Ahl al-Bayt's (A.S.) Status on the Day of Resurrection

The Messenger of Allah (S.A.W.) said: The first who will join me by the Hawd of Kawthar are my Ahl al-Bayt and those of my Ummah who love me.
Al-Imam Ali (A.S.): The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) informed me that among the first who will enter the Paradise are me along with Fatima (A.S.) al-Hasan (A.S.), and al-Husayn(A.S.). I asked, O Rasul Allah! How about my followers and lovers? He replied: They will follow you into the Paradise.
The Messenger of Allah (S.A.W.) said: There is a place in the Paradise called Wasilah (means); whenever you ask Allah for something ask for Wasilah for me too. He was asked: O Rasu Allah! Who will be with you there? He replied: Ali (A.S.), Fatima (A.S.), al-Hasan (A.S.), and al-Husayn (A.S.)
The Messenger of Allah (S.A.W.) said: The center of Paradise will belong to me and to my Ahl al-Bayt.
71. Hudayfah said: My mother asked me: How long is it that you have not seen the Hoy Prophet (S.A.W.)? I told her from such and such a time. She reproached me and called me names.
I said: Let me go to the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) to perform the evening prayer with him, and I will not leave him until he ask Allah forgiveness for you and me. Hudayfah goes on saying: I took audience with his Holiness (S.A.W.) and performed evening prayer with him, and the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) performed the night prayer too. The Holy Prophet (S.A.W), then, returned and on his way someone ran into him, whispered something to him and went away. I followed His Holiness (S.A.W.) and when he heard me he asked: Who are you? I said: Hudayfah. He asked: What do you want? I told him the story. Then His Holiness (S.A.W.) said: May Allah forgive you and your mother. Then added: Did you see the one who ran into me a while ago? I said: Yes. He said: He was an angel who had not descended on earth before tonight, and who had asked Allah to send greetings to me and give me the glad tidings that al-Hasan (A.S.)and al-Husayn (A.S.) are the princes of the youth of Paradise and Fatima (A.S.) is the lady of the ladies of Paradise; May Allah be pleased with them.
Source: Ahl al-Bayt (A.S.) in the Holy Qur'an and Hadith By Ayatullah Muhammadi Rayshahri

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Shafaaat (Intercession)

The Entire Creation Including Messengers Will Need Muhammadi Shafaa'at
As per Bihar-ul-Anwaar, Abu Aiman is reported to have said that he once requested Imam Baqir (a.s): O Son of Rasoolullaah! You saints have made people proud (careless) by promising shafaa'at to them. This made the face of Hazrat turn red. He said: "Woe unto you. On the Day of Ressurection, all the formers and the latters, including even messengers, will be in need of the intercession of my grand father Muhammad (s.a.w.s.). Have you become proud imaging that you need no Shafaa'at!
Greater Intercession Is The Prerogative Of Only Muhammad And Aale Muhammad (a.s.)
The main shafaa'at is the intercession by Muhammad (s.a.w.s.) and the Aale Muhammad (a.s.). Rest of intercessors are branches of the main one. This is to convey that they got this privilege because of the formers. For example, among the rest of the intercessors are also the ulema (scholars) and the righteous who will help many in entering paradise. Can they ever be other than the followers of Muhammad and Aale Muhammad (a.s.)? Likewise, among the intercessors will be Momineen (faithful persons) too. The Masoom (a.s.) says that every momin will intercede n favour of a hundred persons. From where the Momineen got this honour? Only from Muhammad and Aale Muhammad (a.s.). Also for instance, the intercessors will also include the Saadaats. Have they not been given this respectable position only due to their belonging to the Holy Progeny? Similarly the Holy Quran and the Holy mosques will also intercede on the Day of Resurrection. They too are among the aasaar (symbols) of the aforesaid Holy persons.
Intercession At Every Stage
The main place of intercession is the field (Maidaan) of Mahshar (Qiyamat). But there are evidences to show that intercession is effective not only in Barzakh but also in this world. For example, some kind of calamity is about to fall at a certain place but that trouble is removed as a result of the intercession of Hazrat Valiy-e-Asr (a.t.f.s.). Or, for instance, a body is under chastisement in the grave (barzakh) but some one from his relatives in the world approaches the Holy Ahle Bayt (a.s.) and after much weeping makes them a waastah (medium). The Merciful God pardons the aforesaid dead relative or friend due to the holiness of the said saints. If all our said masters will intercede God will surely forgive us. Many such events have taken place. (In this connection, martyr Dastgaib Shirazi has, in his commentary of Surah Najm quoted two events. Those who wish may refer to pages 120-131 titled 'Shafaa'at by Hazrat Abul Fazl Abbas'). The story of Syed Humeri is also to be found in many books. (Refer to Gunaahaan-e-Kabeerah under Aasaar-e-Share Khumr).
Student Who Became A Doctor
An event of healing by Muhammad and Aale Muhammad (a.s.) is also recorded in our world and that is the story of Haji Mirza Khalil. It is a recent event. Some aged people even today may remember it. At first Haji Mirza Khalil was a student in Madressa Daarus Shifaa in Qum. Once when he was sitting in his room, an old lady came running anxiously and said: "My lady master has a serious heart trouble. Do you know any medicine?" The Haji who had no concern with medical science, at once replied: Give such and such medicine to her. Next day he saw people coming to him with plates full of tasty foods as fees of his prescription. Thereafter neighours knew that a very knowledgable doctor has arrived in the madressa who cures serious illnesses only through prescriptions. As a result, people began to rush to the Haji's room. He also thought that the arrangement won't do. So he purchased Hakim Momin's book 'Tohfaa' and after studying it, engaged in the work of a medical practitioner regularly. He became an expert physician soon and people took him to Tehran and he remained in that profession for long. Once he thought of going to Karbala but he was not in a hurry about it. One night, he saw some one in his dream who was telling him: If your intention is to visit Karbala Shareef, then make haste for there is a likelihood of a ban on visits to the Holy Place after about two months (and so happened).
An Indian Syed Lady And Leprosy
The late Haji Khalil proceeded towards Karbala within two months and witnessed what he had seen in his dream and understood that it was a Rooyaa-e-Saadiqah (a true dream). He stayed in Karbala for quite a long time and continued his medical practice there also. One day, two ladies came to him. One of them showed him her hand which had a strange kind of wound on it. The Haji said: This illness is called Khorah which has reached the bone and hence become incurable. That lady returned very disappointed. But her companion came back and said: O Haji! Did you not recognize that lady? The Haji said: No. She said: That woman is a lady Syed (Alavi) and she is one of the Indian princesses. Her longing for Ziyarat of Husain (a.s.) has dragged her upto Iraq along with all her wealth. Now she has also become poor due to this ailment since long. You too have made her hopeless! The Haji said: Please bring her back at once. When that lady returned, the Haji said: O respected madam! Though this ailment is very complicated and hard, I will make you use some medicines. God willing (Inshaa Allah) you will soon recover.
So the treatment began and the lady's hand was cured. After this, that lady was so impressed by the Haji that she stayed in his premises and behaved like a kind mother with him.
You Will Die After Ten Days
After a few days, Haji Khalil saw the same person in his dream whom he had seen earlier (and who had advised him to hasten to Karbala). Now he told the Haji: You will fall ill and die after ten days. Haji made his will. He became ill after a few days and his condition turned for the worse until on the tenth day; he was almost dead. When the Haji was breathing his last, that Alwi lady came up to him. Seeing the Haji's serious condition she became very fearful. She told the people not to touch the Haji until she returned. She proceeded directly to the Holy Haram (tomb) of Syed-us-Shuhadaa (Imam Husain a.s.), caught hold of the net and said: O His Grandfather! I will obtain the Haji from you. Please take back his life from Almighty God. Then she wept so much that she fainted. In her consciousness she saw that the Hazrat (a.s.) was telling her: O My Daughter! What has happened to you? The lifespan of the Haji has ended and the time of his death has arrived. That lady submitted: I know nothing of it. I am asking the Haji from you.
Double Life Due To Barkat OF Husain (a.s.)
The Hazrat (a.s.) said: Okay. Since you are insisting so much, I am praying to Almighty Allah. If He wills, He will return the Haji to this world. After a short time, the Hazrat smiled and said: God has answered my prayer and He has returned the Haji to the world and has also doubled his lifespan. At that time the Haji was thirty year old. Thereafter he died at the age of ninety years. During that period he got four sons one of them being the great Marjaa Faqeeh Alhajj Mirza Husain and another was a famous doctor.
Briefly concluding, when the Alawi lady heard this good tiding and returned to Haji's house, she found him sitting in a good condition. He exclaimed: O respected Alavi Madam! May God give you a great good reward.
One of the admonitions mentioned in Haji Khalil's will was his instruction to his son that he must take care of Saadaats (Syeds), especially their respected and honourable ladies, as they are very esteemed in the highest court of Almighty Allah.
There are many similar examples in books. In Darus Salaam of Iraqui, the last chapter of which is about wonders resulting from the Tawassul of Ahle Bayt (a.s.) there is a story of a child (from Turbat Peach) who had died after falling from the ceiling of his house.
Our Hope Is Closely Connected With The Intercession Of The Holy Prophet
Che Gham...Kishtibaan
Meaning: (O Mercy for Mankind
What fear is there to the wall of the community when a personality like you are its support. What fear can there be of ocean waves for a man whose ship is being navigated by Noah (a.s.)!
It is mentioned in vol. 3 of Biharul Anwaar that the Holy Prophet said: "A prayer of every messenger is necessarily answered. Earlier messengers made that prayer concerning this world and God accordingly answered it here and fulfilled their aim. I have left that prayer for the Hereafter so that the sinners of my community (Ummah) may be forgiven." Let us hope that this great mercy will include us also.
There are several narrations regarding the intercession by Fatima Zehra (s.a.) based on the sayings of the Holy Prophet and the Holy Imams (a.s.). According to one of such narrations, the impeccable (a.s.) has said, after making a mention of Fatima (s.a.)'s arrival in the field of Mahshar and her welcome there: "Every woman who never missed an obligatory prayer (Namaz), compulsory fast, and Hajj and payment of Zakat dues and whose husband was also not displeased with her, will certainly be entitled to the intercession of Fatima Zehra (s.a.)."
Intercession Is The Anchor Of Hope, Not Of Pride
Of course it must always be remembered that shafa'at or intercession must not make one proud or careless, imagining that as the said shafa'at is certainly from the Ahle Bayt (a.s.) we may do whatever we please or like. No, it is never so. There are some sins which result in man's departure from this world as a Kafir (denier). In that case there is no question of intercession. Again there are some sins the punishment for which must be suffered in hell till the sinner is purified and only thereafter he may become qualified for shafa'at. So man must remain fearful of God at every moment and along with it, he must also remain hopeful of the Most Merciful's Mercy.
A'raaf
Wal Alal...Bi Seemaahum (Surah A'raaf: 46)
Translation: And some people will be on A'raaf who will recognise everyone by looking at their foreheads.
According to the news given by Ahle Bayt (a.s.) A'raaf is high place which will on Siraat. God Almighty will allow room for the Holy Prophet and Ahle Bayt there. One with a shining forehead will be recognized as a friend of Aale Muhammad (a.s.) and Ali (a.s.) will allow him to proceed to paradise. Accordingly the meaning of the above quoted verse will be: Wal Alal... (Muhammad and Ali (a.s.) will recognize everyone passing from over the bridge from their faces.
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Life after Death - Barzakh

