Akhirat

I. Introduction

Every soul shall have to taste death and we test you by evil and by good by way of

trial. To us must you return .(Al-Quran)

II. Interpretation of the term Akhirat

(a) Literal Meaning

Akhirat

Arabic

Things to happen later on

(b) Definition

In Islamic teachings, the Akhirat means the day of the judgement when all

the people will be raised after their death.

III. Explanatory note

.
And who believe in what has been revealed to you, [O Muhammad], and what was

revealed before you, and of the Hereafter they are certain [in faith].(Al-Quran02:04)
IV. Validity of Akhirat

(a) Al-Quran

The world is the farm of Akhirat.

(b) Al-Hadith

All living things will taste death. (Al-Hadith)

The value of this world compared to that of the Hereafter is like what your finger

brings from the sea when you put in it and then take it out. (Al-Hadith)

V. Salient features of Akhirat

(a) Disbelief among men

(b) Spread of sensuality

(c) Sedition and Tumults

(d) Great distress in world

(e) Rising of Sun in West

(f) A monster emerge from Mount Safa

(g) Coming of Dajjal

(h) A smoke shall fill the earth

(i) Three eclipses of moon

(j) Coming of Imam Mehdi

VI. Stages of Life after death

(a) As-Saah

Sughra

Wusta

Kubra

(b) Questioning by angels

(c) Burzurkh

Stage between death and resurrection.

(d) Hour of Resurrection

(e) Day of Judgment

And we shall set up just balances on the day of judgment so that no soul shall be

dealt with injustice in the least and though there be the weight of grain of mustard

seed. We shall bring it and sufficient are we to take account. (Al-Quran)

(f) Heaven

A likeness of the garden which the righteous are promised there flow rivers, fruits

are everlasting and its shades.(Al-Quran)

(g) Hell

Non-believers have to eat Zaqam(a tree) and taste the pain of burning.(al-Quran)

VII. Importance of Akhirat

(a) Strong safeguard against vices

(b) Law, order and peace

(c) Religious Peace

(d) Human Character

 (e) Moral responsibility

(f) The chief aim: Ibadat

(g) Great source of consolation

(h) Patience to bear trials

(i) Courage

(j) Spirit of Sacrifices

(k) Reduction of poverty

(l) Jihad

Fear God and ye know that ye have to go to God.(Al-Quran)

VIII. Concept of Akhirat in other religions

(a) Hinduism

(b) When a Hindu devotee dies their soul leaves the body and goes to another world and returns again
after spending some time there. Where a person is reborn is determined by their karma, the effects
of a person's actions that determine their destiny in the next incarnation. Hindus try to do virtuous
acts of conduct so that they will increase their good karma and be reborn higher up in the caste
system. This is done in numerous ways. Their initial aim is to worship Brahman (supreme Lord) by
thinking about him and reading his Holy books. The Vedas, Smritis, Ramayan and Bhagavad Gita;
(c) Their life should involve praying and making offerings to the various Gods that take form from
Brahman originally. There is no specific God that you can worship, whichever you choose is
acceptable as it leads to essentially to Brahman.
(d) Hinduism believes in the existence of not one hell and heaven but in the existence of many sun filled
heavens and many demonic worlds. 5
(e) In the ultimate sense the purpose of these worlds is to neither punish nor reward the souls, but to
remind them of the true purpose of their existence to lead an adequate life according to the Hindu
Holy scripture The Vedas.
(f) The process of being born, to grow, die and be reborn again is known as samsara. It is the aim of
every Hindu to be freed from this cycle in order to be in the presence of God, or become one with
God. Karma is in itself a system of reward and punishment.
(g) The idea of reincarnation is not strictly limited to Hinduism. The idea of reincarnation is also
becoming more popular in the West. This concept of reincarnation is summarily described in
following verse of the Bhagavad-Gita.
 (h) Christianity

Whilst there are different orthodox Christian beliefs Catholics, Protestants, the Baptists

and other Christians, the core of Christian belief about the afterlife is that there is an

afterlife, that conduct on earth how we behave - will determine where in the afterlife you

will eventually end up. That there is a hell for the wicked ones especially the Catholic

Church still teaches that hellfire is for eternity and there is heaven for those who behaved

well. Also, the Catholic Church claims there is an afterlife state which is between heaven

and hell the Catholic Church calls purgatory. The theological teaching is that after a time

of purgation, the spirit will eventually be progress and will go to heaven. There are other

Christians, the Protestants, who do not accept purgatory. Catholic theology also states that

sinners can confess their sins to Catholic priests and those sins are forgiven for ever it

does not matter how grave the sins might be including genocide if the sinner truly

repents, he will be forgiven.

Judaism

Traditional Judaism firmly believes that death is not the end of human existence. However,

because Judaism is primarily focused on life here and now rather than on the afterlife, Judaism

does not have much dogma about the afterlife, and leaves a great deal of room for personal

opinion. It is possible for an Orthodox Jew to believe that the souls of the righteous dead go to

a place similar to the Christian heaven, or that they are reincarnated through many lifetimes, or

that they simply wait until the coming of the messiah, when they will be resurrected. Likewise,

Orthodox Jews can believe that the souls of the wicked are tormented by demons of their own

creation, or that wicked souls are simply destroyed at death, ceasing to exist.

