Birth of Baháʼu'lláh

The Birth of Baháʼu'lláh is one of nine holy days in the Baháʼí calendar that is celebrated by adherents of the Baháʼí Faith and during which work is suspended.[1][2] The holy day celebrates the birth of Baháʼu'lláh, the founder of the Baháʼí Faith. The 2023 date is October 17.[3]

Birth of Baháʼu'lláh
The Shrine of Baháʼu'lláh, Bahjí, Israel
Observed byFollowers of the Baháʼí Faith
TypeBaháʼí
DateSecond day after the eighth new moon following Baháʼí Naw-Rúz
2023 dateOctober 17
Related toTwin Holy Birthdays

Bahá'u'lláh was born on 12 November 1817 in Tehran, Iran,[4] and this holy day was instituted in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, his book of laws, where Baháʼu'lláh first refers to four great festivals: the Festival of Ridván, the Declaration of the Báb, the birth of the Báb—who is considered to be a Manifestation of God, and who foretold the coming of Baháʼu'lláh—and the birth of Baháʼu'lláh.[5] In questions submitted to Baháʼu'lláh after writing the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, Baháʼu'lláh states that the two days commemorating the births of the Báb and Baháʼu'lláh are seen to be one in the "sight of God" and are referred to as the "Twin Birthdays".[6][7]

ʻAbdu'l-Bahá, the son of Baháʼu'lláh, stated that during the holy day the community should rejoice together to increase the unity of the community.[8] Baháʼís usually observe the holy day with community gatherings where prayers are shared and the birth of Baháʼu'lláh is celebrated. Baháʼu'lláh stated that in communities where the majority of the population are Shiʻa Muslims, such as Iran, his followers should exercise caution in celebrating the twin birthdays so that they do not upset the majority of the population who are mourning during the Islamic month of Muharram.[9]

In the Islamic calendar, which is a lunar calendar, the two holy days fall on consecutive days: the birth of the Báb is on the first day of Muharram in 1235 AH (20 October 1819), and the birth of Baháʼu'lláh is on the second day of Muharram in 1233 AH (12 November 1817).[7][9] Baháʼu'lláh stated that if the holy days occur during the Baháʼí month of fasting, Baháʼís need not observe the fast those days.[7]

Since the Baháʼí calendar is a solar calendar, the decision to celebrate the Twin Holy Birthdays in a solar or lunar basis remains to the Universal House of Justice.[7] Until March 20, 2015, in most of the world, the holy day was celebrated according to the solar year on 12 November, and the birth of the Báb was celebrated on 20 October.[2] Since days in the Baháʼí calendar start at sunset, the holy day started on the evening of 11 November and proceeded until sunset on 12 November.

However, in 2014, the Universal House of Justice decided to celebrate the twin holy days on the first and second day following the eighth new moon after Naw-Rúz, starting from March 20, 2015 onwards.[10] Thus from March 20, 2015 onward the day where the Birth of Baháʼu'lláh is celebrated will change from year to year.

References
  1. Smith, Peter (2000). "holy days". A concise encyclopedia of the Baháʼí Faith. Oxford: Oneworld Publications. pp. 182–183. ISBN 1-85168-184-1.
  2. Esslemont, J.E. (1980). Baháʼu'lláh and the New Era (5th ed.). Wilmette, Illinois, USA: Baháʼí Publishing Trust. pp. 182–183. ISBN 0-87743-160-4.
  3. "Baha'i Holy Days".
  4. Nigosian, Solomon A. (1994). "Chapter 15". World Faiths. New York: St. Martin's Press. pp. 459–470.
  5. Baháʼu'lláh (1992) [1873]. The Kitáb-i-Aqdas: The Most Holy Book. Wilmette, Illinois, USA: Baháʼí Publishing Trust. p. 59. ISBN 0-85398-999-0.
  6. Baháʼu'lláh (1992) [1873]. The Kitáb-i-Aqdas: The Most Holy Book. Wilmette, Illinois, USA: Baháʼí Publishing Trust. p. 105. ISBN 0-85398-999-0.
  7. Universal House of Justice (1992). "Notes". The Kitáb-i-Aqdas: The Most Holy Book. Wilmette, Illinois, USA: Baháʼí Publishing Trust. pp. 224–225. ISBN 0-85398-999-0.
  8. National Spiritual Assembly of the Baháʼís of the United States. Developing Distinctive Baháʼí Communities.
  9. Taherzadeh, Adib (1987). The Revelation of Baháʼu'lláh, Volume 4: Mazra'ih & Bahji 1877–92. Oxford, UK: George Ronald. pp. 334–5. ISBN 0-85398-270-8.
  10. The Universal House of Justice (2014-07-10). "To the Baháʼís of the World". Retrieved 2014-07-10.

Further reading
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