Receiving directions to reach the Báb’s home, Mullá Husayn said it would be a great honour in return to receive him at Siyyid Kazim’s assembly. A single verse was all that was uttered in that encounter. When the Báb was only nine years old, His father passed away, and from that moment He was reared in the bosom of His uncle. - The Bab, I am the Lamp which the Finger of God hath lit within its niche and caused to shine with deathless splendour. I was greatly distressed, but His affection and words of comfort consoled me. Nay, by My life! There He engaged in commerce, associating with all levels of society, dealing with everyone in such a fair way, they were most satisfied and grateful. As a child He was always very serene, and had a dignified manner. So the schoolmaster advised he try reading Persian books, and placed one in front of Him. The family warned Him sternly to follow the example of His fellow-pupils, and observe silence, listening attentively to the teacher. Not long after, however, I dreamt one night, that a fiercesome lion was standing in the courtyard of our house and I had my arms around His neck. When the Báb was 17, He went to Buchir with His uncle, where He worked as a merchant for 5 years. Such words pertain to the realm of names, whilst God hath sanctified this Book above all names. I did this immediately and the child was soon born, but its life was short. I bear witness, moreover, that through Thy beauty the beauty of the Adored One hath been unveiled, and through Thy face the face of the Desired One hath shone forth, and that through a word from Thee Thou hast decided between all created things, causing them who are devoted to Thee to ascend unto the summit of glory, and the infidels to fall into the lowest abyss. Thou art aware, O My God, that since the day Thou didst call Me into being out of the water of Thy love till I reached fifteen years of age I lived in the land which witnessed My birth [Shiraz]. Mothers-to-be would pass Him, and He would disclose what they were due, and He would reveal to those around incidents before they were known. This is a Tablet We have addressed unto that night wherein the heavens and the earth were illumined by a Light that cast its radiance over the entire creation. I implore Thee by the glory of Thy Manifestation and by the power of Thy might, Thy sovereignty and Thine exaltation to render victorious those who have arisen to serve Thee, who have aided Thy Cause and humbled themselves before the splendour of the light of Thy face. He said:  “In the hour of your perplexity, recite this prayer, ere you go to sleep. Then He passed to me what was left of the tea in His own cup, which I drank. 12–15). Thus I departed therefrom by Thy leave, spending six months in the land of Sad [Isfahan] and seven months in the First Mountain [Maku], where Thou didst rain down upon Me that which beseemeth the glory of Thy heavenly blessings and befitteth the sublimity of Thy gracious gifts and favours. Special thanks to our readers, musicians and the gifting us of permission to use published material in our broadcast. Thou doest whatsoever Thou willest by virtue of Thy sovereignty which encompasseth all created things, and ordainest that which Thou pleasest through the potency of Thy behest which pervadeth the entire creation. From the time He was a baby I remember thinking that there was something different about him. 2019 will mark the Bicentenary of the Birth of The Báb. The Báb commenced reciting, and after ordering certain arrangements, His uncle left. Nay, by Myself! His grandmother came to the door, and the schoolmaster informed the family of what had passed, saying he was not fitted to instruct their Child. For through thee was born the Day of God, a Day which We have ordained to be the lamp of salvation unto the denizens of the cities of names, the chalice of victory unto the champions of the arenas of eternity, and the dawning-place of joy and exultation unto all creation. Whosoever hath recognized Me, hath known all that is true and right, and hath attained all that is good and seemly; and whosoever hath failed to recognize Me, hath turned away from all that is true and right and hath succumbed to everything evil and unseemly. You may wish to select prayers and Writings by the Báb to share during prayer time. When the man inspected them, he was amazed and marvelled at their excellence for such a very young child. WE HAVE REACHED OUR MAXIMUM CAPACITY. Again Mullá Husayn approached, and greeted Him. in honor of the anniversary of the Báb’s birth. The Báb entered, greeting everyone present, then He sat down before the schoolmaster. O my God! Praise be unto Thee, O My Lord, for all times, heretofore and hereafter; and thanks be unto Thee, O My God, under all conditions, whether of the past or the future. Day after day, He continued to manifest an unearthly wisdom impossible to put into words. Everyone was astonished. No God is there save Thee, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Generous. Doors are open and the program will commence sharp at 6 pm. Verily Thou art potent to do what Thou