Selections from the Writings of His Holiness 'Abdu'l-Bahá'
translated by Khazeh Fananapazir
Chapter 2
On the Meaning of Progress
Ma‘niy-i-Taraqqí
[1]Thou hast written that you had heard from the friends that should a
man not make spiritual progress he will be utterly non-existent and nothing. The
purpose in this statement is not absolute non-existence; rather by it is meant
that the being of a heedless person relative to the being of the person endowed
with perfections is like non-being. For example, the stone is non being in
relationship to the human being but the stone does have an existence in the
world of the mineral. Thus all men are existing but the existence of a heedless
ignorant soul with respect to a knowledgeable perfect human being is like
non-existence. This matter has been described in detail in reply to the
questions of Mrs.
Barney;[2] doubtless
you will read that text. The essence of that explanation is that the ignorant
one exists and the knowledgeable one also exists but the existence of the
ignorant is like unto a stone and the existence of a perfect one is that of man
and so in this case the mineral, relative to the human, is non-existent.
Notes:
- Original
recipient of this Tablet and the date are unknown. (MW’s note).
- See Part
4, Some Answered Questions (MW’s note).
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