Hello, everyone. I need your sincere effort in helping to provide an outline (or any other tip) regarding the following question.

Q: What are the practical effects of the belief in the Hereafter on the individual and social human life? Why is it considered imperative in the Fundamental Beliefs of Islam?

Regards.

What Benefits Does The Belief In Resurrection
Have For The Life Of This World?

Believing in the Hereafter, in resurrection and in the questioning about the deeds one performs in the world, believing in the paradise and the hell has many reflections, benefits and results in the life of this world.

Belief in the hereafter makes itself felt in each phase of human life, in childhood, in youth, and at old age; and in the lives of the family, community, nation and state; its effects stretch from the smallest institution to the largest.

When it is said to a small child whose brother has died: Your brother has gone to the paradise. He rejoices there flying everywhere like birds. How perfectly he would be comforted; there is no doubt.

The most effective obstruction deterring the youth from indulging in illegal pleasures and unrestrained behavior is the belief in the hereafter and fear of the hell.

The only source of consolation that saves the aged who have drawn near to the grave from despair and from sufferings that stem from the lost pleasures of their youth and the thing that links them to life is their faith in the eternal youth and bliss that await them beyond the grave.

The real consolation for patients, the handicapped, and the oppressed, and for those who suffer is their belief in the favors and rewards they will receive in the hereafter. The only thing that can console someone dying is belief in the hereafter.

What units the members of a family, friends, and relatives together more closely is belief in the eternal continuance of this unity in the hereafter. The sole source of consolation for the sorrow and longing felt for deceased relatives and friends is the belief in the eternal life.

The most important means that encourages the human being to perform good deeds, to be generous and helpful and that deters him from bad habits and behaviors is belief in the hereafter.

Giving others rightful dues, abstaining from trespassing on anybody's rights and deceiving no one can be seen in its best form only in those who believe in the hereafter. The motive that leads man to make sacrifices and even to die for his religion, nation and state is the belief in the hereafter.

What opens up perspectives and fortifies ties between the past and the future for the human life is the belief in the hereafter. Benefits the belief in the hereafter brings about for the individual, family, community, nation and state are so many as to be included as a whole here.

And the one who rejects the hereafter-if his means of living are not good-will fall into a complete desperation. If they are good, this time obeying his desires he may fall into kind of being an animal. It can no more be expected of a person who pursues just his desires to benefit his nation and country. Furthermore, these kinds of people refrain neither from leaving their own children in a state of misery nor from dragging their nations and countries into difficult situations in order to satisfy their own worthless desires.

The disbeliever in the hereafter also harms his own self and with the desperation that comes from this unbelief he casts his soul into a kind of hell already in this world.
In many of the verses in the Glorious Quran, these qualities, benefits, and effects of the belief in the hereafter are pointed out. In many places, while virtuous deeds and betterment of morals are encouraged, this pillar of faith is referred to. In many verses, having said Fear God and remain within the bounds of piety and righteousness. , the Quran continues, Know that you will be gathered to Him. (Al-Baqarah Surah, 2:203), Know that you are to meet with Him. (Al-Baqarah Surah, 2:223) which mean that this fear of God will be attained through belief in gathering before God, in reuniting with God, in other words through belief in the hereafter. Similarly, in many verses, after the commandment or encouragement of good deeds, by saying If indeed you believe in God and the Last Day... (An-Nisa Surah, 4:59; An-Nur, 24:2) it is pointed out that belief in God and the Last Day requires performing these good deeds.

Again in the Glorious Quran, while the Believers are called to jihad, while patience is advised in the face of troubles and sufferings, hardships and difficulties, while alms-giving is encouraged, miserliness and evil desires of the soul are forbidden; while such evils and sins as unjustly earning money like through interest and so on are prohibited, while good deeds are encouraged, while the temporariness of worldly bounties are told, while it is emphasized that the worldly gains at the hands of the unbelievers are not to be envied every time this topic of faith in the resurrection is mentioned.

Furthermore, in many verses, the characteristics of those who believe in the hereafter and those who do not are described and it is pointed out that believing in the hereafter makes the human being human in its real meaning and that disbelieving therein, on the other hand, takes him away from humanity.

