what is the proof that god can Resurrect us after our death?
Death is inevitable and the end of the world is a reality. In that case, what happens to man after the expiry of his physical existence? Will his life end here or will he be resurrected? The Noble Qurân says in very definite terms that Allâh will bring back to life every human being on the Day of Judgment. The pious and righteous among them will be then be sent to Paradise while the sinners will have to taste the Hellfire. There are many among us who mock this idea. To them, it is quite illogical to believe that God can recreate us after we have turned to dust in our graves. Verse 5, of Chapter 22 - Surah Al-Hajj of the Noble Qurân is sufficient to clear this doubt: “O mankind if you are in doubt about the resurrection then it is we who have created you from dust, then from zygote, then from a leach like clot, then out of morsel of flesh, partly formed and partly unformed, and We cause whom we will to remain in the wombs for an appointed term then we bring them out as infants.”
Verse 7 of the same chapter is a clear warning to those who refuse to believe that that the dead will be resurrected.
“Surely the hour will come and there can be no doubt about it and certainly Allah will resurrect all who are in the graves”
the reason why the Qurân repeatedly invites our attention to the marvelous nature of God’s creations? It is surely to convince us of the existence of God, the Creator Who created everything. It also convinces us of His ability to recreate us after we have turned to dust in our graves.
In Verse 27 of Chapter 30 - Surah Ar-Rum, the Noble Qurân emphasizes the fact once again:
“And it is He who originated the creation and then it is very easy for Him to repeat it”
There is great logic behind this statement of the Qurân. If man is convinced the he was created by Allâh, then it should be easy for him to believe in Allâh’s power to recreate. It is always difficult to manufacture a motor car or a computer for the first time. But once it is made, it is much easy to repeat the process. There is a saying in Arabic: “Those who understand his body then definitely he will understand his creator.” Once a person studies the complex nature of the human body, its structure, its internal organs, tissues, genes, DNA etc. then definitely he will realize the fact that such a complex mechanism could not have come into existence as the result of an accident. The marvelous nature of the human body itself is sufficient to convince any one of the existence of the Creator.
Verse 19 of Chapter 80 - Surah Abasa says:
“Out of a tiny drop of fluid He created him in which he determined his nature.”
One can understand the significance of this statement of the Qurân by thinking about the highly complex structure of the DNA and genes. The sexual act brings the sperm and ovum together to form the zygote. The zygote is then divided into cells and all the important organs and parts are formed from these basic cells. The human body constitutes of a variety of tissues. These tissues vary in structure as well as in its purpose. For e.g., the neuron with which brain is made up of is different from the tissues of the liver. Still there are some basic components present in all the tissues, and the most important of them is the presence of the DNA and RNA in all the tissues of the human body. They are the building blocks of life, they contain the formula of life.
It is in the DNA that the basic information for the construction of all other DNA’s are contained in the form of gene. For e.g., in the tissues of the liver, those genes that are needed to develop the tissues to become the liver will be active and others will be passive. The same is the case with the genes that are contained in those tissues that make other organs like the heart, kidney, etc. For example the cells which are intended to become the heart contain the information to form other organs also. But this information remains dormant and only that particular information that is required to develop the cell into a heart will be active. The distinction of such information could never have come into existence by a random chance. If a baby takes a pen in its hand and scribbles on a paper for days and months, words, sentences, poems, dramas or essays will not come into existence by mere chance. When a poet composes a poem, his mind will have the imagination and the concept. It is only then that he can write the poem. Similarly, a novelist will have the plot and characters in his mind before he starts writing the novel. There has to be the idea and planning even for some meaningful words to come into existence. If so how can the highly complex information contained in the D.N.A. have come into existence as the result of an accident? So once man recognizes the fact that he has been created by God, then it is easy for him to accept the fact that the same Creator can recreate once even after we have turned to dust in the grave. The same logic is adopted by the Qurân in the argument in Verse 27 of Chapter 30 - Surah Ar-Rum, of the Noble Qurân.
Now we are living in an age in which it is possible for scientists to clone or make the carbon copies of living beings. But cloning does not mean creating a new life. When a carpenter makes a chair we say he made a chair not that he created a chair? Why? Because the wood with which the chair is made was created by God. Similarly the scientists take the nucleus i.e. 23 pairs of chromosomes from the cell of a living being created by Allâh. The nucleus is then artificially fused into the nucleus of the ovum and it is placed in a womb. Only if a scientist creates life out of nothing, he can claim that he has created life. Here the nucleus taken from a cell, the zygote as well as the womb is already there. Scientists claim that they can clone the exact replica of a person, who died centuries ago, if they can obtain a cell from the hair of the person. The individual who is produced through the cloning will be similar in appearance to the person who died many centuries ago. But his physical, mental and spiritual attributes will not be the same. It cannot be said to be the rebirth of that person. If it is a rebirth, then he should have the same attributes of the dead person. Reference about cloning is made just to convince the fact that if man can clone a person from the cell of the hair of a dead man, then Almighty God who had created us can definitely resurrect us from our graves. In short, like death and the end of this world, resurrection is also a reality and not a myth.
