Article appeared Friday, February 1st, 2019 in The News Today, Bangladesh

The Revelation (558) yousuf mahbubul Islam, PhD

Can life after death be a cause for concern? Revealed Holy Scriptures repeatedly warn
us about the Day of Judgment and the subsequent afterlife. But do these warnings make
sense? How can we have a life after our bodies have decayed and our bones brittle and
broken? As God designed and created our individual DNAs and our personalities, He
also knows about the doubts that we have. So, in the Holy Scripture, the Al-Qur’an, He
addresses this particular doubt and also questions whether we have considered His
ability (power and knowledge) to create from nothing? We find in Chapter 17 the
following three Verses:
“They say, "What! When we are reduced to bones and dust should we really be
raised up (to be) a new creation?”[17.49]

“Say, "(Nay!) Be you stones or iron or created matter which in your minds is
hardest (to be raised up)--(yet shall you be raised up)!" Then will they ask, "Who
will cause us to return?" Say, "He Who created you first!" Then will they wag their
heads towards you and say, "When will that be?" Say, "Maybe it will be quite
soon!” [17.50 – 17.51]

What facts are these Verses making clear? Rephrasing, God is asking a logical
question, “If He has the power to create from “nothing”, should He have trouble re-
creating any one of us or anything at all?

If we will be made alive again, then another question may arise. If we are going to be
recreated anyway, why make us die and then raise us? Initially, when God created Adam
and Eve, He put both in Paradise. Paradise was meant to be their home. However, it is
when they disobeyed God’s command that He decided to send them down to earth for a
short trial period of time. So, God said to both Adam and Eve,
“He said: "Get down both of you all together from the Garden with enmity one to
another; but if as is sure there comes to you guidance from Me whosoever
follows My guidance will not lose his way nor fall into misery.” [20.123]

Death simply indicates that the trial period on earth is complete and that it is time to
return to God. On the Day of Judgment it will be determined whether or not the individual
has followed the Guidance (Revelation) sent by Him. Purpose of guidance is to prevent
humans from falling into trouble with God on the Day of Judgment.

If we do not study the Guidance (available in the form of Holy Scriptures, e.g., the Al-
Qur’an) and simply follow our own desires and lusts during our time on earth, what is
likely to happen? The Al-Qur’an also points out what we will do when realization dawns
on us – we would realize who God is, the purpose of Guidance and that it was a grave
mistake not to follow Revelation. The following Verses show a scenario of what will
happen.

23.99 “(In Falsehood will they be) until when death comes to one of them
he says: "O my Lord! Send me back (to life).”
On earth we would have lived a life without Divine Guidance, i.e., we will have led a life
without having consulted God’s manual – a life without wisdom. When the time comes
we will panic and want to go back to earth to correct our mistakes. But will God listen –
what would He do?

23.100 “”In order that I may work righteousness in the things I neglected.”
“By no means! It is but a word he says before them is a Partition till the Day
they are raised up.”
Once we are dead, there will be no turning back – no second chance. The “partition”
implies a state of inactivity till the time we are raised from the dead state – it would be
like a barrier preventing any activity or interaction. Even if we are able to voice our desire
to return back, God says these would be just words without meaning. If God did return
us, would we actually change?

23.101 “Then when the Trumpet is blown there will be no more

relationships between them that day nor will one ask after another!”
The trumpet will announce the arrival of the Day of Judgment the point in time when we
would be raised from our death state. It would be an event of such magnitude that in our
panic we will forget all our relationships and friendships. We will simply be terrified for
ourselves on what is about to take place. We will face God, the most powerful and wise
Being who gave us life as a blessing and an opportunity to know His Attributes.

23.102 “Then those whose balance (of good deeds) is heavy they will attain
salvation:”
Salvation would be a state of peace and security granted by God to those who have
believed in His reality and followed the guidance provided by Him through
Revelation, i.e., the Holy Scriptures. The Scriptures reveal the purpose of life on earth
and what will happen on the Day of Judgment. Would it be wise to ignore such guidance
and warnings?

23.103 “But those whose balance is light will be those who have lost their
souls; in Hell will they abide.”
Who could these people be? Could it be those who do not believe in the accountability of
the Day of Judgment? They just wish to enrich their lives with the things of the current
world while ignoring the purpose of their creation? God asks us to turn away from such
people.
“Therefore shun those who turn away from Our Message (Revelation) and desire
nothing but the life of this world…Verily your Lord knows best those who stray
from His path and He knows best those who receive guidance.” [53.29 – 53.30]

23.104 “The Fire will burn their faces and they will therein grin with their
lips displaced.”
Before sending such people off to Hell, He will ask,

23.105 “Were not My Signs rehearsed to you and you did but treat them as
falsehoods?"”

23.106 “They will say: "Our Lord! Our misfortune overwhelmed us and we
became a people astray!”