The First Kull-i-Shay' of the Bahá'í Era

by Arjen Bolhuis

The Báb has, in His writings revealed in Arabic, divided the years following the date of His Revelation, into cycles of nineteen years each. Each cycle of nineteen years is called Váhid. Nineteen cycles constitute a period called Kull-i-Shay. The numerical value of the word "Váhid" is nineteen. It signifies unity, and is symbolic of the unity of God. The numerical value of the "Kull-i-Shay" is 361, and literally means "all things." In the table below are given the first 361 years of the Bahá'í Era. Some important years in Bahá'í history are in italics.