Introducing The Principal Theme
Welcome to Lesson 8 Grade 4
After His Declaration in the Garden of Riḍván, Bahá’u’lláh instructed His followers to proclaim His Mission and spread His teachings—a duty which we all continue to shoulder today.
Do you remember what we learned in the last lesson?
What were the circumstances that led up to the Declaration of Bahá’u’lláh? What else do you recall from this lesson?
Today, every April—the season of spring in many parts of the world—we celebrate Bahá’u’lláh’s Declaration over the twelve-day period we call the Festival of Riḍván. It is the holiest and most significant of all Bahá’í festivals, and it is a time when we are reminded that the divine springtime is here, when the outpouring of God’s bounties is bringing new life and new possibilities to the world of humanity.
Can you imagine the joy that must have filled the hearts of the believers when Bahá’u’lláh disclosed to them His station when He announced to them that He was the long-awaited Promised One, Who had come to unify humankind and to establish a just and peaceful world where all people can find true happiness and prosperity?
Like fountains brimming over with water for every thirsty one, how they must have wanted to share with others the good news of Bahá’u’lláh’s Declaration! And that is precisely what Bahá’u’lláh wished them to do.
Later I am going to tell you the story of Aḥmad, and you are going to memorize the most beautiful passage from a Tablet in which Bahá’u’lláh instructs Aḥmad to return to Persia and convey to the Bábís the new Message of their Lord. As you grow older, you will teach the Cause to more and more people, which means that, whenever you encounter someone who is happy to listen, you will speak about Bahá’u’lláh and His teachings with love and in a spirit of fellowship.
Prayer 1
Prayer 2
Prayer 3
Radiant Heart Sung by Earl Gaston
Teach Ye the Cause Sung by Goleta Burriston
Happy is the Faithful One Sung by Amy Stephen
In The Garden Of Ridvan By Leslie Garrett
In this lesson, you are going to memorize a portion of the Tablet Of Ahmad.
“He is the King, the All-Knowing, the Wise! Lo, the Nightingale of Paradise singeth upon the twigs of the Tree of Eternity, with holy and sweet melodies, proclaiming to the sincere ones the glad tidings of the nearness of God, calling the believers in the Divine Unity to the court of the Presence of the Generous One, informing the severed ones of the message which hath been revealed by God, the King, the Glorious, the Peerless, guiding the lovers to the seat of sanctity and to this resplendent Beauty.”
Bahá’u’lláh
RESOURCES TO LEARN THE TABLET OF AHMAD
Meaning Of Words
Use the resource to memorize this part of the tablet of Ahmad or the entire prayer. Included in the resources is space to record the meaning of words.
Download it here
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Historical Episodes
The historical episode in this lesson focuses on Bahá’u’lláh’s exiles to Constantinople and Adrianople and, in this connection, also shares the story of Aḥmad, as one of many that show how Bahá’u’lláh instructed the believers to convey the glad tidings of His Declaration.
While listening to the story, feel free to draw. Download the blank drawing book and a comic-style format. Remember not to portray the image of any of the Messengers of God.
Bahá’u’lláh and His family stayed in Constantinople for four months. During that time, the Persian ambassador in the court of the Sulṭán—the ruler of the Ottoman Empire—was constantly spreading terrible lies about Bahá’u’lláh. Many of the Sulṭán’s ministers and their associates were corrupt, and Bahá’u’lláh did not want to have anything to do with them. Finally, the Sulṭán was persuaded to issue an order exiling Bahá’u’lláh to the city of Adrianople, still farther from the Persian border.
Bahá’u’lláh responded to the order with an act of extraordinary courage. He immediately revealed a Tablet in which He addressed the Sulṭán himself and rebuked him and his ministers for the terrible way they ruled over their people. The Tablet was delivered to the Prime Minister in a sealed envelope. It is said that when he opened the letter and began to read it, he turned pale and remarked:
“It is as if the King of Kings were issuing his behest to his humblest vassal king and regulating his conduct.”
The twelve-day journey from Constantinople to Adrianople was extremely difficult for Bahá’u’lláh and His family, who were now going to their third place of exile. It was the month of December and the weather was mercilessly cold. They did not have the necessary clothes to protect them from such harsh weather. Even to obtain water from springs on their way, they had to light a fire to thaw the ice.
