The day of Resurrection is one of the six articles of faith. Muslims belief that their life in this world is a test and they shall be held accountable for their actions in the Hereafter. This belief is in exact accordance with the human nature which demands justice and pay back for all acts. The thought that every good deed that one has done and every pain that he has endured will be rewarded for, intrigues the man and encourages him to become a better person. To strengthen the belief of the Muslims and to remind them of their purpose of existence, the Day of Resurrection has also been mentioned several times in the Holy Quran. Therefore it has been said that the Quran acts as a guidance as well as a reminder. We must study the Quran daily in order to gain guidance from it. To learn how to read the Quran please visit Online Quran Lessons. We are an online Quran teaching academy and offer online Quran classes to Muslims of all age groups and all around the globe. Our website is also recommended for those who want to learn Tajweed online and understand the meanings of the Quranic verses. The following verses of the Holy Quran are an example of the ayah that acknowledge the Day of Resurrection:
AND THE HORN WILL BE BLOWN, AND AT ONCE FROM THE GRAVES TO THEIR LORD THEY WILL HASTEN.
[QURAN 36:51]
O MANKIND! IF YOU ARE IN DOUBT CONCERNING THE RESURRECTION, THEN, VERILY, WE CREATED YOU FROM DUST, THEN FROM A DROP, THEN FROM A CLOT, THEN FROM A LUMP OF FLESH [BOTH] SHAPED AND SHAPELESS, THAT WE MAKE IT CLEAR FOR YOU. AND WE CAUSE WHAT WE WILL TO REMAIN IN THE WOMBS FOR AN APPOINTED TIME, AND AFTERWARDS WE BRING YOU FORTH AS INFANTS: THEN YOU ATTAIN YOUR FULL STRENGTH.
AND AMONG YOU THERE IS HE WHO DIES [YOUNG] AND AMONG YOU THERE IS HE WHO IS BROUGHT BACK TO THE MOST ABJECT TIME OF LIFE SO THAT, AFTER KNOWLEDGE, HE KNOWS NOTHING. AND YOU SEE THE EARTH BARREN, BUT WHEN WE SEND DOWN WATER ON IT, IT THRILLS AND SWELLS AND PUTS FORTH EVERY LOVELY KIND [OF GROWTH].
THAT IS BECAUSE ALLAH IS REALITY, AND IT IS HE WHO GIVES LIFE TO THE DEAD, AND IT IS HE WHO HAS POWER OVER ALL THINGS, AND BECAUSE THE HOUR [OF JUDGMENT] WILL COME CONCERNING WHICH THERE IS NO DOUBT, AND BECAUSE ALLAH WILL RAISE THOSE WHO ARE IN THE GRAVES.
[QURAN 22:5-7]
In another verse, Allah describes the Holy Quran in the following words:
AS WE BEGAN THE FIRST CREATION, WE SHALL REPEAT IT
[QURAN 21:104]
In this verse Allah sends a reminder to those people who are doubtful about the Day of Judgment. He declares that the being who created man from dust has the authority to raise them again on the day of Resurrection.
The number of verses in the Quran that deal with the Day of Judgment and life after death is close to 1200. This is an addition to a vast number of traditions related from the Holy Prophet. This reveals the importance and significance of life after death and emphasizes that death is merely a transition from this life to the next which is the original destination of humans.
The question that comes to every person’s mind while thinking about the day of judgment is that if eventually mankind was to die out, then why were they created in the first place? Man was created as a caretaker of the Earth and as a guardian of his own moral and character.
The Islamic belief emphasizes that people will be judged on the basis of the deeds they perform in this world. Any good deeds will be rewarded and all the evil ones will be punished for. This system of accountability is a necessary part of the Muslim belief.
DEATH AND LIFE AFTER DEATH:
The life after death is the ultimate life and is a reflection of our actions in this world. During his stay in this world, a person is unknown of what he will face in the life hereafter. Allah has time and again shown us a glimpse of what we experience in the life after death, in the Holy Quran. Therefore it is advised to the Muslims to read the Quran daily with proper understanding so that when he comes face to face with death he isn’t completely unaware of what is going to happen. Allah says in the Holy Quran:
IT IS ALLAH WHO TAKES AWAY THE SOULS AT THE TIME OF THEIR DEATH, AND THOSE THAT DIE NOT DURING THEIR SLEEP. HE KEEPS THOSE SOULS FOR WHICH HE HAS ORDAINED DEATH AND SENDS THE REST FOR A TERM APPOINTED. VERILY, IN THIS ARE SIGNS FOR PEOPLE WHO THINK DEEPLY.
[QURAN 39:42]
AND THEY ASK YOU CONCERNING THE SPIRIT. SAY: “THE SPIRIT, IT IS ONE OF THE THINGS, THE KNOWLEDGE OF WHICH IS ONLY WITH MY LORD, AND OF KNOWLEDGE, YOU MANKIND HAVE BEEN GIVEN ONLY A LITTLE.”
