Islamic teaching on: Life after death

{Every soul shall have a taste of death, in the end to Us shall you be brought back.} (Al-`Ankabut 29:57)

{Be sure we shall test you with something of fear and hunger, some loss in goods or lives or the fruits (of your toil), but will give glad tidings to those who patiently persevere. Those who when afflicted with calamity say: “To Allah We belong, and to Him is our return.”} (Al-Baqarah 2:155-156)

This is a topic that many Muslims wonder about. People of all faiths wonder about life after death, but no other religion has as much authentic information available on the afterlife as does Islam. This is a great blessing of God upon us that he has sent us a messenger who left no stone unturned and no question unanswered in providing guidance for the believers in all aspects of life and death.

Heaven and Hell are realities that all of us will be faced with on the Day of Judgment. We will either be granted Allah’s mercy and enter Paradise, or we will have earned His wrath and enter the Hellfire. No one, however, will enter them before the Day of Judgment. Rather, they will spend time in their graves while they wait for that day.

Allah has created us with a body and a soul. Both of them will rest in the grave. We have no other spirit that will roam the earth and visit loved ones after our death. Sometimes our minds can play tricks on us, or unfortunately, mischievous jinn can come to us and trick us into thinking that the souls of the deceased have returned from the beyond, either to haunt us or some other purpose.

The grave of a believer will be well-lit, spacious, and comfortable. The deeds that the person performed in this life will come to them in their graves as a kind and gentle companion who will call them by the names they like to hear and keep their company until the Day of Judgment comes. They will be shown their place in Paradise and when they see the blessings awaiting them, they will ask Allah to make the Day of Judgment come quickly so that they can receive their reward.

On the other hand, the grave of non-believers will be dark, cramped, and frightening. It will be so cramped that their ribs will cross over each other, making it a very uncomfortable place to wait for the Day of Judgment. The deeds non-believers performed in this life will come to them in their graves as a mean and abusive companion who will call them by the names they hate to hear and torment them until the Day of Judgment comes. They will be shown their place in Hellfire and when they see the punishment awaiting them, they will ask Allah to make the Day of Judgment never come so that they can avoid their punishment.

With respect to being reunited with our loved ones in Paradise, this can only happen if both we and them are believers. Allah will reunite us with our loved ones in Paradise if we are all fortunate enough to receive Allah’s mercy on the Day of Judgment. Believers love what Allah loves and hate what Allah hates.

May Allaah make al-jannah our abode. (Aameen)
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Jazaakumullaahu khayraan