Birth of the Báb is a holiday on which Baha’i’s do not work which for some would include missing classes.  The holiday is often observed by visits to the Temple and by the recitation of the Prayer of the Tablet of the Visitation.



Iranian Revolutionary Guards destroying
the Birthplace of the Báb in Shiraz in 1979

The Báb was born on October 20, 1844 as Siyyid Ali-Muhammed in Shiraz, Iran (at that time Persia).  The building of the Birthplace of the Báb in Shiraz, Iran was also a point of pilgrimage until it (along with all other Baha’i holy sites) were destroyed in the Iranian Revolution in 1979.

The title “The Báb” means “the Gate” as he foretold the coming of “He whom God shall make manifest” (that is, the Bahá'u'lláh, the religion’s founder).  The Báb is also called “The Herald” by Baha’i’s, who sometimes make the comparison of the role of the Bab in Baha’iism to that of John the Baptist in Christianity. As Dale E. Lehman explains on the website Planet Baha’i:

Unlike John, however, He founded an independent religion and claimed equal station with Moses, Jesus and Muhammad. Bahá'ís view the Báb and Bahá'u'lláh both as "Manifestations of God" even though by the Báb's own testimony His mission was subordinate to Bahá'u'lláh's.

 http://www.planetbahai.org/cgi-bin/articles.pl?article=16 

In addition to parallels with Christianity, Baha’i’s emphasize that the Báb was a direct descendant of the Moslem Prophet Mohammed on both his mother’s and father’s side. 

Fromer site of the
Declaration of the the Báb
before its destruction by
Iranian Revolutionary Guards
in 1979

The Báb declared himself to be "the Gate" on May 23, 1844. The room where he made this proclamation was a pilgrimage site among Bahai'is until the building in which it was located was destroyed by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards in 1979 as part of their formal persecution of the Bahai'is.

The Shrine of the Báb
Haifa, Israel 

After attracting tens of thousands of followers, the Báb was considered a threat to the government leaders and clerics of Persia’s Qajar dynasty. After being imprisoned and brutally beaten, the Báb was put to death by firing squad for heresy in 1850 in Tabriz (in what is now Iran but was then Persia).

After his martyrdom, thousands of his followers – called Bábís – were persecuted and approximately 20,000 were killed.  During this period,  the Báb’s remains were smuggled out of Persia to the Baha’i holy city of Haifa, Israel.

The Shrine of the Báb in Haifa houses the remains of the Báb. In 2008, the Shrine of the Báb was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site. Today, the Shrine of the  Báb is the location of a major Bahai'i pilgrimage, especially on the Birthday of the Báb.

Further Reading

  
Bahai'i Topics, "The Báb,"  http://info.bahai.org/the-bab.html

"Bahai'is to mark the Birth of the Bab," Bahai'i World News Service: http://news.bahai.org/story/659

"The Coming of the Báb," BBC Religions: http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/bahai/history/bab_1.shtml#section_2

Dale E. Lehman, "The Birth of the Báb," Planet Bahai'i, http://www.planetbahai.org/cgi-bin/articles.pl?article=16

Clip Art Sources

Opening Bahai'i star clip art: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Bahai_star.svg&page=1

Iranian Revolutionary Guards destroying the Birthplace of the Báb in Shiraz in 1979: http://media.bahai.org/subjects/7204/details/

Shrine of the Báb: http://media.bahai.org/subjects/locations/holy_places_hai/shrine_bab/8003/details

Fomer site of the Declaration of the the Báb: http://media.bahai.org/subjects/locations/other_holy/7140/details

Riḍván

Introduction

Sunset on April 20 marks the beginning of the 12-day Festival of Riḍván, the holiest day in Baha’iism. Although Ridván is generally given place of prominence, it should be noted that the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, one of the two holy books of Bahai’ism, refers to Ridván as one of the two “Most Great Festivals” (the other is the Declaration of the Bab).   

Employees and students should be accommodated for observance on the first, ninth and twelfth days of Riḍván. Since Baha’iism observes holidays from the sunset of the preceding day through sunset of the day of the holiday, employees and students should be excused from sunset on April 22 through sunset on April 21, from sunset on April 28 through sunset on 29, and from sunset on May 1 through sunset on May 2.