According to the Glorious Quran, the one who believes in the hereafter even sacrifices his own life when need arises and does not fear death for the sake of reaching him and of His good pleasure; he or she is peaceful both in this world and the next; takes lessons from both Gods signs(in his self and in the universe) and events; knows how to control his carnal soul; is not selfish

As for the one who disbelieves in the hereafter, he or she is subservient to the evil desires of his/her carnal soul, is utterly sinful and is a transgressor; he or she thinks his/her life is aimless; is deluded by the fleeting beauties of this world and takes pride in and prefers the life of this world; cannot regard the universe with the eye of reflection and thought; is haughty and arrogant; is hypocrite and does goodness in order to show off and loves to see others indebted to him/her; is misleading; merciless; coward

All these show how important for and beneficial to the human life the belief in the hereafter is. Furthermore, this belief makes many unbelievers relived in terms of the life of this world by causing them to enter a doubtful disbelief out of an absolute one; while they live with a thought of hope, although slight, they do not come near to the obligations of the religion, as they do not believe. Thus they also take their share from the universal mercy: Islam.
Because the desire to believe in the hereafter is in the creation of humankind, because if the human being believes in such a life it will bring about many benefits in terms of the life of this world, many people have wanted to believe in the hereafter seeing these benefits though they do not acknowledge the belief in the hereafter rationally. Cicero says about this topic: Even if my belief in the eternity of the soul is a mistake, I am content with this mistake and happy with my thought. And so long as I live, nobody will be able to dissuade me from this thought of mine. And again it is this thought that provides peace for my soul and contentment for my life. With these words, Cicero in a way interpreted this verse of the poet:

If my wish comes to be true, what a good wish it will be!
Otherwise, thanks to this wish we will live pleasantly for a time and then pass.

Voltaire also says that the life of the hereafter is of great importance because this belief is the essential agent in establishing the most virtuous and moral principles in the community. He thinks that if this thought of resurrection after death and questioning were to desert the community, we couldnt find reason for good deeds and thus the order in the community would be gone.

The importance carried and the benefits brought about by the belief in the hereafter in terms of the human being and the humanity show that belief in the hereafter depends on a great truth. For a matter that is of such great importance for our life cannot be imaginary. Can something imaginary occupy such a big place in our intellectual life? Has it ever happened in the universe that a thought that is imaginary, unreal, and that has nothing to do with reality, occupy such an important place in real life? That we are in dire need of the hereafter for the order of life and for setting, the life on just and true pillars is actually the proof of the fact that the hereafter is one of the great truths of the universe. It would not be exaggeration to say, These rational proofs shown prove scientifically that this assumption is a truth.

Moreover, some things might be mixed up when they are seeds, but once these seeds become trees, blossom, and give fruits, the truth becomes clear; there is left no reason for mixing them up or for doubting. Similarly, once the pillars of faith and belief in the hereafter have produced such fruits, there is left no doubt any longer about its essence and seed; it is understood that this is an absolute truth.

We should put it here that the proofs of the existence of the hereafter are not limited to those we listed here. In the Quran, many proofs and signs related to the existence of the hereafter are highlighted. Said Nursi, having mentioned the proofs in the Quran of the existence of the hereafter, continues: Do not think that the proofs of hereafter are limited to those listed above! On the contrary, the Glorious Quran points to this reality with innumerable signs It explains this truth with unlimited signs And do not think that the Beautiful Names of God that necessitate the hereafter and the resurrection are only the names All-Wise, All-Generous, All-Merciful, All-Just and All-Preserver. No! On the contrary, all the Divine Names that are manifested in the management of the Universe necessitate the hereafter and the resurrection. In short, the matter of resurrection is something on which the beauty and grandeur and the names of All-Glorious God, the Manifest Quran which encompasses all the books of the prophets and saints, the messengers and prophets with pure souls, and the best of the creatures, Muhammad, upon him be peace, all united.


According to Nursi, in everything there are two ways looking to its Creator and to the hereafter: The first way looks to its Creator. In this way, there are many proofs testifying and pointing to His existence and oneness. The other way looks to the aim and the hereafter. In this way too, there are many proofs testifying to the realm of the hereafter and to the Judgment Day. For example, just as the human being, with his body beautiful in creation, points to the existence and oneness of his Creator, so too does he testify to the hereafter with the abilities he has that carry samples from the abilities of all the creatures and with his desires and wishes nearing fast to the end though they stretch into the eternity. Sometimes these two ways join. For instance, the order seen in the universe, the beauties in the created, mercy, justice, and preservation testify to the Creator Who is All-Wise, All-Generous, All-Compassionate, All-Just and All-Preserver as well as pointing to and even proving the reality of the hereafter, the closeness of the Final Day and the truth of the eternal bliss.

After all these proofs, there remains no doubt about the existence of the hereafter. The final words to say to the one who does not still believe are these: We must believe in and prepare for the hereafter. If it is true, we become victorious, and those who disbelieve perish. If not, this belief of ours does not cause any harm to us. We become deprived of just some of the pleasures of the world. A poet writes about this:

Both the astrologer and the doctor say:
The dead are not to be resurrected, and I say to you:
If what you say is true, then I am not to get any harm,
But if what I say is true, you are indeed in great danger!

What (harm) would fall upon them, if they believed in God and the Last Day! (An-Nisa Surah, 4:39)







Belief in the hereafter and the things that will happen in the hereafter has an important place in the fundamentals of belief. The fundamentals of belief are generally summarized as “belief in Allah and in the hereafter.” in the Quran.


