The Story of Muhammad
Muhammad was born in 570. His father died around the time of his birth and his mother died when he was 6 years old. Muhammad was raised first by his grandfather and later by his uncle, who was a tribal leader at the time. In those days, most people living in Arabia were nomads. Families, or clans, were organized together into tribes. Sometimes the animal herds of a tribe was insufficient for its needs and one tribe would raid another for goods.
The only people more powerful than tribal leaders were poets. Poets were believed to be possessed of spirits that inhabit the natural world known as "jinn." Arabs believed jinn could work good and evil, so keeping the spirits happy was important: Most tribes also believed in other gods and goddesses, including Allah (the creator of the universe) and his three daughters. Each year local tribesmen visited Mecca to see the KaBah, an area built around a mysterious and sacred black stone (possibly a meteorite) that contained a sanctuary dedicated to these goddesses.
With these annual pilgrimages, Mecca became an important commercial center as well as a religious center. During Muhammad’s early adult life in Mecca, Arabian society began to become more concerned with individual prosperity than clan and tribal community. At age 25 Muhammad married an older, wealthy merchant woman. He became involved in commerce and traveled frequently to areas north of Mecca, where Christitanity and Judaism (both monotheistic religions) were prominent. No one knows how much his travels among Jews and Christians influenced Muhammad, but he certainly gained a broader wider view.
Muhammad was only mildly happy with the comforts that wealth brought and he was quite concerned about the decline of traditional values and community. He began to spend a lot of time alone in meditation and prayer on these concerns. Our story begins with one such event, in the year 610.
For the skit, you will need one person to be the narrator and others to pantomime the underlined action in each scene. Gather props and costumes and have fun!
Characters:
Muhammad
Young boy
Gabriel (angel)
Khadijah (Muhammad’s wife)
Meccan merchants
Abraham
Moses
Jesus
Pilgrims from Medina
Meccan assasins
Abu Bakr (close advisor)
Scene 1: Gabriel’s First Visit
Muhammad was traveling home one night when he passed a young boy sitting idly on the road, staring blankly out in the night. It seemed like he had no where to go, no family even to care for him. Muhammad thought about how things were changing in Mecca. More and more people seemed concerned only about themselves, tribal wars were increasing, and in Mecca itself money and commerce seemed more important than religion. He worried when he heard stories of people less fortunate than himself. Now, this young boy was a reminder of those worries. When he arrived home he decided to go to one of his favorite caves just outside Mecca. He would spend the night there, fasting and reflecting on the changes that were happening all around him.
He gathered a few belongings for the night and headed off for a time of quiet and meditation. As he sat in silence a strange vision appeared to Muhammad. It was an angel Gabriel in human form. Gabriel reached out and held Muhammad tightly in his arms and ordered him to recite a short set of words. When Muhammad did so the angel released him and disappeared.
Muhammad was convinced that he was either losing his mind, or the jinn had possessed him, so he fled from the cave. Part way down the hill he heard a voice behind him say, "Oh, Muhammad, you are the Messenger of God. and I am Gabriel."
Scene 2: The revelations
When Muhammad got home, his wife, Khadijah, saw that he was disturbed and asked him what happened. Muhammad told her what he had seen and heard and said that he was afraid he was losing his mind. But the visions of Gabriel continued and each time Muhammad was asked to recite certain words before the vision would let him go. Khadijah was sure the words had come fiom God and that Muhammad had been chosen by Gabriel to be a messenger of God, just as the angel had said. Slowly Muhammad began to share the words he had heard with Khadijah and a few followers. It took Muhammad several years of experiencing the visions to come to believe they were truly revelations fiom God.
By 613, Muhammad was preaching openly in the streets. The message he preached was a simple one: he declared that there was only one God, Allah, and that there was nothing like him. He preached that Allah was all-powerful and that a day of judgment would come to all people. To worship any other gods, or jinn, was to violate the absolute oneness of Allah. The merchants and leaders in Mecca saw Muhammad’s ideas as threats to the established religious system that kept them wealthy and in power. Slowly hostility against Muhammad grew until his life was in danger.
