The Next Life is better and more enduring        

 

God – be glorified – said in the Quran 87: 17

æÇáÂÎöÑóÉõ ÎóíúÑñ æÃÈúÞóì

I.e. (While the Next Life is better and more enduring [than this life of the World.])       

 

And God – be glorified – said, rebuking Jews, in the Quran 2: 94

Þõáú Åäú ßÇäóÊú áóßõãõ ÇáÏøÇÑõ ÇáÂÎöÑóÉõ ÚöäúÏó Çááåö ÎÇáöÕóÉð ãöäú Ïõæäö ÇáäøÇÓö ÝóÊóãóäøóæÇ ÇáãóæúÊó Åäú ßõäúÊõãú ÕÇÏöÞöíä

I.e. (Say [Mohammed to the Jews]: 'If the abode of [Paradise in heaven in] the Next Life, in the neighborhood of God, is solely for you to the exclusion of the [rest of] people [who are Muslims],

then long for death [to go to Paradise in heaven and prosper there] if you are truthful [in your claim that Paradise is solely for you to the exclusion of others.])

  

I say: Man wishes only the thing that is better than what he has, so if the Next Life is not better than the life of the World, and if the world of souls is not better than the material world, then God – be glorified – will not say:

ÝóÊóãóäøóæÇ ÇáãóæúÊó Åäú ßõäúÊõãú ÕÇÏöÞöíä

I.e. (then long for death [to go to Paradise in heaven and prosper there] if you are truthful [in your claim that Paradise is solely for you to the exclusion of others.])         

 

God – be glorified – said in the Quran 93: 4, addressing His noble apostle Mohammed:

æáóáÂÎöÑóÉõ ÎóíúÑñ áóßó ãöäó ÇáÃõæáóì

I.e. (And surely [what We have prepared for you] for the Next Life is far better for you than [all that is in] the first [life of the World.])        

 

Moreover, God – be glorified – said in the Quran 4: 77

Þõáú ãóÊÇÚõ ÇáÏøõäúíÇ Þóáöíáñ æÇáÂÎöÑóÉõ ÎóíúÑñ áöãóä ÇÊøóÞóì

I.e. (Say, [Mohammed, to them], "The enjoyment of [this] World is little and the Next Life is better [than this life of the World] for him who wards off [the disobedience of God.])        

 

In addition, God – be glorified – said in the Quran 7: 169

æÇáÏøÇÑõ ÇáÂÎöÑóÉõ ÎóíúÑñ áöáøÐöíäó íóÊøóÞõæäó ¡ ÃÝóáÇ ÊóÚúÞöáõæä ¿

I.e. (And the Next Life abode is better for those who ward off [sins, and do not accept the bribe.]

Don't you then understand [O Jewish priests, and then refuse the bribe, and judge between people with justice?]")        

 

Also God – be glorified – said in the Quran 9: 38

ÃÑóÖöíÊõãú ÈöÇáÍóíÇÉö ÇáÏøõäúíÇ ãöäó ÇáÂÎöÑóÉö ¡ ÝóãÇ ãóÊÇÚõ ÇáÍóíÇÉö ÇáÏøäúíÇ Ýí ÇáÂÎöÑóÉö ÅáÇø Þóáöíáñ

I.e. (Do you prefer the [temporary] life of this World to the [lasting] Next Life?

But the provision of this World's life is only trivial [compared] with the Next Life.)        

 

Also, God – be glorified – said in the Quran 13: 26

æÝóÑöÍõæÇ ÈöÇáÍóíÇÉö ÇáÏøõäúíÇ ¡ æãÇ ÇáÍóíÇÉõ ÇáÏøõäúíÇ Ýí ÇáÂÎöÑóÉö ÅáÇø ãóÊÇÚñ

I.e. (And [Jews] rejoice in the life of the present World, but the life of this World is only a little comfort in [relation to] the Next Life.)        

 

And God – be glorified – said in the Quran 16: 30

æáóÏÇÑõ ÇáÂÎöÑóÉö ÎóíúÑñ æáóäöÚúãó ÏÇÑõ ÇáãõÊøóÞöíäó

I.e. (And the home of the Next Life will even be better [than the life of the World is.]

Pleasant indeed will the home of [the Next Life be for] those warding off [the sins.])        

 

In addition, God – be glorified – said in the Quran 29: 64

æÅäøó ÇáÏøÇÑó ÇáÂÎöÑóÉó áóåöíó ÇáÍóíóæÇäõ áóæú ßÇäõæÇ íóÚúáóãõæä

I.e. (Whereas the home of the Next Life, that is the everlasting life, if only they knew [the truth.])

  

I.e. the truth about the prosperity, rest and enjoyment in the Next Life.        

 

And God – be glorified – said in the Quran 87: 17

æÇáÂÎöÑóÉõ ÎóíúÑñ æÃÈúÞóì

I.e. (While the Next Life is better and more enduring [than this life of the World.])

 

 

 

Features of Souls after Death

   

The soul is a light ethereal structure that can ascend to the highest layers of the space without any wing; because they swim in the air just like how the fish swims in the water, but they cannot resist any air current; because they haven't wings like those of the bird, or fins like those of the fish by which it resists the stream of water.

  

They can go inside the earth and get out of it without difficulty. They, too, can enter the room, while the door is closed; because they can go in and out through the smallest hole.

  

When the soul separates from the body, his sight will be more sharp than when he was inside the body, which was like a covering of the soul; so that if man sees from a distance of 2 miles, then when he separates from his material body, he will see from a distance of 4 miles or more; that is because the cover which was on his sight has disappeared. This is in darkness; while in the light, his sight will be weak, so that he cannot see except the thing near to him.

  

Similarly, his hearing will be more potent when he separates from the body; because following that he can hear from a far distance. As such will all the soul special senses be more potent after death, except the special sense of speaking, which will be weak; because the material mouth to the soul is like a loud-speaker; so that when the soul separates from the body, then he cannot speak with any audible voice that can be heard by material persons; but souls, however, hear each other.

 

There is no road or any place that is far to the soul; because he moves with a speed like that of the air.

  

Souls may feel hunger or thirst; but their eating and drinking is not essential; that is if they obtain food, they will eat; and if they do not obtain, they will not eat [and will not die; because they have already died.] Similarly, if they find water, they will drink; but if they do not find water, they will not die.

  

Souls do not breathe, i.e. do not take oxygen from the air, and do not need it; but their lungs are quiet and calm, so if they inspire air accidentally, it will be heavy in their interior, and they will not have rest until they expel the air and get it out of their interior.

  

The soul eyelids do not blink, as it was in the life of the World, but instead his sight will be fixed forwards and he cannot roll his sight to the right or to the left; however, they can close their sight if they want.

  

When souls separate from bodies by death, they can see angels then, genies and devils; because they will become ethereal creatures like them.        

 

God – be glorified – said in the Quran 25: 22

íóæúãó íóÑóæúäó ÇáãóáÇÆßóÉó áÇ ÈõÔúÑì íóæúãóÆÐò áöáúãõÌúÑöãöíäó æíóÞõæáõæäó ÍöÌúÑÇð ãóÍúÌõæÑÇð

I.e. (On the day [of their death] when they will see the angels [of death seizing their souls] – no glad news on that day be for the guilty, and [the angels] shall say [to them]: "An arrest [and detainment for you by devils] enclosed [on you till Doomsday.]")

  

In addition to that, souls do not sleep, but only a doze overtakes them, and "that is the condition which overtakes man before sleeping, when he closes his eyes and feels sleepiness, but actually he is not sleeping, so that if anyone speaks, he will hear his speech and understand what he means." This condition which is at the beginning of sleep is called the 'doze'.        

 

God – be glorified – said in the Quran 2: 255

Çááåõ áÇ Åáåó ÅáÇø åõæó ÇáÍóíøõ ÇáÞóíøõæãõ ¡ áÇ ÊóÃÎõÐõåõ ÓöäóÉñ æáÇ äóæúãñ

I.e. (God! No god [to be worshipped] but He [alone], the Alive [Who dies not], the Disposer [in the affairs of the universe and creatures.]

Neither doze nor sleep can overtake Him.)

 

Its interpretation: Neither doze overtakes Him, like that overtakes the soul, nor sleep like the sleeping of the body.       

 

God – be glorified – said in the Quran 79: 13-14

ÝóÅäøãÇ åöíó ÒóÌúÑóÉñ æÇÍöÏóÉñ . ÝóÅÐÇ åõãú ÈöÇáÓøÇåöÑóÉö

I.e. (But surely, it will be but a single [compelling] cry, when they will immediately be in the sleepless [world.])

   

It means: when, behold, people will die from that compelling cry, and so their souls will go to a world wherein they will awake and will not sleep.

  

The word ÓóåóÑ i.e. sleeplessness or insomnia, is the inability to sleep.

[This also is the meaning of the word in the Arab poetry, some of which is mentioned by Mohammed-Ali Hassan Al-Hilly, the interpreter of the Quran and the Bible, in his Arabic book.]

 

1. God – be glorified – said in the Quran 7: 40

Åäø ÇáøÐöíäó ßóÐøóÈõæÇ ÈöÂíÇÊöäÇ æÇÓúÊóßúÈóÑõæÇ ÚóäúåÇ áÇ ÊõÝóÊøóÍõ áóåõãú ÃÈúæÇÈõ ÇáÓøóãÇÁö æáÇ íóÏúÎõáõæäó ÇáÌóäøÉó ÍóÊøóì íóáöÌó ÇáÌóãóáõ Ýí Óóãøö ÇáÎöíÇØö

I.e. (Those that deny Our signs and are arrogant against [accepting] them – the gates of [the gaseous] heaven shall not be opened to them, nor shall they enter Paradise until the camel passes through the eye of the needle.)

  

The interpretation:

>> (the gates of [the gaseous] heaven shall not be opened to them) indicates that they have the ability to ascend up in the sky, but its gates won't be opened for them. And suppose that they open its gates for them, then they can ascend to Paradise.

 

2. And God – be glorified – said in the Quran 15: 14

æáóæú ÝóÊóÍúäÇ Úóáóíúåöãú ÈÇÈÇð ãöäó ÇáÓøãÇÁö ÝóÙóáøõõæÇ Ýíåö íóÚúÑõÌõæä

I.e. (And even if We opened before their [eyes] a gate of heaven and the [angels] continued ascending [to heaven] through it.)

  

This aya (or Quranic revelation) indicates too that man has the ability to ascend in the sky after his separation from his material body.

 

3. Moreover, God – be glorified – said in the Quran 6: 35

ÝóÅäö ÇÓúÊóØóÚúÊó Ãäú ÊóÈúÊóÛöíó äóÝóÞÇð Ýí ÇáÃÑúÖö Ãæú ÓõáøóãÇð Ýí ÇáÓøãÇÁö ÝóÊóÃÊöíóåõãú ÈöÂíóÉò ...ÇáÎ

I.e. (Then, if you can seek for a shaft down into the earth or a ladder up into the sky, to bring to them a miracle [to convince them all] …etc.)

   

This Quranic revelation, too, indicates that man, i.e. the soul, can go inside the earth, and has the ability to ascend in the sky or heaven.

 

4. In addition, God – be glorified – said in the Quran 50: 22

áóÞóÏú ßõäúÊó Ýí ÛóÝúáóÉò ãöäú åÐÇ ÝóßóÔóÝúäÇ Úóäúßó ÛöØÇÁóßó ÝóÈóÕóÑõßó Çáíóæúãó ÍóÏöíÏñ 

I.e. ([It will be said to him:] “You used to be oblivious to this; but We have now [by death] removed from you your cover, so today keen is your sight.”)

 

The 'cover' is the material body; because it is a cover for the soul; the 'sight' is the eye of the soul, and the word 'sharp' means sharp sight.

This is like His saying – be glorified – in the Quran 33: 19

ÝóÅÐÇ ÐóåóÈó ÇáÎóæúÝõ ÓóáóÞõæßõãú ÈöÃáúÓöäóÉòò ÍöÏÇÏò

I.e. (But when the fear [of war] disappears, they assail you with sharp tongues.)

  

[The interpreter mentioned, in the Arabic book, some of the Arabic poetry where this word was mentioned bearing a similar meaning.]

 

5. And God – be glorified – said in the Quran 27: 85

ææóÞóÚó ÇáÞóæúáõ Úóáóíúåöãú ÈöãÇ ÙóáóãõæÇ Ýóåõãú áÇ íóäúØöÞõæä

I.e. (And the word [of punishment] will be sentenced against them, because of their wrong-doing; and they will not utter [any audible word.])

  

It means: They will not talk with audible voice; but their talking will be hidden, having no voice that we can hear.

 

6. God – be glorified – said also in the Quran 77: 35-36

åÐÇ íóæúãõ áÇ íóäúØöÞõæä . æáÇ íõÄúÐóäõ áóåõãú ÝóíóÚúÊóÐöÑõæä

I.e. (This is the day when they cannot utter [any audible word,]

Nor are they permitted [to talk] so they may apologize.)

  

Its interpretation: There is no voice for their talking; because they are ethereal, and it will not be allowed for them to apologize.

  

Therefore, the 'speech' is other than the 'talking'.

The 'speech' is the talking with a voice, while that without voice is not called speech, but it is called 'talking'.

While as regard to the word 'talking', it includes both that with a voice and that without voice.

 

7. Furthermore, God – be glorified – said in the Quran 20: 108

æÎóÔóÚóÊö ÇáÃÕúæÇÊõ áöáÑøÍúãäö ÝóáÇ ÊóÓúãóÚõ ÅáÇø åóãúÓÇð

I.e. (And voices will be hushed before [God] Most Gracious, so that you will not hear anything more than whispering.)

  

It means: You don't hear any sound from their talking, but their talking is by whispering. The 'whispering' is the hidden talking which has no apparent voice.

 

8. In addition, God – be glorified – said in the Quran 19: 98

æßóãú ÃåúáóßúäÇ ÞóÈúáóåõãú ãöäú ÞóÑúäò åóáú ÊõÍöÓøõ ãöäúåõãú ãöäú ÃÍóÏò Ãæ ÊóÓúãóÚõ áóåõãú ÑößúÒÇð ¿

I.e. (And how many a generation before [your people] We destroyed! Can you perceive [any movement of] any of them, or hear from them any foot-fall sound?)

  

The interpretation: 

>> (Can you perceive [any movement of] any of them, or hear from them any foot-fall sound?) This indicates that they are present, not absent, but you do not perceive them, because they are ethereal creatures, neither do you hear their footsteps.

  

This is the meaning, in Arabic, of the word ÑößúÒ i.e. the sound of foot-steps.

  

Souls couple and make sexual intercourse, but they do not ejaculate [semen], do not give birth, [do not reproduce], and will have no children in the Next Life except the one whose child died in the life of the World, so he will meet him in the Next Life, and the child will remain as he is, will not grow in spite of the passing of years and eras, so that his parents will be delightful with him in the Next Life.

  

Souls can talk with us, and let us understand what they want, and that is by inspiring, but on some conditions:

 

 

[How can souls inspire us?]

 

First: That must be at night, or in a dark place; because the soul avoids the sun-light.

Second: The place must be quiet: without sounds or noise; in order that man can understand the words of the soul.

Third: The air must be calm; in order that their talking may reach our minds. Hence, the most suitable time for that is at midnight; because people are sleeping and sounds are low [i.e. there is a complete silence.]

Fourth: The person, to whom they talk, should be clever and aware in order to understand their talking; or otherwise he will not understand.

Fifth: You must talk with them in a low voice, mustn't sneeze, nor cough; because the loud sound annoys the soul; in addition to that, the air will start to move and wave because of our voices; so that the talking of souls with us will be interrupted.

 

 

Here is a story that confirms what I have just said

One day, I traveled from Hilla to Diwaniyeh [: two cities in Iraq, to the south of Baghdad, about seventy miles apart.] I stayed there for four days working as a photographer.

On the fifth day, I decided to return back to Hilla; so when I went to bed, I asked God to send me someone to awaken me from sleep at 9.30 p.m. [This was according to the Arabic [Eastern] timing calculated from the sun-set time], i.e. two hours before dawn to go to the railway station and take the train to Hilla; the train left Diwaniyeh at about 10 p.m. so that I would have half an hour from my awaking until the departure of the train, and it would be enough time because the station of Diwaniyeh was near to the city. [I think this story happened about the year 1935, or few years before or after – The translator.]

Then I slept in 'Al-Bahrany Hotel', to awake from sleep a few hours later. There wasn't in that room anybody other than myself; I asked myself:"I don't know what the time now is!" i.e. I didn't know was it late so that it was morning, or was it early so that I can return to sleep again.

I said these words with myself, but my lips moved slightly so that if a person puts his ears on my mouth, he cannot hear that from me, and it was inspired into my mind that the time was 9.25 p.m. This was just as if there was somebody beside me and he told me the time; his words were fixed in my mind, I understood them, and recognized the direction of the speech too, and I would not forget that the talking was inspired to me from the right side, i.e. from the direction of the middle of the room, not from its wall direction.

I went on repeating those words with my tongue saying: "twenty-five minutes past nine".

In fact, I didn't hear to those words any voice, but they only were inspired into my mind with an inspiration, so I astonished of that and said to myself: "Who knew what I thought with myself, so as to answer me about it?"

Therefore, he answered me about that and I understood from that inspiring person that he said: "I am your brother Salih!" So my astonishment increased furthermore, and I lifted my head from the pillow, and turned my face right and left; but I did not find anyone in the room other than myself.

Anyhow, I didn't bother myself with his talking and his saying: "I am your brother Salih!"; but instead I said to myself that my brother had died when he was seven years old and was buried in the city of Karbala, then how can he talk to me the while he is dead!? And how can he come to me at Diwaniyeh, the while he was buried in Karbala?

Then, I got up from sleep, and picked my [pocket] watch from the pocket of my jacket, which was hanged on the wall beside me; I looked at it, and it was 9.28 pm, so that three minutes of time had passed, i.e. from the moment when my brother told me the time until I saw the watch; so that the time was exactly as did he tell me with no increment or decrease of even one minute; therefore, that added more to my astonishment.

Many other questions came to my mind, and I wished that he might answer me about them, but I did not hear from him any answer, and that was, as I think, because the air in the room started to move and wave on account of the movements and coughing that I did. So that, for this reason, his talking stopped and I did not understand anything more from him.

I say: No doubt that God – be glorified – sent to me the soul of my brother to awaken me from sleep as an answer to my prayer and supplication; then when my brother awakened me and heard my question about the time, he answered me about it and acquainted me about the time. Then when he heard me asking about who was the talking person, he answered me: "I am your brother Salih!"

After that, I got up, wore my clothes, went to the station, took the train and returned to Hilla.

I say that my brother Salih did not come from the city of Karbala to Diwaniyeh at that time, but I think that he descended from heaven, and God – be glorified – sent him to awaken me, as had I asked from Him.

Moreover, as regards the children of believers: after their death, the angels take them to Paradise, and they do not stay upon the earth except those who exceeded ten years of age. This is confirmed by the observations that I saw in the world of souls, when I fell down from a high place, and that has been mentioned in this book under the title of Was it death or fainting?

And I saw my sister, in our house, whose age had been twelve years. I saw also my uncle Ali who had been a young man, but I did not see my little brothers in the house, who died before my birth; because the angels had taken them to Paradise; specially, my brother Salih who had been seven years old [when he died], and who prayed, sometimes in his Worldly life], but his prayer was not by reciting the opening soora[i] of the Quran, but he complained to God his needs; because he was an orphan, and there was none to give him the toys, clothes and other things which he liked. Therefore, no doubt that God – be glorified – gave him what he desired, but in Paradise.

 

 

In addition to that, this is another story of Salih Quasim Al-Mosily; he said:

"I was a soldier in Baghdad. Once, I had a duty in military guarding; and when my duty was over, I went to the ward and lied down on my bed; it was mid-night time, and I saw a ghost approach me; I turned towards it and saw that it was my mother, who bent upon me and said: 'Huoo!'

Her shape terrified me in that darkness, so I got up of my bed, but I did not see anyone; therefore, I enkindled a candle and searched in the ward about her, and I did not find anyone; so I returned again to my bed, and again my mother approached towards me, bent upon me and said: 'Huoo!'; I was afraid then, and went out of the ward and slept in another place.

Next morning, I received a telegram from Mosul city that 'Your mother died yesterday.' Therefore, I realized that it was her spirit who had visited me at night."

 

 

Question 6 Do souls come to visit their families?

Answer:  They come when they are anxious to visit them, and the souls greet them and talk with them, but the [living family members] do not see the souls and do not hear their talking; so when the souls find no hope of that, they will return to their places.

 

 

Question 7 Why don't souls dwell in their houses in which they were dwelling during this life of the World? And why do souls not sit with their families?

 

Answer: Souls cannot be familiar with material beings; because they cannot sit and talk with them; for this reason, they will be familiar with souls of their like; because they can see them, sit with them and talk to them, as it is said in a proverb: "The kind inclines to its kind" and in another proverb: "Birds of a feather flock together."

  

In addition to that, souls avoid the noise and loud sounds, and avoid also the strikes which face them like the throwing of a stone, or the strike of a bird {as had it stricken me and cut my inner organs}, or what is like that; so that they like [and prefer] the isolation from people.

 

 

 

Spiritual Creatures

  

Spiritual creatures are many kinds like: angels, genies, devils and human souls …etc. Each kind of them is called ÃãÑ i.e. am'r.      

 

God – be glorified – said in the Quran 42: 52

æßóÐáößó ÃæúÍóíúäÇ Åáóíúßó ÑõæÍÇð ãöäú ÃãúÑöäÇ ãÇ ßõäúÊó ÊóÏúÑöí ãÇ ÇáßöÊÇÈõ æáÇ ÇáÅíãÇäõ

I.e. ([Just as had We revealed to the prophets before you by a messenger out of the angels], as such have We revealed to you [Mohammed by] a ghost [: Gabriel: the Trustworthy Ghost who is one] of Our am'r [: Our spiritual creatures.]

[Although before the revelation] you were not aware about the [heavenly] scripture and the faith.)