Man who was created by the power and will of Allah will die after living in this world for a while and his body will decay and turn to soil. However, the spirit that forms the essence and the real existence of man will continue to live since it is not something material.


Allah, who created man out of nothing, will create his body again on the Day of Judgment, will send his spirit back to him again, will account man for what he did in the world and punish and reward him.


Therefore, man needs to believe in the life in the hereafter and work for his happiness there just as he believes in this worldly life and tries to be happy here. In fact, this world is a place of trial, a center of examination and the area of cultivation for the hereafter. Whatever you sow here, you will reap in the hereafter. Therefore, the life in the hereafter is the purpose of the life in this world. Man should work for the life in the hereafter and for his happiness there just as he works for this world.


Man can do it only by believing in the hereafter, obeying the orders of Allah, refraining from His prohibitions, doing good deeds, thus, attaining the consent of Allah, that is, by leading a complete Islamic life.


Therefore, our Prophet said, “"Work for this world as if you would live forever, and work for the hereafter as if you would die tomorrow."


After stating the importance of belief in the hereafter, we can summarize its effects on man’s life as follows:


Belief in Allah and the hereafter, the land of eternity, is the greatest assistant in renewing people’s hopes, relieving their pains and coping with the difficulties they face.


A person with such a belief will show patience against all troubles, will try to overcome the barriers and misfortunes he faces with enthusiasm and hope.


Belief in the hereafter makes man have two nice attributes:


1. To thank Allah for the bounties He has given during the time of welfare,


2. To show patience and not to rebel against Allah during the time of shortage and famine...


Belief in Allah and the hereafter leads man to do good deeds and charities, to avoid evil and bad deeds, to be equipped with high ethics and merits, to fear Allah and to obey the divine criteria imposed by Him in anything he does.


A person with such a belief will never abandon honesty. He will do everything in time and fully. He behaves honestly toward himself, his family, his environment, his country and nation and humanity. He accepts it a principle to show love and compassion to them, to be useful for them and to serve them.


He never abandons justice; he never oppresses anyone. If he wants to be rich, he will never do something bad or deceive anyone. He spends his money and property on good and useful things. He knows his rights and respects the rights of others. He takes pleasure in helping the poor. He wants for his believing brothers what he wants for himself because he definitely believes in the hereafter, the day of reward and punishment and knows that what is done in this world will be accounted for in the hereafter; he bases his acts on this principle. That principle is an important factor that arranges the lives of individuals and the society, and ensures peace and tranquility.


Author: Mehmet Dikmen

Advantages Of Belief In The Hereafter for The Society And Individuals

Belief in the Hereafter is one of the essentials of Islamic creed. According to Islam, there is a Day of Judgment when everyone is going to be called to account for their good deeds and evil deeds in a divine court and they are going to be either punished or rewarded. The twenty-eighth verse of surah al-Baqarah says: “How can ye reject the faith in God?- seeing that ye were without life, and He gave you life; then will He cause you to die, and will again bring you to life; and again to Him will ye return.”

Belief in the Hereafter is the first condition of living a peaceful and happy life in worldly life. Those who do not believe in the Hereafter are poor people who do not recognize any moral values and disturb individuals’ and society’s peace and safety. In societies in which people do not have faith or have weak faith, all kinds of evil works such as lying, theft, fornication, murder and immorality can be performed freely; and eventually these societies collapse.

Humankind desires immortality, wants to live with their beloved ones, beauties and delights of the world eternally. We see that soul seeks eternality and can satisfy its thoughts and imagination only with it. It provides joy of life for a person who lost a beloved one to think and believe that he is going to live with him eternally one day. One can find strength to endure the pains of all negative incidents he comes across in worldly life, unfairness, cruelties and injustice, incurable illnesses and disorders only in believing in the Hereafter. It is the biggest consolation for a person to think that everyone is going to be punished for what they have done, when he is wronged. It is a great haven for those who are disabled from birth to think that enduring it with the help of belief in the Hereafter is going to be rewarded.

Yes, one who believes in the Hereafter knows that he is going to be called to account for whatever he has done, big or trivial, and he is going to be either punished or rewarded in the end. And thus, he leads his life in accordance with this.

In Risale-i Nur Collection, only four of the hundreds of proofs that belief in the Hereafter is the most important essential of social life and individual lives and the basis of happiness and perfection are stated as follows:

The First Proof: It is only with the thought of Paradise that children, who form almost half of the mankind, can endure all the deaths around them, which appear to them to be grievous and frightening, and strengthen the morale of their weak and delicate beings. With the thought of Paradise, they find hope in their vulnerable spirits, prone to weeping, and may live happily. For example, thinking of Paradise, a child may say: “My little brother or friend has died and become a bird in Paradise. He is flying around Paradise and living more happily than us.” The frequent deaths before their unhappy eyes of other children like themselves or of grown-ups will otherwise destroy all their resistance and morale, making their subtle faculties, such as their spirits, hearts, and minds, weep together with their eyes; they will either decline utterly or become crazy, wretched animals.