Scene 3: The Miraculous Occasion
In 619 Muhammad moved his family and supporters away from Mecca to nearby Ta’if for refuge. But the main tribe there refused to let them stay, so they were forced to return to Mecca. That same year, both Muhammad’s wife and his uncle Abu Talib died. In the middle of his sadness and troubles, Muhammad had the most remarkable experience of his life.
One night, Gabriel came to Muhammad in his sleep. But instead of talking to him, he flew with Muhammad on a winged horse to Jerusalem, where from a large rock, they ascended to heaven. In heaven Muhammad met with the great prophets of Abraham, Moses and Jesus. At the end of his journey, it is said that Muhammad stood before God. (This night, called Isra & Mi’raj, is celebrated each year on the 27th day of the Islamic month of Rajab.)
Scene 4: Journey to Medina
Muhammad’s followers increased and so did the hostility against them. He knew he had to find a safe place outside Mecca for himself and his followers. The answer came one day when a group of pilgrims from Medina who had heard of Muhammad and his teachings, sought him out in Mecca. They were looking for someone to come to Medina to help bring peace among the tribes of the area. Muhammad saw an opportunity to start a new community of Muslims and he began urging his followers to move to the northern town.
One night, in 622, Muhammad received word that a group of Meccans were planning to kill him. He arranged to leave Mecca that very night with his closest fiiend, Abu Bakr. They gathered a few things for the journey and made their way to a cave outside of town. There they hid for three days. According to legend, the mouth of the cave was covered with a fine spider’s web just moments before the Meccan assasins rode by. When they saw the delicate web covering the entrance they were sure no one could have recently gone inside.
With travel safe again, Muhammad and Abu Bakr made their way to Medina where they were greeted joyfully by the Muslims who had already moved there and other people of Medina. Muhammad was safe and, most importantly, the first Islamic community was formed. This journey, known today as Hijrah, was so important to Muslims that they used it to mark the beginning of the Islamic calendar.
Background for Shabbat/Sabbath
This session engages the children in exploring the roots of the day of worship and rest–Shabbat/Sabbath. The Bible (Genesis 1 and 2) says that God created day and night, earth and sky, the sun, moon and stars, trees and plants, birds and fishes, and all the wild and gentle animals that lived on earth. When all other creations were finished, God created man and woman and called them Adam and Eve. And on the seventh day of creation, God rested from all work, and all that was created rested, too. It was the first Shabbat,the first Sabbath. It was a very peaceful and holy time.
It is likely that the Sabbath was observed before the writing of the Genesis story in sixth century B.C.E. (Before the Common Era). In agricultural societies of that time, the seventh and final day of the week was observed as a day of rest. Since the formulation of the Genesis stories from oral tradition in the fifth century B.C,E., the origin of the Sabbath has been linked with the story of creation in which God rested on the seventh day. The Jewish Shabbat is observed each week on Friday night and all day Saturday–from sunset on Friday until sunset on Saturday. Early Jewish Christians observed the Sabbath on Saturday, but Gentile Christianity gradually shifted the Sabbath to Sunday, honoring the day of Jesus’ resurrection.
This concept of the Sabbath is one of Judaism’s major contributions to the culture of the western world. Jews remember the Sabbath, and they are obeying the fourth of the Ten Commandments which says, "Six days shall you labor and do all your work. But the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. You shall not do any manner of work for the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it." This concept is explored more fully in Session 23 on Shavuot.
This session uses the book The Creation by Steven Mitchell. Before the session, obtain a copy of it and familiarize yourself with the story.
