What is the Bahá’í Faith?

Established in the 19th century, the Baháʼí Faith teaches the essential worth of all religions and the unity of all people. Baháʼís regard the major religions as fundamentally unified in purpose, though varied in social practices and interpretations. The Baháʼí Faith stresses the unity of all people, explicitly rejecting racism and nationalism. At the heart of Baháʼí teachings is the goal of a unified world order that ensures the prosperity of all nations, races, creeds, and classes. It was initially developed in Iran and parts of the Middle East, where it has faced ongoing persecution since its inception. 

What are this month's Bahá’í Holy Days?

There are four Bahá’í holy days this month. All holy days begin at sunset the first day and end at sundown the second day. Note that these holy days land on different days every year based on lunar calculations or the solar calendar starting with the Spring Equinox. These holy days will start at the end of October next year.

Birth of the Bab (November 6-7) and Birth of Baha’u’llah (November 6-7)

The Festivals of the Twin Birthdays or the Twin Holy Birthdays refers to two successive holy days in the Baháʼí calendar that celebrate the births of two central figures of the Baháʼí Faith. It is a joyous event that will begin with prayers and devotional readings and develop into some kind of festive social gathering either at home or in a place of worship. The festival is celebrated, in the spirit of the Bahá'í, to be open to all. These are two of the nine holy days of the year when work is suspended.

Day of the Covenant (November 24-25)

The Day of the Covenant is the day when Baháʼís celebrate the appointment of ʻAbdu'l-Bahá as the Centre of Baha'u'llah's Covenant. It occurs yearly on the 4th day of Speech (Qawl) which coincides with either November 25 or 26 depending on when Naw-Rúz (referred to as Nowruz by the United Nations) falls on that year. The day is one of two Baháʼí holy days where work does not need to be suspended.

Ascension of Abdu’l-Baha (November 27-28)

The Ascension of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá is a holy day that commemorates the death of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. It is observed on 6 Qawl (27 or 28 November). Work is not suspended on this day as it is on some holy days. The typical observance consists of devotional readings and is held at 1:00 AM, as ‘Abdu’l-Bahá passed away about 1:00 AM on 28 November, 1921.

What are the main teachings of the Bahá’í Faith?

The Baha’i teachings focus on the soul’s relationship with the eternal, unknowable essence of God, and recommend daily prayer and meditation to everyone. Baha’is believe that the human spirit lives eternally, and so endeavor to illumine their souls with spiritual attributes — kindness, generosity, integrity, truthfulness, humility, and selfless service to others. The Baha’i Faith provides the means for peace and tranquility through a progressive set of social teachings:

  • Independent Investigation of Truth
  • Elimination of Prejudice of Every Kind
  • The Oneness of Humanity
  • One Essential Foundation for All Religions
  • Religion Should Cause Love, Affection, and Joy
  • The Harmony of Science and Religion
  • A Universal Auxiliary Language
  • Universal Compulsory Education
  • Gender Equality
  • Establishing a World Parliament
  • The Abolition of the Extremes of Wealth and Poverty
  • The Non-Involvement of Religion With Politics
  • Human Rights for All

Why recognize religious holidays?

Our community is diverse in various ways, including in our religious identities. As the DEIA Collaborative expands our communications, we will cover all the aspects of our individual identities that make us diverse.