Thursday, April 20, 2017

The Garden of Ridvan, Baghdad



The woodland Garden of Ridvan, Baghdad



The woodland Garden of Ridvan (literally "Garden of Eden"), or Najibiyyih garden, was located in what is today the Rusafa district of Baghdad, along the Tigris.  The garden is the place where Baha'u'llah, the founder of the Baha'i Faith, lived twelve days, from April 21 to May 2, 1863, after he received the order of the Ottoman Empire into exile to Constantinople (now Istanbul).  

During his stay in the garden, Baha'u'llah announced to his followers that he was "the One whom God shall make manifest", the messianic figure whose coming all scripture foresaw.  These events are recalled during the annual festival of Ridvan.  It is the essence of the  concept of the Resurrection.












Baghdad as it looked at the time of Baha'u'llah's announcement.