The people who come here are divided into two classes. One
comes here as dead and returns alive; ignorant and returns wise; withered and
returns fresh and fragrant.
House of Abbud, 1920s (Baha'i Media Bank)
This class is likened to the man whose body is healthy and who comes out into the fresh country or the green and verdant prairie where he shall sense the life-giving breeze and healthful sunshine, and from whence he shall depart with great joy and vigor. Or, like a man who is hungry and goes to a well spread table and attains fullness therefrom.
The other class resembles the man who is sick and incapable of enjoying the blessings and surroundings of the country, or of eating the wholesome foods. Now the food is rich and edible, but the man is sick and hence incapable of obtaining nourishment therefrom. Thus he goes back in the same condition as before.
Again, one is like the dry wood or oil which is ready for combustion or ignition; as soon as it contacts with fire, it is set aglow. Whereas, another class resembles a stone which may be placed for a thousand years in the fire and yet will not become ignited and shed a radiance.
Again, the sea has innumerable pearls in its depths. A good and trained diver will obtain therefrom abundant pearls, whereas one unacquainted with and incapable of this attainment can only obtain the shells.
- 'Abdu'l-Baha (Utterances of ‘Abdu’l-Baha to American Pilgrims Charles and Mariam Haney, Akka, February 1909; ‘A Heavenly Feast’)