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Baha'i Free Ruhi Book 3

WORKING IN A SPIRIT OF SERVICE G2 L18

WELCOME

LESSON 18: WORKING IN A SPIRIT OF SERVICE

As we grow up, we each become engaged in different kinds of work and make an effort to learn the skills and abilities, knowledge, and qualities, we need to serve. Be it as a farmer, a doctor, a teacher, a scientist, a musician, or a factory worker. You too will need to think about how you will contribute to the welfare of society as you grow older.

With this introduction, the children then brainstormed some ideas of possible occupations and specifically, what professions they would like to carry out – we had it all, from zoo keeper to fashion designer, to ornithologist – there are so many options out there!

EACH SET HAS PRAYERS TO MEMORIZE

This is the last lesson to memorize the prayer below

O Thou kind Lord! These lovely children are the handiwork of the fingers of Thy might and the wondrous signs of Thy greatness. O God! Protect these children, graciously assist them to be educated and enable them to render service to the world of humanity. O God! These children are pearls, cause them to be nurtured within the shell of Thy loving-kindness. Thou art the Bountiful, the All-Loving.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá
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Quote for class to memorize
The following ideas will assist you in presenting the quotation that the children are expected to memorize today:

With love and kindness, joy and eagerness, we work diligently throughout our lives, striving to contribute to the good of those around us. As we grow up, we each become engaged in different kinds of work and make effort to acquire the skills and abilities, knowledge and qualities, we need to serve. There are many things that must be done in this world, and each person must determine how best to apply the talents and capacities he or she has been given by God. Think of the farmer who works from early morning until evening to produce the food others need to survive; think of the factory worker who lends his or her skills to the manufacture of goods that will benefit many; the schoolteacher devotes his or her days to helping young students learn to read and write; the musician practices for hours upon hours in order to create music that will bring joy to the hearts of others; the scientist spends a lifetime observing the universe and looking for patterns in its workings, to make discoveries that will lead to new understanding and that will give rise to new technologies. The Baha’i Writings tell us that work done in the spirit of service is accepted by God as worship.

You, too, will need to think about how you will to contribute to the welfare of society as you grow older. There will be many ways that you can apply the talents and capacities God has given to you, and as you make effort and work diligently, Divine confirmations will reinforce you, and you will begin to see more and more possibilities to serve others. You will, of course, continue to study and learn and will strive to achieve excellence, whatever path you take in life. Even the Baha’is who followed Baha’u’llah into exile from His homeland and who had little means learned the art of making rush mats. It was ‘Abdu’l-Baha who found an instructor to teach them this skill, a skill which He Himself had earlier acquired. During His travels in the West, ‘Abdu’l-Baha explained to one of the friends: “. . . it is incumbent upon every soul to acquire a trade and an occupation. For example, l know how to weave or make a mat, and you know some other trade. This, in itself is an act of worship, provided that it is conducted on the basis of utmost honesty and faithfulness.” To remember the importance of engaging in some form of work, in a spirit of service to humanity, let us memorize the following words of Baha’u’llah:

It is incumbent upon each one of you to engage in some occupation – such as a craft, a trade or the like. We have exalted your engagement in such work to the rank of worship of the one true God

Baha’u’llah
MEANING OF WORDS
incumbent

Every parent must be responsible for making sure that their children receive an education. It is incumbent upon parents to see to their children’s education.

It is incumbent upon every person to pray each day.

Engage

Jacob’s brothers all have different jobs. One is an electrician, one is a fisherman, one is a teacher, and one is a painter. Each of Jacob’s brothers is engaged in a different occupation.

Each day, Marwan goes to school, assists her brother with his studies, practices playing football, and helps with the household chores. Throughout the day, Marwan engages in many activities.

Occupation

Ariadne spends most of her time looking after her family-caring for their home, tending to their well-being, and making sure they have what they need. Ariadne’s main occupation is the care of her family.

Penelope is an architect. She spends her days designing apartment buildings in which families live. Penelope is an architect by occupation.

Rank

Firefighters must always follow the orders given to them by the head of the fire department. The head of the fire department holds the highest rank in the department.

After many years of wood-working, Alberto became very skilled in carpentry.  He achieved the rank of Master Carpenter.

Worship

Once a week, Miguel’s parents invite their neighbors to their home to pray for the well­ being of their village and their families and to offer gratitude to God. They gather together to worship and praise God.

In every part of the world, one finds special places where people gather to give praise and thanks to God. People go to these places to worship God together.

MEMORIZATION AID FOR QUOTE

PICTURES TO REMEMBER THE QUOTE HERE

ruhi book 3 grade 3 song
STORY RELATED TO LESSON
The story below, about a young man named Muhammad who grew up in ‘Akka in the time of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, will help the children to see the joy that working hard to achieve excellence brings.

In ‘Akka, ‘Abdu’l-Baha had organized a small school for the Baha’i children who lived in the Holy Land. There were very knowledgeable Baha’is in ‘Akka at the time, so the children had the opportunity to learn from a most wonderful group of teachers. Among the subjects taught at the school was calligraphy, which is an art highly esteemed by Baha’u’llah and ‘Abdu’l-Baha. It is the art of writing profound and meaningful phrases, poems and tablets in a most beautiful way, almost as if they were paintings.

On Thursday afternoons the children of the Baha’i school had a special bounty. Each would take the best piece of calligraphy he or she had written during the week and show it to ‘Abdu’l-Baha who would inspect it, praising and encouraging the child as He saw fit. If the calligraphy piece was particularly well done, He would write a short sentence of praise at the bottom of the paper in His own handwriting. For the children, a sheet ennobled by ‘Abdu’l-Baha’s handwriting was a treasure they would cherish for the rest of their lives.

One year, there was a young boy of twelve or thirteen in the school who was intelligent, but eager to avoid unnecessary exertion. He loved to play and, as a result, did his homework hastily and poorly. Now this young boy, whose name was Muhammad, had an ardent desire to win the good pleasure of ‘Abdu’l-Baha. But when it was time to sit down and practice his calligraphy, he would get the urge to go out and play. Then one week Muhammad managed to show tremendous willpower. He worked hard, and when Thursday came, he presented to ‘Abdu’l-Baha a very nice piece of calligraphy. The Master was delighted and wrote at the bottom of the sheet words of commendation.

