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Tag: "Heaven and hell"

tag name Heaven and hell type: Religion, general; Religions, Middle Eastern
web link bahai-library.com/tags/Heaven_and_hell
variations or
mis-spellings
Hades
related tags Concepts, Religious; Abhá Kingdom; Death; Life after death (afterlife); Misconceptions, Religious; Nearness and remoteness; Soul, Human; Worlds of God
referring tags Empyrean; Fourth heaven; Heaven; Life after death (afterlife); Paradise; Seventh heaven
Inventory subject Heaven and paradise; heaven and hell; Recompense; reward for belief; right action
notes

"The highest and lowest conditions a human soul can experience. In the Bahá'í Writings these terms are used in a spiritual rather than a literal, material sense. These conditions of 'heaven' and 'hell' are not limited to life after death... 'Heaven' is the state of perfection and nearness to God, achieved by a soul who has striven to acquire virtues during its life on earth, while 'hell' is the condition of imperfection, remoteness and the awareness of the deprivation one has brought by one's actions...

– from A Basic Bahá'í Dictionary (1989)

See also:

Bahai org: Heaven and Hell

Covenant Library Unified Index

selected quotations
(authoritative sources)

These quotations reflect common presentations of Bahá’í views; the materials below may show a wider range of interpretations and contexts:

"... They say: “Where is Paradise, and where is Hell?” Say: “The one is reunion with Me; the other thine own self...”"

Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh, Ishráqát (Splendors), ¶37

"You have asked concerning eternal life and entrance into the Kingdom. The Kingdom is outwardly referred to as “heaven”, but this is an expression and likeness and not a factual statement or reality. For the Kingdom is not a material location but is sanctified above time and place. It is a spiritual realm, a divine world, and it is the seat of the sovereignty of the almighty Lord. It is exalted above bodies and all that is corporeal, and it is freed and sanctified from the idle conjectures of men. For to be confined to place is a characteristic of bodies and not of spirits: Time and place encompass the body, not the mind and the soul... Entrance into the Kingdom is through the love of God, through detachment, through sanctity and holiness, through truthfulness and purity, through steadfastness and faithfulness, and through self-sacrifice..."

– 'Abdu'l-Bahá, Some Answered Questions, chapter 67 (AB00336)

"... Existential paradise and hell are to be found in all the worlds of God, whether in this world or in the heavenly realms of the spirit, and to gain these rewards is to attain life eternal...

Existential rewards consist in the virtues and perfections that adorn the human reality. For example, man was immersed in darkness and becomes luminous; he was ignorant and becomes informed; he was heedless and becomes aware; he was asleep and is awakened; he was dead and is quickened to life; he was blind and begins to see; he was deaf and begins to hear; he was earthly and becomes heavenly; he was material and becomes spiritual. Through these rewards he is reborn in spirit, is created anew... they consider spiritual punishment... to consist in subjection to the world of nature; in being veiled from God; in ignorance and unawareness; in engrossment with covetous desires; in absorption in animal vices; in being marked by evil attributes, such as falsehood, tyranny, and iniquity; in attachment to worldly things; and in immersion in satanic fancies...

... the existential rewards are the advancement of existence itself and are analogous to the passage of man from the stage of the embryo to that of maturity... The ultimate rewards consist in spiritual bounties and bestowals, such as the manifold gifts of God that are vouchsafed after the ascension of the soul, the attainment of the heart’s desire, and reunion with Him in the everlasting realm...

– `Abdu'l-Bahá, Some Answered Questions, chapter 60 (AB00268)

references en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heaven; en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hell; bahaipedia.org/Heaven_and_hell; bahai9.com/wiki/Paradise; bahaiquotes.com/subject/heaven-and-hell; bahaiquotes.com/subject/heaven; www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/search#q=heaven hell

"Heaven and hell" has been tagged in:

42 results from the Main Catalog

from the main catalog (42 results; collapse)

