{"id":2159,"date":"2021-05-20T12:08:01","date_gmt":"2021-05-20T12:08:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bahaijp.org\/daystar\/?p=2159"},"modified":"2021-10-09T15:42:18","modified_gmt":"2021-10-09T15:42:18","slug":"286-abdul-baha-and-japan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bahaijp.org\/daystar\/286-abdul-baha-and-japan\/?lang=en","title":{"rendered":"286 Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1 and Japan"},"content":{"rendered":"

[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.22″][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.25″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.27.4″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”]<\/p>\n

It was a warm summer morning in Okinawa; the family had just finished their morning prayers together. Mother and Father were showing pictures of \u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1 and children. There were photos of \u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1 with children in Paris, London, America, and Israel. The children\u2019s favorite photo was the one with \u2018Abdu\u2019l- Bah\u00e1 walking away from some poor children in Akka, after He had given them some sweets.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wish <\/a>\u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1 would come to Okinawa!\u201d little Anisa said longingly.<\/p>\n

\u201cSilly girl!\u201d shouted Riaz. \u201cThat photo was taken a hundred years ago!! Do you think \u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1 is still around now?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1 traveled all over the world;<\/p>\n

\"\u767d\u3044\u80cc\u666f\u306b\u5237\u3063\u3066\u3044\u308b\u7537\u6027\u306e\u767d\u9ed2\u5199\u771fdid he ever come to Okinawa?\u201d asked Shahla.<\/p>\n

All the children looked at Mother and Father. \u201cNo,\u201d said Mother, \u201c\u2018Abdul- Bah\u00e1 did love Japan, though, and mentioned it in many of His letters to people. He often said He would like to come to Japan. He met many important Japanese people and sent many people to Japan in His place. But He was never able to come Himself.\u201d\"There<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1 sent people to come and live in Japan, so that they could tell people here about Bah\u00e1\u2019u\u2019ll\u00e1h and His teachings,\u201d explained Father. \u201cIn 1908 \u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1 asked several American Bah\u00e1\u2019\u00eds to come to Japan. \u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1 said that Japan was very important! \u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1 said that they could, \u2018through the love of God give life to the people\u2019 of Japan<\/em><\/strong>.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat does that mean, \u2018give life to the people of Japan\u2019? Weren\u2019t they alive already?\u201d shouted Riaz.<\/p>\n

\"Picture\" \u201cIt means spiritual life, silly!\u201d explained Mona.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I guess there are stages of being \u2018alive\u2019,\u201d Asma said thoughtfully. \u201cAnimals are alive, but physically, not spiritually, and we can be kind of alive spiritually, but not as much as angels, or \u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1\u2026. Is that what He meant?\u201d\"Any<\/p>\n

Mother and Father smiled at each other and nodded. \u201cSounds good to me, Asma!\u201d said Mother. \u201cCivilizations are growing and learning to be more and more spiritual with each Manifestation of God.<\/p>\n

\u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1 told one of the Bah\u00e1\u2019\u00eds to go to Japan and tell the people there that, \u201cThe world of nature is darkness but the heavenly Sun dissipates by its light this darkness that prevails over <\/em><\/strong> \"\u6587\u5b57\u306e\u66f8\u304b\u308c\u305f\u7d19the world. Likewise the world of \u2026 souls is a dark one and nothing will illuminate it save the rays of the Sun of Truth.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cThat mean\u2019s Bah\u00e1\u2019u\u2019ll\u00e1h is like the sun, right Mom?\u201d said Riaz.\"Mona<\/p>\n

