Bahai calendar
The Bahá'í calendar, common to the Bahá'í Faith, is a solar calendar with regular years 365 days long and leap years 366 days long. Years are composed of 19 months of 19 days each, plus an extra period of either 4 or 5 days. Years in the Bahá'í calendar begin at the vernal equinox (usually March 21 in the Gregorian calendar). Days are considered to begin at sunset on the previous solar day.
The Days of the Week
The Months and Holy Days
| Persian Name | English Name | Gregorian Dates
|
| Bahá | Splendour | March 21-April 8
|
| Naw Ruz | Bahá'í New Year | March 21
|
| Jalál | Glory | April 9-27
|
| First day of Ridvan | April 21
|
| Jamál | Beauty | April 28-May 16
|
| Ninth day of Ridvan | April 29
|
| Twelfth day of Ridvan | May 2
|
| 'Azamat | Grandeur | May 17-June 4
|
| Declaration of the Báb | May 23
|
| Birthday of 'Abdu'l-Bahá | May 23
|
| Ascension of Bahá'u'lláh | May 29
|
| Núr | Light | June 4-23
|
| Rahmat | Mercy | June 24-July 12
|
| Declaration of the Báb | July 5
|
| Martyrdom of the Báb | July 9
|
| Kalimát | Words | July 13-31
|
| Kamál | Perfection | August 1-19
|
| Asmá' | Names | August 20-September 7
|
| 'Izzat | Might | September 8-26
|
| Mashiyyat | Will | September 27-October 15
|
| 'Ilm | Knowledge | October 16-November 3
|
| Birth of the Báb | October 21
|
| Qudrat | Power | November 4-22
|
| Qawl | Speech | November 23-December 11
|
| Day of the Covenant | November 26
|
| Ascension of 'Abdu'l-Bahá | November 28
|
| Masá'íl | Questions | December 12-30
|
| Sharaf | Honour | December 31-January 18
|
| Sultán | Sovereignty | January 19-February 6
|
| Mulk | Dominion | February 7-25
|
| Ayyám-i-há | Intercalary Days | February 26-March 1
|
| 'Alá' | Loftiness | March 2-20 (month of fasting)
|
Vahid and Kull i-Shay
Also existent in the Bahá'í calendar system is a 19-year cycle called Vahid and a 361-year (19x19) supercycle called Kull i-Shay (literally, All Things.) The 9th Vahid in the 1st Kull i-Shay started in 1996. The 2nd Kull i-Shay won't begin until 2205. (Years are counted from 1844.)
Years in a Vahid:
| No. | Persian Name | English Translation
|
| 1 | Alif | A
|
| 2 | Ba' | B
|
| 3 | Ab | Father
|
| 4 | Dal | D
|
| 5 | Báb | Gate
|
| 6 | Vav | V
|
| 7 | Abad | Eternity
|
| 8 | Jad | Generosity
|
| 9 | Bah | Splendour
|
| 10 | Hubb | Love
|
| 11 | Bahhaj | Delightful
|
| 12 | Javab | Answer
|
| 13 | Ahad | Single
|
| 14 | Vahhab | Bountiful
|
| 15 | Vidad | Affection
|
| 16 | Badi' | Beginning
|
| 17 | Bahi | Luminous
|
| 18 | Abha | Most Luminous
|
| 19 | Vahid | Unity
|
History
Years in the Bahá'í calendar are counted from 21 March 1844 CE, the beginning of the Bahá'í Era (abbreviated BE).
The Baha'i calendar used today is based on the Badi` calendar described by the Bab.
See also
