Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

I want to know what is the status of dead people in Islam. I have heard that we either go to Hell or Heaven dpending on our deeds but when is this decided as to who will go where?

Is there any other life after death as it is in other religions, where you may be reborn in some other avatar or being....? 

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Answer:

Rebirth and what happens after death

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Your Question: I want to know what is the status of dead people in Islam. I have heard that we either go to Hell or Heaven dpending on our deeds but when is this decided as to who will go where?
Dear and Beloved brother, whatever happens to the soul after death in the grave, on the Day of Judgment, etc. is what is known as the knowledge of the ‘unseen’; and none possesses the Knowledge of the unseen except Allah Subhanah, the Lord of the Worlds, Alone. Thus to know what exactly transpires after death or in the grave, we must rely on only what is Declared by the All-Knowing Lord in His Glorious Quran, or what Allah Subhanah made known to Prophet Mohamed (saws) through inspiration, and he (saws) narrated it to the believers in his authentic traditions.

One cannot of himself say ‘I think…’, ‘I suppose…’, ‘I assume….’, or ‘it is said….’ etc. when it comes to knowledge of the unseen! The Only One Who has the Absolute Knowledge of the Seen and the Unseen is none other than the One Who Created everything in existence; and He Alone has the Right to declare in Truth what exactly transpires in the events of the ‘unseen’. Thus for any information of the ‘unseen’ the believers must rely only on what is declared by the All-Knowing Lord in His Glorious Quran, or what He Willed to make known to the Last Messenger (saws) through inspiration, and he (saws) narrated it to the believers.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 8 Surah Anfaal verses 50-51:

50 If thou couldst see when the Angels take the souls of the unbelievers (at death) (how) they smite their faces and their backs (saying): "Taste the penalty of the blazing fire

51 Because of (the deeds) which your (own) hands sent forth: for Allah is never unjust to His servants.”

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 47 Surah Muhammad verses 27-28

27 But how (will it be) when the Angels take their souls at death and smite their faces and their backs?

28 This because they followed that which called forth the Wrath of Allah and they hated Allah's good pleasure; so He made their deeds of no effect.

In light of the above guidance of the Glorious Quran, it is evident that the Angels of Allah Subhanah take control of the soul of the deceased. Neither the soul has the power to ‘flee’ from the Angels, nor do the Angels of Allah set these souls free so that they may go where they please; and the Quran guides that the souls are placed in a place called the ‘Barzakh’.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 23 Muminoon verses 99-103:

99 (In Falsehood will they be) until when death comes to one of them he says: "O my Lord! send me back (to life)

100 In order that I may work righteousness in the things I neglected." By no means! It is but a word he says; before them is a ‘Barzakh’ (Veil or Partition) till the Day they are raised up.

101 Then when the Trumpet is blown, there will be no more relationships between them that day nor will one ask after another!

102 Then those whose balance (of good deeds) is heavy they will attain salvation:

103 But those whose balance is light will be those who have lost their souls; in Hell will they abide.

The literal meaning of the term ‘barzakh’ is something of a barrier or a veil, or something which is kept hidden. In Quranic terminology, the period between one’s death on earth and when one will be granted life again by Allah on the Day of Judgement, is known as ‘Barzakh’.

What happens immediately to the soul of the deceased is narrated in truth by the Messenger of Allah (saws):

Sunan of Abu-Dawood Hadith 4735 Narrated byAl-Bara' ibn Azib

The Prophet (saws) said: “When a believer is buried in the grave two angels will come to him (Munkar and Nakir, both have dark faces and blue eyes), make him sit up, and ask : ‘Who is your Lord?’ He will reply: ‘My Lord is Allah.’ They will ask him: ‘What is your religion?’ He will reply: ‘My religion is Islam.’ They will ask him: ‘What is your opinion about the man who was sent on a mission among you?’ He will reply: ‘He is the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him).’ They will ask: ‘ Who made you aware of this?’ He will reply: ‘I read Allah's Book, believed in it, and considered it true.’ Then a crier will call from Heaven: ‘My servant has spoken the truth. So spread a bed for him from Paradise, clothe him from Paradise, and open a door for him into Paradise.’ Then some of its air and perfume will come to him, and a space will be made for him as far as the eye can see. At the death of the unbeliever his soul will be restored to his body in the grave. Then two angels will come to him. They will make him sit up and ask him: ‘Who is your Lord?’ He will reply: ‘Alas, alas! I do not know.’ They will ask him: ‘What is your religion?’ He will reply: ‘Alas, alas! I do not know.’ They will ask: ‘Who was the man who was sent on a mission among you?’ He will reply: ‘Alas, alas! I do not know.’ Then a crier will call from Heaven: ‘He has lied, so spread a bed for him from Hell, clothe him from Hell, and open for him a door into Hell. Then some of its heat and burning hot wind will come to him, and his grave will be compressed, such that his ribs will be crushed together. An angel who is blind and dumb will then be placed in charge of him, having a sledge-hammer, such that, if a mountain were struck with it, it would become dust. He will give him a blow with it, which will be heard by everything between the east and the west except by men and jinn, and he will become dust. Then his soul will be restored to him (again).

