Writing in Snow

Naw-Ruz 174 BE

Kamál (Perfection), 1 Bahá (Splendour), 174 BE - Monday, March 20, 2017 CE

This year Naw-Ruz coincides with the International Day of Happiness. This is appropriate because Naw-Ruz is a celebration of happiness. It falls on the Vernal Equinox the first day of spring in the northern hemisphere. Baha'i all over Earth celebrate the year's new beginning with parties and prayer. Even if you are the only Baha'i in a town or are unable to get to a party you can still celebrate and say the Naw-Ruz prayer.

For Baha'is Naw-Ruz represents the "Day of God" and it serves to remind Baha'is that all the divine messengers were sent by the same Divine Essence (God) to awaken soul withing the individual human. Baha'u'llah is the latest messenger in a long line of divine messengers who reflected the attributes of God to humanity.

"The peoples of the world, of whatever race or religion, derive their inspiration from one heavenly Source, and are the subjects of one God."

Bahá'u'lláh

1

The Baha'i Faith begin 174 years ago in Persia (Iran) when a young merchant, Siyyid Ali Muhammad, declared he had a new message from God. Known by the title The Bab (The Gate) he brought teaching about the emancipation of women, as well as other teachings. He proclaimed he had come to prepare the way for “He whom God shall make manifest" who was the one promised by all religions.2

The Bab3 was executed in 1850. In 1852, God gave Baha'u'llah his revelation. Baha'u'llah was eventually sent into exil. In 1863, Baha'u'llah publicly declared his mission in a garden outside of Baghdad. Baha'u'llah4 eventually ended up in the prison city of Akka in what is now Israel.

Footnotes
1  https://www.bahai.us/
2  http://bahaiteachings.org/bahai-faith
3  http://bahaichronicles.org/bab/
4  http://bahaichronicles.org/bahaullah/