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TheThe HEREAFTERHEREAFTER

Islamic PerspectiveIslamic Perspective

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Articles of Faith in IslamArticles of Faith in Islam

1.1. Existence and Unity of GodExistence and Unity of God

2.2. Prophets Prophets

3.3. AngelsAngels

4.4. ScripturesScriptures

5.5. The HereafterThe Hereafter

6.6. Divine Decree and DestinyDivine Decree and Destiny

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ConceptsConcepts Death: A door to a better world.Death: A door to a better world. Resurrection & Life after deathResurrection & Life after death Judgment: Salvation,Judgment: Salvation,

Reward and PunishmentReward and Punishment Heaven & Hell Heaven & Hell

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In the Name of God,In the Name of God, The Merciful, the The Merciful, the CompassionateCompassionate

““Look upon the signs and imprints Look upon the signs and imprints of God’s Mercy, how He revives of God’s Mercy, how He revives Earth after its death. He it is Who Earth after its death. He it is Who will revive the dead [ in the same will revive the dead [ in the same way]. He is powerful over all way]. He is powerful over all things.” things.”

Qur’an 30:50 Qur’an 30:50

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Existence of the Hereafter:Existence of the Hereafter:

The Infinite Eternal Power The Infinite Eternal Power revives countless dead trees and revives countless dead trees and different plant and animal different plant and animal species with “Be!” and it is, species with “Be!” and it is, thereby making them images of thereby making them images of the Resurrectionthe Resurrection. .

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Existence of the Hereafter:Existence of the Hereafter:

The limitless Everlasting Wisdom’s The limitless Everlasting Wisdom’s attention to the least detail over an attention to the least detail over an infinite extent infinite extent

The Eternal Mercy sustain, with The Eternal Mercy sustain, with perfect caring and fashion, display perfect caring and fashion, display each spring an infinite diversity of each spring an infinite diversity of adornment and beauty within a short adornment and beauty within a short period.period.

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Existence of the HereafterExistence of the Hereafter:: Our ardent, irremovable,Our ardent, irremovable, and

persistent love of eternity, our persistent love of eternity, our longing for immortality, and our longing for immortality, and our desire for permanence.desire for permanence.

We are the most beloved of God’s We are the most beloved of God’s creatures and are more concerned creatures and are more concerned with creation than any other beingwith creation than any other being..

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This land is a maneuvering This land is a maneuvering ground, an exhibition of the King’s ground, an exhibition of the King’s wonderful royal arts, a temporary wonderful royal arts, a temporary hospice. A caravan arrives daily as hospice. A caravan arrives daily as another one departs and vanishes. another one departs and vanishes. It’s constantly filled and emptied. It’s constantly filled and emptied. Soon the land will be changed. Its Soon the land will be changed. Its people will be transported to people will be transported to another, and eternal land where another, and eternal land where they will be rewarded or punished they will be rewarded or punished for their service.for their service.

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Signs of a truth Signs of a truth “Hereafter”“Hereafter”

1.1. As reward and punishment are As reward and punishment are virtually non-existent here, there virtually non-existent here, there must be a must be a Supreme TribunalSupreme Tribunal somewhere else.somewhere else.

2.2. The oppressor remains powerful The oppressor remains powerful and the oppressed humiliated. As and the oppressed humiliated. As they both depart and migrate from they both depart and migrate from this realm, their affairs must be left this realm, their affairs must be left to a to a Supreme Tribunal.Supreme Tribunal.

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3.3. Justice demands that subjects’ rights be Justice demands that subjects’ rights be preserved so that the government’s preserved so that the government’s dignity and the state’s authority and dignity and the state’s authority and splendor are maintained. But only a splendor are maintained. But only a minute part of that is fulfilled here.minute part of that is fulfilled here.

4.4. Eternal beauty can not content with Eternal beauty can not content with transient admirers. Infinite Generosity transient admirers. Infinite Generosity requires eternal display of all objects of requires eternal display of all objects of desire as well as the eternal nature of desire as well as the eternal nature of those enjoying the feast .those enjoying the feast .

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5. Whatever leaves does not return, and 5. Whatever leaves does not return, and whatever comes is destined to go.whatever comes is destined to go.

6. We work here and he rewards us there 6. We work here and he rewards us there with a form and degree of happiness with a form and degree of happiness suited to our capacity.suited to our capacity.

7. The King ordered that all transactions 7. The King ordered that all transactions and deeds performed in his kingdom be and deeds performed in his kingdom be recorded. One day he will use these recorded. One day he will use these records to call his subjects to account. records to call his subjects to account. He may bestow happiness on the He may bestow happiness on the obedient and imprison the disobedient.obedient and imprison the disobedient.

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8. A magnificent kingdom can not be 8. A magnificent kingdom can not be founded on something transient, founded on something transient, impermanent, unstable, and imperfect.impermanent, unstable, and imperfect.

