Category: Arlington Baha’i Activities
Arlington Baha’is to hold dynamic, tasty and fun themed parties.
It is often said that the way to anyone’s heart is through their stomachs, and the newly inaugurated Iron Chef™ style parties held by a new couple in Arlington aim to provide just that: an opportunity to make new friends, enjoy the company of old friends and create – through culinary endeavors with that month’s theme product- a feast for both eyes and tummies!
These have been a great success in bringing new friends and the community together. Being new to Arlington, to the East Coast, to marriage and their first home together, Mojdeh S. and her husband Chris S. set out to share their love for cooking. Since it’s inception in June, they have welcomed many friends – new and old – in their home and elsewhere to share fellowship, food and fun. Conversations have inspired, life milestones have been celebrated and new friendships have blossomed. It has become the place to be each month for those wishing to try out a new recipe, get creative with a family favorite and enjoy the scrumptious dishes being prepared by friends from Bristow to McLean, Germantown to Fairlington, even New York to Washington State.
For those of you who are unfamiliar with it, the inspiration for their parties comes from Iron Chef™, a culinary game show – based on the Japanese original – where a challenger chef competes against one of the resident “Iron Chefs” in a one-hour cooking competition based around a secret, theme ingredient. The “secret” ingredient at the parties is provided in the invitation and participants are asked to prepare an appetizer, main entree or dessert using (at least) that one ingredient in their dish(es).
Future parties will be announced with details in the calendar section of the Arlington Baha’i website.
Arlington Baha’is to celebrate Naw-ruz on March 21st
For Baha’is, Naw-ruz, the Baha’i New Year comes at a perfect time — March 21 — the vernal equinox, which marks the first day of spring and the end of the Baha’i Faith’s annual Nineteen Day Fast. Called Naw Ruz – “new day” in Persian, the Baha’i New Year has its roots in Persia, where the Baha’i Faith originated in the mid-1800s.
The Arlington Baha’i community will come together to celebrate Naw-ruz, the Baha’i new year, on March 21st at 7 p.m..
Baha’u'llah, the prophet-founder of the Baha’i Faith wrote of Naw-ruz, “Praised be Thou, O my God, that Thou hast ordained Naw-Ruz as a festival unto those who have observed the Fast for love of Thee and abstained from all that is abhorrent unto thee…”
For more information, please contact us via the link above.
Arlington Baha’is to hold Ayyam-i-Ha Celebration on February 27
Ayyam-i-Ha, or Intercalary Days, is the time between the Baha’i month of Mulk (February 7 – February 25) and the month of Ala (March 2 – March 20). As the Baha’i calendar consists of the 19 months with 19 days each, the intercalary days provide an extra four days (or five in leap years) to complete the solar cycle.
During Ayyam-i-Ha, Baha’is strive to show extra love, fellowship, and charity. Ayyam-i-Ha is also a time when Baha’is give and receive gifts, particularly to children.
Baha’u'llah has said of Ayyam-i-Ha:
“It behoveth the people of Baha, throughout these days, to provide good cheer for themselves, their kindred and, beyond them, the poor and needy, and with joy and exultation to hail and glorify their Lord, to sing His praise and magnify His Name.”
This year, the Arlington Baha’is will celebrate Ayyam-i-Ha at 6 p.m. on Sunday, February 27th. For more information, please call (703) 679-7554.
Arlington Baha’is Greet Naw-Ruz
The Baha’i New Year festival known as Naw-Ruz (literally “New Day”) is held on the spring equinox, March 21, but the celebrations will begin the evening before because the Baha’i day begins at sunset.
The Baha’i community in Arlington, Virginia, will observe the Holy Day with a Feast – a gathering for prayers, songs, sharing and food – the evening of Saturday, March 20.
The festival comes at the end of a 19-day fast in which adult Baha’is abstain from food and drink between sunrise and sunset as a reminder of the need for individuals to be detached from their material desires.
Naw-Ruz is the first day of the first of 19 months in the Baha’i calendar, which was initiated by the Bab, the Forerunner of the Faith’s Prophet-Founder, Baha’u'llah, who later confirmed it.
Learn more about Naw-Ruz, click here. To contact the Baha’i community in Arlington, click Contact above.
Ayyám-i-Há
The Bahá’ís of Arlington will be soon be celebrating Ayyám-i-Há (also called Intercalary Days) between February 26 and March 1. During this time of the year, they enjoy fellowship with family and friends, perform acts of service and charity, exchange gifts, and attend social gatherings. Immediately after Ayyám-i-Há, Bahá’ís observe a Fast, when for 19 days, they will not eat or drink between sunrise and sunset.
This year Arlington Bahá’ís will gather on Friday, February 26, at 7:00 PM to celebrate. They welcome guests and friends to join them. To learn more about the gathering, please contact: info@arlingtonbahai.org.
The Bahá’í calendar follows a solar year and consists of 19 months of 19 days or 361 days. The 4 days or 5 days during a Leap Year are Ayyám-i-Há.
There are no traditional holiday decorations or rituals. Some Bahá’ís decorate their homes, some do not. Ayyám-i-Há is about sharing generosity, joy and love with others.
Bahá’u'lláh, the Prophet-Founder of the Bahá’í Faith, said of Ayyám-i-Há: “It behoveth the people of Bahá, throughout these days, to provide good cheer for themselves, their kindred and, beyond them, the poor and needy, and with joy and exultation to hail and glorify their Lord, to sing His praise and magnify His Name.”
You may join us on Friday February 26th to celebrate this joyful Bahá’í holiday. The theme will be Oneness. We will share prayers, delicious food, and have lots of time to talk. To learn more, email: info@arlingtonbahai.org.
To learn more about the Bahá’í calendar, click here: http://www.bahai.us/bahai-calendar
