Birth of Bahá’u’lláh
Each year, the Bahá’í celebrate the Twin Holy Days honoring the Birth of the Báb and the Birth of Bahá’u’lláh, prophets of the Bahá’í Faith.
Each year, the Bahá’í celebrate the Twin Holy Days honoring the Birth of the Báb and the Birth of Bahá’u’lláh, prophets of the Bahá’í Faith.
Renee Harleston
Reviewer page idDate: October 17, 2023
Name: Birth of Bahá’u’lláh
Pronunciation: Ba-ha-ul-LAH
Each year, the Bahá’í celebrate the Twin Holy Days honoring the Birth of the Báb and the Birth of Bahá’u’lláh, prophets of the Bahá’í Faith.
Origin
Bahá’u’lláh, birth name Mírzá Husayn-‘Alí, was born on November 12, 1917 in Tehran. His birth is celebrated as one of the Twin Holy Days of the Bahá’í calendar, along with the Birth of the Báb.
The Twin Holy Days are a time when the Bahá’í celebrate unity. Bahá’ís believe the revelations of the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh, which serve as the foundation for the faith, have the ability to bring about global unity. Bahá’u’lláh began preaching the Bahá’í faith in 1863, promising hatred around the globe would be overcome.
When it is observed
The celebrations of the Twin Holy Days shift each year, based on the date of Naw-Rúz, the Bahá’í new year. The Twin Holy Days are celebrated eight new moons after Naw Ruz. The celebration of the Birth of Bahá’u’lláh happens on the second day following the eighth new moon after Naw-Rúz.
Traditions
The Twin Holy Days are two of the largest holidays in the Bahá’í calendar. They are days when work is suspended. The Twin Holy Days represent a “coming of a spiritual springtime” and are joyous, celebratory events.
Bahá’ís gather together on these holy days. They will pray, read from Bahá’í holy writings, sing, dance and eat together. The Twin Holy Days are a chance to celebrate the oneness of humanity and the unity of us all.
What to say
“Happy Birth of Bahá’u’lláh!” or “Happy Twin Holy Days!” are appropriate greetings for this holiday.
About Bahá'u'lláh
Bahá'u'lláh is the founder and prophet of the Bahá’í Faith. Bahá'u'lláh was born as Mírzá Husayn-‘Alí in 1817 in Iran. The son of a prosperous Persian family, Bahá'u'lláh dedicated his life to ministering to the poor. In doing this work, he came across Báb and his teachings. He would dedicate his life to following and growing the teachings of Báb. He took the title Bahá'u'lláh (meaning “Glory to God” in Arabic) in 1848.
After Báb’s execution in 1850, Bahá'u'lláh became the leader of what would later be known as the Bahá’í Faith. In 1852, Bahá'u'lláh was imprisoned in a notorious dungeon known as “the Black Pit.” After his release, Bahá'u'lláh and his family were exiled to Baghdad from Tehran.
He spent the rest of his life in exile and the last 24 years of his life in Bahjí, located in modern-day Acre, Israel. He died on May 29, 1892.