Second Proof: It is only through the life of the hereafter that the elderly, who form half of mankind, can endure the proximity of the grave, and be consoled at the thought that their lives, to which they are firmly attached, will soon be extinguished and their fine worlds come to an end. It is only with the hope of eternal life that they can respond to the grievous despair they feel in their emotional child-like spirits at the thought of death. Those worthy, anxious fathers and mothers, so deserving of compassion and in need of tranquility and peace of mind, will otherwise feel a terrible spiritual turmoil and distress in their hearts, and this world will become a dark prison for them, and life even, grievous torment.

Third Proof: It is only the thought of Hell-fire that checks the turbulent emotions of youths, the most vigorous element in the life of society, and their violent excesses, restraining them from aggression, oppression, and destruction, and ensuring that the life of society continues tranquilly. If not for fear of Hell, in accordance with the rule ‘Might is right,’ in pursuing their desires, those drunken youths would turn the worlds of the wretched weak and powerless into Hell, and elevated humanity into base animality.

Fourth Proof: The most comprehensive centre of man’s worldly life, and its mainspring, and a paradise, refuge, and fortress of worldly happiness, is the life of the family. Everyone’s home is a small world for him. And the life and happiness of his home and of family are possible through genuine, earnest, and loyal respect and true, tender, and self-sacrificing compassion. This true respect and genuine kindness may be felt due to the idea of the members of the family having an everlasting companionship and friendship and togetherness, and their parental, filial, brotherly, and friendly relations continuing for all eternity in a limitless life, and their believing this. One says, for example: “My wife will be my constant companion in an everlasting world and eternal life. It does not matter if she is now old and ugly, for she will have an immortal beauty.” He will tell himself that he will be as kind and devoted as he can for the sake of that permanent companionship, and treat his elderly wife lovingly and kindly as though she was a beautiful houri. A companionship that was to end in eternal separation after an hour or two of brief, apparent friendship would otherwise afford only superficial, temporary, feigned, animal-like feelings, and false compassion and artificial respect. As with animals, self-interest and other overpowering emotions would prevail over the respect and compassion, transforming that worldly paradise into Hell.

We cannot appoint a guard for everyone but we can place guards of consciousness full of belief in the Hereafter in people’s hearts. Then instead of anarchy, despotism and cruelty, obedience, respect and justice will rule in the society. Individuals, families, constitutions, communities and even the whole world will live in peace. (Abdulkadir IŞIK)

After this short explanation, we can enlarge upon this subject a little more:

What belief in the Hereafter, in the Day of Judgment when everyone is going to be punished or rewarded, and in the eternal life earns individuals and society:

After belief in Allah, organizing life and providing collective peace for society depends on belief in life after death.

One who does not believe that he is going to be called to account for what he has done cannot be thought to be straightforward. On the other hand, one who keeps in mind that he is going to be called by Allah in the otherworld to account for every step he takes, one whose each behavior is an expression of an account, one who treats his each word, each listening and each inclination in his heart with sensitivity of accounting to Allah will have a highly organized life.

“In whatever business thou mayest be, and whatever portion thou mayest be reciting from the Qur'an,- and whatever deed ye (mankind) may be doing,- We are witnesses thereof when ye are deeply engrossed therein. Nor is hidden from thy Lord (so much as) the weight of an atom on the earth or in heaven. And not the least and not the greatest of these things but are recorded in a clear record.” (Yunus, 10:61)

That is to say; all behaviors and actions are being recorded by angels. Everything we do, big or small, hidden or obvious, anything that we consider small but considered big by Allah or anything we consider big but considered small by Allah, are recorded. Observers watch and record all we do and Allah who is “DAYYAN” (the One who judges people based on their deeds) is present everywhere, waiting for the Day of Judgment.

A life that is led with this spirit and consciousness becomes straightforward; a society that is consisted of individuals who live within this spirit and consciousness becomes peaceful and a family having this spirit and consciousness turns their home into a garden of paradise.

Yes, there is only one way through which humankind can quit their craziness; it is the belief in resurrection after death. And it is only the belief in resurrection and that can stop the craziness of youth, that can prevent them from nonsense-talking, that can be a source of hope for elderly people who become more disappointed and offended with every step they take towards death and that can light up the flames of happiness in the vulnerable hearts of children.

Everyone, from young ones to old ones, from women to men and from just ones to unjust ones, needs to believe in the resurrection as they need water they drink and air they breathe in. Drinking this sherbet called belief in the resurrection means also drinking peace slowly. For this reason, all intellectuals who work for peace and safety of the humankind and aim to provide peace for them should evaluate this issue from this point of view. Establishing true peace, happiness and comfort for individuals, families, society and the humankind altogether depends only on believing in the afterworld where all deeds – significant or insignificant - are going to accounted.

