The New Year and Religious Traditions

The New Year marks the conception of a new calendar year and, for many, a new beginning in general.  While the Gregorian calendar - currently in worldwide use - falls on January 1, there are numerous calendars that remain in regional use that calculate the New Year differently due to religious reasoning. These other faith-based calendar systems are mainly for ceremonial and spiritual purposes and celebrations take place at different times throughout the year. January 1 had a long journey of ups and downs before it became accepted as the first day of the year in the modern calendar format.

 

~ for more info: http://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/gregorian-calendar.html

 

The Christian orthodox churches of Georgia, Jerusalem, Russia, the Republic of Macedonia, Serbia and Ukraine still use the Julian Calendar and celebrate their New Year on January 14 (January 1 according to the Julian calendar). There are seven of the twelve biggest Eastern Orthodox Churches - Bulgaria, Cyprus, Egypt, Greece, Romania, Syria and Turkey - which have adopted the Revised Julian calendar; they also celebrate the New Year on January 1. In many countries the Eastern Orthodoxy actually celebrate both the Gregorian and Julian New Years holiday - the Gregorian day is celebrated as a civic holiday and the Julian date (known as the Old New Year) is a  religious holiday.

 

~ for more info: http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/common/orthodox-new-year 

 

The Chinese New Year (known as the Lunar New Year) occurs every year on the new moon of the furst lunar month. The actual date can fall any time between January 21 and February 21 [four to eight weeks before Spring] and is inclusive of the Gregorian calendar. Traditionally, the years are distinguished by one of twelve  Earthly Branches, which is represented by an animal, and one of ten Heavenly Stems, which correspond to the five elements. This combination cycles every 60 years. It is the most important Chinese celebration of the year.

 

~ for more info: http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/common/chinese-new-year

 

The following New Year celebrations from around the world are highlighted below:

  

 

The New Year originally began with the old Roman Empire's Julian calendar on March 15, which basically had been considered the logical beginning of Spring. But for political and military reasons, January 1, 153 B.C. became the day to observe the beginning of the new year. From then on, the year began on January first, and has continued until this day. For Christians, this day is traditionally observed as a time for family gathering, special meals, making resolutions and, in some sects, attending religious services commemorating another year past and prayers for a prosperous new year.         

 

Many of the Eastern Orthodox Churches, such as those in Russia and Serbia, still observe their holidays and festivals based on the Julian calendar. Therefore, the New Year gets celebrated twice by many people in these countries: The "New New Year" on Jan. 1 and the "Old New Year" on the first day of the Julian Calendar which falls on January 14. Since most public festivities and celebrations are centered around the Gregorian new year, the "Old New Year" is generally observed more quietly by family meals, prayer and special church services.



 

Nowruz (Persian for "New Light" or "New Day") coincides with the spring equinox which usually falls on March 20, 21 or 22. Widely known as the Persian New Year, Nowruz is widely observed in Iran, Turkey, Afghanistan and other Central Asian nations. The holiday is believed to have started with Zoroaster himself and is the most important holiday in the Zoroastrian tradition. Additionally, Nowruz is an important holy day for people in the Baha'i Faith and is widely observed by Shiite Muslims. An official state holiday in most countries of the region, Nowruz is usually marked by several days of activities including special foods, gift giving, parties and family gatherings. 



 

The landscape of holidays in South Asia is crowded to say the least. Immeasurable diversity in religious beliefs and practices means that there is no uniform New Year's observance for the millions of Hindus, Sikhs and other inhabitants of the region. There are many traditions that celebrate the New Year in mid-April with festivals to mark the beginning of Spring. This coincides with the first days of the Nepali and Bengali calendars, among others. Pictured here, Sikh pilgrims perform rituals at the Gurdawara Punja Sahib in Hassanabdal, the third most sacred city for the followers of Sikh religion. The festival of Baisakhi, which is celebrated on April 14, marks the Punjabi and Nepali New Year and the beginning of the harvest season in the region.

