The Significance of the name "Ayyam-i-Ha"

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The Ayyam-i-Ha -- What are these "Days of the Letter Ha"?

The letter Ha, or H, is one of the first two letters of Baha'u'llah's Name, promised in the Holy Books.  It is one of the characters in the Baha'i ringstone symbol.  The central portion of the ringstone symbol is a series of four interlocking lines linked to four somewhat oval shapes.  These four ovals are the Arabic letter H, or "Ha", and the four lines are each the Arabic letter B.

Baha'u'llah identifies His name with these two letters in the closing words of the Book of Certitude: "Revealed by the 'Ba' and the 'Ha'." (1)

In one of His tablets Baha'u'llah states that the Arabic letter "Ba" looks like a lock of hair 
and that the letter "Ha" looks like a rosebud
and He mentions the beauty of these two letters when they are linked together, stating that a spirit flows through these letters of His Name like the vibration of a flute.  (2)

The Hand of the Cause Zikrullah Khadem explains in one of his essays the significance of the letter B.  He points out that the Book of Genesis begins with the Hebrew letter B, and that every one of the 114 Surahs of the Qur'an begins with the letter B. (3)

In some of His Writings Baha'u'llah comments on the letter "B", for example, in the second paragraph of the Tablet of Ishraqat (4)

In like manner, the Bab and Baha'u'llah also comment on the significance of the letter "H" or "Ha".  In the Surih of the Temple, Baha'u'llah writes of this Arabic letter "Ha":

"O First Letter of this Temple, betokening the Essence of Divinity! We have made thee the treasury of My Will and the repository of My Purpose unto all who are in the kingdoms of revelation and creation. This is but a token of the grace of Him Who is the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting." (5)  

We see here that Baha'u'llah Himself explains that the letter "Ha" signifies "the Essence of Divinity."

Baha'u'llah designated the days preceding the Fast as "the manifestations of the letter 'Ha'." (6) As further explained in the Notes to the Most Holy Book:

"Known as the Ayyam-i-Ha, (the Days of Ha), the Intercalary Days have the distinction of being associated with "the letter Ha". . . The letter "Ha" has been given several spiritual meanings in the Holy Writings, among which is as a symbol of the Essence of God. (7)

Likewise, the Bab interpreted the significance of the letter "Ha", and Baha'u'llah quotes a verse from it in the Book of Certitude:

"Likewise, in His interpretation of the letter 'Ha,' He craved martyrdom, saying: 'Methinks I heard a Voice calling in my inmost being: "Do thou sacrifice the thing which Thou lovest most in the path of God, even as Husayn, peace be upon him, hath offered up his life for My sake."'" (8)

The "Ayyam-i-Ha" are days to be spent in praise of God.  Baha'u'llah directs His loved ones "with joy and exultation to hail and glorify their Lord, to sing His praise and magnify His Name" during them.(9)

As one of the Baha'i friends has written:

"Bahá’u'lláh has designated the intercalary days 'amid all the nights and days' as manifestations of the letter 'Ha'–that is, as Days of the Divine Essence. These extra days stand apart from the ordinary cycle of weeks and months and the human measure of time. They are not 'bounded by the limits of the year and its months' – just as the infinite reality of the divine Essence of God is unbounded and cannot be captured or comprehended within the cycle of time or any other human measurement.

"Thus Ayyám-i-Há can be thought of as days outside of time, days that symbolize eternity, infinity, and the mystery and unknowable Essence of God Himself. Contemplation during these days of the timeless mystery of the Essence of God provides us the 'joy and exultation' with which to 'sing His praise and magnify His Name.'" (10)
___________

NOTES
(1) (The Book of Certitude, p. 257, paragraph 288)
(2) http://www.hurqalya.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/BAHA%27-ALLAH/rashh-i%20%60ama%27/RASHH1YES.htm
(3) Zikrullah Khadem, the Itinerant Hand of the Cause of God, p. 303
(4)(Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 101)
(5)(Baha'u'llah, The Summons of the Lord of Hosts, paragraph 1.37, p. 20; see also p. 237, footnote 3)
(6)(The Most Holy Book, p. 25, paragraph 16)
(7) (The Most Holy Book, p. 178, Note 28)
(8)(Baha'u'llah, The Book of Certitude, p. 231, paragraph 259)
(9) (The Most Holy Book, p. 25, paragraph 16)
(10) http://hdcommittee.wordpress.com/2012/02/18/ayyam-i-ha/

Pleasing God And Being Well-Pleased With God

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One of the wonderful challenges God gives us in this life is to learn to submit to His Will, and to do so joyfully -- to learn to be content with His Will.