\u201cAbsolutely!\u201d agreed Mother.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Japanese flag is the sun!\u201d Shahla said, \u201cDid they know what \u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1 said?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cProbably not!\u201d laughed Mother, \u201cBut it is<\/em><\/strong> a strange coincidence.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\u62bd\u8c61, Father put in, \u201cIn one letter \u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1 wrote to one of the Bah\u00e1\u2019\u00eds living in Japan and told him to unfurl the Divine flag in Tokyo and yell at the top of his voice; \u201cO ye people. The Sun of Reality hath appeared and flooded all regions with its glorious light; it has upraised the Standard of Oneness of the world of humanity and summoned all mankind to the refulgent Truth\u2026\u2019\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cWow!\u201d said all the children. \u201cDid the man do that? Did he go and yell in Tokyo?\u201d asked Shahla.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d answered Father smiling. \u201cMaybe not, because there still aren\u2019t that many people in Japan who know about Bah\u00e1\u2019u\u2019ll\u00e1h.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\u62bd\u8c61, \u201cWell, I\u2019m going to do it!\u201d shouted little Anisa, jumping up. \u201cI am going to start right now, here in Okinawa!\u201d Everyone laughed and clapped their hands.<\/p>\n

Mother smiled and said, \u201cWhen Mona was a little younger than you, Anisa, we lived way out in the countryside, in Hiroshima Prefecture. One day, little Mona came in from playing outside, and announced, \u2018OK, I went to all the neighbors and told them they should all become Bah\u00e1\u2019\u00eds and not drink beer and not eat chocolates!\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

\"children\" \u201cMona!\u201d all the kids shouted in surprise.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t remember that at all!\u201d said Mona, defensively.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s wrong with chocolates?\u201d asked Asma.<\/p>\n

Mother laughed and said, \u201cWhen she was young, we wouldn\u2019t give her any candy because we said it wasn\u2019t good for her, and we had said the same thing to some adult about alcohol, so she thought Bah\u00e1\u2019\u00eds couldn\u2019t eat chocolates. I had to go around to all the neighbors and explain and apologize.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, I think that we shouldn\u2019t be afraid to tell people about Bah\u00e1\u2019u\u2019ll\u00e1h and \u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1, but moderation is important, right?\u201d Mona said smiling.<\/p>\n

\"\u90e8\u5c4b Father put in, \u201c\u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1 said that Japan had a great capacity. And that Japan would eventually Turn Ablaze!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTurn Abaze? Japan will catch on fire?\u201d asked Shahla looking frightened.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot physically, silly,\u201d said Asma, \u201cit means spiritually, right Mom?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, this is what \u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1 said at a Japanese church when He was in California.\u201d Mother picked up the book with the photos of \u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1 and the children in it, and started reading, \u201cYe must shine as stars radiating the light of love toward all mankind. May you be the cause of love amongst the nations. Thus may the world become witness that the Orient has ever been the dawning-point of illumination, the source of love and reconciliation. Make peace with all the world. Love everybody; serve everybody. All are the servants of God. God has created all. He provideth for all. He is kind to all. Therefore must we be kind to all.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Sad \u201cI bet if everyone listened to \u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1 and did that, this world would be a really nice place; with no war or fighting,\u201d said Riaz.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, too bad they don\u2019t act like \u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1!\u201d put in Asma.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, people don\u2019t even know what \u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1 said, unless we tell them!\u201d shouted Shahla. Everyone smiled and nodded.<\/p>\n

\"\u633f\u7d75,\"SadThen Father said, \u201cIn 1912, \u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1 talked to a Japanese ambassador and warned him that there was in existence a stupendous force, as yet undiscovered by man. He said, to pray to God that this force would not be discovered by science until the spiritual civilization catches up with the material civilization. \u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1 told the diplomat that in the hands of men of lower nature, this power would be able to destroy the whole earth\u2026. It sounds like He was probably talking about atomic energy,\u201d said Father sadly.<\/p>\n

\u201cWow, and there were two terrible wars that happened because people didn\u2019t listen, right Dad!\u201d said Asma.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, wars are so, so scary!\u201d said Shahla, in a sad voice, and everyone agreed.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, that\u2019s why we all have to work so hard now, to tell everyone about Bah\u00e1\u2019u\u2019ll\u00e1h\u2019s message of how to have world peace and unity!\u201d explained Mother.\"\u633f\u7d75,\"Sad<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd tell them how \u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1 showed us to act with kindness and love for everyone!\u201d put in Shahla.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo then there won\u2019t be any more wars!\u201d shouted Riaz, and all the children nodded.<\/p>\n