  

Its interpretation: To you, also, We sent Gabriel who is one of Our spiritual creatures.       

 

God – be glorified – said in the Quran 40: 15

ÑóÝöíÚõ ÇáÏøóÑóÌÇÊö Ðõæ ÇáÚóÑúÔö ¡ íõáúÞöí ÇáÑøõæÍó ãöäú ÃãúÑöåö Úóáóì ãóäú íóÔÇÁõ ãöäú ÚöÈÇÏöåö áöíõäúÐöÑó íóæúãó ÇáÊøáÇÞö

I.e. ([God Who is] the Exalter of degrees [of the righteous, in Paradise], Lord of the [unique] throne [on which He mounted].

He casts [Gabriel:] the ‘Ghost’ [who is one] of His ‘am'r’ [: ‘spiritual creatures’] upon whom of His servants [God] likes [to be an apostle], that he [: the apostle] may warn [people] of the day of meeting [of the past with the later generations.])

  

Its interpretation: God – be glorified – makes Gabriel, who is one of spiritual creatures, descend upon whom He chooses among His servants for the prophecy; in order that the prophet will warn people about the "day of meeting", which is the day when former generations gather with the latter.       

 

God – be glorified – said in the Quran 32: 5

íõÏóÈøöÑõ ÇáÃãúÑó ãöäó ÇáÓøóãÇÁö Åáóì ÇáÃÑúÖö ¡ Ëõãøó íóÚúÑõÌõ Åáóíúåö Ýí íóæúãò ßÇäó ãöÞúÏÇÑõåõ ÃáúÝó ÓóäóÉò ãöãøÇ ÊóÚõÏøõæäó

I.e. (He directs the "am'r" [: the angels] from the heaven to the earth, then the [amr] will ascend to Him [in heaven] in a day, the measure of which is a thousand years of that you [people] count [of your years.])

  

Its interpretation: God – be glorified – assigned for "the guide", that is Prophet Mohammed – salam to him – pursuers in front of and behind him; they are the angels, who protect him from the evil spiritual creatures.        

 

God – be glorified – said in the Quran 97: 4

ÊóäóÒøóáõ ÇáãóáÇÆßóÉõ æÇáÑøõæÍõ ÝíåÇ ÈöÅÐúäö ÑóÈøöåöãú ¡ ãöäú ßõáøö ÃãúÑò

I.e. (The angels and [Gabriel] the [Honest or Trustworthy] Spirit do descend [from heaven] during it[1] – by the leave of their Lord – [some out] of every am'r[ii] [: of every kind of spiritual creatures in Paradise.])

  

Its interpretation: On the "night of Qad'r" or the ‘Grand Night’ [i.e. the night of value] there will descend some out of every kind of spiritual creatures, that are in Our neighborhood in heaven. They descend on the night of Qad'r, accompanied by Gabriel, the Holly Spirit (or Holly Ghost.)       

 

God – be glorified – said in the Quran 17: 85

æóíóÓúÃáõæäóßó Úóä ÇáÑøõæÍö ¡ Þõá ÇáÑøõæÍõ ãöäú ÃãúÑö ÑóÈøöí æãÇ ÃõæÊöíÊõã ãöäó ÇáÚöáúãö ÅáÇø ÞóáöíáÇð

I.e. (They ask you [Mohammed] about [Gabriel:] the Spirit [of revelation.]

Say: "[Gabriel] the Spirit [of revelation] is [one] of my Lord's am'r [: or ethereal creatures.]

And, of the knowledge, you [people] have only been given so little.")

  

Its interpretation: They ask you, Mohammed, about Gabriel; say: "He is one of my Lord's spiritual creatures."

  

Therefore, each kind of spiritual creatures is called an "am'r"; its plural is called am'rs.       

 

God – be glorified – said in the Quran 3: 109

æááåö ãÇ Ýí ÇáÓøãÇæÇÊö æãÇ Ýí ÇáÃÑÖö æÅáóì Çááåö ÊõÑúÌóÚõ ÇáÃãõæÑ

I.e. (To God belongs whatsoever is in the [gaseous] heavens and whatsoever is in the earth [: all the planets]; and to God all the amr's [: all spiritual creatures] will be returned [after departing from their bodies by the process of death.])       

 

Moreover, God – be glorified – said in the Quran 3: 186

æÅäú ÊóÕúÈöÑõæÇ æÊóÊøóÞõæÇ ÝóÅäø Ðáößó ãöäú ÚóÒúãö ÇáÃãõæÑ

I.e. (But if you persevere [about that] and ward off [the disobedience of God], then such [moral traits] are among the firm morale of am'rs [: angels.])

  

Its interpretation: Patience and forgiveness are good manners, for they are part of the conduct of angels.

 

 

Their Features

  

Generally, spiritual creatures cannot be seen by human beings or by other material beings; unless they want to show themselves to us, then we see them. While as regard souls, we cannot see them, and they cannot show themselves to us, except in the dream only, but spiritual creatures can see each other.       

 

God – be glorified – said in the Quran 9: 26

Ëõãø ÃäúÒóáó Çááåõ ÓóßöíäóÊóåõ Úóáóì ÑóÓõæáöåö æÚóáóì ÇáãõÄúãöäöíäó æÃäúÒóáó ÌõäõæÏÇð áóãú ÊóÑóæúåÇ

I.e. (Then God brought down[iii] His 'assuredness' on His apostle [Mohammed] and on the believers; and brought down [from heaven] hosts[iv] [of angels to persuade and encourage the believers to fight and be steadfast] whom you did not see [O Muslims.])

  

The 'hosts', here, means the angels.        

 

Moreover, God – be glorified – said in the Quran 33: 9

íÇ ÃíøõåÇ ÇáøÐöíäó ÂãóäõæÇ ÇÐúßõÑõæÇ äöÚúãóÉó Çááåö Úóáóíúßõãú ÅÐú ÌÇÁóÊúßõãú ÌõäõæÏñ ÝóÃóÑúÓóáúäÇ Úóáóíúåöãú ÑöíÍÇð æÌõäõæÏÇð áóãú ÊóÑóæúåÇ

I.e. (O believers, remember God's favor towards you, when there came against you hosts [of the associaters], and We sent against them a wind and hosts [of angels] whom you could not see.)

 

In addition, God – be glorified – said in the Quran 7: 27 – warning about the devil:

Åäøåõ íóÑÇßõãú åõæó æÞóÈöíáõåõ ãöäú ÍóíúËõ áÇ ÊóÑóæúäóåõãú ¡ ÅäøÇ ÌóÚóáúäÇ ÇáÔøíÇØöíäó ÃæúáöíÇÁó áöáøÐöíäó áÇ íõÄúãöäõæä

I.e. (Surely, he sees you, he and his 'tribe who are like him' from where you see them not. Surely, We have made the devils the masters of those who do not believe [in the messengers.])

  

Its interpretation: The devil sees you, he and those spiritual creatures who are like him, from where you don't see them, all.

  

While as regard His saying – be glorified – in the Quran 25: 22

íóæúãó íóÑóæúäó ÇáãóáÇÆßóÉó áÇ ÈõÔúÑì íóæúãóÆÐò áöáúãõÌúÑöãöíäó

I.e. (On the day [of their death] when they will see the angels [of death seizing their souls] – no glad news on that day be for the guilty.]")

  

This will be in the world of the Barzakh [or the world of souls or the afterlife, which is the period after man's death till Doomsday], and on Doomsday, i.e. after death, man can see angels; because he will become a spiritual being like them.  

 

  

The ‘inspiration’

As regards their talking with us; it is by inspiration, i.e. one of them sends the words to the mind of the material man with whom he wants to talk; so that he makes him understand. This is called an 'inspiration'.

  

Whereas their talking with each other, is just as how do we speak to each other, but it is by whispering, i.e. with no audible voice that can be heard by material beings.  

  

But angels and genies can speak with audible speech that has a hearable voice; because angels can, temporarily, appear before eyes; like Gabriel who spoke to Mary, the daughter of Imram [: mother of Jesus Christ.]

  

God – be glorified – said in the Quran 19: 17-19

ÝóÃÑúÓóáúäÇ ÅáóíúåÇ ÑõæÍóäÇ ÝóÊóãóËøóáó áóåÇ ÈóÔóÑÇð ÓóæöíøÇð . ÞÇáóÊú Åäøí ÃÚõæÐõ ÈöÇáÑøÍúãÇäö ãöäúßó Åäú ßõäúÊó ÊóÞöíøÇð . ÞÇáó ÅäøãÇ ÃäÇ ÑóÓõæáõ ÑóÈøößö áÃåóÈó áóßö ÛõáÇãÇð ÒóßöíøÇð

I.e. (And We sent to her[2] Our ‘spirit’[3], who assumed before her the likeness of a well-made man.

[And when Mary saw him,] she said: "I seek refuge with [God] Most Gracious from you, if you are pious."

He said: “[O Mary] I am only a messenger from your Lord; [I came] to offer to you a boy, pure [from sins.] “) 

 

  

While as regards genies: some of them are alive and some are dead; the living genies can speak to the humans, but the dead among them cannot do that.

  

Whereas as regards human souls, they cannot speak to us, but their talking to us is by 'inspiration'.

 

The 'inspiration' is the sending of words from one person to another who can understand it without any voice.

 

1. God – be glorified – said in the Quran 11: 49

Êöáúßó ãöäú ÃäúÈÇÁö ÇáÛóíúÈö äõæÍöíåÇ Åáóíúßó ¡ ãÇ ßõäúÊó ÊóÚúáóãõåÇ ÃäúÊó æáÇ Þóæúãõßó ãöäú ÞóÈúáö åÐÇ ...ÇáÎ

I.e. (These [stories and tidings] are [some] of the tidings of "the Unknown" that We reveal to you [Mohammed]; which neither did you nor your people [the Arab] know, before this [revelation] …etc.)

 

2. In addition, God – be glorified – said in the Quran 6: 121

æÅäø ÇáÔøíÇØöíäó áóíõæÍõæäó Åáì ÃæáöíÇÆåöãú áöíõÌÇÏöáõæßõãú ¡ æÅäú ÃØóÚúÊõãõæåõãú Åäøßõãú áóãõÔúÑößõæä

I.e. (The devils inspire their allies [: the associaters] to wrangle with you [about eating the meat of dead animals]; if you obey them, indeed you are associaters [like them.])

  

Now let us explain about each kind of spiritual creatures separately; and God is the Guide to the right [way.]

 

 

 

Angels

  

Angels are ethereal spiritual creatures having light transparent bodies. Angels can ascend up to the heaven without any wing, and descend quickly down to the earth.

  

They can show us themselves, and can talk to us with audible voices. Some angels came to some prophets, spoke to them and told them certain things; and the prophets heard the speech of the angels and saw them, as in the stories of the prophets Abraham, Lot, David and Mary the daughter of Imram [: mother of the Christ.]   

God – be glorified – said in the Quran 51: 24

åóáú ÃÊÇßó ÍóÏöíÊõ ÖóíúÝö ÅÈúÑÇåöíãó ÇáãõßúÑóãöíäó ¿

I.e. (Have you understood what you had received [before this soora] of the tale of the honored guests of Abraham?)

  

The guests of Abraham were [three] angels, who appeared before him in the shape of three men.       

 

Moreover, God – be glorified – said in the Quran 19: 17

ÝóÃÑúÓóáúäÇ ÅáóíúåÇ ÑõæÍóäÇ ÝóÊóãóËøóáó áóåÇ ÈóÔóÑÇð ÓóæöíøÇð

I.e. (And We sent to her[4] [Gabriel] Our ‘spirit’[5], who assumed before her the likeness of a well-made man.)

  

That, who appeared before her in the shape of a man, was Gabriel.       

 

In addition to that, God – be glorified – said in the Quran 38: 21

æåóáú ÃÊÇßó äóÈóÃõ ÇáÎóÕúãö ÅÐú ÊóÓóæøóÑõæÇ ÇáãöÍúÑÇÈó ¿

I.e. (And have you [Mohammed] received the tale of the [two] disputants; when they scaled [the wall of Prophet David's] chamber, from over the arch?)

  

Those, who scaled or climbed over the arch of the prayer chamber, were [two] angels.

  

To confirm this, I mention, here, some incidents:

'I used to awake every day early in the morning for the [dawn] prayer; but it might sometimes happen that I might not awake, then my mother would awaken me for prayer.

Sometimes, I might travel to some countries or to some cities and sleep that night in one of the hotels, and when the time of the dawn prayer was due, I would hear somebody awakening me from my sleep, saying: "Mohammed-Ali, awake and get up for prayer!"

Then I awoke from sleep, but I did not see who had awakened me. In addition to that, the persons sleeping in that hotel did not know me and did not know my name; so I would surprise from that and say to myself: No doubt he is an angel who has come to awaken me for prayer. Then I would get up to pray.'

 

Some angels are without any wing, while others have two wings like birds [others have four like the butterfly.]       

 

God – be glorified – said in the Quran 35: 1

ÇáÍóãúÏõ ááåö ÝÇØöÑö ÇáÓøãÇæÇÊö æÇáÃÑÖö ¡ ÌÇÚöáö ÇáãóáÇÆßóÉö ÑõÓõáÇð Ãæáöí ÃÌúäöÍóÉò ãóËúäóì æ ËõáÇËó æ ÑõÈÇÚó

I.e. (Praise is due to God, the Splitter of the heavens and the earth, Who appoints the angels as messengers – having wings – [and He sends them in groups of] twos, threes and fours.)

  

The interpretation:

>> ([and He sends them in groups of] twos, threes and fours) means: He sends them to the prophets: one time as two, another time: three, and still another time He sends four angels. It does not imply the number of wings, but implies the number of the angels that are sent.

  

Angels were human beings at the beginning of their creation, but when they died they became souls, then God – be glorified – clothed them with ethereal skins; and so they became angels; because they had been righteous and pious in their life of the World, then they went to the ether world, and God made them the angels, and admitted them to His Gardens. Similarly, the righteous among us, God will also make them angels, and admit them to His Gardens.    

 

God – be glorified – said in the Quran 43: 60

æáóæú äóÔÇÁõ áóÌóÚóáúäÇ ãöäúßõãú ãóáÇÆßóÉð Ýí ÇáÃÑúÖö íóÎúáõÝõæäó

I.e. (And if We please [O people] We can make, out of you,[v] angels in the earth to succeed [the angels who were before them.])

  

This Quranic revelation indicates that man can become an angel if he is righteous.

  

The angels inhabited the ancient planets, i.e. they inhabited the ancient earths which had been broken up in the ancient times [when their Doomsday was due] and they became the meteorites. That was when they were in the material World, while today they inhabit the ethereal heavens, i.e. they inhabit the Gardens.

  

Angels are similar to souls in most of their features; so as do souls eat and drink but all their food is ethereal; similarly, angels eat and drink, but all that is ethereal.

  

And like souls, angels have no children in the Next Life, except those who died as a child in the life of the World, so he remains in the Next Life as a child that does not grow older, and his parents will be pleased with him. Moreover, their wives do not have menses or the monthly cycles; and so angels are like souls in this respect.

  

And like souls who do not sleep, similarly angels do not sleep also.

  

In summary, angels are like souls in most of their features, except some features in which they differ from souls, e.g. angels make us hear their voices and show us themselves, and can carry light objects; but souls cannot do that; because angels are covered by ethereal skins, while souls haven't any covering; therefore, they cannot show us themselves or make us hear their voices save in the dream. Souls cannot carry the material object, even though it be a bird's feather, but on Doomsday, God – be glorified – will cloth them with ethereal skins so that they will be like angels, and at that time they can show us themselves and make us hear their voices, but today they cannot.       

 

God – be glorified – said in the Quran 43: 19

æÌóÚóáõæÇ ÇáãóáÇÆßóÉó ÇáøÐöíäó åõãú ÚöÈÇÏõ ÇáÑøÍúãÇäö ÅäÇËÇð ¡ ÃÔóåöÏõæÇ ÎóáúÞóåõãú ¿ ÓóÊõßúÊóÈõ ÔóåÇÏóÊõåõãú æíõÓúÃáõæäó

I.e. (And they claim that the angels, who in fact are [male] servants of [God], the 'Most Gracious' – are females[vi]. Did they witness their creation [and see that God created them as females]? Their testimony [about that] will be written down [by Our angels], and they will be questioned [on Judgment Day, a question of rebuke, not a question of judgment.])

  

The interpretation:

>> (who [actually] are [male] servants of [God], the 'Most Gracious') means: They were human beings like them, then they became angels, and that was because of their piety and righteousness.

 

This is like His saying – be glorified – in the Quran 38: 45

æÇÐúßõÑú ÚöÈÇÏóäÇ ÅÈúÑÇåöíãó æ ÅÓÍÇÞó æíóÚúÞõæÈó Ãæáöí ÇáÃíÏöí æÇáÃÈúÕÇÑ

I.e. (Mention also [in the Book] Our servants: Abraham, Isaac and Jacob [to your people, O Mohammed, to take them as examples] – men of hands [of favor on their people] were they and of insight.)

  

Angels are the hosts of God's and His messengers (or apostles) whom:

 

•         He sends to the prophets to teach and guide people,

•         to protect the prophets from the evil of devils,

•         to record the deed and acts of people

•         and to be the witnesses to them on the Judgment Day       

 

God – be glorified – said in the Quran 35: 1

ÇáÍóãúÏõ ááåö ÝÇØöÑö ÇáÓøãÇæÇÊö æÇáÃÑÖö ¡ ÌÇÚöáö ÇáãóáÇÆßóÉö ÑõÓõáÇð Ãæáöí ÃÌúäöÍóÉò ãóËúäóì æËõáÇËó æÑõÈÇÚó ¡ íóÒöíÏõ Ýí ÇáÎóáúÞö ãÇ íóÔÇÁõ ¡ Åäø Çááåó Úóáóì ßõáøö ÔóíÁò ÞóÏöíÑñ

I.e. (Praise is due to God, the Splitter of the heavens and the earth, Who appoints the angels as messengers – having wings – [and He sends them in groups of] twos, threes and fours. He [in the future, will] increase in the creation as He wills; for God is Omnipotent over everything.)

  

The interpretation:

>> (having wings) like the wings of birds.

>> ([and He sends them in groups of] twos, threes and fours) means: He sends them to the prophets in groups of two in a group, three in a group or four in a group.

>> (He increases [any] creation He wills) means: He will create, in the future, another kind of creatures, other than angels, genies and human beings.       

 

God – be glorified – said in the Quran 22: 75

Çááåõ íóÕúØóÝöí ãöäó ÇáãóáÇÆßóÉö ÑõÓõáÇð æãöäó ÇáäøÇÓö ¡ Åäø Çááåó ÓóãíÚñ ÈóÕöíÑñ

 I.e. (God chooses, out of angels, some messengers; and out of people, [He also chooses some messengers.]

Surely God is All-Hearing [of their words, and] All-Seeing [of their acts.])

  

Therefore, when man separates from his material body, at the time of death, he will see the angels and can talk with them; because he will be a spiritual being like them.       

 

God – be glorified – said in the Quran 25: 22

íóæúãó íóÑóæúäó ÇáãóáÇÆßóÉó áÇ ÈõÔúÑì íóæúãóÆÐò áöáúãõÌúÑöãöíäó æíóÞõæáõæäó ÍöÌúÑÇð ãóÍúÌõæÑÇð

I.e. (On the day [of their death] when they will see the angels [of death seizing their souls] – no glad news on that day be for the guilty, and [the angels] shall say [to them]: "An arrest [and detainment for you by devils] enclosed [on you till Doomsday.]")

 

 

 

Genies

  

Genies are some kind of spiritual creatures; but they differ from angels who are ethereal creatures. And, they differ from souls in this respect; for the bodies of genies are created of gases, whereas their souls [are formed] from ether.

  

And because gases are material, then genies are material creatures but [evenso] they are spiritual; for they can disappear from our vision, and they can show us their bodies.

 

They can walk on the ground and can ascend up in the sky without wing; that is because their bodies are light like the air. In addition, they can make us hear their voices.

  

Genies have longer life span than human beings; they live hundreds of years. Genies are similar to human beings in most of their features; because they eat, drink, make sexual intercourse with their wives, have offspring; they sleep and die, and have many other features [in common with] human beings; while souls and angels do not sleep, neither do they die, nor do they reproduce.

  

Genies can carry heavy material objects, whereas the soul cannot do that. Hence, genies are different from souls and angels in this respect, and different from human beings in other respects: for human beings cannot disappear from our sight, neither can they ascend up in the sky except by some means; and so on the rest of the specific criteria of genies.

  

As regards their shapes: they are nearly like human beings except the feet; because genies haven't feet, but have hoofs like the hoofs of horses.

  

Genies inhabit the gaseous layers, just as that the angels inhabit the ethereal layers of heavens, which were explained in my book The Universe and the Quran; the indication of that is His saying – be glorified – in the Quran 23: 17

æáóÞóÏú ÎóáóÞúäÇ ÝóæúÞóßõãú ÓóÈúÚó ØóÑÇÆÞó ¡ æãÇ ßõäøÇ Úóäö ÇáÎóáúÞö ÛÇÝöáöíäó

I.e. (And We have created above you seven [gaseous] layers [for the dwelling of the genie]; and We are not heedless of creatures [neither of genies nor of humans.])

  

It means: seven gaseous layers for the dwelling of genies; to each layer there is a way or doctrine that they follow its guiding. So the word ØóÑÇÆÞó , i.e. ways, is plural, and its singular is  ØÑíÞÉ  i.e. way, which is the doctrine and the religious way.

 

The indication of this is His saying – be glorified – in the Quran 72: 11 – expressing the words of the genies:

æÃäøÇ ãöäøÇ ÇáÕøÇáöÍõæäó æãöäøÇ Ïõæäó Ðáößó ¡ ßõäøÇ ØóÑÇÆÞó ÞöÏóÏÇð

I.e. ("And of us are some that are righteous, and of us are some that are otherwise; [in the past] we were different sects.")

  

It means: We were, in the past divided and different in our doctrines, and we were divided sects.

  

Some of them dwell in the earth: in ruins, caves and uninhabited places.