There is a lovely incident recorded by the great Baha'i author and translator, Marzieh Gail, about pleasing God, and being pleased with God. In her book Arches of the Years she writes about the time she wrote a letter to Abdu'l-Baha: 

Before He came to Washington, Marzieh had written Him, in block letters, penciled, undoubtedly an adult holding her fist. Her message went, 'Dear Abdul-Baha, I love you. I hope you will come to see us.' And He had written a line in Persian on it, turning it into a Tablet, and signed it, and sent it back:
'O God, make her who is pleasing to God (Marzieh), well-pleased with God (Razieh). Insha'llah I shall see her.' (The words pleased with and pleasing to God are from the Qur'án, 89:28.) With Him, there was room for every one, no matter how heavy His own work load, or how weary His body, no matter how small the person was, or how unnoticed by the world.

The lovely verse from the Qur'an is from the Surih of the Daybreak:

Return to thy Lord, pleased, and pleasing him:
Enter thou among my servants,
And enter thou my Paradise.

“Pleased” is razieh, and “pleasing Him” is marzieh.

There are various ways in the Writings of Baha'u'llah in which Shoghi Effendi has translated marzieh – pleasing to God, and razieh – pleased with God. It is very revealing. The first passage will have been memorized by anyone who has embarked on the Ruhi study classes. Baha'u'llah is here quoted on page 25 of The Advent of Divine Justice:

The betterment of the world can be accomplished through pure and goodly deeds, through commendable and seemly [marzieh] conduct.

Shoghi Effendi's translation of this beautiful word is not bound by dictionary translations. His lyrical pen translates marzieh in these beautiful ways:

The fruits of the tree of man have ever been and are goodly deeds and a praiseworthy [marzieh] character.
(Baha'u'llah, p. 26, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf)

This people need no weapons of destruction, inasmuch as they have girded themselves to reconstruct the world. Their hosts are the hosts of goodly deeds, and their arms the arms of upright [marzieh] conduct.
(Baha'u'llah, p. 74, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf)


...those souls who are well assured, pleased [razieh], and pleasing unto God [marzieh]...
(Baha'u'llah, p. 121, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf)

This can best be achieved through pure and holy deeds, through a virtuous life and a goodly [marzieh] behavior.
(Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah XLII, p. 94)


O friends! Help ye the one true God, exalted be His glory, by your goodly deeds, by such conduct and character as shall be acceptable in His sight [marzieh].
(Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah CXXVI, p. 272)


His object is to array every man with the mantle of a saintly [marzieh] character, and to adorn him with the ornament of holy and goodly deeds.
(Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah CXXVIII, p. 299)


Say: O people of God! That which can ensure the victory of Him Who is the Eternal Truth, His hosts and helpers on earth, have been set down in the sacred Books and Scriptures, and are as clear and manifest as the sun. These hosts are such righteous deeds, such conduct and character, as are acceptable in His sight [marzieh].
(Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah CXXXI, p. 287)

It is challenging to attain, not only to God being pleased with us; but to razieh—being pleased with that which God chooses to bestow on us. These beautiful passages from Baha'u'llah's Writings express razieh:

I render thanks unto Thee, and My Spirit is grateful for whatsoever hath befallen me in the path of Thy good-pleasure. I am well pleased [razieh] with that which Thou didst ordain for Me, and welcome, however calamitous, the pains and sorrows I am made to suffer.
(Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah XXXIX, p. 89)


O SON OF SPIRIT!
Ask not of Me that which We desire not for thee, then be content [razieh] with what We have ordained for thy sake, for this is that which profiteth thee, if therewith thou dost content thyself. (Arabic Hidden Words 18)


O SON OF BEING!
Seek a martyr's death in My path, content [razieh] with My pleasure and thankful for that which I ordain, that thou mayest repose with Me beneath the canopy of majesty behind the tabernacle of glory.
(Arabic Hidden Words 45)




At one time I found Myself on the heights of mountains; at another in the depths of the prison of Ta (Tihran), in chains and fetters. By the righteousness of God! I was at all times thankful unto Him, uttering His praise, engaged in remembering Him, directed towards Him, satisfied with His pleasure [razieh], and lowly and submissive before Him.
(Baha'u'llah, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 79)


