Baháʼí holy days

The Baháʼí Faith has eleven holy days, which are important anniversaries in the history of the religion. On nine of these holy days, work is suspended. There is no fixed format for any of the holy days, and Baháʼí communities organize their own commemorative meetings.

All but two of the holy days are scheduled annually on fixed dates in the Baháʼí calendar. The Twin Holy Birthdays are scheduled annually according to a lunar calculation.

Besides the eleven holy days, Baháʼís also celebrate Ayyám-i-Há, a period of several extra days in the calendar (followed by the Nineteen Day Fast).

Table of dates

+ Holy Days Name Date on the Bahá'í calendar Number of Days after Naw-Rúz Usual date on the Gregorian CalendarNaw-Rúz 20 March/Naw-Rúz 21 March Special time of celebration or commemoration Work Suspended Naw-Rúz (Baháʼí New Year) Bahá 1 March 20/21 - Yes First day of Riḍván Jalál 13 31 April 20/21 3 p.m. (Standard Time) Yes Ninth day of Riḍván Jamál 2 39 April 28/29 - Yes Twelfth day of Riḍván Jamál 5 42 May 1/2 - Yes Declaration of the Báb ʻAẓamat 8 64 May 23/24 2 hours after sunset on preceding day Yes Ascension of Baháʼu'lláh ʻAẓamat 13 69 May 28/29 3 a.m. (Standard Time) Yes Martyrdom of the Báb Raḥmat 17 111 July 9/10 12 noon Yes Birth of the Báb First of the Twin Holy Birthdays; celebrated on the first day after the eighth new moon following Naw-Rúz (mid-October to mid-November) - Yes Birth of Baháʼu'lláh Second of the Twin Holy Birthdays; celebrated on the second day after the eighth new moon following Naw-Rúz (mid-October to mid-November) - Yes Day of the Covenant Qawl 4 250 November 25/26 - No Ascension of ʻAbdu'l-Bahá Qawl 6 252 November 27/28 1 a.m. (Standard Time) No

Historical dates

+ Name Gregorian Dates Naw-Rúz (Baháʼí New Year) March 21 First day of Riḍván April 21 Ninth day of Riḍván April 29 Twelfth day of Riḍván May 2 Declaration of the Báb May 24 Ascension of Baháʼu'lláh May 29 Martyrdom of the Báb July 10 Birth of the Báb October 20 Birth of Baháʼu'lláh November 12 Day of the Covenant November 26 Ascension of ʻAbdu'l-Bahá November 28

Holy Days of the Bahá’í calendar

General holy days

Naw-Rúz Annually on Bahá 1. Naw-Rúz marks the beginning of spring.

Holy days associated with the Báb

The Birth of the Báb Annually in October or November. The Báb was born two years after Baháʼu'lláh, on the first of the Twin Holy Birthdays.

Declaration of the Báb Annually on ʻAẓamat 8. See Declaration of the Bab to Mullá Husayn

Martyrdom of the Báb Annually on Raḥmat 17. See Martyrdom of the Báb

Holy days associated with Baháʼu'lláh

The Birth of Baháʼu'lláh Annually in October or November. Baháʼu'lláh was born on the second of the Twin Holy Birthdays. See also: Birth of Baháʼu'lláh.

Festival of Ridván The Festival of Ridván, a twelve-day festival that commemorates Baháʼu'lláh's announcement to be the Manifestation of God, is the most holy Baháʼí festival to which Baháʼu'lláh referred as the "Most Great Festival." The first, ninth and twelfth days of the festival are celebrated as holy days.

Annually on Jalál 13, Jamál 2 and Jamál 5.

See Festival of Ridván.

Ascension of Baháʼu'lláh Annually on ʻAẓamat 13.

Holy days associated with ʻAbdu'l-Bahá On these two holy days, the suspension of work is not required.

Day of the Covenant Annually on Qawl 4. See Day of the Covenant

Ascension of ʻAbdu'l-Bahá Annually on Qawl 6. See Ascension of ʻAbdu'l-Bahá

Twin Holy Birthdays The Twin Holy Birthdays of the Báb and Baháʼu'lláh are celebrated on the first and second day following the eighth new moon after Naw-Rúz.Momen, Moojan (2014). The Badíʻ (Baháʼí) Calendar: An Introduction . (In the Islamic lunar calendar, the births of the Báb and Baháʼu'lláh fell on consecutive days - the first and second day of Muharram, respectively, two years apart.)

See Twin Holy Birthdays and Birth of Baháʼu'lláh.

Baháʼí holy days

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