Spiritual Teachings/Life after Death
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9. Life after Death
All the Messengers of God have taught that the soul of man lives on after the death of the body. When the body dies, the soul is untouched. If one breaks a bird’s cage, the bird is not hurt. The same is true of the soul of man. Man’s body is like the cage, and his soul is like the bird. Death is simply the time when the soul finishes with the body and begins its journey through the next world. ‘Abdu’1-Baha says, ‘‘The soul is eternal, immortal.’’}° After separation from the body the soul will continue to develop until it reaches the presence of God.
Although man sees death as an ending, it is really a begin- ning. Escape from the body is a new birth, and the soul enters into a freer, fuller life. Man cannot understand the next life any more than an unborn child can understand this life. Baha’ is know that the next world offers peace and spiritual gifts to those who truly believe in God. Baha’u’llah says, ‘‘J have made death a messenger of joy to thee.’’ 1® He assures man that death leads to a life more beautiful than can be imagined in this world.
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Man should not, however, sit around waiting to die. Life in
this world should be used to prepare one’s soul for the next
world. Think about the purpose of a baby’s life in the womb.
While inside his mother the baby grows eyes, ears, lungs, and
limbs to use after birth. He does not need these while living in
the womb, but if he fails to develop them, he will be handi-
capped when he is born. Earthly life, too, is a time of prepara-
tion when man must develop the faculties he will need in the life
to come.
What are these faculties? They are the spiritual qualities and habits Baha’u’llah asks man to develop by turning to Him and ~ obeying His commandments. Through loving and obeying Him, one grows spiritually and draws closer to God. One is then able to face with joy the prospect of life in the next world.
‘Abdu’1-Baha says that prayers for those who have died will assist their growth in their new life. Prayer also brings comfort to those still living in this world. Man does not always see the mercy and love of God in all events. The death of a loved one may remind him of the rude uprooting of a tender plant. How- ever, by praying and trying to see with God’s eyes he is helped to understand that the tender plant has been lovingly trans- planted to another garden where it can grow better. Loved ones who have died have been moved to a new world where they will continue to grow and progress spiritually.
‘Abdu’l-Baha describes the right attitude toward death: ‘““How does one look forward to the end of any journey? With hope and with expectation. It is even so with the end of this earthly journey.’’ ‘7 In the past man’s progress was hindered by the fear of death. Today Baha’u’llah removes this fear by explaining that death is an open door to a new and better life: ‘““O Son of Love! Thou art but one step away from the glorious heights above and from the celestial tree of love. Take thou one pace and with the next advance into the immortal realm and enter the pavilion of eternity.’ '®