Baha’u’llah often refers to hell as “the fire”, which is how the world feels when it deals a serious blow. He counsels people to stay out of the world’s affairs so that they are not caught up in its deceptions and tribulations. In the following hidden word, he makes some subtle, and very important points about the nature of the world:
“O son of being! Busy not thyself with this world, for with fire We test the gold, and with gold We test Our servants.” (Arabic hidden word 55)
Here, Baha’u’llah is comparing the world and its affairs to a fire. He is telling people to steer clear of it for two reasons. First, because God has created the world to test the worthiness of souls (the gold); and second, because the world is the arena where worthy souls (the gold) become the victims of envy and hatred. This is a stern warning to stay completely clear of the world or risk being drawn into it and spiritually destroyed.