willest; no God is there but Thee, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting. From their chairs, altars, and pulpits, the clergy and lawyers of repute and learning, unanimously engaged in His eradication and suppression. The Bahá'í Faith traces its origin to 1844 and the announcement by a young man, Siyyid ‘Ali-Muhammad, in Shiraz, Persia. Sleep was impossible and the coming dawn was foreboding. [3]. Reckon me then with those whom the changes and chances of the world have failed to deter from serving Thee and from bearing allegiance unto Thee, whom the onslaught of the people hath been powerless to hinder from magnifying Thy Name and celebrating Thy praise. Always preoccupied with the celestial world, immersed in rapture, the Báb would at times be sad, or happy. “He is manifest as the sun! In thee do We verily behold the Mother Book. His purity of character, simplicity, sweetness of spirit, charm of manners, captivating gentleness, self-effacement, high integrity, and extreme devotion to God, drew people about Him. O my God! I also knew Him well. The celebration of the bicentenary birth of the Bab will commence. About the Birth of the Bab Born in Shiraz, a city in southern Iran, on 20 October 1819, Siyyid Ali-Muhammad would become known to the world as the Bab (meaning “the Gate” in Arabic). And you should know with absolute certitude that I am the Manifestation of God, whose advent has been invoked for a thousand years. The gifts Thou hast bestowed upon Me have reached their fullest measure and the blessings Thou hast vouchsafed unto Me have attained their consummation. Through Thee the choice wine of everlasting life hath been unsealed, the doors of knowledge and utterance have been unlocked before the peoples of the earth, and the breezes of the All-Merciful have been wafted over every region. 6:00 pm. The Báb is the Herald of the Bahá’í Faith. And yet, I swear by Thy glory, were I to proclaim that wherewith Thou hast inspired me, the entire creation would pass away from joy and ecstasy, how much more then would it be overwhelmed before the billows of the ocean of Thine utterance in this most luminous, most exalted and transcendent Spot! Your email address will not be published. Amazed at everything he was witnessing, the schoolmaster brought the Child back to His home. Once He had completed His prayers, the Báb moved outside the courtyard, and a third time, Mullá Husayn approached Him with greetings. In a while, he went out on some business, and upon his return, he heard someone reading the Qur’án in a most sweet and plaintive voice. These were happy days. . Bicentenary of Birth of The Báb 2019. This glorious Tablet hath been revealed on the Anniversary of the Birth [of the Báb] that thou mayest recite it in a spirit of humility and supplication and give thanks unto thy Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. SCRIPT: Celebration of the Birth of The Báb A program originally created by Anne Perry for the Dallas Bahá’í Community, which can be modified to fit other localities. - The Bab, Verily, the One True God beareth Me witness that in this Day I am the true mystic Fane of God, and the Essence of all good. I behold Mine own Self captive in the hands of Thy servants, yet the light of Thy sovereignty and the revelations of Thine invincible power shine resplendent from His face, enabling all to know of a certainty that Thou art God, and that there is none other God but Thee. Following the melody of the chanting, the uncle found his Child, standing alone and in private, in consummate rapture, voicing prayers and supplications to the One Who transcends all mention, on the cold and deserted mountainside, at that late hour of the night. In 2019 Australian Baha’is joined in worldwide celebrations to mark the 200 th anniversary of the birth of the Bab, the Herald of the Baha’i Faith.. Through the revelation of Thy grace, O Lord, Thou didst call Me into being on a night such as … So you see, those years with Him were so wonderful. One day in the late afternoon He came home earlier than usual. Great, therefore, is the blessedness of him who hath believed in Thee, and in Thy signs, and hath humbled himself before Thy sovereignty, and hath been honored with meeting Thee, and hath attained the good pleasure of Thy will, and circled around Thee, and stood before Thy throne. After several days, the master took the paper from Him to see what He was doing, and saw to his surprise that He had actually written something, though He had never practised; and on reading it, discovered it was a study of the mystery and knowledge of Divine Unity, written in the purest and most eloquent style, of unfathomable profundity. He hath conferred upon Me that which the worldly-wise can never comprehend, nor the faithful discover … I am one of the sustaining pillars of the Primal Word of God. At length, He informed them they could bring it back, but He would not bargain. As they walked through the streets in the breaking light, they reached the house of the Báb, who was standing expectant at the door, wearing a green turban, showing indescribable