We are mortal (3:145, 3:185) but not our soul as God has designed our body from dust (3:59, 30:20) and blew into it from His spirit (32:9, 38:72). When the death overtakes us, we get into other dimension leaving our body on earth. Thus, the dust returns to the earth as it was and the soul returns unto God who gave it (2:156, 84:6):
[3:145] It has not been for a soul that it dies except by God’s permission, is a determined decree. And whoever desires reward of the world, we give him from it, and whoever desires reward of the Hereafter, we give him from it. And we will reward the grateful ones.
[3:185] Every soul will be tasting of the death, and you will only be paid in full your reward on a Day of the Resurrection. Then whoever has been pulled away from the Fire and has been admitted into the Paradise, then certainly, he has succeeded. And the life of the world is not but an enjoyment of the delusion.
[3:59] Indeed, an example of Jesus with God is like an example of Adam; He has created him from dust (min turaabin), then He said to him, “Be,” then he was.
[30:20] And of His signs is that He has created you from dust (min turaabin), then you are humans by reproducing.
[38:72] “So when I have designed him (Adam), and have breathed into him from My spirit (wa-nafakhtu feehi min ruuhi-i), then you shall fall down to him being prostrators.”
[32:9] Then He had designed him and had breathed into him from His spirit (wa-nafakha feehi min ruuhihi). And He has given you the hearing, the vision, and the understanding; rarely are you thankful.
[2:156] Those who, when the adversity has afflicted them say: “Indeed, we belong to God and indeed, to Him we are returning (innaa lillahi wa-innaa ilayhi raaji`uuna).”
[84:6] O human being, indeed, you are working toward your Lord hard so is His meeting.
God has decreed the death for us and there is no force in the world that can stop it (56:60), and wherever we may be, death will catch up with us, even if we are in a fortified tower (4:78). Not only everyone dies without any exception (6:61) but everyone also knows his/her destination at the time of death. However, the believers have only one death (44:56) while the disbelievers go through two deaths (40:11). However, our first death is a consequence of the Great Feud in the High Society (38:67- 69) triggered by the Satan when he refused to prostrate Adam (38:73-74), and subsequently Adam and Eve, the parents of the human being were evicted from Paradise being deceived by him (2:35–36):
[56:60] We have decreed the death for you, and we are not to be stopped.
[4:78] Wherever you would be, the death overtakes you, even if you have been in high-rise towers. If any good befalls them, they say: “This is from God,” while if any evil befalls them, they say: “This is from you!” Say: “All is from God.” So what is for these people that they seem not to understand a statement?
[6:61] And He is the Supreme over His servants, and He sends guardians over you until when the death comes to any of you, our messengers take him, and they never fail.
[44:56] They would not taste the death therein (on earth) except the first death, and He has protected them from the retribution of the Hellfire (al-jaheemi).
[40:11] They will say: “Our Lord, You have given us death twice, and You have given us life twice. Now we have confessed our sins. So, is there any way to get out?”
[38:67] Say, “Here is awesome news.
[38:68] “That you are totally oblivious to.
[38:69] “I had no knowledge previously, about the feud in the High Society.”
[38:73] The angels fell prostrate, all of them,
[38:74] except Satan; he refused, and was too arrogant, unappreciative.
[2:35] We said, “O Adam, you shall live with your wife in Paradise, and shall eat whatever from it from wherever you have wished, but you are not to come near to this tree that you may be with the wrongdoers.”
[2:36] Then the Satan duped them of it, so he got them out of it wherein they have been. And we said, “Go down all of you as enemies of yourselves to others, and for you in the earth there will be a dwelling place and a provision for a while.”
Moment of death
The life of the Hereafter starts with the death, which is a peaceful event for those who believed in their Lord and His revelations while it is a terrible event for those who disbelieved in their Lord and His revelations. Even, two different groups of angels are given responsibility to terminate the lives of people on earth. The angels those who terminate the lives of the righteous are al-naashitaat while the angels those who terminate the lives of the unrighteous are al-naazi’aat. The angels of death (al-naashitaat) when they take their souls gently (79:2), while the believers know that they have been forgiven by their Lord and made them honorable (36:26-27). On the other hand, the angels of death (al-naazi’aat) beat the disbelievers on their faces and rear ends (8:50, 47:27) giving painful retribution (6:93) when as they snatch their souls away from them (79:1) while the disbeliever says: “My Lord, send me back (23:99) so that I may do good in what I have left behind” but there is a barrier to prevent the disbelievers from going back until the day they are resurrected (23:100). The disbeliever also says: “My Lord, if You could delay this for a short while, I would then be charitable to be with the righteous (63:10)” but there will be no delay for any soul when its term has come (63:11):
The angels who terminate the lives of the righteous
[79:2] (I swear) By the angels who take (the souls of the righteous) gently.
