[Emphasis added in the quotations below.]
O FRIENDS!
Abandon not the everlasting beauty for a beauty that must
die, and set not your affections on this mortal world of dust.
(Baha'u'llah,
The Persian Hidden Words, No. 14)
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| Photo © Baha’i International Community |
Likewise, these souls, through the potency of the Divine
Elixir, traverse, in the twinkling of an eye, the world of dust and
advance into the realm of holiness; and with one step cover the earth of
limitations and reach the domain of the Placeless.
(Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 157)
That seeker must at all times put his trust in God, must
renounce the peoples of the earth, detach himself from the world of dust,
and cleave unto Him Who is the Lord of Lords.
(Baha'u'llah,
The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 193)
Say: the essence of all power is God's, the highest and the
last End of all creation. The source of all majesty is God's, the Object of the
adoration of all that is in the heavens and all that is on the earth. Such
forces as have their origin in this world of dust are, by their very nature,
unworthy of consideration.
(Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 341)
And should the servant ascend to even loftier heights, quit this
mortal world of dust, and seek to ascend unto the celestial abode,
he will then pass from this city into the City of Absolute
Nothingness, that is, of dying to self and living in
God.
(Baha'u'llah,
Gems of Divine Mysteries, p. 70)
O servants! The springs of divine bestowal are streaming
forth. Quaff ye therefrom, that by the aid of the incomparable Friend ye may be
sanctified from this darksome world of dust and enter His abode.
Renounce the world and direct your steps toward the city of the Beloved.
(Baha'u'llah,
Tabernacle of Unity, p. 67)
The friends of God have not, nor will they ever, set their
hopes upon the world and its ephemeral possessions. The one true God
hath ever regarded the hearts of men as His own, His exclusive possession --
and this too but as an expression of His all-surpassing mercy, that haply
mortal souls may be purged and sanctified from all that pertaineth to the
world of dust and gain admittance into the realms of eternity.
(Baha'u'llah,
The Summons of the Lord of Hosts, p. 110)
Knowledge is the cause of exaltation and advancement. It
enableth man to pass beyond the world of dust to the realms above and
leadeth him out of darkness into light. It is the redeemer and the bestower of
life. It conferreth the living waters of immortality and imparteth heavenly
food.
(Baha’u’llah, The Universal House of Justice: “Day of the
Covenant, 26 November 2003, To the Followers of Baha'u'llah in the Cradle of
the Faith,” p. 4)
"The days of your companionship with Me," He [The
Bab] told him [Quddus], "are drawing to a close. The hour of separation
has struck, a separation which no reunion will follow except in the Kingdom
of God, in the presence of the
King of Glory. In this world of dust, no more than nine fleeting
months of association with Me have been allotted to you. On the shores of the
Great Beyond, however, in the realm of immortality, joy of eternal reunion
awaits us. The hand of destiny will ere long plunge you into an ocean of tribulation
for His sake. I, too, will follow you; I, too, will be immersed beneath its
depths…”
(The
Dawn-Breakers, Nabil’s Narrative, p. 142)
This is purely a spiritual meeting! Praise be to God, your
hearts are turned to Him, your souls are attracted to the Kingdom, you have
spiritual aspirations, and your thoughts soar above the world of dust.
(Abdu'l-Baha,
Paris Talks, p. 112)
Give my greeting and salutation to Mrs….and say to her:
"Be not disappointed by the calamity which hath befallen thee and be not
grieved that the consolation of thine eye (thy child) hath left the world of
dust and hath ascended to the expanse of the Kingdom, that he hath
abandoned the abode of the lowest world and hath sought refuge in
the presence of the greatest mercy, where the Lord hath placed him in a
comfortable abode."
(Abdu'l-Baha,
Tablets of Abdu'l-Baha Volume 2, p. 331)
O handmaid of God! The stars in the sky do not exert any
spiritual influence on this world of dust; but all the members
and parts of the universe are very strongly linked together in that limitless
space, and this connection produceth a reciprocity of material effects. Outside
the bounty of the Holy Spirit, whatsoever thou hearest as to the effect of
trances, or the mediums' trumpets, conveying the singing voices of the dead, is
imagination pure and simple. As to the bounty of the Holy Spirit, however,
relate whatsoever thou wilt—it cannot be overstated; believe, therefore,
whatsoever thou hearest of this.
