Tag: Prayers

MUHAMMAD AND THE SUBMISSION TO THE WILL OF GOD

Post author By Carolyn
Post date October 1, 2022
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GRADE 3 LESSON 10

MUHAMMAD AND THE SUBMISSION TO THE WILL OF GOD

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
Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh/Words of Wisdom

MEANING OF WORDS

Source– where something comes from

The source of the river was high in the mountain

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.

FROM BRILLIANT STAR MAGAZINE STORY

FACTS:

Muḥammad was a Manifestation of God born in the city Mecca, in the Arabian region, in the year 570 AD.
While engaged as a merchant, Muḥammad was often referred to as “The Truthful” and “The Trustworthy”.
Muḥammad taught that there is one God, that people should turn to Him, worship Him, trust in Him, and be obedient to His Will.
Muḥammad and His followers were persecuted by the people of Mecca and went to Medina, where His Message reached many souls.
After several years in Medina, Muḥammad returned to Mecca and the people soon embraced His Cause.
The words of Muḥammad are recorded in a Holy Book called the Qu’rán.
Muḥammad’s Message united the Arabian tribes and raised their level of civilization.

Facts ABOUT MUHAMMAD

Grade_3_Lesson_10_fact_cards_about_Muhammad Download

ACTING

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.

Download my maze here, I used a small magnet to drag the car along the

Below is a curated PINTREST board with lots of aMAZEing cool ideas. Some are super easy and some give you ideas for a more difficult maze.

P interest Board

Want to generate your own maze? there are lots of online free maze generators, search Google. Here is one site to get you going:

Maze Generator

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.

INSTRUCTABLES

MOMS TOWN BURLINGTON

ROOKIE PARENTING

From The Australian Peace Pack

FROM BRILLIANT STAR MAGAZINE

TWINKL

FREE DOWNLOADABLE RESOURCES ON THE PROPHET MUHAMMAD

More free stuff

Ramadan activity sheet

Islam Word Mat

Spider Web Craft based on story 2

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

dOWNLOAD THE REVIEW QUOTE MEMORY AID HERE

Resource

LESSON PLAN

ALTERNATIVE LESSON PLAN HERE

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Baha'i Children class Free Kids Can Do Ruhi Book 3

GOD’S MANIFESTATIONS ILLUMINE HUMAN HEARTS WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD

Post author By Carolyn
Post date September 27, 2022
No Comments on GOD’S MANIFESTATIONS ILLUMINE HUMAN HEARTS WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD

Grade 3 Lesson 2

The purpose of this lesson is to enhance our understanding that we know God through His Manifestations and that, by listening to and following their words, we do what is pleasing to God.

The Manifestations of God tell us about the Will of God and the purpose of our lives, that we were created to know God and to worship Him, and that we should learn to live according to His Will.

God knows what is best for us. He has created us and bestowed upon us great capacities that we must each develop. To do so, we must recognize the Manifestations of God and follow their teachings. For example, we all have the capacity to be generous to our friends, not wanting everything for ourselves. The Manifestations of God teach us how to be generous and when we follow this teaching, we are acting in a way that is pleasing to God. When we forgive others, as all the Manifestations have taught us to do, we know we are doing what God desires.

Similarly, we should love one another and be kind to each other, we should tell the truth and be sincere, and so on.

Knowledge brought to humanity by God’s Manifestations is not acquired through book learning or schooling.

The Manifestations of God know exactly what we need. They are all-knowing and all-wise, for their knowledge comes directly from God, Whose knowledge holds all things.

What does it mean that God’s knowledge holds all things?

Is there anything whatsoever that can escape God?

The Manifestations of God are the source of His knowledge on earth. What they say is true, and through their teachings, we are able to distinguish between right and wrong. They reflect the beauty of God, which we learn to love and cherish. The more we follow their teachings, the closer we get to God. And we help the world become more beautiful, as He created it to be.

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?

Memorization Aid

Cut the prayer apart like a puzzle and put it back together

The purpose of these educators

The Purpose

Consort with the followers of all religions

Brilliant Star magazine music

Download Treble Chef’s Music Cafe: The Spirit is the same here

In the following passage, Bahá’u’lláh speaks of the duty of every human being to recognize God’s Manifestation on earth and to follow that which He ordains—this, out of our love for God. Are there any words or phrases you find difficult or unfamiliar?

Say: O ye lovers of the One true God! Strive, that ye may truly recognize and know Him, and observe befittingly His precepts.
Bahá’u’lláh

Memorization Aids

Quote to cut apart and put together

Use the Worksheet For Any Words You Do Not Know

Download Here

There are so many accounts in the history of the Faith that offer insight into the theme of this lesson, that God’s Manifestations shine forth the light of His knowledge, brightening the world of humanity and illuminating human hearts.

For this lesson, there are 4 stories that will enable you to understand what it means that the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh possessed innate knowledge. Read all or just one as time permits. Download all 4 stories HERE

Resource

Use the generic storyboard to draw as the story is being read or use blank paper. There is also the comic strip, story report, and How Do you feel? that can be used during storytelling. Access here

Vignette 1:

The father of the Báb passed away when He was a small child, and He was raised by His uncle, who placed Him in school around the age of five. The Báb, of course, was endowed by God with innate knowledge and did not need to be instructed by any man. But He obeyed His uncle’s wishes and attended school with the other boys. He was told by His uncle, who had already noticed His extraordinary qualities, that, while in class, He should follow the example set by His fellow students.

Now, the schoolmaster was a man of great learning, and he taught the boys how to read and recite verses from the Qur’án, the Holy Book of Islám. One day, he asked the Báb to recite the opening words of the Qur’án. The Báb hesitated. He then replied that, unless He was told what the words meant, He would not attempt to recite them aloud. The schoolmaster pretended not to know their meaning, and so the Báb asked for permission to explain them. He then spoke with such knowledge and clarity that the schoolmaster was struck with amazement. Never before had he heard or read such an eloquent explanation of these words, and he immediately recognized the great capacity of the Báb and realized there was nothing that he could teach Him. He decided to take the Báb back to His uncle and tell him that he was unworthy to instruct so remarkable a child. He found the uncle alone in his office and said: “I have brought Him back to you and commit Him to your vigilant protection. He is not to be treated as a mere child . . .” The uncle turned to the Báb and said: “Have You forgotten my instructions? Have I not already admonished You to follow the example of Your fellow-pupils, to observe silence, and to listen attentively to every word spoken by Your teacher?” Promising to follow His uncle’s wishes, the Báb returned to school. But do you think anything could stop the flow of His intuitive knowledge? Surely not, and day after day, His teacher was amazed by the signs of wisdom and greatness that were manifest in Him.

