Death: Transition/Ascension to the Real Realm

Death: Transition/Ascension to the Real Realm

Beginning and Nature of the Soul

"...then the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being." (Genesis 2:7) "the soul…is divine and celestial. It is a divine energy, a substance, simple, and self-subsistent.” – Baha’u’llah, ESW pp. 111-112.

"Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it." (Ecclesiastes 12:7)

"Through his ignorance, man fears death; but the death he shrinks from is imaginary and absolutely unreal; it is only human imagination." (Abdu'l-Baha, Baha'i World Faith, p. 264)

Although the divine worlds be never ending, yet some refer to them as four: The world of time (zaman), which is the one that hath both a beginning and an end; the world of duration (dahr), which hath a beginning, but whose end is not revealed; the world of perpetuity (sarmad), whose beginning is not to be seen but which is known to have an end; and the world of eternity (azal), neither a beginning nor an end of which is visible. (Baha'u'llah, The Seven Valleys, p. 25)

Know, verily, that the soul is a sign of God, a heavenly gem whose reality the most learned of men hath failed to grasp, and whose mystery no mind, however acute, can ever hope to  unravel. It is the first among all created things to declare the excellence of its Creator, the first to recognize His glory, to cleave to His truth, and to bow down in adoration before Him. If it be faithful to God, it will reflect His light, and will, eventually, return unto Him. If it fail, however, in its allegiance to its Creator, it will become a victim to self and passion, and will, in the end, sink in their depths. (Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, LXXXII)

According to the Bahá’í Teachings the human soul starts with the formation of the human embryo, and continues to develop and pass through endless stages of existence after its separation from the body. Its progress is thus infinite.  (Shoghi Effendi, From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, December 31, 1937,  Lights of Guidance, p. 204)

"The soul has its origin in the spiritual worlds of God. It is exalted above matter and the physical world. The individual has his beginning when the soul, coming from these spiritual worlds, associates itself with the embryo at the time of conception. But this association is not material; the soul does not enter or leave the body and does not occupy physical space. The soul does not belong to the material world, and its association with the body is similar to that of a light with a mirror which reflects it. The light which appears in the mirror is not inside it; it comes from an external source. Similarly, the soul is not inside the body; there is a special relationship between it and the body, and together they form a human being." (Ruhi Book 1, Life and Death, Section 1)

According to the Bahá’í Teachings the human soul starts with the formation of the human embryo, and continues to develop and pass through endless stages of existence after its separation from the body. Its progress is thus infinite. (Shoghi Effendi, Lights of Guidance #680)

"The soul or spirit of the individual comes into being with the conception of his physical body." (Shoghi Effendi, High Endeavours - Messages to Alaska, p. 71)

"A body does not develop and grow without the soul, therefore the soul is the medium of the spiritual life." (Tablets of Abdu'l-Bahá Vol. III, p. 592)

"The spirit does not need a body, but the body needs spirit, or it cannot live. The soul can live without a body, but the body without a soul dies." ('Abdu'l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 86)

"The whole physical creation is perishable. These material bodies are composed of atoms; when these atoms begin to separate decomposition sets in, then comes what we call death. This composition of atoms, which constitutes the body or mortal element of any created being, is temporary. When the power of attraction, which holds these atoms together, is withdrawn, the body, as such, ceases to exist. With the soul it is different. The soul is not a combination of elements, it is not composed of many atoms, it is of one indivisible substance and therefore eternal. It is entirely out of the order of the physical creation; it is immortal!

Scientific philosophy has demonstrated that a simple element ("simple" meaning "not composed") is indestructible, eternal. The soul, not being a composition of elements, is, in character, as a simple element, and therefore cannot cease to exist." (Abdu'l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 91)

No Reincarnation

"Could the people but taste that choice Wine of the mercy of their Lord, the Almighty, the All-Knowing, which lieth in store for them in the world beyond, they would assuredly cease their censure, and seek only to win the good pleasure of this Youth. ...Is it their wish to tarry here when already they have one foot in the stirrup? Look they to return, once they are gone?

Nay, by Him Who is the Lord of Lords! save on the Day of Judgement, the Day whereon the people shall arise from their graves and be asked of their legacy. Well is it with him who shall not be weighted down with his burdens on that Day, the Day whereon the mountains shall pass away and all shall gather to be questioned in the presence of God, the Most Exalted. Stern, indeed, is He in punishing!" (Baha'u'llah, Lawh-i-Sultan, The Summons of the Lord of Hosts, #1:268-73)

"No revelation from God has ever taught re-incarnation; this is a man-made conception. The soul of man comes into being at conception." (Shoghi Effendi, to an individual believer, April 1, 1946, Lights of Guidance, #1820)

"There are no earth-bound souls. When the souls that are not good die they go entirely away from this earth and so cannot influence anyone. They are spiritually dead. Their thoughts can have influence only when they are alive on the earth… But the good souls are given eternal life and sometimes God permits their thoughts to reach the earth to help the people." (Questions answered by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in 'Akká: Daily Lessons, Received at 'Akká, 1979 ed., pp. 35-36)

"After death the soul of man permanently departs from the material plane, and enters the world of the spirit, in which it can indefinitely progress and advance. The nature of that spiritual world is essentially different and superior to our earthly life here." (Written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, letter dated April 10, 1938, to an individual believer

"Believing in reincarnation is one of the old tenets held by most nations and creeds, as well as by the Greek and Roman philosophers and wise men, the old Egyptians and the chief Assyrians. But all these sayings and superstitions are vanity in the sight of God." (Abdu'l-Baha, Baha'i World Faith, p. 391) 

"As the proof of uniqueness exists in all things, and the Oneness and Unity of God is apparent in the reality of all things, the repetition of the same appearance is absolutely impossible. Therefore, reincarnation, which is the repeated appearance of the same spirit with its former essence and condition in this same world of appearance, is impossible and unrealizable.  284  As the repetition of the same appearance is impossible and interdicted for each of the material beings, so for spiritual beings also, a return to the same condition, whether in the arc of descent or in the arc of ascent, is interdicted and impossible, for the material corresponds to the spiritual." (Abdu'l-Baha, Some Answered Questions, p. 283)

"Regarding your question concerning the passage in 'Seven Valleys' referring to pre-existence. This in no way presupposes the existence of the individual soul before conception. The term has not been absolutely accurately translated, and what is meant is that man's soul is the repository of the ancient, Divine mysteries of God." (From a letter written on behalf of the Guardian, January 5, 1948)

"Now observe that in the sensible world appearances are not repeated, for no being in any respect is identical with, nor the same as, another being. The sign of singleness is visible and apparent in all things. If all the granaries of the world were full of grain, you would not find two grains absolutely alike, the same and identical without any distinction. It is certain that there will be differences and distinctions between them. As the proof of uniqueness exists in all things, and the Oneness and Unity of God is apparent in the reality of all things, the repetition of the same appearance is absolutely impossible. Therefore, reincarnation, which is the repeated appearance of the same spirit with its former essence and condition in this same world of appearance, is impossible and unrealizable.  As the repetition of the same appearance is impossible and interdicted for each of the material beings, so for spiritual beings also, a return to the same condition, whether in the arc of descent or in the arc of ascent, is interdicted and impossible, for the material corresponds to the spiritual." ('Abdu'l-Baha, Some Answered Questions, p.283)

