What is Ayyám-i-Há?
Ayyám-i-Há is a multiple-day Baha’i festival that is joyously celebrated in countries and territories all over the world. It typically falls around the end of February and the beginning of March. Ayyám-i-Há, or the Intercalary Days, is a period dedicated to socializing, being hospitable, giving generously to the poor and needy, and preparing for the upcoming month of fasting.
“Let the days in excess of the months be placed before the month of fasting. We have ordained that these, amid all nights and days, shall be the manifestations of the letter Ha, and thus they have not been bounded by the limits of the year and its months. It behooveth the people of Baha, throughout these days, to provide good cheer for themselves, their kindred and, beyond them, the poor and needy, and with joy and exultation to hail and glorify their Lord, to sing His praise and magnify His Name; and when they end—these days of giving that precede the season of restraint—let them enter upon the Fast”
What does “Ayyam-i-Ha” mean?
Ayyam-i-Ha means “Days of Ha”. There are many interpretations to what this means — one being that the letter “ha” is a symbol for the divine essence of God. In his book called Time and the Baha’i Era, Gerald Keil also explains that “the abjad value of the letter ha is 5, which is also the abjad value of the word bab. The days of Ha immediately precede the month of ‘Ala, which is the month associated with the Bab; taken together, these constitute an allusion to the fact that the Bab paved the way for his successor, with whom the succeeding month is associated; Baha, the first month of the following year”.
Ayyam-i-Ha has been translated into English as “Intercalary Days” which literally means that they are days inserted into the calendar. Unlike the majority of Baha’i holy days that either celebrate joyous historical events or commemorate sorrowful dates of significance, Ayyam-i-Ha is a festival of the attributes of generosity, love, compassion, of praising God, and friendship. It stands in contrast to the Fast, a time of abstinence and inner contemplation and transformation.
How is Ayyám-i-Há celebrated?
Baha’u’llah has reduced rituals and ceremonies to a minimum in the Baha’i Faith and so everyone celebrates Ayyám-i-Há differently. Many communities and families share meals together and some exchange gifts. Ayyám-i-Há celebrations can be elaborate and complex or they can be humble and simple. The beauty of these days is that little is required to make good cheer when you are in the company of friends and surrounded by an atmosphere of love.