Naw-R├║z

Naw-R├║z , the Bahá'í New Year , is a holiday celebrated on the vernal equinox. It is one of the nine Bahá'í holy days on which work is suspended.

Why is it important?

The Bahá╩╝í Faith is a relatively new religion teaching the essential worth of all religions and the unity of all people. Established by Bahá╩╝u'lláh in the 19th century, it initially developed in Iran and parts of the Middle East, where it has faced ongoing persecution since its inception.

Naw R├║z (also known as No Rouz, Nowruz, or Noruz), translates to "New Day" in English is the Bahá'í and Persian New Year, which occurs on the date of the vernal equinox. The holiday is fixed as March 21 for Bahá'ís in all countries outside the Middle East, regardless of exactly when the equinox occurs. However, those who celebrate this day culturally, rather than religiously, celebrate on the exact day of the equinox. Naw R├║z dates back approximately 3,000 years and is rooted in Zoroastrianism. Zoroastrianism is an ancient Persian religion the predates Christianity and Islam. Millions of people around the world celebrate this holiday.

Significance

The Báb, the founder of Bábi religion, instituted the Badí╩╗ calendar composed of 19 months, each of 19 days.  The first month, and the first day of each month, are both named Bahá, an Arabic word meaning splendour or glory. Thus Naw-R├║z, the first day of the year, is the day of Bahá in the month of Bahá. The day was called the Day of God by the Báb, and was associated with He whom God shall make manifest, a messianic figure in the Báb's writings.

Bahá╩╝u'lláh, the founder of the Bahá╩╝í Faith who is recognized as the messianic figure expected by the Báb, adopted the new calendar and the use of Naw-R├║z as a holy day.[1] The day follows the Bahá╩╝í month of fasting, and he explained that Naw-R├║z was associated with the Most Great Name of God, and was instituted as a festival for those who observed the fast.

source: Wikipedia.org

A time for renewal

Equinox as a manifestation of God

The symbolic notion of the renewal of time in each religious dispensation was made explicit by the writings of the Báb and Bahá╩╝u'lláh and the calendar and the new year made this spiritual metaphor more concrete. ╩╗Abdu'l-Bahá, Bahá╩╝u'lláh's son and successor, explained that significance of Naw-R├║z in terms of spring and the new life it brings. He explained that the equinox is a symbol of the Manifestations of God, who include Jesus, Muhammad, the Báb and Bahá╩╝u'lláh among others, and the message that they proclaim is like a spiritual springtime, and that Naw-R├║z is used to commemorate it.

Celebrations

Naw-R├║z is one of nine Bahá╩╝í holy days where work and school must be suspended; the only one that is not associated with an event in the lives of either the Báb or Bahá╩╝u'lláh.

It is usually a festive event observed with meetings for prayer and music and dancing. Since the new year also ends the Bahá╩╝í month of fasting the celebration is often combined with a dinner. As with all Bahá╩╝í holy days, there are few fixed rules for observing Naw-R├║z, and Bahá╩╝ís all over the world celebrate it as a festive day, according to local custom. Persian Bahá╩╝ís observe many of the Iranian customs associated with Nowruz such as the Haft S├«n, but American Bahá╩╝í communities, for example, may have a potluck dinner, along with prayers and readings from Bahá╩╝í scripture.