Tag: Lesson 7

Seeking the Knowledge of God G2 L7

Post author By Carolyn
Post date October 10, 2022
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LESSON 7: Seeking the Knowledge of God

Through the ages, Messengers of God have appeared when we need them the most in order to guide us and give us more knowledge about God.

All the past Manifestations of God foretold the coming of the Day of God, a day when the peoples of the world would be united when wars and misery would disappear, and peace would be established on earth. Such prophecies, of course, point to the advent of Bahá’u’lláh. So potent is the measure of God’s bounty in this Day, and so excellent are the favors that are being showered upon humanity, that we have been blessed by two Manifestations of God, the Báb appearing only nine years before Bahá’u’lláh.

In seeking knowledge about God, we can read the Holy writings, ask questions, look at nature, and even explore spiritual concepts using science to help us figure stuff out.

We strive to obey the commandments of God, with our words and deeds. We pray to Him to guide us and bring us closer to Him.

Knowledge of God is intimately connected to love for Him

How do we get to know God?

We know God through those Special Beings that He sends to humanity from time to time Who brings us His laws and teachings. These Special Beings come when humanity need help the most
By listening to the Words of the Manifestation of God for today
By studying His laws and teachings and applying them to our lives, we DRAW CLOSER TO GOD.
By observing nature all around us
By meditating, praying, and listening for the answer

Searching for God

Abdu’l-Baha explains that, when we look at the world, we see the signs of God’s perfections everywhere. As we think about His words and try to understand their meaning, we are able to see God’s tokens and signs all around us. The sun shines and gives light, warmth, and life to the world, reminding us of the love of God, without which we would perish. The rain falls on the earth just as the bounties of God are continuously showered upon our souls. A mountain rises towards the heavens calling to mind His majesty and grandeur.

When we start our search, we must purify our hearts,. We must open our hearts to the truth. We must not let “veils” get in the way of our search. Does anyone know what type of Veils could prevent us from finding God?

Here are a few examples:

We think we know everything
We think we are smarter than everyone else
We are not detached
We…

For lessons 8 and 9 we will continue to memorize the prayer below

O my Lord! Make Thy beauty to be my food, and Thy presence my drink, and Thy pleasure my hope, and praise of Thee my action, and remembrance of Thee my companion, and the power of Thy sovereignty my succorer, and Thy habitation my home, and my dwelling-place the seat Thou hast sanctified from the limitations
imposed upon them who are shut out as by a veil from Thee. Thou art, verily, the Almighty, the All-Glorious, the Most Powerful.
Bahá’u’lláh

This prayer is talking about feeding our spirit with God’s guidance, love and light. Having our actions praise of God and that God is our companion on the journey of our life. He is with us at all times- we are NEVER alone.

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The following ideas will help you formulate your introduction to the quotation for today’s lesson:

Throughout our lives, we strive to obey the commandments of God and to reflect in all our actions qualities such as love, justice, humility and generosity, praying to Him daily to guide us and to strengthen us. We are also dedicated to seeking knowledge of God and of His creation in all that we do. As our knowledge of God increases, so does our love for Him. But what does it mean to gain knowledge of God? We know God through those Special Beings that He sends to humanity from time to time Who bring us His laws and teachings. By listening to the words of the Manifestation of God for today, by studying His laws and teachings and applying them to our lives, we draw closer to God. Of course, we also have to learn more and more about God’s creation and do our best to study the universe and understand its workings. And as we do so, we see that every created thing speaks to us of God’s greatness and glory.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá explains that, when we look at the world, we see the signs of God’s perfections everywhere. As we reflect on His words and try to understand their meaning, we are able to discern God’s tokens and signs all around us. The sun shines and gives light, warmth and life to the world, reminding us of the love of God, without which we would perish. The rain falls on the earth just as the bounties of God are continuously showered upon our souls. A mountain rises towards the heavens calling to mind His majesty and grandeur. To help us remember the importance of acquiring knowledge, especially knowledge of God, let us memorize the following quotation:

The purpose of God in creating man hath been, and will ever be, to enable
him to know his Creator and to attain His Presence
BAHÁ’U’LLÁH

MEANING OF WORDS

Purpose

The room was very dark, so Nina lit a candle. The purpose of a candle is to give light

The teacher gave the students some exercises to help them improve their mathematical skills. The purpose of the exercises was to strengthen the students’ ability to add and subtract.