9. This temporary place is like a field, a 9. This temporary place is like a field, a training ground, and a market that will training ground, and a market that will be replaced by a supreme tribunal and be replaced by a supreme tribunal and ultimate happiness.ultimate happiness.

10. Death w/o resurrection would turn 10. Death w/o resurrection would turn compassion into torment, love into the compassion into torment, love into the affliction of separation, blessing into a affliction of separation, blessing into a vengeful curse, and pleasure into pain. vengeful curse, and pleasure into pain.

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The PreserverThe PreserverI shall not allow to go to waste I shall not allow to go to waste

the deed of any one of you, the deed of any one of you, whether male or female.(3:195)whether male or female.(3:195)

He is the All Preserver. Every He is the All Preserver. Every action of us is recorded and action of us is recorded and will be judged/evaluated will be judged/evaluated accordingly in the Hereafter.accordingly in the Hereafter.

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Sovereign and LordSovereign and LordHe will fulfill his promise. He brings back in He will fulfill his promise. He brings back in

the spring the innumerable beings of the the spring the innumerable beings of the spring before, some identical, and some spring before, some identical, and some

similar. similar.

The Answerer of the PrayersThe Answerer of the PrayersPerfect people, from the time of Adam to the Perfect people, from the time of Adam to the

present, offers supreme prayers and present, offers supreme prayers and petitioning for so universal a need- petitioning for so universal a need- “immortality”.“immortality”.

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PrinciplesPrinciples This world’s adornments are meant to This world’s adornments are meant to

rouse our appetite. As they are rouse our appetite. As they are temporary and give pain upon temporary and give pain upon separation, they are here only to separation, they are here only to instruct in wisdom, arouse gratitude, instruct in wisdom, arouse gratitude, and encourage us to seek the and encourage us to seek the permanent originals. permanent originals.

The world’s adornments are like The world’s adornments are like samples of the blessings stored in samples of the blessings stored in Paradise.Paradise.

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Everything has been created for Everything has been created for eternity, not for annihilation .eternity, not for annihilation .

We were not left to wander at will. We were not left to wander at will. Our deeds’ forms and Our deeds’ forms and consequences are recorded, consequences are recorded, registered for the Day of Judgment.registered for the Day of Judgment.

This transient world’s Eternal This transient world’s Eternal Maker has an eternal world toward Maker has an eternal world toward which He urges His servants. which He urges His servants.

One so Compassionate will give the One so Compassionate will give the best of His servants gifts that are best of His servants gifts that are so far beyond our knowledge. so far beyond our knowledge.

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Consolation against Consolation against deathdeath

1.1. For Children:For Children:

They can not endure death, must They can not endure death, must seem to them an awful tragedy, seem to them an awful tragedy, except via the idea of Paradise, except via the idea of Paradise, which spiritually strengthens their which spiritually strengthens their weak, fragile natures. It gives weak, fragile natures. It gives them the hope to live joyfully, them the hope to live joyfully, despite the vulnerability of their despite the vulnerability of their nature.nature.

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Consolation against Consolation against deathdeath

2.2. For the Elderly:For the Elderly:

The hope of eternal life allows The hope of eternal life allows them to counter the pain and them to counter the pain and despair arising from the despair arising from the anticipation of the death and anticipation of the death and separation, despite their fragile separation, despite their fragile spirit and temperament.spirit and temperament.

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Consolation against Consolation against deathdeath

3.3. For the Youth:For the Youth:

Thought of Hell enables them to Thought of Hell enables them to control the stormy energy of control the stormy energy of feelings and passions, their feelings and passions, their tempestuous spirits, from tempestuous spirits, from destructiveness and oppression destructiveness and oppression by diverting them into serving by diverting them into serving the collective interest. the collective interest.

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Consolation against Consolation against deathdeath

4.4. For the Family:For the Family:The vitality and happiness of our homes and The vitality and happiness of our homes and

families depend upon sincere and families depend upon sincere and devoted respect, true kindness, and self-devoted respect, true kindness, and self-denying compassion. All of this depends denying compassion. All of this depends upon eternal friendship and upon eternal friendship and companionship, an immortal bond, as companionship, an immortal bond, as well as the belief that feelings will be well as the belief that feelings will be everlasting.everlasting.

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Reference:Reference:

The Resurrection and the Afterlife from the The Resurrection and the Afterlife from the Risale-i Nur Collection. Risale-i Nur Collection. by Bediuzzaman Said Nursi.by Bediuzzaman Said Nursi.

www.islamicteaching.infowww.islamicteaching.infowww.bediuzzaman.orgwww.bediuzzaman.orgwww.pearls.orgwww.pearls.orgwww.fountainlink.comwww.fountainlink.comwww.mfgulen.comwww.mfgulen.com