Bahai Library Online

Tag "Life after death (afterlife)"

tag name: Life after death (afterlife) type: General; Principles, teachings; Religion, general
web link: Life_after_death_(afterlife)
related tags: - Concepts; Death; Heaven and hell; Life (general)
referring tags: * Virtues and spiritual qualities; Abhá Kingdom; Both worlds; Concourse on high; Death; Eternal life; First life and second life; Heaven and hell; Intermediary realm; Kingdoms, Physical; Lawh-i-Abdu'l-Vahhab; Memory and memories; Non-believers; Soul, Human; Womb (metaphor); Worlds of God
Inventory subject: Life and death; Recompense; reward for belief; right action; Soul; spirit after death; The lower is unable to comprehend the higher
notes: "And now concerning thy question regarding the soul of man and its survival after death. Know thou of a truth that the soul, after its separation from the body, will continue to progress until it attaineth the presence of God, in a state and condition which neither the revolution of ages and centuries, nor the changes and chances of this world, can alter... The light which these souls radiate is responsible for the progress of the world and the advancement of its peoples. They are like unto leaven which leaveneth the world of being, and constitute the animating force through which the arts and wonders of the world are made manifest. Through them the clouds rain their bounty upon men, and the earth bringeth forth its fruits. All things must needs have a cause, a motive power, an animating principle. These souls and symbols of detachment have provided, and will continue to provide, the supreme moving impulse in the world of being. The world beyond is as different from this world as this world is different from that of the child while still in the womb of its mother..." – Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, LXXXI

"... These human conditions may be likened to the matrix of the mother from which a child is to be born into the spacious outer world. At first the infant finds it very difficult to reconcile itself to its new existence. It cries as if not wishing to be separated from its narrow abode and imagining that life is restricted to that limited space. It is reluctant to leave its home, but nature forces it into this world. Having come into its new conditions, it finds that it has passed from darkness into a sphere of radiance; from gloomy and restricted surroundings it has been transferred to a spacious and delightful environment...Its new life is filled with brightness and beauty; it looks with wonder and delight upon the mountains, meadows and fields of green, the rivers and fountains, the wonderful stars; it breathes the life-quickening atmosphere; and then it praises God for its release from the confinement of its former condition and attainment to the freedom of a new realm. This analogy expresses the relation of the temporal world to the life hereafter—the transition of the soul of man from darkness and uncertainty to the light and reality of the eternal Kingdom. At first it is very difficult to welcome death, but after attaining its new condition the soul is grateful, for it has been released from the bondage of the limited to enjoy the liberties of the unlimited. It has been freed from a world of sorrow, grief and trials to live in a world of unending bliss and joy... They have soared away from these conditions of darkness and dim vision into the realm of light. These are the only considerations which can comfort and console those whom they have left behind..." – 'Abdu'l-Bahá, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, talk on 23 April 1912

"You ask an explanation of what happens to us after we leave this world: This is a question which none of the Prophets have ever answered in detail, for the very simple reason that you cannot convey to a person's mind something entirely different from everything they have ever experienced. 'Abdu'l-Bahá gave the wonderful example of the relation of this life to the next life being like the child in the womb; it develops eyes, ears, hands, feet, a tongue, and yet it has nothing to see or hear, it cannot walk or grasp things or speak; all these faculties it is developing for this world. If you tried to explain to an embryo what this world is like it could never understand--but it understands when it is born, and its faculties can be used. So we cannot picture our state in the next world. All we know is that our consciousness, our personality, endures in some new state, and that that world is as much better than this one as this one is better than the dark womb of our mother was..." – From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer, October 3, 1943, in Lights of Guidance, no. 701

bahaidata.org: Q4605   ·   Links to Bahá'í wikis (bahai9, bahaipedia, etc.)
references: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afterlife; bahaiquotes.com/subject/death; www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/search#q=life after death

"Life after death (afterlife)" has been tagged in:

