Grade 2 – 4 Homework Assignment 2.

4
1/13/2019 The Báb’s Life

Teacher: Cindy Van Kley 405-630-4504 cindyvankley@gmail.com

If you forget what your homework is, please call or email me!
— Remember to take this sheet out every single day and work on your WHOLE memory verse! —

Remember: “The Báb – Summarize His life”

We will have a quiz on the life of the Báb, so you will want to REVIEW all the stories we have had so far in
previous lessons, so you will remember what you have learned about the Promised One, and about all those who
searched for Him, found, and followed Him. Next we will learn more about all those who spread His teachings after
His martyrdom. READ THE ATTACHED SUMMARY OF THE LIFE OF THE BÁB.

Memory Verse: Practice many, MANY times every day. Say it in class next time.
“O My beloved friends! You are the bearers of the name of God in this Day. You have been chosen as the repositories of His mystery. It behoves each one of
you to manifest the attributes of God, and to exemplify by your deeds and words the signs of His righteousness, His power and glory. The very members of your
body must bear witness to the loftiness of your purpose, the integrity of your life, the reality of your faith, and the exalted character of your devotion. For verily I
say, this is the Day spoken of by God in His Book: ‘On that day will We set a seal upon their mouths yet shall their hands speak unto Us, and their feet shall
bear witness to that which they shall have done.’ Ponder the words of Jesus addressed to His disciples, as He sent them forth to propagate the Cause of God. In
words such as these, He bade them arise and fulfil their mission: ‘Ye are even as the fire which in the darkness of the night has been kindled upon the mountain-
top. Let your light shine before the eyes of men. Such must be the purity of your character and the degree of your renunciation, that the people of the earth may
through you recognize and be drawn closer to the heavenly Father who is the Source of purity and grace. For none has seen the Father who is in heaven. You
who are His spiritual children must by your deeds exemplify His virtues, and witness to His glory. You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt have lost its
savour, wherewith shall it be salted? Such must be the degree of your detachment, that into whatever city you enter to proclaim and teach the Cause of God, you
should in no wise expect either meat or reward from its people. Nay, when you depart out of that city, you should shake the dust from off your feet. As you have
entered it pure and undefiled, so must you depart from that city. For verily I say, the heavenly Father is ever with you and keeps watch over you. If you be
faithful to Him, He will assuredly deliver into your hands all the treasures of the earth, and will exalt you above all the rulers and kings of the world.’
O My Letters! Verily I say, immensely exalted is this Day above the days of the Apostles of old. Nay, immeasurable is the difference! You are the witnesses of
the Dawn of the promised Day of God. You are the partakers of the mystic chalice of His Revelation. Gird up the loins of endeavor, and be mindful of the words
of God as revealed in His Book:  ‘Lo, the Lord thy God is come, and with Him is the company of His angels arrayed before Him!’ Purge your hearts of worldly
desires, and let angelic virtues be your adorning.
Strive that by your deeds you may bear witness to the truth of these words of God, and beware lest, by
‘turning back,’ He may ‘change you for another people,’ who ‘shall not be your like,’ and who shall take
from you the Kingdom of God.”
— The Báb, The Dawn-Breakers: Nabíl’s Narrative of the Early Days of the Bahá’í Revelation, p. 92-94

Please READ THE REMEMBER section above, review your journal notes, and ponder the questions,
then write your answers in your Journal. PRACTICE YOUR MEMORY VERSE DAILY!

1) Look up the 5 highlighted words in a dictionary. Look for a definition that most seems to fit the
context of this week’s lesson. Write that definition for each highlighted word in your journal.
2) Read the story of The Báb’s Life and try to fill in the 51 blanks without looking unless you really
have to.
3) Who announced that He was the new Messenger promised by the Báb?
4) Fill in the 55 blanks in the memory verse without looking.
5) If the Báb was born in 1819 and martyred in 1850, how old was He when He died?

PARENTS ONLY:
Please initial each day the student practices the memory verse for at least 15 minutes and works on
readings/questions:

For 1/20/2019 Sun_______ Mon______ Tue_____ Wed_____ Thur_____ Fri_____ Sat_____

The Bab’s Life – a summary
As a child, Siyyid ‘Alí-Muhammad was known for His noble character. He was born in Shíráz,
Persia (now Iran) in 1819. At school, He explained parts of the Qur’án, the Muslim holy book,
with great insight. His teacher said he felt unworthy to teach a child with such superior wisdom
and “mysterious power.”

On May 22, 1844, ‘Alí-Muhammad announced that He was a Messenger of God. He became
known as “the Báb,” meaning “the Gate” in Arabic. He gained many followers, called Bábís.

Muslim leaders tried to stop the Báb. They imprisoned Him, but His Faith kept growing. He
revealed new laws and teachings, such as the equality of women and men and the elimination
of extreme poverty.

He urged people to improve their characters. He said, “Let angelic virtues be your adorning…”
He also told His followers that another Messenger of God would soon appear.

Unable to stop the Báb’s teachings from spreading, officials fiercely persecuted the Bábís. The
Bábís bravely tried to defend themselves, and thousands were killed in tragic battles and
massacres.

Finally, the Báb was sentenced to execution on July 9, 1850, in Tabríz, Iran. He and a young
Bábí named Anís were suspended by ropes in the courtyard of the army barracks. A crowd of
10,000 people watched as 750 soldiers fired at the prisoners.

But when the smoke cleared, the Báb had vanished! Anís stood alone and unharmed under the
severed rope. The Báb was found back in His prison cell, talking with His secretary. He calmly
told the guard, “I have finished my conversation…Now you may proceed to fulfill your intention.”
But the guard was so shaken, he left his post immediately.