 

 

The Chinese New Year is the most important holiday for the nation of more than a billion people. The season around the New Year festival, which marks the beginning of the Chinese lunar calendar and falls in late January or February of the Gregorian calendar, features the largest annual human migration in the world as people travel home to spend time with their families. Specific customs and traditions vary widely within China but gift-giving, fireworks, elaborate feasts, dances and the construction of decorative shrines are common rituals. Pictured here: Chinese Taoist worshippers light joss-sticks as they pray beside the Dafo temple in southwest China's Chongqing municipality on the first day of the Chinese Lunar New Year.  

 

 

Losar is the most important holiday for the people of Tibet and marks the beginning of their lunar calendar. Although it often coincides with the Chinese New Year, the two celebrations are not culturally linked. The Losar festival usually lasts for two weeks with public celebrations, special foods, prayer and family gatherings. Many of these activities center around the Buddhist monasteries with meditation and ceremonies aimed at blessing the coming year. 

 

 

While this is commonly referred to as the Jewish New Year and is literally translated to mean “head of the year,” Rosh Hashanah actually marks the beginning of the 7th Hebrew month, Tishrei. In the Torah, the beginning of the year is mentioned in the context of the first Passover holiday, which falls in the month of Nisan. But by the time the Jewish oral tradition -- the Talmud -- was written down, Rosh Hashanah had been established as the Jewish New Year and was referred to in the Mishnah for the first time as the "Day of Judgement." Among other things, it is considered the New Year for people, animals and legal contracts, and is used for calculating the sabbatical and jubilee years. Today, Rosh Hashanah marks the beginning of the Days of Awe, or High Holy Days, on the Jewish calendar. It is a time of reflection for some Jews and an opportunity for spiritual awakening for others -- the shofar, a ram's horn, is blown repeatedly during this holiday season to wake people up in this way. Still others just enjoy the New Year as a time of reunion and reconciliation with family and friends. 

 

 

Al-Hijra, the Islamic New Year, is the first day of the first month of the Islamic calendar, Muharram. It marks the Hijra in 622 C.E. when the Prophet Muhammad moved from Mecca to Medina in order to establish the first Muslim community. HuffPost blogger, Omid Safi, recently provided an explanation for the significance of the Hijra.

 

 

With the majority of people and governments around the world following the Gregorian calendar, Jan. 1 is the day that most people celebrate the start of the new year. While it is mostly associated with revelry and fireworks, many spiritual people take the New Year as an opportunity for meditation and resolutions to focus themselves for the coming year. 

 

 

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While the modern world is beholden to the Gregorian calendar and its January 1 New Year's date, this holiday is yet another reminder of the common threads shared by many of the planet's religions. And, despite the differences in the way of observation, these traditions all express an appreciation for the past and produces hope for  blessings and prosperity in the coming year. 

 

 

 

A Christmas Letter

Christmas prayer in a world that seems dark by Max Lucado | Dec. 15, 2012 | 

Dear Jesus,

 

It’s a good thing you were born at night. This world sure seems dark. I have a good eye for silver linings. But they seem dimmer lately.

 

These killings, Lord. These children, Lord. Innocence violated. Raw evil demonstrated.

 

The whole world seems on edge. Trigger-happy. Ticked off. We hear threats of chemical weapons and nuclear bombs. Are we one button-push away from annihilation?

 

Your world seems a bit darker this Christmas. But you were born in the dark, right? You came at night. The shepherds were nightshift workers. The Wise Men followed a star. Your first cries were heard in the shadows. To see your face, Mary and Joseph needed a candle flame. It was dark. Dark with Herod’s jealousy. Dark with Roman oppression. Dark with poverty. Dark with violence.

 

Herod went on a rampage, killing babies. Joseph took you and your mom into Egypt. You were an immigrant before you were a Nazarene.

 

Oh, Lord Jesus, you entered the dark world of your day. Won’t you enter ours? We are weary of bloodshed. We, like the wise men, are looking for a star. We, like the shepherds, are kneeling at a manger.

