by Nasser Rohani
Spring is upon us and for the Bahá’ís, Naw-Rúz, is celebrated all over the world on the first day of Spring, the vernal equinox. Bahá’ís in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and northern India, all celebrate Naw-Rúz as their New Year. I, too, am participating in a celebration, with many friends of the faith attending.
Naw-Rúz literally means “new day” and the Bahá’ís celebrate this day because of its symbolic meaning. In the Bahá’í writings we read:
For just as the night, when it becomes excessively dark, precedes the dawn of a new day, so likewise when the darkness of religious apathy and heedlessness overtakes the world, when human souls become negligent of God, when materialistic ideas overshadow idealism and spirituality, when nations become submerged in the world of matter and forget God—at such a time as this shall the Divine Sun shine forth and the Radiant Morn appear.”
This sacred day when the sun illumines equally the whole earth is called the equinox and the equinox is the symbol of the divine messenger. The sun of truth rises on the horizon of divine mercy and sends forth its rays on all.”
What I believe we urgently need today is oneness and unity. Humanity can be likened to a vast garden in which grow side by side flowers of every form, color, and perfume. The charm and beauty of the garden lies in this diversity. We should not allow the differences that exist among us in our physical characteristics, our temperaments, our backgrounds, our thoughts, and opinions to give rise to conflict and strife. We should see the members of the human race as beautiful flowers growing in the garden of humanity and rejoice in belonging to this garden. Bahá’u’lláh says;
Ye are the fruits of one tree, and the leaves of one branch. Deal ye one with another with the utmost love and harmony, with friendliness and fellowship.… So powerful is the light of unity that it can illuminate the whole earth.… The earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens.”
We are told that,
when a thought of war enters our minds, we should immediately replace it with a thought of peace. When a feeling of hate begins to take shape in our hearts, we should immediately replace it with a feeling of love.”
Let us together celebrate this first day of the year, with friendship in the spirit of unity.
Nasser Rohani was born in Iran. At 18 he left Iran for India to pursue higher education. After the advent of the Islamic Revolution in 1979, Nasser who intended to return to his homeland, was unable to go back, due to his religious affiliation—the Bahá’í Faith. The Bahá’ís are being persecuted by the fundamentalist regime. He continued his education and completed his Pre-PhD studies in village cooperative banking from Osmania University. After an 11 year stay in India, he and his wife and child emigrated to the United States in 1985. He soon joined the L.L. Bean company and for thirty two years he worked there as a systems programmer/analyst in the information services department. Nasser and his wife Parivash have four children and live in Portland, Maine.
