Heaven & Hell: (22:0)

"It is clear and evident that all men shall, after their physical death, estimate the worth of their deeds, and realize all that their hands have wrought. I swear by the Day Star that shineth above the horizon of Divine power! They that are the followers of the one true God shall, the moment they depart out of this life, experience such joy and gladness as would be impossible to describe, while they that live in error shall be seized with such fear and trembling, and shall be filled with such consternation, as nothing can exceed. Well is it with him that hath quaffed the choice and incorruptible wine of faith through the gracious favor and the manifold bounties of Him Who is the Lord of all Faiths.." (gwb 170) (22:1)

1. Where is Heaven and where is Hell?
"The immortality of the spirit is mentioned in the Holy Books; it is the fundamental basis of the divine religions. Now punishments and rewards are said to be of two kinds: first, the rewards of this life; second those of the other world. But the Paradise and Hell of existence are found in "all" the worlds of God, whether in "this" world or in the "spiritual" heavenly worlds (emphasis added). (saq 223) "Where is Paradise, and where is Hell? Say, The one is reunion with Me, the other thine own self" (tbh 118) [in Baha'i terminology, "self" designates one's lower nature, that insidious self that prompts us to commit selfish and ungodly acts. Heaven and Hell are spiritual conditions, not physical places; for physical places are a feature of this created world, not of the spiritual existence of the Kingdom of God. God is a Spirit, as is Jesus who sits at His right hand, as are all persons since "flesh and blood cannot enter the Kingdom of God" (1co 15:50)] (22:2) see

1. The Rewards of this life & the next (heaven):
"The rewards of this life are the virtues and perfections which adorn the reality of man. For example.. he was earthly and he becomes heavenly; he was material and becomes spiritual. Through these rewards he gains spiritual birth and becomes a new creature. He becomes the manifestation of the verse in the Gospel where it is said of the disciples that they were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God (joh 1:13): that is to say, they were delivered from the animal characteristics and qualities which are the characteristics of human nature, and they became qualified with the divine characteristics, which are the bounty of God." (bwf 324) (22:3) see

2. Punishment specific to this world (hell):
"For.. (believers), there is not greater torture than being veiled from God, and no more severe punishment than sensual vices, dark qualities, lowness of nature, engrossment in carnal desires.. they consider that the spiritual punishment, that is to say the torture and punishment of existence, is to be subjected to the world of nature, to be veiled from God.. to fall into carnal lusts.. being immersed in satanic ideas; for them these are the greatest punishments and tortures." (bwf 324) (22:4)

4. Punishment specific to the next world (hell):
"The souls of the infidels, however, shall -- and to this I bear witness - when breathing their last be made aware of the good things that have escaped them, and shall bemoan their plight, and shall humble themselves before God. They shall continue doing so after the separation of their souls from their bodies." (gwb 170) (22:5)

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