  

The food of Genies is gaseous which is suitable for them; similarly, their clothes, furniture and their houses are composed of gases; just as that houses of angels are of the ether and houses of human beings are [built] of matter: of stone.       

 

God – be glorified – said in the Quran 55: 14-15

ÎóáóÞó ÇáÅäúÓÇäó ãöäú ÕóáúÕÇáò ßóÇáÝóÎøÇÑö . æÎóáóÞó ÇáÌÇäøó ãöäú ãÇÑöÌò ãöäú äÇÑò

I.e. (He created man[vii] from clay like the potter's clay.[viii]

And the Jann[ix] [: father of the genie] did He create from [gases] emerging from fire.)

  

Its interpretation: And He created the Jann from the gases that emerged from fire.

[This also is the meaning of the word ãÇÑöÌò in the Arab poetry some of which is mentioned by Mohammed-Ali Hassan, the interpreter of the Quran and the Bible, in his Arabic book.]       

 

God – be glorified – said in the Quran 15: 27

æÇáÌÇäøó ÎóáóÞúäÇåõ ãöäú ÞóÈúáõ ãöäú äÇÑö ÇáÓøãõæãö

I.e. (And We had created the Jann[x], before [We created Adam], from the hot wind [emerging] from the fire.)

  

Its interpretation: He created them from the 'simoom' of fire, where the 'simoom' means the [hot] gases.

  

Therefore, even though genies are spiritual creatures, but they can show us themselves and let us hear their voices, just as that the gases can be converted from gas to liquid, then to the solid state which can be touched by the hand and seen by the eye, then it is possible, also, to convert that solid or liquid into a gas which cannot be seen by the eye or touched by the hand.

  

These are some examples about this:

1.  The sulfur dioxide gas converts to a colorless liquid, when it is passed through a tube cooled to -10°C, or by using a pressure of six atmospheres in the ordinary temperature. It solidifies at -79°C, and changes into a whitish solid substance like the ice. Therefore, sulfur dioxide may be a gas one time, a liquid another time or may be a solid other times. The liquid and gas states are colorless, whereas the solid form is whitish.

2.  The ammonia gas converts to a colorless liquid by using a pressure of 8.5 atmospheres in the ordinary temperature. Then when the liquid is boiled, it will return again to be a gas. It is also possible to convert the gas into liquid and return it again into gas and return it back into liquid, and so on many times; this property is useful in ice-making industry.

3.  Iodine, after heating, will convert into a purple-red gas; and after cooling the gas, it will return back as a solid material, with a brown color, which can be converted into gas, then to convert the gas to solid, and it is possible to repeat this process many times.

4.  Mercury converts, after heating, into a colorless vapor; then it returns back, by cooling, as it was. In addition to that, mercury solidifies by cooling under a pressure of 38.9 atmospheres.

5.  Oxygen is a colorless gas, but when it is pressed at -119°C, it coverts into a blue-colored liquid.

 

And so on, gases change by coldness and heat, so that one time they will be liquids, other times solid, while still other times they will be gases which cannot be seen by the eye, neither can they be touched by the hand.

  

Similarly, genies can disappear from our vision, and can show us their bodies, and can rise up in the sky, as can they go inside the earth.

 

This is a story, which I mention here, to confirm the existence of genies, quoted from the Arabic book of: 'Truths Beyond Imagination', an Arabic book by Kh. A. Husni, under the title of:

 

"The Red Ghost

 

Napoleon followed, in his successes and victories, the guiding and instruction of the ghost of a red person; but when he ignored his guiding and instruction, he started to regress and deteriorate.

The appearance of the “Red Ghost of France ", who had appeared before to many persons other than Napoleon, was an indication of the existence of some beings, other than human beings, who helped France and its emperor.

 

[The Red Ghost and King Henri IV]:

One of these occasions was his appearance, on the night of May 13, to King Henri IV, who reigned at that time. And due to the difficult situations at that time, the king declared that he decided to be, himself, the leader of the army. But before mid-night, the king awoke from sleep to hear a deep and loud voice warning and threatening him; his body was profusely sweating; he turned fearfully to see the red ghost in the same shape which had previously appeared to many others. It was the ghost of a very long man, with huge body and obvious power. He wore a red robe, and had a long red beard.

 

Even though it was about the end of spring-season, the room was very cold. The ghost spoke with the same harsh respected voice which he used to speak with and which Henry heard before awakening, saying to him: "You will die tomorrow; they will kill you, those whom you consider as your most loyal friends."

Then the ghost walked through the wall and disappeared without waiting any answer or objection.

 

It was not more than 12 hours later, when Henry was killed on the morning of May 14 while he was surrounded by his most close assistants. The deadly drag was by one of his friends called Ravaillac.

 

[The Red Ghost and Luis XVI]:

Napoleon knew this story and was much impressed by it. It was known, from trustworthy sources, that the Red Ghost, afterwards, appeared to Luis XVI, and foretold him by the French Revolution, and that he would be killed together with his wife, on the guillotine; as did he foretell Napoleon about his defeat at Abukir. Therefore, Napoleon was afraid of this ghost whom he saw many times afterwards.

 

 

The Ghost Enters While Doors Are Closed

 

This happened on the January/ 1/ 1814, early in the morning, when Napoleon was completely defeated, and was anticipating the attack of some great military hosts.

He was sitting at his writing desk in the Tuileries Palace, unaccompanied by anyone other than his Counsellor of State: Count Mole, and his private secretary Neuville. There wasn't in the bureau room but only one window, and one door leading to a cabinet, in the middle of which was the writing-desk of Napoleon; whereas Neuville was sitting at his desk in front of the window.

Napoleon looked absent-minded; he almost paid no attention to what Count Mole was saying. Then he stood and went about in the cabinet distracted and absent-minded. Then he asked Count Mole to go to the next room until he could control and arrange his thoughts.

Therefore, none remained in the cabinet save the emperor and his special secretary, while Count Mole was alone in the next room, occupied by reading a book. Both doors: the door between the two rooms and the door leading from the cabinet to the ward were closed.

Suddenly, Count Mole felt an extraordinary coldness which filled the room, so he lifted his eyes from the book, and to his great astonishment he saw a long man with a red robe and a red beard.

The two doors were still closed, and the man said with a deep hoarse voice: 'I must immediately speak to the Emperor.'

The Count answered gently, 'The Emperor does not want anybody to disturb him; he seeks complete isolation.'

The Count did not remember he had seen this stranger before that day: this stranger who entered the room passing the guards and the two closed doors.

The stranger then proceeded, and the Count raised to prevent him from reaching the door of Napoleon bureau and to prevent him from entering it; and, seeing the man going on in his progress, he outstretched his hand to push him away, but to his great terror, he realized that his hand was immersed in the man's body as if it was immersed in an ice-cold air[xi], but the 'red-bearded stranger' looked at the Count with a compelling look, and said to him with deep voice: 'Go in and say to the Emperor that the red-bearded man must see you at once!'

The Count, trembling, obeyed, and immediately Napoleon ordered him to let the stranger enter. The Count obeyed, and closed the door behind the long man and stayed in the outer room; he did not hesitate, at that time, to listen through the key-hole of the door, he heard the respectful voice clearly; and he carefully kept in his memory every word that the ghost said.

 

The voice said, warning: "This is my third appearance before you. In the second time, I gave you a respite of four years to make a general peace, and warned you that if you would not obey that, I would withdraw my protection from you. But you did not follow my instruction. Therefore, I come now to warn you that you have only three months to complete the execution of your proposals, or to comply with the proposals of peace offered you by the allies! If you do not achieve the one, or accede to the other, all will be over with you so remember it well."

 

The Count, then, heard Napoleon's voice arguing with his visitor in apprehension and pleading him that he couldn’t conquer the allies or make peace on honorable terms in space of three months. But the deep harsh voice interrupted his speech saying: "I don't pay attention to apologies. I give you a period of three months and no more."

 

Then silence overwhelmed the cabinet. And even though Mole was alert and careful to follow where this stranger would go; but he never saw him afterwards and never heard him leave Napoleon's cabinet.

 

Few minutes later, the secretary Neuville opened the door, and Napoleon signed to him to enter. Napoleon looked pale and exhausted, and their meeting was postponed to a later time.

 

History, however, tells us what happened after that; when Napoleon chose to go on fighting, the conditions and the circumstances which were against him disabled him; and exactly three months following the appearance of the ghost and his warning, Napoleon abdicated in favor of the throne of France and Italy, on April /11 / 1814 AD on behalf of himself and his allies.

 

 

 

Devils

  

Devils are the "disobedient and evil-doing" genies. The word 'devil' in Arabic means: a liar, treacherous, deceptive and cunning person.       

 

God – be glorified – said in the Quran 6: 112

æßóÐáößó ÌóÚóáúäÇ áößõáøö äóÈöíøò ÚóÏõæøÇð ÔóíÇØöíäó ÇáÅäúÓö æÇáÌöäøö íõæÍöí ÈóÚúÖõåõãú Åáì ÈóÚúÖò ÒõÎúÑõÝó ÇáÞóæúáö ÛõÑõæÑÇð

I.e. (As such have We appointed to every prophet an enemy – devils of men and genies; inspiring to each other the tawdry words, by way of deception.)

  

So (devils of men and genies) means: the treacherous and cunning persons among men and genies.

  

The indication of that is His saying – be glorified – in this Quranic revelation

íõæÍöí ÈóÚúÖõåõãú Åáì ÈóÚúÖò ÒõÎúÑõÝó ÇáÞóæúáö ÛõÑõæÑÇð

I.e. (inspiring to each other the tawdry words, by way of deception.)

  

Its interpretation: They deceive and cheat each other, with lies and treachery.        

 

God – be glorified – said in the Quran 4: 120

íóÚöÏõåõãú æ íõãóäøöíåöãú æ ãÇ íóÚöÏõåõãõ ÇáÔøíØÇäõ ÅáÇø ÛõÑõæÑÇð

I.e. ([Satan] promises them, and fills them with vain fancies; but there is nothing Satan promises them except delusions.)       

 

God – be glorified – said in the Quran 2: 14

æÅÐÇ áóÞõæÇ ÇáøÐöíäó ÂãóäõæÇ ÞÇáõæÇ ÂãóäøÇ æÅÐÇ ÎóáóæÇ Åáì ÔóíÇØöíäöåöãú ÞÇáõæÇ ÅäøÇ ãóÚóßõãú ÅäøóãÇ äóÍúäõ ãõÓúÊóåúÒöÁõæä

I.e. (And when they meet those who believe, they say, 'We believe [as do you believe]'; but when they are alone with their devils, they say, 'Surely, we are with you; we are, merely, mocking [the believers.]')

  

Therefore, (with their devils) means: those who deceive them and lie to them.

  

[This also is the meaning of the word in the Arab poetry some of which is mentioned by Mohammed-Ali Hassan Al-Hilly, the interpreter of the Quran and the Bible, in his Arabic book.]

  

So, the 'devils' are the 'profligate and disobedient' genies.       

 

God – be glorified – said in the Quran 6: 128

æíóæúãó íóÍúÔõÑõåõãú ÌóãöíÚÇð íÇ ãóÚúÔóÑó ÇáÌöäøö ÞóÏ ÇÓúÊóßúËóÑúÊõãú ãöäó ÇáÅäúÓö

I.e. (The day when He will gather them[xii] together, [He will say:] 'O you crowds of the jinn! Many of the human kind did you seduce.')

  

Its interpretation: It will be said to devils on the Judgment Day: "O genie-kind, you deceived a large number of human beings."

 

 

 

Satan [or Ibliess]

  

Satan [: Ibliess in Arabic] was called Azazil at the beginning, but later on he was called 'Ibliess'; because he lost God's mercy, i.e. despaired of it completely.

  

The Arabic word [ÅÈáíÓ i.e. "Ibliess"] is mentioned in its verbal form, in His saying – be glorified – in the Quran 30: 12

æíóæúãó ÊóÞõæãõ ÇáÓøÇÚóÉõ íõÈúáöÓõ ÇáãõÌúÑöãõæä

I.e. (On the day when the Hour [of Doom] will take place, the guilty will [despair and] lose [God's mercy.])

  

It means: They will completely lose God's mercy, and lose [the recompense of] their deeds; so that they will not be rewarded for them.

  

Satan, i.e. Ibliess, was one of genies; he is their father, just like that Adam is our father, but Ibliess died, and so his soul separated from his gaseous body, then God – be glorified – clothed him with an ethereal skin, so that he became like angels. God – be glorified – admitted him to the ethereal Paradises; because he was pious and God-fearing, and he stayed with the angels in the Paradises; but when God created Adam, He ordered the angels to prostrate themselves to Adam, so they prostrated themselves, except Ibliess who refused and was full of pride; therefore, God drove him out of the ethereal paradises and cursed him.       

 

God – be glorified – said in the Quran 18: 50

æÅÐú ÞõáúäÇ áöáãóáÇÆßóÉö ÇÓúÌõÏõæÇ áÂÏóãó ÝóÓóÌóÏõæÇ ÅáÇø ÅÈúáöíÓó ¡ ßÇäó ãöäó ÇáÌöäøö ÝóÝóÓóÞó Úóäú ÃãúÑö ÑóÈøöåö ¡ ÃÝóÊóÊøóÎöÐõæäóåõ æÐõÑøöíóÊóåõ ÃæúáöíÇÁó ãöäú Ïõæäöí æåõãú áßõãú ÚóÏõæøñ ¡ ÈöÆúÓó áöáÙÇáöãöíäó ÈóÏóáÇ

I.e. (And [remind them, O Mohammed] when We said to the angels:

"Fall prostrate to Adam", and they all fell prostrate but Iblies [: Satan] did not; he had been [in his material life] one of the jinn [then he died and his soul was admitted into Paradise], and he forsook his Lord's am'r.

So will you [people] take him and his seed [: the jinn] as patrons instead of Me, when they are enemies to you? Bad such exchange is for the wrong-doers!)

  

The interpretation:

>> (he had been [in his material life] one of the jinn) means: he was, prior to his death, one of the genie; but when he died, he became an ethereal creature.

 

>> (So will you [people] take him and his seed [: the jinn] as patrons instead of Me) means: Will you follow him and won't follow Me? And will you follow his progeny: the genies and worship them and will not worship Me?

 

One of the Arab tribes, in the past, worshipped genies, and said that genies are the daughters of God.

 

Therefore, (So will you [people] take him and his seed [: the jinn] as patrons instead of Me) indicates that genies existent nowadays are the offspring of Ibliess and that he was their father.

 

>> (Bad such exchange is for the wrong-doers!)

It means: Bad is that which you have taken instead of Me, when you have exchanged the Creator for the creature, and you followed the provided [beings] and forsook [God:] the Provider, in spite of that they are enemies of you, and they work to destroy you as much as they can.

 

 

 

Evocation of Spirits

(Communication with Spirits)

  

A large number of people evocated the spirits, and asked them about things unknown to them, and the spirits answered their questions. But the heavenly religions prohibit the evocation of spirits and consider it unlawful;

because some genies and evil spirits meddle in their evocation; so that a profligate or disbelieving genie will play the role of the spirit to be evocated. This genie will answer the questions but, together with the correct answers, he will add false words: words of infidelity, blasphemy and association [with God.]

  

E.g. if they ask him about a patient, will he be cured or will he die, the genie will say to them: Take the patient to the shrine of Imam Abbas, the son of Ali, and tie him to the gold cage of his shrine, and he will be cured. Or he may say to them: Sacrifice a sheep for the Imam, and the patient will be cured, or some other requests that are some sorts of disobedience and association or sharing [with God.]

  

However, the person who asks, will believe in the words of the evil genie; because he thinks, within himself, that the evocated person died and went to the next world or the afterlife: the World of the fulfillment of the truth, so he should not lie to us; he then does not realize that the one speaking to him is a disobedient or sinful genie or demon, and he is not the spirit supposed to be evocated.

 

Here is a story of evocation of spirits, mentioned in the Torah or the Old Testament, First Book of Samuel (1Sa), chapter 28

  

"3- … And Saul[xiii] had put away all the magicians and soothsayers out of the land.

4 And the Philistines came together and put their forces in position in Shunem; and Saul got all Israel together and they took up their positions in Gilboa.

5 And when Saul saw the Philistine army he was troubled, and his heart was moved with fear.

6 And when Saul went for directions to the Lord, the Lord gave him no answer, by a dream or by the Urim or by the prophets.

7 Then Saul said to his servants, Get me a woman who has control of a spirit so that I may go to her and get directions. And his servants said to him, There is such a woman at En-dor.

8 So Saul, putting on other clothing, so that he might not be seen to be the king, took two men with him and went to the woman by night; and he said, Now, with the help of the spirit which you have, make the person whose name I will give you come up.

9 And the woman said to him, But you have knowledge of what Saul has done, how he has put away out of the land those who have control of spirits and the users of secret arts: why would you, by a trick, put me in danger of death?

10 And Saul made an oath to her by the Lord, saying, By the living Lord, no punishment will come to you for this.

11 Then the woman said, Who am I to let you see? And he said, Make Samuel[xiv] come up for me.

12 And the woman saw that it was Saul, and she gave a loud cry, and said to Saul, Why have you made use of deceit? for you are Saul.

13 And the king said to her, Have no fear: what do you see? And the woman said to Saul, I see a god coming up out of the earth.

14 And he said to her, What is his form? And she said, It is an old man coming up covered with a robe. And Saul saw that it was Samuel, and with his face bent down to the earth he gave him honour.

15 And Samuel said to Saul, Why have you made me come up, troubling my rest? And Saul in answer said, I am in great danger; for the Philistines are making war on me, and God has gone away from me and will no longer give me any answer, by the prophets or by dreams: so I have sent for you to make clear to me what I am to do.

16 And Samuel said, Why do you put your questions to me, seeing that God has gone away from you and is on the side of him who is against you?

17 And the Lord himself has done what I said: the Lord has taken the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbour David;

18 Because you did not do what the Lord said, and did not give effect to his burning wrath against Amalek. So the Lord has done this thing to you today.

19 And more than this, the Lord will give Israel up with you into the hands of the Philistines: and tomorrow you and your sons will be with me: and the Lord will give up the army of Israel into the hands of the Philistines.

20 Then Saul went down flat on the earth, and was full of fear because of Samuel's words: and there was no strength in him, for he had taken no food all that day or all that night.

25 And the woman put food before Saul and his servants, and they had a meal.

Next day, the fighting occurred between the Israelites and the Philistines, and Saul together with his three sons were killed."

 

 

 

A Nice Tale

Once a colonel in the Iraqi army said to me:

"I was learning at one of London’s universities. And there were in London some mediums (or those evocating spirits); one of such mediums was a beautiful girl, speaking Arabic well. I used to go to her, and ask the spirit who dwelt with her about what might come on my mind, and he answered me correctly. That spirit was one of the Arab whose name was Zayd.

When the university holiday was at hand, I returned to my family at Baghdad, and when the holiday finished I returned to London to complete my learning in the university. I had a cigarette-box made of silver; so it came to my mind to present it to that girl who evocated the spirit: that is she evocated him and he answered her.

Therefore, when I arrived at London, I went to that girl, and presented that precious silver box to her. I expected that she will be grateful to me and will say: 'Thank you for this precious present.' But instead she started to thank Zayd the spirit resident with her; so she said: 'Hello Zayd, Thank you Zayd, Welcome Zayd', and so on she went on praising Zayd and thanking him.

Consequently, I said to her: 'It is I who has presented for you this silver box, but in spite of that you thank Zayd, and don't thank me!'

She said: 'Zayd inspired you to present this box to me and excited your interest in that; and without him, you wouldn't have brought this box to me.'

So I was much astonished of her condition and of the spirit who was resident with her."

 

 

 

Punishment and Prosperity in the Barzakh World

  

You have to know that life in the Barzakh world[xv], i.e. the afterlife, is of many types: according to the deed of man; so that some of them live a happy life, while some others live in degradation and misery. This is what they had forwarded for themselves: they have found it before them, following their death. One that had forwarded good, he has found good; whereas that who had forwarded evil he has found evil.       

 

God – be glorified – said in the Quran 53: 39

æÃäú áóíúÓó áöáÅäúÓÇäö ÅáÇø ãÇ ÓóÚóì

I.e. (And that: man can have nothing [in the Next Life] but only [the good and righteous deeds] that he strives for [in the life of the World.])

  

It means: There is nothing good for any man in the Next Life other than what he did in His life of the World and forwarded for his Next Life.

  

This is confirmed by His saying – be glorified – in the Quran 2: 110

æãÇ ÊõÞóÏøöãõæÇ áÃäúÝõÓößõãú ãöäú ÎóíúÑò ÊóÌöÏõæåõ ÚöäúÏó Çááåö

I.e. (Whatever charity you forward [to the Next Life] for your souls, you shall find it with God; surely, God is All-Seeing of what you do.)

 

It means: Whatever you give, in this life of the World, to the poor and needy, for the sake of God, you will find it in the Next Life.        

 

God – be glorified – said in the Quran 3: 30

íóæúãó ÊóÌöÏõ ßõáøõ äóÝúÓò ãÇ ÚóãöáóÊú ãöäú ÎóíúÑò ãõÍúÖóÑÇð ¡ æóãÇ ÚóãöáóÊú ãöäú ÓõæÁò

I.e. (On the day [of death] when every soul will find itself confronted [in the afterlife] with all the [good] it has done, and all the [evil] it has done.)

  

Therefore, one who expends out of his money to the poor and needy, for the sake of God: like food, clothes or other things, there he will be rich and will be delighted with what he forwarded for himself; but anyone who is miser with his money to the poor and needy, like offering food, clothes or other things, there he will be poor and lowly among souls.

 

   So if you like to live happily in your Next Life, then:

>> Believe in God and [all] His apostles [including: Moses, Jesus and Mohammed], and work righteousness,

 

>> worship God alone, and do not attribute to God associates like anyone of the prophets, [e.g. Jesus Christ], rabbis, sheikhs, imams or saints;

 

>> expend, what you can expend, to the poor and needy for the sake of God [alone];

 

>> and avoid the prohibited and forbidden acts, [and in particular you should observe the Commandments of God.]