 

This Christmas, we ask you, heal us, help us, be born anew in us.

 

Hopefully,

Your Children

 

© 2012 Max Lucado

Reason for the Christmas Season

While the chronological "Birth of Jesus" has been in debate for many years, the story of the "Nativity of Jesus" has basically remained the same. The Nativity refers to the accounts of Jesus' birth in the canonical gospels  of  Luke and Matthew, and secondarily on some apocryphal texts (such as the Gospel of James). Some Christian scholars refer to this as the "Christmas Story", while other theologians have openly stated that the birth of Jesus was not in December. And yet there are others who say there is no way of telling when the holy birth occurred, and that it really does not matter as long as the celebrations are done in the correct spirit for the right reason. Regardless of the actual date and correct time, this is the story of the Reason for the Christmas Season.

An Angel Visits Mary

Over 2,000 years ago the angel Gabriel came to a young woman named Mary and announced to her she was chosen (by the Creator) to give birth to the promised Messiah prophesied by the prophets of Judaic antiquity. She was a bit taken aback, as anyone would be, to learn such news. When Mary questioned the angel about how this could come about since she was a virgin, the angel replied, "The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you." Mary did not question the heavenly angel any further and accepted the will of the Great Creator. Both Christianity and Islam hold Mary in great esteem and the Qur'an has an entire section dedicated to her.  It is also commonly accepted by Christians and Muslims that the Creator implanted His seed in her supernaturally. (Luke 1:26-38)

An Angel Visits Joseph

During the same time Mary was visited by the angel Gabriel, an angel of the Lord made an appearance to Joseph (Mary's betrothed). It is not known if the angel of the Lord that visited Joseph was Gabriel or another heavenly host. When Joseph learned that Mary was with child, he had been contemplating quietly divorcing her after a length of time, as he sadly believed her to be unfaithful. But quickly changed his mind when the angel of the Lord told him, "Do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit." Joseph, instantly relieved by the divine news, faithfully did as the angel had instructed and wed Mary. (Matthew 1:18-23)

The Marriage of Joseph & Mary

The biblical account of Joseph and Mary's marriage is very brief, if not a bit sketchy. Joseph took Mary as his wife and did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. This all happened to fulfill what the Lord said through his prophet Isaiah (7:14): "Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son and they shall call his name Immanuel." Joseph faithfully obeyed the commandment of the Lord to marry the mother of His child and the rest of the story has been lost to ancient history. (Matthew 1:24-25)

The Journey To Bethlehem

According to the gospel of Luke, Joseph and Mary left the town of Nazareth and traveled to Bethlehem to be enumerated in the census that was issued by Caesar Augustus. The entire Roman empire had to be registered in their own town. Joseph, whose lineage was of King David, had to return to the land of his ancestors in Bethlehem [also known as the town of David.], which was in Judea.  Micah (5:2) foretold that the Messiah would  be  born  there. "But  you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”  (Luke 2:1-5)  The story is slightly different in the Gospel of James (an apocryphal text). He wrote that the Holy family did not make it to Bethlehem before Mary went into labor. Joseph had left her in a cave outside of Bethlehem and went for help. By the time he returned with a couple of  mid-wives, one whose name was Salome, Mary had already delivered the infant Jesus. (Gospel of James 17:10).

The Birth of Jesus

The most elusive part of the Nativity story is the birth of Jesus. It is recorded that Herod was king during those ancient years and that Jesus was born in a manger [possibly in a stable] because there was no more room at the Inn. Matthew 1:25 tells us Joseph gave Mary's son the name of Jesus [Immanuel] and Luke 2:6-7 states "While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them." The Gospel of James states that time momentarily  stood still  during the birth of Jesus (18:4). Where Mary actually gave birth is unknown to mankind, but according to mankind's belief, it well known that the location was in the Bethlehem vicinity.  

