The Báb burned away the veils that hindered people from recognizing Him and later Bahá’u’lláh as a Manifestation of God
The Báb as the Herald of a New Era
The Báb and the start of the Heroic Age
The Bábjoyfully sacrificed His life as He prepared the way for the coming of Bahá’u’lláh
There are 3 prayers The Báb to memorize. You can choose any of them in any order you like.
1. Is there any remover of difficulties save God? Say: Praised be God! He is God! All are His servants, and all abide by His bidding!
2. Say: God sufficeth all things above all things, and nothing in the heavens or in the earth but God sufficeth. Verily, He is in Himself the Knower, the Sustainer, the Omnipotent.
3. O Lord! Thou art the Remover of every anguish and the Dispeller of every affliction. Thou art He who banisheth every sorrow and setteth free every slave, the Redeemer of every soul. O Lord! Grant deliverance through Thy mercy, and reckon me among such servants of Thine as have gained salvation.
The lessons will have the same format as previous lessons with prayers, quotes, songs, games/narratives, Stories, facts about The Báb, crafts, and review quotes.
Here are all the quotes for the lesson 11 to 16
I am the Countenance of God Whose splendor can never be obscured, the Light of God Whose radiance can never fade.
Indeed the hearts of them that truly believe in Him Whom God shall make manifest are vaster than the expanse of heaven and earth and whatever is between them.
Suffer not yourselves to be shut out as by a veil from God after He hath revealed.
These are the appointed days which ye have been yearningly awaiting in the past— the days of the advent of divine justice. Render ye thanks unto God, O ye concourse of believers.
Cheer our hearts through the potency of Thy love and good-pleasure and bestow upon us steadfastness that we may willingly submit to Thy Will and Thy Decree Himself.
O my God! There is no one but Thee to allay the anguish of my soul, and Thou art my highest aspiration, O my God. My heart is wedded to none save Thee and such as Thou dost love. I solemnly declare that my life and death are both for Thee. Verily Thou art incomparable and hast no partner.
The stories are focused on the life of The Báb.
Lesson 11: The Báb is a Manifestation of God
Lesson 12: The Báb was the Forerunner of Bahá’u’lláh
Lesson 13: The Báb burned away the veils that hindered people from recognizing Him and later Bahá’u’lláh as a Manifestation of God
Lesson 14: The Báb as the Herald of a New Era
Lesson 15: The Báb and the start of the Heroic Age
Lesson 16: The Báb joyfully sacrificed His life as He prepared the way for the coming of Bahá’u’lláh
The purpose of this lesson is to help us understand that all the Manifestations of God call upon humanity to live in a state of submission to His Will.
We will learn specifically about the life of Muhammad, Whose teachings spread among the Arab people, making them, as Abdu’l-Baha explains, “superior to the other nations of the earth in learning, in the arts, mathematics, civilization, government and other sciences.”
In this connection, we will gain a sense of the power of submission to the Will of God, one of Muhammad’s principle teachings, to unite people around a center and to promote order and prosperity.
We know that, because of our deep love for God’s beauty, we constantly strive to do all that He asks of us. The teachings that the Manifestations of God bring to humanity tell us what He wants us to do, and what we should not do. By allowing the teachings of God’s Manifestations to fill our hearts and minds, we begin to want only what He wants, to desire only what He desires, and to take pleasure in that which is pleasing to Him.
Order and harmony are brought about as more and more people live in a state of submission to God’s Will, all focused on His good pleasure. Think of the planets, all circling harmoniously, with the sun at their center. Through submission to the Will of God, humanity lives harmoniously and makes great progress- governments are just, communities are well organized, education flourishes, knowledge increases, and beauty is manifested in music and the arts.
Muhammad was a Manifestation sent by God some 1,400 years ago. He appeared among a people in a desert region at a time when their great capacity and rich potential were hidden behind selfish desires and ignorance. He taught them to put away such desires, to trust God, and to submit to His Will. He raised them out of the depths of cruelty and contention and showed them how to live in harmony according to Divine teachings, causing them to become examples of orderly and civilized life.
QUESTIONS
Whose good pleasure do we seek at all times?
Gods
How can we be sure that we are acting according to God’s good pleasure?
Order and harmony are brought about as more and more people live in a state of submission to God’s Will, all focused on His good pleasure
How are the planets that circle the sun orderly and harmonious? Do they ever fight with one another? Do the bigger planets ever want to control the smaller ones?
Obey the laws of physics and are in harmony with one another. Don’t fight or want control
When everyone is focused on God’s good pleasure and carrying out His commands, how does it change people? How does humanity progress?
humanity lives harmoniously and makes great progress- governments are just, communities are well organized, education flourishes, knowledge increases, and beauty is manifested in music and the arts
Who was Muhammad?
Messenger of God
What effect did the teachings of Muhammad have on the people of His time?
His teachings caused them to become examples of orderly and civilized life
REMEMBER TO DOWNLOAD THE PDF TO HELP MEMORIZE THE PRAYERS FROM LESSON 4 IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY DONE SO!
SET 1
Glory be to Thee, O my God! Make manifest the rivers of Thy sovereign might, that the waters of Thy Unity may flow through the inmost realities of all things, in such wise that the banner of Thine unfailing guidance may be raised aloft in the kingdom of thy command and the stars of Thy divine splendour may shine brightly in the heaven of thy majesty. Potent art Thou to do what pleaseth Thee. Thou, verily, art the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.
SET 2
I beseech Thee, O my God, by all the transcendent glory of Thy Name, to clothe Thy loved ones in the robe of justice and to illumine their beings with the light of trustworthiness. Thou art the One that hath power to do as He pleaseth and Who holdeth within His grasp the reins of all things, visible and invisible.
SET 3
I have wakened in Thy shelter, O my God, and it becometh him that seeketh that shelter to abide within the Sanctuary of Thy protection and the Stronghold of Thy defence. Illumine my inner being, O my Lord, with the splendours of the Dayspring of Thy Revelation, even as Thou didst illumine my outer being with the morning light of Thy favour.
SET 4
O my God, my Master, the Goal of my desire! This, Thy servant, seeketh to sleep in the shelter of Thy mercy, and to repose beneath the canopy of Thy grace, imploring Thy care and Thy protection. I beg of Thee, O my Lord, by Thine eye that sleepeth not, to guard mine eyes from beholding aught beside Thee. Strengthen, then, their vision that they may discern Thy signs, and behold the Horizon of Thy Revelation. Thou art He before the revelations of Whose omnipotence the quintessence of power hath trembled. No God is there but thee, the Almighty, the All-Subduing, The Unconditioned.
A RING UPON THE HAND
STRIVE THAT YOUR ACTIONS
ONE TREE
The source of all good is trust in God, submission unto His command, and contentment with His holy will and pleasure
Submission- accepting and yielding to a higher force or will
Written submission for children’s class teachers was sent out to our community
Contentment- a state of happiness and satisfaction
They finally found contentment in living a life of service
USE THE WORKSHEET
For any words, you are not sure of or record the ones above and save them in your notebook/lapbook Download here
SEND A POSTCARD WITH THE QUOTE TO A FRIEND PRINT OR EMAIL
The story has a historical component to give some background content. Also, there may be props for the story, videos, and other resources to use as you like
As the final lesson, we will learn about the life and Mission of Muḥammad, the last Manifestation Who appeared before the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh.
Muḥammad was a Manifestation sent by God some 1400 years ago to the people who lived in the region we know as Arabia. You remember that one of the descendants of Abraham, Ishmael, was the father of the Arab people, and they had believed in the one true God and followed His teachings. But centuries had passed, and they had long turned away from Him and had forgotten how to live together peacefully. There were many warring tribes that worshipped idols and behaved in the most cruel and barbarous ways. The great capacity and rich potential of the Arab people were hidden behind veils of ignorance when Muḥammad appeared among them.
Muḥammad was born in the city of Mecca in the year 570 AD. As a young man, He became a merchant, and in His dealings with people He displayed such a sublime and noble character that He was known as “The Truthful” and “The Trustworthy”. At the age of forty, He became aware of His Divine Mission, while praying and meditating in the Cave of Hira. When Muḥammad began to share God’s Message, the people of Mecca rose up against Him, and for some twelve years, He and those who followed Him were the constant targets of the darts of hatred. At last, when Muḥammad’s very life was under threat, they migrated to the city of Medina. It was there that His Message spread rapidly, and many souls came to recognize His station as a Manifestation of God. He taught them that there is only one God to Whom we should turn in worship. It is God Whom we should trust, and by Whose Will we should all abide.
After several years in Medina, Muḥammad returned to His native city of Mecca, where the people also embraced His Cause. And through obedience to the laws and teachings that He revealed, the Arab people were eventually united and became renowned for their learning in the arts and sciences, reaching the greatest heights of civilization. The word “Islám” means “submission to God”, and the light of Islám, the religion founded by Muḥammad, shone across all of Arabia and beyond. His words were recorded in the Qu’rán, the Holy Book of His followers, and today all of humanity has access to His Divine Revelation.
There are 3 Stories in today’s lesson
story 1
Muḥammad’s father died before He was born, and His mother when He was only six. For most of His childhood and youth, He was raised by His uncle. There were no schools for formal education in Arabia at that time, and Muḥammad was not taught to read and write but learned the trade of His uncle, who was a merchant. Over time, as He helped His uncle with his business, Muḥammad gained a reputation for His integrity. He was called “The Truthful”, because He never told a lie, and “The Trustworthy”, because He never deceived anyone and always kept His word. His noble reputation eventually came to the attention of Khadija, a widow who was known for her purity. She came to admire Muḥammad’s honest and upright character. At the age of twenty-five, Muḥammad married Khadija, and they worked together as merchants.
Muḥammad was deeply disturbed by the way the people of Mecca lived. Thousands of years before, a sanctuary had been built in Mecca for the worship of one God as taught by Abraham. But this sacred place, known as the Ka’bah, had long been filled with idols, some say 360 of them, each with a different name and all worshipped by different tribes. These tribes were constantly at war, and when one tribe claimed victory over another, the women and children of the losing tribe were taken captive and suffered greatly as slaves to merciless masters. The region had sunk to the lowest depths of cruelty and despair. Muḥammad, unable to bear the godlessness and degradation of life in Mecca, would often retreat to the Cave of Hira, concealed in a mountain just outside the city, where He would pray and meditate. It was in this cave that Muḥammad, then forty years of age, became aware of His Divine Mission. All around Him He heard the voice of the Angel Gabriel, calling upon Him to speak out in the name of the Lord, God.
Muḥammad returned home and told Khadija what He had experienced. She became the first to recognize His station as a Manifestation and to accept His Message: that there is only one God, He Who had also spoken to the Manifestations of the past; that people should turn to God with humility, worship Him, trust in Him and be obedient to His Will; and that, in accordance with His Will, all people should be kind to one another, honest, and just. For some time, Muḥammad made His station known only to His close relatives and friends, some of whom chose to follow Him, including His cousin ‘Alí and His friend Abú-Bakr.
Story 2
Eventually, Muḥammad proclaimed God’s Message to the people of His tribe. Only a few, however, understood the importance of His words and began to follow His teachings. They became known as Muslims. The others did not want to give up their old ways and live according to the laws of God. The idea of change angered them. They behaved with the utmost cruelty towards Muḥammad and the small but growing band of His followers. When Muḥammad spoke of God’s Message, they laughed at Him and attacked Him with stones. For years Muḥammad and His followers endured violent persecution. Some of His companions were killed and their property confiscated. From time to time, members of His tribe would try to persuade Muḥammad to stop spreading His teachings, in return for wealth or power. He, of course, would refuse. His uncle and His wife were greatly respected in Mecca, and they were able to act as Muḥammad’s protectors for a time. But after their deaths, both in the same year, life for Muslims in the city of Mecca became even more difficult.
After many years of suffering, Muḥammad was visited by two leaders from other tribes. They had decided to embrace His teachings and offered, in the city of Medina, a safe place for the Muslims to live. Muḥammad instructed His followers to move to Medina, and they gradually left Mecca for that city. His enemies, however, were determined to put an end to His life while they had the chance. They devised a plot to kill Him, and one night they surrounded His house with the intention of carrying out their plan. They could easily see inside the house and would know whether He tried to leave. So Muḥammad turned to His faithful cousin ‘Alí. He asked him whether he would be willing to cover himself with a blanket and pretend to be sleeping in His bed. Without hesitation, despite the danger to his own life, ‘Alí gladly accepted. Such was his love for God’s Manifestation. And, while ‘Alí lay resting on the bed, Muḥammad was able to leave the house undetected and join His friend Abú-Bakr.
According to tradition, Muḥammad and Abú-Bakr then made their way out of the city in the dark of night, guided by the moon and stars, and took shelter in a cave in the mountainous desert. By morning it had been realized that Muḥammad was gone, and His enemies were in fast pursuit of Him. As the sun rose, the sound of galloping horses grew louder, and Abú-Bakr was filled with fear. How could he protect Muḥammad here in the desert, he wondered. Abú-Bakr held his breath and listened as the enemies drew closer and closer until there were footsteps just outside the cave. Abú-Bakr heard voices, but he could not make out the words. He was certain that they would be found. But Muḥammad reassured him, reminding him that God was with them. And, indeed, the search party soon left, without even looking inside the cave. You see, there was a spider at the opening of the cave, and right after Muḥammad had entered, it had spun a huge web, closing off the entrance. When the men searching for Muḥammad reached the cave, they assumed no one could be inside it because the web was perfect and unbroken. It must have been a very long time since anyone had entered that cave, they thought. So they continued looking elsewhere, but with no success. Tired, frustrated and confused, they finally returned to Mecca empty-handed. Muḥammad and Abú-Bakr remained in the cave for three days to make sure the enemies had gone and then left through another opening, preserving the web that had served as their protection. With camels brought by a trusted friend, they set out for Medina, traveling by night for several days, until they, at last, reached that city safely. Muḥammad’s move from Mecca to Medina is known as the Hijrah.
Story 3
From His new home of Medina, Muḥammad was able to teach God’s laws and commandments much more widely, and people from different tribes began to live together in harmony according to His teachings. Those who rejected them, however, were still determined to kill Muḥammad and His followers. The Muslims were steadfast in their faith and devoted to God and His laws. They did their utmost to avoid contention. But, they knew the cruelty of their enemies, and at times they were forced to take up arms to defend themselves and protect their children from enslavement. Over time, the sacrifices of the Muslims and their transformed way of life helped people to realize the truth of God’s Message.
There are many accounts that show the transformative effect of the spiritual powers that emanated from the Person of Muḥammad. In one such account, it is said that Muḥammad once awoke to find a soldier armed with a sword standing above Him, intending to take His life. The angry man asked, “Who is there now to save Thee?” Muḥammad replied that God would save Him. The soldier became afraid and dropped the sword, which Muḥammad picked up. He then asked the soldier who would save him. The man did not follow God’s teachings and realized that he was alone, with no one to come to his aid. Muḥammad did not harm the soldier but handed the sword back to him, telling him to learn to show forth mercy. The man was changed by this experience and devoted himself to Muḥammad and His teachings.
After several years the people of Mecca agreed to let the Muslims visit the holy sanctuary, the Ka’bah, where they could gather once a year to worship God. But soon the agreement collapsed, and the city was once again closed to the Muslims. The followers of Muḥammad now numbered in the thousands, and they went to Mecca en masse, ready to draw arms if necessary. But the people, seeing the waves of His followers approaching the city, surrendered without resistance. Muḥammad then made a pilgrimage, or hajj, to the Ka’bah, which He restored to a place of worship dedicated to the praise and glorification of the one true God.
Eventually, many of those who had at first rejected Muḥammad’s teachings came to believe in one God and changed their ways, striving to align their will with the Will of God. Through His words, which were recorded in a Holy Book called the Qu’rán, they learned to turn their hearts to God, especially through prayer and fasting, and to reflect those heavenly qualities that Muḥammad had manifested throughout His life. Under His influence, the people of the region rose from the sad condition in which He found them to the highest state of civilization. The warring tribes united and systems for organizing communities into well-ordered nations were established. Great universities were founded, knowledge of arts and sciences expanded, and new and beautiful forms of architecture emerged. At a time when other parts of the world were in decline, the Arab world flourished and the effects of Muḥammad’s teachings ushered in a whole new era of human civilization.
For this lesson, it is suggested that you ask the children to act out the story of the journey from Mecca to Medina, as told through the eyes of Muhammad’s companion Abu Bakr. One of the children may assume the role of Abu Bakr, another may pretend to be the spider, and a few others can portray the group from Mecca in search of Muhammad. You should go over the salient points of the story to help the children think about how they will enact the scene. Depending on the size of the class, you may find it useful to divide your students into groups of five or six for this portion of the lesson. As always, it is important to ensure that no one plays the role of the Manifestation of God.
Trust Walks
A Trust Walk activity is also known as a Blind Walk activity. Divide the class into two smaller groups. Make sure that both groups have the same number of players.
Blindfold one group and let one child from each group hold hands with each other to form a pair. Each pair should have one kid who has the blindfold and one who doesn’t. Depending on the level and intensity of the activity, you can let the path be regular or add obstacles. The kid who is not blindfolded has to guide his partner carefully through the path and reach a safe zone. Once all kids are in the safe zone, switch the blindfold and put it on the kids who did not wear it earlier. To make it more challenging, you can have some obstacles in the path. Be sure to emphasize how trustworthy the people who are leading the blind need to be, and how they need to be slow and gentle in the way they lead them.
Change Three Things
Explain that one volunteer will stand up in front of the group. They will slowly turn around once or twice, during which time the group should observe them carefully looking for obvious and seemingly insignificant details about the person’s appearance. After a couple of turns, the volunteer should leave the room and take about a minute to change three things about their appearance. Some suggestions include tucking or untucking a shirt, removing glasses or pieces of jewelry, untying a shoe, or anything else (within reason).
After they have changed three things, they return to the group. Tell the group that if they think they see something that has changed to raise their hands. Have the volunteer call on anyone with their hand up. After each change has been guessed – or after the volunteer has stumped the group – choose another volunteer (at the end of this game, you can ask them if they are still the same, even if outwardly some of the things about them have changed. Then you can talk with them about how the Messengers of God come with the same spirit, even though outwardly they look different and some of their laws and teachings have changed to fit that age.)
THE THEME OF THE LESSON IS SUBMISSION TO THE WILL OF GOD AND WITH THAT COMES ALIGNING OUR WILL WITH GOD.
MAKE A MAZE and NAVIGATE IT
When trying to find a way to align our will with God and live in submission to His Will, we don’t always travel a straight path and sometimes it may feel like we are going around in circles, or twisting and turning down roads that lead to a dead end. Life is like that! Keep Trying you will reach your goal:
Inspired by the theme of submission to the will of God, I made a maze. Then, I used a small magnet to drag the car along the road. To do this I attached a small magnet to a popsicle stick and one to the back of the little car (I had mine cut out) I then put the car on top of the maze and the stick under the paper and tried to get my car home.
When I think of Alignment, magnets, and compass come to mind. Here are a few links to make easy homemade magnets for we should be like a magnet and always find out true North -GOD
There are many ways to make a homemade compass.
Below are links to a few resources some have videos and some don’t.
Mosques have lots of tile work called mosaics. Make your own picture
Exert every effort to acquire the various branches of knowledge and true understanding. Strain every nerve to achieve both material and spiritual accomplishments
‘ A B D U ’ L – B A H Á, C I T E D I N B A H Á ’ Í E D U C A T I O N: A COMPI L A T I O N O F E X T R A C T S F R OM T H E B A H Á ’ Í WR I T I N G S
The purpose of this lesson is to help us understand that all the Manifestations of God brought the same message of Divine love to the world.
In this context, they will learn about the life and teachings of Jesus, a Manifestation of God Whose Message of love and fellowship eventually spread throughout the entire world.
Every Manifestation of God calls on people to love one another. Through both the beauty of Their teachings and the example of Their lives, the Manifestations establish bonds of love and fellowship between people.
Love is an attribute of God, and it is out of His love for us that He sends us His Manifestations. They explain to us, one and all, that human beings are created in the image of God, Who is the All-Loving and the All-Merciful. So it is that we must strive to love one another and show mercy to one another.
Love is one of the most powerful forces that exist. It can change a cold heart into one filled with joy and happiness. It can unite people and entire nations in peace and prosperity. And there is no limit to love. It is infinite. And through the teachings of God’s Manifestations we learn to express the limitless power of love in the way we treat one another and in the good deeds we perform for our fellow human beings, in order to transform the world.
