Author: Mehrullah Azizi
An Analysis of the History and Beliefs of Buddhism (part 25)
Beliefs and Doctrines of Buddhism
5. Denial of the Hereafter (Day of Judgment) (continued)
Part Two: Reincarnation
B: Response and Critique
From the perspective of Islamic law (Sharia) and the Qur’an, this belief (reincarnation) is rejected and considered invalid. Numerous verses clearly refute the concept of reincarnation and affirm the existence of the intermediate realm (Barzakh) and the Day of Resurrection.
Allah (SWT) says: «زَعَمَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا أَن لَّن يُبْعَثُوا ۚ قُلْ بَلَىٰ وَرَبِّي لَتُبْعَثُنَّ ثُمَّ لَتُنَبَّؤُنَّ بِمَا عَمِلْتُمْ وَذَٰلِكَ عَلَى اللَّهِ يَسِيرٌ» Translation: “Those who disbelieve claim that they will not be resurrected. Say, “Yes, indeed, by my Lord, you will surely be resurrected; then you will be informed of what you did—and that is easy for Allah.” [1]
«وَإِذَا النُّفُوسُ زُوِّجَتْ * وَإِذَا الْمَوْءُودَةُ سُئِلَتْ * بِأَيِّ ذَنبٍ قُتِلَتْ» Translation: “And when the souls are paired (with their bodies), and when the girl who was buried alive is asked, ‘For what sin she was killed?'” [2]
These verses indicate that human beings will be brought back to life after death and will be held accountable before their Lord for all their deeds—whether good or bad—and will receive rewards or punishments accordingly.
Thus, it becomes clear that recompense takes place on the Day of Resurrection, not in this worldly life through repeated cycles of rebirth, as believed in Buddhism. These verses explicitly reject and strongly criticize the doctrine of reincarnation.
Allah the Exalted also says: «وَنُفِخَ فِي الصُّورِ فَصَعِقَ مَن فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَن فِي الْأَرْضِ إِلَّا مَن شَاءَ اللَّهُ ثُمَّ نُفِخَ فِيهِ أُخْرَىٰ فَإِذَا هُمْ قِيَامٌ يَنظُرُونَ * وَأَشْرَقَتِ الْأَرْضُ بِنُورِ رَبِّهَا وَوُضِعَ الْكِتَابُ وَجِيءَ بِالنَّبِيِّينَ وَالشُّهَدَاءِ وَقُضِيَ بَيْنَهُم بِالْحَقِّ وَهُمْ لَا يُظْلَمُونَ» Translation: “And the Trumpet will be blown, and all who are in the heavens and all who are on the earth will fall dead except whom Allah wills. Then it will be blown again, and behold, they will be standing, looking on. And the earth will shine with the light of its Lord, and the record (of deeds) will be placed, and the prophets and witnesses will be brought, and judgment will be passed between them in truth, and they will not be wronged.” [3]
This verse further confirms that with the blowing of the Trumpet, all creation will perish, and then humanity will be resurrected and stand before their Lord, where their records of deeds will be presented.
In contrast, reincarnation is entirely inconsistent with this Qur’anic description. It is based on the continuous transfer of the soul into different bodies and denies the final Day of Judgment. However, the divine system is based on accountability in this world and the Hereafter, not on repeated cycles of rebirth.
Another verse makes it clear that returning to worldly life after death is impossible. Allah says: «حَتَّىٰ إِذَا جَاءَ أَحَدَهُمُ الْمَوْتُ قَالَ رَبِّ ارْجِعُونِ * لَعَلِّي أَعْمَلُ صَالِحًا فِيمَا تَرَكْتُ ۚ كَلَّا ۚ إِنَّهَا كَلِمَةٌ هُوَ قَائِلُهَا ۖ وَمِن وَرَائِهِم بَرْزَخٌ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ يُبْعَثُونَ» Translation: “Until, when death comes to one of them, he says: ‘My Lord, send me back so that I may do righteousness in what I left behind.’ No! It is only a word he is saying, and behind them is a barrier (Barzakh) until the day they are resurrected.” [4]
This verse clearly shows that the Qur’an completely denies any return to worldly life after death. The word “No!” (kallā) explicitly rejects such a request, indicating its impossibility—this is, in essence, a negation of reincarnation.
The existence of the Hereafter and the invalidity of reincarnation are also confirmed by numerous hadiths of Muhammad. Here, one comprehensive and authentic hadith is mentioned: «يَجْمَعُ اللَّهُ النَّاسَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ فِي صَعِيدٍ وَاحِدٍ، ثُمَّ يَطَّلِعُ عَلَيْهِمْ رَبُّ الْعَالَمِينَ، ثُمَّ يُقَالُ: أَلَا يَتَّبِعُ كُلُّ قَوْمٍ مَا كَانُوا يَعْبُدُونَ؟ فَيَتَمَثَّلُ لِصَاحِبِ الصَّلِيبِ صَلِيبُهُ، وَلِصَاحِبِ النَّارِ نَارُهُ، وَلِصَاحِبِ التَّصَاوِيرِ تَصَاوِيرُهُ» Translation: “Allah will gather all people on the Day of Resurrection on a single plain. Then the Lord of the worlds will appear before them and it will be said: ‘Let each people follow what they used to worship.’ Then for the worshipper of the cross, his cross will appear; for the worshipper of fire, his fire; and for the worshipper of images, their images will appear.” [5]
This hadith clearly demonstrates that reincarnation is a false belief, while the Day of Resurrection is real. On that Day, Allah will gather all humanity and hold them accountable for their deeds. [6]
To be continued…
Previous Part
References:
- At-Taghabun: 7.
- At-Takwir: 7–9.
- Az-Zumar: 68–69.
- Al-Mu’minun: 99–100.
- Reincarnation: Its Principles and the Islamic Ruling on It, p. 232.
- Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Hadith No. 2557.