Announcement of the Promised One

Riḍván marks the announcement by Mírzá Ḥusayn-`Alí Núrí that he was the Bahá'u'lláh or Promised One and Messenger of the One True God.

The Bahá'u'lláh made his announcement that he was the Promised One on April 21, 1863 in what was then called Najibiyyih Garden or Na’Mayn on the outskirts of Baghdad on the banks of the Tigris River. At the time what is today Iraq was part of the Ottoman Empire, and the Ottoman authorities had banished the Bahá'u'lláh. Fearing a threat to the dominance of Islam in Baghdad, the Ottoman religious officials formally exiled in Constantinople to remove him from his growing throngs of followers.

The Garden of Ridván 
before the Iraqi government
built the Baghdad Medical City
over its location 

The Bahá'u'lláh stayed in Najibiyyih Garden for 12 days following his announcement. During this time he greeted his followers who came to meet with him before his exile. On the ninth day, the Bahá'u'lláh’s family arrived (the Holy Family having been delayed by the flooding of the Tigris up to that point).  On the twelfth day, the Ottoman authorities forcibly removed him to take him to prison in Constantinople. His followers then renamed the site as the Garden of Ridván (Paradise) which it is called today and which is from where the holiday takes its name.

The Three Declarations in the the Garden of Riḍván

While in the Garden of Ridván, after announcing himself to be the Promised One, the Bahá'u'lláh made three additional declarations. These were revealed in the Tablet of Ridvan.



The Baha'i Temple in Haifa, Israel
The Holiest Site in Baha'iism



In the First Declaration, the Bahá'u'lláh forbade any of his followers from religious war. He particularly excluded the Islamic interpretation of jihad as religiously justified reasons for war. This prohibition also specifically prevented his followers from fighting to protect their faith, including any thought to fight to protect the Bahá'u'lláh himself.

The Second Declaration indicates that after the Bahá'u'lláh no other Promised One or Manifestation of God would be made manifest for 1000 years. Still, the Bahá'u'lláh would not be the final Manifestation of God as a new manifestation would definitely come after the 1000 years were up.

Baha'i Temple, New Delhi, India

In the Third Declaration, the Bahá'u'lláh proclaimed that there is only one God and that the names of God were already present in all things:

He Who is the Desire of all nations hath shed upon the kingdoms of the unseen and of the seen the splendor of the light of His most excellent names, and enveloped them with the radiance of the luminaries of His most gracious favors -- favors which none can reckon except Him, Who is the omnipotent Protector of the entire creation. – “The Tablet of Ridván,” Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah

This last proclamation is seen as the unity of all religions, which themselves are simply different ways of approaching the one true God.  The unity of all religions is one of the core beliefs of Baha’ism along with the unity of all humanity and the unity of the one true God.

The Baha'i House of Worship
in Wilmette, Illinois near Chicago
is the largest Baha'i Temple in the world

Ridván Observance

Ridván is generally observed by refraining from all work on the first, ninth and twelfth days accompanied with communal prayers in the temple or gatherings in people's homes for worship services.  Beyond that, customs vary widely (as with the observance of all Baha’i holidays). Indeed, while the days of refraining from work are clearly indicated, the only formal requirement for communal prayers specifically laid out is that on the first day of Ridván at 3:00 PM (marking the time Bahá'u'lláh first entered the Garden of Ridván). Still, most Baha’i traditions customarily mark the ninth and twelfth days with communal prayers as well.  Additionally, many Baha’is go to the temple for communal gatherings on each day of the festival, although they still go to school or work on these other days.

Riḍván is also the time when Baha’is hold their annual elections for the nine-person local Spiritual Council. Each elected local Spiritual Council member holds this religious office for one year until the next Ridván.

While traditions beyond this vary greatly, among the most common customs among Baha’i congregations is the outdoor gathering for a communal picnic in a local garden or other green area as a remembrance of the Garden of Riḍván.  



 American children in cardboard boats
pretending to cross the Tigris River
on the ninth day of Ridván



Some Baha’i families re-enact scenes from the Bahá'u'lláh’s time in the Garden. For example, on the ninth day, children make symbolic boats to cross over the flooded Tigris River as the Bahá'u'lláh’s family had done.