"Consider the ocean, how serene it lieth, how majestically it reposeth within its bed. Yet the winds of the will of the eternal Beloved cause countless ripples and innumerable swells to appear upon its surface, each wave distinct and divergent from the others." (Baha'u'llah, Lawh-i-Maryam, DOR #31:11)

 "This reincarnation in which men have traditionally believed is contrary to what hath been revealed in the Books of God. What is truly meant by 'return' is the reappearance of past attributes in future creatures, and the similarity of the perfections possessed by successive generations to the characters and qualities of their precursors. It is like when we say that this flower is the same flower of last year. The meaning is that the same color and fragrance of the previous flower are now manifest in this one."(A provisional translation of the words of ʻAbduʼl-Bahá, as quoted by Mírzá Maḥmúd Zarqání, published in Badáyiʻuʼl-Áthár, vol. 2, pp. 43–44.)

What peace, what ease and comfort did the Holy Ones of God ever discover during Their sojourn in this nether world, that They should continually seek to come back and live this life again? Doth not a single turn at this anguish, these afflictions, these calamities, these body blows, these dire straits, suffice, that They should wish for repeated visits to the life of this world? This cup was not so sweet that one would care to drink of it a second time. Therefore do the lovers of the Abhá Beauty wish for no other recompense but to reach that station where they may gaze upon Him in the Realm of Glory, and they walk no other path save over desert sands of longing for those exalted heights. They seek that ease and solace which will abide forever, and those bestowals that are sanctified beyond the understanding of the worldly mind.

When thou lookest about thee with a perceptive eye, thou wilt note that on this dusty earth all humankind are suffering. Here no man is at rest as a reward for what he hath performed in former lives; nor is there anyone so blissful as seemingly to pluck the fruit of bygone anguish. And if a human life, with its spiritual being, were limited to this earthly span, then what would be the harvest of creation? Indeed, what would be the effects and the outcomes of Divinity Itself? Were such a notion true, then all created things, all contingent realities, and this whole world of being -- all would be meaningless. God forbid that one should hold to such a fiction and gross error. (Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 183)

"Regarding your question concerning the passage in 'Seven Valleys' referring to pre-existence. This in no way presupposes the existence of the individual soul before conception. The term has not been absolutely accurately translated, and what is meant is that man's soul is the repository of the ancient, Divine mysteries of God." (From a letter written on behalf of the Guardian to an individual believer, January 5, 1948)

Preparation for Death

“The first thing to do is to acquire a thirst for Spirituality, then Live the Life! Live the Life! Live the Life! The way to acquire this thirst is to meditate upon the future life. Study the Holy Words, read your Bible, read the Holy Books, especially study the Holy Utterances of Bahá’u’lláh; Prayer and Meditation, take much time for these two. Then will you know this Great Thirst, and then only can you begin to Live the Life!” (‘Abdu’l-Baha, Star of the West Vol. 19, No. 3, p. 69, C. of C. vol. I, p. 204)

In the beginning of his human life man was embryonic in the world of the matrix. There he received capacity and endowment for the reality of human existence. The forces and powers necessary for this world were bestowed upon him in that limited condition. In this world he needed eyes; he received them potentially in the other. He needed ears; he obtained them there in readiness and preparation for his new existence. The powers requisite in this world were conferred upon him in the world of the matrix, so that when he entered this realm of real existence he not only possessed all necessary functions and powers but found provision for his material sustenance awaiting him.

Therefore in this world he must prepare himself for the life beyond. That which he needs in the world of the Kingdom must be obtained here. Just as he prepared himself in the world of the matrix by acquiring forces necessary in this sphere of existence, so likewise the indispensable forces of the divine existence must be potentially attained in this world. What is he in need of in the Kingdom which transcends the life and limitation of this mortal sphere?

That world beyond is a world of sanctity and radiance; therefore it is necessary that in this world he should acquire these divine attributes. In that world there is need of spirituality, faith, assurance, the knowledge and love of God. These he must attain in this world so that after his ascension from the earthly to the heavenly Kingdom he shall find all that is needful in that life eternal ready for him. That divine world is manifestly a world of lights; therefore man has need of illumination here. That is a world of love; the love of God is essential. It is a world of perfections; virtues or perfections must be acquired. That world is vivified by the breaths of the Holy Spirit; in this world we must seek them. That is the Kingdom of life everlasting; it must be attained during this vanishing existence.

By what means can man acquire these things? How shall he obtain these merciful gifts and powers?

First, through the knowledge of God.  

Second, through the love of God.

Third, through faith.  

Fourth, through philanthropic deeds.

Fifth, through self-sacrifice.

Sixth, through severance from this world.

Seventh, through sanctity and holiness.                                                                                                    

Unless he acquires these forces and attains to these requirements he will surely be deprived of the life that is eternal. But if he possesses the knowledge of God, becomes ignited through the fire of the love of God, witnesses the great and mighty signs of the Kingdom, becomes the cause of love among mankind, and lives in the utmost state of sanctity and holiness, he shall surely attain to second birth, be baptized by the Holy Spirit and enjoy everlasting existence.Is it not astonishing that although man has been created for the knowledge and love of God, for the virtues of the human world, for spirituality, heavenly illumination and life eternal, nevertheless he continues ignorant and negligent of all this? Consider how he seeks knowledge of everything except knowledge of God. (Abdu'l-Baha, Foundations of World Unity, p. 63)  

“Make my prayer, O my Lord, a fountain of living waters whereby I may live as long as Thy sovereignty endureth, and may make mention of Thee in every world of Thy worlds.” (from the Long Obligatory Prayer)

"...All that I beg of Thee, O my God, is to enable me, ere my soul departeth from my body, to attain Thy good-pleasure, even were it granted to me for a moment tinier than the infinitesimal fraction of a mustard seed. For if it departeth while Thou art pleased with me, then I shall be free from every concern or anxiety; but if it abandoneth me while Thou art displeased with me, then, even had I wrought every good deed, none would be of any avail, and had I earned every honour and glory, none would serve to exalt me.

