Holy days

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]

Holy Days
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]

Historical dates, as celebrated in the west before March 21, 2015
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]

  1. ↑ 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. ↑ 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. ↑ 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.
  4. ↑ Walbridge, John (2003-10-02). "Ridvan". Retrieved 2006-09-23.
  5. ↑ Momen, Moojan (2014). The Badí` (Bahá'í) Calendar: An Introduction.
  6. ↑ 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]

External links[edit]


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