Chronological glossary

This is a glossary of chronological terms related to the Bahá'í Faith.

A

Age

One of three time periods in the development of the Bahá'í religion. See Heroic Age, Formative Age, and Golden Age.

‘Alá’

AR: علاء, loftiness.

The nineteenth month of the Bahá’í calendar; the month of fasting.

Apocalypse

A revelation or uncovering of that which was previously unknown; also commonly used to refer to a future eschatological event involving great destruction and upheaval, and possibly annihilation (ex.: the genre of post-apocalyptic fiction). The latter usage derives from the apocalyptic writings as seen in the Bible, which were generally claimed to be recorded visions revealing future events. Bahá’ís see these writings as largely symbolic in nature. See End of the world, Day of Judgment.

Apostolic Age

See Heroic Age.

Aries

The first sign of the Western zodiac. According to the tropical system of astrology, the Sun enters the sign of Aries when it reaches the northern vernal equinox.

Ascension

Death; the passing of a soul from the material into the spiritual worlds, i.e. the Abhá Kingdom.

Ascension of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá

A holy day that commemorates the death of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, observed at 1:00 AM on 6 Qawl.

Ascension of Bahá'u'lláh

A holy day that commemorates the death of Bahá’u’lláh, observed at 3:00 AM on 12 ‘Aẓamat.

Asmá’

AR: اسماء, names.

The ninth month of the Bahá’í calendar.

Ayyám-i-Há

AR: ايام الهاء, days of Há.

A period of four or five intercalary days, i.e. days which are added to the Bahá’í calendar between the 18th and 19th months. These days are celebrated by Bahá'ís as a Festival marked by charity, hospitality and rejoicing. See also Intercalation.

‘Aẓamat

AR: عظمة, grandeur.

The fourth month of the Bahá’í calendar. From the

B

Badi calendar

A solar calendar conceived by the Báb, consisting of 19 months of 19 days, separated by a period of intercalary days. The basis of the Bahá’í calendar.

Bahá’

AR: أبهى, glory, splendour.

The first month of the Bahá’í calendar.

Bahá’í calendar

The calendar used in the Bahá'í Faith. See Badi calendar.

Bahá’í Era

Birth of Bahá'u'lláh

Birth of the Báb

C

Calamity

A future catastrophic event predicted by Bahá’u’lláh to take place before the adoption of the Lesser Peace; a sudden, unforeseen, shared ordeal experienced worldwide which would "cause the limbs of mankind to quake". Contrary to the apocalyptic eschatological beliefs present in other religions, the purpose of this calamity is not to annihilate humanity, but to chasten and prepare it to shoulder the collective responsibilities of world peace and order.

Campaign

1. A co-ordinated effort to accomplish a particular purpose, e.g. a teaching campaign during which collective teaching takes place, or a prayer campaign during which prayers are said in support of some goal.

Conference

Any gathering in which people come together to "confer", or discuss/consult on something. For example, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá referred to the deliberations of a Spiritual Assembly as a kind of conference. Most commonly, a "conference" refers to a large, purposeful gathering called and supported by Bahá’í institutions, such as the Intercontinental Conferences, the 41 Regional Conferences, or the 114 Youth Conferences.

Consolidation phase

One phase of a single cycle of a programme of growth, generally lasting from one to two months, during which collaborators nurture connections with new people encountered during the preceding expansion phase. Prayer, study and deepening activities are common during this time, as is participation in courses of the training institute.

Convention

A meeting at which Bahá'ís or their delegates come together with the purposes of electing a Bahá'í institution and discussing the affairs of the community. See also International convention, National convention, Unit convention.

Covenant

Cycle

A unit of time comprising the Dispensations of numerous consecutive Manifestations of God. ex.: The Adamic cycle, the Bahá’í cycle.

Cycle of growth

A period of time, often lasting a few months, during which the activities of a programme of growth are carried out. These cycles are generally subdivided into phases for expansion, consolidation, and reflection and planning.

D

Dawn-Breakers, The

A historical account of the early Bábí and Bahá'í Faiths written by Nabíl-i-A`zam.