I earnestly beseech Thee then, O my God, to graciously bestow Thy good-pleasure upon me when Thou dost cause me to ascend unto Thee and make me appear before Thy holy presence, inasmuch as Thou hast, from everlasting, been the God of immense bounty unto the people of Thy realm, and the Lord of most excellent gifts to all that dwell in the exalted heaven of Thine omnipotence." (Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 186)

"How does one look forward to the goal of any journey? With hope and with expectation. It is even so with the end of this earthly journey. In the next world, man will find himself freed from many of the disabilities under which he now suffers. Those who have passed on through death, have a sphere of their own. It is not removed from ours; their work, the work of the Kingdom, is ours; but it is sanctified from what we call 'time and place.' Time with us is measured by the sun. When there is no more sunrise, and no more sunset, that kind of time does not exist for man. Those who have ascended have different attributes from those who are still on earth, yet there is no real separation. In prayer there is a mingling of station, a mingling of condition. Pray for them as they pray for you!" (Abdu'l-Baha in London, p. 95)

O My Servants! Sorrow not if, in these days and on this earthly plane, things contrary to your wishes have been ordained and manifested by God, for days of blissful joy, of heavenly delight, are assuredly in store for you. Worlds, holy and spiritually glorious, will be unveiled to your eyes. You are destined by Him, in this world and hereafter, to partake of their benefits, to share in their joys, and to obtain a portion of their sustaining grace. To each and every one of them you will, no doubt, attain.  (Bahá’u’lláh, GWB CLIV)

O Thou who seekest the Kingdom of heaven! This world is even as the body of man, and the Kingdom of God is as the spirit of life. See how dark and narrow is the physical world of man’s body, and what a prey it is to diseases and ills. On the other hand, how fresh and bright is the realm of the human spirit.  Judge thou from this metaphor how the world of the Kingdom hath shone down, and how its laws have been made to work in this nether realm. Although the spirit is hidden from view, still its commandments shine out like rays of light upon the world of the human body. In the same way, although the Kingdom of heaven is hidden from the sight of this unwitting people, still, to him who seeth with the inner eye, it is plain as day.

Wherefore dwell thou ever in the Kingdom, and be thou oblivious of this world below. Be thou so wholly absorbed in the emanations of the spirit that nothing in the world of man will distract thee. (Selections from the Writings of Abdu’l-Bahá #161)

But oh! how strange and pitiful! Behold, all the people are imprisoned within the tomb of self, and lie buried beneath the nethermost depths of worldly desire! Wert thou to attain to but a dewdrop of the crystal waters of divine knowledge, thou wouldst readily realize that true life is not the life of the flesh but the life of the spirit. For the life of the flesh is common to both men and animals, whereas the life of the spirit is possessed only by the pure in heart who have quaffed from the ocean of faith and partaken of the fruit of certitude. This life knoweth no death, and this existence is crowned by immortality. Even as it hath been said: “He who is a true believer liveth both in this world and in the world to come.” (Baha'u'llah, Kitab-i-Iqan, #128)

“It behoveth the people of Bahá to die to the world and all that is therein, to be so detached from all earthly things that the inmates of Paradise may inhale from their garment the sweet smelling savor of sanctity, that all the peoples of the earth may recognize in their faces the brightness of the All-Merciful, and that through them may be spread abroad the signs and tokens of God, the Almighty, the All-Wise.” (Baha'u'llah, GWB, XLVI)

Questioner: And what is the fruit of the human tree?

"It is the Love of God. It is love for humankind. It is to wish good for all the people of the earth. It is service to humanity. It is truthfulness and honesty. It is virtues and good morals. It is devotion to God. It is the education of souls. Such are the fruits of the human tree. Otherwise it is only wood, nothing else."  (Kinney-Beebe-Thompson: Notes of the words of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, June-July 1909. Star of the West -  4)

Immortality of the Soul

"O SON OF MAN! Thou art My dominion and My dominion perisheth not; wherefore fearest thou thy perishing? Thou art My light and My light shall never be extinguished; why dost thou dread extinction? Thou art My glory and My glory fadeth not; thou art My robe and My robe shall never be outworn. Abide then in thy love for Me, that thou mayest find Me in the realm of glory." (Baha'u'llah, The Arabic Hidden Words #14)

"The immortality of the spirit is mentioned in the Holy Books; it is the fundamental basis of the divine religions. Now punishments and rewards are said to be of two kinds. Firstly, the rewards and punishments of this life; secondly, those of the other world. But the paradise and hell of existence are found in all the worlds of God, whether in this world or in the spiritual heavenly worlds. Gaining these rewards is the gaining of eternal life. That is why Christ said, "Act in such a way that you may find eternal life, and that you may be born of water and the spirit, so that you may enter into the Kingdom." (Abdu'l-Baha, Baha'i World Faith, p. 323)

Know thou that immortality belongeth to those souls in whom hath been breathed the spirit of life from God. All save these are lifeless -- they are the dead, even as Christ hath explained in the Gospel text. He whose eyes the Lord hath opened will see the souls of men in the stations they will occupy after their release from the body. He will find the living ones thriving within the precincts of their Lord, and the dead sunk down in the lowest abyss of perdition.

Know thou that every soul is fashioned after the nature of God, each being pure and holy at his birth. Afterwards, however, the individuals will vary according to what they acquire of virtues or vices in this world. Although all existent beings are in their very nature created in ranks or degrees, for capacities are various, nevertheless every individual is born holy and pure, and only thereafter may he become defiled. And further, although the degrees of being are various, yet all are good. (Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, #159)

 "Man must attach himself to an infinite reality, so that his glory, his joy, and his progress may be infinite. Only the spirit is real; everything else is as shadow. All bodies are disintegrated in the end; only reality subsists. All physical perfections come to an end; but the divine virtues are infinite." (Abdu'l-Baha, Divine Philosophy, p. 137)

Inevitability of the Death of the Body                                                                    “Every soul shall taste of death.” [Qur’an 3:185] “Wish ye, then, for death, if ye are sincere.”[Qur'án 2:88.]

"Say: this earthly life shall come to an end, and everyone shall expire and return unto my Lord God Who will reward with the choicest gifts the deeds of those who endure with patience." (The Bab, SWB, p. 161)

“Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.” (Eccl. 12:7) "As at the time of death, the real and eternal self of man, his soul, abandons its physical garment to soar in the realms of God, we may compare the body to a vehicle which has been used for the journey through earthly life and no longer needed once the destination has been reached." (UHJ, Lights of Guidance, p. 201)

"The life of man will at last end in this world. We must all take out of this life some fruit. The tree of one's existence must bear fruit. If a tree has not fruit you must cut it down and burn it. It would be useless for other purposes."  (Kinney-Beebe-Thompson: Notes of the words of 'Abdu'l-Bahá)

"True loss is for him whose days have been spent in utter ignorance of his self." (Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 156)

Verily the body is composed of physical elements, and every composite must needs be decomposed. The spirit, however, is a single essence, fine and delicate, incorporeal, everlasting, and of God. For this reason whoso looketh for Christ in His physical body hath looked in vain, and will be shut away from Him as by a veil. But whoso yearneth to find Him in the spirit will grow from day to day in joy and desire and burning love, in closeness to Him, and in beholding Him clear and plain. In this new and wondrous day, it behoveth thee to seek after the spirit of Christ. (Abdu'l-Baha, SWA #143)

Recognition of Loved Ones

As to the question whether the souls will recognize each other in the spiritual world: This fact is certain; for the Kingdom is the world of vision where all the concealed realities will become disclosed. How much more the well-known souls will become manifest. The mysteries of which man is heedless in this earthly world, those he will discover in the heavenly world, and there will he be informed of the secret of truth; how much more will he recognize or discover persons with whom he hath been associated. Undoubtedly, the holy souls who find a pure eye and are favored with insight will, in the kingdom of lights, be acquainted with all mysteries, and will seek the bounty of witnessing the reality of every great soul. Even they will manifestly behold the Beauty of God in that world. Likewise will they find all the friends of God, both those of the former and recent times, present in the heavenly assemblage. (Abdu'l-Baha, BWF, p. 367)

