February 27

Known as the Ayyam-i-Há (the Days of Há), the Intercalary Days have the distinction of being associated with "the letter Há". The abjad numerical value of this Arabic letter is five, which corresponds to the potential number of intercalary days. The letter "Há" has been given several spiritual meanings in the Holy Writings, among which is as a symbol of the Essence of God.

Bahá'u'lláh enjoined upon His followers to devote these days to feasting, rejoicing and charity. In a letter written on Shoghi Effendi's behalf it is explained that "the intercalary days are specially set aside for hospitality, the giving of gifts, etc.". 

- The Universal House of Justice  (The 'Notes' section of the 'Kitab-i-Aqdas')

February 25

The raising of children in the Faith of God and the spiritualization of their lives from their earliest years is of prime importance in the life of the Baha'i community, and the firm establishment of activities to promote these aims is one of the vital goals of the Five Year Plan. 

- The Universal House of Justice  (From a message dated 25 September 1975 to all National Spiritual Assemblies; Messages from the Universal House of Justice, ‘1963-1986’)

February 23

The Guardian described the emerging consciousness of the oneness of humankind that has been unfolding for the past hundred years as being driven by the two parallel and interrelated processes of integration and disintegration. It is by working in the context of the imperatives created by the two processes identified by Shoghi Effendi that we, as individuals, can respond effectively to the promptings of our conscience.

The most obvious parameter of this context is, of course, the moral obligation to demonstrate in our lives the sense of justice that the Faith teaches. Yet another is the concern you mention to avoid involvement in any form of partisan political action. This principle should not, however be misunderstood. The programme of the Bahá’í Cause itself operates in the political realm to the extent that it is concerned with inducing changes in public policy and behavior at local, national and international levels. To this end, the community collaborates with other likeminded organizations and works closely with sympathetic governments and United Nations agencies. In doing so, its efforts are scrupulous to avoid entanglement in agendas that serve the interests of particular parties, factions, or similarly biased political forces. This standard must likewise govern the behavior of individual believers….

February 21

The House of Justice feels that you should not concern yourself unduly about the possibility of impending economic breakdown. The entire world is traversing a period of adversity in which calamities have been and are occurring. These calamities will continue to happen until mankind has been schooled by hardship to recognize and accept the Manifestation of God for this day. Bahá’ís should not become preoccupied with fruitless speculations on this matter but should concentrate their energy and attention on the work of the Cause. Their optimistic outlook, their unshakeable conviction that human-kind is evolving to a new stage in its history characterized by world unity and peace, and their wholehearted commitment to the welfare of humanity will doubtless attract to the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh thoughtful people who yearn for a way out of difficulties with which they are surrounded. 

- The Universal House of Justice  (From a letter dated 25 June 1989 written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer; compilation: ‘Potential Calamities and Ensuring Sustainability of Communities’, prepared by the Baha’i World Center)  

February 19

In reply to your letter of ... requesting clarification about the use of the phrases “year of waiting” and “year of patience,” the Universal House of Justice has instructed us to say that while it is preferable to use “year of waiting,” either phrase can be used. 

- The Universal House of Justice  (From a letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice, dated February 9, 1982, to a National Spiritual Assembly; compilation: Guidelines for Local Spiritual Assemblies by United States NSA, revised 2022)

February 17

Although the mother’s part in the bringing up of the children is very great indeed, we feel that it is crucial not to underestimate the importance of the responsibility that the Writings place upon the father in this area.  There is a current tendency for fathers to leave the education of children to their mothers to an entirely unjustifiable degree, and we would not wish the impression to be given that the Bahá’í teachings confirm such an attitude. 

- The Universal House of Justice  (From a memorandum dated 28 February 1989 written by Universal House of Justice; compilation: ‘Family Life’, prepared by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice, revised March 2008)

February 15

At the heart of such an approach lies the question of capacity building. It has been observed in cluster after cluster that the capacity to carry out efforts in the area of social action is gradually raised as growing numbers of individuals are involved in the institute process and are assisted to dedicate their energies to the spiritual and material transformation of the regions in which they live. Generally speaking, Bahá’í social and economic development efforts begin at the grassroots, start small, and grow organically, commensurate with the local human and financial resources available to them. In this connection, as noted in the Ridván message of 2010, social change should not be conceived of as a project that one group of people carries out for the benefit of another, nor should it be reduced to the mere delivery of goods or services. In light of these considerations, Bahá’ís are discouraged from implementing projects in countries where they do not reside. Further, for a number of reasons, considerable caution needs to be exercised in cases where external funds are made available to a particular endeavor. Experience has shown, for example, that the right of the local community to trace its own path of progress can be compromised when those providing resources from outside of the community assume responsibility for the management and direction of an initiative or exert undue influence on the nature of projects undertaken. Moreover, organizations which are solely reliant on external support often struggle to sustain their activities in the event that outside sources of funding are withdrawn. In order to avoid such challenges, the Office of Social and Economic Development at the Bahá’í World Centre helps to coordinate the flow of resources to Bahá’í-inspired development projects, taking into account both the conditions in the region and the maturity of particular initiatives. 