Advent List of Activities
1. Give your mom or dad a hug and kiss and say, "Happy December! "
2. Pick out a favorite book and share it with someone.
3. Give a smile to someone older than you.
4. Remember to hang up your jacket today.
5. Make your own bed today.
6. Help make dinner tonight.
7. Do something nice for someone younger than you.
8. Give a special smile to your teacher.
9. Sing one of your favorite songs with your family at dinner. You choose the song!
10. Put a note under each person’s pillow: "Dear, I like you because
11. Invite a friend to the library.
12. Try to fix something that is broken. You can ask for help!
13. How many things can you find that are red?
14. Make a holiday card for your teacher.
15. Draw a picture of your family and put it in a place where everyone can enjoy it.
16. Offer to set the table tonight and make a holiday centerpiece.
17. Ten days until Hanukkah! Find out all you can about it.
18. Find out how to say "Hello" in two different languages! Teach them to someone.
19. Be on the lookout for litter. Pick it up and throw it in the trash!
20. Talk to your family about your favorite holiday customs. Ask about theirs.
21. How many things can you find that are green!
22. Make some Christmas cookies with your family.
23. Take a walk around the neighborhood with a family member. Greet everyone you see!
24. Ask your family to read aloud with you a favorite Christmas story.
The Chief of the Well
To whom does the water belong?
There was once a drought in the country. The streams dried up and the wells went dry. There was no place for anybody to get water. The animals met to discuss the situation-the cow, the dog, the goat, the horse, the donkey, and all the others. They decided to ask God for help. Together they went to God and told him how bad things were.
God thought, then he said, "Don’t bother your heads. They don’t call me God for nothing. I will give you one well for everyone to use."
The animals thanked God. They told him he was very considerate. God said, "But you’ll have to take good care of my well. One of you will have to be caretaker. He will stay by the well at all times to see that no one abuses it or makes it dirty."
Mabouya, the ground lizard spoke up saying, "I will be the caretaker."
God looked at all the animals. He said at last, "Mabouya, the lizard, looks like the best caretaker. Therefore, I appoint him. He will be the watchman. The well is over there in the mango grove."
The animals went away. The lizard went directly to the well. When the other animals began to come back for water, Mabouya challenged them. First the cow came to drink. The lizard sang out in a deep voice:
"Who is it? Who is it?
Who is walking in my grove?"
The cow replied:
"It is I, the cow,
I am coming for water."
And the lizard called back:
"Go away! This is God’s grove,
And the well is dry."
So the cow went away and suffered from thirst.
Then the horse came and the lizard challenged him, saying:
‘Who is it? Who is it?
Who is walking in my grove?"
The horse answered:
"It is I, the horse,
I am coming for water."
And the lizard called back:
"Go away! This is God’s grove,
And the well is dry."
So the horse went away and he too suffered from thirst.
Each animal came to the well and the lizard challenged all of them in the same way, saying
:"Go away! This is God’s grove,
And the well is dry."
So the animals went away and suffered much because they had no water to drink.
When God saw all the suffering going on, he said, "I gave the animals a well to drink from, but they are all dying of thirst. What is the matter?" And he himself went to the well.When the lizard heard his footsteps, he called out:
"Who is it? Who is it?
Who is walking in my grove’?"
God answered:
"It is I, Papa God.
I am coming for water."
And the lizard said:
"Go away, Papa God.
The well is dry."
God was very angry. He said once more:
"It is I, Papa God.
I am coming for water."
And the lizard called back to him again:
"Go away, Papa God.
The well is dry."
God said no more to the lizard. He sent for the animals to come to the well. He said, "You came to me because you were thirsty and I gave you a well. I made Mabouya the caretaker. But he gave no thought to the suffering creatures all around him. If a man has a banana tree in his garden, it is his. If a man has a cotton tree in his garden, it is his. But if a man has a well in his garden, only the hole in the ground belongs to him. The water is God’s and belongs to all creatures. Because Mabouya, the lizard, became drunk with conceit, he is no longer the caretaker. Henceforth, he must drink his water from puddles wherever the rain falls. The new care-taker will be the frog. The frog will not say,’Go away, the well is dry.’ He will say,’This is God’s well; this is God’s well’."
So the animals drank at the well, while Mabouya, the lizard, went away from it and drank rain water wherever he could find it. The frog is now the caretaker. And all night he calls out:
"This is God’s well!
