Celebrating the two hundredth Anniversaries of The Birth of Baha'u'llah and The Bab |
Introduction In 2017 Baha'is around the world will celebrate the two hundredth anniversary of the Birth of Baha'u'llah. Then in 2019 they will celebrate the two hundredth anniversary of the Birth of the Bab. This journal will contain poems and prose inspired by these two anniversaries. In addition, I will include thoughts and poems inspired by the scriptures revealed by Baha'u'llah and the Bab. Before Naw-Ruz of 2015, the Baha'i or Badi calendar "was synchronized to the Gregorian calendar".1 After Naw-Ruz of 2015, the date of the vernal equinox was established as the birthplace of Baha'u'llah which unlocked the Baha'i calendar from the Gregorian calendar.2 Because of this the dates of the celebrations are now calculated according to the Baha'i/Badi calendar instead of the Gregorian calendar which was the case before Naw-Ruz 2015. Bicentenary of the Birth of Bahá’u’lláh Bicentenary of the Birth of the Bab Remembering 'Abdu'l-Baha Twin Holy Days Celebrated on the fist and second day following the eight new moon after Naw-Ruz The Celebration of the Birth of the Báb occurred on October 21, 2017. The Bicentenary of the Birth of the Báb will occur on October 29, 2019 Born: 1 Muharram 1235 AH - 20 October 1819 The Bicentenary Celebration of the Birth of Bahá'u'lláh occurred on October 22, 2017 The Celebration of the Birth of Bahá'u'lláh will occur on October 30, 2019 Born: 2 Muharram 1233 AH - 12 November 1817 Centenary of the Ascension of 'Abdu'l-Baha More information as 2021 progresses. Links to Articles Articles in the Huffington Post Baha’is Prepare for Bicentennial in 2017 By Shastri Purushotma (December 30, 2016) Baha’is To Celebrate “Twin Holy Days” For First Time Worldwide By Shastri Purushotma (November 5, 2015) 200 Years Since His Birth: Who Is Bahá’u’lláh? by Genevieve Seri (September 9. 2017) Articles in Baha'i Chronicles http://bahaichronicles.org/ Articles in Beyond Foreignness 200 Articles in 200 Days for the 200th Anniversary of Bahá’u’lláh’s Birth by Michael Curtotti The Short Obligatory Prayer Revealed by Bahá'u'lláh "I bear witness, O my God, that Thou hast created me to know Thee and to worship Thee. I testify, at this moment, to my powerlessness and to Thy might, to my poverty and to Thy wealth. There is none other God but Thee, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting." Prayers and Meditations by Bahá’u’lláh, CLXXXI The Remover of Difficulties Revealed by The Bab "Is there any Remover of difficulties save God? Say: Praised be God! He is God! All are His servants and all abide by His bidding!" Selections from the Writings of the Báb Prayer for America Revealed by 'Abdu'l-Baha "O Thou kind Lord! This gathering is turning to Thee. These hearts are radiant with Thy love. These minds and spirits are exhilarated by the message of Thy glad-tidings. O God! Let this American democracy become glorious in spiritual degrees even as it has aspired to material degrees, and render this just government victorious. Confirm this revered nation to upraise the standard of the oneness of humanity, to promulgate the Most Great Peace, to become thereby most glorious and praiseworthy among all the nations of the world. O God! This American nation is worthy of Thy favors and is deserving of Thy mercy. Make it precious and near to Thee through Thy bounty and bestowal." Baha'i Prayers Footnotes |
Who is The Bab? To The Bab October 19, 2019 at 4:55pm Who is The Bab?
To The Bab
He opened the door to world unity,
The gate to humanity's salvation.
The forerunner of one greater than He,
He opened the door to world unity,
And the proof of Divine Reality.
Trumpet blast announcing Resurrection,
He opened the door to world unity,
The gate to humanity's salvation.
{dropnote:"Poet's Note:"}This is poem 168 of the 200 I am writing to celebrate the Bicentenary of the Birth of The Bab. This is one of several poems... [Read more] The Door of Reality: To The Bab October 19, 2019 at 10:47am The Door of Reality:
To The Bab
"The foundation of the divine religions is reality; were there no reality, there would be no religions.