Trying to cheer the children up, Mother said, \u201cBah\u00e1\u2019u\u2019ll\u00e1h told us that there should be Houses of Worship everywhere so that we can remember how to act with kindness and love.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know! A House of Worship has 9 doors so that anyone from any religion can come and worship!\u201d said Riaz.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd a dome for the roof!\u201d added Shahla.<\/p>\n

Father explained, \u201cThe real name is Mashriqu\u2019l-Adhk\u00e1r; it means the Dawning Place of the mention of God. Around the Houses of Worship will be schools, and hospitals, orphanages and Homes for the Elderly.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"When Someday, in the not too distant future, there will be a House of Worship near Tokyo! There already is land put aside for it. In fact, in the distant future there will be Houses of Worship in every city here in Japan!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI read that \u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1 placed the first stone, the \u2018corner stone\u2019 in the first House of Worship in America!\u201d said Mona.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh\u2026 \u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1 won\u2019t be here to help us build Japan\u2019s House of Worship, though!\u201d said Shahla sadly.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe will be here in spirit!\u201d assured Mother smiling.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wonder what the Japanese Houses of Worship will look like,\u201d said Mona.<\/p>\n

\u201cI bet the Japanese Houses of Worship will look very Japanesey!\u201d said Asma. \u201cAll the Houses of Worship around the world look like their country\u2019s culture, so the Japanese ones should fit in with our culture, too.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I think you are right, Asma. Maybe one of you can design one of these Houses of Worship,\u201d suggested Father.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd the Okinawan ones will look very Okinawan!\u201d added Mona<\/p>\n

\u201cI want to design the Okinawan one!\u201d said little Anisa, and everyone looked at her in surprise.<\/p>\n

\u201cOkinawa will always be my home, and I want to make the House of Worship for it!\u201d she said with force.\"\u5efa\u7269<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe you will,\u201d nodded Mother, and all the children smiled.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt feels like \u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1 is right here with us!\u201d said Mona happily.<\/p>\n

At that everyone laughed and clapped. Mother went to the cupboard and handed sweets out to each of them, saying, \u201cThis is from \u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1 to you!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYea! We are ready for \u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1\u2019s visit!\u201d shouted Anisa.<\/p>\n

Everyone clapped and laughed as they happily ate their sweets and thought of \u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1.<\/p>\n

*<\/strong>all the quotes and information came from the book \u201cJapan Will Turn Ablaze\u201d compiled by Barbara Simms<\/p>\n

For more children\u2019s stories on \u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1 and Japan, please see Hiru no Hoshi #233<\/p>\n

English http:\/\/hirunohoshien.weebly.com\/233-the-covenant-abdul-baha–japan-noahs-ark.html<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Japanese http:\/\/hirunohoshijp.weebly.com\/233-32854320046528812450125021248912523124961249512392260852641265289122891249412450123983166533337.html<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Shrine of \u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n

Quiz<\/strong><\/p>\n

1. Whose photos were the children looking at when the story begins?<\/p>\n

__________________________________________________________________________<\/p>\n

2. Did \u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1 ever go to Japan? ___________________________________________________________________________<\/p>\n

3. Did \u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1 ever go to America?<\/p>\n

___________________________________________________________________________<\/p>\n

4. Why did \u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1 want the American Believers to go to Japan?<\/p>\n

___________________________________________________________________________<\/p>\n

5. What did \u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1 ask one Bah\u00e1\u2019\u00ed to yell at the top of his voice in Tokyo?<\/p>\n

___________________________________________________________________________<\/p>\n

6. What did \u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1 tell a Japanese church in California that they should do?<\/p>\n

___________________________________________________________________________<\/p>\n

7. What did \u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1 warn an important Japanese ambassador about? __________________________________________________________________________<\/p>\n

8. Why did the children become sad?<\/p>\n

__________________________________________________________________________<\/p>\n

9. What will be built in every city of Japan in the future? ___________________________________________________________________________<\/p>\n

10. How many sides (and doors) does a House of Worship have, and what is on top of it? ____________________________________________________________________________<\/p>\n

\"03\"<\/p>\n

How did you do?<\/p>\n

Answers are below<\/p>\n

Coloring Page<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\"Japan<\/p>\n