As you can imagine, Muhammad was beside himself with happiness. He looked at the handwriting of ‘Abdu’l-Baha under his calligraphy, convinced he was the most fortunate boy in the whole universe. “Why could I not do this every week,” he thought, “and receive this honor every Thursday?” So the next week he tried again, but unfortunately his willpower was not strong. He did not produce a single piece of calligraphy that could possibly win ‘Abdu’l-Baha’s approval a second time. Then Muhammad said to himself, “‘Abdu’l-Baha is so busy. He has so many things to do. He would never remember the calligraphy of a little boy.” So he took a fine pair of scissors and cut off the bottom of the sheet that he had presented the week before, removing ‘Abdu ‘l-Baha’s words of praise. You can see what Muhammad’s intention was. He was going to show the same piece of calligraphy to ‘Abdu ‘l-Baha again. This was a blameworthy act, although Muhammad had always been a truthful and trustworthy child. He tried to forget his plan, but could not. His mind had been poisoned by a dishonest thought, and he was not strong enough to overcome it.

On Thursday afternoon, Muhammad stood in line with the calligraphy piece from the previous week in his hand. He was already feeling the pangs of remorse. He was so ashamed of himself that he could hardly look at ‘Abdu’l-Baha. Then finally, his turn came. As always, ‘Abdu’l-Baha was loving and kind. But, of course, the moment He saw the calligraphy. He knew what had happened. How do you think the Master reacted? Did he announce Muhammad’s wrongdoing to his companions and shame him before the others? Not at all.  With great love, but also with unmistakable firmness, He noted how closely the piece of calligraphy matched the one that Muhammad had presented the week before. He said no more, but patted the boy in such a way that made it perfectly clear to Muhammad that ‘Abdu ‘1-Bahti realized what he had done.

Download the story as a PDF here

Draw any part of the story
GAMES FOR GRADE 2 TO PLAY
DRAMA / GAMES

As always, have the children stretch in their imaginary squares as warm-up and then carry out one or two other exercises from the previous lessons. Then explain to them that the next exercise will help them to think about how they can serve humanity as they grow up.

Ask the children to sit silently for a few moments and imagine what kind of work they might want to do in the future. Once each child has an idea in mind, call on them one by one to stand up and act out some of the tasks involved in the work they have chosen. For example, if one child hopes to be a doctor, he or she might pretend to examine a patient; another might think of being a teacher and pretend to give a lesson. After each child has finished his or her improvisation, the other students should guess what he or she was pretending to be and then discuss briefly how such an occupation can contribute to the betterment of the world. To begin the exercise, you might wish to choose a child with strong drama skills who can provide an example for the others to follow.

CONTENT COMING SOON

CRAFT IDEAS
A Beautiful Piece Of Calligraphy

Our craft/art activity was inspired by today’s story on calligraphy. During the time of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, the children in ‘Akka were taught to do calligraphy. One boy found it very hard to concentrate and patiently practice it, as he would rather go out and play. One day, he used all his willpower to persevere and produced a beautiful piece of calligraphy, so when it came around to show his work to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, he received praise for it and was the happiest boy in the world. But the following week, he hadn’t produced any more work to present and thought if he would show the same piece again, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá surely wouldn’t remember… But of course He did and commented on  the fact how closely this piece matched the one he showed last week…

We noticed that doing calligraphy takes a lot of patience, perseverance and care – and probably a lot of practice to become good at it. The perfect exercise in endurance and excellence 

We used the FREE FONTS FROM THIS SITE  to trace our names and practice a little calligraphy.

THIS IS ANOTHER WAY TO PRACTICE CALLIGRAPHY
THERE ARE LOTS OF LOVELY IMAGES ON PINTEREST. HERE TO ARE SOME Baha’i CALLIGRAPHY

Notice how some calligraphy looks like shapes. We can take any shape and write in it for a similar look. Try using a free shape and write in it

After you have helped the children to review the quotation they memorized in this lesson, you can assist them in reciting the quotations below, which they learned in Grade 1, related to honesty and patience:

Beautify your tongues, O people, with truthfulness, and adorn your souls with the ornament of honesty

 Baha’u’llah

He, verily, shall increase the reward of them that endure with patience

Baha’u’llah
ruhi book 3 grade 2 resources
BRILLIANT STAR MAGAZINE

MISSION OF PIECE

A PRECIOUS GIFT

LIFE’S BALANCING ACT

THE SKY’S THE LIMIT

CLUES TO YOUR CAREER

YOUR CAREER ADVENTURE

POWERPOINT LESSON

HERE

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Baha'i Children class Free Ruhi Book 3

MUHAMMAD AND THE SUBMISSION TO THE WILL OF GOD G3 L10

GRADE 3 LESSON 10

WELCOME GRADE 3 RUHI BOOK 3
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

ruhi book 3 grade 3 prayer
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.

ruhi book 3 grade 3 song
A RING UPON THE HAND
STRIVE THAT YOUR ACTIONS
ONE TREE
ruhi book 3 grade 3 quote

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
RUHI BOOK 3 GRADE 3 STORY

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

RUHI BOOK 3 GRADE 3 FACTS ABOUT
FACTS:
  1. Muḥammad was a Manifestation of God born in the city Mecca, in the Arabian region, in the year 570 AD.
  2. While engaged as a merchant, Muḥammad was often referred to as “The Truthful” and “The Trustworthy”.
  3. Muḥammad taught that there is one God, that people should turn to Him, worship Him, trust in Him, and be obedient to His Will.
  4. Muḥammad and His followers were persecuted by the people of Mecca and went to Medina, where His Message reached many souls.
  5. After several years in Medina, Muḥammad returned to Mecca and the people soon embraced His Cause.
  6. The words of Muḥammad are recorded in a Holy Book called the Qu’rán.
  7. Muḥammad’s Message united the Arabian tribes and raised their level of civilization.
Facts ABOUT MUHAMMAD
RUHI BOOK 3 GRADE 3 GAMES
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.)