Vignette 2:

There are many stories from the time of Bahá’u’lláh that demonstrate how people were attracted to His knowledge and awed by it. One such story is about the visit Bahá’u’lláh made to Núr, the district of His birth in Mázindarán in Persia, soon after He accepted the truth of the Báb’s Revelation.

The enthusiasm with which the people of Mázindarán greeted Bahá’u’lláh was indeed extraordinary. They were spellbound by the eloquence of His speech. The arguments and proofs He set forth, as He announced the dawning of a new Day, convinced them of the greatness of the Cause of the Báb. They admired His enthusiasm and were deeply impressed by His detachment and self-effacement. No one dared oppose Him except His own uncle ‘Azíz, who became jealous of the love and respect Bahá’u’lláh was receiving from the people.

Alarmed by Bahá’u’lláh’s success, ‘Azíz decided to seek the assistance of a well-known clergyman in the region, presumably the possessor of great knowledge. “Behold what has befallen the Faith,” exclaimed ‘Azíz. “A youth, a layman, attired in the garb of nobility, has come to Núr, has invaded the strongholds of orthodoxy, and disrupted the holy Faith of Islám. Arise, and resist his onslaught.” The clergyman did not find in himself the strength to confront Bahá’u’lláh, so he did his best to quiet ‘Azíz, assured him that he would be protected, and dismissed him. But the Message Bahá’u’lláh had brought to the region was rapidly spreading, and the clergyman’s students kept pressuring him to visit Bahá’u’lláh in person and find out for himself the nature of this new Revelation. Finally, after much delay, he decided to send two of the most learned and trusted individuals in his company to visit Bahá’u’lláh and determine the true character of the Message He had brought. He promised to everyone that he would accept the judgment of these two trusted souls and would abide by their decision.

When these two emissaries reached the presence of Bahá’u’lláh, He was in a gathering, engaged in revealing a commentary on one of the chapters of the Qur’án. With great self- assurance, they entered the meeting and sat down, prepared to ask questions and examine the extent of Bahá’u’lláh’s knowledge. But as they listened to the voice of Bahá’u’lláh, they were enraptured by the eloquence of His speech and the profound meaning of His statements. Mullá ‘Abbás, one of these two emissaries, was entirely overwhelmed. He arose from his seat, walked back slowly and stood beside the door in an attitude of utter submissiveness. “You behold my condition,” he told his friend as he trembled with emotion and with eyes full of tears. “I am powerless to question Bahá’u’lláh. The questions I had planned to ask Him have vanished suddenly from my memory. You are free either to proceed with your inquiry or to return alone to our teacher and inform him of the state in which I find myself. Tell him from me that ‘Abbás can never again return to him. He can no longer forsake this threshold.” His companion found himself in a similar state. “I have ceased to recognize my teacher,” he replied.

“This very moment, I have vowed to God to dedicate the remaining days of my life to the service of Bahá’u’lláh, my true and only Master.”

So the two emissaries of the famous clergyman never went back to their teacher. The news of their conversion traveled fast. It awakened the people from their sleep. People of all walks of life journeyed to Núr in order to enter the presence of Bahá’u’lláh and partake of His Divine knowledge. A considerable number of them accepted the new Faith of God. But as you know, this and the many other early successes of the Cause aroused the envy of those who took advantage of the people’s ignorance in order to rule over them. Soon a tremendous wave of persecution arose throughout the entire country, bringing unimaginable sufferings to both the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh.

Vignette 3:

Shaykh Ḥasan was a devoted follower of the Báb, who, for many years, lived in the city of Karbilá. The Báb had instructed Shaykh Ḥasan to go to Karbilá and remain in that city, for there he would see with his own eyes “the beauteous countenance of the promised Ḥusayn”. “Countenance” means “face”, and by “the promised Ḥusayn” the Báb meant Bahá’u’lláh. At that time Bahá’u’lláh had not yet declared that He was the Promised One of All Ages, so His station was not known to people. The Báb, Who Himself was a Manifestation of God, of course knew this hidden truth.

Thus Shaykh Ḥasan made his home in Karbilá. Days, weeks and months went by, and he did not meet the Promised One; yet, he did not lose heart. He was certain that the day would come when he would enter into His presence. Shaykh Ḥasan lived a simple life. He worked as a scribe, and although the pay was not good and he was not without hardship, he was content. He was careful not to talk too much about the Báb because there were many enemies of the Faith in Karbilá at that time who were ready to create trouble for the Bábís whenever they could. More important still, he spoke to no one about the Báb’s special promise to him.

Then the day arrived when the eyes of Shaykh Ḥasan fell upon the countenance of Bahá’u’lláh. It was the fall of 1851, and Bahá’u’lláh had traveled to Karbilá. Bahá’u’lláh’s majesty, His kindliness, the sweetness of His smile, all had a profound effect on Shaykh Ḥasan’s soul. He was an old man by then, bowed with age. Bahá’u’lláh lovingly took him by the hand and said in a humorous tone: “This very day I have purposed to make you known as a Bábí throughout Karbilá.” Still holding his hand in His, He continued to converse with him. He walked with him along the market-street and showered love and affection upon him. Shaykh Ḥasan was beside himself. His heart was full of joy but he did not understand why he felt such happiness. Then, in a voice that was at once powerful and loving, Bahá’u’lláh told him: “Praise be to God that you have remained in Karbilá, and have beheld with your own eyes the countenance of the promised Ḥusayn.”

Shaykh Ḥasan instantly knew that the Báb’s promise had been fulfilled. He was indeed gazing on the countenance of the promised Ḥusayn. His faithful years of patience had been rewarded with the greatest of gifts: to have recognized the Manifestation of God for today.

Vignette 4:

God watches over us, and we live under the protection of His Manifestation, Whose knowledge is bestowed on Him by God. There once was an Egyptian merchant by the name of ‘Abdu’l-Karím who was on fire with the love of God and had a burning desire to enter the presence of Bahá’u’lláh. So he wrote for permission to visit the Holy Land. Bahá’u’lláh answered that he could come on pilgrimage, but only after he had paid all his debts.