Note: The angels who terminate the lives of the righteous on earth designated as al-naashiat
[36:26] It was told, “Enter Paradise.” He said, “Oh, I wish my people knew.
[36:27] “That my Lord has forgiven me, and made me honorable.”
Note: This statement is the realization of a righteous at the time of his/her death when she/he was told to enter Paradise.
The angels who terminate the lives of the unrighteous
[79:1] (I swear) By the angels who snatch (the souls of the unrighteous) forcibly.
Note: The angels who terminate the lives of the unrighteous on earth designated as al-naazi’aat.
[8:50] And if you could see when the angels put to death of those who have disbelieved, striking their faces and their backs (yad’ribuuna wujuuhahum wa-adbaarahum): “Taste the punishment of the Blazing Fire (wa-dhuuquu `adhaaba al-hareeqi).
[8:51] That is of what has sent forth your hands. And indeed, God has not been with unjust for His servants.”
[47:27] So how will it be when the angels put them to death (fa-kayfa idhaa tawaffathumu al-malaa-i-katu), striking their faces and their backs (yad’ribuuna wujuuhahum wa-adbaarahum)?
[6:93] And who is more wicked than whoever has invented a lie about God, or said: “It has been inspired to me,” while it was not inspired anything to him; or who said: “I will bring down like what God has sent down.” And if you could see when the wicked are in agonies of the death while the angels are stretching out their hands: “Bring yourselves out, today you will be recompensed the humiliating punishment for what you have been to say about God other than the truth, and you were arrogant from His revelations”
[23:99] Until when the death comes to one of them, he has said, “My Lord, send me back.
[23:100] That I can do as righteous in what I have left behind.” No, indeed, it is a word, he is being its speaker, while there is a barrier of their ahead till a day they are resurrected.
[63:10] And you shall spend from what we have provided you before that the death comes to one of you, then he says, “My Lord, if You could delay me for a short while, then I would give to charity and be among the righteous.”
[63:11] And God never delays for any soul when its term has come. And God is Cognizant of what you do.
Funeral
A funeral is the ceremony that is held when the body of someone who has died is buried followed by the prayer. Thus, the funeral ceremony consists of three rituals: (1) washing and covering the dead body with the seamless clothes, (2) the Funeral Prayer and (3) the burial to put the dead body into graves. We do understand that the rituals as listed in 1 and 3 are done for the dead because of the hygienic reason while the Funeral Prayer is quite different, even though it does not change the fate of the dead. We need to understand that those who have died in a state of disbelievers or idol worshipers do not deserve this prayer, nor shall we stand by their graves (9:84). Thus, the true believers of God who have led a righteous life only deserve the Funeral Prayer and they can be recognized based on criteria given in the Quran not based on other man-made sources that make us idol worshipers.
[9:84] And let not ever pray at burial upon any of them, who has died (wa-laa-tusalli `alaa ahadin min’hum maata abadan), nor do you stand by his grave (wa-laa-taqum `alaa qabrihi). Indeed, they have disbelieved in God and His messenger, and have died while they were disobedient.
However, the Funeral Prayer is not the salat prayer but just a prayer (a supplication, an invocation, “Dua’a”) for the dead person. Since it is not the salat prayer, it does not have the same method of the salat prayer. There is no bowing or prostration during the Funeral Prayer. We also need to understand that God has encouraged the believers to implore Him. The Funeral Prayer is one of these circumstances where we can implore Him. However, like the salat prayer, the Funeral Prayer is an inherited practice that has been corrupted over the years as well. The way it is practiced by the traditional Muslims today is not dedicating it to God for adding the names of Muhammad and Abraham to the prayer.
Interim period
We may realize that the termination of our lives on earth means the dust shall return to the earth as it was (3:59, 30:20) while the spirit shall return unto God who gave it (32:9, 38:72). But many of us have no clear understanding or have misconceptions based on man-made doctrines about where the dead are or go, during the period between death and resurrection. However, let us concentrate on what God who has taught us about this period, which has been made distinct for the believers as well as for the disbelievers.