Is there a World Hereafter?
We have to use our rational capabilities to understand whether there is a world hereafter. An atheist thinks all our deeds and dreams are buried for ever in our graves whereas a believer is sure about the existence of another world where people are rewarded for their good deeds and punished for their sins. As no man has seen a soul leaving a dead body, an atheist argues that soul does not exist. But a believer contents that if soul does not exist merely because we have not seen it, then we have neither seen thoughts nor touched them. Does it mean that thoughts also do not exist? An atheist argues that life ends with death. But a believer disagrees by pointing out the fact that the real power of atom is demonstrated only when the atom is destroyed. Similarly, real life starts only after our death. An atheist says that there is only one world and that world hereafter does not exist whereas a believer contents that Almighty God has created everything in pairs. Day and night, male and female, positive and negative are few examples of them. Similarly, there exists this world as well as the world hereafter. An atheist would say that we cannot feel pain or happiness after our death. But in the dreams that we see in our sleep, which is similar to our death, do not we experience pain, happiness, ecstasy etc.? In our sleep even when our eyes are closed we used to see, even when our tongue is silent we used to talk, even when our hands and legs lay motionless we used to do many deeds.
Definitely, man has a soul and death is only the end of one’s physical existence on earth. Life on earth is only a test and a trial and if we pass the test, we will be rewarded with the eternal bliss of Paradise. Justice and equality before law are merely hollow slogans, preached by democracy, which are rarely implemented. These terms attain full meaning only with belief in the Hereafter. In this world, we see that crimes go unrestricted, unfair judgments are handed down and criminals walk free. If a person kills another he can be given death sentence, but if a person kills thousands of people can any government or judge give that person a punishment equal to his deeds? The answer is, “No”. If a person insults any one of you, can any government or judge measure the actual pain that he had caused in your mind and give him punishment equal to the wrong committed by him? Again the answer is again a loud “No”. Only Almighty God can measure the deed and give him punishment in accordance to his deed. These facts create the intense yearning in our mind for a place where genuine justice prevails. Surely that place in not going to be in this world. So it has to be in the Hereafter. Allâh is just and manifests His justice. He established the system of accountability in the life of each person. All men will have to answer for their deeds on the Day of Judgment, wherein they will be given proper recompense. Those who do good will be rewarded and those who do wrong will be punished accordingly. Allâh created Paradise and Hell for this purpose. With eyes we see, with ears we hear, with nose we smell, with tongue we taste, with skin we feel. So every organ has got a purpose. Similarly if Allâh has given us the faculties to think and distinguish between right and wrong, then definitely we will get reward for our good deeds and punishment for our sins. Thus Islam instills the concept of accountability both in the private and public life of an individual by teaching the importance of life in the Hereafter.
Is there an end to this world?
The very same man, who trembles with fear when he thinks about earth quakes, tornados, hurricanes, volcanoes and tsunamis that have devastated the lives and livelihood of millions of people, never bothers to think about the ultimate end of the universe that can occur at any moment putting an end to the life on earth and the existence of the universe as well. Neither the Qurân nor the Prophet has specified when the world is going to end, but it has been said that the end can happen at any moment when people least expect it. It may happen at a time we think that we have got more years to live and when we are busy accumulating more resources for the future. It may occur at a time when, the thought that the end of the world is near, has not even entered the realms of our imagination. it may take place while we are indulging in our pastimes or worldly affairs or while we are quarrelling with each other. It may happen when we are indulging in some dreadful sins, or within such a short time required for two persons who have unfolded a cloth to fold it, or a person who has milked a camel could drink it, or a person who has filled water could give the same to others or a person who has put food in his mouth could swallow it. In short, the Qurân warns to prepare for the end of the world that is going to occur at the most unexpected time, quite suddenly and quickly.
Those who make fun of the above mentioned warnings may kindly recollect the devastation caused by the Tsunami which lashed the coastal areas of many Asian countries not so long ago. The catastrophe struck quite so suddenly when there were no heavy rains, storms or strong winds, and when the seas were perfectly calm. Those who had gone to the sea shores for a morning stroll, for fishing, for pilgrimage and who were spending vacations in resorts were taken unaware when the waves unexpectedly rose to alarming heights and hit the shores. And when the waves retreated, they carried with them large buildings, trees, vehicles and tens of thousands of people. . Similarly, the doomsday will occur all on a sudden, at the most unexpected moment.
The Qurân as well as the Prophet has given vivid descriptions about the last day. Chapter 99 (Al- Zilzal) verses 1 and 2 of the Qurân states:
“When the earth is shaken in her utmost convulsion and the earth throws up her burden from within.” There are some other descriptions like this one: The earth and the skies are raised and lowered, the land and the mountains are shaken from its foundation, the earth throws every thing inside it, the mountains will travel like clouds, the stars will be dead, the stars will loose its light and the universe will burn etc.
