Introduction - The Certainty of Death and The Reality of Resurrection
Every man knows with certainty that death is inevitable. But what is his fate after death? Will he be happy or miserable?
Many people and nations of the world believe that they will be resurrected after death and called to account for all their deeds; that they will earn good rewards if they do good and punishment if they do evil.
The Resurrection and accountability issue is confirmed by sound reason and supported by Divine Laws. It is based on three fundamentals:
Confirmation of the Perfect knowledge of the Lord, may He be glorified
Confirmation of His Perfect Omnipotence
Confirmation of His Perfect Wisdom
There is much textual and logical evidence to confirm the final return. Drawing evidence on the resurrection of the dead through the creation of the heavens and the earth, Allah Almighty says:
“Do they not see that Allah, who created the heavens and the earth, and was not worried by their creation, can give life to the dead? Yes, He is surely able to do all things” (Holy Quran 46:33)
“Is not He who created the heavens and the earth, able to create the like of them? Yes, indeed. He is the All-Knowing Supreme Creator.” (Holy Quran 36:81)
Drawing evidence of Allah’s ability to reproduce the creation once more from His ability to originate the creation without any previous example. So, He, who can bring a thing into existence should be able to reproduce it with greater reason. Allah the Exalted says: “And He it is Who originates the creation, then He will repeat it (after it has perished), and this is easier for Him. His is the Sublime Similitude.” (Holy Quran 30:27)
God Almighty created man in the best shape and in this perfect and complete form. HE endowed him with limbs, power, and characteristics; with flesh, bones, veins, and nerves; with outlets, tools, sciences, wishes, and industries. There is in all this the greatest evidence of His ability to resurrect the dead.
Divine Power and Wisdom in Creation and Resurrection
Another piece of evidence lies in drawing the proof of God’s ability to resurrect the dead in the Hereafter, from His raising up of the dead in this worldly life. Stories have
been narrated of this in the Divine Books which Allah Almighty revealed to His Messengers.
Examples of this are raising the dead by the permission of Allah at the hands of Prophet Abraham (PBUH) and Jesus (PBUH)- among many others. There are two further illustrations by which we draw evidence of God’s ability to resurrect the dead from His ability to bring about things similar to the scenes of the Day of Congregation and Resurrection.
Allah created man from a drop of sperm that is scattered all over the body- that is why all parts of the body enjoy intercourse. This drop is collected from all parts of the body, then it goes to the womb and is created therewith the man.
If all these parts were scattered and He gathered them together and created from them that man, then if they become scattered once again after death, what can prevent Him from bringing them together yet again? God Almighty says: “Then tell me about the semen that you emit. Is it you who create it (make this semen into a perfect human being)? Or are We the Creator” (Holy Quran 56:58)
Let us examine the other illustration. When the plant seeds – regardless of their shapes – fall into the fertile land and water and soil overwhelm them; the logical consequence is that they become rotten and decayed; for any of the water and soil is enough to make the seed rotten but the fact is, that the seed does not decay but remains preserved.
When the humidity increases, the seed breaks open, and from it comes out a plant.
Does that not point to perfect power and comprehensive wisdom? Will this All-Wise and All-Able Lord be incapable of collecting parts of man and reconstituting his limbs? Allah Almighty says: “Then tell me about the seed that you sow in the ground. Is it you that make it grow or are We the Grower.” (Holy Quran 56:63)
The All-Able, All-Knowledgeable, and All-Wise Creator is deemed far from producing the creations for fun and leaving them in vain. He says: “We created not the heaven and the earth and all that is between them without purpose! That is the assumption of those who disbelieve! Then woe to those who disbelieve (in Islamic Monotheism) from the Fire.” (Holy Quran 38:27)
Allah Almighty created the creation for great wisdom and lofty purpose. He says: “And I created not the jinn and mankind except that they should worship me.” (Holy Quran 51:56)
It is therefore not becoming of this All-Wise Lord to regard as equal those who obey Him and those who disobey. He says: “Shall we treat those who believe and do righteous good deeds as those who associate partners with Allah and commit crimes on the earth? Or should We treat the pious ones as the criminals.” (Holy Quran 38:28)
Therefore, it is of His Perfect Wisdom and Great Power to raise the creation on the Day of Resurrection to recompense every human being for his deed; and to reward the good-doer and punish the evil-doer.
Allah Almighty says: “To Him is the return of all of you. The promise of Allah is true. It is He who produced the creation and then will reproduce it, that He may reward with justice those who believed and did righteous deeds. But those who disbelieved will have a drink of boiling fluids and painful torment because they refused to disbelieve.” (Holy Quran 10:4)
The Impact of Belief in the Last Day on Individuals and Society
Belief in the Last Day (Day of Resurrection) has a great impact on individuals and society. Firstly, it makes man endeavour to obey Allah seeking for reward of that day, and keeps him from disobeying Him out of fear of punishment of that Day. It consoles the believer on the bliss and pleasure of this world that he misses with the pleasure and reward of the Hereafter which he hopes for.
It is through the belief in the Last Day that man knows his fate after death and knows that he will get a good reward for his deed if it is good and get punished if it is evil. He knows that he will be made to stand for reckoning; that revenge will be taken on him for those he wronged in this world and the rights of those he wronged or oppressed will be taken back from him.
Belief in the Last Day actualizes peace and security for mankind, especially in this time when there is inadequate security and wars rage with no end because belief in Allah and the Last Day makes man abstain from doing evil to others privately and publicly. That belief penetrates his heart and makes him dismiss evil intentions- even if he has any.
Furthermore, belief in the Last Day deters a man from doing injustice to others and violating their rights. If people believe in the Last Day, they will be safe from wronging one another and their rights will be protected. It makes a man look at his worldly abode as just one of the stages of life and that it is not real life in itself.
Conclusion
To conclude this blog, let us quote the words of ‘Win Bet’, the American Christian who used to work in one of the churches and then embraced Islam and found the fruit of belief in the Last Day. He says: “I now know answers to the questions that had very much occupied my life. The questions are: Who am I? What do I want? Why did I come to this world? And what is my destination?’ (Ad-Da’awah Magazine No. 1722,19-9-1420, p.37)
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