The Writings of the Bahá’í Faith are full of insightful instruction for parents and teachers about teaching spiritual concepts and principles to children. The emphasis on the education of children is foundational to the Bahá’í teachings and can be found throughout the holy Writings. One passage I found fascinating as a new teacher and young mother many years ago, was an explanation by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá of how children learn through play.
Beginning in childhood they must receive instruction. They cannot be taught through books. Many elementary sciences must be made clear to them in the nursery; they must learn them in play, in amusement.
‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Bahá’í Education, p. 73
The emphasis on instruction that also brings joy to children’s lives, is a recurring theme in the Bahá’í writings on education. In addition to learning sciences at a young age through play, in several passages, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá states that all children should learn music – to bring joy to their lives.
The latent talents with which the hearts of these children are endowed will find expression through the medium of music. Therefore, you must exert yourselves to make them proficient; teach them to sing with excellence and effect. It is incumbent upon each child to know something of music, for without knowledge of this art the melodies of instrument and voice cannot be rightly enjoyed. Likewise, it is necessary that the schools teach it in order that the souls and hearts of the pupils may become vivified and exhilarated and their lives be brightened with enjoyment.The Promulgation of Universal Peace: Talks Delivered by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá during His Visit to the United States and Canada in 1912, rev. ed. (Wilmette: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1982), p. 52)
There are many passages in both ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and Bahá’u’lláh’s Writings about the importance of singing and chanting prayers and the Holy Writings as part of the spiritual education of children. Baha’u’llah wrote that children’s latent talents were revealed through the study of music and that chanting the communes of God would bring spiritual insights that developed the intelligence.
Even in this day and age, these ideas about learning through play and the importance of joy in education are not widely accepted, but consider that they were revealed in the 1800’s when children were accorded very little worth. Within the context the Writings were written, any education Iranian children received at the time was not only harsh and punitive, but it was limited to the study of the Qur’án through repetition and rote.
Contrastingly, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá wrote that children should be given high-minded ideals and encouraged in the path of virtue; reasoned with to help them understand more deeply; and, disciplined with love. Imagine the effects on behaviour and family life if these principles were widely practiced by parents and teachers everywhere!
Foundational to the Bahá’í teachings on the spiritual education of children is prayer. It is so important that ‘Abdu’l-Bahá encouraged mothers to pray for their babies before they were born, and to focus on their divine education as they nursed them. He revealed prayers for pregnant and nursing mothers for this purpose. Two examples are:
O my Lord, I dedicate that which is in my womb unto Thee. Then cause it to be a praiseworthy child in Thy Kingdom and a fortunate one by Thy favor and Thy generosity; to develop and to grow up under the charge of Thine education. Verily, Thou art the Gracious! Verily, Thou art the Lord of Great Favor!
‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Bahá’í Prayers, p. 66.
From the very beginning, the children must receive divine education and must continually be reminded to remember their God. Let the love of God pervade their inmost being, commingled with their mother’s milk.
‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá p 320.
As children grow a bit older, Bahá’í parents are encouraged to gather them together in the early morning to say, memorize, read, recite and chant prayers. The reason is to connect them with the love of God, to bring joy to their hearts and to develop the habit of turning to God.
Every day at first light, ye gather the Bahá’í children together and teach them the communes and prayers. This is a most praiseworthy act, and bringeth joy to the children’s hearts: that they should, at every morn, turn their faces toward the Kingdom and make mention of the Lord and praise His Name, and in the sweetest of voices, chant and recite.
‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá p 139.
The idea is that prayer becomes part of the child’s being and strengthens natural capacities to learn and to orient towards noble and spiritual ideas.
When my children were little, we said prayers together every morning and every evening before they went to sleep. They would sing some of them and recite or read others. Before praying they imagined themselves standing in the presence of God and to pray with respect, reverence and love.
Children being children and parents not always being at their best, our morning family prayer times were not always reverent and joyful, especially when all four had to go off to different schools while my husband and I went to our respective jobs. Patience would sometimes wear thin. Largely however the effect of the prayers became evident over time. I still remember our oldest son telling me at age 10 that sometimes when he prayed, his heart was so full of love he felt it might burst out of his chest! One of our daughters at a young age invented long poetic prayer rants that we had to ask her to cut short so we could all get on with our day. Indignantly she would say, “Don’t interrupt my conversation with God!”