There are people who make fun of these descriptions and argue that the universe will remain like this for ever. Earlier these people had the support of many scientists who believed in the Steady State theory. According to this theory the universe has no beginning nor end. At that time, the atheists used to make fun and say: “Look at those fools, the religious people, who repeatedly say that the universe has a beginning and an end whereas science says exactly the opposite.” But in 1929, when a scientists called Edwin Hubble studied the universe, he observed found that the nebulas, stars and planets move away from each other just like the dots in a balloon move away from each other when it is inflated. Thus he came to the conclusion that the universe is expanding. The Qurân had stated this fact in chapter 51 - Al Zaryat, Verse 47:
“ I have created this universe and I will expand it”.
The knowledge about the expansion of the Universe led the scientists to formulate the Big Bang theory. If the nebulas, stars and planets are moving away from each other then as we go back in time definitely they were much closer than now. And if we further go backward, then there must have been a time when everything was joined together as one. Now, the scientists believe that at first there was a vacuum, and then the nucleus of the universe was formed. At that time, the entire universe was only few kilometers in diameter and even a tiny portion of it must have weighed billions of tons. Then, a massive explosion took place and every thing was thrown out and later nebulas, stars and planets were formed. This theory is called the Big Bang Theory. The Noble Qurân says in Chapter 21 (AL- Anbiyaa) Verse 30:
“The earth and the skies i.e. the universe were joined together and then we separated them”.
This theory led scientists to another theory called the Big Crunch Theory. They postulate that sometime in the future, the stars and planets will lose their energy, stars will stop producing heat and light and every thing will come closer and closer and at a particular point with a big crunch, the universe will be completely destroyed. In short, the universe has got an end. So the Big Bang Theory says the universe has a beginning and the Big Crunch theory says there is an end to the universe. When we compare the state of the universe, the stars and planets as per the Big Crunch Theory, the description contained in the Qurân regarding the state during the end of the world, there are great similarities.
What is the purpose of our life?
The noble Quran in chapter 23 verse 115 says
“Did you think that We had created you in joke, and that you would not be brought back to us”
So Allah has created us for a specific purpose and after our death we will be brought before Him to evaluate whether we had fulfilled the mission for which we had been created.
Chapter 51 Verse 56 of the Glorious Quran says
“You have been created to worship me”
Chapter 67 verse 2 of the Noble Quran says
“He who created death and life that He may try which of you is best in deeds”
From the above verses we can understand that Allah has created us to worship Him and to do good deeds according to His commands. The Quran as well as Prophet Muhammed (s) have elaborately explained good deeds to us. Good deeds mean to believe strictly in the Oneness of God, to worship Him and Him alone, to pray to Him to Him Alone and never to associate anyone or anything with Him, to believe in His messengers, in the Last Day, in the Day of Judgment and to believe in the world hereafter, to be sincere in belief and live as per the commands of the Holy Qurân and the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH); to do good deeds in order to earn the pleasure of Allâh and to desist from matters which Allâh has categorically prohibited, to love your neighbor, and never to eat your fill when your neighbor remains hungry, to give him protection even if you are required to sacrifice your own life, to do justice to everyone, not to kill innocent people, not to commit adultery, not to indulge in homosexuality or lesbianism, not to tamper with weights, not to steal, not to cheat, not to speak ill of about women, to speak the truth even at the face of a cruel dictator, to control one’s own emotions, not to panic during crisis, to be patient when your dear and near ones die or when you suffer from a serious illness or a financial set back, to be soft spoken, and not to be arrogant, to be truthful and not to lie, to be fair and not to oppress, to be trustworthy and not to betray, to keep and fulfill promises and never to break them, to respect and obey parents and not to be neglectful of them, to keep relationship with kith and kin and not to breach family ties, and to have a good relationship with neighbors. In short, good deeds signify to practice everything that is good as well as to detest and shun everything that is evil.
In short to fulfill the mission of our creation means to do all good deeds Allah has asked us to do and refrain from those deeds that Allah has prohibited. Only in this way we can attain real salvation i.e. success in the otherworld.
Who will be punished for the sins solely committed by an individual?
The Glorious Quran says in chapter 2 verse 134
“They shall get reward for what they did and you will get what you did. You will not be questioned for what they did”
The noble Quran says in chapter 53 verse 38 of the Quran
“No bearer of burden can bear the burden of another”
From the above verses we can understand that everyone will get punishment as well as reward in the other world according to his deeds in this world and he need not bear the sins of others. This same truth is stated in the Bible. In the Book of Deuteronomy chapter 24 verse 10 it is written “no father will be punished for the sins of his son and no son will be punished for the sins of his father and every one will be judged according to his deeds”. Jesus teaches us in Gospel of Mathew chapter 7 verse 1 “you will be judged in the manner you judge others and you will be measured in the manner you measure others”. In Bagavatham the scripture of Hindus also it is stated that every one will get reward and punishment as per the good deeds as well as the sins he has committed. It is indeed unfortunate that this great warning of Almighty God has been sidelined and many deviations like the belief of original sin, crucifixion, belief that Jesus is the son of God and he died on the cross taking the sins of others, belief that persons have to pass through a cycle of births and get themselves purified to attain salvation etc have been added in the scriptures of other religions.
Can Allah see, hear and record our deeds and Actions?
