What are the Beliefs of Islam on Life After Death?

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28 July, 2021

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“Submission to the will of God” holds the true meaning of the word Islam. To achieve ultimate peace, the followers known as Muslims must completely surrender to Allah in their thoughts, belief, and actions. As per the holy book in Islam, the Quran, there is only one God, Allah, who has sent many prophets to teach its children how to live in the earthly world.

Muslims follow a way of living based on the basic 5 Pillars of Islam:

Shahadah – Declaration of faith and the belief that there is one God, Allah. It is central to their religion that Muhammad is a messenger of God.

Salah – To constantly remind a Muslim of the true essence of life and renew their faith in Allah, they pray five times a day at sunrise, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset, and night.

Zakah – To bridge the gap between the rich and poor, to complete religious duties, and to get blessings, Muslims donate a fixed amount from their earnings to charity.

Sawm – Muslim adults who are in good health are required to fast by abstaining from food and drinks during Ramadan. This time is meant to connect them with Allah, have gratitude, and think about the less fortunate.

Hajj – Once in a lifetime, every Muslim must pay a visit to the holy city of Mecca if their health and finances permit so.

For the followers of Islam, the world of life after death is known as Akhirah. It is believed that until the day of the judgement, the soul stays inside the grave. On that day, the soul is raised and brought in front of Allah, who will judge how life on earth was lived by the soul. Those who performed more good actions will enter Paradise or Jannah, and those who performed more bad deeds will receive the gates of Jahannam or hell. The former is a place for peace of the soul, and the latter is a space for spiritual suffering.

All the beliefs of Islamism are from the writings of the Quran.

Nor can a soul die except by Allah’s leave. The term being fixed as by writing. – Qur’an 3:145

Most Muslims believe that their life on earth is for a small period in which they are preparing themselves for eternal life. They try to fulfil their obligations as per the law of Islam and perform as many good deeds as possible. After all, faith is the way of life.

Islamic funeral customs and traditions

As per the Muslim laws, families should not wait for view or wake and conduct the burial as soon as possible.

The body of the lost one is washed and covered in a white cloth.

In an open casket, the deceased is transported to the location of the funeral.

At the burial, all the guests pray for the soul of the departed.

In addition to this, one of the most crucial rituals involves throwing three handfuls of dirt into the grave by all the guests.

The body and the guests face towards the holy centre of Islam, Mecca.

Mostly a Muslim funeral service is attended by men, but some communities make way for women and children too.

As per their beliefs, autopsies are discouraged as it leads to defilement of the body.

Muslims may perform embalming only if it is required by the law.

The mourning period is about 40 days, and flowers and food are welcome during this time by relatives.

What should one wear at an Islamic Funeral ?

When attending an Islamic funeral, remember that you are here to pray for the deceased and to offer your support to the grieving family.

The dress code at Islamic Funerals is mostly modest. Preferably, men should wear formals such as a shirt and trousers. Women can go for an option such as an ankle-length skirt with and a long sleeves blouse. For the women, it necessary to cover their head with a scarf. Another thing to remember is to wear clean socks as the shoes are removed before the prayer.