The Concept of al-Akhirah (‫) اآلخرة‬

(the End, Hereafter)

• Belief in al-Akhirah is a basic article of Islamic faith,
along with belief in God, His angels, His Books, His
Messengers, and Divine Decree and Predestination.
After the doctrine of Tawhid and Revelation, al-
Akhirah is the most repeated theme with all vigour in
the Qur’ān.

• All of the teachings of Islam would crumble if the

afterlife or the eternal life were to be denied. It is,
therefore, incomplete and indeed impossible to
discuss the teachings of Islam without referring to
the great significance that al-Akhirah possesses, not
only for man’s final end but also for his life in this
world. 1
• Al-Akhirah (‫آلخرة‬..‫ )ا‬literally translated into English
as “the last” or “the end.” It deals with the End
and Ultimate Destiny of mankind and the world,
it is often enclosed within a Greek term
eschatology, means “the science or teachings
concerning the last things.”

• Al-Akhirah, in Islamic belief system, specifically

refers to the “Hereafter.” It signifies both “the
other and ultimate state of existence in the world
to come and the life of everlasting duration,” and
“the good or blessing of the ultimate state of the
other world.” In both senses, it is opposed to al-
Dunyā, which means the “here-and-now” of life
and immediate and transient values.
2
• In Islam, there is not only the life of this world but
also the life in the world to come. This world is like
a field in which our actions are sown like seeds and
they grow into plants which are then harvested in
the next world. The Prophet (p.b.u.h) says: “this
world is the growing field or the planting field for the
next world.”
• The end of the world is not a complete extinction or
an ultimate end, but the beginning of a completely
new state of existence with new laws and systems
that afford eternity. Likewise, death is not an
irrevocable or final end of humankind, but the
passage into a new and eternal life. The Holy
Qur’ān leaves no doubt that the alternatives for
each individual at the Day of Judgment are two: the
bliss of the Heaven or the torment of the Hell.
3
 The Names of al-Akhirah
• Al-Akhirah has more than 40 names scattered in
the Qur’ānic verses. The names vary according to
different spectacles of al-Akhirah and the purposes
al-Akhirah serves. Nevertheless, some names are
more central than others.
• It is known as the Day of Resurrection (Yawm al-
Qiyāmah/al-Ba‘th) when all the dead bodies will be
brought back to life and then assembled (the Day of
Assembly “Yawm al-Jam”) to stand trial (the Day of
Judgment “Yawm al-Dīn”) and account for
individual deeds of commission and omission (the
Day of Reckoning “Yawm al-Ḥisāb”).
4
• Because the events seen to take place on that
Day are great and numerous, it is known as the
Eventful Day (al-Qāri‘ah) that is Real, beyond
any doubt (al-Ḥāqqah). Unlike this worldly and
transient life, it is the Hereafter (al-Ākhirah), the
Day of Eternal Life (Yawm al-Khulūd).

• Because in this worldly life, whoever comes

eventually departs, and whoever departs never
returns, al-Ākhirah is the Day that is certainly
approaching and Imminent (Yawm al-Āzifah),
and the final Hour (al-Sā‘ah) the knowledge of its
appointed time is known to God alone.
5
 The Unbelievers and al-Akhirah
• Resurrection or the final accounting was an idea which
the secular Meccan pagans found very hard to accept. In
fact, besides the doctrines of monotheism and of
Revelation itself, this doctrine was the most difficult for
them to accept.

