The Bahá'í Faith has eleven holy days, which are important anniversaries in the history of the religion. On nine of these holy days, work is suspended.[1] There is no fixed format for any of the holy days, and Bahá’í communities organize their own commemorative meetings.[2]
All but two of the holy days are scheduled annually on fixed dates in the Badí‘ Calendar. The Twin Holy Birthdays are scheduled annually according to a lunar calculation.[3]
Besides the eleven holy days, Bahá'ís also celebrate Ayyám-i-Há, a period of several extra days in the calendar (followed by the Nineteen Day Fast).
Table of dates[edit]
| Name[2] | Date on the Badí‘ Calendar | Number of Days after Naw-Rúz | Usual date on the Gregorian Calendar Naw-Rúz 20 March/Naw-Rúz 21 March |
Special time of celebration or commemoration[2] | Work Suspended[2] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Naw-Rúz (Bahá'í New Year) | 1 Bahá | March 20/21 | - | Yes | |
| First day of Riḍván | 13 Jalál | 31 | April 20/21 | 3 p.m. (Standard Time) | Yes |
| Ninth day of Riḍván | 2 Jamál | 39 | April 28/29 | - | Yes |
| Twelfth day of Riḍván | 5 Jamál | 42 | May 1/2 | - | Yes |
| Declaration of the Báb | 8 ‘Aẓamat | 64 | May 23/24 | 2 hours after sunset on preceding day | Yes |
| Ascension of Bahá’u’lláh | 13 ‘Aẓamat | 69 | May 28/29 | 3 a.m. (Standard Time) | Yes |
| Martyrdom of the Báb | 17 Raḥmat | 111 | July 9/10 | 12 noon | Yes |
| Birth of the Báb | First of the Twin Holy Birthdays; celebrated on the first day after the eighth new moon following Naw-Rúz (October 22 for 2025)[3] | - | Yes | ||
| Birth of Bahá'u'lláh | Second of the Twin Holy Birthdays; celebrated on the second day after the eighth new moon following Naw-Rúz (October 23 for 2025)[3] | - | Yes | ||
| Day of the Covenant | 4 Qawl | 250 | November 25/26 | - | No |
| Ascension of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá | 6 Qawl | 252 | November 27/28 | 1 a.m. (Standard Time) | No |
Historical dates[edit]
| Name[2] | Gregorian Dates[2] |
|---|---|
| Naw-Rúz (Bahá'í New Year) | March 21 |
| First day of Riḍván | April 21 |
| Ninth day of Riḍván | April 29 |
| Twelfth day of Riḍván | May 2 |
| Declaration of the Báb | May 24 |
| Ascension of Bahá'u'lláh | May 29 |
| Martyrdom of the Báb | July 9 |
| Birth of the Báb | October 20 |
| Birth of Bahá'u'lláh | November 12 |
| Day of the Covenant | November 26 |
| Ascension of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá | November 28 |
Holy days[edit]
General holy days[edit]
Naw-Rúz[edit]
Annually on Bahá 1. See Naw-Rúz
Holy days associated with the Báb[edit]
The Birth of the Báb[edit]
Annually in October or November. The The Báb was born two years after Bahá'u'lláh, on the first of the Twin Holy Birthdays.
Declaration of the Báb[edit]
Annually on ‘Aẓamat 8. See Declaration of the Bab to Mullá Husayn
Martyrdom of the Báb[edit]
Annually on Raḥmat 17. See Martyrdom of the Báb
Holy days associated with Bahá'u'lláh[edit]
The Birth of Baha'u'llah[edit]
Annually in October or November. Bahá'u'lláh was born on the second of the Twin Holy Birthdays. See also: Birth of Baha'u'llah.
Festival of Ridván[edit]
The Festival of Ridván, a twelve-day festival that commemorates Bahá'u'lláh's announcement to be the Manifestation of God, is the most holy Bahá'í festival to which Bahá'u'lláh referred as the "Most Great Festival."[4] The first, ninth and twelfth days of the festival are celebrated as holy days.
Annually on Jalál 13, Jamál 2 and Jamál 5.
See Festival of Ridván.
Ascension of Bahá'u'lláh[edit]
Annually on ‘Aẓamat 13.
Holy days associated with ‘Abdu’l-Bahá[edit]
On these two holy days, the suspension of work is not required.
Day of the Covenant[edit]
Annually on Qawl 4. See Day of the Covenant
Ascension of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá[edit]
Annually on Qawl 6. See Ascension of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
Twin Holy Birthdays[edit]
The Twin Holy Birthdays of the Báb and Bahá'u'lláh are celebrated on the first and second day following the eighth new moon after Naw-Rúz.[3][5] (In the Islamic lunar calendar, the births of the Báb and Bahá'u'lláh fell on consecutive days - the first and second day of Muharram, respectively, two years apart.[2][6])
See Twin Holy Birthdays and Birth of Baha'u'llah.
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ↑ National Spiritual Assembly of the United States (2006-03-05). "The Badi Calendar" (PDF). bahai.us. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 September 2006. Retrieved 2006-09-23.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Smith, Peter (2000). "holy days". A concise encyclopedia of the Bahá'í Faith. Oxford: Oneworld Publications. pp. 182–183. ISBN 1851681841. https://books.google.com/books?id=pYfrAQAAQBAJ.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 The Universal House of Justice (2014-07-10). "To the Bahá'ís of the World". Retrieved 2014-07-10.
- ↑ Walbridge, John (2003-10-02). "Ridvan". Retrieved 2006-09-23.
- ↑ Momen, Moojan (2014). The Badí` (Bahá'í) Calendar: An Introduction.
- ↑ Taherzadeh, Adib (1987). The Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh, Volume 4: Mazra'ih & Bahji 1877-92. Oxford, UK: George Ronald. p. 334. ISBN 0-85398-270-8.
Further reading[edit]
- Bahá'í World Centre (2017). Days of Remembrance - Selections from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh for Bahá’í Holy Days.
External links[edit]
- Bahá'í Calendar, Bahá'í Events and Holy Days (types: Persian, Islamic, Gregorian)
- Feasts & Holy Days (dynamic display of Holy Days, adjusted by year for your position - correct before and after 2015)
