Every year Baha’is gather to commemorate the Ascension of Baha’u’llah on 13 Azamat according to the Baha’i calendar. Customarily (although this is not a requirement), at 3 in the morning, following an evening of prayer and reflection, Baha’is stand and face Qiblih as one from amongst them reads the Tablet of Visitation.
It was early in the morning of May 29, 1892 (five minutes past 3, to be precise) that Baha’u’llah passed away in the mansion of Bahji outside Akka (present-day northern Israel), after a brief illness. Following His death, a vast number of mourners from all walks of life and religions, grieved with Baha’u’llah’s family and followers.
Baha’u’llah lived a life of hardship and persecution, bringing to the world teachings that were to usher in a new age of humanity and form the foundations of a new civilization.
The Ancient Beauty hath consented to be bound with chains that mankind may be released from its bondage, and hath accepted to be made a prisoner within this most mighty Stronghold that the whole world may attain unto true liberty. He hath drained to its dregs the cup of sorrow, that all the peoples of the earth may attain unto abiding joy, and be filled with gladness. This is of the mercy of your Lord, the Compassionate, the Most Merciful. We have accepted to be abased, O believers in the Unity of God, that ye may be exalted, and have suffered manifold afflictions, that ye might prosper and flourish.
He Who hath come to build anew the whole world, behold, how they that have joined partners with God have forced Him to dwell within the most desolate of cities!
Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah
This is probably just a result of thinking too much about conversations I’ve had with friends in my Book 4 study circle recently but as I read the Tablet of Visitation with friends from my community yesterday, I found myself trying to imagine what it must have been like for the early followers who lived to see the Ascension of Baha’u’llah.
What must have it been like to have lived in the times of Baha’u’llah? What would it have been like to have walked near and talked to Baha’u’llah and to have been an early believer? What would it have felt like to have witnessed the passing of a Manifestation? Did the early believers understand the significance that Baha’u’llah’s teachings would have for humanity? And on that subject, do we – as relatively early believers – really understand the significance that Baha’u’llah’s teachings on unity will have for the world that our grandchildren and great grandchildren will live in?
I suppose these ruminations could go on endlessly. History is a fascinating thing. It’s not just about knowing the events that occurred but also about understanding the context in which these events took place.
What about you?
What accounts relating to Baha’u’llah’s Ascension have you read from the Writings? What do you imagine the world looked like on May 29, 1892? What did it mean to you to commemorate Baha’u’llah’s Ascension on May 29, 2011?
Share your thoughts with us in the Comments section below.
Posted by
In her professional life, Preethi has dabbled in various combinations of education, community development and law. At heart, though, she's an overgrown child who thinks the world is one giant playground. She's currently on a quest to make learning come alive for young people and to bring the world's stories and cultures to them, with educational resources from
One Story Learning.
Beautifully written my friend. I love your blog posts! Baha’u’llah like all Manifestations have an influence on the universe that never goes away. I’m a history major & I believe firmly that history NEVER repeats itself. People continually repeat history! Witness in history how the heedless & wayward mocked the Manifestations: they persecuted EVERY SINGLE PROPHET! sad no? They did the same to The Báb & the Blessed Beauty thinking they could thwart the Will & Cause of God….how wrong they were & still are. Christ’s influence has reached every inch of the globe & the same with all of God’s Holy Messengers. Also it’s a fascinating thing to note that all the Manifestation wished for martyrdom but God granted them in only a few instances like that of Christ & The Báb. The bodies of the Manifestations like that of every human body expire but their spirit endures & influences every aspect of humanity for eternity.
Shamim Bina (May 5, 2011 at 8:09 PM)
Thanks for the kind words, Shamim!
“The bodies of the Manifestations like that of every human body expire but their spirit endures & influences every aspect of humanity for eternity.”
A friend and I were talking about this in relation to the Ascension of Baha’u’llah and he mentioned reading somewhere that when a Manifestation passes, humanity is infused with a new spirit/revived (something along those lines anyway). I’ve been trying to find a quote about this in the Writings but haven’t been able to! Your comment reminded me of that though.
Thanks for the super insightful comment(s) and support. You should really consider writing an article for us! 🙂
Preethi (May 5, 2011 at 8:40 PM)
Maybe this is the passage hou are thinkibg of?
“Know thou that when the Son of Man [Christ] yielded up His breath to God, the whole creation wept with a great weeping. By sacrificing Himself, however, a fresh capacity was infused into all created things. … We testify that when He came into the world, He shed the splendor of His glory upon all created things … He it is Who purified the world. Blessed is the man who, with a face beaming with light, hath turned towards Him.” – Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah, p. 85.
Christina (May 5, 2023 at 12:58 AM)
Thanks Preethi! God bless you for all your wonderful work. It would be my honor to write an article for you all. Whatever u want me to write about I’ll do it. I’m really excited for this website & other Baha’i sites like it! The future is truly bright 🙂
Shamim Bina (May 5, 2011 at 8:52 PM)
I really enjoy reading about the different Baha’i Holy days on Baha’i blog. Thank you for sharing!
Jessica (June 6, 2011 at 1:13 AM)
Thanks for reading and supporting, Jess! 🙂
Preethi (June 6, 2011 at 1:59 AM)
I love this website! I marked it in My Favorites. I’m so glad I found it (through a path starting in Twitter!)
If anyone lives in the Phoenix, Arizona valley and is interested in West Phoenix/suburbs Baha’i activities, go to
http://www.westphoenixbahai.blogspot.com
Thanks!!
Elizabeth (June 6, 2011 at 10:12 PM)
Thanks for the support and for sharing the link to your own blog, Elizabeth!
Preethi (June 6, 2011 at 10:41 PM)
[…] have, even as children. It heralded the life of yet another Manifestation of God who would suffer great tribulations and suffering to bring humanity towards […]
What Christmas Means to Baha’is | Baha'i Blog (December 12, 2011 at 12:35 AM)
[…] Jesus and His Revelation – which, like the other Manifestations, he brought to the world at great personal cost – brought humanity closer towards God, and towards each other. His life and ministry […]
A Christmas Wish for Peace | Baha'i Blog (December 12, 2012 at 8:35 AM)
Thank you for helping our minds travel these paths of inscrutable mysteries.
May we also approach them through prayer and through developing our powers in artistic explorations
Tonight is the Commemoration of the Ascension of Baha’u’llah and I have set an alarm to watch the videos herein and then read the Tablet of Visitation and do some sort of art
God bless you and guide you.
Betsy in Texas (May 5, 2018 at 4:56 AM)
Just read this blog this year and included a link to it in my news letter ：） So good! What awesome reflection questions!
Nahal Haghbin (May 5, 2019 at 7:06 PM)