"As to thy question regarding discoveries made by the soul after it hath put off its human form: certainly, that world is a world of perceptions and discoveries, for the interposed veil will be lifted away and the human spirit will gaze upon souls that are above, below, and on a par with itself. It is similar to the condition of a human being in the womb, where his eyes are veiled, and all things are hidden away from him. Once he is born out of the uterine world and entereth this life, he findeth it, with relation to that of the womb, to be a place of perceptions and discoveries, and he observeth all things through his outer eye. In the same way, once he hath departed this life, he will behold, in that world whatsoever was hidden from him here: but there he will look upon and comprehend all things with his inner eye." (Selections from the Writings of Abdu’l-Bahá, #145)

My greatest happiness is the hope that we may meet one another in the kingdom of Abhá, even as we meet here. May the effulgences of the splendor of God shine upon each one of us. Praise be to God, that through the sufferings of Bahá’u’lláh souls are educated. Many there are shining from the horizon of eternal glory who sacrificed all, even to their lives and while under the sword cried YaBahá’ul-Abhá! with radiant joy reflecting the power of Bahá’u’lláh. (‘Abdu'l-Baha, Divine Philosophy, p. 47)

"Can a departed soul converse with someone still on earth?"

Abdu'l-Bahá: "A conversation can be held, but not as our conversation. There is no doubt that the forces of the higher worlds interplay with the forces of this plane. The heart of man is open to inspiration; this is spiritual communication. As in a dream one talks with a friend while the mouth is silent, so is it in the conversation of the spirit. A man may converse with the ego within him saying: "May I do this? Would it be advisable for me to do this work?" Such as this is conversation with the higher self." (Abdu'l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 179)

And know thou for a certainty, that in the divine worlds, the spiritual beloved ones will recognize each other, and will seek union, but a spiritual union. Likewise, a love that one may have entertained for any one will not be forgotten in the world of the Kingdom. Likewise, thou wilt not forget the life that thou hast had in the material world. (Tablets of Abdu'l-Baha v1, p. 205, & Divine Art of Living)

It is similar to the condition of a human being in the womb, where its eyes are veiled, and all things are hidden away from him. Once he is born out of the uterine world and entereth this life, he findeth it, with relation to that of the womb, to be a place of perceptions and discoveries, and he observeth all things through his outer eyes.

In the same way, once he hath departed this life, he will behold, in that world whatsoever was hidden from him here: but there he will look upon and comprehend all things with his inner eye. (Abdu’l-Bahá, SWAp.170)

"Can a departed soul converse with someone still on earth?" Abdu'l-Bahá:                      "A conversation can be held, but not as our conversation. There is no doubt that the forces of the higher worlds interplay with the forces of this plane. The heart of man is open to inspiration; this is spiritual communication. As in a dream one talks with a friend while the mouth is silent, so is it in the conversation of the spirit. A man may converse with the ego within him saying: "May I do this? Would it be advisable for me to do this work?" Such as this is conversation with the higher self."(Abdu'l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 179)

Those who have passed through death, have a sphere of their own. It is not removed from ours. Their work-the work of the Kingdom-is ours; but it is sanctified from what we call time and place. Those who have ascended have different attributes from those who are still on earth, yet, there is no real separation. In prayer there is a mingling of station, a mingling of condition. Pray for them, as they pray for you! When you do not know it, and are in receptive attitude, they are able to make suggestions to you, if you are in difficulty. This sometimes happens in sleep. But there is no phenomenal intercourse! That which seems like phenomenal intercourse has another explanation. ('Abdu'l-Bahá, Star of the West)

"They witness this world and the inhabitants thereof." ('Abdu'l-Baha, SOW, vol. 5, no. 13)

Reckoning of the Soul, Life-Review

O SON OF BEING! Bring thyself to account each day ere thou art summoned to a reckoning; for death, unheralded, shall come upon thee and thou shalt be called to give account for thy deeds. (Baha’u’llah, AHW, #31)

As to those that have tasted of the fruit of man's earthly existence, which is the recognition of the one  true God, exalted be His glory, their life hereafter is such as We are unable to describe. The knowledge thereof is with God, alone, the Lord of all worlds. (Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, CLXV)

...a good end is the greatest gift of the All-Merciful... (Abdu’l-Baha, Bisharat al-Nur, 381-2, provisional translation)

He should forgive the sinful, and never despise his low estate, for none knoweth what his own end shall be. How often hath a sinner, at the hour of death, attained to the essence of faith, and, quaffing the immortal draught, hath taken his flight unto the celestial Concourse. And how often hath a devout believer, at the hour of his soul’s ascension, been so changed as to fall into the nethermost fire. Our purpose in revealing these convincing and weighty utterances is to impress upon the seeker that he should regard all else beside God as transient, and count all things save Him, Who is the Object of all adoration, as utter nothingness. (Baha’u’llah, Iqan, 194-5)

First, consider the people of religions: if the people of religions follow God and obey the divine teachings, the divine teachings command never being fanatical. For the divine teachings clearly state that the human species should interact lovingly with one another, humans should see each flaw in themselves and not in others, and they should never give themselves preference over others, for the goodness of one’s end is unknown. One does not know how many humans had pure souls in the beginning and then went astray, such as Judas Iscariot. In the beginning he was very good and in the end he became very bad. And how many who are very bad in the beginning are very good in the end? For example, the Apostle Paul who was an enemy of Christ in the beginning and was the greatest servant of Christ in the end.  Thus, the final condition of a human is unknown. Therefore, how can anyone prefer himself over another? Thus, there should never be fanaticism among humans. Do not say, ‘I am a believer and so-and-so is an unbeliever. I am close to the portal and he is outcast.’ For the goodness of one’s end is unknown. Second, one must try to make the ignorant wise. (Abdu’l-Baha talk in a home in Paris on November 13, 1911. Khitabat 1:159-60, provisional translation)

As to Paradise: It is a reality and there can be no doubt about it, and now in this world it is realized through love of Me and My good-pleasure. Whosoever attaineth unto it God will aid him in this world below, and after death He will enable him to gain admittance into Paradise whose vastness is as that of heaven and earth. (Baha’u’llah, Suriy-i-Vafa)

"ALL men have proceeded from God and unto Him shall all return. All shall appear before Him for judgement. He is the Lord of the Day of Resurrection, of Regeneration and of Reckoning, and His revealed Word is the Balance. True death is realized when a person dieth to himself at the time of His Revelation in such wise that he seeketh naught except Him.  

