Holy Days

Celebrate with us the Twelfth Day of Ridván

The Baha’i Community warmly invites you to celebrate with us the The Twelfth Day of Ridván, concluding the annual Bahá’í festival commemorating the historic events during which Bahá’u’lláh declared Himself to be God’s Messenger to the age of humanity’s collective maturity, foretold in all the world’s scriptures.

The celebration will take place on Saturday, May 2, 2015 at the picnic shelter to the right of the Amphitheater at Lubber Run Park, 200 N Columbus St., Arlington, VA 22203.

A potluck picnic lunch starting at noon will precede a devotional program starting at 1:30 pm and featuring live music, story telling, activities for children and adults alike.

All are welcome!

"Ridván" means paradise, and is named for the Garden of Ridván outside Baghdad, where Bahá'u'lláh stayed for twelve days after the Ottoman Empire exiled him from the city and before commencing his journey to Constantinople.

“Ridván” means paradise, and is named for the Garden of Ridván outside Baghdad, where Bahá’u’lláh stayed for twelve days after the Ottoman Empire exiled him from the city and before commencing his journey to Constantinople.

“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. This, verily, is a token of My loving providence, which hath encompassed all the worlds. Consort ye then with the followers of all religions, and proclaim ye the Cause of your Lord, the Most Compassionate; this is the very crown of deeds, if ye be of them who understand.”
(Baha’u’llah, The Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 47)

 

Celebrating the birth of the Báb, Bahá’u’lláh’s herald

“The path to guidance is one of love and compassion, not of force and coercion.”
— The Báb

On Monday, October 20, 2014, from noon till 4 pm, the Bahá’is of Arlington, VA will join neighboring communities in celebrating the Birth of the Báb, with a picnic and devotional program hosted by the Bahá’i community of Falls Church, at Cherry Hill Park.

Annual Birth of the Bab Celebration - Oct. 20 - Cherry Hill Park, Falls Church, VA

Annual Birth of the Bab Celebration – Oct. 20 – Cherry Hill Park, Falls Church, VA

The Bahá’í Faith traces its origin to 1844 and the announcement by a young man, Siyyid ‘Ali-Muhammad, in Shiraz, Persia. He took the title of the Báb (meaning “Gate” in Arabic). On May 22, 1844, in Shiraz, Persia (now Iran)— the Báb announced that He was the bearer of a Divine Revelation, which would prepare humanity for the advent of the Promised One foretold by all the world’s religions.

The Báb’s role can be compared to John the Baptist in the founding of Christianity. The Báb was Bahá’u’lláh’s herald: His primary mission was to prepare the way for Bahá’u’lláh’s coming.

“Harbinger of the Most Great Light” as extolled by Abdu’l-Bahá, the Bab describes Himself as:

the “Primal Point from which have been generated all created things”,
one of the “sustaining pillars of the Primal Word of God”,
the “Mystic Fane”,
the “Great Announcement”,
the “Flame of that supernal Light that glowed upon Sinai”,
the “Remembrance of God”,
the “Qa’im” promised to the Shi’ahs,
the “Mihdi” awaited by the Sunnis,
the “Return of John the Baptist” expected by the Christians,
the “Ushidar-Mah” referred to in the Zoroastrian scriptures, and
the “Return of Elijah” anticipated by the Jews.

As Baha’is all over the world come together to celebrate the anniversary of the birth of this Glorious Figure, we can reflect on the words of the Báb:

“Issue forth from your cities, O peoples of the West and aid God ere the Day when the Lord of mercy shall come down unto you in the shadow of the clouds with the angels circling around Him [cf.Qur’an 2:206], exalting His praise and seeking forgiveness for such as have truly believed in Our signs. Verily His decree hath been issued, and the command of God, as given in the Mother Book, hath indeed been revealed…

Become as true brethren in the one and indivisible religion of God, free from distinction, for verily God desireth that your hearts should become mirrors unto your brethren in the Faith, so that ye find yourselves reflected in them, and they in you. This is the true Path of God, the Almighty, and He is indeed watchful over your actions.”

Commemoration of the Martyrdom of the Bab

The Martyrdom of the Báb, the forerunner of the Baha’i Faith, took place on July 9, 1850 at noon. An event with no parallel in history save the crucifixion of Jesus, it is commemorated as a solemn Holy Day by Bahá’ís around the world.

Martyrdom of the BabThe holy day commemorates the anniversary of the execution of the Bab, the herald of the Baha’i Faith, by a firing squad on July 9, 1850, in Tabriz, Persia. It is one of the nine holy days of the year when work, for Baha’is, is suspended. There are no prescribed activities for this solemn day, but usually Baha’is will gather to read from the writings and say prayers at noon (the time of the execution).

Arlington Baha’is will commemorate the Martyrdom of the Báb on at 1 pm on Wednesday, July 9th, 2014, at the the Woman’s Club of Arlington (700 S Buchanan St, Arlington, VA 22204) with a devotional program and light refreshments.

All are invited to the commemoration. In order to ensure a solemn atmosphere for the devotional program, please arrive by 12:45 pm.

Arlington Baha’is to observe two significant Holy Days

How would you feel if you knew that the Creator has made a promise to never leave humanity alone and send Divine Educators to guide us, Baha’u’llah being the most current one? And what if He provided means to guarantee the unity of His followers — an eternal Covenant.

The Day of the Covenant is the day when Bahá’ís celebrate the appointment of `Abdu’l-Bahá as the Centre of Baha’u’llah’s Covenant.

Abdu’l-Baha, the Center of the Covenant of Baha’u’llah

Abdu’l-Baha, the Center of the Covenant of Baha’u’llah

To honor this unique Baha’i Holy Day, this Monday evening, Nov 25, a Baha’i family in Arlington will host a fireside discussion on the Covenant of Baha’u’llah. Please join us for what promises to be an informative and engaging evening.

Two days later, on Wednesday evening, Nov 27, another community member will host a commemoration of the Ascension of Abdu’l-Baha with a diverse program including devotions and the Arlington premiere of a historic documentary about the journey of the Son of Baha’u’llah to North America.

Please contact us if interested in joining us for either of these inspiring events.