Ayyam-i-Ha on it's way!

[arthra]

Starting next month February 26th and ending February 29th Baha'is will be celebrating "Ayyam-i-Ha" The Days of "Ha"... this year four days... this is a festive time of celebration and gifts exchanges among Baha'is. I've been hoarding some book markers and other items I hope to share with friends in my community.

There are some informal traditional ways we've developed to celebrate the season. We have an Ayyam-i-Ha camel that shares gifts... The "camel" is actually a hand puppet.

Everyone has their own "traditions" I'm sure.

Ayyam-i-Ha has four or five days depending on whether or not it's a "leap year"... The Baha'i Calendar is a solar calendar usually beginning on Naw-Ruz or the vernal equinox and having nineteen months with nineteen days each month for 361 days.. Ayyam-i-Ha makes up the four or five days to complete the year.

I'll be posting some more items about Ayyam-i-Ha as the month progresses...

 

[arthra]

While we will be observing Ayyam-i-Ha for four days this year the actual significance of the letter "Ha" is "five" in the abjad reckoning... On leap years we will be observing Ayyam-i-Ha for five days. But what is the significance of the letter "Ha"? THis is for a more mystical question. Here is a translation from a Tablet of Baha'u'llah "Lawh-i-Halih" supplied by Stephen Lambden:

The "dawning-place of [the letter] "H" (ha')" as the locale from which the Maiden came probably expresses the fact that she came from the most elevated divine real or from God; "H" (ha') being the first letter of huwa (Allah) ("He is [God]) and Huwiyya ("He-ness"; the Divine Ipseity) and Hahut, the realm of the huwiyya, the exalted Divinity.

(Provisional Translations, Lawh-i-Halih (Lambden Trans))

 

[arthra]

For those interested there's a colorful diagram of the Baha'i year which was designed by Randall Deighton:

 

[arthra]

One of the most beloved Ayyam-i-Ha records and now downloads featured Bill Sears and children seeing songs and narrative from believed it or not 1979:

RELEASED: Feb 25th 1979
TRACKS: 9
TOTAL LENGTH: 31:39
FORMAT: 320 kbps MP3
CATEGORIES: Inspired & Devotional Music
GENRE: Holiday, Religious, Children's Music
***A 9 STAR MEDIA EXCLUSIVE***
DIGITALLY RESTORED & REMASTERED

This is one of the most beloved Bahá'í albums ever produced... Now available for the first time in nearly a decade! Many Bahá'ís around the world consider this the soundtrack of their childhood during the A'yyám-i-Há season. An exceptional album, lovingly restored, and re-released for generations to come!

"Happy A'yyám-i-Há" received the Christian Angel Award in 1979 for the Best Children's Album of the Year. This was the first time in the association's history that the Angel Award had been given to a non-Christian group.

The blending of Mr. Sears's storytelling and the memorable sing-a-long songs performed by the children make this collection irtresistible for everyone - young and old alike. With the completion of the project, Mr. Sears stated that future generations would still be listening to the Happy A'yyám-i-Há album.

Narrated by Hand of the Cause of God William Sears
Produced by Danny and Joyce Deardorff
Executive Producer: Marcia Day
Album Design: Rick Kjarsgaard and Mary Rich

HAPPY AYYAM-i-HA

https://bahaimusicstore.com/william-sears-happy-ayyamiha?utm_source=BDS+2-2-16+BMS+Blast+-+Happy+Ayyam-i-Ha&utm_campaign=Happy+A'yyám-i-Há+Wm+Sears+Music+Store+Promo+(Sent+2/2/16)&utm_medium=email

Note that it was a first time award for a non-Christian group!

 

[arthra]

Generally Ayyam-i-Ha is an opportunity for friends to visit people who they haven't seen in awhile.. this can strengthen the bonds of community. Dropping by and chatting awhile .. maybe bring an inexpensive gift or something can spread some warmth and love for each other.

 

[arthra]

Check out an interesting essay by Karla Jamir on "the days beyond time" another reference to Ayyam-i-Ha!

http://bahai-invitation.com/feast/ha/ayyamiha05.html

 

[arthra]

Baha'u'llah revealed a prayer for Ayyam-i-Ha as follows:

My God, my Fire and my Light! The days which Thou hast named the Ayyam-i-Ha (the Days of Ha, Intercalary days) in Thy Book have begun, O Thou Who art the King of names, and the fast which Thy most exalted Pen hath enjoined unto all who are in the kingdom of Thy creation to observe is approaching.

I entreat Thee, O my Lord, by these days and by all such as have during that period clung to the cord of Thy commandments, and laid hold on the handle of Thy precepts, to grant that unto every soul may be assigned a place within the precincts of Thy court, and a seat at the revelation of the splendors of the light of Thy countenance.

These, O my Lord, are Thy servants whom no corrupt inclination hath kept back from what Thou didst send down in Thy Book. They have bowed themselves before Thy Cause, and received Thy Book with such resolve as is born of Thee, and observed what Thou hadst prescribed unto them, and chosen to follow that which had been sent down by Thee. Thou seest, O my Lord, how they have recognized and confessed whatsoever Thou hast revealed in Thy Scriptures. Give them to drink, O my Lord, from the hands of Thy graciousness the waters of Thine eternity. Write down, then, for them the recompense ordained for him that hath immersed himself in the ocean of Thy presence, and attained unto the choice wine of Thy meeting.

I implore Thee, O Thou the King of kings and the Pitier of the downtrodden, to ordain for them the good of this world and of the world to come. Write down for them, moreover, what none of Thy creatures hath discovered, and number them with those who have circled round Thee, and who move about Thy throne in every world of Thy worlds. Thou, truly, art the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

-- Baha'u'llah

 

[arthra]

[GALLERY=media, 7354]1959425_1596800833868435_3016137490852067536_n by arthra posted Feb 25, 2016 at 7:28 PM[/GALLERY]

 

[jeager106]

Wonder????
Why are you the only one (so far) that posts on this thread????

 

[arthra]

Wonder????
Why are you the only one (so far) that posts on this thread????

Jeager!

Thanks for your post! and welcome to the Baha'i DIR!

Actually there have been other Baha'is posting on this Forum... I can only speak for myself as a Baha'i I think it's important to share the Faith and represent it fairly on this forum.

You are most welcome to pose any questions here.

Yours most sincerely!