Barzakh literally means "Barrier". It has been used for the period between Death and the Day of Resurrection (ie the day when all human beings will be brought back to life). During Barzakh, one's correct belief and good deeds alone will assist him in having a peaceful time.
Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq (A) has said:
"We will intercede (ask for forgiveness) on your behalf on the Day of Judgement, but, by Allah, I am worried about you for the period when you would be in Barzakh"
Sinners will be punished during this period. The Holy Qur'an confirms the period of Barzakh saying,
"......And before them is a barrier until the day they are raised."(al Mu'minoon, 23:100)
THE GROUPS IN BARZAKH:
There are 3 groups in Barzakh:
The true perfect believers;
The confirmed unbelievers and hypocrites;
Those who are neither perfect believers nor confirmed unbelievers.
1. The true believers:
This group of people are perfect in their Faith and virtuous in their deeds. They lived a blameless life, and if there was some mistake or sin, their worldly troubles like, illness, poverty, death of near and dear ones, troublesome neighbours, and/or agony at the time of Death were sufficient to be counted as payment for the sins they committed.
Allah knows that they deserve reward; but since the Day of Judgement has not yet come, they cannot be sent to Paradise. By the rule of the law they should be left without any reward till they are resurrected; but by the Mercy of Allah, they are questioned about their beliefs and on giving correct answers, they enter a state of Bliss, which gives them the satisfaction of knowing that their future is secure. They find pleasure and happiness in their grave and wait eagerly for the Day of Resurrection.
2. The confirmed unbelievers and hypocrites:
These are the people whose lives were devoid of good deeds, or if there were any good deeds performed, the worldly blessings of health, wealth, good family and friends, prestige and power, etc and/or the ease at the time of death were sufficient rewards.
Allah knows that there place is in Hell; but He does not send them there before the Day of Judgement. So, to give a fore-taste of their punishment, they are questioned about their beliefs, and when they do not give correct answers, their graves are turned into cells of punishment; and they wish that Qiyamah would not come at all.
Note:
The reward or punishment of Barzakh is different from that of Paradise or Hell. The reward or punishment of Barzakh is for the Soul only. It is for this reason that we do not see anyone being rewarded or punished in the grave. In the tradition of Ma'sumeen (A) it has been compared to happy dreams or nightmares.
3. Neither perfect believers nor confirmed believers:
These are the children, the insane, those who for some reason or another could not differentiate the right path from the wrong path, those who were so far out of the Islamic Environment that they were not aware of the truth of Islam, those who did not know about Islam but yet were not enemies of Islam, those whose religious beliefs were not based upon logical understanding but just followed what their families were following, those non-believers who love the Holy Prophet (S) and the Ahlul Bayt (A) without knowing that they were the True Guides sent by Allah.
Such people will not be subjected to the questioning and squeezing in the grave. They will left in a state like deep slumber, and Allah will decide about them on the Day of Judgement. Till then, there is neither reward nor punishment for them.
After these main groups, there still remains a group in between.
This group is of those believers who had committed so many sins that could not be wiped out by the worldly troubles and agony of death. If Allah decides that such a believer should come on the Day of Judgement clean from all blemishes and free from all sins, then He may put him under punishment during Barzakh. It is this punishment which has been referred to in the Hadith by Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq (A):
"We will intercede on your behalf on the day of judgement but, by Allah, I am worried about you whilst you would be in Barzakh."
On the other hand, if Allah decides to leave this case in suspense till Qiyamah, then it will fall under the 3rd group.
All these things depend upon the justice and mercy of Allah. We have not been told enough to know all the details about all the groups. It is about the 1st, 2nd and last group of people who will be punished in Barzakh, that the Holy prophet (S) has said:
"When one dies, his Qiyamah starts."
QUESTIONING IN THE GRAVE, SQUEEZING IN THE GRAVE
According to traditions, after one has been buried and those who came to bury him go away (it is said that 40 steps away from the grave is sufficient), two angels come into the grave. One is called Munkar, the other Nakir. The soul is caused to re-enter the body for questioning. Then the person (now alive again) is asked :
"Who is your Rabb (Lord)? Who is your Prophet? What is your Religion? What is your Book? What is your Qiblah? Who are your Imams?
Talqeen prepares the dead person to answer all these questions. Since it teaches the dead-body the correct answer to the questions which are to be asked.
Whoever would answer the questions correctly would get comfort and mercy in his grave and the garden of bliss in the Akhirat; and whoever would not answer correctly, for him would be the fare of boiling water in his grave and Hell in the next world.
Questioning in the grave includes questions about Salaat, Zakaat, Haj, Fasting and the love for Ahlul-Bait (A). If he is a believer and answers correctly, the angels tell him to sleep peacefully, and a door is opened into his grave from the paradise; he sees his place in the paradise, then his soul is taken out of the body and is placed in the neighbourhood of the 14 Ma'sumeen (A).
After the questioning in the grave by Munkar and Nakir the angels, Mubashir and Bashir, come to congratulate the believers if they have answered successfully.
Again the love for Imam Ali (A) helps during the questioning. Our Holy Prophet (S) told Imam Ali (A):
"Those who love you will be glad in three places:
At the time of death. (Because you will be there visiting them)
At the questioning in the grave (As you will be teaching them the correct replies)
At the time of coming before Allah (and you will be there introducing them)."
If he is not a believer, and does not answer correctly, then the angels punish him with and a door is opened from the hell into his grave.
After the questioning in the grave, the soul of a believer is sent to Wadius Salaam (the Valley of Peace); and that of an unbeliever to Wadiul Barhut (the Valley of Turmoil/Trouble). The Valley of peace is said to be in Najaf, where the soul of the believers remain in peace waiting for the Day of Judgement; and the Valley of trouble is said to be in Yemen, where the souls of the hypocrites and unbelievers remain in turmoil, afraid of the approaching of the Day of Resurrection.
SQUEEZING IN THE GRAVE: (Fishare Qabr)
Imam Ja'far as Sadiq (A) has said:
"Whoever is subject to the questioning in the grave, is also squeezed by the grave therein, and the one who is exempted from questioning, is exempted from the squeeze also."
For some believers the squeeze will be like two friend embracing each other. For some sinful believers, the squeezing will be severe enough to fracture the ribs. For non-believers, the squeezing will be worst.
The squeezing is not dependent upon the corpse being buried in the earth. In the words of Imam (A.S.): "The lord of the earth is also the lord of the atmosphere."
And the corpse would be squeezed, if it deserved it, no matter in what condition or place it happens to be.
Once a companion of Imam Ali ar Ridha (A) asked him as to what he had to say about those dead ones who, though liable to be subjected to the squeeze in the grave, could not actually be buried in the ground. Imam (A) replied:
"If by virtue of their deeds they are entitled to punishment in the grave, they will receive it, no matter where they lie dead, or in whatever form they happen to be in. Their soul will receive the same painful treatment as the body receives through this severe embrace of the grave."
RAJ'AT
RAJ'AT - QIYAMATE SUGHRA
Prior to the total resurrection, the Final Day of Judgement or Reckoning, there will be a period of Raj'at or Qiyamate Sughra i.e. Partial resurrection wherein the Holy Prophet (S) and the Ahle Bait (A), a group of people perfect in faith and belief, and a group of extremely wicked people will be brought to life again. This will take place during the period when the expected and the awaited Imam Mahdi (A), the twelfth and the last successor of the Holy Prophet (S) will appear on this earth.
Imam Ja'far as Sadiq (A) says:
"He who does not believe in our Raj'at (return) is not from us."
Thus belief in Raj'at is an article of faith.
Islam demands a Muslim to essentially believe in the return of every thing to the Lord for the Final Judgement of every soul with regard to its faith and actions. There are repeated declarations in the Holy Qur'an, informing man of this Day and warning him to be on guard in this life on earth, against the Requital which is sure and certain to take place. It is the conviction about this fact that would keep man, on the right path, duly guarded against his accountability. It is natural that when an individual is not mindful of his or her accountability, nothing would stop him or her, to commit any sin or crime and with the sense of one's accountability one would never dare to exceed the limits, and would always remain guarded.
A Muslim should and must believe in Qiyamah and live such a clean life which would help him to pass the Divine Judgement easily and earn the life eternal of the heavenly bliss. The fifth principle of the faith is the belief in Qiyamah. The faith in this principle is compulsory.
Every human being is individually accountable for each one's faith and deeds. The Holy Qur'an declares:
"And for all according to what they did; and that He may fully recompense their deeds, "and they shall not be done any injustice." (al Ahqaf, 46:19)
After death, all human beings will be resurrected to be rewarded and punished according to each individual's earnings of virtue and vice in this life. "The present life is only a season for cultivation or effort, and the life after death will be the period of harvest or the result. This life, is for creating causes for effects in the hereafter. As one sows now, so then shall be reap.FIRST AND SECOND TRUMPETSThe sound of the trumpet will be the first stage of the Day of Judgement. Allah has mentioned it in many ayats of the Holy Qur'an. An example of such an ayat :
" And theTrumpet shall be blown, then shall swoon (die) whoever is in heavens and whoever is in the earth,. Then the (Trumpet) shall be blown again and lo! they shall stand up awaiting (they shall wake up again)."
So the trumpet will be blown twice. When it will be blown for the first time, people (and every living thing) will die. After it is blown for the second time, everyone will wake up and indeed it will be the Day of Judgement.
Imam Zainul Abedeen (A) was asked : "How much time will pass between the two blowings of the trumpet ? He said : "As much as Allah would please." Then he was asked : "Then please tell me, O Son of the Messenger of Allah, how the trumpet will be blown ?"
The Imam (A) said :
"So far as the first blowing is concerned, verily Allah will command angel Israfil, who will come towards the earth, and with him will be a Trumpet; and the Trumpet will have one mouth-piece and two tubes; and the space between the two tubes will be like that between the sky and earth.
"When the angels will see Israfil descend twards the earth with his Trumpet, they will say, 'Verily, Allah has ordered the inhabitants of earth to die, and the inhabitants of heaven to die.'
"Then Israfil will blow the trumpet once; and the voice will come out of that side which is towards the earth and all living beings on the earth will die; and then the voice will come out from the side which is towards the heaven, and all living things in the heavens will die.
"Then Allah will say to Israfil : 'O Israfil, die.' And he will die too. And they will remain like this as long as Allah would wish."
The Imam (A) continues :
"Then Allah will create a loud voice which will be heard throughout the earth and the heaven : 'Whose is the Kingdom this day ?'. No one will give any answer (as there will be none alive); then He will answer Himself creating a loud voice: 'It is Of Allah, the One, the Subduer (Holy Qur'an 40:16); I subdued all the creatures and gave them death; verily, I am Allah, there is no God except I alone, there is no partner for me and I made the creatures by my power and I made them die by My will; and I shall resurrect them by my Power.
"Then Allah (whenever he decides) will cause the second blowing of the Trumpet; the voice will come out from the side which is towards the heavens; inhabitants there will become alive and will stand as before, and the same wil happen to the people of the earth. People will now be gathered for reckoning (giving accounts of their good and bad deeds). It is indeed the Day - the Day of Judgement or Qiyamah.
Reference: ImamReza.net