Enable

Only good teamwork will enable us to get the job done on time

Attain

Ming’s family had to take a train for 3 days and then a bus for 2 more in order to reach their ancestral village. Only after several days of travel by train and by bus did they attain their destination.

The farmers decided that a fence was needed to stop their cattle (cows) from going onto the road. They worked together in building the fence and, through diligence and cooperation, attained their goal.

Presence

Whenever the king enters the room, his subjects bow down before him. His subjects bow in His presence.

Emilio’s parents asked him to take his little sister out of the room because they did not want to carry on their discussion in her presence.

MEMORIZATION AID FOR QUOTE

PICTURES TO REMEMBER THE QUOTE HERE

A Story About Mirza Abu’l-Fadl Becoming a Baha’i

Powerpoint here

This is the story of how Mirza Abu’l-Fadl, one of the early believers in the time of Bahau’llah, became a Bahai. Mirza Abu’l-Fadl was very well-known for his penetrating insight, his wealth of knowledge, and his ability to understand and explain complex spiritual ideas. In his youth, he studied in depth such subjects as mathematics, astronomy (the study of the stars), philosophy, and the Arabic language, which he mastered in addition to his native Persian language.

When he was still a young man, Mirza Abu’l-Fadl became a professor at one of the oldest universities in Tihran, the capital of Iran. This is the story of how he, while in that city, gained knowledge beyond any he had acquired in all his broad studies– knowledge of the Revelation of Baha’u’llah, the Manifestation of God for this day.

One afternoon, Mirza Abu’l-Fadl and a few of his companions set out on donkeys to visit the countryside. On their way out of the city, one of the donkeys lost a shoe, and the party called at the nearest blacksmith’s shop to help.

Does anyone know what a blacksmith is?

When the blacksmith, who had very little formal education, saw Mirza Abu’l-Fadl’s long beard and large turban, in that country those were considered symbols of his vast learning, he asked whether the scholarly man might be willing to answer a question that had perplexed the blacksmith for some time.

Before I tell you the rest of the story, it is important to know that when a Messenger of God comes to the world, His Teachings are pure and bring life to the souls, but over time, people change the words, and bring in ideas and traditions that are not taught by the Messengers of God themselves.

This is what had happened at the time that Mirza Abu’l-Fadl was meeting the blacksmith.

So, the blacksmith asked Mirza Abu’l-Fadl,

“Is it true,” began the blacksmith, referring to an old written religious tradition- one of those that had become changed by human beings-

“Is it true that each drop of rain is accompanied by an angel from heaven, and that this angel brings down the rain to the ground?”

“This is true,” Mirza Abu’l-Fadl responded, for it had long been believed by the people in that region that this was so- and remember that He had not yet become a Bahai.

After a pause, the blacksmith begged to be allowed another question, to which Mirza Abu’l-Fadl gave his assent.

“Is it true,” the blacksmith asked once more,

“that if there is a dog in a house no angel will ever visit that house?”

Again, Mirza Abu’l-Fadl responded in the affirmative, saying YES, for this too was a belief held by those who followed these written traditions.

“In that case,” commented the blacksmith, arriving at his point,

“no rain should ever fall on a house where a dog is kept.”

Mirza Abu’l-Fadl had no answer. He left the shop embarrassed and angry, for he had been stumped by a blacksmith with no formal schooling!

Mirza Abu’l-Fadl had learned from his companions that the blacksmith was a Bahai. Now, it happened that he and the blacksmith shared a mutual friend, a local draper who had a shop in the bazaar that Mirza Abu’l-Fadl would sometimes visit. When the draper, who was also a Bahai, heard about the incident at the blacksmith’s, he invited Mirza Abu’l-Fadl to take part in some discussions. He accepted the invitation, and the meeting was arranged. In that meeting, Mirza Abu’l-Fadl posed numerous questions and raised many objections.

Each one was answered in such simple terms and in such a wise manner that Mirza Abu’l-Fadl found himself at a loss, for he had thought he could easily prove wrong the Bahai beliefs.

For several months Mirza Abu’l-Fadl continued to meet many different Bahais, some of them quite scholarly themselves.

Finally, forever unable to deny the proofs offered by the followers of Baha’u’llah, he turned his heart in earnest to God and begged to be shown the truth.

Soon, he was overwhelmed with the truth of Baha’u’llah’s mission, and became, after nearly a year of protest, a staunch and steadfast believer and an avid teacher of the Cause.

