Audhubillahi mina Shaytan-nir Rajeem, Bismillah-ir-Rahman-ir-Raheem
"And among His Signs is this: you see the earth humble,' but when We send down rain to it, it is stirred to life and yields increase. Truly, He who gives life to the (dead) earth can surely give life to (men) who are dead. For He has power over all things" (Q41:39).
Whether there is life after death has been a thorny issue through the ages till this present day. All the prophets of Allah (PBUT) dealt with this question confidently and uniformly, yet lots of people still do not believe in it. Some people have turned to science for a proof of its existence and have made up their minds depending on the results or lack of results of the research. But science can't find out whether there is life after death, since science deals with classifying and analysing what can be seen, felt or held.
Life after death cannot be seen, held or felt. Rasulullah (PBUH) explained to a companion:
"Has it never occurred to you that you passed by a stretch of land in your country and found it dry and bereft of all vegetation, and, then, coming upon it again, after sometime, discovered that it was covered lavishly with fresh, green grass?" Yes!, the Prophet (PBUH) added: "This typifies Resurrection. Allah will rise from the dead in the same manner." (Quoted as sahih - What Islam is?)
This verse is one of the numerous ones in which Allah proves to man and the jinns that there is life after death. He does this by simply comparing it with similar circumstances which is common that can be seen, felt or held. Allah compares life after death to a barren (dead) earth which is brought back to life by drops of rain. So what stops Allah, who is able to do this, from bringing mankind back from the dead?
This is the great puzzle that continues to confront men just as it was a puzzle for the Quraysh:
"Who shall bring back the bones to life after they have decomposed and become dirt?" (Q36:78).
Quraysh (Arabs in Makkah during the time of Rasulullah (PBUH) who though believed in the existence of Allah, find it difficult to believe in life after death. Some people have answered this question in the negative and assured themselves that it will never happen:
"they swear their strongest oaths by Allah, never will Allah raise from the dead anyone who has died'" (Q16:38).
These people probably view life from a materialistic point.
Allah, the Exalted, invites other reasoning along with other senses to arrive at the fact that there is life after death, notwithstanding that no one has had a practical experience of resurrection. So Allah answers the Quraysh and several others like them:
"Say: 'He will give them life who created them for the first time! For He fully knows all creation. The same Who has produced for you fire from the green tree, and when behold! You kindle from it (your own fires)! Is not He who created the heavens and the earth, able to create the like thereof? Yes, indeed! For He is the Supreme Creator, of skill and knowledge (infinite)'" (Q36:79-81)
Another explanation from the Qur'an is that if there is no life after death, the vet)' belief in Allah becomes irrelevant or even if one believes in God, that would be an unjust and indifferent God But verily Allah is Just (Q4:40). Thus al-Akhira, life after death presents the opportunity for punishment and rewards of mankind by Allah, the Best of all Judges (Q95:8):
'that He may reward those who believe and work righteousness"(Q34:4).
Life thus exists after death; to believe in it is a compulsory article of faith. The reality of life after death will make you conduct your life with iman (faith), taqwa (fear of Allah) and amal (good deeds). Once you have done this to the best of your ability, look forward to the Mercy of Allah, the Just, to reward you with bliss (Paradise) on the Day of Resurrection.
Pity is for those who did not do this in their lifetime, for the punishment of Allah is indeed severe. Do not be bewildered when you see that barren land covered with green grass after the early rains; be reminded that one day, Allah will bring the dead back to life.
This article was culled from the publications of Deen Communication Limited