Baháʼí calendar
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The Baháʼí calendar used in the Baháʼí Faith is a solar calendar consisting of nineteen months and four or five intercalary days, with new year at the moment of Northern spring equinox. Each month is named after a virtue (e.g., Perfection, Mercy), as are the days of the week. The first year is dated from 1844 CE, the year in which the Báb began teaching.
Years on the calendar are annotated with the date notation of BE (Baháʼí Era). The Baháʼí year 181 BE started on 20 March 2024.
History
The Baháʼí calendar started from the original Badíʿ calendar, created by the
The calendar was first implemented in the West in 1907.[9]
The Baháʼí scriptures left some issues regarding the implementation of the Badíʿ calendar to be resolved by the Universal House of Justice before the calendar can be observed uniformly worldwide.[citation needed]
On 10 July 2014 the Universal House of Justice announced provisions that will enable the common implementation of the Badíʿ calendar worldwide, beginning at sunset 20 March 2015,[10] coinciding with the completion of the ninth cycle of the calendar (see below).[11] Before that time, the Baháʼí calendar was synchronized to the Gregorian calendar by starting the year at sunset on March 20, regardless of when the vernal equinox technically occurs, meaning that the extra day of a leap year occurred simultaneously in both calendars. The intercalary days always stretched from 26 February to 1 March, automatically including the Gregorian leap day so that there were four intercalary days in a regular year, and five in a Gregorian leap year.[12] The Universal House of Justice selected Tehran, the birthplace of Baháʼu'lláh, as the location at which the time and date of the vernal equinox is to be determined according to astronomical tables from reliable sources.[7][10][13] These changes, which "unlocked" the Badíʿ calendar from the Gregorian calendar, came into effect at the start of year 172 BE.[7][14]
Significance
As the name Badíʿ (wondrous or unique) suggests, the Baháʼí calendar is indeed a unique institution in the history of human culture. Sociologist
Years
Years in the Baháʼí calendar are counted from Thursday 21 March 1844, the beginning of the Baháʼí Era or Badíʿ Era (abbreviated BE or B.E.).[16] Year 1 BE thus began at sundown 20 March 1844.
The length of each year is strictly defined as the number of days between the opening and closing days of the year, with the number of intercalary days adjusted as needed. The year ends on the day before the following vernal equinox.
Vernal Equinox
Year | Ayyám-i-Há | Fast | Naw-Rúz | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2022 | 25 Feb | 1 Mar | 2 Mar | 20 Mar | 21 Mar |
2023 | 26 Feb | 1 Mar | 2 Mar | 20 Mar | 21 Mar |
2024 | 26 Feb | 29 Feb | 1 Mar | 19 Mar | 20 Mar |
2025 | 25 Feb | 28 Feb | 1 Mar | 19 Mar | 20 Mar |
2026 | 25 Feb | 1 Mar | 2 Mar | 20 Mar | 21 Mar |
2027 | 26 Feb | 1 Mar | 2 Mar | 20 Mar | 21 Mar |
2028 | 26 Feb | 29 Feb | 1 Mar | 19 Mar | 20 Mar |
2029 | 25 Feb | 28 Feb | 1 Mar | 19 Mar | 20 Mar |
The first day of each year (Naw-Rúz) is the day (from sunset to sunset) in Tehran containing the moment of the vernal equinox. This is determined in advance by astronomical computations from reliable sources.[10]
Since the Gregorian calendar is not tied to the equinox, the Gregorian calendar shifts around by a day or two each year, as shown in the following table.[18]
Months
The Baháʼí calendar is composed of nineteen months, each with nineteen days.[19] The intercalary days, known as Ayyám-i-Há, occur between the eighteenth and nineteenth months.
The names of the months were adopted by the Báb from the
These month names are considered to be referring to attributes of God.In the
In the following table, the Gregorian date indicates the first full day of the month when Naw-Rúz coincides with 21 March. The month begins at sunset of the day previous to the one listed.
