The Day of Resurrection and the Hereafter

[ابوالوليد المسلم]

The Day of Resurrection and the Hereafter (1/4)

Dr. Aisha Hamdan


“And the Horn will be blown; and at once from the graves to their Lord they will hasten. They will say: O woe to us! Who has raised us up from our sleeping place? [The reply will be:] This is what the Most Merciful had promised, and the messengers told the truth.” (Qur’an, Surah Ya-Sin, 36: 51-52)


Belief in the Day of Resurrection and the hereafter
Belief in the Day of Resurrection and the hereafter is the fifth pillar of Iman. This entails belief in all related concepts, including the trial and questioning in the grave, the torment and bliss of the grave, the resurrection, the gathering, the records, the reckoning, the scale, the fount, the bridge, intercession, paradise and hellfire, and everything that Allah has prepared for those who dwell within them. A Muslim believes in all that is mentioned in the Qur’an and the Hadith regarding these topics, without addition or change.


The Last Day is mentioned in the Qur’an on numerous occasions and in various literary styles. Allah mentions,
“Righteousness is not that you turn your faces toward the east or the west, but [true] righteousness is [in] one who believes in Allah, the Last Day, the angels, the Book, and the prophets...” (Qur’an, Surah Al-Baqarah, 2: 177)


“... And whoever disbelieves in Allah, His angels, His books, His messengers, and the Last Day has certainly gone far astray.” (Qur’an, Surah An-Nisa’, 4: 136)


“Indeed, the Hour is coming — I almost conceal it — so that every soul may be recompensed according to that for which it strives. So do not let one avert you from it who does not believe in it and follows his desire, for you [then] would perish.” (Qur’an, Surah Ta-Ha, 20: 15-16)


A great deal of detail is provided on this subject, which is unique in comparison to other issues of the unseen. The Last Day is referred to by many names, often describing the events that will occur on that day. Some of the names mentioned in the Qur’an, for example, include: Day of Resurrection, Day of Reckoning, Day of Rising, the Striking Hour, the Overwhelming, and so on.


Belief in the Last Day is without doubt. Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala) says,
“Allah — there is no deity except Him. He will surely assemble you for [account on] the Day of Resurrection, about which there is no doubt. And who is more truthful than Allah in statement?” (Qur’an, Surah An-Nisa’, 4: 87)


“Those who disbelieve have claimed that they will never be resurrected. Say: Yes, by my Lord, you will surely be resurrected; then you will surely be informed of what you did. And that, for Allah, is easy.” (Qur’an, Surah At-Taghabun, 64: 7)


To establish its importance even further, belief in the Last Day is often connected to belief in Allah. Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala) says,
“…but [true] righteousness is [in] one who believes in Allah, the Last Day, the angels, the Book, and the prophets...” (Qur’an, Surah Al-Baqarah, 2: 177)


“… That is instructed to whoever of you believes in Allah and the Last Day...” (Qur’an Surah Al-Baqarah, 2: 232)


Prophet Shu‘ayb (alaihis salam) said to his people,
“… O my people, worship Allah and expect the Last Day and do not commit abuse on the earth, spreading corruption.” (Qur’an, Surah Al-‘Ankabut, 29: 36)


There are many such examples in the Qur’an of this connection between belief in Allah and belief in the Last Day.


These reminders of the events of the Day of Resurrection and the life in the hereafter should have an influence on the thoughts and behaviour of the believer. A person who believes that he/she will be judged and brought to account will conduct himself or herself within the constraints of goodness, piety, truth, and justice. This is the reason that, in the Qur’an, righteous deeds are often associated with belief in the Last Day. Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) mentions,
“… Those who believe in the Hereafter believe in it, and they are maintaining theirprayers.” (Qur’an, Surah Al-an’am, 6: 92)


“There has certainly been for you in them an excellent pattern for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the Last Day. And whoever turns away — then indeed, Allah is the Free of need, the Praiseworthy.” (Qur’an, Surah Al-Mumtahanah, 60:6)


“Those who believe in Allah and the Last Day would not ask permission of you to be excused from striving [fighting] with their wealth and their lives. And Allah is Knowing of those who fear Him. Only those would ask permission of you who do not believe in Allah and the Last Day and whose hearts have doubted, and they, in their doubt, are hesitating.” (Qur’an, Surah At-Tawbah, 9: 44-45)


This sets the believer apart from the person, who denies that he/she will be resurrected and judged for his or her actions in this life; one who is preoccupied by worldly desires and ambitions and his or her own personal interests. Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) mentions,
“But they wonder that there has come to them a warner from among themselves, and the disbelievers say: This is an amazing thing. When we have died and have become dust, [will we return to life]? That is a distant [unlikely] return.” (Qur’an, Surah Qaf, 50: 2-3)