Man's Situation in the Intermediate Realm (Barzakh)

By: Sayyid Mujtaba Musavi Lari
The present existence of an intermediate realm and of separate destinations there for the virtuous and the wicked is a well-founded religious belief. There can be no doubt that after death the spirits of men the only element within them that is truly essential are transferred to the vast expanse of the non-material world.
Just as the spirit appears in man's body and material form after it has been fashioned to completion, the spirit retains its attachment to the body as long as the body retains the capacity for a harmonious relation with the spirit. Once this capacity vanishes as a result of external factors so that the union of spirit and body is sundered, the spirit separates from the body and pursues its existence under a different order and set of conditions.
What we mean by this order is the intermediate realm, the first stage reached by man after his migration from the world. He pauses there in the course of his journey to the meeting with God. He enters a realm with its own specific characteristics and properties, remaining there until the coming of resurrection.
A further change then brings about the transformation of the intermediate realm, and man enters the plain of resurrection, the next stage in his journey toward God.
A limit or boundary separating two things is called barzakh in Arabic, which explains why the intermediate realm that separates the temporary and evanescent life of this world from the eternal life of the hereafter is also called barzakh. Life there is characterized by the liberation of the spirit from the fetters of the material body. The spirit is no longer harassed by passion and instinct, and thanks to the absence of time and space, the horizons of man's vision are vastly enlarged. In just the same way that there is no question of time or space in the world of dreams, in the intermediate realm, too, man can observe and examine everything in a single instant.
The Qur'an says: "The intermediate realm extends from now until the time of resurrection"(23: 100).
In the same connection, the Qur'an describes the state of the martyrs after their death:
"Do not imagine those who have been killed in God's path to be dead; rather they are alive and receive sustenance in the presence of their Lord"(3:169).
The verse refers, of course, to willingness to defend the sanctity of Islam and the Qur'an, to the virtue of heroically resisting the unbelievers and atheists even to the point of attaining martyrdom. This is the highest point the believer can reach: the desire to sacrifice himself for the sake of his pure goals and thereby to join the caravan of martyrs.
He regards it as a great duty to guard God's religion and to strive for the implementation of the commands of the Qur'an, and he therefore exerts great effort to secure the security and survival of the religion of God. Such a protector of the true faith must necessarily begin by purifying himself and avoiding all kinds of pollution by sin and disobedience to God. It is only then that he may properly return his soul the loftiest trust which he has been given to God, its true owner, while fighting for the sake of His religion. He will then receive the reward of life everlasting in the company of God's chosen elite.
The Qur'an says:
"God has bought the properties and souls of the believers in exchange for paradise. They are to strive in the path of God, destroying the enemies of religion or themselves being killed. This is a firm promise of God, binding upon Him, contained in the Torah, the Gospels and the Qur'an, and who is more faithful to his promises than God? O believers, rejoice in this transaction, for it truly guarantees great happiness" (9:111).
The Qur'an also draws attention to the punishment being suffered before the occurrence of resurrection by those bound for hellfire:
"Hellfire has already encompassed the unbelievers"(9:49).
After death, the spirits of the virtuous will rejoice in liberation from the constricting cage of this world, they will delight in their ability to roam freely through the infinite. Life on the earthly plane is concerned only with the limited amount of matter that is visible on the surface of the earth. By contrast, the spirits of the virtuous know no limitation of space or time as they continue their upward ascent. Each in accordance with its rank advances joyfully to its specific station and degree, and everywhere it enjoys unhindered access. The eyes of the blessed witness pure and uncontaminated sources of eternal beauty in comparison with which the beauties of this world are slight and inconsequential.
The spirit is no longer subject to the limits imposed on it by a weary, heavy body; it is not accompanied by the broken and suffering countenance of old age.
Nothing exists here for the righteous servants of God except beauty, luminosity, love, familiarity and affection, and pure, sincere friendship with the servants and friends of God.
The Qur'an promises those who have made obedience to divine command their guiding principle in this world that they shall enjoy the company and fellowship of God's chosen elite.
The companionship of those upon whom God has bestowed His blessings in full measure is indeed a source of great pride for the virtuous.
This is the promise contained in the Qur'an:
"Those who obey the commands of God and His Messenger shall be resurrected together with, and enjoy the company of, those upon whom God has bestowed His kindness and favor in full measure the prophets, the sincere devotees, the martyrs and the righteous. What noble and precious companions they are!"(4:64).
It should be remarked, of course, that enjoying the company of God's chosen elite does not imply equality with them in terms of spiritual station and degree. While being in close contact with them, the virtuous will enjoy God's favor and blessings to an extent commensurate with their own ranks and degrees of closeness to God. Not everyone will enjoy an equal share, in just the same way that not everyone attains the same degree of ascent.
One of the companions of Imam al-Sadiq, upon whom be peace, relates that he once posed him the following question:
"O descendant of God's Messenger! When the true believer finds himself on the threshold of death, is he grieved by the taking of his soul?"
The Imam answered:
"Never! When the messenger of death comes to take his spirit, he is at first distraught. But then the angel consoles him and says: `O friend of God, do not distress yourself. I swear by the Lord Who sent Muhammad as His Messenger that we will treat you more kindly and gently than your father. Open your eyes and look at us.'
"Then the Messenger of God and the other preceptors of religion will appear before him, and the angel entrusted with the task of taking his soul will say to him: 'This is the Prophet and the leaders of religion who will be your friends and companions.'
"He will then open his eyes partly, and hear God calling him as follows:
O soul that has found tranquillity in the protection of Muhammad and his pure family, now return to your Lord. You have accepted as truth the authority of the Imams, and because of this you are now happy. Be certain that you have also earned thereby the pleasure of your Lord. Come now and be the companion of My chosen elite, and take up the abode that has been prepared for you in paradise everlasting.'
"Nothing could be more desirable for the believer at that moment than for his soul to take flight and receive all that it has been promised."
The Painful State of the Impure
The spirits of the impure are meanwhile caught up in terrible darkness and gloom. Overwhelmed by misery and disaster, they mourn their lives of sin. Realizing that neither their relatives nor the material wealth they accumulated can do anything to deliver them, they torment themselves in their wretchedness.
Still more terrible than their fate is that of cruel, vicious and arrogant tyrants. The sighs and laments of their oppressed victims are like so many daggers plunged in their hearts. The specter of those whom they have wronged assaults them mercilessly with constant blame and reproach, augmenting constantly the pain and misery they suffer.
The vision of these spectacles of terror is like a tormenting flame consuming the heart of the criminal.
The Qur'an depicts the catastrophic destiny of aggressive tyrants as follows:
"They will be brought to hellfire every morning and evening, and the descendants of Pharaoh will be punished most severely"(40:46).
They will then recall vividly the repeated warnings of the prophets and men of religion who told them of the disasters that awaited them. They will begin to blame themselves for not following the commands of the prophets and not heeding their kindly advice, for had they done so, they would not have cast themselves into perdition.
In the course of the Battle of Badr, some of the leaders of Quraysh were killed and their bodies were thrown in a pit. After the victory of the Muslim army, the Most Noble Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, leaned over the edge of the pit and addressed them as follows:
"We have attained all that God promised us; are you now convinced of the truth of God's promises?"
Some of the companions then said: "O Messenger of God, you are talking to the dead, to bodies that have been thrown into a pit; do they understand anything of what you say?"
The Prophet answered them: "They hear more clearly than you do."
One of the companions of the Commander of the Faithful, upon whom be peace, said:
"Once I left Kufa in the company of the Imam. He stopped in the cemetery at Wadi al-Salam, standing there like someone about to address a gathering. I remained there standing with the Imam until I grew tired and sat down. Another long time passed, and I grew tired of sitting. So I stood up again and remained standing until once again I grew tired and sat down. Finally, I arose once more, and said to the Commander of the Faithful: `I fear for you, seeing you standing so long; rest a little.' I then spread out my cloak on the ground for the Imam to sit down. He said: `O , Habba! I am standing here engaged in conversation with the believers.' I then asked him: `Do they also engage in conversation with each other?' `Yes,' he said. `Once the veil is lifted you will see them gathered in circles conversing with each other.' I said: `Are you speaking of their bodies or their spirits?' `Their spirits,' he answered."
From this narrative it can be deduced that the spirit does not entirely sever its relations with the body. It is true that after the death and the cutting of the link between the spirit and the body, the spirit leaves for a different realm. However, on account of the union that existed between them in this world, some weak connection persists, in the form of a certain affinity. On account of this affinity and its former union with the body, the spirit is oriented toward the remains of the body in way that it is not oriented to anything else.
Islam has laid down certain instructions relating to the body after death. The reason for them is the continuing affinity of the spirit for the body and the trials and turmoil the spirit encounters in the unfamiliar realm of the barzakh, governed as it is by new principles and criteria.
In the intermediate realm men encounter each other in bodily forms specific to that realm. The pure and virtuous are gathered together, in groups determined by their spiritual rank and degree. The unbelievers and the evil also find themselves in each other's company. The dealings and relations of the pious with each other are based on familiarity, intimacy, and pure love, and thus anticipate the states of paradise. By contrast, the relations of the unbelievers with each other will inevitably partake of the character of hellfire; mutual enmity, disgust and envy will prevail among them.
It is self-evident that since all things will be determined in the intermediate realm by the particular laws and criteria that prevail there, the companionship and conversation of the blessed and the damned, as well as the enjoyment of divine bounties by the former and the experience of punishment by the latter, will also be marked by the characteristics of that realm.
Although the bodies of men in the intermediate realm will in general resemble the bodily form they had in this world, certain differences will also be apparent, because every quality and attribute will take on an external form commensurate with its inner nature. Thus the spiritual light or darkness found within individuals will become clearly visible in their faces.
Ibrahim b. Ishaq recounts that he asked Imam al-Sadiq, Upon whom be peace: "Where are the souls of the believers?" He answered: "The spirits of the believers are lodged in paradise, where they are given to eat and to drink. They see and visit each other, and they say, `O Lord, bring about resurrection so that what You have promised us may be fulfilled.'"
Ibrahim next asked: "Where are the spirits of the unbelievers?" He answered: "Their place is in the fire, where they are compelled to eat the food of the fire and to drink its drink. They see each other and meet each other and they say, `O God, do not bring about resurrection lest that which You promised us be fulfilled.'"
Abu Basir relates that the question of the spirits of the believers and the Godfearing was once being discussed in the presence of Imam al-Sadiq, upon whom be peace. The Imam said: "The spirits of the believers meet each other." I asked: "Do they indeed meet each other?" He replied: "Yes, and they talk to each other and recognize each other; when you see someone there, you will say, `This is so-and-so.'"
Those living in the intermediate realm can even establish contact with the material world and its inhabitants. By virtue of the inner capacities they developed and the deeds they performed while still in the world, they can acquire information of a general kind about their relatives and friends to the degree that is permitted by the special circumstances of the intermediate realm.
The situation of people in the intermediate realm naturally differs from one person to the next. In a sense, everyone there has his own world, the nature of which is determined by the conduct he exhibited in this world; not all the dwellers in the intermediate realm can communicate uniformly with this world and its people. The degree to which an individual may have awareness of the material world and communicate with it depends on the spiritual rank and degree of development he has attained.
Those who worship and fear God have, therefore, better and more extensive capacity for gaining awareness of the material world.
Reference: ImamReza.net

