References:
- Sura Al-Tauba, verse 72
“God has promised believers, both men and women, gardens through which running water flow, therein to abide, and goodly dwellings in gardens of perpetual bliss: but God’s goodly acceptance is the greatest (bliss of all)-for this is the triumph supreme.”
- Sura Al-Asar, verse 1-3
“Consider the flight of time. Verily, man is bound to lose himself. Unless he be of those who attain to faith, and do good works, and enjoin upon one another the keeping to truth, and enjoin upon one another patience in adversity.”
- Sura Al-Isra, verse 72
“for whoever is blind in this world, will be blind in the life to come, and still farther astray from the path.”
- Sura Al-Baqara, verse 65
“for you are well aware of those from among you who profaned the Sabbath, whereupon We said unto them “Be as apes despicable”.
- Sura Al-Hashr, verse 19
“and be not like those who are oblivious of God, and whom He causes to be oblivious of their own selves. It is they who are truly depraved.”
- Sura Al-Aaraf, verse 179,
“and most certainly have We destined for hell many of the invisible beings and men who have hearts with which they fail to grasp the truth, and eyes with which they fail to see, and ears with which they fail to hear. They are like cattle-nay, they are even less conscious of the right way. It is they who are the heedless.”
- Sura Al-Aaraf, verse 176,
“Now had We so willed, We could indeed have exalted him by means of those (messages): But he always clung to the earth and followed but his own desires. Thus, his parable is that of an (excited) dog: if though approach him threateningly, he will pant with his tongue lolling; and if thou leave him alone, he will pant with his tongue lolling. Such is the parable of those who are bent on giving the lie to Our message. Tell (them), then, this story, so that they might take thought.”
- Anas (May Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said:
“The dead person is followed by three: His family, his wealth and his deeds. Then two of them return: his family and his wealth, and there remain only his deeds.”
Narrative:
Reading the references 1) to 8) above, we come to know that our good and bad deeds take part in knitting the fabric of our personality in this world and in the hereinafter. Good deeds generate a noble and beautiful personality whereas bad deeds generate an ignoble and ugly personality.
Since our biological body is an abode where our personal soul is located, therefore our body and its biological, psychological and mental traits work as a mould for our soul to grow further.
In reference 4) above, “be as apes despicable” is a very degraded position where because of his bad deeds a person corrupts his growing soul by putting it in a mould as despicable in shape as apes. Similarly in reference 7), by clinging to the earth (materialistic life) and continuously following the lower desires, a person constructs his earthly personality where his soul fits in a mould degrading it to the level bearing qualities of a dog panting with his tongue lolling.
Reference 3) and 5) above, indicate that a person even loses his identity and becomes blind in the hereafter if he had lived his worldly life having forgotten His Creator and did not open his eyes towards the higher realities during this lifetime.
On the other hand, for the people doing good deeds, reference 1) above, states that God has promised believers, both men and women, gardens through which running water flows, and they shall abide in these goodly dwellings in gardens of perpetual bliss.
Last but not the least, if we read the reference 8) above, where it is stated in a Hadith that the dead person is followed by three: His family, his wealth and his deeds. Then two of them return: his family and his wealth, and there remain only his deeds.” This Hadith explains to us a very serious situation; that after our biological death, we shall take a new birth in accordance with the outcome of our deeds in this life. Our wealth and loved ones shall not have any participation in the formation of our personality in the life hereafter.
In conclusion, I would like to say that our present life is an opportunity to do good deeds so that we are transformed to an advanced level of personality in the hereinafter. This can be achieved by following the moral path of prophets and saints. On our individual levels, we need to recognize and monitor ourselves to see how our soul is growing in terms of our next existence after our biological death. This is to take appropriate timely measures in this life for the better formation of our personality in the hereinafter.
Malik Muhammad Usman
Darul Hikmatul Khalidiyya, Pakistan
12 October 2022
Qur’anic translations: Muhammad Asad
