A person who is endowed with perception
has spirituality and heavenly attributes; he can recognize that the human soul
has never been subject to annihilation and will never become so. He sees that
all created beings are in harmony with the spirit and are under its influence.
He knows himself to be eternal, everlasting, constant, imperishable and
encompassed by the lights of God, the Lord of glory. For he has spiritual
susceptibilities and is affected by conscience and spiritual impulses. He is
not limited by rational constraints or human emotions and sentiments. However,
the man who has no perception or inner sight finds himself always dejected and
lifeless; every time he thinks of death, he is afraid, because he considers
himself to be mortal.
Blessed souls are not of this category.
They sense that they are eternal, luminous and imperishable like the disciples
of Christ. It is for this reason that at the time of death or martyrdom Bahá'ís
rejoice, because they know there is no death or annihilation for them. At most,
the body disintegrates but the soul exists in the divine world and has
everlasting life. (‘Abdu’l-Baha,
excerpt from a talk at the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Parsons, August 7, 1912,
Dublin, USA; Mahmud’s Diary)