Man's Situation in the Intermediate Realm(Barzakh)

Man's Situation in the Intermediate Realm(Barzakh)
By : Sayyid Mujtaba Musavi Lari
The present existence of an intermediate realm and of separate destinations there for the virtuous and the wicked is a well-founded religious belief.
There can be no doubt that after death the spirits of men the only element within them that is truly essential are transferred to the vast expanse of the non-material world.
Just as the spirit appears in man's body and material form after it has been fashioned to completion, the spirit retains its attachment to the body as long as the body retains the capacity for a harmonious relation with the spirit.
Once this capacity vanishes as a result of external factors so that the union of spirit and body is sundered, the spirit separates from the body and pursues its existence under a different order and set of conditions.
What we mean by this order is the intermediate realm, the first stage reached by man after his migration from the world. He pauses there in the course of his journey to the meeting with God. He enters a realm with its own specific characteristics and properties, remaining there until the coming of resurrection.
A further change then brings about the transformation of the intermediate realm, and man enters the plain of resurrection, the next stage in his journey toward God.
A limit or boundary separating two things is called barzakh in Arabic, which explains why the intermediate realm that separates the temporary and evanescent life of this world from the eternal life of the hereafter is also called barzakh. Life there is characterized by the liberation of the spirit from the fetters of the material body. The spirit is no longer harassed by passion and instinct, and thanks to the absence of time and space, the horizons of man's vision are vastly enlarged. In just the same way that there is no question of time or space in the world of dreams, in the intermediate realm, too, man can observe and examine everything in a single instant.
The Qur'an says: "The intermediate realm extends from now until the time of resurrection"(23: 100).
In the same connection, the Qur'an describes the state of the martyrs after their death:
"Do not imagine those who have been killed in God's path to be dead; rather they are alive and receive sustenance in the presence of their Lord"(3:169).
The verse refers, of course, to willingness to defend the sanctity of Islam and the Qur'an, to the virtue of heroically resisting the unbelievers and atheists even to the point of attaining martyrdom. This is the highest point the believer can reach: the desire to sacrifice himself for the sake of his pure goals and thereby to join the caravan of martyrs.
He regards it as a great duty to guard God's religion and to strive for the implementation of the commands of the Qur'an, and he therefore exerts great effort to secure the security and survival of the religion of God. Such a protector of the true faith must necessarily begin by purifying himself and avoiding all kinds of pollution by sin and disobedience to God. It is only then that he may properly return his soul the loftiest trust which he has been given to God, its true owner, while fighting for the sake of His religion. He will then receive the reward of life everlasting in the company of God's chosen elite.
The Qur'an says:
"God has bought the properties and souls of the believers in exchange for paradise. They are to strive in the path of God, destroying the enemies of religion or themselves being killed. This is a firm promise of God, binding upon Him, contained in the Torah, the Gospels and the Qur'an, and who is more faithful to his promises than God? O believers, rejoice in this transaction, for it truly guarantees great happiness" (9:111).
The Qur'an also draws attention to the punishment being suffered before the occurrence of resurrection by those bound for hellfire:
"Hellfire has already encompassed the unbelievers"(9:49).
After death, the spirits of the virtuous will rejoice in liberation from the constricting cage of this world, they will delight in their ability to roam freely through the infinite. Life on the earthly plane is concerned only with the limited amount of matter that is visible on the surface of the earth. By contrast, the spirits of the virtuous know no limitation of space or time as they continue their upward ascent. Each in accordance with its rank advances joyfully to its specific station and degree, and everywhere it enjoys unhindered access. The eyes of the blessed witness pure and uncontaminated sources of eternal beauty in comparison with which the beauties of this world are slight and inconsequential.
The spirit is no longer subject to the limits imposed on it by a weary, heavy body; it is not accompanied by the broken and suffering countenance of old age.
Nothing exists here for the righteous servants of God except beauty, luminosity, love, familiarity and affection, and pure, sincere friendship with the servants and friends of God.
The Qur'an promises those who have made obedience to divine command their guiding principle in this world that they shall enjoy the company and fellowship of God's chosen elite.
The companionship of those upon whom God has bestowed His blessings in full measure is indeed a source of great pride for the virtuous.
This is the promise contained in the Qur'an:
"Those who obey the commands of God and His Messenger shall be resurrected together with, and enjoy the company of, those upon whom God has bestowed His kindness and favor in full measure the prophets, the sincere devotees, the martyrs and the righteous. What noble and precious companions they are!"(4:64).
It should be remarked, of course, that enjoying the company of God's chosen elite does not imply equality with them in terms of spiritual station and degree. While being in close contact with them, the virtuous will enjoy God's favor and blessings to an extent commensurate with their own ranks and degrees of closeness to God. Not everyone will enjoy an equal share, in just the same way that not everyone attains the same degree of ascent.
One of the companions of Imam al-Sadiq, upon whom be peace, relates that he once posed him the following question:
"O descendant of God's Messenger! When the true believer finds himself on the threshold of death, is he grieved by the taking of his soul?"
The Imam answered:
"Never! When the messenger of death comes to take his spirit, he is at first distraught. But then the angel consoles him and says: `O friend of God, do not distress yourself. I swear by the Lord Who sent Muhammad as His Messenger that we will treat you more kindly and gently than your father. Open your eyes and look at us.'
"Then the Messenger of God and the other preceptors of religion will appear before him, and the angel entrusted with the task of taking his soul will say to him: 'This is the Prophet and the leaders of religion who will be your friends and companions.'
"He will then open his eyes partly, and hear God calling him as follows:
O soul that has found tranquillity in the protection of Muhammad and his pure family, now return to your Lord. You have accepted as truth the authority of the Imams, and because of this you are now happy. Be certain that you have also earned thereby the pleasure of your Lord. Come now and be the companion of My chosen elite, and take up the abode that has been prepared for you in paradise everlasting.'
"Nothing could be more desirable for the believer at that moment than for his soul to take flight and receive all that it has been promised."
The Painful State of the Impure
The spirits of the impure are meanwhile caught up in terrible darkness and gloom. Overwhelmed by misery and disaster, they mourn their lives of sin. Realizing that neither their relatives nor the material wealth they accumulated can do anything to deliver them, they torment themselves in their wretchedness.
Still more terrible than their fate is that of cruel, vicious and arrogant tyrants. The sighs and laments of their oppressed victims are like so many daggers plunged in their hearts. The specter of those whom they have wronged assaults them mercilessly with constant blame and reproach, augmenting constantly the pain and misery they suffer.
The vision of these spectacles of terror is like a tormenting flame consuming the heart of the criminal.
The Qur'an depicts the catastrophic destiny of aggressive tyrants as follows:
"They will be brought to hellfire every morning and evening, and the descendants of Pharaoh will be punished most severely"(40:46).
They will then recall vividly the repeated warnings of the prophets and men of religion who told them of the disasters that awaited them. They will begin to blame themselves for not following the commands of the prophets and not heeding their kindly advice, for had they done so, they would not have cast themselves into perdition.
In the course of the Battle of Badr, some of the leaders of Quraysh were killed and their bodies were thrown in a pit. After the victory of the Muslim army, the Most Noble Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, leaned over the edge of the pit and addressed them as follows:
"We have attained all that God promised us; are you now convinced of the truth of God's promises?"
Some of the companions then said: "O Messenger of God, you are talking to the dead, to bodies that have been thrown into a pit; do they understand anything of what you say?"
