This table-top play was created for Book 5, Lesson 30 about the Ascension of Baha'u'llah.

Preparation

A narrator can read the play while someone moves the figures on the table top scene.

Prepare a scene on a large surface that is coffee table height. The scene should represent the road between Akka and Bahji May 30, 1892, the day after Baha'u'llah's ascension. To represent Bahji, a white square card board building can be made with transparent windows. A small candle can be lit inside the building to represent the Qiblih (Kiblah).

Dolls in Persian dress can be used to dramatize the story.

Slow Persian instrumental music in background.

Characters

Hassan is a faithful Bahai man that has been in Bahji at the time of Baha'u' llah's ascension.

Omid is a messenger of the government.

Maryam is a faithful Bahai and the wife of Hassan. She has been in Haifa with their children.

Hoda is daughter of Maryam and Hassan.

Soheil is the son of Maryam and Hassan escorting his mother and sister to Bahji.

Play Text

Hassan (dressed in simple Persian clothes, a scroll tucked inside his shirt. Slowly walking on road toward Akka.):

"The Sun of Baha has set." "The Sun of Baha has set." (Speaks to audience) Have you heard? Have you heard the news of our great sadness and pain? Our King of Glory, our Most Beloved is gone. Baha'u'llah's spirit has taken His flight and after nearly 40 years of revealing the Word of God to humanity, now He is gone.

Yesterday my dear friend and poet, Mirza 'Ali-Ashraf wrote these verses. See here, I have copied it here. (Hassan takes scroll from his shirt and reads):

LAMENT at the Ascension of Baha'u'llah. He is the Powerful, the Mighty, the Beloved!
__________________________________

Today the cupbearer, by God's design,
poured bile into the cup of life, not wine.

Every wound has its balm, each ache a cure-
except this wound! this endless ache of mine!

The nightingales refuse to sing. No trees.
The world's gone dark, and every eye is blind.

Calamity! The universe unbuilt.
Calamity! The reign of God undone.

On the Sea of Mercy all waves lie still.
But waves of woe rise high! The storm's begun.

The banner of God's Name collapsed. Such grief,
such grief that heaven will be overrun.

Through Him the Day of Resurrection dawned:
Now earth quakes at the setting of His Sun.

From Sinai He called, "Come see!" Now Moses
hears these final words: "You shall never see."

On the Most Great Ocean the Crimson Ark
has sunk. The tears of Noah drown the sea.

Look west! The Sun of Holiness has set.
Look up! and in His placeless place He'll be.

We'll never hear His voice again, but there
the Nightingale of Paradise flies free. *

"The Sun of Baha has set." These are the words our beloved Master telegraphed to the Sultan yesterday. Yesterday, it was only yesterday, Saturday, May 29, 1892 yet it as if time has stopped without our Sun. The
Sun of Baha: Baha'u'llah, the Manifestation for today, has set: His spirit is no longer with us on this earth.

Praise God I had the privilege of being in his presence in Bahji in His last days. When I heard some nine months ago that Baha'u'llah had expressed His desire to depart from this world, I knew the end of his earthly life was approaching and I came to be here in Bahji to be near Him, my Beloved. I was with the friends on Sunday evening May 8, just 22 days ago when we were told that Baha'u'llah had contracted a fever. Even though we could tell he was not well still he called some us to his room. Many of the friends and pilgrims gathered and oh, how we prayed. You can imagine our grief when 9 days after He had developed the fever, Abdu'l Baha came to us and gave us His most tender greetings and conveyed to us this message from Baha'u'llah, I have written His precious words here so that I can keep them close to my heart. (Hassan takes out paper from his shirt.) The Blessed Beauty told us:

"All the friends must remain patient and steadfast, and arise for the promotion of the Cause of God. We should not become perturbed, because He shall always be with us, and He will remember and care for us."

You can just imagine how when we heard this message we were drowned in a sea of sorrow because we feared these were Baha'u'llahs last words to us. But the next day our sorrow turned into joy when Abdu'l Baha woke us at dawn told us to drink our morning tea with the utmost happiness and thanksgiving to God because Baha'u'llahs health had been restored and he was much better!

But our joy would soon pass away. Just 6 days ago, Baha'u'llah for the last time called all of us believers that were assembled at the Mansion. Tears streamed from our eyes when we walked into his room. I shall never forget the sight of him lying on his bed, propped up and leaning against Abdu'l- Baha. Thankfully dear Nabil had the presence to record the words He spoke to us. I have copied them here. Baha'u'llah said:

"I am well pleased with you all. Ye have rendered many services, and been very assiduous in your labors. Ye have come here every morning and evening. May God assist you to remain united. May He aid you to exalt the Cause of the Lord of being."

