Islam is a complete and authentic religion that provides complete guidance to its followers regarding the world and the hereafter. Islam has not only taught its believers as to how to lead life in this temporary world but it also guides people regarding all the phases he has to go through in the life hereafter.Islam has given a complete concept and belief of life after death to its believers and named it as 'Akhirah' (life hereafter). The people who really believe in the life after death are the real Pious people and Momineen.
Allah Almighty says in the Holy Quran:
وَبِالْآخِرَةِ هُمْ يُوقِنُونَ
Translation:
And they have faith in the Hereafter. (Surah Al-Baqarah. 04)
As far as the importance of the topic of the Hereafter is concerned, one third of the Holy Quran comprises the description of the life hereafter and the Day of Judgement. Among the teachings which all the Prophets () conveyed to their followers, along with the belief in monotheism and Risalat, the belief in hereafter has also been of primary importance. In the Holy Quran, the doubts of the deniers of the hereafter have been answered in a very good way. The attitude of those who denied the belief of the hereafter was that will we be resurrected after being destroyed in the earth? For us, the only life is that in this world. We shall not be resurrected and who can resurrect after the bones have decayed. Rejecting their doubts,
Allah Almighty says in the Holy Quran:
وَهُوَ الَّذِى يَبْدَوُا الخَلْقَ ثُمَّ يُعِيدُهُ وَهُوَاهُوَنُ عَلَيْهِ ط
Translation:
It is He who originates the creation, then will create it again; and it is easier for Him. (Surah Ar-Rum: 27)
Human mind admits that it is easier to create anything for the second time than to create it for the first time. Therefore, human mind requires belief in the hereafter. Everyone admits that good deeds are rewarded and bad deeds are rewarded too.
The major point to ponder over is that whether the criminals will not be punished for their crimes? Will the good deeds of the pious people not be rewarded? Has Allah Almighty created human beings as worthless and does his actions have no status? When the human mind thinks about it, then it is accepted that the life of the Hereafter is true and real in which all people will receive the reward and punishment of their deeds.
Some of the things that a person goes through in the life after death are as follows:
i. Barzakh (Purgatory World)
The intervening period after death and before resurrection is called Barzakh by scholars. Barzakh means a barrier between two things. Allah Almighty says in the Holy Quran:
وَمِن وَرَابهم بَرُ إِلى يَوْمِ يُبْعَثُونَ
Translation:
And infront of such people there is a barrier till the day when they will be resurrected. (Surah Al-Mu'minun: 100)
The circumstances of the Barzakh are different as per the human actions.
The Holy Prophet (s) said:
Indeed the grave is either one of the gardens of the heaven or one of the pits of the hell. (Jami at-Tirmidhi: 2468).
ii. Hashar and Nashar
Nashar means reviving after death, while Hashar means reckoning - and then leads to heaven and hell. First of all, the Holy Prophet (s) will come out of his grave, then Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq will be on his right and Hazrat Umar Farooq on his left. Then the Muslims of the cemeteries of Makkah and Madina will be gathered in Hashr. On the day of Hashr, the ranks of people will be different, and the ranks of Prophets will be the highest among the people. The Holy Prophet (s) will be at the highest position on this day, the non-believers will be severely tested on this day and will be walking upside down.
iii. Muqam-e-Mahmood and Intercession (Shifa'at)
Intercession means having approach. There are two types of intercession. First one is Shifa'at-e-Kubra which is the characteristic of the Holy Prophet (s). This intercession will benefit the entire humanity because the hardship of waiting for the reckoning will end and the reckoning will begin. This intercession is called Muqam-e-Mahmood. The Prophet ( was asked what is Muqam-e-Mahmood? )
He(s) said:
"Muqam-e-Mahmood is indeed intercession." (Jami at-Tirmidhi: 3148)
The second intercession is ShiFa'at-e-Sughra. On the Day of Resurrection, the Prophet (d) and other prophets (), angels, scholars, martyrs, righteous people, the Holy Quran and fasting, etc., will intercede for humans in the presence of Allah Almighty. There will be no force and coercion in intercession, no one will be able to force Allah Almighty. Allah will grant permission to intercede to whomever He wills . The requirement of faith in the Hereafter is that we think about the Hereafter in life, do as many good deeds and avoid sins, think about the rights of Allah and the rights of the servants, treat others with good manners so that we deserve Paradise.
iv. Hauz-e-Kausar
'Kausar' is the name of the reservoir of Paradise which will be given to the Prophet on the Day of Resurrection and the Ummah of the Prophet will be watered by it. Those who will drink water from this reservoir on the Day of Judgment will be the blessed. The Prophet (s) used to announce to his Companions and the believers that they would be watered from Hauz-e-Kausar. The Messenger of Allah while describing the attributes of Hauz-e-Kausar, used to say:
Kausar is a river in the heaven. Its edges are made of gold. It flows in streams of pearls and rubies, its water is sweeter than honey, whiter than milk, cooler than ice and more aromatic than musk. (Musnad Ahmad: 8843)
v. Meezan
Meezan means balance. On the Day of Judgment, the scale that will be set up will have a width as wide as that between the East and the West. This scale is of truth. On the Day of Judgement, the deeds of all people will be weighed, those whose good deeds will be heavier, they will be successful and those with lighter deeds will be in loss. Allah says:
Translation:
We shall place scales to do justice on the Day of Judgment. So no one shall be wronged in the least. (Surah Al-Anbiya: 47)
The Holy Prophet (s) said:
"There will be nothing heavier than good manners in Meezan." (Sunan Abi Dawood: 4799)
vi. Paradise and Hell
After answering to the deeds, those deserving heaven and hell will go to their respective abodes. Paradise is an example of the mercy of Allah whereas hell is the manifestation of wrath and majesty. Paradise is a very beautiful place where a person can have everything. Allah says:
وَلَكُمْ فِيْهَا مَا تَشْتَهِي أَنْفُسُكُمْ وَلَكُمْ فِيهَا مَا تَدَّ عُوْنَ الله
Translation:
And for you here is whatever your souls desire, and for you here is whatever you call for. (Surah Hamim As-Sajdah: 31)
This paradise has been prepared for those who obey Allah Almighty in this world. There is a Hadith about the beauty of heaven. Holy Prophet said that Allah Almighty says: have prepared for My pious servants that place which no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no human heart has ever imagined of it's idea. (Sahih al-Bukhari: 3244)
The abode of those in the Hereafter, who disobey Allah will be hell where there will be different conditions of punishment. Human beings will be punished based on their actions. Criminals will be chained, burned in the fire, iron whips will be rained on them, the drink given to them will be pus and the food given to them will be thorns, which they will not be able to eat or drink. Fearing this punishment, they will wish for death, but death will not come to them. Man will think that death will come, but death will be slaughtered in front of the people of hell and it will be announced:
O people of heaven! Death will not come to you and O people of hell! Now you too will not die. (Sahih al-Bukhari: 6548)