The story of how Mirza Abu’l-Fadl came to recognize the truth of Baha’u’llah’s Revelation shows us how important it is to acquire knowledge not only through the study of God’s creation but also through His Manifestation in the day in which we live.

Draw any part of the story

as a comic

How do you feel?

DRAMA / GAMES

The activities that follow will help the children continue developing the skills and abilities of creative drama.

Ask your students to stand in their imaginary squares. As you did in the previous lesson, have the children stand about 5 feet apart and imagine that they are in their own squares. Ask them to walk along the border of his/her imaginary square. Ask children to: raise up your arms and stretching from the tips of your toes to the tips of your fingers, reach towards the sky. Now you are going to relax and let your arms and head hang freely. Repeat this several times.

Ask students to stand in a circle. Choose one child to be the “investigator” and tell him/her to leave the area where the class is being held. Now choose another child to be the “initiator”. Explain to the children that this child will lead the group in a series of simple movements. For example, he or she may do several circles with the left arm, several with the right arm, then bend down and touch the ground several times, and so on. The rest of the children should try to follow the movements so quickly and so closely that the “investigator” is unable to discover who the “initiator” is. Are you ready? Ok- have the investigator come and stand in the middle of the circle. Can he/she discover the “initator”? Once the child has guessed correctly, repeat the exercise, choosing a new child to be the “investigator” and another to be the “initiator”. If time allows, repeat the game several times so that every child can be the “investigator” or the “initiator” at least once.

Now we are going to move on to an activity that relates to the theme of today’s lesson- the importance of seeking knowledge, particularly knowledge of God. In all created things, we see the signs of God. I am going to ask you to act out, in turn, different things we see in nature. Each of you are going to have a turn to act something out, while the rest of the class guess what it is. I will come and whisper in your ear the thing from nature that you are going to act out- one at a time and the class will then get a chance to guess as you act it out.

Treasure Hunt

When we are going in search of anything, we have an idea of what we are looking for. Sometimes we find it and sometimes we don’t. Other times, we are surprised, and even please by what else we find. The process is one of learning and joy. It is the same when we clear our hearts and start our spiritual search.

Today we will do a physical search of our immediate environment.

Simple Lapbook

Lessons 7, 8, and 9 will also be in one lapbook. For lesson 7 we will make an I Spy component. Because we want the I Spy comment to be housed in the lapbook, we will use a ziplock bag (not a bottle). The items I choose are all elements of the story of how Mirza Adu’l-Fadl became Baha’i. The printable is here.

I used velcro to attach the bag to the lapbook for safekeeping and it allows the children to remove the bag and play with friends. You can glue it down and make it permanent.

You will need my printable items Here
A ziplock bag
a filler material like rice, I am using small styrofoam balls from the dollar store
The bag topper is optional

Note that I did not use all the images myself as I wanted a variety of textures.

For raindrops, I used a small clear glass stone
I use wooden angels and houses
I stamped and colored in a dog
I use a free printable from here to make mini books
Mirza Adu’l-Fadl is described as wearing a turban and has a beard, you can put these in using black fabric or wool for a beard and a turban cut from any material.

Old Version of Lapbook

THE FOLLOWING IS A LIST OF ITEMS NEEDED FOR THE OLD VERSION OF LAPBOOK FOR LESSON 7

GRADE 2 LESSON 7 LAPBOOK PDF
ANY DRAWING THAT WAS DONE IN THE CRAFT SECTION
A FILE FOLDER FOR EACH CHILD
THE PHOTO OF THE 9 MESSENGERS AND THEIR SYMBOLS FOR THE POPUP CARD
MARKERS, GLUE ETC.

In the Lapbook PDF are the following activities to do:

A possible front page to color. One partially colored in.
Pocket to hold the memorization cards to learn the prayer The cards are in colored and black and white if someone prefers to color in themselves
Shutter fold book to remember the concept of this lesson
The story from this lesson on Mirza Abu’l-Fadl Becoming a Baha’i cut out, to stack and staple together then the child’s summary for each sean can be written
tab booklet to draw and write about your search
Nine mini popups to match messengers and symbols
Petal book with the house of worship, filling in under the flap where they are located or any other information.
2 versions for memorizing the quote, a flap book version and an accordion version with an envelope
a wheel to turn and display the process of searching
A prayer graphic to print out and use wherever you choose.
“Can you find this” activity
Maze

Note that any activity that was completed in this lesson can be added to the lap book. The lapbooks can be completed during the week and do not need to be done in class.