humility and kindliness. The Child arrived as planned, and a servant brought in the customary small copper-tray, filled with sweets and a student’s version of the Qur’án. He was my son. My mother told me that this kiss signified that the Báb’s mother was asking for my hand in marriage to her son. There I saw him standing in that chamber, His hands raised heavenward, intoning a prayer in a most melodious voice, with tears streaming down His face. The Báb’s father was a cloth-seller in comparatively humble circumstances, and many of their relatives were merchants, considered exemplary by the whole region for their integrity and purity, and well loved by all. Absolve, O Lord, this faltering Pen from magnifying so august a station, and deal mercifully with me, O my Possessor and my King. Protect it, then, from the mischief of the aggressor and the hosts of tyranny. I told my husband about it. “Never utter such things here!” he exclaimed, shaking. Overlook then my trespasses in Thy presence. His family was highly-regarded; both His mother Fátimih and father Muhammad-Ridá, traced their ancestries back, beyond the illustrious martyr Husayn, to Muhammad Himself. At this point the Báb raised up His head, and addressed them, resolving for them the answer they sought. Pursuing his sister’s request, the uncle explained to Siyyid Kázim how the Báb’s mother had not seen her only child for so long, and wished to arrange His marriage. ALSO CHECK OUT > Birth of Baha'u'llah Holy Day Program Bahá’u’lláh left behind writings covering a vast range of subjects, teaching that: There is only one God : “Regard thou the one true God as One Who is apart from, and immeasurably exalted above, all created things. It is very difficult for me to talk about what came after. “What manner of foolish talk is this!” he exclaimed; “Go to sleep, and stop saying such things!” “It is just as I say,” answered the Child. I demanded that He tell me why it was, if He possessed such powers, that He had not attempted to save the life of His own child. Whereupon, dumbfounded, the Pen of the Most High cried out: “O Thou Who art exalted above all names! A collection of quotes from the Baha'i writings on the Birth of the Bab that can be used as part of the Holy Day celebration. The schoolmaster wrote out the alphabet for Him to learn. 4. In thee do We verily behold the Mother Book. Kamelia writes about how, with the birth of the Baha’i Faith, the realization of two related but independent religions arising within one age was actualized. The student was mute with wonder at the cordiality of the Báb and the astonishing reverence of His teacher. O concourse of earth and heaven! Before long, I realized that Khadijih was going to have a baby. The uncle approached the Báb, requesting why he so disrupted the customs of the land; the Báb stood firmly, and said He would do so again should it arise. An invisible person lifted Me up, and placed Me onto the empty plate; My plate was so heavy, it returned to the ground, and the dish with the Imam rose up into the air.”  The Child’s father recoiled at such a blasphemy, and  sternly warned Him to cease speaking in such ways. My son went on pilgrimage, and when He returned, the religious authorities summoned Him to the mosque. Then at the age of twenty-five I proceeded to thy sacred House [Mecca], and by the time I returned to the place where I was born, a year had elapsed. When the season was clement, on Fridays it was customary for the boys to invite their teacher and fellow-pupils on an outing to one of the numerous gardens bordering the city, and as they enjoyed themselves, they would often find the Báb had become drawn away into a secluded, shady spot in a corner of the orchard, where He would become enrapt in prayer and meditation. O concourse of earth and heaven! Rehearsal and … Verily Thou art potent to do what Thou willest; no God is there but Thee, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting. Thou doest whatsoever Thou willest by virtue of Thy sovereignty which encompasseth all created things, and ordainest that which Thou pleasest through the potency of Thy behest which pervadeth the entire creation. The Birth of the Bab Sunday, October 18, 1:30 pm (Eastern Daylight Time) The program is approximately 38 minutes long. When one of His uncles arrived a little while later, they came to see him and complained about His behaviour, saying, he had insulted them and ruined their reputation by receiving back the dye, and that he should counsel Him never to repeat such offences. So the Báb returned to the school, and set about learning His lessons like all the other boys, starting with the alphabet, whilst His master tried hard to dissuade Him. The Báb would climb on to the roof of His house each Friday at noon, to hold communion with His Beloved. He requested a student to accompany him, saying that a highly distinguished Person had arrived. That same night, a cholera epidemic suddenly struck Shiraz taking a heavy toll of lives. Then at the age of twenty-five I proceeded to thy sacred House [Mecca], and by the time I returned to the place where