\"Pin<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.25″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” column_structure=”1_2,1_2″][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.27.4″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” custom_margin=”167px|||||”]<\/p>\n

Design a House of Worship <\/strong><\/h3>\n

(for where you live!)<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Materials:<\/strong><\/p>\n

*Clay<\/p>\n

*9-sided polygon<\/p>\n

*Waxed paper<\/p>\n

*Ruler<\/p>\n

*Imagination<\/p>\n

Method:<\/strong><\/p>\n

*Put waxed paper over the 9-sided figure below<\/p>\n

*Put clay over the waxed paper, smooth the edges with the ruler,<\/p>\n

and build your House of Worship.<\/p>\n

*Remember, 9 doors, and a dome roof, then as many windows<\/p>\n

and decorations as you want!<\/p>\n

*You can color beautiful gardens and ponds around your House of Worship.<\/p>\n

*Take a picture and show everyone your Mashriqu’l-Adhk\u00e1r!<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.bahaijp.org\/daystar\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/fractions-of-9-sided-polygon-or-clipart-etc.gif” _builder_version=”4.9.4″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″ alt=”Fractions of 9-sided Polygon | ClipArt ETC” title_text=”fractions-of-9-sided-polygon-or-clipart-etc” force_fullwidth=”on” custom_padding=”149px|||||”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.bahaijp.org\/daystar\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/image31-1.jpeg” _builder_version=”4.9.4″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″ title_text=”image31″ force_fullwidth=”on”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.bahaijp.org\/daystar\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/image32-rotated.jpeg” _builder_version=”4.9.4″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″ title_text=”image32″ force_fullwidth=”on” max_height=”1000px”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.bahaijp.org\/daystar\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/image33-1-rotated.jpeg” _builder_version=”4.9.4″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″ title_text=”image33″ force_fullwidth=”on”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.bahaijp.org\/daystar\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/image34.jpeg” _builder_version=”4.9.4″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″ title_text=”image34″ force_fullwidth=”on”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.bahaijp.org\/daystar\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/image36-rotated.jpeg” _builder_version=”4.9.4″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″ title_text=”image36″ force_fullwidth=”on”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.25″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.27.4″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”]<\/p>\n

Japanese http:\/\/hirunohoshijp.weebly.com\/233-<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Parents\u2019 Page<\/strong><\/p>\n

Tablet of \u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1 to\u00a0Miss Yuri Mochizuki in 1920<\/p>\n

\u201cJapan is like unto a farm whose soil is untouched. Such a soil\u00a0as this has great capacity. One seed produces a hundred-fold. Now, praise be unto God, ye have found such a farm. Ye must develop the lands; ye must free them from thorns and weeds; ye should scatter the seeds of the love of God thereupon, and irrigate them with the rain of the knowledge of God. Rest ye assured that heavenly blessing will be bestowed!<\/em><\/p>\n

It is my hope that in that farm ye will become divine farmers. The enlightened people of Japan are tired and disgusted with the superannuated and putrefied blind imitations. They are assured that these blind imitations are pure superstitions without any truth. Therefore they have capacity to hear the Call of God. The land is untouched. We will have to see what the divine farmers will do!<\/em><\/p>\n

At present thou hast started a journal. It is my hope that this journal will shine as the Star of the East. In the journal write thus:<\/em><\/p>\n

When the horizon of the East was covered with immense darkness; when dark clouds were predominant, and when all the heavenly stars were concealed to the eye, His Holiness Bah\u00e1\u2019u\u2019ll\u00e1h, like unto\u00a0the sun shone forth from the horizon of the East and with radiating splendor He illumined the Orient.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Imprint<\/p>\n