The Quran says:

“Then shall anyone who has done an atom's weight of good, see it! And anyone who has done an atom's weight of evil, shall see it.” (az-Zalzalah, 99:7-8).

This verse declares that even a good deed of an atom’s weight will have its reward and even an evil deed of an atom’s weight will have its punishment and it infuses into people this feeling of responsibility. When people have got this belief, we can tell them, “do whatever you want”. Actually, practices and realities express that everything done will have a response. One who adopts this point of view feels the need for doing things which will not make him ashamed in the other world.

A child, with his weak, vulnerable soul, can find a peaceful life only by believing in the resurrection. Anyone who evaluates his childhood from this point of view and who remembers his childhood years will admit this conclusion. Yes, a child has got a vulnerable heart. And a child is incapable of evaluating incidents happening around him and coming to a conclusion. And he cannot lose himself in entertainment. For this reason, he feels anxiety of death more than adults. The world of a child whose parents have died is destroyed. All the stars lighting up his inner world fade away and the sky of his heart sinks into darkness. Everyone who has got a heart can feel this.

One of my siblings died in my childhood. Every time I visited his grave, I would open my eyes and beg to Allah saying “O Allah, please bring him back to life so that I can see his beautiful face once again!” Now, if you take away this belief in the resurrection after death from thousands of people like me having this psychological mood, with what will you heal this painful heart and how will you extinguish this fire? No, no way… Nothing can heal it and it will be impossible for you to extinguish that fire. It is only the belief in the resurrection that can console this child writhing in pain and sorrow. When his beloved ones depart this world one by one, it is only the belief that they have gone to Heaven that can console this little one and saves him from this unbearable sorrow. Pass-away of a beloved elderly one, or even of a younger one, whom he is accustomed with and thought he could not do without them, leaves an incurable wound in his vulnerable heart. It is such an incurable wound that only one thought can ease it:

“He is gone, or taken away; but, God opened the doors of Heaven for him. Now, he is flying like birds in the gardens of paradise. When I die, I am going to fly like him, too.”

If the one who died is an elderly person, he will think as follows: “He is dead. But, he is going to take me into his arms and caress me there.” And they are these thoughts that will fill the gap of separation and longing opened by death and will be the cure for his bleeding wound.

Do you long for peace? You can find it neither with factory chimneys fuming all around the world, nor by organizing journeys from stars to stars. The true peace is the peace that depends on this belief and faith. Yes, this peace, which is based on the principles of resurrection after death, is the true peace.

Aged people… Aged people who are approaching death with every step they take… While grave is waiting for them with its door open for them, and while they are running towards it at the highest speed, with what can they find consolation? What can console them? With what can they get over the sorrow caused by seeing the white hairs amongst their hair that they see in the mirror every day? How can they compensate for the spiritual gap caused by this situation? How can they eradicate the scars of people – their children, their grandchildren, their friends and relatives – whom they saw off for the other world throughout all this time until they reached this age? How can you console them when youth, health, career and position left them with a terrible scar in their souls? Every material thing which you present to them as a consolation will leave another terrible scar in their souls when they lose them and this will always go on like this. Therefore, there is only one cure with which all people including the aged ones can find peace: Believing in the resurrection after death!... Persuading people that grave, which awaits them to swallow them like a monster waiting its terrible mouth open, is indeed the door of the corridor leading to the gardens of Paradise in the other world!... Presenting as departure lounges in order to get into those gardens of Paradise!... Describing it as a place where mercy and salvation roam!... And all of these will be a source of consolation for them.

The Quran reports prophet Zachariah saying:

“O my Lord! Infirm indeed are my bones, and the hair of my head doth glisten with grey: but never am I unblest, O my Lord, in my prayer to Thee!” (Maryam, 19:4). And then, it narrates his asking Allah for giving him a good child, and describes the outcry of a person who is ready to depart this world in a poetic harmony. It is one of the miraculous aspects of the Quran that it puts this outcry coming from soul in a unique way. Anyone who is conscious will feel such an awesome outcry in his soul when he listens to his heart and sees a bitter smile on his heart’s lips. And the only cure to console him in this situation and to ease this outcry in his soul will be belief in the Hereafter. This belief and faith whispers to his ear the following words, with its life-giving breath:

“You have completed your lifespan. You have fulfilled your duty. The Infinite Mercy who sent you down onto this world is not going to waste you anymore in these deserts and is going to endow the boons, which He prepared for you, upon you by taking you to His presence.”

Yes, this news and others bearing the same meaning will enable those aged people taste peace and happiness because they are getting ready for leaving for the otherworld, which is the true homeland.