“And they say: There is not but our worldly life; we die and live, and nothing destroys us except time. And they have of that no knowledge; they are only assuming.” (Qur'an, Surah Al-Jathiyah, 45: 24)


Disbelief in the Day of Resurrection brings misery to the human and leads him or her to deviate from his or her intended path in this life. One who rejects the possibility of resurrection, in effect, disbelieves in all of Allah’s Messengers, since all of them had brought an account of these matters. Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) responds to their disbelief in the resurrection and hereafter in the Qur’an:
“And they say: When we are bones and crumbled particles, will we [truly] be resurrected as a new creation? Say: Be you stones or iron, or [any] creation of that which is great within your breasts. And they will say: Who will restore us? Say: He who brought you forth the first time. Then they will nod their heads toward you and say: When is that? Say: Perhaps it will be soon.” (Qur’an, Surah Al-Isra’, 17: 49-51)

(Continued)

[ابوالوليد المسلم]

The Day of Resurrection and the Hereafter (2/4)

Dr. Aisha Hamdan


Connecting children to the Day of Resurrection and the hereafter
Children can be connected to belief in the hereafter in a variety of ways. As this topic is mentioned throughout the Qur’an, this would obviously be the proper tool for approaching the subject matter. Children are able to accept and understand the concepts of death, resurrection, and an afterlife, depending on their particular level of development. These are issues that should be discussed freely and comfortably within the home.


In the Qur’an, for example, Allah provides similes of death and resurrection so that the reader may more easily comprehend. This can be particularly effective for children since it ties abstract concepts to something more tangible. By nature children are concrete thinkers, so they are in need of such techniques to assist in their understanding. As they enter adolescence, the ability to appreciate abstract notions becomes apparent.


One of the greatest proofs that Allah uses in the Qur’an for the resurrection after death is that of our own creation. If Allah was able to create us in the first place, it will be even easier to re-create us on the Day of Resurrection. Children should be reminded that their existence and their creation are from Allah and that He will return them to Him. Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) says,
“And the [disbelieving] human says: When I have died, am I going to be brought forth alive? Does man not remember that We created him before, while he was nothing?” (Qur'an, Surah Maryam, 19: 66-67)


The initial creation of human beings is a reminder of this. Allah says,
“O people, if you should be in doubt about the Resurrection, then [consider that] indeed, We created you from dust, then from a sperm drop, then from a clinging clot, and then from a lump of flesh, formed and unformed — that We may show you. And We settle in the wombs whom We will for a specified term, then We bring you out as a child, and then [We develop you] that you may reach your [time of] maturity. And among you is he who is taken in [early] death, and among you is he who is returned to the most decrepit [old] age so that he knows, after [once having] knowledge, nothing. And you see the earth barren, but when We send down upon it rain, it quivers and swells and grows [something] of every beautiful kind. That is because Allah is the Truth and because He gives life to the dead and because He is over all things competent. And [that they may know] that the Hour is coming — no doubt about it — and that Allah will resurrect those in the graves.” (Qur’an, Surah Al-Hajj, 22: 5-7)


In this verse, Allah coins a parable of resurrection of the dead by likening it to how He revives the earth with vegetation after it has been barren. This same parable can be found in several places in the Qur’an. Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) mentions,
“And of His signs is that you see the earth stilled, but when We send down upon it rain, it quivers and grows. Indeed, He who has given it life is the Giver of Life to the dead. Indeed, He is competent over all things.” (Qur'an, Surah Fussilat, 41: 39)


And:
“And who sends down rain from the sky in measured amounts, and We revive thereby a dead land — thus will you be brought forth.” (Qur’an, Surah Az-Zukhruf, 43: 11)
Children relate easily to features of nature, so these types of parables can be very effective. Parents should encourage them to ponder the wonders of nature and how the land is brought back to life after its death. This is truly an amazing phenomenon that we often take for granted. The seasons of the year are a sign of Allah’s power and majesty, and a reminder of our own death and resurrection. We should not allow them to pass without taking notice and being grateful for Allah’s bounties.


The whole creation itself is reminder of the ability of Allah to create and re-create.

