A real Sabbath, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá once said, is not just a date on the calendar: whenever we grow tired we withdraw, and that withdrawal is the true rest, for the Sabbath was meant to be a day of triumph. He explains that each dispensation sets apart its own day according to its needs, Saturday in the time of Moses, Sunday after Christ, and He names Friday as the day the Bahá’ís will eventually keep, though He gives no reason for the choice. A letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi in 1949 adds that the small community of that time followed the rest day of whatever country it lived in, with its own observance still ahead. Deuteronomy bound rest to the memory of deliverance from slavery and extended it to servants, strangers, and animals. Rest, then, is shared time as well as private relief. It leads into the Holy Days and the Bahá’í calendar, where the year itself is shaped around remembrance.
There we do not have any Sunday. Whenever we get tired we simply withdraw. That is the real Sabbath, because the Sabbath was meant to be a day of triumph. The Mohammedans do not take Friday verily; that is, they do not withdraw from labor, they do not consider it obligatory. The Jews and Christians, however, have their set days.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words to Mr. Reed, at dinner, spoken at home of Mrs. Marriott on 1912-Oct-08 -- ABU0208)
02
In any case, special days in the week are designated in each dispensation according to the requirements of that dispensation. In the time of Moses, rest and repose was attained on Saturday and the religion of God was perfected, therefore that day was designated. After Christ, the apostles were confirmed in certain matters on Sunday which made them love that day, and in the dispensation of the Messenger [Muhammad] certain confirmations were obtained on Friday which made that day respected.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, 1911-May ca., to Kashani, Muhammad Hashim et al -- AB02537)
03
God has created Thursday night and Friday for His servants' delight, relieving them during these hours from occupations that might burden them and veil them from their pleasures - each according to what they find delightful: those who glorify through their glorification, those who sanctify through their sanctification, those who unite through their unification, those who magnify through their magnification, those who eat through their eating, those who drink through their drinking, those who beautify through their beautification, those who take pleasure in what God has ordained for them, and those who refine through their refinement - each according to what brings them delight.
(The Báb, Ziyarat for Friday and Thursday nights, 1265 [1848-1849], to to be sent to Karim (Mulla Ahmad), visitation for Mulla Husayn -- BB00083)
04
concerning the recitation on Friday of the following Verse before the Sun: "The Glory of God (Baha'u'llah) be upon thy beauteous countenance, O thou rising sun! Bear thou witness, then, unto that which God hath testified of His own Self, 'There is no God but Him, the Almighty, the Best-Beloved'." Know thou that the Lord of the world hath created Friday for the sake of purity and refinement, and of the servant's repose from whatever toils he had been bearing throughout the preceding six days of the week. Any work performed on the eve or day of Friday shall be rewarded with a whole week's recompense.
(The Báb, Bayan-i-Farsi (Persian Bayan) -- BB00001)
05
The Baha'is keep Friday as the Sabbath.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, 1914-Jul ca., to B Alfred Hills -- AB03720)
06
Q. --From what year does the era of the New Dispensation date--from the Declaration of the Bab or from that of Baha'u'llah?
A. --From the Declaration of the Bab, 1260 A.H. or 1844 A.D.
Q. --Which day of the week will the Baha'is eventually observe as a day of rest?
A. --Friday.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words to Remey and Struven in May 1910 -- ABU1524)
Further quotations · supplied wording and references
07
'Abdu'l-Baha gives no reason whatever why Friday has been chosen as the day of rest in the Baha'i calendar. He just affirms it.
LG#372 (10 July 1939 on behalf of Shoghi Effendi)
Supplied quotation · catalogue passage not verified
08
We Baha'is have a weekly Holy Day, or rather a day of rest. But as we are few in number we up until the present time follow the day of rest of the country in which we are living. In the future the Baha'is will observe their own day of rest.
(31 May 1949 on behalf of Shoghi Effendi)
Supplied quotation · catalogue passage not verified