The Prophet answered them: "They hear more clearly than you do."
One of the companions of the Commander of the Faithful, upon whom be peace, said:
"Once I left Kufa in the company of the Imam. He stopped in the cemetery at Wadi al-Salam, standing there like someone about to address a gathering. I remained there standing with the Imam until I grew tired and sat down. Another long time passed, and I grew tired of sitting. So I stood up again and remained standing until once again I grew tired and sat down. Finally, I arose once more, and said to the Commander of the Faithful:
`I fear for you, seeing you standing so long; rest a little.' I then spread out my cloak on the ground for the Imam to sit down. He said: `O , Habba! I am standing here engaged in conversation with the believers.' I then asked him: `Do they also engage in conversation with each other?' `Yes,' he said. `Once the veil is lifted you will see them gathered in circles conversing with each other.' I said: `Are you speaking of their bodies or their spirits?' `Their spirits,' he answered."
From this narrative it can be deduced that the spirit does not entirely sever its relations with the body. It is true that after the death and the cutting of the link between the spirit and the body, the spirit leaves for a different realm. However, on account of the union that existed between them in this world, some weak connection persists, in the form of a certain affinity. On account of this affinity and its former union with the body, the spirit is oriented toward the remains of the body in way that it is not oriented to anything else.
Islam has laid down certain instructions relating to the body after death. The reason for them is the continuing affinity of the spirit for the body and the trials and turmoil the spirit encounters in the unfamiliar realm of the barzakh, governed as it is by new principles and criteria.
In the intermediate realm men encounter each other in bodily forms specific to that realm. The pure and virtuous are gathered together, in groups determined by their spiritual rank and degree. The unbelievers and the evil also find themselves in each other's company. The dealings and relations of the pious with each other are based on familiarity, intimacy, and pure love, and thus anticipate the states of paradise. By contrast, the relations of the unbelievers with each other will inevitably partake of the character of hellfire; mutual enmity, disgust and envy will prevail among them.
It is self-evident that since all things will be determined in the intermediate realm by the particular laws and criteria that prevail there, the companionship and conversation of the blessed and the damned, as well as the enjoyment of divine bounties by the former and the experience of punishment by the latter, will also be marked by the characteristics of that realm.
Although the bodies of men in the intermediate realm will in general resemble the bodily form they had in this world, certain differences will also be apparent, because every quality and attribute will take on an external form commensurate with its inner nature. Thus the spiritual light or darkness found within individuals will become clearly visible in their faces.
Ibrahim b. Ishaq recounts that he asked Imam al-Sadiq, Upon whom be peace: "Where are the souls of the believers?" He answered: "The spirits of the believers are lodged in paradise, where they are given to eat and to drink. They see and visit each other, and they say, `O Lord, bring about resurrection so that what You have promised us may be fulfilled.'"
Ibrahim next asked: "Where are the spirits of the unbelievers?" He answered: "Their place is in the fire, where they are compelled to eat the food of the fire and to drink its drink. They see each other and meet each other and they say, `O God, do not bring about resurrection lest that which You promised us be fulfilled.'"
Abu Basir relates that the question of the spirits of the believers and the Godfearing was once being discussed in the presence of Imam al-Sadiq, upon whom be peace. The Imam said: "The spirits of the believers meet each other." I asked: "Do they indeed meet each other?" He replied: "Yes, and they talk to each other and recognize each other; when you see someone there, you will say, `This is so-and-so.'"
Those living in the intermediate realm can even establish contact with the material world and its inhabitants. By virtue of the inner capacities they developed and the deeds they performed while still in the world, they can acquire information of a general kind about their relatives and friends to the degree that is permitted by the special circumstances of the intermediate realm.
The situation of people in the intermediate realm naturally differs from one person to the next. In a sense, everyone there has his own world, the nature of which is determined by the conduct he exhibited in this world; not all the dwellers in the intermediate realm can communicate uniformly with this world and its people. The degree to which an individual may have awareness of the material world and communicate with it depends on the spiritual rank and degree of development he has attained.
Those who worship and fear God have, therefore, better and more extensive capacity for gaining awareness of the material world.
Reference: ImamReza.net

The Day of Resurrection(Qiyamat)

The Day of Resurrection(Qiyamat)
By Sayyid Fazil Milani
Once Imam Ali (AS) was approached by an inquisitive man from Yemen. The Yemeni asked the Imam if he had ever seen Allah. To this Imam Ali (peace be with him) replied that he refused to worship any being that he could not see. The baffled inquirer asked how it could be that Imam Ali could see the Unseen Allah. The great Lion of Allah said that it is not the eyes that see Allah, but it is the hearts that see Him and are brought near to Him if they please Him.
This shows us that in order for Muslims to gain the pleasure of Allah and feel His presence, we must take our actions very seriously, since we will be made accountable on the Day of Resurrection. Only those who followed the straight path and refrained from evil shall be made to grieve no more.The Holy Qur'an cites the Day of Resurrection in Sura, al-Qiyamah.We are informed about the total demolition of the earth, the end of earthly life and the great trial to follow. This day will be signified by the boiling of the seas, the darkening of the sun and the moon and the shaking of the mountains.
Although the Holy Qur'an does not directly mention how the demolition will occur, it does continuously emphasize the fact that it will indeed occur. The seas of destruction are already flowing in unstoppable tides and torrents. In this very century alone man has discovered the use of chemical and nuclear weapons. We have seen the horrendous affects of the bomb on Hiroshima and the arrogance of nation-states proud to possess such weaponry and proud to threaten their neighbouring states with the use of such weaponry.
The Holy Qur'an teaches us that on the Day of Resurrection, after our bodies have decayed and decomposed, the Al-Mighty Allah will not only reassemble our bones but even our very fingertips will be reconstructed, with their unique prints. It is easy for Allah.
Sura 84, entitled Inshiqaq (The Bursting Asunder), refers to humankind being brought back to life on the Day of Resurrection. It is at this time that we will be presented with a record of our deeds, as recorded by Allah's angels. Those who receive this record in their right hand will be exalted, whilst those who recieve their record from behind will be abased. We know from Hadith that for every person two angels are appointed by by Allah to record every action. On Judgement Day even our bodies will bear witness to our deeds.
"When the heaven bursts asunder,
And Obeys its Lord and it rnust
And wnen the earth is stretched,
And casts forth what is in it and becomes empty,
And obeys its Lord and it must.
0 man! surely you must strive(to attain) to your Lord,
a hard striving until you meet Him.
Then as to him who is given his book in his right hand,
He shall be reckoned with by an easy reckoning,
And he shall go back to his people joyful.
And as to him who is given his book behind his back,
He shall call for perdition,
And enter into burning fire".
According to Sura 75 of the Holy Qur'an, al-Qiyamah (The Resurrection) on the Day of Judgement some faces shall be made bright and brought near to the creator, whilst others shall be made gloomy and forced into eternal perdition. Until that day we have the freedom of choice. However, we are all responsible for our own actions.
In the Islamic faith, punishment for bad deeds takes place not only in the Hereafter but also in this life. For instance, crimes such as murder, if left unchecked by the Muslim authorities, would lead to a destructive crime-ridden society. Hence in order to preserve Islamic morality we cling to the rulings in the Holy Qur'an which are for believers and non-believers. Sura 66, Tahrim (The Prohibition) tells us that we shall be rewarded only for what we used to do. Moreover, Sura 3, Ayah 30, Ahle Imran (The Family of Imran), according to the great Tafseer of Sayyed Muhammad Husayni Tabatabai'i, states that on the Day of Judgement every soul shall find present what it has done of good and what it has done of evil. It is this event that we must all be prepared for.
Imam Ali said : "You are examined in this life but created for the other life]."
Reference: ImamReza.net