Now, ‘Abdu’l-Karím had a very large business and also many, many debts. When he received Bahá’u’lláh’s answer, he instantly obeyed and began to pay the money he owed to his creditors. But, to his surprise, this did not turn out to be so easy. He had to stop expanding his business. Each time he received some money, he paid a debt instead of buying new merchandise to sell. So business shrank and shrank until finally, after five years, when all his debts were paid, ‘Abdu’l-Karím was no longer a rich man. In fact he only had enough money to provide for his wife’s needs and buy a ticket on a boat to the Holy Land. And he did not travel in the comfort to which he had grown accustomed as a wealthy merchant; he remained on deck and could hardly keep himself warm from the chill of the wind.

The day ‘Abdu’l-Karím’s boat was to arrive in Haifa, Bahá’u’lláh told His family that He was expecting an honored guest. A carriage was sent to the port to pick up the respected merchant and drive him to ‘Akká. But the man who went looking for ‘Abdu’l-Karím was expecting a wealthy guest and did not recognize the poorly dressed man who came off the boat carrying only a few possessions. So he went back and reported that the guest had not arrived.

Try to imagine ‘Abdu’l-Karím’s disappointment when he saw that there was no one at the port to receive him. He had no addresses in Haifa and did not even have enough money to take a carriage to ‘Akká. He sat on a bench drowned in sorrow. Unwanted thoughts kept creeping into his head: Had Bahá’u’lláh actually forgotten him? Had he freed himself of every obligation so that he could enter the presence of his Lord only to find himself in a strange land with no one to turn to? Oh, how happy he had been while he was preparing himself for pilgrimage. Was this to be the end to all those years of preparation?

In spite of the report He had received, Bahá’u’lláh of course knew that His guest had arrived. So, this time He asked ‘Abdu’l-Bahá to go to Haifa and bring the respected merchant to His presence. When ‘Abdu’l-Bahá arrived at the port, He immediately recognized that the honored guest was none other than the lonely man sitting on the bench lost in sadness. He approached him, greeted him with love and affection, and explained to him what had happened. It was now late and night was falling. He asked ‘Abdu’l-Karím if he desired to go to ‘Akká that very night or wait until morning. With all the bitter thoughts that had passed through his mind, ‘Abdu’l-Karím no longer felt ready to enter the presence of Bahá’u’lláh. He wanted to spend the night in prayer and meditation to prepare himself for the great bounty that awaited him. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, of course, understood this. He sat on the bench by ‘Abdu’l-Karím, opened the long cloak He was wearing and wrapped it around him so they would both have some protection from the cold. All throughout that night, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and ‘Abdu’l-Karím prayed and let their souls be filled with the joy of the Kingdom. Then in the morning ‘Abdu’l-Karím, freed and purified, appeared before Bahá’u’lláh and received a plentiful share of Divine love and bounty.

Extra stories from Brilliant Star Magazine

Seasons of spirit

Baha’u’llah Life Timeline

CHOOSE ONE OF THE STORIES AND ACT IT OUT.

REMEMBER THAT NO ONE PORTRAYS THE MESSENGER OF GOD.

Scene 1: The people of Mazindaran that are hearing the proofs Baha’u’llah is saying and are convinced of the greatness of the day of God being brought by the Bab.

The people are very enthusiastically welcoming Baha’u’llah (maybe hearing shouts of Welcome, Baha’u’llah! Welcome!)
People are spellbound by the eloquence of His speech (How are they behaving?)
They are convinced of the truth of the dawning of a new Day of God, and they believe in the greatness of the Bab. (What might they be saying?)
They admire Baha’u’llah for His detachment and self-effacement (What might they be saying?)

Scene 2: Aziz goes to the well-known Mulla that is a teacher and speaks to Him.

Aziz, Baha’u’llah’s uncle, is jealous of the love and respect Baha’u’llah is receiving from the people and is alarmed by Baha’u’llah’s success (Aziz- get in character!)
Aziz seeks the advice of a well-known Mulla of the region.

Aziz will need the following script as part of this scene:

Aziz: “O viceregent of the Prophet of God! Behold what has befallen the Faith of Islam! A youth, a layman, attired in the garb of nobility, has come to Nur, has invaded the strongholds of orthodoxy, and disrupted the holy Faith of Islam. Arise, and resist his onslaught.”

The Mulla does not find in himself the strength to confront Baha’u’llah,s o he does his best to quiet Aziz, assuring him that he will be protected and then dismisses him

Scene 3: The students of the Mulla asking him to visit Baha’u’llah in person and find out for himself the nature of this new Revelation sent by God.

The Mulla decides to send two of the most learned and trusted individuals in his company to visit Baha’u’llah and see if the Message is true, saying that He would abide by their decision.

The Message of Baha’u’llah keeps spreading rapidly and the Mulla’s students keep pressuring him to visit Baha’u’llah in person and find out for himself the nature of this new Revelation (can have someone come and ask the students have you heard about the Message Baha’u’llah is giving about the coming of a new Day of God? And then have the students pressure the Mulla to find out more about it).
Still the Mulla does not have the courage to do so, but FINALLY after much delay, he decides to send two of his most learned and trusted individuals in his company to visit Baha’u’llah and determine the true character of the Message He brought. (What might have the conversation sounded like?)
The Mulla promises everyone that he will accept the judgment of these two trusted souls and abide by their decisions.

Scene 4: The 2 trusted mullas set out and then arrive at a gathering where Baha’u’llah is sharing the meaning of a Holy Book. They listen to His great knowledge and are transformed.

The two mullas leave their teacher and set out to where Baha’u’llah is staying (what might have been their conversation in route?)
They reach the presence of Baha’u’llah and He is in a gathering, revealing the meaning of some of the passages of the holy book of Islam, the Quran
The two mullas enter the meeting with great self-assurance, and sit down close to the front, prepared to ask questions and examine the extent of Baha’u’llah’s knowledge (What is their attitude like? They think they know more than a Messenger of God and have come to test His knowledge- they are very arrogant)
They listen to the voice of Baha’u’llah and become enraptured by the eloquence of His speech and the profound meaning of His statements.
Mulla Abbas becomes entirely overwhelmed by the greatness of the knowledge of the Manifestation of God, stands up, walks back slowly and stands beside the door in an attitude of utter submissiveness. (He has become humbled by his interaction with the Manifestation of God.)

Mulla Abbas needs the following script as part of this scene:

Mulla Abbas: Arising from his seat, walking back slowly and standing near the door in an attitude of utter submissiveness, with a trembling voice and eyes full of joyful tears, say “You behold my condition. I am powerless to question Baha’u’llah. The questions I had planned to ask Him have vanished suddenly from my memory. You are free either to proceed with your inquiry or to return alone to our teacher and inform him of the state in which I find myself. Tell him that Abbas can never again return to him. He can no longer forsake this threshold.”

