Bahá'í calendar

solar calendar used in the Baháʼí Faith

Bahá'í Faith

Creators

Bahá'u'lláh
The Báb · `Abdu'l-Bahá

Important Books
Aqdas · Kitáb-i-Íqán

The Hidden Words
Some Answered Questions

Leaders and Councils

Administrative Order
The Guardian
Universal House of Justice
Spiritual Assemblies

History

Bahá'í history · Timeline
Bábís · Shaykh Ahmad

Famous Members

Shoghi Effendi
Martha Root · Táhirih
Badí‘ · Apostles
Hands of the Cause

Extra

Symbols · Laws
Teachings · Literature
Calendar · Divisions
Pilgrimage
Index of Bahá'í Articles

The Bahá'í calendar, named the Badí‘ calendar (badí‘ means wondrous or unique[1]), is a solar calendar used by Bábism and the Bahá'í Faith.

The calendar was created by the Báb and refined by Bahá'u'lláh and the Universal House of Justice.

Each year starts on "Naw-Rúz", the vernal equinox (in March), and has 19 months. Each month has 19 days. An extra 4 or 5 days are added between the last two months so that the next year also starts on the equinox. Each day begins at sunset. The time of sunset and the time of the equinox are calculated by astronomers.

The months are known by their Arabic names. The days within each month also use the same names. Here they are with their usual English translations:

Day or

Month #

Arabic Name English Translation
1 Bahá Splendor
2 Jalál Glory
3 Jamál Beauty
4 `Azamat Grandeur
5 Núr Light
6 Rahmat Mercy
7 Kalimát Words
8 Kamál Perfection
9 Asmá' Names
10 `Izzat Might
11 Mashíyyat Will
12 `Ilm Knowledge
13 Qudrat Power
14 Qawl Speech
15 Masá'íl Questions
16 Sharaf Honor
17 Sultán Sovereignty
18 Mulk Dominion
19 `Alá' Loftiness

Each group of 19 years is called a Váhid.

Each group of 19 Váhids is called a Kull-i-Shay’.

Year 1 of the Badí' calendar started at Naw-Rúz in 1844 A.D.

Sources change

  1. Bahai library: Bibliography for the Tablets of Baha'u'llah: List of citations and resources for Tablets revealed 1863-68. Kitáb-i-Badí' ("The Wondrous Book," "the Unique Book"). Prepared by Jonah Winters for the Wilmette Institute.