RUHI BOOK 3 GRADE 3 CRAFTS/ ACTIVITIES
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.

Pinterest 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

ruhi book 3 grade 3 review quote

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
Categories
Baha'i Children class Free Ruhi Book 3

JESUS CHRIST AND DIVINE LOVE G3 L9

GRADE 3 LESSON 9

WELCOME GRADE 3 RUHI BOOK 3
Jesus Christ and Divine Love

The purpose of this lesson is to help us understand that all the Manifestations of God brought the same message of Divine love to the world. 

In this context, they will learn about the life and teachings of Jesus, a Manifestation of God Whose Message of love and fellowship eventually spread throughout the entire world.  

Every Manifestation of God calls on people to love one another.  Through both the beauty of Their teachings and the example of Their lives, the Manifestations establish bonds of love and fellowship between people. 

Love is an attribute of God, and it is out of His love for us that He sends us His Manifestations. They explain to us, one and all, that human beings are created in the image of God, Who is the All-Loving and the All-Merciful.  So it is that we must strive to love one another and show mercy to one another. 

Love is one of the most powerful forces that exist.  It can change a cold heart into one filled with joy and happiness.  It can unite people and entire nations in peace and prosperity.  And there is no limit to love.  It is infinite.  And through the teachings of God’s Manifestations we learn to express the limitless power of love in the way we treat one another and in the good deeds we perform for our fellow human beings, in order to transform the world.

Jesus Christ was a Manifestation of God Who appeared some two thousand years ago.  He taught people to love everyone, even their enemies, as they love their friends.  His entire Being was an expression of love, and He was willing to suffer any hardship, and even the cruelest death, so that He could proclaim His life-giving Message, which spread to many people and nations, uniting them in loving fellowship.

QUESTIONS

What is the most powerful forces that exists?

LOVE

What force can change a cold heart into one filled with joy and happiness?

LOVE

What force can unite people and entire nations in peace and prosperity? 

LOVE

Is there any limit to the power of love?

NO

Through Whose teachings can we learn to draw on the limitless power of love? 

THE MANIFESTATIONS OF GOD

Who was Jesus Christ?

JESUS WAS A MANIFESTATION OF GOD

Why is it that Jesus was willing to endure hardship and even death?

SO THAT HE COULD PROCLAIM HIS LIFE-GIVING MESSAGE

 

ruhi book 3 grade 3 prayer
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.

ruhi book 3 grade 3 song
LOVE LOVE LOVE
MIRROR OF GOD
SAY GOD SUFFICIETH
SEALS AND CROFT THE LORD’S PRAYER
ruhi book 3 grade 3 quote

The fundamental purpose animating the Faith of God and His Religion is to safeguard the interests and promote the unity of the human race and to foster the spirit of love and fellowship amongst men

The Proclamation of Bahá’u’lláh

MEANING OF WORDS

Fundamentala basic principle or necessary part

A good attitude is fundamental in any group sport

Animatingto bring to life, lively; full of energy

The singer was very pleased to find such an animated audience

Safeguardto keep safe; guard; protect

The fireman taught us how to safeguard our home

Promote advance/further the progress of something

The boss promoted my father to a better job

Foster to aid and encourage the growth or development of

They fostered trust in their family by always being honest

Fellowshipa group of people who share common interests

Nina is part of the fellowship of chess players

USE THE WORKSHEET

For any words, you are not sure of or record the ones above and save them in your notebook/lapbook Download here

SEND A POSTCARD WITH THE QUOTE TO A FRIEND PRINT OR EMAIL
RUHI BOOK 3 GRADE 3 STORY
historical account

The overview and stories presented here focus on the Life and Mission of Jesus Christ, Whose Message of love and forgiveness will help as you explore the theme of this lesson further. 

Jesus Christ was a Manifestation of God Who appeared some two thousand years ago in the region we all know today as the Holy Land. You remember that Moses had led the Jewish people to this land after they had spent such a long time enslaved in Egypt. The teachings of Moses freed them from bondage and raised them to the highest state of civilization. But, now, hundreds of years had passed, and His people were beset by troubles once again, having been conquered by an empire that did not believe in one God or follow His teachings. The Jewish people were living under the rule of the powerful Romans when Jesus was born in the small town of Bethlehem. By then morals and conduct had become so confused and corrupted that there were many who awaited the coming of a new Manifestation from God, and a great prophet, John the Baptist, began to prepare them for this anticipated event.

Jesus was thirty years old when He made His Mission known, and He soon chose twelve disciples, whom He called “apostles”, to travel with Him and spread His Message. The first of these was Peter. Peter and the other apostles learned about the importance of love and compassion from the stories, or parables, that Jesus would share with them. Many would come to listen to Jesus, and He taught them to love everyone, even their enemies, as they loved their friends. The number of His followers gradually grew, and after some three years, those in authority began to fear His influence on the people. They arose to destroy Him, and He, as a demonstration of His love for humanity, allowed Himself to be put to death, knowing that His Message would spread to many peoples and nations, uniting them in loving fellowship. And, indeed, galvanized by Mary Magdalene, one of His most faithful followers, the apostles set out to share His teachings after He had been crucified. They traveled far and wide, and the entire world eventually became transformed by Jesus’ Message of love, which is recorded in the Holy Gospels. The word “gospel” means “good news”.

There are 4 Stories in today’s lesson
story 1

Before the birth of Jesus, His mother, Mary, had been made aware of His special station. One day she had a vision of an angel, which, at first, filled her heart with fear. But the angel addressed her, saying “Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favor with God.” He told her that she would “bring forth a son” and would “call his name Jesus”. “He shall be great,” the angel said, “and shall be called the Son of the Highest.”