Resurrection and the Life after Death

Resurrection and the Life after Death
By: Grand Ayatullah Naser Makarem Shirazi
1- WITHOUT RESURRECTION, LIFE IS VOID
WE BELIEVE that all men and women will be raised up in a certain day after death. They all will be judged, and those who are good and virtuous shall live in PARADISE (THE GARDEN OF BLISS), and the sinners will join the fire in Hell.
"Allah, there is no God but He. Of a surety He will gather you all together in the resurrection day about which there is no doubt, and whose word can be truer than Allah?"
THE HOLY QURAN _ S4: 87
"As for he who transgressed and chose this present life, his abode will be Hell-Fire. And as for those who feared to stand before their LORD, and restrained their souls from lusts, (LOW DESIRES) their abode will be PARADISE."
THE HOLY QURAN _ S79: 37_41
WE BELIEVE that this world is only a bridge that man should pass it over so as to join an eternal life; or in other word it may be a farm, to sow here and to harvest in hereafter or else it may be taken as a market here to provide for the next life to come.
About this life of ours, Imam Ali says:_
"This WORLD is a place of truth for him who confronts it with truthfulness. It is a house (means) for being FREE OF WANT, for him who gathers provisions from it and stores for his next life. It is a place of awareness for him who takes advice from it. It is the mosque of the friends of God, a place of worship for the angels; where God's inspirations is sent down, and a trade market for God's friends."
2- THE REASONS FOR THE RESURRECTION ARE CLEAR ENOUGH
WE BELIEVE that the reasons to prove the resurrection are very clear, because, it can easily be seen that this mortal life cannot be a reasonable object, and the final goal for such a creation; i.e. to come and live here for a short period, living with immense hardships and difficulties, and then end to nothing or to some dusts! Is that what is meant by our complex creation?
"Do you think that we have created you for nothing, (IN JEST) and that you would not return to us?"
THE HOLY QURAN _ S23: 115_
Secondly; in this world the evildoers are usually in one line with the beneficent and some times higher; a none equity which doesn't read with the great justice of God. So there must be somewhere or some how to distinct bad from good and false from truth.
"Do the evildoers think that they are equal in OUR SIGHT, with the believer who does good works, so that their lives and deaths are alike? How bad they judge!
THE HOLY QURAN _ S45: 21
Thirdly; the Infinite Mercy of God NECESSITATES that His Mercy and Bounties come not to an end by man's death.
"Say to who belongs all that heavens and the earth contain? say to Allah; He has inscribed Mercy for Himself and willl gather you all on the day of resurrection. That day is sure to come. Those who have lost their own souls are those who will never have faith."
THE HOLY QURAN _ S6: 12
Quran, addressing those who doubt about the resurrection asks: How do they doubt the Power of the Almighty to raise the dead? While they already have seen God's first creation, BEGINNING to make them out of the soil:_
"Were we weary with the first creation that they should be in confused doubt about a new creation?"
THE HOLY QURAN _ S50: 15
"And he (the unbeliever) makes comparison for Us, and forgets his own creation. He asks:_ `Who will give life to the rotten bones?' say:_ `He who created them for the first time will give them life again, He has knowledge of every creature.
THE HOLY QURAN _ S36: 78_79
Besides that; is the creation of man important in comparison with that of heavens and the earth? He who was able to create such a vast, and strange world, is He not able to raise the dead?
"Do they not see that Allah who created the heavens and the earth, and was not wearied by their creation can raise the dead to life? Yes, He Has Power to do everything."
THE HOLY QURAN _ S46: 33
3- RESURRECTION IS CORPOREAL
WE BELIEVE that not only the SOUL, but the soul and body of man both will be raised to life in resurrection. This is because whatever is done here is done by both the soul and the body; so the reward too should be given to both of them.
Most of the Quranic verses which refer to resurrection have put the stress on corporeal raise of the body as well as the soul.
In answer to the amazed questioner, who asked the prophet:_ who raises the dead? Quran answers:_ He who gave them their first creation can easily raise them once again.
"Does man think that we cannot assemble his bones once again? Yes! We are able to remold the very Tips of his fingers."
THE HOLY QURAN _ S75: 3_4
Such verses also denote that the resurrection is corporeal too. There are also verses that report of getting out of our graves, proving the raise to be bodily
4- THE STRANGE WORLD, AFTER DEATH
WE BELIEVE that whatever is going on after death, and in the PARADISE & HELL, is far above what we see here!
"No one knows what delights of the eyes,(THE REAL BLISS THAT GIVES MOST SATISFACTION) are kept hidden for them as a reward for their good deeds."
THE HOLY QURAN _ S32: 17
Through a famous tradition God says:_
"I have prepared for my virtuous servants.
BOUNTIES that not eye have ever seen, no ear has ever heard, and no heart has ever comprehended."
As a matter of fact, in this world we are similar to a FOETUS in the mother's womb! If the fetus could have a mind and wisdom he could certainly KNOW nothing of whatever is outside the womb, such as the sun, the bright moon, the beautiful flowers AND the roaring sea-waves. So is this world COMPARED to the hereafter? It is comparable with the womb in relation to the next. Please note carefully.
5- RESURRECTION AND THE RECORD OF OUR DEEDS
WE BELIEVE that in DOOMSDAY, the RECORD BOOK of whatever we have done, will be given to us. The record of those who are sanctified will be given to their right hand, and that of the wrongdoers shall be given to their left. By reading the book of their deeds the virtuous will be happy and the evildoers anxious.
"He who is given his record in his right hand will say:_ `Take mine and read it! I knew that I would come to my account.' And he will be in a blissful life, in a lofty garden with clusters of fruit within his reach.
We shall say to him: Eat and drink to your happiness.' Here is your reward for what you did in days gone by.' And as for him whose book is given to his left hand, will say: `Ah! Would that my record had not been given to me! Would that I knew nothing of my account. Would that death had made an end of me. "My wealth has availed me nothing, and I AM BEREFT OF ALL MY POWER."
THE HOLY QURAN _ S69: 19_25
As for the book; how it is written or read, no one knows enough, but it exists, no one can deny. The particularity of that day is such that we cannot know it in detail, but generally we know what is going to happen.
6- THE WITNESSES IN THE FINAL JUDGEMENT
WE BELIEVE that in the final judgement, besides God who is controlling all the judgements, there are other witnesses too; such as the hands and feet; the skin and even the ground upon which we live. All of these will testify as to what we have done before!
"That Day, We should set a seal on their mouths, (SHUT THEM UP) and their hands will speak to Us, and their feet shall bear witness to all that they did."
THE HOLY QURAN _ S36: 65
"When they reach it, their ears and their skins will testify to their misdeeds! `Why did you speak against us?' they will say to their skins? And their skins will reply:_ "ALLAH, who gives speech to all, has made us to speak."
THE HOLY QURAN _ S41: 20
"When the Earth is shaken to her utmost convulsion, and man asks:_ `What may this mean?' On that DAY will she declare her reports, because your LORD has inspired her to do so?"
THE HOLY QURAN _ S99: 4_5
7-ِ THE PASSAGE_WAY, (BRIDGE) AND THE SCALE TO WEIGH DEEDS