DOWNLOAD COMPONENTS HERE

I Spy Bottle

Use the I SPY activity in the simple lapbook as a craft. You can use the ziplock bag or a jar

Become ‘Knights of Knowledge’ in search of truth and answers…

This activity was suggested by kids. H ere is a site with a cute shield to make and a video

Baha’i House of Worship.

These Houses of Worship are open to everyone to come and say prayers. All the religious texts are found here for anyone to read. Draw your house of worship: If you were commissioned to build the next House of Worship, what would it look like?

DRAW SCENES FROM THE STORY

comic book template

Brilliant Star Magazine

WINGS OF FLIGHT

WINGS OF KNOWLEDGE

Review the quotation from today’s lesson, and then remind the children of the qualities of trustworthiness and radiance and the quotations they memorized in Grade 1:

Supremely lofty will be thy station, if thou remainest steadfast in the Cause of thy Lord
Baháʼu’lláh

Know that thy true adornment consisteth in the love of God and in thy detachment from all save Him . . .
Baháʼu’lláh

BRILLIANT STAR MAGAZINE

STORY: IS THERE A GOD

POWERPOINT

HERE AND HERE

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Baha'i Children class Free Template

THE LIVES AND MISSIONS OF THE MANIFESTATIONS OF GOD WHO APPEARED BEFORE THE BÁB AND BAHA’U’LLAH

Post author By Carolyn
Post date September 28, 2022
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RUHI BOOK 3 GRADE 3 SET 2

Welcome To Set 2: THE LIVES AND MISSIONS OF THE MANIFESTATIONS OF GOD WHO APPEARED BEFORE THE BÁB AND BAHA’U’LLAH

There are 7 Lessons in this set:

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

Baha'i Children class Free Ridvan Ruhi Book 3

BAHÁ’U’LLÁH HAS THE POWER TO TRANSFORM SOULS RUHI BOOK 3 GRADE 4 LESSON 7 SET 2

Post author By Carolyn
Post date July 8, 2022
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Introducing The Principal Theme

Welcome to Lesson 7 Grade 4

In this class, we will begin to understand Baha’u’llah’s Station by looking at His power to transform souls.

We already know that the Manifestations of God manifest all of God’s names and attributes to humankind. One of the attributes is His infinite love for every human being. Baha’u’llah has told us that God created us out of His love for us. If we were to be deprived of God’s love, even for a moment, we would perish and be no more. God’s love permeates the entire creation. It is because of His all-embracing love that the sun shines, that the plants grow, that animals give birth to their offspring, and that human beings receive blessings with every breath of their lives. Our love for each other, the kindness we give and receive, the tenderness we feel in our heart for so many people, is all but a reflection of God’s love for His creatures. This love is manifested today by Baha’u’llah. And His love has the power to transform us.

The word “transform” means to change from one condition to another. For example, a caterpillar wraps itself in a cocoon and later emerges as a beautiful butterfly. The caterpillar is transformed into a butterfly. After a period of drought, the rains come and transform the barren ground into lush meadows and prairies. Likewise, from Baha’u’llah shine the rays of the Divine love that bring life to the universe. His teachings have the power to transform our souls. Through prayer, the study of His Writings, and constant effort, we can fill our hearts with His love. His Words have the power to enlighten our minds and hearts and create in us the capacity to perform great deeds in service to humankind.

When you think of Baha’u’llah, then, remember always His immense love for you. Regard Him as a most loving Father, Whose teachings and counsels will guide you and make firm your steps. Become dependent on His love. Let His love give you courage so you will not be afraid of change. Let His Words change you and make you grow.

NOTE: In the craft/activity section are 2 video experiments. Watch the videos, or do the experiments here.

What do Manifestations of God manifest to humanity? (to manifest means to reveal what was not known before)
Why did God create us?
What are some of the signs of God’s love?
What would happen to us if God’s love did not reach us?
Where does our love for each other come from?
Who manifests God’s love for humanity today?
What does the word “transform” mean?
Can you give a few examples from the physical world of one thing transforming into something else?
What do Baha’u’llah’s teachings have the power to do?