Quiz Answers; <\/strong>1) \u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1 and children in different countries. 2) No. 3) yes. 4) Because Japan was very important. He wanted them to, \u201cthrough the love of God give life to the people of Japan.\u201d 5) Unfurl the Divine standard and yell \u201cO ye people, The Sun of Reality hath appeared and flooded all regions with its glorious light; it has upraised the Standard of Oneness of the world of humanity and summoned all mankind to the refulgent Truth\u2026\u201d 6) \u201cYe must shine as stars radiating the light of love toward all mankind\u2026\u201d 7)That there was a stupendous force in nature that could destroy the world if used by greedy men. 8) Because of the terrible wars that happened even after \u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1\u2019s warning. 9) Houses of Worship. 10) 9 sides and on top a dome roof.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It was a warm summer morning in Okinawa; the family had […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2161,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"It was a warm summer morning in Okinawa; the family had just finished their morning prayers together. Mother and Father were showing pictures of \u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1 and children. There were photos of \u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1 with children in Paris, London, America, and Israel. The children\u2019s favorite photo was the one with \u2018Abdu\u2019l- Bah\u00e1 walking away from some poor children in Akka, after He had given them some sweets.\n\n\u201cI wish <\/a>\u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1 would come to Okinawa!\u201d little Anisa said longingly.\n\n\u201cSilly girl!\u201d shouted Riaz. \u201cThat photo was taken a hundred years ago!! Do you think \u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1 is still around now?\u201d\n\n\u201c\u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1 traveled all over the world;\n\n\"\u767d\u3044\u80cc\u666f\u306b\u5237\u3063\u3066\u3044\u308b\u7537\u6027\u306e\u767d\u9ed2\u5199\u771fdid he ever come to Okinawa?\u201d asked Shahla.\n\nAll the children looked at Mother and Father. \u201cNo,\u201d said Mother, \u201c\u2018Abdul- Bah\u00e1 did love Japan, though, and mentioned it in many of His letters to people. He often said He would like to come to Japan. He met many important Japanese people and sent many people to Japan in His place. But He was never able to come Himself.\u201d\"There\n\n\u201c\u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1 sent people to come and live in Japan, so that they could tell people here about Bah\u00e1\u2019u\u2019ll\u00e1h and His teachings,\u201d explained Father. \u201cIn 1908 \u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1 asked several American Bah\u00e1\u2019\u00eds to come to Japan. \u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1 said that Japan was very important! \u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1 said that they could, \u2018through the love of God give life to the people\u2019 of Japan<\/em><\/strong>.<\/em>\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat does that mean, \u2018give life to the people of Japan\u2019? Weren\u2019t they alive already?\u201d shouted Riaz.\n\n\"Picture\" \u201cIt means spiritual life, silly!\u201d explained Mona.\n\n\u201cYes, I guess there are stages of being \u2018alive\u2019,\u201d Asma said thoughtfully. \u201cAnimals are alive, but physically, not spiritually, and we can be kind of alive spiritually, but not as much as angels, or \u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1\u2026. Is that what He meant?\u201d\"Any\n\nMother and Father smiled at each other and nodded. \u201cSounds good to me, Asma!\u201d said Mother. \u201cCivilizations are growing and learning to be more and more spiritual with each Manifestation of God.\n\n\u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1 told one of the Bah\u00e1\u2019\u00eds to go to Japan and tell the people there that, \u201cThe world of nature is darkness but the heavenly Sun dissipates by its light this darkness that prevails over <\/em><\/strong> \"\u6587\u5b57\u306e\u66f8\u304b\u308c\u305f\u7d19the world. Likewise the world of \u2026 souls is a dark one and nothing will illuminate it save the rays of the Sun of Truth.\u201d<\/em><\/strong>\n\n\u201cThat mean\u2019s Bah\u00e1\u2019u\u2019ll\u00e1h is like the sun, right Mom?\u201d said Riaz.\"Mona\n\n\u201cAbsolutely!\u201d agreed Mother.\n\n\u201cThe Japanese flag is the sun!\u201d Shahla said, \u201cDid they know what \u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1 said?\u201d\n\n\u201cProbably not!\u201d laughed Mother, \u201cBut it is<\/em><\/strong> a strange coincidence.