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Archive for April 1st, 2007
Sleeper! Wake up now! Your lover is here!
Get up, and brush the cobwebs off your hair.Look! Your sweet love has come with love for you.
Wake up, dead lover! Your loved one is here.The doctor of mercy stands by your bed.
Get up! Get up! No more grief, no more tears!You — still cold from your long separation –
will now enbrace your love! That much is clear!So wan, so worn, and wasted by the Fall –
Get up! Get up! At last the Spring is here.It’s New Year’s Day. Life is calling for you.
Rise up, you corpse of every dead, past year!
— Tahirih, outtake from “Tahirih A Portrait in Poetry”
“…Because… the Sun of Truth hath risen at the
highest point of the spring equinox, and cast its rays
on every clime, it shall kindle such tremulous
excitement, it shall release such vibrations in the
world of being, it shall stimulate such growth and
development… that this lowly earth will become the
Abha Kingdom, and this nether world the world above.”
— ‘Abdu’l-Baha, “Selections from the Writings of
‘Abdu’l-Baha”
Did you know…
From The Kitáb-i-Aqdas:
The Báb introduced a new calendar, known now as the Badí or Bahá’í calendar. According to this calendar, a day is the period from sunset to sunset. In the Bayán, the Báb ordained the month of ‘Alá to be the month of fasting, decreed that the day of Naw-Rúz should mark the termination of that period, and designated Naw-Rúz as the Day of God. Bahá’u’lláh confirms the Badí calendar wherein Naw-Rúz is designated as a feast.
Naw-Rúz is the first day of the new year. It coincides with the spring equinox in the northern hemisphere, which usually occurs on 21 March. Bahá’u’lláh explains that this feast day is to be celebrated on whatever day the sun passes into the constellation of Aries (i.e. the vernal equinox), even should this occur one minute before sunset. Hence Naw-Rúz could fall on 20, 21, or 22 March, depending on the time of the equinox.
Bahá’u’lláh has left the details of many laws to be filled in by the Universal House of Justice. Among these are a number of matters affecting the Bahá’í calendar. The Guardian has stated that the implementation, worldwide, of the law concerning the timing of Naw-Rúz will require the choice of a particular spot on earth which will serve as the standard for the fixing of the time of the spring equinox. He also indicated that the choice of this spot has been left to the decision of the Universal House of Justice.
Fasting Month came and left… This post came a wee bit too late. Nevertheless, why not.
From The Kitáb-i-Aqdas:
Fasting and obligatory prayer constitute the two pillars that sustain the revealed Law of God. Bahá’u’lláh in one of His Tablets affirms that He has revealed the laws of obligatory prayer and fasting so that through them the believers may draw nigh unto God.
Shoghi Effendi indicates that the fasting period, which involves complete abstention from food and drink from sunrise till sunset, is
…essentially a period of meditation and prayer, of spiritual recuperation, during which the believer must strive to make the necessary readjustments in his inner life, and to refresh and reinvigorate the spiritual forces 177 latent in his soul. Its significance and purpose are, therefore, fundamentally spiritual in character. Fasting is symbolic, and a reminder of abstinence from selfish and carnal desires.
Fasting is enjoined on all the believers once they attain the age of 15 and until they reach the age of 70 years…… The nineteen-day period of fasting coincides with the Bahá’í month of ‘Alá, usually 2–20 March, immediately after the termination of the Intercalary Days, and is followed by the feast of Naw-Rúz.
During the fasting month, families, neighborhood friends, get together to break the fast. Prayers were said, stories were shared. Below is a report from the BSD group:
Generally, members of this team have been meeting up during the weekends in jointly breaking our fast. Morning prayers continued at 9.00am followed with some light deepening on a passage/ quote. We also tried to start the fast together this year on one occasion but not many could join in. A good start no doubt. At some of the breaking of fast, our community of interest were present to join us. Also, sharing of the Faith continued by some members during the fasting period when we caught up with our friends, neighbours etc. There was also breaking of fast between a family and their neighbour during one of the weekdays. The last breaking of fast saw few contacts (including the Toyogo report couple) joining us to say prayers for their loved ones before partaking in the delicious spread..
Enclosed some photos.
On the 24th March, as part of Naw Ruz, the 2 classes in BSD went on a trip to the Science Centre on 24/3/3007 with some parents to appreciate science and to discover the mysteries of God. In total, 14 children (including some neighbour’s kids whom heard of the outing) and 9 adults went along. As part of the visit, the children are required to answer some questions ala “Treasure Hunt” such as “name 5 things that are made by man” and “name 5 things that are made by God” from what they could see and feel. All had fun and most were involved in the science demonstration as volunteers. New friends were made that afternoon too.