This is God’s well!
This is God’s well!"
And it is a saying among the people:
"The hole in the ground is yours,
The water is God’s."
(This story was taken from The Piece of Fire and Other Haitian Tales, 1964 by Harold Courlander. Reprinted by permission of Harcourt, Brace and Jovanovich, Inc., New York. Story came originally from West Africa.)
If I Were a Founder…
If I were helping to found a religious group with others whom I like to be with,
I would want us to celebrate or honor . . .
I would want us to meet . . . (where?)
When? (day of the week, frequency?)
Two things we would do are …
Something we would never do is …
The most important thing about us would be …
What is the Lord’s Prayer?
Goal:
To learn the Lord’s Prayer and Psalm 23, to put these prayers into your own words, and to consider the role of prayer in your life.
Preparation:
Read “Background for Teachers”
Make copies of “Bedtime Prayer Thoughts for UU Kids”
Make copies of “The Lord’s Prayer” and “Psalm 23”
Introduction:
Prayer as supplication (asking for something) can’t change lives, but prayer can change people and people can change lives. A prayer can be simply silence, it can be meditation, or it can be words spoken repeatedly. The two ancient prayers in this lesson are part of our culture and will be heard over and over in our lives. They can inspire us with their poetry and message. We keep them and interpret them in our own words for today.
Activities:
Bedtime Prayer Thoughts: Years ago, a UU minister suggested a bedtime prayer that includes one thing you are thankful for, one thing you are sorry for, and something you are hopeful for. Give one to each of your children to color or decorate and hang in his or her bedroom.
The Lord’s Prayer and Psalm 23: Give everyone a copy of each of these prayers. Talk about what each line means. Then, ask everyone to write their own version of each line. Discuss what you wrote. If you want, you could decide on which version you like best, then decorate a nice copy of your family version to hang in your house.
Story and Craft: Who Owns the Well?
Introduce the activity by saying: To help us think about who owns the earth, we’re going to make puppets and act out a story from West Africa. (Show West Africa on map, globe, or atlas.)
Getting ready for the play: There are many possible ways to do the play, depending on the ages and size of your group. Characters include a narrator (could be leader) and God, who have the largest speaking parts, and a lizard and frog with smaller parts. The remaining children can choose whichever puppet-animal they’d like to be.
Decorate puppets according to taste, assembling the parts and attaching them to the body sticks as shown. Youngest participants may color the body sticks and cut them out while older ones do the more complicated work. Some might create a well by rolling and coiling clay or play dough, or by coloring and decorating a small box.
Begin the play!
Narrator: There was once a drought in the country. The streams dried up, and the wells went dry. There was no place for anybody to get water. The animals met to talk it over–(list your animals). They decided to ask God for help. Together they went to God and told God how bad things were.
God: Hmmm. I’m thinking. But don’t worry. They don’t call me God for nothing. Hmmm. I will give you one well for everyone to use.
All animals: Thank you God. You are very kind.
God: You will have to take good care of the well. One of you will have to be caretaker. The caretaker will stay by the well at all times and see that no one makes it dirty. Hmmm. (God looks at all the animals.) The lizard looks like the best caretaker. Therefore I appoint the lizard to be caretaker.The well is over there in the grove.
Narrator: The animals went away. The lizard went straight to the well. Soon the animals began coming to the well. Lizard stopped them.
Lizard: (In a deep voice.) Who is it? Who is it? Who is walking in my grove?
1st animal: It is I, the _______. I am coming for water.
Lizard: Go away! This is my well, and the well is dry!
Narrator: So the ___________ went away thirsty. Then another animal came to the well.
Repeat until all the animals have asked for water.
Narrator: So the animals went away thirsty because they had no water to drink. God saw all the suffering going on.
God: I gave the animals a well to drink from, but they are all dying of thirst. What is the matter? I will go to the well and find out.
Lizard: Who is it? Who is it? Who is walking in my grove?
God: It is I, God. I am coming for water.
Lizard: Go away, God. The well is dry.
