Baha’i celebrate Baha’u’llah’s birthday

The Baha’i community in Botswana last week joined in the festivities to celebrate the bicentennial of the birth of Baha’u’llah, the founder of the Baha’i Faith.Celebrations to mark the birth of Baha’u’llah were held globally and in Botswana the Baha’i community converged at the National Baha’i Centre in Block 9, Gaborone where the minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi was the guest speaker.

“We are here to celebrate the “Glory of God “, The Birth of His Holiness Baha’u’llah and born on this Day in 1817 in Tehran Iran,” said Kenosi Tshireletso, who conducted the proceedings on the day.He said the incomparable august figure of Bahaullah is described as “Preeminent in Holiness, Awesome in the Majesty of His strength and Power, He is Transcendental in His Majesty.  He is Serene, awe inspiring, unapproachably glorious and unapproachable in the transcendent brightness of His Glory”.Bahá’u’lláh passed away at the age of 75 in 1892 and was laid to rest in a small building next to His final residence in Bahjí. In His will, He designated ‘Abdu’l-Bahá as His successor and Head of the Bahá’í Faith — the first time in history that the Founder of a world religion had named his successor in a written irrefutable text. 

This choice of a successor is a central provision of what is known as the “Covenant of Bahá’u’lláh,” enabling the Bahá’í community to remain united for all time.The Bahá’í writings often compare the coming of a Manifestation of God to the rising of the sun. They believe a new day dawned for humanity with the coming of Bahá’u’lláh, “the Glory of God”, and His Herald, the Báb—the two most recent of the Divine Messengers Who have appeared throughout history.