Heaven's Host Visit The Shepherds

The Nativity story intensifies when the Shepherds, who were keeping watch over their flocks by night, are visited by an angel of the Lord [whose light shone as bright as the glory of the Lord]. Being only human, the Shepherds were horribly terrified. However, the angel assured them not to be afraid for he was bringing 'good news'. "Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests." (Luke 2:13-14) This sudden appearance of more angels most likely startled the Shepherds even further, but they quickly hurried off and found the child. Not long after seeing the young Christ child, the Shepherds spread the word of Jesus' birth and all who heard it were amazed by the Shepherd's news.  (Luke 2: 8-20)

The Wise Men Visit, Baring Gifts

The Christmas Story reaches its climax when the Magi [Wise Men] from the East came to Jerusalem and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him." (Matthew 2:2) This news of the Magi disturbed not only King Herod, but all of Jerusalem. Herod then brought together all the chief priests and teacher's of the law to discover the location of the Savior's birthplace. Upon discovering Bethlehem was the chosen town for the holy birth, Herod coerced the Wise Men into revealing the time they saw the star appear and asked them to return with the location so that he may go worship the child, too. The Magi left Jerusalem and was overjoyed to find the bright star once more leading the way. When the star stopped over the place where the child was, the Wise Men found the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes; they bowed down and worshipped him.  Then they presented the newborn king with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Legend states that the Magi believed the infant born was to be a king, a priest or a prophet of great standing and the gifts reflected such a notion: gold for a king, frankincense for a priest and myrrh for a prophet. Soon after leaving, the Magi was warned in a dream not to return to Herod and, in compliance, they took a different route back to their countries.  (Matthew 2:1-12)

The Journey From Bethlehem Into Egypt

When the Wise Men did not return to give the king information he cunningly sought, Herod became furious and issued a decree to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity that were under two years old  [in accordance to the timeline the Magi had supplied the king] and thus fulfilled the prophecy of Jeremiah 31:15. This horrid episode of the Christmas Story is also known as "Slaughter of the Innocents".  Not long after the Wise Men had left, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and commanded him to leave and head into Egypt where Herod could not find them. This was another prophecy fulfilled, "Out of Egypt I called my son" (Hosea 11:1) Successfully escaping from the wrath of cruel king, Joseph, Mary and Jesus resided in Egypt until after the death of Herod. (Matthew 2: 13-18)

The Ministry and Mission of Jesus                       

The Christmas Story does not end with the birth of the infant king but is a continuation that spans throughout the lifetime of Jesus. His mission on Earth was a project pre-ordained by the Great Creator to save mankind from sin and death.  Jesus' parables, beatitudes and teachings held powerful messages and the miracles performed were intended to prove his worthy claims of being the Messiah to the skeptical society of ancient mankind.  While his chosen people turned their backs on him [save for a few worthy believers] his arrest, trial, execution and resurrection was all pre-designed by his Heavenly Father and was intended to become a road map to Salvation. Jesus' sacrifice on the cross can be considered a great gift, but his resurrection marks the ultimate fulfillment of God's formulated plan.

The Moral of the "Reason for the Christmas Season" Story

Jesus is one of the most well known figures throughout history. His story is somewhat elusive, but his mission to save a world full of sinners is inspiring.  The Shepherds came to adore him, the Wise men came to worship and present him with gifts and the angels proclaimed him to be a savior for all people. Mary and Joseph, through blind faith, believed the divine words given unto them by the Great Creator. Many would find this to be a time of spiritual cleansing, recollection and renewal, but the number one reason why Christians believe Jesus is the "reason for the season" is that Christmas is His story and He is the ultimate gift to the world. – Romans 5:15

~ WISHING ALL A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS ~

December 21, 2012 = Doomsday?

While many Central American countries prepare celebrations for the end of the Mayan calendar [which began in 3114 B.C.] and the beginning of a new Mayan era, others are anxiously anticipating a global apocalypse. According to the Mayan "long count" calendar the last day will be December 21, 2012, which has caused eschatological chaos amid mankind.