(Abdu'l-Baha,
Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 160)
Consequently, do
ye not sigh in grief because of her decease, and be not dejected on account of
her ascension.
To the people of
adoration, death is an ark of deliverance, and to pure souls, flight from
this world of dust is the means of attaining the Kingdom
of Spheres. By
"Spheres" is not meant this infinite space, nay, is meant the divine
world, and the invisible realm.
(Abdu'l-Baha, Tablets of Abdu'l-Baha Volume 2, p. 444)
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| Photo © Baha’i International Community |
When the phenomenal sun appears from the vernal point of
dawning in the zodiac, a wondrous and vibrant commotion is set up in the body
of the earthly world. The withered trees are quickened with animation, the
black soil becomes verdant with new growth, fresh and fragrant flowers bloom,
the world of dust is refreshed, renewed life forces surge through the
veins of every animate being, and a new springtime carpets the meadows, plains,
mountains and valleys with wondrous forms of life.
(Abdu'l-Baha,
The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 271)
When, through the Divine bestowals, three things appear on
earth, this world of dust will come alive, and stand forth
wondrously adorned and full of grace.
(Abdu'l-Baha,
The Secret of Divine Civilization, p. 108)
The breath of life ceased within him [Ali Najaf-Abadi], the
gates of flight to the supreme Kingdom were flung wide, he turned his eyes away
from this world of dust and went onward to the Holy
Place.
(Abdu'l-Baha,
Memorials of the Faithful, p. 62)
Then death came at the appointed hour, and in the shadowing
care of Baha'u'llah he [Haji Abdu'llah Najaf-Abadi] ascended, hurried away from
this world of dust to the high Firmament, soared upward to the
secret land.
(Abdu'l-Baha,
Memorials of the Faithful, p. 67)
He [His Eminence Kalim (Mirza Musa)] devoted all his time in
the Most Great Prison to serving Baha'u'llah, and had the honor of being
continually in his Brother's presence, also keeping company with the believers;
until at last he left this world of dust and hastened to the holy
world above, dying with lowliness and contrition, as he supplicated his Lord.
(Abdu'l-Baha,
Memorials of the Faithful, p. 89)
Thus the Amir [Aqa Muhammad-Ibrahim Amir] was steadfast in
service throughout his life; but after the ascension of Baha'u'llah his health
steadily declined, and at last he left this world of dust behind
him and hastened away to the unsullied world above.
(Abdu'l-Baha,
Memorials of the Faithful, p. 94)
He [Jamshid-i-Gurji] rose out of the Most Great Prison to
the highest Heaven; he soared away to a pure and gleaming Kingdom, out of this
world of dust.
(Abdu'l-Baha,
Memorials of the Faithful, p. 121)
O Lord! These stainless souls grew contemptuous of the world
of dust and have ascended unto Thy kingdom. From this dreary world
they have winged their flight unto the realm of resplendent glory. Weary and
dejected they languished in this puny nest, eagerly waiting to set out
for their celestial habitation. They moved swiftly and sped forth on their
flight until they attained unto Thee. O Forgiving One! Grant them Thy
forgiveness. O All-Loving One! Bestow upon them Thy tender care. O
All-Sufficing One! Give them Thy bounty and be their comforter and companion.
Thou art the Pardoner, the Resplendent, the Bestower, the Lord of Strength.
(Abdu'l-Baha, “Fire and Light—Excerpts from the Baha’i
Sacred Writings” Compiled by Research Department of the Universal House of Justice,”
p. 20)
They freed themselves from the pitfalls of this
world of dust, so that they might partake of immortal life in the realms
above, might seek shelter beneath the shadow of the tree of hope and abide in a
nest upon the twigs of eternity in the Abha Paradise, the Kingdom on High,
singing hymns of glory and praise in wondrous accents and sweet melodies.