Mulla Abbas’ companion responds that he finds himself in a similar state! Mulla Abbas’ companion says the following…

Mulla Abbas’ companion needs the following script as part of this scene:

Mulla Abbas’ companion: “I have ceased to recognize my teacher. This very moment, I have vowed to God to dedicate the remaining days of my life to the service of Baha’u’llah, my true and only Master.”

The two emissaries never go back to their teacher. They decide to stay and follow Baha’u’llah, to serve and teach His Cause.

Scene 5: News of the conversion of the two Mullas spreads throughout the land and people of all walks of life journey to Nur to enter the presence of Baha’u’llah and partake of His divine knowledge.

News spreads fast about the conversion of these two mullas (What might the people have said to each other after this?)
People of all walks of life journey to Nur to be in the presence of Baha’u’llah and partake of His divine knowledge (What might they be saying? Why do they want to be near Baha’u’llah?)
A considerable number of them accept the new Faith of God (What might they say upon recognizing the truth that their hearts have yearned for?)

Download a printable version here

MAKE A SUN CATCHER AND ADD THE LABEL “GOD’S MANIFESTATIONS ILLUMINE HUMAN HEARTS WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD”

HERE is a template heart that you can use. Stick washi tape or tissue paper on one heart and then glue the second heart on top the first.

MAKE A HEART LIGHT-UP CARD

This craft requires special materials that may not be avilible near your location.

Jar With Lights

Use a jar with an outline of a heart taped on. The label “God’s manifestations illumine human hearts with the knowledge of God” can be used View instructions HERE

A Simple Gluing Activity

Paste the quote onto a heart. Download here

Download “our purpose” glue activity HERE

From the Australian Peace Pack HERE

BRILLIANT STAR MAGAZINE

WHAT DO YOU SAY?

BAHA LEADING UPWARDS

O Son of Man! Neglect not My commandments if thou lovest My beauty, and forget not My counsels if thou wouldst attain My good pleasure.

Memorization aid here

Tags Baha'i, Baha'i children class material, children class, crafts, Drama, GOD'S MANIFESTATIONS ILLUMINE HUMAN HEARTS WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD, GRADE 3, lesson 2, memorization aid, Prayers, ruhi, Ruhi bk 3 children's class, Ruhi book 3, Ruhi Book 3 Grade 3, Ruhi Children Class, STORIES

Baha'i Children class Free Kids Can Do Ruhi Book 3

A LOOK AT PROGRESSIVE REVELATION

Post author By Carolyn
Post date September 27, 2022
No Comments on A LOOK AT PROGRESSIVE REVELATION

Ruhi Book 3 grade 3 pre-lesson

NOTE FOR TEACHERS

The US Baha’i core curriculum has a worksheet for teachers to review progressive revelation and you can access the downloadable PDF here

This year we are going to be learning about the lives and teachings of the Messengers sent by God to humanity.

Every 500-1000 years, God sends us a Messenger of God to teach and enlighten us.

We start with Abraham because that is the first Messenger of God that we have information about, but there have always been Teachers sent by God in each age, even before Abraham. This is known as progressive revelation.

This year we are going to learn more about Abraham, Moses, Krishna, Buddha, Zoroaster, Jesus, Muhammad, the Bab, and Baha’u’llah. We will learn about their Teachings and the Message they brought from God for the world.

To start, we are going to think about God and the reason that God created us.

Do you know why you have been created?

What is OUR purpose?

To help us answer the questions of why we were created and our purpose, we can find many clues from the Baha’i writings and prayers we say:

To work for the betterment of the world, to develop virtues, and to grow spiritually, to draw closer to God.

Let’s look at this verse from the Bahai Writings

“I bear witness, O my God, that Thou hast created me to know Thee and to worship Thee.”

So how do we know God?

God is of course far above anything we can think of: He is our Creator and we are His creation.

In general, what has been created cannot understand its creator. For instance, this table cannot understand the nature of the carpenter that made it.

God is the Creator of all things and His essence is unknowable to us, which means that we should not make images of God in our mind- thinking of Him, for example as a man. He is far above all of our ideas of Him. Out of His mercy, though, God sends us a Manifestation of God in each age.

Does anyone know what “manifest” means?

The word “manifest” means to reveal, to bring forth something that was not known before. The Manifestation of God are those special Beings who reveal to humanity the Word and the Will of God; thus when we listen to Them, we are responding to the call of God.

See the Ringstone symbol above:

DOWNLOAD PDF FROM DELIGHT HEARTS

This is a symbol that helps us to understand the role of the Manifestations of God. The bottom line is the Realm of Creation- this is where we are. The middle line is the Realm of the Messengers of God, Their station is high above us. The top realm is the realm of God.

What connects these realms?

The middle line is repeated because the Messengers of God each are the way of God that connects this world with the realms above.

Why are there stars on either side?

Because the Messengers of God come in human form- head, arms, legs, (point to a star and show those points).

There is an example from the physical world that helps us to understand the concept of “Manifestation” as taught in the Bahai Writings.

Do you know what it is?

In this world, what is the source of all warmth and light, without which life would not exist on the planet?

(THE SUN!) Yet the sun itself does not descend to earth, and if we tried to approach it, we would be totally consumed. But suppose we take a well-polished mirror and point it towards the sun.

What do we see in the mirror?

(THE IMAGE OF THE SUN) and the more perfectly polished the mirror, the more perfect the image will be. The Manifestations of God are like perfect mirrors that reflect the light of God in all its splendor. And all the mirrors reflect the same light.

While God is beyond our reach, these perfect Beings come to us from time to time, live among us, give us guidance and fill us with the energy we need to progress materially and spiritually.

Seeking the knowledge of God through His Manifestations should be the central concern of our lives.

Is knowing God enough?

What else do we need to do? (From the quote: worship Him)

How do we worship God? (Prayers, Obey commandments)

Is saying prayers, in a temple, church, at home- enough?

How do we obey His commandments?

When we act in a spirit of obedience to the laws and teachings of God, all that we do becomes fruitful.

Let’s look at what the Bahai Writings say about worship

“This is worship: to serve mankind and to minister to the needs of the people. Service is prayer.” (Abdu’l-Baha)

God has sent us His Messengers to help us in our efforts to fulfill the purpose for which He created us- to know Him and to worship Him.