A large part of the social life consists of young people. These aggressive young people whose lives are full of nonsense turn life into a hell. On the other hand, young people from whose lives gush out light like the Companions, whose faces show happiness, all of whose actions remind Allah and in whose eyes Paradise shines turn this life into an exact Paradise. Yes, young people will find their true personalities by believing in the resurrection. When belief in the resurrection and the feeling of life after death are taken away from their hearts and minds, they will become the source of unrest for the humankind. If the humankind is restless today, it is because of the youth whose each stage of life is full of craziness and nonsense. While pedagogues and educators were trying to find solution for it, they deepened and deteriorated the wound and made it incurable due to their treatments. However, the cure of this wound is belief in the resurrection after death. Actually, the real solution is possible by enabling those young people to take their every step with the belief that they are going to account for their each step in the presence of Allah and by bringing them up with this consciousness.

Hazrat Umar was going to mosque. In front of him, was a child running to mosque very fast. He accelerated his steps, approached the child and asked him:

- O Child! Prayer is not an obligation for you. Why are hurrying to mosque so excitedly?

The child answered:

“-O the leader of the believers! A child died in our neighborhood yesterday!...

The source and the assurance of the right way is only arranging life in accordance with a day that everything is seen and recorded to be accounted. Although all occurrences and actions happening in the universe are organized by a collective power, human beings are responsible for and have to arrange their life with their own self-control. If one uses this self-control properly, Allah, with His mercy, will respond to all of his/her bodily desires and provide him/her with gardens of paradise adorned with houris, ghilmans and servants.

As a matter of fact, self-control is the manifestation of Allah’s mercy and compassion. Heaven is the manifestation of His mercy and compassion as well. In this sense, when one uses self-control, which is a requirement of Allah’s mercy and compassion, properly, he will see the reward of this in the form of a manifestation of Allah’s mercy and compassion again.

Yes, organizing life in accordance with the Hereafter and always remembering the day when all that is hidden will come into light will enable individuals, families and societies with peace and especially young people to find the right way; they will live an organized and disciplined life and they will not spoil the peace of others.

Sahl bin Sa’d reports: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) was told that a young person confined himself to his house and kept crying. The Messenger went to his house. When he entered the house, the young man jumped up with joy and hugged the Messenger of Allah (pbuh). However, he fell down by his feet after a short time. The young man was dead. The Messenger’s eyes filled with tears and uttered the following words:

“Prepare your friend for burial. Fear of Hell frightened him to death. I swear upon Allah, in whose hands is my very self, Allah will protect him from Hell.”

“And for such as had entertained the fear of standing before their Lord's (tribunal) and had restrained (their) soul from lower desires. Their abode will be the Garden.” (an-Nazi’at, 79:40-41).

One who is anxious about accounting in the presence of the Lord and organizes his life in accordance with this anxiety is safe in the presence of his Lord. The Owner of the Infinite Mercy harbingers in a hadith: “I do not give two securities and two fears at a time.”

Who is anxious here finds salvation there. Do you know anything else other than this principle that can stop the craziness of the youth? Do you know a circle or frame that can protect people? If your answer is negative, you should be in a positive stage. All educators and pedagogues should listen to this principle and put it into practice in life. Young people mean everything. If we evaluate the issue from Hazrat Umar’s point of view, who said “A nation without young people is ruined.”, when he saw a young man who severely objected to injustice, we conclude that the existence of young people who are adorned with sublime feelings is the source of life for social life. Such a nation is capable of building new civilizations. Otherwise, it will be the vice versa. In this sense, the most important factor in the development of a nation is the youth, but a youth full of belief in the Hereafter. In short, believing people will be able to build a peaceful world and only believing people will have the right of leading a peaceful life on the earth… the youth either ruins or builds a nation. A nation either dies or comes into life with its youth.

A large part of the humankind is made up of patients, downtrodden people and sufferers. Belief in the resurrection has got a significant effect on their souls, too. A sick person, approaching death every day and running towards grave, can find hope only in seeing that grave as a corridor opening to the otherworld. If he does not consider grave a road leading to happiness and a means of reaching infinity, he will never be happy. He consoles himself with this against headaches, backaches, cancer and gangrene and he can protect himself against the pain caused by Hazrat Azrael’s hands, which he feels on his neck from time to time, only with the help of this belief. Yes, he will be consoled and forget his illness by saying “Yes, I am going; nobody will be able to stop me here… But, I will regain my health and immortal youth and I am going to the land of Allah, where everybody will return to some day.” For this reason, when believers submit their souls to Allah, they have got a smile resembling rose bud on their lips, for they reunite with their Beloved One; and they submit their souls to Him like this.

When the time of death came for him, the Prophet (pbuh), took his hands off Hazrat Aisha’s hands and said: “O my Allah, now I desire the other world.” And, one day before it, he said: “Allah presented two options to a servant; worldly boons as many as he wants and the boons with Him. The servant chose the ones with Allah.”