Jesus Christ was a Manifestation of God Who appeared some two thousand years ago. He taught people to love everyone, even their enemies, as they love their friends. His entire Being was an expression of love, and He was willing to suffer any hardship, and even the cruelest death, so that He could proclaim His life-giving Message, which spread to many people and nations, uniting them in loving fellowship.
QUESTIONS
What is the most powerful forces that exists?
LOVE
What force can change a cold heart into one filled with joy and happiness?
LOVE
What force can unite people and entire nations in peace and prosperity?
LOVE
Is there any limit to the power of love?
NO
Through Whose teachings can we learn to draw on the limitless power of love?
THE MANIFESTATIONS OF GOD
Who was Jesus Christ?
JESUS WAS A MANIFESTATION OF GOD
Why is it that Jesus was willing to endure hardship and even death?
SO THAT HE COULD PROCLAIM HIS LIFE-GIVING MESSAGE
REMEMBER TO DOWNLOAD THE PDF TO HELP MEMORIZE THE PRAYERS FROM LESSON 4 IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY DONE SO!
SET 1
Glory be to Thee, O my God! Make manifest the rivers of Thy sovereign might, that the waters of Thy Unity may flow through the inmost realities of all things, in such wise that the banner of Thine unfailing guidance may be raised aloft in the kingdom of thy command and the stars of Thy divine splendour may shine brightly in the heaven of thy majesty. Potent art Thou to do what pleaseth Thee. Thou, verily, art the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.
SET 2
I beseech Thee, O my God, by all the transcendent glory of Thy Name, to clothe Thy loved ones in the robe of justice and to illumine their beings with the light of trustworthiness. Thou art the One that hath power to do as He pleaseth and Who holdeth within His grasp the reins of all things, visible and invisible.
SET 3
I have wakened in Thy shelter, O my God, and it becometh him that seeketh that shelter to abide within the Sanctuary of Thy protection and the Stronghold of Thy defence. Illumine my inner being, O my Lord, with the splendours of the Dayspring of Thy Revelation, even as Thou didst illumine my outer being with the morning light of Thy favour.
SET 4
O my God, my Master, the Goal of my desire! This, Thy servant, seeketh to sleep in the shelter of Thy mercy, and to repose beneath the canopy of Thy grace, imploring Thy care and Thy protection. I beg of Thee, O my Lord, by Thine eye that sleepeth not, to guard mine eyes from beholding aught beside Thee. Strengthen, then, their vision that they may discern Thy signs, and behold the Horizon of Thy Revelation. Thou art He before the revelations of Whose omnipotence the quintessence of power hath trembled. No God is there but thee, the Almighty, the All-Subduing, The Unconditioned.
LOVE LOVE LOVE
MIRROR OF GOD
SAY GOD SUFFICIETH
SEALS AND CROFT THE LORD’S PRAYER
The fundamental purpose animating the Faith of God and His Religion is to safeguard the interests and promote the unity of the human race and to foster the spirit of love and fellowship amongst men
The Proclamation of Bahá’u’lláh
MEANING OF WORDS
Fundamental –a basic principle or necessary part
A good attitude is fundamental in any group sport
Animating– to bring to life, lively; full of energy
The singer was very pleased to find such an animated audience
Safeguard – to keep safe; guard; protect
The fireman taught us how to safeguard our home
Promote–advance/further the progress of something
The boss promoted my father to a better job
Foster – to aid and encourage the growth or development of
They fostered trust in their family by always being honest
Fellowship – a group of people who share common interests
Nina is part of the fellowship of chess players
USE THE WORKSHEET
For any words, you are not sure of or record the ones above and save them in your notebook/lapbook Download here
SEND A POSTCARD WITH THE QUOTE TO A FRIEND PRINT OR EMAIL
historical account
The overview and stories presented here focus on the Life and Mission of Jesus Christ, Whose Message of love and forgiveness will help as you explore the theme of this lesson further.
Jesus Christ was a Manifestation of God Who appeared some two thousand years ago in the region we all know today as the Holy Land. You remember that Moses had led the Jewish people to this land after they had spent such a long time enslaved in Egypt. The teachings of Moses freed them from bondage and raised them to the highest state of civilization. But, now, hundreds of years had passed, and His people were beset by troubles once again, having been conquered by an empire that did not believe in one God or follow His teachings. The Jewish people were living under the rule of the powerful Romans when Jesus was born in the small town of Bethlehem. By then morals and conduct had become so confused and corrupted that there were many who awaited the coming of a new Manifestation from God, and a great prophet, John the Baptist, began to prepare them for this anticipated event.
Jesus was thirty years old when He made His Mission known, and He soon chose twelve disciples, whom He called “apostles”, to travel with Him and spread His Message. The first of these was Peter. Peter and the other apostles learned about the importance of love and compassion from the stories, or parables, that Jesus would share with them. Many would come to listen to Jesus, and He taught them to love everyone, even their enemies, as they loved their friends. The number of His followers gradually grew, and after some three years, those in authority began to fear His influence on the people. They arose to destroy Him, and He, as a demonstration of His love for humanity, allowed Himself to be put to death, knowing that His Message would spread to many peoples and nations, uniting them in loving fellowship. And, indeed, galvanized by Mary Magdalene, one of His most faithful followers, the apostles set out to share His teachings after He had been crucified. They traveled far and wide, and the entire world eventually became transformed by Jesus’ Message of love, which is recorded in the Holy Gospels. The word “gospel” means “good news”.
There are 4 Stories in today’s lesson
story 1
Before the birth of Jesus, His mother, Mary, had been made aware of His special station. One day she had a vision of an angel, which, at first, filled her heart with fear. But the angel addressed her, saying “Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favor with God.” He told her that she would “bring forth a son” and would “call his name Jesus”. “He shall be great,” the angel said, “and shall be called the Son of the Highest.”
On the night Jesus was born, His mother Mary and her husband Joseph were traveling from Nazareth to Bethlehem. Like all the Jewish people in the region, they had to return to their native city as required by the powerful Romans. Since the Romans controlled the land at the time, they demanded money, labor, and resources from the people. Every person had to be counted, one by one, in their native city, so that the Romans would know how much money they should take from each one. Now, Mary and Joseph had just arrived in Bethlehem after a long journey, and they stopped at an inn to spend the night. But the inn was full, so they had to stay in the stable with the animals. When Jesus came into this world, they had no place to lay the precious Child other than in a simple wooden box filled with hay.
Soon after the birth of Jesus, three wise men from a place far to the East noticed that a new star had appeared in the sky. Taking it as a sign of the appearance of a special Being, they followed the star. It led them to Bethlehem, to the Child that had been born in the stable. They laid gifts before Him as they knelt down in adoration.
From childhood, Jesus showed signs of His greatness, and everyone marveled at His knowledge and wisdom. One day, when He was still a young boy, Mary and Joseph traveled to the city of Jerusalem to celebrate a Jewish Holy Day, bringing Jesus with them. When they were ready to return home, He could not be found. They searched for three days until they finally discovered Him in the temple sitting with the Jewish elders, conversing with them and answering their questions. All who heard Him were amazed at the answers He gave and the depth of His understanding.
Story 2
Around this time many people, remembering their forefather Abraham and the teachings of Moses, were praying for God to send the Messiah, their promised Savior. They could see the corruption and confusion in the land, and they felt deeply in their hearts the need for Divine guidance. Among them was John the Baptist. He helped to prepare the way for the coming of Jesus. He called upon people to purify both their inner and outer lives from those things that kept them remote from God. In a ritual called “baptism”, He immersed them in the water of the River Jordan as a symbol of their purification: just as one purifies and cleanses one’s body in water, one must strive to cleanse and purify one’s heart.
By now Jesus was nearly thirty years of age. He, of course, was in no need of baptism, for He was the essence of purity and detachment. But He went to the River Jordan and allowed John to baptize Him in order to show others that such an act was praiseworthy in the sight of God. It is said that, when Jesus came out of the water, He saw the Spirit of God coming down on Him, like a dove descending from heaven. At that moment He
became aware of the Mission entrusted to Him by God, to deliver the people of the land from the darkness of despair. A new set of Divine teachings had been revealed to Him. To prepare Himself for the great work that lay ahead, He spent forty days and forty nights in solitude, alone in the desert without food or drink, communing with God. He then set out to proclaim His Message.
For the next three years, Jesus traveled on foot from place to place, largely around the Sea of Galilee, teaching the Word of God. Great numbers were drawn to His presence. From every direction they came to listen to His healing Message. During that time, He began to choose those who would act as His apostles, His closest and most trusted companions. He chose twelve in all, several of whom were fishermen, busy catching fish in the Sea of Galilee when they were called upon by Jesus to join Him. One was named Peter, and he was the first to testify to the station of Jesus as a Manifestation of God. Perhaps you know that the name Peter means “rock”, and Peter’s faith in God was unshakable, as firm as a rock. Another of those who joined Jesus around that time was a woman named Mary Magdalene. Mary came from a village near the Sea of Galilee, and she, like Peter, recognized the station of Jesus and was transformed by His Message. Though not one of the twelve disciples, Mary Magdalene became one of His most faithful followers.
Story 3
The Message of Jesus was essentially one of love. In His words and deeds people could perceive God’s loving-kindness and infinite wisdom. He taught them to love one another, as God loved them, and to forgive those who harmed them, as God forgave them. God loves all human beings, He assured the multitudes who gathered around Him, no matter who they are or what they may have done in the past. Thousands of people were transformed by the power of His words.
Many of the most important lessons that Jesus taught the people of His time were in the form of parables, which are stories with special meaning to guide our lives. These stories and other teachings of Jesus, as well as the events of His life, are recorded in the Holy Gospels. One of these parables is of the Good Samaritan. First you need to know that, in those days, the Samaritans and the Jewish people did not get along with each other very well. Here are the circumstances in which Jesus told that parable.
One day a Jewish man asked Jesus about how he could attain eternal life. Jesus answered the man with a question: “What did the laws of Moses teach the people?” The man replied: “Love God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and all your mind,” and “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Jesus confirmed that this was, indeed, the path the man should strive to follow if he wished to have eternal life. You realize, of course, that by “eternal life” Jesus was referring to the life of the soul. But, still, the man was not satisfied, and he asked: “But who is my neighbor?” To this, Jesus replied with a story: A man was once traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho and was attacked by two thieves who beat him and left him to die at the side of the road. Now, this man was of the Jewish people. Sometime later a priest passed by and saw the beaten man, but he crossed the street and hurried away. Then another man walked by. He, too, was of Jewish background, and, though he assisted the priests in the temple, he ignored the injured man as well. Finally, a Samaritan came along the road. Now this man, like
other Samaritans, had been taught to hate the Jewish people, just as the Jewish people had learned to hate Samaritans. But seeing the injured man, the Samaritan immediately went to help him. He took him to an inn where he could rest and recover, attending to his every need. The next day he had to leave on business, but he spoke to the innkeeper and made sure that all of the injured man’s expenses were paid. When Jesus finished the story, He asked which of the three men who passed by the beaten man acted as a neighbor. “The one who helped him,” was the reply. “Those who wish to attain eternal life,” Jesus said, “should go and do the same.”
There are many other wonderful stories in the Gospels that tell us about the life of Jesus and the effect of His teachings on the people of His time. Once, for instance, a blind man by the side of the road called out to Jesus as He and His disciples entered a town. “Have mercy on me,” the blind man cried. When His disciples brought the man to Jesus, He told him to go and see again; because of his faith, Jesus said, he would be cured. Immediately the man could see. We know, of course, that the Manifestations are endowed with the power to do whatsoever God pleases. But what this story tells us, above all, is that inwardly the man had been blind, and Jesus restored his spiritual vision. He helped the man to fix his inner sight on God. In another story, Jesus turned five loaves of bread and two fish into baskets filled with bread and fish, enough to feed the large crowds that had gathered on the hillside to hear Him speak. Again, the deeper meaning of this story is that Jesus provided, without limit, spiritual sustenance to all who wished to listen.
STORY 4
Within a short span of time Jesus was so deeply loved that some authorities came to fear His rising influence. They could see that great numbers of the people listened to His words, and many had begun to follow Him. They grew more and more concerned. They wondered what His intentions were. To help people understand His station as a Manifestation, Jesus often referred to God as His Father, the Almighty, seated on His throne. Of course Jesus had no interest in worldly power, but, still, some authorities felt threatened. Around three years after He began His Mission, Jesus and His twelve disciples arrived in the city of Jerusalem, where throngs of people awaited Him, all hoping in adoration to greet Him. They called out in praise of Him. Jesus knew, however, that great suffering was ahead.
One evening, as Jesus ate supper with His twelve disciples, He told them that the following day His earthly life would come to an end. He called on them to take up the cause of spreading His teachings after His passing and promised that He would always be with them. Later that same night, with the love of God burning in His soul, and falling with His face to the ground, He prayed fervently that the Will of God would be done. And just as Jesus had predicted, before the break of day, He was arrested and brought before the authorities. Now, at that time, the Romans crucified people who were found guilty of crimes, and Jesus, though He had committed no crime, was condemned to death by crucifixion. With a crown of thorns placed on His head to mock His majesty and greatness, He was nailed to a cross and left to die. In His final moments, He prayed to God, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.”
Jesus’ apostles were greatly shaken by His death, but Mary Magdalene strengthened them in their faith, reminding them of the assurance He had given that His Spirit would always be with them. The fire of the love of God that burned in the hearts of His apostles could not be extinguished, and they set off in different directions to share His teachings. Through acts of tremendous heroism and self-sacrifice, they laid the foundations of a great civilization, and the Message of Jesus, Who is often referred to as Christ, meaning the “Anointed One”, eventually spread to every corner of the earth.
Facts:
Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem
John the Baptist prepared the people for the coming of Jesus
Jesus chose twelve apostles
Peter was one of the apostles of Jesus
Mary Magdalene was one of the most faithful followers of Jesus
Jesus taught many of His lessons in the form of parables
Jesus taught the importance of love and forgiveness
Jesus allowed Himself to be put to death out of His love for humanity
After the passing of Jesus, Mary Magdalene helped to strengthen the faith of the apostles, who spread out to share His Message
Today you may help the children enact the episode of the Good Samaritan. Ask the children if they can remember the main parts of the story, reminding them of the details as necessary. You may wish to divine the class into smaller groups of, say, four or five so that the story can be acted out with the following characters: the traveler who was robbed, the first passerby, the second passerby, the Samaritan, and the innkeeper. If there are not enough children in each group, one child can act out more than one character. The scene can start when the traveler has already been robbed and is left dying on the side of the road. Help the children in the class to think about how they will act out the various characters, placing a particular emphasis on the praiseworthy conduct of the Samaritan.
Fruit basket
What you need:
Enough chairs for all of your players (minus one) and an open room big enough to hold all of the chairs in a circle.
How to play: First ask each person to choose a fruit.
If you have young players or a smaller group, you might want to assign the fruits yourself, labeling players as strawberry, orange, apple, etc. Instruct players to remember their fruit. It’s okay (in fact, preferable) if multiple people have the same fruit, so you might use only two or three fruits.
Next set up the game by arranging all the chairs in a big circle and having everyone sit in a chair. One player will be left standing THAT PERSON IS IT. the person who is IT starts the game by calling out the name of a fruit, like “strawberries!” As soon as he calls out a fruit name, any player sitting in the circle who picked that as their fruit would jump up and try to find a new seat. Geoffrey would also try as fast as he could to sit in one of the open seats. In the end, a player would be left without a seat. That player would then call out another fruit and the game continues.
If you have some players that are the only ones assigned to their fruit , it would be a good idea to have the IT person call out more than one fruit.
The player in the middle also has the option of calling out “Fruit basket!” When that happens, all players get up from their chairs and find a new one. Mass pandemonium and good fun ensue as everyone tries not to be left without a seat. The game continues until you want to stop.
Reverse Musical Chairs
Start with enough chairs (or can use pillows) in the circle for everybody. Music is played and one or two chairs are taken out. When music is stopped, they have to all share the remaining chairs. Continue in this way until they are all on one chair. They don’t have to be sitting, but one body part of each person needs to be touching the chair (can be a hand or foot). The goal is to collectively share smaller and smaller places in a spirit of love and unity.
Based on Story 3: Loaves and Fishes
Fish and wooden block with paperclips craft. Burlington kids did this one
The hardest part was drilling a hole in the wood. the rest was pretty easy. See the video below and the fish/loaves
The purpose of this lesson is to help us understand that all the Manifestations of God call upon humanity to live in a state of submission to His Will.
We will learn specifically about the life of Muhammad, Whose teachings spread among the Arab people, making them, as Abdu’l-Baha explains, “superior to the other nations of the earth in learning, in the arts, mathematics, civilization, government and other sciences.”
In this connection, we will gain a sense of the power of submission to the Will of God, one of Muhammad’s principle teachings, to unite people around a center and to promote order and prosperity.
We know that, because of our deep love for God’s beauty, we constantly strive to do all that He asks of us. The teachings that the Manifestations of God bring to humanity tell us what He wants us to do, and what we should not do. By allowing the teachings of God’s Manifestations to fill our hearts and minds, we begin to want only what He wants, to desire only what He desires, and to take pleasure in that which is pleasing to Him.
Order and harmony are brought about as more and more people live in a state of submission to God’s Will, all focused on His good pleasure. Think of the planets, all circling harmoniously, with the sun at their center. Through submission to the Will of God, humanity lives harmoniously and makes great progress- governments are just, communities are well organized, education flourishes, knowledge increases, and beauty is manifested in music and the arts.
Muhammad was a Manifestation sent by God some 1,400 years ago. He appeared among a people in a desert region at a time when their great capacity and rich potential were hidden behind selfish desires and ignorance. He taught them to put away such desires, to trust God, and to submit to His Will. He raised them out of the depths of cruelty and contention and showed them how to live in harmony according to Divine teachings, causing them to become examples of orderly and civilized life.
QUESTIONS
Whose good pleasure do we seek at all times?
Gods
How can we be sure that we are acting according to God’s good pleasure?
Order and harmony are brought about as more and more people live in a state of submission to God’s Will, all focused on His good pleasure
How are the planets that circle the sun orderly and harmonious? Do they ever fight with one another? Do the bigger planets ever want to control the smaller ones?
Obey the laws of physics and are in harmony with one another. Don’t fight or want control
When everyone is focused on God’s good pleasure and carrying out His commands, how does it change people? How does humanity progress?
humanity lives harmoniously and makes great progress- governments are just, communities are well organized, education flourishes, knowledge increases, and beauty is manifested in music and the arts
Who was Muhammad?
Messenger of God
What effect did the teachings of Muhammad have on the people of His time?
His teachings caused them to become examples of orderly and civilized life
REMEMBER TO DOWNLOAD THE PDF TO HELP MEMORIZE THE PRAYERS FROM LESSON 4 IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY DONE SO!
SET 1
Glory be to Thee, O my God! Make manifest the rivers of Thy sovereign might, that the waters of Thy Unity may flow through the inmost realities of all things, in such wise that the banner of Thine unfailing guidance may be raised aloft in the kingdom of thy command and the stars of Thy divine splendour may shine brightly in the heaven of thy majesty. Potent art Thou to do what pleaseth Thee. Thou, verily, art the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.
SET 2
I beseech Thee, O my God, by all the transcendent glory of Thy Name, to clothe Thy loved ones in the robe of justice and to illumine their beings with the light of trustworthiness. Thou art the One that hath power to do as He pleaseth and Who holdeth within His grasp the reins of all things, visible and invisible.
SET 3
I have wakened in Thy shelter, O my God, and it becometh him that seeketh that shelter to abide within the Sanctuary of Thy protection and the Stronghold of Thy defence. Illumine my inner being, O my Lord, with the splendours of the Dayspring of Thy Revelation, even as Thou didst illumine my outer being with the morning light of Thy favour.
SET 4
O my God, my Master, the Goal of my desire! This, Thy servant, seeketh to sleep in the shelter of Thy mercy, and to repose beneath the canopy of Thy grace, imploring Thy care and Thy protection. I beg of Thee, O my Lord, by Thine eye that sleepeth not, to guard mine eyes from beholding aught beside Thee. Strengthen, then, their vision that they may discern Thy signs, and behold the Horizon of Thy Revelation. Thou art He before the revelations of Whose omnipotence the quintessence of power hath trembled. No God is there but thee, the Almighty, the All-Subduing, The Unconditioned.