Many are flocking to such countries as [central] Mexico, Honduras and Guatemala in preparation of the upcoming celebrations, which will mark the end of a more than 5,000 year era. These believers observe the date as the end of one cycle of life and the beginning of a new cycle for the world's current population.

The 2012 Theory of Doomsday:

The 2012 Theory is comprised of a range of eschatological beliefs and prophetic predictions according to which cataclysmic or transformative events will occur. Various astronomical alignments and numerological formulae have been proposed as pertaining to this date, though none have been accepted by the predominant mainstream scholars and theologians.

Among the various beliefs are:

The New Age interpretation of this transformation is that the date marks the start of time in which Earth and its inhabitants may undergo a spiritual transition, and that December 21, 2012 may mark the beginning of a new epoch.

Religious groups, such as the Evangelical Protestants, suggest that the date marks the end of the world or a similar catastrophe. Other scenarios suggested for the end of the world include the arrival of the next solar maximum, an interaction between Earth and the black hole at the center of the galaxy, or Earth's collision with a planet called "Nibiru".

In India, the guru Kalki Bhagavan has promoted the year 2012 as a "deadline" for human enlightenment since at least 1998. Over 15 million people consider Bhagavan to be the incarnation of the god Vishnu and believe that 2012 marks the end of the Kali Yuga, or degenerate age.

Other theories include: an asteroid collision or some other interplanetary object, nuclear war, the return of Jesus, alien invasion, and the Earth being destroyed by a giant supernova. However, scientists from NASA, along with expert archaeologists have stated that none of those events are likely to happen.

According to some scholars, Nostradamus (1503-1566) also predicted cosmic disturbances for this frightful date of December 21, 2012. While the Renaissance soothsayer was quite elusive in his writings, the following quatrains make a startling parallel reference to such events:

Quatrain II.41

The great star for seven days will burn,

The cloud will cause two suns to appear:

The big mastiff all night will howl,

When the great pontiff changes countries. 

Quatrain II.46

After great misery for mankind an even greater one approaches,

when the great cycle of the centuries is renewed.

It will rain blood, milk, famine, war and disease.

 In the sky will be seen a fire, dragging a tail of sparks.

 

The 20th century psychic and spiritualist, Edgar Cayce, also saw calamitous events occurring at the turn of the 21st century. His visions included coastal flooding [with New York City being hit the hardest and completely engulfed by water] and affiliated upheavals in the Artic and Antarctica. Cayce foresaw violent volcanic activity in the northern Scandinavian countries, along with the horrid and utter destruction of Japan. However, Edgar Cayce was not very enlightening when it came to the particular date of December 21, 2012.

For more information, please read the following links:

http://www.december212012.com/

 

http://www.squidoo.com/the-end-of-the-world-2012

http://www.history.com/topics/2012/videos?predictions#lost-book-of-nostradamus
 

The Skeptics Viewpoint:



Scholars from various disciplines have dismissed the idea of such cataclysmic events occurring in 2012. Professional Mayanist scholars state that predictions of impending doom are not found in any of the extant classic Maya accounts, and that the idea that the "long count" calendar "ends" in 2012 misrepresents Maya history and culture. Astronomers and other scientists have rejected the proposals as pseudoscience, stating that they conflict with simple astronomical observations and amount to "a distraction from more important science concerns, such as global warming and loss of biological diversity".

NASA vehemently denies the Doomsday theory of 2012 and assures the inhabitants of Earth that no imminent catastrophes are headed towards our planet.  Earlier this month, NASA posted a list of frequently asked questions about why the world won’t end in 2012, like some believe the Mayan calendar indicates. The post explained that Earth has been getting along fine for the last 4 billion years and there is no threat to our planet this year.

