The afterlife has been long debated about from religion to religion, all offering their differing points of view along with what happens after an individual dies. Is there a soul? Does it go on for eternity? Or does it only come back to life after Armageddon? In Islam, they have a very defined belief on the afterlife, so, what is life after death for a Muslim?
Life after death for a Muslim can be described as their real life. For a Muslim, the true happiness lies in the afterlife, and they look forward to it and live their life on earth in accordance to Allah. This is to insure their passage into one of the 7 layers of heaven. Muslims must do good deeds, and their good deeds must surpass the weight of their sins or they will fall into one of the seven levels of hell.
Heaven is ranked in 7 levels, and once you reach a level you will be judged there. Your sins and deeds will be weighed by Allah, and it will be decided whether an individual has done more good than bad, ensuring their place in the heavens.
Heaven, or the Paradise, is reached on the Last Day, which is when Allah resurrects all the dead. They then begin a pilgrimage to heaven by crossing a bridge over hell. Those who fall in because of the weight of their sins will remain in hell, submitted to physical punishment and torture.
The righteous Muslims will reach paradise, or the Garden, in which they will live in great houses, eat the best food, and be accompanied by virgin companions.
It has been said that Allah is a merciful and forgiving god, and that hell is a place for atonement and betterment of the men who wound up there. Some Muslims believe that after a residence in hell, believers can be rescued by Allah and sent into heaven, but that non-believers would stay there eternally. However, other interpreters of Allah’s word state that since He is forgiving and can rescue any soul and transport them to heaven as he sees fit, that hell will be empty someday. This is because every soul will learn from their punishments and finally move on to the light.
It was once described by a Muslim leader in an interview the easiest way for a non-Muslim to understand the greatness of the afterlife. He compared life on earth to the conditions of being in a sauna; hot, uncomfortable, sweaty, and in a thick fog. He then went on to state that once the afterlife is reached, it would be like stepping out of that sauna into a refreshingly clear and cool room, where all the uncomforting aspects will be washed away and you feel better than ever. You can now see and think clearly because you don’t have to struggle with the discomfort.
Life after death for a Muslim or anyone in any religion is ultimately the place where your life is judged. Live righteously and be rewarded.