GOD IS ONE

Imagine a beautiful gemstone- shining and sparkling.

Is it aware of its own beauty? (no)

Think of a beautiful flower- color, fragrance. Do you have it in your mind? Okay- now I have a question to ask you- does it know its own beauty? (no)

What about a bird that is singing the most melodious songs- is it conscious of the value of its own singing?

Unlike the rest of creation that doesn’t have an understanding of their beauty and potential, we as human beings DO have the ability to know and to recognize beauty- not just physical, but spiritual beauty.

What is spiritual beauty? The virtues- the qualities of God we have within us- that are shown in ACTION. A big part of our purpose has to do with developing those God-like qualities we have within us, so that we can reflect the light of God in our lives and in turn, be the source of guidance to others.

What are some of those God qualities that we have within us?

DOWNLOAD YES NO QUESTIONS HERE

QUOTE TO MEMORIZE

O Son of Being! Thou art My lamp and My light is in thee. Get thou from it thy radiance and seek none other than Me, for I have created Thee rich and have bountifully shed My favor upon Thee.
–Baha’u’llah

USE THIS WORKSHEET FOR ANY WORDS YOU ARE NOT SURE OF

Two Games

1. Balloon Bop: (Material: a few blown-up balloons)

Students begin by standing in a circle, holding hands. The teacher drops one balloon into the circle. The goal is for students to see how many times they can tap the balloon into the air (they can tap with hands, arms, heads, shoulder, chest or knees-No feet.), keeping it up in the air, without losing the connection (all students must continue holding hands.) In order for this to work effectively, students have to work cooperatively, each of them making sure they are not letting go of their neighbor, hand. They will soon figure out that they must all move together, as a circle, so to make sure they do not lose connection. If the balloon falls to the ground or a student taps the balloon with their feet, the count begins again. Depending on grade level; you can add more balloons to make it more challenging!

Before playing: the teacher can model how to tap the balloon lightly in order to keep it up in the air.

2. Great Wind Blows( Material: None)

Arrange chairs/carpet squares to form a circle (If using chairs, facing inward toward the middle). One player starts in the middle, standing up. He or she begins the round by standing in the middle starts by saying “Great wind blows for everyone who…” and then says any characteristic that is true for that person. For example, if the person has been to Canada before, he or she can say, “Great wind blows for everyone who has been to Canada.” All players who have been to Canada before must stand and quickly find a new seat that is more than 2 chairs away from them. If the player is not able to find a vacant seat, he or she is the new person who is in the middle.

1. Make a lantern

There are many easy lanterns you can make, the one below is pretty simple. You will need cardboard or stiff paper, parchment paper or heavy wax paper, a stapler, glue, pen.

Lantern Template here simple lantern

Write/ print the quote

O Son of Being! Thou art My lamp and My light is in thee. Get thou from it thy radiance and seek none other than Me, for I have created thee rich and have bountifully shed My favor upon Thee. –Baha’u’llah

2. Brilliant star magazine grade 3

Gods’ mysterious nature: make a Mobius strip

Building a better world PDF

3. Color in the ringtone symbol from Delight Hearts or from here

Tags activities, Baha'i, Baha'i children class material, children class, crafts, games, GRADE 3, LESSONS, Prayers, PRE-LESSON, PROGRESSIVE REVELATION, quotes, ruhi, Ruhi bk 3 children's class, Ruhi book 3, Ruhi Book 3 Grade 3, Ruhi Children Class, STORIES

Baha'i Children class Free Ridvan Ruhi Book 3

The Transformation Of Souls In A Power Of Bahá’u’lláh!

Post author By Carolyn
Post date July 8, 2022
No Comments on The Transformation Of Souls In A Power Of Bahá’u’lláh!

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

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

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

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.”

“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?

Historical Episodes

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.

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?

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.”

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.

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.”

What are some of 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

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 learnt 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!

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

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Baha'i Children class Free journal Kids Can Do Ruhi Book 3

For Justice To Be Established On Earth Spread Bahá’u’lláhs Teachings.

Post author By Carolyn
Post date July 8, 2022
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Introducing the principal theme

Welcome to Lesson 6 Grade 4

This lesson seeks to help the children understand that Bahá’u’lláh has come to educate souls and bring new life to humanity.

In the quotation you memorized in the last lesson,(Lesson 5. ) Bahá’u’lláh makes clear that as His hardships and tribulations grew, so did His love for God, and that nothing could stop Him from carrying out the Mission with which God had entrusted Him. He bore all the sufferings heaped upon Him with radiance and forbearance. For four months He was imprisoned in the most terrible conditions in the Síyáh-Chál.

Do you remember what happened to Bahá’u’lláh and His family after He was released from His imprisonment?
What did the government and religious leaders hope would happen by exiling Bahá’u’lláh from His native Persia?

We know they feared that, if He remained in Persia, the teachings of the Báb would continue to spread and they would lose their power and control over people. And so they forced Bahá’u’lláh to leave His homeland, thinking that His influence would fade away and His light would be extinguished. Of course, they could never succeed.

You remember that, when Bahá’u’lláh first arrived in Baghdád after He left Persia, He was so saddened by the disunity among the followers of the Báb that He went to the remote mountainous region near the town of Sulaymáníyyih. In this lesson you are going to learn what happened when Bahá’u’lláh finally returned to Baghdád. After two years, He found the Bábí community in a terrible state. But quickly everything changed as Bahá’u’lláh began to educate the believers. Soon the people of Baghdád found in their midst a community that was distinguished by the love of God and by its noble character.

The quotation you will start to memorize today speaks of the quickening power of Bahá’u’lláh’s words and the joy experienced by all those who had the bounty of attaining His presence and listening to His utterances.

Prayer 1 Set 2

Prayer 2 Set 2

Prayer 3 Set 2

A Noble Way

The purpose of God

All joy to such as have attained His presence, gazed upon His beauty, hearkened unto His melodies, and been quickened by the Word that hath been issued forth from His sacred and exalted, His glorious and resplendent lips!

Bahá’u’lláh

Meaning of Words

If there are any words you do not know or are unsure of, rcord them in this document!

Send A Postcard

Why not share the quote from todays class as a postcard to a friend.

Historical Episodes

The episode in this lesson centers on Bahá’u’lláh’s stay in Baghdád following His return from Sulaymáníyyih. The story of His Declaration in the Garden of Riḍván, just prior to His departure for Constantinople, will be reserved for the next lesson.

