The Concept of the Afterlife in the Qur’an: A Comprehensive Study of Eschatology, Resurrection, and Divine Justice

Abstract

The Quran has introduced the concept of the afterlife (Akhirah) which is a central pillar of Islamic theologies, and includes eschatology, resurrection, and justice by God. This paper is a detailed analysis of what the Quran says about the afterlife in terms of the stages it goes through, including death and the intermediate world (Barzakh) to resurrection (Qiyamah), judgment (Hisab), and ultimate destinations of Paradise (Jannah) and Hell (Jahannam). The Quran uses vivid descriptions and repetitive themes to stress the fact that the worldly life is temporary and the Hereafter is everlasting and will be the reality (al-ḥayāt al-dāʾimah). The major ones are the signs of the Hour (Al-S2`ah), the moral and spiritual consequences of accountability and the coherence of divine justice and mercy. Another aspect of the article is the influence of the afterlife beliefs on the ethics, worship and social conduct of Muslim people, creating a balance between hope (raja) and fear (khawf). Through the combination of traditional (tafsir) and modern approaches, the paper brings out a holistic view of the afterlife as presented by the Quran as a theological teaching and moral obligation.

Keywords: Afterlife (Akhirah), Qur’anic Eschatology, Resurrection (Qiyamah), Divine Justice, Paradise (Jannah), Hell (Jahannam), Barzakh, Judgment (Hisab), Islamic Theology, Moral Accountability