Day of the Covenant and the Ascension of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
National Spiritual Assembly
nsa@bahai.org.uk
10 November 2016
8 Qudrat 173 B.E.
To all believers in the United Kingdom
Dearly loved Friends,
In two weeks’ time, we will once again commemorate the two Holy Days particularly associated with the beloved Master – the Day of the Covenant, and the Ascension of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá.
The Day of the Covenant, which this year begins at sunset on Thursday 24 November (4 Qawl), gives us the opportunity to reflect upon the unique station of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá as the Centre of the Covenant. The anniversary of the Ascension of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, which is to be commemorated on 27 November (6 Qawl) at 1 a.m., marks the moment when His illustrious soul winged its flight to the Abhá Kingdom.
While there is no obligation to abstain from work on these two Holy Days, you will no doubt wish to gather on these special occasions to pray and reflect upon the distinguishing aspects of ‘Abdu’l Bahá’s life and the power of the Covenant.
How privileged we are to live in a land that was blessed on two occasions by the footsteps of the Master! As the work continues to preserve the apartment at 17 Royal York Crescent where He stayed on two occasions, may we use the opportunity of these Holy Days to take to heart the words He spoke in that very place on 24 September 1911:
Be kind to all around and serve one another, love to be just and true in all your dealings; pray always and so live your life that sorrow cannot touch you. Look upon the people of your own race and those of other races as members of one organism; sons of the same Father; let it be known by your behaviour that you are indeed the people of God. Then wars and disputes shall cease and over the world will spread the Most Great Peace.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá in London, p. 83)
To assist you in your contemplation of the incomparable station conferred upon ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, we are also moved to share with you the following tribute to the Master from the pen of Shoghi Effendi:
He is, and should for all time be regarded, first and foremost, as the Centre and Pivot of Bahá’u’lláh’s peerless and all-enfolding Covenant, His most exalted handiwork, the stainless Mirror of His light, the perfect Exemplar of His teachings, the unerring Interpreter of His Word, the embodiment of every Bahá’í ideal, the incarnation of every Bahá’í virtue, the Most Mighty Branch sprung from the Ancient Root, the Limb of the Law of God, the Being “round Whom all names revolve,” the Mainspring of the Oneness of Humanity, the Ensign of the Most Great Peace, the Moon of the Central Orb of this most holy Dispensation—styles and titles that are implicit and find their truest, their highest and fairest expression in the magic name ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. He is, above and beyond these appellations, the “Mystery of God”—an expression by which Bahá’u’lláh Himself has chosen to designate Him, and which, while it does not by any means justify us to assign to Him the station of Prophethood, indicates how in the person of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá the incompatible characteristics of a human nature and superhuman knowledge and perfection have been blended and are completely harmonized.
(Shoghi Effendi, The Dispensation of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 44)
With loving Bahá’í greetings,
Patrick O’Mara,
Secretary