(i) Budhism

IX. Effects of belief in Akhirat

(a) Responsibility
 (b) Invitation towards God

And those who join that which Allah has ordered to be joined and fear their Lord

and are afraid of the evil of [their] account,(13:21)(SurahAr-Rad)

(c) Patience

(d) Courage

(e) Ideal society

(f) The spirit of generosity

(g) The spirit of worship

(h) Rectitude and honesty

(i) Purification of inner self

(j) Humbleness

(k) Tranquility of Mind

(l) Complacence

(m)Contentment

(n) Up-Rightness

(o) Determination and perseverance

(p) Bravery

X. Traditional and Rational argument about faith in Resurrection

(a) Traditional argument

This is a dreadful news which you people do not believe by Allah, there is
no doubt in the coming of dooms day.(Al-Quran)

Where are those who call themselves Kings. (Al-Hadith)

 In the court of Allah first of all the affairs of the neighbours will be
presented.(Al-Hadith)

(b) Rational Argument

Cells of the body

Soul

Spirit

Metabolism of life

Wisdom and conscience

XI. Evidence of Akhirat

1. MasteroftheDayofJudgement.

(Surah Fatiha).

2. Signs of Denier of Akhirat

(Surah Al-Maun).

Have you seen the one who denies the Recompense?

3. Abu-lahb in flames

He will [enter to] burn in a Fire of [blazing] flame. (Surah Lahab: 3)

4. Surah Taghabun
 Those who disbelieve have claimed that they will never be resurrected. Say, "Yes,

by my Lord, you will surely be resurrected; then you will surely be informed of

what you did. And that, for Allah , is easy." (64:7)

5. And those who disbelieved will be driven to Hell in groups until, when they reach

it, its gates are opened and its keepers will say, "Did there not come to you

messengers from yourselves, reciting to you the verses of your Lord and warning

you of the meeting of this Day of yours?" They will say, "Yes, but the word of

punishment has come into effect upon the disbelievers. [To them] it will be said,

"Enter the gates of Hell to abide eternally therein, and wretched is the residence of

the arrogant." But those who feared their Lord will be driven to Paradise in groups

until, when they reach it while its gates have been opened and its keepers say,

"Peace be upon you; you have become pure; so enter it to abide eternally therein,"

[they will enter]. And they will say, "Praise to Allah , who has fulfilled for us His

promise and made us inherit the earth [so] we may settle in Paradise wherever we

will. And excellent is the reward of [righteous] workers." And you will see the

angels surrounding the Throne, exalting [ Allah ] with praise of their Lord. And it

will be judged between them in truth, and it will be said, "[All] praise to Allah ,

Lord of the worlds." (Surah Az-Zumar: 71-75)

6. Surah Ya-Sin

And the Horn will be blown; and at once from the graves to their Lord they will

hasten. They will say, "O woe to us! Who has raised us up from our sleeping

place?" [The reply will be], "This is what the Most Merciful had promised, and the

messengers told the truth." (51-52)

7. Surah Al-Sajda

But as for those who defiantly disobeyed, their refuge is the Fire. Every time they

wish to emerge from it, they will be returned to it while it is said to them, "Taste the

punishment of the Fire which you used to deny."(20)

8. Surah Taha

From the earth We created you, and into it We will return you, and from it We will

extract you another time.(55)

9. Surah Baqarah

And fear a Day when you will be returned to Allah . Then every soul will be

compensated for what it earned, and they will not be treated unjustly. (281)

10. Surah Kosar

Indeed, We have granted you, [O Muhammad], al-Kawthar.

11. Surah Waqaya

When the Occurrence occurs, There is, at its occurrence, no denial. It will bring

down [some] and raise up [others]. When the earth is shaken with convulsion And

the mountains are broken down, crumbling And become dust dispersing. And you

become [of] three kinds: Then the companions of the right - what are the

companions of the right? And the companions of the left - what are the companions

of the left? And the forerunners, the forerunners (1-10).

12. Concept of life and Spirit

13. Second creation is easier than the first

And he presents for Us an example and forgets his [own] creation. He says, "Who

will give life to bones while they are disintegrated?" Say, "He will give them life
 who produced them the first time; and He is, of all creation, Knowing." (Surah Ya-

Sin: 78-79)

14. Need of Divine Justice

15. Process of Fairness of Reward and Punishment

16. First place of Adam and Eve

17. Concept of Prophethood and Doctrine of Akhirat

And We certainly sent into every nation a messenger, [saying], "Worship Allah and

avoid Taghut." And among them were those whom Allah guided, and among them

were those upon whom error was [deservedly] decreed. So proceed through the

earth and observe how was the end of the deniers.(Surah An-Nahl 36)

18. The relation of Creator and Creation

They arise from [their] beds; they supplicate their Lord in fear and aspiration, and

from what We have provided them, they spend. (Surah Sajdah: 16)

19. Control over Revolt and Rebellion

20. Creation of responsible attitude

XII. Conclusion

Past Papers

Q. Explain with arguments the Self-Reformation (Islam-e-Nafs) and construction

of moral according to the need and importance of the faith of the Day of Judgment

(Akhirat) (2003)

Q. DescribetheimportanceoftheconceptoftheDayofJudgmentandexplain

the practical results of this notion of the Private and Public life of the people.

(2008)
Q. Stating traditional and rational arguments about faith of Resurrection, discuss

the role of this faith in establishing an organized society. (2010)