Day of Judgment

An eschatological event expected by the followers of many religions, during which the souls of all mankind, past and present, will be judged according to their doings. While sinful souls are condemned to perish, faithful souls will be resurrected and given eternal life. Many descriptions of the Day of Judgment involve physical upheaval; for instance, the Bible describes a "lake of fire" into which sinners will be cast; the Qur'an describes the dislocation and rearrangment of the universe. Bahá’ís do not see the Day of Judgment as involving a literal collapse or physical annihilation, nor necessarily as a single event in time; rather, it is seen as a symbolic process during which mankind is judged based on their acceptance of the Manifestation of God. Also Judgment Day, Last Judgment, Final Judgment, Day of Resurrection.

Day of the Covenant

A Bahá’í holy day celebrating the appointment of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá as the Centre of Bahá’u’lláh's Covenant with His followers.

Day-year principle

A method of interpreting Bible prophecy, in which the word day in prophecy is considered to be symbolic of a year of actual time. ‘Abdu'l-Bahá uses this principle to demonstrate that the advents of the Báb and Bahá'u'lláh are foretold in the Bible.

Declaration

1. An individual's expression of belief in Bahá’u’lláh and in His teachings. Individual declarations are sometimes recorded on declaration cards.

2. The announcement by a Manifestation of God of His own divine mission. See Declaration of the Báb, Riḍván.

Declaration of the Báb

The Báb's declaration of His mission as a Manifestation of God to Mullá Husayn on the evening of May 23, 1844. This event marks the beginning of the Bahá'í Era.

Dispensation

The period of time during which the laws and teachings of a Manifestation of God have spiritual authority.

Divine Plan

The process of the spread of the Bahá’í Faith and the establishment of its administrative institutions throughout the world, set in motion by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá's Tablets of the Divine Plan.

E

Election

An event at which ballots are cast to determine those people who will be called to serve on the elected institutions of the Bahá'í Faith, including Spiritual Assemblies and the Universal House of Justice.

End of the world

A future eschatological event expected by many religions, marking the final conclusion of human existence on Earth and the end of history. In the Baháʼí Faith, creation has neither a beginning nor an end; Baháʼís regard the "end of the world" described in other religions as symbolic. Compare also apocalypse, an often conflated term which has a different meaning; see also Day of Judgment.

Entry by troops

The phenomenon of large numbers of people in a specific region becoming Bahá’ís, e.g., entire families or villages at a time. Anticipated in the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, it is viewed as a gradual process which will accelerate as social decline increases. The Universal House of Justice has stated that entry by troops is currently taking place in localities throughout the world, serving as a prelude to the eventual mass conversion of the majority of the world to the Bahá’í Faith. See also Mass conversion.

Equinox

The moment when the apparent ecliptic longitude of the Sun is either 0° or 180°, meaning that the north and south hemispheres of the Earth are equally illumined.

Epoch

Major units of time used to mark the unfoldment of the Divine Plan and the Formative Age.

Expansion phase

One phase of a single cycle of a programme of growth, generally lasting around two weeks, during which collaborators make every effort to reach out to new people and enlarge the network of people involved in community activities.

F

Feast

See Nineteen Day Feast.

Fiḍál

AR: فضال, grace.

The fourth day of the week in the Bahá’í calendar, corresponding to Tuesday.

First day of Ridván

The first day of the Riḍván Festival, which commemorates the day on which Bahá’u’lláh entered the Garden of Riḍván. Work is to be suspended on this day. See Riḍván, Holy day.

Five Year Plans

A series of plans that took place from 2001 until 2021 under the leadership of the Universal House of Justice.

Formative Age

The present period of the Bahá'í dispensation, which began with the passing of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in 1921 and will last until the establishment of the Golden Age at some point in the future.

G

God Passes By

A historical summary of the first century of the Bahá’í Faith, from 1844 to 1944, written by Shoghi Effendi.

Golden Age

The period of the Bahá'í dispensation during which the world civilization which will be the fruit of Bahá'u'lláh's revelation will flower, during which the Most Great Peace will be proclaimed, and a Bahá'í world commonwealth will be established.

H

Hajj

AR: حَجّ.

