LESSON TWELVE  -  THE BÁB'S PILGRIMAGE TO MECCA AND MEDINA

 Preparation:   new maps for the journeys of the Báb.  Diagram for each child (boat and saddlebag by a well).  Crayons.

 Summary of previous lesson:  Mulla Husayn went to Khurasan and sent a report to the Báb of his activities, and the names of those who had become Bábis.  The Báb was very happy to read the report and especially to hear about Bahá'u'lláh. He knew that Bahá'u'lláh would be able to lead the Bábis if anything should happen to Him.

 Story for today:   After receiving this letter, the Báb knew that it was time for Him to go on His pilgrimage.  He asked His uncle to take care of His wife and mother, then He joined the group of pilgrims who were preparing to leave Iran.  His only companions were Quddus and His Ethiopian servant.  Firstly He went to Bushihr, where He had lived and worked for many years; there he boarded a sailing ship. The journey was to take two months and would often be stormy and slow, and the ship uncomfortable for the passengers.  The Báb, however, would continue to pray whatever the weather.  Many of the passengers became ill, but the Báb quietly dictated to Quddus.

 There was not much food on board either, and sometimes all the Báb could have was a sweet lemon to quench hi5 thirst.  If that was not too bad, there was also a man on the ship who did not like the Báb.  He was very jealous that everyone liked Him so much and he behaved very badly  Finally the Captain could not bear to have the man on his ship as he was causing so much trouble with his nasty ways.  The Captain called his sailors over, to throw the man into the sea.  The Báb came to his rescue and asked the Captain to spare his life.  The Captain was very surprised, because the Báb had received the most unpleasant treatment from him.  Eventually, he was allowed to remain on the ship and the Báb explained that we should be sorry for people who behave badly because, in the end, they only hurt themselves.

 Because of His experience on the ship, the Báb prayed to God that ocean travel might be speedily improved.  Within a short space of time that prayer was granted, and people invented ships that would carry people comfortably from place to place.  In the West all sorts of new inventions appeared that have changed people's lives, but they are not aware of how it happened.

 After arriving in Jaddih, the Báb put on the clothes of a pilgrim and mounted a camel to set off for Mecca.  Quddus was happy only to walk beside his Beloved holding the bridle of the camel and serving the Báb by day and by night.

 One day, the Báb dismounted the camel, close to a well, to say His morning prayer.  Suddenly a roving Bedouin  appeared and snatched the saddlebag that was lying on the ground, and ran away with it.  The Báb's Ethiopian servant attempted to chase him, but the Báb, who was still praying, beckoned him to stop.  The saddlebag contained precious writings of the Báb and He explained why He did not want His servant to chase the man.  "Had I allowed you, you would surely have overtaken and punished him.  But this was not to be.

"The papers and writings which that bag contained are destined to reach, through the instrumentality of this Arab, such places as we could never have succeeded in attaining.  Grieve not, therefore, at his action, for this was decreed by God, the Ordainer, the Almighty". 

Many times afterwards the Báb comforted His companions with words like this, turning the bitterness of regret and resentment into radiant acceptance of God's will.

 Homework questions:

 1.         How many months did the Báb spend on the ship?

 2.         What was in the saddlebag that the Bedouin  stole from the Báb?

 Creative work:

 Study the words of the Báb.  Carefully colour in the pictures.