True resurrection from the sepulchres means to be quickened in conformity with His Will, through the power of His utterance. Paradise is attainment of His good-pleasure and everlasting hell-fire His judgement through justice. The Day He revealeth Himself is Resurrection Day which shall last as long as He ordaineth. Everything belongeth unto Him and is fashioned by Him. All besides Him are His creatures." (Selections from the Writings of the Bab, 6:8, p.203)

"It is clear and evident that all men shall, after their physical death, estimate the worth of their deeds, and realize all that their hands have wrought. I swear by the Day Star that shineth above the horizon of Divine power! They that are the followers of the one true God shall, the moment they depart out of this life, experience such joy and gladness as would be impossible to describe, while they that live in error shall be seized with such fear and trembling, and shall be filled with such consternation, as nothing can exceed. Well is it with him that hath quaffed the choice and incorruptible wine of faith through the gracious favor and the manifold bounties of Him Who is the Lord of all Faiths…" (Baha’u’llah, GWB LXXXVI)

"Ye are better known to the inmates of the Kingdom on high than ye are known to your own selves. Think ye these words to be vain and empty? Would that ye had the power to perceive the things your Lord, the All-Merciful, doth see -- things that attest the excellence of your rank, that bear witness to the greatness of your worth, that proclaim the sublimity of your station! God grant that your desires and unmortified passions may not hinder you from that which hath been ordained for you." (Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, CXLVII)

"The tree of life is the highest degree of the world of existence: the position of the Word of God, and the supreme Manifestation. Therefore, that position has been preserved; and, at the appearance of the most noble supreme Manifestation, it became apparent and clear. For the position of Adam, with regard to the appearance and manifestation of the divine perfections, was in the embryonic condition; the position of Christ was the condition of maturity and the age of reason; and the rising of the Greatest Luminary [BAHA'U'LLAH] was the condition of the perfection of the essence and of the qualities. This is why in the supreme Paradise the tree of life is the expression for the center of absolutely pure sanctity -- that is to say, of the divine supreme Manifestation. From the days of Adam until the days of Christ, They spoke little of eternal life and the heavenly universal perfections. This tree of life was the position of the Reality of Christ; through His manifestation it was planted and adorned with everlasting fruits." (Abdu'l-Baha, Some Answered Questions, p. 123)

"Know that, although the human soul has existed on the earth for prolonged times and ages*, yet it is phenomenal. As it is a divine sign, when once it has come into existence, it is eternal. The spirit of man has a beginning, but it has no end; it continues eternally. In the same way the species existing on this earth are phenomenal, for it is established that there was a time when these species did not exist on the surface of the earth. Moreover, the earth has not always existed, but the world of existence has always been, for the universe is not limited to this terrestrial globe. The meaning of this is that, although human souls are phenomenal, they are nevertheless immortal, everlasting and perpetual; for the world of things is the world of imperfection in comparison with that of man, and the world of man is the world of perfection in comparison with that of things. When imperfections reach the station of perfection, they become eternal. This is an example of which you must comprehend the meaning." (Abdu'l-Baha, Some Answered Questions, p. 151) *That is, the appearance of human souls was inevitable, inherent in the Earth at its inception, and eventually appeared; but in the eternal cration, there must have been the station of Man, for God is the Lord of Men.

He who dealeth faithlessly with God shall in justice meet with faithlessness himself; he, however, who acteth in accordance with God’s bidding shall receive a blessing from the heaven of the bounty of his Lord, the Gracious, the Bestower, the Generous, the Ancient of Days. He, verily, hath willed for you that which is yet beyond your knowledge, but which shall be known to you when, after this fleeting life, your souls soar heavenwards and the trappings of your earthly joys are folded up. Thus admonisheth you He in Whose possession is the Guarded Tablet. (Baha’u’llah, Kitab-i-Aqdas, #97)

If any man be told that which hath been ordained for such a soul in the worlds of God, the Lord of the throne on high and of earth below, his whole being will instantly blaze out in his great longing to attain that most exalted, that sanctified and resplendent station… (Bahá’u’lláh, GWB LXXXI)

Know ye that the world and its vanities and its embellishments shall pass away. Nothing will endure except God's Kingdom which pertaineth to none but Him, the Sovereign Lord of all, the Help in Peril, the All-Glorious, the Almighty. The days of your life shall roll away, and all the things with which ye are occupied and of which ye boast yourselves shall perish, and ye shall, most certainly, be summoned by a company of His angels to appear at the spot where the limbs of the entire creation shall be made to tremble, and the flesh of every oppressor to creep. Ye shall be asked of the things your hands have wrought in this, your vain life, and shall be repaid for your doings. This is the day that shall inevitably come upon you, the hour that none can put back. To this the Tongue of Him that speaketh the truth and is the Knower of all things hath testified. (Baha'u'llah, The Summons of the Lord of Hosts, p. 200)

Thou shalt, after thy departure, discover what We have revealed unto thee, and shalt find all thy doings recorded in the Book wherein the works of all them that dwell on earth, be they greater or less than the weight of an atom, are noted down. Heed, therefore, My counsel, and hearken thou, with the hearing of thine heart, unto My speech, and be not careless of My words, nor be of them that reject My truth. (GWB CXIII)

But the paradise and hell of existence are found in all the worlds of God, whether in this world or in the spiritual heavenly worlds. ~’Abdu'l-Baha, Some Answered Questions, p. 223

Progress of the Soul

"Know thou of a truth that the soul, after its separation from the body, will continue to progress until it attaineth the presence of God, in a state and condition which neither the revolution of ages and centuries, nor the changes and chances of this world, can alter. It will endure as long as the Kingdom of God, His sovereignty, His dominion and power will endure." (Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 155)

"Make thou every effort to render service unto God, that from thee may appear that which will immortalize thy memory in His glorious and exalted heaven." (Baha'u'llah Days of Remembrance, #41:4)

"Blessed is the man that hath turned his face towards God, and walked steadfastly in His love, until his soul hath winged its flight unto God, the Sovereign Lord of all, the Most Powerful, the Ever-Forgiving, the All-Merciful."  (Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, LXXXVI)

All praise be unto Thee, O Lord! We shall seek Thy grace on the appointed Day and shall put our whole reliance in Thee, Who art our Lord. Glorified art Thou, O God! Grant us that which is good and seemly that we may be able to dispense with everything but Thee. Verily Thou art the Lord of all worlds. O God! Recompense those who endure patiently in Thy days and strengthen their hearts to walk undeviatingly in the path of Truth. Grant then, O Lord, such goodly gifts as would enable them to gain admittance into Thy blissful Paradise... Say: God is indeed the Maker of all things. He giveth sustenance in plenty to whomsoever He willeth. He is the Creator, the Source of all beings, the Fashioner, the Almighty, the Maker, the All-Wise. He is the Bearer of the most excellent titles throughout the heavens and the earth and whatever lieth between them. All do His bidding, and all the dwellers of earth and heaven celebrate His praise, and unto Him shall all return. (Selections from the Writings of the Bab, 7;39, p. 273-4)

It is even possible that the condition of those who have died in sin and unbelief may become changed -- that is to say, they may become the object of pardon through the bounty of God, not through His justice -- for bounty is giving without desert, and justice is giving what is deserved. As we have power to pray for these souls here, so likewise we shall possess the same power in the other world, which is the Kingdom of God. Are not all the people in that world the creatures of God? Therefore, in that world also they can make progress. (Abdu'l-Baha, Some Answered Questions, p. 231)

