Topic: The Soul, Death and the Next Life
Page 1 This newsletter is dedicated to all seekers after the Eternal
Truth.
Thou hast asked Me concerning the nature of the soul. 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.1
With that enlightening quote on what the soul is to begin this issue
on some supernatural topics which are a source of curiosity and concern for
most of us still in this world, I'll continue, first of all, with more
information on the subject of the greatest mystery of man, his soul: The soul has two main faculties. (a) As outer
circumstances are communicated to the soul by the eyes, ears, and brain of a
man, so does the soul communicate its desires and purposes through the brain to the hands and tongue of the physical body, thereby
expressing itself. The spirit in the souls the very essence of Life. (b) The
second faculty of the soul expresses itself in the world of vision, where the
soul inhabited by the spirit has its being, and functions without the help of
the material bodily senses. There, in the realm of vision, the soul sees
without the help of the physical eye, hears without the aid of the physical
ear, and travels without dependence upon physical motion. It is, therefore,
clear that the spirit in the soul of man can function through the physical body
using the organs of the ordinary senses, and that it is able to live and act
without their aid in the world of vision. This proves without a doubt the
superiority of the soul of man over his body, the superiority of spirit over
matter.2 If we are caused joy or pain by a friend, if a love prove true or
false, it is the soul that is affected. If our dear ones are far from us--it is
the soul that grieves, and the grief or trouble of the soul may react on the
body. Thus, when the spirit is fed with holy virtues, then is the body
joyous; if the soul falls into sin, the body is in torment! When we find truth, constancy, fidelity, and love, we are happy;
but if we meet with lying, faithlessness, and deceit, we are
miserable.3
When man is asleep, his soul can, in no wise, be said to have
been inherently affected by any external object. It is not susceptible of any
change in its original state or character. Any variation in its functions is
to be ascribed to external causes. It is to these external influences that any
variations in its environment, its understanding, and perception should be
attributed. Consider the human eye. Though it hath the faculty of
perceiving all created things, yet the slightest impediment may so obstruct its
vision as to deprive it of the power of discerning any object whatsoever.
Magnified be the name of Him Who hath created, and is the Cause of, these
causes, Who hath ordained that every change and variation in the world of being be made
dependent upon them. Every created thing in the whole universe is but a door
leading into His knowledge, a sign of His sovereignty, a revelation of His names, a symbol of His majesty, a token of
His power, a means of admittance into His straight Path. . . . Verily I say, the human soul is, in its essence, one of
the signs of God, a mystery among His mysteries. It is one of the mighty signs of the Almighty, the harbinger
that proclaimeth the reality of all the worlds of God. Within it lieth
concealed that which the world is now utterly incapable of apprehending.
Ponder in thine heart the revelation of the Soul of God that pervadeth all His
Laws, and contrast it with that base and appetitive nature that hath rebelled
against Him, that forbiddeth men to turn unto the Lord of Names, and impelleth them to walk after their lusts
and wickedness. Such a soul hath, in truth, wandered far in the path of
error.4
Whoso hath, in this Day, refused to allow the doubts and
fancies of men to turn him away from Him Who is the Eternal Truth, and hath not
suffered the tumult provoked by the ecclesiastical and secular authorities to
deter him from recognizing His Message, such a man will be regarded by God, the
Lord of all men, as one of His mighty signs, and will be numbered among them
whose names have been inscribed by the Pen of the Most High in His Book.
Blessed is he that hath recognized the true stature of such a soul, and hath
acknowledged its station, and discovered its virtues. . . . Every soul that walketh humbly with its God, in this
Day, and cleaveth unto Him, shall find itself invested with the honor and glory
of all goodly names and stations.5
And now, I think it would be appropriate to include a few
passages on the mystery and the reality of death (death from this world, that
is, and birth into the next), beginning with some encouraging words on how we
should view death as something joyous, even as something to look forward to,
rather than as something to be feared After all, they don't call it life
after death for nothing:
O SON OF THE SUPREME! I have made death a messenger of joy to thee. Wherefore dost thou
grieve? I made the light to shed on thee its splendour. Why dost thou veil
thyself therefrom?6
O SON OF SPIRIT! With the joyful tidings of light I hail thee: rejoice! To the court
of holiness I summon thee; abide therein that thou mayest live in peace for
evermore.7
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.8
Know thou that every hearing ear, if kept pure and undefiled,must, at all times and from every direction, hearken to the voice that
uttereth these holy words: "Verily, we are God's, and to Him shall
we return." The mysteries of man's physical death and of his
return have not been divulged, and still remain unread. By the righteousness
of God! Were they to be revealed, they would evoke such fear and sorrow that
some would perish, while others would be so filled with gladness as to wish for
death, and beseech, with unceasing longing, the one true God--exalted be His
glory--to hasten their end. Death proferreth unto every confidant believer the cup that
is life indeed. It bestoweth joy, and is the bearer of gladness. It
conferreth the gift of everlasting life. 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.9
And what can we expect after our physical death?