Bahá’u’lláh entered Adrianople on 12 December 1863 and stayed in that city for just over four and a half years. As always, suffering followed Him, but so did great victories for His Cause. As the influence of Bahá’u’lláh grew, the fire of jealousy burned more intensely in the hearts of some. Foremost among the foolish people who opposed Him was His half- brother Mírzá Yaḥyá, who had accompanied Him on His exile. Mírzá Yaḥyá tried everything he could to prevent the Bábís from accepting the Manifestation of God for this Day. He caused enormous trouble for the community, and his mischief encouraged the enemies of the Faith to increase their attacks on Bahá’u’lláh and His followers. He even decided to poison Bahá’u’lláh and schemed and schemed until he finally succeeded. The effect of the poison on Bahá’u’lláh was grave, and although He recovered, He was left with a shaking hand until the end of His life.
But you already know that Bahá’u’lláh had no fear of suffering and that no one could stop Him from raising the banner of the oneness of humankind. So in the midst of all these troubles, He continued to reveal the Word of God and sent to Persia dedicated believers to visit the Bábís and give them the glad tidings that the One promised by the Báb—He Whom God shall make manifest—had declared His Mission.
One of the great teachers who traveled throughout Persia during that time was named Aḥmad. He was born in Yazd, a city in the central part of the country, and from early childhood showed an extraordinary thirst for spirituality. By the age of fifteen, he had already begun his search for the Qá’im. He would fast and pray for hours, meditating on how to find the Beloved of his heart. One day, he wrapped his clothes in a small bundle and left home. He traveled from village to village looking for spiritual leaders who could assist him in his search. But all this effort got him nowhere and, finally, with a sad and heavy heart, he settled in the city of Káshán to earn a living as a cloth-maker. In that city, he became a successful and respected businessman. But the comforts of this world did not satisfy him; he was restless.
While in Káshán, Aḥmad began to hear rumors of One Who claimed to be sent by God. This awakened in him the enthusiasm of his youth. He asked and asked about this great Person, but no one could give him any information. Then someone told him to go to the faraway province of Khurásán where a certain learned man could provide the answers to his questions. The very next day he left his home and headed for that province. Though He arrived exhausted and ill, he was not about to rest. He set out in search of the learned man—a task that did not prove to be as easy as he had hoped. Only after some further hardship did Aḥmad, at last, find him. And you will not be surprised to hear that this man was actually a follower of the Báb, which is how Aḥmad finally came to learn that the Promised Qá’im had, indeed, appeared and that He was the Beloved Báb.
Aḥmad returned to Káshán a changed man. He went back to his work, but all he wanted to do was to teach the Faith. He knew, however, that he had to remain cautious. For a while, he thought he was the only Bábí in the city, but to his great happiness, he found another believer. And imagine his joy when one day this new friend told him that the Báb Himself was passing through Káshán and that he would be able to enter into His presence.
The bounties showered upon Aḥmad by God did not cease there. Later he went to Baghdád and attained the presence of Bahá’u’lláh. He was among those fortunate people who lived for several years in close proximity to the Manifestation. Yet every reunion must end in separation. When Bahá’u’lláh was exiled to Constantinople, Aḥmad was not included with those chosen to accompany Him.
Aḥmad spent a few years away from Bahá’u’lláh, but finally, he could stand the pain of separation no longer. He set out for Adrianople hoping that he would be allowed to live in that city, to which his Best Beloved had been further exiled. But he only got as far as Constantinople. Waiting for him there was a Tablet revealed by Bahá’u’lláh with instructions that he should go to Persia and convey to the Bábís the new Message of their Lord. The Tablet is now well known among Bahá’ís, who recite it often, especially in times of difficulty. As you grow up, you will probably learn to say this Tablet by heart in its entirety.
You are already committing to memory the beginning words of this Tablet:
“He is the King, the All-Knowing, the Wise! Lo, the Nightingale of Paradise singeth upon the twigs of the Tree of Eternity, with holy and sweet melodies, proclaiming to the sincere ones the glad tidings of the nearness of God, calling the believers in the Divine Unity to the court of the Presence of the Generous One, informing the severed ones of the message which hath been revealed by God, the King, the Glorious, the Peerless, guiding the lovers to the seat of sanctity and to this resplendent Beauty.”
Aḥmad immediately obeyed. The task before him would be far from easy. But he was reassured by the words of Bahá’u’lláh in His Tablet that
“. . . if thou art overtaken by affliction in My path, or degradation for My sake, be not thou troubled thereby. Rely upon God, thy God and the Lord of thy fathers.”