You will retain your individuality and will not be swallowed up in one vast spirit. Concerning the condition of the human soul after its ascension from the material world: the essence of the human soul is clarified from material substances and purified from the embodiment of physical things. It is exclusively luminous; it has no body; it is a dazzling pencil of light; it is a celestial orb of brightness.  ~’Abdu’l-Baha, The Eternal Quest For God, p 218

The progress of the human spirit in the divine world, after its connection with the physical body has been severed, is either purely through 1) the grace and bounty of the Lord, or 2) through the intercession and prayers of other human souls, or 3) through the significant contributions and charitable deeds which are offered in its name. (’Abdu’l-Bahá, SAQ #66)

Divine perfection is infinite, therefore the progress of the soul is also infinite. From the very birth of a human being the soul progresses, the intellect grows and knowledge increases. When the body dies the soul lives on. All the differing degrees of created physical beings are limited, but the soul is limitless! In all religions the belief exists that the soul survives the death of the body. Intercessions are sent up for the beloved dead, prayers are said for their progress and for the forgiveness of their sins. If the soul perished with the body all this would have no meaning. Further, if it were not possible for the soul to advance towards perfection after it had been released from the body, of what avail are all these loving prayers, of devotion? (`Abdu’l-Bahá, Paris Talks, p. 89)

As to the soul of man after death, it remains in the degree of purity to which it has evolved during life in the physical body, and after it is freed from the body it remains plunged in the ocean of God’s Mercy. From the moment the soul leaves the body and arrives in the Heavenly World, its evolution is spiritual, and that evolution is: The approaching unto God. (‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Paris Talks #2-:12)

Does a man cease to exist when he leaves the body? If his life comes to an end, then all the previous evolution is useless, all has been for nothing! Can one imagine that Creation has no greater aim than this? The soul is eternal, immortal.  (Abdu'l-Baha, Paris Talks. 92)

We behold the generality of mankind worshipping names and exposing themselves, as thou dost witness, to dire perils in the mere hope of perpetuating their names, whilst every perceiving soul testifieth that after death one’s name shall avail him nothing except insofar as it beareth a relationship unto God, the Almighty, the All-Praised. (Bahá’u’lláh, SLH, #157)

But with the human soul, there is no decline. Its only movement is towards perfection; growth and progress alone constitute the motion of the soul. (‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Paris Talks, p. 89)

 “His spirit will everlastingly circle round the Will of God. He will last as long as God, Himself, will last. He is revealed through the Revelation of God, and is hidden at His bidding.” (Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, LXXIII)

As the child in the womb does not yet know the use of its members, it does not know what its eyes are for, neither its nose, nor ears, nor tongue -- so also it is with the soul on earth. It cannot understand here the uses and powers of its spiritual gifts, but directly it enters the eternal kingdom, it will become clearly apparent." ('Abdu'l-Baha, Baha'i Prayers 9, p. 48)

"With reference to Bahá'u'lláh's Tablet in which He says that all the relatives of believers will reach the Kingdom in the other world; by this is meant only a partial attainment. They can, however, progress indefinitely, as spiritual progress in the order world is limitless, and is not confined to those who have attained unto the knowledge and recognition of the Cause while still in this world." (From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, April 30, 1940)

"Death does not separate the soul of the believer from his previous scene of activity but only increases his power. All of those who work in this Great Cause will continue to do so whether they are in the body or out of it.            If martyred, they will attach themselves to those who can best secure this influence and the power of these will be doubled or quadrupled by this dynamic assistance of those who have already left the scene of outward action.” “It is said that the Guardian kept these words at his desk.” (Words on 'death' from the Bab, as found in the prayer book of Amelia Collins confirmed by Hand of the Cause Ali Akbar Furutan)

"The sacred books of all nations speak of the possibility of the new birth of man. What does this mean? "A child in the matrix of its mother is in utter darkness. When it is born into the world it comes into the light. While in the matrix it cannot understand the uses of its faculties; but when it comes into the phenomenal world then the uses of hearing, speech, sight, etc., are understood. So when we leave here and go into the Kingdom of the Unseen we will know the uses of the bounties of God given to us in this world. Here we are prepared, and given faculties which are for use in that world. The new birth is realized in this world when we become characterized with the characteristics of God, when His name and attributes become our name and attributes." ('Abdu'l-Bahá: Notes taken at Acca about 1900. (Star of the West -  8)

'Abdu'l-Bahá said: "Even the most developed dog has not the immortal soul of the man; yet the dog is perfect in its own place. (Abdu'l-Baha in London, p. 97)

Dreams, NDEs and the After-Life

He said: "O Son, if thou art able not to sleep, then thou art able not to die. And if thou art able not to waken after sleep, then thou shalt be able not to rise after death."(Baha'u'llah, The Seven Valleys, p. 34)Notice the difference.

Jabir reported: "I heard Allah's Prophet as saying 'Every servant would be raised in the very same state in which he dies.'" This Hadith comes under the following chapter "It is essential to hope for Good from God.

"Allah takes away men’s souls upon their death, and the souls of the living during their sleep. Those that are doomed He keeps with Him and restores the others for a time ordained." (Qur’an, Sura The Hoardes, 39:42, Dawood tr.)  

"How is it that in the outer world thou seest today the effect of a dream, when thou didst vision it in the world of sleep some ten years past? Consider the difference between these two worlds and the mysteries which they conceal, that thou mayest attain to divine confirmations and heavenly discoveries and enter the regions of holiness. God, the Exalted, hath placed these signs in men, to the end that philosophers may not deny the mysteries of the life beyond nor belittle that which hath been promised them. For some hold to reason and deny whatever the reason comprehendeth not, and yet weak minds can never grasp the matters which we have related, but only the Supreme, Divine Intelligence can comprehend them." (Baha'u'llah, The Seven Valleys, p. 32)

"In the world of dreams the body becomes absolutely passive, but the spirit still functions actively, possessed of all susceptibilities. This leads to the conclusion that the life of the spirit is neither conditional nor dependent upon the life of the body. At most it can be said that the body is a mere garment utilized by the spirit. If that garment be destroyed, the wearer is not affected but is, in fact, protected." (Abdu'l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 259)

In like manner, this world [the “dream state”] denoteth the place of gathering and resurrection after death, for as Luqmān [Aesop] hath said to his son:     ‘If thou art able to sleep, thou art able to die; and if thou art able to waken after sleep, thou art able to rise after death.’ Just as death is a reality, so is the world of the dream; and just as there is waking after sleep, there is rising after death. (From a Tablet of Baha’u’llah, Layālī al-Hikmat, vol. 2, pp. 65–66 in Amr vaKhalq, vol. 1, compiled by Fadil-i-Mazindarani, Tihran 1954-55. Provisional translation by Keven Brown.)