Prayer 1

Prayer 2

Prayer 3

O God, my God! Aid Thou Thy trusted servants

In this lesson, you are going to memorize a quotation revealed by Bahá’u’lláh in which He confirms what a special time it is in the life of humanity when every eye can see the beauty of His Person and every ear can listen to His words when every heart can find its Beloved.

Let all eyes rejoice, and let every ear be gladdened, for now is the time to gaze on His beauty, now is the time to hearken unto His voice. Proclaim unto every longing lover: ‘Behold, your Well-Beloved hath come among men!’
Bahá’u’lláh

Meaning Of Words

Need to know the meaning of some of the words? Use the pdf to record the meanings.

SEND A POSTCARD

Send To A Friend Or Neighbour: Use Email, Snail Mail, Or Hand-Deliver It!

G4-L-7-QUOTE Download

Paradise – Music Inspired by the Heroes Teaching Conference

Turn Your Faces Sung By Goleta Burriston Master

I’ll Walk the Path

I Have Found Baha’u’llah

Source Of Courage

The Promise

We Are The People Of Baha

Historical Episodes

The period of Bahá’u’lláh’s ten-year stay in Baghdád culminated in the Declaration of His Mission in the Garden of Riḍván, which was followed by His departure for Constantinople. The historical episode in this lesson describes some of the circumstances surrounding that momentous Declaration.

You know that during His stay in Baghdád, Bahá’u’lláh revived the fortunes of the Bábí community through His love and wisdom and through the power of His words. The hearts of those near to Him were afire with the love of God, and His companions felt as if they had entered paradise. Though He had not yet made His station known, He revealed volumes and volumes of Divine verses during this period.

One of the volumes Bahá’u’lláh revealed while in Baghdád is called the Book of Certitude, or Kitáb-i-Íqán, in which He explains the nature of God’s Revelation. In that book, He establishes in clear terms the unity of the world’s great religions. The book was revealed in answer to some questions posed to Bahá’u’lláh by Ḥájí Mírzá Siyyid Muḥammad, one of the Báb’s uncles.

When he attained the presence of Bahá’u’lláh in Baghdád in 1862, Ḥájí Mírzá Siyyid Muḥammad had not yet accepted the Báb as a Manifestation of God, as the Promised Qá’im for Whose advent the people of Persia had long-awaited. Bahá’u’lláh asked him to write down all the questions that perplexed him and which left him in doubt about the Báb’s station. This he promptly did, and in the span of two days and two nights Bahá’u’lláh revealed His lengthy reply. After reading the Book, Ḥájí Mírzá Siyyid Muḥammad recognized the Báb and became a firm and steadfast believer.

It was also during His stay in Baghdád, while wrapped in meditation, as He walked along the banks of the Tigris, a river which runs through the city, that Bahá’u’lláh revealed the Hidden Words, so cherished by Bahá’ís everywhere today as a guide for their spiritual growth. You already know by heart some of the gems of Divine wisdom contained in this small volume.

Here is the first passage:

“O Son of Spirit! My first counsel is this: Possess a pure, kindly and radiant heart, that thine may be a sovereignty ancient, imperishable and everlasting.”

Can you imagine the joy that filled the hearts of the friends as they listened to these and other verses for the first time?

But the joy of those days was not to last. The enemies of the Cause did not give up their constant scheming. You should know that they had already gone so far as to hire an assassin to kill Bahá’u’lláh. His name was Ridá. Learning where Bahá’u’lláh was going one day, Ridá appeared with a pistol hidden under his cloak, ready to carry out his deadly task. To his surprise, he found that he lacked the courage to proceed when he saw Bahá’u’lláh. So he decided to wait for Him in the street and try once again. But, the minute his eyes fell upon Bahá’u’lláh, he was so overcome with fear that the pistol dropped from his hand. Bahá’u’lláh was with His brother Áqáy-i-Kalím at the time. “Return his gun to him, and show him the way to his home,” said Bahá’u’lláh to Áqáy-i-Kalím. “It seems that he has lost his way.”

Time and again the efforts of His enemies had been thus frustrated. But, some ten years after Bahá’u’lláh’s arrival in Baghdád, they succeeded in arranging another exile. Bahá’u’lláh, of course, knew all this and had already begun to speak of the tests and difficulties that lay ahead. A dream He once related to the friends caused them great distress.

“I saw,” He stated in a Tablet, “the Prophets and the Messengers gather and seat themselves around Me, moaning, weeping and loudly lamenting.”