And so he made his way back to Persia and, unrestricted as the wind, carried Bahá’u’lláh’s Message throughout the country.
Among the places he visited was Khurásán, the very province in which he had received the news of the appearance of the Báb many years before. There he went to the home of a prominent Bábí by the name of Furúghí. Aḥmad explained in clear terms that the One promised by the Báb, to Whom He referred as He Whom God shall make manifest, was Bahá’u’lláh. Furúghí was not a person easy to convince.
Aḥmad, of course, would not give up. In the Tablet addressed to him, Bahá’u’lláh, had told him to be like “a river of life eternal to My loved ones”. Aḥmad went back to Furúghí’s home, knocked on the door and entered into discussion with him once again. How, he asked, could Furúghí deny that Bahá’u’lláh was the Promised One when so many passages in the Writings of the Báb referred to the greatest name Bahá. If Aḥmad could prove this, Furúghí said in response, he would accept. At the time the persecutions against the Bábís were so intense that they had to keep their books hidden from sight, usually in places inside the walls of their houses. So Furúghí went to the wall, tore part of it open and took out a bundle containing the Writings of the Báb. And what do you think happened? The very first page they opened mentioned the word “Bahá”. Furúghí and his entire family instantly recognized Bahá’u’lláh, and he went on to become one of the greatest teachers of the Faith.
Thus, it was through the efforts of outstanding Bahá’ís like Aḥmad who obeyed the commandment to teach that soon the vast majority of the Bábís accepted Bahá’u’lláh and became His faithful followers.
FROM THE EVENTS WE JUST READ, WE CAN SEE THAT:
- With the recognition of God’s Manifestation comes obedience to His commands, as two inseparable twin duties.
- Reliance on God, as a source of courage and joy in the path of service to Him, is another.
Are there any other insights from the events we read?
How about searching for truth?
PILGRIMAGE TO THE HOUSE OF BAHAULLAH IN ADRIANOPLE
NOTE THAT THIS IS NOT WHAT THE HOUSE LOOKED LIKE WHEN BAHA’U’LLAH AND HIS FAMILY LIVED THERE
For any of the figures we heard about, use the biography page to write down the information you would like to remember.
Download from Teachers Pay Teachers here
Facts
- Bahá’u’lláh and His family arrived in Constantinople on 16 August 1863.
- Bahá’u’lláh remained in Constantinople for about four months.
- From Constantinople, Bahá’u’lláh was exiled to Adrianople.
- Bahá’u’lláh and His family arrived in Adrianople on 12 December 1863.
- Bahá’u’lláh stayed in Adrianople for just over four and a half years.
Like fountains brimming over with water for every thirsty one, how they must have wanted to share with others the good news of Bahá’u’lláh’s Declaration! And that is precisely what Bahá’u’lláh wished them to do.
Act out being a fountain, you have the knowledge to share (water) try to be a fountain that is happy, excited, and full of good news
Based on the theme of the lesson
THE CAUSE OF GOD HAS THE POWER TO WITHSTAND ALL OPPOSITION Activity/craft: Use oil and colored water in a jar. Add beads or other items. When you shake the bottle, the oil and water and items mix ( the trials and tribulations impact of the Cause of God. But when you stop the shaking motion, the oil and water separate and so do all the little items.
PAINTING
Use the quote from the Tablet of Ahmad to help you paint a picture.
Make A Mini Book
Teachers Pay Teachers: Download and print the mini book for Tablet of Ahmad
Fountain
Remember at the beginning of this lesson we said:
“Like fountains brimming over with water for every thirsty one, how they must have wanted to share with others the good news of Bahá’u’lláh’s Declaration! And that is precisely what Bahá’u’lláh wished them to do.”
Follow this Website to make an easy fountain using a plastic water bottle, straw, and a balloon
Zen Tangle Art
Use the Nightingale outline to do some Zen Tangle Art: See examples of Zen Tangle Art here.
Other Ideas
- Brilliant Star Here And Here
- Happiness during hardship
- Garden of Paradise word drop
- Meeting Baha’u’llah
“These are the appointed days which ye have been yearningly awaiting in the past— the days of the advent of divine justice. Render ye thanks unto God, O ye concourse of believers.”
Selections from the Writings of the Báb
Download The Memorization Aid
Have a resource to share? Let us know and we would love to add it.
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