Story 1

During the two years of Bahá’u’lláh’s absence from Baghdád, the fortunes of the Bábís had gone from bad to worse. Mírzá Yaḥyá had shown his total incompetence and had done nothing to stop this rapid decline. Bahá’u’lláh set out to educate the Bábís and to renew in them the spirit of faith they had once possessed. Over the years, through His love and wisdom, and the power of His words, He changed the behavior of the followers of the Báb. Under His guidance, the Bábís became, once again, righteous people who were the well-wishers of humankind. They put aside conflict and became promoters of unity and peace. Many Bábís from different parts of Persia began to make the long journey to Baghdád so that they could enter His presence. One of these was the young man we know today as Nabíl, the great historian of the Bahá’í Faith, whose book “The Dawn-breakers” you will someday read yourselves. He has left for us an account of what it was like for the believers to be close to Bahá’u’lláh in those special days.

We know that the house in which Bahá’u’lláh lived with His family became a place of much activity, and people came to see Him there in great numbers. One room of the house was set aside for the reception of guests and visitors. It was a simple room with a low roof, but, Nabíl tells us, it seemed to “reach to the stars”, so uplifted were the hearts of those who attained the presence of Bahá’u’lláh. For them, to be surrounded by His love and immersed in the sea of His words, was like being in paradise. All the Bábís took great care, Nabíl writes, to make sure that their conduct conformed to the high standard to which He was calling them. Each one entered into a pact with one of his fellow believers, so that, if necessary, they could remind one another of the lofty standard they had pledged to follow. Often they would gather late into the night, reciting prayers and poetry and singing songs in praise of the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh. Many nights, ten or more of them would eat no more than a few dates. They all lived modestly but were content. “I, myself with two others,” Nabíl writes, “lived in a room which was devoid of furniture.” Yet they thought little of such things. No one knew to whom the shoes, the cloaks and the robes they wore belonged. Whoever went to the bazaar to buy a few things would put on what he found without noticing whether it was his own or not. So filled were their hearts with the love of God that they even forgot their own names. “O, for the joy of those days,” are Nabíl’s words, “and the gladness and wonder of those hours!”

Story 2

As the Bábí community was spiritually revived, love and admiration for Bahá’u’lláh also grew among the inhabitants of Baghdád, including some of its dignitaries and officials. Even the governor of Baghdád eventually came to visit Him as a sign of courtesy and respect. No one who entered His presence could fail to recognize His greatness and glory. Nabíl records a story of how one night about a hundred people surrounded Bahá’u’lláh’s house, at the instigation of His enemies, ready to stir up mischief. They had swords by their sides. But Bahá’u’lláh approached the situation with His usual calm and dignity. He invited them into the house and requested His attendants to open the door for them. “They are our guests”, He said. He had refreshments served to them and discussed with them profound spiritual matters. By the time they arose to leave, their hearts had been transformed by the majesty and the kindliness of Bahá’u’lláh.

How fortunate are human beings when they can immerse themselves in the ocean of God’s mercy and partake of the knowledge and wisdom of His Manifestation! Yet, although those close to Bahá’u’lláh enjoyed the bounties of His presence and the people of Baghdád were attracted to His nobility and wisdom, some of the leaders refused to acknowledge His greatness because of their own ambition and pride. They saw Bahá’u’lláh’s growing influence as a threat to their own power. And so it will not surprise you to learn that, during this time, opposition to the Cause also grew steadily.

In one instance, a group of religious leaders decided to send a learned man to Bahá’u’lláh and to submit to Him a number of questions in order to test Him. When Bahá’u’lláh replied to all the questions satisfactorily, the learned man accepted the vastness of His knowledge. Even so, he presented the group’s request that Bahá’u’lláh perform a miracle to convince them of His extraordinary powers.

“Although you have no right to ask this,” Bahá’u’lláh replied, “for God should test His creatures, and they should not test God, still I allow and accept this request.” He told the man that first the group should choose one miracle and in writing declare that, after it had been performed, they would no longer have any doubts about Him and would all recognize Him and accept the truth of the Cause. They should seal the document and bring it to Him. The man was profoundly struck by this clear and challenging reply. He instantly arose, kissed the knee of Bahá’u’lláh, and departed. He delivered Bahá’u’lláh’s message to the group. For a few days these power-hungry men discussed how they should respond, but they could not come to any decision. Finally they had no other choice but to drop the matter. So it was that, out of His infinite love for humanity, Bahá’u’lláh invited friend and foe alike to drink deep from the cup of His wisdom and guidance. Alas! Though in dire need of the truth, some refused to partake of the life-giving waters of His Message. Driven by ambition and fear, they turned away from the Source of all knowledge and lost their way. Yet, in the end, nothing they did could prevent a growing number of people from drawing close to Him and being revived by His teachings.

Reflect

Now that we have read these 2 accounts, do you recognize that God’s promise to Bahá’u’lláh in the Síyáh-Chál—that He would be made victorious by His Person and by His Pen—was being fulfilled? Though outwardly an exile, with no earthly power or riches, He conquered hearts and became loved and respected by people of all backgrounds. Such is the influence exerted on souls by God’s Manifestation. What other spiritual truths do you glean from the events narrated today?

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

Facts

Bahá’u’lláh returned to Baghdád from the region of Kurdistán in April 1856.
During the two years of Bahá’u’lláh’s absence from Baghdád, the fortunes of the Bábís had gone from bad to worse.
During Bahá’u’lláh’s stay in Baghdád, the Bábí community was revived through His love and wisdom and the power of His words

Download The Fact Cards Here

Act Out The following:

You are new pilgrims who have come to see Bahá’u’lláh and you are entering the room for guests. Remember we do not protray Bahá’u’lláh.

We know the following from Nabíl:

The room “reach to the stars”,
It was like being in paradise.
All the Bábís took great care, to make sure that their conduct conformed to the high standard to which He (Baha’u’llah was calling them).
Each one entered into a pact with one of his fellow believers, so that, if necessary, they could remind one another of the lofty standard they had pledged to follow.
Often they would gather late into the night, reciting prayers and poetry and singing songs in praise of the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh.
Many nights, ten or more of them would eat no more than a few dates.
They all lived modestly but were content. sometimes in a room which was devoid of furniture.
No one knew to whom the shoes, the cloaks and the robes they wore belonged.
Whoever went to the bazaar to buy a few things would put on what he found without noticing whether it was his own or not.
So filled were their hearts with the love of God that they even forgot their own names.

Another Scene to act out.

Act out the Scene where the clergy and holy men of the city had to come up with a miracle for Bahá’u’lláh to perform.

