Welcome to Ahmadiyyat, The True Islam — Page 474
− but would acquire ethereal forms and shapes, which the newly born Heavenly spirit would enjoy with the help of the erstwhile soul, which would function as the body. That again would be a matter of relativity. The converse will be true of Hell, in the sense that an unhealthy soul would create an unhealthy body for the new soul of the Hereafter. And the same factors which provide pleasure to the healthy soul would provide torture and deep suffering for this unhealthy entity. . . . . . . . . In short, each individual creates his own Hell or his own Heaven, and in accordance with his own state, each Heaven differs from the other person's Heaven, and each Hell differs from the other person's Hell, though apparently they occupy the same space and time in otherworldly dimensions. What happens to a man's soul between the time of his carnal death and his resurrection on the Day of Judgment. The Holy Prophet is sa reported to have said: 'After our death windows will open up in the grave; for the pious people, windows open from Heaven, and for the wicked people they open towards Hell. ' However, if we were to open up a grave, we would not find any windows! So literal acceptance of these words will not convey the true meaning of this subject. It is impossible that the Holy Prophet should sa ever misinform us, hence there he had to be speaking metaphorically. Had it not been so, then every time we dig up a grave, we should find windows, either opening into Hell, or letting in the fragrant and pleasant air of Paradise. But we witness neither of these. So what do the Holy Prophet's sa words mean? The grave is actually an intermediary phase of existence between this life and the life to come. Here, spiritual life will progress gradually through many stages until it reaches its ultimate destiny. Then by the Command of Allah, a trumpet will be blown, and the final spiritual form − will come into being. In this interim period, different souls would pass through a semblance of Heaven or Hell before reaching their final stage of 474