The Promise of the After-Life in Islam Essay Example for Free

The Promise of the After-Life in Islam Essay I. The Five Pillars and the Seven Articles of Faith That which makes the life of man pleasant and enjoyable, makes his labor joyful, gives warmth to his heart, and broadens the horizons of his vision, is none other than what revelation and religion give man belief in an eternal world . . . (Lari, 1992, p. 17) Islam means total submission to Allahs will. A good Muslim has genuine belief in the Five Pillars of Islam and the Seven Articles of Faith. The Five Pillars purify a Muslim and compound the way of life for him. They are Ash-shahada, testifying that Allah is the only God and Muhammad is His messenger, Salat, five daily prayers, Zakat, charity to needy Muslims, Fasting during Ramadan to appreciate Allahs providence and making a pilgrimage to Mecca to perform Hajj. Observing these Five Pillars reinforces a Muslims true faith. The Seven Articles of Faith are key principles to follow. They are the affirmation that Allah is One (tawhid) and He is The Only Creator to be worshipped, belief in His angelic agency, scriptures, prophets, Judgement Day (Yawm Al-Qiyamah), the belief that the power of executing good and evil acts emanates from Allah and the belief in life after death (Bowker, 2001, p. 21). In Islam, judgement, reward and punishment form the foundation of its creed (Elias, 1999, p. 64). The eschatological thought of Islam teaches a Muslim that he will either pay or earn his dues. The way he lives his present life will determine the nature of his hereafter (al-akhirah). Lari (1992, p. 155) says that the fear of God stems from mens fear of their own deeds and will instill discipline and order. In Islam, the perpetuity of this world is a fallacy (Coward, 1997, p. 50). Eternity resides only in the hereafter. Death will lead to resurrection and Judgement Day when every Muslim will stand before Allah to account for his deeds. Adhering to Islams creed will emancipate a Muslim and merit him with heaven while disobeying it will banish him to hell. Under these circumstances, Muslims are compelled to walk in the path of Allah in this life given the accountability of ones sins on Yawm Al-Qiyamah or Judgement Day, the threat of jahannam or hell, where one is consumed by a raging fire; or the promise of earning His blessing in the al-akhirah or hereafter with the reward of al-janna or heaven, wherein resides Allahs infinite love. II. The three worlds Every soul shall taste of death; you shall surely be paid in full your wages on the Day of Resurrection. Whosoever is removed from the Fire and admitted to Paradise, shall win the triumph. The present life is but the joy of delusion. (cited in Coward, 1997, p. 48) The Quran mentions phases of ones life, categorized it into three different worlds. They are the World of earning, Intermediate state and Resurrection (Ahmad, 1996, pp. 151-157). A. World of earning This is the present life where one accumulates merit or demerit for his deeds. The Quran (84:6) says, O man! To the degree that you strive to obey God you will in the end meet your Creator (cited in Lari, 1992, p. 36). According to two studies (Lari, 1992; Ahmad, 1996) good or bad effects of ones deeds will act as poison or panacea on him in the hereafter (Lari, 1992, p. 143). The bliss or burden felt when carrying out an act disappears but it leaves an impression on the heart (p. 150). One cannot escape punishment in the afterlife. Present life is riddled with tests of Allah, who guides people by showing the good way as well as the one that leads [them] astray (Sakr, 2001, p. 18). One who corrupts his soul through evils like deceit, immorality and rejection of faith will be punished severely on Judgement Day. Death is the opening of the gates of eternity (Lari, 1992, p.15). Mawlana Jalal ad-Din Rumi recites, O you who attempt to flee death in your fear, It is yourself that you fear use your intelligence! It is your countenance that is ugly, not the visage of death; Your soul is a tree on which death is the leaf. (cited in Lari, 1992, p. 18) When ones relationship with God weakens and he starts to distance himself from a firm rooting in faith, the entirety of his being becomes a hunting ground for demons who rob him of all virtue, piety, and the capacity for salvation (Lari, 1992, p. 153). Therefore, his ultimate aim and desire should be to seek the ultimate perfection achievable by man, which is the attainment of union with the sublime origin of all being (Lari, 1992, p. 36). B. Intermediate state This state is known as Barzakh. Here, the soul lives in another phase of existence (Haeri, 1997, p. 24) which falls between present life and resurrection (Ahmad, 1996, p. 152). The soul departs from the body and is held at Isthmus, a storage place for souls. Then, the soul returns to the grave to be questioned by two angels, Munkir and Nakir. They will question regarding Allah, belief in Islam, ones way of life and other questions to test ones virtues and piety. If one is righteous, one will be shown heaven. If not, one will be shown hell and tormented in ones grave. C. Resurrection They will blow on the trumpet and everything in the heavens and the earth will be swallowed up by death, save only that which God wishes to preserve. Then another trumpet blast will be sounded and all creatures will suddenly rise up to behold the plain of resurrection.