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Concept of Day of Judgment in Islam and Hinduism
Term Paper No.2Religious Studies
Submitted byMuhammad Hassan Idrees
Syed Kamal Mustafa
Dated: 31 – Jan - 2008
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Sr. No. Content Page No.
01 Summary iii
02 Concept of Day Judgment in Islam 1
03 Concept of life Hereafter in Hinduism 5
04 Conclusion A
05 Bibliography B
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“ Do men think that they will be left alone on saying, “we believe”, and that they will not be judged?”
(Al Qur’an 29:2)
“As a Caterpillar which has wriggled to the top of a blade of grass draws itself over to a new blade, so does the soul, after it has put aside its body draw itself over to a new existence?
(Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 4:4:3)
Summary
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It sounds natural and logical that everyone should reap what
he has sown. One should receive the fruit of his deeds. If one
has sown flowers he should pluck flowers. If one has sown
thorns he should pick thorns.
Islam has its own concept of life after death (Yowmul Akhir).
Our life on earth is meaningless without a test after death on
the Day of Judgment in the Court of Justice of Almighty Allah.
On the other hand, Hinduisam has also their way of life here
and the life hereafter, which is almost based on the same basic
principles as that of Islam and other religions in the world.
Concept of Day of Judgment or Life after death in Islam
As justice is the main concern of Islam it is necessary that people should get
justice in this world and the world hereafter. It sounds natural and logical
that everyone should reap what he has sown. One should receive the fruit of
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his deeds. If one has sown flowers he should pluck flowers. If one has
sown thorns he should pick thorns. Virtues breed virtues and vices breed
vices. The Day of Judgment in the Quran has been also named as the Day
of Reckoning, the Day of Resurrection, the Dooms day or the Day of
Accountability. The account of the deeds of everyone is being maintained.
Islamic concept of two angels maintaining the record of ever word and
movement is scientific. The video has solved this mystery. The alpha and
beta rays have special role in photographic process. The Gamma rays play
their own part. It is a great lesson. If through material rays we can preserve
activities there should be no doubt about our record preserved by the special
divine agencies. The Quran in Sura“The Friday Prayers” announces:
“The death from which you flee will truly overtake you; then
will you be sent back to the knower of the things secret and
open; and He will tell you (the truth) of the things you
did.”(62:8)
Everybody’s record is being maintained during his life period. It is very
accurate record. The Day of Judgment is the day of justice. No body will be
wronged. His limbs will be his witness. He will see his record and his video
film will be shown to him. Everyone will be rewarded or punished
according to his deeds.
The Quran in Sura“The Israelite” says;
“Everyman’s fate we have fastened on his own neck. On the
Day of Judgment we shall bring out for him a scroll, which
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he will see spread open. Read thine record sufficient is thy
soul this day to make out an account against thee”. (17:13-
14).
As the literal meaning of Arabic word used for the Day of Judgment
“Qayamah” is to rise up, hence the question arise as to why they should be
raised up after demise. There are three reasons for “Qayamah”.
(a) It is the demand of natural and divine justice that everyone should get
the result of his life examination. As in academies one is given result of his
tests, similarly everyone must get the result whether he passes or fails.
About the examination of Life in Sura “The Bee” the Quran says:
“Whoever works righteousness, man or woman, and has
Faith, verily to him we will give a new life, a life that is good
and pure, and we will bestow on such their reward
according to the best of their actions.” (16:97).
(b) Had there been no concept of the Day of Judgment there would have
been no human morality. Might is right would have become the law of the
day. The concepts of Hell and Heaven are very essential to keep balance in
human conduct. The tyrants, the oppressors, the murderers and the
aggressors must be punished. If they escape in this world because of their
power, pelf and influence they must be punished on Doomsday. Abraham
must be rewarded and Nimrod must be chastised. Moses must be rewarded
and Pharaoh be punished. Hussain be rewarded and Yazid be punished.