On the night Jesus was born, His mother Mary and her husband Joseph were traveling from Nazareth to Bethlehem. Like all the Jewish people in the region, they had to return to their native city as required by the powerful Romans. Since the Romans controlled the land at the time, they demanded money, labor, and resources from the people. Every person had to be counted, one by one, in their native city, so that the Romans would know how much money they should take from each one. Now, Mary and Joseph had just arrived in Bethlehem after a long journey, and they stopped at an inn to spend the night. But the inn was full, so they had to stay in the stable with the animals. When Jesus came into this world, they had no place to lay the precious Child other than in a simple wooden box filled with hay.

Soon after the birth of Jesus, three wise men from a place far to the East noticed that a new star had appeared in the sky. Taking it as a sign of the appearance of a special Being, they followed the star. It led them to Bethlehem, to the Child that had been born in the stable. They laid gifts before Him as they knelt down in adoration.

From childhood, Jesus showed signs of His greatness, and everyone marveled at His knowledge and wisdom. One day, when He was still a young boy, Mary and Joseph traveled to the city of Jerusalem to celebrate a Jewish Holy Day, bringing Jesus with them. When they were ready to return home, He could not be found. They searched for three days until they finally discovered Him in the temple sitting with the Jewish elders, conversing with them and answering their questions. All who heard Him were amazed at the answers He gave and the depth of His understanding.

Story 2

Around this time many people, remembering their forefather Abraham and the teachings of Moses, were praying for God to send the Messiah, their promised Savior. They could see the corruption and confusion in the land, and they felt deeply in their hearts the need for Divine guidance. Among them was John the Baptist. He helped to prepare the way for the coming of Jesus. He called upon people to purify both their inner and outer lives from those things that kept them remote from God. In a ritual called “baptism”, He immersed them in the water of the River Jordan as a symbol of their purification: just as one purifies and cleanses one’s body in water, one must strive to cleanse and purify one’s heart.

By now Jesus was nearly thirty years of age. He, of course, was in no need of baptism, for He was the essence of purity and detachment. But He went to the River Jordan and allowed John to baptize Him in order to show others that such an act was praiseworthy in the sight of God. It is said that, when Jesus came out of the water, He saw the Spirit of God coming down on Him, like a dove descending from heaven. At that moment He 

became aware of the Mission entrusted to Him by God, to deliver the people of the land from the darkness of despair. A new set of Divine teachings had been revealed to Him. To prepare Himself for the great work that lay ahead, He spent forty days and forty nights in solitude, alone in the desert without food or drink, communing with God. He then set out to proclaim His Message.

For the next three years, Jesus traveled on foot from place to place, largely around the Sea of Galilee, teaching the Word of God. Great numbers were drawn to His presence. From every direction they came to listen to His healing Message. During that time, He began to choose those who would act as His apostles, His closest and most trusted companions. He chose twelve in all, several of whom were fishermen, busy catching fish in the Sea of Galilee when they were called upon by Jesus to join Him. One was named Peter, and he was the first to testify to the station of Jesus as a Manifestation of God. Perhaps you know that the name Peter means “rock”, and Peter’s faith in God was unshakable, as firm as a rock. Another of those who joined Jesus around that time was a woman named Mary Magdalene. Mary came from a village near the Sea of Galilee, and she, like Peter, recognized the station of Jesus and was transformed by His Message. Though not one of the twelve disciples, Mary Magdalene became one of His most faithful followers.

Story 3

The Message of Jesus was essentially one of love. In His words and deeds people could perceive God’s loving-kindness and infinite wisdom. He taught them to love one another, as God loved them, and to forgive those who harmed them, as God forgave them. God loves all human beings, He assured the multitudes who gathered around Him, no matter who they are or what they may have done in the past. Thousands of people were transformed by the power of His words.

Many of the most important lessons that Jesus taught the people of His time were in the form of parables, which are stories with special meaning to guide our lives. These stories and other teachings of Jesus, as well as the events of His life, are recorded in the Holy Gospels. One of these parables is of the Good Samaritan. First you need to know that, in those days, the Samaritans and the Jewish people did not get along with each other very well. Here are the circumstances in which Jesus told that parable.

One day a Jewish man asked Jesus about how he could attain eternal life. Jesus answered the man with a question: “What did the laws of Moses teach the people?” The man replied: “Love God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and all your mind,” and “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Jesus confirmed that this was, indeed, the path the man should strive to follow if he wished to have eternal life. You realize, of course, that by “eternal life” Jesus was referring to the life of the soul. But, still, the man was not satisfied, and he asked: “But who is my neighbor?” To this, Jesus replied with a story: A man was once traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho and was attacked by two thieves who beat him and left him to die at the side of the road. Now, this man was of the Jewish people. Sometime later a priest passed by and saw the beaten man, but he crossed the street and hurried away. Then another man walked by. He, too, was of Jewish background, and, though he assisted the priests in the temple, he ignored the injured man as well. Finally, a Samaritan came along the road. Now this man, like 

other Samaritans, had been taught to hate the Jewish people, just as the Jewish people had learned to hate Samaritans. But seeing the injured man, the Samaritan immediately went to help him. He took him to an inn where he could rest and recover, attending to his every need. The next day he had to leave on business, but he spoke to the innkeeper and made sure that all of the injured man’s expenses were paid. When Jesus finished the story, He asked which of the three men who passed by the beaten man acted as a neighbor. “The one who helped him,” was the reply. “Those who wish to attain eternal life,” Jesus said, “should go and do the same.”

There are many other wonderful stories in the Gospels that tell us about the life of Jesus and the effect of His teachings on the people of His time. Once, for instance, a blind man by the side of the road called out to Jesus as He and His disciples entered a town. “Have mercy on me,” the blind man cried. When His disciples brought the man to Jesus, He told him to go and see again; because of his faith, Jesus said, he would be cured. Immediately the man could see. We know, of course, that the Manifestations are endowed with the power to do whatsoever God pleases. But what this story tells us, above all, is that inwardly the man had been blind, and Jesus restored his spiritual vision. He helped the man to fix his inner sight on God. In another story, Jesus turned five loaves of bread and two fish into baskets filled with bread and fish, enough to feed the large crowds that had gathered on the hillside to hear Him speak. Again, the deeper meaning of this story is that Jesus provided, without limit, spiritual sustenance to all who wished to listen.