I was born, a year had elapsed. Opening Reading. All glory be to that hour wherein the Treasure of God, the All-Powerful, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise, hath appeared! All that hath been mentioned pertaineth to the realm of attributes, whereas the Mother Book standeth supreme above this. As soon as I heard Him speak these words, I believed in Him and my heart became calm and assured. After that we did have a few quiet months before my son moved to my brother’s house. Thou didst then nourish Me with refreshing milk and didst rear Me in the arms of My parents with manifest compassion, until Thou didst graciously acquaint Me with the realities of Thy Revelation and apprised Me of the straight path of Thy Faith as set forth in Thy Book. The character of His devotion to God was very unique. We are left with only a few bare facts. Then I returned to the place of My birth. 180-182, [4] Bahá’u’lláh: Prayers and Meditations, pages 310-313, Wow. Blessed art thou, O night! 173-174, [3] The Báb, Selections from the Writings of the Báb, pp. I proceeded therefrom to the Holy Land [Karbila] where I sojourned for one year. In a short while, a tumult of voices began to arise, crying that Mírzá Hádí’s bathhouse was wrecked and there were women under the rubble. The Siyyid though wishing not to interfere, eventually asked if it should please the Báb, that He should return, and so His uncle returned to Shíráz, followed a little later by the Báb. Soon after, His uncle arrived and sat next to the master, and some pleasantries followed. After six years’ residence in Búshihr, the Báb wished to visit the holy sites of the Imams. His face was luminous. As His claim became known; as many people became attracted to him, the greater the denial of the priests and government leaders. After six months, His mother insisted her brother go out and bring the Báb back to Shíráz. It’s told from the perspective of the Báb’s Mother and His wife: I knew him well. Mullá Husayn conveyed to Siyyid Kázim all that had occurred. Through it the hidden Secret and the treasured Mystery have been revealed. The schoolmaster promised to study the matter overnight, and they would explore it again until it was resolved satisfactorily. His fellow pupil noticing this, asked Him, “Why are You not reading out the lesson like the other children?” Two other pupils were sitting nearby, reading aloud some poems; shortly they uttered the verse: “From Heaven’s heights, the birdsong calls to you, in sorrow that you’re trapped in walls of clay;” the Báb turned to His fellow pupil, and told him, “There is your answer,” which charmed His companion. Blessed art thou, O night! When the man discovered it greatly exceeded the price, He wrote immediately to the Báb, asking how it could be. Thou, truly, hast been supreme over all things. The Báb was always to be found in a state of utmost humility and lowliness; His downcast eyes, His extreme courtesy, and the serene expression of His face, made an indelible impression upon all who met Him. We were married in His home two months later. As His remarkable character shone its influence far and wide, a great many people were agitated with jealousy and concern, seeing such a young merchant of little schooling demonstrating such erudition and influence. Home; Bicentenary of the Birth of the Bab “Last night,” He said, “I saw a large balance hanging in mid-air within a vast space. He raised His face to me and with great kindness, asked me to sit beside him. – The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab… They asked the young Child how He could possibly have gained this knowledge, and the Child responded, “Should through grace the Holy Spirit again assist, others will do what Christ has done.”. This is that first night, which God hath made to be a sign of that second night whereon was born He Whom no praise can befittingly extol and no attribute describe. He descended from the pulpit, and Mullá Husayn brought the Báb to be seated beside the Siyyid. First came the death of our son. An hour later, when the house was quiet and all were asleep, He rose from His bed and left the room. He was a boy and the Báb named him Ahmad. Thus I departed therefrom by Thy leave, spending six months in the land of Sad [Isfahan] and seven months in the First Mountain [Maku], where Thou didst rain down upon Me that which beseemeth the glory of Thy heavenly blessings and befitteth the sublimity of Thy gracious gifts and favours. Although I did not understand it, there seemed to be a change in my son’s behaviour. In fall 2017, Baha’is celebrated the 200th anniversary of the birth of Baha’u’llah, Prophet-Founder of the Baha’i Faith, as part of a two-year Light of Unity Festival leading to the bicentenary of the birth of the Bab, the Herald of the Faith, on Oct. 29, 2019. The Báb arose, and accompanied them to the threshold, and bade them farewell. The Báb desired to stay, and promises made by local notables during some tea and sherbet confirmed His uncle in his inclination towards the Báb’s higher callings.

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