There is no paradise more wondrous for any soul than to be exposed to God’s Manifestation in His Day, to hear His verses and believe in them, to attain His presence, which is naught but the presence of God, to sail upon the sea of the heavenly kingdom of His good-pleasure, and to partake of the choice fruits of the paradise of His divine Oneness.
~ The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 77
Today is a Baha’i holiday commemorating the day in which the Báb was executed for his beliefs. It always reminds me of one of his young followers, known as Anís, who threw himself at the feet of the Báb and begged to be killed alongside him the night before his execution. Consequently, Anís was arrested, jailed and sent to the firing squad alongside the Báb. This story always makes me wonder if I would have such faith.
On the evening of May 23, 1844, the Báb, which means “gate” in Arabic, declared himself to be one of the manifestations of God. He revealed this to Mullá Husayn, who became his first follower and thus founded Babísm. Baha’u’llah, the founder and spiritual leader of the Baha’i Faith fulfilled the prophecies set forth in Babísm. The Báb is considered, along with Abdu’l-Baha and Baha’u’llah, to be one of the three central figures of the Baha’i Faith. Baha’is celebrate this day as a commemoration and remembrance of the good news that led the way to the formation of the Baha’i Faith.
How wondrous is the unity of the Living, the Ever-Abiding God — a unity which is exalted above all limitations, that transcendeth the comprehension of all created things! He hath, from everlasting, dwelt in His inaccessible habitation of holiness and glory, and will unto everlasting continue to be enthroned upon the heights of His independent sovereignty and grandeur.
~ Baha’u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u'llah, p. 261
Today is the Feast of Azamat, which means grandeur in Arabic. I like this month because it reminds us to reflect on how perfect, how immeasurable and how grand is the glory of God.
Give me to drink of the river that is life indeed, whose waters have streamed forth from the Paradise (Ridvan) in which the throne of Thy Name, the All-Merciful, was established, that mine eyes may be opened, and my face be illumined, and my heart be assured, and my soul be enlightened, and my steps be made firm.
~ Baha’u'llah, Baha’i Prayer
In this, the last day of Ridvan, we commemorate when Baha’u’llah left the garden as a prophet of God and his true work began. He had already been a spiritual leader and a follower of the The Báb, but it was during his time waiting in the Garden of Ridvan outside of Baghdad before leaving for Constantinople that his days as a manifestation, as the “Him Whom God shall make manifest” began. Although it was on the first day that his proclamation began, I find the 12th day to be just as spiritually uplifting because it celebrates when Baha’u’llah left the garden to spread forth God’s message.
At two hours before sunset today will begin the 12-day Festival of Ridvan. This is a time commemorating the 12 days in 1863 that Baha’u’llah revealed that he ws a manifestation of God and the Baha’i Faith began.
Verily, all created things were immersed in the sea of purification when, on that first day of Ridvan, We shed upon the whole of creation the splendours of Our most excellent Names and Our most exalted Attributes.
~ Baha’u'llah, The Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 47
On this day (along with the 9th and 12th days of Ridvan), Baha’is will abstain from work and school and celebrate through community gatherings, prayers, and in some places, the election of the Local Spiritual Assembly—the local administrative council.