A study of Christian and Islamic beliefs about life after Death?

Authors Avatar

Life after Death is an issue raised in every religion. The two religions I am basing my study on are Islam and Christianity. It is unfortunate the reality of “Death” is not known in a true sense in our day, and death is assumed to be an ending, In religions like Islam and Christianity, they more or less have the same beliefs about on what will happen after Death and the beliefs has the same implications.

They both believe in heaven and hell but the two religions have different ideas about what will happen once their soul has gone to God.

One religion, Christianity believes that when they die their soul will go straight to Heaven or Hell depending on what they have done on earth. Islam they believe in “bazark” which means’s the waiting. Muslims believe that they will stay in the grave until the day of judgement.

As I am a Muslim I will study both the religions equally, Islam is my stronger side but I will study Christianity carefully.  

 First I will study Islam and will refer to Quran and then I will write about the biblical teachings.

                             

Islam is a complete way of life. It is the guidance provided by Allah, the creator of all things. It covers all aspects of life and death.

Muslims believe that everyone is born Muslim and the people who believe in other Religions are converted to that religion and when or if they become Muslim they are reverting to Islam, which means the are coming back to Islam.

The five pillars of Islam include the Shahadah. A Muslim declares his faith by Reciting.

This Arabic word mean: “There is no god but Allah; Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah”. The book of Islam is the Quran, which is the direct word of Allah and Tawhid (oneness of Allah), Risalah (prophethood) and Akhirah (life after death) summarises the whole of the Islamic system of life.

All Muslims around the world follow the Quran’s authority in matters of iman, iman means ‘to know’ and represents faith or belief. Islam has five key beliefs, which can be described as the foundation stones upon which the religion is based.

   

Shahadah    (declaration of faith)

Salah           (five compulsory daily prayers)

Zakah          (welfare contribution)

Hajj             (pilgrimage to Makkah)

Sawm          (fasting during Ramadan)

The life that follows death is Know in Islam as Al-Akhirah. The Arabic word means that which comes after or the future or the last. The Quran uses the word in the sense of the life Hereafter as one of the unseen things in which a Muslim should believe.

And who believe in the revelation sent to there, and sent before thy time ( in their hearts) have the assurance of the Hereafter .

(Al-Dar Al-Akhirah)

 We have already mentioned the three most important beliefs in Islam Tawhid, Risalah, and Akhirah but right now I will look at the Akhirah.

 Belief in Akhirah is very important and is very essential for all Muslims. This life on earth in temporary and is meant to be a preparation for Akhirah which is never ending (eternal).

Life is like a test on earth and on the day of judgement will be decide if you are successful do go to heaven. The explanation that the Quran gives about the necessity of life after death is what moral consciousness of man demand. Actually, if there is no life after death, the very belief in god becomes irrelevant.

Belief in Akhirah has a wonderful influence on the life of a Muslim. He knows that Allah is watching him and the angels on the shoulder, record our good and bad deeds, they keep the full record on which their judgement will be based.

The record is to show us not Allah because He is all knowing.

Your good actions will benefit only you, while evil harms only the person who does it.

 

 

The Quran Informs and explains “Death” as follows

“Everyone shall have to die”

                         (Sura3: 185)

Here it try’s to brings up ideas of how everyone will experience death in there lifetime and there is no escape from death. This statement tells that there is a soul that will go though the development that will take us to the next level.

Death brings an end to our temporary life on this earth. It is an occasion of sorrow and grief for the loved ones of the dead. Death puts an end to our physical body it does not destroy our soul. The soul is taken away by the angel Malakul Mawt  (Izrail) to Allah.

Join now!

I got this quotation from the Internet, which tells you a definition about the death in Islam.

“What we call death is the transference into a life at a universe of frequencies within a spirit body after separating from the biological material body. As the brain ceases to function, the bioelectric energy outspread to the body disconnects and the body loses the electromagnetic force that normally keeps the spirit tied to body. So the human spirit is released to a new life independent from the physical body.

Such an event is what is meant by “Death”.

    ...

This is a preview of the whole essay