As children became teens we continued to say and to sing prayers together, but mostly on designated evenings or weekend times as they learned to say their own personal prayers and meditations each morning. The routine of prayer and the turning of the heart to prayer opens the horizons of possibility. Solutions to problems often come during or after prayers. Hurt feelings can be soothed and emotions reset through prayer. When a family prays together, they come to unity more often and are all reminded that we must account for our thoughts and actions before the Creator, parents as well as children.
One way to reinforce prayer and turning to the Holy Writings is by using stories, prayer books for children and prayers in song format. Readers may find the following prayers and links helpful in their search for resources to encourage prayer with and for children and youth.
Here is a collection of Bahá’í prayers for children and youth as they grow and develop, curated by Teresa Langness:
https://bahaiteachings.org/praying-for-and-with-your-children/
A Daily Prayer for Young Children to Understand and Memorize:
O God, guide me, protect me, make of me a shining lamp and a brilliant star. Thou art the Mighty and the Powerful. – Ibid., p. 36.
A Parent’s Prayer that Children will Find a Purpose for Unique Talents:
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. – Ibid., p. 34.
A Parent’s Prayer that Adolescents will Embrace Service and Spiritual Leadership:
O Lord! Make this youth radiant, and confer Thy bounty upon this poor creature. Bestow upon him knowledge, grant him added strength at the break of every morn and guard him within the shelter of Thy protection so that he may be freed from error, may devote himself to the service of Thy Cause, may guide the wayward, lead the hapless, free the captives and awaken the heedless, that all may be blessed with Thy remembrance and praise. Thou art the Mighty and the Powerful. – Ibid., p. 37.
A Parent’s Prayer that Youth will Offer Inspiration to their Generation:
O Thou kind Lord! Graciously bestow a pair of heavenly wings unto each of these fledglings, and give them spiritual power, that they may wing their flight through this limitless space and may soar to the heights of the Abha Kingdom. O Lord! Strengthen these fragile seedlings that each one may become a fruitful tree, verdant and flourishing.
Render these souls victorious through the potency of Thy celestial hosts, that they may be able to crush the forces of error and ignorance and to unfurl the standard of fellowship and guidance amidst the people; that they may, even as the reviving breaths of the spring, refresh and quicken the trees of human souls and like unto vernal showers make the meads of that region green and fertile. Thou art the Mighty and the Powerful; Thou art the Bestower and the All-Loving. – Bahá’í Prayers and Readings (Australia), pp. 356-357.
Here are some links to my favourite resources for prayer with children:
Preschool aged children:
Prayer book for young children aged 2-5 with beautiful pictures of children around the world:
https://www.bahaibookstore.com/O-God-Guide-Me-P9720.aspx
Lovely colouring book with prayers and writings for preschool children
https://www.etsy.com/shop/9LotusPetals
Prayer songs on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAR9iHdz7rAypEVUDZMsuuOiG2ROeK-Bt
Older children:
Prayers to say when faced with life’s challenges – children aged 7-10
https://www.amazon.in/My-Book-Prayers-What-when/dp/0995733554
Holy Writings to guide your actions for various situations in life – children aged 7-10
https://www.amazon.in/s?k=My+book+of+readings+what+can+I+read+when…&i=stripbooks&ref=nb_sb_noss
Bahá’í and Interfaith prayer books for all ages
https://www.bahaibookstore.com/Prayers-and-Meditations-C1362.aspx?s=IsFeatured%20DESC,%20OrderBy%20ASC,%20Name%20ASC&c=1362&ps=12&p=1
An Edmonton Bahá’í artist, Aleisha Atashband, is currently creating a series of Bahá’í colouring books for various ages, the first of which can be found on Etsy under the title 9 Lotus Petals.
Here is an example of the colouring book pages which combine images with prayers and quotes young children can easily learn as they colour.
