Timeline of Events Related to Festival of Ridvan

This is a personal research tool compiled partially from Campbell and Momen (1996: 69).

1863-04-22 Baha’u’llah left His house for the last time and walked to the Najibiyyih Garden, known since then as the Garden of Ridvan (Paradise). For details of the walk see BKG 168, GPB 149, RB1 260-1, SA 234-5 cited in cited in Campbell and Momen (1996: 69). When he entered the Garden He was wearing a tall taj as a symbol of His station. (BBD 221, RBI 260-1, SA 234-5 cited in (Campbell and Momen 1996: 69). Baha’u’llah entered the Garden just as the call for prayer was being made (GPB 149), RB1 261). Baha’u’llah declared His mission to a few of His disciplines (RB1 260-2). “Of the exact circumstances . . . we, alas, are but scantily informed.” For more details see BKG 173-5, GPB 153). For the importance of the event see BKG 169-73, G27-35, GPB 153-5). The First Day of Ridvan Holy Day was initiated. In the future it is to be celebrated on April 21 (BBD 196 cited in Campbell and Momen 1996: 69). This marks the end of the dispensation of the Bab and of the first epoch of the Heroic or Apostolic Age of the Baha’i dispensation (BBD 72-79 cited in Campbell and Momen 1996: 69).

“On the same day Baha’u’llah [made] three important statements to His followers: 1. He [forbade] the use of the sword. 2. He [stated] that no other Manifestation will appear before one thousand years. This is later reiterated in the Kitab-i-Badi and the Kitab-i-Aqdas. 3. He [stated] that from [that] moment, all the names and attributes of God are manifested within all created things, implying the advent of a new Day [RB1 278-80] cited in Campbell and Momen (1996: 70).

1863-04-22 On the afternoon of the first day of His arrival at the garden of Ridvan, “Baha’u’llah revealed a singularly important Tablet known as Suriy-i Sabr (Surih of Patience), or Lawh-i Ayyub (the Tablet of Job), thus named in memory of one of the survivors of the Nayriz-I holocaust, Haji Muhammad Taqiy-i Nayrizi, surnamed Ayyub.” Rabbani asked Dr. Khazeh Fananapazir to prepare a translation of this Tablet for inclusion in his study on Nayriz. With Dr. Fananapazir’s permission Rabbani has made this provisional translation available on the Baha’i Library site (Rabbani 1997).

1863-04-22/1863-05-03 Sometime during this twelve day period in the Ridvan Garden, Baha’u’llah [confided] to Abdul-Baha that He is “Him Whom God shall make manifest.” (CH 82). See CH 82 for the effect of this announcement on ‘Abdul-Baha.

1863-04-30 Baha’u’llah’s family joined Him in the Garden (BKG 175, RB1 281, SA 235). This initiates the Ninth Day of Ridvan, to be celebrated on April 29 (BBD 196).

1863-05-03 Baha’u’llah left the Garden of Ridvan. This initiated the holy day the Twelfth Day of Ridvan, to be celebrated on May 2 (BBD 196). As He was about to leave Baha’u’llah revealed a Tablet addressed to Aqa Mirza Aqa in Shiraz bringing relief and happiness to those who received it (EB 222). His leaving was accompanied by symbolic signs of His station: He rode a horse rather than a donkey and wore a tall taj (BBD 221, BKG 176) cited in Campbell and Momen (1996: 70). For descriptions of the scenes that accompanied His departure see BKG 175-6, GPB 155, RB1 281-2. Baha’u’llah and His party arrived at Firayjat, three miles away on the banks of the Tigris (BKG 176). They remained there for seven days. See BKG for a description of activities during this period (Campbell and Momen (1996: 71).

1875 ‘Abdul-Baha rented a small garden near Akka for Baha’u’llah’s use (BBD 196-7, DH 95). See DH 95 for its situation. This garden on the river Na’mayn was later named Ridvan by Baha’u’llah (DH 95). This is the same year that ‘Abdul-Baha wrote The Secret of Divine Civilisation, a treatise on the establishment of a just, progressive and divinely-based government (SDCV) It was lithographed in Bombay in 1882 and first published in English in London in 1910 under the title The Mysterious Forces of Civilization (Campbell and Momen (1996: 103-4).

1997-04-21 Rabbani asked Dr. Khazeh Fananapazir to prepare a translation of the singularly important Tablet known as Suriy-i Sabr (Surih of Patience), or Lawh-i Ayyub (the Tablet of Job) for inclusion in his study on Nayriz. With Dr. Fananapazir’s permission Rabbani has made this provisional translation available on the Baha’i Library site (Rabbani 1997).

Selected Bibliography and Webliography of Events Related to Ridvan

‘Abdul-Baha. 1875 [1910]. The Secret of Divine Civilisation. SDCV

Baha’u’llah. Trans. Shoghi Effendi. 1939 [1952, 1971]. Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah. Wilmette, Illinois: Baha’i Publishing Trust. G

Balyuzi, H. M. 1980. Baha’u’llah: the King of Glory. Oxford: George Ronald. BKG

Campbell, Glen; Momen, Wendi. 1996. A Basic Baha’i Chronology. Oxford: George Ronald.

Shoghi Effendi. 1944. God Passes By. NSA of the Baha’is of the United States. GPB

Shoghi Effendi. (???? [1991]. The World Order of Baha’u’llah. Wilmette, Illinois: Baha’i Publishing Trust. WOB

Momen, Wendi. 1989. A Basic Baha’i Dictionary. Oxford: George Ronald. BBD

Taherzadeh, Adib. 1983. The Revelation of Baha’u’llah. Vol 1. Oxford: George Ronald. RB1

Wallbridge, John. 1996. Sacred Acts, Sacred Space, Sacred Time. Oxford: George Ronald.SA

Blomfield, Lady. 1975. The Chosen Highway. Wilmette, Illinois: Baha’i Publishing Trust. CH

Ruhe, David. 1983. Door of Hope. Oxford: George Ronald. DH

Fananapazir, Khazeh. 1997. Provisional Translation of Baha’u’llah’s Surih-i-Sabr, or Lawh-i-Ayyub. 21 April 1997.

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GPB

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