STORY 4

Within a short span of time Jesus was so deeply loved that some authorities came to fear His rising influence. They could see that great numbers of the people listened to His words, and many had begun to follow Him. They grew more and more concerned. They wondered what His intentions were. To help people understand His station as a Manifestation, Jesus often referred to God as His Father, the Almighty, seated on His throne. Of course Jesus had no interest in worldly power, but, still, some authorities felt threatened. Around three years after He began His Mission, Jesus and His twelve disciples arrived in the city of Jerusalem, where throngs of people awaited Him, all hoping in adoration to greet Him. They called out in praise of Him. Jesus knew, however, that great suffering was ahead.

One evening, as Jesus ate supper with His twelve disciples, He told them that the following day His earthly life would come to an end. He called on them to take up the cause of spreading His teachings after His passing and promised that He would always be with them. Later that same night, with the love of God burning in His soul, and falling with His face to the ground, He prayed fervently that the Will of God would be done. And just as Jesus had predicted, before the break of day, He was arrested and brought before the authorities. Now, at that time, the Romans crucified people who were found guilty of crimes, and Jesus, though He had committed no crime, was condemned to death by crucifixion. With a crown of thorns placed on His head to mock His majesty and greatness, He was nailed to a cross and left to die. In His final moments, He prayed to God, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.”

Jesus’ apostles were greatly shaken by His death, but Mary Magdalene strengthened them in their faith, reminding them of the assurance He had given that His Spirit would always be with them. The fire of the love of God that burned in the hearts of His apostles could not be extinguished, and they set off in different directions to share His teachings. Through acts of tremendous heroism and self-sacrifice, they laid the foundations of a great civilization, and the Message of Jesus, Who is often referred to as Christ, meaning the “Anointed One”, eventually spread to every corner of the earth.

RUHI BOOK 3 GRADE 3 FACTS ABOUT

Facts:

  • Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem
  • John the Baptist prepared the people for the coming of Jesus
  • Jesus chose twelve apostles
  • Peter was one of the apostles of Jesus
  • Mary Magdalene was one of the most faithful followers of Jesus
  • Jesus taught many of His lessons in the form of parables
  • Jesus taught the importance of love and forgiveness
  • Jesus allowed Himself to be put to death out of His love for humanity
  • After the passing of Jesus, Mary Magdalene helped to strengthen the faith of the apostles, who spread out to share His Message
Facts About Jesus
RUHI BOOK 3 GRADE 3 GAMES
ACTING

Today you may help the children enact the episode of the Good Samaritan.  Ask the children if they can remember the main parts of the story, reminding them of the details as necessary.  You may wish to divine the class into smaller groups of, say, four or five so that the story can be acted out with the following characters: the traveler who was robbed, the first passerby, the second passerby, the Samaritan, and the innkeeper.  If there are not enough children in each group, one child can act out more than one character.  The scene can start when the traveler has already been robbed and is left dying on the side of the road.  Help the children in the class to think about how they will act out the various characters, placing a particular emphasis on the praiseworthy conduct of the Samaritan.

Fruit basket

What you need:

Enough chairs for all of your players (minus one) and an open room big enough to hold all of the chairs in a circle.

How to play: First ask each person to choose a fruit.

If you have young players or a smaller group, you might want to assign the fruits yourself, labeling players as strawberry, orange, apple, etc. Instruct players to remember their fruit. It’s okay (in fact, preferable) if multiple people have the same fruit, so you might use only two or three fruits.

Next set up the game by arranging all the chairs in a big circle and having everyone sit in a chair. One player will be left standing THAT PERSON IS  IT.  the person who is IT  starts the game by calling out the name of a fruit, like “strawberries!” As soon as he calls out a fruit name, any player sitting in the circle who picked that as their fruit would jump up and try to find a new seat. Geoffrey would also try as fast as he could to sit in one of the open seats. In the end, a player would be left without a seat. That player would then call out another fruit and the game continues.

If you have some players that are the only ones assigned to their fruit , it would be a good idea to have the IT person call out more than one fruit.

The player in the middle also has the option of calling out “Fruit basket!” When that happens, all players get up from their chairs and find a new one. Mass pandemonium and good fun ensue as everyone tries not to be left without a seat. The game continues until you want to stop.

Reverse Musical Chairs

Start with enough chairs (or can use pillows) in the circle for everybody.  Music is played and one or two chairs are taken out.  When music is stopped, they have to all share the remaining chairs.  Continue in this way until they are all on one chair.  They don’t have to be sitting, but one body part of each person needs to be touching the chair (can be a hand or foot).  The goal is to collectively share smaller and smaller places in a spirit of love and unity.

RUHI BOOK 3 GRADE 3 CRAFTS/ ACTIVITIES
Based on Story 3: Loaves and Fishes

Fish and wooden block with paperclips craft. Burlington kids did this one

The hardest part was drilling a hole in the wood. the rest was pretty easy. See the video below and the fish/loaves

Get The Fish and Loves pdf here

Based on Theme PEACE, LOVE, UNITY

If you need a template, ask me and I will make one. We did not use this idea for our craft, so I did not make the template.

PAPERCLIP ANGEL BASED ON THE STORY OF MARY
IDEA FOR A CRAFT FROM YOUTUBE
FROM THE WEBSITE SPARKLEBOX

CRAFT TO SORT OR USE TO RETELL THE STORY OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN

FROM BRILLIANT STAR MAGAZINE
Based on Story 2: Dove 

Dove fused/ Perler bead pattern. If you get a dove pattern and pearler beads this is an easy craft!

ruhi book 3 grade 3 review quote

Strive ye with all your might to create, through the power of
the Word of God, genuine love, spiritual communion and durable bonds among individuals


S E L E C T I O N S F R OM T H E WR I T I N G S O F ‘ A B D U ’ L – B A H Á

Download the memorization aid HERE

Resource
Lesson PowerPoint

Download here

Brilliant Star Music

LINK TO CONTENT HERE

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

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.