Month | Usual Gregorian dates (when Naw-Rúz coincides with 21 March)[19] |
Arabic name [19] | Arabic script | English name [19] | Additional meanings in authorized English translations of Baháʼí scripture [5] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 21 March – 8 April | Bahá | بهاء | Splendour | glory, light, excellence |
2 | 9 April – 27 April | Jalál | جلال | Glory | majesty |
3 | 28 April – 16 May | Jamál | جمال | Beauty | charm |
4 | 17 May – 4 June | ʻAẓamat | عظمة | Grandeur | glory, majesty, dominion, greatness |
5 | 5 June – 23 June | Núr | نور | Light | radiance, brightness, splendour, effulgence, illumination |
6 | 24 June – 12 July | Raḥmat | رحمة | Mercy | blessing, grace, favour, loving kindness, providence, compassion |
7 | 13 July – 31 July | Kalimát | كلمات | Words | utterance, the word of God |
8 | 1 August – 19 August | Kamál | كمال | Perfection | excellence, fullness, consummation, maturity |
9 | 20 August – 7 September | Asmáʼ | اسماء | Names | titles, attributes, designations |
10 | 8 September – 26 September | ʻIzzat | عزة | Might | glory, power, exaltation, honour, majesty, grandeur, strength, sovereignty, magnificence |
11 | 27 September – 15 October | Mas͟híyyat | مشية | Will | purpose, the primal will, the will of God |
12 | 16 October – 3 November | ʻIlm | علم | Knowledge | wisdom, divine knowledge, revelation |
13 | 4 November – 22 November | Qudrat | قدرة | Power | might, authority, dominion, celestial might, omnipotence, transcendent power, indomitable strength, all-pervading power, ascendancy, divine power |
14 | 23 November – 11 December | Qawl | قول | Speech | words, testimony |
15 | 12 December – 30 December | Masáʼil | مسائل | Questions | principles, truths, matters, mysteries, subtleties, obscurities, intricacies, problems[note 1] |
16 | 31 December – 18 January | S͟haraf | شرف | Honour | excellence, glory |
17 | 19 January – 6 February | Sulṭán | سلطان | Sovereignty | king, lord, majesty, sovereign, monarch, authority, potency, the power of sovereignty, the all-possessing, the most potent of rulers |
18 | 7 February – 25 February | Mulk | ملك | Dominion | sovereignty, kingdom, realm, universe |
ic | 26 February – 1 March | Ayyám-i-Há | ايام الهاء | The Days of Há | |
19 | 2 March – 20 March ( Month of fasting ) |
ʻAláʼ | علاء | Loftiness | glory |
Ayyám-i-Há
The introduction of
The number of the intercalary days is determined in advance to ensure that the year ends on the day before the next vernal equinox. This results in 4 or 5 intercalary days being added. These days are inserted between the 18th and 19th months, falling around the end of February in the Gregorian calendar. The number of days added is unrelated to the timing of the Gregorian leap year.
Significance in the Baháʼí Faith
The annual
The monthly Nineteen Day Feast is celebrated on the first day of each month, preferably starting any time between the sunset on the eve of the day to the sunset ending the day.