Nature of the Next World

The world beyond is as different from this world as this world is different from that of the child while still in the womb of its mother. When the soul attaineth the Presence of God, it will assume the form that best befitteth its immortality and is worthy of its celestial habitation. Such an existence is a contingent and not an absolute existence, inasmuch as the former is preceded by a cause, whilst the latter is independent thereof. Absolute existence is strictly confined to God, exalted be His glory. Well is it with them that apprehend this truth. (GWB LXXXI)

"...the Kingdom is not a material place; it is sanctified from time and place. It is a spiritual world, a divine world, and the center of the Sovereignty of God; it is freed from body and that which is corporeal, and it is purified and sanctified from the imaginations of the human world. To be limited to place is a property of bodies and not of spirits. Place and time surround the body, not the mind and spirit. Observe that the body of man is confined to a small place; it covers only two spans of earth. But the spirit and mind of man travel to all countries and regions -- even through the limitless space of the heavens -- surround all that exists, and make discoveries in the exalted spheres and infinite distances. This is because the spirit has no place; it is placeless; and for the spirit the earth and the heaven are as one since it makes discoveries in both. But the body is limited to a place and does not know that which is beyond it." (Abdu'l-Baha, Some Answered Questions, p. 241)

Know thou that the soul of man is exalted above,  and is independent of all infirmities of body or mind. That a sick person showeth signs of weakness is due to the hindrances that interpose themselves between his soul and his body, for the soul itself remaineth unaffected by any bodily ailments. Consider the light of the lamp. Though an external object may interfere with its radiance, the light itself continueth to shine with undiminished power. In like manner, every malady afflicting the body of man is an impediment that preventeth the soul from manifesting its inherent might and power. When it leaveth the body, however, it will evince such ascendancy, and reveal such influence as no force on earth can equal. Every pure, every refined and sanctified soul will be endowed with tremendous power, and shall rejoice with exceeding gladness. (Baha'u'llah, GWB LXXX)

“I loved him (Mulla Ali Akbar) very much, for he was delightful to converse with, and as a companion second to none. One night, not long ago, I saw him in the world of dreams. Although his frame had always been massive, in the dream world he appeared larger and more corpulent than ever. It seemed as if he had returned from a journey. I said to him, "Jinab, you have grown good and stout." "Yes," he answered, "praise be to God! I have been in places where the air was fresh and sweet, and the water crystal pure; the landscapes were beautiful to look upon, the foods delectable. It all agreed with me, of course, so I am stronger than ever now, and I have recovered the zest of my early youth. The breaths of the All-Merciful blew over me and all my time was spent in telling of God. I have been setting forth His proofs, and teaching His Faith." (The meaning of teaching the Faith in the next world is spreading the sweet savors of holiness; that action is the same as teaching.) We spoke together a little more, and then some people arrived and he disappeared" (Abdu’l-Bahá, Memorials of the Faithful (p.12)

Wert thou to ponder in thine heart the behavior of the Prophets of God thou wouldst assuredly and readily testify  that there must needs be other worlds besides this world. The majority of the truly wise and learned have, throughout the ages, as it hath been recorded by the Pen of Glory in the Tablet of Wisdom, borne witness to the truth of that which the holy Writ of God hath revealed. Even the materialists have testified in their writings to the wisdom of these divinely-appointed Messengers, and have regarded the references made by the Prophets to Paradise, to hell fire, to future reward and punishment, to have been actuated by a desire to educate and uplift the souls of men. Consider, therefore, how the generality of mankind, whatever their beliefs or theories, have recognized the excellence, and admitted the superiority, of these Prophets of God. These Gems of Detachment are acclaimed by some as the embodiments of wisdom, while others believe them to be the mouthpiece of God Himself. How could such Souls have consented to surrender themselves unto their enemies if they believed all the worlds of God to have been reduced to this earthly life? Would they have willingly suffered such afflictions and torments as no man hath ever experienced or witnessed? (Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, LXXXI)

"...there is no death; life is everlasting. So to speak, when the atom entered into the composition of the tree, it died to the mineral kingdom, and when consumed by the animal, it died to the vegetable kingdom, and so on until its transference or transmutation into the kingdom of man; but throughout its traversing it was subject to transformation and not annihilation. Death, therefore, is applicable to a change or transference from one degree or condition to another. In the mineral realm there was a spirit of existence; in the world of plant life and organisms it reappeared as the vegetative spirit; thence it attained the animal spirit and finally aspired to the human spirit. These are degrees and changes but not obliteration, and this is a rational proof that man is everlasting, ever-living. Therefore, death is only a relative term implying change. For example, we will say that this light before me, having reappeared in another incandescent lamp, has died in the one and lives in the other. This is not death in reality. The perfections of the mineral are translated into the vegetable and from thence into the animal, the virtue always attaining a superlative degree in the upward change. In each kingdom we find the same virtues manifesting themselves more fully, proving that the reality has been transferred from a lower to a higher form and kingdom of being.  Therefore, nonexistence is only relative and absolute nonexistence inconceivable. This rose in my hand will become disintegrated and its symmetry destroyed, but the elements of its composition remain changeless; nothing affects their elemental integrity. They cannot become nonexistent; they are simply transferred from one state to another. Through his ignorance man fears death, but the death he shrinks from is imaginary and absolutely unreal; it is only human imagination. (Abdu'l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 88)

The essential identity of every human being is a rational and immortal soul. The physical world is a place of composition and decomposition, of progress and decline. But the soul suffers no disintegration and no regression. It is “entirely out of the order of the physical creation”.1             We cannot understand the exact nature of the soul. It is, Bahá’u’lláh says, “a sign of God, a heavenly gem whose reality the most learned of men hath failed to grasp, and whose mystery no mind…can ever hope to unravel.’2

The soul is ‘the first among all created things to declare the excellence of its Creator, the first to recognize His glory, to cleave to His truth, and to bow down in adoration before Him”.3

Each individual life begins when the soul associates itself with the embryo at the time of conception. But the association is not material; the soul does not enter or leave the body and does not occupy physical space. Bahá’u’lláh uses the metaphor of the sun to explain the relationship between the soul and the body: “The soul of man is the sun by which his body is illumined, and from which it draweth its sustenance, and should be so regarded.”4

The Bahá’í writings explain that such faculties of the mind as thought, reasoning, understanding and imagination are “inherent properties of the soul, even as the radiation of light is the essential property of the sun.”5

The body of a man is “like unto a mirror, his soul is as the sun, and his mental faculties even as the rays that emanate from that source of light.”6

It is through the exercise of the powers of the soul that human progress is achieved. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá has said that the soul “can discover the realities of things, comprehend the peculiarities of beings, and penetrate the mysteries of existence. All sciences, knowledge, arts, wonders, institutions, discoveries and enterprises come from the exercised intelligence of the rational soul.”7 He continues, stating that there was a time when such realities “were unknown, preserved mysteries and hidden secrets; the rational soul gradually discovered them and brought them out from the plane of the invisible and the hidden into the realm of the visible.”8

1. 'Abdu’l-Bahá, Paris Talks
2. Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, LXXXII
3. Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, LXXXII
4. Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, LXXX
5. 'Abdu’l-Bahá, Tablet to Dr. Auguste Forel
6. 'Abdu’l-Bahá, Tablet to Dr. Auguste Forel
7. 'Abdu’l-Bahá, Some Answered Questions, p. 217
8. 'Abdu’l-Bahá, Some Answered Questions, p.217-218

"I am calling you away from this world.