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 5352 Narrated by Abu Sa'id

The Prophet (saws) said: "The grave (or the life of the soul between one’s death and one’s resurrection on the Day of Judgment) is (as if) one of the Gardens of Paradise, or one of the pits of Hell!"

Your Question: ….I have heard that we either go to Hell or Heaven dpending on our deeds but when is this decided as to who will go where?
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 39 Surah Zumar verses 68-75:

68 The Trumpet will be sounded when all that are in the heavens and on earth will swoon except such as it will please Allah (to exempt). Then will a second one be sounded when behold they will be standing and looking on!

69 And the earth will shine with the Glory of its Lord: the Record (of deeds) will be placed (open); the Prophets and the witnesses will be brought forward: and a Just Decision pronounced between them; and they will not be wronged (in the least).

70 And to every soul will be paid in full (the meed) of its deeds; and (Allah) Knoweth best all that they did.

71 The disbelievers will be led to Hell in crowds; until when they arrive there its gates will be opened and its Keepers (Guardian Angels) will say "Did not Messegners come to you from among yourselves rehearsing to you the Signs of your Lord and warning you of the meeting of this Day of yours?" The answer will be: "True: but the Decree of Punishment has been proved true against the disbelievers!"

72 (To them) will be said: "Enter ye the gates of Hell to dwell therein: and evil is (this) abode of the arrogant!"

73 And those who feared their Lord will be led to the Garden (of Paradise) in groups (according to their ranks): until behold!, they arrive there; its gates will be opened: and its Keepers (the Guardian Angels) will say: "Peace be upon you! Well have ye done! Enter ye here to dwell therein."

74 They will say: "Praise be to Allah Who has truly fulfilled His Promise to us and has given us (this) land in heritage: we can dwell in the Garden (of Paradise) as we will: how excellent a reward for those who work (righteousness)!"

75 And thou wilt see the Angels surrounding the Throne (of Allah Subhanah) on all sides, singing Glory and Praise to their Lord. The Decision between them (at Judgment) will be in (Perfect) Justice. And the cry (on all sides) will be "Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds!"

The way the soul is taken out of the deceased’s body by the Angels and the way it is treated immediately after death, one will have a very good idea, inclination, and knowledge of whether one has passed the test of life or miserably failed it; but the actual entry of the righteous into the Gardens of Paradise and the evil-doers into the Pits of Hell Fire will commence only after the Day of Judgment.

Your Question: Is there any other life after death as it is in other religions, where you may be reborn in some other avatar or being....? 

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 23 Surah Muminoon verses 12-16:

12 Man We did create from a quintessence (of clay);

13 Then We placed him as (a drop of) sperm in a place of rest firmly fixed;

14 Then We made the sperm into a clot of congealed blood; then of that clot We made a (foetus) lump; then We made out of that lump bones and clothed the bones with flesh; then We developed out of it another creature: so blessed be Allah the Best to create!

15 After that at length ye will die.

16 Again (only) on the Day of Judgment will ye be raised up!

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chatper 58 Surah Mujadila verse 6:

6 (Only) On the Day (of Judgment) that Allah will raise them all up (again) and show them the Truth of their conduct. Allah has reckoned its (value) though they may have forgotten it: for Allah is Witness to all things.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 7 Surah Aaraaf verses 24-25:

24 …On earth will be your dwelling-place and your means of livelihood for a (prescribed) time."

25 He (Allah) said: "therein shall ye live and therein shall ye die; and from it shall ye be taken out (for the Day of Judgment)."

Dear and beloved Brother, Islam Declares in Truth that each individual will be born only once, sent to live one life as a test on this earth; and each and every human being will taste the element of death only once…..and then all will be raised up to life again on the Day of Judgment to give a full accounting for their deeds in the Presence of their Lord Creator, Most Majestic, Most Supreme.

Every human being will be born only once, and we reiterate only once through the womb of their mother…..and the believers bear witness to the Truth Declared by Allah Subhanah that no one, absolutely no one will ever take birth again. After one has lived their prescribed life on this earth as a test, each and every human being will, without an iota of a doubt, taste the element of death. Then only on the Day of Judgment will all be raised up (not born!) and given life again and presented before their Lord Creator to give a full accounting of their deeds.

Each and every human being will ever only live one life on this earth; each and every human being will taste the element of death only once; and each and every human being will be raised up (not born) and given eternal and everlasting life in the Realms of the Hereafter.

The pagan concept of ‘rebirth’, whereby one is born again and again on earth until one reaches salvation is categorically denied and repudiated in Islam.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan