Ayyam-i-Ha begins after sun down February 26th

[arthra]

A few weeks from now Baha'is gather for "Ayyam-i-Ha" (the Days of Ha) also known as "Intercalary Days". The Baha'i calendar is a solar calendar and on "leap years" five days are commemorated while most years are four days. Bahais gather for feasting and happiness.

"The nineteen months of the Bahá'í calendar are named after the attributes of God.[8] Ayyám-i-Há, which means the "Days of Há" — Há is the Arabic letter corresponding to the English H — commemorates the transcendence of God over his attributes, since its name "Há" has been used as a symbol of the essence of God in the Bahá'í holy writings.[5][9] Under the Arabic abjad system, the letter Há has the numerical value of five, which is equal to the maximum number of days in Ayyam-i-Há.[5]

During the Festival of Ayyám-i-Há Bahá'ís are encouraged to celebrate God and his oneness by showing love, fellowship and unity.[5] In many instances Bahá'ís give and accept gifts to demonstrate these attributes, and it is sometimes seen as a "Bahá'í Christmas", but many Baha'is only exchange small gifts because gifts are not the main focus.[5] It is also a time of charity and goodwill and Bahá'ís often participate in various projects of a humanitarian nature.[10]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayyám-i-Há

"Known as the Ayyam-i-Ha (the Days of Ha), the Intercalary
Days have the distinction of being associated with "the letter
Ha". The abjad numerical value of this Arabic letter is five,
which corresponds to the potential number of intercalary
days.
The letter "Ha" has been given several spiritual
meanings in the Holy Writings, among which is as a
symbol of the Essence of God

~ Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 178

 

[arthra]

Bahá'u'lláh enjoined upon His followers to devote these days
to feasting, rejoicing and charity. In a letter written on
Shoghi Effendi's behalf it is explained that "the intercalary
days are specially set aside for hospitality, the giving of
gifts, etc.".

~ Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 178

 

[Cino]

So, a kind of count-down to the fast?

 

[arthra]

So, a kind of count-down to the fast?

Ayyam-i-Ha is more of a way for our communities to gather and celebrate and of course the four or five days complete the 365 day year as well as "leap year" with the additional day.

All the months and days of the week are also named after the attributes of God. A fairly good site can be found online with more information at

http://calendar.bahaiq.com/about/

The Fast is held in the last month of the Baha'i year and begins at sunrise Saturday March 2nd until sunset
Wednesday March 20th. Baha'is abstain from food and drink from sunrise to sunset in those days.

You could say the Fast is "...a kind of count down" for Naw-Ruz our New Years Day and end of the Fast. I recall how happy I was at the dawn of Naw-Ruz as the Fast was concluded.

 

[DaneF]

Ayyam-i-Ha is more of a way for our communities to gather and celebrate and of course the four or five days complete the 365 day year as well as "leap year" with the additional day.

All the months and days of the week are also named after the attributes of God. A fairly good site can be found online with more information at

http://calendar.bahaiq.com/about/

The Fast is held in the last month of the Baha'i year and begins at sunrise Saturday March 2nd until sunset
Wednesday March 20th. Baha'is abstain from food and drink from sunrise to sunset in those days.

You could say the Fast is "...a kind of count down" for Naw-Ruz our New Years Day and end of the Fast. I recall how happy I was at the dawn of Naw-Ruz as the Fast was concluded.

As someone who is looking to join the Baha'i faith, I am curious to know, when you Fasted as part of the count down to Naw-Ruz for the first time, how did you prepare for it? And what techniques did you use during those 18 or so days?

 

[arthra]

Thanks DaneF for your post and welcome to the Forum! As you asked earlier today let me suggest that on the morning of the Fast rise early before sunrise and have a good meal to tide you over the day.... Around noontime when others are having lunch recite a few prayers, there are special prayers for Fasting in the Baha'i Prayer Book: https://www.bahai.org/beliefs/life-spirit/devotion/fasting

“This is, O my God, the first of the days on which Thou hast bidden Thy loved ones to observe the Fast. I ask of Thee by Thy Self and by him who hath fasted out of love for Thee and for Thy good-pleasure—and not out of self and desire, nor out of fear of Thy wrath—and by Thy most excellent names and august attributes, to purify Thy servants from the love of aught except Thee and to draw them nigh unto the Dawning-Place of the lights of Thy countenance and the Seat of the throne of Thy oneness. Illumine their hearts, O my God, with the light of Thy knowledge and brighten their faces with the rays of the Daystar that shineth from the horizon of Thy Will.”3

After sunset break the Fast with friends. Don't gorge yourself but take your time consuming
the food and drink longer than you would normally take...

The first two or three days are normally more difficulty as your body will take awhile to adjust to the Fast.

 

[arthra]

 

[DaneF]

Happiest of Ayyam-i-Ha to you my friend.

 

[The Artis Magistra]

The Baha'i tradition, like the description of fasting mentioned above and the prayer and things like that seem to maybe draw a great deal from the Qur'an and Islam. Is there any reason why people who are Baha'i might not consider themselves Muslims or any reason not to be Muslims? One of the reasons may be that the Muslims do not accept Baha'i books and traditions as Islamic and consider it founded on some kind of heresy and heretics, but overall it sounds pretty much entirely similar to the Qur'an and Islam in at least a general fashion, probably way more than Sikhism for example which seemed to also draw a lot from Islamic influence. I think since both Sikhs and Baha'i had a bad reception and relationship with the authorities who deemed themselves Orthodox or dominant in whatever sects they were went about killing the people that things moved further away from each other, but I was just wondering what if anything distinguishes the two and what the difference would be really if one were a practicing Muslim following the Qur'an as opposed to or compared to a practicing Baha'i person. Also, I wonder sometimes why one might have more of a draw for some people as compared to the other, why some people convert to Islam in some form and some choose to become Baha'i instead.

 

[arthra]

I was just wondering what if anything distinguishes the two and what the difference would be really if one were a practicing Muslim following the Qur'an as opposed to or compared to a practicing Baha'i person. Also, I wonder sometimes why one might have more of a draw for some people as compared to the other, why some people convert to Islam in some form and some choose to become Baha'i instead.

Well thanks for your questions "Artis" and welcome to the Forum! …. and I'll do my best to reply here....

In my view the Baha'i Faith has been an independent revelation from it's inception in 1844 CE - 1260 AH. There were two Manifestations that we Baha'is accept the Bab and Baha'u'llah.. Both revealed scriptures independently. The Bab revealed the Bayan and the Kitab-I-Asma a vast work that has yet to be translated. Baha'u'llah also later revealed a vast number of works... some were in the form of Letters or Tablets sent to rulers around 1867 - 1871. The Baha'i perspective is one that calls for an elected representative World Parliament as well as an International Court of Arbitration and an end to class, racial and religious prejudices.

Both revealed laws and ordinances that were apart from the previous Islamic dispensation as well as a new Calendar. As Baha'is we accept those ordinances revealed by Baha'u'llah as the latest Manifestation of God.

The history of the Baha'i Faith as you have already alluded to above was full of the oppressive reactions of the ecclesiastical authorities and that still obtains in some Muslim countries. In spite of this the Baha'i Faith has survived as a fully independent dispensation.

We Baha'is do accept the Qur'an as an authentic repository of the Word of God and we accept the Bible as inspired. You will find references to both the Bible and the Qur'an in Baha'i Writings.

You can learn more about the Faith online at such websites as

https://www.bahai.org/

It's been my pleasure to represent Baha'i issues on this forum for the past fifteen years and I truly miss some of my former friends who are no longer on this forum.

- Art

 

[The Artis Magistra]

What happened to the older members that they no longer post here? Probably just changes in their lives I guess.

You seem to be the local expert or authority vastly familiar with Baha'i religion and issues, so its actually quite a wonderful opportunity to hear from someone knowledgeable about things.

So what would you say are all the differences or at least the major differences between general Islamic practice and Baha'i?

I also would like to understand more about the whole idea or concepts presented, like the theology, the place of the idea of miracles or interaction with the divine or divine intervention and its frequency, what is God, the place of God, how angels are imagined, the place of the Qur'an and Qur'an ic statements and theology and how much they are binding. If the Qur'an ultimately is given a higher status or more influence or more belief than the Bible (which in some ways the Qur'an may try to correct or Muslims may not accept certain things in the Bible).

I also would like to understand the whole system, like who is Bab, Baha'u'llah, what are they in the whole lay out or scheme of things, what is the afterlife belief and things to do to get here or there, what are the roles of Bab and Baha'u'llah now? I've heard people say "manifestation" and "manifestation of God" and what exactly does it mean in this concept and what are other people as opposed to these particular people? What makes one a manifestation and not a manifestation? Jesus is called an incarnation for example and Krishna an avatar of God, but how are these distinguished as such compared to anyone or anything? That is why a whole layout of the cosmology or system or idea or scheme of things as it seems to you after years of studying may be helpful to describe at length in some detail to really get a deep understanding.

Who is the villain or opposition and how or why is such allowed or explained? What is the Baha'i theology or theodicy related to evil and opposition and obstruction?

Where do non Abrahamic religions and religious figures sit in this scheme of things, like Zoroaster/ Zarathustra, Mahavira, Buddha, Guru Nanak, and others.

What is the view of Baha'i on idolatry, paganism, ancient religions like that of the Greeks and Romans and Hindus and others?

Is it over, or will there be more as there are more claimants even today? What qualifies or disqualifies them?

What is the goal?

The goal for example for Buddhists is to ultimately attain the best and highest state of freedom from cycles of suffering (Samsara) known as Nirvana or Nibbana.

The goal for Muslims is to do good works and worship God to attain paradise in the afterlife after the resurrection and judgment day where the deeds are recalled.

The goal for Christians is the Kingdom of Heaven and God's holy paradise and a holy station in the afterlife after ressurection and judgment.

The goal of Hindus is union with the bliss of God and becoming one with God in some way or otherwise a better reincarnation

The goal of Atheists is to live a good life and leave a good legacy generally and to accomplish things they want to accomplish in this life. That is usually what they seem to say in some way when there is no goal or hope for any kind of Heaven or Paradise or Afterlife.

Those who believe they leave the body simply usually have as their goal some kind of ascension towards "higher realms" or "vibrations" and many report increasingly beautiful and glorious levels and layers of ascent as well as descent.

Each one often has some sort of worst case scenario as well, such as a kind of hell or terrible torture area they want to avoid, in the case of Atheists it would be any sort of "living hell" type terrible experience they would be trying to avoid.

What would the general reaction be of a Baha'i person regarding someone who thinks they communicate or receive communications or witness miracles from God but are not Baha'i? What is the view on spirits and demons and things people call "gods" sometimes?

The Baha'i seem to want a One World Order and religion, which seems to be something many people today are against due to popular conspiracy theories and the demonization of such ideas.

Have you experienced miracles or events which seemed special in a magical or spiritual sort of way? Have you felt that you've experienced any kind of magical effect of prayer or praying?

Do Baha'i pray or worship and fast pretty much exactly like Muslims? What is the position of women and children and the family unit?

What happened to the Bab and Baha'u'llah in the end? Were they considered human beings that died or something else? How are their deaths viewed or explained?

What is the position of an outsider to the Baha'i religion and what is at the bare minimum required to attain the best end result in your opinion?

 

[arthra]

I also would like to understand the whole system, like who is Bab, Baha'u'llah, what are they in the whole lay out or scheme of things, what is the afterlife belief and things to do to get here or there, what are the roles of Bab and Baha'u'llah now? I've heard people say "manifestation" and "manifestation of God" and what exactly does it mean in this concept and what are other people as opposed to these particular people? What makes one a manifestation and not a manifestation?

Yes Artis… for this forum I can suggest some resources for you to search. I'm afraid we don't have much space otherwise....

You can learn more about the "Twin Manifestations" here:

https://www.bahaullah.org/

https://www.bahai.org/the-bab/

Read more about the Manifestation(s) of God:

https://www.bahai.org/beliefs/god-his-creation/revelation/manifestations-god

http://reference.bahai.org/search?max=10&lang=en&first=1&query=Manifestations

One of my favorite essays on the subject is an essay by Julio Savi
http://bahai-library.com/books/quest/quest.06.html

The best to you my friend!

Art

 

[The Artis Magistra]

Excellent! Thank you so much for these pages, I think they will really help!