O thou seeker of the Kingdom! Thy letter was received. Thou
hast written of the severe calamity that hath befallen thee—the death of thy
respected husband. That honourable man hath been so subjected to the stress and
strain of this world that his greatest wish was for deliverance from it. Such
is this mortal abode: a storehouse of afflictions and suffering. It is
ignorance that binds man to it, for no comfort can be secured by any soul in
this world, from monarch down to the most humble commoner. If once this life
should offer a man a sweet cup, a hundred bitter ones will follow; such is the
condition of this world. The wise man, therefore, doth not attach himself to
this mortal life and doth not depend upon it; at some moments, even, he eagerly
wisheth for death that he may thereby be freed from these sorrows and
afflictions.
As to thy husband, rest assured. He will be immersed in the
ocean of pardon and forgiveness and will become the recipient of bounty and
favour. Strive thine utmost to give his child a Bahá’í training so that when he
attaineth maturity he may be merciful, illumined and heavenly.
- ‘Abdu’l-Baha
(‘Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Baha’)