\u201d\n\n\"\u62bd\u8c61, Father put in, \u201cIn one letter \u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1 wrote to one of the Bah\u00e1\u2019\u00eds living in Japan and told him to unfurl the Divine flag in Tokyo and yell at the top of his voice; \u201cO ye people. The Sun of Reality hath appeared and flooded all regions with its glorious light; it has upraised the Standard of Oneness of the world of humanity and summoned all mankind to the refulgent Truth\u2026\u2019\u201d<\/em><\/strong>\n\n\u201cWow!\u201d said all the children. \u201cDid the man do that? Did he go and yell in Tokyo?\u201d asked Shahla.\n\n\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d answered Father smiling. \u201cMaybe not, because there still aren\u2019t that many people in Japan who know about Bah\u00e1\u2019u\u2019ll\u00e1h.\u201d\n\n\"\u62bd\u8c61, \u201cWell, I\u2019m going to do it!\u201d shouted little Anisa, jumping up. \u201cI am going to start right now, here in Okinawa!\u201d Everyone laughed and clapped their hands.\n\nMother smiled and said, \u201cWhen Mona was a little younger than you, Anisa, we lived way out in the countryside, in Hiroshima Prefecture. One day, little Mona came in from playing outside, and announced, \u2018OK, I went to all the neighbors and told them they should all become Bah\u00e1\u2019\u00eds and not drink beer and not eat chocolates!\u2019\u201d\n\n\"children\" \u201cMona!\u201d all the kids shouted in surprise.\n\n\u201cI don\u2019t remember that at all!\u201d said Mona, defensively.\n\n\u201cWhat\u2019s wrong with chocolates?\u201d asked Asma.\n\nMother laughed and said, \u201cWhen she was young, we wouldn\u2019t give her any candy because we said it wasn\u2019t good for her, and we had said the same thing to some adult about alcohol, so she thought Bah\u00e1\u2019\u00eds couldn\u2019t eat chocolates. I had to go around to all the neighbors and explain and apologize.\n\n\u201cYeah, I think that we shouldn\u2019t be afraid to tell people about Bah\u00e1\u2019u\u2019ll\u00e1h and \u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1, but moderation is important, right?\u201d Mona said smiling.\n\n\"\u90e8\u5c4b Father put in, \u201c\u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1 said that Japan had a great capacity. And that Japan would eventually Turn Ablaze!\u201d\n\n\u201cTurn Abaze? Japan will catch on fire?\u201d asked Shahla looking frightened.\n\n\u201cNot physically, silly,\u201d said Asma, \u201cit means spiritually, right Mom?\u201d\n\n\u201cYes, this is what \u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1 said at a Japanese church when He was in California.\u201d Mother picked up the book with the photos of \u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1 and the children in it, and started reading, \u201cYe must shine as stars radiating the light of love toward all mankind. May you be the cause of love amongst the nations. Thus may the world become witness that the Orient has ever been the dawning-point of illumination, the source of love and reconciliation. Make peace with all the world. Love everybody; serve everybody. All are the servants of God. God has created all. He provideth for all. He is kind to all. Therefore must we be kind to all.\u201d<\/em><\/strong>\n\n\"Sad \u201cI bet if everyone listened to \u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1 and did that, this world would be a really nice place; with no war or fighting,\u201d said Riaz.\n\n\u201cYeah, too bad they don\u2019t act like \u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1!\u201d put in Asma.\n\n\u201cWell, people don\u2019t even know what \u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1 said, unless we tell them!\u201d shouted Shahla. Everyone smiled and nodded.\n\n\"\u633f\u7d75,\"SadThen Father said, \u201cIn 1912, \u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1 talked to a Japanese ambassador and warned him that there was in existence a stupendous force, as yet undiscovered by man. He said, to pray to God that this force would not be discovered by science until the spiritual civilization catches up with the material civilization. \u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1 told the diplomat that in the hands of men of lower nature, this power would be able to destroy the whole earth\u2026. It sounds like He was probably talking about atomic energy,\u201d said Father sadly.\n\n\u201cWow, and there were two terrible wars that happened because people didn\u2019t listen, right Dad!\u201d said Asma.\n\n\u201cOh, wars are so, so scary!\u201d said Shahla, in a sad voice, and everyone agreed.\n\n\u201cWell, that\u2019s why we all have to work so hard now, to tell everyone about Bah\u00e1\u2019u\u2019ll\u00e1h\u2019s message of how to have world peace and unity!\u201d explained Mother.\"\u633f\u7d75,\"Sad\n\n\u201cAnd tell them how \u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1 showed us to act with kindness and love for everyone!\u201d put in Shahla.\n\n\u201cSo then there won\u2019t be any more wars!\u201d shouted Riaz, and all the children nodded.