God: Lizard, you are making me angry. It is I, God. I am coming for water.
Lizard: I told you already. Go away, God. The well is dry.
Narrator: God said no more to the lizard. God sent for the animals to come to the well.
God: You came to me because you were thirsty and I gave you a well. I made Lizard the caretaker. But Lizard gave no thought to all the other animals. If a woman has a banana tree in her garden, it is hers. If a man has a cotton tree in his garden, it is his. But if a person has a well in the garden, only the hole in the ground belongs to the person. The water is God’s and belongs to all creatures.
Because the lizard abused the responsibility, the lizard is no longer caretaker. Henceforth Lizard must drink water from rain puddles. The new caretaker will be the frog. The frog will not say, "Go away, the well is dry." Frog will say, "This is God’s well. It belongs to everyone."
Narrator: So the animals drank at the well. The lizard went away and drank rain water wherever it could be found. The frog is now the caretaker. All night Frog calls out:
Frog: This is God’s well. It belongs to everyone. This is God’s well. It belongs to everyone.
Narrator: People have a saying: The hole in the ground is yours, the water is God’s.
Are some people just bad?
Goal:
To explore the concept that there is potential for both “good” and “bad” in people.
To introduce the symbol of Yin and Yang
Activities:
1. Read the story “The Half-Boy of Borneo.”
2. Discuss:
3. Yin Yang Symbol with Drawing instructions
The Chinese have a symbol for this same idea which you probably know—the yin-yang symbol. It expresses the idea that opposites in the universe (day/night, light/dark, hot/cold, good/bad, etc) are forever struggling with each other, and wholeness is found when these opposites come together as one. It’s interesting to think about—could there be day without night? light without dark? hot without cold? good without bad?
Yin is the Chinese word to describe one of the two opposite forces. Some of the words to describe Yin are: cool, night, at rest, female, dying. Yang is the Chinese word to describe the energy force which is opposite Yin. Some words to describe Yang are: warm, day, male, active, being born. Taoists call the whole circle around Yin and Yang the Toa (pronounced Dow) meaning “the way,” or the way of nature. The two forces go together, they are both good, both necessary, both equally important in making up the balanced whole.
Why do people look so different?
Materials:
Copies of the People Puzzle. (best if copied on heavy paper or light paper glued on to cardboard) Cut the pieces apart and put all 4 pieces in an envelope.
Crayons, colored pencils, markers, and other art supplies like stickers, glitter, bits of ribbon, sequins, feathers etc.
Adhesive tape
Procedure:
Begin by making sure everyone understands that a puzzle is made up of many pieces of different sizes and shapes, and that when the pieces are put together, they make an interesting whole. Point out that a puzzle isn’t complete until all the pieces have been joined together.
Randomly give each person in the family a puzzle piece. (If you have more than 4 people, do more than one puzzle.) Have each person decorate the puzzle piece(s) however he or she chooses.
When all pieces are decorated, sit in a circle and hold up your piece. Say, “I’m looking for a piece that will join with this one.” Go around the circle until you find a piece that fits.
Before putting the pieces together, you and the person with the fitting piece must name 2 ways in which you are different (ie: hair, age, height, clothing etc.) and 2 ways you are the same (both have 10 fingers, both wearing shoes, etc.)
Next, the person with the fitting piece looks for a third piece to join with the first two. Again, the two players must name 2 ways in which they are different and 2 ways in which they are the same before they fit the pieces together. The person with the third piece then looks for the fourth and so on until all the pieces of the puzzle(s) have been completed.
Fasten the puzzle pieces together with adhesive tape. Arrange the pieces along a wall or window ledge so everyone can see them all. Talk about how each piece is different. Each is unique—like the people themselves. Yet, together they make interesting and beautiful puzzles. And together your family (or group) makes an interesting and beautiful group!
Conclude by saying something like:
"Each one of us is special and one-of-a-kind. No one is exactly like anyone else. Our differences make us interesting and unique. When we learn about our differences, and when we appreciate and value our differences, this helps us get along.”