Many have doubt about the ability of Allah to give good people reward and sinners punishment. They ask how Allah can see the sins committed secretly by us, how can He hear the words spoken by us, how can He show us the deeds committed by us in this life and prove our guilt. In spite of the fact that at present there is ample evidence around us compared with earlier times to prove the warnings of Allah are facts and not hollow threats the present generations are having more doubts than the earlier generations in these matters.
Once Umerubinul hathab ® saw a person in a very disturbing state and when enquired the reason he stated that he is worried about the warning of Allah in chapter 52 verse 7 and 8 of the glorious Quran
Definitely, the punishment of Allah will indeed come to pass. None can avert it’
So after reading this verse he was not having any doubt about Allah’s ability to punish us. In fact due to the scientific advancement it is the modern man who has got better opportunity to understand the warnings given in the Holy Quran are real than people lived earlier. This aspect can be proved through some examples.
Once a thief stole a golden chain and when he was about to be caught, to destroy the evidence he swallowed the chain. But the X-ray of his stomach revealed the presence of the chain and he was punished. We know about the scanning machines at airports that reveal the hidden explosives, drugs etc carried by people. How can the modern man who is aware of these facts deny the warning in Sura Lukman chapter 31 verse 16.
“O my son if there be the weight of a mustard seed and it were hidden in a rock or anywhere in the sky or in earth. Allah will bring it forth”.
How can the modern man who is aware that secret agents and police used to record the conversations made by people through telephone as well as copy e-mail, mock at the warning of Allah that:
“O man be careful, Allah hears whatever you are speaking”.
How can the modern man who with a touch of button gets information about everything from internet ridicule Allah’s claim in Quran that Allah is aware of every deeds committed by you.?
Modern man can never deny the reality that Allah can see everything done by us. We are aware of remote control cameras attached to satellites stationed at space far away from earth taking pictures and sending to us. Now let us imagine that a satellite has been stationed millions of miles away from earth. The remote control camera attached to the satellite is turned towards a planet situated millions of miles away from that satellite. In that planet there are living beings. One day one among them killed another and its impression was that none has seen it. But the remote camera of the satellite stationed at space recorded this crime and the same was send to earth and was watched by men on earth who are millions and millions away from that planet. If this is possible for man is it not easy for Allah who has created everything to see our deeds.
Now through various sites like Google Earth search etc we can see every nook and corner of Earth and locate even our houses. In near future cameras attached to satellites will penetrate concrete barriers of houses and buildings and will take pictures of inside buildings. If this is possible for man then for Allah it is easy and we cannot deny the fact that Allah sees everything.
In advance countries cameras are placed at traffic junctions. The drivers who jump traffic signals when charged by the police if denies the violation then police used to replay the video tape showing the said violation before the driver. Similarly we know of incidence where the thief who stole ornaments during wedding ceremony being caught afterward when the video of the wedding ceremony was played. How can the modern man who witnesses this kind of incidences deny the warnings in the Quran that Allah will make his eyes, tongue, hands legs and skin to be witness to the sins committed by us in the Judgment day.
A woman from the United States narrated an incident. Her son used to criticize Islamic laws. Once during an argument she told her son “people used to tell lies to prove their innocence or to impute guilt on others. But Allah is showing perfect justice in the Day of Judgment by promising that a person will be punished only after convincing him about the deeds he had done by making each of his limbs speak about the deeds done by him through those limbs. Hearing this, the boy stared at his mother for a long time and left the room without uttering a word. Allah says in chapter 7 and 8 of the Glorious Quran
“Then shall anyone who has done an atom’s weight of good see it. And anyone who has done an atom weight of evil, shall see it.
In the Noble Quran Allah says that He will not show injustice to a single soul.
Quran also says without any doubt;
“Yes this is a revelation by the lord of the universe”.
The Glorious Quran was revealed through Mohammed (s) who was an illiterate person, who did not know to read and write. Who did not know science, literature, history, law or other branches of knowledge? But one day at that age of 40 when he came out of the cave known as Hira people were amazed when they heard him speak in the most profound Arabic language that took masters of Arabic literature by surprise. The person who did not know anything about embryology suddenly starts speaking about sperm, ovum, Zygote and the early stages of embryo that cannot be seen with our naked eye. The person who did not know anything about astronomy, physics, geology, geography etc starts speaking about the formation of universe. Nebula stars, planets, about gravitation, about how the mountains penetrate the earth, about the darkness in the depth of deep oceans which had been found only few decades back with the help of modern submarines and about various other scientific facts. Surprisingly those facts are in perfect agreement with modern scientific discoveries. The person who did not know anything about law started speaking about internal laws that are relevant for all times like equality of man, equality before law, rights of women, rights of parents, children, prisoners, orphans, downtrodden etc. And these laws came to be recognized as eternal laws in the last century even by the United Nations through it “Universal Declaration of Human Rights”. The person who did not know anything about history speaks about the cities that were buried centuries before his death and some evidence of them referred by him were discovered few decades back. The person tells the world that the body of the cruel dictator Pharos who had lived centuries before him has been preserved by Almighty God as a sign for future generations and the same was found out one century back. What should we understand? Are these the words of Muhammad (s) or the words of God? Muhammad (s) says I do not need credit for these because they are the words of God. Then why should we disbelieve him especially when even his opponents called him Al Ameen the trustworthy who had never lied and further many scientific aspects he had stated was discovered centuries later. The warnings of the Noble Quran are the greatest proof that Allah can see, hear and record all our deeds and we will be rewarded or punished according to our deeds.
