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The Day of Judgement and human accountability

Akhirah is the term used in Islam to describe the belief in everlasting life after death.

Muslims regard life on Earth as a test from Allah, to prepare them for eternal life. Importantly, though, Muslims believe that Allah will not test them beyond their limits. This encourages Muslims to take responsibility for their actions.

Most Muslims believe that there will come a day when the whole universe will be destroyed. On this day, called the Day of Judgement or the Last Day, the dead will be resurrected for judgement by God. All people will receive God’s reward or punishment according to their beliefs and actions. The good will be rewarded with eternal life in Paradise, or Jannah, while the bad will be punished by going to a Hell of fire and torment, called Jahannam.

Muslims believe they can enter Paradise by living according to the teachings of the Qur’an. Therefore, obeying the rules set by Allah is of ultimate importance for Muslims. Most Muslims believe that, as Allah is forgiving and merciful, he will pardon those who are truly sorry for their sins if they have done some good in their lives. However, many Muslims believe that some sins, such as shirk, are unforgivable.

Heaven and Hell

After death, most Muslims believe that the soul will enter Barzakh, a state of waiting, until the Day of Judgement.

• When a person dies, their soul is taken by Azra’il, the Angel of Death.
• God sends to angels to question the waiting soul. They ask: Who is your Lord? What was your life like? Who is your prophet?
• Muslims believe the answers to these questions determine how the soul experiences Barzakh.

Heaven

Jannah is Paradise, where those who have been good go. It is described in the Qur’an as gardens of pleasure (Qur’an 31:8).

Muslims believe that there are multiple Heavens. The Qur’an mentions that there are seven, but some Muslims interpret this to mean simply ‘many’. Each of the Heavens is believed to be made of a different material and is the home of different prophets. The first Heaven, for instance, is made of silver and is where Adam and Eve live. Abraham lives in the seventh Heaven, which is a place made of divine light.

Hell

Jahannam is believed to be a place of scorching fire pits and boiling water, where there is physical and spiritual suffering. The Qur’an uses vivid descriptions of Hell as a way to stop Muslims from participating in sin.

Muslims believe that they will be sent to Hell if they reject the teachings of the Qur’an or take no responsibility for their actions. Either of these would mean that they had failed Allah’s test.

Some Muslims believe that even the souls in Hell can eventually be sent to Paradise. These beliefs motivate Muslims to follow the teachings in the Qur’an. They also give hope to those who suffer that there is something better to come in the future.