The servant who was supposed to choose between the worldly boons and the boons with Him was himself. He took his hands off Hazrat Aisha’s hands and desired to be with the Sublime Companion. Similarly, a well-built person like Hazrat Umar put his head on the ground in the ruins and expressed his longing for the far away (otherworld) by saying “O Allah, take this responsibility off my shoulders, I cannot carry it anymore.”

Belief in the Hereafter meant an otherworld where thousands of beauties would manifest and longing to see the Infinite Face beyond them, which made them speak these words and evoked this desire in their hearts.

As for the downtrodden people who could not save their honor from cruel and unfair people and who were eager to take revenge… They can be consoled only by thinking of the day when they will submit those who wronged them to Allah and by thinking of the rewards that will be endowed upon them. Actually, the downtrodden people, the wronged ones know it for sure that the unfair treatments made here will not be left without punishment… A major court will be set up and everything will be accounted with all details. Wrongdoers will have their punishment and wronged ones will have their rewards.

“Such is the chastisement of thy Lord when He chastises communities in the midst of their wrong: grievous, indeed, and severe is His chastisement.” (Hud, 11:102)

That is to say; once Allah catches a town of oppressors, He catches it severely and grievously. Then, that town is finished. Yes, downtrodden people can take their revenge on wrongdoers and cruel, unfair people only like this and only then can they be consoled.

As for the sufferers and troubled ones… All sufferers and troubled ones, who have been exposed to celestial calamities or earthly calamities, whose fields and gardens have been destroyed by floods or hails, whose houses have been destroyed by earthquakes, whose prosperity have been ruined together with their families and house and the likes, can only be consoled by thinking of the resurrection after death. Actually, according to this belief, all belongings which have gone with calamities are regarded as given charities and the ones who have died are elevated to the degree of martyrdom. They find peace and consolation in this very belief. While their homes turn into mansions in Paradise with belief in the Hereafter, when this belief is taken away from their hearts, they turn into pits in Hell. A house in which a child is deprived of religious feelings and life, in which a youth is addicted to his desires and worldly delights, and in which a sick person, who is expected to die, is writhing in pain is not any different than a ruin for which the owls starts to hoot while people are still in. Their eyebrows are frowned, faces are as dull as walls and the worse, while trying to escape them; the misery of alienating from one’s own self and forgetting oneself in joy and entertainment… So it is possible for the sunlight to shine into this house only through the belief in the Hereafter and the resurrection after death.

If you are thinking of making everyone, from children to the aged ones, happy, try to place belief in the resurrection into their hearts… As a matter of fact, young people will be organized and disciplined then, children will quit misbehaving and the aged ones will live happily as passengers to Heaven, and the lightning of happiness will start to flash in that house and songs of the hereafter will be sung there even before going to the Hereafter and eventually, they will start living on the earth as if they were in Heaven while they are still on the earth.

Countries and towns are also people’s large house. Peace cannot be found in a world where young people are servants of their lower-self, where the aged people are pessimistic and hopeless, and where cruel people listen to the outcries of downtrodden people as if they listen to music. In such a world, towns, countries and nations are restless; because the necessities which would bring on peace have not been met. A prayer has got certain parts which validate it and by accomplishing these parts, prayer is completed and one feels the sweet smile of ascension with his prayer and sometimes, a moment of prayer feels like equal to a life of thousands of years. Similarly, for countries and nations to be peaceful, parts that constitute them should be in accordance with those necessities of peace altogether. An ideal city or site can be established only with an ideal system. Let Plato live his dream in his “Republic”!... Let the daydreamer Farabi try to frame it in his “al-Madinatu’l-Fadila.” They will never be able to build their ideal states because they are deprived of parts which constitute it. Yes, the primary necessity to constitute this peace in life is belief in the resurrection, humiliating worldly life and waiting for the otherworld.

One of the greatest works of the Prophet (pbuh), person of a great sense of balance, is establishing his world system based on the belief of “accounting in the hereafter.” This worldly life is the introduction to the otherworldly life in a sense, a field of preparation for the Hereafter and an opportunity given to the humankind in order to light the flames of hereafter in their hearts. For this reason, this world is called “yawm ad-dunya” and the otherworld is called “yawm al-akhir”. Anything performed in this world will have been performed for the otherworld to come. The Messenger of Allah taught this lesson to everyone, which would light up the flames of comprehension and which would satisfy all hearts.

Hearts were so full of belief in the hereafter that the Companions looked down on this world and their eyes did not see almost any worldly materials. Here is an example: “Two companions came to the presence of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) because of something which needed to be shared between them. Both of them claimed to have more of it for themselves. Having listened to them, the Prophet said:

-Now, if one of you tells his problem better that the other one and convinces me, he can make me judge on his behalf. I am just a human being like you; I will judge in favor of the one whose evidence is more convincing. However, the judgment in the Hereafter will be done according to the truth. The wrongdoer will have his punishment and the wronged one will have its reward totally there.” Upon hearing this, both of them said:

-O the Messenger of Allah! Give my share to him, too; I do not claim it anymore!”

