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:

It is common belief among hindu's in our country, that a person has to undergo cycle of rebirths till moksh is attained. That is a person is born again after he/she dies.

It is possible under deep hypnosis, that a person regresses in time. It is possible that he counts his memories which were burried deep inside. He can remeber his childhood, time of infancy, even when he was in his, mother's womb. By regressing even further it is possible to rember his previous birth. He can be even regressed to his births before that and before that, and on and on.

According to Islamic point of view a person will go to heaven or hell according to his deeds, which will be judged by Allah on the day of judgement. One wonders, if one  denies the Hindu belief, where does one's sole goes after death. Because qayamat is Allah alone's choice, when it will come no one know, it does seem a fair question to me, where does one go after death, and where are people who have died.

It is said after anyone dies that may god give him jannat. But jannat will be given after qyamat.

I think in Quran itself God talks of raising the dead somewhere. I'm not sure exactly where.

Is it possible that this may refer to rebirth instead of judgment day?

Your opnion in this matter will be valuble.

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Answer:

Location of souls 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.

Respected 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.

The Islamic principle and guidance on this particular matter is absolutely straightforward: ie. the ‘soul’ of every human being basically goes through these four stages:

1. The stage of Pre-birth: with Allah Subhanah.
2. The stage of the life of this world: the soul is placed in a body where one lives the life of this world to give a test.
3. The stage between one’s death and the Day of Resurrection: the soul is deposited in a place named ‘Al-Barzakh’ by Allah Subhanah in His Glorious Quran.
4. The stage of the eternal life of the Hereafter: Eternal and everlasting bliss in Paradise or eternal torment in the Hell Fire.

The very concept of one having a re-birth, whereby the soul of one is returned back after death to another body is categorically rejected and denied by the Laws of the One Who created everything in existence!

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)."

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.

Your Question: ….One wonders, if one  denies the Hindu belief, where does one's sole goes after death. Because qayamat is Allah alone's choice, when it will come no one know, it does seem a fair question to me, where does one go after death, and where are people who have died.

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 brought loss upon themselves; 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 Resurrection , is known as ‘Al-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 Resurrection) is (as if) one of the Gardens of Paradise, or one of the pits of Hell!"

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