- The Universal House of Justice  (From a letter dated 19 April 2013 written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer; compilation: ‘Social Action’, prepared by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice, August 2020, online Baha’i Reference Library of the Baha’i World Center)

February 13

What should be stated plainly here is that Bahá’ís do not believe the transformation thus envisioned will come about exclusively through their own efforts.  Nor are they trying to create a movement that would seek to impose on society their vision of the future.  Every nation and every group—indeed, every individual—will, to a greater or lesser degree, contribute to the emergence of the world civilization towards which humanity is irresistibly moving. 

- The Universal House of Justice  (From a message dated 2 March 2013 to the Bahá’ís of Iran; compilation: ‘Social Action’, prepared by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice, August 2020, online Baha’i Reference Library of the Baha’i World Center)

February 11

The House of Justice recognizes full well the suffering that many women go through as single mothers, taking the entire responsibility for raising and supporting their children.  The purpose of the Bahá’í Faith is to effect a fundamental transformation in the whole basis of human society, which will involve the spiritualization of mankind, the achievement of unity in human relationships and the acceptance of such vital principles as that of the equality of men and women; as a result, the stability of marriage will be enhanced, and there will be a drastic decrease in the conditions giving rise to marriage breakdowns.  To attain this objective speedily, the Bahá’í community must continue to attract the spiritual powers indispensable for its success; this requires strict adherence to the principles set out in the Bahá’í teachings, with confidence that the wisdom underlying these teachings will gradually become apparent to the generality of mankind. 

- The Universal House of Justice  (From a letter dated 11 January 1988 written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer; compilation: ‘Family Life’, prepared by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice, revised March 2008)

February 9

The seeker to whom you refer seems to have misconstrued the Bahá’í teachings about the responsibility of the parents for the education of their children.  The father certainly has a very important role to play.  In the Kitáb-i-Aqdas itself, Bahá’u’lláh revealed:

Unto every father hath been enjoined the instruction of his son and daughter in the art of reading and writing and in all that hath been laid down in the Holy Tablet….  He that bringeth up his son or the son of another, it is as though he hath brought up a son of Mine; upon him rest My glory, My loving-kindness, My mercy, that have compassed the world.

The great importance attached to the mother’s role derives from the fact that she is the first educator of the child.  Her attitude, her prayers, even what she eats and her physical condition have a great influence on the child when it is still in the womb.  When the child is born, it is she who has been endowed by God with the milk which is the first food designed for it, and it is intended that, if possible, she should be with the baby to train and nurture it in its earliest days and months.  This does not mean that the father does not also love, pray for, and care for his baby, but as he has the primary responsibility of providing for the family, his time to be with his child is usually limited, while the mother is usually closely associated with the baby during this intensely formative time when it is growing and developing faster than it ever will again during the whole of its life.  As the child grows older and more independent, the relative nature of its relationship with its mother and father modifies and the father can play a greater role.

It may be helpful to stress to your seeker that the Bahá’í principle of the equality of men and women is clearly stated in the teachings, and the fact that there is diversity of function between them in certain areas does not negate this principle. 

- The Universal House of Justice  (From a letter dated 23 August 1984 written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to two believers; compilation: ‘Family Life’, prepared by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice, revised March 2008)

February 7

In the following passage, the Guardian called attention to the supreme importance of service to the Cause as a direct and powerful means of mitigating the severity of the ordeal through which mankind is now passing:

...he is constantly pointing out to the Bahá’ís that their direct Bahá’í work— teaching, perfecting the administration, propagating the Cause of God is their job and of immediate importance, because it is, so to speak, spiritually organic. What they are doing will release forces which will combat the terrible disintegration of society which we witness today in every field, political, economic, or otherwise.... (From a letter dated 5 July 1947, written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer)

- The Universal House of Justice  (From a letter dated 14 July 1988 written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer; compilation: ‘Potential Calamities and Ensuring Sustainability of Communities’, prepared by the Baha’i World Center)  

February 5

The principle of non‐involvement in politics implies that Bahá’ís do not allow themselves to be drawn into the struggles and conflicting interests which divide the many factions and groups of their fellowmen. This principle is clearly enunciated by the Guardian on pages 64 to 67 of “The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh” in the passage beginning:

“Let them refrain from associating themselves, whether by word or by deed, with the political pursuits of their respective nations, with the policies of their governments and the schemes and programs of parties and factions. In such controversies they should assign no blame, take no side, further no design, and identify themselves with no system prejudicial to the best interests of that world‐wide Fellowship which it is their aim to guard and foster...” 

- The Universal House of Justice  (From a letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice, dated March 31, 1982; compilation: ‘Bahá’í Approach to Non-Involvement in Partisan Political Activity’, prepared by US Bahá’í National Center, October 2022)

February 3

With regard to the question of Bahá’í divorce, the year of separation is necessary even though the non-Bahá’í partner to the marriage is the one instituting the divorce proceedings. 

