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The quotations from Book 1 have been excerpted as a memorization tool for Study Circle participants (download above).  All excerpts were retrieved using the Ocean Baha'i Library.

UNIT 1: Some Principles of Bahá'í Education

Section 1

"Blessed is that teacher who shall arise to instruct the children ..."

(Bahá'u'lláh, Bahá'í Education - A Compilation, p. 9)

"Among the greatest of all services that can possibly be rendered by man to Almighty God is the education and training of children...."

('Abdu'l-Bahá, Selections From The Writings of 'Abdu'l-Baha, #106, p. 133)

"According to the explicit divine Text, teaching the children is indispensable and obligatory. It followeth that teachers are servants of the Lord God, since they have arisen to perform this task, which is the same as worship. You must therefore offer praise with each breath, for you are educating your spiritual children."

('Abdu'l-Bahá, Bahá'í Education - A Compilation, p. 33)

Section 2 - No Quotations

Section 3

"Regard man as a mine rich in gems of inestimable value. Education can, alone, cause it to reveal its treasures and enable mankind to benefit therefrom."

(Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, CXXIII, p. 260)

Sections 4, 5 & 6 - No Quotations

Section 7

"As to thy question regarding the education of children: it behoveth thee to nurture them at the breast of the love of God, and urge them onward to the things of the spirit, that they may turn their faces unto God; that their ways may conform to the rules of good conduct and their character be second to none; that they make their own all of the graces and praiseworthy qualities of humankind; acquire a sound knowledge of the various branches of learning, so that from the very beginning of life they may become spiritual beings, dwellers in the Kingdom, enamored of the sweet breath of holiness, and may receive an education religious, spiritual, and of the Heavenly Realm. Verily will I call upon God to grant them a happy outcome in this." (

'Abdu'l-Bahá, Selections From The Writings of 'Abdu'l-Baha, #122, p. 142)

Section 8

"Whoso ariseth among you to teach the Cause of his Lord, let him, before all else, teach his own self, that his speech may attract the hearts of them that hear him."

(Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, CXXVIII, p. 277)

Section 9

"The Tongue of My power hath, from the heaven of My omnipotent glory, addressed to My creation these words: 'Observe My commandments, for the love of My beauty.' Happy is the lover that hath inhaled the divine fragrance of His Best-Beloved from these words, laden with the perfume of a grace which no tongue can describe."

(Bahá'u'lláh, Kitáb-i-Aqdas, pp. 20-21)

"Let the flame of the love of God burn brightly within your radiant hearts. Feed it with the oil of Divine guidance, and protect it within the shelter of your constancy. Guard it within the globe of trust and detachment from all else but God, so that the evil whisperings of the ungodly may not extinguish its light."

(Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, CLIII, pp. 325-326)

"O Son of Being! My love is My stronghold; he that entereth therein is safe and secure, and he that turneth away shall surely stray and perish."

(Bahá'u'lláh, Hidden Words, Arabic #9)

Section 10

"Let God be your fear, O people, and be ye of them that tread the path of righteousness." (Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, CXXVIII, p.275)

Section 11

"Whoso ariseth among you to teach the Cause of his Lord, let him, before all else, teach his own self, that his speech may attract the hearts of them that hear him."

(Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, CLIII, pp. 325-326)

Sections 12 & 13 - No Quotations

UNIT 2 - Lessons for Children's Classes Grade 1

Section 1

"...the beloved of God and the maidservants must train their children with life and heart and teach them in the school of virtue and perfection. They must not be lax in this matter; they must not be inefficient."

('Abdu'l-Bahá, Tablets of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, Vol.III, p.579)

Section 2

"O God, guide me, protect me, make of me a shining lamp and a brilliant star. Thou art the Mighty and the Powerful."

('Abdu'l-Bahá, Bahá'í Prayers (1985 U.S. Edition), p. 37)

Section 3 - No Quotations

Section 4

"The art of music is divine and effective. It is the good of the soul and spirit. Through the power and charm of music the spirit of man is uplifted. It has wonderful sway and effect in the hearts of children, for their hearts are pure and melodies have great influence in them. The latent talents with which the hearts of these children are endowed will find expression through the medium of music."

('Abdu'l-Baha, Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 52)

Sections 5, 6, 7,8, 9,10, 11, 12 & 13 - No Quotations

UNIT 2 - Lessons for Children's Classes Grade 1 (15 Lessons for Children)

Lesson 1

"O God! Educate these children. These children are the plants of Thine orchard, the flowers of Thy meadow, the roses of Thy garden. Let thy rain fall upon them; let the Sun of Reality shine upon them with thy Love. Let Thy breeze refresh them in order that they may be trained, grow and develop, and appear in the utmost beauty. Thou art the Giver. Thou art the Compassionate."

('Abdu'l-Baha, Promulgation of Universal Peace, pp. 35-36)

"O God, guide me, protect me, make of me a shining lamp and a brilliant star. Thou art the Mighty and the Powerful."

('Abdu'l-Bahá, Bahá'í Prayers (1985 U.S. Edition), p. 37)

"So powerful is the light of unity that it can illumine the whole earth."

(Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, CXXXII, p. 288)

Lesson 2

"O God! Rear this little babe in the bosom of Thy love and give it milk from the breast of Thy Providence. Cultivate this fresh plant in the rose garden of Thy love and aid it to grow through the showers of Thy bounty. Make it a child of the kingdom, and lead it to Thy heavenly realm. Thou art powerful and kind, and Thou art the Bestower, the Generous, the Lord of surpassing bounty."

('Abdu'l-Bahá, Bahá'í Prayers (1985 U.S. Edition), p. 35)

"O Son of Spirit! My first counsel is this: Possess a pure, kindly and radiant heart ..."

