BELIEF IN THE HEREAFTER

The Day of Judgment is the time that will begin anew after the end of this world's life and will continue forever. The beginning of this time is the end of worldly life, which we call the Day of Resurrection.

The resurrection of people (Hashir), the reckoning, the questioning, the weighing of deeds, crossing the Sirat Bridge, entering Paradise and Hell – all of these are events that will happen to humanity on the Day of Judgment.

Since the time that will begin after the Day of Resurrection is called the Day of Judgment, belief in the hereafter means believing that, like everything else, the world's life will end, then it will take on another form, that people will be resurrected and rise from their graves, that they will be held accountable for their deeds in this world, that their books of deeds will be given to them, that they will cross the Sirat Bridge, and that the righteous will enter Paradise and the wicked will enter Hell.

The nature of the afterlife belongs to the unseen realm; therefore, the only source of knowledge is revelation. We must suffice with what is revealed in the Quran and authentic hadiths. Conditions in the hereafter are unlike those in this world; they share only names. For example, when it is said, "Israfel will blow the trumpet, the scales will be set," one should not imagine worldly tools. Only God knows their true form.

Islam places great importance on belief in the hereafter. This belief is reinforced in the Quran using more than 100 terms. The Quran aims to instill the idea of the hereafter in the minds and hearts of people with clear proofs and examples. Clear verses and authentic hadiths are textual proofs that leave no room for doubt.

The human sense of justice necessitates belief in the hereafter. In this world, not everyone fully suffers the consequences of their actions. In the hereafter, nothing will remain hidden; God, with His absolute justice, will punish the wicked and reward the righteous. The Quran reveals that equating the good with the wicked is contrary to divine justice (see Al-Jathiya 45:21-22).

Almighty God created man as a being capable of choosing between good and evil and held him accountable. The fact that man is responsible for certain actions necessitates a life and a place where he will receive the consequences of his responsibilities (see Sad 38:27-28).

The human sense of eternity and immortality is an innate characteristic. Feeling like a stranger separated from his homeland prepares humans for the belief in eternal life. The Quran reminds us of this truth by stating that those who claim life is only what we live in this world are mistaken (see Al-Jathiya 45:26-27).

Humans were not created in vain or without purpose. Man was created to fulfill his purpose and to serve God. He is obligated to perform these duties and will receive his reward in the hereafter (see al-Mu'minun 23:115-116).

Just as everything has a death, so too does the world. Sooner or later, one day the order of this world, the earth and the heavens, will be disrupted, and everything in the heavens and on earth will die. This is called the Day of Judgment.

When Israfil (as) blows the trumpet at the command of Allah, the earth and the heavens will shake, and everything will be turned upside down. The earthquake of the Day of Judgment will be so terrifying and frightening that on that day everyone will be beside themselves, dazed, and the earth will shake. Mountains will be thrown around like cotton, those in the heavens will be scattered, the sun that illuminates the world with its light will darken and fall, the seas will boil and mix together, everything beneath the earth will be revealed; in short, the order of the heavens and the earth will be completely disrupted, and everything will be ruined.

The coming of the Day of Judgment is proven by the pronouncements of all religions, as well as by reason and science. Physicists and astronomers report that the entropy of the universe is constantly increasing. Where there is movement, the entropy of the environment increases. This increase passes through a maximum and finally the amount of increase becomes zero. At that moment, all movement stops. This means the end of the universe.

During his journey, Prophet Abraham saw an animal carcass being torn apart and eaten by different animals. Wondering how Almighty God would gather these pieces and resurrect them, he prayed, "O my Lord! Show me how You resurrect the dead." When Allah asked, "Did you not believe?", he replied, "I believe, but I want my heart to be fully satisfied." By God's command, he took 4 birds, tamed them, then slaughtered them and mixed their parts together and placed them on the tops of separate mountains. When he called the birds, he saw them all fly to him alive. His heart began to beat with excitement at this sight; he praised God for having the blessing of witnessing the truth of the resurrection of the dead. His heart was completely at peace, filled with tranquility and ecstasy. (Source: Mehmed Dikmen - History of the Prophets)

Mahshar is the place where resurrected people will gather. In this arena, people will be questioned, their books of deeds will be given, and they will cross the balance and the sirat bridge. Reckoning means that people will confess their actions in the world to God and be questioned. On that day, organs like hands, feet, and eyes will speak and acknowledge what was done.

It is the book in which every person's good or bad deeds in the world are recorded. It is kept by the Kiramen Katibin angels. If good deeds are many, the book will be given from the right hand (with joy); if bad deeds are many, it will be given from the left hand (with remorse).

It is the measure of justice used to weigh deeds on the Day of Judgment. God will judge according to the balance of good deeds and sins. Sometimes He may forgive many evil deeds because of a single good deed He approves of. The story told by our Prophet of the person who gave water to a thirsty dog with his shoe and was forgiven all his sins and placed in paradise is an example of this divine mercy.

It is a bridge built over Hell that is difficult to cross. Everyone crosses it according to the light of their faith and good deeds; some in the blink of an eye, some like lightning or a galloping horse. While unbelievers and sinners fall, believers will suffer their punishment and return to paradise.

It is an eternal place of reward divided into 8 levels, filled with unimaginable blessings. The greatest blessing will be seeing God Himself (Jamalullah). The reality of Paradise and Hell responds to the human nature that is inclined towards pleasure and avoids pain (Ali Fuad Başgil).

It is a place of torment with 7 layers created for unbelievers, where sinful believers will also stay temporarily. According to Bediüzzaman, the seeds of good and evil in the universe will bear fruit as Paradise and Hell after the trial ends; the universe will be purified and everyone will be sent to the place they deserve.

It is a very large pool with sweet and clear water that God bestowed upon our Prophet on the Day of Judgment. Righteous believers will drink from this water and quench their thirst caused by the terror of the Day of Judgment.

Intercession (Shafa'at) is the request made to God by our Prophet and great figures for the forgiveness of sinful believers and the elevation of the ranks of obedient ones. Our Prophet's greatest authority of intercession is called 'Shafa'at-i Uzma', and this position is called 'Maqam-ı Mahmud'.