Theological Instructions

LESSON FIFTY-THREE: THE TYPE OF RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THIS WORLD AND THE HERE AFTER

Introduction

We understand (from previous discussions) that there is a direct relationship between belief in God and good deeds on one side, and living close to God and His blessings in the Hereafter on the other, or between disbelief and sins on one side and living far from God and being deprived from eternal blessings on the other. Moreover, we found that there is a counter-relationship between belief in God and good deeds on one side and punishment in the Hereafter on the other, or between disbelief and sins on one side and eternal blessings on the other. There is no doubt about the origin of such relationships, and rejection of them amounts to the rejection of the Qur’an. However, there are some points about this vital issue, which need explanation. For example, are such relationships true and noble or are they dependent on situations and conventions? What kind of relationship is there between belief in God and good deeds, or between disbelief and sin? Is there any cause/effect relationship between good and evil deeds?

In this lesson, the first point will be explained and it will be clarified that such relationships are not false or conventional.

True or conventional relationships

As already mentioned, the relationship between worldly deeds, and blessings or punishment in the Hereafter is not similar to material or common relationships, and cannot be explained in terms of physical, chemical, or other similar relations. The assumption that, on the basis of the rules of the conversion of matter and energy, the consumed energy in performing actions would be converted into blessings or punishment in the Hereafter, would be wrong. Firstly the consumed energy of one’s speech and behavior would be insufficient, and could not even provide enough energy to be converted into an apple, let alone the infinite number of paradise’s blessings.

Secondly, the conversion of energy and matter follows specific rules and does not have anything to do with the goodness or badness of deeds, or the intention of their performer. There is no rule of nature for distinguishing between sincere or hypocritical acts so that the energy consumed for one changes to blessing and for the other changes to punishment. Thirdly, the energy, which was once used for some kind of worship, may be used for the committing of a sin on another occasion.

However, rejecting such a relationship does not equate complete rejection of true relations because the scope of true relations includes unknown and non-experimental relationships. Moreover, in the same way empirical sciences cannot approve cause/effect relations between the events of this world and those of the other, they cannot reject all types of such relations between them either. Therefore, it seems reasonable to assume that good or evil acts will have true effects on one’s soul and due to that some individuals are able to do extraordinary acts in this world. The same effects

will also cause blessings or punishment in the Hereafter. Such points can be proved on the basis of philosophical principles, which are beyond the scope of this book.

Qur’anic Evidence

Although in some verses there are references to reward and punishment (The term reward has been mentioned 90 times in the Qur’an and the term punishment 100 times), Qur’anic expressions justify false and conventional relations, other verses indicate that the relationship between one’s deeds in this world and results in the Hereafter is beyond such relations. Therefore, it might be reasonable to say that the former group of verses is to make understanding such concepts easier for the majority of people to whom they are more familiar.

In some traditions, there is evidence indicating that man’s free deeds have different spiritual representations revealed in the world between this world and the Hereafter and on Resurrection.

The following represents some verses in which the existence of a true relationship between one’s deeds and their outcome in the Hereafter is emphasized.

“Any good that you send ahead for your souls, you shall find it with Allah” (al- Baqara: 110)

“The day when every soul will find present whatever good it has done; and as to whatever evil it has done it will wish there were a far distance between it and itself” (Āl-‘Imrān: 30)

“The day when a person will observe what his hands have sent ahead” (al-Naba’:40)

“So whoever does an atom’s weight of good will see it, and whoever does an atom’s weight of evil will see it” (al-Zalzalah:7-8)

“Shall you be requited except with what you used to do?” (al-Naml:90)

“Indeed those who consume the property of orphans wrongfully, only ingest fire into their bellies, and soon they will enter the Blaze” (al-Nisā’: 10)

It is obvious that by merely meeting with what one has done in this world, it is not the reward or punishment for his or her deeds in the Hereafter. On the contrary, what is met is the spiritual representation of them revealed in the form of blessings or punishment and accordingly the person will either be in pleasure or in torture. As it is understood from the last verse explained above, the underlying representation of eating (consuming) an orphan’s wealth is eating fire; when in the Hereafter the facts are revealed, one finds that by eating illegal food one has in fact been eating fire and accordingly the person will feel the irritation of his inside. He will then be questioned: “Is this fire different from the illegal wealth you ate (consumed)?”

Questions

  1. What is the problem with assuming that the representation of deeds in the Hereafter follows the rule of converting matter and energy?

  2. How is it possible to explain the true relationship between one’s deeds and their results in the Hereafter?

  3. What verses indicate the representation of deeds? Why have terms like ‘reward’ and ‘punishment’ have been used?

  4. Is it possible to describe the representation of deeds (in the Hereafter) as ‘being represented by their worldly characteristics’? Why?