AAKHIRAH OR THE HEREAFTER

Among the fundamental beliefs of Imaan is to believe in the Aakhirah or the Hereafter. Aakhirah refers to that period which will follow the destruction of the present order of the universe. The entire existence and system of the universe as is known to us will be brought to an end. Everything will be reduced to atoms (and possibly the atoms too will be annihilated). The earth, the sun, the moon, the stars, the planet, etc, will pass into nonexistence.

After the destruction of this order of our universe a period, the duration known to only Allah, will pass. After this period, Allah will once again resurrect creation. All mankind and jinnkind will be returned to life. This resurrection will be a physical resurrection in which both body and soul will be resurrected. Man and jinn will rise with their self-same personalities which they previously possessed. This resurrection on the Day of Aakhirah, also called Qiyaamah, is not some spiritual or abstract and mental state or experience as is propounded by those who have strayed form Islaam . Denial of the physical resurrection on the Day of Qiyaamah is kufr.

There is no difference of opinion among the authorities of the Shari'ah regarding the Islaam ic conception of Qiyaamah and Resurrection. The Qur'aan and the Ahadith are explicit in propounding a physical Qiyaamah and a physical resurrection. Islaam explains in great detail the events of the occasion of Qiyaamah. The detailed description of Qiyaamah and the great clarity of the explanation given by Rasoolullah (SAW) admit no possibility for any interpretation, which differs with the only view presented by Islaam .