WE BELIEVE that in the Doomsday, the PASSAGEWAY (SERطT) and the scale for weighing our deeds do exist. By the PASSAGE_WAY, a bridge is meant, which is laid over the Hell, and every one must pass over that bridge to reach PARADISE! Yes! The bridge or passage way that may lead to Paradise, hangs over the FIRE.
"There is not one of you who shall not pass through the confines of the Hell! Such is the absolute decree of your LORD. We will deliver those who fear Us, but the wrongdoers shall be left to endure its torments on their knees."
THE HOLY QURAN _ S19: 71_72
Passing through that hard passage-way, depends on what MAN had done before. We read a famous tradition thus:_ "Some people will pass the bridge as quick as a lightning! Some pass it over as, fast as a speedy horse, others like the pedestrians. A group will go on, leaning on their hands and feet, and some are hanged by their hands, trying to pass over the blaze of Hell. So the Hell catches some and leaves some to go to the gardens of BLISS; As for the SCALE, it is a means by which the human deeds are measured and weighed so as to specify their values.
"We shall set up the scales of justice on the day of judgement, and not a soul will be dealt with unjustly in the least. And if there be the weight of a mustard seed, We will bring it to account; and enough are We as the accountant."
THE HOLY QURAN _ S21: 47
"Then he whose scales (OF GOOD DEEDS) are heavy, shall dwell in BLISS, but he whose balances (OF GOOD DEEDS) are light, the ABYSS shall be his home."
THE HOLY QURAN _ S101: 6_9
WE BELIEVE that salvation in the next life, depends only on one's deeds and acts and not on his fancies and thoughts. There; No one can be redeemed unless by piety and good deeds, and the Grace of God.
"Every soul will be held in pledge for its deeds."
THE HOLY QURAN _ S74: 38
This is a brief description about the scale, the detail of which we know not, because the world to come is far above the lower world within which we are imprisoned.
8- INTERCESSION IN DOOMSDAY
WE BELIEVE that in doomsday the prophets and the innocent saints might intercede on behalf of some sinners with God, and plea for their forgiveness. We should not forget that such intercession is only permitted for those who have not entirely cut off their relation with God, and His Apostles. Therefore the intercession is not done unconditionally.
"He knows what is before them and what is after them, and they (i.e. the APOSTLES) offer no intercession except for those who are conformed, to the will of God, and they (ALL) stand in awe and reverence of God's GLORY."
THE HOLY QURAN _ S21: 28
As we have already mentioned, intercession is a way to train man, a means of preventing him to drown in the sea of sins, while it may teach him to repent and return to his Merciful Lord from evil.
Certainly the highest rank of intercession belongs to the APOSTLES, and then it lowers to the saints, to the learned, the martyrs, and true believers to some relative extents.
In a tradition narrated by Imam Sadiq we have:_ "There are none among the first and the last, who are not in need of Mohammad's intercession in doomsday. And also in another tradition we have:_
"There are five intercessors in Doomsday:_1_ QURAN 2_OBSERVATION OF BONDS OF KINSHIP. 3_TRUSTEESHIP 4_YOUR. PROPHET (MOHAMMAD). 5_YOUR PROPHET'S NEAREST KINS."( BIHAR _ Vol.8 _ P.42)
We have also received another tradition from Imam Sadiq:_
"In the resurrection day God raises the Ascetic worshipper and the LEARNED BELIEVER to life. He will say to the ASCETIC WORSHIPPER:_ `Go and live in MY PARADISE.' But He will say to the learned:_ `Stay here, and intercede on behalf of the people.'
This tradition contains a minutely fine point about the philosophy of INTERCESSION.
9- THE WORLD OF THE DEAD (BARZAKH)
WE BELIEVE that between death and resurrection, there is a third WORLD, called BARZAKH, in which the souls of all the human beings who die will live there until they are raised again:_(1)
"When death comes they say:_ "`My Lord! Turn me back to life in order that I may do the good works which I have neglected.' No! BY NO MEANS! (Is the answer to their request?) This is what they ask, but over them is the BARZAKH." (A world in which people shall live ofter death and before judgement.)
THE HOLY QURAN _ S23: 94_100
We know not much about this world which is in between the raise and death and is called BARZAKH,
.- KANZ UL AAMAL_ Vol.14 _ P.390
but we know that therein the sanctified souls, like the martyrs and the pious live a blissful life:_
"Do not think of those who are slain for the sake of God, as deads. No! They are ALIVE, and have their sustenance in the presence of their Lord.
They rejoice for what Allah gives them out of His BOUNTY; and with regard to those left behind, (THE BELIEVERS WHO ARE NOT DIED YET) who have not yet joined them, the martyrs give glad tiding, not to fear, nor have they any cause to grieve.
They give good news of the BOUNTY of ALLAH, and that God will not leave the rewards of the faithful to be lost."
THE HOLY QURAN _ S3: 169
On the other hand the souls of the oppressors and the rebels and their followers and evildoers are all under torture in their life in BARZAKH.
They are brought (i.e. THE PHARAOH'S FOLLOWERS) in front the fire morning, and evening, and when they are raised for the FINAL JUDGEMENT, the companion of PHARAOH are cast into the severest penalty."
THE HOLY QURAN _ S40: 46
A third group with less guilt are neither among the first group nor among the second ones. In the world after death they are some how like a sleeper who sleeps by death and awakes by resurrection.
"When the hour of doom overtakes them, the wrong doers will swear that they tarried not in (BARZAKH) but an hour, and thus they are ever deceived.
But those who are endued with knowledge and faith will say:_ `You have stayed till the day of resurrection, as was decreed by Allah, and this is the day of resurrection yet you did not know it."
THE HOLY QURAN _ S30: 56
In an Islamic tradition it is narrated by the prophet who said, "The grave is either a GARDEN OF BLISS OF the Paradise: or AN ABYSS of the Hell."( SAHIH TIRMIDHI VOL.4 _ CHAP.26;BAHAR AL ANWAR_ VOL.6 _ P.2148218
10- THE CORPOREAL AND INCORPOREAL REWARDS
WE BELIEVE that the rewards in Hereafter are corporeal as well as incorporeal; (i.e. SPIRITUAL) because the resurrection is Spiritual as well as PHYSICAL.
Whatever is written in the HOLY QURAN about the fruitful Gardens in paradise with streams flowing beneath its trees (S9: 89) with perpetual foods and shades, (S13: 35) and the beautiful clean wives there in, with whom they marry (S3: 15), and also about the penalty and punishments in hell, and that burning fire, are all evidences that the rewards there are corporeal.
And more important are the SPIRITUAL rewards that are promised the faithful believer, such as being near to God, and seeing the manifestations of God's GLORY and beauty. These are among the pleasures that no eyes has seen and no tongue can describe.
Some of the verses in QURAN that denote the material bounties and Graces of God in the Paradise, end with phrases like:_ THE PLEASURE OF ALLAH:_
"But the greatest of all the bliss, is the PLEASURE of God which is the supreme FELICITY."
THE HOLY QURAN _ S9: 72
There is not an enjoyment higher for a man THAN SEEING that he is accepted by his LORD, and God is pleased with him!
A tradition is narrated by Imam Zeinul Abedin saying, ''God will say to those in Paradise:_ 'My love and pleasure for you is far above the bounties with which you live in FELICITY.' ''(TAFSIR AYYASَHI AND TAFSIR AL-MIZAN S9:72)
What a pleasure can be higher for a man who is addressed by his LORD that:_
"O,YOU SERENE SOUL! Return to your LORD! Joyful, and pleasing in his sight. Enter My Paradise and join My Servants."
THE HOLY QURAN _ S89: 27_30
Reference: ImamReza.net

