Author: Abu Ayesha
Resurrection After Death (part 34)
Faith in the Hereafter and Its Impact on Human Life
The Most Important Benefits and Positive Effects of the Hereafter (Continued)
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Self-Purification and Moral Reform: Among the most important effects of belief in the Hereafter is self-purification and moral development. A person who is certain about the Day of Resurrection strives to reform his soul, cultivate praiseworthy qualities, and acquire spiritual virtues upon which human dignity depends. A believer, guided by divine revelation, works toward self-improvement. When individuals purify themselves and cleanse their hearts from vices, society as a whole attains well-being, for the reform of society depends upon the reform of individuals.
Allah (SWT) says: وَلَا تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌ وِزْرَ أُخْرَى وَإِنْ تَدْعُ مُثْقَلَةٌ إِلَى حِمْلِهَا لَا يُحْمَلْ مِنْهُ شَيْءٌ وَلَوْ كَانَ ذَا قُرْبَى إِنَّمَا تُنْذِرُ الَّذِينَ يَخْشَوْنَ رَبَّهُمْ بِالْغَيْبِ وَأَقَامُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَمَنْ تَزَكَّى فَإِنَّمَا يَتَزَكَّى لِنَفْسِهِ وَإِلَى اللَّهِ الْمَصِيرُ Translation: “No bearer of burdens shall bear the burden of another. If a heavily burdened soul calls upon another to carry some of its load, none of it will be carried, even if he be a close relative. You can only warn those who fear their Lord unseen and establish prayer. Whoever purifies himself does so only for his own benefit. And to Allah is the final return.” [1]
In the book Usul al-Din wa Mabadi’uhu, the consequences and effects of belief in resurrection after death are described as follows:
Belief in the Hereafter, especially resurrection after death and the gathering for judgment, has numerous effects on both individuals and society, including:
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Belief in the Hereafter and hope for its rewards encourage a person to obey Allah and refrain from sin out of fear of His punishment.
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Belief in the Hereafter brings comfort during hardships caused by the loss of worldly blessings and possessions, because a Muslim hopes for the rewards and compensation of the Hereafter.
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Belief in the Hereafter makes a person aware of his destiny after death and assures him that he will inevitably receive the recompense for his deeds. If he has performed righteous actions, he will receive a good reward; and if he has committed evil deeds, he will receive their consequences. He also knows that he will be held accountable, that justice will be established regarding those whom he wronged, and that the rights of those he oppressed will be taken from him.
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Belief in the Hereafter prevents people from oppressing others and violating their rights. When people believe in the Hereafter, they become safe from mutual injustice, and their rights are preserved.
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Belief in the Hereafter causes a person to view this world as merely one stage of life rather than life in its entirety. This worldly life will sooner or later come to an end; therefore, the servants of Allah are obligated to prepare themselves for that momentous Day.” [2]
It should be understood that belief in resurrection after death and accountability for one’s deeds is among the strongest motivations for establishing righteous actions firmly within the human soul. When such deeds become deeply rooted, they turn into a person’s natural disposition. As a result, the soul becomes purified and eagerly hastens toward good deeds without difficulty or compulsion. Such a person does not need someone constantly enforcing limits upon him, nor does he engage in sinful and immoral acts when he is alone and beyond the sight of people. [3] Rather, those who truly believe in that Day always regard Allah the Almighty as watching over their actions and remain conscious of Him in every situation.
Just as belief in the Hereafter has countless benefits and immeasurable positive effects, disbelief in it or neglect of this fundamental principle also brings numerous harms and dangers that threaten society. To avoid calamities and remain safe from the punishment of Allah, it is necessary to continually remind one another of this reality and explain to those who deny resurrection after death or reject the Day of Judgment the consequences they will face if they refuse to submit to the truth.
In the next section, we will discuss some of the most significant harms and dangers resulting from disbelief in the Day of Judgment and resurrection after death.
To be continued…
Previous Part
[1]. Surah Fatir, Verse 18.
[2]. Al-Suhaym, Dr. Muhammad ibn Abdullah ibn Salih, Al-Islam Usuluhu wa Mabadi’uhu, p. 85.
[3]. Ibn Ashur al-Tunisi, Muhammad al-Tahir ibn Muhammad, Al-Tahrir wa al-Tanwir (Tahrir al-Ma‘na al-Sadid wa Tanwir al-‘Aql al-Jadid min Tafsir al-Kitab al-Majid), 1984, Vol. 30, p. 565.
