Bahai celebration

ALL around the world, followers of the Bahai faith celebrated the birthday of the founder of their religion, Bahaullah on Monday, 11 November. This Holy Day is not just a celebration of Bahaullah, but a celebration of his teachings and principles which are based on justice, unity, peace and love.

Followers of the Bahai faith got together at the Bahai Centre in Glenwood where they sang songs, prayed together and read scriptures. “We don’t have a prescribed structure or specific ritual about how this Holy Day should be celebrated, it is left up to the host,” says Shemona Moonilal, a follower of the Bahai faith, who continues, “we invite friends who are not of the Bahai faith to join us, all are welcome.”

The Bahai religion was founded in 1863 in Persia (now Iran) at a time when the country was in a state of lawlessness. “Bahaullah was born on 12 November 1870 and people recognised that he was special from the time he was a child. He was kind and displayed extraordinary knowledge and wisdom,” says Olga von Eck, a Bahai follower.

Bahaullah taught that there is one God who progressively reveals His will to humanity. “The Bahai believe in progressive revelation,” says Moonilal. She explains that the Bahai believe that God sends down a messenger whenever mankind needs guidance.

“There is no clergy in the Bahai faith, we believe that your relationship with God is built by prayer between you and God,” says Moomilal.

“The purpose of our faith is to promote unity in mankind in an organised way. We do not believe in preaching or standing on a soap box dictating to people to follow a religion. Rather we believe that all souls are different and should follow the religion that they feel most connected with,” said Moonilal.