The righteous have only one death (44:56) that they have already experienced as a consequence of the Great Feud (38:67-69). Thus, the righteous do not really die, when their lives come to an end on earth, the angels of death simply invite them to leave their earthly bodies and move on to Heaven, the same abode where Adam and Eve once lived and returned to it when died (16:32 and 36:26-27). People may think that they are dead but they are not, they are alive at their Lord and are enjoying their good provisions (3:169, 2:154 and 22:58):
[3:169] Do not think that those who are killed in the cause of God are dead; they are alive at their Lord, enjoying His provisions.
[2:154] Do not say of those who are killed in the cause of God, “They are dead.” They are alive at their Lord, but you do not perceive.
[22:58] Those who emigrate for the sake of God, then get killed, or die, God will surely provide them a good provision, and God is certainly the best Provider.
While the disbelievers go through 2 deaths (40:11). The first one that we all have already experienced as a consequence of the Great Feud (38:67-69) while the second one is only for the disbelievers and the angels terminate their lives on earth striking their faces and their backs (79:1, 8:50, 47:27). They will be shown Hell day and night as a continuous nightmare that lasts until the Day of Judgment (40:46) while Hell will be brought into existence on a Day of the Resurrection (89:23, 81:12):
[40:46] The Fire, which they will be shown morning and night, and on the day when the Hour is established: “Admit the people of Pharaoh into the most severe of the retribution.”
[89:23] And Hell is brought on that day. On that day, the human being will remember but how will the remembrance benefit him?
[81:12] Hell is ignited.
Resurrection and Judgment
Final judgment will take place in accordance with a set of laws and systems so that no soul suffers least injustice (16:111, 21:47, 40:17) on a Day of the Resurrection (3:185, 56:47) followed by the end of the world (20:15, 15:85). Hell is ignited, Paradise is presented and every soul will know what it has brought (81:12-14). Whoever has done atom’s weight of good will see it (99:7) and whoever has done atom’s weight of evil also will see it (99:8):
[15:85] And we have not created the heavens and the earth, and what is between them except with the truth. And the Hour (end of the world) is surely coming, so overlook with gracious forgiveness.
[20:15] The Hour is surely coming; I will keep it almost hidden that each soul will be paid with what is striven.
[3:185] Every person has had taste of the death, and you will only be paid in full your reward on a Day of the Resurrection. Then whoever has been drawn away from the Fire and has been admitted to Paradise, then certainly, he has succeeded. And the life of the world is not but an enjoyment of the delusion.
[56:47] And they used to say: “When we die and become dust and bones, will we be resurrected?”
[16:111] A day will come every soul will plead for itself, and every soul will be paid in full for what it had done and they will not be wronged.
[21:47] We will establish the scales of justice on the Day of Resurrection. No soul will suffer the least injustice. Even the equivalent of a mustard seed will be accounted for. We are the most efficient reckoners.
[40:17] Today, every soul will be recompensed for whatever it has earned. There will be no injustice today. Indeed, God is swift in the reckoning.
[81:12] And when Hell is ignited.
[81:13] When Paradise is presented.
[81:14] Every soul will know what it has brought.
[99:7] Whoever does an atom’s weight of good will see it.
[99:8] And whoever does an atom’s weight of evil will see it.
Those who are already in Paradise and those who have deserved Paradise will be invited by God Himself to enter His Paradise (89:27-30). Even they will receive their recompense in accordance with their ranks attained at God (4:49, 46:19). Some of them will be granted higher Heaven while others will be granted lower Heaven. The believing men and women who will be radiating their lights ahead of them enter higher Heaven while the believing men and women who will be radiating their lights to their right enter lower Heaven (57:12, 66:8):
[89:27] O you content soul.
[89:28] Your return to your Lord is pleased and pleasing.
[89:29] Get into My servants.
[89:30] And enter My Paradise.
[4:49] Have you noted those who exalt themselves? Instead, God is the One who exalts whomever He wills, without the least injustice.
[46:19] They all attain the ranks they have deserved, in accordance with their works. He will pay them for their works, without the least injustice.
[57:12] A day you will see the believing men and the believing women radiating their lights ahead of them and to their right. Good news is yourselves of the day are gardens flowing the rivers of their underneath, is abiding therein forever. That is the great success.
[66:8] O you who have believed, you shall repent to God a sincere repentance. It has been your Lord that He will remove your evil deeds from you, and will admit you into gardens flowing the rivers of their underneath. A day, God will not disgrace the prophet and those who have believed with him, who will radiate their light at their ahead and on their right. They will say: “Our Lord, perfect our light for us, and forgive for us; indeed, You are Powerful over everything.”