When Bahá’u’lláh inquired from them as to the cause for such weeping, they responded that they were crying for Him. But, in the dream, the Concourse on high then addressed Bahá’u’lláh saying:

“Erelong shalt Thou behold with Thine own eyes what no Prophet hath beheld. Be patient, be patient.”

The spring of 1863 had just opened when, one day, a messenger brought a communication for Bahá’u’lláh. It was a request that an interview take place between Him and the governor of Baghdád. The governor was supposed to deliver a message from the Prime Minister of the Ottoman Empire to Bahá’u’lláh. But for three months he had, out of his profound respect for Him, put off doing so. The next day Bahá’u’lláh went to meet the governor near his home. Upon arriving at the meeting place, He was presented with a letter from the Prime Minister. It was worded in a courteous manner, inviting Him to travel to the Ottoman capital, Constantinople. You see, the Prime Minister had been convinced by Bahá’u’lláh’s enemies that, because of His growing popularity and influence, He should not remain in Baghdád. A mounted escort was ordered to accompany Him to Constantinople for His protection. Bahá’u’lláh agreed to the request at once but refused to accept the money that the government was offering for His travels. The governor’s representative insisted, saying that the authorities would be offended if He did not accept the money. So Bahá’u’lláh took the sum and immediately distributed it among the poor of the city.

News of Bahá’u’lláh’s exile from Baghdád shook the Bábí community. The friends were overwhelmed with sadness. Gradually, however, they were consoled by Bahá’u’lláh’s kind and comforting words. As a sign of His love, He wrote in His own handwriting a Tablet for each of the friends who lived in the city—every man, woman, and child. Nabíl, the great Bahá’í historian, tells us that in the immediate days before His departure, many of them would gather together in one room, lit only by candles, and would chant aloud the verses and Tablets newly revealed by Bahá’u’lláh. Pondering on His words, they would become completely forgetful of the world, not noticing how time had passed and that night had turned into day.

Close to Baghdád there was a beautiful garden known today as the Garden of Riḍván. At the time it was full of roses. The garden belonged to a prominent man who offered it to Bahá’u’lláh so that He could greet all those wishing to bid Him farewell. On the afternoon of 22 April 1863, Bahá’u’lláh left His house, where crowds had gathered to catch a final glimpse of One Whom they had grown to love and admire. There were people of all ages, from different backgrounds, some notables and officials, others poor and orphaned. All were heartbroken and tearful. Gradually He made His way to the river Tigris, where a boat was waiting to take Him to the other side. It was there that the Garden of Riḍván was located, and He entered the garden in the late afternoon. This was the first stage of the journey that would carry Him to Constantinople. The Bábí community was grief-stricken. What would be the future of this young religion now that Bahá’u’lláh was being exiled once again? The heartbroken Bábís who gathered to bid Bahá’u’lláh farewell did not know what happiness God actually had in store for them.

Bahá’u’lláh stayed in the garden for twelve days. His enemies had tried to strike a fatal blow at the Cause by separating Him from the majority of the believers. God, however, turned the farewell into an occasion of immense gladness. During those memorable days, Bahá’u’lláh proclaimed to the believers present that He was the One promised by the Báb, that He was the Promised of All Ages. The banner of the oneness of humankind was now being raised for everyone to see.

The Declaration of His Mission created new life in the souls of His companions. This was the Day of Days for which the Báb had prepared them. Bahá’u’lláh Himself has said that on that Day “all created things were immersed in the sea of purification”.

Unfortunately, there is little known of the details of the conversations Bahá’u’lláh held with the many visitors He received in the Garden of Riḍván. The historian Nabíl was present on that occasion, and through his brief account, we are able to get but a glimpse of the glory of those days. Nabíl tells us that, at the hour of dawn every day, the gardeners would pick fresh roses and pile them in the center of the floor of Bahá’u’lláh’s tent. The pile was always so high that, when His companions gathered in the tent to drink morning tea, they were unable to see each other across it. Bahá’u’lláh would then give the roses to those present and request that they be delivered, on His behalf, to His friends in the city. All day long, from morning to evening, He would meet with the stream of visitors who kept flowing in from Baghdád. In the evening, a few of the believers took turns watching over His blessed tent. Nabíl stood watch for three nights in a row. “Every time I passed by the couch whereon He lay,” Nabíl says, “I would find Him wakeful.”

