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 |
Dreams Change Our Perspective: To The Bab September 23, 2019 at 9:46pm Dreams Change Our Perspective:
To The Bab
What is it about dreams
that change our perspective,
transform our lives,
cause us to change our religion,
and give our deaths meaning?
Tahirih
saw the Bab in a dream,
heard His words,
and wrote them in her journal
when she woke up.
Later
she read those word again
and knew
that the Bab spoke the truth,
that He was the Gate of God
through whom
a new divine Messenger would come.
This caused her-
to shake the foundations of... [Read more] Light's Dawn: To The Bab September 23, 2019 at 8:47pm Light's Dawn:
To The Bab
Light's dawn
Echoes across the Earth
Scattering the forces of hate
And letting divine love create
Humanity's new birth
{dropnote:"Poet's Note:"}This is poem 141 of the 200 I am writing to celebrate the Bicentenary of the Birth of The Bab. {xlink:http://poetscollective.org/poetryforms/argonelles/}Argonelles
Number of lines: 5
Rules:
Composed of an unlimited amount of 5-line stanzas (quintains).
The syllable count is ... [Read more] The Spirit of Prayerfulness: To The Bab September 21, 2019 at 5:23pm The Spirit of Prayerfulness:
To The Bab
The house is silent,
the night air is cool,
the midnight hour approaches,
and I perform my ablutions
preparing myself for communion
with the Beloved.
I open my prayer book,
intone a prayer for forgiveness,
and meditate upon the words.
I feel the tranquility
of the Holy Spirit
flow through my entire being
washing away
the worries of the day.
{dropnote:"Poet's Note:"}This is poem 140 of the 200 I am writing to celeb... [Read more] Poetic Inspiration: To The Bab September 21, 2019 at 4:44pm Poetic Inspiration:
To The Bab
His scriptures inspire
the poet's soul
to reach beyond the mundane expressions
of material existence
to find new metaphors and similes
to express her love for the Creator.
His prayers
are the generative impulse
that encourages victory
over writer's block.
{dropnote:"Poet's Note:"}This is poem 139 of the 200 I am writing to celebrate the Bicentenary of the Birth of The Bab.
... [Read more] Manifold Tokens: To The Bab September 21, 2019 at 4:12pm Manifold Tokens:
To The Bab
I contemplate the manifold tokens
of God's love
that unite beneath the shelter
of divine unity--
of progressive revelation--
the Manifestations
of the Unknowable Essence
that created the universe.
The Bab--
one of the tokens of God's love--
was like the purifying floods of spring
clearing the debris of winter
from the river of religions
and opening the channel
for Baha'u'llah.
{dropnote:"Poet's Note:"}This is ... [Read more] Listening to the Words of the Bab September 20, 2019 at 5:06pm Listening to the Words of the Bab
I listen to the song
God's word cannot be wrong, His light
Leads us through fear's dark night
To the dawn of a bright new day
When brotherhood holds sway
Free of war's noisy fray, and peace
The chains of fear release,
The bonds of love increase on Earth.
{dropnote:"Poet's Note:"}This is poem 137 of the 200 I am writing to celebrate the Bicentenary of the Birth of The Bab.
Form: {xlink:http://thepoetsgarret.com/2011Cha... [Read more] Divinely-Ordained Scriptures: To The Bab September 18, 2019 at 5:32pm Divinely-Ordained Scriptures:
To The Bab
Words flowed from the Unknowable Creator
through the Primal Will,
through the Holy Spirit,
into the pure soul of the Bab,
and across blank pages
to create
Divinely-Ordained Scriptures.
Divinely-Ordained Scriptures
kindle the fire of joy
in the hearts of the seekers,
in the minds of God's lovers
and transform prayer
into action.
{dropnote:"Poet's Note:"}This is poem 136 of the 200 I am writing to celebrate the B... [Read more] Vitalizing Fragrance: To The Bab September 18, 2019 at 5:16pm Vitalizing Fragrance:
To The Bab
A vitalizing fragrance
wafts across the Earth
proclaiming to humanity
a new day,
and announcing
to the lovers of God
the renewal of religion.
A vitalizing fragrance
unlocks doors
of seekers' hearts
revealing a new vision of unity
that unites the the human race
and reveals sacred books of all religions
as chapters
in the book of Progressive Revelation.
A vitalizing fragrance
rises from Persia
and wafts across the planet
carrying... [Read more] Reunion With the Divine: To The Bab September 17, 2019 at 4:34pm Reunion With the Divine:
To The Bab
I seek reunion with the Divine,
yet God
is a spiritual essence
without incarnation in matter.