Abraham heralded reality. Moses promulgated reality. Christ established reality. Muhammad was the Messenger of reality. The Bab was the door of reality. Bahá'u'lláh was the splendor of reality.
Reality is one; it does not admit multiplicity or division. Reality is as the sun, which shines forth from different dawning points; it is... [Read more] The Declaration Chamber: To The Bab October 18, 2019 at 7:05pm The Declaration Chamber:
To The Bab
{embed:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lp0aMonZfzI}
Light flows
gushes in torrents
through the room where
a new day
and a new age began.
A virtual pilgrimage
caries my soul
back through the decades
to the room
illuminated by divine revelation
and reflecting
the colors of life.
{dropnote:"Poet's Note:"}This is poem 166 of the 200 I am writing to celebrate the Bicentenary of the Birth of The Bab.
... [Read more] The Rose of Carmel: To The Bab October 18, 2019 at 5:37pm The Rose of Carmel:
To The Bab
Atop the mountain blooms
the white Rose of Carmel
reflecting to humanity
the light of unity.
The seed of this rose was planted
by The Bab
in the soil of the Bayan{footnote:#}The book containing the laws revealed by the Bab.
and water with His blood;
Baha'u'llah transplanted the rose
into the Garden of the The Kitáb-i-Aqdas{footnote:#}The book containing the laws revealed by Baha'u'llah. .
All the colors are equal,
their i... [Read more] God's New Day: To The Bab October 18, 2019 at 11:48am God's New Day:
To The Bab
Darkness conspires
to conceal the light of dawn
behind the charcoal clouds of hate.
Dawn comes
its light turns the clouds scarlet
and awakens the birds of morning.
{dropnote:"Poet's Note:"}This is poem 164 of the 200 I am writing to celebrate the Bicentenary of the Birth of The Bab.
... [Read more] His Wondrous Writings: To The Bab October 17, 2019 at 9:24pm His Wondrous Writings:
To The Bab
Awe-inspiring paragraphs, sacred similes,
Miraculous metaphors, marvelous phrases,
Extraordinary word choice, awesome descriptions.
Gift of the Holy Spirit, the Bab's legacy.
{dropnote:"Poet's Note:"}This is poem 163 of the 200 I am writing to celebrate the Bicentenary of the Birth of The Bab. Form: Imayo "1. a 4 line poem. 2. syllabic, written in 12 syllable lines broken by caesura after the 7th syllable."
... [Read more] Meditation on a Passage from the Persian Bayan: To The Bab October 17, 2019 at 6:15pm Meditation on a Passage from the Persian Bayan:
To The Bab
"He hath moreover deposited within the realities of all created things the emblem of His recognition, that everyone may know of a certainty that He is the Beginning and the End, the Manifest and the Hidden."
The Bab{footnote:#}The Persian Bayan I, 1
Every created thing
reveals an attribute of God,
a symbol of the reality
of the Unknowable Divine Essence.
No individual
can have direct knowledge
of the ... [Read more] The Day Star of the Bayan: To The Bab October 17, 2019 at 6:06pm The Day Star of the Bayan:
To The Bab
The day star of the Bayan
rose into the firmament of religion
casting the rays of unity
across the landscape of faith,
and announcing
the approach of the Glory of God.
{dropnote:"Poet's Note:"}This is poem 161 of the 200 I am writing to celebrate the Bicentenary of the Birth of The Bab.
... [Read more] The Mouthpiece of God: To The Bab October 13, 2019 at 3:40pm The Mouthpiece of God:
To The Bab
God spoke again
through the voice and pen
of the Primal Point{footnote:#}One of the titles of the Bab. .
Through this point
the Holy Spirit flowed,
as the Bab revealed
letters,
sacred scriptures,
and laws
for a new dispensation.
{dropnote:"Poet's Note:"}This is poem 160 of the 200 I am writing to celebrate the Bicentenary of the Birth of The Bab.
... [Read more] Sacred Time: To The Bab October 13, 2019 at 12:40pm Sacred Time:
To The Bab
The Badi, the Wondrous, calendar--
originated in the Persian Bayan by the Bab--
transformed the days,
the months,
and the years
into sacred time.