ً‫ون َخلْقاً َج ِديداً * قُل ُكونُواْ ِح َج َارةً أ َْو َح ِديداً * أ َْو َخلْقا‬َ ُ‫”وقَالُواْ أَئِ َذا ُكنَّا ِعظَاماً َو ُرفَاتاً أَإِنَّا لَ َم ْبعُوث‬
َ
‫ك‬ ‫ي‬‫ل‬ِ‫إ‬ ‫ن‬ ‫و‬‫ض‬ ِ
‫غ‬ ‫ن‬ ‫ي‬ ‫س‬ ‫ف‬ ٍ
‫ة‬ ‫ر‬‫م‬
َ َْ َ ُ ْ ُ َ َ َّ َ َ َّ ْ ُ ََ َ ‫ل‬ ‫َو‬‫أ‬ ‫م‬ ‫ك‬ ‫ر‬ ‫ط‬ ‫ف‬ ‫ي‬ ِ
‫ذ‬ َّ
‫ل‬ ‫ا‬ ِ
‫ل‬ ‫ق‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ن‬‫د‬ ‫ي‬‫ع‬ِ ‫ي‬ ‫ن‬ ‫م‬ ‫ن‬ ‫و‬ ‫ل‬ ‫و‬ ‫ق‬
ُ َُ ُ َ َ ُ ُ َ َ َ ْ ُ ُ ُ ‫ي‬ ‫س‬ ‫ف‬ ‫م‬ ‫ك‬ ِ
‫ور‬ ‫د‬ ‫ص‬ ‫ي‬ ِ
‫ف‬ ‫ر‬ ‫ب‬‫ك‬ ‫ي‬ ‫ا‬ ‫م‬ ‫م‬
ُ ُ ْ َ َّ ِّ
) 51-49 :‫وس ُه ْم َو َي ُقولُو َن َمتَى ُه َو قُ ْل َع َسى أَن يَ ُكو َن قَ ِريباً“ (اإلسراء‬ َ ‫ُر ُؤ‬
• They say: “What! when we are reduced to bones and
dust, should we really be raised up (to be) a new
creation?" Say: “Become stones or iron. Or created
matter, which, in your minds, is hardest (to be raised
up),- (Yet shall ye be raised up)!" then will they say:
"Who will cause us to return?" Say: "He Who created
you first!" Then will they wag their heads towards thee,
and say, "When will that be?" Say, "May be it will be
6
quite soon! (17:49-51)
 Necessity and Wisdom of al-Akhirah
• First, it is a manifestation of divine justice. Some criminals
and oppressed rulers may enjoy opulence and luxury until the
end of their life. On the other hand, other people might be
righteous and lead a virtuous life but did not survive to reap
the fruits of their labours. Instead, they had been made a
scapegoat for all sorts of crimes.

• Were the file of both groups of people to be closed in this

world on the basis of what transpires, what would become of
the infinite justice, wisdom and mercy that God cherishes for
His servants? Nobody who has the slightest notion of love
and justice would consent to such a state of affairs.

• It is also obvious that not all the good and evil deeds are
subject to final accounting in this worldly life. Many crimes
and virtues are thus not commensurable with the worldly
retribution or reward respectively. It is more logical to look
further, beyond this world.
7
• The link between God’s justice and the need for a
precise accounting of men’s deeds and misdeeds makes
resurrection irrefutably necessary.

• It is only in the Hereafter that all deeds, however

extensive or infinitesimal, will be irresistibly exposed,
scrupulously scrutinized and then adequately requited.
َ ‫س َش ْيئاً َوإِن َكا َن ِم ْث َق‬
‫ال َحبَّ ٍة ِّم ْن‬ ‫ف‬ ‫ن‬ ‫م‬‫ل‬ ‫ظ‬ ‫ت‬ ‫ف‬ ِ
‫ة‬ ‫ام‬ ِ ِ ِ‫ط ل‬ ِ ‫ضع الْمو ِازين ال‬
ْ
ٌ ُ َ َ ْ ُ ‫اَل‬َ َ َ ْ َ ْ َ َ َ ُ َ َ‫”ون‬
‫ي‬‫ْق‬ ‫ل‬ ‫ا‬ ‫م‬‫و‬ ‫ي‬ َ ‫س‬ ‫ْق‬ َ
)47 :‫ين“ (األنبياء‬ ِ ‫َخر َد ٍل أََتينَا بِها و َك َفى بِنَا ح‬
ِ‫اسب‬
َ َ َ َ ْ ْ
“We shall set up scales of justice for the Day of
Resurrection, so that not a soul will be dealt with unjustly
in the least, and if there be (no more than) the weight of
a mustard seed, We will bring it (to account): and
enough are We to take account.” (21:47; see also 10:61;
31:16)
8
• Secondly, the end of the life must be clarified
beyond any doubt, so that men may see what they
have been striving for and what the true purposes
of life are.
• The life indeed is incomplete if considered from the
perspective of this world alone, where values are
grounded in the transitory rather than the
immutable.
• In the Hereafter every person will find his deepest
self, fully excavated from the debris of extrinsic and
immediate concerns wherein the means is
substituted for ends and even pseudo-means for
real ends, where falsehood is not only substituted
for truth but becomes truth, and even more
attractive than truth. 9
• So what makes the Hereafter better than this
worldly life is not only because of the quality of
its life, but also because of the everlastingness
and permanence of such a life.
• The Qur’ān simultaneously maintains both
characteristics when it states:
)17-16 :‫الد ْنيَا * َواآْل ِخ َرةُ َخ ْي ٌر َوأ َْب َقى“ (األعلى‬
ُّ ‫ْحيَا َة‬
َ ‫ل‬‫ا‬ ‫ن‬
َ ‫و‬ ‫ر‬ِ‫”بل ُت ْؤث‬
ُ َْ
“Day (behold), ye prefer the life of this world; But the
Hereafter is better [in quality of life] and more
enduring [in duration].” (87:16-17).