Perish that lover who discerneth between the pleasant and the poisonous in his love for his beloved! Be thou satisfied [razieh] with what God hath destined for thee. He, verily, ruleth over thee as He willeth and pleaseth.
(Prayers and Meditations by Baha'u'llah VIII, p. 11)


I beg of Thee, O my God, by Thy most exalted Word which Thou hast ordained as the Divine Elixir unto all who are in Thy realm, the Elixir through whose potency the crude metal of human life hath been transmuted into purest gold, O Thou in Whose hands are both the visible and invisible kingdoms, to ordain that my choice be conformed to Thy choice and my wish to Thy wish, that I may be entirely content [razieh] with that which Thou didst desire, and be wholly satisfied with what Thou didst destine for me by Thy bounteousness and favor. (Prayers and Meditations by Baha'u'llah XXXVIII, p. 54)


I implore Thee, O Thou Who art inscrutable to all except Thee, and can be comprehended through naught else save Thyself, by the wrongs which He Who is the Day-Spring of Thy Cause hath suffered at the hands of the ignoble among Thy creatures, and by what hath befallen Him in Thy path, to grant that I may, at all times, be wholly dissolved in Thee [razieh], and fix my gaze upon the horizon of Thy will and be steadfast in Thy love.
(Prayers and Meditations by Baha'u'llah CXXXV, p. 223)




I implore Thee, O my Lord, by Thy name the splendors of which have encompassed the earth and the heavens, to enable me so to surrender my will [razieh] to what Thou hast decreed in Thy Tablets, that I may cease to discover within me any desire except what Thou didst desire through the power of Thy sovereignty, and any will save what Thou didst destine for me by Thy will.
(Prayers and Meditations by Baha'u'llah CL, p. 241)

~ ~ ~
Razieh is also transliterated as Rá�íyih, as shown in this authorized translation of a tablet by Baha'u'llah prepared under the supervision of the Universal House of Justice after Marzieh Gail wrote the above section:

He is God, Glorified be He, Grandeur and Might are His!
    On the morning of the blessed Friday we proceeded from the Mansion and entered the Garden. Every tree uttered a word, and every leaf sang a melody. The trees proclaimed: 'Behold the evidences of God's Mercy' and the twin streams recited in the eloquent tongue the sacred verse 'From us all things were made alive'. Glorified be God! Mysteries were voiced by them, which provoked wonderment. Methought: in which school were they educated, and from whose presence had they acquired their learning? Yea! This Wronged One knoweth and He saith: 'From God, the All-Encompassing, the Self-Subsistent.'
      Upon Our being seated, Ráá¸�íyih, upon her be My glory, attained Our presence on thy behalf, laid the table of God's bounty and in thy name extended hospitality to all present. In truth, all that which stimulateth the appetite and pleaseth the eye was offered, and indeed that which delighteth the ear could also be heard as the leaves were stirred by the Will of God, and from this movement a refreshing voice was raised, as if uttering a blissful call inviting the absent to this Feast. God's power and the perfection of His handiwork could enjoyably be seen in the blossoms, the fruits, the trees, the leaves and the streams. Praised be God who hath thus confirmed thee and her.
      In brief, all in the Garden were recipients of the choicest bountiesand in the end expressed their thanksgiving unto their Lord. O that allGod's beloved would have been present on this day!
      We beseech God, exalted be He, to cause to descend upon thee at every moment, a blessing and a mercy and a measure of divine grace from His presence. He is the Forgiving, the All-Glorious.
      We send greetings to His loved ones, and supplicate for each one of them that which is worthy of mention and is acceptable in His presence. Peace be upon thee, and upon God's sincere servants. Praise be to Him, the Lord of all mankind.

Rá�íyih, who is mentioned in this Tablet, was a sister of Munirih Khanum, the wife of 'Abdu'l-Bahá. The dinner was given on behalf of her husband who was not present at the time. He was her cousin Siyyid 'Ali...