The Badi calendar
is the Baha'i calendar
used by every Baha'i community
across the Earth
to determine
the Nineteen-Day Feast.
The Baha'i calendar
is a part of "The Bab's Living Legacy"{footnote:#}https://bahaiteachings.org/series/the-babs-living-legacy ,
with each month,
each ... [Read more] As I Write: To The Bab October 10, 2019 at 9:38pm As I Write:
To The Bab
Word by word my love
for His Holiness the Bab
increases ... expands
In each poem,
I attempt to express
an aspect of His legacy
that shines through
every Baha'i community
across the Earth.
Prayer by prayer I ask forgiveness
for falling short of the goal,
for my inability
to find the perfect word
to express the Bab's
place in the religious history
of humanity.
I supplicate assistance
to find
a new metaphor
or simile
to describe
th... [Read more] Give Thank for the Manifestations of God: To The Bab October 10, 2019 at 7:20pm Give Thank for the Manifestations of God:
To The Bab
"Glorified is He to Whom pertaineth the dominion of the heavens and of the earth, in Whose hand lieth the kingdom of all created things and unto Whom shall all return. It is He Who setteth the measure assigned to each and every thing and revealeth His goodly gifts and blessings in His sacred Book for the benefit of those who offer gratitude for His Cause."
The Bab{footnote:#} Selections from the Writing of the Bab , 6. E... [Read more] The Feast: To The Bab October 9, 2019 at 7:02pm The Feast:
To The Bab
"This Feast was established by His Highness the Bab, to occur once in nineteen days. Likewise, [Baha’u’llah] hath commanded, encourage and reiterated it. Therefore, it hath the utmost importance. Undoubtedly you must give the greatest attention to its establishment and raise it to the highest point of importance, so that it may become continual and constant. The believers of God must assemble and associate with each other in the utmost love, joy and frag... [Read more] His Early Life: To The Bab November 28, 2019 at 4:40pm His Early Life:
To The Bab
Innate knowledge,
Descendant of Muhammad,
Supernatural wisdom,
Held in high esteem,
Unparalleled character.
{dropnote:"Poet's Note:"}This is poem 155 of the 200 I am writing to celebrate the Bicentenary of the Birth of The Bab. Gogyohka form: a five line poem with each line being a single phrase. A phrase consists of 2-5 words {link:https://www.writersdigest.com/whats-new/gogyohka-poetic-form}. Inspired by pages 120-122 in Days to Remembe... [Read more] The Dispensation of The Bab: To The Bab October 8, 2019 at 8:19pm The Dispensation of The Bab:
To The Bab
I contemplate the Dispensation of the Bab,
meditate upon the sacrifices
by those who met
and those who did not meet Him.
Tahirih
heard Him speak
in her dream
and did not hesitate
to accept His station.
Tahirih
dedicated poems to Him,
removed her veil,
and gave up her life.
Baha'u'llah
read the Bab's words
in a tablet
and knew
that they were true.
Baha'u'llah
lost all His wealth,
was chained
in the ... [Read more] Bicentenary Msditations: To The Bab October 9, 2019 at 4:44pm Bicentenary Meditations:
To The Bab
1{footnote:#}I posted this as a Status Update to Facebook
Through His transcendent mercy
God foreordained
the Birth of the Bab.
2
A Good Day{footnote:#}I posted this in Poet 999 - A Butterfly Emerges From Her Cocoon {link:https://poet999.blogspot.com/2019/10/a-good-day.html}.
It's a good day to writ poetry
and contemplate,
in stanza and line,
the Bicentenary of the Birth of the Bab.
{dropnote:"Poet's Note:... [Read more] Muhammad-Aliy-i-Zunuzi : To The Bab October 7, 2019 at 10:15pm Muhammad-Aliy-i-Zunuzi:
To The Bab
This poem is inspired by {xlink:https://www.bahaiblog.net/2016/07/tribute-anis-zunuzi/}A Tribute to Anis Zunuzi .
Unquestioned faith
and obedience
to the Gate of God{footnote:#}The Bag. ,
is the example
Anis set for us.
All we can do
is supplicate forgiveness
for falling short
of the example.
{dropnote:"Poet's Note:"}This is poem 151 of the 200 I am writing to celebrate the Bicentenary of the Birth of The Bab.