80 results from the Main Catalog

from the main catalog (80 results; collapse)

sorted by  
  1. n.d.. Human Soul, The. Adib Taherzadeh.
  2. 2025-07. Bahá'í Sacred Writings. Bahá'u'lláh, Abdu'l-Bahá, Bahá'í World Centre, comp. . A comprehensive collection of selections from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh and the Writings and utterances of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, representing the range of the Bahá’í teachings
  3. 2025. Prayers by 'Abdu'l-Bahá, Some. Abdu'l-Bahá, Shidan Ashraf, trans. . Five prayers: for forgiveness, for guidance, for spiritual qualities, and for the departed.
  4. 2024-12. Lawh-i-Abdu'r-Razzáq: Parallel Translation (English). Bahá'u'lláh, A. Bolhuis, comp. . Comparison of three English language translations, from River of Life (1914), Bahá'í Scriptures (1923), and Gleanings (1935).
  5. 2023-07. Mizán of Affect in Material v. Metaphysical Models of Human Consciousness, The. John S. Hatcher. Though Bahá'í teachings hold that the soul progresses after the body ceases to exist, the physical brain is essential to our development; emotional processing requires a healthy brain; the brain-as-transceiver model can help treat affective disorders.
  6. 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.
  7. 2021. Light of the World: Selected Tablets of 'Abdu'l-Bahá. Abdu'l-Bahá. Tablets of ‘Abdul-Bahá describing aspects of the life of Bahá’u’lláh including the tribulations He suffered, events in His homeland, the purpose and greatness of His Cause, and the nature and significance of His Covenant.
  8. 2021. List of Articles by John Hatcher on BahaiTeachings.org. John S. Hatcher. List of online essays and articles by Dr. John Hatcher.
  9. 2020. Portal of God's Grace, A: Passages on Life after Death in the Baha'i Writings. William F. McCants, comp. This fleeting life; death as a portal of joy and grace; the nature of the next life and other worlds; actions in this life and recompense in the next; spiritual progress; sanctified souls. Includes some new provisional translations.
  10. 2019-12-08. Philosophical Statements by 'Abdu'l-Bahá in Some Answered Questions. Abdu'l-Bahá, A. Bolhuis, comp. . Quotations extracted from Ian Kluge's article "Some Answered Questions: A Philosophical Perspective" (2009), using the 2014 revised edition of "Some Answered Questions".
  11. 2019. Mystery of Consciousness, The: Learning from Neuroscience and Insights from Bahá'í Sacred Writings. Jena Khadem Khodadad. On the neural basis of consciousness; the concepts of mind and soul as presented in the Bahá’í writings; whether consciousness may continue after the death of the brain; and if explanations lie in quantum mechanics.
  12. 2018/2025. Additional Tablets, Extracts and Talks. Abdu'l-Bahá, Bahá'í World Centre, trans. . 216 selections, last updated 2025.
  13. 2018/2024. Additional Tablets and Extracts from Tablets Revealed by Bahá'u'lláh. Bahá'u'lláh, Bahá'í World Centre, trans. . 85 selections, last updated August 2024.
  14. 2018-05-03. 35 Common Objections to the Bahá'í Faith. Bridging Beliefs. Responses to common critiques of, doubts about, and objections to the Bahá'í Faith and against religion in general.
  15. 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.
  16. 2017. Suffering of the Exalted Letters. Bahá'u'lláh, Joshua Hall, trans. . Tablet written in Baghdad about death and the development of the human soul.
  17. 2017. Tablet of Consolation. Bahá'u'lláh, Joshua Hall, trans. . Letter to an early believer following the death of his father, in which Bahá'u'lláh teaches that death should not be a cause of grief, but is a transition in the journey of drawing nearer to God, who is the true source of comfort and solace.
  18. 2016. Tablet on the Right of the People (Lawh-i haqq al-nas). Bahá'u'lláh, Keven Brown, trans. . On some situations relating to a person’s private rights, in this case theft and debt, with a larger meditation on the spiritual rights a person earns through righteous deeds, and God’s promise to reward good deeds and punish the wrong.
  19. 2015. Archeology of the Kingdom of God, The. Jean-Marc Lepain, Peter Terry, trans. . Analysis of the spiritual worlds as depicted in philosophical and religious texts, from ancient the Greek to Jewish, Christian and Muslim thought, contrasted with the theosophy, metaphysics, anthropology, and hermeneutics of Bahá'u'lláh and 'Abdu'l-Bahá.
  20. 2014/2020/2024. List of Articles by Christopher Buck on BahaiTeachings.org. Christopher Buck. List of online essays and articles by Christopher Buck since 2014.
  21. 2014. Answered Questions, Some. Abdu'l-Bahá. 'Table talks' given by ‘Abdu’l‑Bahá in ‘Akká between 1904 and 1906 in response to questions posed by Laura Dreyfus-Barney; first published in 1908, the new 2014 edition has been extensively retranslated.
  22. 2014. Comparison of God and Soul Concepts from a Bahá'í and Hindu Point of View: Conceptions and Experiences of the Afterlife. Diane Robinson Kerr. Common ground between Hinduism’s Brahman and the Bahá'í conception of God, and the complex understanding they propose of the soul and Atman.
  23. 2014. Index to Some Answered Questions. Topic references to chapter and paragraph numbers of the 2014 revised authorized translation of this collection of table talks by 'Abdu'l-Bahá.
