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Celebrating the two hundredth Anniversaries of The Birth of Baha'u'llah and The Bab |
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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 |
Fort Shaykh Tabarsi: To the Bab August 20, 2019 at 9:31pm Fort Shaykh Tabrasi:
To The Bab
Life and death decisions
are not made by overthinking,
but automatically
without weighing the pros and con.
And so it was
at Fort Shaykh Tabrasi.
The Babis gathered there
in defense
of their own lives,
without any desire or thought
if killing countrymen.
It was the treachery
of the government troops
that finally won the battle
and cause the martyrdom
and imprisonment
of those who took refuge
in the fort.
{dropnote:"Poet'... [Read more] His Personal Supplications: To The Bab August 18, 2019 at 12:53pm His Personal Supplications:
To The Bab
"O my God, O my Lord, O my Master! I beg Thee to forgive me for seeking any pleasure save Thy love, or any comfort except Thy nearness, or any delight besides Thy good-pleasure, or any existence other than communion with Thee."
The Bab{footnote:#} Selections from the Writings of the Bab , 7. Prayers and Meditations. {footnote:#} Prayers from the Bab: The Remembrance of God , Page 103.
Even The Remembrance of God
chanted prayer... [Read more] Protection: To The Bab August 18, 2019 at 12:22pm Protection:
To The Bab
"Immeasurably exalted art Thou, O Lord! Protect us from what lieth in front of us and behind us, above our heads, on our right, on our left, below our feet and every other side to which we are exposed. Verily, Thy protection over all things is unfailing."
The Bab{footnote:#} Baha'i Prayer , Page 135/ {footnote:#}Last paragraph of my favorite pra yer by the Bab.
Intone at dawn,
at noon,
or at sunset
security surrounds mind,
body,
and ... [Read more] King of the Messengers: To The Bab August 17, 2019 at 6:00pm King of the Messengers:
To The Bab
"Say: O people be obedient to the ordinances of God, which have been enjoined in the Bayán by the Glorious, the Wise One. Verily He is the King of the Messengers and His Book is the Mother Book did ye but know."
Baha'u'llah{footnote:#}The Tablet of Ahmad
In its essence
obedience to the commands in the Bayan
is acceptance of Baha'u'llah,
who the Bab referred to
as Him Whom God Will Make Manifest.
The Bab,
who... [Read more] Spiritual Poverty and Wealth: To The Bab August 17, 2019 at 3:39pm Spiritual Poverty and Wealth:
To The Bab
Both wealth and poverty
Have spiritual definitions
Wealth nearness to God
The soul sings
Poverty distance from God
The soul weeps
Serve God serve humanity
feed the hungry
The poor in spirit
Seek God's love
Work worship of God
A joyful attitude
{dropnote:"Poet's Note:"}This is poem 85 of the 200 I am writing to celebrate the Bicentenary of the Birth of The Bab.
Form: Kural is composed of couples L1 = 4 w... [Read more] The Terraces: To The Bab August 14, 2019 at 9:36pm The Terraces:
To The Bab
"But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it."
Micah 4:1, King James Version
Nineteen terraces
ascend the mountain of God,
nine from the foot to the Shrine of the Bab{footnote:#}The shrine has its own terrace. ,
and nine from the Shrine
to the Arc on Carmel's crest.
Eight... [Read more] Victory: To The Bab August 14, 2019 at 8:59pm Victory:
To The Bab
V oices reverberate across the Earth--
I ntoning the prayers of the Bab,
C hanting the verses of divine unity,
T he scriptures proclaiming the Glory of God--
O ver the shouts of fear and hate.
R aise your praise, O people of the world,
Y ield thanks for the Day of God has dawned.
{dropnote:"Poet's Note:"}This is poem 83 of the 200 I am writing to celebrate the Bicentenary of the Birth of The Bab.
... [Read more] Was It A Miracle? To The Bab August 12, 2019 at 11:04pm Was It A Miracle?
To The Bab
Was what happened
on July 9, 1850
in the barracks square of Tabriz
a miracle?