   Then you will be happy in this life of the World, as also in the Next Life.       

 

God – be glorified – said in the Quran 63: 10

æÃäúÝöÞõæÇ ãöãøÇ ÑóÒóÞúäÇßõãú ãöäú ÞóÈúáö Ãäú íóÃÊöíó ÃÍóÏóßõãõ ÇáãóæúÊõ ÝóíóÞõæáó ÑóÈøö áóæúáÇ ÃÎøóÑúÊóäöí Åáóì ÃÌóáò ÞóÑöíÈò ÝóÃÕøÏøÞó æÃßõäú ãöäó ÇáÕøÇáöÍöíä

I.e. (Expend [in charity on the poor and needy] out of that which We have provided for you, before death should come to anyone of you, and he should [then] say:

"My Lord, had You given me respite for a little while [in the life of the World], I would have then expended in charity [on the poor and needy, out of the money which I left behind], and I would have been one of the righteous [in words and work.]")

  

Then, dear reader, see how a man, that has already died, wishes – prior to anything else – to expend on the poor and needy, for the sake of God; in order that he will find in the souls-world that which he spent, and that he will be delighted with it in his afterlife.

 

 

[The afterlife of believers having sins]

A man, who does not expend any food in this life of the World, will be hungry among souls in the afterlife.

 

A man, who does not dress any naked [wretched] man in this life of the World, and does not offer any clothes to one of the poor, he will be naked among souls in the afterlife.

  

Likewise, a man who does not give any furniture to the poor, he will be without furniture in the afterlife.

 

This will, generally, be the life of the believers that have sinned.

 

 

[The afterlife of believers and monotheists: the pious, martyrs, the righteous and saints]

While believers and monotheists [i.e. those who worship God alone without ascribing any partner or associate to Him], the pious, martyrs [i.e. those killed in God's way], the righteous and saints; they will be taken by the angels to the paradises in the ethereal heavens; and nothing will remain on the earth other than bodies that will disintegrate afterwards and become dust.       

 

God – be glorified – said in the Quran 3: 169

æóáÇ ÊóÍúÓóÈóäøó ÇáøÐíäó ÞõÊöáõæÇ Ýí ÓóÈíáö Çááåö ÃãúæÇÊÇð ¡ Èóáú ÃÍúíÇÁñ ÚöäÏó ÑÈøöåöã íõÑúÒóÞõæä

I.e. (Think not of those who are slain in the way of God as dead. Not so, but they are living, in the neighborhood of their Lord [in the ethereal paradises], having their provision [of the fruit of these paradises, and drinking from their rivers.])

  

Therefore, (in the neighborhood of their Lord [in the ethereal paradises]) means: In the ethereal heavens under the Throne [of the Lord], i.e. in the Gardens, from the fruits of which they are supplied, and from the rivers of which they drink.

 

 

[The afterlife of disbelievers, associaters and hypocrites]

While the infidels and polytheists [i.e. those who attribute partners and associates to God, so that they worship them as do they worship God] and the hypocrites; they will be overcome by the devils who will imprison some of them around volcanoes, and they torment the rest of them by various kinds of chastisement, subject them for service, and they will never be able to escape from the hands of the devils whatever they may try to do so.   

 

God – be glorified – said in the Quran 17: 63-64, addressing Ibliess [i.e. Satan]:

ÞÇáó ÇÐúåóÈú Ýóãóä ÊóÈöÚóßó ãöäúåõãú ÝóÅäø Ìóåóäøãó ÌóÒÇÄõßõãú ÌóÒÇÁð ãóæúÝõæÑÇð . æÇÓúÊóÝúÒöÒú ãóä ÇÓúÊóØóÚúÊó ãöäúåõãú ÈöÕóæúÊößó æÃÌúáöÈú Úóáóíúåöãú ÈöÎóíúáößó æÑóÌöáößó æÔÇÑößúåõãú Ýí ÇáÃãúæÇáö æÇáÃæúáÇÏö æÚöÏúåõãú æãÇ íóÚöÏõåõãõ ÇáÔøíúØÇäõ ÅáÇø ÛõÑõæÑÇð .

I.e. ([God] said [to Satan]: 'Go away [from the ethereal paradises to the earth]; and any of [Adams’ progeny] follows you – surely, Hell will be the compensation – a compensation abounding [in torment.]

 

And startle, with your voice, any of them whom you can [startle], and urge your horse-soldiers and foot-soldiers against them, and share with them in the property and children [in the world of souls], and promise them [with what they desire] – but Satan promises them with nothing other than deceit.)

  

Then when day-time comes on, they take him and ascend up with him in the space, to 'eavesdrop' [and spy the words of angels], and he stays under sun-rays so that he suffers its heat and rays; but when the night comes on, they will imprison him, and so on he will remain in difficulties, troubles, sadness, worry and ridicule till Doomsday.       

 

God – be glorified – said in the Quran 22: 31

ÍõäóÝÇÁó ááåö ÛóíúÑó ãõÔúÑößöíä Èöåö ¡ æ ãóäú íõÔúÑößú ÈöÇááåö ÝóßóÃäøóãÇ ÎóÑøó ãöäó ÇáÓøãÇÁö ÝóÊóÎúØóÝõåõ ÇáØøóíúÑõ Ãæú Êóåúæöí Èöåö ÇáÑøöíÍõ Ýí ãóßÇäò ÓóÍöíÞ

I.e. (Being 'Haniefs'[xvi] [: devoting yourselves exclusively] to God [alone], associating not [anything] with Him; for anyone associates [anything] with God: it is as if he had fallen from the sky, and the birds had pierced him or the wind had blown him down into a far distant place.)

  

The interpretation: 

>> (for anyone associates [anything] with God; it is as if he had fallen from the sky) means: Whoso attributes partners or associates with God, will expose himself to danger and throws it in the abyss, and that is like the spirits whom the devils torment and mock at, so that they take them up to the sky to eavesdrop', but when the soul sees a meteor pursuing him or an angel driving him away, he then will quickly fall down to the ground.

>> (and the birds had pierced him) means: If a bird comes in his way, it will pierce him and destroy his internal organs; for it will enter from his belly and get out from his back or may enter in the opposite direction.

>> (or the wind had blown him into a far distant place) means: Or a violent wind faces him, which carries that spirit to far distances, and throws him into a deep place, and he falls between the rocks or in a valley, and he will have fractures and will suffer; all of that because he followed the suggestion of the devil, and did not listen to the commandments of God, Most Gracious and Most Merciful.

  

Or he may stay naked among souls, hungry and thirsty: does not find food to eat, neither does he find water to drink. Then he will go to the rivers and see the water glitter there like the bellies of snakes, so he will stretch forth his hands to the water to drink and satisfy his thirst, but he cannot do that; because by now he has become a light ethereal being, while the water of the river is heavy and material so he will grieve at that, and will go to another river so as to drink and satisfy his thirst, but similarly he will only have failure and frustration. While the righteous will drink an ethereal water, non-material, which the angels will bring to them.

  

Therefore, this infidel will remain naked, among souls, hungry and thirsty; does not meet his wife and his children; so that he will be lowly and degraded till Doomsday.      

 

God – be glorified – said in the Quran 13: 14

áóåõ ÏóÚúæóÉ ÇáÍóÞøö ¡ æÇáøÐöíäó íóÏúÚæäó ãöäú Ïõæäöåö áÇ íóÓúÊóÌöíÈõæäó áóåõãú ÈöÔóíÁò ÅáÇø ßóÈÇÓöØö ßóÝøóíúåö Åáóì ÇáãÇÁö áöíóÈúáõÛó ÝÇåõ æãÇ åõæó ÈöÈÇáöÛöåö

I.e. (His [preaching] is the preaching[xvii] of truth; but those who call to other[xviii] than Him, they answer them not at all save as one [soul] who stretches out his hands to the water that it may reach his [spiritual] mouth, but it reaches it not.)

  

The interpretation: God – be glorified – gives, here, a parable of polytheists and associaters who worship idols and others [like saints, imams and prophets] and ask their needs from them:

>> (His [preaching] is the preaching of truth) means: The one who calls people to God's worship and to the monotheism, then his preaching is a preaching of truth, and if he asks from God, He will answer his call [and grant him his needs.]

>> (but those who call to other than Him) means: But As regards those who preach to the idol-worship, and worship idols and ask their need from them.

>> (they answer them not at all) means: Idols do not grant them their needs, and do not answer anything of their requests; because they are dead material objects [that cannot hear, nor are they able to do anything]

>> (save) the [vain] hope; so that he tries to let himself have patience and to be glad with himself, and say to himself: 'The idols will grant me my needs, and I shall be glad with that.' But he will find, from what he hoped and wished, nothing but failure and loss;

>> (as one [soul] who stretches out his hands to the water that it may reach his [spiritual] mouth, but it reaches it not.) means: [He is] like a thirsty person, whose thirst is so severe, and he sees a river with flowing water so that he is glad with that and he says to himself: I shall go to that river to drink and satisfy my thirst; but when he reaches to the river and stretches out his both hands to the water to lift it up to his [spiritual] mouth and drink, he finds that he cannot lift it and cannot drink it because the water is material and heavy, while the thirsty person is ethereal and light, i.e. an ethereal soul, so that he fails and becomes disappointed and returns back from the river thirsty. Similarly, polytheists and associaters [i.e. those who attribute to God copartners and associates] do not obtain anything, from worshipping idols, other than loss and regression.

 

God – be glorified – said in the Quran 20: 124

æãóäú ÃÚúÑóÖó Úóäú ÐößúÑöí ÝóÅäøó áóåõ ãóÚöíÔóÉð ÖóäúßÇð æäóÍúÔõÑõåõ íóæúãó ÇáÞöíÇãóÉö ÃÚúãóì

I.e. (But whoso turns away from My admonition[xix], then there will be for him a hard living [in the Afterlife]; and on Doomsday We shall bring him to the gathering together blind [to the exit out of Hell.])

  

It means: And that who turns away from God's worship in this life of the World, then he will have a hard life in the Barzakh world, i.e. a ‘troublesome and vexing’ life,

>> (and on Doomsday We shall bring him to ‘the gathering-together’ blind[xx] [to the exit out of Hell]) means: He cannot see the road to Paradise.       

 

God – be glorified – said in the Quran 17: 72

æãóäú ßÇäó Ýí åÐöåö ÃÚúãóì Ýóåõæó Ýí ÇáÂÎöÑóÉö ÃÚúãóì æÃÖóáøõ ÓóÈöíáÇð

I.e. (But whoever is blind [to the path of the truth] in this [World], will be blind [to make his exit out of Hell] in the Next [Life], and most astray from the path.)

  

Its interpretation: Whoso is blind in this life of the World, i.e. he cannot see the way of the truth, then – in the Barzakh world – he will also be blind, i.e. cannot see the way of the truth; because the habits and conduct which he adopted in this life of the World will remain with him in the afterlife. In addition to that, the devils will surround and deceive him.        

 

God – be glorified – said in the Quran 19: 83

Ãáóãú ÊóÑó ÃäøÇ ÃÑúÓóáúäÇ ÇáÔøíÇØöíäó Úóáóì ÇáßÇÝöÑöíäó ÊóÄõÒøõåõãú ÃÒøÇð

I.e. (Don't you [Mohammed] know that We have set the devils [in the Barzakh world: or the Afterlife] against the [souls of dead] disbelievers to annoy them with their shocking sounds?)       

 

God – be glorified – said in the Quran 10: 27

æÇáøÐöíäó ßóÓóÈõæÇ ÇáÓøíøöÆÇÊö ÌóÒÇÁõ ÓóíøöÆóÉò ÈöãöËúáöåÇ æÊóÑúåóÞõåõãú ÐöáøóÉñ

I.e. (And those who earn evil deeds [in the life of the World]; for them [in the Next Life] the recompense of each evil deed shall be by the like thereof; and moreover, abasement [among souls] shall overtake them.)

  

Its interpretation: Those who commit the sins in this life of the World; the requital in the afterlife will be according to the measure of the sins, and they will be lowly and abased.        

 

God – be glorified – said in the Quran 16: 63

ÊóÇááåö áóÞóÏú ÃÑúÓóáúäÇ Åáì Ãõãóãò ãöäú ÞóÈúáößó ÝóÒóíøóäó áóåõãõ ÇáÔøóíúØÇäõ ÃÚúãÇáóåõãú Ýóåõæó æóáöíøõåõãõ Çáíóæúãó æáóåõãú ÚóÐÇÈñ Ãáíãñ

I.e. (By God! We, surely, sent [messengers] to nations before you [Mohammed], but the devil made their deeds [of falsehood] fair-seeming to them. So the [devil] is their master today [in the world of souls], and for them will be a painful torment [on Doomsday.])

  

Its interpretation: By God, We sent many messengers [or apostles] to nations before you, Mohammed, but they did not believe because the devil showed them, as a trick, that their bad deeds were good; so We destroyed them because of their infidelity and polytheism,

>> (So he is their master today) means: Satan or the devil is their patron and their master today in the Barzakh world; means: He takes possession of them and governs them,

>> (and for them will be a painful chastisement [on Doomsday.])       

 

God – be glorified – said in the Quran 22: 3-4

æãöäó ÇáäøÇÓö ãóäú íõÌÇÏöáõ Ýí Çááåö ÈöÛóíúÑö Úöáúãò æíóÊøóÈöÚõ ßõáøó ÔóíúØÇäò ãóÑöíÏò . ßõÊöÈó Úóáóíúåö Ãäøóåõ ãóäú ÊóæóáÇøåõ ÝóÃäøóåõ íõÖöáøõåõ æíóåúÏöíåö Åáóì ÚóÐÇÈö ÇáÓøÚöíÑ

I.e. (And yet there are, among men, some who disputes [with the prophet and believers] about God, without knowledge, and follows [in his wrangling and acts] every malicious devil.

 

About such [devil] it is decreed that whoever turns to him for friendship [and follows him], he will mislead [far from the way of the truth] and will guide him to the chastisement of the Blaze [: in Hell.])

  

It means: Whoso follows [Satan or the devil] in this life of the World, then the devil will mislead him in the afterlife and deviate him away from the right way,

>> (and will guide him) in the afterlife (to the chastisement of the Blaze [: Hell.])

  

He means by that the volcanoes, in which the [devil] casts him, or he goes with him up to the gaseous layers and the sun-rays, and he suffers from its rays.       

 

God – be glorified – said in the Quran 40: 46

ÇáäøÇÑõ íõÚúÑóÖõæäó ÚóáóíúåÇ ÛõÏõæøÇð æÚóÔöíøÇð ¡ æíóæúãó ÊóÞõæãõ ÇáÓøÇÚóÉõ ÃÏúÎöáõæÇ Âáó ÝöÑúÚóæúäó ÃÔóÏøó ÇáÚóÐÇÈö

I.e. ([So Pharaoh's people were drowned in the sea, then their souls were chastised in] the fire [of volcanoes], they being [always] exposed to it, morning and evening, and on the Day when the Hour [of Doom] will take place: "Admit Pharaoh's people into the most severe Doom [in Hell.]")

  

The 'Fire' here means the sun; the indication of that is His saying – be glorified – in this Quranic revelation:

   íõÚúÑóÖõæäó ÚóáóíúåÇ  

I.e. (they being exposed to it), but He did not say: 'They shall be introduced into it'; because they shall be exposed to the sun, so that they will be hurt by its heat and suffer from its rays. Or they will be exposed to the volcanoes in the earth and suffer from their heat.       

 

God – be glorified – said in the Quran 43: 36-39

æãóäú íóÚúÔõ Úóäú ÐößúÑö ÇáÑøÍúãÇäö äõÞóíøöÖú áóåõ ÔóíúØÇäÇð Ýóåõæó áóåõ ÞóÑöíäñ .æÅäøóåõãú áóíóÕõÏøõæäóåõãú Úóäö ÇáÓøÈöíáö æ íóÍúÓóÈõæäó Ãäøåõãú ãõåúÊóÏõæäó . ÍóÊøì ÅÐÇ ÌÇÁóäÇ ÞÇáó íÇ áóíúÊó Èóíúäöí æÈóíúäóßó ÈõÚúÏó ÇáãóÔúÑöÞóíúäö ÝóÈöÆúÓó ÇáÞóÑöíäõ . æáóäú íóäúÝóÚóßõãõ Çáíóæúãó ÅÐú ÙóáóãúÊõãú Ãäøßõãú Ýí ÇáÚóÐÇÈö ãõÔúÊóÑößõæäó

I.e. (And anyone whose sight is dim to [the Quran, which is] the admonition of the Most Gracious [God], We exchange for him a devil who becomes his accompanying comrade [in both the life of the World and the Afterlife.]

 

And the [devils] surely bar the [associaters] from the way [of the truth], and yet the [associaters] deem themselves rightly guided.

 

Till when the [associater] comes to Us [after his death], he says [to his accompanying comrade, the devil]: "Would that between me and you is the distance of the two sun-rises –– an evil comrade!"

 

And [the angels will say to the associaters and their ‘accompanying comrades’, the devils]:

"[Your disputing] profits you not this day; because you wronged [people in the past by means of your deception]; therefore, you will be sharers in the doom.")

  

The interpretation: 

>> (We exchange for him[xxi] a devil who becomes his accompanying comrade.) means: he will become his accompanying companion in the life of the World and in the Barzakh world.

   >> (Till when the [associater after death] comes to Us, he): the disbeliever (says [to his comrade: the devil] 'Would that between me and you there was the distance of the two sun-rises[xxii]  – an evil comrade!') you were to me in both the life of the World and the Barzakh world.       

 

God – be glorified – said in the Quran 56: 92-95

æÃãøÇ Åäú ßÇäó ãöäó ÇáãõßóÐøöÈöíäó ÇáÖøÇáøöíäó . ÝóäõÒõáñ ãöäú Íóãöíãò . æÊóÕúáöíóÉõ ÌóÍöíãò . Åäø åÐÇ áóåõæó ÍóÞøõ ÇáíóÞöíäö

I.e. (And in case the [deceased] is one of the deniers [of the messengers], the straying [from the way of the truth.]]

then [he will settle in] an abode with boiling liquid [in the Barzakh world or the Afterlife.]

and the roasting in Hell [on Doomsday.]

Surely, this [tidings which We have told you] is the very truth.)

  

The interpretation: 

>> (then [he will settle in] an abode with boiling liquid [in the Barzakh world or the Afterlife]) means: a home in which there is a very hot water, which is the hot water-springs,

>> (and the roasting in Hell [on Doomsday.])       

 

God – be glorified – said in the Quran 72: 17

æãóäú íõÚúÑöÖú Úóäú ÐößúÑö ÑóÈøöåö íóÓúáõßúåõ ÚóÐÇÈÇð ÕóÚóÏÇð

I.e. (And whoso turns away from the remembrance of his Lord [and does not thank Him]; He will drive him up [in the sky] to be chastised [in the fatal gaseous layers.])

 

That is because the gaseous layers are above them [i.e. above the disbelievers and the devils] so that they take their way to them and ascend up to them, and suffer from the sun heat; because the devils take them to the gaseous layers, lying to them, mocking at them and this actually is what an enemy does to his enemy.       

 

God – be glorified – said in the Quran 92: 8-11

æÃãøÇ ãóäú ÈóÎöáó æÇÓúÊóÛúäóì . æßóÐøóÈó ÈöÇáÍõÓúäóì . ÝóÓóäõíóÓøöÑõåõ áöáúÚõÓúÑóì . æãÇ íõÛúäöí Úóäúåõ ãÇáõåõ ÅÐÇ ÊóÑóÏøì

I.e. (But he who is niggardly [with his wealth, to the poor and the needy], and has forgone [the Quran and the Islam religion,]

And gives lie to the best[xxiii] [Reward and Paradise.]

We shall surely prepare for him the hard[xxiv] [punishment in the Next Life.]

 

Nor will his wealth [which he collects in the life of the World] profit him when he will ‘fall headlong into the pit’ [of the Fire.[xxv]])       

 

God – be glorified – said in the Quran 88: 3-4

ÚÇãöáóÉñ äÇÕöÈóÉñ . ÊóÕúáóì äÇÑÇð ÍÇãöíóÉ

I.e. (Toiling and laboring hard [in the life of the World: not for God but for others.]

 

Broil in a very hot fire [in the Next Life.])       

 

God – be glorified – said in the Quran 2: 257

Çááåõ æóáöíøõ ÇáøÐöíäó ÂãóäõæÇ íõÎúÑöÌõåõãú ãöäó ÇáÙøõáõãÇÊö Åáóì ÇáäøõæÑö ¡ æÇáøÐöíäó ßóÝóÑõæÇ ÃæáöíÇÄõåõãõ ÇáØøÇÛõæÊõ íõÎúÑöÌõæäóåõãú ãöäó ÇáäøõæÑö Åáóì ÇáÙøõáõãÇÊö ¡ ÃæáÆößó ÃÕúÍÇÈõ ÇáäøÇÑö åõãú ÝöíåÇ ÎÇáöÏõæäó

I.e. (God is the Patron of the believers [: He takes care about their affairs]; He brings them out of the darkness [of ignorance and unbelief] to the light [of knowledge and the Islam.]

But those who disbelieve [in the Quran and in Mohammed]: their patrons are [their arrogant chiefs:] the tyrants, [who] bring them out of the light [of knowledge and guidance brought by Mohammed] to the darkness [of ignorance and unbelief, when they invite them to their religion of the idolatry] – such [chiefs and their followers] are the fellows of Fire, to dwell therein forever.)

 

In summary: The punishment in the Barzakh world is not in Hell, but

o either God may give some of the evil souls [and devils] a power over him, so that they will hurt him;

o or God may give some devils or genies a power over him;

o He may set the spirits of some snakes or scorpions on him;

o he may be imprisoned in the grave;

o or become poor and lowly among souls;

o may become hungry, thirsty and cannot satisfy his thirst;

o or other things that make him sad, unhappy and miserable.

 

 

Question 8 Why does the disbelieving soul go with the devils, so that they will torment him; why does not he refuse to go with them, so that he may get rid of them?