“Have they not considered how Allah begins creation and then repeats it? Indeed that, for Allah, is easy. Say [O Muhammad]: Travel through the land and observe how He began creation. Then Allah will produce the final creation [development]. Indeed, Allah, over all things, is competent.” (Qur’an, Surah Al-‘Ankabut, 29: 19-20)
“And it is He who begins creation; then He repeats it, and that is [even] easier for Him. To Him belongs the highest description [attribute] in the heavens and earth. And He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise.” (Qur’an, Surah Ar-Rum, 30: 27)


Allah has created this vast universe; would it not then be within His ability to create something less significant, which is the human being?
“ls not He who created the heavens and the earth Able to create the likes of them? Yes, [it is so]; and He is the Knowing Creator. His command is only when He intends a thing that He says to it: Be! — and it is. So Exalted is He in whose hand is the realm of all things, and to Him you will be returned.” (Qur’an, Surah Ya-Sin, 36: 81-83)


A family’s vacation trip can easily be turned into a lesson integrating these verses and signs. A garden in the backyard can be a daily opportunity to remind children of Allah’s might and bounties. Studies in science should consistently be tied to verses from the Qur’an and hadiths of the Prophet (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) so that children realize that the miracles of science exist only by the will of Allah. Humans have no power or ability compared to that which Allah possesses. Many scientists in current times disregard this fact due to their failure to connect knowledge and discoveries to the power and might of Allah.

(Continued)

[ابوالوليد المسلم]

The Day of Resurrection and the Hereafter (3/4)

Dr. Aisha Hamdan

Death
The death of a loved one or family friend would be an appropriate occasion to discuss the issues of death and the afterlife with a child. The discussion should be candid, but should also fit the developmental stage of the child. Regardless of the age, children can be told that everyone, including themselves, will die at some time.


Children should understand, however, that their loved one is not gone, but has only passed on to the next phase of existence. Death is only a stage that he/she has passed through, as we all will one day. He/she will be raised again on the Day of Resurrection with his or her family and all other humans. Rather than grieving and being sad for this person, there should be an element of joy that they have gone on to meet their Lord. Older children may be provided information regarding the barrier or interval before the Day of Resurrection, and life in the grave. They may also be taken to graves as a further reminder of the reality.


Death is not a negative thing from the perspective of Islam and it should not be portrayed as such. Children should not develop worry or fear of death. Rather, they should be encouraged to discuss the issue and think about it often. The Prophet (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) actually encouraged the believers to do this. He said: “Remember often the destroyer of pleasure, death, for no one remembers death in times of hardship but that it makes him feel better, and no one remembers death in times of ease but that it restrains him.” [1]


Sleep itself is a form of ‘lesser death’. Waking from sleep is a type of resurrection. Children can be reminded of this fact. Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) says:
“And it is He who takes your souls by night and knows what you have committed by day. Then He revives you therein [by day] that a specified term may be fulfilled. Then to Him will be your return; then He will inform you about what you used to do.” (Qur’an, Surah Al-An’am, 6: 60)


“Allah takes the souls at the time of their death, and those that do not die [He takes] during their sleep. Then He keeps those for which He has decreed death and releases the others for a specified term. Indeed in that are signs for a people who give thought.” (Qur’an, Surah Az-Zumar, 39: 42)


During sleep, Allah takes the souls. If He wishes, He may keep the soul; and if He wills that the person should remain alive, He returns the soul. The supplications made upon rising from sleep and before going to sleep mention this fact. Upon awakening, children should recite the following supplication: “All praise is for Allah Who gave us life after having taken it from us, and unto Him is the resurrection. [Alhamdulillah alladhee ahyaana ba‘da ma amaatana wa ilayhin-nushoor.]"[2] The following supplication should be said before going to sleep: “In Your name my Lord, I lie down and in Your name I rise, so if You should take my soul then have mercy upon it, and if You should return my soul then protect as You protect Your righteous servants. [Bismika Rabbee wada’tu janbee, bika arfa'uhu, fa in amsakta nafsee farhamha, wa in arsaltaha fahfadh-ha bi ma tahfudhu bihi ‘ibadak as-saliheen.]”[3] Children should understand the meaning of these supplications and their relationship to death and resurrection.


It is the habit of righteous people to remind themselves and others about death. This assists the believer in remaining constantly prepared for his or her own death, since the exact moment is unknown. To be prepared means to have correct belief, to be consistent and persistent in performance of religious obligations, and to hasten in the performance of righteous deeds. In essence, remembrance of death leads a person to strive to reform and purify himself or herself. This is one of the main purposes of the message of Islam.


Responsibility and accountability
One of the key aspects of parenting is to teach children that they are responsible for their actions and that one day they will be brought to account before Allah. Allah, the Exalted, the Almighty, mentions this fact in the Qur’an:
“Every soul, for what it has earned, will be held retained [subject or held responsible.” (Qur’an, Surah Al-Muddaththir, 74: 38)


The individual will stand alone on that day.
“And all of them are coming to Him on the Day of Resurrection alone.” (Qur’an, Surah Maryam, 19: 95)


There will be no one to speak on his or her behalf or to defend him or her, not even close family members or friends.
“On the Day a man will flee from his brother, and his mother and his father, and his wife and his children; for every person, that Day, will be a matter adequate [to occupy] him for him. He will be concerned only with himself, thus forgetting all others.” (Qur’an, Surah ‘Abasa, 80: 34-37)


The only evidence to allow entrance into paradise will be belief in Allah and His Messenger and good deeds.