(Cited in Adib Taherzadeh, "The Revelation of Baha'u'llah" Volume IV, p. 14)
 

Official Statement

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With the Bishop Hugh, O.S.B.and Fr. Benedict, O.S.B.
26th April, 2012,
Feast of Our Lady of Good Counsel.
Official Statement  From 23rd to 26th April, 2012a Canonical Visitation of the community at Papa Stronsaywas undertaken by the local OrdinaryRt. Rev. Hugh Gilbert, O.S.B.accompanied byV. Rev. Benedict Hardy, O.S.B.
The Visitation was positively received by the community.Its outcome will be formally announced in due course,pending canonically required consultations.

Seminary Lightning Storm

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 On Wednesday night, we had a quite spectacular storm here in Denton, Nebraska, where Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary is located.  I was woken up by a loud thunder clap, and was unable to get back to sleep due to all the flashing and thunder.  So I went to my window to have a better look, and decided to get our camera out to take some photos and video.  There were rather a lot of photos, and you can see them all on our Facebook page, but I will put a few here as well.  This first photo was taken while there was no lightning - it was pitch-black.  All the pictures after that were taken during the same night, so the sun is not shining in any of them:
 The darkness of the night.  All the following photos were taken during the same dark night.
   For a fraction of a second everything is as bright as a summer day!
A faint shadow of God's almighty power can be seen in the nature He created!
Some video footage of the storm.  There were a lot of smaller flashes which the camera didn't pick up, but you can get the idea.

Regina Cæli Lætare, Alleluia!

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We sang a beautiful version of the Regina Cæli today at Mass, which I would like to share with you.  It was composed by Gregor Aichincer (1564 - 1628) and is for four voices.

Regina cæli, lætare, alleluia:
Quia quem meruisti portare, alleluia,
Regina cæli, lætare, alleluia:
Resurrexit, sicut dixit, alleluia,
Ora pro nobis Deum, alleluia.
Regina cæli, lætare, alleluia:

This was sung at Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary in Denton, Nebraska.  One of the FSSR seminarians was a part of the choir.

O Columba spes Scotorum

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12 May 562 - 12 May 2012

 Saturday, 12 May 2012,the 1450th Anniversaryof  St. Columba'sarrival in  Scotland.


Columba chose as his place of settlement the island of Hy or Iona, generally  known as Hy-Columbkille~ the island, that is, of Columba ~a part of the Scottish kingdom of Dalriada. The landing was effected on Whitsunday, the 12th of May 562.

 The island formed at that time the boundary between the Dalriadan Picts on one side, and the northern Picts on the other, and must in consequence have had a peculiar attraction for St Columba, as a central point for his missionary labours. On the eastern side of the island soon arose the cells of the monks, constructed of wood and earth.

Such was the obscure and insignificant beginnings of St Columba and his monks in Scotland.They were destined in the course of time to bestow upon millions of men the benefits of  religion, culture, and civilisation. 

 St. Columba at the fort of Bruide, king of the Northern Picts.

In honour of St Columba

 

Os mutorum, lux cecorum, pes clausorum,Mouth of the dumb, light of the blind, foot of the lame,porrige lapsis manum.to the fallen stretch out your hand.Firma vanum et insanum corrige.Strengthen the senseless, restore the mad.
O Columba spes ScotorumO Columba, hope of Scots,nos tuorum meritorumby your merits' mediation, interventu beatorum make us companions fac consortes angelorum.of the blessed angels. Alleluia.Alleluia.
(From the Inchcolm Antiphoner- written in Scotland  about 1340).

 

Jesus and Mary go with ye!

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Afore ye go.Fr. Anthony Mary and the Brothersbefore they depart for the 80 mile pilgrimagebetween Notre Dame Cathedral in Parisand Notre Dame Cathedral in Chartres, France.The pilgrimage begins tomorrow 
and closes on Monday 28, May. 
With banners flying. Br. Seelos bearing the banner ofthe Most Holy Redeemer on Golgotha.The sturdy wooden banner hafts were made by our friend Surik. Thank you!
  "Make Her known!"Blessed Pius IX gave Redemptorists the commandto "Make Her known".Mr. Esteben with the banner of 
the Mother of Perpetual Succour.
"Few but good!"The little band takes to the sea to join 
the throng of 15,000 pilgrims.
In this storm battered boat they are an image of a missionary monastery:a religious family afloat on the sea of the world holding aloft the banners of Jesus Crucified 
and Most Holy Mary;They are making for the Port of Salvation themselves,and they want to take others with them, as they go.Afore ye go, and when ye go, and as ye go:Jesus and Mary go with ye!