Day of the Covenant (Bahá'í)
Encyclopedia
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
. It occurs yearly on November 26.
`Abdu'l-Bahá had stated that since May 23 was also the day that the Báb
declared his mission, and should be exclusively associated with him, that that day should under no circumstances be celebrated as his day of birth. However, as the Bahá'ís begged for a day to be celebrated as `Abdu'l-Bahá's birthday, he gave them November 26, 182 days after the ascension of Bahá'u'lláh, to be observed as the day of the appointment of the Centre of the Covenant. The holiday was originally known as the Jashn-i-A’zam in Persian
(The Greatest Festival), because `Abdu'l-Bahá was known as the Greatest Branch; in the West, the holy day became known as the Day of the Covenant.
The day is one of two Bahá'í holy days where work does not need to be suspended.
Bahá'í Faith
The Bahá'í Faith is a monotheistic religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh in 19th-century Persia, emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind. There are an estimated five to six million Bahá'ís around the world in more than 200 countries and territories....
celebrate the appointment of `Abdu'l-Bahá
`Abdu'l-Bahá
‘Abdu’l-Bahá , born ‘Abbás Effendí, was the eldest son of Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the Bahá'í Faith. In 1892, `Abdu'l-Bahá was appointed in his father's will to be his successor and head of the Bahá'í Faith. `Abdu'l-Bahá was born in Tehran to an aristocratic family of the realm...
as the Centre of Baha'u'llah's Covenant
Covenant of Bahá'u'lláh
Covenant in the Bahá'í Faith refers to two separate binding agreements between God and man. A Covenant in the religious sense is a binding agreement made between God and man wherein a certain behaviour is required of man and in return God guarantees certain blessings...
. It occurs yearly on November 26.
`Abdu'l-Bahá had stated that since May 23 was also the day that the Báb
Báb
Siyyid `Alí Muḥammad Shírází was the founder of Bábism, and one of three central figures of the Bahá'í Faith. He was a merchant from Shíráz, Persia, who at the age of twenty-four claimed to be the promised Qá'im . After his declaration he took the title of Báb meaning "Gate"...
declared his mission, and should be exclusively associated with him, that that day should under no circumstances be celebrated as his day of birth. However, as the Bahá'ís begged for a day to be celebrated as `Abdu'l-Bahá's birthday, he gave them November 26, 182 days after the ascension of Bahá'u'lláh, to be observed as the day of the appointment of the Centre of the Covenant. The holiday was originally known as the Jashn-i-A’zam in Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
(The Greatest Festival), because `Abdu'l-Bahá was known as the Greatest Branch; in the West, the holy day became known as the Day of the Covenant.
The day is one of two Bahá'í holy days where work does not need to be suspended.