The Essence of Islam – Volume II — Page 413
Resurrection 413 wicked and misguided persons which were so dark as if they had been compounded of smoke. I am personally acquainted with this condition and I affirm emphatically that as God Almighty has said, everyone is bestowed a body after death, which is either bright or dark. It would be a mistake to seek to prove these fine truths through the agency of reason alone. It should be realized that as the eye cannot demonstrate the taste of something sweet and the tongue cannot see anything, in the same way, the knowledge of the hereafter which is gained through visions cannot be tested by reason. God Almighty has appointed separate means for the perception of that which is hidden. Then seek everything through its proper means and you will find it. . It should be remembered that in His Word God has described as dead those who are involved in vice and misguidance and has described the virtuous as alive. The means of life of those who are heedless of God, for instance, eating and drinking and following their passions, are cut off and they do not partake of spiritual sustenance. Thus they are truly dead and will be alive only to suffer punishment. Allāh the Glorious has pointed towards this mystery as He says: من يَأْتِ رَبِّهَ مُجْرِمًا فَإِنَّ لَهُ جَهَنَّمَ، لَا يَمُوتُ فِيهَا وَلا يَحْيى 176. The portion of him who comes to his Lord a sinner is hell; he shall neither die therein nor live. But those who love God Almighty do not die on death as they carry their sustenance with them. . Barzakh is followed by a state of existence which is called resurrection. At that stage every soul, good or bad, 176. Tā Hā, 20:75 [Publisher]