Journal “history” in your community one day at a time

Based on story 2: Nabil was a great historian and wrote what he observed and what he considered important. Can you be a historian and capture the important Baha’i events in your community? It can be in any form you like, a piece of writing, a drawing, a poem, a comic strip, a new article, a journal entry.

Journal to record events like Nabil to use if needed can be downloaded here.

Diorama

Based on Story 1, construct a diorama using a box (shoebox works well). Construct the room the pilgrims stayed in as you imagine it to be.

G4-L6-Review-G2-quote-Download

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Baha'i Children class Free Kids Can Do Ruhi Book 3

Find Out How Bahá’u’lláh Suffered For The Sake Of Humanity.

Post author By Carolyn
Post date July 8, 2022
No Comments on Find Out How Bahá’u’lláh Suffered For The Sake Of Humanity.

Grade 4 Lesson 5 Ruhi Book 3

Introducing The Principal Theme

Welcome to Lesson 5 Grade 4.

The purpose of this lesson is to help us realize that Baha’u’llah suffered for us and to give us a glimpse of the ordeals and hardship that He endured for the sake of humanity.

All the Manifestations of God have suffered in the hands of leaders concerned only with their own wealth and power. These self-seeking leaders used their influence over the ignorant people who blindly followed them to convince them to arise against God’s Manifestations.

In the last class, we learned what happened after the pitiful attempt made by a small group of foolish Bábís on the life of the king. Even Bahá’u’lláh, Who was so loved and respected by everyone, did not escape the horrible persecution that followed. He was imprisoned in a dungeon called the Síyáh- Chál, and all His worldly possessions were taken away from Him and His family. But we also saw that in this terrible dark place, God chose to reveal to Bahá’u’lláh His Mission and that from the darkness of the Black Pit rose the Sun of Truth. You also memorized a quotation in which Bahá’u’lláh Himself tells us how He heard words all around Him assuring Him that He would be victorious.

Today we are going to learn about Bahá’u’lláh’s release from the Síyáh-Chál and what happened next. As you listen to the stories in this lesson, you should remember that Bahá’u’lláh had not yet openly declared His Mission, but the power of His Revelation was already being felt, and the government of Persia and the religious leaders had become fearful of Him. They decided to send Him into exile. They thought that they could silence Him in this way and keep others back from the radiance of His glory. So, Bahá’u’lláh and His family were forced to head for Baghdád in the middle of an, especially cold winter. Unfortunately, upon His arrival there, He found so much disunity among the followers of the Báb that soon He decided to leave Baghdád and withdraw to a remote region to commune with God.

You will see that, even in the remote mountainous region to which Bahá’u’lláh withdrew, the people came to recognize His greatness and majesty. Nothing could conceal the wisdom and power that emanated from Him. Today, you will begin to memorize a passage in which Bahá’u’lláh explains that as His hardships grew, and as more and more difficulties were heaped upon Him, His love for God increased. No earthly power could prevent Him from achieving His purpose.

Baha’u’llah lived a life of suffering and affliction. He was imprisoned and exiled. Lies were told about Him, His teachings ignored and rejected, and His loyal followers mercilessly persecuted. He accepted these afflictions because He was chosen by God and did only that which God commanded. He loved humanity and knew that the knowledge He brought from God would finally conquer ignorance. He showed loving-kindness to every human being, even to the worst of His enemies. He accepted His sufferings patiently. Not for an instant did He stop shedding God’s light upon the whole world. For forty years, under the most difficult conditions, He gave guidance to humanity.

Remembering the ordeals and hardships suffered by Baha’u’llah makes us firm in His love. Our hearts will not waver in moments of difficulty. We will learn to be as immovable as the mountain when ignorant people oppose the Faith. We have to act the same way during our own tests. Love is stronger than hate.

Who inflicts sufferings upon the Manifestations of God?
Why did Baha’u’llah patiently accept His sufferings?
For how long did Baha’u’llah give guidance to humanity and under what conditions?
What effect does remembering Baha’u’llah’s sufferings have on us?

Prayer 1

Prayer 2

Prayer 3

Download the memorization aid for all 3 prayers in set 2 from Here

The prince of peace

O Baha’u’llah

I Have Found Bahá’u’lláh

Bahá’u’lláh The Glory Of God

As My tribulations multiplied, so did My love for God and for His Cause increase, in such wise that all that befell Me from the hosts of the wayward was powerless to deter Me from My purpose.
Bahá’u’lláh The Summons of the Lord of Hosts

Meaning Of Some Of The Words In The Quote

Download Pdf Here

Send A Post Card to a Friend

G4-L5-QUOTE Download

This is the first of four historical episodes (lessons 5 to 8) leading to Bahá’u’lláh’s final exile to the prison city of ‘Akká. As we read these accounts we must keep in mind that Bahá’u’lláh willingly endured great suffering out of His limitless love for humanity and that the Cause of God can not be stopped by anyone.

You remember from our last class that Bahá’u’lláh was imprisoned in the Síyáh-Chál for four months and that, in the icy cold depths of so horrible a place, as He lay chained to His companions, God made known to Him the greatness of His station. Yet Bahá’u’lláh told no one of what had occurred. He would wait until the exact moment appointed by God to proclaim His Mission.

During that period, the enemies of the Faith persecuted the Bábís mercilessly, committing acts of cruelty that are too horrible to describe. However, one story must be told, the story of the martyrdom of the valiant Ṭáhirih, the courageous champion of the equality of women and men. At the time she was being held captive in the home of a notable in Ṭihrán. One night, knowing that the order to end her life had been issued, she put on the most beautiful dress and anointed herself with perfume. She then sent for the wife of the notable and conveyed her last wishes to her. Afterward, she closed herself in her room and awaited, in prayer and meditation, the hour of her death.

Ṭáhirih was pacing the floor of her room, chanting words of both grief and triumph, when the guards arrived. They brought her to a garden that was outside the gates of the city. This was to be the site of her martyrdom. The headsmen were awaiting her, but when the time came for them to act, they wavered. They refused to end the life of one such as her. Instead, they managed to find a man so drunk that he did not know what he was doing. He was given a silk scarf that Ṭáhirih herself had brought, and with this scarf, he strangled that outstanding heroine of the Faith. Her lifeless body was then lowered into a well, which was filled with earth and stones, as she had desired.