It is divine justice and God promises that. In the Quran in Sura “Abraham”
about the virtuous and righteous people God says;
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“But those who believe and work righteousness be
admitted to gardens beneath which rivers flow. To dwell
therein for aye with the permission of their lord.”(14:23).
(c) All the prophets have promised this day. They were sooth – sayers.
They were divinely appointed. They were not liars. They were the
messengers and warners sent from God. We must believe in their words and
vows. We have no reason to reject or refute them. They valiantly, patiently
and boldly bore the inflictions and excesses. They were tortured. They were
persecuted. They were executed. But they never bowed before tyrants and
vicious forces. Their steadfastness and perseverance testifies the truth of
their mission when such truthful people believed in the Doomsday, we have
no reason to disbelieve in which they believed. Now let us briefly discuss
the Quranic logic about the Day of Judgment. The Quran refutes the plea of
the unbelievers who say that how it can happen. After death when we will
be turned into dust, then how can we resurrect? The Quran in Sura “Yasin”
announces;
“Does not man realize that we created him from a seed of
fluid? Yet he does not believe and forgets even his own
creation. He says as to who could revive the decayed bones
back to life from nonentity.” (36:79).
After giving the argument of first birth the Quran gives the second
argument. It says:
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“one of the clear divine signs is that you see the earth dead
and motionless, but as soon as Allah pours rain on it, it
comes to life and becomes fertile and green. Allah who
revives the dead earth to life will also revive the dead man
to life. Allah is able to do all things: (41:39).
Then in Sura “Saad” the Quran gives third argument on the basis of Justice.
It is related to the Islamic concept of Good and Bad. The Quran says:
“We have not created the heavens and the earth and all that
is between them in vain, though this is the belief of the
infidels. Woe to the disbelievers; they will suffer the
torment of the Hellfire. Do we consider the righteously
striving believers equal to the evil doers in the earth? Are
the pious ones equal to those who openly commit sins?”
(38:27-28).
Concept of rebirth in Hinduism – Reincarnation or
Transmigration of the Souls
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Most of the Hindus believe in the cycle of birth, death and rebirth, which
is called ‘Samsara’.
‘Samsara’ or the doctrine of rebirth is also known as the theory of
reincarnation or of transmigration of the soul. This doctrine is
considered to be a basic tenet of Hinduism. According to doctrine of
rebirth, differences between individuals, even at the time of their birth
are due to their past karma i.e. actions done in the past birth. For
example if one child is born healthy while another is handicapped or
blind, the differences are attributed to their deeds in their previous lives.
Those who believe in this theory reason that since all actions may not
bear fruit in this life, there has to be another life for facing or reaping the
consequences of one’s actions.
a) It is mentioned in the Bhagvad Gita
“As a person puts on new garments, giving up old ones,
the soul similarly accepts new material bodies, giving up
the old and useless.”
(Bhagvad Gita 2:22)
b) The Doctrine of Re-birth is also described in Brihadaranyaka
Upanishad:
“As a Caterpillar which has wriggled to the top of a blade
of grass draws itself over to a new blade, so does the
soul, after it has put aside its body draws itself over to a
new existence. (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 4:4:3)
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Karma – The law of Cause and Effect:
Karma means act, deed, action or activity and refers not only to action
undertaken by the body but also to those undertaken by the mind. Karma
is actually action and reaction or the law of cause and effect. It is
explained by the saying, “As we sow, so shall we reap”. A farmer cannot
sow wheat and expect rice to grow. Similarly, every good thought, word
or deed begets a similar reaction which affects our next life and every
unkind thought, harsh word and evil deed comes back to harm us in this
life or in the next life.
Dharma – Righteous Duties:
Dharma means what is right or righteous duties. This includes what is
right for the individual, family, the class or caste and also for the
universe itself. In order to achieve good karma, life should be lived
according to Dharma, otherwise it will result in bad karma. Dharma
affects both, the present life and the future as well.