The Muslim rite of pilgrimage, which is performed during the month of Dhū al-Ḥijjah, the twelfth month of the Islamic calendar.

Heroic Age

The period of the Bahá'í dispensation between the Declaration of the Báb in 1844 until the Ascension of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in 1921, spanning the Ministries of the Báb (1844-53), Bahá'u'lláh (1852-92), and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá (1892-1921).

Hijri calendar

The lunar calendar used in Islám, using the Hijrah (which took place in the Julian year 622) as a base year. See also Hijrah.

Hijrah

AR: الهجرة, "migration".

The journey taken by the Prophet Muḥammad from Mecca to Medina in the Julian year 622. This event marks the beginning of the Islamic Hijri calendar.

Holy day

I

‘Idál

AR: عدال, justice.

The fifth day of the week in the Bahá’í calendar, corresponding to Wednesday.

‘Ilm

AR: علم, knowledge.

The twelfth month of the Bahá’í calendar.

Intercalary days

1. Days which are inserted into a calendar. See Intercalation.

2. See Ayyám-i-Há.

Intercalation

The insertion of a day, or other period of time, into a calendar. See Ayyám-i-Há.

Istijlál

AR: استجلال, majesty.

The sixth day of the week in the Bahá’í calendar, corresponding to Thursday.

Istiqlál

AR: استقلال, independence.

The seventh day of the week in the Bahá’í calendar, corresponding to Friday.

‘Izzat

AR: عزة, might.

The tenth month of the Bahá’í calendar.

J

Jalál

AR: جلال, glory.

1. The second month of the Bahá’í calendar.

2. The first day of the Bahá'í week, corresponding to Saturday.

Jamál

AR: جمال, beauty.

1. The third month of the Bahá’í calendar.

2. The second day of the Bahá'í week, corresponding to Sunday.

K

Kalimát

AR: كلمات, words.

The eighth month of the Bahá’í calendar.

Kamál

AR: كمال, perfection.

1. The ninth month of the Bahá’í calendar.

2. The third day of the Bahá'í week, corresponding to Monday.

Kull-i-Shay’

AR: كل شىء, all things.

The 361-year supercycle of the Bahá’í calendar, which consists of 19 Váḥids.

L

Lesser Peace

M

Martyrdom of the Báb

Masá’il

AR: مسائل, questions.

The fifteenth month of the Bahá’í calendar.

Mashíyyat

AR: مشية, will.

The eleventh month of the Bahá’í calendar.

Mass conversion

The anticipated conversion of a majority of the world to the Bahá’í Faith; an event alluded to by Bahá’u’lláh and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, linked to a future, world-embracing crisis. Shoghi Effendi explained that mass conversion would be the "direct result of a chain of events, momentous and possibly catastrophic in nature" which would "suddenly revolutionize the fortunes of the Faith, derange the equilibrium of the world, and reinforce a thousandfold the numerical strength as well as the material power and the spiritual authority of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh". See also Entry by troops.

Ministry

The period of tenure of one of the Central Figures of the Bahá'í Faith, i.e. the time during which a particular Figure served as Head of the Faith.

Most Great Peace

Muḥarram

AR: مُحَرَّم, forbidden.

The first month of the Islamic calendar. Muḥarram is a sacred month, during which battle and all kinds of fighting are forbidden (ḥarām). The Báb and Bahá'u'lláh were born on the first and second days of Muḥarram, respectively.

Mulk

AR: ملك, dominion.

The eighteenth month of the Bahá’í calendar.

N

Naw-Rúz

FA: نوروز, new day.

The new year of the Bahá’í calendar, falling on the day of the spring equinox, i.e. the day on which the sun enters the constellation of Aries as viewed from Tehran.

Nineteen Day Feast

Regular community gatherings, occurring nineteen days apart on the first day of each month of the Bahá’í calendar, and consisting of devotional, administrative, and social parts.

Ninth day of Ridván

The ninth day of the Riḍván Festival, which commemorates the day on which the family of Bahá’u’lláh joined Him in the Garden of Riḍván. Work is to be suspended on this day. See Riḍván, Holy day.

Núr

AR: نور, light.

The fifth month of the Bahá’í calendar.