Scientific Indications of Resurrection

Scientific Indications of Resurrection
By Ayatullah Sayyid Mujtaba Musavi Lari
One of the valuable benefits that have been derived from the ceaseless progress of experimental science is that it has proven the possibility of the man's restoration to life. The advancement of human knowledge has, in fact, opened up a very interesting area of exploration in this respect, placing the matter in a new light and making it possible to examine it with precision for the very first time. This achievement contributes significantly to an improved understanding of the topic, and it appears, moreover, that scientific investigations of the matter are advancing toward still more highly developed theories. The broader the scope of science becomes, the fewer ambiguities and obscurities will remain in this area.
When early materialist scholars discussed the question of resurrection, they regarded a return to life as impossible, and were therefore unable to treat resurrection as a topic worthy of scientific discussion.
The first change that occurred as a result of continuing scientific investigations of the matter was brought about by Lavoisier, the celebrated French scholar and founder of modern chemistry. He refuted previous theories and brought their dominance to an end, because in the course of the researches to which he devoted the major part of his life he reached the conclusion that the total quantity and mass of matter in the world are stable, subject to neither decrease nor increase.
The discovery of radioactivity and the transformation of matter into energy, the second important advance that was achieved in this area, caused Lavoisier's law to be modified, but it has retained its validity as far as the permanence of matter and energy is concerned.
Despite the chemical action and reaction which take place in the matter of which the world is composed, causing it to change its form and shape, no element of matter is ever buried in the cemetery of annihilation. What we see and perceive is a collection of various beings possessing mutable qualities. Thus the theory of the indestructibility of being came to replace the previous law and to explain fully all the changes and transformations that take place in matter.
A drop of water that falls on the ground and is absorbed; the smoke of a cigarette that rises in the air; the various fuels that are consumed by industrial machinery; the flame that arises from burning dry wood; the candle that burns, scattering its particles in the air none of this is utterly lost and destroyed. If we had the means of reassembling their component parts we would obtain the same original materials, without the slightest decrease. It is only our superficial way of viewing things, our limited and inadequate way of thinking, that makes us imagine all these things disappear.
* * *
Man's body is formed of clay, and after passing beneath the wheels of change and transformation it changes back into clay; i.e., it returns to its original form. This is because the body carries within it receptivity to change within it, but its existential core never tends to non-being as a result of these changes. It loses only the particular nature of its composition, like all other bodies, without ever sacrificing anything of its essence.
Similarly, the dead and lifeless form of man is transformed into clay, through the working of internal and external factors; it turns this way and that, each time assuming a new form. For example, in the course of time, a plant may grow from the soil where a person is buried and be eaten by an animal, contributing to its growth. Thus variety has been introduced into the matter of which man's body is composed, but the substance and content of his body remain firm and indestructible throughout all the changes that may occur.
The different forms taken on by our energy, good and bad deeds are likewise imbued with stability and permanence; they are preserved in the archives of the universe as the determining factor in our ultimate fate, whether it be good or evil, eternal happiness or permanent torment. We are obliged to submit to the consequences of our deeds.
The efforts of researchers to capture the sound waves emitted by men of the past have enjoyed some success; to a limited degree and with the aid of special equipment they have been able to recapture the sound waves emitted by the makers of tools, imprinted on the surface of those tools by the radiation of their hands.
These scientific accomplishments are in themselves an indication of the reality of resurrection; they provide a method which joined together with reflection may permit us to understand resurrection and prove it scientifically.
Quite apart from all the foregoing, we may ask why God should not be able to recreate the form of man which came into being out of scattered particles of clay and was then again turned into earth.
The Qur'an makes repeated reference to this matter, saying for example: "We created you from earth and return you to earth, and then bring you forth from it once more" (20:55).
In this verse, our attention is drawn to the creative power of the Maker. Through the presentation of the past and future of man in this world and the hereafter in a single panorama, solace and assurance are given to man's unquiet and skeptical soul. The thought of man being swallowed up in death is shown to be irrational, and to speak of the changes and transformations that man undergoes as aimless is demonstrated to be absurd.
Life in the narrow sphere of this world is too petty to represent the ultimate aim of creation. If we take into consideration the total picture of creation, we will see that this petty realm taken in isolation is unworthy of the lofty origins from which it sprang.
Addressing those incredulous people who imagine that the body of man dissolves and disappears as a result of chemical actions and reactions within the soil and that it cannot be restored to life, the Qur'an says: "The unbelievers say: `Is this not a strange thing that we should be brought back after dying and turning to dust? Such a return is impossible.' But We are fully aware of what the earth takes from them, and it is We Who possess the Preserved Tablet" (50:2-4).
This verse refers, then, to a group of unbelievers who deny the resurrection of the dead. It reminds them that God knows full well where the elements are that once made up their bodies before being dispersed and returned to the storehouse of nature. He will reassemble those elements on the plain of resurrection, thus reconstructing the body in a way the unbelievers thought impossible. This reconstruction will follow entirely the structure and contents of the body as it previously existed and be based entirely upon it.
The Persuasive Logic of the Qur'an
When the Prophet of Islam, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, expounded the topic of resurrection to the pagan Arabs, a Bedouin by the name of Ubayy b. Khalaf picked up a decayed bone and set out for Medina to visit the Prophet. In the hope of refuting the arguments of the Prophet and the logic of the Qur'an on which they were based, he raised up the bone, as if it were a valuable and convincing piece of evidence, and crumbled it to dust, scattering the pieces in the air. Then, he addressed to the Prophet these crude, unadorned words, inspired by his rebelliousness and ignorance:
"Who will restore to life the scattered particles of this rotten bone?"
He believed that he would thus be able to refute the arguments of the Prophet and to destroy the belief of others in resurrection of the dead. His ignorant mode of thought prevented him from having any correct notion of the creation of being so that he imagined that the scattered particles of a decayed bone could not possibly be brought back to life. He obstinately maintained that the reassembling of the countless particles of the body was unacceptable to man's reason.
The Qur'an replied with this convincing argument based on persuasive logic: "(O Messenger,) say: `God Who first brought them to life will restore them to life. He has knowledge of all His creation.' ... Is the Creator Who brought into being the heavens and the earth incapable of creating the like thereof? Certainly He is the Creator and All-Knowing" (36:79, 81).
* * *
The Qur'an invites man to contemplate, the whole vast structure of creation, together with the innumerable phenomena and minutiae it contains, using his wisdom and intelligence which are his means for recognizing the principles underlying the universe. Such reflection will enable him to realize that the restoration of life to man through resurrection is not more difficult than the initial creation out of a mass of different materials that were compounded together.
It is thought and reflection that lead to correct comprehension; they form the method by which man must acquire a true understanding of the world in which he lives and they confirm, in a logical and profound fashion, the concepts he holds.
The Qur'an stresses the importance of resurrection as follows: "Were We weakened by bringing forth creation the first time that We should now be incapable of restoring it to life through resurrection?" (50:15).
The Qur'an wishes man to realize that although the restoration of life to the dead appears impossible when measured against the capacities of man, it is something straightforward when measured against the infinite power of God Who first inhaled life in the inanimate form of man.
Man may well ask himself how the breath of life may be inhaled anew into the particles of his body once they have been scattered in the recesses of the earth, and how lifeless matter may be brought back to life although its constituent elements have been dispersed.
But that dispersal does not result in their permanent alienation from each other, and the human intellect can well understand that the infinite and eternal creative power of God has no difficulty in compounding anew those scattered elements so that they begin pulsating with life anew.
The Noble Qur'an reminds man of God's unlimited ability to restore all the minute qualities and precise details of man's limbs with the following words: "Does man imagine that We are not capable of reassembling his decayed bones? We are able even to restore his fingers to their previous state" (75:34).
This verse stresses that God is able not only to reassemble the bones of the dead and restore them to life but even, through His boundless and incomparable might, to gather together the scattered particles of their beings and resurrect them.
When the power of God begins to restore to life the order of man's being, in order to implement the ultimate purpose of all being, His infinite power encounters no difficulty in bringing back even the detailed physical characteristics of man, in just the same way that He effortlessly caused the rays of life first to shine on the vast and as yet inanimate plain of being.
In the verse that we have just cited God selects for mention out of all the marvels of man's composition the lines in his fingers as an example of His power. This is significant, because it is possible that individuals should roughly resemble each other with respect to their other limbs, but in the whole world two people cannot be found with exactly identical fingerprints.
Sensory and empirical awareness teaches us that throughout all the changes we undergo in life and all the quantitative transformations to which our bodily composition is subject, the lines in our fingers remain stable and unchanging. This is completely at variance with the continuous changes that occur in our bodily condition.
If the skin on our hands is removed, for some accidental reason, a new skin grows in its place with exactly the same features. Those who specialize in these matters know that fingerprints are therefore the best means for establishing the identity of a person. Throughout the world police have recourse to fingerprints as the surest way for establishing the identity of the author of a crime. This unique quality of fingerprints, first indicated in the Qur'an, remained otherwise unknown until discovered in 1884 by some British scientists.
Anyone whose mind is oriented to truth and reality will understand, without any hesitation, that the powerful hand of God is at work in the appearance of all these wonders; no intelligent person can accept that some blind mechanical force should be capable of creating the precise and miraculous phenomenon that is man.
Reference: ImamReza.net

Resurrection

Resurrection
By: Sayyid Fazil Milani
“You are examined in this life, but you have been created for the next life”
This well known saying of Imam Ali (as) aptly identifies the journey of man and womankind to the "Day of Resurrection". According to the Quranic view, we have not been created simply for this earthly lfe, have a greater purpose in behaving responsibly. The Hereafter, therefore, needs to be considered. One could say that mankind’s convoy to the Day of Resurrection is a forced moment that is totally impossible to resist.
In studying the beautiful Holy Quran one obtains objective Tafseer which enhance our knowledge of many subjects. However, if one focuses on the Holy scriptures, a student may obtain selective references to the Day of Resurrection known as subjective Tafseer.
It is thses references that enlighten mankind with regard to this great event, “Yamul Al Qiyamah”. It is this day which follows Death, the latter having also been alluded to, in the Quran. The Sayings of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (SAW) describe the grave of every person as either tasting a part of Paradise or a part of Hell. We are told that knowledge of Death is with the Almighty Allah alone. Thus, in order to prepare ourselves we must live each day as if it were to be our last.
Surah Al Waqi’ah (Chap : The Great Event), which is commonly recited after evening prayers (Isha’) to fight off poverty, explains the signs pertaining to this day. These are threefold: first, a class structure will be formulated by Allah rather than mankind. Thus, instead of belonging to working of professional classes, as is the case today, mankind will finally be classified by the Creator into either the abased or the exalted; second, the sign of the tumultuous and violent shaking of very earth in which we dwell. This shaking will be so ferocious that even the unconquerable mountains of the world will crumble to dust. This latter is the third sign.
Moreover, one reads that humankind will be divided into three groups of people, some contented and others wretched. It is interesting to note that it is ourselves who decide which group we will be allocated to, as our intentions and actions in this life divide us into the following categories: we are either of those on the ‘right hand’ or those on the ‘left hand’, or else those of the ‘foremost’ who are drawn near to Allah.
Taking each group in turn, one can examine the distinct differences and decide with which group one wishes to be associated, and hence one is able to adjust one’s actions accordingly.We know, for instance, that every atoms’ weight of good or evil is recorded and that we will be able to see our actions on Yamul Al Qiyamah.The ‘foremost’ group on the Day of Judgement will have many bounties granted to them. From the first generation of Muslims many will belong to this ‘foremost’ group, but as the final hour approaches fewer Muslims will be admitted therein. These persons have the position of kings in the Hereafter.
They are surrounded by youths giving them pure beverages and a wide selection of fruits. No pain or exhaustion overtakes them and they may cohabit with pure maidens and eat whatever they wish, as a reward for what they used to do. The companions on the right hand, although not at the same level as the ‘foremost’, also taste the wonders of paradise. They are made up of both early and later generations of believers.
They happily cohabit with virgins in this loving environment. Moreover, they reside among the “thornless lote trees”, eating the “fruits of banana trees and there is an abundance of shade”, “flowing water and fruit”. These Quranic descriptions of paradise encourage humankind to compete with one another in order to earn the favours of Allah (SWT). Thus, Muslims seek to attain piety and emulate the supreme examples of piety, such as the Holy Prophet (P) and the Imams of Ahlul Bayt (as).
Finally, those of the left-hand are described as the group to which no- one wishes to belong on Yamul Al Qiyamah. This left-hand group is surrounded by a “hostile wind and black smoke”. They have only “boiling water” to drink and taste only the bitter produce of the “tree of Zaqqoom”. They are described as the “great violators” and will be made up of the people from the earliest generations to the very last. They are the ones who denied the Day of Resurrection and now must pay the price.
In conclusion, one can clearly see the graphic descriptions in the Holy Quran of the signs of the Day of Resurrection and the rewards and punishments of each group. It is up to us , all of humankind, to act now and secure our place in the groups that are exalted and not those that are humiliated.
In The Name of Allah, The Beneficent, The Merciful.
When the Great Event comes to pass,
There is no belying its coming to pass disgracing (one) , exalting the other
When the Earth shall be shaken with a (severe) shaking,
And the mountains shall be made to crumble with (an awful) crumbling,
So that they shall be as scattered dust.
And you shall be three Sorts,
Then (as to) the companions of the right hand;
how happy are the companions of the right hand!
And (as to) the companions of the left hand;
How wretched are the companions of the left hand!
And the foremost are the foremost,
These are they who are drawn near (to Allah), In the garden of bliss.
(Surah LVI – Al Waqia, 1 – 12)
Reference: ImamReza.net