  24. 2014. Life After Death from a Bahá'í Perspective. Diane Robinson Kerr. Quotations from the Writings with some explanations, to trace the journey of the soul, the purpose of life, description of the afterlife, and the nature of belief itself.
  25. 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.
  26. 2012/2015. Near Death Experiences and the Bahá'í Faith. Steven Kolins, comp. Literature search and research notes on the Bahá'í Faith and death, near death experiences (NDEs), and the afterlife.
  27. 2011-04. Forces of Our Time: Lecture Series. Hooper Dunbar. Six lectures series at Bosch Bahá'í School, April 15-17 2011.
  28. 2010-04. Tablet of All Food, The: The Hierarchy of the Spiritual Worlds and the Metaphoric Nature of Physical Reality. Jean-Marc Lepain, Peter Terry, trans. . Terminology employed by Bahá'u'lláh to describe the hierarchy of the spiritual worlds: Háhút, Láhút, Jabarút and Malakút.
  29. 2009-2025. Translation List: Provisional Translations of Baháʼí Texts. Adib Masumian, trans. Index to talks, letters, and other items translated from Persian and Arabic to English by Adib Masumian; listed here for the sake of search engines and tagging.
  30. 2009-05. Elements of Immortality: A Nexus of Proofs by 'Abdu'l-Bahá in Some Answered Questions. James B. Thomas. This paper approaches the mystery of immortality in four steps that are based on objective reasoning by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá: the spirit of man; immortality of the spirit; proof with respect to progress after death; entrance into the Kingdom of God.
  31. 2009. Answered Questions, Some: A Philosophical Perspective. Ian Kluge. Philosophical foundations of the Bahá’í teachings, including ontology, theology, epistemology, philosophical anthropology and psychology, and personal and social ethics.
  32. 2008. Resurrection and Return of Jesus. Universal House of Justice. The body of Christ; the burial of Christ; His return; and explaining the Bahá'í view to Christians.
  33. 2007. Introduction to the Lawh-i Haqqu'n-Nas, An. Jean-Marc Lepain, Peter Terry, trans. . Summary of the tablet Lawh-i Haqqu’n-Nas, Tablet of the "Right of the People," on the metaphorical character of this world.
  34. 2007. Bahá'u'lláh's Lawh-i Haqqu'n-Nas: Tablet of the Right of the People, Provisional Translation. Bahá'u'lláh, Mehran Ghasempour, trans. . A tablet on the metaphorical character of this world.
  35. 2007. Hidden Gifts: Finding Blessings in the Struggles of Life. Brian Kurzius. Compilation of Bahá'í texts on the purpose of problems and tests in our lives.
  36. 2006-09-05. Bahá'í Perspective on the Concept of "Karma". Universal House of Justice, Research Department. Summary of the meaning of karma in Hinduism and Buddhism; Bahá'í views on karma and reincarnation as shown by selected passages in the Hidden Words and other Writings.
  37. 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.
  38. 2004-2014. Powerpoints for Deepening. Duane Troxel. 26 presentations in Powerpoint format, on a variety of topics covering Bahá'í history, Central Figures, teachings, and relationship with Islam.
  39. 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.
  40. 2003. Celestial Pavilion, Inmates of. Universal House of Justice.
  41. 2003. Death and Dying in the Bahá'í Faith. Moshe Sharon. Brief summary of Bahá'í history and theological background; the three layers of existence; death as the transition between levels of reality; Bahá'í burial laws.
  42. 2002. Life after Death: Warwick Leaflets. Warwick Bahá'í Bookshop.
  43. 2002. Selections from the Writings of His Holiness 'Abdu'l-Bahá': 3. Abdu'l-Bahá, Khazeh Fananapazir, trans. . Provisional translations of three selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Bahá'.
  44. 1998. Body, Mind, Soul and Spirit. Anjam Khursheed. The Bahá'í view of human nature involves an interaction between spirit, soul and body — these three elements exist both in the Semitic religions and in the Far Eastern ones; Western dualist and Eastern monist traditions are in fact all tripartite.
  45. 1998. Soul in Chinese and Bahá'í Belief, The. Phyllis Ghim-Lian Chew. On Chinese religions and the Bahá'í Faith; their beliefs in the presence of a soul and an afterlife; the nature of the soul and the human being; the human quest for happiness and meaning in life; free will and its relation to justice.
  46. 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.
  47. 1998. Life of Thomas Breakwell, The. Rajwantee Lakshiman-Lepain. Breakwell (1872–1902) was a religious seeker who became a Bahá'í in Paris in 1901, the first Englishman to become a Bahá'í as well as the first westerner to contribute to the Huqúqu'lláh.
  48. 1998. Life after Death: A Study of the Afterlife in Religions, by Farnaz Ma'sumian: Review. Jack McLean.
  49. 1997. Metaphor and the Language of Revelation. Ross Woodman. To enter the realm of metaphor as the language of the soul is to come into direct contact with the Word as the originating power of creation.
  50. 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.
  51. 1995-04-25. Reincarnation, Rebirth and the Progress of the Soul. Universal House of Justice. On reincarnation, the soul and the concept of “return,” and the mind and “former life memories."
  52. 1995-03-09. Animal Spirits. Universal House of Justice. Letter to an individual believer on the question if animals possess a surviving spiritual reality.
  53. 1995. Heaven. Robert Stockman.