Meanwhile, the enemies of the Faith were busy trying to obtain Bahá’u’lláh’s death sentence from the king, Náṣiri’d-Dín Shah. But it did not prove to be so easy for them to do so. Bahá’u’lláh came from a noble family and was loved by so many, high and low alike. Eventually, to achieve their purpose, they arranged for a poison to be put into some of the food brought to Him. Of course, their plot failed. The poison was so strong that its effects were quickly noticed, and Bahá’u’lláh stopped eating the meal. In the end, the authorities had no other choice but to release Him from prison. The king, however, ordered that Bahá’u’lláh leave Persia and go into exile. He was given one month to depart.

Bahá’u’lláh was ill and exhausted from the terrible conditions of the Síyáh-Chál. The chain that had been placed around His neck during His imprisonment was so heavy that it had made deep wounds, and the poison had left Him in a weakened state. Still, in the middle of winter, on 12 January 1853, He and His family set out from their native land, never to return. You remember that ‘Abdu’l-Bahá was about eight or nine, and His sister, Bahíyyih Khánum, was two years younger. They both gladly shared in their Father’s exile. Their youngest brother, however, was too small a child to undertake such a rigorous journey. He had to be left behind with some relatives until he was old enough to travel. Also with them on the journey was Áqáy-i-Kalím and another one of Bahá’u’lláh’s brothers. Together they headed for Baghdád, a city in the Ottoman Empire, escorted by two officials.

To reach the city, they had to cross the huge, snow-covered mountains that separated the Ottoman Empire from Persia. It was a perilous journey, and the supplies they had for the trip were far from adequate. You can imagine how cold it was for the small band of travelers, who did not have sufficient clothing to protect them from the snow. With the help of only some mules, they slowly made their way along the high peaks of the mountains. Often they had no option but to camp for the night in the total wilderness. But God protected them, and through His unfailing assistance, they arrived safely in Baghdád three months later.

What Bahá’u’lláh saw in Baghdád saddened His heart. After the Báb and so many of the Bábís were martyred, His remaining followers had become confused and lost. They did not know where to turn or which direction to take. And unfortunately, some of them began to forget the high standards to which the Báb had called them. They quarreled and became very disunited people. The greatest cause of the difficulty was Bahá’u’lláh’s own half-brother Mírzá Yaḥyá, an ambitious and cowardly man. He had followed Bahá’u’lláh to Baghdád and soon became jealous of the influence Bahá’u’lláh had on everyone who came into contact with Him. Working with a partner more shameless than himself, Mírzá Yaḥyá tried to turn the believers against Bahá’u’lláh. The situation grew worse daily.

A year after their arrival in Baghdád, Bahá’u’lláh’s family woke one morning to find that He was gone. He had left the city without telling anyone where He was going or why. Seeing that Mírzá Yaḥyá was creating so much disunity, Bahá’u’lláh had chosen to retire to a region of Kurdistán, some distance to the north of Baghdád. His purpose in doing so, He Himself would later state, was to avoid becoming “the subject of discord” among the Báb’s followers or “the cause of sorrow to any heart”.

In that mountainous region, not far from a town called Sulaymáníyyih, Bahá’u’lláh lived alone. He was content with little food. At times He received some milk from the shepherds in the surrounding area and, occasionally, visited the town to obtain the minimum necessities of life. The conditions were extremely harsh, but He was happy to be in communion with God.

As you can well imagine, Bahá’u’lláh’s greatness could not be kept hidden from people’s eyes for long. One day, for example, He saw a young student sitting by the road crying. He asked the reason for this sadness and was told that the other boys at the school had each received from the teacher a sample of penmanship to practice their handwriting but that he did not have a copy. Bahá’u’lláh offered with tenderness and kindness to write a sample for him. When the young boy showed the sample to his teacher at school, everyone was astonished at the beauty and excellence of Bahá’u’lláh’s penmanship. They realized that someone special now lived among them. And the news of this spread throughout Sulaymáníyyih.

Gradually, more and more of the inhabitants of Sulaymáníyyih came to know of Bahá’u’lláh and to respect Him. Some of the wise leaders of the town sought His presence and requested that He explain to them difficult spiritual matters. Bahá’u’lláh’s words had on these people their usual effect. Many a heart was transformed by His love and many a mind was illumined by His knowledge. His fame began to spread to the neighboring areas. News of a man of extraordinary wisdom and eloquence living in Kurdistán finally reached Baghdád.

So it was that one day ‘ Abdu’l-Bahá, now twelve years old, and His dear uncle, Áqáy-i- Kalím, overheard two people speaking of this most extraordinary Man. They described Him as “The Nameless One,” Who had magnetized the countryside with His love. ‘Abdu’l- Bahá and His uncle realized immediately that this Personage could be none other than Bahá’u’lláh. Without delay, they sent a trusted believer to beg Him to return, and Bahá’u’lláh accepted their request. Two years had passed since He had left Baghdád to commune with God. And, as we will see in the next class, just as He had galvanized the inhabitants of Sulaymáníyyih, He would transform and uplift the followers of the Báb in Baghdád and beyond through the power of His love and wisdom. His full glory would be made manifest, and all of the desperate attempts of His enemies to prevent the progress of the Cause of God would prove utterly futile.

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

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 Free Biography Page

Facts

Bahá’u’lláh was imprisoned in the Síyáh-Chál for four months.
Bahá’u’lláh was exiled from Persia in 1853.
Bahá’u’lláh’s very difficult journey from Persia to Baghdád began on 12 January 1853 and took about three months.
Bahá’u’lláh left Baghdád for Kurdistán in April 1854.
Bahá’u’lláh spent a total of two years in Sulaymáníyyih.

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Act Out The Following

A year after their arrival in Baghdád, Bahá’u’lláh’s family woke one morning to find that He was gone. He had left the city without telling anyone where He was going.

Act Out The Following

Remember that Manifestations of God are not portrayed

Draw

Draw the family of Bahá’u’lláh traveling across the mountains in the winter on their way to Baghdád. Remember not to include any representation that could be mistaken for Bahá’u’lláh.

Calligraphy

Baha’ullah’s handwriting was beautiful! Many Persian calligraphy is done in the form of shapes. (G4L5 outline for calligraphy)

Choose a prayer or a quote to fill in one of the images of your choice, or choose an image to fill with writing/words.

“These Prophets and chosen Ones of God are the recipients and revealers of all the unchangeable attributes and names of God. They are the mirrors that truly and faithfully reflect the light of God.”
Bahá’u’lláh The Kitáb-i-Íqán

Download the memorization Aid: Review Quote Grade 4 Lesson 5

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