A RING UPON THE HAND
STRIVE THAT YOUR ACTIONS
ONE TREE
The source of all good is trust in God, submission unto His command, and contentment with His holy will and pleasure
Submission- accepting and yielding to a higher force or will
Written submission for children’s class teachers was sent out to our community
Contentment- a state of happiness and satisfaction
They finally found contentment in living a life of service
USE THE WORKSHEET
For any words, you are not sure of or record the ones above and save them in your notebook/lapbook Download here
SEND A POSTCARD WITH THE QUOTE TO A FRIEND PRINT OR EMAIL
The story has a historical component to give some background content. Also, there may be props for the story, videos, and other resources to use as you like
As the final lesson, we will learn about the life and Mission of Muḥammad, the last Manifestation Who appeared before the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh.
Muḥammad was a Manifestation sent by God some 1400 years ago to the people who lived in the region we know as Arabia. You remember that one of the descendants of Abraham, Ishmael, was the father of the Arab people, and they had believed in the one true God and followed His teachings. But centuries had passed, and they had long turned away from Him and had forgotten how to live together peacefully. There were many warring tribes that worshipped idols and behaved in the most cruel and barbarous ways. The great capacity and rich potential of the Arab people were hidden behind veils of ignorance when Muḥammad appeared among them.
Muḥammad was born in the city of Mecca in the year 570 AD. As a young man, He became a merchant, and in His dealings with people He displayed such a sublime and noble character that He was known as “The Truthful” and “The Trustworthy”. At the age of forty, He became aware of His Divine Mission, while praying and meditating in the Cave of Hira. When Muḥammad began to share God’s Message, the people of Mecca rose up against Him, and for some twelve years, He and those who followed Him were the constant targets of the darts of hatred. At last, when Muḥammad’s very life was under threat, they migrated to the city of Medina. It was there that His Message spread rapidly, and many souls came to recognize His station as a Manifestation of God. He taught them that there is only one God to Whom we should turn in worship. It is God Whom we should trust, and by Whose Will we should all abide.
After several years in Medina, Muḥammad returned to His native city of Mecca, where the people also embraced His Cause. And through obedience to the laws and teachings that He revealed, the Arab people were eventually united and became renowned for their learning in the arts and sciences, reaching the greatest heights of civilization. The word “Islám” means “submission to God”, and the light of Islám, the religion founded by Muḥammad, shone across all of Arabia and beyond. His words were recorded in the Qu’rán, the Holy Book of His followers, and today all of humanity has access to His Divine Revelation.
There are 3 Stories in today’s lesson
story 1
Muḥammad’s father died before He was born, and His mother when He was only six. For most of His childhood and youth, He was raised by His uncle. There were no schools for formal education in Arabia at that time, and Muḥammad was not taught to read and write but learned the trade of His uncle, who was a merchant. Over time, as He helped His uncle with his business, Muḥammad gained a reputation for His integrity. He was called “The Truthful”, because He never told a lie, and “The Trustworthy”, because He never deceived anyone and always kept His word. His noble reputation eventually came to the attention of Khadija, a widow who was known for her purity. She came to admire Muḥammad’s honest and upright character. At the age of twenty-five, Muḥammad married Khadija, and they worked together as merchants.
Muḥammad was deeply disturbed by the way the people of Mecca lived. Thousands of years before, a sanctuary had been built in Mecca for the worship of one God as taught by Abraham. But this sacred place, known as the Ka’bah, had long been filled with idols, some say 360 of them, each with a different name and all worshipped by different tribes. These tribes were constantly at war, and when one tribe claimed victory over another, the women and children of the losing tribe were taken captive and suffered greatly as slaves to merciless masters. The region had sunk to the lowest depths of cruelty and despair. Muḥammad, unable to bear the godlessness and degradation of life in Mecca, would often retreat to the Cave of Hira, concealed in a mountain just outside the city, where He would pray and meditate. It was in this cave that Muḥammad, then forty years of age, became aware of His Divine Mission. All around Him He heard the voice of the Angel Gabriel, calling upon Him to speak out in the name of the Lord, God.
Muḥammad returned home and told Khadija what He had experienced. She became the first to recognize His station as a Manifestation and to accept His Message: that there is only one God, He Who had also spoken to the Manifestations of the past; that people should turn to God with humility, worship Him, trust in Him and be obedient to His Will; and that, in accordance with His Will, all people should be kind to one another, honest, and just. For some time, Muḥammad made His station known only to His close relatives and friends, some of whom chose to follow Him, including His cousin ‘Alí and His friend Abú-Bakr.
Story 2
Eventually, Muḥammad proclaimed God’s Message to the people of His tribe. Only a few, however, understood the importance of His words and began to follow His teachings. They became known as Muslims. The others did not want to give up their old ways and live according to the laws of God. The idea of change angered them. They behaved with the utmost cruelty towards Muḥammad and the small but growing band of His followers. When Muḥammad spoke of God’s Message, they laughed at Him and attacked Him with stones. For years Muḥammad and His followers endured violent persecution. Some of His companions were killed and their property confiscated. From time to time, members of His tribe would try to persuade Muḥammad to stop spreading His teachings, in return for wealth or power. He, of course, would refuse. His uncle and His wife were greatly respected in Mecca, and they were able to act as Muḥammad’s protectors for a time. But after their deaths, both in the same year, life for Muslims in the city of Mecca became even more difficult.
After many years of suffering, Muḥammad was visited by two leaders from other tribes. They had decided to embrace His teachings and offered, in the city of Medina, a safe place for the Muslims to live. Muḥammad instructed His followers to move to Medina, and they gradually left Mecca for that city. His enemies, however, were determined to put an end to His life while they had the chance. They devised a plot to kill Him, and one night they surrounded His house with the intention of carrying out their plan. They could easily see inside the house and would know whether He tried to leave. So Muḥammad turned to His faithful cousin ‘Alí. He asked him whether he would be willing to cover himself with a blanket and pretend to be sleeping in His bed. Without hesitation, despite the danger to his own life, ‘Alí gladly accepted. Such was his love for God’s Manifestation. And, while ‘Alí lay resting on the bed, Muḥammad was able to leave the house undetected and join His friend Abú-Bakr.
According to tradition, Muḥammad and Abú-Bakr then made their way out of the city in the dark of night, guided by the moon and stars, and took shelter in a cave in the mountainous desert. By morning it had been realized that Muḥammad was gone, and His enemies were in fast pursuit of Him. As the sun rose, the sound of galloping horses grew louder, and Abú-Bakr was filled with fear. How could he protect Muḥammad here in the desert, he wondered. Abú-Bakr held his breath and listened as the enemies drew closer and closer until there were footsteps just outside the cave. Abú-Bakr heard voices, but he could not make out the words. He was certain that they would be found. But Muḥammad reassured him, reminding him that God was with them. And, indeed, the search party soon left, without even looking inside the cave. You see, there was a spider at the opening of the cave, and right after Muḥammad had entered, it had spun a huge web, closing off the entrance. When the men searching for Muḥammad reached the cave, they assumed no one could be inside it because the web was perfect and unbroken. It must have been a very long time since anyone had entered that cave, they thought. So they continued looking elsewhere, but with no success. Tired, frustrated and confused, they finally returned to Mecca empty-handed. Muḥammad and Abú-Bakr remained in the cave for three days to make sure the enemies had gone and then left through another opening, preserving the web that had served as their protection. With camels brought by a trusted friend, they set out for Medina, traveling by night for several days, until they, at last, reached that city safely. Muḥammad’s move from Mecca to Medina is known as the Hijrah.
Story 3
From His new home of Medina, Muḥammad was able to teach God’s laws and commandments much more widely, and people from different tribes began to live together in harmony according to His teachings. Those who rejected them, however, were still determined to kill Muḥammad and His followers. The Muslims were steadfast in their faith and devoted to God and His laws. They did their utmost to avoid contention. But, they knew the cruelty of their enemies, and at times they were forced to take up arms to defend themselves and protect their children from enslavement. Over time, the sacrifices of the Muslims and their transformed way of life helped people to realize the truth of God’s Message.
There are many accounts that show the transformative effect of the spiritual powers that emanated from the Person of Muḥammad. In one such account, it is said that Muḥammad once awoke to find a soldier armed with a sword standing above Him, intending to take His life. The angry man asked, “Who is there now to save Thee?” Muḥammad replied that God would save Him. The soldier became afraid and dropped the sword, which Muḥammad picked up. He then asked the soldier who would save him. The man did not follow God’s teachings and realized that he was alone, with no one to come to his aid. Muḥammad did not harm the soldier but handed the sword back to him, telling him to learn to show forth mercy. The man was changed by this experience and devoted himself to Muḥammad and His teachings.
After several years the people of Mecca agreed to let the Muslims visit the holy sanctuary, the Ka’bah, where they could gather once a year to worship God. But soon the agreement collapsed, and the city was once again closed to the Muslims. The followers of Muḥammad now numbered in the thousands, and they went to Mecca en masse, ready to draw arms if necessary. But the people, seeing the waves of His followers approaching the city, surrendered without resistance. Muḥammad then made a pilgrimage, or hajj, to the Ka’bah, which He restored to a place of worship dedicated to the praise and glorification of the one true God.
Eventually, many of those who had at first rejected Muḥammad’s teachings came to believe in one God and changed their ways, striving to align their will with the Will of God. Through His words, which were recorded in a Holy Book called the Qu’rán, they learned to turn their hearts to God, especially through prayer and fasting, and to reflect those heavenly qualities that Muḥammad had manifested throughout His life. Under His influence, the people of the region rose from the sad condition in which He found them to the highest state of civilization. The warring tribes united and systems for organizing communities into well-ordered nations were established. Great universities were founded, knowledge of arts and sciences expanded, and new and beautiful forms of architecture emerged. At a time when other parts of the world were in decline, the Arab world flourished and the effects of Muḥammad’s teachings ushered in a whole new era of human civilization.
Today we will act out the story of Zoroaster’s visit to the court of Vishtaspa, culminating in the king’s acceptance of Zoroaster’s Message.
Need a Narrator: The part of the Manifestation Himself is never portrayed by a person.
Vishtaspa,
the scheming priests,
and joyful courtiers.
How do the courtiers express the joy in their hearts?
How does Vishtaspa react to Zoroaster’s words?
What expressions and gestures does he use to show his eagerness to hear more?
How do the priests act when Zoroaster first arrives?
How does their reaction change?
What might they say to each other in plotting to have Him banished from the court?
Hula Hoop Pass
Have the group form a circle holding hands. Ask two people to let go of their grip long enough for them to place their hands through a hula hoop before rejoining them.
The team task is to pass the hula hoop around the circle in a specified direction until it returns to the starting point.
Silly Willy
Two lines stand facing each other and become teams.
One player from each team, at the opposite end of the line, start by bowing to each other and calling out “Silly Willy”
The two players then walk toward and past each other without laughter or smiling, while the teams attempt to make the passer-by from the opposite team burst into laughter. (specify beforehand that it all needs to be clean and appropriate)
If a player should crack a smile, they join the line of their opponents.
5. The game ends when there is only one team left, or everyone is too laughed out to continue!
LAYERED PAPER: INSPIRED BY THE STORY OF ZOROASTER GOING TO THE MOUNTAINS
This is a layered paper scene of the mountain area where Zohrester went to pray and meditate to find the truth. The quote will be attached to this layered paper scene.
Instructions
Download pdf, print, and cut
layer using foam tape or cardboard pieces so that each layer is slightly raised
Try making a never-ending card. the pictures can be all the same as the video below, or have them transform from something like a cocoon to a butterfly, etc.
Nice activity that becomes the snack. Show the children how kernels transform into popcorn but need something for this to happen: heat and oil. Once it transforms, it takes up a different space and looks different. Here is a link for more information if needed
Waste not your time in idleness and sloth. Occupy yourselves with that which profiteth yourselves and others.
The purpose of this lesson is to help us understand that all the Manifestations of God call upon humanity to live in a state of submission to His Will.
We will learn specifically about the life of Muhammad, Whose teachings spread among the Arab people, making them, as Abdu’l-Baha explains, “superior to the other nations of the earth in learning, in the arts, mathematics, civilization, government and other sciences.”
In this connection, we will gain a sense of the power of submission to the Will of God, one of Muhammad’s principle teachings, to unite people around a center and to promote order and prosperity.
We know that, because of our deep love for God’s beauty, we constantly strive to do all that He asks of us. The teachings that the Manifestations of God bring to humanity tell us what He wants us to do, and what we should not do. By allowing the teachings of God’s Manifestations to fill our hearts and minds, we begin to want only what He wants, to desire only what He desires, and to take pleasure in that which is pleasing to Him.
Order and harmony are brought about as more and more people live in a state of submission to God’s Will, all focused on His good pleasure. Think of the planets, all circling harmoniously, with the sun at their center. Through submission to the Will of God, humanity lives harmoniously and makes great progress- governments are just, communities are well organized, education flourishes, knowledge increases, and beauty is manifested in music and the arts.
Muhammad was a Manifestation sent by God some 1,400 years ago. He appeared among a people in a desert region at a time when their great capacity and rich potential were hidden behind selfish desires and ignorance. He taught them to put away such desires, to trust God, and to submit to His Will. He raised them out of the depths of cruelty and contention and showed them how to live in harmony according to Divine teachings, causing them to become examples of orderly and civilized life.
QUESTIONS
Whose good pleasure do we seek at all times?
Gods
How can we be sure that we are acting according to God’s good pleasure?
Order and harmony are brought about as more and more people live in a state of submission to God’s Will, all focused on His good pleasure
How are the planets that circle the sun orderly and harmonious? Do they ever fight with one another? Do the bigger planets ever want to control the smaller ones?
Obey the laws of physics and are in harmony with one another. Don’t fight or want control
When everyone is focused on God’s good pleasure and carrying out His commands, how does it change people? How does humanity progress?
humanity lives harmoniously and makes great progress- governments are just, communities are well organized, education flourishes, knowledge increases, and beauty is manifested in music and the arts
Who was Muhammad?
Messenger of God
What effect did the teachings of Muhammad have on the people of His time?
His teachings caused them to become examples of orderly and civilized life
REMEMBER TO DOWNLOAD THE PDF TO HELP MEMORIZE THE PRAYERS FROM LESSON 4 IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY DONE SO!
SET 1
Glory be to Thee, O my God! Make manifest the rivers of Thy sovereign might, that the waters of Thy Unity may flow through the inmost realities of all things, in such wise that the banner of Thine unfailing guidance may be raised aloft in the kingdom of thy command and the stars of Thy divine splendour may shine brightly in the heaven of thy majesty. Potent art Thou to do what pleaseth Thee. Thou, verily, art the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.
SET 2
I beseech Thee, O my God, by all the transcendent glory of Thy Name, to clothe Thy loved ones in the robe of justice and to illumine their beings with the light of trustworthiness. Thou art the One that hath power to do as He pleaseth and Who holdeth within His grasp the reins of all things, visible and invisible.
SET 3
I have wakened in Thy shelter, O my God, and it becometh him that seeketh that shelter to abide within the Sanctuary of Thy protection and the Stronghold of Thy defence. Illumine my inner being, O my Lord, with the splendours of the Dayspring of Thy Revelation, even as Thou didst illumine my outer being with the morning light of Thy favour.
SET 4
O my God, my Master, the Goal of my desire! This, Thy servant, seeketh to sleep in the shelter of Thy mercy, and to repose beneath the canopy of Thy grace, imploring Thy care and Thy protection. I beg of Thee, O my Lord, by Thine eye that sleepeth not, to guard mine eyes from beholding aught beside Thee. Strengthen, then, their vision that they may discern Thy signs, and behold the Horizon of Thy Revelation. Thou art He before the revelations of Whose omnipotence the quintessence of power hath trembled. No God is there but thee, the Almighty, the All-Subduing, The Unconditioned.
A RING UPON THE HAND
STRIVE THAT YOUR ACTIONS
ONE TREE
The source of all good is trust in God, submission unto His command, and contentment with His holy will and pleasure
Submission- accepting and yielding to a higher force or will
Written submission for children’s class teachers was sent out to our community
Contentment- a state of happiness and satisfaction
They finally found contentment in living a life of service
USE THE WORKSHEET
For any words, you are not sure of or record the ones above and save them in your notebook/lapbook Download here
SEND A POSTCARD WITH THE QUOTE TO A FRIEND PRINT OR EMAIL
The story has a historical component to give some background content. Also, there may be props for the story, videos, and other resources to use as you like
As the final lesson, we will learn about the life and Mission of Muḥammad, the last Manifestation Who appeared before the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh.
Muḥammad was a Manifestation sent by God some 1400 years ago to the people who lived in the region we know as Arabia. You remember that one of the descendants of Abraham, Ishmael, was the father of the Arab people, and they had believed in the one true God and followed His teachings. But centuries had passed, and they had long turned away from Him and had forgotten how to live together peacefully. There were many warring tribes that worshipped idols and behaved in the most cruel and barbarous ways. The great capacity and rich potential of the Arab people were hidden behind veils of ignorance when Muḥammad appeared among them.
Muḥammad was born in the city of Mecca in the year 570 AD. As a young man, He became a merchant, and in His dealings with people He displayed such a sublime and noble character that He was known as “The Truthful” and “The Trustworthy”. At the age of forty, He became aware of His Divine Mission, while praying and meditating in the Cave of Hira. When Muḥammad began to share God’s Message, the people of Mecca rose up against Him, and for some twelve years, He and those who followed Him were the constant targets of the darts of hatred. At last, when Muḥammad’s very life was under threat, they migrated to the city of Medina. It was there that His Message spread rapidly, and many souls came to recognize His station as a Manifestation of God. He taught them that there is only one God to Whom we should turn in worship. It is God Whom we should trust, and by Whose Will we should all abide.
After several years in Medina, Muḥammad returned to His native city of Mecca, where the people also embraced His Cause. And through obedience to the laws and teachings that He revealed, the Arab people were eventually united and became renowned for their learning in the arts and sciences, reaching the greatest heights of civilization. The word “Islám” means “submission to God”, and the light of Islám, the religion founded by Muḥammad, shone across all of Arabia and beyond. His words were recorded in the Qu’rán, the Holy Book of His followers, and today all of humanity has access to His Divine Revelation.
There are 3 Stories in today’s lesson
story 1
Muḥammad’s father died before He was born, and His mother when He was only six. For most of His childhood and youth, He was raised by His uncle. There were no schools for formal education in Arabia at that time, and Muḥammad was not taught to read and write but learned the trade of His uncle, who was a merchant. Over time, as He helped His uncle with his business, Muḥammad gained a reputation for His integrity. He was called “The Truthful”, because He never told a lie, and “The Trustworthy”, because He never deceived anyone and always kept His word. His noble reputation eventually came to the attention of Khadija, a widow who was known for her purity. She came to admire Muḥammad’s honest and upright character. At the age of twenty-five, Muḥammad married Khadija, and they worked together as merchants.
Muḥammad was deeply disturbed by the way the people of Mecca lived. Thousands of years before, a sanctuary had been built in Mecca for the worship of one God as taught by Abraham. But this sacred place, known as the Ka’bah, had long been filled with idols, some say 360 of them, each with a different name and all worshipped by different tribes. These tribes were constantly at war, and when one tribe claimed victory over another, the women and children of the losing tribe were taken captive and suffered greatly as slaves to merciless masters. The region had sunk to the lowest depths of cruelty and despair. Muḥammad, unable to bear the godlessness and degradation of life in Mecca, would often retreat to the Cave of Hira, concealed in a mountain just outside the city, where He would pray and meditate. It was in this cave that Muḥammad, then forty years of age, became aware of His Divine Mission. All around Him He heard the voice of the Angel Gabriel, calling upon Him to speak out in the name of the Lord, God.
Muḥammad returned home and told Khadija what He had experienced. She became the first to recognize His station as a Manifestation and to accept His Message: that there is only one God, He Who had also spoken to the Manifestations of the past; that people should turn to God with humility, worship Him, trust in Him and be obedient to His Will; and that, in accordance with His Will, all people should be kind to one another, honest, and just. For some time, Muḥammad made His station known only to His close relatives and friends, some of whom chose to follow Him, including His cousin ‘Alí and His friend Abú-Bakr.