RUHI BOOK 3 GRADE 3 SUGGESTED SONGS

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

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

WHY WE PRAY GRADE 2 LESSON 2

WELCOME

Welcome to the lesson on Why We Pray. In this lesson, we will try to answer the question WHY DO WE PRAY? We will continue to memorize the prayer  O Lord! I am a child; enable me to grow,  We will learn a new quote, hear more songs and stories, do crafts, and games, and continue to learn.

EACH SET HAS PRAYERS TO MEMORIZE

For the next 2 classes, we will memorize the following prayer 

O Lord! I am a child; enable me to grow beneath the shadow of Thy loving kindness. I am a tender plant; cause me to be nurtured through the outpourings of the clouds of Thy bounty. I am a sapling of the garden of love; make me into a fruitful tree. Thou art the Mighty and the Powerful, and Thou art the All-Loving, the All-Knowing, the All-Seeing.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá
G2 PRAYER SET 1

Would Anyone Like To Say A Prayer?

Send A Prayer To A Family Near You!
Postcard
Memorization Aid

Download and print the memorization aid. Use it as part of the lapbook or glue it into your class notebook.

Download Filling the blank Memorization Aid here

Download the Prayer, Print and Glue to your class notebook. Download Here

Songs for grade 2
BE HAPPY
TEACHING PEACE
Greatest Longing Of Every Soul
Quote for class to memorize

We know that God has created every one of us and that He is aware of what we need and what we want. He is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Why, then should we pray? God does not need our prayers, but we pray because it serves to strengthen our souls, for prayer is life food for the soul. Prayer brings life to the soul. We should pray in the morning, evening, during difficult times, and at times of great gladness. Of course, we do not only pray for ourselves but also for our family, our friends, our community, and for all of humanity.

Abdu’l-Baha assures us that if we pray for something that is in agreement with God’s wisdom, then God will provide us with it. But sometimes, unknowingly we ask for things that will harm us, and God, in His infinite wisdom does not grant our wish. To help us remember why we pray, let us memorize the following words of Abdu’l-Baha:

It is the greatest longing of every soul who is attracted to the Kingdom of God to find time to turn with entire devotion to his Beloved, so as to seek His bounty and blessing and immerse himself in the ocean of communion, entreaty, and supplication.

Abdu’l-Baha
MEANING OF WORDS
Longing

When Tanya’s brother went away to university, she missed him very much.  Tanya felt a great longing in her heart to be near her brother again. 

Rodrigo was tired after working many hours in the fields, planting crops. At the end of the day, he longed to rest.

She stood before the meeting with her head bowed and her eyes closed. Silence filled the room.  Then she lifted her head and began to intone the verses of God in a melodious voice.

Bahereh taught her children to intone beautiful prayers at the beginning of each new day and in the evening before they slept.

Immerse

In order to boil an egg, it must be completely covered with water.  To boil the egg, you must immerse it in water.

After working on the engine of the car, Norman’s hands were dirty and greasy.  So he filled a bucket of water from the well and put his hands into the water, washing off the dirt and grease.  His hands were immersed in the water.

Communion

Because of the difficulties in their own country, all the brothers left their homeland and went to different places around the world to look for work.  Many years went by, and they did not see each other or speak to one another.  But They remained in communion through their thoughts and prayers, and eventually, they were joyfully reunited as old men. 

When we pray, we turn our hearts to God and converse with Him.  Prayer is communion with God.

Entreaty

One of the king’s subjects was in great need, so he begged the king to assist him.  The king considered his subject’s entreaty and agreed to help.

The teachers were concerned that the textbooks the children were using were out of date and did not cover the latest discoveries and the most recent information, so they asked the principal to order new ones.  The principal listened to their entreaty, and now the children are using up-to-date textbooks.

MEMORIZATION CARDS FOR LESSON 2 QUOTE

MEMORIZATION WORKSHEET HERE

STORY RELATED TO LESSON
A Story To Illustrate The Importance Of Praying Daily

This is a story of one of the early Baha’is in the West, Lua Getsinger, and an important lesson she learned about prayer.  Lua loved God very much, and she often turned to him in supplication, that she might be enabled to live a life of service.  She prayed, too, that her eager and enthusiastic spirit would learn to be patient.  Of course, she wanted to learn quickly, without having to wait too long!

Lua knew that ‘Abdu’l-Baha wanted her to learn patience.  One day, when she was visiting Him in the Holy Land, He helped her to see that there are some things for which we must always make time, no matter how hurried we might feel.  Rushing off to breakfast without having said her usual morning prayers, Lua met ‘Abdu’l-Baha in the hallway.  He looked at her, staring deeply into her eyes.  And what do you think he said to her? “Lua,” He said, “you must never eat material food in the morning until you have had your spiritual food.”  So it was that Lua learned she must never fail to draw sustenance from God’s heavenly bounties, the source of true strength.

Another Story about Prayer: The Bejewelled Sword

There was once a little child in Persia during the days of Persia’s ancient glory.  It was customary in those days that whenever there was an important feast the people would share gifts with their friends and loved ones.  So this little child prayed very hard and loudly for a bejeweled sword to be his gift.

At the time of the feast, this little boy was waiting, eagerly to receive the sword he had prayed so hard for.  However, the time passed and the feast was almost over and the child did not receive any sword as a gift.  He was quite sad and disappointed.

His father, who never believed in God or in any kind of prayers, saw his son’s disappointment and said, “My son, can’t you see, your prayers were not answered?”

The son looked at his father and replied, “Oh yes father, my prayers were answered.”

“How can that be?” asked the father in surprise.   “You did not receive the bejeweled sword that you desired so much.

“But father, don’t you understand?” said the child, “The answer is ‘no’.  God said No.” 

