Secondary Retelling4 min●●○○○'Abdu'l-Bahá's ministry (1892–1921)

The Shepherd’s Dream

Baha'i Stories for Children · Read original

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When in Bahá'í history

1844'Abdu'l-Bahá (1892–1921)2026

Siyyid Kázim was very happy. He not only knew that the Promised One had come, but He had seen Him and visited Him. What a joy it must have been to tell others about Him, even though he was not yet allowed to tell them His name.

But would you believe it? He found many who would not listen. You know it does no good to try to tell something to one who does not wish to hear. Not only that, but they were sometimes very cruel to Siyyid Kázim and his friends.

Siyyid Kázim and a few who were his close friends went on teaching just the same, for there were always some who were glad to listen. He read to them from the Qur'an the words which told that there would be two great Teachers. The One they were expecting would be the first, but there would be another soon after. And this last One would bring His Light to the whole world, not just to the country in which He lived.

One day at noon Siyyid Kázim was standing in the shade of a palm tree, waiting for the people to come from the noon-day prayer. Suddenly an Arab rushed up and threw his arms around him. An Arab, you know, is one who lives in or near the great Arabian Desert. And it was to the Arabs that Muhammad had come many years before and had given them the Qur'an.

Here is the strange story the Arab told Siyyid Kázim.

Three days before this he was watching his sheep in a pasture nearby, when all of a sudden he fell asleep and dreamed. In his dream he saw Prophet Muhammad, Who told him to listen well and remember what he was told, for these words were sent from God. "If you be faithful to them, "He said, "great will be your reward. If you neglect these words, grievous retribution will befall you." That means, great trouble would come if he forgot the message. Then He told the shepherd to stay near that place. In three days Siyyid Kázim and his friends would come there at noon to pray. The shepherd was to greet Siyyid Kázim and to tell him that his work was almost done; that in three days after he returned to Karbilá, he would be permitted to go to the One Who was speaking. Soon after that the Promised One would make Himself known to everyone.

Now this dream meant that, in three days after he returned to his home in Karbilá, Siyyid Kázim would die, because his work was finished. You see, each of us has a work to do. If we did not, we would not be here on the earth.

The shepherd's words made Siyyid Kázim very, very happy, but of course they made his friends sad. When he saw this, he said to them, "Is not your love for me for the sake of the True One? Would you not wish me to die that the Promised One might be revealed?"

He talked so lovingly to them and made them so happy to think that at last they should know the Promised One, that they ceased to feel sad. And that is the way it is with us today. We never like to lose a friend, but when we do, God always sends us another one.

So Siyyid Kázim finished his work and returned to Karbilá. There, three days later, as the shepherd had dreamed, he died, leaving his friends to find the Promised One and tell people about Him.

(by Zoe Meyer, ‘Stories from The Dawn-Breakers’)

Source: Baha'i Stories for Children (https://bahaistoriesforchildren.blogspot.com/2015/04/the-shepherds-dream.html).

Discuss this story

For adults

What stands out about this person's response in this account?
What might this person's example ask of us in our own circumstances?
If you were to share this story aloud at a devotional gathering, which sentence would you read first?

For teens

If you were in this person's place, what might you have done?
What does this story teach about faith?

For children

Who is the most important person in this story? Why?
If you met this person, what would you ask?

Reflection

Read the passage a second time, slowly. What did you notice that you missed the first time?
What in this account feels timely? What feels timeless?
If you could bring one quality from this story into your next conversation, what would it be?

Comprehension quiz

Which source is "The Shepherd’s Dream" drawn from?
What period of Bahá'í history does this story belong to?
Which virtue does this story most clearly illustrate?

Cite this story

Various. *Baha'i Stories for Children*. https://bahaistoriesforchildren.blogspot.com/2015/04/the-shepherds-dream.html

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This story shares quotes with 74 other stories

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Also in
- A pilgrim reports in 1920 how busy ‘Abdu’l-Bahá was replying to numerous letters from around the world— Various, Baha'i Stories Blog
- An example of how man is unable to prevent God from executing His will— Various, Baha'i Stories Blog
- An example of love and compassion shown by Munirih Khanum (‘Abdu’l-Baha’s wife)— Various, Baha'i Stories Blog
- Bahá’u’lláh’s departure for the Garden of Ridván— Various, Baha'i Stories Blog
- Baha’u’llah visits Mulla Husayn and his companions at Fort Tabarsi— Various, Baha'i Stories Blog
- …and 69 more

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The Shepherd’s Dream

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