The Bab
was dictating to His secretary
when an official came
to escort Him to His execution,
the Bab said:
"Not until I have said to him all those things I wish to say, can any earthly power silence Me. Though all the world be armed against Me, yet shall they be powerless to deter Me from fulfilling, to the last word, My intentions." {footnote:#} The Dawn-Bre... [Read more] Guidance: To The Bab August 12, 2019 at 9:48pm Guidance:
To The Bab
"It is better to guide one soul than to possess all that is on earth, for as long as that guided soul is under the shadow of the Tree of Divine Unity, he and the one who hath guided him will both be recipients of God’s tender mercy, whereas possession of earthly things will cease at the time of death. The path to guidance is one of love and compassion, not of force and coercion. This hath been God’s method in the past, and shall continue to be in the futu... [Read more] His Mother: To The Bab August 11, 2019 at 7:57pm His Mother:
To The Bab
All mothers believe
their sons will make a difference
in the world.
Fátimih,
the mother of the Bab,
was blessed to give birth
to a Manifestation of God.
She was steadfast
in her love for her son,
though she didn't
understand His station
until after she became a Baha'i.
{dropnote:"Poet's Note:"}This is poem 80 of the 200 I am writing to celebrate the Bicentenary of the Birth of The Bab. See The Dawn-Breakers: Nabil's Na... [Read more] Forgiveness: To The Bab August 11, 2019 at 7:18pm Forgiveness:
To The Bab
Forgive us,
O Lord,
the doubts
that come between
our souls
and the Mirror of Thyself.
I contemplate the prayer
revealed by the Bab,
prayer requesting Thy forgiveness
and Thy mercy.
I am awestruck
by the purity
that flows through
each sentence and paragraph
There is no God
but Thee,
O Lord,
in this age
you have blessed Earth
with a double outpouring
of the Primal Will--
the Holy Spirit--
in the Bab
and Baha'u'llah.
Please f... [Read more] His Pilgrimage: To The Bab August 11, 2019 at 6:53pm His Pilgrimage:
To The Bab
In October 1844,
the Bab,
accompanied by Quddus,
begin His pilgrimage
to Mecca and Medina.
In December 1844
He arrived in Mecca,
circled the Ka'bih,
and at the Black Stone
He spoke to another pilgrim:
"...Verily I declare, none besides Me in this day, whether in the East or in the West, can claim to be the Gate that leads me to the knowledge of God. My proof is non other than that proof whereby the truth of the Prophet Muhammad was esta... [Read more] In Praise of God: To The Bab August 11, 2019 at 6:03pm In Praise of God:
To The Bab
All blessings come from God
therefor I praise Him
in prayer,
song,
and poem.
One of the two greatest blessing
in this day
was the birth of Ali Muhammad,
the Bab.
I praise the Bab,
because praising God's Messenger
is the same
as praising God.
{dropnote:"Poet's Note:"}This is poem 77 of the 200 I am writing to celebrate the Bicentenary of the Birth of The Bab.
... [Read more] Communion With God: To The Bab August 11, 2019 at 2:29pm Communion With God:
To The Bab
Unknowable,
without form or body,
the essence
that is the Almighty
desires communion
with His creation,
and therefore has sent
Manifestations
reflecting Divine attributes.
The prayers
revealed by the Bab
encourages conversation with the Creator.
The prayers
address God
in words of respect
and love.
The prayers
show us how to pray.
{dropnote:"Poet's Note:"}This is poem 76 of the 200 I am writing to celebrate the Bicen... [Read more] Conference at Badasht: To The Bab August 11, 2019 at 1:36pm Conference at Badasht{footnote:#}This conference occurred before Baha' u'llah received His revelation. :
To The Bab
July 1848
the Babi Faith
was established
as an independent religion.
Baha'u'llah rented three gardens,
one for Quddus,
one for Tahirih,
and one for Himself,
while the rest of the Babi's
gathered around the gardens.
Each believer received a new name,
each day a law of Islm was repealed,
each day a religious tradition was abandoned,
and ... [Read more] Seeking Divine Blessing: To The Bab August 10, 2019 at 7:59pm Seeking Divine Blessings:
To The Bab
Chanting the verses
which flowed from the Primal Point{footnote:#}One of the titles of the Bab.
we seek the divine blessing
of spiritual transformation.
Meditating on the scriptures
revealed by the Bab
we seek guidance and inspiration
to help us in our quest
to comprehend divine unity.
The prayers of the Bab
encourage our acceptance of
and obedience to
Baha'u'llah{footnote:#}Referred to by the Bab as Him who God will make ma... [Read more] In the Castle of Chihriq: To The Bab August 10, 2019 at 7:41pm In the Castle of Chihriq:
To The Bab
Because of the Bab's growing popularity
in Mah-Ku,
Haji Mirza Aqasi
to Chihriq--
"the Grievous Mountain"{footnote:#}This is how the Bab referred to Chihriq. .