GAMES FOR GRADE 2 TO PLAY
Activities to help students develop skills and abilities related to drama.
  1. As you did in the previous lesson, have the children stand about two meters apart and imagine that they are in their own squares.  You may ask them each to walk along the border of their square.
  2. Ask the children to raise their arms and, stretching from the tips of their toes to the tips of their fingers, reach towards the sky.  Now, tell them to relax and let their arms and head hang freely.  Repeat this exercise three or four times.
  3. Next, ask your students to stand as tall as they can and raise their arms over their heads, pressing the palms of their hands together. They are candles burning brightly.  Explain to them that you will slowly count backward from ten.  As you do so, they should pretend they are melting.  By the time you reach zero, they should be like a pool of wax on the ground. The children should remain in that position until you give them the signal to move again.

The above exercises will have helped the children develop their skills of movement and physical expression.  They will also need to acquire increasingly effective skills of verbal expression. To assist them, ask them to say the sentence “Good morning”

  • as though they were respectfully greeting a teacher
  • as though they were excited to see a friend
  • as though they had met a friend who was feeling sad
  • as though they were trying not to wake a sleeping baby


The second set of activities has to do with the theme of today’s lesson: why we pray.  Tell the children that they are now going to improvise a situation to show why we need to eat every day to maintain our physical strength. Explain, that our souls need to turn to God in prayer to grow and remain strong and healthy.  

  1. Begin by having the children return to their imaginary squares.  Ask them to show that they are full of strength by pretending to lift some imaginary objects; by jumping up high to reach something in an imaginary tree; or by building an imaginary tower.
  2. Now, tell the children to pretend they are getting hungry and feeling weak.  Ask them to repeat the lifting, jumping, and building exercises.
  3. Then, tell them that they are receiving food and beginning to feel strong again.  Ask them to repeat the exercises once more.
BROKEN TELEPHONE

Speaking to God is like making a phone call, you speak and have to wait for an answer.

What happens if you don’t understand the answer? Play the game broken telephone

CRAFT IDEAS
Make A Bejeweled Sword

Make a sword PBS KIDS

SUPER EASY sword

Decorate A Prayer Mat 

Although we don’t use a prayer mat in Baha’i Faith, it is a cool and creative activity

Download the template mat here

FELT PRAYER BOOK COVERS

The class where these prayer book covers were made can be seen here

Lapbook Lesson 2

SIMPLE LAPBOOK USED THIS YEAR (2022)

We are using a simplified version of the lapbook, changing some elements, adding others, and making all the pieces larger for the children. Lapbooks are very easy, flexible tools and it’s easy for you to create your own or download my templates. you do not have to use all the elements I am posting. There are NO right and wrong ways. enjoy!

For lesson 2 we are using the wheel component.

The component for this lesson is the wheel ” why we pray” that turns and reveals information below. It is a modified version of the first lapbook shown below

download this here

Note you will need a brass fastener also known as split pins,  to attach the two pieces. you can get it from Amazon, craft stores like Michaels, and stationery stores.

This is what our lapbook looks like for lesson2

Remember, any item can be placed in the lapbook and any of the files for the lapbook can be used in a notebook or just as an activity.

Items:

  1. Wheel Why We Pray: blank or filled out template
  2. heading with lesson 2

Extra items can be added such as the door hanger, the prayer decorated in a frame from lesson 1. or the prayer mat from this lesson. position items before you glue to make sure what you choose fits.

Download all the elements for the lapbook here

ruhi book 3 grade 2 resources
Categories
Baha'i Children class Free Ridvan Ruhi Book 3

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

Welcome Grade 4 Rughi Book 3

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 Grade 4 Ruhi Book 3

Prayer 1

O God, Educate These Children

Prayer 2

O my God, aid Thou Thy servant

Prayer 3

O God, my God! Aid Thou Thy trusted servants
Quote Grade 4 Ruhi book 3

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!

Song Grade 4 Ruhi Book 3
Paradise – Music Inspired by the Heroes Teaching Conference
Turn Your Faces Sung By Goleta Burriston Master
I’ll Walk the Path
I Have Found Baha’u’llah
Source Of Courage
The Promise
We Are The People Of Baha
Story grade 4 ruhi book 3

Historical Episodes

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

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

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

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

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

Here is the first passage:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

facts about Bahá'u'lláh Grade 4

Facts

  1. Bahá’u’lláh was exiled to Constantinople, after staying in Baghdád for ten years.
  2. The Book of Certitude, or Kitáb-i-Íqán, was revealed in Baghdád.
  3. The Book of Certitude was revealed in 1862 in answer to some questions posed to Bahá’u’lláh by the Báb’s uncle.
  4. The Book of Certitude was revealed in two days and two nights.
  5. The Hidden Words of Bahá’u’lláh were revealed in Baghdád.
  6. Before departing for Constantinople, Bahá’u’lláh spent twelve days in the Garden of Riḍván.
  7. The Garden of Riḍván was located outside the city of Baghdád.
  8. In the Garden of Riḍván, Bahá’u’lláh declared His Mission.
  9. The twelve-day period in April is celebrated by Bahá’ís every year as the Festival of Riḍván.
  10. The Festival of Riḍván is the holiest and most significant Bahá’í festival.
games/ drama grade 4 ruhi book 3

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:

  1. How did you hear about or meet Bahá’u’lláh?
  2. Why is Bahá’u’lláh important to you?
  3. What have you learned from Bahá’u’lláh?
crafts grade 4 ruhi book 3

MAKE A TENT CRAFT

TEMPLATE ON WEBSITE TO USE

COLOURING PAGES AND RIDVAN GARDEN CRAFT

WEBSITE HERE

TRANSFORMATION

Let us explore the science of Transformation!

Based on Transforming Souls

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

Transformation

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

Brilliant Star and Dayspring Magazine.

The downloadable PDF contain Stories and activities.

Dayspring Magazine: Issue #66 Ridvan

Brilliant Start Lesson 21

Other Websites

All done monkey

PLASP Child Care Services

Bahá’i Blog

Delighted Hearts Ridvan Garden Printable

Multicultural Kid Blogs

Youtube Tissue Flower

We summon you to God, We remind you of His Day, We announce unto you tidings of your reunion with Him, We draw you nigh unto His court, and send down upon you tokens of His wondrous wisdom . . .”

Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh
Download The Memorization Aid
Review Quote G4 L7
resource grade 4 ruhi book 3
POWERPOINT LESSON 7 HERE

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

WE MUST WORK TO SPREAD BAHÁ’U’LLÁH’S TEACHINGS IN ORDER FOR JUSTICE TO BE ESTABLISHED ON EARTH RUHI BOOK 3 GRADE 4 LESSON 6 SET 2

Welcome Grade 4 Rughi Book 3

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 Grade 4 Ruhi Book 3

Prayer 1 Set 2

O God, Educate These Children

Prayer 2 Set 2

O my God, aid Thou Thy servant

Prayer 3 Set 2

O God, my God! Aid Thou Thy trusted servants
Quote Grade 4 Ruhi book 3

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, record them in this document!

Send A Postcard

Why not share the quote from today’s class as a postcard with a friend?

G4 L6 Postcard
Song Grade 4 Ruhi Book 3
A Noble Way
GIVE ME THY GRACE
Ystävällinen Kieli
The purpose of God
CREATE
Story grade 4 ruhi book 3

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. OR Download my story report HERE

facts about Bahá'u'lláh Grade 4

Facts

  1. Bahá’u’lláh returned to Baghdád from the region of Kurdistán in April 1856.
  2. During the two years of Bahá’u’lláh’s absence from Baghdád, the fortunes of the Bábís had gone from bad to worse.
  3. 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

games/ drama grade 4 ruhi book 3

GAMES

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.

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 portray Bahá’u’lláh.

We know the following from Nabíl:

  1. The room “reach to the stars”,
  2. It was like being in paradise.
  3. 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).
  4. 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.
  5. Often they would gather late into the night, reciting prayers and poetry and singing songs in praise of the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh.
  6. Many nights, ten or more of them would eat no more than a few dates.
  7. They all lived modestly but were content. sometimes in a room that was devoid of furniture. 
  8. No one knew to whom the shoes, the cloaks and the robes they wore belonged.
  9. 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.
  10. 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.

Activity Blind drawing

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.

crafts grade 4 ruhi book 3

CRAFTS

Shaker card

Here is a blog post with ideas. Used the sentence “Bahá’u’lláh invited friend and foe alike to drink deep from the cup of His wisdom and guidance” on the finished product.

Here is my free with the quote template!

Journal the “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, or a journal entry.

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

Some other templates:

comic book template

drawing template

storyboard

Diorama

Based on Story 1, construct a diorama using a box (a shoebox works well). Construct the room the pilgrims stayed in as you imagine it to be. Below is a video of just stars to get your imagination going.

Craft based on “uplifted hearts

Create a paper circuit to light up and “uplift” the heart

Audio/ video  Recording the group discussing the following

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

How did you hear about or meet Bahá’u’lláh?

Why is Bahá’u’lláh important to you?

What have you learned from Bahá’u’lláh?

Review Quote

REVIEW QUOTE

resource grade 4 ruhi book 3

RESOURCE: BRILLIANT STAR MAGAZINE

LETTERS OF LIGHT

LETTERS TO WORLD LEADER

ABDU’L-BAHA’S GREAT VOYAGE

SHINING LAMP BADÍ

SHINING LAMP MARTHA ROOT

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

BAHÁ’U’LLÁH SUFFERED FOR THE  SAKE OF HUMANITY G4 L5

Grade 4 Lesson 5 Ruhi Book 3

Welcome Grade 4 Rughi 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?

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR THIS LESSON (for teachers to review)

Read this INFORMATION here

Prayer Grade 4 Ruhi Book 3
Grade 4 Prayer

Prayer 1

Set 2 Prayer 1

Prayer 2

Set 2 Prayer 2

Prayer 3

Set 2 Prayer 3
Download the memorization aid for all 3 prayers in set 2 from Here
Quote Grade 4 Ruhi book 3

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

Song Grade 4 Ruhi Book 3
The prince of peace
O Baha’u’llah
I Have Found Bahá’u’lláh
Bahá’u’lláh The Glory Of God
Story grade 4 ruhi book 3

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 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:
Teachers Pay Teachers Free Biography Page
DOWNLOAD MY STORY REPORT HERE

PowerPoint here

facts about Bahá'u'lláh Grade 4

Facts

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

Download here

games/ drama grade 4 ruhi book 3

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

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.

crafts grade 4 ruhi book 3

Stop Motion Animation

We finally got to do the stop-motion animation. We used paper to make the mountains. The App Stop motion Studio to take photos and a tripod holds the phone steadily with help from mums in the back. Horses were used to show the journey and no one in the Holy Family was depicted.

To make a stop-motion animation, as mentioned, using an app for that purpose really helps. It did not take more than 10 min planning, and 15 mins taking photos to get ours done. There are many resources to help you through the process and I will link the simplest video below.

The props can be made from any material including clay, paper, lego, etc.

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.

CHAIN

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:

Based on the paragraph above we are going to make a chain to symbolize Bahá’u’lláh love for us that he consented to be in chains. This is an easy craft. you will need strips of paper. Write inspiring quotes or just words like “love, service, prayer” etc. loop them together and hang in your room to remember that at all times and under all conditions, Bahá’u’lláh was victorious.

See an example of paper chains here

Footsteps

Make a rolling footstep craft.

  • Footstep to cut out
  • Straw
  • Q Tips
  • Strong Tape
  • empty tape roll
  • gule

Here is an easy image of a footprint to print and cut. You can use any that you find on places like Pixabay

The Holy Family

Download the activity to make the family tree for The Holy Family from delighted Hearts Here

“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
Review Quote G4 L5
resource grade 4 ruhi book 3

PowerPoint

Powerpoint for lesson 5

Brilliant Star Magazine

The Most Great Prison

Nobility of Navvab

United In Love And Respect

Seeing With Your Own Eyes

Bahiyyih Khánum

Dayspring Magazine

Download the magazine on Bahá’u’lláh here