Faizi's Festival of Lights: A Baháʼí Celebration

Faizi, a bouncy six-year-old with curly light brown hair that seemed to have a mind of its own, loved Ayyám-i-Há. It was his favorite time of the year, even more than his birthday! Ayyám-i-Há, which means 'Days of Ha' in Arabic, was a special Baháʼí holiday, a time for giving, sharing, and spreading happiness.

His little sister, Luisa, with her long flowy brown hair and big expressive eyes, was just four. She loved Ayyám-i-Há too, mostly because it meant lots of treats and sparkly decorations. She clung to Faizi’s hand as they prepared for their big day.

“Mommy, are the gift baskets ready?” Faizi asked, bouncing on his toes in excitement. His mom, a beautiful young Persian woman with long, dark, curly hair, smiled warmly. “Almost, my love. We just need to add the finishing touches.” She winked. “And maybe sneak a taste of the cookies we made.”

Their mom, Shei, believed that Ayyám-i-Há was a time to show love to everyone, no matter what they believed. So, every year, they made special gift baskets filled with homemade goodies, small toys, and colorful cards, and delivered them to their friends who celebrated different holidays – Naw-Rúz, Eid, Christmas, Diwali, and Hanukkah. It was a way of showing that even though they had different customs and beliefs, they were all friends and part of one big, happy family.

The first stop was Mrs. Kapoor’s house. Mrs. Kapoor celebrated Diwali, the festival of lights. Her house was always filled with colorful rangoli patterns on the floor and twinkling diyas, little oil lamps that chased away the darkness. When Faizi and Luisa handed her the basket, Mrs. Kapoor’s face lit up like one of her diyas.

“Ayyám-i-Há Mubarak!” she exclaimed, using the traditional greeting for the holiday. “Come in, come in! I have some delicious barfi I just made. It will bring you good luck.”

Inside, the house smelled of sweet spices and incense. Mrs. Kapoor offered them the barfi, a milky sweet treat, and told them about the story of Diwali, about how good triumphs over evil and light overcomes darkness. Luisa listened with wide eyes, fascinated by the tale. Faizi nibbled on his barfi, thinking about how Diwali and Ayyám-i-Há both celebrated the same things: goodness and light.

Next, they visited Uncle Yusuf, who celebrated Eid al-Fitr, the festival that marked the end of Ramadan. Uncle Yusuf was a jolly man with a booming laugh and a kind heart. His house was filled with the aroma of freshly baked bread and the sound of happy chatter.

“Ah, Shei! Faizi! Luisa! Ayyám-i-Há greetings to you!” Uncle Yusuf boomed, giving them each a warm hug. He showed them the beautiful crescent moon decorations he had put up for Eid. He explained how Eid was a time to thank Allah for all the blessings in their lives and to share with those less fortunate.

He offered them dates and sweet pastries and told them stories about the importance of charity and helping others. Faizi thought about how giving presents during Ayyám-i-Há was similar to giving to charity during Eid. Both were about showing kindness and caring for everyone.

Their next stop was at the home of their friends, the Cohen family, who celebrated Hanukkah. The Cohen’s house twinkled with the light of the menorah, a candelabra with nine branches. Eight candles represented the eight nights of Hanukkah, and one candle, the shamash, was used to light the others.

“Happy Ayyám-i-Há! And Happy Hanukkah!” Mrs. Cohen greeted them, her eyes sparkling. She invited them in and showed them how to play dreidel, a traditional Hanukkah game with a spinning top. Luisa squealed with delight as the dreidel spun around and around.

Mrs. Cohen explained the story of Hanukkah, about the miracle of the oil that burned for eight nights when it should have only lasted for one. Faizi realized that Hanukkah, like Ayyám-i-Há, was a festival of light, celebrating hope and miracles.

Finally, they visited the Andersons, who celebrated Christmas. Their house was adorned with a brightly lit Christmas tree and colorful ornaments. Mr. Anderson, dressed in a cozy sweater, greeted them with a hearty laugh.