Verse 7 of the same chapter is a clear warning to those who refuse to believe that that the dead will be resurrected.
“Surely the hour will come and there can be no doubt about it and certainly Allah will resurrect all who are in the graves”
the reason why the Qurân repeatedly invites our attention to the marvelous nature of God’s creations? It is surely to convince us of the existence of God, the Creator Who created everything. It also convinces us of His ability to recreate us after we have turned to dust in our graves.
In Verse 27 of Chapter 30 - Surah Ar-Rum, the Noble Qurân emphasizes the fact once again:
“And it is He who originated the creation and then it is very easy for Him to repeat it”
There is great logic behind this statement of the Qurân. If man is convinced the he was created by Allâh, then it should be easy for him to believe in Allâh’s power to recreate. It is always difficult to manufacture a motor car or a computer for the first time. But once it is made, it is much easy to repeat the process. There is a saying in Arabic: “Those who understand his body then definitely he will understand his creator.” Once a person studies the complex nature of the human body, its structure, its internal organs, tissues, genes, DNA etc. then definitely he will realize the fact that such a complex mechanism could not have come into existence as the result of an accident. The marvelous nature of the human body itself is sufficient to convince any one of the existence of the Creator.
Verse 19 of Chapter 80 - Surah Abasa says:
“Out of a tiny drop of fluid He created him in which he determined his nature.”
One can understand the significance of this statement of the Qurân by thinking about the highly complex structure of the DNA and genes. The sexual act brings the sperm and ovum together to form the zygote. The zygote is then divided into cells and all the important organs and parts are formed from these basic cells. The human body constitutes of a variety of tissues. These tissues vary in structure as well as in its purpose. For e.g., the neuron with which brain is made up of is different from the tissues of the liver. Still there are some basic components present in all the tissues, and the most important of them is the presence of the DNA and RNA in all the tissues of the human body. They are the building blocks of life, they contain the formula of life.
It is in the DNA that the basic information for the construction of all other DNA’s are contained in the form of gene. For e.g., in the tissues of the liver, those genes that are needed to develop the tissues to become the liver will be active and others will be passive. The same is the case with the genes that are contained in those tissues that make other organs like the heart, kidney, etc. For example the cells which are intended to become the heart contain the information to form other organs also. But this information remains dormant and only that particular information that is required to develop the cell into a heart will be active. The distinction of such information could never have come into existence by a random chance. If a baby takes a pen in its hand and scribbles on a paper for days and months, words, sentences, poems, dramas or essays will not come into existence by mere chance. When a poet composes a poem, his mind will have the imagination and the concept. It is only then that he can write the poem. Similarly, a novelist will have the plot and characters in his mind before he starts writing the novel. There has to be the idea and planning even for some meaningful words to come into existence. If so how can the highly complex information contained in the D.N.A. have come into existence as the result of an accident? So once man recognizes the fact that he has been created by God, then it is easy for him to accept the fact that the same Creator can recreate once even after we have turned to dust in the grave. The same logic is adopted by the Qurân in the argument in Verse 27 of Chapter 30 - Surah Ar-Rum, of the Noble Qurân.
Now we are living in an age in which it is possible for scientists to clone or make the carbon copies of living beings. But cloning does not mean creating a new life. When a carpenter makes a chair we say he made a chair not that he created a chair? Why? Because the wood with which the chair is made was created by God. Similarly the scientists take the nucleus i.e. 23 pairs of chromosomes from the cell of a living being created by Allâh. The nucleus is then artificially fused into the nucleus of the ovum and it is placed in a womb. Only if a scientist creates life out of nothing, he can claim that he has created life. Here the nucleus taken from a cell, the zygote as well as the womb is already there. Scientists claim that they can clone the exact replica of a person, who died centuries ago, if they can obtain a cell from the hair of the person. The individual who is produced through the cloning will be similar in appearance to the person who died many centuries ago. But his physical, mental and spiritual attributes will not be the same. It cannot be said to be the rebirth of that person. If it is a rebirth, then he should have the same attributes of the dead person. Reference about cloning is made just to convince the fact that if man can clone a person from the cell of the hair of a dead man, then Almighty God who had created us can definitely resurrect us from our graves. In short, like death and the end of this world, resurrection is also a reality and not a myth.
Is there a World Hereafter?
