Day of the Covenant - Holy Day Nov. 26th

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arthra

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Baha'is observe November 26th later this month as the Day of the Covenant. Work and school are not suspended for this Holy Day.

Baha'is generally acknowledge the importance of the Covenant...meaning an understanding and a clear agreement that the Will of Baha'u'llah specified Abdul-Baha was His Interpreter, Successor and the Center of the Faith.

It is in the pursuit of such aims and injunctions that Bahá'u'lláh appointed His Son `Abdu'l-Bahá as His successor:

"When the ocean of My presence hath ebbed and the Book of My Revelation is ended," He wrote in the Kitab-i-Aqdas, His Book of Laws, "turn your faces toward Him Whom God hath purposed, Who hath branched from this Ancient Root."9

In His Will and Testament, known as The Book of the Covenant, Bahá'u'lláh explained further that, "The object of this sacred verse is none other except the Most Mighty Branch [`Abdu'l-Bahá]."10

 This appointment invested `Abdu'l-Bahá with authority as the sole interpreter of Bahá'u'lláh's writings and the executor of Bahá'u'lláh's purpose in the establishment of the Bahá'í administrative order; moreover, in His personal life, His words and deeds, `Abdu'l-Bahá was the perfect exemplar of the qualities and ideals of Bahá'í living. The combination of these functions in one person gave rise to a unique office in religious history -- Center of the Covenant -- and makes `Abdu'l-Bahá an unparalleled figure in all history.



The Covenant of Bahá'u'lláh
 
The Day of the Covenant Nov. 26th, and the Day of the Ascension, Nov. 28th, anniversaries of the birth and the Ascension of 'Abdu'l-Bahá must be observed by the friends coming together, but work is not prohibited. In other words the friends must regard observance of these two anniversaries as obligatory -- but suspension of work not to be regarded as obligatory.

He assures you of his deep interest in all your efforts and offers prayers on your behalf at the Holy Shrines.

(Shoghi Effendi, Letters from the Guardian to Australia and New Zealand, p. 89)
 
A Covenant implies a solemn agreement between two parties.

As already noted, Bahá'u'lláh's part of His Covenant is to bring us teachings that transform both the inner and outer conditions of life on earth, to provide us with an authoritative interpreter to keep us from misunderstanding God's will for us, and to give us guidance to establish institutions that will pursue the goals of the achievement of unity. Bahá'u'lláh's Covenant affects us at all levels of existence, from our social organizations to our individual lives.

As individuals, we in turn have the responsibility to observe the laws God has given to us to safeguard our dignity and to enable us to become the noble beings He created us to be -- to pray, to meditate, to read the Sacred Writings, to fast, to live a chaste life, to be trustworthy. It is our responsibility to show love towards each other, as imperfect as we may be; it is our obligation to love and to obey the institutions Bahá'u'lláh brought into being. Unless we do these things, we do not open ourselves to the benefits of Bahá'u'lláh's Covenant with us.

The Covenant of Bahá'u'lláh
 
We're having a deepening on the Covenant of Baha'u'llah next Tuesday Nov. 26th and we'll be using the following book:

"The Essence of the Covenant Features, History, and Implications" by Shahin Vafai...

essc.jpg



A summary reads:

The Essence of the Covenant discusses the features, history, and implications of the “essence” of Bahá’u’lláh’s Covenant: the continuity of divine guidance through the Faith's authorized institutions. This text explores such themes as the purpose of the Covenant, the station and function of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, the scriptural foundation and authority of the Guardianship and the Universal House of Justice, the break in the line of Guardians, the infallibility of the Universal House of Justice, and the individual’s relationship to the Covenant. Similar in format to its predecessor volumes The Path Toward Spirituality and Raising the Call this book is ideal for personal or group study, containing detailed explanations, quotations for reflection, illustrations, and study questions.

Published by Palabra

New publications | Palabra Publications
 
This Wronged One hath heard thy voice and that which thy inner and outer tongue hath uttered in praise of thy Lord. By the righteousness of God! That which the people possess, and the treasures of the earth, and that which the rulers and kings own, are not equal in this day to the singing of His praise. The Lord of the Kingdom beareth witness unto this at this glorious moment. And having heard thy groaning and lamentation, We are responding with a Tablet which calleth out betwixt earth and heaven and maketh mention of thee with words that immortalize what hath appeared from thee in His love, in His service, in His remembrance and in His praise. And He hath made that which hath issued forth from thy mouth a trust with Him for thee. He is verily the 358 Most Bounteous, the Most Generous.

If thou truly givest ear to that which hath been revealed for thee from My Supreme Pen at this moment, thou shalt soar with the wings of eagerness in the heaven of love for the Lord of the Day of the Covenant, and wilt say during all the days of thy life:

Thanks be unto Thee, O Thou the Desire of the world, and praise be unto Thee, O Thou the Beloved of the people of understanding. May all existence be a sacrifice for Thy favour, and all that hath been and will ever be, a ransom for Thy Word, O Thou the Wronged One amongst the people of enmity, O Thou in Whose grasp are the reins of all who are in heaven and on earth....

In this Day the Hand of divine grace hath removed all distinctions. The servants of God and His handmaidens are regarded on the same plane. Blessed is the servant who hath attained unto that which God hath decreed, and likewise the leaf moving in accordance with the breezes of His will. This favour is great and this station lofty. His bounties and bestowals are ever present and manifest. Who is able to offer befitting gratitude for His successive bestowals and continuous favours?


~ Baha'u'llah


(From a Tablet - translated from the Persian and Arabic)

(Compilations, The Compilation of Compilations vol II, p. 357)
 
As to the most great characteristic of the revelation of Bahá'u'lláh -- a specific teaching not given by any of the Prophets of the past -- it is the ordination and appointment of the Center of the Covenant.

By this appointment and provision He has safeguarded and protected the religion of God against differences and schisms, making it impossible for any one to create a new sect or faction of belief.

To insure unity and agreement He has entered into a Covenant with all the people of the world including the Interpreter and Explainer of His teachings so that no one may interpret or explain the religion of God according to his own view or opinion and thus create a sect founded upon his individual understanding of the divine words.

The Book of the Covenant or Testament of Bahá'u'lláh is the means of preventing such a possibility, for whosoever shall speak from the authority of himself alone shall be degraded. Be ye informed and cognizant of this.

~ Abdu'l-Baha, Baha'i World Faith, p. 247
 
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