The Bahá'í Faith presents the concept of progressive revelation. Bahá'ís believe that there is only one, almighty, omnipotent God. Mankind is part of His creation, but we have not been created with the capacity to understand the true essence of God. Thus, in order that God can reveal His will and attributes to man, God has sent messengers (manifestations, or avatars), at different times throughout history. These messengers reflected God's teachings to us rather like the rays of the sun, which we cannot look at directly but are reflected to us through a mirror.
These great teachers or messengers of God have included Adam, Abraham, Krishna, Moses, Zoroaster, Buddha, Jesus, and Mohammed. Each of these messengers revealed the way and the truth for the time in which they came, and their teachings were relevant for that time. Each messenger built upon the teachings of the one before and reiterated the eternal spiritual laws of God that we must love one another, etc, and each of them changed the social laws according to the time in which they came. Then within the last 200 years another two messengers from God have come. They are the Báb and Bahá'u'lláh who have brought teachings relevant to this age. Bahá'u'lláh, whose name means the glory of God, has revealed guidance which is destined to bring about world peace and the unity of all mankind. Bahá'u'lláh suffered imprisonment and banishment because of his beliefs and teachings.
He was first exiled from his birthplace in Persia (Iran) to Baghdad, and there his influence grew causing the religious authorities to fear they would lose their followers. Thus, they conspired to exile him even further away, first to Adrianople and then Constantinople and finally to the prison city of Akka, near Haifa in Palestine. The Bahá'í World Centre is situated in Haifa. Akka and is visited by thousands of pilgrims every year. In April, 1863, Bahá'u'lláh prepared to leave Baghdad and, in order to say goodbye to his followers, he pitched a tent in a beautiful island garden called Ridván in the middle of a river. There, on April 21, Bahá'u'lláh declared openly for the first time that he was the manifestation of God for this age. Ridván (pronounced Rizvan) is a Persian word, meaning Paradise. The days spent by Bahá'u'lláh in the garden of Ridván are now commemorated every year as the holiest Bahá'í festival. It begins on April 21 every year and lasts for 12 days.
Bahá'ís also elect their unique administrative system, during the 12 days of Ridván. In the Bahá'í faith, there are no clergy or leaders, because everyone is regarded as equal in the sight of God. In this age everyone has the responsibility to become educated, thus being capable of investigating the teachings of God on their own. In order to organise their communities, however, Bahá'ís elect nine adult Bahá'ís to serve on their local and national spiritual assemblies every year. These spiritual institutions serve, guide and direct the Bahá'í communities. The supreme Bahá'í institution is called the Universal House of Justice.
Its members live and work in Haifa and are elected once every five years. Bahá'ís will celebrate Ridván during special Holy Day gatherings in their communities. The National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of T&T would like to wish everyone a very happy Ridván.