sorted by  
  1. n.d.. Human Soul, The. Adib Taherzadeh. The human soul is an eternal reality that develops virtues in this world, preparing for spiritual progress in the next life. Around 60 minutes. Audio.
  2. 2024-04. Conversation with a Christian. Mohammad Norozi. Brief Bahá'í responses to: are we judged at the end of our lives, and if so, by behavior or belief? Does Bahá'u'lláh play a role in redemption? Is there eternal hell, or is it self-created? Are there various levels to paradise? Essays.
  3. 2023-12. Literary Imitation in Three Poems Attributed to Tahirih Qurrat al-ʿAyn. Sahba Shayani. The poetry of Tahirih has largely been ignored by historians, partly from politico-religious intolerance, but also because of a lack of detailed information and primary sources; comparison of three of her most famous istiqbál poems. Articles.
  4. 2022. Reis naar het Hart van de Qur'án: Het Heilige Boek van de islam voor hen die nadenken (door een niet-moslim). David Russell Garcia, Kees Poolman, trans. . Een overzicht van de Koran en zijn thema's: islam versus het christendom; wetten, geestelijke en sociale principes; heilige oorlog en vechten; redenen achter de reputatie van de islam als een oorlogsreligie; apocalypse. Books.
  5. 2021. List of Articles by John Hatcher on BahaiTeachings.org. John S. Hatcher. List of online essays and articles by Dr. John Hatcher. Bibliographies.
  6. 2020-04-10. Writings of the Báb, The: Notes from Talks given by Dr. Nader Saiedi. Nader Saiedi, Anonymous, comp. . Structured summarized notes from Dr. Saiedi’s 2019 talks on the Báb’s Writings, delivered at the Swedish and Norwegian Bahá'í summer school 2019, highlighting key theological concepts and themes. Includes some provisional translations quoted in the talks. Talks.
  7. 2019-09. Worldview and the Laws of the Bayán. Nader Saiedi. Explores the Persian Bayán's spiritual worldview and laws through four talks, offering insights into the Báb's Dispensation. Audio.
  8. 2019. Writings of the Báb: Lecture Series at the Norwegian Summer School. Nader Saiedi. On topics including the concept of God; Manifestations of God; Day of Resurrection, heaven and hell; the Imamate, the Hidden Imam; divine justice and free will; reason, independence; human rights, equality, women. Links to audio files, offsite. Audio.
  9. 2018-01-21. Resurrection and the World to Come. Bahá'u'lláh, William F. McCants, trans. . Extract from the Lawh-i-Yusuf (Tablet of Joseph), explaining the meaning of 'paradise', 'hellfire', 'resurrection', and similar terms. Translations.
  10. 2016. Fire and Light in the Báb's Tablet Proclaiming to be the Qá'im. Nader Saiedi. Audio.
  11. 2015-09. Persian Bayán: Thematic Analysis and Summary. Peter Terry. A detailed overview of this lengthy text of The Báb, which outlines elements of Bábí law, discussion of religious concepts, and the glorification of "He whom God shall make manifest." Articles-unpublished.
  12. 2014. Islám: The Road Ahead: Reflections of a Bahá'í on Islamic Topics. Rowshan Mustapha. Questions about the finality of religion, the Day of Judgment, the role of Jesus and the Mihdi, and what will happen at the End of Time, through the lens of the Bahá’í Teachings. Books.
  13. 2013-2018/2023. Various Essays. Susan Gammage. 47 short essays on following the teachings and living a Bahá'í life, life coaching and counselling, recovery from substances or abuse, family matters, dreams, elections, debt, abortion, and more. Includes bios of Bruce Matthews and Caroline Lehmann. Essays.
  14. 2013. Human Station in the Bahá'í Faith: Selected Sections: Philosophy and Knowledge of the Divine. Alí Murád Dávúdí, Riaz Masrour, trans, Vahid Rafati, comp. . A collection of talks by the Bahá’í teacher and philosopher Dr. A. M. Dávúdí on selected philosophical topics, including one on the subject of the non-political nature of the Bahá’í Faith and non-involvement in partisan politics. Books.
  15. 2012. Second Coming, The: A Biblical Approach to Understanding the Evidence that Christ has Returned. David Yamartino. Biblical principles for investigation of truth; the resurrection of Christ, prophecies fulfilled by Bahá’u’lláh; the ancestry of Bahá’u’lláh, descendant of King David. Books.
  16. 2011-04. Forces of Our Time: Lecture Series. Hooper Dunbar. Six lectures series at Bosch Bahá'í School, April 15-17 2011. Audio.
  17. 2011. Birth of the Human Being, The: Beyond Religious Traditionalism and Materialist Modernity. Nader Saiedi. We have arrived at a turning point in human evolution: the moment of the birth of the human being. This paper examines the development of this idea in the Writings of the Báb, Bahá’u’lláh, and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, and its opposite concept, dehumanization. Articles.
  18. 2008. Gate of the Heart: Understanding the Writings of the Bab (contents and index only). Nader Saiedi. A lengthy, detailed examination of the context, chronology, and content of the writings of the Báb. (Link to document, offsite; only the contents and index are on this site, for keyword searching.) Excerpts.
  19. 2007. Letters Written on Behalf of the Guardian. Universal House of Justice, Universal House of Justice, Research Department, comp. . Three questions: Letters Written on Behalf of Shoghi Effendi; Status of Research Department Memoranda; Bahá'í Writings Based in Fact? Includes clarification on the authenticity of 'Abdu'l-Bahá's published talks. UHJ-letters.
  20. 2005-11. Collected Essays. John Wiegley. Dozens of essays on numerous topics of Bahá'í thought and practice. Books.
