A friendasked: “How shouldone look forward todeath?”
‘Abdu’l-Baháanswered: “Howdoesone
look forward to thegoal of any journey?
Withhopeandwithexpectation. It is
even sowith theendof this earthly
journey. In thenextworld,manwill
findhimself freed frommanyof the
disabilitiesunderwhichhenow suffers.
Thosewhohavepassedon through
death, havea sphereof their own. It is
not removed fromours; theirwork, the
workof theKingdom, isours; but it is
sanctified fromwhatwecall ‘timeand
place.’Timewithus ismeasuredby the
sun.When there isnomore sunrise,
andnomore sunset, that kindof time
doesnot exist forman. Thosewhohave
ascendedhavedifferent attributes from
thosewhoare still onearth, yet there
isno real separation. Inprayer there
is aminglingof station, aminglingof
condition. Pray for themas theypray
for you!”
– ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
Andnowconcerning thyquestion
regarding the soul ofmanand its survival
after death. Know thouof a truth that the
soul, after its separation from thebody,
will continue toprogressuntil it attaineth
thepresenceofGod, ina stateand
conditionwhichneither the revolution
of ages andcenturies, nor thechanges
andchancesof thisworld, canalter. Itwill
endureas longas theKingdomof God,
His sovereignty, Hisdominionandpower
will endure. Itwillmanifest the signsof
GodandHis attributes, andwill reveal
His loving kindness andbounty. The
movement ofMyPen is stilledwhen it
attempteth tobefittinglydescribe the
loftiness andgloryof soexalteda station.
Thehonorwithwhich theHandofMercy
will invest the soul is suchasno tongue
canadequately reveal, nor anyother
earthlyagencydescribe. Blessed is the
soulwhich, at thehour of its separation
from thebody, is sanctified from thevain
imaginingsof thepeoplesof theworld.
Sucha soul livethandmoveth in
accordancewith theWill of itsCreator,
andentereth theall-highest Paradise.
TheMaidsofHeaven, inmatesof the
loftiestmansions,will circlearound it,
and theProphetsofGodandHis chosen
oneswill seek its companionship.With
them that soulwill freelyconverse, and
will recount unto them thatwhich it hath
beenmade toendure in thepathofGod,
theLordof allworlds. If anymanbe told
thatwhichhathbeenordained for sucha
soul in theworldsofGod, theLordof the
throneonhighandof earthbelow, his
wholebeingwill instantlyblazeout inhis
great longing toattain thatmost exalted,
that sanctifiedand resplendent station.
–Baha’u’llah
Howdoesone look forward todeath?
AfterDeath