Story 2
Eventually, Muḥammad proclaimed God’s Message to the people of His tribe. Only a few, however, understood the importance of His words and began to follow His teachings. They became known as Muslims. The others did not want to give up their old ways and live according to the laws of God. The idea of change angered them. They behaved with the utmost cruelty towards Muḥammad and the small but growing band of His followers. When Muḥammad spoke of God’s Message, they laughed at Him and attacked Him with stones. For years Muḥammad and His followers endured violent persecution. Some of His companions were killed and their property confiscated. From time to time, members of His tribe would try to persuade Muḥammad to stop spreading His teachings, in return for wealth or power. He, of course, would refuse. His uncle and His wife were greatly respected in Mecca, and they were able to act as Muḥammad’s protectors for a time. But after their deaths, both in the same year, life for Muslims in the city of Mecca became even more difficult.
After many years of suffering, Muḥammad was visited by two leaders from other tribes. They had decided to embrace His teachings and offered, in the city of Medina, a safe place for the Muslims to live. Muḥammad instructed His followers to move to Medina, and they gradually left Mecca for that city. His enemies, however, were determined to put an end to His life while they had the chance. They devised a plot to kill Him, and one night they surrounded His house with the intention of carrying out their plan. They could easily see inside the house and would know whether He tried to leave. So Muḥammad turned to His faithful cousin ‘Alí. He asked him whether he would be willing to cover himself with a blanket and pretend to be sleeping in His bed. Without hesitation, despite the danger to his own life, ‘Alí gladly accepted. Such was his love for God’s Manifestation. And, while ‘Alí lay resting on the bed, Muḥammad was able to leave the house undetected and join His friend Abú-Bakr.
According to tradition, Muḥammad and Abú-Bakr then made their way out of the city in the dark of night, guided by the moon and stars, and took shelter in a cave in the mountainous desert. By morning it had been realized that Muḥammad was gone, and His enemies were in fast pursuit of Him. As the sun rose, the sound of galloping horses grew louder, and Abú-Bakr was filled with fear. How could he protect Muḥammad here in the desert, he wondered. Abú-Bakr held his breath and listened as the enemies drew closer and closer until there were footsteps just outside the cave. Abú-Bakr heard voices, but he could not make out the words. He was certain that they would be found. But Muḥammad reassured him, reminding him that God was with them. And, indeed, the search party soon left, without even looking inside the cave. You see, there was a spider at the opening of the cave, and right after Muḥammad had entered, it had spun a huge web, closing off the entrance. When the men searching for Muḥammad reached the cave, they assumed no one could be inside it because the web was perfect and unbroken. It must have been a very long time since anyone had entered that cave, they thought. So they continued looking elsewhere, but with no success. Tired, frustrated and confused, they finally returned to Mecca empty-handed. Muḥammad and Abú-Bakr remained in the cave for three days to make sure the enemies had gone and then left through another opening, preserving the web that had served as their protection. With camels brought by a trusted friend, they set out for Medina, traveling by night for several days, until they, at last, reached that city safely. Muḥammad’s move from Mecca to Medina is known as the Hijrah.
Story 3
From His new home of Medina, Muḥammad was able to teach God’s laws and commandments much more widely, and people from different tribes began to live together in harmony according to His teachings. Those who rejected them, however, were still determined to kill Muḥammad and His followers. The Muslims were steadfast in their faith and devoted to God and His laws. They did their utmost to avoid contention. But, they knew the cruelty of their enemies, and at times they were forced to take up arms to defend themselves and protect their children from enslavement. Over time, the sacrifices of the Muslims and their transformed way of life helped people to realize the truth of God’s Message.
There are many accounts that show the transformative effect of the spiritual powers that emanated from the Person of Muḥammad. In one such account, it is said that Muḥammad once awoke to find a soldier armed with a sword standing above Him, intending to take His life. The angry man asked, “Who is there now to save Thee?” Muḥammad replied that God would save Him. The soldier became afraid and dropped the sword, which Muḥammad picked up. He then asked the soldier who would save him. The man did not follow God’s teachings and realized that he was alone, with no one to come to his aid. Muḥammad did not harm the soldier but handed the sword back to him, telling him to learn to show forth mercy. The man was changed by this experience and devoted himself to Muḥammad and His teachings.
After several years the people of Mecca agreed to let the Muslims visit the holy sanctuary, the Ka’bah, where they could gather once a year to worship God. But soon the agreement collapsed, and the city was once again closed to the Muslims. The followers of Muḥammad now numbered in the thousands, and they went to Mecca en masse, ready to draw arms if necessary. But the people, seeing the waves of His followers approaching the city, surrendered without resistance. Muḥammad then made a pilgrimage, or hajj, to the Ka’bah, which He restored to a place of worship dedicated to the praise and glorification of the one true God.
Eventually, many of those who had at first rejected Muḥammad’s teachings came to believe in one God and changed their ways, striving to align their will with the Will of God. Through His words, which were recorded in a Holy Book called the Qu’rán, they learned to turn their hearts to God, especially through prayer and fasting, and to reflect those heavenly qualities that Muḥammad had manifested throughout His life. Under His influence, the people of the region rose from the sad condition in which He found them to the highest state of civilization. The warring tribes united and systems for organizing communities into well-ordered nations were established. Great universities were founded, knowledge of arts and sciences expanded, and new and beautiful forms of architecture emerged. At a time when other parts of the world were in decline, the Arab world flourished and the effects of Muḥammad’s teachings ushered in a whole new era of human civilization.
Today we will act out the story of Zoroaster’s visit to the court of Vishtaspa, culminating in the king’s acceptance of Zoroaster’s Message.
Need a Narrator: The part of the Manifestation Himself is never portrayed by a person.
Vishtaspa,
the scheming priests,
and joyful courtiers.
How do the courtiers express the joy in their hearts?
How does Vishtaspa react to Zoroaster’s words?
What expressions and gestures does he use to show his eagerness to hear more?
How do the priests act when Zoroaster first arrives?
How does their reaction change?
What might they say to each other in plotting to have Him banished from the court?
Hula Hoop Pass
Have the group form a circle holding hands. Ask two people to let go of their grip long enough for them to place their hands through a hula hoop before rejoining them.
The team task is to pass the hula hoop around the circle in a specified direction until it returns to the starting point.
Silly Willy
Two lines stand facing each other and become teams.
One player from each team, at the opposite end of the line, start by bowing to each other and calling out “Silly Willy”
The two players then walk toward and past each other without laughter or smiling, while the teams attempt to make the passer-by from the opposite team burst into laughter. (specify beforehand that it all needs to be clean and appropriate)
If a player should crack a smile, they join the line of their opponents.
5. The game ends when there is only one team left, or everyone is too laughed out to continue!
LAYERED PAPER: INSPIRED BY THE STORY OF ZOROASTER GOING TO THE MOUNTAINS
This is a layered paper scene of the mountain area where Zohrester went to pray and meditate to find the truth. The quote will be attached to this layered paper scene.
Instructions
Download pdf, print, and cut
layer using foam tape or cardboard pieces so that each layer is slightly raised
Try making a never-ending card. the pictures can be all the same as the video below, or have them transform from something like a cocoon to a butterfly, etc.
Nice activity that becomes the snack. Show the children how kernels transform into popcorn but need something for this to happen: heat and oil. Once it transforms, it takes up a different space and looks different. Here is a link for more information if needed
Waste not your time in idleness and sloth. Occupy yourselves with that which profiteth yourselves and others.
The purpose of this lesson is to help us understand that all the Manifestations of God call upon humanity to live in a state of submission to His Will.
We will learn specifically about the life of Muhammad, Whose teachings spread among the Arab people, making them, as Abdu’l-Baha explains, “superior to the other nations of the earth in learning, in the arts, mathematics, civilization, government and other sciences.”
In this connection, we will gain a sense of the power of submission to the Will of God, one of Muhammad’s principle teachings, to unite people around a center and to promote order and prosperity.
We know that, because of our deep love for God’s beauty, we constantly strive to do all that He asks of us. The teachings that the Manifestations of God bring to humanity tell us what He wants us to do, and what we should not do. By allowing the teachings of God’s Manifestations to fill our hearts and minds, we begin to want only what He wants, to desire only what He desires, and to take pleasure in that which is pleasing to Him.
Order and harmony are brought about as more and more people live in a state of submission to God’s Will, all focused on His good pleasure. Think of the planets, all circling harmoniously, with the sun at their center. Through submission to the Will of God, humanity lives harmoniously and makes great progress- governments are just, communities are well organized, education flourishes, knowledge increases, and beauty is manifested in music and the arts.
Muhammad was a Manifestation sent by God some 1,400 years ago. He appeared among a people in a desert region at a time when their great capacity and rich potential were hidden behind selfish desires and ignorance. He taught them to put away such desires, to trust God, and to submit to His Will. He raised them out of the depths of cruelty and contention and showed them how to live in harmony according to Divine teachings, causing them to become examples of orderly and civilized life.
QUESTIONS
Whose good pleasure do we seek at all times?
Gods
How can we be sure that we are acting according to God’s good pleasure?
Order and harmony are brought about as more and more people live in a state of submission to God’s Will, all focused on His good pleasure
How are the planets that circle the sun orderly and harmonious? Do they ever fight with one another? Do the bigger planets ever want to control the smaller ones?
Obey the laws of physics and are in harmony with one another. Don’t fight or want control
When everyone is focused on God’s good pleasure and carrying out His commands, how does it change people? How does humanity progress?
humanity lives harmoniously and makes great progress- governments are just, communities are well organized, education flourishes, knowledge increases, and beauty is manifested in music and the arts
Who was Muhammad?
Messenger of God
What effect did the teachings of Muhammad have on the people of His time?
His teachings caused them to become examples of orderly and civilized life
REMEMBER TO DOWNLOAD THE PDF TO HELP MEMORIZE THE PRAYERS FROM LESSON 4 IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY DONE SO!
SET 1
Glory be to Thee, O my God! Make manifest the rivers of Thy sovereign might, that the waters of Thy Unity may flow through the inmost realities of all things, in such wise that the banner of Thine unfailing guidance may be raised aloft in the kingdom of thy command and the stars of Thy divine splendour may shine brightly in the heaven of thy majesty. Potent art Thou to do what pleaseth Thee. Thou, verily, art the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.
SET 2
I beseech Thee, O my God, by all the transcendent glory of Thy Name, to clothe Thy loved ones in the robe of justice and to illumine their beings with the light of trustworthiness. Thou art the One that hath power to do as He pleaseth and Who holdeth within His grasp the reins of all things, visible and invisible.
SET 3
I have wakened in Thy shelter, O my God, and it becometh him that seeketh that shelter to abide within the Sanctuary of Thy protection and the Stronghold of Thy defence. Illumine my inner being, O my Lord, with the splendours of the Dayspring of Thy Revelation, even as Thou didst illumine my outer being with the morning light of Thy favour.
SET 4
O my God, my Master, the Goal of my desire! This, Thy servant, seeketh to sleep in the shelter of Thy mercy, and to repose beneath the canopy of Thy grace, imploring Thy care and Thy protection. I beg of Thee, O my Lord, by Thine eye that sleepeth not, to guard mine eyes from beholding aught beside Thee. Strengthen, then, their vision that they may discern Thy signs, and behold the Horizon of Thy Revelation. Thou art He before the revelations of Whose omnipotence the quintessence of power hath trembled. No God is there but thee, the Almighty, the All-Subduing, The Unconditioned.
A RING UPON THE HAND
STRIVE THAT YOUR ACTIONS
ONE TREE
The source of all good is trust in God, submission unto His command, and contentment with His holy will and pleasure
Submission- accepting and yielding to a higher force or will
Written submission for children’s class teachers was sent out to our community
Contentment- a state of happiness and satisfaction
They finally found contentment in living a life of service
USE THE WORKSHEET
For any words, you are not sure of or record the ones above and save them in your notebook/lapbook Download here
SEND A POSTCARD WITH THE QUOTE TO A FRIEND PRINT OR EMAIL
The story has a historical component to give some background content. Also, there may be props for the story, videos, and other resources to use as you like
As the final lesson, we will learn about the life and Mission of Muḥammad, the last Manifestation Who appeared before the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh.
Muḥammad was a Manifestation sent by God some 1400 years ago to the people who lived in the region we know as Arabia. You remember that one of the descendants of Abraham, Ishmael, was the father of the Arab people, and they had believed in the one true God and followed His teachings. But centuries had passed, and they had long turned away from Him and had forgotten how to live together peacefully. There were many warring tribes that worshipped idols and behaved in the most cruel and barbarous ways. The great capacity and rich potential of the Arab people were hidden behind veils of ignorance when Muḥammad appeared among them.
Muḥammad was born in the city of Mecca in the year 570 AD. As a young man, He became a merchant, and in His dealings with people He displayed such a sublime and noble character that He was known as “The Truthful” and “The Trustworthy”. At the age of forty, He became aware of His Divine Mission, while praying and meditating in the Cave of Hira. When Muḥammad began to share God’s Message, the people of Mecca rose up against Him, and for some twelve years, He and those who followed Him were the constant targets of the darts of hatred. At last, when Muḥammad’s very life was under threat, they migrated to the city of Medina. It was there that His Message spread rapidly, and many souls came to recognize His station as a Manifestation of God. He taught them that there is only one God to Whom we should turn in worship. It is God Whom we should trust, and by Whose Will we should all abide.
After several years in Medina, Muḥammad returned to His native city of Mecca, where the people also embraced His Cause. And through obedience to the laws and teachings that He revealed, the Arab people were eventually united and became renowned for their learning in the arts and sciences, reaching the greatest heights of civilization. The word “Islám” means “submission to God”, and the light of Islám, the religion founded by Muḥammad, shone across all of Arabia and beyond. His words were recorded in the Qu’rán, the Holy Book of His followers, and today all of humanity has access to His Divine Revelation.
There are 3 Stories in today’s lesson
story 1
Muḥammad’s father died before He was born, and His mother when He was only six. For most of His childhood and youth, He was raised by His uncle. There were no schools for formal education in Arabia at that time, and Muḥammad was not taught to read and write but learned the trade of His uncle, who was a merchant. Over time, as He helped His uncle with his business, Muḥammad gained a reputation for His integrity. He was called “The Truthful”, because He never told a lie, and “The Trustworthy”, because He never deceived anyone and always kept His word. His noble reputation eventually came to the attention of Khadija, a widow who was known for her purity. She came to admire Muḥammad’s honest and upright character. At the age of twenty-five, Muḥammad married Khadija, and they worked together as merchants.
Muḥammad was deeply disturbed by the way the people of Mecca lived. Thousands of years before, a sanctuary had been built in Mecca for the worship of one God as taught by Abraham. But this sacred place, known as the Ka’bah, had long been filled with idols, some say 360 of them, each with a different name and all worshipped by different tribes. These tribes were constantly at war, and when one tribe claimed victory over another, the women and children of the losing tribe were taken captive and suffered greatly as slaves to merciless masters. The region had sunk to the lowest depths of cruelty and despair. Muḥammad, unable to bear the godlessness and degradation of life in Mecca, would often retreat to the Cave of Hira, concealed in a mountain just outside the city, where He would pray and meditate. It was in this cave that Muḥammad, then forty years of age, became aware of His Divine Mission. All around Him He heard the voice of the Angel Gabriel, calling upon Him to speak out in the name of the Lord, God.
Muḥammad returned home and told Khadija what He had experienced. She became the first to recognize His station as a Manifestation and to accept His Message: that there is only one God, He Who had also spoken to the Manifestations of the past; that people should turn to God with humility, worship Him, trust in Him and be obedient to His Will; and that, in accordance with His Will, all people should be kind to one another, honest, and just. For some time, Muḥammad made His station known only to His close relatives and friends, some of whom chose to follow Him, including His cousin ‘Alí and His friend Abú-Bakr.
Story 2
Eventually, Muḥammad proclaimed God’s Message to the people of His tribe. Only a few, however, understood the importance of His words and began to follow His teachings. They became known as Muslims. The others did not want to give up their old ways and live according to the laws of God. The idea of change angered them. They behaved with the utmost cruelty towards Muḥammad and the small but growing band of His followers. When Muḥammad spoke of God’s Message, they laughed at Him and attacked Him with stones. For years Muḥammad and His followers endured violent persecution. Some of His companions were killed and their property confiscated. From time to time, members of His tribe would try to persuade Muḥammad to stop spreading His teachings, in return for wealth or power. He, of course, would refuse. His uncle and His wife were greatly respected in Mecca, and they were able to act as Muḥammad’s protectors for a time. But after their deaths, both in the same year, life for Muslims in the city of Mecca became even more difficult.
After many years of suffering, Muḥammad was visited by two leaders from other tribes. They had decided to embrace His teachings and offered, in the city of Medina, a safe place for the Muslims to live. Muḥammad instructed His followers to move to Medina, and they gradually left Mecca for that city. His enemies, however, were determined to put an end to His life while they had the chance. They devised a plot to kill Him, and one night they surrounded His house with the intention of carrying out their plan. They could easily see inside the house and would know whether He tried to leave. So Muḥammad turned to His faithful cousin ‘Alí. He asked him whether he would be willing to cover himself with a blanket and pretend to be sleeping in His bed. Without hesitation, despite the danger to his own life, ‘Alí gladly accepted. Such was his love for God’s Manifestation. And, while ‘Alí lay resting on the bed, Muḥammad was able to leave the house undetected and join His friend Abú-Bakr.
According to tradition, Muḥammad and Abú-Bakr then made their way out of the city in the dark of night, guided by the moon and stars, and took shelter in a cave in the mountainous desert. By morning it had been realized that Muḥammad was gone, and His enemies were in fast pursuit of Him. As the sun rose, the sound of galloping horses grew louder, and Abú-Bakr was filled with fear. How could he protect Muḥammad here in the desert, he wondered. Abú-Bakr held his breath and listened as the enemies drew closer and closer until there were footsteps just outside the cave. Abú-Bakr heard voices, but he could not make out the words. He was certain that they would be found. But Muḥammad reassured him, reminding him that God was with them. And, indeed, the search party soon left, without even looking inside the cave. You see, there was a spider at the opening of the cave, and right after Muḥammad had entered, it had spun a huge web, closing off the entrance. When the men searching for Muḥammad reached the cave, they assumed no one could be inside it because the web was perfect and unbroken. It must have been a very long time since anyone had entered that cave, they thought. So they continued looking elsewhere, but with no success. Tired, frustrated and confused, they finally returned to Mecca empty-handed. Muḥammad and Abú-Bakr remained in the cave for three days to make sure the enemies had gone and then left through another opening, preserving the web that had served as their protection. With camels brought by a trusted friend, they set out for Medina, traveling by night for several days, until they, at last, reached that city safely. Muḥammad’s move from Mecca to Medina is known as the Hijrah.
Story 3
From His new home of Medina, Muḥammad was able to teach God’s laws and commandments much more widely, and people from different tribes began to live together in harmony according to His teachings. Those who rejected them, however, were still determined to kill Muḥammad and His followers. The Muslims were steadfast in their faith and devoted to God and His laws. They did their utmost to avoid contention. But, they knew the cruelty of their enemies, and at times they were forced to take up arms to defend themselves and protect their children from enslavement. Over time, the sacrifices of the Muslims and their transformed way of life helped people to realize the truth of God’s Message.
There are many accounts that show the transformative effect of the spiritual powers that emanated from the Person of Muḥammad. In one such account, it is said that Muḥammad once awoke to find a soldier armed with a sword standing above Him, intending to take His life. The angry man asked, “Who is there now to save Thee?” Muḥammad replied that God would save Him. The soldier became afraid and dropped the sword, which Muḥammad picked up. He then asked the soldier who would save him. The man did not follow God’s teachings and realized that he was alone, with no one to come to his aid. Muḥammad did not harm the soldier but handed the sword back to him, telling him to learn to show forth mercy. The man was changed by this experience and devoted himself to Muḥammad and His teachings.
After several years the people of Mecca agreed to let the Muslims visit the holy sanctuary, the Ka’bah, where they could gather once a year to worship God. But soon the agreement collapsed, and the city was once again closed to the Muslims. The followers of Muḥammad now numbered in the thousands, and they went to Mecca en masse, ready to draw arms if necessary. But the people, seeing the waves of His followers approaching the city, surrendered without resistance. Muḥammad then made a pilgrimage, or hajj, to the Ka’bah, which He restored to a place of worship dedicated to the praise and glorification of the one true God.