O

Occultation

A period of time during which (according to Twelver Shi‘a and other Islamic schools) the Mahdí was concealed from humanity. According to Twelver Shi‘a doctrine, this period began with the death of the eleventh Imám and disappearance of the twelfth Imám in 260 AH (873-4 CE) and would continue until the Last Days, at which point the Mahdí would return to lead the faithful, establish peace, and restore the original ideals of Islám. The Báb fulfilled the role of the Mahdí and thus, Bahá’ís see the period of occultation as having closed once the Báb declared His mission.

P

Plan

See Divine Plan.

Progressive revelation

Prophecy

Prophet

Q

Qawl

AR: قول, speech.

The fourteenth month of the Bahá’í calendar.

Qudrat

AR: قدرة, power.

The thirteenth month of the Bahá’í calendar.

R

Raḥmat

AR: رحمة, mercy.

The sixth month of the Bahá’í calendar.

Ramadan

Riḍván

AR: رضوان ( pronunciation), paradise.

The most holy Bahá’í festival, known as the "Most Great Festival" or the "King of Festivals", marking the 1863 declaration of Bahá’u’lláh in the Garden of Riḍván in Baghdad. The festival lasts for twelve days, with the first, ninth and twelfth days set aside as holy days. See First Day of Riḍván, Ninth Day of Riḍván, Twelfth Day of Riḍván.

Shoghi Effendi fixed the First Day of Riḍván as the day for the election of Local Spiritual Assemblies, and in normal circumstances every National Spiritual Assembly and the Universal House of Justice are elected at National and International Conventions held during the festival.

S

Sharaf

AR: شرف, honour.

The sixteenth month of the Bahá’í calendar.

Sulṭán

AR: سلطان, sovereignty.

The seventeenth month of the Bahá’í calendar.

T

Teaching campaign

Tehran

The birthplace of Bahá'u'lláh and capital of Iran; the location to which the date of the vernal equinox is to be fixed for the purpose of determining the date of the celebration of Naw-Rúz.

Ten Year Crusade

Transitional Age

Twelfth day of Ridván

The twelfth day of the Riḍván Festival, which commemorates the day on which Bahá’u’lláh departed from the Garden of Riḍván on his journey to Constantinople. Work is to be suspended on this day. See Riḍván, Holy day.

Twin Holy Birthdays

The birthdays of the Báb and Bahá'u'lláh. Prior to 2015, these were celebrated on different dates: on the first and second days of Muḥarram in countries which use the Islamic calendar, and on October 20 and November 11, in the rest of the world. With the universal adoption of a harmonized calendar, the Twin Holy Birthdays are celebrated on "the first and the second day following the occurrence of the eighth new moon after Naw-Rúz"; the dates for each year's observance are calculated using astronomical tables.

U

Universal Cycle

See Cycle.

V

Váḥid

FA: واحد, unity.

The 19-year cycle of the Bahá’í calendar.

Vernal equinox

The point in time within a solar year, at which the apparent position of the sun crosses the Earth's equator in a northward direction. In the Bahá'í calendar, the northern vernal equinox is marked by the celebration of Naw-Rúz. See equinox.

Y

Year Nine

The year 9 BE, corresponding to AD 1852–3, during which Bahá'u'lláh received the first revelations of His station as a Manifestation of God while imprisoned in the Síyáh-Chál. The Báb indicated that this year would see the appearance of He Whom God shall make manifest.

References

Bibliography

• Balyuzi, Hasan M., Gail, Marzieh and Ayman, Iraj (1973). "Persian and Arabic names". The Báb. Oxford: George Ronald. pp. xiii–xiv.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: uses authors parameter (link)
• Marzieh Gail (1955). Bahá'í Glossary. United States: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, United States.
• Momen, Wendi (ed.). A Basic Baha'i Dictionary. George Ronald. ISBN 9780853982302.
• Nabíl-i-A`ẓam. "Glossary". The Dawn-Breakers. Translated by Shoghi Effendi. United States Baha'i Publishing Trust. ISBN 9780877430100.
• Winters, Jonah. "Short Glossary of Baha'i Terms". bahai-library.com. Retrieved 3 June 2025.