And now, comprehend the meaning of this verse: “The whole
earth shall on the Resurrection Day be but His handful, and in His right hand
shall the heavens be folded together. Praise be to Him! and high be He uplifted
above the partners they join with him!” [Qur’án 39:67] And now, be fair in thy
judgment. Were this verse to have the meaning which men suppose it to have, of
what profit, one may ask, could it be to man? Moreover, it is evident and
manifest that no such hand as could be seen by human eye could accomplish such
deeds, or could possibly be ascribed to the exalted Essence of the one true
God. Nay, to acknowledge such a thing is naught but sheer blasphemy, an utter
perversion of the truth. And should it be supposed that by this verse are meant
the Manifestations of God, Who will be called upon, on the Day of Judgment, to
perform such deeds, this too seemeth far from the truth, and is surely of no
profit. On the contrary, by the term “earth” is meant the earth of
understanding and knowledge, and by “heavens” the heavens of divine Revelation.
Reflect thou, how, in one hand, He hath, by His mighty grasp, turned the earth
of knowledge and understanding, previously unfolded, into a mere handful, and,
on the other, spread out a new and highly exalted earth in the hearts of men,
thus causing the freshest and loveliest blossoms, and the mightiest and
loftiest trees to spring forth from the illumined bosom of man. (Baha’u’llah,
‘The Kitab-i-Iqan’)