Eventually, many of those who had at first rejected Muḥammad’s teachings came to believe in one God and changed their ways, striving to align their will with the Will of God. Through His words, which were recorded in a Holy Book called the Qu’rán, they learned to turn their hearts to God, especially through prayer and fasting, and to reflect those heavenly qualities that Muḥammad had manifested throughout His life. Under His influence, the people of the region rose from the sad condition in which He found them to the highest state of civilization. The warring tribes united and systems for organizing communities into well-ordered nations were established. Great universities were founded, knowledge of arts and sciences expanded, and new and beautiful forms of architecture emerged. At a time when other parts of the world were in decline, the Arab world flourished and the effects of Muḥammad’s teachings ushered in a whole new era of human civilization.
Today we will act out the story of Zoroaster’s visit to the court of Vishtaspa, culminating in the king’s acceptance of Zoroaster’s Message.
Need a Narrator: The part of the Manifestation Himself is never portrayed by a person.
Vishtaspa,
the scheming priests,
and joyful courtiers.
How do the courtiers express the joy in their hearts?
How does Vishtaspa react to Zoroaster’s words?
What expressions and gestures does he use to show his eagerness to hear more?
How do the priests act when Zoroaster first arrives?
How does their reaction change?
What might they say to each other in plotting to have Him banished from the court?
Hula Hoop Pass
Have the group form a circle holding hands. Ask two people to let go of their grip long enough for them to place their hands through a hula hoop before rejoining them.
The team task is to pass the hula hoop around the circle in a specified direction until it returns to the starting point.
Silly Willy
Two lines stand facing each other and become teams.
One player from each team, at the opposite end of the line, start by bowing to each other and calling out “Silly Willy”
The two players then walk toward and past each other without laughter or smiling, while the teams attempt to make the passer-by from the opposite team burst into laughter. (specify beforehand that it all needs to be clean and appropriate)
If a player should crack a smile, they join the line of their opponents.
5. The game ends when there is only one team left, or everyone is too laughed out to continue!
LAYERED PAPER: INSPIRED BY THE STORY OF ZOROASTER GOING TO THE MOUNTAINS
This is a layered paper scene of the mountain area where Zohrester went to pray and meditate to find the truth. The quote will be attached to this layered paper scene.
Instructions
Download pdf, print, and cut
layer using foam tape or cardboard pieces so that each layer is slightly raised
Try making a never-ending card. the pictures can be all the same as the video below, or have them transform from something like a cocoon to a butterfly, etc.
Nice activity that becomes the snack. Show the children how kernels transform into popcorn but need something for this to happen: heat and oil. Once it transforms, it takes up a different space and looks different. Here is a link for more information if needed
Waste not your time in idleness and sloth. Occupy yourselves with that which profiteth yourselves and others.
In this lesson, we will learn about another manifestation of God: – Moses
The purpose of today’s lesson is for the children to understand that the Manifestations of God are Divine Educators, that Each brings a set of laws and ordinances suited to the capacity of the age in which He appears, and that these laws enable human beings to develop their spiritual powers and create a more just and beautiful world. The children will learn specifically about the life of Moses, Who, as explained by Abdu’l-Baha, established laws and ordinances that “gave life to the people of Israel, and let them to the highest possible degree of civilization at that period.” The following ideas may assist you in speaking to the children on this important subject.
The Manifestations of God are Divine Educators. In order to advance from age to age, humanity needs a Divine Teacher at every stage, One Who can help it to understand how God wants it to organize its affairs and develop its capacity. In this way, all the wonderful qualities and attributes with which He has endowed humanity can shine forth. Every Manifestation brings a set of laws and ordinances that is suitable to the capacity of the people among whom He appears, perfectly geared for that age. His laws and ordinances tell them how God wants them to live, in order to advance in knowledge and understanding and draw closer to humanity’s glorious destiny. Without the laws and teachings of God’s Manifestations, true progress would not be achieved. Think of a field or an orchard. If left wild, without care, no fruitful trees would grow on it. But when its plants are tended and trained, it becomes a beautiful garden; the thorns and thistles give way to delicious fruit and fragrant flowers. In the same way, by following the laws and ordinances of the Manifestation of God for today, we are able to develop our capacity more fully and, as a people, attain great heights of accomplishment.
Moses was a Manifestation of God Who appeared after Abraham when His people were ready to receive a NEW set of laws and ordinances that would enable them to reach a new level of progress. The laws and ordinances of God brought by Moses educated His people, trained and disciplined them, freeing them from the darkness of ignorance and leading them into the light of knowledge and true understanding.
REMEMBER, DOWNLOAD THE PDF TO HELP MEMORIZE THE PRAYERS IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY DONE SO: Google Drive download LINK
SET 1
Glory be to Thee, O my God! Make manifest the rivers of Thy sovereign might, that the waters of Thy Unity may flow through the inmost realities of all things, in such wise that the banner of Thine unfailing guidance may be raised aloft in the kingdom of thy command and the stars of Thy divine splendour may shine brightly in the heaven of thy majesty. Potent art Thou to do what pleaseth Thee. Thou, verily, art the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.
SET 2
I beseech Thee, O my God, by all the transcendent glory of Thy Name, to clothe Thy loved ones in the robe of justice and to illumine their beings with the light of trustworthiness. Thou art the One that hath power to do as He pleaseth and Who holdeth within His grasp the reins of all things, visible and invisible.
SET 3
I have wakened in Thy shelter, O my God, and it becometh him that seeketh that shelter to abide within the Sanctuary of Thy protection and the Stronghold of Thy defence. Illumine my inner being, O my Lord, with the splendours of the Dayspring of Thy Revelation, even as Thou didst illumine my outer being with the morning light of Thy favour.
SET 4
O my God, my Master, the Goal of my desire! This, Thy servant, seeketh to sleep in the shelter of Thy mercy, and to repose beneath the canopy of Thy grace, imploring Thy care and Thy protection. I beg of Thee, O my Lord, by Thine eye that sleepeth not, to guard mine eyes from beholding aught beside Thee. Strengthen, then, their vision that they may discern Thy signs, and behold the Horizon of Thy Revelation. Thou art He before the revelations of Whose omnipotence the quintessence of power hath trembled. No God is there but thee, the Almighty, the All-Subduing, The Unconditioned.
THE PURPOSE: RUSS SALTON
MAKE FIRM OUR STEPS: JOE CRONE
Be not forgetful of the law of God in whatever thou desirest to achieve, now or in the days to come. Say: Praise be to God, the Lord of all worlds!
USE THIS WORKSHEET FOR ANY WORDS YOU ARE NOT SURE OF Download here
NOTE TO TEACHER
While it will be important for the children to follow the events in the stories well, you will want to make sure that they grasp their spiritual significance. That Moses carried with Him a staff through which He was able to achieve great things should be seen, for example, as the divine knowledge that He, like other Manifestations, possessed. The children should recognize, further, that the account of the liberation of the Hebrew people from Egypt and their long journey back to the Promised Land also speaks to us of their spiritual transformation—that they had grown far from God and that through the teachings and laws brought by Moses they were able to draw close to Him once again and live in accordance with His commands.
THINK ABOUT: How will you ensure that these and other spiritual insights offered by the stories are brought to the attention of your students?
Story 1
Moses was born into a Hebrew family in the land of Egypt a few thousand years ago. You remember from the last lesson that Abraham and His family had settled in Canaan and that the Hebrew people were His descendants through one of His sons, Isaac. Now Isaac had a son named Jacob, who had many sons of his own. During the time of Jacob, severe drought came to the region. With no water, food became scarce and there were seven years of famine. So, the Hebrew people left for Egypt where water and food were plentiful. There they were welcomed and lived happily for many generations.
In those days, the ruler of the land of Egypt was known as the Pharaoh. Eventually one of the Pharaohs became fearful of the Hebrew people, believing they might try to overtake his land, and so he enslaved them. They were forced to work in the fields and build new structures. As slaves in Egypt, the Hebrew people suffered greatly. But then something even worse happened. An order was given that all their newborn male children should be killed to prevent them from growing into soldiers who could rise up against the Pharaoh. It was around this time that Moses was born.
Moses’ parents were among the enslaved, and they already had a daughter named Miriam and a young son named Aaron. Can you imagine the fear that must have filled the heart of Moses’ mother when she gave birth to a new little boy? For three months, she was able to keep Him in hiding. But eventually, she could conceal Him no longer, and so she put Him in a small basket and sent it floating down the River Nile, praying that He would be found and saved. Meanwhile, His sister, Miriam, hid in the bushes to see what would become of her little Brother. Just then the daughter of the Pharaoh came down to the river with her maids to bathe. Noticing the basket, she asked one of her maids to bring it to her. She wept with compassion at finding the baby inside and decided to raise Him as her own son, naming Him Moses. And so it was that the life of Moses was spared, and He came to be raised in the palace of the Pharaoh. He was a prince.
STORY 2
At times the young Moses, as a member of the royal household, would inspect the work of the Hebrew slaves, who were laboring under harsh conditions to build structures and great stone pyramids at the Pharaoh’s command. He saw the cruelty with which they were treated, and He grew troubled by their suffering. Moses, of course, came to know that He, too, was of the Hebrew people, which, unlike the Egyptians who worshipped idols, believed in one God, as taught by Abraham. Eventually, Moses met His sister, Miriam, and His older brother, Aaron. Still, He was separate from His people, a member of the Pharaoh’s household.
One day, however, while carrying out an inspection of some construction work, Moses saw an Egyptian supervisor striking a slave, who was struggling to defend himself. The man cried out for assistance, and Moses swung out His arm to help him. The supervisor fell to the ground, killed by the powerful blow.
News of the incident quickly spread throughout the city, and Moses fled from Egypt to escape the Pharaoh’s men, who sought to put Him to death. Moses begged God for forgiveness, as His intention had been but to help the beleaguered Hebrew slave, and He asked God to show Him the way forward. He was led to the land of Midian, where He was taken in by the family of a prosperous shepherd. He eventually married one of the shepherd’s daughters and was given responsibility for several flocks of sheep, spending long hours alone in the open countryside tending to the animals. The suffering of the enslaved Hebrew people in Egypt was never, however, far from His thoughts, and especially during times of solitude, He would pray and meditate, asking God for guidance.
It was while tending sheep, alone, that Moses became aware of the station to which God had called Him. He saw a bush burning in the desert that was not consumed by the flames. As He approached the bush the Voice of God could be heard, bidding Him to make His way back to Egypt and, with His brother Aaron by His side, call on the Pharaoh to free the Hebrew people. Moses was assured that He would be given the strength to accomplish so great a task, liberating the Hebrews from the yoke of oppression and guiding them to the land of their forefather, Abraham.
STORY 3
(This story is also an activity in GAME/ NARRATIVE section)
In accordance with God’s command, Moses returned to Egypt and went with Aaron to see the Pharaoh. Though He had spent so many years as a simple shepherd, majesty and grandeur had become manifest in Him. Moses asked that the Hebrew people be allowed to return to their homeland, to worship and serve God. He proclaimed the Message of the oneness of God, Creator of all things, but the Pharaoh refused to listen and demanded proof of the greatness of God. At this, Moses cast down his staff, and as it fell to the ground, it turned into a serpent before the eyes of all in the Pharaoh’s court. But the Pharaoh was not convinced. He believed that his own priests and sorcerers could perform acts as great as Moses’, so he called them to the palace to demonstrate their skill. Once they had gathered, all of the Pharaoh’s sorcerers cast their staffs to the ground where they, too, turned into serpents. But when these serpents encountered the one that Moses had cast, it swallowed each of them up in turn. This story of Moses’ encounter with the priests tells us that, no matter how much power they have or how much knowledge they possess, those who oppose God’s Manifestation can never disprove His claims, and the proofs that Moses put forth, like the serpent, overpowered the arguments made by the priests. Yet still, the Pharaoh would not accept Moses’ Message of one God. His heart was hardened, and he would not let the Hebrew people go.
Not long after, Moses returned to the Pharaoh and warned him that ten plagues would afflict the land of Egypt if he did not free the Hebrew people. But the Pharaoh was heedless to the warning, and one by one the plagues came. First, there was a heavy flood that filled the River Nile with red silt, overflowing the reservoirs and contaminating the water so there was little to drink. Next, great hailstones fell and destroyed the crops, creating a shortage of food. The hailstones were followed by swarms of locusts so thick that they blocked the sun. Then a scourge of frogs overran the city. Prior to the onset of each plague, Moses would foretell the event and would call on the Pharaoh to relinquish his grip on the Hebrew people, and each time the Pharaoh would refuse until he saw the consequences of the plague. He would then promise to let the people go. But each time he would break his promise and, in anger, increase the burden on the enslaved people. Egyptians and Hebrews alike blamed Moses for all the suffering in the land.
When the tenth plague came, the disease spread everywhere and took many lives. Even the Pharaoh’s eldest son became sick and died. The Hebrew households were, however, passed over by the plague. At last, after this tenth affliction, with his country and family devastated, the Pharaoh told Moses that He could take the people out of Egypt.
Moses led the Hebrew people through the desert. Day and night they traveled until they reached the shores of the Red Sea. The people were exhausted, hungry, and thirsty. They had barely stopped when they realized the Egyptian army was pursuing them. The Pharaoh had changed his mind once again and wanted to return the people into bondage. Now they were trapped. With the Egyptians behind them, they could not turn back; yet they could not move forward since there was no way to cross the sea. There seemed to be no escape, and they feared for their lives. They began to lose hope. But Moses reminded them that God would not abandon them and would always take care of them. Then, as the Egyptians drew nearer, God commanded Moses to raise His staff and stretch His hand out over the sea. As He did so, the water divided, leaving a path for the people to pass through. With another wave of His hand, the water flowed back again, washing away the Egyptian army and leaving the Hebrews safe on the other side of the Red Sea.
STORY 4
After their escape through the Red Sea, the Hebrew people were finally free from the Egyptians. But they still had a long way to travel through the hot, dry desert, if they were to reach the land of their forefather, Abraham. Conditions were harsh, and food and water were scarce. Discontent began to grow. Many complained and doubted Moses and the teachings of God. When they reached the foot of Mount Sinai, Moses left the people and climbed the mountain to commune with God. In His absence, the people turned back to the old ways. They melted their jewelry and created a golden idol, which they started to worship, forgetting the one true God. After forty days, Moses returned. He carried two stone tablets, upon which were inscribed God’s laws. Seeing that the people had returned to the worship of idols, Moses destroyed what they had made and begged God to show forgiveness to them.
In the confusion, however, the tablets Moses had brought were also destroyed, and so He returned to Mount Sinai and communed with God for another forty days. Once again, He came down from the mountain, His face radiant, carrying tablets engraved with Ten Commandments, laws by which the Hebrew people should live. They were commanded, for example, to recognize the one true God, to honor their fathers and mothers, and not to murder or steal or speak dishonestly. Moses told the people that if they obeyed these laws of God, they would become a holy nation. In response, the Hebrews, who came to be known as the Jewish people, promised to be obedient to God’s commandments. Later, the laws and teachings brought by Moses were recorded in a Holy Book called the Torah.
At last, after many long years in the desert, they neared Canaan, the Promised Land. Moses was then very old. From a mountain top, He could see the Promised Land and knew that the Hebrew people had reached their goal. His Mission was complete, and it was there, on the mountain top, that His earthly life came to an end. Moses had guided His people with wisdom and gave them God’s Ten Commandments to obey, and so they were raised out of slavery to a high state of civilization.
FACTS ABOUT MOSES
Moses was born to a Hebrew family in Egypt… thousands of years ago.
Moses was raised in…the Pharaoh’s palace as a prince.
Ten plagues afflicted Egypt before…the Pharaoh agreed to free the Hebrew people.
Moses led the Hebrew people…out of Egypt.
The Ten Commandments are…God’s laws that Moses brought to humanity.
Some of the Ten Commandments are…to honor one’s father and mother, not to steal, not to murder, and not to speak dishonestly.
The laws and teachings brought by Moses are recorded in….a Holy Book called the Torah.
Note that all the items below are found in the attached PDF. some can be presented as photos, some can be made ahead of time or substituted for your own prop.
Suggested Props:
Handcuffs ( two strips of paper or foil looped together)
small basket or picture of Moses basket, (there is one in the craft section)
crown for a prince
picture of great stone pyramids
sheep
staff,
large snake
small snakes
red silt/sand
hailstones (paper wadded up)
locusts
frogs
toy medical kit (for disease), OR PHOTO IN PDF
gold coins
ten commandments were written out on paper in the shape of stone tablets
the Torah
Today’s historical episode recounts the life of Moses. In relating this narrative to the children, whether in whole or in part, you should be sure to emphasize that Moses guided the Hebrew people out of slavery and educated them through the law of God, raising them to a higher level of civilization.
Moses was born in the land of Egypt thousands of years ago. His family was among the many descendants of the children of Abraham, the Hebrew people, who had settled and prospered long before in the Promised Land. Most people lived by farming and tending animals, and when drought come to the Promised Land and water had grown scarce, the Hebrew people made their way to Egypt, where they lived happily for a long time. But eventually, the king of Egypt, known as the Pharaoh, became fearful of the Hebrew people, believing they might try to overtake his land, and so he made them slaves. Even worse, he ordered that all their newborn male children be killed to prevent them from growing into soldiers who could rise up against him. It was around this time that Moses was born.
Imagine the fear that filled the heart of Moses’s mother when she gave birth to her new little Son. For three months she was able to keep Him in hiding, but when she could conceal Him no longer, she put Him in a small basket and sent it floating down the Nile, praying that He would be found and saved. Later her daughter Miriam discovered that her tiny brother have been taken from the basket to the household of the Pharaoh who was persuaded to spare His life and had given the name Moses. So it was that Moses came to be raised in the Pharaoh’s palace and was treated as his very son. He was a prince.
At times, young Moses would inspect the work of the Hebrew slaves, who were laboring under harsh conditions to build structures and great stone pyramids at the Pharaoh’s command. He saw the cruelty with which they were treated, and He grew troubled by their suffering. Moses, of course, came to know that He, too, was of the Hebrew people, which, unlike the Egyptians who worshipped idols, believed in one God, as taught by Abraham. Eventually, Moses met His sister Miriam and His older brother Aaron, who had been born before the Pharaoh’s cruel order. Still, He was separate from His people, a member of the Pharaoh’s household.
One day, however, while carrying out an inspection of some construction work, Moses saw an Egyptian overseer striking a slave, who was struggling to defend himself. The man cried out for assistance, and Moses swung out His arm to help him. The overseer fell to the ground, killed by the powerful blow.
News of the incident quickly spread throughout the city, and Moses fled from Egypt to escape the Pharaoh’s men, who sought to put Him to death as punishment for killing one of the ruler’s overseers. Moses begged God for forgiveness, as His intentions had been but to help the beleaguered Hebrew slave, and He asked God to show Him the way forward. He was led to the land of Midian, where He was taken in by the family of a prosperous shepherd. He eventually married one of the shepherd’s daughters and was given responsibility for several flocks of sheep, spending long hours alone in the open countryside tending to the animals. The suffering of the enslaved Hebrew people in Egypt was never, however, far from His thoughts, and especially during times of solitude in the countryside, He would pray and meditate, asking God for guidance.
It was while tending sheep, alone, that Moses became aware of the Station to which God had called Him. He saw a bush burning in the countryside that was not consumed by the flames. As He approached the bush the Voice of God could be heard, bidding Him make His way back to Egypt and with His brother Aaron by His side, call on the Pharaoh to free the Hebrew people. Moses was assured that He would be given the strength to accomplish so great a task, liberating the Hebrews from the yoke of oppression and guiding them to the land of their Forefather, Abraham.
In accordance with God’s command, Moses returned to Egypt and went with Aaron to see the Pharaoh. Though He had spent so many years as a simple shepherd, majesty and grandeur had become manifest in Him. Moses asked that the Hebrew people be allowed to return to their homeland to worship and serve God. He proclaimed the message of the oneness of God, Creator of all things, but the Pharaoh refused to listen and demanded proof of the greatness of God. At this, Moses cast down his staff, and as it fell to the ground, it turned into a serpent before the eyes of all in the Pharaoh’s court. But the Pharaoh was not convinced. He believed that his own priests and sorcerers could perform acts as great as Moses, so he called them to the palace to demonstrate their skill. Once they had gathered, all of Pharaoh’s sorcerers cast their staffs to the ground where they, too turned into serpents. But when these serpents encountered the one that Moses had cast it swallowed each of them up in turn. Of course, Bahaullah explained that the staff of Moses was in reality “the rod of celestial dominion”. He tells us that Moses possessed Divine knowledge and we know that through the Pharaoh’s priests tried to disprove His claims, the proofs that Moses put forth, like the serpent, overpowered the arguments they made. Yet still, the Pharaoh would not accept Moses’ Message of one God. His heart was hardened, and he would not let the Hebrew people go.