Later, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) suggested them doing as follows:

-Go and share the property justly, then draw lots to decide who will take which part. And comply with the result of the lots. And renounce your rights for each other.”

As it is seen, life was arranged like that with the help of belief in the hereafter. It was such an arrangement that when one committed a sin, he fastened himself on a post and punished himself in this way until he was told that he was forgiven. It was taken so seriously that companions who believed that a sin committed could be washed away only by the blood of martyrdom and thus sacrificed their lives on the way of Allah, without any hesitation and tried to pass away to the hereafter totally pure, with the blood they shed in order to drink the sherbet of martyrdom. Sa’d bin Rabi heard the whisperings of Muhammad bin Maslamah who said that he brought salutations to him from the Messenger of Allah, when he was about to submit his soul at the foot of Mount Uhud. In response to this, Sa’d bin Rabi said: “Give my salutations to the Messenger of Allah. I swear that I am feeling the smell of Heaven beyond Uhud!...”

Yes, what can it be other than belief in the hereafter that can make one taste this happiness even at the time of death? What mortal opportunity can provide an individual, a family or a society with that happiness? Now, let us report some examples from the Sublime Prophet’s statements in order to be able to comprehend how he, the source of pride for universe, educated his followers about belief in the resurrection:

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) stated:

“O people! You will be resurrected barefooted, naked and uncircumcised.” You will come into life again with your all cells, souls and bodies. You will have a resurrection that is both spiritual and physical. The Messenger of Allah continued: “Beware! The first one to be dressed up in the Hereafter is Hazrat Abraham. Beware! On that day, some people from my ummah will be brought as caught from their left sides. I will say: “O Lord! These are my ummah!...” Allah will say to me: “O Muhammad! You do not know what they did after you!.” And then I say, like Hazrat jesus, the Righteous Servant,: “I witnessed them as long as I was with them. When You took me away, You witnessed them. You are the witness of everything. If You punish them, they are your servants actually. If You forgive them, You are the only One who is Mighty and Wise!”

In a hadith that Ahmad bin Hanbal reported from Hazrat Anas, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said:

“The humankind has not witnessed a more violent incident than death since Allah created them. Then, death seems easier than what will happen after death. On that day, they will witness such a violence that they will sweat until their chins. Their chins almost turn into a bridle because of sweat; such sweat that even ships can float in those seas of sweat, if desired.”

The following hadith reported by Bukhari and Muslim from Abu Hurairah gives the details of the hadith above. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) states:

“On the Day of Judgment, people will be resurrected in three categories. The first one of them is the people who established the balance of fear and hope in the world life.” They are the ones who were full of love for Allah all the times and who arranged their works in accordance with the consciousness and comprehension that they will be called to account for them in the hereafter. They are the ones who are hopeful for Allah’s mercy even in hopeless situations. They are the ones who do not fall into sorrow and hopelessness, which are signs of blasphemy, although they fear Allah to the utmost degree. And they are the ones who lead their lives in fear and hope.

“The second one of them is the people who are on an animal in twos, threes, fours… and tens in order to be able to get into Heaven.” They are trying to arrive in the presence of Allah, with so many people on an animal, with great difficulty. They will go falling down on and off, like they fell down on and off with sins and rebellion in the world life.

“As for the third category; they will be sent to Hell. (They will follow the compulsory direction following flames coming from Hell.) If they want to have a nap in the afternoon, Hell has a nap with them. If they want to sleep the night, Hell sleeps the night with them. If they want to stay awake till morning, Hell stays with them till morning as well. And whenever they meet the evening, Hell meets the evening with them, too…”

This is because they carried the seed of Hell in their hearts and souls. They slept with the seed of Hell at nights and woke up with it in the mornings. Therefore, they will be treated in accordance with the way they have lived. That seed will grow into a tree and will not leave them alone. So, the Messenger of Allah educated his followers seriously with this lesson and the likes in a consciousness for the hereafter and especially the companions behaved in an atmosphere as if they witnessed Hell with all its awe and violence and Heaven with all its beauties beyond the curtains, at the Prophet’s time. Yes; the only way to live this worldly life on the right way and virtuously is receiving this education and putting otherworldly moral values into practice in this worldly life. Otherwise, virtuousness and righteousness cannot be imagined in societies made up of individuals who have not got belief in the hereafter. If any trace of virtues are manifested in them, it is nothing but a virtue placed by Allah in their disposition and seed. And it is impossible for them to do otherwise, as it is placed in their dispositions. This impossibility forces them to do such virtuous works. And this is not as precious as the virtues that are gained by striving for them.


I'm sure these article will help you in some way....
and Allah knows the best.


Regards
Muhammad Faisal ul Islam Advocate

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