The leader of the firing squad was also deeply affected, and he refused to let his soldiers fire
again. A second firing squad was called, and the prisoners were suspended as before. This
time, the Báb and Anís were killed—but amazingly, their faces were barely touched.

The Bábís mourned the Báb’s tragic death, and they continued to be persecuted. Yet they also
sought the new Messenger of God foretold by the Báb. In time, Bahá’u’lláh announced that He
was the promised Messenger.

The Báb’s remains are buried in a majestic shrine on Mount Carmel in Haifa, Israel. It is a place
of pilgrimage for Bahá’ís.

====
2. Fill in the blanks:
The Bab’s Life – a summary
As a child, Siyyid _____________________________ was known for His noble character. He
was born in _______________, Persia (now _________________) in 18____. At school, He
explained parts of the Qur’án, the ______________ holy book, with great insight. His teacher
said he felt unworthy to teach a child with such superior ___________________ and
“_______________________ power.”

On May ______, 18____, ‘Alí-Muhammad announced that He was a ___________________ of

God. He became known as “the Báb,” meaning “the ______________” in Arabic. He gained
many followers, called _______________.

Muslim _______________ tried to stop the Báb. They ___________________ Him, but His
Faith kept growing. He revealed new ____________ and ____________________, such as
the equality of women and men and the elimination of extreme __________________.

He urged people to improve their ____________________. He said, “Let angelic

________________ be your adorning…” He also told His followers that ________________
Messenger of God would ____________ appear.

Unable to stop the Báb’s _________________ from spreading, officials fiercely persecuted the
Bábís. The Bábís bravely tried to _______________ themselves, and _______________ were
killed in tragic battles and _____________________.

Finally, the Báb was sentenced to execution on July _____, 18______, in _______________,
Iran. He and a young Bábí named _____________ were suspended by _____________ in the
courtyard of the army barracks. A crowd of ________________ people watched as
___________ soldiers fired at the prisoners.

But when the smoke cleared, the Báb had _________________! _____________ stood alone
and unharmed under the ________________ rope. The Báb was found back in His
_______________ _________, talking with His secretary. He calmly told the guard, “I have
finished my conversation…Now you may _________________ to fulfill your intention.” But the
guard was so shaken, he ___________ his _______________ immediately.
The _______________ of the firing squad was also deeply affected, and he
_________________ to let his soldiers fire again. A _______________ firing squad was called,
and the prisoners were ________________ as before. This time, the Báb and Anís were killed
—but amazingly, their ________________ were barely touched.

The Bábís mourned the Báb’s tragic death, and they continued to be __________________. Yet
they also ________________ the ____________ Messenger of God foretold by the Báb. In
time, _______________________ announced that He was the promised Messenger.

The Báb’s _______________ are buried in a majestic shrine on Mount _______________ in

Haifa, Israel. It is a place of pilgrimmage for Bahá’ís.

4. Fill in the blanks:

THE BÁB’S ADDRESS TO THE LETTERS OF THE LIVING

“O My beloved friends! You are the bearers of the _____________ of God in

this Day. You have been chosen as the repositories of His _______________. It
behoves each one of you to manifest the ______________ of God, and to
_________________ by your deeds and words the signs of His righteousness,
His power and glory. The very members of your body must bear witness to the
______________ of your purpose, the _______________ of your life, the
______________ of your faith, and the exalted ___________________ of your
devotion. For verily I say, this is the Day spoken of by God in His Book: ‘On
that day will We set a ___________ upon their mouths yet shall their
_______________ speak unto Us, and their ______________ shall bear
witness to that which they shall have done.’ Ponder the words of
_____________ addressed to His disciples, as He sent them forth to propagate
the Cause of God. In words such as these, He bade them ____________ and
fulfil their mission: ‘Ye are even as the ___________ which in the darkness of
the night has been ______________ upon the mountain-top. Let your light
shine before the ___________ of men. Such must be the _____________ of
your character and the ______________ of your renunciation, that the people
of the earth may through you recognize and be drawn ______________ to the
heavenly Father who is the Source of _____________ and _____________.
For none has seen the Father who is in heaven. You who are His
________________ children must by your ____________ exemplify His
virtues, and ________________ to His glory. You are the __________ of the
earth, but if the salt have lost its savour, wherewith shall it be salted? Such
must be the degree of your ____________________, that into whatever city
you enter to proclaim and _______________ the Cause of God, you should in
no wise expect either _____________ or ________________ from its people.
Nay, when you depart ___________ of that city, you should shake the
___________ from off your feet. As you have entered it ___________
and undefiled, so must you depart from that ____________. For verily I say,
the heavenly Father is ever ___________ you and keeps watch over you. If you
be __________________ to Him, He will assuredly ______________ into your
hands all the treasures of the earth, and will exalt you ___________ all the
rulers and kings of the _________________.’
O My ________________! Verily I say, __________________ exalted is this
Day above the days of the _________________ of old. Nay, immeasurable is
the difference! You are the witnesses of the __________ of the promised Day
of God. You are the __________________ of the mystic chalice of His
Revelation.
Gird up the loins of ___________________, and be ______________ of the
words of God as revealed in His Book:  ‘Lo, the __________ thy God is
come, and with Him is the company of His _____________ arrayed before
Him!’ ____________ your hearts of worldly desires, and let angelic
______________ be your adorning. ___________ that by your
__________ you may bear witness to the ________ of these
words of God, and ___________ lest, by ‘turning back,’ He
may ‘change ________ for another people,’ who ‘shall not be your
__________,’ and who shall _________ from you the
Kingdom of God.”
— The Báb, The Dawn-Breakers: Nabíl’s Narrative of the Early Days of the Bahá’í Revelation, p. 92-94