The month of May in the Bahá’í world is both a celebratory and a commemorative one. Joyful in that the prophet Siyyid Ali Muhammad(the Báb) initiated a renewal of the Faith of God by declaring the Bayán(Mother Book) as the Book of the Babí Faith. After He emerged from His previously quiet life, His Writings flowed profusely from His pen, disclosing profound truths, dismissing superstitions that held sway in His day, urging the people to recognize the significance of the times, castigating the hypocrisy of their leaders, and summoning the world to an exalted standard of conduct. “O peoples of the earth!” He declares in one of His major works, “Verily the resplendent Light of God hath appeared in your midst ... that ye may be guided aright to the ways of peace and, by the leave of God, step out of the darkness into the light and onto this far-extended Path of Truth.” His influence spread with extraordinary rapidity, reaching beyond the limits of Persia. (Universal House Justice-2019)
The second purpose of writing the Bayán was to announce the imminent appearance of a second Messenger from God… “Him Whom God shall make manifest”… Whose mission would be to usher in the age of peace and justice promised in Islam, Judaism, Christianity, and all the other world religions. He wrote: “the purpose underlying this Revelation, as well as those that preceded it, has, in like manner, been to announce the advent of the Faith of Him Whom God will make manifest.” On May 23rd, the Báb’s mission began.
May is also commemorative, as Bahá’ís observe the passing of the “Promised One of all Ages”, Mirza Husayn-Ali (Bahá’u’lláh). For almost 40 years He wrote volumes of books, various forms of verses, and letters to individuals, and leaders of the world.
His Writings brought new laws into being, enunciated the principle of the oneness of humanity, and encouraged humanity to live a life based on spiritual principles. Two examples follow:
"Let each morn be better than its eve and each morrow richer than its yesterday. Man's merit lieth in service and virtue and not in the pageantry of wealth and riches. Take heed that your words be purged from idle fancies and worldly desires and your deeds be cleansed from craftiness and suspicion. Dissipate not the wealth of your precious lives in the pursuit of evil and corrupt affection, nor let your endeavours be spent in promoting your personal interest."
"O CHILDREN OF MEN! Know ye not why We created you all from the same dust? That no one should exalt himself over the other. Ponder at all times in your hearts how ye were created. Since We have created you all from one same substance it is incumbent on you to be even as one soul, to walk with the same feet, eat with the same mouth and dwell in the same land, that from your inmost being, by your deeds and actions, the signs of oneness and the essence of detachment may be made manifest. Such is My counsel to you, O concourse of light! Heed ye this counsel that ye may obtain the fruit of holiness from the tree of wondrous glory.
After a short illness Bahá’u’lláh passed on May 29th, 1892 in Bahji. Abdu’l-Bahá wrote:
“The Sun of Truth, that Most Great Light, hath set upon the horizon of the world to rise with deathless splendor over the Realm of the Limitless. Be not dismayed, O peoples of the world, when the day-star of My beauty is set, and the heaven of My tabernacle is concealed from your eyes. Arise to further My Cause, and to exalt My Word amongst men.” ‘