(cited in Lari, 1992, p. 126) This is how the Quran (39:68) describes resurrection. The first sounding of the trumpet signals every living being to drop dead and the second sounding restores life for everyone to awaken. The trumpets function is to call for universal death and universal revival (Lari, 1992, p. 128). Before resurrection, comes the end of the world. According to the Quran (81:1-6), When the sun (with its spacious light) is folded up; When the stars fall, losing their luster; When the mountains vanish (like a mirage) (cited in Sakr, 2001, p. 73) only Allah remains. After forty years, He resurrects all. The Quran illustrates this by saying, And We send down from the sky rain charted with blessing, and We produce therewith gardens and grain for harvests . . . and We give (new) life therewith to land that is dead: thus will be the resurrection. (cited in Sakr, 2001, p. 82) III. Judgement Day: Accounting for ones deeds With resurrection comes Judgement Day which emphasizes on the Qurans tenacious stress on the ultimate moral responsibility and accountability of each believer (Esposito, 1998, p. 30). Mankind will be led in groups naked to an uninterrupted plain devoid of any irregularity where none can escape Allahs vision (Al-Ghazali, 1995, p. 177). The blazing sun will make the tightly packed congregation perspire in the sweltering heat according to their sins to atone for the duties they failed to perform. Supporting information in a study by Muslim, he says some will have sweat up to their ankles . . . and others will have it up to their mouths (cited in Sakr, 2001, p. 90). The intensity of a sinners suffering will be so unbearable that he will request to be sent to hell rather than undergo this torture. The concept of punishment is imminently significant in Islam. All will stand before Him in humility and be answerable for their deeds. Each will be issued his Book of Records which chronicles all his actions and intentions and this book is testament to how he led his life. A righteous person will receive the book in his right hand to indicate that Allah is pleased with him. A sinner will receive it in his left hand (Sakr, 2001, p. 101). Everyone is then interrogated about the way they lived. There is no intercession, prejudice nor favoritism in the judgement (p. 97). In two different works (Hamid, 1996; Sakr, 2001), it is said that nobody can hide their misdeeds since their own biological organs testify against them. Similarly, the Quran (24:24) states, Their tongues, their hands, and their feet will bear witness against them as to their actions (cited in Sakr, 2001, p. 98). Allah will grant our organs the ability of speech and as mentioned earlier the bliss or burden of our actions would have left impressions on all these organs, so they will be able to bear witness. Allah will condemn those who failed to abide by His laws to jahannam. The Quran (9:79) says, Those who on account of their own evil nature find fault with the contributions of obedient believers, who mock those who do not grudge spending in the way of God whatever they are able, God mocks them and He will punish them; a painful torment will be theirs. (cited in Lari, 1992, p. 192) The Quran (23:102-4) also says that a person whose scales are heavy with good deeds are prosperers while one whose scales are light has lost [his] soul in [jahannam] dwelling forever (cited in Coward, 1997, p. 59). After the harrowing interrogation, all will have to walk over the Bridge of Hell or the Al- Sirat (Sakr, 2001, p. 108). The path could be very wide for one and very narrow for another. If the path is narrow when one is crossing and he fears hell, angels will either dump him [in] Hell (p. 108) or guide his path for safe-crossing to heaven. Al-Ghazali describes the Al-Sirat: Sharper than sword and more subtle than hair. He who treads on straight and right path in this world will cross it easily and will get salvation. He who is misguided and saddled with sins will slip therefrom at the first step and will fall down into Jahannam (Hell). (cited in Sakr, 2001, pp. 108-109) The Quran (19:71-72) says that by Allahs decree, nobody escapes passing over hell (Sakr, 2001, p. 112). Only the righteous will be saved from falling into the wrath of the raging fire. The terrified sinners then embark on their [march] along the Path of Hell (sirat al-jahim) where they will meet with the wrath