For more information, please read the following links: 

http://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/features/2012.html

http://www.euronews.com/2012/12/13/nasa-explains-why-the-world-won-t-end--/

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/us-news-blog/2012/dec/13/nasa-end-of-the-world-december-21

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/12/111220-end-of-world-2012-maya-calendar-explained-ancient-science/

The 2012 Doomsday Conclusion:

Contrary to popular understanding and belief, the ancient Meso-Americans, be they Maya or Aztec or any other group, left no oral or written “prophecy” record about what would or could happen. Other than a great age of 5,125 years would end and another era commence, the Mayans did not leave any written account of Doomsday.

Whether one wishes to believe that the end of the world is upon us or another believes it to be a grand hoax, the final outcome will soon tell the correct story when December 21, 2012 arrives. With the "Doomsday" date fast approaching, only one question remains: "Who's ? Right"

The Bahá'í Faith

The Bahá'í Faith was founded by Bahá'u'lláh (1817-1892) in  the 19th century AD and considered the world's youngest independent religion. Its founder is regarded by its congregation as the most recent in the line of Messengers of God which includes such prophets as Abraham, Moses, Buddha, Krishna, Zoroaster,  Jesus and Muhammad. Bahá'u'lláh claimed to be the prophetic fulfillment of Bábism, a 19th-century outgrowth of Shí‘ism; but in a broader sense claimed to be a messenger from God referring to the fulfilment of the eschatological expectations of Islam, Christianity, and other major religions.

 

The central theme of the Bahá'í Faith is that mankind is one single race and humanity must accomplish unification in becoming a global society to acheive peace in an universal civilization. The major beliefs of the Bahá'ís are as follows:

• All humanity is one family
• Men and women are equal
• All prejudice - racial, religious, national, or economic - is destructive and must be overcome
• We must investigate truth for ourselves, without preconceptions
• Science and religion are in harmony
• Our economic problems are linked to spiritual problems
• The family and its unity are very important
• There is one God
• All major religions come from God
• World peace is the crying need of our time.

Bahá'u'lláh taught that there is one God whose successive revelations of His will to mankind have been the chief civilizing force in history. The agents of this process have been the Divine Messengers whom people have seen chiefly as the founders of separate religious systems; whose common purpose has been to bring the human race to spiritual and moral maturity.

According to the Bahá'í Faith, humanity is now coming of age. The time is right for a possible unification of mankind to build a peaceful, global world. Among the principles which the Bahá'í Faith promotes as vital to the achievement of this goal are:

• the abandonment of all forms of prejudice
• assurance to women of full equality of opportunity with men
• recognition of the unity and relativity of religious truth
• the elimination of extremes of poverty and wealth
• the realization of universal education
• the responsibility of each person to independently search for truth
• the establishment of a global commonwealth of nations
• recognition that true religion is in harmony with reason and the pursuit of scientific knowledge 

Apostles of Bahá'u'lláh

The Apostles of Bahá'u'lláh

The apostles were nineteen prominent followers of Bahá'u'lláh that help to spread the word of the Bahá'í Faith and were designated as such by Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith; an appointment he acquired at the young age of 24 in 1921 and remained head of the church until his death in 1957.

The followers of Bahá'u'lláh were:

 

1) Ali-Muhammad Varqa 2) Badí‘ 3) Hají Ákhúnd 4) Hájí Amín 5) Ibn-i-Abhar  6) Ibn-i-Asdaq 7)  Kázim-i-Samandar 8) Mishkín-Qalam 9) Mírzá Abu'l-Fadl 10) Mírzá Mahmúd 11) Mírzá Músá 12) Mírzá Mustafá 13) Mishkín-Qalam  14)Nabíl-i-Akbar 15) Nabíl-i-A`zam 16) Núrayn-i-Nayyirayn 17) Sultánu'sh-Shuhada' 18) Vakílu'd-Dawlih; 19) Zaynu'l-Muqarrabín.