- The Universal House of Justice  (From a letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice, dated January 28, 1966, to a National Spiritual Assembly; compilation: Guidelines for Local Spiritual Assemblies by United States NSA, revised 2022)

February 1

Regarding your question: the Guardian does not see how Bahá’í participation with other organizations and religious bodies, in a non‐political meeting to promote civic unity and welfare along some line, can be considered political. Much as the friends must guard against in any way ever seeming to identify themselves or the Cause with any political party, they must also guard against the other extreme of never taking part with other progressive groups, in conferences or committees designed to promote some activity in entire accord with our teachings—such as, for instance, better race relations. 

- Shoghi Effendi  (From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to Mr. Ellsworth Blackwell, dated November 21, 1948; included in compilation: ‘Bahá’í Approach to Non-Involvement in Partisan Political Activity’, prepared by US Bahá’í National Center, October 2022)

January 30

When it has been concluded that a marriage can no longer be saved, a Bahá’í may apply to the Local Spiritual Assembly for a divorce, even if his or her spouse does not cooperate. Further, there are circumstances in which it would be permissible for a Bahá’í to expedite a civil divorce as a matter of protection, even while abiding by the spirit of the year of patience. It would, of course, be necessary for one affected by any such circumstance to consult with his or her Local or National Spiritual Assembly. If no Local Assembly exists in your community, you may seek the assistance of an Assembly nearby. 

- The Universal House of Justice  (From a letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice, dated August 18, 2014, to an individual believer; compilation: Guidelines for Local Spiritual Assemblies by United States NSA, revised 2022)

January 28

It is certainly very difficult to bear an illness like the one you describe, but you can be sure that, as with all the difficulties of life, this one, too, will present an opportunity for much spiritual growth and for the garnering of many blessings both for you and for your near ones. The important thing is to bear in mind that there is really nothing to fear since, according to the Teachings, the soul is exalted above the ills of the body, however unpleasant they may be. These emotional or mental illnesses, as they are often called, seem in part to stem from a certain imbalance in the elements of the body, an imbalance which medical science is only just beginning to understand. ‘Abdu’l‑Bahá says that the soul is like the sun and the ills of the body like clouds. The latter can keep the rays of the sun from being visible to us, but they can never have an influence on the refulgence of the sun itself. 

- The Universal House of Justice (From a letter dated 30 June 1993 written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer; compilation: ‘Light and Mercy, Mental Health and Tests and Difficulties’, prepared by the NSA of Australia) 

January 26

The House of Justice feels that the believers should not become preoccupied with fruitless speculations about the timing and form of the calamities which are occurring during this period of history. These calamities have the dual purpose of chastening humanity for its failure to recognise the Manifestation for this day and of cleansing the hearts of men through suffering and thus preparing them to accept the claims of Bahá’u’lláh.

Shoghi Effendi pointed out the direct connection between the suffering in the world and the lamentable spiritual condition of mankind at the present time, in the following passage from a letter written on his behalf:

There is nothing in the teachings to tell us exactly how much longer the present turbulent state of the world is going to endure; but we do know that humanity must suffer until it becomes spiritually awakened, and that the Most Great Peace will come, as promised by Bahá’u’lláh. (From a letter dated 26 February 1946, written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer) 

- The Universal House of Justice (From a letter dated 14 July 1988 written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer; compilation: ‘Potential Calamities and Ensuring Sustainability of Communities’, prepared by the Baha’i World Center)  

January 24

…children should be trained to understand the spiritual significance of the gatherings of the followers of the Blessed Beauty, and to appreciate the honour and bounty of being able to take part in them, whatever their outward form may be. It is realized that some Bahá’í observances are lengthy and it is difficult for very small children to remain quiet for so long. In such cases one or other of the parents may have to miss part of the meeting in order to care for the child. The Spiritual Assembly can also perhaps help the parents by providing for a children’s observance, suited to their capacities, in a separate room during part of the community’s observance. Attendance at the whole of the adult celebration thus becomes a sign of growing maturity and a distinction to be earned by good behaviour.

In any case, the House of Justice points out that parents are responsible for their children and should make them behave when they attend Bahá’í meetings. If children persist in creating a disturbance they should be taken out of the meeting. This is not merely necessary to ensure the properly dignified conduct of Bahá’í meetings but is an aspect of the training of children in courtesy, consideration for others, reverence, and obedience to their parents. 

- The Universal House of Justice  (From a letter dated 14 October 1982 written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to a National Spiritual Assembly; compilation: ‘Family Life’, prepared by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice, revised March 2008)

January 22

...the Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh, the interpretations of the Centre of His Covenant, the messages of Shoghi Effendi, and the continuing guidance of the Universal House of Justice contain a vast breadth of advice to the believers with regard to different aspects of their collective and individual lives on this planet. If the friends study the Writings carefully, heed the commandments and exhortations, and follow the advice which is available in abundance, their fears of what may come to pass will be diminished and their apprehension about what they should do if the worst happens will be eased. 

- The Universal House of Justice  (From a letter dated 7 March 1988 written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer; compilation: ‘Potential Calamities and Ensuring Sustainability of Communities’, prepared by the Baha’i World Center)