Days in a Month
The nineteen days in a month have the same names as the months of the year (above), so, for example, the 9th day of each month is Asmá, or "Names".[25][26]
Weekdays
The Baháʼí week starts on Saturday, and ends on Friday.[27] As in Judaism and Islam, days begin at sunset and end at sunset of the following solar day. Baháʼí writings indicate that Friday is to be kept as a day of rest.[28][29] The practice of keeping Friday as a day of rest is currently not observed in all countries; for example, in the UK, the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baháʼís confirmed it does not currently keep this practice.[30]
Arabic Name[19] | Arabic Script | English Translation[27] | Day of the Week[19] |
---|---|---|---|
Jalál | جلال | Glory | Saturday |
Jamál | جمال | Beauty | Sunday |
Kamál | كمال | Perfection | Monday |
Fiḍál | فضال | Grace | Tuesday |
ʻIdál | عدال | Justice | Wednesday |
Istijlál | استجلال | Majesty | Thursday |
Istiqlál | استقلال | Independence | Friday |
Cycles
Also existing in the Baháʼí calendar system is a nineteen-year cycle called Váḥid and a 361 year (19×19) supercycle called Kull-i-S͟hayʼ (literally, "All Things").[27] The expression Kull-i-Shayʼ was used frequently by the Báb.[31] It has its origins in Sufism and the significance of the numbers 19 and 361 were possibly already associated by Ibn Arabi (1165–1240).[31]
Each of the nineteen years in a Vahid has been given a name as shown in the table below.[27] The tenth Váḥid of the 1st Kull-i-S͟hayʼ started on 21 March 2015, and the eleventh Váḥid will begin in 2034.[32]
The current Baháʼí year, year 181 BE (20 March 2024 – 20 March 2025), is the year Ḥubb of the tenth Váḥid of the first Kull-i-S͟hayʼ.[32] The second Kull-i-S͟hayʼ will begin in 2205.[32]
The concept of a nineteen-year cycle has existed in some form since the fourth century
- Years in a Váḥid
No. | Name | Arabic Script | English Translation |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Alif | أ | A |
2 | Bá' | ب | B |
3 | Ab | أب | Father |
4 | Dál | د | D |
5 | Báb | باب | Gate |
6 | Váv | و | V |
7 | Abad | أبد | Eternity |
8 | Jád | جاد | Generosity |
9 | Bahá | بهاء | Splendour |
10 | Ḥubb | حب | Love |
11 | Bahháj | بهاج | Delightful |
12 | Javáb | جواب | Answer |
13 | Aḥad | احد | Single |
14 | Vahháb | وﻫﺎب | Bountiful |
15 | Vidád | وداد | Affection |
16 | Badíʿ | بدیع | Beginning |
17 | Bahí | بهي | Luminous |
18 | Abhá | ابهى | Most Luminous |
19 | Váḥid | واحد | Unity |
See also
- List of observances set by the Baháʼí calendar
- Baháʼí Holy Days
- Baháʼí Faith
- Calendar
- Intercalation (timekeeping)
- 19 (number)
- Zoroastrian calendar
Notes
- ^ In a provisional translation of selections from the Báb's Kitabu'l-Asmáʼ, Bahá'í scholar Stephen Lambden adds "objectives", "propositions" as alternative translations for "questions".[24]
References
- ^ Lambden, Stephen (2018). Kitab al-asma' – The Book of Names. Lambden states that the "source did not, however, give precise details about where the calendral materials were located in the Kitab al-asma'."
- ^ a b c Taylor, John (2000-09-01). "On Novelty in Ayyám-i-Há and the Badí calendar". bahai-library.org. Retrieved 2006-09-24.
- ISBN 978-1-85043-654-6.
- .
- ^ a b c Mihrshahi, Robin (2013). A Wondrous New Day: The Numerology of Creation and 'All Things' in the Badíʿ Calendar.
- ISSN 1354-8697. Archived from the original on 2018-12-02. Retrieved 2012-05-01.)
{{cite journal}}
: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of January 2024 (link - ^ a b c Momen, Moojan (2014). The Badíʻ (Baháʼí) Calendar: An Introduction.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-85398-999-8..
- ISBN 978-0-85398-404-7.
- ^ a b c The Universal House of Justice (2014-07-10). "To the Baháʼís of the World". Retrieved 2014-07-10.
- ^ Nakhjavani, Ali (January 2015). "The ninth cycle of the Baháʼí Calendar". The American Baháʼí: 23–27.
- ISBN 978-1-85168-184-6.
- World Geodetic System 1984is used to determine the point of reference for Tehran.
- ^ Purushotma, Shastri Baha'is to Implement New Calendar Worldwide. Huffington Post. 2014-14-07.
- ISBN 978-0029346808.
- ^ Curtis, Larry (2004-03-06). "A Day in the Baháʼí Calendar". bcca.org. Archived from the original on 2 October 2006. Retrieved 2006-09-24.
