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Wata’aalaa) who suffer loss or humiliation for the sake of faith occupy a special place of glory in the celestial scheme of things. On the Day of Recompense when these blessed children of Islam will receive their awards and decorations and Allah (Subhaanahu Wata’aalaa) Almighty will honor them with His exquisite favors and bounties, all the rest of men will regretfully wish that they, too, had undergone a similar experience in the world, that they, too, had been punished, tortured and humiliated for the sake of faith so that they would also get those magnificent favors and rewards on that Day.

Should a trial of this kind be destined for us as well, O Allah (Subhaanahu Wata’aalaa), at that fateful hour, keep us brave and steadfast and withhold not from us Thy grace!

Life after death

This much is known to everyone that whoever is born into the world has got to die one day or the other. But nobody knows his own that happens or will happen after death. This is known only to Allah (Subhaanahu Wata’aalaa). Allah (Subhaanahu Wata’aalaa) vouchsafes the knowledge of it to His Prophets and through the Prophets men like you and me also come to know about it. Every prophet of Allah (Subhaanahu Wata’aalaa), in his time, had revealed clearly to his people through what stages they would have to pass after death and how at each stage they would be recompensed for their deeds good as well as bad-during their earthly sojourn. Since Prophet Mohammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah (Subhaanahu Wata’aalaa) be upon whom) is the last of the Divine Apostles and Messengers and no Prophet is going to be raised up after him, the different stages through which a man has to pass after death have been explained by him in greatest detail and with utmost clarity. If all that the Prophet (Peace be upon him) has revealed in this connection is brought together it would make a volume by itself. We will, therefore, give a very brief summary of it over here.

There are to follow three stages after death. It is called Barzakh. Whether a person is buried when he dies or he is cremated or cast into the river his soul does not perish with him. It is immortal; it lives. It only migrates from this material world or ours to another world. In this other world the angels question him about his spiritual state. If he is true believer, he gives the correct answers; whereupon the angels impart to him the glad tidings that he is going to live in peace and happiness till the Last Day. And if it is otherwise, that is, he is an unbeliever, an infidel or a sham or hypocritical Muslim, he is, at once, placed under dreadful punishment which is not to cease before the Day of Reckoning.

The next stage comprises of the Last Day and the Resurrection. The Last Day means that there will come a time when the entire material world will be destroyed by the command of Allah (Subhaanahu Wata’aalaa). Annihilation will descend suddenly on everything that exists around us. The whole world will be thrown topsy-turvy. Then, after a long time, when Allah (Subhaanahu Wata’aalaa) will wish, all men will be raised up again. Every person born into the world will be re-created and called upon to render a full account of his doings on the earth. In the Great Reckoning those who will be found worthy of deliverance will be awarded a place in the Paradise and those who will turn out to be guilty and deserving of Divine chastisement will be consigned to Hell.