March 21st, 1912,
Victoria Hotel, Alexandria, Egypt
According to the ancient customs everyone of the nations
have general holidays when all the people become happy and enjoy themselves.
That is, they choose the day of the year wherein a great event or a glorious
matter occurred. On that day, they manifest great joy and happiness. They visit
one another. If there are any feelings of bitterness among them they become
reconciled on that day, hard hearted feelings pass away and they unite and love
each other. As great events occurred on the day of Naw-Ruz for the Persians, therefore,
that nation made it a national feast and considered it as a holiday.
This is indeed a blessed day because it is the beginning of
the temperate season and the commencement of springtime in the northern hemisphere.
All earthly things whether trees, animals or human become refreshed; they
receive power from the life-giving breeze and obtain a new life; a resurrection
takes place, and because it is the season of springtime there is a general marvellous
activity in all contingent beings.
There was a time when the Persian dynasty became extinct and
no trace remained thereof. On such a day(Naw-Ruz) it became renewed. Jamsheed ascended
the throne [about 3000 B.C.]. Persia became happily settled. Its power, which
had been dissipated, once more returned. The hearts and souls became possessed
with wonderful susceptibilities, to such a degree that Persia became more
advanced than it was in former days, under the sovereignty of Kayomrth and
Hoshang. The glory and greatness of the government and nation of Persia took a
higher station. Likewise, a great many events occurred upon the day of Naw-Ruz that
brought honour and glory to Persia and to the Persians. Therefore, the Persian
nation, for the last five or six thousand years, has always considered the
Feast ofNaw-Ruz as a day of national happiness and until now it is sanctified
and recognized as a blessed day.
Briefly, every nation has a day known as a holiday which
they celebrate with joy. In the sacred laws of God, in every cycle and
dispensation, there are blessed feasts, holidays and workless days. On such
days all kinds of occupations, commerce, industry, agriculture, etc. are not allowed.
Every work is unlawful. All must enjoy a good time, gather together, hold general
meetings, become as one assembly, so that the national oneness, unity and
harmony may become personified in all eyes. As it is a blessed day it should not
be neglected or without results by making it a day limited to the fruits of
mere pleasure.
During such blessed days institutions should be founded that
may be of permanent benefit and value to the people so that in current
conversation and in history it may become widely known that such a good work
was inaugurated on such a feast day. Therefore, the intelligent must search and
investigate
reality to find out what important affair, what philanthropic
institutions are most needed, and what foundations should be laid for the
community on that particular day, so that they may be established. For example,
if they find that the community needs morality, then they may lay down the
foundation of good morals on that day. If the community be in need of spreading
sciences and widening the circle of knowledge, on that day they should proceed
in that direction, that is to say, direct the thoughts of all the people to
that philanthropic cause. If, however, the community is in need of widening the
circle of commerce or industry or agriculture they should start the means so
that the desired aim may be attained. If the community needs protection, proper
support and care of orphans, they should act upon the welfare of the orphans,
etc. Such undertakings that are beneficial to the poor, the weak and the
helpless should be pursued in order that, on that day, though the unity of all
and through great meetings, results may be obtained, the glory and blessings of
that day may be declared and manifest.
Likewise in this wonderful dispensation this day (Naw-Ruz)
is a blessed day. The friends of God should be confirmed in service and
servitude. With one another they must be in the utmost harmony, love and
oneness, clasping hands, engaged in the commemoration of the Blessed Beauty and
thinking of the great results that may be obtained on such a blessed day.
Today, there is no result or fruit greater than guiding the
people, because these helpless creatures, especially the Persians, have
remained without a share of all the bestowals of God. Undoubtedly, the friends
of God, upon such a day, must leave tangible, philanthropic or ideal traces that
should reach all mankind and not only pertain to the Baha'is.
In all the cycles of the prophets the philanthropic affairs
were confined to their respective peoples only -- with the exception of small
matters such as charity, which was permissible to extend to others. But in this
wonderful dispensation, philanthropic affairs are for all humanity, without any
exception, because it is the manifestation of the mercifulness of God.
Therefore, every universal matter -- that is, one that belongs to all the world
of humanity -- is divine; and every matter that is sectarian and special is not
universal in character -- that is, it is limited. Therefore, my hope is that
the friends of God, everyone of them, may become as the mercy of God to all
mankind.
- 'Abdu'l-Baha (Words of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, ‘Star of the West, Vol. IX, No.1, March 21,
1918’)