Thou hast, moreover, asked me concerning the state of the
soul after its separation from the body. Know thou, of a truth, that if the
soul of man hath walked in the ways of God, it will, assuredly, return and be gathered to the glory of the Beloved. By the righteousness of
God! It shall attain a station such as no pen can depict, or tongue describe. The soul that hath remained
faithful to the Cause of God, and stood unwaveringly firm in His Path shall,
after his ascension, be possessed of such power that all the worlds which the
Almighty hath created can benefit through him. Such a soul provideth, at the
bidding of the Ideal King and Divine Educator, the pure leaven that leaveneth
the world of being, and furnisheth the power through which the arts and wonders
of the world are made manifest. Consider how meal needeth leaven to be
leavened with. Those souls that are the symbols of detachment are the leaven of
the world. Meditate on this, and be of the thankful. . . . Verily I say, the human soul is exalted above
all egress and regress. It is still, and yet it soareth; it moveth, and yet it
is still. It is, in itself, a testimony that beareth witness to the existence
of a world that is contingent, as well as to the reality of a world that hath
neither beginning nor end. Behold how the dream thou hast dreamed is, after
the lapse of many years, re-enacted before thine eyes. Consider how strange is
the mystery of the world that appeareth to thee in thy dream. Ponder in thine
heart upon the unsearchable wisdom of God, and meditate on its manifold
revelations.10.
.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. Consider the lamp which is hidden under a bushel. Though
its light be shining, yet its radiance is concealed from men. Likewise,
consider the sun which hath been obscured by the clouds. Observe how its
splendour appeareth to have diminished, when in reality the source of that
light hath remained unchanged. The soul of man should be likened unto this sun, and
all things on earth should be regarded as his body. So long as no external
impediment interveneth between them, the body will, in its entirety, continue
to reflect the light of the soul, and to be sustained by its power. As soon
as, however, a veil interposeth itself between them, the brightness of that
light seemeth to lessen. Consider again the sun when it is completely hidden behind the
clouds. Though the earth is still illumined with its light, yet the measure of
light which it receiveth is considerably reduced. Not until the clouds have
dispersed, can the sun shine again in the plentitude of its glory. Neither the
presence of the cloud nor its absence can, in any way, affect the inherent
splendor of the sun. 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.
Consider, moreover, how the fruit, ere it is formed, lieth
potentially within the tree. Were the tree to be cut into pieces, no sign nor
any part of the fruit, however small, could be detected. When it appeareth,
however, it manifesteth itself, as thou hast observed, in its wondrous beauty
and glorious perfection. Certain fruits, indeed, attain their fullest
development only after being severed from the tree.11
And now concerning thy question regarding the soul of man
and its survival after death. 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. It will manifest the signs
of God and His attributes,
and will reveal His loving kindness and bounty. The movement of My Pen is
stilled when it attempteth to befittingly describe the loftiness and glory of
so exalted a station. The honor with which the Hand of Mercy will invest the soul is such as no tongue can adequately reveal, nor
any other earthly agency describe. Blessed is the soul which, at the hour of its separation from the
body, is sanctified from the vain imaginings of the peoples of the world. Such
a soul liveth and moveth in accordance with the Will of its Creator, and entereth the all-highest Paradise. The Maids of Heaven,
inmates of the loftiest mansions, will circle around it, and the Prophets of
God and His chosen ones will seek its companionship. With them that soul will
freely converse, and will recount unto them that which it hath been made to
endure in the path of God, the Lord of all worlds. 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 . . . The
nature of the soul after death can never be described, nor is it meet and
permissible to reveal its whole character to the eyes of men. The Prophets and
Messengers of God have been sent down for the sole purpose of guiding mankind
to the straight Path of Truth. The purpose underlying their revelation hath been to educate all men, that they may, at the hour of
death, ascend, in the utmost purity and sanctity and with absolute detachment,
to the throne of the Most High. The light which these souls radiate is
responsible for the progress of the world and the advancement of its peoples.
They are like unto leaven which leaveneth the world of being, and constitute
the animating force through which the arts and wonders of the world are made
manifest. Through them the clouds rain their bounty upon men, and the earth
bringeth forth its fruits. All things must needs have a cause, a motive power,
an animating principle. These souls and symbols of detachment have provided,
and will continue to provide, the supreme moving impulse in the world of being.
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. 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?12
To close this issue, I leave you with another quotation from
One Who was fully acquainted with all mysteries. In it
Bahá'u'lláh speaks to us about both this world and
the other worlds to come. I, myself, take it as a personal promise from He Whom
I not only fervently believe in, but have come to dearly love as I perceive the
glory and love of the Well-Beloved in every word He wrote or uttered. His own
love for all mankind also comes shining brightly through . As I also use this
passage as a source of courage to face the many tribulations and sorrows
offered by this world; therefore, I share it with you as well so that you, too,
can draw strength and hope from it: . . . 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. 13 1 Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings
of Bahá'u'lláh, pp. 158-159. 2 ' 'Abdu'l-Bahá, 'Paris Talks, p. 86. 3 'Abdu'l-Bahá, 'Paris Talks, p 65 4 Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of
Bahá'u'lláh, pp. 160-161. 5 Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of
Bahá'u'lláh, p. 159. 6 Bahá'u'lláh, The Hidden Words of
Bahá'u'lláh, p. 11. 7 Bahá'u'lláh, The Hidden Words of
Bahá'u'lláh, p. 11. 8 Bahá'u'lláh, The Hidden Words of
Bahá'u'lláh, p. 7
9 Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of
Bahá'u'lláh, pp. 345-346. 10 Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of
Bahá'u'lláh pp. 161-162. 11 Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of
Bahá'u'lláh, pp 153-155. 12 Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of
Bahá'u'lláh, pp 155-158. 13 Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of
Bahá'u'lláh,, p 329.