of the Blaze (Coward, 1997, p. 60). Said Prophet Muhammad, There is no creature that will not be overtaken by remorse and regret on the day of resurrection, but regret will be of no avail. When the blessed look upon paradise and the infinite bounties that God has prepared for the pure and the Godfearing, they will regret not having performed righteous deeds equal to theirs. As for the wretched, the people of hellfire, they will groan and lament when they see the fire and hear its roar, and they will regret not having atoned for their sins while still in the world. (cited in Lari, 1992, pp. 210-211) IV. The chastisement of jahannam Those condemned to jahannam will yearn for Allahs absolute love. The sinners will be tormented to an extent unimaginable by mankind. Esposito cites the Quran (18:29), explaining what the unbelievers go through: a fire whose sheets encompass them. If they should ask for relief, then water like molten copper shall be showered upon them to scald their faces. How awful is such a drink and how evil a resting place (p. 31). There are different categories of hell where depending upon the sins committed, one could both be banished to jahannam and deprived of Allahs love for eternity or stay for a period of time till he atones for his sins and earns Allahs mercy. Similarly, both Sakr and Al-Ghazali profess that there are seven gates in hell. Al-Ghazali explains that seven is the number of the parts with which a man sins (p. 222). The gates are positioned one above the other. The uppermost level is [the gate leading to] the Inferno [Jahannam], followed by the Blaze [Saqar], Flame [Laza], Furnace [al-Hutama], Fire [al-Sair], Hellfire [al-Jahim] and Abyss [al-Hawiya] (Al-Ghazali, 1995, p. 222). He explains the significance of the infinite depth of the Abyss by likening it to that of mans countless desires of this world (1995, p. 222). He also says that pain caused by fire is supreme which explains the blazing fire that consumes the condemned (p. 223). Sakr explores the various tortures of jahannam. He says that the banished are repeatedly clubbed on their heads with maces of iron to experience pain and humiliation (p. 116). Sakr explains, that dwellers of jahannam are punished according to the intensity of their sins, by citing a verse from the Quran (15:43-44) proclaiming hell as the promised abode for the sinners and unbelievers. To it are seven gates: for each of those Gates is a (special) class (of sinners) assigned. For example, one will be chained and hauled along boiling water on his face while another will be made to drink boiling water which will sever his intestines (Sakr, 2001, p. 116-117) The Quran warns Muslims by saying, Indeed, the friendship of Satan earns man perdition and misguidance (cited in Lari, 1992, p. 210). In general, jahannam is the ultimate torture chamber that executes the most excruciating punishments. Lari (1992) appropriately articulates that these chastisements function as alarm bells to warn wrongdoers and cajole them into reform[ing] themselves before it is too late (p. 44). V. The bliss of al-janna God promises the believers, both women and men, that He will cause them to enter a paradise where rivers flow beneath the trees, and have them dwell in splendid palaces. He will also bestow on them His pleasure and satisfaction, which is greater and loftier than material bounties. This spiritual reward is, in truth, the supreme achievement for the pure (Quran 9:72; cited in Lari, 1992, p.140). Lari (1992) reinforces the reward of being in al-janna by saying that above all, man will [attain] there the true object of his love which is being with Allah (p. 148). Leading a righteous life and fulfilling ones duties as a Muslim wholeheartedly, merit[s] admission to [al-janna] (Coward, 1997, p. 51). Unyielding belief in Islam and the fear of God are core aspects of righteousness (Lari, 1992, p. 193). Lari defines a good deed as one that develops from a pure motive which is done solely to please God and develop the individual morally (p. 190). The studies of both Hamid and Malik show that there are different categories of heaven. Malik concedes there are seven heavens. The seventh heaven [is] [t]he Garden of Firdaws Jannat al Firdaws (2002, par. 21). Al-Ghazali describes heaven as a beautiful garden where souls rejoice, eating of its various foods, and quaffing its milk, wine and honey from rivers whose beds are of silver, whose pebbles are pearls . . . (1995, p. 233). Just as sinners are tormented according to their varying degrees of sins, the blessed are rewarded according to their righteousness and resolute faith. As the seventh heaven is the closest to Allah and His infinite love, it is the ultimate recompense for leading a life in total submission and of unadulterated love for Him. This will be the paramount motivation to [walk] in the path of [Allah] (Coward, 1997, p.51). VI. The consequence of