- ^ Universal House of Justice (2014-07-10). "Regarding the Implementation of the Badi` Calendar". Retrieved 2024-03-13.
- ^ Baháʼí Dates 172 to 221 B.E. (2015 – 2065; prepared by the Baha'i World Centre) Archived 2015-12-22 at the Wayback Machine (pdf)
- ^ ISBN 978-1-85168-184-6.
- ISBN 978-0-85398-270-8.
- ^ Stephen N. Lambden. The Du'á Sahar or Supplication of Glory-Beauty (al-Baháʼ)
- ISBN 978-1-55458-056-9.
- ^ Velasco, Ismael (2004) Symbolism in the Badí' Calendar," by Robin Mihrshahi: Review.
- ^ Lambden, Stephen (2020). The Kitab al-asma' (Book of Names) of the Bab II: Select Excerpts in Translation..
- ISBN 978-0853982302. Retrieved 2021-05-04.
- ^ Philippine Bahá’í Community (ed.). "The Bahá'í Calendar and Holy Days". Retrieved 2021-05-04.
- ^ a b c d Effendi, Shoghi (1950). The Baháʼí Faith: 1844–1950. Wilmette, Illinois: Baháʼí Publishing Committee.
- ISBN 978-81-85091-46-4. Retrieved 2009-03-15.
III. Baháʼí: E. Miscellaneous Subjects: 372. Friday is Day of Rest in Baháʼí Calendar.
- ISBN 978-0-7808-0665-8.
- ^ National Spiritual Assembly of the Baháʼís of the United Kingdom. Letter from the NSA to the Baháʼí Council for Wales Retrieved July 11, 2014.
- ^ a b Ignác Goldziher (1850–1921), cited in le Baron, V. RosEN (1921). Der Islam, Zeitschrift fur Geschichte und Kulter des Islamischen Oriens. Vol. 11.
- ^ a b c Bolhuis, Arjen (2006-03-23). "The first Kull-i-Shayʼ of the Baháʼí Era". Retrieved 2006-09-23.
Further reading
Primary sources
- "Additional material gleaned from Nabíl's Narrative (vol. II), regarding the Baháʼí Calendar." in: Baháʼí World, vol. III (1928–1930) until vol. XX (1986–1992). Baháʼí World Centre, Haifa.
- ISBN 978-0-900125-13-3.
- "Letter of the Universal House of Justice", 10 July 2014.
- Baháʼí World Centre (2017). Days of Remembrance – Selections from the Writings of Baháʼu'lláh for Baháʼí Holy Days.
Secondary sources
- Keil, Gerald (2008). Time and the Baháʼí Era. UK: George Ronald. OL 25615805M.
- Keil, Gerald (2010). "Textual Context and Literary Criticism: A Case Study based on a Letter from Shoghi Effendi". Irfan Colloquia. Vol. 11. Wilmette, IL: Irfan Colloquia. pp. 55–98. ISBN 9783942426039.
- Mihrshahi, Robin (2013). A Wondrous New Day: The Numerology of Creation and 'All Things' in the Badíʿ Calendar.
- Momen, Moojan (2014). The Badíʻ (Baháʼí) Calendar: An Introduction.
External links
- Bahai.org: The Bahá'í Calendar
- Baháʼí Dates 172 to 221 B.E. (2015 – 2065; prepared by the Baha'i World Centre) (pdf)
- Slide Show: Introduction to the Badíʿ Calendar
- Feast Days by year
- Badíʻ Calendar Calculator (detailed information about past and future dates, specific to location)
- Wondrous-Badíʿ Today (dynamic display of today's date for your location optimized for mobile browsers)
- Arithmetic of the Baháʼí Calendar, and Variants (archived)
- Baháʼí Calendar, Baháʼí Events and Holy Days (types: Persian, Islamic, Gregorian) (archived)
- Momen, Moojan. The Names of the Bahá’í Months: Separating Fact from Fiction (2012)