 Ridván decoration board
with 12 flowers with an activity
for each day of the festival 

Other Baha’i traditions include displays of flowers such as roses to recall the garden setting.  People often decorate with assemblages of 12 items (such as twelve flowers or twelve Baha’i stars) to symbolize the twelve days that the Bahá'u'lláh stayed in the Garden of Ridván. 

Conclusion

As with all of my religious observance posts, this discussion of the holiday Ridván reflects only my superficial summary of the holiday. This post in no way intends to indicate what is or is not the proper way in which to celebrate the holiday from a theological perspective. The intention here is only informational.

Please feel free to leave a comment on your own observances or on anything else in this post. I welcome your input. Happy Ridván!

Want To Read More?

 “Happy Riḍván Festival!” All Beliefs, http://www.allbeliefs.com/showthread.php?t=10055

“Bringing the Ridvan Festival to Life,” Enable Me To Grow website, http://www.enablemetogrow.com/2012/04/11/bringing-the-ridvan-festival-to-life/

Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh, http://www.peyman.info/cl/Baha%27i/Others/ROB/V1/Notes-Foreward.html#pxv

John Walbridge, “Ridvan,” Sacred Acts, Sacred Space, Sacred Time: Baha'i Studies volume 1, Oxford: George Ronald, 1995, posted on Baha’i Library Online, http://bahai-library.com/walbridge_encyclopedia_ridvan

Clip Art Sources

Ridvan opening clip art: http://campus.fortunecity.com/caltech/531/kids/holydays/ridvan.html

Garden of Ridvan photograph: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/78/Ridvan-garden-baghdad.jpg

Baha'i Temple, Haifa, Israel: http://www.pathsofdevotion.com/_wizardimages/bahai_temple_haifa.JPG

Baha'i Temple, New Delhi, India: My own photograph

The Baha'i House of Worship, Wilmette, Illinois: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Willmette_how.jpg
American children in cardboard boats crossing the Tigris: http://www.motherhoodandmore.com/2011/05/horses-holy-days-tulips-and-nose-kisses.html

Ridvan decoration board: http://www.enablemetogrow.com/2012/04/11/bringing-the-ridvan-festival-to-life/

Closing Happy Ridvan clip art with rose: http://www.moringa.com.my/Ridvan1.jpg

“Ridván,” Fortunecity.com, Kids/Holidays: http://campus.fortunecity.com/caltech/531/kids/holydays/ridvan.html

Birthday of Bahá'u'lláh



Baha'i Star

November 12 is the Baha’i holiday celebrating the Birthday of Bahá'u'lláh. Baha’is do not work on this day.  They should be excused from any school function.


Shrine of Bahá'u'lláh, Akko, Israel

Bahá'u'lláh is the founder of the Baha’i faith.  He was born on November 12, 1817 in Tehran, Persia (now Iran).  His given name was Mírzá Husayn-`Alí, and he was the son of a very wealthy and powerful Persian nobleman.

When Mírzá Husayn-`Alí was 25, he rejected the wealth and power of his father’s vast estate and began to follow the teachings of the Bab, who announced the coming of the Promised One. As the Bab and his followers – the Babis -- were suppressed, Mírzá Husayn-`Alí too – despite the influence and power of his father -- was arrested and tortured.

Mírzá Husayn-`Alí was banished from Tehran and went to Baghdad. There in 1863 it became known that Mírzá Husayn-`Alí was in fact the Promised One, the Bahá'u'lláh. As Baghdad became a center of Babi pilgrims, internal divisions erupted among the followers as pilgrims increasingly recognized  Bahá'u'lláh as the Promised One instead of other leaders of the Babis.



 Kitáb-i-Íqán or Book of Certitude

Bahá'u'lláh, seeking to avoid divisions among the Babis, left Baghdad for Sulaymaniyah, Kurdistan. Later, as more and more followers – although he tried to keep it secret --recognized him as the Promised One, Bahá'u'lláh returned to Baghdad. Once back in Baghdad, Bahá'u'lláh had the revelations which were the source of his two great works: Kitáb-i-Íqán (Book of Certitude) and  Kalimát-i-Maknúnih (Hidden Words). Baha’i’s consider both books to be sacred.