  54. 1995. Abdu'l-Bahá's Phrasings about the Next World in Memorials of the Faithful. A. Bolhuis, comp. In Memorials of the Faithful, 'Abdu'l-Bahá describes the lives of around 80 Bahá'ís. He closes these descriptions with a phrase about the person's soul moving to the afterlife.
  55. 1994-07-06. New Religious Movements, Tolkien, Marriage. Universal House of Justice. Various questions: new religious movements; Indian Letter of the Living; J.R.R. Tolkien; eternality of the marriage bond; illumination of Bahá'u'lláh's tablets.
  56. 1993. Light after Death: The Baha'i Faith and the Near-Death Experience. Alan Bryson. The parallels between the NDE and the Bahá'í writings concerning life after death.
  57. 1993. Near Death Experience. Reinee Pasarow. Video talk by a person who had a life-changing near death experience as a teenager, became a seeker and Bahá'í, and did talks about her experience which also gave her the opportunity to teach about the Bahá'í Faith.
  58. 1992/1997. Reincarnation Mystery Revealed, The. Harilal M. Munje.
  59. 1991-08-28. Condition of non-Bahá'í Relatives after Death, The. Universal House of Justice. Four questions: Do the non-Bahá'í parents of believers become Bahá'ís in the next world? What is the definition of "kin"? What is the requisite spiritual state of the believer? What conditions are associated with the divine bounty?
  60. 1990. Iqbál and the Bábí-Bahá'í Faith. Annemarie Schimmel. One of the more influential Muslim thinkers of the first half of the 20th century, Iqbal expressed views on the the Bábí and Bahá'í religions in his dissertation "The Development of Metaphysics in Persia" and his poetical magnum opus the Javidnama.
  61. 1990. Soul, Life of the: Warwick Leaflets. Warwick Bahá'í Bookshop.
  62. 1989/1990. Immortality and the Human Soul: Lecture Series. Hooper Dunbar.
  63. 1988. Lights of Guidance: A Bahá'í Reference File. Bahá'u'lláh, Abdu'l-Bahá, Shoghi Effendi, Universal House of Justice, Helen Bassett Hornby, comp. . The classic Bahá'í reference book. This is its first online edition.
  64. 1987-09-14. Resurrection of Christ and the Bible. Universal House of Justice. Information on Bahá'í concepts related to the Resurrection of Christ.
  65. 1982. Spiritualization of the Bahá'í Community: A Plan for Teaching. National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Ireland, Adib Taherzadeh. A three-part collection consisting of a letter from the NSA of Ireland, a letter from Taherzadeh to the Bahá'ís of Ireland regarding the spiritualization of the Bahá'í community, and the preamble for a plan of action for teaching.
  66. 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.
  67. 1977. Spiritual Body and Celestial Earth: From Mazdean Iran to Shi'ite Iran. Henry Corbin, Nancy Pearson, trans. . An analysis of interrelated themes in Iranian religion, including the angelology of Mazdaism and Islamic Shi'ite concepts of spirit-body identity. Includes descriptions of cosmologies in Zoroastrian, Shi'i Islamic and Shaykhi philosophies.
  68. 1976 [1921]. Tablet to Auguste Forel. Abdu'l-Bahá, Shoghi Effendi, trans. . A letter of ʻAbdu'l-Bahá written in 1921, in reply to questions asked by the Swiss scientist Auguste-Henri Forel, exploring the soul, mind, spirit, and God's existence, affirming spiritual reality beyond materialism.
  69. 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.
  70. 1972. Covenant of Baha'u'llah, The. Adib Taherzadeh. Link to book (offsite).
  71. 1970. Human Soul and its Immortality, The. Alí-Akbar Furútan. On the three kinds of spirit — human, animal, vegetable; 9 proofs for the existence of the soul; 13 proofs for the immortality of souls; miscellaneous matters relating to the human soul.
  72. 1956. Path to God, The: 1956 edition. Dorothy Baker. Some elements for spiritual success: power through prayer and nine benefits of prayer, victorious living, and immortality.
  73. 1945. Mírzá Abu'l-Fadl in America. Ali Kuli Khan, Marzieh Gail. Khan's personal recollections of Gulpaygani, with mentions of other early American Bahá'ís.
  74. 1944/2006. Divine Art of Living, The. The Báb, Bahá'u'lláh, Abdu'l-Bahá, Mabel Hyde Paine, comp. . Collection of thematically arranged quotations.
  75. 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.
  76. 1922-09. Questions about Science and Religion: Interviews with Abdu'l-Bahá at Tiberias and Haifa. Anna Kunz. Questions asked of Abdu'l-Bahá by two Christians visiting Haifa in 1921.
  77. 1921. Prayer for Fathers. Abdu'l-Bahá, Ahmad Sohrab, trans. . Tablet revealed for Albert Windust, first American publisher of the Bahá'í Writings and founder of Star of the West, on the occasion of his father's passing.
  78. 1912. Bahá'ísm, the religion of brotherhood and its place in the evolution of creeds. Francis Henry Skrine. An outsider's sympathetic portrayal of the Bahá'í history and teachings, written with "express approval" of Abdu'l-Bahá.
  79. 1908. Development of Metaphysics in Persia, The: A Contribution to the History of Muslim Philosophy. Muhammad Iqbal. Short philosophical observations on the theology of the Báb and Bahá'u'lláh.
  80. 1907-10. Extracts from Notes Taken at Acca. Aline Shane-Devin. Discussion on spiritual concepts, prayer, the importance of loving and understanding God; creation and immortality of souls; human and divine spirit; divine punishment and mercy; interracial marriage; immaculate conception; universal Manifestations.
 
