Ridvan Festival (Bahá'i) – April 2024

History of Ridvan Festival (Bahá'i)

Siyyid ʻAlí-Muhammad of Shiraz declared himself the “Báb” and his followers were known as Bábís. Báb’s writings established the concept of “He whom God shall make manifest,” a Messianic figure whose arrival was predicted in all the world’s great faiths, according to Baháʼís.

While imprisoned at the Syáh-Chál in Tehran, Iran, in 1852, Baháu’lláh claimed that his mission as the Promised One of the Báb was revealed to him. Baháu’lláh was exiled from Persia after his release from the Syáh-Chál, and he settled in Baghdad, which became the center of Báb activity. Even though he did not openly disclose this prophetic mission, he grew to be the Báb community’s leader.

The revival of the Persian Báb community, as well as Baháu’lláh’s rising prominence in the city, drew the attention of his enemies in the Islamic clergy and the Persian government, who were eventually successful in having Baháu’lláh summoned from Baghdad to Constantinople by the Ottoman rulers. Many people came to see Baháu’lláh before he left. He moved to the Najibiyyih garden across the Tigris river from Baghdad to give his family time to prepare for the trip and to be able to greet all of these visitors. Although he was accompanied by his sons, Bahá’lláh’s family could not join him until April 30, the ninth day, because the water had risen and made passage to the garden difficult, although the flooding was only nine days long. Baháu’lláh and his family left the garden on the twelfth day of their stay and embarked on their journey to Constantinople.

For Baháʼís, the time Baháu’lláh spent at the Garden of Ridván in April 1863, as well as the associated festival and celebration, is extremely significant. Baháu’lláh refers to it as one of two “Most Great Festivals.”