‘Abdu’l-Baha revealed a a special prayer to say while expecting a baby which can also, of course, be recited after babies are born. Our prayers for our children remain the same regardless of their age.
The video below shares this prayer, the tune of which was composed and sung by Cheryl Watson Cooney whose other music you can find here. It features Baha’i mothers and their children from around the world – thanks to all who submitted their photographs for this project.
[quote]My Lord! My Lord! I praise Thee and I thank Thee for that whereby Thou hast favored Thine humble maidservant, Thy slave beseeching and supplicating Thee, because Thou hast verily guided her unto Thine obvious Kingdom and caused her to hear thine exalted Call in the contingent world and to behold thy Signs which prove the appearance of Thy victorious reign over all things.
O my Lord, I dedicate that which is in my womb unto Thee. Then cause it to be a praiseworthy child in Thy Kingdom and a fortunate one by Thy favor and Thy generosity; to develop and to grow up under the charge of Thine education. Verily, Thou art the Gracious! Verily, Thou art the Lord of Great Favor!
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Baha’i Prayers, p. 65)[/quote]
No matter the particular physical relationship of any mother-child pair or the stage of parenthood a mother is in – whether one is (or has been) pregnant, or has a toddler, school-aged child, teenager, adult or deceased children – mothers are vitally important to the ones they labor to raise in God’s image, with a spiritual connection that none can describe. Each child is a unique soul, regardless of the time they spend in the world of being after conception, and the role of mother is one of the most cherished and challenging a human could have.
This prayer is also particularly useful for helping us recall the mysterious bounty women have been given to grow another human within their mortal frame. It is a gift beyond measure.
May we all be guided in our efforts to raise our children to be praiseworthy in God’s Kingdom.