Those who are already in Hell and those who have incurred Hell will suffer a painful and everlasting retribution precisely equivalent to their sins. Hell will have seven gates and each one will be committed to enter Hell through the gate as assigned him to suffer a specific share of his retribution in it:
[28:84] Whoever has come with a good deed, then he has better than it while whoever has come with an evil deed, then it will not be compensated those who have done the evil deeds except what they had committed to do.
[4:145] The hypocrites will be committed to the lowest pit of Hell, and you will find no one to help them.
[15:42] ”Indeed, My servants, it has not been any authority for you (Satan) over them except those who have followed you from the strayers.
[15:43] And indeed, Hell is certainly a promised place for them all.
[15:44] There are seven gates of it that each gate is a portion assigned among them.”
Those whom the angels put them in death in wrongdoing will be told to enter Hell for what they have done to achieve (16:28-29) while those whom the angels put them in death are righteous will be invited to enter the Paradise for what you have done to achieve, which was even said to them when the angels had put them in death (16:32).
[16:28] Those whom the angels put them to death in wrongdoing of their souls, then they would say the peace, “We have not been in doing anything wrong!” Yes indeed, God is Knower of what you have done to achieve.
[16:29] So, enter gates of Hell as dwellers in it forever, then surely, it has been miserable as an abode of the arrogant.
[16:32] Those whom the angels put them to death are good say, “Peace upon you; enter the Paradise for what you have done to achieve.”
Conclusion
God has designed our body from clay (dust) and placed soul into it. We are mortal but our soul is immortal and we get back to Him leaving our body on earth when our interim comes to an end on earth. Our return to Him has clearly been explained so that all of us are able to make it a successful one.
Death is a joyful event for some while it is a painful event for many. We must understand that development of souls is accomplished by the rites decreed by God not by the rites invented by people whoever he or they may be, even some of the fabrications may sound attractive to us being the Satan tricks. According to the Quran death is not a mystery but it is a divine process, which cannot be escaped.
He has clearly defined the compensation for the righteous believers and the retribution for the disbelievers from the moment of death that continues until the day of final judgment. The righteous do not really die but they directly enter Paradise while the angels of death take their souls gently. On the other hand, the angels of death pull out the souls of the disbelievers forcibly striking their faces and their backs. They enter a place of suffering and Hell is shown to them day and night until the day of the judgment.
However, there is a misconception around us that the dead will be asked in the graves about their Lord, religion and messenger. This concept is a Satanic trick to make us idol worshipers based on man-made rules, and the true believers of God should avoid it as it does not make any sense as the dead will not come back until the day of resurrection. In addition, the dead cannot be helped on behalf of their relatives and friends on earth (3:91) since a barrier will separate them until a day of the resurrection (23:100), and if the disbelievers ransom all that what is in the earth for their punishment on a Day of the Judgment will not be accepted from them (5:36).
Final judgment will take place according to a set of laws and systems so that no soul suffers a least injustice on a Day of the Resurrection followed by the end of the world. Whoever has done atom’s weight of good will see it and whoever has done atom’s weight of evil also will see it. The final destination of the believers is one of the two Heavens to enjoy their happiness while that of the disbelievers is one of the seven gates of Hell to suffer a specific share of their retribution in it.
However, there is a misconception about the intercession on the day of judgment which is also a Satanic trick to make us idol worshipers as well as not to make initiatives to develop our souls through practices in a right way as given by God. Our compensation is confirmed only through our individual’s appropriate belief and practices making it clear that there is no intercession or any other help from any other soul on a day of the judgment in the God given religion, while He is swift in the reckoning.
The review may give us a clear understanding of death and the compensation from the moment of death to the day of the final judgment. Now if we can reflect to death through frequent remembering of it, it may be a turning point for some of us to be the allies of God being protected from the trap of the Satan and his patrons to avoid the suffering at the moment of death, interim punishment between death and the day of judgment and the everlasting punishment followed by the final judgment upon resurrection.
Therefore, those who have studied the Quran know that death is not a mystery, while our compensation begins at the moment of death that becomes eternal followed by the final judgment on a Day of the Resurrection, and Who would have done this supreme justice with such a precision to compensate us for our works except God! Hence, He has taught the prophet as well as us to implore Him to grant us an honorable departure as well as an honorable admittance, and if we could do that we would see our grand success:
[17:80] And say, “My (Muhammad) Lord, admit me an honorable admittance, and let me depart an honorable departure, and grant me from You a powerful support.”
Peaceful Friday, salaam and God bless.
Tafazzal (10/20/2015)