 

Many of the stories of the Apostles are well known to Bahá'ís. Prominent among them are:

• Badí‘ - The 17 year old who delivered Bahá'u'lláh's tablet to Nassiru'd-Din Shah and was subsequently killed.
• Sultánu'sh-Shuhada' - The 'King of Martyrs' of Isfahan who was beheaded with his brother.
• Mírzá Abu'l-Fadl - The famous scholar who travelled as far as America and wrote several notable books about the Bahá'í Faith.
• Varqá - The father of Rúhu'lláh. The two were killed at the same time for their adherence.
• Nabíl-i-Akbar - Famous teacher, and recipient of several tablets from Bahá'u'lláh.
• Nabíl-i-A`zam - The author of the historical narrative called The Dawn-breakers.
• Mishkín-Qalam - Noteworthy calligrapher of his time and designer of the Greatest Name.
• Zaynu'l-Muqarrabín - Doctor of Islamic law. He is the one who submitted questions to Bahá'u'lláh regarding the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, the Bahá'í book of laws, which have been published in an appendix to the book.
• Kázim-i-Samandar- The favourite Apostle of Bahá’u’lláh. He travelled teaching the faith in Persia, the Lawh-i-Fu'ád is addressed to him.

The apostles of the Bahá'í Faith played a vital role in the development of Bahá'u'lláh's religion by consolidating its adherents and bringing forth its teachings around the world. To Bahá'ís, they filled a similar role as the sons of Jacob, the apostles of Jesus, Muhammad's companions, or the Báb's Letters of the Living.

 

Bahá'u'lláh wrote many religious works [such as Kitáb-i-Aqdas and the Kitáb-i-Íqán] while imprisoned by the Persian and Ottoman authoritites.  His divine revelations resulted from the persecution he endured during his 24 year confinement. Bahá'u'lláh died in the prison city of Akka, Palestine (present day Israel) in 1892.

For more information about the Bahá'í Faith, please visit the following websites:  

http://www.bahai.org/ & http://bahai-library.com/

There are two known photographs of Bahá'u'lláh. Outside of pilgrimage, Bahá'ís prefer not to view his photo in public, or even to display it in their private homes. Out of respect to the Bahá'í Faith, Who's ? Right chooses not to post them. 

 

 

Thanksgiving Note from the Editor

I was thinking to myself as the Thanksgiving weekend wraps up in 2012, who was the most thankful person in the Bible? Many characters come to mind... Abraham [God spared his son]; Jacob [God made from his seed many nations]; King Solomon [God gave him a kingdom]. Yes, the list goes on and on as many biblical characters would qualify in answering my question of who was the most 'thankful' person in the Bible.

 

Yet only one figure stands out among them... King David. 

 

 

Many of my readers will agree with my choice for the most thankful person in biblical terms. Not only is David mentioned in the Hebrew Bible, as well as the Old and New Testament (of the Christian Bible), but he [David] is exalted in the Qur'an as well. David, son of Jesse, was the author of many of the Psalms and when it came to the expressions of thanksgiving, David was definitely the leader of appraisal.

This is his story:

David was born into a lineage that can be traced back to Adam and Eve, and while the Bible tells us that he was the son of Jesse, there is no mention of his mother. However, the Talmud identifies Nitzevet, daughter of Adael, as David's mother. It is through his [David] royal lineage that a predicted Messiah would be born; the Abrahamic religions holds fast to this prophetic belief.

                                           Isaiah 7:13-14 New International Version (NIV)

¹³ Then Isaiah said, “Hear now, you house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of humans? Will you try the patience of my God also? ¹⁴ Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel."

 

From an early age David had an unprecedented awareness of the Creator's blessing, protection, presence and judgement in his life. He did not defeat Goliath without the assistance of a greater power nor did he win his many army victories alone. Even when he was inflicted with pain [caused by the Creator for his inquities], David naturally accepted the chastement and thanked [the Creator] for the correction. His words in the Psalms are concisely clear and have been preserved for all time.

Psalm 100:3-5  New International Version (NIV)

³ Know that the Lord is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

⁴ Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
⁵ For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.
 

