How early Eastern believers viewed birthday celebrations

From: Baha’i Points of Interest

It is interesting to note that the early believers in the East during the days of Bahá'u'lláh and ‘Abdu'l-Bahá never celebrated their own birthdays. They considered that such an act would imply self-glorification, a means of boosting one's ego. It never crossed their minds that a certain day was their birthday. So real and genuine was this attitude that a great many individuals did not know the exact date of their birth. In the absence of birth certificates, some parents would record the date of the birth of their children in a certain book, much as Westerners used the family Bible for the same purpose. Even then an individual would be deeply insulted if someone wanted to celebrate his birthday, [1] for the only persons whose birthday merited celebration were the Prophets and Chosen Ones of God. Instead of celebrating birthdays, however, these people held regular annual memorial meetings, inviting their friends to join in remembering one of their loved ones who had passed away. In such a meeting, they prayed for the progress of his soul, recounted his services to the Cause, described his qualities, recited Tablets revealed in his honour, if any, and offered charitable donations on his behalf. This practice of annual remembrance of the departed, which is not a binding obligation in the Bahá'í Faith, is now followed by many Bahá'í families. The organisation of such meetings is not usually the responsibility of the institutions of the Faith. They are arranged by individuals on the anniversaries of the passing of their loved ones. 
(Adib Taherzadeh, ‘The Covenant of Baha'u'llah’)

[1] It must be noted that there is nothing in the Bahá'í writings either to condemn the celebration of one's birthday or to encourage it.  (Adib Taherzadeh, ‘The Covenant of Baha'u'llah’)

1903: Some Baha’is from Chicago

From: Worldwide Community of Baha’u’llah

Some Baha’is from Chicago with Dr. Farid, who translated many of ‘Abdu’l-Baha’s talks in the West but later disgraced himself.

Paragraph 1.7 of Surih of Temple in 'The Summons of the Lord of Hosts'

From: Reflecting on Baha’i Writings: The Summons of the Lord of Hosts

"Pointing with her finger unto My head, she addressed all who are in heaven and all who are on earth, saying: By God! This is the Best-Beloved of the worlds, and yet ye comprehend not. This is the Beauty of God amongst you, and the power of His sovereignty within you, could ye but understand. This is the Mystery of God and His Treasure, the Cause of God and His glory unto all who are in the kingdoms of Revelation and of creation, if ye be of them that perceive. This is He Whose Presence is the ardent desire of the denizens of the Realm of eternity, and of them that dwell within the Tabernacle of glory, and yet from His Beauty do ye turn aside."

Comments:

Let’s repeat the incredible pronouncements that the Maid of Heaven (representing the Most Great Spirit) makes concerning Baha’u’llah:

   · “the Best-Beloved of the worlds”;
   · “the Beauty of God amongst” us;
   · “the power of His[God’s] sovereignty within” us;
   · “the Mystery of God and His[God’s] Treasure;
   · “the Cause of God and His[God’s] glory unto all who are in the kingdoms of Revelation and of creation”;
   · “He Whose Presence is the ardent desire of the denizens of the Realm of eternity..”;
   · “He Whose Presence is the ardent desire of … them that dwell within the Tabernacle of glory…”

These are awe-inspiring references!

As we know the Bab explains that all Manifestations of God are representations of one Entity -- the Primal Will of God. The attributes of the Primal Will that these Manifestations of God were allowed by God to gradually and progressively reveal to mankind, however, were in accordance to our evolving capacity. Baha’u’llah’s mission was to bring the attributes of “Glory” and “Splendor” to our midst – in both this life and the life after!

Here is the reference from the Báb about the Primal Will of God:

The effect of 'Abdu'l-Baha's visit on Britain and the spiritual qualities of British believers

From: Insights from Messages to the Baha’i World Community – by Shoghi Effendi

That in every one of you our departed Master reposed His future and truest hopes for an able and convincing presentation of the Cause to the outside world, is abundantly revealed in His spoken and written words to you, as well as in His general references to the spirit of sincerity, of tenacity and devotion that animates His friends of that land.

The fierce tests that have raged over that island in the past; the calm and determination with which they have been so bravely faced and surmounted; the seeds of loving fellowship that the Beloved in person has more than once scattered in its soil; the rise, as its result, of a few but indeed capable, reliable, devoted and experienced followers and admirers of the Cause; the splendid and in many instances unique opportunities that are yours -- these indeed are cherished thoughts for a land that illumines its past and should cheer its future. (Shoghi Effendi, excerpt from a letter dated 16 December 1922 to Baha'is in Great Britain; The Unfolding Destiny of the British Baha'i Community, p. 10) (To see the entire letter please visit Messages to the Baha'i World)