This was the last time we attained Baha'u'llah's presence because yesterday in the early morning hours his spirit left this earthly plane of existence.

I could no longer bear to be in the mansion and have come out here to walk. Perhaps I will be here to meet my family who must be on their way to Bahji now. I sent for them as soon as I heard. Surely they must be coming soon. (Hassan continues walking sadly, head down.)

Omid: Ho! Hey there, Friend, Hello! You are going the wrong way, young man, everyone I have seen today is headed toward Bahji to honor, Baha'u'llah, the leader of the Baha'is. I myself have been sent on behalf of the government to give this message of condolence to his son Abdu'l Baha.

Hassan: O yes, sir, greetings, forgive me, I am overcome with sorrow at His passing. I have come out here to walk with my grief and look for my family who I have sent for. Have you seen son who is accompanying my wife and young daughter on the road?

Omid: Well it is hard to say, the road from Akka is filled with people streaming to Bahji. I did however pass a family such as you describe not but an hour ago.

So you have been with Baha'u'llah in Bahji?

Hassan: Yes Sir, until the end.

Omid: Hum.yeah.too bad. A good man, He was, fine reputation. How old was Baha'll'llah when He died?

Hassan: He was with us on earth for 75 years, sir.

Omid: Hum, well, my condolences young man. I must be on my way to deliver this (gestures to scroll) to His son, Abdu'l Baha. It is condolences from the governor. God be with you.

Hassan: And also with you.

Hassan continues walking toward Akka. Hassan sees his family in the distance.

   

Hassan: O Maryam, it is you, and children. I am so happy to see you. Embraces family.

Hoda: O Father, tell us it is not true, tell us Baha'u'llah lives.

Hassan: It is true my dears it, The Master has told the world, The Sun of Baha has set.

Maryam: O Hassan, we are overwhelmed with sadness. Tell us what you know.

Hassan: O Maryam, there is so much to tell. Just last night, in His daughters room, in the small house just west of the Mansion, His precious body was buried. And just now, the men are at work strengthening the outer
wall of this room with bricks. It is now our Qiblih (Kiblah), forever, the people of Baha will turn to this Holy Spot. Let us go there now, I have much to tell you along the way. Let me help with the cart, it is good you have brought food and supplies. We have many to feed, we must now work to serve, Abdu'l Baha. With our focus on him, we must remain united in our effort to live according to Baha'u'llah's teachings and create a new world. Abdu'l Baha's perfect example of service to the Blessed Beauty is now our model. We are so fortunate that Baha'u'llah has left us under the shelter of Abdu' lBaha, the Most Great Branch. This is a blessing beyond measure. We can
never fully appreciate the immense bounty that Baha'u'llah has bestowed upon humanity by giving us not only His most sublime Revelation, but also His Son, through whose knowledge and wisdom, He said, we would be guided and illumined. We must turn to Abdu'l Baha as the Center of the Covenant and through his wise leadership we will overcome our grief and the Message of Baha'll'llah will soon spread across the globe.

Soheil: O Baba, do you mean that people from other lands will follow us to the Qiblih (Kiblah) in Bahji?

Hassan: Yes, Soheil joon. In the future, people will stream from all over the globe to this holy spot. People from Norway, America, Africa, and all around the world will all come to Bahji in the future. It is our job to now take His message to the world so that they will know. Baha'u'llah told us we must "arise for the promotion of the Cause of God".

Hassan turning to audience says:

Come join us, won't you dear Friends? Come follow us to the Sun of Baha!

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Music gets louder then fades to following presentation:

At conclusion of play can show a video presentation - below you will find links for a video presentation in Observance of the Ascension of Baha'u'llah. Because of the sacred nature of this event, it is suggested that you choose an appropriate time to view it. It contains a Persian prayer accompanied by photos taken at Bahji during the Observance in 2004.

Download the latest version of the flash player: http://www.nybahai.org/ascension/

While quiet music is being played, invite the participants to slowly walk to the center of a spiral labyrinth you have earlier created on the floor. This labyrinth can consist of moss, ivy, flower pedals carefully laid out on the
floor to form a large spiral. At the apex of the spiral place a tree stump with a candle on it. The participants slowly enter the labyrinth one at a time and can light their candle from the center light and then carry it out
of the spiral. While each participant is allowed time to do this, the others can chant the memory verse for Book 5 Lesson 30:

This devotional can be a meditation on the significance of turning to Abdul-Baha as the center of the Covenant.

*The famous Baha'i poet 'Andalib (Mirza 'Ali-Ashraf) was present at the time of Baha'u'llah's ascension. He wrote this poem on that occasion. LAMENT at the Ascension of Baha'u'llah by 'Andalib, trans. by Ahang Rabbani and Anthony A. Lee