• Thus, in order to give our life and efforts a

meaningful meaning and indeed to make a good
sense of al-Dunyā in its entirety, there must be
an ultimate end to which human actions are
directed. 10
• Thirdly, disputes, dissensions, and conflicts of human
orientations must be finally resolved.
• For the most part, human differences are plagued with
extrinsic motivations of selfishness of individuals, groups and
national interests, and inherent traditions and myriad other
forms of fanaticism. The resolution of these differences of
belief, therefore, will be practically identical with the
manifestation of the motivations of these beliefs.
• The Qur`ān makes frequent reference to such conflicts
and conflict- resolution:
‫َّاح‬ َ ‫ون قُ ْل يَ ْج َم ُع َب ْيَننَا َر ُّبنَا ثُ َّم َي ْفتَ ُح َب ْيَننَا بِال‬
ُ ‫ْح ِّق َو ُه َو الْ َفت‬ َ ُ‫َل َع َّما َت ْع َمل‬
ُ ‫َج َر ْمنَا َواَل نُ ْسأ‬
ْ ‫”قُ ْل اَل ِتُ ْسأَلُو َن َع َّما أ‬
)26-25 :‫يم“ (سبأ‬ ُ ‫ال َْعل‬
• “Say: "You shall not be questioned as to our sins, nor
shall we be questioned as to what you do” Say: "Our
Lord will gather us together and will in the end decide
the matter between us [and you] in truth and justice: and
He is the one to decide, the One Who knows all." (34:25-
11
26)
‫ين أَ ْش َر ُكوا إِ َّن اللَّهَ‬ ‫الصابِئِين والنَّصارى والْمجوس والَّ ِ‬
‫ذ‬ ‫َّ‬ ‫و‬ ‫وا‬‫اد‬
‫ُ‬ ‫ه‬ ‫ين‬ ‫ذ‬‫”إِ َّن الَّ ِذين آمنُوا والَّ ِ‬
‫ِ َ َ َ َ ِ ِ ِ َ َّ َ َ َ َ ٍ َ َ ُ َ َ َ‬ ‫َ‬
‫َي ْفص ُل َبْيَن ُه ْم َي ْو َم الْقيَ َامة إ َّن اللهَ َعلَى ُك ِّل َش ْيء َش ِهي ٌد“ (الحج‪)17 :‬‬
‫‪• “Those who believe [Muslims], and the Jews and the‬‬
‫‪Sabeans and the Christians, and the Magians, and the‬‬
‫‪polytheists,- surely Allah will decide among them on the‬‬
‫”‪Day of Resurrection, for Allah is witness over all things.‬‬
‫‪(22:17).‬‬

‫‪• For this, the Holy Qur’ān often refers to that Day “The Day‬‬
‫‪of Decision” (i.e., between right and wrong deeds, beliefs,‬‬
‫‪life-orientations, etc.) (37:21; 44:40; 77:38; 78:17).‬‬
‫ص ِل الَّ ِذي ُكنتُ ْم بِ ِه تُ َك ِّذبُو َن“ (الصافات‪.)21 :‬‬
‫”ه َذا َي ْو ُم الْ َف ْ‬
‫‪َ -‬‬
‫ون فِ ي آيَاتِنَا اَل يَ ْخ َف ْو َن َعلَْينَا أَفَ َم ن ُي ْل َق ى فِ ي النَّا ِر َخ ْي ٌر أَم َّم ن يَأْتِي‬ ‫‪” -‬إِ َّن الَّ ِذين يل ِ‬
‫ْح ُد َ‬ ‫َُ‬
‫ِ‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫ِ‬
‫آمناً َي ْو َم الْقيَ َامة ا ْع َملُوا َما ش ْئتُ ْم إنَّهُ ب َما َت ْع َملُو َن بَص ٌير“ (فصلت‪.)40 :‬‬ ‫ِ‬
‫ين“ (المرسالت‪.)38 :‬‬ ‫‪” -‬ه َذا يوم الْ َفص ِل جمعنا ُكم واأْل َ َّولِ‬
‫َ‬ ‫َ َ ْ ُ ْ َ َ َْ ْ َ‬
‫ص ِل َكا َن ِمي َقاتاً“ (النبأ‪.)17 :‬‬ ‫‪” -‬إِ َّن َي ْو َم الْ َف ْ‬
‫‪12‬‬
The Benefits of Belief in al-Akhirah
• Belief in al-Akhirah has several benefits at
different levels. There are individual
benefits, social benefits and civilizational
benefits.
• Individual Benefits
• At individual level, it gives man a unique and valuable
advantage with a greater choice that has an eternal
implication. Anyone who is concerned with his eternal
welfare will immediately feel the burden of disobedience
awaiting him once he allows himself to be succumbed to
passion and ignorance toward the precipice of sin and
rebellion against divine command.
13
• Thus, his belief in al-Akhirah not only raises
qualitatively the level of his deeds but also
accelerates their quantitative growth. His behaviour
is therefore shaped by truthfulness and sincerity.

