A Baha?i pilgrimage currently consists of visiting the holy places in Acre and Haifa at the Baha?i World Centre in Northwest Israel . Baha?is do not have access to other places designated as sites for pilgrimage . ^{[1] [2]}

Baha?u'llah decreed pilgrimage in the Kitab-i-Aqdas to two places: the House of Baha?u'llah in Baghdad, and the House of the Bab in Shiraz. In two separate tablets , known as Suriy-i-Hajj , he prescribed specific rites for each of these pilgrimages. ^[1] It is obligatory to make the pilgrimage, "if one can afford it and is able to do so, and if no obstacle stands in one's way". Baha?u'llah has "exempted women as a mercy on His part", though the Universal House of Justice has clarified that women are free to perform this pilgrimage. ^[3] Baha?is are free to choose between the two houses, as either has been deemed sufficient. Later, ?Abdu'l-Baha designated the Shrine of Baha?u'llah at Bahji (the Qiblih ) as a site of pilgrimage. No rites have been prescribed for this. ^[1]

The designated sites for pilgrimage are not accessible to the majority of Baha?is, as they are in Iraq and Iran respectively, and thus when Baha?is currently refer to pilgrimage, it refers to a nine-day pilgrimage that occurs at the Baha?i World Centre in Haifa and Akka in Israel. ^[1] This nine-day pilgrimage does not replace pilgrimage to the designated sites for pilgrimage, and it is intended that pilgrimage to the House of the Bab and the House of Baha?u'llah will occur in the future.

House of Baha?u'llah, Baghdad [ edit ]

The House of Baha?u'llah in Baghdad , also known as the "Most Great House" (Bayt-i-A?zam) and the "House of God," is where Baha?u'llah lived from 1853 to 1863 (except for two years when he left to the mountains of Kurdistan, northeast of Baghdad, near the city of Sulaymaniyah ). It was located in the Kadhimiya district of Baghdad , near the western bank of the Tigris river. ^[4] It is designated in the Kitab-i-Aqdas as a place of pilgrimage and is considered a holy place by Baha?is. ^[5]

In 1922 ^[6] the house was confiscated by Shia authorities, who were hostile to the Baha?i Faith. The Council of the League of Nations upheld the Baha?i's claim to the house, but it has not yet been returned to the Baha?i community. ^{[5] [7]}

The house was destroyed in June 2013, under circumstances that are currently unclear. ^[8] The Universal House of Justice sent a letter to all the National Spiritual Assemblies on 27 June informing them of the house's destruction.

House of the Bab, Shiraz [ edit ]

In this house in Shiraz, Iran , the Bab declared his mission to Mulla Husayn on 23 May 1844. ^[9]

In 1942-3 it was damaged by fire in an attack by enemies of the Baha?i Faith , and in 1955 it was destroyed, but later again restored. In 1979 it was destroyed once more during the Iranian Revolution . In 1981 the site was made into a road and public square. ^[9]

Current nine-day pilgrimage [ edit ]

The places that Baha?is visit on the current nine-day pilgrimage at the Baha?i World Centre include the following. ^[10] ( Baha?i World Centre buildings contains additional information.)

Bahji :

• Shrine of Baha?u'llah ^[11]
• Mansion of Bahji ^[12]

Haifa :

• Shrine of the Bab ^[13]
• Baha?i Terraces ^[14]
• Arc
  • Seat of the Universal House of Justice ^[15]
  • International Teaching Centre Building ^[16]
  • Centre for the Study of the Sacred Texts ^[17]
  • International Archives ^[18]
• Monument Gardens ^[19]
• Site of the future House of Worship ^[20]
• House of ?Abdu'l-Baha ^[21]
• Resting place of Amatu'l-Baha Ruhiyyih Khanum ^[22]
• Pilgrim Houses :
  • Eastern Pilgrim House ^[23]
  • 10 Haparsim Street ^[24]
  • 4 Haparsim Street ^[25]

Akka :

• Garden of Ridvan, Akka ^[26]
• House of ?Abbud ^[27]
• House of ?Abdu'llah Pasha ^[28]
• Mazra'ih ^[29]

The nine-day pilgrimage is open only to Baha?is and their spouses who have applied to go on pilgrimage. ^{[10] [30]} Due to limited space at the Baha?i holy sites, a maximum of 500 Baha?is at one time are allowed to visit Haifa. Baha?is have to wait up to six years to come and are only allowed to visit again after another five-year wait. ^[31]

Notes [ edit ]

References [ edit ]

• Allen, Denny; Lesley Taherzadeh (2006). Baha?i Pilgrimage . Oxford, UK: George Ronald. ISBN   0-85398-487-5 .
• Baha?u'llah (1873). The Kitab-i-Aqdas: The Most Holy Book . Wilmette, Illinois, USA: Baha?i Publishing Trust. ISBN   0-85398-999-0 .
• Denis MacEoin (1994). Rituals in Babism and Baha'ism . UK: British Academic Press and Centre of Middle Eastern Studies, University of Cambridge. ISBN   1-85043-654-1 .
• Ruhe, David (1983). Door of Hope . Oxford, UK: George Ronald. ISBN   0-85398-150-7 .
• Walbridge, John (1996). Sacred Acts, Sacred Space, Sacred Time . Oxford, UK: George Ronald. ISBN   0-85398-406-9 .

Further reading [ edit ]

• Akerdahl, Per-Olof (2000), "Pilgrimage and Religious Identity in the Baha'i Faith", Lights of Irfan , vol. 1, Wilmette, IL: Irfan Colloquia, pp. 1?20

External links [ edit ]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Baha?i institutions and facilities .

• Baha?i Pilgrimage ? Baha?i World Centre
• Photos of the Baha?i Holy Places in Israel
• Map of Haifa
• Map of Akka