Bahá'í
The Baha'i Faith was preceded in Iran in 1844 by
The Bab ("The Gate") who prophesized about a messager of God.
This was to be Baha'u'llah who was initially a follower of Bab.
He founded the Baha'i Faith based on the principle of world unity.
Baha'u'llah the major religions worshiped the same god, and that Jesus and
Mohammed (for example) were all messengers of God.
There are no clergy or formal ceremonies for the Baha'i.
The Baha'i calendar begins on the first day of spring, and consists of nineteen months of
nineteen days each, plus four or five intercalary days.
 Naw-Rúz, March 21. Celebrates the Baha'i New Year and the end of a month of fasting.
Birth of Bab, October 20.
Declaration of Báb, May 23. Anniversary of the declaration Bab made in 1844.
This was in the form of a letter to Baha'u'llah informing him of the new Revelation.
Martyrdom of Bab, July 9. Bab was martyred in Tabríz in 1850.
Birth of Baha'u'llah, November 12. Birthday in 1817 of the founder of the Baha'i faith.
Festival of Ridván, April 21 to May 2. "Paradise".
After being exiled from Persia, Baha'u'llah went to Baghdad where he unified the other
followers of Bab also in exile there.
When he was ordered to leave Baghdad, he gathered the followers in a garden which he
called "Paradise", and announced to them over a twelve day period the Revelation of Bab,
and his own identity as the Promised One.
It is at this point that the majority of the followers of Bab began to call themselves
Baha'i.
This twelve day period is celebrated every year as the
Festival of Ridván, and the first (April 21), ninth (April 29), and twelfth (May 2)
days are Holy Days.
Day of the Covenant, November 27. The convenent referred to is from Baha'u'llah's last will and testament.
Ascension of Baha'u'llah, May 29.
Ascension of 'Abdu'l-Baha, November 28. Anniversary of the death in 1921 of 'Abdu'l-Baha.
Nineteen Day Feast
The first day of each month is celebrated as the
Nineteen Day Feast.
It is observed with readings of the writings of Bab, Bahá'u'lláh, and 'Abdu'l-Bahá.
There is no set service, and whoever hosts the feast selects the writings to read.
The name and beginning date of each month is below.
Bahá, March 21. "Splendor".
Jalál, April 9. "Glory".
Jamál, April 28. "Beauty".
'Azamat, May 17. "Grandeur".
Núr, June 5. "Light".
Rahmat, June 24. "Mercy".
Kalimát, July 13. "Words".
Kamál, August 1. "Perfection".
Asmá', August 20. "Names".
'Izzat, September 8. "Might".
Mashíyyat, September 27. "Will".
'Ilm, October 16. "Knowledge".
Qudrat, November 4. "Power".
Qawl, November 23. "Speech".
Masá'il, December 12. "Questions".
Sharaf, December 31. "Honor".
Sultán, January 19. "Sovereignty".
Mulk, February 7. "Dominion".
'Alá', March 2. "Loftiness".
This begins the month of fasting from sunrise to sunset.
Exemption is given to youths under fifteen, those older than seventy, the ill, the travelling, and pregnent, breast-feeding or menstrating women.
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