(Bahá'u'lláh, Hidden Words, Arabic #1)

Lesson 3

"O my Lord! Make Thy beauty to be my food, and Thy presence my drink, and Thy pleasure my hope, and praise of Thee my action, and remembrance of Thee my companion, and the power of Thy sovereignty my succorer, and Thy habitation my home, and my dwelling-lace the seat Thou hast sanctified from the limitations imposed upon them who are shut out as by a veil from Thee. Thou art, verily, the Almighty, the All-Glorious, the Most Powerful."

(Bahá'u'lláh, Bahá'í Prayers, pp.144-145)

"Tread ye the path of justice, for this, verily, is the straight path."

(Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, CXVIII, p. 250)

Lesson 4

"O God! Refresh and gladden my spirit. Purify my heart. Illumine my powers. I lay all my affairs in Thy hand. Thou art my Guide and my Refuge. I will no longer be sorrowful and grieved; I will be a happy and joyful being. O God! I will no longer be full of anxiety, nor will I let trouble harass me. I will not dwell on the unpleasant things of life. O God! Thou are more friend to me than I am to myself. I dedicate myself to Thee, O Lord."

('Abdu'l-Bahá, Bahá'í Prayers, p. 152)

"O Thou Kind Lord! I am a little child, exalt me by admitting me to the kingdom. I am earthly, make me heavenly; I am of the world below, let me belong to the realm above; gloomy, suffer me to become radiant; material, make me spiritual, and grant that I may manifest Thine infinite bounties. Thou art the Powerful, the All-Loving."

('Abdu'l-Bahá, Bahá'í Prayers, pp. 36-37)

"O Friend! In the garden of thy heart plant naught but the rose of love ..."

(Bahá'u'lláh, Hidden Words, Persian #3)

Lesson 5

"That one indeed is a man who, today, dedicateth himself to the service of the entire human race."

(Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, CXVII, p. 250)

Lesson 6

"Truthfulness is the foundation of all human virtues."

(Bahá'u'lláh cited in Shoghi Effendi, The Advent of Divine Justice, 1984 U.S. edition, p. 26)

Lesson 7

"Supremely lofty will be thy station, if thou remainest steadfast in the Cause of thy Lord."

(Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, CXV, p. 246)

Lesson 8

"O Son of Man! Humble thyself before Me, that I may graciously visit thee."

(Bahá'u'lláh, Hidden Words, Arabic #42)

Lesson 9

"Blessed is he who preferreth his brother before himself."

(Bahá'u'lláh, Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh Revealed after the Kitáb-I-Aqdas, p. 71)

Lesson 10

"Beautify your tongues, O people, with truthfulness, and adorn your souls with the ornament of honesty."

(Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, CXXXVI, p. 297)

Lesson 11

"O my Lord! O my Lord! I am a child of tender years. Nourish me from the breast of Thy mercy, train me in the bosom of Thy love, educate me in the school of Thy guidance and develop me under the shadow of Thy bounty. Deliver me from darkness, make me a brilliant light; free me from unhappiness, make me a flower of the rose garden; suffer me to become a servant of Thy threshold and confer upon me the disposition and nature of the righteous; make me a cause of bounty to the human world and crown my head with the diadem of eternal life. Verily, Thou art the Powerful, the Mighty, the Seer, the Hearer."

('Abdu'l-Bahá, Bahá'í Prayers, pp. 37-38)

"To give and be generous are attributes of Mine; well it is with him that adorneth himself with My virtues."

(Bahá'u'lláh, Hidden Words, Persian #49)

Lesson 12

"Blessed is he who mingleth with all men in a spirit of utmost kindliness and love."

(Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, CLVI, p. 334)

Lesson 13

"The sign of love is fortitude under My decree and patience under My trials."

(Bahá'u'lláh, Hidden Words, Arabic #48)

Lesson 14

"O Son of Being! My love is My stronghold; he that entereth therein is safe and secure, and he that turneth away shall surely stray and perish."

(Bahá'u'lláh, Hidden Words, Arabic #9)

Lesson 15

"Put your trust in God, and commit your affairs to His keeping."

(Bahá'u'lláh cited in Shoghi Effendi,The Advent of Divine Justice,1984 U.S. Edition, p. 82)

UNIT 3 - Conducting Classes For Children

Sections 1, 2 & 3 - No Quotations

Section 4

"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-Baha, #115, p. 139)

Section 5

"...the children's school must be a place of utmost discipline and order, that instruction must be thorough, and provision must be made for the rectification and refinement of character; so that, in his earliest years, within the very essence of the child, the divine foundation will be laid and the structure of holiness raised up."

('Abdu'l-Bahá, Selections From The Writings of 'Abdu'l-Baha, #111, p. 137)

Section 6

"The root cause of wrongdoing is ignorance, and we must therefore hold fast to the tools of perception and knowledge. Good character must be taught. Light must be spread afar, so that, in the school of humanity, all may acquire the heavenly characteristics of the spirit, and see for themselves beyond any doubt that there is no fiercer hell, no more fiery abyss, than to possess a character that is evil and unsound; no more darksome pit nor loathsome torment than to show forth qualities which deserve to be condemned."

('Abdu'l-Bahá, Selections From The Writings of 'Abdu'l-Baha, #111, p. 136)

"Whensoever a mother seeth that her child hath done well, let her praise and applaud him and cheer his heart; and if the slightest undesirable trait should manifest itself, let her counsel the child and punish him and use means based on reason, even a slight verbal chastisement should this be necessary. It is not, however, permissible to strike a child, or vilify him, for the child's character will be totally perverted if he be subjected to blows or verbal abuse."

('Abdu'l-Bahá, Selections From The Writings of 'Abdu'l-Baha, #95, p. 125)

Sections 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 & 14 - No Quotations