How do I find reunion with the Divine?
I contemplate Tahirih,
the Pure One,
who--
without ever meeting the Bab--
found reunion with God
through the scriptures revealed by the Bab.
Reunion with God
come through acceptance
of the Divine Manifestation,
who represents the God Head
on the plane of matter.
{dropnote:"Poet's Note:... [Read more] Sheltering Support: To The Bab September 17, 2019 at 3:33pm Sheltering Support:
To The Bab
In the sheltering support
of God's ancient covenant
humanity finds shelter
in this age of darkness
when the battalions
of good and evil
confront each other.
The sheltering support
of God's covenant
was renewed
when the Bab
proclaimed His mission
and announced the coming
of Him Whom God Will Make Manifest.
{dropnote:"Poet's Note:"}This is poem 133 of the 200 I am writing to celebrate the Bicentenary of the Birth of Th... [Read more] Mighty Succor: To The Bab September 17, 2019 at 3:13pm Mighty Succor:
To The Bab
Oh, Thou Gate of God,
in the prayer and scriptures You revealed
I can feel
the breath of the Holy Spirit
as it flows
through sentence and line,
paragraph and stanza.
Relief pours
across my soul,
as I meditate on the words
or listen to the prayers sung.
Oh, Thou Primal Point,
when I intone
Your sacred paragraphs
I know
that that aid and assistance
will descend
from the Celestial Concourse
to guide me
through the fog
of tests and difficu... [Read more] Singing the Sacred Scriptures: To The Bab September 16, 2019 at 3:21pm Singing the Sacred Scriptures:
To The Bab
This poem was inspired by {xlink:https://www.bahaiblog.net/2019/09/30-bahai-blog-studio-sessions-based-on-the-writings-of-the-bab/#more-49323}30 Baha’i Blog Studio Sessions Based on the Writings of the Bab .
Scripture inspired music, croons holy words,
The musicians play the instruments, sing The Bab's sacred verses,
Words expressing the Primal Will of God, the Holy Spirit flows through the chords.
{dropnote:"Poet's Not... [Read more] God's Manifestation: To The Bab September 14, 2019 at 10:22pm God's Manifestation:
To The Bab
His beauteous countenance, Remembrance of God
His knowledge embraces divine unity, one God with many names
His vitalizing influence reflects the Primal Will, God's Manifestation renewing religion and educating humanity
{dropnote:"Poet's Note:"}This is poem 130 of the 200 I am writing to celebrate the Bicentenary of the Birth of The Bab. Form Three-Five-Seven:1. written in 3 lines, however, the 3 lines may be broken into 6 lines ... [Read more] Unfailing Success: To The Bab September 14, 2019 at 3:37pm Unfailing Success:
To The Bab
"Turn not your religion into a means of material gain, spending your life on vanities, and inheriting thereby on the Day of Resurrection that which would displease Him Whom God shall make manifest, while ye deem that what ye do is right."
The Bab{footnote:#} Selections From the Writings of the Báb
Unfailing success
is found in divine virtues
not in self-worship.
Partnered with the physical body,
the soul struggles between
two op... [Read more] The Verses of God: To The Bab September 14, 2019 at 2:45pm The Verses of God:
To The Bab
"No doubt is there that the verses of God are verses that shine forth from this Tree, for the Eternal Essence has ever existed in His state of singleness, whereas the verses are a matter for creativity, which is the work of the Primal Will, in whom none can be seen save God alone. Although, in this day men do not look upon the verses of God, yet before long these same verses shall be recited in the most exalted manner and Bayans worth one thousand mi... [Read more] The Dimensions of Oneness: To The Bab September 12, 2019 at 3:43pm The Dimensions of Oneness:
To The Bab
Oneness flows
across the foundation of
the religion of God;
across the ancient covenant
that unites
the revelation of Adam
with that revelation by the Bab.
The Bab,
that Gate opening
the way to the revelation
of Baha'u'llah,
and foretells the arrival
of World Peace.
These are the dimensions of oneness,
symbolized by the Bab
and enunciated by Baha'u'llah:
one God with many names,
religion one foundation
unif... [Read more] Be Thou: To The Bab September 12, 2019 at 3:29pm Be Thou:
To The Bab
"Verily, we have believed in Thee and in Thy signs ere the dawn of Thy Manifestation, and in Thee are we all well-assured. Verily, we have believed in Thee and in Thy signs after the fulfillment of Thy Manifestation, and in Thee do we all believe. Verily, we have believed in Thee and in Thy signs at the hour of Thy Manifestation and bear witness that through Tine injunction 'Be Thou' all things have been created."