(Abdu'l-Baha, “Fire and Light—Excerpts from the Baha’i
Sacred Writings” Compiled by Research Department of the Universal House of Justice,”
p. 20)
That distinguished martyr, like unto a lucky star, shineth
from the dawning-place of divine unity, luminous, resplendent and unmistakable,
though mortal eyes are debarred from beholding him.
With his face beaming with light, with a luminous brow and
enthralling beauty, he is calling aloud from the summit of the heaven of glory,
saying:
'O my friends! O honoured ones! I quaffed the cup that
brimmeth over with the consummate bounty of God and tasted the sweetness of the
Abha Kingdom
even from the edge of the sword. I have divested myself of my wornout garments
and raised up my banner in the realm of glory. From the world of dust
till the heights of the heavens I spurred on the charger of martyrdom and from
this luminous horizon I call out…'
(Abdu'l-Baha, “Fire and Light—Excerpts from the Baha’i
Sacred Writings” Compiled by Research Department of the Universal House of Justice, p. 22)
O LORD! Help this daughter of the Kingdom to be exalted in
both worlds; cause her to turn away from this mortal world of dust and
from those who have set their hearts thereon and enable her to have communion
and close association with the world of immortality. Give her heavenly power
and strengthen her through the breaths of the Holy Spirit that she may arise to
serve Thee. Thou art the Mighty One.
(Abdu'l-Baha, Handmaidens of God—Baha'i Prayers for Women,
pp. 5-6)
But if men act according to these holy teachings, the world
of dust shall reflect the lights of the Kingdom and the earth shall become
the Abha paradise, a garden of blissful joy. I hope that each one of you will
be assisted to act according to these teachings so that, like a brilliant star,
you may give light to humanity and like a spirit move the body of the
contingent world. This is eternal glory! This is everlasting happiness! This is
the image and likeness of God and unto this I call you! I pray God that you may
attain it.
(Abdu'l-Baha,
Mahmud’s Diary, pp. 431-32)
As to Margaret Nelson, she has been emancipated from this
gloomy dungeon of the world of dust and has hastened to the sanctified
realm. I pray on her behalf and beg for her the forgiveness and the pardon of
the Lord of Creation, that she may secure rest and comfort in the realm of the
Kingdom…
Upon thee be Baha'u'l-Abha!
(Signed) Abdu'l-Baha
Translated by Shoghi Rabbani, 17 March 1919.
Home of Abdu'l-Baha, Haifa, Palestine.
(“Star of the West, Volume 10, Jamal 1, (April 28, 1919),
No. 3”)
To the doves of faithfulness, ever since that most grievous
of disasters, the passing of Abdu'l-Baha, this world of dust has become a
cage, and a place of torment; and to the unrestrained nightingales it is
only a prison, narrow and dark.
Certainly, a pure soul will not bind his heart to this
passing show, and the gems of spiritual love will yearn only to be let go,
out of this world. Nevertheless, the all-compelling will of God and His
all-encompassing and irresistible purpose has desired that this dark earth
should become as the Abha Kingdom,
and this heap of dust be changed until it becomes the envy of the rose
gardens of Heaven.
(Bahiyyih
Khanum, Bahiyyih Khanum, p. 139)
The Ancient Beauty, the Most Great Name, has, through the
splendours of His grace in this most glorious of all ages, made this world
of dust to radiate light. The loving counsels of Abdu'l-Baha have turned
the beloved of the Lord into signs and tokens of humility and lowliness. He has
taught them selflessness, and freedom from material things, and detachment from
the world, and has enabled them to understand the verities of Heaven.
In that supernal realm we are all but motes; in the court of
the Lord God's majesty we are but helpless shadows. He is the Shelter for all;
He is the Protector of all; He is the Helper of all; He is the Preserver of
all. Whensoever we look upon ourselves, we, one and all, despair; but He, with
all His grace, His bestowals, His bounties, is the close Companion of each one.
(Bahiyyih Khanum, Bahiyyih Khanum, p. 180)
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