After seven years in Baghdad, the growth of the Babis under Bahá'u'lláh was perceived by the Baghdad clergy as a threat to Islam. In response, the Ottomon Empire which controlled Baghdad at the time, exiled Bahá'u'lláh to Constantinople (present-day Istanbul), which was the capital of the Ottomon Empire.



Garden of Ridvan, Baghdad

Before leaving Baghdad, on April 22, 1863, Bahá'u'lláh went to the Garden of Ridvan where he made his official proclamation that he was in fact the Promised One and the Messenger of the One True God.  As a result, April 22 is another Baha’i holiday and the Garden of Ridvan is a Baha’i pilgrimage site.  Bahá'u'lláh spent 12 days in the Garden of Ridvan where he wrote down the Book of Certitude.

Exiled to Constantinople, the Sultan and the Ottomon Court openly persecuted Bahá'u'lláh’s followers.  In response, Bahá'u'lláh wrote the Tablet to the Sultan.  No one knows exactly what the tablet said, but Baha’i's teach that when the Sultan’s Vizier read it, he turned deathly pale and made comments acknowledging Bahá'u'lláh as a holy man.  Regardless, the result of the Tablet to the Sultan was the exile of Bahá'u'lláh to Adrianople (in modern Edirne province in Turkey).  Bahá'u'lláh taught there for over four years.  It was during this time that his followers officially took the name Baha’i's. From Adrianople, Bahá'u'lláh wrote of his teachings, the beginning of the New Age and his position as the Promised One to the leaders of the world, including England’s Queen Victoria, Germany’s Kaiser Wilhelm I, Austria-Hungary’s Emperor Franz Josef, Russia’s Czar Alexander II and Pope Pius IX.  In these letters he famously proclaimed:

"Regard the world as the human body which, though at its creation whole and perfect, hath been afflicted, through various causes, with grave disorders and maladies... its sickness waxed more severe, as it fell under the treatment of ignorant physicians, who gave full rein to their own desires..."

To read more on the Bahá'u'lláh's letters to the world's leaders, see http://www.bci.org/prophecy-fulfilled/pk14.htm

These letters were not well received by the Ottomon Empire, and again the Baha’is were persecuted.   Bahá'u'lláh survived an attempt to poison him, but this left him with a palsy for the rest of his life.
Finally, on August 31, 1868, Bahá'u'lláh was exiled to Acre in Ottomon-ruled Palestine (now Akko, Israel) where he was imprisoned in solitary confinement in the Fortress of Joan of Arc.  While upset with his
isolation, Bahá'u'lláh believed that, as with Judaism and Christianity, Palestine was the Holy Land, as do all Baha’i's today.  In Acre, Bahá'u'lláh wrote the primary sacred text of the faith: the


 Kitab-i-Aqdas

Kitab-i-Aqdas (the Most Holy Book).  In this Baha’i sacred work are laid out the principles of faith and organization of the religion.  An English translation is available online at
http://www.ishwar.com/bahai/holy_kitab_i_aqdas/



Shrine of the Bab, Haifa, Israel

By 1873, Bahá'u'lláh was given more freedom of travel and released from the prison – though technically still an Ottomon prisoner. Bahá'u'lláh was allowed to visit the grave of the Bab at Mt. Carmel in Haifa (a site he visited four time. Today the Shrine of the Bab is a central Baha'i pilgrimage site.  

Mansion of Bahji, Akko, Israel

In 1879,  Bahá'u'lláh was allowed to take up residence at the Mansion of Bahjí in Acre (now Akko, Israel).  It was at the Mansion of Bahjí where Bahá'u'lláh lived out his final days. He died of a fever on May 29, 1892. 

As always, I welcome your thoughts and corrections.  

Happy Bahá'u'lláh’s Birthday!


Want to know more? For more information,  please look at the following websites:

http://www.bahai.org/article-1-2-0-6.html
http://www-personal.umich.edu/~jrcole/bahabio.htm
http://www.bahaullah.com/index.html
http://info.bahai.org/bahaullah-teachings.html

Photographs of the Baha'i holy cites are taken from teh Baha'i World Centre website at
https://bahai.bwc.org/pilgrimage/index.asp