  • search for parts of tags or alterate spellings
  • 2 characters minimum, parts separated by spaces
  • multiple keywords allowed, e.g. "Madrid Paris Seattle"
  • see also multiple tag search

Overview & core concepts

Principles, teachings
Central Figures
Institute process
Practices
Terminology
Virtues

Comparative religion

Prophets, Manifestations
Religion, general
Religions, Asian
Religions, Middle Eastern
Religions, other

Texts & interpretation

Writings: general
Writings of Bahá'u'lláh
Writings of the Báb
Writings of Abdu'l-Bahá
Metaphors and allegories
Words and phrases

Society & knowledge

Arts
Philosophy
Science

Other

Administration
BWC institutions
Calendar
Conferences
Dates
Film
General
Geographic locations
Hands of the Cause
Holy places, sites
Mashriqu'l-Adhkár
Organizations, Bahá'í

Other

Organizations, Other
People
Persecution
Plans
Publications
Publishing
Rulers
Schools, education
Shoghi Effendi
Translation, languages
Universal House of Justice
Universities

All tags Wiki tags Inventory tags
Home divider Site Map divider Series divider Chronology
search   Author divider Title divider Date divider Tags
Adv. search divider Languages divider Inventory
Links divider About divider Contact divider RSS divider New
smaller fontbigger font