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There is no paradise...more exalted than to obey God's commandments, and there is no fire...fiercer than to transgress His laws and to oppress another soul, even to the extent of a mustard seed. On the Day of Resurrection God will, in truth, judge all men, and we all verily plead for His grace.16 (2:19) This world, in spite of its many pains and pressures, appears enchanting and glamorous. We often become so blinded by earthly glamours that we lose sight of heavenly glories. A little spiritual wealth is worth more than all the earthly riches, yet most people worry more about earning pennies than about entering paradise. Great Messengers seek to awaken us from our illusions of attachment to this planet, to draw our attention away from passing pleasures to the splendors of heaven: (2:20) Night hath succeeded day, and day hath succeeded night, and the hours and moments of your lives have come and gone, and yet none of you hath, for one instant, consented to detach himself from that which perisheth. Bestir yourselves, that the brief moments that are still yours may not be dissipated and lost. Even as the swiftness of lightning your days shall pass, and your bodies shall be laid to rest beneath a canopy of dust. What can ye then achieve? How can ye atone for your past failure?17 Baha'u'llah (2:21) Life is brief but precious. We are moving with incredible speed. Our goal is to find the highway of happiness and the exit to heaven. If we hesitate to look and miss the chance, if we waste the precious gift of freedom that is ours, there is no returning. Today people are constantly rushing and running. Do they have a destination? "The loudspeaker of the big jet clicked on and the captain's voice announced in a clear, even tone: 'Now there's no cause for alarm, but we felt passengers should know that for the last three hours we've been flying without the benefit of radio, compass, or radar, due to the breakdown of some key components. This means that we are not quite sure in which direction we are heading. You'll be glad to know, however that we're making excellent time!'" (2:22) After passing from the earthly realm, all souls will have a chance to advance in the heavenly realm. Since everyone will have this chance, those farthest from God here will, in relation to others, continue to be farthest from Him. This is why hell and heaven are said to be eternal. The consequences of how well we do here will stay with us always. (2:23) Whatever we weave here we will wear hereafter. After passing away, as 'Abdu'l-Baha declares, the soul will continue its journey forward from "the degree of purity to which it has evolved during life in the physical body."18
(2:24)
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