choice Man shapes his hereafter based on his positive and negative deeds in this life, so he should always be devoted to Allah in order to stay on His path. Lari says whenever man falls into the pit of sin, he should immediately feel polluted by his act of rebellion against God and reform before he gets the stamp of perdition (1992, p.167). Mans actions shall be weighed in Scales and a final consignment to Heaven or Hell shall be decreed . . . For the Godfearing shall be a triumph-gardens and vineyards, maidens for companions, and a cup overflowing. But man is not to forget that Hell lurks in ambush, a home for the profligate, where they shall abide for ages . . . (Winter, 1995, p. xiii) VI. References Ahmad, H. M. (1996). Teachings of Islam (M. M. Ali, Trans.). OH: Ahmadiyya Anjuman Isha. Al-Ghazali, A. H. (1995). The remembrance of death and the afterlife. UK: The Islamic Texts Society. Bower, J. (2001). What Muslims believe. England: Oneworld. Coward, H. (1997). Life after death in world religions. NY: Orbis Books. Elias, J. J. (1999). Islam. London: Calmann King. Esposito, J. L. (1998). Islam: The straight path. (3rd ed.). NY: Oxford University Press. Haeri, S. F. (1997). The elements of Islam. UK: Element Books. Hamid, A. (1996). Islam: The natural way. UK: MELS. Keller, N. H. M. (Trans.). (1996). Al-Nawawis manual of Islam. UK: The Islamic Texts Society. Lari, S. M. M. (1992). Resurrection judgement and the Hereafter (H. Algar, Trans.). Iran: Foundation of Islamic Cultural Propagation in the World. Malik, K. M. (2002, April 6). Meem The Arabic letter [On-line]. Retrieved March 30, 2002 from the World Wide Web: http://www.meem. freeuk.com/Meem.html Sakr, A. H. (2001). Life, death and the life after. India: Islamic Book Service. VII. Bibliography Esack, F. (1998). Quran, liberation and pluralism. Oxford: Oneworld. Guillaume, A. (1961). Islam. US: Penguin Books. Hixon, L. (1995). Heart of the Koran. IL: The Theosophical Publishing House. Husaini, S. W. A. (1980). Islamic environmental systems engineering. London: Macmillan. Kamali, M. H. (1999). Freedom, equality, and justice in Islam. Malaysia: Ilmiah. Nursi, B. S. (n. d.). Resurrection and the hereafter. Pakistan: Shalimar. Pearl, D. (1987). A textbook on Muslim personal law. (2nd ed.). NH: Croom Helm. Said, E. W. (1997). Covering Islam. NY: Vintage Books.

Early Understanding of HIV and Syphilis :: essays research papers fc

In the last few weeks of class we have looked at several different cases of disease outbreaks throughout the world, and how different cultures have diverse understandings of these outbreaks. Of the sicknesses we have studied, I feel that the HIV and Syphilis outbreaks stand apart from the others because of their massive infections in many different cultures and parts of the world, and also due to the fact that the diseases cannot be cured, along with the unfortunately high rate of death among its victims.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When the outbreaks of syphilis and HIV first became present, science at the time was unable to come up with a clear cause for the sicknesses. People witnessing the diseases, however, were quick to assign their own cause. Unfortunately, most put the blame on African Americans. While Syphilis may have been introduced to the western worlds by slave trade according to Philip D. Curtin, inefficient evidence is present to call this fact, and most blame when these diseases first became present were completely racially based. This blind prejudice led to an extremely limited understanding of the diseases. Many felt the diseases were so racially specific that whites were completely immune to the epidemics. Some even felt that Blacks became infected because they were inferior unchristian beings, and as being so, they were being punished by god. (PBS/NOVA â€Å"The Deadly Deception†) As an effect of this logic, many more fell victim to the sicknesses, refusing treatmen t due to these beliefs. This racial attitude of the time also severely hindered the discovery of the real causes of HIV and Syphilis.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Many years later, and after a very large progression in medical research, scientists have finally came to a clear agreement on the causes of these diseases. It is now obvious that there are three main causes to an HIV or Syphilis infection. A victim may become infected through blood transfusions or sexual contact with another, or the diseases may be carried from a mother to her child. These conclusions vary greatly from what was first thought as the cause of the epidemics. The incorrect causes initially found by those in early times most likely were based on a lack of knowledge in the areas of sanitary blood transfusions, safe sex, and the extremely racist attitude of the time. This lack of knowledge can be seen in what the diseases first became known as: â€Å"Bad Blood† (CDC).