Without a doubt, many of the Psalms gives one a glimpse into the 'thankfulness' that David experienced during his lifetime. One of the best recorded events is when King David  successfully brought back the Ark of God to its rightful place in Jerusalem [which at that time was the united kingdom of Israel and Judah]. David's first attempt to retrieve the holy Ark was met with resistence (which cost Uzzah his life). David was angry because his loyal friend had perished that day, yet sorely afraid of the Creator and left it with Obed-Edom the Gittite (from the priestly tribe of Levi). Three months later David successfully retained the Ark of God and danced joyfully in the streets with praise for the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
       
                                                            2 Samuel 6:12-15  New International Version (NIV)

¹² Now King David was told, “The Lord has blessed the household of Obed-Edom and everything he has, because of the ark of God.” So David went to bring up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with rejoicing. ¹³ When those who were carrying the ark of the Lord had taken six steps, he sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf. ¹⁴ Wearing a linen ephod, David was dancing before the Lord with all his might, ¹⁵ while he and all Israel were bringing up the ark of the Lord with shouts and the sound of trumpets.
 

David was thankful for many things the Creator bestowed upon him and was not afraid to show others his gratitude. David was an important figure in Judaism as he represented a coherent Jewish kingdom centered in Jerusalem and a restored kingdom that would one day usher in a messianic age by a descendant of David's. The concept of a Messiah in Christianity has already come and gone in the person named Jesus Christ, who will one day return to deliver Israel from their enemies and usher in a new kingdom on Earth. The Muslim tradition of David is that of a major prophet sent by Allah (God) who is mentioned many times throughout the Qur'an. The hadith stresses David's zeal in daily prayer, as well as his faithful fasting. The Muslims believe he had a powerful and captivating voice that had an influence over man, beast and nature alike.

King David continues to be revered by all three Abrahamic religions today.

Psalm 121  New International Version (NIV)

¹ I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
where does my help come from?
² My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.

³ He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;
⁴ indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.

⁵ The Lord watches over you—
the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
⁶ the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.

⁷ The Lord will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;
⁸ the Lord will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.
 

 

A Day of Thankfulness

All three Abrahamic religions (Christianity, Judaism, Islam) acknowledge and give "thanks" unto the Creator in many of their scriptures throughout their sacred texts. Below is just a few of those verses. Wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving from Who's ? Right.

 

Ezra 3:11
With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the LORD: “He is good; his love toward Israel endures forever.” And all the people gave a great shout of praise to the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid.

 

Nehemiah 12:46
For long ago, in the days of David and Asaph, there had been directors for the musicians and for the songs of praise and thanksgiving to God.

 

Psalm 69:30
I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving.

 

Psalm 95:2
Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.

 

Psalm 100:4
Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.

 

Jeremiah 30:19
From them will come songs of thanksgiving and the sound of rejoicing. I will add to their numbers, and they will not be decreased; I will bring them honor, and they will not be disdained.

 

1 Corinthians 10:16
Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ?

 

Philippians 4:6
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

 

2 Timothy 1:3
[ Thanksgiving ] I thank God, whom I serve, as my ancestors did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers.

 

Quran 2:152

[Thanksgiving] So remember Me, and I will remember you. And thank Me, and do not be ungrateful (unthankful).

 

Quran 2:172

O you who believe, eat from the good things we provided for you, and be thankful to GOD, if you do worship Him alone.

 

Quran 6:53

[Thanksgiving] Thus We try some of them by means of others, that they may say, “Are these the ones whom God has favored from among us?” Is God not aware of the appreciative?

 

Quran 7:144

He said, “O Moses, I have chosen you over all people for My messages and for My Words. So take what I have given you, and be one of the thankful.”

 

Quran 22:36

We have made the animal offerings emblems of God for you. In them is goodness for you. So pronounce God’s name upon them as they line up. Then, when they have fallen on their sides, eat of them and feed the contented and the beggar. Thus We have subjected them to you, that you may be thankful.

 

Quran 76:2-3

[Thanksgiving] Lo! We showed him the Way: whether he be grateful or ungrateful (rests on his will).