Guest Author - Sandy Mullins

As you might know that Baha’is all over the world are celebrating the Festival of Ridvan, a 12-day period that started at about 3:00 P.M. on April 21. The Festival of Ridvan is a very special commemoration, and has three parts.

First Day of Ridvan (April 21)
The first Ridvan Festival was held in 1863, when Baha’u’llah arrived at Najibiyyih Garden (now known as The Garden of Ridvan), where he declared his mission to faithful. Baha’is elect Local and National Spiritual Assemblies on this day.

Ninth Day of Ridvan (April 29)
Is the day when Baha’u’llah’s family joined him at the Najibiyyih Garden, Baghdad (Garden of Ridvan).

Twelfth Day of Ridvan (May 2)
On the eve of Baha’u’llah’s departure to Constantinople he declared his mission that he was the Promised One, spoken of by the Bab. Baha’u’llah left for Constantinople thus closing of the Festival of Ridvan.

Work should be suspended on all there of these Holy Days.


Unto Thee be praise, O Lord my God! I entreat Thee, by Thy signs that have encompassed the entire creation, and by the light of Thy countenance that hath illuminated all that are in heaven and on earth, and by Thy mercy that hath surpassed all created things, and by Thy grace that hath suffused the whole universe, to rend asunder the veils that shut me out from Thee, that I may hasten unto the Fountain-Head of Thy mighty inspiration, and to the Day-Spring of Thy Revelation and bountiful favors, and may be immersed beneath the ocean of Thy nearness and pleasure.

Suffer me not, O my Lord, to be deprived of the knowledge of Thee in Thy days, and divest me not of the robe of Thy guidance. Give me to drink of the river that is life indeed, whose waters have streamed forth from the Paradise (Ridvan) in which the throne of Thy Name, the All-Merciful, was established, that mine eyes may be opened, and my face be illumined, and my heart be assured, and my soul be enlightened, and my steps be made firm.

Thou art He Who from everlasting was, through the potency of His might, supreme over all things, and, through the operation of His will, was able to ordain all things. Nothing whatsoever, whether in Thy heaven or on Thy earth, can frustrate Thy purpose. Have mercy, then, upon me, O my Lord,  5  through Thy gracious providence and generosity, and incline mine ear to the sweet melodies of the birds that warble their praise of Thee, amidst the branches of the tree of Thy oneness.

Thou art the Great Giver, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Compassionate.

(Baha'u'llah, Prayers and Meditations by Baha'u'llah, p. 4)





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