Introduction
Naw-Ruz
(`New Day') is the Bahá'í and Iranian New Year. It occurs on
the date of the vernal equinox, about 21 March and is considered one of the
nine Bahá'í holy days on which work is suspended.
Naw-Ruz begins after the sunset of the last day of the Bahá'í
fast and hence calls for celebrations. On this day meetings are observed for
prayers and celebrations and are usually followed by a grand dinner.
Origin
According to the Badi` calendar of the Báb, Naw-Ruz falls in the
month of Bahá. Bábs also call it `the Day of God' or
Yawmu'llah. Besides, Naw-Ruz is also considered as the `Day of the Point' or
Yawm-i-nuqtih, which means, the day of the Báb.
Naw-Ruz is also associated with, 'Him Whom God shall make manifest, the
Promised One of the Báb' while, the remaining 18 days of the month
are associated with eighteen Letters of the Living. Many believe that this
indicates that the Báb envisioned the Naw-Ruz festivities should
encompass the nineteen days of the month of Bahá, just as the
traditional Iranian Naw-Ruz festivities last thirteen days.
Bahá'u'lláh called Naw-Ruz a feast day for it follows the
fast and stressed on its importance by associating it with the Most Great
Name as it bears Bahá'u'lláh's own name. `Abdu'l-Bahá
explained the significance of Naw-Ruz in terms of the symbolism of the new
life of spring.
Naw-Ruz celebrations
Since Naw-Ruz calls for celebrations for, it marks the end of fasting, the
Báb permitted the use of musical instruments and other luxuries
prohibited at other times. Although, during the night of Naw-Ruz each
believer was to recite 361 times the verse `God beareth witness that there
is no God but Him, the Ineffable, the Self-Subsistent'; and during the day,
`God beareth witness that there is no God but Him, the Precious, the
Beloved'. Fasting was prohibited during the whole month of Bahá.
As with all Bahá'í holy days, there are few fixed rules for
observing Naw-Ruz, although Iranian Bahá'ís often follow
Iranian traditions. Many Bahá'ís use Naw-Ruz as a day of
gift-giving. Bahá'ís do not usually observe Naw-Ruz for longer
than one day.