This understanding will prove invaluable for discipline and behaviour management of a child. Self-******* is something that must come from within and this is exactly the outcome of belief in the Day of Resurrection and the hereafter. It must be imprinted on the minds of children that Allah will weigh the deeds of a person and reward those whose deeds are heavy; those whose deeds are light will not be successful. Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) says,
“And the weighing [of deeds] that Day will be the truth. So those, whose scales are heavy — it is they who will be successful. And those, whose scales are light — they are the ones who will lose themselves for what injustice they were doing toward Our signs and verses.” (Qur’an, Surah Al-A’raf, 7: 8-9)

(Continued)

[1] Al-Albani, Saheeh al-Jami’

[2] Bukhari

[3] Bukhari and Muslim

[ابوالوليد المسلم]

The Day of Resurrection and the Hereafter (4/4)

Dr. Aisha Hamdan

The nature of this world
In this way, children will realize that the purpose of this life is only as a preparation for the next. They will use it to prepare themselves for the hereafter and the foremost test that awaits them. They will strive to increase the weighing of their scales in order to have the best outcome. This will become their primary goal and that which they continually endeavour to achieve. Other goals in their worldly life become secondary to this central aspiration.

Children should also understand that Allah sometimes tests us in various ways to determine if we are deserving of His rewards in the hereafter.

“[He] who created death and life to test you [as to] which of you is best in deed — and He is the Exalted in Might, the Forgiving.” (Qur’an, Surah Al-Mulk, 67:2)

“Do the people think that they will be left to say: We believe. — And they will not be tried? But We have certainly tried those before them, and Allah will surely make evident those who are truthful, and He will surely make evident the liars.” (Qur’an, Surah Al-‘Ankabut, 29: 2-3)

The stories of the Prophet (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) and his Companions may be useful in this regard. They suffered severe physical and mental hardship in order to prove their sincerity to Allah and their commitment to Islam.

When children understand the temporal nature of this world and the fact that it will eventually come to an end, this diminishes their interest in the material things and decreases love of this life.

When they realize that this world is temporary and not our permanent abode, it will become less significant to them. This is one of the characteristics of a true believer. In this way, they will not covet, work for, or compete over matters of this worldly life, as do those who create their own ‘paradise’ in the life of this world and focus on that as an end in itself. They will not waste their time in idle and trivial pursuits, but rather will use their time wisely, for the sake of Allah. They will set their goal for what is awaiting them in the hereafter

They will be able to delay gratification in this world for that which will come in the next, realizing that the recompense in the hereafter is eternal.

‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar said: “The Messenger of Allah (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) took hold of my shoulder and said: “Be in this world as if you were a stranger or a traveller.” The sub-narrator added: Ibn ‘Umar used to say: “If you survive till the evening, do not expect to be alive in the morning, and if you survive till the morning, do not expect to be alive in the evening, and take from your health for your sickness, and (take) from your life for your death.”” [1]Obviously someone who travels tends to travel lightly; they only take for the journey what is absolutely necessary. As the Prophet (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) advised, we should exist in this world in the same manner, avoiding the ‘piling up’ of goods and material things. This is a useful analogy to use with children and it contains important lessons.

Another simile that can be presented to children is mentioned in the following hadith: The Prophet (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said: “The world is a prison for a believer and paradise for a disbeliever.” [2]A prison conjures up images of discomfort, gloominess, and restriction of freedom. It is a place from which a person would wish to escape. As such is the residence on this earth. A believer will desire to leave this place as he/she knows about the treasures that are waiting in the hereafter as promised by Allah. The earth is a paradise for disbelievers, since they attempt to take what they can of pleasure without regard to the limits imposed by Allah. They also sense the punishment that will be their eternal condition.

Children should appreciate that having the hereafter as a concern brings contentment and peace of mind.

The Messenger of Allah (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said: “Whoever has the hereafter as his main concern, Allah will fill his heart with a feeling of richness and independence; he will be focused and content, and this world will come to him in spite of itself. Whoever has this world as his main concern, Allah will cause him to feel constant fear of poverty; he will be distracted and unfocused, and he will have nothing of this world except what was already predestined for him.” [3]

Death, in fact, may come at any moment and we need to be prepared at all times. We need to ready our children, for they may depart before us. Preparation is carried out by gaining knowledge, correcting beliefs, performing good deeds, and recalling the rewards that Allah has promised. The greatest reward will be Allah’s pleasure and the opportunity to see Him and to be close to Him in the hereafter. What better reward for nurturing Iman?

[1] Bukhari.

[2] Muslim.

[3] A sound hadith narrated by At-Tirmidhi and Ahmad.