[QURAN 17:85]
Allah has promised the pious people that for them, death would be easy. He says in the Holy Quran:
IT WILL BE SAID TO THE PIOUS: “O YOU IN COMPLETE REST AND SATISFACTION, COME BACK TO YOUR LORD WELL-PLEASED YOURSELF AND WELL-PLEASING UNTO HIM. ENTER THEN AMONG MY HONORED SERVANTS, AND ENTER MY PARADISE.”
[QURAN 89:27-30]
For those people who are destined for Hell, the parting of the soul would be a dreadful sight and experience. The moment of death has been described in the Quran:
NAY! WHEN THE SOUL REACHES THE COLLARBONE, AND IT WILL BE SAID, “WHO CAN CURE HIM AND SAVE HIM FROM DEATH?” AND HE, THE DYING PERSON, WILL CONCLUDE THAT IT IS THE TIME OF DEPARTING, AND HE IS SHROUDED; THE DRIVE ON THAT DAY WILL BE TO YOUR LORD.
[QURAN 75:26-30]
As soon as a person reaches puberty, two angels are appointed which are given the duty to keep record of every action that a person commits. These angels are with him till his last breath and will bear witness to all his acts on the day of resurrection. As said in the Holy Quran:
AND THE TRUMPET WILL BE BLOWN; THAT WILL BE THE DAY WHEREOF WARNING HAD BEEN GIVEN, AND EVERY PERSON WILL COME FORTH WITH AN ANGEL TO DRIVE HIM AND AN ANGEL TO BEAR WITNESS. IT WILL BE SAID TO THE SINNERS: “INDEED, YOU WERE HEEDLESS OF THIS. NOW WE HAVE REMOVED YOUR COVERING, AND SHARP IS YOUR SIGHT THIS DAY.”
[QURAN 50:17-22]
In order to get detailed information of the acknowledgment of the Day of Judgment in the Holy Quran, you are advised to consult the Book of Allah. To learn Quran online please visit Online Quran Lessons. We arrange online Quran classes for students of all age groups from all around the World.
According to the Islamic faith, the soul accompanies the body to the grave where it is questioned, by two angels, about the deeds and actions and faith. It remains buried alongside the body till finally on the day of Resurrection they are raised and destined to heaven or hell based on their record of this life.
It is also a part of the Muslim belief that when buried, the souls are already experiencing heaven or hell based on the decision of the accountability session conducted by the angels. This experience known as Barzakh can be described as a chunk of heaven or hell and every soul experiences it before arriving at its original destination.
REPENTANCE AND FORGIVENESS:
Repentance is the regret that one feels after committing a sin and the promise to himself of never committing it again. It is a source of forgiveness for every sin and a method to achieve Allah’s mercy. As Allah says in the Holy Quran:
TURN TO ALLAH, O BELIEVERS, THAT YOU MAY BE SUCCESSFUL
[QURAN 24:31]
One must always keep in mind that no matter how big the sin, Allah’s forgiveness is always greater. When a person who regrets his sins turns to Allah in repentance, Allah forgives his sins. As stated in the Holy Quran:
SAY, O MY SERVANTS WHO HAVE TRANSGRESSED AGAINST THEMSELVES, DESPAIR NOT OF THE MERCY OF ALLAH; VERILY, ALLAH FORGIVES ALL SINS. VERILY, HE IS THE FORGIVING, THE MERCIFUL.
[QURAN 39:53]
TELL MY SERVANTS THAT I AM THE FORGIVING, THE MERCIFUL.
[QURAN 15:49]
WILL THEY NOT TURN TO ALLAH AND ASK HIS FORGIVENESS? ALLAH IS THE FORGIVING, THE MERCIFUL.
[QURAN 5:74]
YOUR LORD IS FULL OF FORGIVENESS FOR MANKIND IN SPITE OF THEIR WRONGDOING.
[QURAN 13:6]
Among the tons of qualities that Allah possesses, Forgiveness and mercy are the best of Allah’s qualities. It’s a quality that gives hope to the people and strengthens their will to become a better person. It is because of this dominating magnanimous quality of Allah that Muslims are advised to start every action, speech or endeavor with the words:
IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE MOST MERCIFUL, THE MOST COMPASSIONATE
Repentance is of benefit now and security for the Hereafter. Prophet Muhammad narrated that the act of repenting brings an increase of wealth, protection from danger, and an easing of hardships and difficulties. Furthermore, it has been said that the fastest way to attain closeness to God is to humble oneself before Him and admit ones wrongdoing. The benefits of repentance for the next life are obvious – entrance into Paradise and safety from the Hellfire.
Repentance will be accepted up until the moment of death. Prophet Muhammad once said that if a person seeks repentance one year before dying, God will accept the repentance. Even if a person seeks repentance one day before dying, God will accept it. The Prophet then pointed to his throat and said that even if someone seeks repentance before his soul reaches here (pointing to his throat), God will accept it. Nonetheless, repentance should be done as soon as possible and should not be delayed.
Thus a person should seek Allah’s forgiveness and mercy so that when, on the Day of Judgment, he is held accountable for his deeds, he is not embarrassed in front of his Lord and his fellow humans because the day of Resurrection is as inevitable as death itself. For complete guidance one must read the Holy Quran daily and learn its meaning to understand the way Allah wants us to spend our lives