\n\nTrying to cheer the children up, Mother said, \u201cBah\u00e1\u2019u\u2019ll\u00e1h told us that there should be Houses of Worship everywhere so that we can remember how to act with kindness and love.\n\n\u201cI know! A House of Worship has 9 doors so that anyone from any religion can come and worship!\u201d said Riaz.\n\n\u201cAnd a dome for the roof!\u201d added Shahla.\n\nFather explained, \u201cThe real name is Mashriqu\u2019l-Adhk\u00e1r; it means the Dawning Place of the mention of God. Around the Houses of Worship will be schools, and hospitals, orphanages and Homes for the Elderly.\u201d\n\n\"When Someday, in the not too distant future, there will be a House of Worship near Tokyo! There already is land put aside for it. In fact, in the distant future there will be Houses of Worship in every city here in Japan!\u201d\n\n\u201cI read that \u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1 placed the first stone, the \u2018corner stone\u2019 in the first House of Worship in America!\u201d said Mona.\n\n\u201cOh\u2026 \u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1 won\u2019t be here to help us build Japan\u2019s House of Worship, though!\u201d said Shahla sadly.\n\n\u201cHe will be here in spirit!\u201d assured Mother smiling.\n\n\u201cI wonder what the Japanese Houses of Worship will look like,\u201d said Mona.\n\n\u201cI bet the Japanese Houses of Worship will look very Japanesey!\u201d said Asma. \u201cAll the Houses of Worship around the world look like their country\u2019s culture, so the Japanese ones should fit in with our culture, too.\n\n\u201cYes, I think you are right, Asma. Maybe one of you can design one of these Houses of Worship,\u201d suggested Father.\n\n\u201cAnd the Okinawan ones will look very Okinawan!\u201d added Mona\n\n\u201cI want to design the Okinawan one!\u201d said little Anisa, and everyone looked at her in surprise.\n\n\u201cOkinawa will always be my home, and I want to make the House of Worship for it!\u201d she said with force.\"\u5efa\u7269\n\n\u201cMaybe you will,\u201d nodded Mother, and all the children smiled.\n\n\u201cIt feels like \u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1 is right here with us!\u201d said Mona happily.\n\nAt that everyone laughed and clapped. Mother went to the cupboard and handed sweets out to each of them, saying, \u201cThis is from \u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1 to you!\u201d\n\n\u201cYea! We are ready for \u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1\u2019s visit!\u201d shouted Anisa.\n\nEveryone clapped and laughed as they happily ate their sweets and thought of \u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1.\n\n*<\/strong>all the quotes and information came from the book \u201cJapan Will Turn Ablaze\u201d compiled by Barbara Simms\n\nFor more children\u2019s stories on \u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1 and Japan, please see Hiru no Hoshi #233\n\nEnglish http:\/\/hirunohoshien.weebly.com\/233-the-covenant-abdul-baha--japan-noahs-ark.html<\/strong><\/a>\n\nJapanese http:\/\/hirunohoshijp.weebly.com\/233-32854320046528812450125021248912523124961249512392260852641265289122891249412450123983166533337.html<\/strong><\/a>\n\nShrine of \u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1\u2019<\/strong>\n\nQuiz<\/strong>\n\n1. Whose photos were the children looking at when the story begins?\n\n__________________________________________________________________________\n\n2. Did \u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1 ever go to Japan? ___________________________________________________________________________\n\n3. Did \u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1 ever go to America?\n\n___________________________________________________________________________\n\n4. Why did \u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1 want the American Believers to go to Japan?\n\n___________________________________________________________________________\n\n5. What did \u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1 ask one Bah\u00e1\u2019\u00ed to yell at the top of his voice in Tokyo?\n\n___________________________________________________________________________\n\n6. What did \u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1 tell a Japanese church in California that they should do?\n\n___________________________________________________________________________\n\n7. What did \u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1 warn an important Japanese ambassador about? __________________________________________________________________________\n\n8. Why did the children become sad?\n\n__________________________________________________________________________\n\n9. What will be built in every city of Japan in the future? ___________________________________________________________________________\n\n10. How many sides (and doors) does a House of Worship have, and what is on top of it? ____________________________________________________________________________\n\n\"03\"\n\nHow did you do?\n\nAnswers are below\n