... [Read more] Unity of Humanity: To The Bab October 5, 2019 at 4:01pm Unity of Humanity:
To The Bab
"We have created you from one tree and have caused you to be as the leaves and fruit of the same tree, that haply ye may become a source of comfort to one another."
The Bab{footnote:#}http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/tb/SWB/swb-117.html
How many times
does the message
have to be repeated
before we accept humanity
as the leaves and fruits
of a single tree.
The Bab
proclaimed the message
in The Book of Names ,
and Baha'u'... [Read more] His Influence Today: To The Bab October 3, 2019 at 7:07pm His Influence Today:
To The Bab
He still influences my life today.
I feel His spirit
in the calendar I use
and in the prayers I say.
The Bab's light,
along with that of Baha'u'llah,
shines upon the world today.
His scriptures
are the root
of the tree
of divine unity.
{dropnote:"Poet's Note:"}This is poem 149 of the 200 I am writing to celebrate the Bicentenary of the Birth of The Bab. This poem was inspired by the article {xlink:https://bahai... [Read more] Quddus: To The Bab October 3, 2019 at 4:11pm Quddus:
To The Bab
“I confidently testify that none beside Him [the Bāb], whether in the East or in the West, can claim to be the Truth. None other can manifest the power and majesty that radiate from His holy person”
Quddus{footnote:#}https://bahai-library.com/hosseini_iranica_quddus
Eighteenth Letter of the Living,
testified to the power
diffused from the Bab.
Drinking deep
of the cup of martyrdom
he ascended into paradise
to await
the arrival of his Lord.
... [Read more] Mulla Husayn: To The Bab October 2, 2019 at 9:04pm Mulla Husayn:
To The Bab
"You are destined to exhibit such courage, such skill and heroism as shall eclipse the mightiest deeds of the heroes of old. Your daring exploits will win the praise and admiration of the dwellers in the eternal Kingdom."
The Bab to Mulla Husayn in Mahku before His transference to Chihriq{footnote:#} The Dawn-Breakers , page 26.
Mulla Husayn
instinctively knew
how to prepare for a Holy quest:
through prayer,
meditation,
and fasting.
H... [Read more] Dreams Foretell the Future: To The Bab September 26, 2019 at 6:38pm Dreams Foretell the Future:
To The Bab
Dreams can transform
or reveal the future,
they are mysteries
that hint
at the immortality
of our souls.
One Khadijih Bagum dream
suggested the station of the Bab
before he declared it to Mulla Husayn,
while another
revealed her as the Bab's bride.
Some events are destined
and thus revealed
in dreams.
{dropnote:"Poet's Note:"}This is poem 146 of the 200 I am writing ... [Read more] Haji Mubarak: To The Bab September 26, 2019 at 6:26pm Haji Mubarak:
To The Bab
Haji Mubarak
served humanity
through his service to the Bab,
the Manifestation of God.
{dropnote:"Poet's Note:"}This is poem 145 of the 200 I am writing to celebrate the Bicentenary of the Birth of The Bab.
... [Read more] Prophet-Herald: To The Bab September 24, 2019 at 4:19pm Prophet-Herald:
To The Bab
An independent prophet,
the Bab revealed tables, letters,
and a book of laws--
the Persian Bayan.
Herald
of one grater than himself,
the Bab
was the dawn of a new day,
and opened the gate through which
the Glory of God
was made manifest.
We are blessed
with a double outpouring of the Holy Spirit
within a single century,
which is causing the walls of disunity
to crumble.
{dropnote:"Poet's Note:"}This is poem 144 of the 200 I ... [Read more] The Other Witnesses: To The Bab September 24, 2019 at 3:31pm The Other Witnesses:
To The Bab
Who were the other witnesses
to the Bab's declaration to Mulla Husayn,
the Babu’l-Bab{footnote:#}Gate of the Gate. ?
Khadijih Bagum and Haji Mubarak,
both heard the words
intoned by the Bab
as He revealed proofs
of His station and His mission
in May of 1844.
Before that evening Khadijih Bagum,
the Bab's wife,
was aware
that her husband
was a Manifestation of God.
One can only presume
that Haji Mubarak,
the Bab's Ethio... [Read more] |