Yaha Khan{footnote:#}Commander of the troops at Chihriq.
was so impressed by the Bab
that he ignored orders
that would have prevented
anyone from meeting the Bab.
Indeed,
even the Kurds
living in the surrounding towns
were impressed
by the gentle strength
of th... [Read more] Gift of Joy: To The Bab August 10, 2019 at 5:44pm Gift of Joy{footnote:#} The Dawn-Breakers: Nabil's Narrative , page 227. :
To The Bab
Sadness
wearies the heart,
even of a Manifestation of God.
Joy transforms;
joy came to the Bab
with a letter and gift
from Baha'u'llsh.
It is the small things
that bring happiness
even to an
imprisoned Mirror of the Almighty.{footnote:#}The Bab reflected the attributes of God to humanity. .
{dropnote:"Poet's Note:"}This is poem 72 of the 200 I am writing to ce... [Read more] In the Castle of Mah-Ku: To the Bab August 10, 2019 at 5:06pm In the Castle of Mah-Ku:
To The Bab
"The voice of the Bab, as He dictated the teachings and principles of His Faith, could be clearly heard by those who were dwelling at the foot of the mountain. The melody of His chanting, the rhythmic flow of the verses which streamed from His lips caught our ears and penetrated into our very souls. Mountain and valley reechoed the majesty of His voice. Our hearts vibrated in their depths to the appeal of His utterance."
Shaykh Hasan-i-Z... [Read more] Gracious Forgiveness: To The Bab August 8, 2019 at 2:09pm Gracious Forgiveness:
To The Bab
"Praise be unto Thee, O Lord. Forgive us our sins, have mercy upon us and enable us to return unto Thee. Suffer us not to rely on aught else besides Thee, and vouchsafe unto us, through Thy bounty, that which Thou lovest and desirest and well beseemeth Thee. Exalt the station of them that have truly believed and forgive them with Thy gracious forgiveness. Verily Thou art the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting."
The Bab{footnote:#} Selection... [Read more] Prayer for Independence: To The Bab August 8, 2019 at 2:04pm Prayer for Independence:
To The Bab
"O my God, my Lord and my Master! I have detached myself from my kindred and have sought through Thee to become independent of all that dwell on earth and ever ready to receive that which is praiseworthy in Thy sight. Bestow on me such good as will make me independent of aught else but Thee, and grant me an ampler share of Thy boundless favors. Verily Thou art the Lord of grace abounding."
The Bab{footnote:#} Selections From The Writings... [Read more] Transcendent Majesty: To The Bab August 6, 2019 at 2:59pm Transcendent Majesty:
To The Bab
Deity is beyond
both space and time,
is reflected
in the universe itself.
The majesty
of the Unknowable Essence
that we call God
was mirror through
the revelation of the Bab.
{dropnote:"Poet's Note:"}This is poem 68 of the 200 I am writing to celebrate the Bicentenary of the Birth of The Bab.
... [Read more] A Prerequisite of Justice: To The Bab August 6, 2019 at 2:46pm A Prerequisite of Justice:
To The Bab
In the sight of God,
women and men are equal;
they have the same rights,
which make equality
a prerequisite of justice.
{dropnote:"Poet's Note:"}This is poem 67 of the 200 I am writing to celebrate the Bicentenary of the Birth of The Bab.
... [Read more] Token of Grace: To The Bab August 4, 2019 at 6:55pm Token of Grace:
To The Bab
As a token of divine grace,
the Almighty laid down
the foundation of religion
and sent--
in each age--
a holy prophet
to mirror forth
the Creator's love
and forgiveness.
Channels
of the Holy Spirit
they revealed proof
of the existence of God
through their words
and actions.
In this age,
as a token of His Grace,
God has released
a double measure of the Holy Spirit
The Bab and Baha'u'llah
revealed through their scriptures
... [Read more] Degrees of Perfection: To The Bab August 4, 2019 at 2:43pm Degrees of Perfection:
To The Bab
Test by test the Bagis ascended
the degrees of perfection
by overcoming obstacles
hindering faith's progress.
Today,
we also ascend
the ladder of tests
that takes us beyond dogma's fears
into the realm of divine unity.
{dropnote:"Poet's Note:"}This is poem 65 of the 200 I am writing to celebrate the Bicentenary of the Birth of The Bab.
... [Read more] |
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