 

Answer: The disbelieving soul cannot refuse to go with them and cannot get rid of them; just like the criminal in this life of the World, when there come to him ten policemen to capture and take him to the police office, then can he refuse to go with them? In addition to that, the criminal is without any weapon, while the police-men are armed. Similarly, the soul cannot escape and get rid of the devils if he is a disbeliever.       

 

God – be glorified – said in the Quran 17: 64 – addressing Ibliess (: Satan)

æÇÓúÊóÝúÒöÒú ãóä ÇÓúÊóØóÚúÊó ãöäúåõãú ÈöÕóæúÊößó æÃÌúáöÈú Úóáóíúåöãú ÈöÎóíúáößó æÑóÌöáößó æÔÇÑößúåõãú Ýí ÇáÃãúæÇáö æÇáÃæúáÇÏö æÚöÏúåõãú æãÇ íóÚöÏõåõãõ ÇáÔøíúØÇäõ ÅáÇø ÛõÑõæÑÇð

I.e. (And startle, with your voice, any of them whom you can [startle], and urge your horse-soldiers and foot-soldiers against them, and share with them in the property and children [in the world of souls], and promise them [with what they desire] – but Satan promises them with nothing other than deceit.)

   

>> So that if the disbelieving soul is a coward and fearful, then one of devils comes to him carrying a weapon in his hand, and the devil cries at him; so that his fear will increase and will give himself up to the devil, who will put the fetters on his hands and a chain around his neck and take the soul with him; and he will obey the devil. That is His saying – be glorified – in this Quranic revelation:

æÇÓúÊóÝúÒöÒú ãóä ÇÓúÊóØóÚúÊó ãöäúåõãú ÈöÕóæúÊößó

I.e. (And startle, with your voice, any of them whom you can [startle]) means: Frighten them with your voice.

  

>> Whereas if the disbelieving soul is brave and does not fear, then a troop of devils will come to him: some of them ride the horses, and some other devils walk on their hoofs (I.e. cavalry and infantry); and they carry the weapons; so that he will fear and surrender to them; they will take him with them fettered, and will torment him with various kinds of torment; this is the meaning of His saying – be glorified – in this Quranic revelation:

æÃÌúáöÈú Úóáóíúåöãú ÈöÎóíúáößó æ ÑóÌöáößó

I.e. (and urge your horse-soldiers and foot-soldiers against them) means: your horsemen (: the cavalry) and walking men (: the infantry.)

  

>> While His saying – be glorified – in this Quranic revelation:

æÔÇÑößúåõãú Ýí ÇáÃãúæÇáö æÇáÃæúáÇÏö

I.e. (and share with them in the property and children): We said that, inside every material thing, there forms an ethereal structure similar to it; so that if the material one is destroyed, the ethereal one will remain and will not be destroyed; some of the possession which the devil will share with them are the horses; so if an infidel and polytheist has some horses then these horses die, the devils will take their spirits, and ride them. As such are the furniture and other possessions.

  

While as regards their sharing in the children: the devils take the disbeliever's children after their death to serve them in the Barzakh world.       

 

God – be glorified – said in the Quran 19: 44 – about the story of Prophet Abraham:

íÇ ÃÈóÊö áÇ ÊóÚúÈõÏö ÇáÔøóíúØÇäó ¡ Åäø ÇáÔøóíúØÇäó ßÇäó áöáÑøÍúãÇäö ÚóÕöíøÇð

i.e. ("My father, serve not the devil: for the devil was ever a rebel against [God] Most Gracious.")

  

I say: Can anyone see the devil, in this life of the World, so as to serve him?

  

No, but the interpretation is: Do not obey the devil in this life of the World, and then he will enslave and subject you in the Barzakh world [after death], and you will be his servant and slave.

 

 

 

Instructions

   

If you are about to die, and you know that you will shortly go from the material world to the ethereal world, then ask God's forgiveness of your sins, and beg your Lord, and ask His protection from the devils, and say:

 

"My God, be kind to me with Your kindness; and include me in your mercy; and offer to me a place in Your paradise.

My God, avoid me the evil of the evil genies, and the deceit of the devil; You are the Generous and Gracious.

My God, answer my prayer, and let Your angels be my companions, but let not the devils be my masters and patrons.

My God, You are my Master and Patron in the life of the World and in the Next Life: Take my soul [to You, and let me die] while I am a Muslim [: submitting myself to God alone], and join me with the righteous.

God, I have just departed from the life of the World, and to Your neighborhood I have come; I have [like a beggar] knocked Your door; so be Kind to me with Your mercy, and offer to me out of Your generosity, and protect me from Your wrath.

My Lord, I ask Your protection from the devils annoying, and I ask Your protection from attending and serving them.

My Lord, grant me my wishes, and let Paradise be my home; and Your mercy: let it be my provision and entertainment.

God, You are more Merciful than all the merciful."

 

Repeat this prayer before and after death. You may, also, read it every night before sleep; because the sleeping person is like the dead.

 

 

 

Prosperity for Believers in the Next Life

  

As regards what God – be glorified – mentioned about the prosperity for believers in the Next Life; it is in the Quran 3: 169-171

æóáÇó ÊóÍúÓóÈóäøó ÇáøóÐöíäó ÞõÊöáõæÇú Ýöí ÓóÈöíáö Çááøåö ÃóãúæóÇÊðÇ Èóáú ÃóÍúíóÇÁñ ÚöäÏó ÑóÈøöåöãú íõÑúÒóÞõæäó . ÝóÑöÍöíäó ÈöãóÇ ÂÊóÇåõãõ Çááøåõ ãöä ÝóÖúáöåö æóíóÓúÊóÈúÔöÑõæäó ÈöÇáøóÐöíäó áóãú íóáúÍóÞõæÇú Èöåöã ãøöäú ÎóáúÝöåöãú ÃóáÇøó ÎóæúÝñ Úóáóíúåöãú æóáÇó åõãú íóÍúÒóäõæäó íóÓúÊóÈúÔöÑõæäó ÈöäöÚúãóÉò ãøöäó Çááøåö æóÝóÖúáò æóÃóäøó Çááøåó áÇó íõÖöíÚõ ÃóÌúÑó ÇáúãõÄúãöäöíäó

I.e. (Think not of those who are slain in the way of God as dead. Not so, but they are living, in the neighborhood of their Lord [in the ethereal paradises], having their provision [of the fruit of these paradises, and drinking from their rivers.]

 

They are glad with what God has offered to them of His grace, and are hoping for those [believers] left behind them [in the World] who have not yet followed them [through martyrdom, and being glad also for that they found, in Paradise, their children who had died before them;]

that there is no fear for them [from devils], neither shall they grieve [for parting from their families.]

 

Rejoicing in the blessing and favor of God, and that God will not waste the reward of believers.)

  

The interpretation: 

>> (They are glad with what God has offered to them of His grace) means: of chattels, furniture and ornament.

>> (and hoping for those [believers] left behind them [in the World] who have not followed them [through martyrdom, and being glad also for that they found, in Paradise, their children who had died before them]); for they thought that their children who had died as little children had disappeared from existence by their death; but when they went to the ether world, they found them, and were glad with meeting them. Some of them are their children who died in their childhood, and did not reach the length and height of their fathers and did not become men. This is His saying – be glorified – ãøöäú ÎóáúÝöåöãú which is originally ãøöäú ÎóáóÝöåöã i.e. of their offspring. The offspring are the sons.

>> (that there is no fear for them [from devils], neither shall they grieve [for parting from their families]) and will not be like disbelievers who will grieve in the Barzakh world due to the tiredness and insult that will afflict them.       

 

God – be glorified – said in the Quran 3: 174

ÝóÇäÞóáóÈõæÇú ÈöäöÚúãóÉò ãøöäó Çááøåö æóÝóÖúáò áøóãú íóãúÓóÓúåõãú ÓõæÁñ æóÇÊøóÈóÚõæÇú ÑöÖúæóÇäó Çááøåö æóÇááøåõ Ðõæ ÝóÖúáò ÚóÙöíãò

I.e. (So they returned with bounty from God and favor, without any harm touched them; and they followed the good pleasure of God; surely, God has a great favor [on the believers; for He guided them to the faith and belief.])

  

The interpretation: 

>> (without any harm touched them) means: [Following their death], no harm touched them from devils and genies, when they went to Paradise; because the angels protected them; therefore, no evil touched them from devils.       

 

God – be glorified – said in the Quran 10: 26

áöáøÐöíäó ÃÍúÓóäõæÇ ÇáÍõÓúäóì æÒöíÇÏóÉñ æáÇ íóÑúåóÞõ æõÌõæåóåõãú ÞóÊóÑñ æáÇ ÐöáøÉñ ¡ ÃõæáÇÆßó ÃÕúÍÇÈõ ÇáÌóäøóÉö åõãú ÝöíåÇ ÎÇáöÏõæä

I.e. (For those who do charity [to the poor, the needy, orphans and widows], the best [life will be in the Next Life] and an additional [reward from God will be for them, more than what they deserve according to their charity] ;

neither wretchedness nor abasement will their faces suffer [as will the faces of the people of Fire suffer.]

Those will be the people of Paradise, abiding therein forever.)       

 

The Glorious Lord said also in the Quran 92: 5-7

ÝóÃóãøóÇ ãóä ÃóÚúØóì æóÇÊøóÞóì .  æóÕóÏøóÞó ÈöÇáúÍõÓúäóì . ÝóÓóäõíóÓøöÑõåõ áöáúíõÓúÑóì .

I.e. (As for him who [out of his money] gives [alms to the poor and needy for the sake of God], and wards off [the disobedience of God.]

And believes in the best [rewarding for him in the Next Life, and in Paradise.]

We will surely prepare for him the mild [punishment in the Barzakh world or the afterlife.])

 

It means: Following his death, We will ease his way to the [state of] ease; and that will be in the Barzakh world.       

 

God – be glorified – said in the Quran 6: 127

áóåõãú ÏóÇÑõ ÇáÓøóáÇóãö ÚöäÏó ÑóÈøöåöãú æóåõæó æóáöíøõåõãú ÈöãóÇ ßóÇäõæÇú íóÚúãóáõæäó

I.e. (Theirs is the 'abode of peace' with their Lord, and He is their Patron because of their [righteous] deeds.)

  

The interpretation: There will be for them, the home of safety, [where the angels greet them], in the neighborhood of their Lord, in the ether world and God will take care about their affairs, as recompense to what righteousness they did.       

 

God – be glorified – said in the Quran 16: 97

ãóäú Úóãöáó ÕóÇáöÍðÇ ãøöä ÐóßóÑò Ãóæú ÃõäËóì æóåõæó ãõÄúãöäñ ÝóáóäõÍúíöíóäøóåõ ÍóíóÇÉð ØóíøöÈóÉð æóáóäóÌúÒöíóäøóåõãú ÃóÌúÑóåõã ÈöÃóÍúÓóäö ãóÇ ßóÇäõæÇú íóÚúãóáõæäó

I.e. (Whoso, whether male or female, works righteous [work], and is a believer, We will let him live [in the Next Life] with a goodly life;

and We will reward them with a best recompense for the [righteous] deeds they did [in the life of the World.])

  

The interpretation: 

>> (We will let him live [in the Next Life] with a goodly life) means: in the ether world, so that there will be for believers a prosperous life; whereas disbelievers will have a hard life.

>> (and We will reward them with a best recompense) means: in Paradise,

>> (for the [righteous] deeds they did [in the life of the World.])      

 

The Glorious Lord said in the Quran 22: 50

ÝóÇáøóÐöíäó ÂãóäõæÇ æóÚóãöáõæÇ ÇáÕøóÇáöÍóÇÊö áóåõã ãøóÛúÝöÑóÉñ æóÑöÒúÞñ ßóÑöíãñ

I.e. (So those who believe and work righteous [work], there will be for them forgiveness [from their Lord] and a generous provision [in the Next Life])

It means: In Paradise, they will have a generous or good provision.       

 

The Glorious Lord said in the Quran 22: 58

æóÇáøÐöíäó åÇÌóÑõæÇ Ýí ÓóÈíáö Çááåö Ëõãøó ÞõÊöáõæÇ Ãæú ãÇÊõæÇ áóíóÑúÒõÞóäøóåõãõ Çááåõ ÑöÒúÞÇð ÍóÓóäÇð ¡ æÅäøó Çááåó áóåõæó ÎóíúÑõ ÇáÑøÇÒöÞöíä

I.e. (And those who emigrated [from Mecca to Medina, and joined Prophet Mohammed] for the sake of God [and His good pleasure] and then were slain or they died, God will provide for them a good provision [with the fruit of Paradise]; for, surely, God is the Best of providers.)

  

Therefore, (God will provide for them) means: in Paradise.       

 

The Glorious Lord said in the Quran 56: 88-91

ÝóÃóãøóÇ Åöä ßóÇäó ãöäó ÇáúãõÞóÑøóÈöíäó .ÝóÑóæúÍñ æóÑóíúÍóÇäñ æóÌóäøóÉõ äóÚöíãò .æóÃóãøóÇ Åöä ßóÇäó ãöäó ÃóÕúÍóÇÈö Çáúíóãöíäö .ÝóÓóáÇãñ áøóßó ãöäú ÃóÕúÍóÇÈö Çáúíóãöíäö  

I.e. (So if the [deceased] is one of those close [to God] –– then [there will be for him] comfort and fragrance [of flowers] and the Garden of Bliss!

Or if the [deceased] is one of ‘the fellows of the right’, then 'salam’ be to you [and congratulations]' from the fellows of the right.)

  

It means: There will be rest and the aromatic plants for him in the Garden [of Refuge] ,

(and the Garden of Bliss or Prosperity) on the Judgment Day.

 

That is because believers will [at first] be admitted into the Garden of Refuge, after their death. It is the first layer nearby to the earth; in which they will have refuge.

  

Then on Judgment Day, they will be reckoned with, and after the judgment and reckoning, they will be admitted into the Garden of Prosperity (or the Garden of Everlasting.)

  

Whereas the believers who have sins, they will not be admitted into Paradise unless they will fulfill their complete punishment on earth.

 

 

 

Venial Sinners

  

Sinners that are believers and monotheists, will have their punishment on earth; either by hunger, thirst, nakedness, imprisonment in the grave, or what is like that; so that when his punishment will finish, he will be released, and the angels will take him to the 'Paradise of Refuge'; that is His saying – be glorified – in the Quran 84: 7-9

ÝóÃãøÇ ãóäú ÃõæÊöíó ßöÊÇÈóåõ Èöíóãöíäöåö . ÝóÓóæúÝó íõÍÇÓóÈõ ÍöÓÇÈÇð íóÓöíÑÇð . æíóäúÞóáöÈõ Åáóì Ãåúáöåö ãóÓúÑõæÑÇð

I.e. (Then as for him who is given his book [of deeds] in his right hand,

He shall be punished with a mild punishment,

And will return [after the punishment] joyfully to his [new] family [in the Paradise of Refuge.])

  

The interpretation: 

The ÍöÓÇÈ or 'reckoning' means: the punishment for evil deeds.

Similar to that is His saying – be glorified – in the Quran 14: 51

Åöäøó Çááøåó ÓóÑöíÚõ ÇáúÍöÓóÇÈö

I.e. (For God is Swift at requiting.)  

It means: Swift at punishing.

 

>> (He shall be punished with a mild punishment): that will be on the earth, in the world of the Barzakh [which is the period from after death till Doomsday.]

>> (And will return [after the punishment] joyfully to his [new] family [in the Paradise of Refuge.])

It means: he shall go, after receiving his punishment, to his new family, in the Paradise of Refuge, joyfully. His family will be those, who died before him, of his wives and little children, in case his wife was a pious believer; also of his wives: the 'Hoor' in Paradise.

 

For the Ãåá  in Arabic, i.e. 'family' or exactly it means: man's wives and children; the indication of that is His saying – be glorified – in the Quran 20: 10, while telling about Moses' story:

ÅöÐú ÑóÃóì äóÇÑðÇ ÝóÞóÇáó áöÃóåúáöåö ÇãúßõËõæÇ Åöäøöí ÂäóÓúÊõ äóÇÑðÇ

I.e. (When he saw a fire, and said to his family: 'Stay here; for I perceive a fire!')

  

And there were with Moses his wife and his two children only.

  

This is about the reckoning [i.e. the punishment] in the Barzakh world.

 

Whereas on Judgment Day, he will be reckoned with by a detailed elongated[xxvi] (or elaborated) reckoning; and that will be in the 'gathering-together' [in the space]; then he will enter into the 'Paradise of Everlasting' by God's forgiveness and surplus.       

 

For God – be glorified – said in the Quran 101: 6-7

ÝóÃóãøóÇ ãóä ËóÞõáóÊú ãóæóÇÒöíäõåõ Ýóåõæó Ýöí ÚöíÔóÉò ÑøóÇÖöíóÉò

I.e. (Then, as for him whose judgment will be elaborated,

He will have a life pleasant [to him.])

  

The interpretation: And he whose judgment will be elongated on the Day of Judgment, he will be admitted into Paradise, after the judgment, and will have a prosperous life with which he will be content and pleased.  

 

 

 

[Mortal Sinners]

  

While as regards the 'mortal sinners': they will have their torment in Fire, each one of them according to his sins.

  

I have just mentioned the interpretation of these ayat (or Quranic revelations) in this book in summary, and you will find their detailed explanation in my book of the interpretation of the Quran, which has been translated to English with the title of The Quran Interpretation, and [both the Arabic and English] will shortly be published, by God's help.

 

 

 

The Judgment and the Requital

  

Some people say that the Judgment is in the grave; and that the angels 'Munkar' and 'Nakier' come and judge the deceased, and ask him about his Lord, his religion and his prophet …etc.

  

I say: The judgment is not for the dead body, but the judgment will be for the ethereal soul; because the body, following the departure of the soul from it, will be like a board laid on the ground: does not hear, neither does it see, nor does it understand. Whereas the soul hears, sees and understands. Therefore, the judgment will only be for the soul exclusively.

  

In addition to that, not all people will be reckoned with at the time of their death, but it is believers only that will be reckoned with. Whereas disbelievers will not be reckoned with, but will go into Hell without judgment.

  

Moreover, the judgment will be on Doomsday, or Judgment Day; the indication of that is His saying – be glorified – in the Quran 2: 113

æóÞóÇáóÊö ÇáúíóåõæÏõ áóíúÓóÊö ÇáäøóÕóÇÑóì Úóáóìó ÔóíúÁò æóÞóÇáóÊö ÇáäøóÕóÇÑóì áóíúÓóÊö ÇáúíóåõæÏõ Úóáóì ÔóíúÁò æóåõãú íóÊúáõæäó ÇáúßöÊóÇÈó ßóÐóáößó ÞóÇáó ÇáøóÐöíäó áÇó íóÚúáóãõæäó ãöËúáó Þóæúáöåöãú ÝóÇááøåõ íóÍúßõãõ Èóíúäóåõãú íóæúãó ÇáúÞöíóÇãóÉö ÝöíãóÇ ßóÇäõæÇú Ýöíåö íóÎúÊóáöÝõæäó

I.e. (Jews say, 'Christians stand on no [sound base]'; and Christians say, 'Jews stand on no [sound base]', and yet they [both] read the Scripture. Similarly, those [pagan Arabs] – who know not [the Scripture] – say like their saying; but God shall decide judgment between them on Doomsday about their variations.[6])

  

Hence, God – be glorified – explained that their judgment will be on the Judgment Day; and in fact He did not say that God will judge them in the grave or at [the time of] death.       

 

God – be glorified – said in the Quran 3: 185

ßõáøõ äóÝúÓò ÐóÂÆöÞóÉõ ÇáúãóæúÊö æóÅöäøóãóÇ ÊõæóÝøóæúäó ÃõÌõæÑóßõãú íóæúãó ÇáúÞöíóÇãóÉö Ýóãóä ÒõÍúÒöÍó Úóäö ÇáäøóÇÑö æóÃõÏúÎöáó ÇáúÌóäøóÉó ÝóÞóÏú ÝóÇÒó æóãÇ ÇáúÍóíóÇÉõ ÇáÏøõäúíóÇ ÅöáÇøó ãóÊóÇÚõ ÇáúÛõÑõæÑö

I.e. (Every soul shall suffer [the feeling and pain] of death;

and you shall only be paid your full recompense on the Judgment Day.

Then whosoever will forcibly be removed away from the Fire and be admitted into Paradise will have indeed won;

and, surely, this life of the World is but a temporary deceptive enjoyment.)

  

Notice, then, that He – be glorified – said:

æóÅöäøóãóÇ ÊõæóÝøóæúäó ÃõÌõæÑóßõãú íóæúãó ÇáúÞöíóÇãóÉö

I.e. (you shall only be paid your full recompense on the Judgment Day.) 

 

Moreover, God – be glorified – said in the Quran 30: 14-16

æóíóæúãó ÊóÞõæãõ ÇáÓøóÇÚóÉõ íóæúãóÆöÐò íóÊóÝóÑøóÞõæäó . ÝóÃóãøóÇ ÇáøóÐöíäó ÂãóäõæÇ æóÚóãöáõæÇ ÇáÕøóÇáöÍóÇÊö Ýóåõãú Ýöí ÑóæúÖóÉò íõÍúÈóÑõæäó . æóÃóãøóÇ ÇáøóÐöíäó ßóÝóÑõæÇ æóßóÐøóÈõæÇ ÈöÂíóÇÊöäóÇ æóáöÞóÇÁ ÇáúÂÎöÑóÉö ÝóÃõæúáóÆößó Ýöí ÇáúÚóÐóÇÈö ãõÍúÖóÑõæäó

I.e. (And on the day when the Hour [of Doom] will occur; on that day they will separate [into two divisions: a party will be in Paradise and a party in the Blaze.]

 

As for those who believed and worked righteous [deeds], they will be delighted in a meadow [in Paradise.]

 

But as for those who disbelieved, denied Our signs [of revelation], and [denied] the meeting of the Next Life; such, in the torment, will be arraigned.)