Coloring Page<\/strong><\/h3>\n\"Japan\n\n\"Pin\n

Design a House of Worship <\/strong><\/h3>\n

(for where you live!)<\/strong><\/h3>\nMaterials:<\/strong>\n\n*Clay\n\n*9-sided polygon\n\n*Waxed paper\n\n*Ruler\n\n*Imagination\n\nMethod:<\/strong>\n\n*Put waxed paper over the 9-sided figure below\n\n*Put clay over the waxed paper, smooth the edges with the ruler,\n\nand build your House of Worship.\n\n*Remember, 9 doors, and a dome roof, then as many windows\n\nand decorations as you want!\n\n*You can color beautiful gardens and ponds around your House of Worship.\n\n*Take a picture and show everyone your Mashriqu'l-Adhk\u00e1r!\n\nParents\u2019 Page<\/strong>\n\nTablet of \u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1 to\u00a0Miss Yuri Mochizuki in 1920\n\n\u201cJapan is like unto a farm whose soil is untouched. Such a soil\u00a0as this has great capacity. One seed produces a hundred-fold. Now, praise be unto God, ye have found such a farm. Ye must develop the lands; ye must free them from thorns and weeds; ye should scatter the seeds of the love of God thereupon, and irrigate them with the rain of the knowledge of God. Rest ye assured that heavenly blessing will be bestowed!<\/em>\n\nIt is my hope that in that farm ye will become divine farmers. The enlightened people of Japan are tired and disgusted with the superannuated and putrefied blind imitations. They are assured that these blind imitations are pure superstitions without any truth. Therefore they have capacity to hear the Call of God. The land is untouched. We will have to see what the divine farmers will do!<\/em>\n\nAt present thou hast started a journal. It is my hope that this journal will shine as the Star of the East. In the journal write thus:<\/em>\n\nWhen the horizon of the East was covered with immense darkness; when dark clouds were predominant, and when all the heavenly stars were concealed to the eye, His Holiness Bah\u00e1\u2019u\u2019ll\u00e1h, like unto\u00a0the sun shone forth from the horizon of the East and with radiating splendor He illumined the Orient.\u201d<\/em><\/strong>\n\n\"Imprint\n\nQuiz Answers; <\/strong>1) \u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1 and children in different countries. 2) No. 3) yes. 4) Because Japan was very important. He wanted them to, \u201cthrough the love of God give life to the people of Japan.\u201d 5) Unfurl the Divine standard and yell \u201cO ye people, The Sun of Reality hath appeared and flooded all regions with its glorious light; it has upraised the Standard of Oneness of the world of humanity and summoned all mankind to the refulgent Truth\u2026\u201d 6) \u201cYe must shine as stars radiating the light of love toward all mankind\u2026\u201d 7)That there was a stupendous force in nature that could destroy the world if used by greedy men. 8) Because of the terrible wars that happened even after \u2018Abdu\u2019l-Bah\u00e1\u2019s warning. 9) Houses of Worship. 10) 9 sides and on top a dome roof.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2159","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-magazine"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bahaijp.org\/daystar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2159","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bahaijp.org\/daystar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bahaijp.org\/daystar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bahaijp.org\/daystar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bahaijp.org\/daystar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2159"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.bahaijp.org\/daystar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2159\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2428,"href":"https:\/\/www.bahaijp.org\/daystar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2159\/revisions\/2428"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bahaijp.org\/daystar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2161"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bahaijp.org\/daystar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2159"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bahaijp.org\/daystar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2159"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bahaijp.org\/daystar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2159"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}