A Relaxing Place

A Relaxing Place A relaxing place for me would be my house. There is no place like home. Home is where you can do what you want in privacy. You can wear what you want, say or do what you want. You don’t have to do anything. A person can really relax better in their home. Most would go somewhere special but I choose home. At home you can sleep all day and not have to worry about anything, just lay there and be lazy. You can relax in your own bedroom better than any place in the world. You have what you want in there for you. When you are home you feel safe, and like no one can ruin your good mood.You are in your own space and you are on your own time. It is better when you have a friend at your house. It makes it a lot more fun and relaxing. You have someone to do things with rather than sit and be bored. Sometimes you want to be alone but other times when your home you would like to have someone to be with you. When you go out and do things with them, you get tired then you ca n go in your house and just relax. You really couldn’t do it anywhere else without feeling like something is missing. It is a lot more fun when you can just sit and relax, or go and have fun with someone at your house.Although some people say that going to other places to relax is better than home, I still think that home is so much better. At other places you will be bothered by others, but not at your own home. You can go in your room and not be disturbed. Some say that they like to go to the public places, if you stay at home, you can have more privacy. Home is where you can go at any time to just relax and you don’t have to be disturbed. To conclude my essay, I would have to say that home is the best relaxing place you could ever go.Everyone goes to other places and they say they are relaxed, but if you just want to be alone and not hear any noise, home is the place to be. So if people tell you to go on vacation and it will be the perfect relaxing place, just think about home. You can never get tired of your own home, I never do anyways. It is the perfect place and you have what you need right there. There is no other place that you already have what you want out for you, at home you have your bed, family and your things, Home is truly the best relaxing place to be.

Noel Cowards Supernatural Comedy Blithe Spirit

Imagine London during World War II. Germany’s Blitzkrieg assaults the city with an arsenal of bombs. Buildings collapse. Lives are lost. People flee to the English countryside. Now imagine a 40-year-old playwright living in England during this time. He spends five days writing a play (in between his covert operations as a member of Britain’s Secret Service). What might that play be about? War? Survival? Politics? Pride? Despair? No. The playwright is Noel Coward. And the play he created during England’s battle-scarred year of 1941 is Blithe Spirit, a delightfully satirical comedy about ghosts. The Basic Plot Charles Condomine is a successful novelist. Ruth is his charming, strong-willed wife. In order to conduct research for Charles’ latest book, they invite a medium to their home to perform a sà ©ance, expecting that the eccentric psychic, Madame Arcati, will be a humorous shyster. Well, she is humorous – in fact, her boisterous character practically steals the show! However, her ability to connect with the dead is genuine. After prancing about the room reciting nursery rhymes, Madame Arcati summons a ghost from Charles’ past: Elvira – his first wife. Charles can see her, but no one else can. Elvira is flirtatious and catty. She enjoys insulting Charles’ second wife. At first, Ruth thinks her husband has gone insane. Then, after watching a vase float across the room (thanks to Elvira), Ruth accepts the strange truth. What follows is a darkly funny competition between two women, one dead, one living. They battle for the possession of their husband. But as the haunting and the hollering continue, Charles begins to wonder if he wants to be with either woman at all. Ghosts on Stage - â€Å"You Mean You Can’t See Her?!† Spirit characters have been part of theater since its Greek beginnings. In Shakespeare’s time, ghosts were prominent in his tragedies. Hamlet can see his father’s doomed specter, but Queen Gertrude sees nothing. She thinks her son has gone coo-coo. It’s a fun theatrical concept, perhaps now over-used in plays, television, and movies. After all, how many sappy sitcoms feature a protagonist that talks to a ghost which no one else can see? Despite this, Noel Coward’s Blithe Spirit still feels fresh. Coward’s play goes beyond the comic mix-ups inherent in most supernatural comedies. The play explains love and marriage more than it explores the afterlife. Torn Between Two Lovers? Charles is caught in a farcical trap. He had been married to Elvira for five years. Although they both had extra-marital affairs, he claims to have loved her. And of course, he explains to his living wife, Ruth is currently the love of his life. However, when Elvira’s ghost returns to the earthly world, things get complicated. At first, Charles is shocked by Elvira’s appearance. But then the experience becomes pleasant and soothing, much like their old life together. Charles’ suggests that it would be â€Å"fun† to have Elvira’s ghost stay with them. But that â€Å"fun† turns into a deadly duel, made all the more cunning by Coward’s surgically incisive wit. Ultimately, Coward suggests that a husband can be in love with two people at the same time. However, once the women find out about each other, disastrous results are sure to follow! Noel Coward’s Blithe Spirit playfully mocks the traditions of love and marriage. It also thumbs its nose at the Grim Reaper. What a perfect defense mechanism against the harsh realities England faced during World War II. West End audiences embraced this darkly amusing comedy. Blithe Spirit became a resounding success that continues to haunt the British and American stage.