  

Therefore, believers will be made happy in a Garden; and disbelievers will be brought to the doom.

 

In addition, God – be glorified – said in the Quran 36: 52

ÞóÇáõæÇ íóÇ æóíúáóäóÇ ãóä ÈóÚóËóäóÇ ãöä ãøóÑúÞóÏöäóÇ åóÐóÇ ãóÇ æóÚóÏó ÇáÑøóÍúãóäõ æóÕóÏóÞó ÇáúãõÑúÓóáõæäó

I.e. (They [will] say: "Woe to us! Who has sent us from our lying-place? This is what [God] Most Gracious did promise with, and true was the word of the apostles.")

  

Therefore, God – be glorified – explained that, when the Day of Doom will come on, they will come out of their graves, then they will say: (This is what [God] Most Gracious did promise with, and true was the word of the apostles.")

  

So if there was, in the grave, any judgment, then they would say such words in the grave on seeing Munkar and Nakier!

 

And He – be glorified – said in the Quran 14: 42-43

æóáÇó ÊóÍúÓóÈóäøó Çááøåó ÛóÇÝöáÇð ÚóãøóÇ íóÚúãóáõ ÇáÙøóÇáöãõæäó ÅöäøóãóÇ íõÄóÎøöÑõåõãú áöíóæúãò ÊóÔúÎóÕõ Ýöíåö ÇáÃóÈúÕóÇÑõ . ãõåúØöÚöíäó ãõÞúäöÚöí ÑõÁõæÓöåöãú áÇó íóÑúÊóÏøõ Åöáóíúåöãú ØóÑúÝõåõãú æóÃóÝúÆöÏóÊõåõãú åóæóÇÁ

I.e. (Think not that God is unaware of wrong-doers. He only postpones [their punishment] till a day [of their death and their coming to Us] when eyes will fixedly stare forwards.

Being submissive and listening [to the words of the angel of death],

stooping their heads [looking down to the ground, being humble.]

Their eyelids blinking not, and their hearts being void [of blood, as being their lungs void of air.])       

 

God – be glorified – said in the Quran 16: 92

ÅöäøóãóÇ íóÈúáõæßõãõ Çááøåõ Èöåö æóáóíõÈóíøöäóäøó áóßõãú íóæúãó ÇáúÞöíóÇãóÉö ãóÇ ßõäÊõãú Ýöíåö ÊóÎúÊóáöÝõæäó

I.e. (God only tries you with the [covenant][7]; and on the Day of Judgment He will certainly make clear to you that [of your religion and doctrines] whereon you were at variance.[8])

  

Therefore, God – be glorified – explained that, on the Day of Judgment, it will be evident to them the true from the false [concerning their doctrines and conduct,] about which they were different and variant, during the life of the World. So if the Judgment was really in the grave, then He would explain that [i.e. the true from the false] in the grave.

 

God – be glorified – said in the Quran 20: 100-101

ãóäú ÃóÚúÑóÖó Úóäúåõ ÝóÅöäøóåõ íóÍúãöáõ íóæúãó ÇáúÞöíóÇãóÉö æöÒúÑðÇ . ÎóÇáöÏöíäó Ýöíåö æóÓóÇÁ áóåõãú íóæúãó ÇáúÞöíóÇãóÉö ÍöãúáðÇ

I.e. (Whosoever turns away from it [and does not believe in it], he shall on Judgment Day bear a [heavy] burden [of sins.]

Abiding in the [disgrace and punishment of the ‘burden of sins’] – an evil load will it be for them on Judgment Day.)

 

Moreover, God – be glorified – said in the Quran 21: 47

æóäóÖóÚõ ÇáúãóæóÇÒöíäó ÇáúÞöÓúØó áöíóæúãö ÇáúÞöíóÇãóÉö ÝóáóÇ ÊõÙúáóãõ äóÝúÓñ ÔóíúÆðÇ æóÅöä ßóÇäó ãöËúÞóÇáó ÍóÈøóÉò ãøöäú ÎóÑúÏóáò ÃóÊóíúäóÇ ÈöåóÇ æóßóÝóì ÈöäóÇ ÍóÇÓöÈöíäó

I.e. (And We set the laws of justice[xxvii] to the Judgment Day, so that no soul may be wronged in aught; and eventhough [his righteous work] is [as trivial as] the weight of a grain of mustard seed, We will bring it forth [and reward him accordingly.]

And We suffice for rewarding [the good-doer for his good deeds, and the evil-doer for his evil deeds.])

  

The ãóæóÇÒöíäó or the 'laws' are the laws of justice, and the reckoning will be on the Judgment Day; as it is indicated by His saying – be glorified – 

æóßóÝóì ÈöäóÇ ÍóÇÓöÈöíäó

I.e. (And We suffice for rewarding [the good-doer for his good deeds, and the evil-doer for his evil deeds.])       

 

And God – be glorified – said in the Quran 39: 30-31

Åöäøóßó ãóíøöÊñ æóÅöäøóåõã ãøóíøöÊõæäó . Ëõãøó Åöäøóßõãú íóæúãó ÇáúÞöíóÇãóÉö ÚöäÏó ÑóÈøößõãú ÊóÎúÊóÕöãõæäó

I.e. (Surely, you [Mohammed] will die, and they will die.

 

Then on the Judgment Day, you [Muslims] will complain, before your Lord, against [the associaters who wronged you.])

  

Therefore, God – be glorified – explained that their complaining will be on the Judgment Day.

 

God – be glorified – said in the Quran 22: 17

Åöäøó ÇáøóÐöíäó ÂãóäõæÇ æóÇáøóÐöíäó åóÇÏõæÇ æóÇáÕøóÇÈöÆöíäó æóÇáäøóÕóÇÑóì æóÇáúãóÌõæÓó æóÇáøóÐöíäó ÃóÔúÑóßõæÇ Åöäøó Çááøóåó íóÝúÕöáõ Èóíúäóåõãú íóæúãó ÇáúÞöíóÇãóÉö Åöäøó Çááøóåó Úóáóì ßõáøö ÔóíúÁò ÔóåöíÏñ

I.e. (Surely, those [Muslims] who believe, and Jews, Sabaeans, Christians, Magians [: the fire worshippers] and those [Arab and others] who associate [others with God]; surely, God will judge between them on Judgment Day; for God is Witness of all things.)

 

Moreover, God – be glorified – said in the Quran 22: 69

Çááøóåõ íóÍúßõãõ Èóíúäóßõãú íóæúãó ÇáúÞöíóÇãóÉö ÝöíãóÇ ßõäÊõãú Ýöíåö ÊóÎúÊóáöÝõæäó

I.e. (But surely God will judge between you on the Day of Judgment concerning what [of your religion] you violate.)

 

God – be glorified – said in the Quran 29: 13

æóáóíóÍúãöáõäøó ÃóËúÞóÇáóåõãú æóÃóËúÞóÇáðÇ ãøóÚó ÃóËúÞóÇáöåöãú æóáóíõÓúÃóáõäøó íóæúãó ÇáúÞöíóÇãóÉö ÚóãøóÇ ßóÇäõæÇ íóÝúÊóÑõæäó

I.e. (They will certainly bear their burdens, and other burdens along with their burdens; and on the Day of Judgment they will surely be questioned concerning [the lies] that they were forging [to the feeble-minded and so they barred them from the way of the truth.])

 

 

Question 9 You say that man will not enter Paradise or Hell unless on the Judgment Day; then what is the meaning of His saying – be glorified – in the Quran 36: 26-27

Þöíáó ÇÏúÎõáö ÇáúÌóäøóÉó ÞóÇáó íóÇ áóíúÊó Þóæúãöí íóÚúáóãõæäó . ÈöãóÇ ÛóÝóÑó áöí ÑóÈøöí æóÌóÚóáóäöí ãöäó ÇáúãõßúÑóãöíä  

I.e. ([And when Gamaliel died] it was said [to him by the angels]: "Enter Paradise"; [and when he entered it] he said: "Would that my people knew,"

"That my Lord has forgiven me and made me one of the honored.")

 

In addition to that, God – be glorified – said in the Quran 71: 25

ãöãøÇ ÎóØöíÆÇÊöåöãú ÃÛúÑöÞõæÇ ÝóÃõÏúÎöáõæÇ äÇÑÇð

I.e. (Because of their sins, they[xxviii] were drowned [in the water], and their [souls] were made to enter into a fire.)?

  

Answer: 

The admission into Paradise or Fire in the Barzakh world is special and not general.

 

As regards Paradise; none enters it during the Barzakh world (or the afterlife), other than prophets, true believers and some of the martyrs and pious monotheists.

 

Similarly, the admission into Fire [in the Barzakh world] is special for every nation that disbelieved their apostle during his life time.

 

While those to whom no apostle had come, they will not enter Fire in the Barzakh world, but that will be on the Judgment Day; because they had not seen the apostle with their own eyes, but their fathers told them about him.

 

Another point is that the fire, into which disbelievers go, in the Barzakh world, is not Hell which they will enter on Doomsday, but it is the volcanoes of the earth.

 

 

 

Judgment Will Be for Souls, not for Bodies

  

The following is quoted from a book entitled 'Spirits', by Ibn Al-Qayim, page 42:

  

"Abu Mohammed, the son of Hazm, said in his book 'Sects and Doctrines':

“As regards that ‘the dead will be revived in his grave before Doomsday’; this is wrong. That is because the Quranic revelations which God said, do not confirm this.”

He points out to His saying – be glorified – in the Quran 40: 11

ÞóÇáõæÇ ÑóÈøóäóÇ ÃóãóÊøóäóÇ ÇËúäóÊóíúäö æóÃóÍúíóíúÊóäóÇ ÇËúäóÊóíúäö

I.e. (The [associaters, following their death, will] say [while being in Hell]: "Our Lord, You made us die twice and live twice. Now we confess our sins. Is there, then, any way for getting out [of Hell]?")

 

And His saying – be glorified – in the Quran 2: 28

ßóíúÝó ÊóßúÝõÑõæäó ÈöÇááøóåö æóßõäÊõãú ÃóãúæóÇÊÇð ÝóÃóÍúíóÇßõãú

I.e. (How can you [people] disbelieve in [the revelation of] God while you were dead [inanimate], and He gave life to you [and you became alive: hearing and seeing!])

  

He added: "If the dead had been revived in his grave, then God – be glorified – would have made us die thrice; but this is false and contrary to the Quran save one whom God – be glorified – revived as a miracle for one of the prophets."

  

I say: The prosperity, in the Barzakh world, and the punishment and reckoning with; [all that] is specific for the soul and not for bodies; because the soul is a commander, and the body is a commanded one. The body is not more than a tool by the hand of the soul which the soul uses as he likes.

 

[The example of the car and the driver]

We may give an example for that: It is like a car driver who struck a man and this man dies; then is it the car that will be judged and imprisoned, or is it the driver that will be judged and punished?

  

Therefore, similarly, it is the soul that will be punished because of his crimes, and no punishment will be for the body.

  

God – be glorified – mentioned to us, in the Quran a large number of the Quranic revelations that specify the evil to the soul:

1. God – be glorified – said in the Quran 12: 53 – in the story of Joseph and Zelieka (or Zulaikha):

æóãÇ ÃõÈóÑøöÆõ äóÝúÓöí ¡ Åäøó ÇáäøÝúÓó áÃãøÇÑóÉñ ÈöÇáÓøõæÁö

I.e. ("Yet I do not clear myself [of the sexual desire]; for the [human] soul incites to evil.)

 

2. Moreover, God – be glorified – said in the Quran 20: 95-96 – telling about Moses and the Samaritan:

ÞóÇáó ÝóãóÇ ÎóØúÈõßó íóÇ ÓóÇãöÑöíøõ  . ÞóÇáó ÈóÕõÑúÊõ ÈöãóÇ áóãú íóÈúÕõÑõæÇ Èöåö ÝóÞóÈóÖúÊõ ÞóÈúÖóÉð ãøöäú ÃóËóÑö ÇáÑøóÓõæáö ÝóäóÈóÐúÊõåóÇ æóßóÐóáößó ÓóæøóáóÊú áöí äóÝúÓöí

I.e. ([Moses] said, 'What was your case, O Samaritan?'

[The Samaritan] said: "I saw what the [Children of Israel] did not see, and I grasped a handful of the [ancient] relics [: the gold coins from the time] of the messenger [Salih], and I cast it [into the fire]; for thus did my soul suggest[xxix] to me.")

 

3. God – be glorified – said also in the Quran 12: 18 – telling about what Jacob said to his sons:

ÞóÇáó Èóáú ÓóæøóáóÊú áóßõãú ÃóäÝõÓõßõãú ÃóãúÑðÇ

I.e. ([Jacob] said: "[Not so], but your souls have induced you to do a matter [about Joseph])

 

4. And God – be glorified – said in the Quran 5: 30 – telling about the story of Cain and Abel:

ÝóØóæøóÚóÊú áóåõ äóÝúÓõåõ ÞóÊúáó ÃóÎöíåö ÝóÞóÊóáóåõ ÝóÃóÕúÈóÍó ãöäó ÇáúÎóÇÓöÑöíäó

I.e. (Then his soul prompted him to kill his brother, so he killed him, and became one of losers.)

  

Then, God – be glorified – did not say: His hand made it easy for him to kill his brother; but He said:

ÝóØóæøóÚóÊú áóåõ äóÝúÓõåõ

I.e. (Then his soul prompted him)

 

That is because the hand is not more than a tool which the soul uses as he likes.

 

An example of that is [as we said] the car-driver: if he strikes a man and kills him, then is it the car that will be punished, or is it the driver?

 

The soul is the driver, while the body is not more than a tool used by the soul as this latter likes.

  

Therefore, the punishment is exclusively for the soul, while the body will decay and become soil.

 

 

 

The Gathering-Together [of the Next Life]

  

We said in our book The Universe and the Quran that Doomsday is the day on which the Earth and the solar system as a whole will break up, and when this will take place, then souls will run away from the Earth and scatter in the space; and there the Congregation (or Gathering-together) will be, i.e. it will be in the space.

 

The example of a wasp-hive stuck to the ceiling

We may give an example for that: it is like a wasp-hive stuck to the ceiling of a room, then it is hit by a stone, so that it is broken up and fallen; then the wasps will scatter in the space of the room; because there will not remain for them any shelter to hide in it; so similarly, if the Earth breaks up and scatter, then souls will scatter in the space and leave those scattered pieces.

 

The Judgment and recompense will also be in the space.       

 

God – be glorified – said in the Quran 40: 16

íóæúãó åõã ÈóÇÑöÒõæäó áóÇ íóÎúÝóì Úóáóì Çááøóåö ãöäúåõãú ÔóíúÁñ áøöãóäö Çáúãõáúßõ Çáúíóæúãó áöáøóåö ÇáúæóÇÍöÏö ÇáúÞóåøóÇÑö

I.e. (On the day when they will appear exposed [in the space]; none of them being hidden from God.

[At that time, God will say: "O man!]

To Whom is the ownership this day?"

[The angels and people in the gathering together will answer, saying]:

"[It belongs] to God, the One, the Subduer.")

  

His saying – be glorified – ÈóÇÑöÒõæäó i.e. (they will appear exposed) means: They will be conspicuous and apparent to the vision, and cannot hide; because they will be in the space, and there will not be any earth for them to hide inside it.       

 

Moreover, God – be glorified – said in the Quran 42: 47

ÇÓúÊóÌöíÈõæÇ áöÑóÈøößõã ãøöä ÞóÈúáö Ãóä íóÃúÊöíó íóæúãñ áøóÇ ãóÑóÏøó áóåõ ãöäó Çááøóåö ãóÇ áóßõã ãøöä ãøóáúÌóÃò íóæúãóÆöÐò æóãóÇ áóßõã ãøöä äøóßöíÑò

I.e. ([O people] respond to your Lord, before a day will come of which there will be no averting by God; there will be no shelter for you on that day; nor will have you any camouflage[xxx].)

  

His saying – be glorified – ãóÇ áóßõã ãøöä ãøóáúÌóÃò íóæúãóÆöÐò i.e. (there will be no shelter for you on that day); because the Earth will break up, and no shelter will remain for them; so that they will scatter in the space.       

 

In addition, God – be glorified – said in the Quran 14: 48

íóæúãó ÊõÈóÏøóáõ ÇáÃóÑúÖõ ÛóíúÑó ÇáÃóÑúÖö æóÇáÓøóãóÇæóÇÊõ æóÈóÑóÒõæÇú ááøåö ÇáúæóÇÍöÏö ÇáúÞóåøóÇÑö

I.e. (On the day [of Doom] when the earth shall be exchanged by another earth, and the [gaseous] heavens too [shall be exchanged by other gaseous heavens]; and [all] shall come forth[9] unto God, the One, the Subduer.)

   

The 'conspicuous' is the visible [thing] that is apparent to vision.

 

[This also is the meaning of the word in the Arab poetry, some of which is mentioned by Mohammed-Ali Hassan Al-Hilly, the interpreter of the Quran and the Bible, in his Arabic book.]       

 

Also, God – be glorified – said in the Quran 54: 7

íóÎúÑõÌõæäó ãöäó ÇáúÃóÌúÏóÇËö ßóÃóäøóåõãú ÌóÑóÇÏñ ãøõäÊóÔöÑñ

I.e. (They will come forth from graves like locusts scattered abroad [in the space.])

  

It means: Souls will scatter in the space, like how locusts scatter in the sky when they come [in large number] to a country or to a farm.       

 

And God – be glorified – said in the Quran 101: 4

íóæúãó íóßõæäõ ÇáäøóÇÓõ ßóÇáúÝóÑóÇÔö ÇáúãóÈúËõæËö

I.e. (The day when people will be like scattered moths.)

  

The 'moths' are the insects which fly around the lamp at night.

[This also is the meaning of the word in the Arab poetry, some of which is mentioned by Mohammed-Ali Hassan Al-Hilly, the interpreter of the Quran and the Bible, in his Arabic book.]       

 

Moreover, God – be glorified – said in the Quran 75: 10-12

íóÞõæáõ ÇáúÅöäÓóÇäõ íóæúãóÆöÐò Ãóíúäó ÇáúãóÝóÑøõ . ßóáøóÇ áóÇ æóÒóÑó . Åöáóì ÑóÈøößó íóæúãóÆöÐò ÇáúãõÓúÊóÞóÑøõ

I.e. (On that day, [the denying] man shall say: "Where to flee [from the chastisement and punishment?]"

By no means! He will not at all be hidden [in any shelter!]

On that day, the [only] ‘repose and settlement’ will be in the neighborhood of your Lord.)

  

It means: The final resort will be to Him in the heaven; because the planets will break up.       

 

In addition, God – be glorified – said in the Quran 36: 53

Åöä ßóÇäóÊú ÅöáøóÇ ÕóíúÍóÉð æóÇÍöÏóÉð ÝóÅöÐóÇ åõãú ÌóãöíÚñ áøóÏóíúäóÇ ãõÍúÖóÑõæäó

I.e. (It will be but one shout [of the angel Israfel], and behold, they will all be brought to Us [: to the gathering together in the space.])

  

It means: to Us in heaven.       

 

Moreover, God – be glorified – said in the Quran 36: 51

æóäõÝöÎó Ýöí ÇáÕøõæÑö ÝóÅöÐóÇ åõã ãøöäó ÇáúÃóÌúÏóÇËö Åöáóì ÑóÈøöåöãú íóäÓöáõæäó

I.e. (And when the 'Horn'[xxxi] will be blown; behold, they will then go up, from the graves, in crowds, to their Lord [: to the ‘gathering-together’ in the space.])

  

It means: They will ascend to Him in heaven.       

 

Also, God – be glorified – said in the Quran 29: 22

æóãóÇ ÃóäÊõã ÈöãõÚúÌöÒöíäó Ýöí ÇáúÃóÑúÖö æóáóÇ Ýöí ÇáÓøóãóÇÁ æóãóÇ áóßõã ãøöä Ïõæäö Çááøóåö ãöä æóáöíøò æóáóÇ äóÕöíÑò

I.e. (You [associaters] cannot disable [God] neither in the earth [during your material life] nor in the heaven [during your ethereal or spiritual life]; and – apart from God – there will not be for you any patron nor any helper.)

  

The interpretation: And you, people, cannot disable God in the Earth when you are material and inhabiting the Earth; as will you not disable Him in the heaven when you will be ethereal and scattering in the space.       

 

And God – be glorified – said in the Quran 55: 33

íóÇ ãóÚúÔóÑó ÇáúÌöäøö æóÇáúÅöäÓö Åöäö ÇÓúÊóØóÚúÊõãú Ãóä ÊóäÝõÐõæÇ ãöäú ÃóÞúØóÇÑö ÇáÓøóãóÇæóÇÊö æóÇáúÃóÑúÖö ÝóÇäÝõÐõæÇ áóÇ ÊóäÝõÐõæäó ÅöáøóÇ ÈöÓõáúØóÇäò

I.e. (O multitudes of the jinn-kind and man-kind! If it be you can get out of the confines of the [torn up] heavens and earth, then get out [of the sun capture!]

Not without [Our] authority shall you be able to get out [of it.])

  

This saying will be told to them on Doomsday.

  

The interpretation: If you can get out of the limits, edges or confines of the planets and the Earth that have been destroyed, then go and get out …etc.

  

The meaning: You cannot get out of this limit, and you cannot get out of Our sovereignty and you cannot escape from Our punishment wherever [you may go.] That is because the gathering-together (or assembly or congregation) will be in the space of the broken up planets.       

 

God – be glorified – said in the Quran 84: 3-4

æóÅöÐóÇ ÇáúÃóÑúÖõ ãõÏøóÊú . æóÃóáúÞóÊú ãóÇ ÝöíåóÇ æóÊóÎóáøóÊú

I.e. (And when the earth shall be [cut up into pieces that shall be] spread out [in the space.]

And cast out all that inside it [of evil souls], and be void [of them.])

  

It means: It will throw what [people and creatures] inside it, and become empty of them; for they will be gathered together [for Judgment] in the space.       

 

In additioin, God – be glorified – said in the Quran 7: 25

ÞóÇáó ÝöíåóÇ ÊóÍúíóæúäó æóÝöíåóÇ ÊóãõæÊõæäó æóãöäúåóÇ ÊõÎúÑóÌõæäó

I.e. (He said: "In it[xxxii] you shall live, and therein you shall die and from there you shall be brought forth.")

  

It means: You will be driven out of the earth to the space where the ‘gathering-together’ will be; so that none will remain on the earth because it will break up.

 

 

 

The Gathering-Together Is for Souls

 

We said [in the preceding lines] that the ‘gathering-together’ or the congregation [of the Next Life] will be in the space. In addition to that, I say the raising [or sending forth, i.e. ÈÚË in Arabic], the ‘gathering-together’ (or the congregation), the Judgment, the recompense and the punishment; all of that is exclusively for souls, and no need for bodies.

 

1. God – be glorified – said in the Quran 2: 281

æóÇÊøóÞõæÇú íóæúãðÇ ÊõÑúÌóÚõæäó Ýöíåö Åöáóì Çááøåö Ëõãøó ÊõæóÝøóì ßõáøõ äóÝúÓò ãøóÇ ßóÓóÈóÊú æóåõãú áÇó íõÙúáóãõæäó

I.e. (And ward off [the punishment of] a day [of your death] in which you will be brought back to [the judgment of] God. Then every soul will be paid in full [the recompense of the work] that it earned, and they will not be wronged [by decreasing their reward or increasing their punishment.])

  

Therefore, God – be glorified – specified the soul by the recompense, and excluded the body; for He said:

Ëõãøó ÊõæóÝøóì ßõáøõ äóÝúÓò ãøóÇ ßóÓóÈóÊú

I.e. (Then every soul will be paid in full [the recompense of the work] that it earned); but if He meant by that both the body and the soul, then He would say: 'Then every human being will be paid in full [the recompense of the work] that it earned'. But He said ßõáøõ äóÝúÓò i.e. (every soul.)

 

2. And God – be glorified – said in the Quran 74: 38-39

ßõáøõ äóÝúÓò ÈöãóÇ ßóÓóÈóÊú ÑóåöíäóÉñ . ÅöáøóÇ ÃóÕúÍóÇÈó Çáúíóãöíäö

I.e. (38- Every soul shall [in the Next Life] be [held imprisoned] in pledge for what [sins] it earned.

39- Except those pertaining to the right [: they shall be free and prosperous.])

 

3. Moreover, God – be glorified – said in the Quran 81: 7

æóÅöÐóÇ ÇáäøõÝõæÓõ ÒõæøöÌóÊú

I.e. (When the souls are sorted out [being joined, like with like: the righteous with the angels, and the unbelievers with the devils.])

 

4. In addition, God – be glorified – said in the Quran 82: 19

íóæúãó áóÇ Êóãúáößõ äóÝúÓñ áøöäóÝúÓò ÔóíúÆðÇ æóÇáúÃóãúÑõ íóæúãóÆöÐò áöáøóåö

I.e. ([The Day of Judgment will be] the day when no soul can control any [intercession] for any soul; for on that day the authority will [absolutely] be God's [authority.])

 

5. And God – be glorified – said in the Quran 89: 27-30

íóÇ ÃóíøóÊõåóÇ ÇáäøóÝúÓõ ÇáúãõØúãóÆöäøóÉõ . ÇÑúÌöÚöí Åöáóì ÑóÈøößö ÑóÇÖöíóÉð ãøóÑúÖöíøóÉð . ÝóÇÏúÎõáöí Ýöí ÚöÈóÇÏöí . æóÇÏúÎõáöí ÌóäøóÊöí

I.e. (27- "O you, soul having certainty [of belief]!"

28- "Return to [the neighborhood of] your Lord, well-pleased [about the reward and prosperity], and well-pleased with [by God!]"

29- "And enter into [the Garden of Refuge, together] with My [righteous] servants [following death.]"

30- "And enter into My Paradise [of Everlasting, on the Day of Judgment.]”)

 

6. God – be glorified – said also in the Quran 17: 36

æóáÇó ÊóÞúÝõ ãóÇ áóíúÓó áóßó Èöåö Úöáúãñ Åöäøó ÇáÓøóãúÚó æóÇáúÈóÕóÑó æóÇáúÝõÄóÇÏó ßõáøõ ÃõæáÆößó ßóÇäó Úóäúåõ ãóÓúÄõæáÇð

I.e. (And do not go after the [flaws of your Muslim brother] about which you [man] have no knowledge; for the hearing, the sight and the [spiritual] heart, of all these it shall be inquired.)

  

The hearing, sight and [spiritual] heart, are the special senses of the soul and they are not the body organs.

  

[It means: Do not follow men from behind them, i.e. do not go after their faults, blemishes and secrets to unveil them.]

 

7. Moreover, God – be glorified – said in the Quran 41: 19-20

æóíóæúãó íõÍúÔóÑõ ÃóÚúÏóÇÁ Çááøóåö Åöáóì ÇáäøóÇÑö Ýóåõãú íõæÒóÚõæäó . ÍóÊøóì ÅöÐóÇ ãóÇ ÌóÇÄõæåóÇ ÔóåöÏó Úóáóíúåöãú ÓóãúÚõåõãú æóÃóÈúÕóÇÑõåõãú æóÌõáõæÏõåõãú ÈöãóÇ ßóÇäõæÇ íóÚúãóáõæäó

I.e. (On the day when [they will die and go to the Afterlife] the enemies of God shall be gathered together to the fire [of volcanoes], and shall be distributed [on its gates: the volcanoes.]

 

Until when they come to it, their ‘hearing’, their ‘eye-sights’ and their ‘skins’ shall bear witness against them of what [evil] they did.)

  

The "hearing" and "sight" are the special senses of the soul, whereas the ‘skins’ too are the ethereal skins.

 

 

 

The Body Will not Be Resurrected

  

We said that the sending forth, the ‘gathering-together’, the judgment and the punishment are for souls, and that no need for bringing the body back to life; because the soul is the true man. 

 

 

[The soul of man gets out of the body [by death], as does the chicken get out of the egg;

the soul will remain alive in the world of souls: eating, drinking, seeing, hearing, perceiving and feeling the pleasure and pain.

There will be no return of the soul to the body (after its departure from the body by death); because the purpose from creating the egg is to form the chicken; and it is not logical that the chicken will return again to its egg.]

 

 

God – be glorified – said in the Quran 10: 56

åõæó íõÍúíöí æóíõãöíÊõ æóÅöáóíúåö ÊõÑúÌóÚõæäó

I.e. (He makes [from the water and dust] living [beings], and causes [living beings] to die [by various ways], and to Him you [people] shall be returned [after your death.])

  

So, God – be glorified – did not mention any reviving to life after mentioning the death; but He said after it:

  æóÅöáóíúåö ÊõÑúÌóÚõæä  

I.e. (and to Him you [people] shall be returned [after your death]) means: Bodies die and souls return back to Him.     

 

God – be glorified – said in the Quran 15: 23

æóÅäøóÇ áóäóÍúäõ äõÍúíöí æóäõãöíÊõ æóäóÍúäõ ÇáúæóÇÑöËõæäó

I.e. (Certainly, it is We Who give life and cause death; and We are the Ultimate Inheritors.)

 

So He mentioned the death, but did not mention any [reviving to] life after it.       

 

Then God – be glorified – said in the Quran 15: 25 [in the same soora or chapter]

æóÅöäøó ÑóÈøóßó åõæó íóÍúÔõÑõåõãú Åöäøóåõ Íóßöíãñ Úóáöíãñ

I.e. (And it is your Lord Who will gather them together [for recompensing in the next life]; surely, He is the Most Wise [and] Most knowing.)
  

Here, God – be glorified – said  íóÍúÔõÑõåõãú  i.e. (will gather them together), and didn't say: will revive them;

 

this is like His saying – be glorified – in the Quran 27: 17

æóÍõÔöÑó áöÓõáóíúãóÇäó ÌõäõæÏõåõ ãöäó ÇáúÌöäøö æóÇáúÅöäÓö æóÇáØøóíúÑö Ýóåõãú íõæÒóÚõæäó

I.e. (And for Solomon were gathered together his hosts of genies, people and birds, and they were all ‘kept from escaping’.)

 

Moreover, God – be glorified – said in the Quran 38: 19

æóÇáØøóíúÑó ãóÍúÔõæÑóÉð ßõáøñ áøóåõ ÃóæøóÇÈñ

I.e. (And the birds gathered together [round about him]; [once they went to eat] each one would soon return back to him.)

 

God – be glorified – said in the Quran 11: 7

æóáóÆöä ÞõáúÊó Åöäøóßõã ãøóÈúÚõæËõæäó ãöä ÈóÚúÏö ÇáúãóæúÊö áóíóÞõæáóäøó ÇáøóÐöíäó ßóÝóÑõæÇú Åöäú åóÐóÇ ÅöáÇøó ÓöÍúÑñ ãøõÈöíäñ

I.e. (But should you [Mohammed] say [to them]: "You [being souls] will be sent forth [from your bodies to the Afterlife] after death", those who disbelieve will surely say: "This is only an obvious sorcery.")

  

So He – be glorified – said ãøóÈúÚõæËõæäó i.e. ("You [being souls] will be sent forth [from your bodies to the Afterlife] after death"), and He did not say: You will be revived or quickened after death.

  

The Arabic word ÈÚË   means: sending a person from a place to another.

  

The interpretation: You will be sent forth from earth to heaven for Judgment and Recompense.

[This also is the meaning of the word in the Arab poetry some of which is mentioned by Mohammed-Ali Hassan Al-Hilly, the interpreter of the Quran and the Bible, in his Arabic book.]

 

God – be glorified – said in the Quran 5: 12

æóÈóÚóËúäóÇ ãöäåõãõ ÇËúäóíú ÚóÔóÑó äóÞöíÈðÇ

I.e. (and We assigned out of them twelve chiefs.)

  

Its interpretation: We sent from among them twelve representatives or chieftains.

  

 

Also God – be glorified – said in the Quran 16: 36

æóáóÞóÏú ÈóÚóËúäóÇ Ýöí ßõáøö ÃõãøóÉò ÑøóÓõæáÇð Ãóäö ÇÚúÈõÏõæÇú Çááøåó æóÇÌúÊóäöÈõæÇú ÇáØøóÇÛõæÊó

I.e. (We did send into every nation an apostle [proclaiming]: "[O people] worship God [alone], and avoid [following] ‘the arrogant’.")

  

 

Moreover, God – be glorified – said in the Quran 25: 51

æóáóæú ÔöÆúäóÇ áóÈóÚóËúäóÇ Ýöí ßõáøö ÞóÑúíóÉò äóÐöíÑðÇ

I.e. (But, had We pleased, We would have sent in every city a warner.)

 

 

In addition to that, God – be glorified – said in the Quran 23: 15-16

Ëõãøó Åöäøóßõãú ÈóÚúÏó Ðóáößó áóãóíøöÊõæäó . Ëõãøó Åöäøóßõãú íóæúãó ÇáúÞöíóÇãóÉö ÊõÈúÚóËõæäó

I.e. (15- Then even after that you shall surely die.

16- Then on the Day of Judgment you shall surely be sent forth [to be judged and recompensed.])

  

So, God – be glorified – said ÊõÈúÚóËõæäó i.e. (sent forth), and did not say: You will be brought back to life.

 

God – be glorified – said also in the Quran 45: 26

Þõáö Çááøóåõ íõÍúíöíßõãú Ëõãøó íõãöíÊõßõãú Ëõãøó íóÌúãóÚõßõãú Åöáóì íóæúãö ÇáúÞöíóÇãóÉö áóÇ ÑóíÈó Ýöíåö æóáóßöäøó ÃóßóËóÑó ÇáäøóÇÓö áóÇ íóÚúáóãõæäó

I.e. (Say, [Mohammed, to them]: "It is God Who makes you live [the first life in the womb], then makes you die, then gathers you [in the Barzakh world or the world of souls] till Doomsday about which there is no doubt; but most people do not know [the truth.])

 

Moreover, God – be glorified – said in the Quran 25: 17

æóíóæúãó íóÍúÔõÑõåõãú æóãóÇ íóÚúÈõÏõæäó ãöä Ïõæäö Çááøóåö ÝóíóÞõæáõ ÃóÃóäÊõãú ÃóÖúáóáúÊõãú ÚöÈóÇÏöí åóÄõáóÇÁ Ãóãú åõãú ÖóáøõæÇ ÇáÓøóÈöíáó  

I.e. (And on the day when He shall gather them together with [the angels] that they worship besides God, and He shall say [to the worshipped]: "Was it you who led My servants astray [from the way of the truth], or did they [by themselves] err from the way?")

 

In addition to that, God – be glorified – said in the Quran 50: 43

ÅöäøóÇ äóÍúäõ äõÍúíöí æóäõãöíÊõ æóÅöáóíúäóÇ ÇáúãóÕöíÑõ

I.e. (And it is We Who give life and cause death; and to Us is the return [of souls after death.])

  

Therefore, God – be glorified – did not mention here any reviving to life after dying; but He said after it: æóÅöáóíúäóÇ ÇáúãóÕöíÑ I.e. (and to Us is the return.)

 

And God – be glorified – said in the Quran 32: 10-11

æóÞóÇáõæÇ ÃóÆöÐóÇ ÖóáóáúäóÇ Ýöí ÇáúÃóÑúÖö ÃóÆöäøóÇ áóÝöí ÎóáúÞò ÌóÏöíÏò Èóáú åõã ÈöáöÞóÇÁ ÑóÈøöåöãú ßóÇÝöÑõæäó . Þõáú íóÊóæóÝøÇßõã ãóáóßõ ÇáúãóæÊö ÇáøÐöí æõßøöáó Èößõãú ¡ Ëõãøó Åáóì ÑóÈøößõãú ÊõÑúÌóÚõæä

I.e. (And they say: "When we are [dead and our bodies are] lost in the earth, how can we then be re-created?"

[So God – be glorified – said:]

But in fact they unbelieve in the meeting with their Lord.

Say [O Mohammed, in reply to their question]: “The angel of death, put in charge of you, will take you[r souls; when] then you will be returned to your Lord.”)

  

So He – be glorified – has told that while their bodies scatter in the earth and disintegrate, then no need to their recreation; because the judgment and requital are for souls, and souls are enduring, immortal and will not die, but it is the body that will die; and that is His saying – be glorified – in this Quranic revelation:

 Þõáú íóÊóæóÝøÇßõã ãóáóßõ ÇáúãóæÊö ÇáøÐöí æõßøöáó Èößõãú ¡ Ëõãøó Åáóì ÑóÈøößõãú ÊõÑúÌóÚõæä

I.e. (Say [O Mohammed, in reply to their question]: “The angel of death, put in charge of you, will take you[r souls; when] then you will be returned to your Lord.”)

  

Here, God – be glorified – did not tell about any revival to life after mentioning the death, but He said after it:

Ëõãøó Åáóì ÑóÈøößõãú ÊõÑúÌóÚõæä

I.e. (then you will be returned to your Lord.)

 

Also God – be glorified – said in the Quran 44: 8

áóÇ Åöáóåó ÅöáøóÇ åõæó íõÍúíöí æóíõãöíÊõ ÑóÈøõßõãú æóÑóÈøõ ÂÈóÇÆößõãõ ÇáúÃóæøóáöíäó

I.e. (There is no god [in the universe] but He [alone.]

He gives life [to the inanimate making out of it the living beings],

And [He] causes death [of the living beings: He is All-Able to do either of these]; your Lord and the Lord of your forefathers.)

  

Here also, God mentioned the death, but did not mention any revival to life after it.

 

Moreover, God – be glorified – said in the Quran 57: 2

áóåõ ãõáúßõ ÇáÓøóãóÇæóÇÊö æóÇáúÃóÑúÖö íõÍúíöí æóíõãöíÊõ æóåõæó Úóáóì ßõáøö ÔóíúÁò ÞóÏöíÑñ

I.e. (To Him belongs the ownership of the heavens and the earth; He gives life [to the inanimate things] and causes death [of the animate beings]; and is All-Able to do all things.)

 

 

[There will be no revival of dead bodies and formation of souls better than the first souls:] 

       

Moreover, God – be glorified – said in the Quran 70: 39-41

ßóáøóÇ ÅöäøóÇ ÎóáóÞúäóÇåõã ãøöãøóÇ íóÚúáóãõæäó . ÝóáóÇ ÃõÞúÓöãõ ÈöÑóÈøö ÇáúãóÔóÇÑöÞö æóÇáúãóÛóÇÑöÈö ÅöäøóÇ áóÞóÇÏöÑõæäó . Úóáóì Ãóä äøõÈóÏøöáó ÎóíúÑðÇ ãøöäúåõãú æóãóÇ äóÍúäõ ÈöãóÓúÈõæÞöíäó

I.e. (No, [he will not be admitted into Paradise.] Surely, We have created them of [the dust of the earth] that they know.

 

[They know also that they will die, and their bodies will return to the earth to be dust again; then why do they deny Our might, and that We are Able to recreate their bodies once again?]

 

But should I swear [for the future] by the Lord of the rising and the setting [of the sun on the planets] that certainly We are Able [to recreate them, after their death.]

 

[Moreover We are Able even] to substitute [for them new bodies that We recreate] better than theirs, but We had not done [such a thing] before [save only to manifest a miracle.])

  

The interpretation: We are All-Able to revive and bring dead bodies back to life, and form in them souls better and more pious than these infidels, but it is something unprecedented by Us, i.e. We had not done that before: that We bring dead bodies [to life again] and form in them some other souls, but We create new bodies in the wombs and form other souls in them.

 

 

[No reincarnation or transmigration of souls]       

 God – be glorified – said in the Quran 56: 60-62

äóÍúäõ ÞóÏøóÑúäóÇ Èóíúäóßõãõ ÇáúãóæúÊó æóãóÇ äóÍúäõ ÈöãóÓúÈõæÞöíäó . Úóáóì Ãóä äøõÈóÏøöáó ÃóãúËóÇáóßõãú æóäõäÔöÆóßõãú Ýöí ãóÇ áóÇ ÊóÚúáóãõæäó

I.e. (It is We who have ordained death among you, and We have not done it before,

 

to exchange [new bodies:] the likes of you, and to reincarnate you [again] into [these new bodies], that you know not about [their recreation.]

[Then God – be glorified – said:]

And having known the first formation, why don’t you then consider?)

  

Therefore, His saying – be glorified –  

  æóãóÇ äóÍúäõ ÈöãóÓúÈõæÞöíäó . Úóáóì Ãóä äøõÈóÏøöáó ÃóãúËóÇáóßõãú

I.e. (and We have not done it before: to exchange [new bodies:] the likes of you) means: We had not done it before: that We bring dead bodies back to life, as you think, and form some souls of your like, but you say some words that you do not know and that are untrue; so that you say, as it is mentioned in the Quran 36: 78

ãóäú íõÍúíöí ÇáúÚöÙóÇãó æóåöíó Ñóãöíãñ ¿

I.e. ('Who can revive the bones when they are decayed!?')

 

and you think that man is the material body, but if you have precise knowledge, then you will realize that man is the ethereal soul, and you will realize that there is no need to revive and bring the material body back to life again.

 

  

[Their perception of time:]

God – be glorified – said in the Quran 30: 55-56

æóíóæúãó ÊóÞõæãõ ÇáÓøóÇÚóÉõ íõÞúÓöãõ ÇáúãõÌúÑöãõæäó ãóÇ áóÈöËõæÇ ÛóíúÑó ÓóÇÚóÉò ßóÐóáößó ßóÇäõæÇ íõÄúÝóßõæäó . æóÞóÇáó ÇáøóÐöíäó ÃõæÊõæÇ ÇáúÚöáúãó æóÇáúÅöíãóÇäó áóÞóÏú áóÈöËúÊõãú Ýöí ßöÊóÇÈö Çááøóåö Åöáóì íóæúãö ÇáúÈóÚúËö ÝóåóÐóÇ íóæúãõ ÇáúÈóÚúËö æóáóßöäøóßõãú ßõäÊõãú áóÇ ÊóÚúáóãõæäó

I.e. (And on the day when the Hour [of man’s death] issues, the guilty will swear that they tarried [in the life of the World] not more than one of the hours [of time]; thus were they used to lie [in the life of the World.]

 

But those [angels and prophets] endowed with knowledge and faith will say: "You tarried [in the life of the World] according to [the age] that God decreed [for you] until the day of [your] sending forth [from your bodies to the world of souls]; for this [day of your death] is the day of the sending forth[xxxiii] [of your souls to the Afterlife], but you used not to know [the truth.]”)

 

The interpretation: 

>> (And on the day when the hour issues) means: the hour of man's death,

>> (the guilty will swear that they tarried [in the life of the World] not more than one of the hours [of time]; thus were they used to lie) in the life of the World.

>> (But those [angels and prophets] endowed with knowledge and faith will say, 'You tarried) in the life of the World,

>> (according to [the age] that God decreed [for you]) means: what life span God had decreed for you,

>> (until the day of [your] sending forth) means: until the day of your death, and your sending forth from your bodies.

>> (for this [day of your death] is the day of the sending forth [from your bodies to the world of souls]) which We promised you with,

>> (but you used not to know) the truth.'

  

It is narrated that Prophet Mohammed – salam to him – said: "There isn't after death any home other than Paradise or Fire."

  

This prophetic tradition confirms that man does not disappear by his death, but he goes to another world where either he lives in prosperity in case he was one of the believers, or he lives in torment and pain in case he was a disbeliever.

  

Man, therefore, is alive [and immortal] and does not perish; but he goes by his death from a material world to an ethereal world.

 

 

 

Objection to the Author

 

Question 10 You say that there will be no resurrection of the body, but that the sending forth is for the soul. Then, what is the meaning of His saying – be glorified – in the Quran 28: 85

Åöäøó ÇáøóÐöí ÝóÑóÖó Úóáóíúßó ÇáúÞõÑúÂäó áóÑóÇÏøõßó Åöáóì ãóÚóÇÏò

I.e. (Surely, [God] Who has imposed upon you [Mohammed, to recite] the Quran [to people] will bring you [to Mecca] again [victorious over them, so don’t grieve for departing from it])?