On 3 May 1863 Bahá’u’lláh mounted His horse and set out for Constantinople. Today Bahá’ís around the world celebrate this twelve-day period as the Festival of Riḍván, the anniversary of the Declaration of Bahá’u’lláh of His world-embracing Mission. It is the holiest and most significant of all Bahá’í festivals.

So many spiritual insights can be gleaned from the above historical episode into the greatness of Bahá’u’lláh’s Revelation and the significance of this Day. One, for example, is the interplay between crisis and victory in the Cause of God—that every crisis leads to an even greater victory.

What are some of the other insights offered by the episode? And what are some of the attributes of God manifested by Bahá’u’lláh that we glimpsed as we read the stories?

For any of the figures we heard about, use the biography page to write down the information you would like to remember.

Download from Teachers Pay Teachers here AND Download my story report HERE

Facts

Bahá’u’lláh was exiled to Constantinople, after staying in Baghdád for ten years.
The Book of Certitude, or Kitáb-i-Íqán, was revealed in Baghdád.
The Book of Certitude was revealed in 1862 in answer to some questions posed to Bahá’u’lláh by the Báb’s uncle.
The Book of Certitude was revealed in two days and two nights.
The Hidden Words of Bahá’u’lláh were revealed in Baghdád.
Before departing for Constantinople, Bahá’u’lláh spent twelve days in the Garden of Riḍván.
The Garden of Riḍván was located outside the city of Baghdád.
In the Garden of Riḍván, Bahá’u’lláh declared His Mission.
The twelve-day period in April is celebrated by Bahá’ís every year as the Festival of Riḍván.
The Festival of Riḍván is the holiest and most significant Bahá’í festival.

G4-L7-FACTS-ABOUT-THE-BAHAULLAH-Download

Blind Drawing

Use your eloquence and your powers of listening and observation!

Blind Drawing is a team-building activity that can be done in pairs. All you need is pen, paper and something to press on such as a clipboard or book (or you can use a whiteboard marker, a mini whiteboard and an eraser).

The two participants sit back to back. Only one person should have the drawing materials. The other is handed a picture (or draws a picture themselves), and must make sure that the other cannot see it. They describe the picture as carefully as possible while the other person attempts to draw it from the description.

Then they swap roles. You can set a time limit (e.g. 3 – 5 minutes) for each turn to keep things moving and get all the pairs to finish at a similar time.

Everyone can be given a few minutes at the beginning of this activity to make their secret drawing to describe to their partner. These can then be folded in half until it is their turn to describe it.

It can be helpful for the teacher to have a picture prepared beforehand to first describe to the whole class. Each child can be given an A5 piece of paper to try to replicate the picture from the description. It pays for this picture to be relatively simple and somewhat quirky, e.g. an alien with three eyes. Alternatively, it could be an element/scene from the story.

THE RIDVAN GARDEN

You live in the times of Bahá’u’lláh and you heard Bahá’u’lláh is leaving. Your family and friends have gathered to talk about this in your home and then will go to visit Bahá’u’lláh in the Ridvan Garden.

Here are some ideas to discuss:

How did you hear about or meet Bahá’u’lláh?
Why is Bahá’u’lláh important to you?
What have you learned from Bahá’u’lláh?

MAKE A TENT CRAFT

TEMPLATE ON WEBSITE TO USE

COLOURING PAGES AND RIDVAN GARDEN CRAFT

WEBSITE HERE

TRANSFORMATION

Let us explore the science of Transformation!

Based on Transforming Souls

We see transformation every day…for example when we bake a cake. This is a chemical reaction where different substances are transformed into a new substance: flour, butter, eggs, etc to cake! We can use this simple science experiment to show the transformation of a substance. Unfortunately, it’s not a cake but very easy to do!

Transformation

Potential energy into movement: Burlington did this car using an empty wooden thread spool, a washer, rubberband and a chopstick.

Brilliant Star and Dayspring Magazine.

The downloadable PDF contain Stories and activities.

Dayspring Magazine: Issue #66 Ridvan

Brilliant Start Lesson 21

Other Websites

All done monkey

PLASP Child Care Services

Bahá’i Blog

Delighted Hearts Ridvan Garden Printable

Multicultural Kid Blogs

Youtube Tissue Flower

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 . . .”
Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh

Download The Memorization Aid

POWERPOINT LESSON 7 HERE

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