Baha'i Holy Days in the coming week...

arthra

arthra

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For the first time, Baha’is will use a new calendar to celebrate the “Twin Birthdays” of their religion’s founders on two consecutive days. These are Baha’i holy days when work is suspended and the Baha’i community holds commemorative events.

The Birth of the Bab November 13 commemorates the 1819 birth in Shiraz, Persia, of Siyyid ‘Ali-Muhammad, who later took the title “the Bab,” meaning “the Gate.” The Bab was the herald who prepared the way for Baha’u’llah, the founder of the Baha'i Faith. He called on people to purify themselves for the coming day of God.

The Birth of Baha’u’llah on November 14 commemorates the 1817 birth of Baha’u’llah (born Mirza Husayn-‘Ali) in Núr, Persia. Baha’u’llah means the “Glory of God,” who announced in 1863 that he is God's messenger for this age. His teachings and sacred writings are the basis of the Baha'i Faith, an inclusive monotheistic faith that’s grown to more than five million believers in nearly every country and territory across the globe.

....

Up until now, Baha’is have observed certain holy days according to the solar calendar for communities in the West, and a lunar calendar for communities in the Middle East. This implied that some holy days would be celebrated on different dates, depending on where in the world a Baha’i lived. The Baha’i community is now implementing its new “Badi” calendar on a world-wide basis.
 
I decided to post a brief synopsis of the early of the Bab... Siyyid Ali Muhammad...

The following is an excerpt from "The Bab, The Herald of the Book of Days" by H.M. Balyuzi... While the approach of the author is historical it's also true that Balyuzi was a descendant of the family of the Bab .. an Afnan.


Siyyid (or Mirza) 'Ali-Muhammad, known to history as the Báb, was the son of Siyyid (or Mir) Muhammad-Rida, a mercer of Shiraz.(1) He was born on October 20th 1819 (Muharram 1st, 1235 A.H.). Through both His father and His mother He was descended from Imam Husayn,[1] the third Imam. Thus He stood in direct line of descent from the Prophet Muhammad.

According to Mirza Abu'l-Fadl-i-Gulpaygani, Siyyid Muhammad-Rida, the Báb's father, died when his only child was an infant, unweaned. Then the care of the child devolved upon a maternal uncle, Haji Mirza Siyyid 'Ali. He was the only relative of the Báb to espouse His Cause openly during His lifetime and, as will be seen, to accept martyrdom for His sake. But according to a manuscript history of the Bábí-Bahá'í Faith in Shiraz by Haji Mirza Habibu'llah-i-Afnan,[2] Siyyid Muhammad-Rida passed away when his son was nine years old, and 'Abdu'l-Bahá appears to confirm this account.[3]

[1 He was the son of Fatimih and 'Ali.]
[2 Haji Mirza Habibu'llah's father, Aqa Mirza-Aqa, was a nephew of the wife of the Báb, and his paternal grandfather, Aqa Mirza Zaynu'l-'Abidin, was a paternal cousin of the father of the Báb. (See Foreword for other details of the manuscript.)]
[3 Browne (ed.), A Traveller's Narrative, Vol. II, p. 2.]

Two of Siyyid Muhammad-Rida's paternal cousins rose to eminence in the ranks of the Shí'ah divines, and both bore allegiance, in strict secrecy, to their kinsman when His claim to be 'the Qá'im of the House of Muhammad' became publicly known. The father of Mirzay-i-Shirazi, named Mirza Mahmud, was a noted calligraphist, and was uncle to the father of the Báb.

The other celebrated ecclesiastic, cousin to Siyyid Muhammad-Rida, was Haji Siyyid Javad, the Imam-Jum'ih[1] of Kirman. It was Quddus who gave this dignitary the news of the advent of the Báb. Haji Siyyid Javad extended his protection to Quddus, despite the clamour of his adversaries.
[1 Literally, 'The Leader of Friday' -- the leading imam (he who leads the congregation in prayer) in a town or city.]

The mother of the Báb was Fatimih-Bagum. She was the daughter of Mirza Muhammad-Husayn, a merchant of Shiraz, and had three brothers. Of these, Haji Mirza Siyyid 'Ali became the guardian of the Báb, while Haji Mirza Siyyid Muhammad and Haji Mirza Hasan-'Ali, although not enlisted in the ranks of the followers of their illustrious Nephew, feature in His story.
 
We had observances for both Holy Days and coincidentally there were three Tablets revealed by Baha'u'llah that were translated and authorized for publication last July to be shared on the Holy Days... Both were prayers for the occasion... A very general introduction to the birth and early childhood of Baha'u'llah is online at


http://bahai-library.com/davidmerrick_holydays_birthofbaha

I've used this presentation in previous years to honour the Birthday of Baha'u'llah.
 
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