Not long after, Moses returned to the Pharaoh and warned him that ten plagues would afflict the land of Egypt if he did not free the Hebrew people. But the Pharaoh was heedless to the warning, and one by one the plagues came. First, there was a heavy flood that filled the River Nile with red silt, overflowing the reservoirs and contaminating the water so there was little to drink. Next, great hailstones fell and destroyed the crops, creating s shortage of food. The hailstones were followed by swarms of locusts so thick that they blocked the sun. Then a scourge of frogs overran the city. Prior to the onset of each plague Moses would foretell the event and would call on Pharaoh to relinquish his grip on the Hebrew people, and each time the Pharaoh would refuse until he saw the consequences of the plague. He would then promise to let the people go. But each time he would break his promise and, in anger, increase the burden on the enslaved people. Egyptians and Hebrews alike blamed Moses for all the suffering in the land.
When the tenth plague came, the disease spread everywhere and took many lives. Even the Pharaoh’s eldest son became sick and died. The Hebrew households were, however, passed over by the plague. At last, after this tenth affliction, with his country and family devastated, the Pharaoh told Moses that He could take the people out of Egypt.
Moses led the Hebrew people through the desert. Day and night they traveled until they reached the shores of the Red Sea. The people were exhausted, hungry, and thirsty. They had barely stopped when they realized the Egyptian army was pursuing them. The Pharaoh had changed his mind once again and wanted to return the people to bondage. Now there were trapped. With the Egyptians behind them, they could not turn back; yet they could not move forward since there was no way across the sea. There seemed to be no escape, and they feared for their lives. They began to lose hope. But Moses reminded them that God would not abandon them and would always take care of them. Then as the Egyptians drew nearer, God commanded Moses to raise His staff and stretch His hand out over the sea. As he did so the water divided, leaving a path for the people to pass through. With another wave of His hand, the water flowed back again, washing away the Egyptian army and leaving the Hebrews safe on the other side of the Red Sea.
The sea now behind them, the people still had a long way to travel through the hot, dry desert. Conditions were harsh, and food and water were scarce. Discontent began to grow. Many complained and doubted Moses and the teachings of God. When they reached the foot of Mount Sinai, Moses left the people and climbed the mountain to commune with God. In His absence, the people turned back to the old ways. They melted their jewelry and created a golden idol, which they started to worship, forgetting the one true God. After forty days Moses returned. He carried two stone tablets upon which were inscribed God’s laws, the Ten Commandments, Seeing that the people had returned to the worship of idols, Moses destroyed what they had made and begged God to show forgiveness to them.
The tablets had also been destroyed in the confusion, so Moses returned to Mount Sinai and communicated with God for another forty days, at the end of which He came down from the mountain. His face was radiant, with a new set of tablets, again engraved with Ten Commandments, laws by which Hebrew people should live. For example, they were commanded to recognize the one true God, to honor their fathers and mothers, and not to murder or steal or speak dishonestly. Moses told people that if they obeyed these laws of God, they would become a holy nation. In response, the Hebrews who came to be known as the Jewish people promised to be obedient to God’s commandments. Later the laws and teachings brought by Moses were recorded in a Holy Book called the Torah.
At last, after many long years in the desert, they neared Canaan, the Promised Land Moses was then very old. From a mountain top, He could see the Promised Land and knew that the Hebrew people had reached their goal. His mission was complete, and it was there, on the mountain top, that His earthly life came to an end. Moses had guided His people with wisdom and gave them God’s Ten Commandments to obey, and so they were raised out of slavery to a high state of civilization.
This craft is based on story one. It is a craft with Moses in the basket. There are many crafts if you search “BIBLE STORY MOSES” I did not find one that did not have the picture of Moses so I made some myself.
Moses in the Basket: Pendulum Powered Card
This card is easy to make even if the instructions are a bit long. Download the template pieces. Note you can draw your own clouds, or grass or use the template. You can also draw the sky in and then color it. Cardbase is an 8.5″ x 6″ cardstock folded in half
Materials Needed
Cardstock (white and light blue)
Stiff clear plastic (Acetate) or heavy cardstock
Glue
Penny
Instructions
Download the template pieces and print them on white cardstock.
Cut a card 4.25″ x 5.5″ white
Cut a card 4″ x 5.25″ light blue or white
Cut out clouds, waves, and grass
Cut pendulum from acetate or heavy card stock
Glue or tape the penny to the round end of the pendulum
Now position the pendulum onto the card that is 4″ x 5.25″ (light blue)
Check to see that waves/grass covers the penny. Once the position is correct, secure with a brad (Split pin)
Use foam tape on the back of the waves and grass pieces and position it on top of the pendulum
Add the Moses basket to the top of the pendulum
Finish the sky with clouds or draw in the sky of your choice.
Attach to 4.25″ x 5.5″ card
Attach the finished pendulum card to your notebook or to the card base (8.5″ x 6″ base) and use it as a greeting card
Enjoy
FROM THE AUSTRALIAN PEACE PACK: MOSES BASKET
Use this template to cut out a simple basket, color it in, and decorate it.
Based on story 2: The Burning Bush
Use the template to print on cardstock and cut out. Assemble.
Story 3: The staff turns into a snake (our grade 3 in Burlington did this craft)
How To Make the Optical Illusion
Have you seen billboards where the image is different depending on which angle you are looking at it? Well, this craft is the paper version and it is quite cool. This type of optical illusion is called an anemograph. See more ideas here
First, download and print My Template. Download the instructions if needed. Colour the snake and the staff photos
Now cut the image apart, keep the number and letters with each piece
Fold the template like an accordion along the dashed lines. Note that there are numbers and letters. Glue the strips of the image you cut onto the correct space. There are 2 blank spaces not shown in this template. Do not stick anything there.
Cut off the extra numbers and letters once it is all glued on. Cut out the center of the frame template and glue the accordion with the picture to the frame. Note the updated template allows for the picture to have a blank space on either end. This will allow the pictures to be viewed without any overlap as seen in this one.
overlap is seen here on the left end….
Story 3 the Plague
Rob Ives frog for the plague of frogs. This is based on a craft like the Mexican jumping bean. My blank template to use is HERE or you can purchase the one from Rob Ives.
You can also print and cut out these cards as an interactive notebook element or a lapbook component
Mexican Jumping Bean
The basic mechanism is here, add color and eyes, etc to make it into a frog for the plague.
Twinkl offers free downloads once in a while for any of the resources on the Twinkl site but you have to sign up. Here are all the free downloads for Moses including coloring from this site
For Moses and the 10 plagues, this wheel is great to add to an interactive notebook or lapbook
The Tongue of My power hath, from the heaven of My omnipotent glory, addressed to My creation these words: ‘Observe My commandments, for the love of My beauty.
Welcome to lesson 4 . There are 4 prayers to memorize for lessons 4 to 10
The purpose of this lesson is to provide the opportunity to think about the concept of the oneness of God and to recognize that all the Manifestations proclaim the unity of God.
In this lesson, we will learn about Abraham, a Manifestation of God who appeared thousands of years ago to guide His people to an understanding of God’s essential oneness.
We know that God is the Great Bestower and Giver of life. He has created the universe and all that is therein. He is the Source of all that exists. No other force or power can compare with Him. From the beginning of time, God has sent His Manifestations to help humanity understand His oneness. Without Their instructions from age to age, people have often fallen into the worship of idols or spirits or even elements of nature, like the sun, the wind, and the moon. They would give God’s attributes such as love, justice, power and majesty, wisdom, and generosity, to each of these idols or spirits and would worship them as though they were gods themselves that control the world and everything therein.
All the Manifestations of God remind humanity that there is only one God, the All-Glorious, the All-Powerful, Whom we worship, Who lovingly guides us, and whose aid and assistance we seek. Even today, unaware of the new teachings of God brought by Bahaullah, many people have begun to worship different kinds of idols, giving their hearts to the pursuit of wealth, power, and fame. The human heart was created to love, and if it is not filled with the love of God, it will find some object for its affection and adoration. God has created every good thing in this world for us to enjoy. But He wants our hearts to be attached to Him, and Him, alone. In the Hidden Words, Baha’u’llah says:
“O Son of Being! Thy heart is My home; sanctify it for My descent. Thy spirit is My place of revelation; cleanse it for My manifestation.”
Abraham was a Manifestation sent by God several thousands of years ago when many people had forgotten Gods oneness and worshipped idols and powers in nature. Few wanted to listen to the Message brought by Abraham that they should worship the one true God. Alone and without help, He withstood the forces that opposed Him. Though He was exiled from His native land by a king who feared Him, the light of His Message could not be extinguished, and His teachings spread, through His children and their descendants, to many nations.
Glory be to Thee, O my God! Make manifest the rivers of Thy sovereign might, that the waters of Thy Unity may flow through the inmost realities of all things, in such wise that the banner of Thine unfailing guidance may be raised aloft in the kingdom of thy command and the stars of Thy divine splendour may shine brightly in the heaven of thy majesty.Potent art Thou to do what pleaseth Thee. Thou, verily, art the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.
PRAYER SET 2
I beseech Thee, O my God, by all the transcendent glory of Thy Name, to clothe Thy loved ones in the robe of justice and to illumine their beings with the light of trustworthiness. Thou art the One that hath power to do as He pleaseth and Who holdeth within His grasp the reins of all things, visible and invisible.
PRAYER SET 3
I have wakened in Thy shelter, O my God, and it becometh him that seeketh that shelter to abide within the Sanctuary of Thy protection and the Stronghold of Thy defence. Illumine my inner being, O my Lord, with the splendours of the Dayspring of Thy Revelation, even as Thou didst illumine my outer being with the morning light of Thy favour.
PRAYER: SET 4
O my God, my Master, the Goal of my desire! This, Thy servant, seeketh to sleep in the shelter of Thy mercy, and to repose beneath the canopy of Thy grace, imploring Thy care and Thy protection. I beg of Thee, O my Lord, by Thine eye that sleepeth not, to guard mine eyes from beholding aught beside Thee. Strengthen, then, their vision that they may discern Thy signs, and behold the Horizon of Thy Revelation. Thou art He before the revelations of Whose omnipotence the quintessence of power hath trembled. No God is there but thee, the Almighty, the All-Subduing, The Unconditioned.
WE SUMMON YOU TO GOD: SUNG BY GOLETA BURRISON
Three Wives Of Abraham
Be Lovers Of Light
What Mankind Has To Learn
Use the worksheet for any words you are not sure Of: Download here
He is, and hath from everlasting been, one and alone, without peer or equal, eternal in the past, eternal in the future, detached from all things, ever-abiding, unchangeable, and self-subsisting.
4 STORIES ABOUT ABRAHAM: DOWNLOAD ALL 4 STORIES HERE
STORY 1
Tradition tells that on the night that Abraham was born, His father had many guests, including the wise men of the court of King Nimrod. As the visitors left the house at dawn, they saw a large star rising in the east, which seemed to consume stars from each of the four corners of the sky. The wise men believed this unusual occurrence must be a sign connected with the birth of Abraham, foretelling His great power. They decided to inform the king and went to see him at once. The most respected among them related to Nimrod what they had witnessed and what they believed to be the meaning of this wondrous sign. Fearing that the child would one day take power from him, Nimrod called for Abraham’s father and offered gold and silver in exchange for the baby.
Upon hearing Nimrod’s command to surrender his son, Abraham’s father decided to pose a question to the king. Not long before, Nimrod had given him a beautiful horse. Another man now wished to buy the horse for a good price, and he asked the king what he should do. Nimrod’s advice was clear: How could he ever think of selling so unique and precious a gift from his king? How could gold and silver ever replace such a gift? To this, Abraham’s father responded: Just as money could not replace the gift of a king, so could it never replace his own child. This argument temporarily satisfied the king, but Abraham’s father knew that Nimrod would continue to insist on claiming his Son. So for ten years, he kept Abraham in hiding, long enough for the king and his wise men to forget about what had happened on the night of His birth.
STORY 2
Like most people at the time, Abraham’s family worshipped idols, that is, figures made of stone, wood, or clay. Idols had first been created as symbols of the attributes of God, for example, of love and justice, but these physical objects had gradually come to be seen as gods themselves. So people prayed to idols, believing that such figurines had the power to help and guide them, as well as to punish them. Some idols were even thought to represent powers in nature such as the sun, the moon, and the stars. Abraham’s father made and sold idols, so Abraham was surrounded by them from childhood. When He was still young, however, it became clear to Him that such man-made objects had no powers, and He was drawn by Divine forces to seek the Source of the true power that guided humanity.
As the story is told, Abraham was a child when, observing the stars, the moon and the sun, He came to know that there was just one God, the Creator of all things. Seeing the brilliance of a star one night, He said, “This is my Lord.” When it set, however, He said, “I love not those that set.” Seeing the moon rise in its great splendor, even brighter than the star, He said, “This is my Lord.” But it, too, set. When the sun rose, illuminating all around Him, Abraham praised its greatness in comparison to the moon and star. Yet it, too, set, and, at that moment, He knew that there was one true Creator, greater than all these powers, Who had brought the world into being and that He, alone, should be worshipped. Abraham declared, “For me, I have set my face, firmly and truly, towards Him Who created the heavens and the earth, and never shall I give partners to God.”
STORY 3
As a young man, Abraham was sometimes asked to look after His father’s shop and help sell the idols. Yet He took every opportunity to discourage people from buying them, pointing out that idols could not eat or drink, walk or talk; how could they believe, He would inquire, that such figures had the power to help them. Abraham wanted to teach people about the one true God and to lead them away from idol worship. So angry did His father become at his Son for denying the gods of His people that he cast Him out from the family home.
Undeterred, Abraham continued to try to show the people the path to God. It is said that one day, to help them understand the powerlessness of their idols, He went to the place where they were kept when no one else was there and destroyed them all but one—the largest one. Later, when the people returned and saw the broken idols, they remembered what Abraham had been telling them and called for Him. “How could this happen,” they inquired. Abraham pointed to the one remaining idol and suggested that perhaps this one had destroyed the others. They need only ask the idol to find out, He stated. “But the idol cannot speak or move,” exclaimed the people. “How could it have destroyed the others? How can it tell us what happened?”
In response to their questions, Abraham called on them, as He had done many times before, to abandon their worship of such powerless idols and to follow the one true God, the Maker of all. Yet few would listen, and Abraham was brought before King Nimrod to be punished for destroying the idols. Upon hearing the accusations, Nimrod asked who this Mighty God was that Abraham had told his people to follow. Abraham’s answer was unequivocal: It is the one true God Who gives life and death to all. Nimrod responded boastfully that he, too, as king, could give life and death by his very command. But Abraham went on to explain that it is God Who makes the sun rise in the east. He asked Nimrod whether, as king, he could make the sun rise in the west instead. Nimrod grew so angry at this that he ordered Abraham be burned to death. Yet nothing he could do could harm Abraham, Who, protected by the Almighty, came through the fire uninjured.
At last Abraham was exiled from His native land. With His wife Sarah, His nephew Lot and a few others who had accepted the Message of one true God, Abraham set off from the place of His birth and headed westward. For many years they traveled, but Abraham never feared, for God had promised that He would guide Abraham to another land and that, from Him, would come forth a great nation. Eventually the small group reached a place called Canaan, which came to be known as the Promised Land or the Holy Land. This was the land on which, as God had ordained, the children of Abraham settled and prospered.
Based on the story of Abraham’s life, here are a few questions:
What do all the Manifestations teach us?
Is there any power greater than the power and majesty of God?
When human beings forget the power and greatness of God, their Creator, what do they often begin to worship instead of Him?
If we do not allow our hearts to be filled with the love of God, to what might they attach themselves instead?
To what does God want our hearts to be attached?
What Message did the Manifestation of God Abraham bring to His people thousands of years ago?
Did the people want to listen to His message?
Could any of the forces of opposition prevent the Message brought to humanity by Abraham from spreading?
“Idols” (figurines made of modeling clay) on a plate- one needs to be bigger then the others (towards the end of the story you will smash the other ones and leave the largest figurine- as part of the story)
Thehistorical episode for this lesson provides an account of the life of Abraham, focusing principally on the opposition He faced. You should decide before class how you will approach this period. What we have done is provide you with one long narrative written in a language accessible to you, but perhaps too difficult for the children. Whether you tell it as it is written or simplify it substantially, will depend on your students’ level of comprehension. You can also as we mentioned earlier, recount only part of the episode to them at any given time. However you choose to proceed, it is important to make it clear that no force no matter how powerful could prevent Abraham from achieving His mission and that His exile from the land of His birth became the cause of the progress of His descendants, who spread His teachings to many nations.
Manifestations of God have come to guide humanity throughout the ages, appearing in different places at various stages of history. Abraham, Whose name means “the father of nations”, was a Manifestation Who lived thousands of years ago. He was born at a time when few people believed in one God. Tradition tells that on the night that Abraham was born, his father had many guests, including the wise men of the court of King Nimrod. As the visitors left the house at dawn, they saw a large star rising in the east, which seemed to consume stars from the each of the four corners of the sky, by the way that it was rising.
The wise man believed this unusual occurrence must be a sign connected with the birth of Abraham, foretelling His great power. They decided to inform the king and went to see him at once. The most respected among them related to Nimrod what they had witnessed and what they believed to be the meaning of this wondrous sign. Fearing that the child would one day take power from him, Nimrod called for Abraham’s father and offered gold and silver in exchange for the baby. Upon hearing Nimrod’s command to surrender his son, Abraham’s father decided to pose a question to the king. Not long before, Nimrod had given him a beautiful horse. Another man now wished to buy the horse for a good price, and he asked the king what he should do. Nimrod’s advice was clear: How could he ever think of selling so unique and precious a gift from his king? How could gold and silver ever replace such a gift? To this, Abraham’s father responded: just as money could not replace the gift of a king, so could it never replace his own child. This argument temporarily satisfied the king, but Abraham’s father knew that Nimrod would continue to insist on claiming his Son. So for ten years he kept Abraham in hiding, long enough for the king and his wise men to forget about what had happened on the night of His birth.
Like most people at the time, Abraham’s family worshiped idols, that is, figures made of stone, wood, or clay (can have figures made of clay to show as an example). Idols had first been created as symbols of the attributes of God, for example, of love and justice, but these physical objects had gradually come to be seen as gods themselves. So people prayed to idols, believing that such figurines had the power to help and guide them, as well as to punish them. Some idols were even thought to represent powers in nature such as the sun, the moon, and the stars. Do you know what Abraham’s father did for a living? Abraham’s father made and sold idols, so Abraham was surrounded by them from childhood. When He was still young, however, it became clear to Him that such man-made objects had no powers, and He was drawn by Divine forces to seek the Source of the true power that guided humanity.
As the story is told, Abraham was a child when, observing the stars, the moon and the sun, He came to know that there was one God, the Creators of all things. Seeing the brilliance of a star one night, He said, “This is my Lord.” When it set, however, He said, “I love not those that set.” Seeing the moon rise in its great splendor, even brighter than the star, He said, “This is my Lord.” But it, too, set. When the sun rose, illuminating all around Him, Abraham praised its greatness in comparison to the moon and star. Yet it, too, set, and, at the moment, even as a young child, He knew that there was one true Creator, greater than all these powers, who had brought the world into being and that He, alone, should be worshipped. Abraham declared, “For me, I have set my face firmly and truly, towards Him, Who created the heavens and the earth, and never shall I give partners to God.”
As a young man, Abraham was sometimes asked to look after His father’s shop and help sell idols. Yet he took every opportunity to discourage people from buying them, pointing out that idols could not eat or drink, walk or talk; how could they believe, He would inquire, that such figures had the power to help them. Abraham wanted to teach people about the one true God and to lead them away from idol worship.
How do you think Abraham’s father reacted? Not very well. So angry did His father become at His son for denying the gods of His people that he cast Him out from the family home.
(Do you see how much detachment and reliance on God are needed in following the truth?)
Undeterred, Abraham continued to try to show the people the path to God. It is said that one day, to help them understand the powerlessness of the idols, He went to the place where they were kept when no one else was there.