Nothing you can ever think of here will remain.

You, yourself, will pass away as the roses wither at the touch of winter's breath.

I wish for you heavenly happiness. I am praying that the confirmations of God may descend upon you, that you may become His servant, that you may go forth to save mankind from the bondage of this mortal world.

I wish you to escape from this hell of materialism. Be not occupied with material things. Have no anxiety about your affairs.

You are under the protection of Baha'u'llah, in His service.

Live in the spiritual world as I do. Think of nothing else.

Look out upon this great city through which we are passing. Then think of the wealthy men entombed in the ocean's depths. The powers of man in material civilization are wonderful, but all his accomplishments are as nothing- he, himself, is as non-existent unless he upbuilds in himself the civilization spiritual.

...I wish you to live in the world of the Spirit - to see the Divine Reality in everything - to behold the illumination of the world of the Kingdom beyond and within the gloomy mask of this mortal existence.

For the world of the Kingdom is a world of Lights, a world of happiness, a world of accomplishment, the real and eternal world." ~ 'Abdu'l-Baha, Star of the West, IV:12, 16 October 1913, page 210

"God is Great. He Giveth Life! He Taketh it Again! He Dieth Not, but Liveth for Evermore!" (The Chosen Highway)

Martyrdom

"...Their hearts seem not to be inclined to knowledge and the door thereof, neither think they of its manifestations, inasmuch as in idle fancy they have found the door that leadeth unto earthly riches, whereas in the manifestation of the Revealer of knowledge they find naught but the call to self-sacrifice." (Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 29)

"I offered up My soul in the path of My Beloved and laid down My life for His sake. My fortress was My reliance on God, and My shield Mine attachment to that peerless Friend; Mine armour was Mine unfailing trust in Him, and My hosts Mine ardent hope in His grace." (Bahá’u’lláh, DOR #30:3)

The unbelievers and the faithless have set their minds on four things: first, the shedding of blood; second, the burning of books; third, the shunning of the followers of other religions; fourth, the extermination of other communities and groups. (Lawh-i-Dunya, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 91)

By God! Our hearts were consumed, and Our bodies were crucified, and Our blood was spilt, while Our eyes were fixed on the horizon of the loving-kindness of their Lord, the Witness, the All-Seeing. The more grievous their woes, the greater waxed the love of the people of Bahá. (Lawh-i-Burhan, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 209)

O God, my God! I implore Thee by the blood of Thy true lovers who were so enraptured by Thy sweet utterance that they hastened unto the Pinnacle of Glory, the site of the most glorious martyrdom, and I beseech Thee by the mysteries which lie enshrined in Thy knowledge and by  the pearls that are treasured in the ocean of Thy bounty to grant forgiveness unto me and unto my father and my mother. Of those who show forth mercy, Thou art in truth the Most Merciful. No God is there but Thee, the Ever-Forgiving, the All-Bountiful. (Bisharat, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 24)

Suicide

"Such is this mortal abode -- a storehouse of afflictions and suffering. It is negligence that binds man to it for no comfort can be secured by any soul in this world, from monarch down to the least subject. If once it should offer man a sweet cup, a hundred bitter ones will follow it and such is the condition of this world. The wise man therefore does not attach himself to this mortal life and does not depend upon it; even at some moments he eagerly wishes death that he may thereby be freed from these sorrows and afflictions. Thus it is seen that some, under extreme pressure of anguish, have committed suicide." (Abdu'l-Baha, Baha'i World Faith, p. 378)

"Suicide is forbidden in the Cause. God Who is the Author of all life can alone take it away, and dispose of it the way he deems best. Whoever commits suicide endangers his soul, and will suffer spiritually as a result in the other worlds beyond.' (Lights of Guidance)

One of My companions offered up his life, cutting his throat with his own hands for the love of God, an act unheard of in bygone centuries and which God hath set apart for this Revelation as an evidence of the power of His might. He, verily, is the Unconstrained, the All-Subduing. As for the one who thus slew himself in 'Iraq, he truly is the King and Beloved of Martyrs, and that which he evinced was a testimony from God unto the peoples of the earth. Such souls have been influenced by the Word of God, have tasted the sweetness of His remembrance, and are so transported by the breezes of reunion that they have detached themselves from all that dwell on earth and turned unto the Divine Countenance with faces beaming with light. And though they have committed an act which God hath forbidden, He hath nevertheless forgiven them as a token of His mercy. He, verily, is the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Compassionate. So enraptured were these souls by Him Who is the All-Compelling that the reins of volition slipped from their grasp, until at last they ascended to the dwelling of the Unseen and entered the presence of God, the Almighty, the All-Knowing. (Baha'u'llah, #2:13, The Summons of the Lord of Hosts)

"The fire of love so blazeth in his heart that it seizeth the reins of constraint from his grasp." (Baha'u'llah, Gems of Divine Mysteries, p. 78)

Haji  Shaykh Muhammad Ali -- upon him be the glory of God, the Ever-Abiding -- was a merchant of high repute, well-known unto most of the inhabitants of the Great City (Constantinople). Not long ago, when the Persian Embassy in Constantinople was secretly engaged in stirring up mischief, it was noticed  109  that this believing and sincere soul was greatly distressed. Finally, one night he threw himself into the sea, but was rescued by some passers-by who chanced to come upon him at that moment. His act was widely commented upon and given varied interpretations by different people. Following this, one night he repaired to a mosque, and, as reported by the guardian of that place, kept vigil the whole night, and was occupied until the morning in offering, ardently and with tearful eyes, his prayers and supplications. Upon hearing him suddenly cease his devotions, the guardian went to him, and found that he had already surrendered his soul. An empty bottle was found by his side, indicating that he had poisoned himself... He had set down a prayer, he wrote these words in conclusion: "This servant and the loved ones of God are perplexed. On the one hand the Pen of the Most High hath forbidden all men to engage in sedition, contention or conflict, and on the other that same  Pen hath sent down these most sublime words: 'Should anyone, in the presence of the Manifestation, discover an evil intention on the part of any soul, he must not oppose him, but must leave him to God.' Considering that on the one hand this binding command is clear and firmly established, and that on the other calumnies, beyond human strength to bear or endure, have been uttered, this servant hath chosen to commit this most grievous sin. I turn suppliantly unto the ocean of God's bounty and the heaven of Divine mercy, and hope that He will blot out with the pen of His grace and bounteousness the misdeeds of this servant. Though my transgressions be manifold, and unnumbered my evildoings, yet do I cleave tenaciously to the cord of His bounty, and cling unto the hem of His generosity. God is witness, and they that are nigh unto His Threshold know full well, that this servant could not bear to hear the tales related by the perfidious. I, therefore, have committed this act. If He chastise me, He verily is to be praised for what He doeth; and if He forgive me, His behest shall be obeyed." ...We beseech God -- blessed and glorified be He -- to forgive the aforementioned person (Haji Shaykh Muhammad-'Ali), and change his evil deeds into good ones. He, verily, is the All-Powerful, the Almighty, the All-Bounteous. (Baha'u'llah, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 108-9)