We have to use our rational capabilities to understand whether there is a world hereafter. An atheist thinks all our deeds and dreams are buried for ever in our graves whereas a believer is sure about the existence of another world where people are rewarded for their good deeds and punished for their sins. As no man has seen a soul leaving a dead body, an atheist argues that soul does not exist. But a believer contents that if soul does not exist merely because we have not seen it, then we have neither seen thoughts nor touched them. Does it mean that thoughts also do not exist? An atheist argues that life ends with death. But a believer disagrees by pointing out the fact that the real power of atom is demonstrated only when the atom is destroyed. Similarly, real life starts only after our death. An atheist says that there is only one world and that world hereafter does not exist whereas a believer contents that Almighty God has created everything in pairs. Day and night, male and female, positive and negative are few examples of them. Similarly, there exists this world as well as the world hereafter. An atheist would say that we cannot feel pain or happiness after our death. But in the dreams that we see in our sleep, which is similar to our death, do not we experience pain, happiness, ecstasy etc.? In our sleep even when our eyes are closed we used to see, even when our tongue is silent we used to talk, even when our hands and legs lay motionless we used to do many deeds.
Definitely, man has a soul and death is only the end of one’s physical existence on earth. Life on earth is only a test and a trial and if we pass the test, we will be rewarded with the eternal bliss of Paradise. Justice and equality before law are merely hollow slogans, preached by democracy, which are rarely implemented. These terms attain full meaning only with belief in the Hereafter. In this world, we see that crimes go unrestricted, unfair judgments are handed down and criminals walk free. If a person kills another he can be given death sentence, but if a person kills thousands of people can any government or judge give that person a punishment equal to his deeds? The answer is, “No”. If a person insults any one of you, can any government or judge measure the actual pain that he had caused in your mind and give him punishment equal to the wrong committed by him? Again the answer is again a loud “No”. Only Almighty God can measure the deed and give him punishment in accordance to his deed. These facts create the intense yearning in our mind for a place where genuine justice prevails. Surely that place in not going to be in this world. So it has to be in the Hereafter. Allâh is just and manifests His justice. He established the system of accountability in the life of each person. All men will have to answer for their deeds on the Day of Judgment, wherein they will be given proper recompense. Those who do good will be rewarded and those who do wrong will be punished accordingly. Allâh created Paradise and Hell for this purpose. With eyes we see, with ears we hear, with nose we smell, with tongue we taste, with skin we feel. So every organ has got a purpose. Similarly if Allâh has given us the faculties to think and distinguish between right and wrong, then definitely we will get reward for our good deeds and punishment for our sins. Thus Islam instills the concept of accountability both in the private and public life of an individual by teaching the importance of life in the Hereafter.
Is there an end to this world?
The very same man, who trembles with fear when he thinks about earth quakes, tornados, hurricanes, volcanoes and tsunamis that have devastated the lives and livelihood of millions of people, never bothers to think about the ultimate end of the universe that can occur at any moment putting an end to the life on earth and the existence of the universe as well. Neither the Qurân nor the Prophet has specified when the world is going to end, but it has been said that the end can happen at any moment when people least expect it. It may happen at a time we think that we have got more years to live and when we are busy accumulating more resources for the future. It may occur at a time when, the thought that the end of the world is near, has not even entered the realms of our imagination. it may take place while we are indulging in our pastimes or worldly affairs or while we are quarrelling with each other. It may happen when we are indulging in some dreadful sins, or within such a short time required for two persons who have unfolded a cloth to fold it, or a person who has milked a camel could drink it, or a person who has filled water could give the same to others or a person who has put food in his mouth could swallow it. In short, the Qurân warns to prepare for the end of the world that is going to occur at the most unexpected time, quite suddenly and quickly.
Those who make fun of the above mentioned warnings may kindly recollect the devastation caused by the Tsunami which lashed the coastal areas of many Asian countries not so long ago. The catastrophe struck quite so suddenly when there were no heavy rains, storms or strong winds, and when the seas were perfectly calm. Those who had gone to the sea shores for a morning stroll, for fishing, for pilgrimage and who were spending vacations in resorts were taken unaware when the waves unexpectedly rose to alarming heights and hit the shores. And when the waves retreated, they carried with them large buildings, trees, vehicles and tens of thousands of people. . Similarly, the doomsday will occur all on a sudden, at the most unexpected moment.
The Qurân as well as the Prophet has given vivid descriptions about the last day. Chapter 99 (Al- Zilzal) verses 1 and 2 of the Qurân states:
“When the earth is shaken in her utmost convulsion and the earth throws up her burden from within.” There are some other descriptions like this one: The earth and the skies are raised and lowered, the land and the mountains are shaken from its foundation, the earth throws every thing inside it, the mountains will travel like clouds, the stars will be dead, the stars will loose its light and the universe will burn etc.
There are people who make fun of these descriptions and argue that the universe will remain like this for ever. Earlier these people had the support of many scientists who believed in the Steady State theory. According to this theory the universe has no beginning nor end. At that time, the atheists used to make fun and say: “Look at those fools, the religious people, who repeatedly say that the universe has a beginning and an end whereas science says exactly the opposite.” But in 1929, when a scientists called Edwin Hubble studied the universe, he observed found that the nebulas, stars and planets move away from each other just like the dots in a balloon move away from each other when it is inflated. Thus he came to the conclusion that the universe is expanding. The Qurân had stated this fact in chapter 51 - Al Zaryat, Verse 47:
“ I have created this universe and I will expand it”.