Do you know what He did? He destroyed them all but one –the largest one. Later, when the people returned and saw the broken idols, they remembered what Abraham had been telling them and called for Him. How could this happen, they inquired. Abraham pointed to the one remaining idol and suggested that perhaps this one had destroyed the others. They need only ask the idol to find out, He stated. “But the idol cannot speak or move.” Exclaimed the people, “How could it have destroyed the others? How can it tell us what happened?”
In response to their questions, Abraham called on them, as He had done many times before, to abandon their worship of such powerless idols and to follow the one true God, the Maker of all. It seems simple to us, but at that time it was very hard for them to be detached and let go of the ideas they had formed in their heads. Few would listen and Abraham was brought before the King Nimrod to be punished for destroying the idols. Upon hearing the accusations Nimrod asked Who this Mighty God was that Abraham had told his people to follow. Abraham’s answer was unequivocal: it is the one true God Who gives life and death to all. Nimrod responded boastfully that he, too, as king, could give life and death by his very command. But Abraham went on to explain that it is God Who makes the sun rise in the east. He asked Nimrod whether, as king, he could make the sun rise in the west instead. Nimrod grew so angry at this that he ordered Abraham to be burned to death. Yet nothing he could do could harm Abraham, Who came through the fire uninjured. Of course, it was within the power of God to protect Abraham from any earthly affliction, but the Bahai Writings say that the fire that Nimrod enkindled burned in the hearts of men. It was the fire of animosity and hatred that he ignited against Abraham. But all that animosity and hatred could not prevent Him from proclaiming His message. At last Abraham was exiled from His native land.
Do you know what that means? He had to leave the land of His birth. With His wife Sarah, His nephew Lot and a few others who had accepted the Message of the one true God, Abraham set off from the place of His birth and headed westward. For many years they travelled, but Abraham never feared, for God had promised Him He would guide Abraham to another land and that, from Him, would come forth a great nation. Eventually the small group reached a place called Canaan, which came to be known as the Promised Land or the Holy Land. This was the land on which, as God had ordained, the children of Abraham would settle and prosper.
Abraham endured many hardships in the Promised Land, but He raised up a people which held firm to the belief that there is only one God, the Maker of all things. God blessed these people and assured Abraham that, through His descendants, people from many nations all over the world would one day recognize and worship their Creator.
And, of course all that God had decreed came to pass. He changes abasement, difficulties and hardships into glory! From one of Abraham’s sons, Isaac, descended the Hebrew people who followed the laws of God taught by Moses. Later Jesus Christ was born among them, and people of diverse backgrounds and nations followed His teachings. Another son, Ishmael, became the father of the Arab people who were transformed by the Word of God revealed by Muhammad. The Bab, Whose teachings paved the way for Bahaullah, was a descendent of Muhammad through Muhammad’s daughter Fatimih. And the family of Baha’u’llah, too, traces its roots back to Abraham. We will learn about all of these Manifestations of God later, but for now you can see how God’s promise to Abraham was fulfilled.
Story 4
Once there was a man named Abram. One day the Lord came to talk to Abram, and Abram asked, “Who will have all my things when I die”. God promised Abram and his wife Sarai that one day they would be parents, even though they were old and had no children. God wasn’t sure that Abram understood. So that night He took him outside, and said, “Do you see all the stars that are in the sky”? When Abram looked up, the whole night sky was full of stars, so many in fact that he would never be able to count them. Then God said, “That is how many children you will have”. Quite a few years later when Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord decided to change Abram’s name to Abraham, which means “father of many.” He also changed Sarai’s name to Sarah. God told them again that they would be parents and that they would have a boy. It was hard to believe that he and Sarah would have a child in their old age.
One day three visitors came to Abraham’s house. He hurried to meet them. “Please come in and join us, and have a rest on the couch.” The visitors agreed, so Abraham brought them some refreshments. While the visitors were eating, they asked Abraham, “Where is your wife Sarah?” Abraham thought this was a little strange, but he replied, “She’s in the other room”. Then one of the men spoke and said, “I will come back to see you at this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.” Now Sarah was listening behind the living room door. She started to laugh, but covered her mouth and laughed to herself because she didn’t want to be heard. Then she said to herself, “How can I have a child, I’m almost one hundred years old?” Later when the visitors had left, Abraham and Sarah realized that the man who had told them this was indeed God. A year later Sarah did have a son. She and Abraham named him Isaac, which means “he laughs.” and thanked God for Isaac.
FACTS ABOUT ABRAHAM
While the historical episode should serve as a means of reinforcing the theme of the lesson, providing the children with the opportunity to reflect on the concept of the oneness of God, there are a few facts related to the Person of Abraham that they should also know. Below is a list of these. In helping the children to learn them, you should take care to avoid overemphasizing the importance of this activity, making it appear to be the central purpose of the episode.
The name Abraham means “father of nations”.
Abraham appeared several thousand years ago in the city of Ur.
Abraham taught the oneness of God.
Abraham was opposed by many people and exiled from His native land.
Abraham set out from His native land and reached Canaan, which was the Promised Land.
Among Abraham’s descendants were the Manifestations of God Moses, Muḥammad, the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh.
Objective: For people of different skill levels to work toward a common goal
Materials: Need one very large rope for each group of 5 or 6 (climbing ropes work great) or several jump ropes tied together (to make it easier, you could have smaller groups of 3 people plus 2 holding the ends of the rope)
Description: Ask for two volunteers to turn the jump rope. Challenge the group to get as many people jumping at once as possible. You could have everyone start in the middle before the rope starts turning and it is turned for them to jump, or if they are up to the challenge, the group may decide to have everyone jump in while the rope is turning. Once everyone in the group has jumped once (if this occurs), challenge the group to jump as many consecutive times as possible as a group.
Discussion prompts: You may want to read these questions to students before the activity and say that you will be asked to reflect on them after the activity, or just highlight the need for patience, flexibility, inclusion and problem-solving.
If jumping rope is easy for you, did you get frustrated during this activity at all? Why or why not?
If jumping rope is difficult for you, how did you feel about this activity? Were your friends patient with you?
Is everyone who is on the same team always working at the same skill level?
How did you handle being on a team of people who have all different skill levels?
BASED ON STORY TWO
Like most people at the time, Abraham’s family worshipped idols, that is, figures made of stone, wood, or clay. Idols had first been created as symbols of the attributes of God, for example, love and justice, but these physical objects had gradually come to be seen as gods themselves. So people prayed to idols, believing that such figurines had the power to help and guide them, as well as to punish them.
CRAFT USING PLAY DOH PLASTICINE OR CLAY
Create some figures that you think might be idols that people used at the time of Abraham.
ADVANCED
Using a camera (phone is good) to create a stop motion animation to destroy the idols. Here is a good website to get you started. This is a great software to use on android devices. For Android, iPhone and iPad, this software is recommended, but a quick search can get you started using this great creative medium.
BASED ON STORY THREE: BUILD A HORSE.
This horse is assembled by slotting it together: Get the craft PDF to print and cut HERE
MAKE A HEART SUNCATCHER
This suncatcher is made with 2 hearts cut out and washi tape. The quote from the lesson was attached to the finished product. Template HERE. See this website for instructions.
Story 4: Picture of night sky
Remember the story of Abraham looking at the night sky and all the stars? This simple craft uses a black piece of paper (or be creative and paint the night sky) Then stick some gold star stickers or glue construction paper cut out stars. Add the phrase from story: God wasn’t sure that Abram understood. So that night He took him outside, and said, “Do you see all the stars that are in the sky”? When Abram looked up, the whole night sky was full of stars, so many in fact that he would never be able to count them. Then God said, “That is how many children you will have”
Wire Heart: Rob Ives
This is for anyone who wants a little challenge. Rob Ives (my favorite engineer!) See it in motion here Download HERE
Fill in the apples (either with photos or with names) to build a family tree. The child (and their siblings) go on the top of the tree. The next row is mom and dad and the bottom row is the two sets of grandparents. The apples are a separate template that you glue on, so different family structures can be represented.
Materials:
printer
paper
scissors
something to color with (if using the B&W template)
glue
marker
OPTIONAL: photos of the family members
Instructions:
print out the tree template and the apples template
color the template pieces and cut out the apples
OPTIONAL: glue a photo to the center of each apple
if you aren’t using photos, write the name of each family member in the center of the apple
Glue the apples onto the tree, starting with yourself (the child) at the top. Include siblings near the top as well.
The next row should include parents and the final row, grandparents.
OPTIONAL: print the “details” template for each family member.
have the children interview each family member to fill in the details about them (where they were born, their brothers and sisters, etc)
make a family tree booklet with the family tree on the front and the details sheets for each family member following.
There are 4 PRAYERS to memorize, These can be chosen in any order
Here are all the prayers:
1. “Glory be to Thee, O Lord my God! Make manifest the rivers of Thy sovereign might, that the waters of Thy Unity may flow through the inmost realities of all things, in such wise that the banner of Thine unfailing guidance may be raised aloft in the kingdom of Thy command and the stars of Thy divine splendor may shine brightly in the heaven of Thy majesty. Potent art Thou to do what pleaseth Thee. Thou, verily, art the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.
2. I beseech Thee, O my God, by all the transcendent glory of Thy Name, to clothe Thy loved ones in the robe of justice and to illumine their beings with the light of trustworthiness. Thou art the One that hath power to do as He pleaseth and Who holdeth within His grasp the reins of all things, visible and invisible.
3. I have wakened in Thy shelter, O my God, and it becometh him that seeketh that shelter to abide within the Sanctuary of Thy protection and the Stronghold of Thy defense. Illumine my inner being, O my Lord, with the splendors of the Dayspring of Thy Revelation, even as Thou didst illumine my outer being with the morning light of Thy favor.
4. O my God, my Master, the Goal of my desire! This, Thy servant, seeketh to sleep in the shelter of Thy mercy, and to repose beneath the canopy of Thy grace, imploring Thy care and Thy protection. I beg of Thee, O my Lord, by Thine eye that sleepeth not, to guard mine eyes from beholding aught beside Thee. Strengthen, then, their vision that they may discern Thy signs, and behold the Horizon of Thy Revelation. Thou art He before the revelations of Whose omnipotence the quintessence of power hath trembled. No God is there but Thee, the Almighty, the All-Subduing, the Unconditioned.
Here are all 7 quotes for this second set:
He is, and hath from everlasting been, one and alone, without peer or equal, eternal in the past, eternal in the future, detached from all things, ever-abiding, unchangeable, and self-subsisting.
Be not forgetful of the law of God in whatever thou desirest to achieve, now or in the days to come. Say: Praise be to God, the Lord of all worlds!
We summon you to God, We remind you of His Day, We announce unto you tidings of your reunion with Him, We draw you nigh unto His court, and send down upon you tokens of His wondrous wisdom . . .
Say: O children of dust! He Who is the Spirit of Purity saith: In this glorious Day whatsoever can purge you from defilement and ensure your peace and tranquility, that indeed is the straight Path, the Path that leadeth unto Me.
A good character is, verily, the best mantle for men from God. With it He adorneth the temples of His loved ones. By My life! The light of a good character surpasseth the light of the sun and the radiance thereof.
The fundamental purpose animating the Faith of God and His Religion is to safeguard the interests and promote the unity of the human race, and to foster the spirit of love and fellowship amongst men.
The source of all good is trust in God, submission unto His command, and contentment with His holy will and pleasure.
The lessons are divided into the same sections as previous lessons: Welcome, Prayer, Song, Quote, Story, Facts about, Games/Narration, Craft/ Activities, Review Quote
The story will be focused on the Manifestation for that lesson. The crafts/ activities will try to reinforce the learning in a fun creative manner.
Quick links to lessons in this set
Lesson 4:Abraham and the Oneness of God Lesson 5:Moses and the Laws of God Lesson 6:Krishna and God’s Renewal of Religion Lesson 7:Buddha and the Way to True Happiness Lesson 8:Zoroaster and the Importance of Good Character Lesson 9:Jesus Christ and Divine Love Lesson 10:Muhammad and Submission to the Will of God
LESSON 3: THE PROMISE OF UNIVERSAL PEACE MADE BY ALL THE MANIFESTATIONS OF GOD HAS BEEN FULFILLED BY BAHA’U’LLAH
Let us take a minute to review what we have studied so far
What is meant by “manifestation”?
You have already learned that the Manifestations of God are very special Beings Who come from time to time to guide humanity.
What is meant by the phrase ‘To manifest something?
It is to show forth its qualities.
Manifestations of God reflect the attributes of God as a mirror reflects the light of the sun. Through them, we learn about God and His attributes
What are some of the attributes of God mentioned in the previous classes?We have also learned that the Manifestations of God shed the light of God upon humanity.When there is light, we are able to see, are we not?
The light that the Manifestations bring is the light of the knowledge of God. It enables us to understand how He wants us to live and to behave towards one another. We know that, when we follow their teachings, the capacities God has given us—like the capacity to love, to forgive, to be merciful— develop. We grow spiritually and help the world become as He created it to be. It is our love for the beauty of God that makes us want to follow His commandments as given to us through His Manifestations.
We could say that God’s Manifestations are like Divine Teachers, or Educators, Who have appeared all throughout history among diverse peoples. Soon we are going to learn about the lives and teachings of some of these Manifestations and see how they have all come for the purpose of educating people and establishing bonds of unity and love among them. But there is another important message they all brought. Each One has given the promise that a time would eventually come when all humanity would learn how to live in peace and happiness. Injustice, hatred, and war would disappear, and the nations of the world would join in friendship. For centuries, people everywhere have anxiously awaited this Promised Day of God. We are fortunate, indeed, to know that this new Day has dawned and that the time to build a new world has come. So special is this Day that God sent not one but two Manifestations to guide humanity to His Kingdom: the Báb appeared first to prepare the way for the coming of the Promised One of All Ages, Bahá’u’lláh, Whose teachings will enable humanity to do away with war and establish lasting peace. The Báb and Bahá’u’lláh are the Twin Manifestations of God for today.
Remember, we are memorizing the prayer below.
O Thou Whose face is the object of my adoration, Whose beauty is my sanctuary, Whose habitation is my goal, Whose praise is my hope, Whose providence is my companion, Whose love is the cause of my being, Whose mention is my solace, Whose nearness is my desire, Whose presence is my dearest wish and highest aspiration, I entreat Thee not to withhold from me the things Thou didst ordain for the chosen ones among Thy servants. Supply me, then, with the good of this world and of the next. Thou, truly, art the King of all men. There is no God but Thee, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Generous. Bahá’u’lláh
WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO SAY A PRAYER?
SEND A POSTCARD
You can send the postcard as an email attachment or send it to your local printing service. Download Postcard HERE
Memorization Aid:
Cut the prayer apart like a puzzle and put it back together
Teaching Peace
The Promised One of All Ages
The time foreordained unto the peoples and kindreds of the earth is now come. The promises of God, as recorded in the Holy Scriptures have all been fulfilled.
Bahá’u’lláh
Meaning of Words in the Quote
Match the word to the meaning 1. Fill in the blanks 2
Use the worksheet for any words you are not sure of in the quote. Download here
HOW DO WE KNOW THAT BAHA’U’LLAH HAS BEEN FOREORDAINED?
If we look at the stories and promises in all the Holy writings, there are promises and hints of Baha’u’llahs coming
Note that in this lesson, there are 8 Vignettes. Download all here
We can look at all the passages in the different books that foretold the coming of Baha’u’llah but we will do that later.
First Who is Baha’ullah? Bahá’u’lláh, which means the glory of God in Arabic
Around the time of the appearance of God’s Manifestation, certain souls become aware that a New Day in the life of humanity is approaching. They come to know that marvelous teachings are soon to be revealed to guide humanity and help it progress. And then, after the new Manifestation has declared His Mission, as His Message begins to spread to regions near and far, there are many other special souls who, ardently searching for the truth, embrace His Cause and form the community of His first few followers among their people. In this Day, when the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh have spread to every corner of the world, there are numerous stories of such souls from every nationality and background. Let us read some of these stories now, and I am sure that we read and hear many more of these later.
Vignette 1
Before the Báb declared His Mission, several people around the world knew deep in their hearts that the Promised Qá’im—He who ariseth—would soon appear. One of these saintly personages was Siyyid Káẓim. Siyyid Káẓim, who was renowned for his knowledge, had many students whom he was preparing for the coming of the long- awaited Qá’im. He taught them to purify their hearts, rid themselves of the superstitions that would prevent them from recognizing Him, and pray ardently to attain His presence. As to the Person of the Manifestation, he told them that He was of medium height, abstained from smoking, and was of extreme devoutness and piety. He was a descendant of the Prophet Muḥammad, young in age, and possessed of innate knowledge. “My knowledge,” he would say, “is but a drop compared with the immensity of His knowledge; my attainments a speck of dust in the face of the wonders of His grace and power. Nay, immeasurable is the difference.”
Now, Siyyid Káẓim lived in the city of Karbilá, and very early one morning he called one of his students to his presence and asked him to accompany him on a visit to a highly esteemed and distinguished Person Who had arrived in the city. Walking through the streets of Karbilá, they soon reached a house, at the door of which stood a Youth Who seemed to expect their arrival. He wore a green turban, a sign that He was a descendant of the Prophet Muḥammad, and had a face that showed great humility and kindness. He quietly approached the two visitors, extended His arms towards Siyyid Káẓim and lovingly embraced him. He led the two to a room in the upper floor of the house that was filled with flowers and their beautiful fragrance. The Host asked His two guests to be seated. Have you already guessed that this youthful Host was none other than the Báb? He had come from Persia to Karbilá to visit the holy sites in that city. After His guests were seated, He handed Siyyid Káẓim a silver cup and said, quoting a verse from the Holy Qur’án: “A drink of a pure beverage shall their Lord give them.” He then handed Siyyid Káẓim’s student a cup of beverage as well. No further words were spoken, and when His guests had finished refreshing themselves, He rose from His seat, accompanied them to the door of the house, and said farewell. Of course the student of Siyyid Káẓim was not aware of the station of the Báb at the time, but he was struck by His dignity and marveled at the degree of reverence shown to Him by Siyyid Káẓim. Then another event happened that served to deepen his sense of wonder even further. “Three days later,” the student explained, “I saw that same Youth arrive and take His seat in the midst of the company of the assembled disciples of Siyyid Káẓim. He sat close to the threshold, and with the same modesty and dignity of bearing listened to the discourse of the Siyyid.” But, as soon as Siyyid Káẓim saw the Youth, the student went on, he “discontinued his address and held his peace.” One of his other students begged him to continue. “What more shall I say?” replied Siyyid Káẓim, looking towards the Báb. “Lo, the Truth is more manifest than the ray of light that has fallen upon that lap!” The student immediately observed that the ray to which Siyyid Káẓim referred had fallen upon the lap of that same Youth Whom they had recently visited.
Siyyid Káẓim passed away on 31 December 1843 and left behind him “a band of earnest and devoted disciples” who set out in quest of the Promised Qá’im. Among them was Mullá Ḥusayn who, five months later, would meet the Báb at the gate of the city of Shíráz and become His first follower.
Vignette 2:
You know that, in the early days of the Faith in Persia, the believers were persecuted because they accepted the Báb and His teachings. They were often ridiculed and beaten by those who blindly followed their power-hungry leaders. On one such occasion a believer was so badly beaten that he could barely drag himself to the outskirts of the town where exhausted, he fell asleep. While sleeping, he had a dream about a great Personage. Though he had never seen or met this Personage before, he was sure that He was the Promised One foretold by the Báb. In the dream this Holy Being addressed him with these words: “Despite the injuries heaped upon you, We extended Our protection that you might remain alive. Be not grieved, and come to Us in Baghdád.”
“But I have no money,” the man replied,
“nor am I able to stand on my feet.”
“You surely rely upon God,” were His next words.
“I have always relied upon God,” was his answer.
At that moment the man awoke, and to his great surprise, he saw a group of travelers that had set up camp on the banks of a nearby river. Just then, he spotted someone emerge from one of the tents and make his way over to him. He was asked to come to the camp, which he accepted to do, though still weak from his injuries. Entering the tent, he found a distinguished gentleman who asked him to be seated and who then explained that, during the night, he had had a dream in which a Holy Man had given him the responsibility to care for someone whose face and appearance was exactly like this believer’s. He had been told that he should show this person the utmost hospitality and invite him to accompany him on his travels to Karbilá. “So, you are my guest as far as Karbilá,” the distinguished man announced, and soon they set off on their way. When the group of travelers reached Baghdád, the believer informed his distinguished host, “This is where we part.” He thanked him for his invitation to continue on to Karbilá but explained that he, too, had had a dream of the same blessed Personage. This Personage, he said, had invited him to come to Baghdád. And so he bade his host farewell, and they parted company. Not knowing where to look for the Promised One, the believer went immediately in search of the Báb’s followers in the city. At that time, Bahá’u’lláh had not yet declared His Mission to the generality of the believers, and so they remained unaware of His great station. Can you imagine, then, the joy this believer felt when he saw Bahá’u’lláh and recognized Him as the Holy Personage of his dream? His entire being was filled with unspeakable gratitude and happiness. Having been willing to accept death in the path of the Cause of God, he had been given a new life and had been led by the Hand of the Almighty directly into the presence of the Beloved of all hearts.
