"
... In the Arabic Bayán the Báb called upon His followers to gather together once
every nineteen days to show hospitality and fellowship. Baha'u'llah here confirms
this and notes the unifying force of such occasions. 'Abdu'l-Baha and Shoghi
Effendi after Him, gradually unfolded the institutional significance of this
injunction. 'Abdu'l-Baha emphasized the importance of the spiritual and
devotional aspects of these gatherings. Shoghi Effendi, besides further
elaborating the devotional and social aspects of the Feast, has developed the
administrative element of such gatherings and, in systematically instituting
the Feast, has provided for a period of consultation on the affairs of the
Baha'i community, including the sharing of news and messages.
(The Universal House of Justice: "Notes" appended to The Kitab-i-Aqdas)
(The Universal House of Justice: "Notes" appended to The Kitab-i-Aqdas)
