Al Barzakh – Life after Death in Islam

Death is eternal. It is the biggest truth, the ultimate reality that we are born to face. According to the Holy Quran â€Å"Every soul shall have a taste of death. Hence, death is inevitable and its time and place is determined even before we are born.The following verse from the Holy Quran proves that there is life after death: â€Å"And do not speak of those who are slain in Allah's way as dead; nay, (they are) alive, but you do not perceive† (2:154).Al Barzakh is an Arabic term which means barrier or veil. The word barrier implies the intermediary stage between death and the day of resurrection. As the Holy Quran mentions: â€Å"Between them is a Barzakh (Barrier) which they do not transgress† (Ar-Rahman: 20).Those who are alive cannot communicate with those who are in their graves. In return, the deceased cannot hear or see what happens in this world. To ask them for forgiveness is a sin since Allah alone has the power to forgive us. Life in this world and life in the grave are separate and the wall between them cannot be crossed (Islam, 2008).LifeHuman beings are curious and the mysteries of life and death have always fascinated them. Unlike death, life can be scientifically proven. Life for all human beings begins in his mother’s womb. After forty days of conception, life exists in the womb, and after another eighty days, life is blown into the piece of flesh and blood. At this time, the person’s deeds, destiny, religion and time of death are determined. Since Allah gives us our lives, He has the sole right to take it away as and when He pleases.DeathDespite being the greatest truth of our lives, death remains one of the biggest mysteries. Belief in life after death is crucial to being a true believer. The recent demise of my father intrigued me to answer certain questions about death. Life after death exists in a metaphysical world. It is questioned by people because it cannot be scientifically proven. However, there is suffi cient proof of it in the Holy Quran and in the sayings of the Holy Prophet (al-Jibaly, 2006).When a Muslim dies, he is bathed and wrapped in a clean white cloth, after which he is buried. Prayers are offered at a person’s death for his forgiveness. According to an interview conducted with a Muslim scholar, death is a transition that takes us from life that is temporary to life that is eternal. Life in the world is just there to prepare us for the life in the hereafter. It is then that actual and meaningful life begins. For those who did good in their lives, they will be rewarded with a life in paradise beyond their imagination (al-Jibaly, 2006).According to the Muslim scholar interviewed, when a person dies, he does not take his wealth with him into the grave. The only things he takes with him are his deeds. And it is his deeds that determine his final destination, that is, heaven or hell.