Vignette 3:
The small village in Persia where Mihrabán Rustam Bulbulán was born was a quiet place, and the people there led a quiet life. Many were farmers, as were the father of Mihrabán and his father before him. As a child Mihrabán spent more time in the fields than he did in school. For a couple of years, he went regularly to the Zoroastrian temple, where he learned the alphabet and committed some prayers to memory. But that was all the education he received.
As a young man Mihrabán began to work in the fields himself, and from that time on, he had the same routine every day, summer and winter: at the first light he would go to his fields, and there he would remain until sunset, tilling the land and tending to his crops. Mihrabán had a strong faith in God and often thought about His Will and Purpose. He would look up at the sky and marvel at the greatness of the universe. The beauty he saw in nature confirmed his devotion to God, the Unseen. He would visit the Zoroastrian temple and would pray with the full intensity of heart and soul. At times he would ask the priests questions about God, about the Prophet Zoroaster, and about the coming of the Promised One of All Ages that Zoroaster had foretold. But Mihrabán found the replies given by the priests confusing. Occasionally doubts would arise in his mind: “Will the Promised One come? Will He come only to free the Zoroastrians who are so ill treated in this country? Or will the Promised One at long last unite all of humankind?” Then, one afternoon, something most unusual happened. While he was working on the land, Mihrabán noticed two men running towards him. They were clearly in distress. “Save our lives,” they pleaded to him. “Give us asylum; we are being pursued by assassins.” Without a word, he took them into his barn, showed them a place to hide, and then locked the door. No sooner had he done so than an angry mob appeared. They asked Mihrabán about the two strangers, but seeing the hatred in their eyes, he said nothing, and they left. Towards dawn, while it was still dark, the two strangers borrowed Mihrabán’s donkey and, thanking him for his kindness, safely set off. To his surprise, they returned the next day in order to pay him for the animal, but he would not accept the money and gave the donkey to them as a gift. He then asked them why they had been hounded and pursued. They explained that they were followers of Bahá’u’lláh, the Manifestation of God Who was exiled and imprisoned in ‘Akká; in fact, they were going to travel to that city to seek His blessing. Mihrabán was puzzled by their explanation, but his heart was touched and he told them: “When you reach your destination, be so good as to remember me to Him, as well.” Now, after a long and difficult journey, the two men finally reached ‘Akká and attained the presence of Bahá’u’lláh. For several glorious days, they listened to His words. They also gave Bahá’u’lláh messages from some of His followers in Persia who were unable to visit Him themselves. When they sought Bahá’u’lláh’s permission to return home to Persia, He astonished them by saying: “But you did not deliver unto Us all that with which you were entrusted.” “What was meant by that statement?” the two asked themselves. Had they not faithfully delivered all the messages given to them? What was it they had forgotten? The two men thought and thought throughout the night and, at last, one of them recalled the Zoroastrian farmer who had saved their lives and had requested to be remembered to the Blessed Beauty. They hastened to Bahá’u’lláh the next day and told Him the whole story of Mihrabán’s act of kindness. The compassionate heart of Bahá’u’lláh was moved. One who wishes to love God, He told the two men, must show love to the friends of God; Mihrabán had extended love spontaneously to these two and had risked his own life to protect them without thought of favor or reward. And then Bahá’u’lláh revealed a Tablet for Mihrabán and arranged for it to be sent to him.
With these words did the Tablet end:
“Thy name was mentioned before Us and We have remembered thee in Our Tablet. This remembrance is like unto a sapling that We have planted with the hand of loving-kindness. Erelong will it grow verdant and flourishing, laden with abundant fruits. Thus hath the Lord God ordained, and thus hath He shown the way. “He is the Mighty, the Seeing, the Lord of Utterance and Wisdom.”
And so it was that Mihrabán came to recognize the Promised One and began to follow the teachings of a new age. He eventually settled in India and lived to be some eighty years old, long enough to witness the gradual expansion of the Faith of Bahá’u’lláh in that vast land and the emergence of a strong community of His followers.
Vignette 4:
Ellen McBride Moore was born in a small rural town in the United States in 1843 when, throughout the world, there was a spirit of excitement. Many people believed that a new day would soon be dawning in the life of humanity, and they eagerly searched for the Promised One Who would bring a new Message from God. In the United States, one group even awaited His appearance at a specific date and place. When He did not appear there, as they had predicted, some became disheartened. But the spirit of a new age did not die, and many still felt that there was great change ahead. Ellen McBride Moore grew up to be one of these people.
Ellen had a highly inquisitive mind and was full of questions: Had a new Manifestation of God already appeared? Had He gone unrecognized? Was He perhaps living somewhere on earth? She longed to know the truth. Later, after she had married and was raising children, she would often ask questions at the church attended by her family. But her questions did not make the pastor of the church very happy. One day he visited her home and spoke to her husband. “There are some things that are very difficult to answer,” said the pastor. In those days, women were expected to sit quietly, and the pastor asked her husband to make sure that Ellen no longer bothered others with her questions. Ellen agreed, and she kept silent from then on. However, she was pregnant at the time, and she prayed that the child she carried in her womb would be given the chance to speak out and to know the truth. The baby, a beautiful girl, was the sixth of ten children. Her parents named her Louisa, but everyone called her Lua. Lua was intelligent and inquisitive, like her mother. She had a beautiful singing voice, and when she was about twenty years old, she was encouraged to study theater. For some reason that she could not explain, she chose to study in Chicago, a large city very far from her home. There, she spent any free time she had searching for a faith that would satisfy her spiritual longing. She went to many churches and different societies that studied spirituality and philosophy. Though she did not find any that quenched her thirst for truth, she never became discouraged.
Then, when Lua was twenty-two years old, a most important meeting took place in Chicago: the World’s Parliament of Religions. Some two hundred speakers from across the globe were invited to give presentations at that event. Most of them were Christian ministers, but several other religions were also represented. There a paper written by a Christian missionary in Syria was read that made mention of Bahá’u’lláh, a “Persian sage” that had died a few months prior to the gathering. The words of Bahá’u’lláh were quoted: “That all nations should become one in faith and all men as brothers; that bonds of affection and unity between the sons of men should be strengthened; that diversity of religion should cease, and differences of race be annulled—what harm is there in this?
. . . Yet so it shall be; these fruitless strifes, these ruinous wars shall pass away, and the ‘Most Great Peace’ shall come . . .”
Lua happened upon a newspaper reporting the event. Almost immediately, she set out to learn more about this great Personage, Bahá’u’lláh. Soon an opportunity came for her to study the Faith systematically, and all the questions she had carried in her heart were answered, one after the other: Bahá’u’lláh was, indeed, the Manifestation that her mother had encouraged her to search for and find. Lua’s love for Bahá’u’lláh grew day by day, and she eventually became a great teacher of the Faith. One of the first things she did, of course, was to return home to her mother and share with her the good news that she had long awaited, that God’s new Manifestation had appeared. Ellen McBride Moore’s prayers had been answered.
A Video Story About Lua
Vignette 5:
Everything in his life seemed to have prepared Cao Yunxiang for the day when Martha Root came to visit him and his wife in Beijing in 1923. He was then President of what would become one of the most high-ranking universities in China. What he heard from Martha Root that day opened before him a wider path of service to his country.
Not long after Cao Yunxiang was born, great changes began to sweep across China. People there were looking for new ways for this ancient country to organize its affairs. With bright hopes for the future of their homeland, many Chinese students wished to attend universities abroad in order to learn new things and acquire new knowledge. Thousands took exams for this purpose, but so accomplished was Cao Yunxiang as a student that he did not need to do so; he was given the opportunity to study at a prestigious university in America because of his great ability and remarkable intellect.
After seven years of study, when he completed his degree in 1914, Cao Yunxiang had to choose from among the many possibilities to serve his country. He decided that his best choice was a position at a college in Beijing. But he was asked by his government to go to the United Kingdom, instead, to represent his country, and he dutifully set out for London. While there, Cao Yunxiang married a lovely lady who, like him, was greatly interested in the betterment of society. After another five years abroad, when his mission in London was completed, he once again looked forward to returning home; but, again, it was not to be so. Now he was asked to go to Copenhagen in Denmark, and he dutifully went off to that country as requested.
Another two years would pass before his dream of settling in China was realized. Finally in 1922, back in Beijing after some fifteen years, Cao Yunxiang was appointed President of Tsinghua and he set about to reorganize it into a fully-fledged university. It was to this college in 1923 that Martha Root went to visit its President and his wife. Perhaps you know that Martha Root was one of the early Bahá’ís of the West known for her heroic deeds and courage. Today, when the Bahá’í Faith is well known, it is easy to reach people of all walks of life and give them the Message of Bahá’u’lláh. In those early days, scarcely anyone knew about the Faith, and it took a great deal of courage to proclaim the Cause, especially to influential and prominent people. But, with complete trust in God, she went to speak to Cao Yunxiang and his wife about the Bahá’í Faith, and they listened most attentively. Cao Yunxiang realized at once how essential were the Bahá’í teachings for the progress of the world. His service to his country now had new meaning. He continued to serve China in whatever way he could, but the advancement of the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh in the land he loved so much was foremost on his mind. He wrote this around that time: “After studying the Bahá’í Faith,” he said, “and the reviving effect it produces over the heart and mind of man, I came to the conclusion that the only way to regenerate China is to introduce the Bahá’í teachings to China, and therefore I began to translate the Bahá’í books into Chinese, so that the Chinese nation may be benefited too by this heavenly Manifestation. That is why every day after leaving my office, though very tired, I go home and start working on the translations of the Bahá’í teachings, and usually I forget that I am tired.”
When Max Kanyerezi was a sixteen-year-old student in Uganda, a country in the eastern part of the vast African continent, he had a most vivid and striking dream. He had the dream not only once, but two times during the very same night. In the dream, Max saw a large figure looming upwards who started to roll up the earth, as one would roll up a newspaper. People were running in panic. Meanwhile, three officials sat on a hill where people were to register in the “Book of Life”. In the dream, young Max approached the table where they were writing down names. The eldest said to him, “Go and learn to register your friends, thereafter you will also be registered.”
It was 1934 at the time, and Max was convinced that the dream held profound significance. He was sure that it was some kind of divine calling. The phrase “divine calling” refers to the belief, very deep in one’s heart, that God is calling one to service. Of course, in those days, the Bahá’í Faith had not yet reached that part of Africa and no one there knew about the appearance of God’s new Manifestation. So Max thought that perhaps the dream meant he should become a Christian minister like his father. He decided to follow in his father’s footsteps, but it soon became clear that this was not the path for him. He then tried to become a farmer, but that, too, did not seem to go well. And so he eventually left his home and went to Kampala, the capital of Uganda, where he found a job as a clerk in an office. Though he was happy in his work, the vivid scene that he had dreamt when he was sixteen years old never left him. “What was the true meaning of the dream?” he wondered.
Then, one morning in 1952, nearly twenty years after he had had that dream, a co-worker in his office told him about a new Faith. This new Faith, the co-worker said, accepted the teachings of all other religions. Soon Max learned that one of his own relatives knew about this Faith, and they happened, by chance, to meet each other. Of course, by now, Max was very eager to hear more, and so he gladly went with his relative to the home of Bahá’ís who had recently arrived in Kampala. He was struck by their kindness, and immense joy filled his heart in the days and weeks that followed as he learned from them about the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh. During one particular meeting, which lasted from 9:00 one morning until 3:00 of the next morning (eighteen hours!), Max had all of his questions answered to his satisfaction. He soon declared his belief in Bahá’u’lláh—the seventh soul in Africa to recognize God’s Manifestation during the first great surge of growth of the Faith that swept across the continent. Of course, you have already realized that Max’s dream so many years before had readied him to receive the divine Message. His heart was open, and the words of Bahá’u’lláh immediately touched it, setting it aglow with the fire of the love of God. Not long after Max’s declaration of faith, he left Uganda and went to a nearby country to look for other ready souls, as envisioned in the dream, to share with them the good news that Bahá’u’lláh had appeared to do away with war and hatred and to establish a new and just world order. “By My Self!” are Bahá’u’lláh’s words. “The day is approaching when We will have rolled up the world and all that is therein and spread out a new order in its stead.”
High up in the Andes Mountains in Bolivia live the Aymara people. They have lived in the Andes for hundreds of years, long before the Spanish arrived. Someday you may learn more about the history of Bolivia, but for now you should know that the Aymara people were able to maintain their identity and culture, even though they had a difficult life and suffered greatly when the newcomers came and took over the land and resources. They were treated cruelly on what was once their land, struggling to survive and suffering from injustice.
In the 1950s, there were many villages of Aymara people scattered throughout the mountains. As part of the organization of their communities, the people chose worthy men to act as their mayors to guide them. Their authority was exercised through signed and sealed papers given to each mayor by Toribio Miranda. A wise man who lived on the shores of Lake Poopό up in the mountains, Toribio Miranda was revered by the Aymara people. They considered him a spiritual father, one who counseled them on their daily living habits: to be pure and clean and to abandon drinking, smoking, and chewing the coca leaves, which seemed to give them a temporary sense of well-being and caused them to forget their constant hunger.
In the village of Vilacollo, a man by the name of Andrés Jachakollo Ticona was elected the mayor, and he took the responsibility of mayor very seriously indeed. He always felt a sense of spiritual destiny while searching for a better way of life for his people. By “destiny” is meant something that is sure to happen in the future, and Andrés would often visit Miranda on the shores of Lake Poopό and discuss with him the destiny of the Aymara people. They both believed that someday the terrible oppression brought by the newcomers would end and that God, their Creator, would come to their aid.
Then, one day in April in 1956, Andrés visited the city of La Paz with two others. While wandering about, he happened to read a poster outside the Bahá’í Center which read “Universal Teachings for This Day”. Could this be the answer that he sought for his people? Inquisitive, Andrés rang the doorbell. He and his two friends were invited inside, and there he had the bounty of hearing for the first time about the Bahá’í Faith. Gradually, in the weeks that followed, Andrés learned about Bahá’u’lláh and His teachings, which centered on the oneness of humanity. In His teachings, Andrés soon came to realize, the religion of their ancestors found its fulfillment. He knew in his heart that he had, at long last, reached his goal.
So what do you think Andrés decided to do next? He invited some Bahá’í teachers to visit his village of Vilacollo, and most of the community accepted the Faith. But his dedication to his new Faith did not end there. He and others set out on foot to travel the Andes Mountains and to bring Bahá’u’lláh’s Message to community after community. And the number of Bahá’ís among the Aymara people continually grew. In 1963, Andrés attended the Bahá’í World Congress in London, at which were gathered some six thousand Bahá’ís from across the globe to celebrate the one-hundred-year anniversary of Bahá’u’lláh’s Declaration. Those who were at the conference could never forget the man from Bolivia, dressed in Aymara clothing, who arose and addressed the gathering with a powerful voice: “Why have we come? We have come to remember the centenary of the Declaration of Bahá’u’lláh calling for the unity of all nations and all races.” In his attendance at that great gathering, and in the service he rendered to the Cause for the remainder of his life, Andrés Jachakollo stood as a symbol of the power of the Faith of Bahá’u’lláh to bring all of humanity together as one family.
Vignette 8:
Everyone in Stanley’s village in Papua New Guinea is a member of the Bahá’í community. Papua New Guinea is a country in the Pacific Ocean, and Stanley’s village is somewhat difficult to reach. During the generation of his parents, the entire village had recognized Bahá’u’lláh as God’s Manifestation for today and had accepted the Faith. How do you think they all found the truth and recognized it so easily? Well, many years before, the village elders had, through dreams and visions, foretold the coming of a new religion. This new religion, they had said, would unite all people and help them to live as one; it would enable all people to participate in decision-making and would have nine leaders as its head. The elders had prepared the people of the village for the arrival of such a religion. And so they waited and waited. Then one day a Bahá’í came, and he told them about the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh, Who had come to unite humanity, and about the Bahá’í community, which was guided by the Universal House of Justice, a body made up of nine members. And, of course, they immediately understood that this was the religion foretold by their ancestors.
Create a cootie catcher. Once it is colored and cut out, enjoy playing with friends. There are many free templates and printables online. Here is one from leap of faith website
This activity is based on Story 1 and the theme of PURITY OF HEART: Homemade water filter
When we are seeking truth, we need to purify our thoughts and hearts like the first people who were seeking the Promised Qá’im. We know that one way we purify ourselves is by prayer. It is like when we purify any physical substance, the dirt,(negative thoughts) is eliminated and the pure thoughts are filtered through. Let us make a homemade filter for purifying dirty water. we can try different materials to see what works best. Just like when we are looking for ways to purify our thoughts and hearts, we need to find the perfect combination.
dirty water (suggested tapwater with coffee grounds, old tea leaves, oil etc to muddy it up a bit)
flat surface for working
clear plastic 2L pop bottles
gravel and rocks
Suggested filtering items
sand
rocks
porous clay
potting soil
dirt
clothing
sawdust
wood chips
cotton balls
silt
alum
coffee filters
powdered charcoal
Key Questions Relate these questions back to the spiritual process
What does the water look like before and after filtration?
Which filtration system made the clearest end water? Why?
What would happen if we filtered the water a second time?
What To Do
Preparation
Cut all pop bottles off 4 inches below the mouth.
Place the top of the bottle upside down in the bottom section of the bottle (like a funnel.)
Place a few gravel rocks at the bottom of the funnel to close the gap from the cap.
Set-up
on a flat surface, place dirty water, one cut and prepared pop bottle with gravel, and equal amounts of all available filtering items.
Divide the class if meeting in person or all kids can do on their own.
Challenge
As a group, (or on your own) come up with a filtering system to turn the dirty water in the pail into the clearest sample.
Use the pop bottle funnel as your basic structure and use any of the items on the table as filtering devices.
You can use more than one, but you get only one chance at filtering the water.
Once all groups have completed their filtering system, watch one group at a time and test how effective their system is for clarifying the water.
Craft based on peace: print the peace house and assemble: download here
Theme SEARCH Can be used for other themes like peace:: Make an I SPY bottle based on a PEACE theme or go with the SEARCH theme of the stories
Items needed for an I SPY craft
Container:- Can be a bottle with a lid or a plastic Ziplock bag
Filler – Sand, Rice works well
Items (try to relate them used in search) – paperclip, safety pin, rubberband, red beans, beads, dice, small wooden clothespins, thumbtack, googly eye, penny, eraser, marble, seashell, small toy, toothpick.
tag- list of all items put in the bottle will go on the tag
String for tag
Hot Glue (OPTIONAL)
Funnel
To make:
Add all items to the bottle or bag. As the child is putting the item, say how this relates to the search process.
Use the funnel to fill the bottle with sand
Use hot glue on the bottle cap to seal shut. (optional)
Add the tag with the item list to the bottle.
Challenge each other to find an item.
Here are some of the items I included:
Heart shape to represent a pure heart when searching
Gems to represent the gems of wisdom you find along the way.
Paper clip to represent the need to hold and organize your findings.
A piece of stick to represent a walking stick for the long-distance walking
A small toy car/bike to represent a means of transport for those long distances you may need to travel
Small stone to represent leaving no stone unturned in the search.
Googly Eyes represents to be observant
Rubberband to represent be flexible in your outlook
Penny as you will need funds along the way
File to help you get rid of rough patches along the way
The letters of the word FRIEND to find as you are sure to find them in your search
Magnet to help attract like-minded people in your search
CRAFT SUGGESTIONS: Make a Dream Catcher Based on a couple of stories in this lesson about dreams make a dream catcher or decorate a dream journal and write your dreams
Choose one of the stories and draw a scene that you love
The 8 stories cover events and people from Iran, China, Africa, the USA, South America, Papua New Guinea. Draw or make something from each of these regions
“So powerful is the light of unity that it can illuminate the whole earth.”
overlap is seen here on the left end….
