on thursday and friday we celebrated the Twin Birthdays of the Báb, forerunner of the Faith, and Bahá'u'lláh, founder of the Bahá'í Faith. this is what it says in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, the Most Holy Book:
"All Feasts have attained their consummation in the two Most Great Festivals, and in the two other Festivals that fall on the twin days -- the first of the Most Great Festivals being those days whereon the All-Merciful shed upon the whole of creation the effulgent glory of His most excellent Names and His most exalted Attributes, and the second being that day on which We raised up the One Who announced unto mankind the glad tidings of this Name, through which the dead have been resurrected and all who are in the heavens and on earth have been gathered together. Thus hath it been decreed by Him Who is the Ordainer, the Omniscient."
a note to the verse:
The "two other Festivals" are the anniversaries of the births of Bahá'u'lláh and the Báb. In the Muslim lunar calendar these fall on consecutive days, the birth of Bahá'u'lláh on the second day of the month of Muharram 1233 A.H. (12 November 1817), and the birth of the Báb on the first day of the same month 1235 A.H. (20 October 1819), respectively. They are thus referred to as the "Twin Birthdays" and Bahá'u'lláh states that these two days are accounted as one in the sight of God . He states that, should they fall within the month of fasting, the command to fast shall not apply on those days. Given that the Bahá'í calendar is a solar calendar, it remains for the Universal House of Justice to determine whether the Twin Holy Birthdays are to be celebrated on a solar or lunar basis.
since some of the Holy Days here are celebrated according to the lunar calendar, first and second of muharram switch around, and this year they occured on 11th and 12th of january. (what's funny is that "next year's" will be on the 29th and 30th of december :))
the first of these, the birth of the Báb, was celebrated in Haifa. pilgrims, visitors and staff were gathered inside the Seat of the Universal House of Justice, and prayers and readings were said, as well as two performances by the choir. after the Tablets of Visitation were read, we circumambulated the Shrine and then it was open for people to go pray, meditate and later on socialize.
on friday we all headed out to Bahji, for the celebration of the birth of Bahá'u'lláh. it was cold, but a very beautiful surrounding and atmosphere:
after prayers, Tablet of Visitation and circumambulation, everyone went inside for some socializing and thawing up. the visitor's centre was absolutely filled with people, and it was amazing to see everyone so happy and joyful.
afterwards we went to a couple of friends' place for a nice dinner and socializing - watching some simpsons and stuff. it was a really good time, great food and I think everyone enjoyed it. the album is here. I decided to take lots of pictures of myself with friends this time around, although I wish I could've gotten a shot of the Shrine of the Báb at night, as it was on full light. next time!
and what about my birthday being on thursday? lunar calendar! I'm born on the first of muharram :)
it's actually my brother's birthday too, as he's born 2 years before me with a 22 day difference. the lunar calendar and the solar differ by about 11 days per year, so we're actually born on the same day... :)
"All Feasts have attained their consummation in the two Most Great Festivals, and in the two other Festivals that fall on the twin days -- the first of the Most Great Festivals being those days whereon the All-Merciful shed upon the whole of creation the effulgent glory of His most excellent Names and His most exalted Attributes, and the second being that day on which We raised up the One Who announced unto mankind the glad tidings of this Name, through which the dead have been resurrected and all who are in the heavens and on earth have been gathered together. Thus hath it been decreed by Him Who is the Ordainer, the Omniscient."
a note to the verse:
The "two other Festivals" are the anniversaries of the births of Bahá'u'lláh and the Báb. In the Muslim lunar calendar these fall on consecutive days, the birth of Bahá'u'lláh on the second day of the month of Muharram 1233 A.H. (12 November 1817), and the birth of the Báb on the first day of the same month 1235 A.H. (20 October 1819), respectively. They are thus referred to as the "Twin Birthdays" and Bahá'u'lláh states that these two days are accounted as one in the sight of God . He states that, should they fall within the month of fasting, the command to fast shall not apply on those days. Given that the Bahá'í calendar is a solar calendar, it remains for the Universal House of Justice to determine whether the Twin Holy Birthdays are to be celebrated on a solar or lunar basis.
since some of the Holy Days here are celebrated according to the lunar calendar, first and second of muharram switch around, and this year they occured on 11th and 12th of january. (what's funny is that "next year's" will be on the 29th and 30th of december :))
the first of these, the birth of the Báb, was celebrated in Haifa. pilgrims, visitors and staff were gathered inside the Seat of the Universal House of Justice, and prayers and readings were said, as well as two performances by the choir. after the Tablets of Visitation were read, we circumambulated the Shrine and then it was open for people to go pray, meditate and later on socialize.
on friday we all headed out to Bahji, for the celebration of the birth of Bahá'u'lláh. it was cold, but a very beautiful surrounding and atmosphere:
after prayers, Tablet of Visitation and circumambulation, everyone went inside for some socializing and thawing up. the visitor's centre was absolutely filled with people, and it was amazing to see everyone so happy and joyful.
afterwards we went to a couple of friends' place for a nice dinner and socializing - watching some simpsons and stuff. it was a really good time, great food and I think everyone enjoyed it. the album is here. I decided to take lots of pictures of myself with friends this time around, although I wish I could've gotten a shot of the Shrine of the Báb at night, as it was on full light. next time!
and what about my birthday being on thursday? lunar calendar! I'm born on the first of muharram :)
it's actually my brother's birthday too, as he's born 2 years before me with a 22 day difference. the lunar calendar and the solar differ by about 11 days per year, so we're actually born on the same day... :)
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