• Belief in al-Akhirah also provides a psychological

benefit to an individual.

• Belief in the afterlife, when all ‘true’ lovers will be

reunited, (43:67,70; 13:23; 36:56; 40:8) can console
the bereaved for the loss of their beloved ones. It is
also a source of consolation for elderly and a
terminally ill patient as they would know that his
departure does not mean his total extinction, but
rather a passage to an eternal life where he can
enjoy eternal comfort, if he strives for it in this
worldly life. 14
• It prevents young people from wasting their lives in
transitory and trivial things.
• It gives hope to the elderly as they move closer to the grave.

• It helps to endure the death of the loved ones. Who believe

that they will be reunited with their deceased loved ones in a
far better world, would find true consolation in the
Resurrection.
• It also consoles the sick with terminal illness.

• This belief encourages people to live a responsible life, a life

of peace and tranquility.
• It also prevents man from fearing the passing difficulties of
life, make him accept them with equanimity and even
transforms those difficulties into means of development and
ascent toward the lofty goals of life.
15
• Social Benefits
• A society composed of such individuals who
believe in al-Akhirah and live to it has much to
gain.

• After belief in God, belief in al-Akhirah has the

primary place in preserving social security and
preventing the spread of corruption, crime and
violation of law. It is a force capable of taming the
rebellious desires of the soul.

• That is because who holds this belief will obey a

series of ethical principles (having eschatological
implications) without hypocrisy and without being
subject to external pressure.
16
• It is the belief and knowledge of the teleological
implication of one’s conduct within one’s society that will
produce good citizens. Anyone seriously concerned with
his eternal abode, will accustom himself with good
behaviours and the society will thus be protected from
the crimes or immoralities that he might otherwise have
committed.

• Belief in al-Akhirah also has civilizational benefits.

• Enamoured with his vast potentialities and tremendous

material achievements, man can do many things – virtue
and vice, commendable and abominable – simply
because he can do them. This attitude will lead to
irresponsible subjugation of nature, amounting to
unsustainable development.
17
• However, belief in al-Akhirah when everyone will
be accountable for his deeds and misdeeds will
imbue one with the sense of responsibility, which
is a condition of sustainable development. Man
will consequently choose the right course of
action.

• Belief in al-Akhirah should be seen as a source

of strength and not of weakness, for any
responsible individuals, societies and
civilizations. Human beings are expected to
exhaust their potentialities and invest them in
long-term rewards: greater efforts for greater
rewards. 18
• Instead of resigning to the lower and immediate
values, the basal pursuits of al-Dunyā, he is
encouraged to strive for long-range results of al-
Akhirah. That is why the Qur`ān often exhorts
man to “deliberate on that which one has sent
forth for the morrow,” (59:18)
‫ت لِغَ ٍد َو َّات ُقوا اللَّهَ إِ َّن‬
ْ ‫س َّما قَ َّد َم‬ ‫ف‬
ْ ‫ن‬
َ ‫ر‬
ٌ ْ َََُ‫ظ‬ ‫ن‬ ‫ْت‬
‫ل‬ ‫و‬ ‫ه‬َّ
‫ل‬ ‫ال‬ ‫وا‬ ‫ق‬
ُ َّ
‫ات‬ ‫وا‬ُ‫ن‬‫آم‬ ِ َّ
َ َ ‫”يَا أ َُّي َها ال‬
‫ين‬ ‫ذ‬
)18 :‫اللَّهَ َخبِ ٌير بِ َما َت ْع َملُو َن“ (الحشر‬
O ye who believe! Fear Allah, and let every
soul look to what (provision) He has sent
forth for the morrow. Yea, fear Allah: for
Allah is well-acquainted with (all) that ye do.

19
• To conclude, we may ask “Is there anything
to lose if one believes in al-Akhirah and
works for it?” The answer is that one will
lose nothing.

• To invest one’s thought and action in al-

Akhirah means to live a purposeful and
responsible life in this world and to prepare
for one’s eternal felicity in the world to
come. The important lesson to be learned is
to keep always in mind the reality of afterlife,
the ultimate consequence of one’s actions
and one’s responsibly for Allah for what one
does.
20
• Belief in al-Akhirah is not a sort of ‘blind
faith’. Rather, it is rational and necessary if
only to make any sense of the existence in
this worldly life.

• We must not mistake absence of experiential

knowledge for knowledge of absence. By its
essence, al-Akhirah is not meant to be
experienced in this world, because it starts
where all worldly experiences stop. It will be
the last and ultimate experience awaiting
humankind!
21