  

Answer: When Prophet Mohammed – salam to him – arrived, during his emigration from Mecca to Medina, at Juh'fa: between Mecca and Medina; he recognized the way to Mecca [: his home town], and felt himself anxious to it;

so Gabriel came to him and said: 'Are you anxious to see your [home] town?'

The prophet said: 'Yes.'

Gabriel said: 'God – be glorified – says:

Åöäøó ÇáøóÐöí ÝóÑóÖó Úóáóíúßó ÇáúÞõÑúÂäó áóÑóÇÏøõßó Åöáóì ãóÚóÇÏò

I.e. (Surely, [God] Who has imposed upon you [Mohammed, to recite] the Quran [to people] will bring you [to Mecca] again [victorious over them, so don’t grieve for departing from it.])

  

The interpretation: God will bring you back to Mecca, so don't be sad for leaving it. In addition, if you refer to the book of the Holy Quran, you will find written in it that this aya 28: 85 was revealed at Juh'fa, during the emigration [of the prophet] from Mecca to Medina.

 

 

Question 11 Then what is the meaning of His saying – be glorified – in the Quran 30: 11

Çááøóåõ íóÈúÏóÃõ ÇáúÎóáúÞó Ëõãøó íõÚöíÏõåõ Ëõãøó Åöáóíúåö ÊõÑúÌóÚõæäó

I.e. (It is God Who initiates the creation [from the dust] then returns it back [to the dust], then you [all] will be brought back to Him)?

  

Answer: It means: He started the creation from earth then He brings it back into earth after death, then your souls will return to Him after death.

 

 

Question 12 What is the meaning of His saying – be glorified – in the Quran 36: 12

ÅöäøóÇ äóÍúäõ äõÍúíöí ÇáúãóæúÊóì æóäóßúÊõÈõ ãóÇ ÞóÏøóãõæÇ æóÂËóÇÑóåõãú æóßõáøó ÔóíúÁò ÃÍúÕóíúäóÇåõ Ýöí ÅöãóÇãò ãõÈöíäò

I.e. (It is We Who quicken the dead, and record what [works] they forwarded [for their Next Life] and what [evil programs] they left behind [in the World.] And We have registered everything [of their words and works] in an obvious register)?

  

Answer: 

Its interpretation: We make a life for the inanimate, so that from it We create man, animal and plant; in other words: We create them from soil or earth which is without life.

This is like His saying – be glorified – in the Quran 2: 28

ßóíúÝó ÊóßúÝõÑõæäó ÈöÇááøóåö æóßõäÊõãú ÃóãúæóÇÊÇð ÝóÃóÍúíóÇßõãú

I.e. (How can you [people] disbelieve in [the revelation of] God while you were dead [inanimate], and He gave life to you [and you became alive: hearing and seeing]?)

 

It means: You were non-living and then He made your bodies living: eat, drink, stand and sit and do other movements and activities.

  

The indication of that is His saying – be glorified –

æóäóßúÊõÈõ ãóÇ ÞóÏøóãõæÇ

i.e. (and record what [works] they forwarded [for their Next Life]); because writing the deeds is not in the Next Life, but it is in the Worldly life: which is the writing of the recording angels: the 'Ready-Watcher'.

 

 

Question 13 What is the meaning of His saying – be glorified – in the Quran 41: 39

æóãöäú ÂíóÇÊöåö Ãóäøóßó ÊóÑóì ÇáúÃóÑúÖó ÎóÇÔöÚóÉð ÝóÅöÐóÇ ÃóäÒóáúäóÇ ÚóáóíúåóÇ ÇáúãóÇÁ ÇåúÊóÒøóÊú æóÑóÈóÊú Åöäøó ÇáøóÐöí ÃóÍúíóÇåóÇ áóãõÍúíöí ÇáúãóæúÊóì Åöäøóåõ Úóáóì ßõáøö ÔóíúÁò ÞóÏöíÑñ

I.e. (And of His signs [is this], that you see the land dry and cracked [without plant]; but when We send down the [rain] water upon it, it stirs and increases; surely, He Who revives it, surely, He it is Who will revive the dead; [for] He is Most Able to do all things)?

  

Answer: 

The interpretation of this Quranic revelation is like the preceding one: That Who gives life to the earth with rain after being dead or barren, will make believers powerful and established after being poor [and weak]; so the 'death' indicates the lowliness, while the 'life' indicates the sovereignty [and prosperity.]

 

 

Question 14 What's the meaning of His saying – be glorified – in the Quran 75: 3-4

ÃóíóÍúÓóÈõ ÇáúÅöäÓóÇäõ Ãóáøóä äóÌúãóÚó ÚöÙóÇãóåõ . Èóáóì ÞóÇÏöÑöíäó Úóáóì Ãóä äøõÓóæøöíó ÈóäóÇäóåõ

I.e. (Does man[xxxiv] [: the denier of the sending forth to the Next Life] deem that We cannot recollect his [rotten] bones?

Yes, indeed; We are Able even to restore [the prints of] his fingertips.)

 

Answer: 

It means: Does man think that We cannot gather his bones, and restore them as they were before? No, We are All-Able to restore the decayed bodies to the extent that even We can recreate the finger tips and make the finger prints as they were before, but in fact no need to recreate bodies.

 

 

 

[The reason for the decline of Muslims, and their future glory]:

Question 15 Then what is the meaning of His saying – be glorified – in the Quran 22: 66

æóåõæó ÇáøóÐöí ÃóÍúíóÇßõãú Ëõãøó íõãöíÊõßõãú Ëõãøó íõÍúíöíßõãú Åöäøó ÇáúÅöäÓóÇäó áóßóÝõæÑñ

I.e. (And [God] it is Who gave you life [with dignity],

then He will cause you to die [with degradation and humiliation],

and then He will [again] give you life [with dignity.]

Surely, man is ungrateful [to God for His bounties])?

  

Answer: 

The interpretation:

>> (And [God] it is Who gave you life [with dignity]) means: He strengthened and honored you by the religion of the Islam.

>> (then He will cause you to die [with degradation and humiliation]) few centuries later, i.e. He will lower and humiliate you by slavery [to the foreigners and] the imperialists because of your disbelieving and hypocrisy, and abandoning the religious rites, and because you have committed so many sins.

>> (and then He will [again] give you life [with dignity]) in the time of the Mahdi [or the Paraclete] because of your praying and supplicating your Lord.

>> (Surely, man is ungrateful [to God for His bounties.])

  

Therefore, 'life' and 'death' in this Quranic revelation indicate the 'power and honor', and the 'lowliness and degradation' successively.

  

Similar to it, is another Quranic revelation 2: 243, describing the Israelites:

Ãóáóãú ÊóÑó Åöáóì ÇáøóÐöíäó ÎóÑóÌõæÇú ãöä ÏöíóÇÑöåöãú æóåõãú ÃõáõæÝñ ÍóÐóÑó ÇáúãóæúÊö ÝóÞóÇáó áóåõãõ Çááøåõ ãõæÊõæÇú Ëõãøó ÃóÍúíóÇåõãú

I.e. (Have you [man] considered [the story of the Children of Israel] who went forth [in their Exodus] from their habitations [in Egypt] in their thousands [six hundred thousands], fearing death [because of the oppression of Pharaoh and because they were afflicted by the plague] ;

God said to them: "Die [in this wilderness]", then revived them [giving them dignity and power, through their sons])

  

It means: He lowered and humiliated them because of their stubbornness, then He strengthened and honored them, through their sons, forty years later. That is when they wandered throughout the wilderness for forty years, then God gave them victory, by the hand of their sons, over their enemies; so they conquered the city [of Jericho] and entered it victoriously.

  

Moreover, this meaning is confirmed by His saying – be glorified – in the Quran 36: 33

æÂíóÉñ áóåõãõ ÇáÃÑúÖõ ÇáãóíúÊóÉõ ÃÍúíóíúäÇåÇ æÃÎúÑóÌúäÇ ãöäúåÇ ÍóÈøÇð Ýóãöäúåõ íÃúßõáõæä

I.e. (And an [indicative] sign for them is the dead [: desolate] land: We have quickened it [by the rain] and produced therefrom grain of which they eat [bread.])

  

The ‘death of the land’ implies its barrenness, and its ‘quickening’ implies its fertility.

The religion of the Islam prevailed and became high for seven centuries; and believers took possession of countries and overcame the nations of disbelievers, when Muslims followed the straight path and the true religion; but when they changed and increased in luxury and in the rapture with music and the alike, and they drank the wine, committed fornication; then God gave the Tatar a power over them; so they killed, lowered and humiliated them, tore their books and destroyed their mosques; and that was in the time of the last of the kings of Abbasid Caliphs. Since then, Muslims started to decline and lower down, till they became enslaved to Christians and others for seven centuries also.

But after suffering the pain of enslavement and the bitterness of life, they begged God and complained to Him about their humiliation and their difficulties; so God answered their prayer and started to free them from the hand of imperialists, and they will also have happiness, by the hand of the Mahdi [i.e. the Paraclete], and they will have the high hand; and the Islam religion will prevail over all religions. This is the meaning of His saying – be glorified – in the Quran 48: 28

áöíõÙúåöÑóåõ Úóáóì ÇáÏøöíäö ßõáøöåö æóßóÝóì ÈöÇááøóåö ÔóåöíÏðÇ

I.e. (That He [: God] may make [the Islam religion] prevail over all religions [in the time of the Mahdi: the Comforter].

And God is Sufficient to witness [that you are a messenger.])

 

 

Question 16 Then what is the meaning of His saying – be glorified – in the Quran 4: 56

Åöäøó ÇáøóÐöíäó ßóÝóÑõæÇú ÈöÂíóÇÊöäóÇ ÓóæúÝó äõÕúáöíåöãú äóÇÑðÇ ßõáøóãóÇ äóÖöÌóÊú ÌõáõæÏõåõãú ÈóÏøóáúäóÇåõãú ÌõáõæÏðÇ ÛóíúÑóåóÇ áöíóÐõæÞõæÇú ÇáúÚóÐóÇÈó Åöäøó Çááøåó ßóÇäó 

ÚóÒöíÒðÇ ÍóßöíãðÇ

I.e. (Surely, they who disbelieve in Our [Quranic] revelations, We will broil them with fire,

whenever their skins will be roasted, We will exchange them for other skins, that they may taste the torment.

Surely, God is Ever Mighty [in His kingdom, and] All-Wise [with His work and acts])?

 

Answer: Skins are other than bodies; the 'skins' here means the ethereal skins of souls, which are like the suit[10] that man wears; while bodies are material; the indication of that is His saying – be glorified – in the Quran 10: 92

ÝóÇáúíóæúãó äõäóÌøöíßó ÈöÈóÏóäößó áöÊóßõæäó áöãóäú ÎóáúÝóßó ÂíóÉð

I.e. (But today We shall save you with your [huge fat] corpse, that you[r body] may become an indicative sign [of Our truthfulness] to those [coming] after you.)

 

So, God – be glorified – called it corpse or 'dead body'; while the 'skins': He meant by them: the ethereal skins of souls; because God – be glorified – did not say: 'We will exchange them for other bodies that they may taste the torment', but He said:

ÈóÏøóáúäóÇåõãú ÌõáõæÏðÇ ÛóíúÑóåóÇ

I.e. (We will exchange them for other skins)

  

The indication of that is His saying – be glorified –  äóÖöÌóÊú  i.e. (are roasted.) So if He meant by that the material bodies, then He would say: 'Whenever their bodies are burnt, We will exchange them for other bodies'; because if the material bodies are inflicted with the fire of the present World they will burn and become coal, so what do you think about the fire of Hell? Moreover, it will not burn them, but they will only be roasted; for the roasting is less than the burning; it is the 'cooking'.

 

[This also is the meaning of the word in the Arab poetry some of which is mentioned by Mohammed-Ali Hassan Al-Hilly, the interpreter of the Quran and the Bible, in his Arabic book.]

 

 

Question 17 You say that souls will be gathered-together and judged, and that no need for bodies, but God – said in the Quran 36: 52

ÞóÇáõæÇ íóÇ æóíúáóäóÇ ãóä ÈóÚóËóäóÇ ãöä ãøóÑúÞóÏöäóÇ åóÐóÇ ãóÇ æóÚóÏó ÇáÑøóÍúãóäõ æóÕóÏóÞó ÇáúãõÑúÓóáõæäó

I.e. (They will say, "Woe to us! Who has sent us from our lying-place? This is what [God] Most Gracious did promise with, and true was the word of the apostles.")

  

Aren’t the 'places of lying down', i.e. ÇáãÑÇÞÏ, the graves?

  

Also, God – be glorified – said in the Quran 36: 51

ÝóÅöÐóÇ åõã ãøöäó ÇáúÃóÌúÏóÇËö Åöáóì ÑóÈøöåöãú íóäÓöáõæäó

I.e. (Behold, they will go up, from the graves, in crowds, to their Lord [: to the gathering-together in the space.])

  

Aren’t the ÇáúÃóÌúÏóÇËö the graves?

Answer: We mentioned in our book The Universe and the Quran that the earth will stop its axial rotation so that the night will be in one side of it, and the day in the other side till Doomsday, and they will not succeed each other; so that the day-side will be very hot, while the other side will be very cold.

 

Then at that time, the spirits of disbelievers and associaters will hide in the graves and caves to avoid the severe heat and they will not get out [from such places] till Doomsday when the earth will break up, and so the souls will get out of the earth and of the graves and go up to the space; for this reason He said – be glorified – in the Quran 36: 50 

ÝóÅöÐóÇ åõã ãøöäó ÇáúÃóÌúÏóÇËö Åöáóì ÑóÈøöåöãú íóäÓöáõæäó

I.e. (Behold, they will then go up, from the graves, in crowds, to their Lord [: to the ‘gathering-together’ in the space.])

  

It means: They will ascend up towards Him for Judgment and Recompense. 

  

This is about disbelievers and sinners; while as regards the righteous: they will ascend together with the angels to the Paradise of Refuge, as soon as the earth will stop its axial rotation; for the torment will afflict the inhabitants of the earth on that day. Similarly, the angels, concerned with recording the deeds of men, will ascend to heaven on that day, and none of them will remain on Earth.

 

For this reason, the disbelievers who were disappearing inside the graves, because of the heat, will say:

"Woe to us! Who has sent us from our lying-place?"

  

It means: from our place where we were lying down; but when they will get out of their places and see the souls gathering-together in the congregation, they will say:

"This is what [God] Most Gracious did promise with, and true was the word of the apostles." 

  

Then look and contemplate the meaning of the glorious Quranic revelations; for God – be glorified – has not mentioned a new life in the grave, but – in the Quran – the graves are only mentioned with destruction and scattering;

1. God – be glorified – said in the Quran 82: 4

æóÅöÐóÇ ÇáúÞõÈõæÑõ ÈõÚúËöÑóÊú

I.e. (And when tombs shall be [destroyed and] dispersed.)

  

It means: They will be destroyed.

  

Moreover, God – be glorified – said in the Quran 100: 9

ÃóÝóáóÇ íóÚúáóãõ ÅöÐóÇ ÈõÚúËöÑó ãóÇ Ýöí ÇáúÞõÈõæÑö

I.e. (Does he not know [this ungrateful man] when the [dead bodies] inside the graves shall be dispersed?)

  

It means: The bodies which are inside the graves will scatter and disintegrate; because no need for them.

 

2. Likewise, His saying – be glorified – in the Quran 54: 7

ÎõÔøóÚðÇ ÃóÈúÕóÇÑõåõãú íóÎúÑõÌõæäó ãöäó ÇáúÃóÌúÏóÇËö ßóÃóäøóåõãú ÌóÑóÇÏñ ãøõäÊóÔöÑñ

I.e. (With humbled eye-sights, they will come forth from graves like locusts scattered abroad [in the space.])

  

He means by that the disbelievers because they will stay in the graves, so that the graves may protect them from the sun heat, till Doomsday.

 

3. In addition to that, God – be glorified – said in the Quran 70: 43

íóæúãó íóÎúÑõÌõæäó ãöäó ÇáúÃóÌúÏóÇËö ÓöÑóÇÚðÇ ßóÃóäøóåõãú Åöáóì äõÕõÈò íõæÝöÖõæäó

I.e. (The day when they shall come forth from the graves hastily [towards the ‘caller’], as if they were hurrying [and racing] to an altar.)

  

These are the disbelievers.

 

4. Moreover, God – be glorified – said in the Quran in the next aya 70: 44

ÎóÇÔöÚóÉð ÃóÈúÕóÇÑõåõãú ÊóÑúåóÞõåõãú ÐöáøóÉñ Ðóáößó Çáúíóæúãõ ÇáøóÐöí ßóÇäõæÇ íõæÚóÏõæäó

I.e. (Their eye-sights will be subdued, [and] abasement will bother them. That is the day which [in their Worldly life] they were threatened with [for chastisement and punishment.])

 

5. And He – be glorified – said in the Quran 22: 7

æóÃóäøó ÇáÓøóÇÚóÉó ÂÊöíóÉñ áøóÇ ÑóíúÈó ÝöíåóÇ æóÃóäøó Çááøóåó íóÈúÚóËõ ãóä Ýöí ÇáúÞõÈõæÑö

I.e. (And that the Hour [of death] is coming without any doubt; and that God will send forth, [to the ‘Gathering-together’ and the ‘Requital’, the souls] who are in graves.)

  

Look, then, to His saying – be glorified –   íóÈúÚóËõ ãóä Ýöí ÇáúÞõÈõæÑö   i.e. (will send forth, [to the ‘Gathering-together’ and the ‘Requital’, the souls] who are in graves.)

So if the 'sending forth' was for the decayed bodies, then He – be glorified – would say: 'He sends forth that which is in graves.' That is because the word who is used for the intelligent, while the word which is used for the non-intelligent.

  

Therefore, the 'sending forth' from the graves is for souls, not for decayed bodies, i.e. souls of disbelievers and associaters.

 

 

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[1] It is the ‘Grand Night’, which is the 27th. night of Ramadan lunar month; it is called the ‘Grand Night’ or the night of value, on which the revelation of the Quran to Prophet Mohammed started.

[2] Mary, mother of the Christ.

[3] Gabriel, the angel.

[4] Mary the daughter of Imran : mother of the Christ.

[5] Gabriel.

[6] and deviation from the original monotheism.

[7] i.e. their covenant with the prophet, and the fulfillment of that covenant.

[8] And deviation from the original religion of God and the monotheism.

[9] i.e. being conspicuous

[10] It may be like the wetsuit or diving suit – the translator.


[i] Or chapter 1 of the Quran, which is an essential part of the daily five prescribed prayers. Each chapter of the Quran is called 'Soora'.

[ii] The "Am'r": means any one kind of spiritual creatures, here it means angels.

[iii] That was in the Battle of Hunain.

[iv] i.e. so that they may be victorious in the battle against the idolaters or associaters.

[v] i.e. to make, of the human beings, angels.

[vi] So that they said: the angels are the daughters of God.

[vii] i.e. Adam.

[viii] Made by mixing the clay with little water.

[ix] The 'Jann' is the father of genies; just as that Adam is our father.

[x] The 'Jann' is the father of genies; just as that Adam is our father.

[xi] I say: Bodies of genies might have been created of the ammonia gas, used in refrigeration, and other gases like iodine which is a purple gas. God – be glorified – said in the Quran 55: 15

æÎóáóÞó ÇáÌÇäøó ãöäú ãÇÑöÌò ãöäú äÇÑò

I.e. (And the Jann [: the alien] did He create of [gases] emerging from fire.)

[xii] i.e. genies and human beings.

[xiii] He is called 'Taloot' in the Quran; because he was a long or tall man.

[xiv] One of the prophets of the Children of Israel; mentioned in the Quran 2: 246

ÅöÐú ÞóÇáõæÇú áöäóÈöíøò áøóåõãõ ÇÈúÚóËú áóäóÇ ãóáößðÇ äøõÞóÇÊöáú Ýöí ÓóÈöíáö Çááøåö

I.e. (They said to a prophet [: Samuel, who was] with them: "Appoint for us a king, and we will fight [under his leadership] in the way of God.")

[xv] Is the interval following death and extending till Doomsday; it is the world of souls.

[xvi] 'Hanief ' means: following the religion of Prophet Abraham – salam to him – who was a monotheist, and against idolatry.

[xvii] The 'prophet' and the 'guide' preaches to God alone; therefore, his mission is a truthful one, and if he asks God, God will grant him his need.

[xviii] Whom they ask and call on other than God – be glorified – like idols, saints, imams and prophets.

[xix] Which My apostles brought to them.

[xx] i.e. he cannot find his way out of Hell.

[xxi] i.e. We exchange for him, instead of the righteous men whom he did not accompany in the life of the World, a devil who will become his comrade.

[xxii] i.e. the sun-rise of summer and that of winter time.

[xxiii] i.e. he calls the 'Reward' and 'Paradise' a lie.

[xxiv] It means: We will prepare him for the hard punishment in the afterlife.

[xxv] i.e. the fire of volcanoes.

[xxvi] [This is similar to the examination of students; specially the oral final examination. If the student is clever, the examination will be elaborated; in order to estimate his understanding of the subject of the examination, so as to give him the degree that he deserves. While if the student is not good, and committing many fatal mistakes, his examination will be short; because evidently he does not deserve passing the examination, and the examiners will fail him – The translator.]

[xxvii] i.e. the heavenly scriptures.

[xxviii] i.e. Noah's folk.

[xxix] It means: My soul made the idea seem fair to me.

[xxx] 'Disguise': means: You will have nothing to disguise with; because you will come to Us naked.

[xxxi] i.e. the cold crust of the sun, and the blowing will be that of the gases rushing out through a crack in the crust, resembling a horn.

[xxxii] i.e. in the earth.

[xxxiii] i.e. sending forth of their souls from their bodies to the soul world.

[xxxiv] i.e. that denies the afterlife and the sending of souls to the gathering-together on the Judgment Day.