The knowledge about the expansion of the Universe led the scientists to formulate the Big Bang theory. If the nebulas, stars and planets are moving away from each other then as we go back in time definitely they were much closer than now. And if we further go backward, then there must have been a time when everything was joined together as one. Now, the scientists believe that at first there was a vacuum, and then the nucleus of the universe was formed. At that time, the entire universe was only few kilometers in diameter and even a tiny portion of it must have weighed billions of tons. Then, a massive explosion took place and every thing was thrown out and later nebulas, stars and planets were formed. This theory is called the Big Bang Theory. The Noble Qurân says in Chapter 21 (AL- Anbiyaa) Verse 30:
“The earth and the skies i.e. the universe were joined together and then we separated them”.
This theory led scientists to another theory called the Big Crunch Theory. They postulate that sometime in the future, the stars and planets will lose their energy, stars will stop producing heat and light and every thing will come closer and closer and at a particular point with a big crunch, the universe will be completely destroyed. In short, the universe has got an end. So the Big Bang Theory says the universe has a beginning and the Big Crunch theory says there is an end to the universe. When we compare the state of the universe, the stars and planets as per the Big Crunch Theory, the description contained in the Qurân regarding the state during the end of the world, there are great similarities.
What is the purpose of our life?
The noble Quran in chapter 23 verse 115 says
“Did you think that We had created you in joke, and that you would not be brought back to us”
So Allah has created us for a specific purpose and after our death we will be brought before Him to evaluate whether we had fulfilled the mission for which we had been created.
Chapter 51 Verse 56 of the Glorious Quran says
“You have been created to worship me”
Chapter 67 verse 2 of the Noble Quran says
“He who created death and life that He may try which of you is best in deeds”
From the above verses we can understand that Allah has created us to worship Him and to do good deeds according to His commands. The Quran as well as Prophet Muhammed (s) have elaborately explained good deeds to us. Good deeds mean to believe strictly in the Oneness of God, to worship Him and Him alone, to pray to Him to Him Alone and never to associate anyone or anything with Him, to believe in His messengers, in the Last Day, in the Day of Judgment and to believe in the world hereafter, to be sincere in belief and live as per the commands of the Holy Qurân and the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH); to do good deeds in order to earn the pleasure of Allâh and to desist from matters which Allâh has categorically prohibited, to love your neighbor, and never to eat your fill when your neighbor remains hungry, to give him protection even if you are required to sacrifice your own life, to do justice to everyone, not to kill innocent people, not to commit adultery, not to indulge in homosexuality or lesbianism, not to tamper with weights, not to steal, not to cheat, not to speak ill of about women, to speak the truth even at the face of a cruel dictator, to control one’s own emotions, not to panic during crisis, to be patient when your dear and near ones die or when you suffer from a serious illness or a financial set back, to be soft spoken, and not to be arrogant, to be truthful and not to lie, to be fair and not to oppress, to be trustworthy and not to betray, to keep and fulfill promises and never to break them, to respect and obey parents and not to be neglectful of them, to keep relationship with kith and kin and not to breach family ties, and to have a good relationship with neighbors. In short, good deeds signify to practice everything that is good as well as to detest and shun everything that is evil.
In short to fulfill the mission of our creation means to do all good deeds Allah has asked us to do and refrain from those deeds that Allah has prohibited. Only in this way we can attain real salvation i.e. success in the otherworld.
Who will be punished for the sins solely committed by an individual?
The Glorious Quran says in chapter 2 verse 134
“They shall get reward for what they did and you will get what you did. You will not be questioned for what they did”
The noble Quran says in chapter 53 verse 38 of the Quran
“No bearer of burden can bear the burden of another”
From the above verses we can understand that everyone will get punishment as well as reward in the other world according to his deeds in this world and he need not bear the sins of others. This same truth is stated in the Bible. In the Book of Deuteronomy chapter 24 verse 10 it is written “no father will be punished for the sins of his son and no son will be punished for the sins of his father and every one will be judged according to his deeds”. Jesus teaches us in Gospel of Mathew chapter 7 verse 1 “you will be judged in the manner you judge others and you will be measured in the manner you measure others”. In Bagavatham the scripture of Hindus also it is stated that every one will get reward and punishment as per the good deeds as well as the sins he has committed. It is indeed unfortunate that this great warning of Almighty God has been sidelined and many deviations like the belief of original sin, crucifixion, belief that Jesus is the son of God and he died on the cross taking the sins of others, belief that persons have to pass through a cycle of births and get themselves purified to attain salvation etc have been added in the scriptures of other religions.
Can Allah see, hear and record our deeds and Actions?
Many have doubt about the ability of Allah to give good people reward and sinners punishment. They ask how Allah can see the sins committed secretly by us, how can He hear the words spoken by us, how can He show us the deeds committed by us in this life and prove our guilt. In spite of the fact that at present there is ample evidence around us compared with earlier times to prove the warnings of Allah are facts and not hollow threats the present generations are having more doubts than the earlier generations in these matters.