  21. 2005. Bahá'í Understanding of Reincarnation in Relation to the World's Faiths, A. Sateh Bayat, Vafa Bayat. Concepts of reincarnation in Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam; the Bahá'í religion's rejection of the idea of reincarnation; its model of a spiritual progress which continues after death. Articles.
  22. 2003-10. Voyage to the Heart of the Koran: The Holy Book of Islám for Thinking Minds (By a Non-Muslim). David Russell Garcia. A lengthy overview of the Qur'án and its themes for a Bahá'í audience; holy war and fighting; reasons behind Islám's reputation as a war-like religion; theology of Islám vs. Christianity; laws and admonitions; spiritual and social principles; apocalypse. Books.
  23. 2003. Celestial Pavilion, Inmates of. Universal House of Justice. UHJ-letters.
  24. 2002. Gems of Divine Mysteries. Bahá'u'lláh. A lengthy tablet in Arabic on how the Mahdi was Ali Muhammad, The Báb, the Primal Point. Written during the Baghdad period for Siyyid Yúsuf-i-Sihdihí Isfahání. His questions were brought from Karbila, and answered the same day. Writings.
  25. 2000. Heaven in China without "Religion" and Manifestation. Theo A. Cope. Some believe there never was a time when humanity was without a Prophet to guide it, but as none is known in Chinese history, a Bahá'í-Chinese dialogue needs a different starting point — one more inclusivist and with a different concept of "religion." Articles.
  26. 1999. Kitáb-i-Íqán, The Book of Certitude: Wilmette Institute faculty notes. Michael W. Sours, Brent Poirier, Ismael Velasco, Iraj Ayman. Notes on various topics related to Bahá'u'lláh's Book of Certitude. Study.
  27. 1999. Teaching Christians More Effectively: Handbook and Seminar. David F. Young. Bahá'í views of Christianity; questions Christians might ask; interpretation of the Bible; theology of miracles, baptism, sin, Armageddon, and heaven and hell; social issues. Presentations.
  28. 1999. Paradise and Paradigm: Key Symbols in Persian Christianity and the Bahá'í Faith. Christopher Buck. Study of Bahá'í and Christian symbology, the "first academic monograph comparing Christianity and the Bahá'í Faith." Books.
  29. 1998. Heaven, Hell and the Afterlife. Lynette Thomas. Judeo-Christian and Muslim views of life after death are often seen literally as bodily resurrection and a judgement day, vs. the Bahá'í perspective of the nature of the soul and its existence after the death of the body, heaven/hell, and the afterlife. Articles.
  30. 1996. Bahá'u'lláh's Teachings on Spiritual Reality. Paul Lample, comp. The quest for spirituality, the spiritual life, material and spiritual reality, the progress of the soul and humanity’s spiritual education. Introductory.
  31. 1995-03-09. Animal Spirits. Universal House of Justice. Letter to an individual believer on the question if animals possess a surviving spiritual reality. UHJ-letters.
  32. 1995. Heaven. Robert Stockman. Encyclopedia.
  33. 1989-11. Figurative Structure of Eschatological Arabic, The. Christopher Buck. Much of the Qur'an concerns heaven and hell and the final judgment to come, using various kinds of figures of speech, like transference, metaphor, symbol; exploration of these figures as phenomenological, cognitive, and meaning-intended. Articles-unpublished.
  34. 1987. انسان در آئین بهائی: جلد اول: فلسفه و عرفان (Station of Man in the Bahá'í Faith: Volume 1, Philosophy and Mysticism). Alí Murád Dávúdí, Vahid Rafati, comp. and ed. . 19 collected works of 'Alí-Murád Dávúdi. Books.
  35. 1982-2023. Encyclopaedia Iranica: Selected articles related to Persian culture, religion, philosophy and history. Encyclopaedia Iranica. Sorted, categorized collection of links to over 170 articles. Encyclopedia.
  36. 1982. These Perspicuous Verses: A passage from the Writings of Baha'u'llah. Robert W. McLaughlin. Detailed study of a section from Ishraqat and Epistle to the Son of the Wolf. Books.
  37. 1980. Message of The Quran, The: Appendices. Muhammad Asad. Symbolism and allegory in the Qur'án; al-Muqatta'at (opening letters); the term and concept of Jinn; the night journey: four appendices to a translation of the Qur'án by a European scholar and later Muslim convert. No mention of the Bahá'í Faith. Essays.
  38. 1976. Dawn over Mount Hira and Other Essays. Marzieh Gail. A collection of essays on various topics of interest to Bahá'í studies and history. Most of these were first published in Star of the West and World Order between 1929 and 1971. Books.
  39. 1963. Wine of Astonishment, The. William Sears. Discussion of Christian doctrines such as the ritual of baptism, the bread and the wine, confession and penance, the meaning of 'Son of God', the secret of the trinity, heaven and hell, and the meaning of the resurrection. Books.
  40. 1937. Path to God, The: 1937 edition. Dorothy Baker. Essay published as a pamphlet about the goal of life, revelation and access to heaven, self-improvement while on earth, prayer and spiritual surrender, loving the Messenger and following his teachings. Essays.
  41. 1931. Kitáb-i-Íqán: The Book of Certitude. Bahá'u'lláh, Shoghi Effendi, trans. . Major theological work by Baháʼu'lláh, written prior to his declaration of mission. Writings.
  42. 1914-05-09. Historical Context for the Prayer 'O God! Refresh and Gladden My Spirit...': Extract from the Diary of Ahmad Sohrab. Ahmad Sohrab. Two page excerpt from the diary, dated May 9 1914, responding to these questions: what should Bahá'ís expect to accomplish; the origin of evil; the purpose of one's life; the Golden Age; what is hell; what are Bahá'u'lláh's objectives. Pilgrims.
 
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