The Bab{footnote:#}from a Table... [Read more] The First and the Second Night: To The Bab September 10, 2019 at 8:53pm The First and the Second Night:
To The Bab
"O concourse of earth and heaven!
This is that first night, which God hath made to be
a sign of that second night, whereon was born
He Wom no praise can befittingly extol and
no attribute describe. Well is it with him
who reflecteth upon them both."
Baha'u'llah
On the first night{footnote:#}1 Muharram 1235 AH - 20 October 1819 ,
Siyyid Ali Muhammad,
the Bab,
was born.
On the second night{footnote:#} Muharram ... [Read more] For God: To The Bab September 10, 2019 at 7:23pm For God:
To The Bab
"Verily, I do this for God, the Lord of the heavens and earth, the Lord of all that is seen and unseen, the Lord of Creation."
The Bab{footnote:#}The Bayan, in Nader Saiedi, Gate of the Heart: Understanding the Writings of the Bab, p. 312.
It is for God
that I write,
composing odes
day and night
for the Remembrance of God{footnote:#}Reference to the Bab, who is one of the Manifestations of God. .
It is for God
that I proclaim
this gloriou... [Read more] Spiritual Impulse: To The Bab September 9, 2019 at 5:33pm Spiritual Impulse:
To The Bab
The appearance
of the Bab
helped move humanity's
spiritual evolution forward,
prepared the way
for Baha'u'llah,
and humankind's unity.
{dropnote:"Poet's Note:"}This is poem 122 of the 200 I am writing to celebrate the Bicentenary of the Birth of The Bab.
... [Read more] On The Brink of Maturity: To The Bab September 9, 2019 at 5:25pm On The Brink of Maturity:
To The Bab
Humanity
stands on the brink of maturity,
its childhood left behind
in the fog of yesterday.
The Bab
is the gate
that symbolizes
humankind's passage
from its childhood of separation
into the unity
of its maturity.
{dropnote:"Poet's Note:"}This is poem 121 of the 200 I am writing to celebrate the Bicentenary of the Birth of The Bab.
... [Read more] Divine Revelation: To The Bab September 7, 2019 at 7:20pm Divine Revelation:
To The Bab
Through Divine Revelation
the Unknowable Creator
is made know to humanity.
Each Holy Manifestation
reflects the attributes of God
to His creation.
Spiritual teachers
God's Manifestations
through childhood
toward maturity.
The Bab
is the gate
through which came
the Glory of God
to assist humanity
in its maturity.
{dropnote:"Poet's Note:"}This is poem 120 of the 200 I am writing to celebrate the Bicentenary of the Bir... [Read more] Well-Spring of Blessings: To The Bab September 7, 2019 at 6:42pm Well-Spring of Blessings:
To The Bab
"It is seemly that the servant should, after each prayer, supplicate God to bestow mercy and forgiveness upon his parents. Thereupon God’s call will be raised: ‘Thousand upon thousand of what thou hast asked for thy parents shall be thy recompense!’ Blessed is he who remembereth his parents when communing with God. There is, verily, no God but Him, the Mighty, the Well-Beloved."
The Bab{footnote:#} Selections from the Writings of ... [Read more] Heavenly Blessings: To The Bab September 3, 2019 at 6:40pm Heavenly Blessings:
To The Bab
I contemplate
the heavenly blessings.
The first things that come to mind
are His books, tablets, epistles, and
commentaries upon the Qur'an.
Second
us the way the lives
of those who accepted Him
as the Lord of the Age
were transformed.
Before His word
called their soul
from the tomb of self
they were sparrows.
After their resurrection,
they became eagles
proclaiming His Cause
throughout Persia.
{dropnote:"Poet's No... [Read more] The Deathless Youth: To The Bab September 3, 2019 at 7:34pm The Deathless Youth:
To The Bab
Raise your voices in praise and gratitude
for the Deathless Youth--
the Immortal Youth--
has stepped forth
from the invisible
into the visible.
He is none other than,
the Lord of the Age,
the Bab,
and He has come
with a mighty book.
He has come
to open the Gates of Paradise
for the Glory of God.
{dropnote:"Poet's Note:"}This is poem 117 of the 200 I am writing to celebrate the Bicentenary of the Birth of The Bab.
... [Read more] |