Once Umerubinul hathab ® saw a person in a very disturbing state and when enquired the reason he stated that he is worried about the warning of Allah in chapter 52 verse 7 and 8 of the glorious Quran
Definitely, the punishment of Allah will indeed come to pass. None can avert it’
So after reading this verse he was not having any doubt about Allah’s ability to punish us. In fact due to the scientific advancement it is the modern man who has got better opportunity to understand the warnings given in the Holy Quran are real than people lived earlier. This aspect can be proved through some examples.
Once a thief stole a golden chain and when he was about to be caught, to destroy the evidence he swallowed the chain. But the X-ray of his stomach revealed the presence of the chain and he was punished. We know about the scanning machines at airports that reveal the hidden explosives, drugs etc carried by people. How can the modern man who is aware of these facts deny the warning in Sura Lukman chapter 31 verse 16.
“O my son if there be the weight of a mustard seed and it were hidden in a rock or anywhere in the sky or in earth. Allah will bring it forth”.
How can the modern man who is aware that secret agents and police used to record the conversations made by people through telephone as well as copy e-mail, mock at the warning of Allah that:
“O man be careful, Allah hears whatever you are speaking”.
How can the modern man who with a touch of button gets information about everything from internet ridicule Allah’s claim in Quran that Allah is aware of every deeds committed by you.?
Modern man can never deny the reality that Allah can see everything done by us. We are aware of remote control cameras attached to satellites stationed at space far away from earth taking pictures and sending to us. Now let us imagine that a satellite has been stationed millions of miles away from earth. The remote control camera attached to the satellite is turned towards a planet situated millions of miles away from that satellite. In that planet there are living beings. One day one among them killed another and its impression was that none has seen it. But the remote camera of the satellite stationed at space recorded this crime and the same was send to earth and was watched by men on earth who are millions and millions away from that planet. If this is possible for man is it not easy for Allah who has created everything to see our deeds.
Now through various sites like Google Earth search etc we can see every nook and corner of Earth and locate even our houses. In near future cameras attached to satellites will penetrate concrete barriers of houses and buildings and will take pictures of inside buildings. If this is possible for man then for Allah it is easy and we cannot deny the fact that Allah sees everything.
In advance countries cameras are placed at traffic junctions. The drivers who jump traffic signals when charged by the police if denies the violation then police used to replay the video tape showing the said violation before the driver. Similarly we know of incidence where the thief who stole ornaments during wedding ceremony being caught afterward when the video of the wedding ceremony was played. How can the modern man who witnesses this kind of incidences deny the warnings in the Quran that Allah will make his eyes, tongue, hands legs and skin to be witness to the sins committed by us in the Judgment day.
A woman from the United States narrated an incident. Her son used to criticize Islamic laws. Once during an argument she told her son “people used to tell lies to prove their innocence or to impute guilt on others. But Allah is showing perfect justice in the Day of Judgment by promising that a person will be punished only after convincing him about the deeds he had done by making each of his limbs speak about the deeds done by him through those limbs. Hearing this, the boy stared at his mother for a long time and left the room without uttering a word. Allah says in chapter 7 and 8 of the Glorious Quran
“Then shall anyone who has done an atom’s weight of good see it. And anyone who has done an atom weight of evil, shall see it.
In the Noble Quran Allah says that He will not show injustice to a single soul.
Quran also says without any doubt;
“Yes this is a revelation by the lord of the universe”.
The Glorious Quran was revealed through Mohammed (s) who was an illiterate person, who did not know to read and write. Who did not know science, literature, history, law or other branches of knowledge? But one day at that age of 40 when he came out of the cave known as Hira people were amazed when they heard him speak in the most profound Arabic language that took masters of Arabic literature by surprise. The person who did not know anything about embryology suddenly starts speaking about sperm, ovum, Zygote and the early stages of embryo that cannot be seen with our naked eye. The person who did not know anything about astronomy, physics, geology, geography etc starts speaking about the formation of universe. Nebula stars, planets, about gravitation, about how the mountains penetrate the earth, about the darkness in the depth of deep oceans which had been found only few decades back with the help of modern submarines and about various other scientific facts. Surprisingly those facts are in perfect agreement with modern scientific discoveries. The person who did not know anything about law started speaking about internal laws that are relevant for all times like equality of man, equality before law, rights of women, rights of parents, children, prisoners, orphans, downtrodden etc. And these laws came to be recognized as eternal laws in the last century even by the United Nations through it “Universal Declaration of Human Rights”. The person who did not know anything about history speaks about the cities that were buried centuries before his death and some evidence of them referred by him were discovered few decades back. The person tells the world that the body of the cruel dictator Pharos who had lived centuries before him has been preserved by Almighty God as a sign for future generations and the same was found out one century back. What should we understand? Are these the words of Muhammad (s) or the words of God? Muhammad (s) says I do not need credit for these because they are the words of God. Then why should we disbelieve him especially when even his opponents called him Al Ameen the trustworthy who had never lied and further many scientific aspects he had stated was discovered centuries later. The warnings of the Noble Quran are the greatest proof that Allah can see, hear and record all our deeds and we will be rewarded or punished according to our deeds.
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