The Day of the Covenant

 

Celebrating  November 26

 

‘Abdu’l-Bahá was born on May 23, 1844, the very day that the Báb declared His mission to Mullá Husayn. Although a number of Bahá’ís wished to celebrate the Master’s birthday, He wouldn’t permit it. That day, He insisted, belonged to the Báb, not to Him. In the face of repeated requests, however, He established the Day of the Covenant as a day Bahá’ís could celebrate in His honor if they wished.

 

 

 

Yet it was not for Himself that He sought any honor or glory. He was first, last and always His Father’s servant. That, indeed, is what “‘Abdu’l-Bahá” means: :the Servant of Bahá”.

 

He wrote: My name is ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, my identity is ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, my qualification is ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, my reality is ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, my praise is ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Thraldom to the Blessed Perfection [Bahá’u’lláh] is my glorious and refulgent diadem; and servitude to all the human race is my perpetual religion. 

 

(Tablets of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, p. 430)

 

While the Day of the Covenant is in a sense a celebration of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s life, it is in a larger sense a celebration of the establishment of the Covenant of Bahá’u’lláh, His promise that in exchange for His followers’ obedience He would ensure their unity and through them establish the Kingdom of God on Earth.  

 

‘Abdu’l-Bahá is the Center of this Covenant, the one to whom Bahá’u’lláh commanded His followers should turn after His death. The Master and the Covenant cannot be separated; any celebration of one is automatically a celebration of the other.

 

 

A Celebration of Women

sends our blessings to all the Women of our World celebrating this day.

 

 

Namaste, Women of the Bahai Faith!