Life after Death in the Vedas:
There is reference to life after death in the Vedas. It is mentioned in:
a. Rigved Book no. 10, Hymn no. 16 verse no. 4
“The unborn portion, burn that, AGNI, with thy heat; let
thy flame, thy splendour, consume it; with those glorious
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members which thou hast given him, JATAVEDAS, bear
him to the world (of the virtuous)”
(Rigved 10:16:4)
The Sanskrit word ‘Sukritam u Lokam’ means ‘the word of the virtuous
or region of the pious, referring to the hereafter.
The next verse i.e.
b. Rigveda Book 10 hymn 16 verse 5 says:
“… Putting on (Celestial) life, let the remains (of bodily
like) depart: let him, JATAVEDAS be associated with a
body.”
(Rigveda 10:16:5)
This verse too refers to a second life i.e. life after death.
Paradise – Swarga in the Vedas:
'Swarg’ i.e. Paradise, is described in several places in the Vedas
including:
a. Atharva Veda Book 4 hymn 34 verse 6 (Devichand)
“May all these streams of butter, with their banks of
honey, flowing with distilled water, and milk and curds
and water reach thee in domestic life enhancing thy
pleasure. May thou acquire completely these things
strengthening the soul in diverse ways.” (Atharva Veda
4:34:6)
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Atharva Veda Book 4 hymn 34 verse 6 (Ved Pra.)
“Having pools of clarified butter, stocks of sweet honey,
and having exhilarating drinks for water, full of milk and
curds, may all these streams flow to us in the world of
happiness swelling sweetly. May our lakes full of lotuses
be situated near us.”
(Atharva Veda 4:34:6)
b. It is mentioned in Atharvaveda
“Bereft of physical bodies, pure, cleansed with the wind,
brilliant, they go to a brilliant world. The fire does not
cause burning in their male organ. In the world of
happiness they get plenty of women.
(Atharva Veda 4:34:2)
c) It is mentioned in Atharvaveda:
May the realised ones, first of all, take the vital breath
under their control from the limbs in which it has been
circulating. Go to heaven stay firm with all the parts of
your body. Attain the world of light and emancipation,
following the path of the enlightened ones (your
predecessors)”.
(Atharva Veda 2:34:5)
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d) It is mentioned in Atharavaveda
“O both of you, start to accomplish it, make determined
effort to accomplish it. Those having unflinching faith
attain this abode of happiness. Whatever ripe offerings
you have made in fire of sacrifice, may both, the husband
and wife, stand united to guard them with care.
(Atharva Veda 6:122:5)
e) It is mentioned in the Rigveda:
“O Aila, the loud-sounding clouds, these divines say to
you, since you are indeed subject to death, let your
progeny propitiate your revered cosmic forces with
oblations, then alone you shall rejoice (with me) in
heaven”
(Rigveda 10:95:18)
Hell – ‘Nark’ in the Vedas
‘Nark’ or ‘Hell’ is also described in the Vedas and the Sanskrit word
used is ‘Narakasthanam’.
It is also mentioned in Rigveda:
“May the bounteous fire divine, consume them with his
fiercely glowing sharp jaws like flames, who disregard
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the commandments and steadfast laws of most venerable
and sagacious Lord.
(Rigveda 4:5:4)
Conclusion
Hindus and Muslims both have the concept of life after death, which is quite
different from each other, but Islam, Hinduism and all other religions in the
world have the concept of Judgment after the life hereafter.
Belief in the Day of Judgment is very important and vital for all the people
particularly the Muslims. Life on this earth is temporary and is meant to be a
preparation for Akhira (the Day of Judgment), which is never ending. Life
on this earth becomes meaningless if good actions are not rewarded and bad
conduct not punished.
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Bibliography
Internet-
“www.islam101.com”. “www.hinduismtoday.com.”
BooksThe Day of Judgment by Harun Yahya
THE CONCEPT OF LIFE AFTER DEATH IN HINDUISM AND IN ISLAM by Dr. Zaker Naik
Encyclopedia-
www.wikipedia.com
www.britannica.com
www.encarta.msn.com
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