Man is in the highest degree of materiality, and at the
beginning of spirituality -- that is to say, he is the end of imperfection and
the beginning of perfection. He is at the last degree of darkness, and at the
beginning of light; that is why it has been said that the condition of man is
the end of the night and the beginning of day, meaning that he is the sum of
all the degrees of imperfection, and that he possesses the degrees of
perfection. He has the animal side as well as the angelic side, and the aim of
an educator is to so train human souls that their angelic aspect may overcome
their animal side....
(‘Abdu’l-Baha, ‘Some Answered Questions’; The Compilation of Compilations, vol. I, Baha’i Education)
(‘Abdu’l-Baha, ‘Some Answered Questions’; The Compilation of Compilations, vol. I, Baha’i Education)
