Significance of Day of the Covenant - this year Wednesday 25 November
Uniting in understanding
O Ye who are holding fast unto the Covenant and Testament! This day, from the realms of the All-Glorious, from the Kingdom of Holiness where hosannas of glorification and praise rise up, the Company on high direct their gaze upon you. Whensoever their gaze lighteth upon gatherings of those who are steadfast in the Covenant and Testament, then do they utter their cry, “Glad tidings! Glad tidings!” Then, exulting, do they lift up their voices, and shout, “O ye spiritual communion! O ye gathering of God! Blessed are ye! Glad tidings be unto you! Bright be your faces, and be ye of good cheer, for ye cling to the Covenant of the Beloved of all the worlds, ye are on fire with the wine of His Testament…
— Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l‑Bahá
Celebrating His devotion
‘Abdu’l-Bahá was born on May 23, 1844 – a day of great significance to Bahá’ís. This was the very same day that the Báb declared His mission to Mulla Husayn, thus ushering in a new era in the history of humanity.
Although there were Bahá’ís who wished to commemorate ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s birthday, He stressed that 8 ‘Aẓamat was a day to commemorate the Declaration of the Báb — and not His own birth. As the early Bahá’ís longed for there to be a day dedicated to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, the Day of the Covenant was established as such a day. He allowed the Bahá’ís to choose a date that was furthest away from the date when Bahá’u’lláh passed away and to use that day to celebrate the establishment of Bahá’u’lláh’s Covenant with humanity. As Bahá’u’lláh passed away on May 29th, 1892 (or 13 ‘Aẓamat) the Bahá’í community chose 4 Qawl, 182 days away from the day of Bahá’u’lláh’s passing, as the Day of the Covenant.
This was typical of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, who lived a life of complete humility and utmost devotion. After all, the very title “‘Abdu’l-Bahá”, which He had chosen for Himself, simply means “Servant of Bahá”. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá had said:
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
— Adapted from an article at bahaiblog.net