“Welcome, friends! Merry Christmas and Happy Ayyám-i-Há!” he exclaimed.

He showed them the intricate nativity scene under the Christmas tree and told them the story of baby Jesus. He explained how Christmas was a time for family, love, and giving gifts. Luisa pointed to the star on top of the tree and whispered, “It’s so sparkly!”

Faizi thought about how giving presents during Christmas was similar to giving gifts during Ayyám-i-Há. Both were about showing love and appreciation to the people you cared about.

As they drove home, the car filled with the sweet smells of the treats they had received, Faizi felt a warm glow in his heart. He had learned so much about different holidays and traditions.

“Mommy,” he said, “Diwali, Eid, Hanukkah, Christmas… they’re all different, but they’re all about the same thing, right? About being kind and happy?”

Shei smiled and ruffled his hair. “That’s right, my love. They are all about spreading love and light in the world.”

That night, Shei tucked Faizi and Luisa into bed. Before they went to sleep, she read them a story about Baháʼu'lláh, the founder of the Baháʼí Faith, and how he taught about the importance of unity and love for all people.

“Ayyám-i-Há is about remembering that we are all part of one big family,” she explained. “It’s about being kind to everyone, no matter where they come from or what they believe.”

Later that evening, after the sun had set, Faizi and Luisa, along with their mom, decided to have a small Ayyám-i-Há party. They invited their neighbors—Soraya, a seven year old girl with mixed skin and curly black hair in pigtails, and Ema, a five year old girl with mixed skin and curly black hair in a single braid.

Soraya arrived first, carrying a small, beautifully wrapped gift. “Happy Ayyám-i-Há, Faizi, Luisa!” she exclaimed, her eyes bright with anticipation. “I brought a game we can all play.”

Ema came next, clutching a bouquet of colorful paper flowers she had made herself. “These are for you, Shei,” she said shyly, offering the flowers with a sweet smile.

Shei thanked her warmly and placed the flowers in a vase. Soon, the room was filled with laughter and chatter as the children played games, ate treats, and exchanged gifts.

“I love Ayyám-i-Há!” Luisa declared, twirling around in her sparkly dress. “It’s so much fun!”

Faizi beamed. He looked at his friends, Soraya and Ema, and then at his little sister, Luisa. He thought about all the different holidays they had learned about that day and how they all celebrated the same things: love, kindness, and light.

He had an idea.

“I have something to say!” he announced, clapping his hands to get everyone’s attention. “I think all the different faiths are like candles. Each one is different, but they all give light. When we put them all together, they make the world so much brighter!”

Luisa clapped her hands excitedly. “Yes! Happy Ayyám-i-Há!” she cheered.

All the children smiled, understanding the meaning behind Faizi’s words. They realized that even though they had different backgrounds and beliefs, they could all be friends and celebrate together in harmony.

Shei watched them, her heart swelling with happiness. This was exactly what Ayyám-i-Há was all about: unity, love, and spreading light to the world. As the children continued to play and laugh, Shei knew that they were learning a valuable lesson, one that would stay with them for the rest of their lives. The lesson of kindness, understanding, and the beautiful power of unity.

As the party wound down and it was time for Soraya and Ema to go home, Faizi handed each of them a small, brightly colored candle.

“To help spread the light,” he said with a grin.

They smiled back, understanding the gesture. As they walked out into the night, each carried their little candle, a symbol of friendship, love, and the spirit of Ayyám-i-Há.

Back inside, Faizi snuggled up to his mom, feeling happy and content. “Mommy,” he whispered, “Can we do this again next year?”

Shei kissed his forehead. “Of course, my love. We’ll spread the light every year, as long as we can.”

And as Faizi drifted off to sleep, he dreamed of a world filled with candles of all shapes and sizes, all burning brightly together, spreading love and light to every corner of the earth.